Nurse Lee's Intervention
"Gojin!" she exclaimed, hurrying to his side and enveloping him in a tight hug. "I'm sorry, I couldn't get here earlier... how are you?"
"I'm fine, Mom," Gojin replied with a smile. "Just a bit hurt."
Gojin didn't have the heart to tell her that her hug was the reason his pain returned. Despite that, he was happy being embraced by her after so long.
"I'm so glad you're okay," Yeji murmured, her eyes shining with unshed tears. "What happened? They said you fought some boys and-"
Gojin nodded slightly, not wanting to worry her further with the details just yet. They could worry about that later, when Gojin had formed a plan to deal with Taejun and his family.
Just then, Nurse Lee returned to check up on Gojin and was relieved to see Kim Yeji next to her son.
"You must be Mrs. Kim," she said, joining them. "I was the one who called you when I realized the school didn't have the decency to do that."
Gojin understood perfectly why the school hadn't told his parents about the incident. For one, it would stir up needless drama.
Second, it was simpler to pressure a student into confessing to something untrue when their parents weren't involved. It was a tactic he had seen being used countless times.
Meanwhile, Nurse Lee finished explaining about Gojin's wounds to Yeji.
"He has some bruises and cuts, but nothing serious. I think it's best if you take him home to rest," Nurse Lee suggested.
Yeji profusely thanked her for all the help she had given them before turning to ask Gojin if he could stand.
But before Gojin could answer, the door opened once again. This time, it was Mr. Park, the burly sports teacher, and Mrs. Han, the vice principal, both looking tense.
"Gojin and Mrs. Kim, please come with us to the principal's office," Mr. Park said, but it was more like an order than a request.
Yeji frowned. "Why? What is this about?"
Mrs. Han, a woman in her mid-forties with a stern expression, spoke up. "We need to discuss what happened today. Gojin is being investigated for assaulting Taejun, which led him to be admitted into the hospital."
"What? But my son was the one who got hurt!" Yeji's eyes widened in shock. "You can't frame my son for something like that when he is in this condition-"
"That's what we want to know," Mr. Park said. "The sooner we can get to the bottom of this situation, the better it will be for all parties involved."
"I'll come along too," Nurse Lee, sensing the tension, intervened. "As the one who treated Kim Gojin, my reports would be of help in the investigation."
"That's unnecessary, Ms. Lee," Mrs. Han's tone turned unexpectedly sweet. "I assure you, we can handle this matter with utmost care-"
However, Nurse Lee didn't care as she pushed past her and fetched a wheelchair for Gojin and helped him into it.
Gojin found this strange. The vice principal he remembered from his past life was strict and had a no-nonsense attitude. Seeing her act so sweetly towards a temporary nurse was out of character when she didn't even respect the permanent faculties.
At the same time, Nurse Lee was going way beyond what her duties required. While it felt good to have someone in your corner, Gojin couldn't help but wonder if that was all there was to it.
***
Several of the school's higher-ups crowded the room inside the office. Taejun's parents were also present, his mother looking smug as if she was ready to declare herself the heir of the Sungsam company.
The principal, Mr. Lee, a tall man with graying hair and a stern face, sat behind his large desk. He looked up as they entered.
"No one informed me that Kim Gojin would be accompanied by his... guardian," he said, gesturing towards the empty seats. "Please make yourselves comfortable before we begin."
Yeji helped Gojin into a chair and then took a seat beside him. Nurse Lee stood close by while Mr. got a chair for her.
"I would like to know why my son is the one being investigated in this matter when he is the victim." Yeji wasted no time in showing her claws to everyone there, as it was the obvious thing to do in such situations.
Mr. Lee sighed and looked at Mrs. Han, who stepped forward with a file in her hands. Mrs. Han handed the file to Yeji and explained that it was a witness report from over twenty kids who had seen Gojin attacking Taejun.
Yeji's eyes flashed with anger. "And what about the boys who attacked my son? Are they being investigated too?"
Mr. Lee shifted uncomfortably, but said nothing as Mrs. Han continued.
"Right now, we need to focus on the facts," she said, pointing at the file. "We have witness statements that show Gojin was the one who escalated the situation. When Taejun's friend saw that, they stepped in to help their friend and Gojin got those injuries in the process."
"That's not true!" Gojin said, his voice trembling with frustration. "They were the ones who started it. They dragged me into the washroom and then attacked me."
Mrs. Han looked at Gojin as if she didn't care what he had to say and replied, "Do you have any witnesses? Many witnesses should have seen you if you were really dragged to the washroom, as you claim. But no one said anything about that. How do you explain that?"
No one stepping up against Taejun and his gang didn't surprise Gojin. But he was still hurt. At least fifty people must have seen him being chased and then dragged into the washroom, yet not a single one had the guts to speak up.
I need to find a way out of this...
Gojin tried thinking about the time an ancestor took over his body and thought maybe they could help him again. But when he tried to ask for help, a text appeared before him.
[You have used all your synchronization attempts for the day. Please try again after 14 hours 34 minutes 22 seconds.]
That text really threw Gojin for a loop, but it also meant he was in a tight spot.
It was then that Taejun's mother stood up and slammed her hands on the table. "That delinquent is lying! My son would never do such a thing!"
"How dare you accuse my son of lying! He has always been a good boy." Yeji turned to her, her eyes blazing with motherly fury. "I want a proper investigation into those boys who attacked him."
"Enough. I know we need to get to the bottom of this calmly and fairly." Mr. Lee held up his hand to stop the escalating argument. "But shouting like this won't solve anything."
Suddenly, Nurse Lee spoke up. "Principal Lee, as the one who treated Kim Gojin, I can assure you his injuries line up with his statement. I believe a thorough investigation will show that he was indeed defending himself."
"Thank you for your input, Nurse Lee," Mrs. Han's sweet demeanor returned as she looked at Nurse Lee. However, she didn't look happy with her statement. "We'll take it into consideration."
Just when Taejun's mother was about to say something, Mr. Lee raised his hand, stopping her.
"Maybe things are not as they seem," he said. "We'll conduct a full investigation. But for now, Gojin, you'll need to stay at home until we can sort this out. The same goes for everyone involved in this incident. That's all for today."