Chapter 103
Chapter 103
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 103
Chapter Title: The Male-Disguised Shaman
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End of next year? Or early the year after?
There was an incident where South Korea was turned upside down in a minor way.
I don't remember exactly because it was around the time I bombed the college entrance exam and wasn't in my right mind, but in short, some shaman scammed rich housewives and pocketed billions of won.
Rich people relying on superstitions isn't anything new, and billions isn't even that much for them, so why did it become such a big deal?
Because that shaman was actually a woman.
A male-disguised woman.
Hah...
And among the victims was Seo Jae-kyeom's mom.
"Good grief."
Rich folks are always quick to belittle the poor, saying they're ignorant and lazy for living like that, but when something like this happens, they're no different, are they?
Are you listening, Jae-kyeom's mom!
"No..."
Han Ji-su's mom too, why do they all love shamans so much?
They have status, wealth, connections. They've got everything human effort can achieve, so maybe the only thing left is divine help?
"...It's not that I don't get it."
I recalled the prickly side of Seo Jae-kyeom's mom that I'd seen today.
She must be anxious.
Everything she enjoys now is thanks to Seo Jae-kyeom's dad, the vice president, but he hasn't been coming home lately. They didn't even go on vacation together.
When people are anxious, they throw money at superstitions, right?
I get it. I watched tarot readings on YouTube when I was desperate about getting a job.
There was even a president who followed a shaman's orders, so Seo Jae-kyeom's mom is nothing. Hahaha. Ha.
Not funny.
Anyway, if she's been steadily handing over money from this point on, it wouldn't be surprising if the total damage (combined with others) exceeds billions by next year or the year after.
That shaman gets arrested by the police in winter, right? I remember the shaman outfit becoming a hot topic.
But it's summer now.
The scam probably hasn't been going on long.
'If I stop it now, there'll be no damage. Or at most, a small amount.'
Okay, so here's the question.
How the hell am I supposed to stop it?
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Seo Jae-kyeom's contemplations, research, and observations on Kang Da-hye.
Purpose: Know your enemy and know yourself, and you will win every battle.
Kang Da-hye isn't my enemy, but to execute the perfect plan of 'be friends, develop good feelings, then break up smoothly without shock right before senior year, and both end up at Korea University,' observation is essential.
Q. Why break up around senior year? And smoothly, at that?
A. Because we have to study.
And I don't usually like anyone for long anyway.
Still, I don't want to hurt Kang Da-hye.
Anyway, so.
1. Out of sight, out of mind.
= The farther from the eyes, the farther from the heart.
Doesn't that mean the closer to the eyes, the closer to the heart?
Just because a proposition is true doesn't mean its converse is. (It's not even a proper proposition to begin with.) But Jae-kyeom decided to think that way anyway.
Therefore, to get close to Kang Da-hye, I need to spend a lot of time with her.
But.
"I'm going."
"Study a bit more before you go."
"I made plans to meet the others."
Kang Da-hye leaves right after tutoring ends, like clockwork.
It's hot, so study until the sun sets, have dinner before you go, let's do homework together... No excuse has ever worked.
She flatly refused even meeting her halfway or walking her home.
We meet twice a week because of tutoring, but that's it.
And even then, she talks more to the student teacher (now our tutor) than to me.
They were whispering like they had some secret. When I asked what, she said nothing. The tutor gave that typical grown-up fake smile. I nearly snapped.
Thinking that without tutoring, I wouldn't have seen her face all vacation makes me dizzy.
Didn't I say it before? Office drones, enjoy your vacation on our behalf while we students go to school every day.
Are you old folks still commuting five days a week without a clue?
Really pisses me off.
Spending time together: Failed because of the old folks.
Ugh!
2. Why did Kang Da-hye like me?
This one's clear.
My face.
'Honestly, my personality isn't that great...'
Kang Da-hye said the same. It wasn't because of my personality.
Jae-kyeom felt a moment of self-loathing but recovered quickly.
Fine.
I'll win with my looks.
What type of handsome face does Kang Da-hye like?
There are many kinds of handsome.
Cute type, soft type, deadly type, etc.
