TRGAHS Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Following her friends, Yeji quickly ran to check the grades.

First… from the top.

<Art Department – 1st Year Rankings>

1st place – Class 1, No. 12: Lee Yeji

“Huh?”

Really?

Shocked, Yeji looked at the notice board again.

<Art Department – 1st Year Rankings>

1st place – Class 1, No. 12: Lee Yeji
2nd place – Class 1, No. 4: Kim Ji-an

“Hey! Lee Yeji is first place!”

It was Hyunmin who shouted first.

Only then did it feel real.

Her rank used to be around 20th at best…

“Ahhh! Yeji! You got first place! You worked so hard!”

While Yeji stood there in shock, Da-hye ran over and hugged her.

“Wow, I’m so proud of you!”

Da-hye made a fuss, hugging her tightly.

First place… really?

“Is it true? Am I really first?”
“Yes! Look! Your name is right at the top!”

At that moment, Ji-an suddenly pushed Da-hye aside and appeared.

Students were talking about their grades—some happy, some upset.

Rip—

Ji-an grabbed the notice and tore it down.

Then he pushed through the crowd with an angry expression and left.

Students who knew him as a model student were shocked.

He was already ruining his own image.

Maybe he had lived such an easy life
that he couldn’t handle even this small setback.

“Wow… what is wrong with his personality?”

Da-hye mocked him.

“Even if you do that, the rankings won’t change!”

Yeji laughed.

Da-hye was right.

She had surpassed him.

The result wouldn’t change now.

Inspired by Yeji,
Da-hye’s grades had also improved a lot.

Their hard work over the semester had paid off.

They left school together, excited.

“When did your grades get so good? You did amazing on finals!”
“Well… I just stayed up all night studying. I wanted to completely beat someone annoying.”

Yeji answered casually, but the reason was simple.

She no longer needed to stress too much about painting.

Painting had actually become her way to relieve stress.

So naturally, her focus on studying improved.

“Bye!”
“See you tomorrow!”

After saying goodbye, Yeji headed to the bus stop.

“Lee Yeji.”

Someone called her.

She turned around.

“Quick delivery.”

A delivery man on a motorcycle held out an envelope.

“Are you Lee Yeji, first-year at Cheongrim?”

“…Yes, but…”

A delivery on the street?

Confused, she looked around.

Hyunmin, who was nearby, came over.

“What’s going on?”
“He says it’s a delivery.”

“Are you the recipient?”

The delivery man hurried her.

Then he shoved the envelope into her hands and left.

“…What is this?”

Inside, something could be felt.

“Open it,” Hyunmin said.

Yeji opened the envelope.

“…Photos?”

There were several photos inside.

“That’s Kim Ji-an.”

In the photos, under a streetlight at night,
three people stood in front of a large mansion gate.

Ji-an, his mother, and…

“The Bellagio Gallery director. Jung Do-hyun.”

“…Why are they together?”

And why were these sent to her?

She checked the envelope again.

Inside, there was a business card and a USB.

XX Errand Service
010-XXXX-XXXX

“This looks important,” Hyunmin said.

“Yeah…”

They examined the photos.

They didn’t know who sent them,
but the purpose was clear.

“Maybe someone is trying to help you?”

It looked like evidence against Ji-an.

They would know for sure after checking the USB.

“Let’s talk tomorrow. I’m heading home!”

Hyunmin left.

Soon, Yeji’s bus arrived, and she got on.

At Home

Her parents were overjoyed when they heard she got first place.

“Our daughter got first in an arts high school! I’m so proud!”

When Yeji arrived at the restaurant,
her parents were already calling everyone to brag.

“Yeji’s here! Okay, I’ll call you later!”
“Yes, we’ll talk later—Yeji just arrived!”

Hearing them boast to her grandparents, Yeji laughed.

Even the restaurant staff smiled.

“You got first place? Congratulations!”
“Ah, thank you.”

She took a bite of grilled beef.

Her parents finally stopped talking on the phone.

“Your grandparents are so happy!”
“They might even throw a party when you visit!”

“That’s too much…”

Yeji answered calmly, but she felt happy.

Seeing her parents so proud and excited—
even more than if it were their own achievement—

made her happy too.

“Open your mouth! Say ‘ah~’”
“Ah—”

She took a big bite.

So this is what family feels like.

Something she never had in her past life.

Warmth. Belonging.

Even the city lights now felt more beautiful.

Later

After eating a lot,
she stood in front of her canvas again.

“I’ll paint until I digest this!”

Then—

“Oh right.”

The envelope.

She had completely forgotten.

She took out the USB and plugged it into her laptop.

There was only one file.

“…A recording?”

She played it.

[“What the hell!”]

“Ah!”

Startled, she paused it and lowered the volume.

Then she played it again.

Voices argued loudly:

• “If you had done better, this wouldn’t have happened!”
• “How dare you criticize my son?!”
• “My skills are enough! She used cheap tricks!”
• “You’re the ones who cheated! If you hadn’t destroyed the painting, we could’ve covered it up!”
• “You took the money—just do your job!”
• “I said I’ll return it!”
• “Did you take money from Yeji too? How much more did you take?!”
• “I’m done talking to you. Handle your own mess!”

Then the sound of a car door.

The recording ended.

“…Wow.”

Yeji checked the photos again.

Ji-an, his mother, and the judge.

This was clear evidence.

If this got out,
Ji-an wouldn’t be able to stay in school.

She didn’t know who sent it.

But it didn’t matter.

They wanted to stay anonymous.

“What matters is… how I use this.”

She looked toward the door.

Telling her parents would be the “right” thing.

But she didn’t want that.

Her parents were kind and fair.

They would follow proper procedures.

But…

‘They’ll probably try to cover it up with money again.’

Ji-an wasn’t smart—
just someone who tasted power too early.

His image was already broken.

His true nature had started to show.

Yeji didn’t want to let this go quietly.

“I’ll expose everything properly.”