Last Friday and today had one commonality and one difference.
The commonality was Jeong Ahyeon going wild in the classroom with her lion roar.
The difference was that Hyeji was sitting next to me.
Of course, I had to deal with the crazy girl right in front of me first.
How the hell did this f*er know?
I had no ability to catch on immediately.
“You fing bastard!!! Because of you!!! F!!!”
“Champo, what brings you here? Don’t say ‘me,’ say ‘omae.’”
“That’s not the important part! Why did you do that?!”
Why did I do that, you ask?
You’re really asking something obvious.
“Why? Because it’s fun.”
“You little s, without knowing anything, you gathered up the martial artist seniors and started grilling them, f!!!”
“Oh, you have to say it hard. Try saying ‘kui kui.’”
“Kui kui, just shut up about that!!!”
With her concept falling apart, Jeong Ahyeon whimpered and shouted.
To summarize, she said she was so moved by the overwhelming lesson that she called all the 2nd-year combat department students together.
And, annoyingly enough, they all trained together, a group focused on martial arts.
Thinking about a bunch of Champs going ‘kui kui’ together, I kinda want to see it.
If I bring konpeito, will they show it to me again?
“But how did you notice? It’s been at least a week, and I haven’t even lasted a day.”
“Our ruckus was spotted by a student writing for the school newspaper, and they posted it live!!!”
A school newspaper, huh.
I’ve never heard that term before.
For moments like this, Hyeji is my go-to.
“Hyeji, is there a school newspaper?”
“Shinwoo, I thought you’d know, but you don’t? You’ve been a hot topic in the school newspaper for a while.”
“What? If those bes are using me as material, shouldn’t they pay me for it? They just take it for free?”
“Don’t underestimate me!!!!! Get your a to the sparring ground, you son of a b!!!”
Even with the professor coming into the classroom, Jeong Ahyeon was going wild.
But sadly, she couldn’t fulfill her wishes for two reasons.
The first reason was that for a formal sparring with professor’s consent and observation, you need a waiting period of four weeks for a rematch with the same opponent.
And the second reason is I really didn’t want to.
Am I running away because I’m scared of Slime Mom?
Nah, I’m avoiding it because it’s dirty.
“Wait four weeks!!! This time I’ll really kill you!!!”
“I’m not going to fight against a s*ty loser who beat me once.”
“A sparring isn’t sparring if it’s done sneakily! Do you have no pride?”
“Then you go win and take the money~. I already won and got the cash~.”
At that, Hyeji looked at me like I was an idiot.
“…..Shinwoo, don’t talk like you won everything after getting the last hit.”
“And since you’ve lost your concept, hurry up and fix it before the next episode.”
What does it mean when someone says ‘the game is s*?’
It means, ‘wow, you’re really good at this. I never want to see you again.’ Same meaning.
In other words, no matter what Jeong Ahyeon says, it’s an expression of inferiority towards the winner.
In the end, resigned, Jeong Ahyeon took hesitant steps away.
After confirming Jeong Ahyeon had left, I opened the academy student app as Hyeji said to check the school newspaper.
There were tons of articles about me.
Soon, classes were about to start, so I quickly skimmed through the titles.
– Life is ruined. I’m committing suicide.
– This one drink is for your past, this one drink is for your present, and the remaining five bottles are for my f*ed-up life altogether.
– Painting a white waterfall on the professor’s face from day one.
– Who is the madman with crazy sexual desires who puts a girl’s uniform on a delicate male student and gives him twin tails?
– The reverse hero of the academy sparring ground?
– A weapon exclusive to the academy heavier than a great sword and stronger than a mace, capable of smashing a martial artist’s head?
– The devilish man who made the supporters fight their best even when called tools?
– A martial artist with a red face. What the heck did that guy do? Let’s check now.
Just from the titles, my hands started shaking.
The intent to kill boiled up.
Are those bes really aspiring journalists?
No, are they journalists?
They’re saying titles a cyber trash wouldn’t even use.
Amid all this, Hyeji was grinding her teeth while looking at the fourth article.
But I feel like I’ve seen that last line somewhere before.
I think I saw it in that server where it crashes a lot.
Damn, this is the platform.
“Shinwoo, you know you’re f*ed, right?”
“Is there anything worse I should be worried about right now?”
