The Sickly Transmigrator Hides the Fact that He Became a Puppy - Chapter 1.1
The first time Yi Hyeon saw Han Joon was on the first day of the new school year when they had just become third-years.
Yi Hyeon, feeling the lingering chill in the air, was blowing on his hands and stomping his feet, hoping the opening ceremony would start soon. Just then, a tall student wearing only a light jacket, despite it being the middle of winter, brushed past him.
‘Does our school have a student that tall?’
Curious, Yi Hyeon lifted his head to get a better look at the student’s face and couldn’t help but gasp inwardly. It was his first time seeing him, but the student’s face was strikingly handsome.
He had fair, clean skin, neatly trimmed hair, and well-groomed eyebrows that were perfectly symmetrical. His long, sharp eyes held a cold glint as he glanced down at Yi Hyeon.
“What are you staring at?”
The irritated voice of the student made Yi Hyeon shrink back, quickly lowering his gaze. After that, Yi Hyeon didn’t dare turn his head toward Han Joon’s direction again.
Unlike Yi Hyeon, Han Joon was the type to say whatever was on his mind, without filtering what he should or shouldn’t say. He could turn a blind eye to others’ injustices, but when it came to any unfairness directed at him, he was razor-sharp in his reactions.
From the very first day he transferred, Han Joon clashed openly with Won Seok, one of the notorious bullies at the school.
Even though the seating chart had already been posted in the class group chat, the moment Won Seok entered the classroom, he marched straight to the window seat in the back, as if it were his. Then, he kicked the student sitting in front, who had been organizing their books.
“Hey, buddy, that’s our seat.”
“Oh, uh, okay.”
The student, knowing Won Seok’s infamous reputation, didn’t even think to argue and immediately moved without protest.
“Ugh, stuck with that jerk Im Hae Jun again this year.”
“Yeah, I’m sick of it too.”
“Wanna hit the PC room after school?”
“I’ll be dead if I skip cram school again. My mom will kill me.”
“If you don’t come, I’ll kill you.”
Won Seok sat down with his feet propped up on the desk, loudly chatting with Hae Jun. They hadn’t been sitting for long when the classroom door slid open with a loud screech. It was Han Joon. As soon as he stepped into the classroom, all eyes followed his every move.
Han Joon walked in, checking his phone as he went, and stopped right in front of Won Seok. He glanced back and forth between the number on the desk and his phone, then fixed his gaze on Won Seok.
“What are you looking at?”
Won Seok glared at him, clearly annoyed.
“That’s my seat.”
“What?”
“You didn’t hear me? I said that’s my seat.”
“What’s this crazy bastard going on about?”
Ignoring Won Seok’s irritation, Han Joon shoved his phone in Won Seok’s face. He displayed the seating chart as if Won Seok couldn’t understand what the numbers meant. Furious, Won Seok shot up from his chair, demanding if Han Joon understood the situation. But before things could escalate, the homeroom teacher entered the room, and Won Seok reluctantly unclenched his fists.
“You’re the one who needs to get lost.”
Just as he muttered, telling Han Joon to get lost, and started to sit back down, Han Joon yanked the chair out from under him, causing Won Seok to crash loudly onto the hard floor.
From that moment on, Han Joon became the target of the school bullies.
The other students, fearful of Won Seok’s reaction, tried to maintain their distance from Han Joon. However, Han Joon didn’t seem to care about being a target; in fact, he treated the entire class with complete indifference. Even after several weeks, Han Joon remained like oil floating on water—completely unmixed with the rest of the class.
* * *
Less than a week after the midterms ended, the homeroom teacher handed out the ranking sheets. When Yi Hyeon saw his rank, his eyes widened in disbelief.
[Grade Rank]
2nd
No matter how many times he looked at it, the number two looked clearer.
‘This is a disaster. This can’t be happening…’
The orphanage supporting Yi Hyeon would only cover him through high school. If he wanted to go to college, he’d have to save up for tuition on his own.
The orphanage gave a small sum as independence funds when leaving, but with the rising cost of living, it wasn’t enough to even cover a housing deposit.
To earn a scholarship, Yi Hyeon had worked himself to the bone, never missing the top spot in the school for two years straight, earning the academic scholarship every term. But now, in the third year, a transfer student had suddenly come in and snatched that position away from him.
He had never even seen Han Joon study.
‘How much studying does he do at home…’
Being the son of a congressman, Yi Hyeon figured Han Joon must be getting some expensive private tutoring. For someone like Yi Hyeon, who only studied at school and the orphanage, Han Joon seemed like an insurmountable wall.
‘Ugh, now I have to find a part-time job on top of everything else.’
Feeling crushed, Yi Hyeon bit down hard on his lower lip and turned to glare at Han Joon. But Han Joon, oblivious to Yi Hyeon’s inner turmoil, was napping at his desk like usual.
