SSS-Class Suicide Hunter Chapter 147

The class president’s smile was perfect.

The corners of his mouth curved just the right amount. His lips creased graciously, and the tips of his eyes smoothly slid down. I wasn’t exaggerating. Then, his mouth retracted and his eyes darted up, returning to the class president’s usual expressionless face, and I felt like I was going nuts.

The class president stepped up onto the stage.

As I stood horrified, the class president grabbed the microphone.

“Students of Shinseo High School.”

His voice pierced the uproar of the auditorium.

“The video you are watching now shows Hwang Eunseo from Grade 2, Class 5 assaulting his classmate, Kim Yul, in a group. This has not been staged. It is the scene of a real assault.”

The class president was not holding any paper to read off of. He was delivering a speech that I had never heard, that he had never practiced in rehearsal.

“I was able to obtain material like this thanks to an anonymous informant. Yes. There was more than one. The crimes committed by Hwang Eunseo of Grade 2, Class 5 have been recorded in 103 tapes, 311 videos, and 30,790 photos.”

Crimes?

Videos?

Photos?

“Broadcasting club president. Turn over to the PowerPoint presentation.”

“Y-yes…”

The projector illuminated light onto the auditorium wall. Rows of pictures were displayed. The images weren’t that sharp, but our school uniforms were recognizable to everyone.

“We plan to report Hwang Eunseo of Grade 2, Class 5 officially after this presentation ends today. Of course, the victim, Kim Yul of Grade 2, Class 5, will press charges against Hwang Eunseo.”

Report? Charges?

“I want to ask. Did anyone among the teachers of Shinseo High School know of this violence? …I see there is none. Yes, of course. Aside from the regular criminal activities that took place for the past year, the teachers who are supposed to be responsible for our school lives took no action at all. This is the reality of Shinseo High School.”

The reactions of the teachers weren’t much different from my own. All of them looked shell-shocked. A few of them frantically whispered to their colleagues, and the division head rose from his seat.

“Wait a moment. Wait! You! Come down! What do you think you’re—!”

“I trust that all of our teachers will help with the police report. I am informing everyone of the violence at our school.”

“No, if you do it like this…”

“Everyone, please be aware that my presentation is currently being recorded and taped. The evidence has already been sent to media outlets this morning.”

“……”

The head of the grade stopped standing and looked at the principal. All of the staff stared at the principal. The principal opened and closed his mouth stupidly while looking at his phone, saying, ‘J-just a moment. Please wait just a moment.’ Maybe he called someone, or maybe someone called him, but he was kowtowing to someone with his head down.

The school staff seemed paralyzed by his behavior.

“I-it’s a lie!”

I yelled into the microphone I gripped in my hands.

“All the pictures are fabricated! They’re fake!”

But the speakers did not relay my voice. Belatedly, I realized that the broadcasting club president must have disconnected my microphone.

“Please look at Hwang Eunseo as he stands here.”

Only the class president’s voice boomed loudly in the auditorium.

“Do you recall what Hwang Eunseo said in his apology just now? He said, [When I saw my classmate being bullied, I didn’t do anything to stop it]. [Instead, I joined the other kids in bullying him]. Do you remember?”

The students bristled.

“He excused himself by saying he only ‘joined in.’ That is, he claimed that he was not the main culprit. Though he himself organized, filmed, and shared the videos of the violence, Hwang Eunseo did not admit his fault up to the end. Then he pretended to have truly repented and put on a show for you.”

Every student in the room was staring at me.

“Please look at Hwang Eunseo’s face. Remember his expression.”

That was right.

The class president was a bastard.

“Remember Hwang Eunseo’s logic. Remember his methods. The way he led the violence, the way he tried to scurry away—observe every bit of it.”

This bastard was the one hunting me behind the scenes.

“……”

The class president lowered his microphone. With his right hand still wrapped around the device, he turned to me. Then, he spoke in a voice only I could hear.

“Ah. This was tough.”

His voice was so calm that I felt like I was slipping from reality.

“Anyway, Hwang Eunseo, your life is over. You’ll probably be surprised to hear how many kinds of crimes you committed. Even so, you probably won’t spend your whole life in jail since you’re a minor, but oh, well. It’s fine. We can just end your social life.”

“Y-you…”

“It was hard for me to act like your friend, too.”

The class president sighed.

“I…”

Chapter end