Chapter 11
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 11
Chapter Title: Counseling (2)
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Suddenly, a massive crash echoed through the staff room, drawing every eye to the door.
"Eek?!"
Mi Su-jin, the homeroom teacher, jumped even higher in shock.
After all, as a newbie teacher, they'd stuck her desk right by the door.
Which meant...
Wobble!
The door that had just been knocked loose was tumbling right toward the top of her head.
"...!"
The moment she squeezed her eyes shut...
Thud.
The falling door halted midair.
Then it floated back on its own and reattached to the staff room doorframe.
Creak, rattle.
As if testing that it opened smoothly now.
"Ah, sorry about that."
It was the culprit himself.
Han Kyung-jun stood right in front of her.
"I've bulked up lately and I'm still not used to it."
With a quick, casual apology to everyone in the room and a bow, he glanced around.
Looking for someone, it seemed.
Soon enough, like he couldn't spot them...
"Do you happen to know where the homeroom teacher for Class 10 is?"
He strode right up to her and asked.
Gulp.
The sound of Mi Su-jin's dry swallow.
Frozen stiff, she stayed put until the other teachers shot her meaningful looks.
"I-I'm... the homeroom teacher for Class 10..."
"Ah."
Just then, he seemed to realize it himself—spotting the empty counseling chair nearby and the bag of candies left out for students on her desk.
Swoosh.
And with perfect naturalness, he plopped down in the vacant counseling chair.
"Why did you call for me?"
Why did you call for me?
Not even a casual "Why?"
Why did you call for me?
Perfect adult formal speech.
Remember how that male teacher in the hall had yelled at a kid last time, something like, "What do you think I am, huh? Show some respect!"
So yeah, he was polite.
"Ah, uh... th-that is..."
But somehow, that made it feel even more intimidating right now.
Like a veiled threat.
But from here on out, she wasn't some education major student anymore—she was a full-fledged teacher.
Clenching her fists to reclaim her resolve, she finally forced the words out.
"D-Didn't you hear you had counseling?"
"Counseling?"
"..."
Mi Su-jin had a sinking feeling this was going to be one hell of a tough session.
[Achievement Unlocked!]
[Achievement: 'The Bold One Who Breaks the Staff Room Door']
[You have acquired 1 Life Point as an achievement reward.]
Damn, hit the door again.
Lately, my Physique stat shot up out of nowhere, and after sleeping on it a few times...
It wasn't just muscle—I'd ballooned in height and size too.
So my body hadn't adjusted yet, nearly smashing the staff room door just now.
Even in class, I keep bumping into things, leaving my classmates blinking in surprise.
"..."
This absolutely wasn't me venting frustration about counseling at the homeroom teacher.
Anyway, counseling.
"Aren't we doing it?"
"Ah, uh, y-yeah. So, um..."
She was taking forever to start, so I just broke the ice myself.
Sue me—I was actually looking forward to this.
Kid-me thought these sessions were a drag and pointless.
But now that I'm grown and in the real world? Nothing beats it.
Might as well soak up the free therapy while I'm young.
Later on, you'll have to shell out cash at shrinks or counseling centers.
Professors always say "Feel free to talk anytime if something's bothering you,"
But we all know that's just empty words, right?
"Back in elementary..."
The homeroom teacher flipped through what looked like my student record a few times before finally speaking up.
"You were such a sweet kid, always looking out for your friends... right, Kyung-jun?"
"Oh, really? Does it say that in the record?"
"Y-Yeah? That's what it says, at least..."
I don't really remember, but yeah, that's what it says.
Can't recall 'cause it was so long ago.
But it felt right.
Back then, student records were just padded with "sweet" and "kind" if there wasn't much else to say.
"Sure, whatever... that was back then."
"Ahaha, I knew it~ You're a good kid at heart—"
"Yeah. Had to be. Looking back now, I was the ultimate pushover back then."
"Uh, wha?!"
My curveball caught the homeroom teacher off guard.
"They say kids can be even crueler than adults. Textbook human nature, really."
I let out a wry chuckle.
Flashback to elementary school.
Even as a kid, I didn't have any real friends—not like in middle or high school either.
If anything, I remember my third-grade desk mate—a girl—who drew a line on the desk the second we were paired: "Don't cross this!"
A few innocent slip-ups later, she'd claimed 70% of the desk.
Leaving me huddled in my measly 30%, barely room to open a book or breathe.
Not that I'm dwelling, but...
Sharing one long desk between two elementary kids was stupid to begin with.
They probably cheaped out on bulk desks and crammed 'em in.
No wonder they were full of holes and never replaced, even after the damage.
Bet the leftover budget went straight to the principal's pocket.
And the eraser bits tossed at me...
Teachers didn't help—instead, at lunch, they'd pile extra veggies on you if you skipped them and force it down.
Man, our era was wild.
Try that in school today? Instant uproar.
