A Thousand Faces (Soon to be Published)

Chapter 4

It was the first night of the school trip.

The instructor found themselves alone in their room after wrapping up the day's agenda.

Bam!

The door swung open, not gently, but with a forceful kick.

The instructor, puzzled by the sudden intrusion, found themselves face-to-face with a student, his appearance disheveled.

...Who are you?

The face of the student who appeared abruptly was filled with annoyance and fatigue.

"The kids don't want to share a room with me. It's frustrating."

From this point on, everything that will unfold will be solely his responsibility. Trying to paint the incident as a mere accident resulting in death would be an attempt to shift blame onto the school for not properly taking care of the students—a scenario he wanted to avoid.

He didn't want lingering remorse over the loss of life.

Dealing with the issue caused by the troublesome student, an issue entirely beyond the school's control, needed to be managed without a hint of outside involvement.

Junwoo glanced over his shoulder.

"...Maybe I should just burn it all down."

The words he muttered left the instructor speechless.

Despite sounding like a childish boast, there was a genuine mix of sincerity in his face, contemplating the idea seriously.

The instructor refrained from mentioning that he intentionally let it be heard.

"What do you think?"

Junwoo stared at the instructor as if seeking an answer.

There was a faint upward curve to Junwoo's lips, suggesting an almost playful delight in the situation.

The instructor instinctively sensed danger.

Junwoo laughed heartily at the instructor's foolish appearance.

"Oh, it's just a joke. Is it okay if I stay here?"

Without bothering for a response, Junwoo slid his hand into his pocket, striding confidently into the room, fully clothed, but leaving muddy tracks across the floor.

'I'm sorry. I'll clean this up later.'

Junwoo apologized to himself.

This is still not enough. Shall we push it a bit further?

The instructor's face, initially pale with disbelief, now flushed red.

"What exactly do you think you're doing?"

"Is it not allowed?"

"Are you joking right now? Who's your homeroom teacher? Bring him here now."

"Fine. But that teacher hasn't treated me like a human ever since I hit him not too long ago. He won't come even if you call."

It wasn't entirely untrue, and Junwoo felt a bit embarrassed.

Hit a teacher...? The thought was unbelievable for the instructor. After all, Junwoo was just a middle school student.

"This isn't a place where students can casually enter. Can you leave quickly?"

"Oh, I guess I should get some sleep then."

Ignoring the instructor's words, Junwoo sprawled out in the middle of the room.

"Can't you hear me? Uh..."