[Tap… Tap…]
“One… Two…”
[Thud-]
“Haa…”
I’d tried a few times, but it just wasn’t working.
From the start, the shuttlecock itself was abnormal.
If it were a circle, it’d be a normal shuttlecock…
If it were a triangle, it’d be a triangle-shaped shuttlecock…
If it were a star, it’d be a star-shaped shuttlecock…
And a crescent shape meant a broken shuttlecock.
To be precise, it was hard to say it was broken…
But no one could kick this thing.
I sat down against the wall to take a break.
[08:19]
[08:18]
Looking at the timer only hurt my mental health.
‘Come to think of it, I wonder if Seongho and Yujin are doing well…’
Curious, I turned my head toward Seongho and Yujin.
“One… Two… Three… Four…”
[Thud-]
“Ah…! Seriously!”
Seongho and Yujin didn’t seem to be having much luck either.
It seemed no one had succeeded yet.
I wasn’t that good at shuttlecock kicking since I was young.
In the first place, I only kicked shuttlecock occasionally after school or in clubs…
I hadn’t done it that much.
Still, there should be someone here who’s good at it…
I wondered if I should get help from that person.
‘But come to think of it, those people must be busy trying to pass too…’
Most of the participants had become women in the first game.
Of course, it would be hard to adapt to a body that had become a woman.
Even if they were good, it wouldn’t be easy to do well under pressure or bad luck in the game.
In other words, this game is hardcore for both men and women.
I’m especially sensitive to sound, so it’s hard to concentrate because of the sound of shuttlecocks being kicked around me.
It’s so noisy with 456 people kicking shuttlecocks in one room…
I looked around to calm myself down for a moment.
Everyone was doing their best to get past ten.
[07:37]
[07:36]
[07:35]
I couldn’t delay any longer.
I picked up the shuttlecock again.
‘Okay… Let’s do it…!’
I just need to get past ten.
Just ten…
[Tap…]
“One…”
[Tap…]
“Two…”
[#291 Passed]
“Yes!!!”
[Thud-]
“Huh…?”
I couldn’t believe someone had already passed…
‘Maybe that person can help me?’
I wanted to find hope somehow.
[Thump… Thump…!]
I ran toward #291, who had succeeded.
But it seemed other people had the same idea.
About a dozen participants were already surrounding #291.
“What shape was it!?”
“Please… Please help me…”
“Please…”
It was pointless beyond this.
‘Haa…’
Come to think of it, the crescent shuttlecock was the hardest shape.
Even if they passed, they couldn’t help.
[#321 Passed]
[#012 Passed]
[#181 Passed]
…
Gradually, people started passing one after another.
Rather, as more people passed, I started to get impatient.
At this rate, I’ll get castrated…
I’m clearly a man.
Even if I become a pretty girl, I absolutely don’t want to lose it.
“Hoo…”
I picked up the shuttlecock again with trembling hands.
[Tap…]
“One…”
[06:21]
[Tap…]
“Two…”
[06:21]
[Tap…]
“Three…”
[06:20]
“Four…”
[Thud-]
…
“Aaaaaaaah!!”
I keep looking at the timer every time I kick the shuttlecock.
I’m too impatient.
[Thump… Thump…]
My heart is beating too fast.
The sound of people kicking around me is too noisy.
I get anxious every time I hear someone pass.
I think I know why they chose ‘shuttlecock kicking’.
And disguising it as ‘sugar lottery’…
The staff here are devils.
But there are still 6 minutes left.
“Haa~ Hoo…”
I took a deep breath for a moment.
I calmed down a bit.
Thinking about it again, I was relieved that I wouldn’t die even if I failed.
‘Maybe getting castrated is…’
Hoo… No.
I can’t fall apart here.
The reason I’ve been expressing ‘becoming a woman’ as ‘castration’ or ‘getting my dick cut off’ since earlier is…
If I say ‘becoming a woman’, the change sounds positive.
In a way, it’s to keep my sanity.
I want to protect my masculinity.
I will never get my dick cut off.
Anyway, I decided not to look at the timer as much as possible.
I need to focus only on the ‘shuttlecock’.
“Okay, let’s start.”
[Tap…]
“One…”
[Tap…]
“Two…”
[Tap…]
“Three… Huh!?”
[Thud-]
“Hoo… Again.”
…
“Two…”
[Tap…]
“Three…!”
[Thud-]
“Aah! Seriously!!”
I can’t get past the third one.
It was a cursed section.
It keeps flying somewhere no matter how hard I try.
‘Hoo…’
Let’s try again.
Try not to be nervous…
[Tap…]
“One…”
[Tap…]
[Boom-]
[♫♫♫]
[Thud-]
“What is it this time, seriously!”
