Chapter 8: Captain Ju
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 8: Captain Ju
Basic Japanese Conversation really did cover only the most fundamental basics.
It was to the point where I wondered if this was something that should even be taught at a university, but what could I do? On the flip side, it might just be that my Japanese level was too high. Having received "early education" through anime back in high school, I could understand the basics well enough.
Of course, I couldn't exactly go around mimicking the way characters talk in anime.
"Yawn."
The important thing was that even the diligent Seo Ye-rin was yawning and looking bored, not just me.
She seemed to find the Japanese too basic as well, her eyes looking slightly glazed over.
She checked her phone occasionally and looked dejected. When I took a peek at mine, I saw that Anonymous 69 was still bombarding me with inquiries.
I felt a brief chill, thinking that if I hadn't put it on silent just in case, Seo Ye-rin might have caught me.
Anyway.
Stuck in a tedious lecture, we naturally started looking for something to entertain ourselves.
Seo Ye-rin scribbled something in the corner of her notebook and slid it toward me.
[What's your tier?]
Come to think of it, she’d heard I was Bronze 4 earlier, but the professor had arrived before I could tell her my actual tier.
Meeting her eyes, I saw her gesturing for me to write it down, so I scribbled underneath.
[Plat.]
Her eyes widened the moment she saw it, and she quickly wrote back.
[For real?]
[I feel like a Gold.]
When I wrote that, she looked at me as if wondering what kind of person I was.
I immediately added more underneath.
[Is what I'd like to say, but I'm actually Silver 2.]
"Ha."
Letting out a scoffing sigh at the absurdity, Seo Ye-rin began scribbling enthusiastically.
She was so fast her handwriting was almost a blur.
[Bronze-Silver-Gold.]
"That only sounds cool when a Gold player says it."
When a Bronze says it, it’s just a desperate struggle, isn't it? There’s a reason the tiers are divided, after all.
I believe Bronze is Bronze, and Silver is Silver.
[Bronze-Silver-Gold.]
[A Bronze saying that is a bit much.]
[Bronze-Silver-Gold.]
[Why do you think Silver and Bronze are separate?]
[Bronze-Silver-Gold.]
'This girl...'
I gritted my teeth and glared at her, but Seo Ye-rin was covering her mouth, stifling her laughter.
The talent for getting under people's skin she showed as Anonymous 69 was coming out here.
[Want to go at it sometime?]
As a Silver 2 of South Korea, I took pride in my gaming skills and immediately challenged her to a duel.
[Bring it.]
Seo Ye-rin accepted my challenge without a moment's hesitation. I was a bit surprised by how readily she took it.
I felt a bit overwhelmed by her spirit.
Just in case, I whispered a question.
"What's your position?"
"Top."
Seo Ye-rin declared confidently.
A Bronze 4 Top laner. It was so terrifying my shoulders trembled. Just how much of a maniac do you have to be to fall that far?
Her outward appearance, her actions, and her internet persona were all completely different.
Though, she definitely felt like this when she was Anonymous 69. Without realizing it, Seo Ye-rin was gradually revealing her true self.
"You?"
Pushing the notebook aside, we were now speaking in whispers. I felt a strange sense of shame as I answered.
"Support..."
"Pfft!"
"Are you looking down on Supports right now?"
It's because Supports work their asses off to provide backup that ADCs are called 'Princes' and Top maniacs are called 'Generals.'
"No, let's 1v1 when we have time later."
I'm getting a bit nervous.
"Bring it on."
Still, I was a Silver 2 Support. She was a Bronze 4 Top. Even if Top laners spent all day doing nothing but 1v1s like maniacs, there had to be a difference in skill level.
'Maybe I should go home and practice 1v1s today.'
While I was lost in various thoughts, the lecture ended. I had another class, so I headed out immediately. Seo Ye-rin said she was done for the day, and we parted ways.
'Ah, I should reply.'
On the way to my next classroom, I pulled out my phone to find a flood of inquiries.
She hadn't checked her phone much earlier, seemingly focused on our conversation, but it looked like she exploded the moment the lecture ended.
'Sigh.'
There were so many messages that just finding what to reply to was a chore.
I was startled for a second, but it wasn't like Basic Japanese Conversation was the only class at this time.
I told her it was obvious, and she replied.
Where on earth does she hear these things? Her range of knowledge was far too broad.
I knew she’d send another one immediately after saying that. So I was just going to ignore it, but...
Vibrate.
My phone buzzed again, but this time it wasn't Anonymous 69.
Our leader.
The Joan of Arc of group projects.
It was a message from Senior Min Ju-hee, and I replied instantly.