“First of all, the seniors from the support department and the combat department are trying to kill you.”
“If it’s the combat department, then those must be the martial artists, but why the support department? You were really active.”
Hyeji looked tired.
And she began to tell me the cruel reality.
“….You called them ‘tools,’ and that’s a taboo word for supporters, right?”
“Hey, no way there are petty crazy bastards coming for this? They really have no life.”
Correction.
These bastards truly have nothing to do.
As soon as the first class ended, a flock of 2nd years rushed into the classroom, looking for me.
“Where’s that bastard Kim Shinwoo?”
“Tool? Tool? Tool? Where the f* is that supporter-hating bastard?!”
“Where’s the son of a b who poked at martial artists with a silver tongue?”
“I admit martial artists are idiots, but I can’t stand supporter hate. Supporter lives are precious. All supports matter!!”
“Let’s go!!! Martial artists are strong with just their bodies. They’re on a different level than weaklings who rely on mechanical devices!!!”
“Yes, and those idiots without equipment have the highest death rate!”
Common sense was thoroughly destroyed.
Looking at the gathered crowd, I thought.
‘Do I really have to treat these idiots as civilized beings?’
Of course, I didn’t want to get involved.
So I tried to lead them to the best compromise.
“Senpai, please don’t do this. Why not settle it through a duel between the support department and the combat department?”
“Sounds good!! All tool department members, crawl out after class. I’ll massacre you in the sparring match!!!”
“I’ll show you that the tactical temporary defense department is useless. Don’t be scared and come out for a duel after class. I’ll kill you.”
With those words, all the support department members began equipping duel disks.
Why are duel disks suddenly appearing from the support department?
I heard a ridiculously rich person recently invested in them.
Kaiba, is that you again?
A storm swept through and then vanished.
After the storm passed, Hyeji spoke up.
“Shinwoo, I think you’re f*ed.”
“I’m fine. It can’t get worse than this anyway.”
“No, f*. Even if those people are idiots, they seem like they really want to kill you, right?”
“Don’t worry. When the betting opens, put all your money on me. I’ll make you rich.”
At that, Hyeji’s eyes started shining.
That look felt somehow dark and sticky.
“Oh! Are you saying you’ll support me?”
“……Wait, why did the conversation suddenly get so heavy?”
Hyeji’s eyes slowly dimmed.
“Are you really going to abandon me?”
“No, I’m not abandoning you.”
“That means you are abandoning me, right?”
“Wait, why has the weight of this conversation suddenly increased? I’m so scared. At this rate, we’re all going to die.”
Suddenly, with Hyeji’s eyes dying out, every alarm in my body began ringing.
So I quickly shifted the topic of conversation.
“There are so many idiots like that, doesn’t that make me the straight bet?”
“Ah, the straight bet is a bit much.”
“No, the straight bet doesn’t just randomly exist. There’s a stable flavor to it, you know?”
“Well… reverse bets can be thrilling.”
If there’s no rice shower, let’s not bet on a reverse bet.
Please.
The vibe feels chilly.
*
In the early start of a class at the academy, it tends to focus heavily on theory.
Especially in the first semester of the first year, they stuff theories down the students’ throats like grandmothers feeding their grandkids.
In contrast, while there is theory for the 2nd and 3rd years, it isn’t stuffed down as much as in the 1st year.
In other words, the academy’s policy is to make sure students grasp all fundamental theories within the first semester.
Since it’s my first time hearing this, I felt like I was about to die.
As soon as the class ended, I collapsed on my desk, wailing.
“Why the hell do they have to shove this theory down our throats like foie gras?”
“Shinwoo, is it that hard?”
“No, I’m hearing this for the first time. Why do they look so calm when they’re supposed to be veterans? That guy is even sleeping.”
“Is this hard? It’s basic, isn’t it?”
Hyeji tilted her head as if it were obvious.
Seeing that suddenly made me angry.
“Are you trying to mock me again? Just because your ability improved, you think you can act all high and mighty?”
“No, what we’re learning now is just a review of the material from the entrance exam.”
“Huh?”
Suddenly, our conversation went off track.
Since I never learned this, I countered.
‘Ignorance is strength,’ they say.
“What do you mean? Are you bragging that you got private tutoring from the top lecturer at the academy?”
