episode_0001

Spring.

Life that had been dormant during the winter season began to stir. It was a time when the senses announced the return of youth to the still unopened flower buds.

And for someone, it was just a season of fighting with a cursed boss.

“Boss, my salary hasn’t come in properly. Can I ask for verification?”

– Salary didn’t go through properly? Let’s see, let’s see, Do Jin Woo. The 810,000 won came in properly. Is there some issue here?

“Haha, isn’t the problem the amount itself since I work 7 hours on weekdays at night?”

– Oh, I’m too old to understand those money calculations. Just take 810,000 won as your salary. Tsk, these days, kids calling for such trivial matters from morning… That’s why they don’t succeed….

Feeling a headache from the boss’s rambling that blurred the topic, he sensed a blow coming to the back of his head.

Following that would be a set of ‘Back in my day,’ ‘Not even daring to call an adult,’ ‘Didn’t your parents teach you?’ scenarios playing out in his mind.

Unfortunately, the boss exceeded my expectations by far, being a real jerk.

– Anyway, kids without parents lack manners. Manners.

Tsk.

Had enough of this. Although I wanted to retort, the words just wouldn’t come out.

It was strange considering how I had been trained as a top scanner in the Valley of Concern that genuinely worried about my parents’ well-being.

Rubbing my chin in contemplation, surprisingly, the answer quickly dawned on me.

‘I really have no words to refute.’

Without parents and lacking manners.

So, it was a solid hit.

Nodding in agreement, I parted my lips.

“You talk big, but is that why you’re losing your mind? Or is it that only those who have lost their minds talk like that…?”

– What did you say, you punk? What nonsense are you spouting now!

“What? I didn’t say anything. How can you curse at something you didn’t hear… Tsk, I told you to quit smoking ages ago.”

The bald troublemaker, a chain smoker who smoked two packs a day, swallowed a bitter laugh.

– Ha. Can’t seem to get through to a talking monkey like you! That’s why you shouldn’t mess with black-haired beasts!

Even though he himself was a black-haired beast.

Slightly hunching over while groaning inwardly, I said, “I am a black-haired beast. Since it seems to be all my fault, I’ll take responsibility and quit. Just make sure to deposit my salary properly. I need it for living expenses and debts…”

“Living expenses and debts? Why does a student need so much money!”

“No, I just mentioned that two seconds ago.”

The influence of smoking two packs of cigarettes a day on a person’s memory was significant. If not taken seriously, one might depart this world next year without a trace.

As I debated internally whether to offer advice, the boss suddenly had a fit.

– I don’t know! I don’t know!

Okay, just go.

“Sigh, are you coming out like a kid despite your age? If you keep this up, I’ll have to resort to drastic measures.”

– Are you threatening me…!

“A person without a black hair is confused. It’s not a threat, it’s advice. You cursed jerk.”

Click-

With that, I completely hung up the phone.

It was a conversation running parallel lines of ‘Give it to me, I don’t want to’ anyway. Probably, after 2 or 3 hours of arguing, I still wouldn’t have received the money.

So, here, it was necessary to at least somewhat appease the other party’s feelings.

I chuckled satisfactorily and searched for the Ministry of Employment and Labor.

“Just because my body has shrunk doesn’t mean my brain has!” Some little brat’s saying.

Even though my physical body was eighteen, my mind, having experienced social life several times, was twenty-seven.

“If I don’t receive my salary, it means I know a few ways to resolve it.”

Roughly filed a wage non-payment complaint at the Ministry of Employment and Labor and got up from my seat.

It was almost time to start heading to school.

***

Garam High School, which I arrived at after roughly an hour’s walk, was renowned as a prestigious school in the Seoul area.

They say it produces numerous famous politicians and celebrities every year….

I’m not sure if that’s true.

I was so oblivious to the ways of the world that I didn’t know much about the backgrounds and aspects of celebrities and politicians.

Just because others say so. It feels like accepting it as a given, doesn’t it?

Thud, thud…

Walking through a clean and elegant corridor, my thoughts had shifted from school to myself before I knew it.

“I managed to get into a school like that.”

When I think about it, considering my below-average grades and parents who had run away, leaving me with nothing but a humble livelihood.