Senior Min Ju-hee sent a tiger emoticon telling me to hurry up.
Because she was so charismatic, I had unconsciously slipped into a soldier persona.
Even though I haven't even served yet.
* * *
I arrived at the computer lab after my lecture.
Senior Ju-hee was fiddling with a mouse, doing something. Her hand looked incredibly awkward, making me wonder if she was bad with computers, and she was even using the hunt-and-peck typing method.
'Wow.'
Seeing a 21st-century university sophomore using hunt-and-peck typing was quite a sight.
'Is she really the reincarnation of Joan of Arc?'
Honestly, at that level, shouldn't she be called a primitive of modern humanity?
"Senior, I'm here."
I called out to her, handing over one of the two ionic drinks I’d grabbed from a vending machine on the way. Ju-hee turned around immediately.
"Oh, you're here. Nice move with the drink."
Despite her words, her expression wasn't great. She seemed stressed out by the computer.
Tshhh.
Ju-hee cracked the can open toughly with one hand and drained it in one go.
Crush.
She crushed the can as if expressing her feelings and spoke to me.
"I'm thinking of deciding on a few scripts first. Then we'll arrange them to our taste, but I wasn't sure how much editing you could handle."
So I really was brought on for editing.
"I found a few videos related to editing. Tell me which of these you can do."
The videos Ju-hee showed me were about editing techniques.
She was probably trying to narrow down what I could do and then choose the most efficient script that could be produced with my skills.
Her work process was very fast and precise.
Unlike her way of speaking.
"I can do everything up to the 7-minute mark, but I can't do most of the stuff after that. But I think I could do it if I learn a bit."
"Really? Then what about this?"
"Hmm, I have an idea of how to do it, but I'd have to try it to be sure."
"Don't copy everything, but if you can just add effects like this, I think it'll really bring the video to life."
"Is that so? I think I can do that. There are good tutorials on Neutube these days."
"Aw, you're a good one. So damn reliable. I wish the others were even half as good as you."
As we talked, an hour flew by.
"You're hungry, right? I'll buy you dinner. Anything you like?"
At this time...
"A jeyuk place?"
"Ah, Han-jip Jeyuk? That place is good, but it'll be closed by now."
She really was a senior.
Seo Ye-rin and Choi I-seo hated it, but Senior Ju-hee immediately came up with related info.
Seeing her lick her lips, it seemed she liked spicy stir-fried pork too.
"How about Manna Pork Cutlet?"
"If you go there now, they'll fry it in old oil, so it's not good. Go during lunch. The owner changes the oil to fresh stuff for the lunch rush."
What is this?
Seeing her know more about the restaurants I liked than I did made me feel like Sun Wukong in the palm of the Buddha.
It felt like meeting an older brother with insane experience points.
"Hey, forget it. Let's go for drinks. I know a place where the snacks are basically a full meal. We'll eat there and have a few drinks."
"Do you like drinking?"
"Ah, I freaking love it!"
She freaking loves it.
I nodded in agreement, and she left to stop by her dorm and change her clothes.
Outside the building.
As I hunched my shoulders and put my hands in my pockets against the cooling weather, people passed by.
"Hm? Isn't that Kim Woo-jin?"
I heard a familiar but somewhat sharp male voice. I turned my head to see who was calling me, and a group of students from our department was walking past.
"Hey, Woo-jin! What are you doing?"
Ahn Hyun-ho, the vice-rep, called out to me fussily.
I was pretty sure he hated me. He’d even cursed me out on the Bamboo Forest, saying he wanted to kill me.
But there was a reason he was acting so high and mighty.
It was because of the class rep, Choi I-seo, standing next to him.
'Aha.'
Is he hoping I'll be jealous?
Choi I-seo also raised a hand slightly in greeting. I just gave a half-hearted wave, wanting them to move on.
But following Ahn Hyun-ho's lead, they intentionally approached me.
"Hey, Woo-jin. What are you doing here? On your way home?"
Ahn Hyun-ho acted smug.
Well, if this made him feel better, I didn't really care, so I just nodded vaguely.
"Yeah, I had some project work to do after class, so I'm heading home now."
"We're going out for drinks, want to join? Huh? How about it?"
The other students wondered why Ahn Hyun-ho was suddenly trying to look after me, but he instead stepped closer to Choi I-seo, subtly showing off their relationship.
Even though Choi I-seo wasn't even looking at him and was staring straight at me.
Just as I was about to say no.
"Hey, what are you punks doing to my boyfriend?"
From behind.
With her hands shoved deep into the pockets of her oversized jacket, Senior Ju-hee walked up with a boisterous laugh.