Suddenly, loud classical music started playing throughout the room.
I’d normally be calmed down, but…
Even so, shouldn’t they not play it during the game?
[04:54]
Looking at the timer, it was 4 minutes and 54 seconds.
It seems they set the music to play at 5 minutes.
It seemed to be a trick to increase the number of dropouts on purpose.
“They’re more evil than Satan…”
Maybe the location was the problem.
I moved toward a corner with relatively less noise.
[Shuffle… Shuffle…]
When I got to the corner, I could see most of the scenery.
“Come to think of it… I wonder if Seongho and Yujin are doing well…”
I looked for Seongho for a moment.
[Tap…]
“Six…”
[Tap…]
“Seven…”
Seongho was concentrating even with the music playing.
I was secretly impressed by his mental strength.
[Tap…]
“Eight…”
And the height of the shuttlecock when he kicked it was quite low.
I wonder if he’ll pass even if he does it like that…?
[Tap…]
“Nine…”
Huh…?
[Tap…]
“Ten…!”
[Thud-]
“Yes!!”
[#107 Passed]
I couldn’t believe he’d do it right in front of my eyes…!
[Thump… Thump…]
I ran toward Seongho.
“Congratulations…!”
“Haha… Thank you.”
“More than that, is Jiyoon doing well…?”
“Ah… That’s…”
“Ah… I think I know. Should I help you?”
“Thank you so much…”
“Don’t mention it~ We don’t have much time, so let’s hurry.”
He’s the only angel in this den of devils.
I’m so grateful.
If we go back home, I want to buy him a meal.
I showed him my twisted shuttlecock.
“It’s this shuttlecock… Will it be difficult…?”
“Wow… Even a shuttlecock kicking master couldn’t do this…?”
“Even me…”
“Ah…”
It seemed impossible after all.
“Is it okay to switch shuttlecocks with Seongho’s…?”
“Ah… I saw a passer give his shuttlecock to a man earlier…”
“But even though that man kicked it more than ten times, it wasn’t broadcasted.”
Then Seongho pointed to a corner in the front with his finger.
There, a man was sitting crouched down in despair.
“Ah…”
“Well… Even if you become a woman, I’ll support you, Jiyoon…!”
“… I’m sorry. I’ll go.”
Seongho quietly left the room, as if he had no face to show.
It seemed the crescent shape was a device made to intentionally and certainly eliminate people.
I started kicking the shuttlecock again for the last time.
Referring to Seongho, I tried to keep the height low this time.
[Tap…]
“One…”
[Tap…]
“Two…”
[Thud-]
I still couldn’t get past the cursed third one.
[Thud-]
“Haa…”
I huddled in the corner and sat down.
“This kind of thing…! Seriously!!”
I couldn’t overcome my momentary anger and threw the shuttlecock far away.
[Thud-]
[01:42]
Looking at the timer, there were already less than 2 minutes left.
I guess I’m destined to get it cut off…
I guess it’s a relief that I won’t die.
[Thud-]
“Finally done!!!”
I looked around at the familiar voice.
[#269 Passed]
#269…? Ah… That thug.
I remembered him because his appearance was my type.
‘Well, we’ll be the same soon anyway… Haha…’
I had half given up.
Looking at the thug, I saw him looking around.
He was quite cute even from a distance.
If there was a woman like that on the street, I would have confessed right away.
Of course, I would have been rejected right away…
Then the thug looked at me.
The thug blushed and approached me.
[Shuffle… Shuffle…]
Even so, isn’t it perverted to keep staring at me…?
“You’re going to fail anyway.”
“What…? Fail? Kkkkkk”
The thug started laughing loudly as if mocking me.
Even if he’s cute, that’s a bit annoying…
“Then you’ll be the same as me now?”
“If you get it cut off, I’ll make you my woman ㅋㅋ”
“Of course, if you’re my type, I mean it ㅋㅋ”
“… Get lost.”
The thug laughed a few more times and left the room.
…
Thinking about it again, I was a little annoyed.
This situation where I have to get castrated…
In the first place, this wouldn’t have happened if the vote had been done properly back then.
“Seriously!!!”
[Bang!]
I couldn’t control my anger and punched the wall.
“Haa… Haa…”
The people around me were embarrassed and looked at me for a moment.
But now they didn’t have time, so they started kicking shuttlecock again.
“Hoo…”
I felt a little embarrassed because my stress was relieved.
“It hurts…”
Looking at the back of my hand, it was quite red and swollen.
There were also traces of tearing.
I should check my fist when I go back to the auditorium later.
But I won’t have the will to do that then…
There were some scratches on the wall.
“Wall…”
“Huh… Wall…?”