Chapter 11: A strenuous and bothersome punishment
Song Yujin sauntered into the school library with a frown.
The bell rang in the background, indicating the end of today's classes. He was in a sour mood because Lu Yuze and Kim Hajun decided to hang out together, leaving him behind.
He was supposed to come, but his ID was still in the disciplinary office.
If he went home without it, and Lee Hyun found out, he would surely appoint his minions to stand watch at the gates tomorrow, commanding to catch Song Yujin as soon as he dared to step inside the school without his ID.
So, in the end, he had no choice but to check in on the office and claim his ID back, expecting the school council's president, Lee Hoon, to monitor him, but he was surprised to see Lee Hyun instead.
The librarian who was arranging papers on her desk looked up at him, frowning at his late visit, the librarian announced disappointedly, "The library will soon close. Take what you need and just borrow it."
Song Yujin scratched his head. He opened his mouth to answer, but a figure went past before him suddenly, striding to the librarian's counter with a firm and straight posture.
Lee Hyun explained politely to the librarian whose disappointed face brightened upon seeing the studious vice president. "Let me close down the library, Ms. Jang. This student violated the school rules, so he has to do his penalty here in the library. If there are tasks that you want him to do, please say so. I will have him do it."
Song Yujin's face crumpled upon hearing those words.
It sounded like Lee Hyun was suggesting for the librarian to list every task there is in the place. He swallowed hard, suppressing his complaints from escaping his mouth.
If he argued, he had a feeling that the punishment would double.
Talk about abuse of authority…well, it hasn't happened yet, so… should I try checking? Song Yujin thought as he looked around the place. Little by little, his eyebrows raised from the number of bookshelves lined in the first row.
He gulped as his eyes moved upward to the mezzanine floor where smaller wall-built bookshelves were filled with books. Not even a single gap indicating a missing book was found.
Looking over those spines and small letters, Song Yujin felt like fainting from a headache. He was already dreading the kind of punishment Lee Hyun would have him do.
Ms. Jang answered amicably, pleased at what she heard, "Oh, if that is the case, then, here's the key. Make sure to check if all the windows are locked before you leave, and don't forget to turn off all the lights."
From talking to the vice president, Ms. Jang's gaze moved to Song Yujin who was busy exploring the library.
She then strictly declared, "As for that kid's punishment…this afternoon, the first years had a science reading activity here, so they all read the science books and just stacked back the books without adhering to the card catalogues. It's a mess. Please have it arranged alphabetically according to their index cards."
Hearing this, Song Yujin's head spun toward the biased librarian. His eyes widened in shock.
"Are you serious?!" Song Yujin exclaimed suddenly.
Lee Hyun and Ms. Jang turned to look at him with raised eyebrows.
He then realized what he said and his tone of voice, but it was too late to take it back, so Song Yujin added with a pout, pointing at the corner of the library. "That is the Science Book section, and it has five rows of long bookshelves. Ms. Jang, you want me to arrange all of them alphabetically? How am I going to finish that today?"
That is ridiculous! Who would stick with this boring punishment?! Song Yujin grumbled inwardly.
However, after Ms. Jang left, Lee Hyun sat in the corner of the library silently. His sharp gaze fixated on Song Yujin who returned him a look of exasperation.
Song Yujin gestured his hands forward, pointing at the shelves of science books and groaning loudly, "Seriously? Lee Hyun, how about instead of science books, I arrange the Fiction section instead?"
Fiction books are almost non-existent in the library, as they are seldom educational, so their numbers would be that much.
Lee Hyun just reached for a history book behind him, and quietly read it on his spot.
Song Yujin wasn't exactly thrilled about spending his punishment in the library, especially when the cold vice president was evoking his discomfort from watching his every move. Even when his eyes were on the pages of the book he held, it felt like Song Yujin was being monitored.
He sighed. Finding different ways of egress into the place, Song Yujin was tempted to escape. But his thoughts were interrupted when Lee Hyun's icy voice reached him.
"Remember, if you don't finish it before the school closes, you'll be doing it tomorrow as well. And who's to say that by tomorrow, the librarian won't just ask you to fix the science section? You won't get your ID."
Song Yujin sneered, "You're surprisingly chatty today."
The tip of Lee Hyun's eyebrow twitched ever so slightly. He focused his eyes on the book again and ignored the new student.
Song Yujin was a bit annoyed. He asked sarcastically, "How am I going to enter the school tomorrow if I don't get my ID back by today? Will I be allowed to jump over the gates?"
Lee Hyun replied without glancing at him, "The entrance gate is always guarded by a student council member, and they have the list of the students under monitoring so, they will let you pass, so you can finish your punishment."
"So…that means, every school ends, you're going to drag me here to do this task?" Song Yujin asked, amazed at the dedication of the student council to discipline the students. In his former school, he didn't even know the name of the school council's president!
Lee Hyun lifted his gaze.
His light-colored eyes were similar to the light passing through the windows of the library, coming from the setting sun in the west, golden and should exude warmth, yet Lee Hyun's was cold and unsympathetic, focused on Song Yujin with a tinge of impatience and veiled curiosity.
Song Yujin was lost in his deep orbs, wondering what was truly going on in that pretty head of his.
With a voice deep and indifferent, Lee Hyun answered, "Exactly."