Breathing in the morning air seeping into my lungs, I arrived at school earlier than anyone else, my steps distinct from the others.
Sigh.
As soon as I walked into the old-fashioned Student Council office, I felt a sense of both subtle tension and comfort; the two emotions seemed incompatible, but they surprisingly complemented each other.
‘Of course, I'm the first one here,’ I thought. It was cozy; quiet.
I turned on the lights, brewed a cup of hot coffee, and sat down at my desk. Steam wafted from the coffee cup, and the subtle aroma of freshly ground beans spread throughout the office.
As I held the coffee cup and looked out the window, it was a beautiful day. As I've come to realize this year, I found solace in moments like this. Thus, I cherished the calm and tranquility of these mornings.
I took a sip of the coffee.
Crackle!
"Ow, crap! Hot...!"
It was almost too hot and scalded my mouth.
A small amount of coffee spilled.
"Ugh."
I almost dropped the coffee cup.
‘I wonder if anyone saw that...?’
I quickly looked around; fortunately, there was no one. My previous appearance was enough to damage the dignity of the student council president.
I couldn't allow such a clumsy image to be seen by others. I promptly wiped the spilled coffee with a tissue, erasing any evidence. I narrowly avoided making a disgraceful scene.
Resuming my seat, I began to enjoy the serene morning as if nothing had happened.
"Whew."
The coffee aroma was truly delightful.
"Morning, President. Have you had breakfast?"
"Kkuru...!"
I almost choked on my coffee at the sudden question.
"Cough...."
Fortunately, I managed to swallow it properly.
I turned my head to the direction of the voice that came from the entrance. A graceful female student, sword at her hip, entered the student council office with a serene smile. It was the vice-president of the student council, Oh Baekseo.
"Vice president..., you're early. Good morning."
"Good morning."
"This is my breakfast. Just a cup of coffee will do."
"Isn't that too meager? Even if you don't need a hearty breakfast, it's good to consume adequate nutrients."
This woman, what's with the timing? I hadn't heard footsteps from the corridor earlier.
‘It's almost as if she was hiding by the door and then appeared....’
A creepy thought crossed my mind, but I quickly dismissed it. Our gentle and innocent vice-president wouldn't do such a thing.
‘It must be my imagination.’
I must not have noticed it because I wasn't paying attention, I concluded.
Baekseo sat down on the sofa and placed a wrapped sandwich on the table.
"That's for breakfast?" I asked
"Yes, it's an egg salad sandwich. Mmm."
Baekseo took a bite of the sandwich and chewed it up.
...Maybe because I'm on an empty stomach? Even though they’re just a convenience store sandwich, somehow, they look appetizing.
"......Do you want some?" Eventually, Baekseo asked, looking at me with her big eyes.
It was so timely that I wondered if she could hear my thoughts. It was as if she had already thought, ‘I wonder if Woojin would think this way.’
"It's okay. I won't eat."
But even though it looked delicious, I refrained.
‘Being a glutton contradicts dignity. As the student council president, I must strictly avoid such behaviors.’
Surely, it would nibble away my dignity like a rodent.
Moreover, Baekseo was not just anyone; she was the vice-president of the student council, essentially my right-hand woman. So, I couldn't afford to show any undignified behavior in front of her.
“I could tell you wanted some. I can share one bite, but only if you eat the side I've already eaten."
"No, I don't want it... and don't make any weird jokes."
"Hehe," Baekseo laughed mischievously. She must have offered me an indirect kiss because she knew I wouldn't accept.
In the game, Baekseo had a relatively minor role, so I wasn't well-acquainted with her character. However, now I had a clear understanding of what kind of person she was.
"Anyway, I'm fine. This is enough for me."
I held up the coffee cup emitting a faint steam. At this moment, I wanted to present the image of a student council president who exudes dignity even when enjoying a leisurely morning. I decided to endure the sandwich for now and maybe sneakily buy one later.
"Really? Yum."
Baekseo deliberately made a sound effect as she took another bite of the sandwich.
I had planned to spend the morning leisurely, but her presence made the atmosphere awkward. So, I decided to focus on the matters that required attention.
Then it happened.
'Wait a minute. This smell...'
I had overlooked it while trying to savor the aroma of the coffee beans. Unbeknownst to me, an unknown, fierce scent had filled the room.
What Baekseo brought was an egg mayo sandwich made by mixing boiled eggs and mayonnaise. However, this smell was too intense for a simple egg mayo sandwich.
This violent scent, stimulating my appetite, could not have originated from a mere egg mayo sandwich. It was an overpowering aroma of something else.
Soon, I realized.
'Grilled bacon...!'
It was the smell of bacon. Was there crispy bacon in the egg mayo sandwich? Moreover, was it grilled bacon?
My mouth watered, and a desire for a bite overwhelmed me.
'Darn it, I want to eat it...!'
I wished I could just ask for one bite.
I wanted to enjoy the fantastic synergy of chopped boiled eggs, creamy mayonnaise, and grilled bacon with my tongue...!
The desire that welled up in my heart turned my eyes to the clock.
'The school canteen won't open for a while yet.'
There was no way I could run out to the school cafeteria right now. I never thought that my exemplary act of arriving early could lead to such a catastrophe...
In the end, the only option left was to ask Baekseo for a bite.
'No matter what...'
No, I can't.
Asking for just one bite would damage the image I had built up with sweat and effort.
Baekseo would surely let me have a bite. However, as the leader of the student council, I couldn't afford to appear weak.
Some might say I'm old-fashioned. Some might ask, what's wrong with that?
But I, the president of the 'student council with about 400 members organized into 10 squadrons,' to capture villains, had to be a person whom my members could trust and follow without any doubt.
