Chapter 28
Translator: True Detective
Chapter 28: Freshman Welcome Party (1)
The day of the OT (Freshman Welcome Party).
The moment I stepped into the gym entrance, a curse popped out of my mouth.
"Wow... F*ck. So many people."
'Crowded' wasn't enough to describe it. It's exactly like a bean sprout jar.
The heat and buzzing emitted by the crowd of thousands rushed in like a giant tsunami, hitting my eardrums. The air mixed with the smell of cosmetics and body odor hit me, stabbing my lungs heavily.
I reflexively pulled my hat down deep. If I could, I wanted to wrap myself in an invisibility cloak.
The outfit I contemplated and contemplated about?
Gave up on that crap long ago.
Firstly, there are no clothes worth wearing in the closet, and I'm not a fashionista anyway. Just wearing the gray fleece hoodie and black long padding my mother bought from the market saying "Aigo, perfect for our son!", and slightly stretched training pants.
'A loser bastard (Jjin-tta) picking up and wearing clothes mom buys at age twenty.'
That's me.
It was obvious without looking in the mirror. A visual like background texture that no one would care about even if stuck behind a corner pillar in this wide gym.
...Or so I thought.
"Hull, look over there."
"Wow, what's with the height? Is it a man?"
"Daebak. We had such physical specs in our school?"
Upon entry, the air in the gym changed. The disorderly scattered noise subsided instantly, and hundreds, no, thousands of eyes fixed on me like searchlights.
The reason was simple.
Since a huge man is standing there, it's not a crane among chickens (Gun-gye-il-hak) but an ostrich wrongly entered into a chicken coop. Can't hide even if I try.
'F*ck... Want to go home already.'
Homing instinct fluctuated within 1 minute of arrival.
Turning my head slightly, I saw other male students in the distance. Guys with hair dyed colorfully like a rainbow, wearing skinny jeans giving up blood circulation. They were enjoying playing idol, throwing winks to the female students surrounding them.
"Kyaaaaaak! Oppa look here!" "Crazy, super handsome (Jon-jal)! I'm dying!"
Female students screamed and followed them like fanatics greeting an idol.
'Huh..........'
Is that the Casanova behavior I only heard about. Amazing, really. Their mentality must be made of Vibranium. To act cute in such a gap.
I turned my head with fed-up eyes.
'Where should I go...'
Too many people, can't see the department flag, only the back of the head of the person in front. Approached a person wearing a 'Guide' armband standing nearby.
"Excuse me."
"...?"
The guide turned her head as if annoyed, then checked my face and flinched.
"Um.. I'm Seol Jin-hyuk, freshman of Computer Engineering, can I know where I should go?"
"Wai, wait a moment... Are you a male student?"
She checked the list, then pointed to the center of the auditorium with her finger.
The place most conspicuous, receiving the most lighting.
"You can go to the front row over there."
'What is it? New type of bullying?'
Front row. Right under the stage, a seat like an execution stand having to receive the gazes of the whole school?
"...Can't I sit in the back? Or corner."
"No. It's school policy, male students must sit in designated seats. There are safety issues too."
"Ah..."
"Sorry. Please go quickly. Troublesome if the path gets blocked."
Firm. No mercy.
Haa... My life is like that.
I pushed through the crowd and moved to the center like a cow dragged to a slaughterhouse.
Strangely, wherever I walked, the path opened wide like the Red Sea parting. And naked evaluations hitting my ears.
"Wow... Look at the size. Shoulders crazy right?" "Pulled hat down but don't you think he'd be handsome? Look at the jawline." "Wonder how the face (Waku) looks. Want to strip him off."
Whether they want to strip the hat or the clothes. Judging by the nuance, definitely the latter.
'Excuse me. Interest. Troublesome.'
I arrived at the designated seat barely, reciting Buddhist prayers inwardly.
VIP zone fenced off. There, three or four male students already crouching like defeated soldiers were visible.
All wearing dull paddings, horn-rimmed glasses, and turtle necks looking only at the ground. Very friendly and ordinary visuals. Felt a sense of homogeneity instantly.
Before sitting down, I spoke to the guide in charge of the zone slyly.
"Excuse me."
"Yes?"
"How many male freshmen came this time?"
"Ah, total number on list is 30 but..."
"Oh, 30? More than I thought."
With this much, won't be lonely. At least platoon strength.
But at the guide's next words, my hope circuit crumbled.
"But 20 contacted saying they won't attend."
"...?"
"Plus the remaining 3 are out of contact..."
".....?"
"Currently only 7 people came including you, student."
"......Yes?"
A dumbfounded sound came out automatically.
Let's tap the calculator. Right now thousands of women are swarming in this auditorium. Men are those 2 r*tards playing celebrity back there, 4 crouching comrades here, and me.
Only 7 people?
'Crazy...'
Gender ratio 1 to 9 my ass. Looking at this auditorium alone, it's 1 to 500. Even Sparta warriors from the movie <300> would have run away (Ppan-seu-run) saying "Isn't this a bit too much?" at this number difference.
'Shouldn't have come either...'
Regret rushed in like a tsunami. Should have just spun LoL (Rel) at home.
"...Yes. Thank you."
"If there are inconveniences please tell me anytime. Call me when going to the restroom too. Will attach escorts."
"...Yes."
Escort to go pee. Am I a preschooler.
I sighed deeply and flopped into the seat. The chair was excessively fluffy so the mood was dirtier.
"Wow... Sh*t."
Don't have eyes on the back of my head, but my back feels like it's burning beyond stinging. Feel like thousands of gazes are poking my back physically poke poke.
F*cking uncomfortable. Feels like thorns are on the cushion.
