The sense of disharmony sprung from a very small start.
When he woke up early in the morning, the number of followers on his SNS account had decreased by dozens.
He thought it was an error at first, but the names that disappeared from the list were the teachers that he cared about.
The teachers who unfollowed him were the ones like himself – those who like to bully the weak.
Aside from them, there were others that followed suit.
‘What in the world…’
The cause was quickly identified.
A picture was posted on his account last night.
The photo was taken a few years ago, showing a child who had the audacity to tag along on the school picnic trip without paying for the fees.
It showed a bill stuck on the back of the child.
The child’s name and face weren’t shown on the photo, but the bill and receipt written on the paper stuck behind his back were clearly visible.
His followers on his SNS account left some comments.
[You went through a lot, prof. Who could’ve put that on our kind teacher? LOL]
[Kekeke I was so annoyed when you cried that day.]
[I cursed a lot when I found out that you didn’t bring anything that day. Like, stop asking for things you beggar jerk LOL.]
It’s foolish to fight back on the internet where there would be records of everything.
Except for some tactless comments, almost the whole comment section was filled with negative words.
[This is a bit… and you were proud of it? ;;]
[Did you put it on yourself?]
[I think you should delete this post.]
[Heol kekeke why would you post this? It’s crazy. Is your true color finally coming out? I’ve always been wondering how we could kill your short temper kekekke]
That one teacher was right.
Although the teacher remembers taking the picture, he doesn’t recall uploading it on his SNS.
He immediately took down the post and deleted all the comments that revealed his whereabouts.
He uploaded a different post pleading with everyone not to spread false information, saying that the photo has nothing to do with him.
He also called the SNS customer service center directly to raise his concern.
While on the call, he even shouted at the worker through the phone.
The worker repeatedly apologized, saying that he will confirm things first.
The investigation showed that there wasn’t any technical problem found and the cause of the photo being uploaded was unidentified.
Still, the teacher vented his anger to his heart’s content.
It’s not really a big problem that his acquaintances saw the picture.
However, unpleasant accidents followed after that.
“He wants me to take over his duties?”
A different teacher was recently involved in a car accident and suffered serious injuries.
He was actually friends with that teacher.
That teacher was Dokgo Miro’s homeroom teacher during third grade, while he was the adviser during fourth grade.
“You guys are friends anyway. I talked to the other teachers about it, but they all kept saying your name.”
The teacher wanted to cry.
He felt angry at the other teachers who sold him out, but he felt most rage against the foolish teacher who drove under the influence.
‘Drunk driving when he doesn’t even have car insurance? He lost his mind. Of course, the car and all the damages he did to the building would cost him hundreds of millions.’
However, there was something odd again.
That teacher admitted that he remembers drinking, but he says that he doesn’t remember driving that night.
When interviewed personally by reporters, he said that he suspects that there was a system failure in his car which caused the accident.
NK Mobile said that they would investigate, but stressed that it was the driver’s fault for driving under the influence and causing an accident.
The public also focused on that fact.
‘I didn’t think he was that stupid.’
According to the enforcement rules of disciplinary orders for public officials, they are subject to suspension or dismissal if they are caught drunk driving more than once.
Having an incident of drunk driving more than three times would be subject to a sentence worse than dismissal.
When his fellow teacher gave him a call and asked for help in paying the hospital bills, the teacher knew that it was his third offense already.
It’s only a matter of time before that teacher was fired.
‘He was already caught for this before. And he drove under the influence twice this week? Doesn’t he have a family to take care of?’
They get along well with bullying kids to release their stress, but he doesn’t have a sense of loyalty to this other teacher.
Rather, the foolish teacher’s behavior, which increased his workload, made him very angry.
He responded that he’d think about lending the injured teacher some money, but once they ended the call, he immediately blocked the number.
It was an upsetting situation, but he felt relieved to see someone fall on the ground more than he did.
‘I’m not going to end up like that.’
But the strange incidents kept on happening.
In the past few days, there was a teacher who was transferred to another school because of psychotic symptoms and was eventually admitted to a mental hospital.
There was one teacher who suddenly disappeared at night, leaving ambiguous hints of either committing suicide or simply running away.
‘…They’re all teachers that I am close with. Was everyone’s heads that messed up?’
In the end, something trivial but very nerve-racking occurred to him.
All the kids who he put together to spread false rumors against Dokgo Miro were out of touch.
Some of them were severely injured from a nature energy wave incident.
He doesn’t know why but one of the kids’ parents decided to send their son to a correctional facility.
The parent messaged him, saying not to contact them ever again.
‘What the hell is happening?!’
After that, some tactless children tagged him in a post about their past actions, along with some uploaded photos.
As if possessed by something, the children talked about the past and presented evidence alongside it, as if they were giving a confession.
The children who did this soon lost contact with him.
Most of the children who were in middle school suffered severe bullying and school violence, and some of them had to transfer to a school outside of Eungwang District.
‘If they wanted to sabotage themselves, then they should do it quietly. Why are they getting me involved in this?!’
Fortunately, his actions were so subtle and not at the level where he was the one being criticized.
However, those who experienced being bullied in their elementary school days began to slowly notice the teacher’s intentions and actions.