Jae-kyeom looked in the mirror.
For the record, he's not the type to stare at himself in the mirror and swoon. But taking this chance to evaluate his own appearance.
'Good skin, tall and straight, evenly developed muscles, refined features.'
And he'd grown taller.
Last measurement was 186 cm, right?
Come opening ceremony, he could confidently say he'd be looking down at the transfer student.
In short, he was.
'Cute and sexy, soft yet masculine and intellectual, with the charms of both older and younger guy combined.'
Good. Looks pass.
2-1. Then why doesn't she like me now?
...Definitely my personality...
Sad.
If time travel existed and he could go back to March, Jae-kyeom would bash his past self's head with a metal tray.
It's making me tear up, so let's skip this.
2-2. Does she maybe like someone else now?
...The transfer student.
He hated to admit it, but that transfer student perfectly matched Kang Da-hye's ideal: 'tall, handsome, great body, not embarrassing to be seen with.'
Unlike Jae-kyeom, who'd burned all his points with words and barely secured a friend spot, the guy had been pretty close to her from the moment he transferred.
'Teacher. Kang Da-hye is glaring at me.'
First time seeing Kang Da-hye banter like that with a guy in class.
And that's not all.
Same club, study for exams together, and even when she fell during the sports festival...
"Haaaaaa..."
Jae-kyeom felt a serious sense of crisis.
"Method to check if a shaman really has a spirit possession."
Glancing at Kang Da-hye, who seemed tired of studying and was searching weird stuff, he casually asked.
"Kang Da-hye."
"Yeah."
"The transfer student."
"Who's that?"
"Oh, come on. You know."
"No idea."
"......"
"A semester's gone by, summer vacation's here, and you still call him the transfer student? I won't answer if you do."
"...Jeong Eun-seong."
"What about Jeong Eun-seong?"
"Uh, you two close?"
Why did such a dumb tone come out? He'd tried to sound natural.
Kang Da-hye pondered for a moment.
Gulp.
After agonizingly long seconds, she asked back.
"Seo Jae-kyeom, do you like Jeong Eun-seong?"
"No?!"
"But why beat around the bush about him? Like you hate to ask but can't help it."
"Uh..."
That nailed it...
Kang Da-hye closed her eyes and nodded.
"I'll cheer you on."
"For what!"
"I think he'll debut around next year? Once he does, you can be fan number one."
"????"
Why is life like this?
3. Miscellaneous.
Kang Da-hye seems to have a vivid imagination.
"Seo Jae-kyeom."
"Yeah."
"If a woman disguises as a man, is it hard to tell?"
"Uh... yeah?"
Is this a joke?
But Kang Da-hye's expression was serious. She rolled her eyes and said.
"Thinking about it, even in Shakespeare plays, they couldn't tell."
"Shakespeare?"
'Twelfth Night'.
I haven't read it.
But saying straight up 'I haven't read it' here? What would she think of me?
Jae-kyeom smoothly continued.
"Right. The woman dresses as a man there."
"Exactly."
Kang Da-hye scratched her cheek with a pen and went on.
"In The Merchant of Venice, she cross-dresses too, right?"
"Yeah. Yeah. Woman dresses as a man there too. To cross-dress. That's what cross-dressing is. Wearing men's clothes and acting like a man."
Why repeat the same thing over?
Usually, Jae-kyeom would proudly admit if he didn't know or hadn't read something, but bluffing like this was a first.
Wow. Cold sweat.
"But why cross-dressing?"
"Nothing."
After barely dodging the crisis, while Kang Da-hye went to wash her hands, Jae-kyeom immediately ordered the books. In a rush, he bought everything with Twelfth Night and The Merchant of Venice in the title—170,000 won.
And this chilling sensation still wouldn't fade.
"Seo Jae-kyeom, I'm going."
"I'll go with you!"
"You don't have to walk me."
"No. I have errands anyway."
"Last time you said that and had nothing..."
"No. This time it's real. I need to go to the bookstore."
"Bookstore?"
"Yeah. Buy some books."
"Oh."
Conclusion: Became the light and salt of the publishing industry.
Still, finally going out together!