Just in case, turned my head slightly and looked back. Made eye contact with dozens of female students beyond the fence.
"Kyaa!" "Made eye contact! Daebak! Saw me!"
'Mom...'
I turned my head back to the front hurriedly. Zoo monkeys would have better human rights guaranteed than this. At least they get bananas.
Unbearable awkwardness and fear. Couldn't handle this pressure alone.
Couldn't handle this suffocating awkwardness alone. Eventually decided to talk to the male student sitting next to me. A guy trembling with thick horn-rimmed glasses and shoulders hunched.
"Excuse me... Hello."
"Yes...? Gasp!"
The guy was startled as if electrocuted and looked up at me. Pupils were shaking like spinning tops.
"By any chance are you a freshman of class of '20?"
"Yes... Yes... Correct..."
Voice crawling like a mosquito's wing beat.
Yeah, you think you're f*cked too right? Me too.
We looked into each other's eyes wordlessly. Deep resignation and fear were read beyond the guy's glasses. Silent message of 'Save me'. We felt camaraderie instantly.
"Excuse me, do you know today's schedule by any chance?"
At my question, the guy answered hesitantly.
"Ah... that, the President is coming soon to give an admonition speech..."
"Ah..."
Sigh came out automatically. President's admonition speech. Asserting it's the number 1 most useless and painful torture time in the world. Rather clearing snow in midsummer in the army would be more productive.
Have to stare blankly ahead for that long time? While these thousands of eyes are counting the number of swirls on my crown?
'Can't do it, f*ck.'
Lift head and make eye contact with professors on the podium, lower head and crown stings. Surrounded by enemies on all sides. Eventually only one place for me to escape.
I took out the smartphone from my pocket. Essential survival tool for modern people, and the only digital bunker.
Habitually turned on CocoaTalk.
As soon as loading finished, a red number appeared on the bottom tab. Gym members, family, and numerous people who took my number while passing by. Chat room list was exploding.
Pya.
This is me.
Phone that only received carrier coupon texts and loan spam texts on birthday in the original world, is about to explode from overload here.
But my thumb stopped.
'When do I check all this.'
The moment I press this and erase the number '1', hell gates open. If read, must reply. If reply, instant reply comes in 1 second. And have to reply again. Infinite loop. Labor.
But if read and ignore (Read-Chew)? It's a matter of time before rumors spread from tomorrow saying 'That bastard ate his manners in rice soup'.
Then the answer is one.
Ignore without reading (An-Ilk-Sip).
Strategic retreat. Leave it fermented for now. Until it becomes old kimchi (Mugeunji) and smells sour. If someone asks later, just say with the most aggrieved expression in the world.
"Ah, sorry. I don't look at my phone much usually... had it on silent so didn't know."
Perfect. Miracle logic converging social relationship fatigue to 0 with laziness as an excuse.
I scrolled down the chat room list without lingering attachment. Leaving behind the outcry of red numbers, to the very bottom where I can find peace of mind.
Nothing to do anyway, should re-read family talks.
Hehe. Funny. F*cking funny. Enough to bring tears.
It was when I was killing time with soulless scrolling.
"Oh my, you came?" "Oppas sit here!"
Front became noisy, and someone entered our zone.
Those guys playing idol outside earlier.
Rainbow Dyed Guy No. 1 and Tight Pants Guy No. 2 flopped into the seats in front of me escorted by the guide.
As soon as they sat, perfume smell vibrated. Did they one-shot Chanel No. 5.
Just then, Dyed Guy No. 1 glanced back. Made eye contact with me.
Wink.
"......?"
Wink? To me? Why?
Crazy bastard...?
Please let's not do this between men, please.
Meanwhile, the white-haired President climbed onto the podium.
The hall became solemn. The sound of tapping the mic tok tok resonated grandly through the speakers.
"Dear freshmen. Sincerely welcome to our school. Our university nurtures global leaders..."
Boring.
Typical admonition speech. I tried to lower my head and turn my gaze to the smartphone again. Since that old lady's words are practically a lullaby anyway.
But.
"Now, and very special people came to this place today!"
The President's voice tone suddenly rose an octave.
"This year, really many precious male students came. Everyone is curious right?"
Buzz buzz.
Instantly the air in the hall heated up hot. Expectant sighs let out by thousands of female students vibrated the floor.
I raised my head with a blank expression.
Yes?
What did you just say...?
"Now, let's meet our male students on the screen! Applause!"
Waaaaaaah-!
Along with the shout, the super-large screen installed at the front of the auditorium flashed.
My vision turned white.
Full on the screen, my face opening mouth stupidly was reflected huge as a gate. Wearing a hat pulled down deep, rolling only eyeballs, the sight is quite a spectacle.
"......Det?"
A dumbfounded sound popped out of my mouth.
There was no such talk beforehand. Clearly said just have to sit?
"Kyaaaaaaaak!" "Cute! Look at the kid with the hat!" "What to do, looks like a hamster!"
Screams as if the auditorium is leaving. Eardrums feel like tearing.
The screen zoomed out and showed our entire VIP zone.
Reactions were starkly divided.
The attention seeker duo in the front row waved hands towards the camera as if they waited, throwing finger hearts and dancing the chaos blues. Fish meeting water exactly.
On the other hand.
Including me, the glasses comrade next to me and ordinary guys in the back row were trembling like aspen trees.
The glasses guy lowered his head with an expression like he would cry immediately, and the guy behind me was trying to eliminate his face entirely by tightening the padding hood strings.
'Wow...'
Admiration came out without realizing.
'What crazy bastard.'
What brainless bastard planned this crap. Said men are objects of protection. Said endangered species.
Day 0 of coming to school. Want to drop out already.