Chapter 5
A nightmare? Definitions vary from person to person, but I see it as a worry laced with a heavy dose of realism. In other words, 'it wasn't a nightmare.' This wasn't a nightmare—it was a prophetic dream showing me the grim future about to unfold.
...What else could it be? If it wasn't a dream, it'd be occult territory far beyond science.
"Moon-soo."
"Yes."
"You've been awfully quiet the whole way to the staff room. Aren't you curious who the teacher invited to school?"
"Not at all—there's no way I'm not curious! Of course I am!"
I already knew who it was, so I wasn't curious in the slightest, but I decided to play along with our homeroom teacher's rhythm.
"Wanna guess?"
"...Yuil-am."
"Oh my! You got it on the first try! Yuil-am really is famous, huh."
"I just know the name."
Everything had unfolded exactly the same up to this point. Our duty-bound homeroom teacher had invited the shaman Yuil-am to school for my sake, the wandering soul, and as expected, he'd thrown a tantrum and started a live broadcast.
'But not this time!'
I glanced back at the shaman Yuil-am following behind, then casually passed the stairs leading to the rooftop.
I didn't think it was right to bring that guy to a fainted female student. Kicking a collapsed person with your foot? That was beyond my comprehension.
Plus, leaving someone sprawled on cold concrete bothered me too.
"Hmm. This should do it."
I texted our homeroom teacher from my smartphone.
"Kang Moon-soo: Teacher. There's a female student collapsed on the school rooftop."
"...Good."
No way that shaman would kick a defenseless girl in some grotesque stunt now. Perfect.
'How much better could I handle this?'
With a much lighter heart, I turned and headed back, peeking into the classroom where Yuil-am was in the middle of filming.
"Mr. Yuil-am. I can't find the ghost."
"Look more carefully! It's hiding around here."
"Doesn't seem possible. My talent's too lacking. And I have to head out soon for my part-time job anyway."
"......"
Yuil-am glared at me, clearly sensing my intent to bolt. But with all his subscribers watching the live stream...?
"...Well, can't be helped then."
He gave up awfully fast.
'Just as expected.'
I vaguely recalled some trivia that broadcasters had two faces: off-camera and on-camera. And right now, the camera was right there, rolling live—no editing possible.
Dealing with an uncooperative me took a backseat to hunting the ghost in the school.
Still, "Here's my business card. I don't give these to just anyone, so keep it safe."
Yuil-am didn't let me off entirely.
"Sure. I'll treasure it."
I pocketed the gold business card he handed over.
'Toss it in the bus stop trash later~♪'
I had no desire to get tangled with this unreasonable guy anymore. Hopefully, we'd never cross paths on the street by chance.
"Kang Moon-soo. Give my disciple your contact info—"
"Too busy with work—bye!"
Not giving him a chance to scheme, I bolted out of the school building like the wind.
'My contact? In your dreams!'
Personal info like that—our homeroom teacher wouldn't hand it over to an outsider lightly.
"Yes!"
Freedom!
A tedious part-time job awaited, but that beat putting up with Yuil-am's nonsense—
Thud!
"Hm?"
Something huge hit the grass beside the main building's entrance.
'What the—?'
I whipped my head toward the sound on reflex—and then...
Splat, splat... Bright red liquid splattered mercilessly onto my uniform.
"This looks like blood—gasp?!"
The moment I saw where it came from, my mind went blank white.
* * *
"Buddha..."
"Lord..."
"Father..."
Students desperately calling out to gods filled my view.
Aptitude Test Center
And that sign I thought I'd never see again.
Even an atheist like me couldn't help joining them.
"God..."
Did this make any sense?
I'd time-looped back to the day of the Aptitude Test in the designated hospital bus at the school gym.
'Third time...'
First was the prophetic dream, second was reality—or so I'd thought. Turns out the second was a dream too?
Confusion reigned.
"Next student."
"...Yes."
I entered the hospital bus at the nurse's call—we'd met before.
This time, to avoid the wordplay misunderstanding, I kept my mouth shut and took the test obediently.
"Student. Before we start, a few quick confirmation questions."
"Yes."
"Have you taken the Aptitude Test before?"
"No."
"Traveled abroad in the last 15 days?"
"No."
"Any regular meds besides supplements?"
"No."
"Fight with a friend lately?"
"...Huh?"
There wasn't this question before?
"Sorry. Your expression was so serious, I asked without thinking. Ignore that last one."
"Ah, yes."
"Starting the test now. Don't fidget or stand if you feel nothing."
"Yes."