"Anyway, I won't live like that again. So I don't like being called 'sweet.' Never really was."
Spilling all this deep, heavy stuff right to a teacher's face.
"I-I see..."
She was breaking out in cold sweats.
Finally, after agonizing over her words, my quirky-surnamed homeroom teacher spoke.
"Y-You're so resilient, Kyung-jun...?"
Resilient?
Dunno about that.
"After all that hardship... you toughed it out all the way to middle school... and then..."
"Mandatory education, right?"
"W-Well, yeah?"
"But aren't you supposed to scold me for it, Teacher? Not praise?"
"Uh, wha?!"
"Just kidding."
"..."
The flustered female teacher.
Clearly a fresh-out-of-training newbie.
Middle-school me saw her as a full adult, but now? Just a kid in an adult body.
My mental age is about the same, though.
Still, teasing her like this was pretty fun.
Even so, my quirky-surnamed homeroom teacher pulled herself together.
"If you're a middle schooler, act like one... Think positive... Don't dwell on those dark thoughts..."
She gave me some proper teacherly advice.
"Yes, ma'am."
Solid point, so I agreed right away.
"..."
"..."
Silence from both sides.
Eventually, she awkwardly pretended to shuffle her records, took a deep breath, and...
Thud.
Decisively slapped them shut on the desk.
Switching to off-the-cuff counseling, I guess.
"So... Anything bothering you at school?"
"Hm, not really."
But if I left it there, we'd lapse into silence again.
So I scraped together something minor.
"Oh. The desks are hard-covered now, but they're full of holes. Would be nice if we got new ones."
Felt it studying quantum mechanics in class earlier.
Classic old-school desk vibes.
No coating, so graffiti everywhere as standard.
Cheap wood that shreds easy, stabbed full of compass and pen holes.
Sometimes some bored kid would paste chewed gum foil all over, making it sparkle.
"Th-That's outside my jurisdiction, but..."
Too tall an order for a newbie teacher, apparently.
"I'll mention it to the principal next time I see him..."
"No need. Just throwing it out there."
Wasn't expecting much anyway.
I'll sneak into another class later and swap for a good one.
"Alright, next..."
Still, her newbie enthusiasm kept the counseling chugging along, even like this.
She asked about hobbies, dreams, all sorts—and I answered with total sincerity.
"I-I see... Dreaming of building quantum computers faster than anyone to crush America, tank China by 80%, and half-destroy Japan on the side... Th-That's ambitious, Kyung-jun..."
Her reactions were kinda lackluster.
I thought it was a perfect fit for national sentiment.
"...So, what's a quantum computer?"
Hm, I was explaining it to Han So-mi, the vice class president, earlier and ran late for counseling—hope that's okay.
"Want me to explain? Short version's an hour; full dive might take all night."
"Uh, n-no, it's fine. Tell me when you have time later..."
Come on.
Where's that newbie teacher passion? Should've said she'd listen all day.
I was hoping.
"..."
"..."
Awkward silence again.
Eh, I've teased her enough.
"These candies are for students, right? Mind if I grab one?"
"Huh? Oh, y-yeah! Help yourself!"
That foreign candy on her desk—cherry flavor with caramel inside, sneakily tasty.
Popped it in my mouth.
"No need to worry."
My sudden words made her tilt her head.
"As long as you're not like that perverted old-timer who transferred out and ignored the bullying despite knowing, I won't cause any trouble."
"?!"
The female teacher jumped.
Hm, came off a bit threatening unintentionally.
Let me rephrase.
"You don't seem like that type—in fact, you make me want to help out. That's what I meant; no big worries."
And one more thing.
"Most teachers just phone it in for these sessions, so thanks for sticking with me this long. I won't give you any headaches going forward."
I said it sincerely, bowing deeply.
I really meant it.
If I'd had this teacher in first-year middle school instead of that bully-enabler who transferred out...
My first life might've gone a little differently.
"Ah, th-that's... Thank you... Really..."
She let out a deep, heartfelt sigh of relief.
"But if someone messes with me first, all bets are off."
What I really loved was hitting her with a "NO!" right when she thought it was over.
"Haha... J-Just kidding, right...?"
Now she was sweating bullets like at the start.
"Two."
"...?"
"One more candy, and I'll let it slide once."
Right after I said that.
"...Please, Kyung-jun. Eat as many as you want."
Stuff!
She shoved a huge handful my way—not two, but over ten.
Winning kids over with candy, huh?
Approved.
"Guess I'll head back to class then, Teacher. Who should I send next?"
"Yeah, could you get Lee A-ram...?"
"Sure thing."
Heading for the door—careful not to bump it this time.
"Oh, right, Teacher."
One last thing I should mention.
"...Yes?"
Studies aside...
This counseling session was nostalgic and fun after so long.
Plus, she'd taken my bratty teasing in stride.
"When you head home today, skip the front gate—go out the back. Something good's waiting."