TBBS 06

Chapter 06…

Fortunately, Christina’s face registered exactly the amount of surprise I had hoped for, before she quickly masked her expression.

“Ugh, if you put it that way, I can’t really insist anymore.”

As expected, she chose to preserve her social dignity as a noble.

Thank goodness…

I swallowed a sigh of relief internally, but then Christina asked again.

“Then, can I ask you just one more favor?”

“Yeah, if it’s something I can do, anything.”

As I answered a little more freely, my tension easing, she suddenly shared something far more candid than I had expected.

“Actually, the reason I want the library internship is way more childish than yours. I just wanted to try getting along with my ex-boyfriend again.”

…Ex?

So, that means Eric had hidden in the janitor’s closet with me to avoid his ex-girlfriend?

Had I held some kind of fantasy about Eric Brannel?

I felt something inside me shatter miserably but forced a smile anyway.

“…I see. I understand.”

After I spoke with effort, Christina smiled brightly, as if she had won some precious approval.

“The truth is, I really hurt him badly last year. So Eric wants some distance from me for now, but I’m afraid that if I don’t act, we might drift apart forever.”

After that, Christina went on at length about the friendship and business connections between the Brannel and Oxenscher families, and even someone like me, a total outsider, could see how it was a perfectly reasonable basis for their reunion.

“I know it sounds weird to say it like this…”

Christina repeated the story in simpler terms, though I had already understood it all.

“Anyway, we’re going to have to marry someday. You get my position, right?”

I was stunned.

How could I, at seventeen, possibly understand a life where a spouse is predetermined far into the future?

Still, I felt glad that I hadn’t given up the internship that Christina, who seemed to have such a precise future awaiting her, didn’t even need in her life.

“I understand what you’re saying, Christina.”

I couldn’t even pretend anymore that I understood her position—it was the truth.

“But what exactly do you want me to do? I’m not close enough to Eric to help you get back together with him. Probably never will be.”

“It’s nothing much, really…”

Christina smiled as if she had heard something entirely natural.

“I just wanted to ask if I could come ask about him sometimes when I want to know how he’s doing. He’s always kind to someone like a new student. That’s just how he is.”

‘Always kind to someone like a new student.’

Then why does Eric Brannel always look at me like a ferocious predator?

Was it all just my imagination?

Then, when she said ‘someone like a new student’ instead of ‘scholarship student,’ was that Christina’s kindness?

I swallowed the reflexively arising cynical doubts and forced myself to speak.

“Wow, that’s a relief. Honestly, Eric seemed a little clumsy since this is his first library internship. I’ll have to teach him a few things, but it’s comforting to hear he’s actually kind.”

Did she like my answer?

Christina finally let out a sigh that made her seem like a normal peer our age.

“Suddenly it’s a library, huh? Eric is so unpredictable. It would’ve been nice if he had consulted me first!”

Then, almost like she had become Eric’s mother or sister, she made her request.

“Please overlook it if he’s clumsy. He won’t last long anyway.”

But if she were really his mother or sister, wouldn’t she have supported Eric more sincerely?

And I, who was neither a relative nor an ex, had no reason to cheer for him at all.

So, I simply agreed with Christina.

“Hmm, in that case, it’ll be easier for me too.”

After finishing her business and leaving with a refreshed look, I was left alone, feeling melancholic.

What does it matter if Eric Brannel is a fool who would hide in the janitor’s closet to avoid his ex?

How is that my concern?

No matter how much I thought about it, it had nothing to do with me.

So there was even less reason for me to foolishly let him grab my wrist and hide in the janitor’s closet with me.

I forced myself to read a book for English literature class, but the words merely brushed past my mind.

Let it go…

I postponed thinking about tomorrow and opened the WG app.

A new notice about the library internship deadline had been posted.

Would that prevent today’s situation from happening again? What if there were dozens of Christinas at this school, all bothering me?

It’d be better if one strong Christina could take care of them all…!

Worrying, my fingers instinctively opened the dormitory bulletin board.

WGStudentbostäders

Title: [Hammarskjöld] If days like today keep happening, the library threshold will wear out.

Right? But why is W-gun still hot even wearing the library necklace?

Reply

[Siegbahn] Please, keep diaries in a diary.

[Tiselius] Wait, is that real? Wow, not just anyone becomes an heir. A library internship sounds boring just thinking about it.

[Lagerlöf] I heard all the library internships for this semester are full. Could it be because of W-gun?

↳[Lagerlöf] Then what’s this about a new student? How did they grab that spot right after arriving?

↳[Hammarskjöld] Maybe just coincidence. There’s someone in our class who’s been a library intern since first year, and they’re still doing it this semester.

[Tiselius] A library… W-gun didn’t seem like the type to invade the sacred nerd territory.

[Siegbahn] I went to see, and it was the first time I’d seen Miss Shellin so cheerful. No wonder I saw someone unfamiliar—that must be the new student.

↳[Lagerlöf] Yep, transferred from a public school.

↳[Tiselius] Are they pretty?

Wow, I must never click on this post again, even by accident.

I hate being talked about where I’m not aware, and these school kids would never compliment the appearance of a pale Asian girl over white students.

I was about to close the app when another post on the first page caught my eye.

WGStudentbostäders

Title: [Lagerlöf] Does anyone have parents who can’t come on Parent’s Day?

My mom suddenly had to go on a business trip. I don’t want to contact my dad, but I guess I have to, right?

Reply

[Hammarskjöld] On another note, I’m jealous… My mom is too controlling. If she had a business trip on Parent’s Day, she might quit work just to attend.

↳[Tiselius] Same for my parents. They’ve been waiting all year for this event, so barring an accident, both will attend.

[Lagerlöf] Last year, almost no one had both parents absent. Sometimes grandparents attended, but usually everyone goes home with their parents. If no one comes, you’ll be left lonely in the dorm.

Almost never anyone absent?

I sighed at the unexpected dilemma.

Parent’s Day existed at Zarba High as well, but parents not attending wasn’t that noticeable…

Of course, back then parents had kept their schedules free to attend.

But this time, since I transferred suddenly, I learned the schedule too late to rearrange my mom’s hospital appointment.

I couldn’t ask her to delay a medical appointment that might take months just to attend Parent’s Day.

Feeling even gloomier, I put down my phone.

I should prepare for English literature class…

With that thought, I picked up the novel I hadn’t been able to read for days.

The next day, during Business Studies, there was a debate about whether heavy taxation on large corporations was justified.

Perhaps because many students came from entrepreneurial families, the debate became heated, consuming so much time that the teacher almost had to stop midway.

Finally, the class ended.

I gathered my books and lightly got up, but someone blocked the door, forcing me to stop.

“Hey, scholarship student.”

It was Johan, whose family ran a trading company.

“Let’s see how much your dad actually pays in taxes to so boldly support heavier taxation. Surely you’re not brazenly supporting it while paying only 300,000 krona (*about 40 million won), right?”

I clicked my tongue at the childish provocation.

If he was curious about my family’s taxes, he could just spend 300 krona to buy a tax calendar and check it himself. (*In Sweden, anyone can view another person’s income for a fee.)

Just as I was about to say that, a cold voice cut in from behind.

“Last year, we paid about 700 million krona (*about 91.6 billion won). Does that justify supporting heavier taxation?”