章 12: Ryu Ji-Ho's Defense
The deputy headmaster looked utterly stunned, his words stuttering out as he tried to find his footing.
Ryu Ji-ho's arrogance was becoming more apparent by the second.
"As far as I know, the Department of Education has banned physical punishment, abusive language, and any other forms of collective punishment," Ryu Ji-ho declared, his tone steady and firm.
"You insolent child! How dare you threaten a teacher!" the deputy headmaster shouted, his face flushed with anger.
"Think about it. If a lawsuit were to be filed, which party do you think would suffer the most?" Ryu Ji-ho continued, his gaze piercing right through the deputy headmaster.
"This boy... where did he learn such insolence!" the deputy headmaster fumed, his voice trembling with rage.
"If this incident of violence were to come to light, it would severely tarnish the school's reputation. Isn't Sinpogo High School known as one of the most prestigious among the top schools?" Ryu Ji-ho added, his voice remaining calm despite the escalating tension.
"And who would take your lawsuit seriously? This kid, thinking he knows everything just because he's heard a few things!" the deputy headmaster retorted, now truly furious.
"...!"
"Corporal punishment is perfectly acceptable as part of education. Now, bow down!" the deputy headmaster ordered, rolling up his sleeves and gripping a stick tightly.
"Reluctant to bow down?" he asked, his tone threatening.
Ryu Ji-ho found himself at a point of no return. It was far too late to back down now. Taking a deep breath, he replied, "Even if you are a teacher, if you administer excessive punishment, it can be deemed a special act of violence, carrying a heavier penalty than ordinary assault. The proof is in the bruises on the backsides and thighs of the seniors and my classmates here. If you don't stop now, I will see this through to the end."
The members of the broadcasting club could only stand frozen, their hearts pounding in their chests. The deputy headmaster grew even angrier, seeing Ryu Ji-ho's unwavering stare and hearing the clear defiance in his voice. His face turned red, the color spreading to his neck.
"I'm well aware that violence causing injuries that take more than two weeks to heal will certainly lead to detention. Even minor bruises can result in over two weeks of repercussions," Ryu Ji-ho said without a hint of fear.
Crash!
The deputy headmaster hurled his stick aside and approached Ryu Ji-ho as if he were about to strike him. The first-year students shut their eyes tightly, terrified of what might happen next. The broadcasting club members trembled, dreading the violence that seemed imminent.
At that moment, a firm yet calm voice sliced through the tension.
"That's enough, don't you think?"
The student guidance counselor stepped forward, trying to defuse the situation.
"Mr. Deputy Headmaster, these kids surely regret what they've done," he said soothingly.
The guidance counselor wasn't stepping in to oppose the deputy headmaster's over-the-top behavior; he was concerned about what would happen if the deputy headmaster truly lost his temper. He knew too well that things could turn very nasty if the deputy headmaster went over the edge. Physical punishment with a stick might be one thing, but slapping was another matter. If the parents of the broadcasting club members decided to protest, the school would find itself in a very difficult position.
'Among these broadcasting club kids, some have the potential to get into Seoul National University...' the guidance counselor thought to himself.
As much as he wanted to discipline them, a few strikes with the stick would suffice. After that, the head of the broadcasting club should be called in and gently persuaded so that no further talk of this incident would spread.
The members of the broadcasting club quietly swallowed, holding their breath in a tense atmosphere.
"…Huuuup."
The vice principal, with a look of restrained anger, took several deep breaths. It seemed he was trying very hard to calm himself down from the rage that was bubbling up inside him. After managing to get his emotions under control, he finally spoke to Ryu Ji-ho in a firm, authoritative tone.
"You! What grade are you in, and what's your name?"
"Class 1-5, Ryu Ji-ho," Ji-ho replied politely.
"Mr. Lee will be keeping a close eye on you," the vice principal continued, his eyes narrowing as he stared at Ji-ho.
Ryu Ji-ho bowed his head, pretending to be apologetic. There was a slight smirk at the corner of his lips, as if he was enjoying the attention he was receiving.
"Vice Principal, please return to your duties. I will handle them properly," said the student advisor, trying to diffuse the tension.
"Hm," the vice principal grumbled. His expression returned to normal, but it was clear that anger still simmered beneath the surface, like hot lava ready to erupt at any moment.
"Leave these kids to me and go have a smoke," the student advisor added in a softer tone, attempting to calm things down further.
"Alright," the vice principal responded curtly. He clicked his tongue once, then turned and walked out of the broadcasting room.
As soon as the door closed behind him, the student advisor lowered his voice even more and began speaking sternly to the members of the broadcasting club.
"Play some pop songs. Plenty of pop songs are fun and appropriate for a school setting. Why do you always want to play such loud, obnoxious music?" he asked, his tone slightly accusatory.
"There were a lot of requests for those songs," Han Soo-ho replied quietly, trying to defend themselves.
"Nonsense…" the student advisor scoffed, clearly unsatisfied with the answer.
"Do you think you're real radio DJs or something?" he said mockingly.
The broadcasting club members could only remain silent. They knew that any defense would only make the situation worse.
"If you were just a bunch of dumb kids who couldn't study, you would have been punished long ago. You need to understand that," the student advisor continued harshly, his words dripping with discrimination.
This was clearly a case of unfair treatment. To some teachers, a model student was only someone who excelled academically. Well-behaved or friendly students were just considered ordinary. In their eyes, students were divided into two categories: those who were good at studying and those who were not.
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