[Disgusting.]
[Heol. I guess that one photo he uploaded last time was real. I’m a fool for trusting him.]
[I’m going to leave a message before blocking. You should have some conscience as an educator.]
The number of followers on his SNS gradually decreased, and he was getting bombarded with calls from some parents.
He tried closing his account, but it was revived almost immediately.
He had administrative work and classes to teach, so he couldn’t just hang on to those things.
He felt like going crazy.
The first thought that came to his mind was “why?”
He couldn’t fathom why he had to go through all this absurdity.
The teacher knew that he would be in big trouble once he was caught, but he still didn’t think that his actions were wrong.
“Alright, let’s clean things up one by one. I’ll look at the reactions of those in the comment section. If there are people sympathizing, or if I get the chance to destroy the pieces of evidence somehow, I’ll weave my own story together.”
A few days later, the teacher who disappeared in the middle of the night was found unconscious in the middle of a landfill.
After school, the teacher overheard a transferee saying strange things.
“The most vicious thing is the benefactor’s opinion that we should be patient and bait the students who committed misdeeds before. And then, when the right time comes, we deal with them in the end. What? Isn’t that what he said? Was it just a rough suggestion? Hahaha!”
The transferee with bright eyes was smiling as he talked to the air.
The teacher thought that the transferee was sick in the head.
He usually would’ve relieved his stress by giving severe punishment to a student, but his instincts told him to just run away.
As he tried to take his eyes away from the small opening in the door from where he was peeking in, he made eye contact with the transferee.
The transferee grinned as if he knew the teacher was there all this time.
The kid’s eyes looked like they belonged to a beast.
“I’m not supposed to easily end the man who caused pain and humiliation to my close friend.”
An elementary student saying such a thing would normally be funny and ridiculous, but the teacher felt suffocated and afraid.
He thought he saw a red fog appear behind him and disappeared immediately.
* * *
After school.
Some students began to wear their autumn uniforms as the weather began to cool down.
I looked at my hologram as I was heading to the rendezvous point.
The hologram contained the secret activities of Dokgo Miro as investigated by the Red Tiger.
Dokgo Miro has disciplined elementary school bullies, starting with Gwangil area.
It’s said that students fear the phrase “I’m going to tell on you to the King!”
‘It must’ve been difficult since she can only work after school and she’s all alone. But how come she’s done this much? Is she a superhuman?’
Dokgo Miro disciplined all the elementary school students who use violence to extort money and valuables of the weaker kids.
That’s what she usually does after school.
As Dokgo Miro ran wild, her work seemed to have become easier because of the rumors.
“Hi, Euishin-ah.”
As I walked through the school gate, someone called my name.
It was Oh Hyeji, president of the student council.
“Hello.”
“After that incident, the student council decided to strengthen the security for students who go to and from the school. Has everything been okay since that filming crew tried to invade the school?”
So that incident made the student council take initiative.
Although the incident happened to us Class Zero, it seems that all the freshmen have a similar experience of dealing with outsiders.
“Yes, it’s fine. You’ve worked hard.”
“Don’t mention it. I had to do what I could do before I become busy with preparing for exams.”
Oh Hyeji looked a little tired.
She was wearing a summer uniform, and she still had that wristwatch that Joo Soogyeom gave to her.
Seeing the wristwatch bothered me.
I remembered the face of the jerk who made my playable character cry.
Joo Soogyeom was reasonable and legitimate, but I couldn’t see him in a good light because he brought tears to my playable character.
“Call me anytime you want to talk to your sister.”
That was the only thing I could say.
“Thank you. She’ll get caught if I contact her myself, so… I’ll contact you when I need it.”
Oh Hyeji seemed to have cheered up as she thought of Oh Hyejung, but she didn’t seem as cheerful as usual.
I don’t know if it’s because of the exams or if she’s brokenhearted, but I can’t help but blame it all on Joo Soogyeom.
* * *
At a study room café near Eungwang High.
I arrived just in time for the reservation, but Dokgo Miro was already there.
“…Hello. Why did you call me here?”
Dokgo Miro’s face looked a little stiff.
She must’ve taken notice of the CCTVs installed in each room.
‘Those CCTVs are old models that can’t record voices. Looks like her camera phobia is really that bad.’
When I asked her to meet with me, Dokgo Miro was reluctant at first.
But when I mentioned the incident at the school’s main gate, she immediately agreed.
She still feels sorry for the incident that happened last time.
That’s why she couldn’t refuse my request.
“Have you filmed the video for your mission?”
“…Not yet. I tried it a few times with the VJ’s help, but…”
Her expression got darker.
I spoke with my back to the CCTV so that my mouth wouldn’t be filmed.
“Let me help you.”
“What?”
“You can’t show your true skills in front of a camera.”
Dokgo Miro’s face became completely alert after hearing what I said.
I must be acting very suspiciously.
Asking her to meet for the first time, and mentioning her fear of cameras, and my presence itself.
Everything seems suspicious.
A faint vigor lit up from Dokgo Miro’s eyes.
“We’ve only met a few times before. Why do you want to help me?”
I floated a hologram.
The hologram showed an article talking about the incident at the Gwangil Police Station.
“I want to help the King.”