Even if it wasn't perfect, I had to be a person who was dignified and close to perfect in this school.
So I had to be strict with myself. I couldn't allow myself even a single flaw — that was my way of showing respect to the people who followed me.
It was the responsibility and duty that a leader of a group should have; it was an obligation.
Therefore…
'I won't ask for just a bite...!'
…I won't eat the bacon egg salad sandwich.
I would just pretend nothing happened and get through this situation.
I would endure the temptation and wait until Baekseo finished her sandwich.
Then, with a thud, something was placed on my desk.
I realized that I had closed my eyes without realizing it.
"?"
Carefully, pretending that I had closed my eyes due to fatigue, I opened them and in front of me was a lunchbox.
Baekseo was smiling brightly, "Tired, President?"
"I haven't had much sleep lately because of work. But what is this? Did you bring back any lost explosives?"
"As you can see, it's a lunch box."
A lunchbox? All of a sudden? Why?
"Open it."
When I opened the lunchbox, I saw two carefully handmade egg mayo sandwiches and a fresh salad with dressing sauce sprinkled on it.
As soon as I saw it, I couldn't help but think how pretty it looked.
But I couldn't understand why she had given it to me.
When I gave her a look to explain, Baekseo opened her mouth, "I made this for lunch, but... I'm not in the mood for it anymore. President, would you mind having it? Otherwise, I'll have to throw it away."
Oh, no.
"Because of the sandwich you just ate?"
Baekseo casually nodded.
"Well, you know, thoughts can change when it's actually lunchtime, right?"
"Will eat something else. Just remembered something I want to eat."
"Hmm, okay... If that's the case, I can't help it. Throwing away good food is inappropriate."
That's right.
It wouldn't be good for my image to ask for just a bite of something someone else had already eaten, but in this case, it was okay.
Instinctively, my mouth watered.
Baekseo's handmade sandwich looked far more delicious than the convenience store sandwich she had eaten. Even the crisply protruding grilled bacon looked extremely tempting.
It looked like she had put a lot of thought into the appearance.
"Thank you. I'll enjoy it."
I grabbed one of the sandwiches and took a bite.
'Wow...!'
The soft texture of the bread; the combination of the soft, chewy pieces of boiled eggs and the delicious, creamy mayonnaise created a sublime flavor. Amidst all this, the grilled bacon, with its chewy texture and a subtle saltiness, created an astonishing synergy.
Then, the sweet chili sauce suddenly appeared, enhancing the savory taste. Coupled with the bitterness of the coffee, a delightful harmony spread through my mouth.
As I continued to eat the sandwich, one disappeared in an instant.
"President, is it delicious?"
Before I knew it, Baekseo had come close and sat down next to me at my desk.
Without a doubt, it was delicious.
With a calm demeanor and without any signs of excitement, I offered my highest praise, "Can you tell me the recipe? I want to make it myself next time."
It was already delicious enough to make me want to eat it again later. So I asked her to tell me how to make it.
However, Baekseo shook her head for some reason, "No, I can't tell you. I won't."
"Why?"
"If you want, I'll make it for you again next time."
Really?
"Isn't it bothersome? You don't have to do that."
I would feel bad about it.
Baekseo waved her hand with a smile as if saying not to worry, "I enjoy cooking. I'd be happy to have the opportunity to cook for you."
Ah. Well, if that's the case.
In my past life, I was like that when I was really into cooking.
“If that’s the case... I would be grateful.”
Baekseo smiled contentedly, "Enjoy your meal."
She then got down from the desk and headed towards the entrance.
"Going to class?"
"Yeah, we have first-period classroom lessons."
"Goodbye."
She waved lightly as she left the student council room.
"Wow...."
Left alone in the room, I comfortably let out the admiration I had barely suppressed.
This sandwich was unbelievably delicious; my potential future wife position was currently open for enthusiastic applications.
I even felt an urge to seat Baekseo there.
...Having such thoughts without considering the other person's feelings was impolite.
Suddenly, I remembered the orchid flower charm and felt my heart ache. I ignored it, figuring it was just an ember that had already burned out.
By the way,
'Why is it so delicious? What's different about the ingredients?'
Curious about the ingredients, I examined the bread closely. At first glance, the ingredients seemed ordinary.
"Hmm?"
As I was about to cover the bread again, I noticed something strange.
Chili sauce was seeping into the inside of the bread; because the main ingredient was a bright-colored egg mayo sandwich, the chili sauce stood out.
However, the shape of the spread was a bit strange.
'Heart?'
For some reason, the chili sauce was shaped like a heart.
It was a fairly sophisticated shape, even if it was dismissed as a coincidence.
It would have been nice to check and compare with another sandwich, but that had already been thoroughly chewed and entered my stomach, making it impossible to make a comparison.
"......."
For a moment, a strange thought crossed my mind, but I shook my head, dismissing that thought.
Baekseo said she brought it because she was going to eat it.
Would she have made it to give it to me? It was an exaggeration.
In the first place, if I had just eaten the sandwich without overthinking it, I wouldn't have even noticed the heart shape.
'Maybe she just sprinkled it in the shape of a heart for fun, because girls often like hearts.'
I could have easily misunderstood and jumped to strange conclusions. Anyway, I finished the remaining sandwich and salad, leaning back in the chair, savoring the aftertaste.
'That was delicious......'
That day, I felt good, because I had eaten breakfast.
I decided not to skip breakfast from tomorrow onwards.
---- End of Chapter ---
Translator's Notes:-
I am still conflicted about the title and am asking people around. I just need to confirm what school organization the MC belongs to. (학원도시의 선도부장이 되었다)
Rate and review the novel on Novel Updates 👉 Academy City
0 Comments:
Post a Comment