“What do you mean? You’re saying you don’t remember this basic stuff we learned during the entrance exam?”
“What entrance exam?”
“Huh?”
Countless hooks exchanged between Hyeji and me.
“Entrance exam?”
“Hey! That’s basic stuff! What do you mean?”
“What the f*?”
“What? What? Don’t be the only one confused. Share what you know.”
“Hold on, what the f*?”
Before admission, I vaguely knew it involved free tuition and military exemption.
Plus, I remember vividly the conversation I had around five months before enrolling.
– Who is this? Ah! You’re Kim Shinwoo? Please hold on a moment.
– Ah, Kim Shinwoo student,. You just need to apply by the end of January.
– Just make sure to come on the day of the entrance ceremony.
– On the day of the entrance ceremony, you must participate as it’s for new students.
What the heck?…
Why?
*
In a dark room in the academy.
There was an elderly man.
With graying hair and beard, his blue eyes shone with youth against his age.
Wrinkles marked his face with the passage of time.
All of that suggested he was no ordinary man.
Next to him stood a young female secretary.
But the words that she spoke were filled not with youthful vigor but with subdued passion and inquiry.
“I still don’t understand. Why did you make that decision?”
“Oh, the boldness of youth is good, but still, attach a proper title. Speak clearly about your business.”
“My apologies, chairman. I want to ask why you admitted a student you had no previous relationship with.”
Jang In-hyuk.
Though he was older, he could proudly say he had lived fiercely and desperately.
Currently, he was responsible for a significant part of the academy.
Although the path to the results wasn’t smooth and there were many disturbances.
But since no one left to share that knowledge anymore, there was no problem.
“If I explain, it’ll be long. Will you be able to listen to it all?”
“…Please keep it brief, chairman.”
“As I rose to this position, I met countless people, brought them down, and stomped on them.”
Jang In-hyuk cleared his throat briefly.
Then he continued.
“But you know, among the people I’ve met, there was one insane rebel.”
“May I ask who?”
“Of course. Ryu Kang-hyuk. The youngest and the first master-class hunter.”
“Do you know him?”
“Of course, he was just a crazy bastard.”
He put a snack from the desk into his mouth and grimaced.
“I’ll need to find some quality lokum (LOKUM). What I was given is weird.”
“Your snack budget has decreased a lot compared to before, chairman.”
“I guess I’ll have to chop off some more necks.”
Jang In-hyuk casually uttered those chilling words.
“From the way you’re talking, it doesn’t seem like you had a good relationship with him.”
“I can’t say it was good at all. It’s childish when I think about it now, but we fought quite a bit back then.”
That marked the end of his statement as he chuckled, reminiscing about ‘those times.’
“But when I took over the academy, suddenly about seven months ago, he contacted me out of the blue.”
“Contacted? Does that mean he just threw something at you and left?”
“This is why I love you. Even when I say it crassly, you understand it perfectly.”
Then he opened the first drawer and pulled out a black USB, handing it to his assistant.
The other drawers were covered in dust as if they hadn’t been touched by human hands in a long time.
However, the first drawer was spotless, both the handle and the contents inside.
“Suddenly, he sent a letter along with the USB. I couldn’t even think of what to say.”
“May I inquire about the content?”
“It was simple.”
The content shown by Chairman Jang In-hyuk had significantly more blank space than actual content.
And next to it, there were traces of something small that had been taped haphazardly.
As if a small object the same size as the USB had been stuck there.
Moreover, the content of the letter was much more concise than what the secretary had expected.
– Hey, I’m putting it in.
The secretary was left speechless by the letter.
Seeing her, Chairman Jang In-hyuk couldn’t help but smile slightly.
“Could I see that USB? Even now, I feel a rush of blood every time I see it.”
“If it’s not too much trouble, I’ll play it right away.”
“Don’t worry. It’s not some NTR video of a blonde brat.”
“…Playing it now.”
The secretary connected the USB.
Inside the USB, there was only a single video file.
And through the projector in the chairman’s office, the video started playing.
“What is this?”
“Watch closely. Ryu Kang-hyuk, that son of a bitch, wrote a letter worth this content.”
Ignoring the now speechless secretary, the projector began performing its appointed task.
After a bit of loading, the video file gradually started to play.