Hmm… Even thinking about it again, it seems suspiciously unbelievable.

Of course, even though I understand that it’s the result of the high school standardization policy, various luck, and misfortune intertwining, it still feels like a situation where the plausibility of introducing a protagonist seen in comics or novels is completely shattered.

But even if I think about devices and plausibility, it still doesn’t seem to make much sense.

“After all, this world itself was created based on a novel of the same name.”

It’s just a damn messed up situation, isn’t it…

Sighing, I pushed open the door of Class 2-1.

“Hey, why didn’t you come out of the PC room yesterday?”

“It’s before school starts, which PC room are you talking about? I was studying at home and getting ready for school today.”

“You’re ridiculous. I know exactly what’s in your bag, and you’re preparing stuff like this. Are you a kid to bring a pillow to school?”

“Oh, it’s a daily necessity. A must-have item. It’s a perfect school supply for high school. How can you live without a pillow at school? Seriously, I don’t know.”

Even though the end of puberty had brought confidence, the male students couldn’t hide their awkwardness.

“I went on a date to Han River Park with my boyfriend.”

“Wow! So the café photo you posted on Instagram was with your boyfriend!? That’s so awesome, really amazing!”

“Hmm! Are you jealous?”

“So jealous…”

“Of the boyfriend? Or the café?”

Even the voice of a female student unraveling winter break stories gathered at the back of the classroom.

The chaos in the classroom entering a new semester was distinctly different from the disorderliness of the previous year.

“Well, they did say that the class composition would remain the same from the first year to the third year.”

The current situation wasn’t really surprising.

Probably by now, the first-year students were offering each other My Chew candies saying, “Want to be secret friends?”

I found my usual spot by the window and sat down.

And wondering why I was carrying such a light bag, I laid it down straight away.

The surface of the desk was chilling, reminding me that it was still cold weather.

I thought I might fall asleep like this… but there was no more useless thought than that.

“What else can you do besides sleeping in the classroom… What can you do besides consoling yourself that the reason you have no friends is because you’re mature…”

Today, I found the author who had tried to reasonably include the original protagonist and heroine particularly annoying.

“Just give us the class composition… Damn it.”

After spitting out indiscriminate criticism towards the author, fatigue subtly raised its head.

Thump, thump… In a moment of not resisting the urge to close my eyes against the drowsiness.

Tap.

The sound of tapping on the desk made sleep flee instantly.

“No one’s coming to visit…?”

I raised my head in confusion.

The first thing caught in my eye was a navy blue hair reminiscent of the sea after sunset.

Then followed by skin resembling pure white paper, eyes and lips forming a charming smile, and sapphire-like eyes.

“Hello?”

She greeted me.

Since it was a face, I naturally remembered who she was without having to search my memory.

“Oh, hi.”

“Oh, Jinwoo, are you feeling unwell? You came to school early in the morning… and you’re even returning my greeting?”

“I’m not sick. And I don’t know the school start time, but I usually return greetings.”

Because there’s no one to greet me.

“Is that so?”

“Yeah.”

“If that’s how Jinwoo is, then it must be true.”

She nodded and handed over the paper that had been tucked into her side.

It was time to get to the point. I briskly accepted it and read the title.

“After-School Club Application Form…?”

What’s this all about? As she looked at me with that expression, she explained with a slight lift of her mouth.

“You know our school allows club activities starting from the second year, right?”

“Uh… I didn’t know?”

“Huh?”

She blinked. It was a reaction like, ‘Did you really not know this even after getting into Garam High School? Are you kidding me?’

“Hey, guys from two years ago! Sorry for snatching your spots by luck!”

I chuckled lightly while scratching my cheek.

“Well… it’s possible not to know.”

“But Jinwoo, most people enroll in Garam High School because of these after-school clubs… To claim ignorance about it…”

“Haha.”

I let out a forced laugh and casually brushed it off.

“To be honest, I also knew I was lying.”

“Yeah, even if there was a 9.7 magnitude earthquake in your eyes, I’d believe it was a lie.”

“I wasn’t that surprised.”

“Okay, okay. I’ll admit Jinwoo is right.”

“Thanks…”

Every time we started a conversation, it got cut off. Nowadays, it seemed like most kids were like this.