My changing expression had thrown the nurse off with that odd question, but the test went smoothly enough.
Problem was...
"That's weird."
The Aptitude Test was progressing too flawlessly. Unless my memory was warped, there'd been a student who bailed without testing.
But now?
"Next student."
"Yes."
"Next student."
"Yes."
"Next..."
Not a single student made the nurse wait like before. Not even by the end.
'Something's off...'
Had my obedient testing altered the future? Things kept veering beyond my understanding and common sense. Too long for a dream, too.
Anyway, "Moon-soo. Good luck today too."
"Yes, boss."
Even with a slightly altered future, I still headed to my part-time job. The convenience store.
Expired food gets tossed, but I pocket it for meals to save on grub costs. Earn cash, eat free. Very satisfying.
Except, "Wax the floor during slow hours. Some drunk puke-fest in broad daylight—stink won't fade."
"Yes..."
The repetitive grind was the issue.
'Tough's one thing, but it feels like unpaid labor?!'
Payday's the 30th—lifesaver for my empty wallet—but imagine 29 endless days. Drives you mad.
Swish-swish.
Mopping the convenience store floor in the pitch-dark dawn, I resolved myself.
"...Time to accept it."
I don't buy into the occult. But I'm not so stubborn I deny direct experience.
Shaman. I'd accept that as my aptitude.
'Can't see ghosts, but rewind to the past?'
Skip scientific analysis of the mechanism—just observe the phenomenon.
'Three times total.'
I replayed my rewind moments in sequence.
First: Tripping next to the girl.
Second: Her falling next to me.
Common thread.
'Avoid running into that girl, and maybe no rewind?'
Worth a shot.
Ding~♪
"Welcome! How can I help?"
"Cigarettes—"
"Here."
"...Haven't even ordered, how'd you know?"
"You got these before."
"Did I? First time here, I swear."
"You've been in before."
Three times that I remember.
"Alzheimer's...?"
"Come again! Thanks!"
'Little lamb, fear not. Your nicotine-tarred memory's still sharp.'
The convenience store part-timer here is the weird one.
* * *
Today's a very important day. Why? 'Please, let it pass this time!'
Feels like a fortnight's gone by subjectively, but the calendar's ironclad—dates don't budge.
Aptitude Test results come out, announced next day—then boom, back to test day. No date change.
"Stay calm."
Seeing students heading home after classes made my heart race. Meant fateful hour neared.
Also, "She'll jump again?"
The rooftop suicide gnawed at me.
'Tell the teacher ahead—oh...'
I started texting homeroom but paused. Didn't know her face or name.
Couldn't prevent it.
'Should've checked her name tag on the uniform...'
Had two chances. First, face-down on rooftop, tag hidden. Second, too bloodied to check.
"...Can't be helped."
Pocketed my phone, gave up cleanly. Handle the immediate problem first.
"Hey, Kang Moon-soo. How long you gonna hide it?"
"Yeah, you're the only one in class keeping your Aptitude Test result secret."
"Makes us expect stuff!"
"Not astronaut, right?"
"Jerk! Kang Moon-soo!"
"Dude! Don't live like that!"
Spotlight from the 'few' who'd blabbed their results to everyone.
'Everyone shared?'
Bald-faced lie. Sure, many did, but not all.
"Nope. Secret."
Wanna punch past-me who thought spilling was fine. Reveal now, and homeroom invites Yuil-am again.
No thanks.
'Teacher. Appreciate the thought.'
Praise for our bone-deep dutiful homeroom teacher! But three meets with fame-hungry Yuil-am? Pass.
"Must be some amazing job."
"Kang Moon-soo! Jerk!"
"Hey! Just tell us this: better than president?"
"Now I'm more curious!"
They kept nagging, but I held firm.
"Sorry."
A girl's life trumped this aptitude crap right now.
* * *
One perk of third time loop: "Nice and easy~"
Fixing past mistakes.
"Hey, Kang Moon-soo."
"You really won't spill?"
"Too much between friends."
"Reveal your aptitude!"
I praised my decision to hide Shaman. Friends nagging persistently was annoying, but better than past ridicule.
"Phew..."
Mind wasn't at ease, though. Girl's rooftop plunge loomed closer.
'It'll be fine.'
Had a plan. How?
"Kang Moon-soo: Teacher. Saw a girl standing dangerously on the rooftop railing."
"...Done. Should be good now."
Lighter-hearted, I slung on my bag.
Hid result from teacher too—no Yuil-am. Quick report saved a life.
Satisfying walk home! Perfect.
'Tomorrow's sun! Stay put~! I'm heading your way.'