As an old person, I felt mentally exhausted. Just as I started to zone out a bit, she continued her explanation.

“Anyway, you can start applying for clubs today, so I brought this.”

“Did I happen to be the only one who didn’t do it?”

“That’s why I came to find you, right?”

“Oh…”

“Judging by your nonchalant reaction, I guess bringing it was a good idea. Now, quickly read through it and tell me which club you want to join.”

I started from the title and checked the densely packed list of clubs below.

First, there were sports clubs like soccer, baseball, and basketball listed, proving their popularity with boys’ names written in the slots.

“They’re already full.”

Below that were less popular clubs like movie appreciation, tennis, swimming, but most of the spots were already taken.

As expected, the popular and more laid-back kids had already occupied the clubs.

Those who were indecisive would inevitably end up in ambiguous clubs like hiking or baduk (Go) clubs.

And on the first day, unable to withstand the teacher’s pressure, they would work hard, but as time passed, the teacher would give up, and students would either sleep or quietly play with their phones.

This was not a personal anecdote.

No, definitely not.

I sighed and scanned the clubs, but there wasn’t one that particularly caught my interest.

Even if there were spots left in sports clubs, my situation was similar.

“If there was a sleep club, would I have seriously considered joining?”

A club dedicated to researching the most effective and beneficial sleeping positions and breathing techniques during sleep.

How efficient and useful such a club would be. The school needed to add this club immediately.

“Of course, after thinking seriously, I probably wouldn’t end up participating.”

After school, it was straight to work. The schedule extended until dawn, leaving no room for free time.

Sighing, I raised my head again and asked vaguely with a smile,

“Do I have to participate in this no matter what?”

“Yes, it’s a mandatory choice for second-year students.”

“I see…”

“Is something wrong? If you need help, should I ask the teacher for you?”

I shook my head.

“It’s not that. I’m just struggling with where to apply. Is it urgent to apply right now?”

“As long as you tell them by tomorrow, it’s fine anytime.”

“Can I tell them tomorrow then?”

It was a time that required schedule coordination.

Most of my debts had been paid off, so I needed to let go of at least one thing.

“It’s okay. But do you have to tell them tomorrow?”

“Don’t worry. Tell them whenever you want, even if it’s tomorrow.”

“You don’t have to be that enthusiastic… Would you rather focus on your classes or something?”

“I’ll try my best.”

At my words, she laughed brightly.

“I’ll keep an eye on you trying your best.”

“Passionate, aren’t you? But don’t focus on me too much. You shouldn’t neglect your studies like I do.”

I’ve already made a mistake… You go first….

“You won’t have trouble focusing on yourself, will you? Don’t worry about me.”

“Well, there’s no harm in worrying as much as being first place….”

“Lucky for you.”

As their conversation was coming to an end,

Ding-ding-ding-

At the timely ringing of the bell, Park Ayoung grabbed her club papers.

“I’ll be going.”

“Sure.”

Watching her leave, I leaned back on the desk, enjoying the peace that had returned.

Class time = the perfect time to practice sleeping.

***

“Jinwoo! I told you to clean the fridge, why are you staring at the mirror?”

“Someone was glaring at my back today. I was checking if there was a hole. Thankfully, there wasn’t.”

“Stop with the nonsense and finish cleaning the fridge quickly. Will you be okay working slowly even after this, with another part-time job waiting?”

“I quit the late-night convenience store job, so it’s fine.”

“It’s not fine with me. Hurry up.”

“Yes.”

He diligently wiped the inside of the fridge with a cloth.

In food-related stores, just having the visible areas clean brings a sense of psychological comfort like no other.

As he was cleaning the bottom corner, a clear bell sound rang from behind.

Following that sound, a woman’s melodious voice echoed.

“Do you run this place…?”

I quickly stood up and bowed my head.

“I’m sorry. We’re closing early today for a thorough cleaning. If you come back tomorrow, I can offer some service…”

I didn’t finish my sentence.

The customer who walked in was too familiar.

As if affirming my thoughts, the woman across from me also spoke in surprise.

“Jinwoo. Oh, hi? You worked here…?”

A beauty with navy blue hair.

It was Park Ayoung.