Back to School (1)
Back to School (1)
"Ah... the map is seriously dizzying."
King's Row or whatever, why is the path so winding? I lay on my bed, staring blankly at the ceiling.
Thinking about it, it's been a truly bizarre day.
Until yesterday, we were on the verge of a real-life fight over inter-floor noise. Yet, in just one day, we've reached the point of eating together, exchanging BattleTags, and even playing games together.
How we became this close is still a mystery. Well, I suppose that massive common denominator called 'S-Gong' grabbed us by the collars and carried the relationship.
'Still... it's not bad.'
In this crazy world with a 1:9 male-to-female ratio, I've gained a gaming friend who treats me as just a 'person to person' without those burdensome gazes.
That dry, simple indifference was, ironically, comfortingly enough to bring tears to my eyes.
Just then, the phone I had tossed by the bedside vibrated.
[Seol Ji-hye]
: Oppa
: Can I go to your studio apartment this weekend?
: Omma told me to bring you some side dishes.
As soon as I saw the screen, my brow furrowed.
Without a second of hesitation, I typed back.
[Me]
: If you come, I'll seriously crack your ttukbaegi.
: Don't come.
: Tell Omma that oppa will come pick up the side dishes later.
I pressed the send button and turned off the screen. Long words aren't necessary between siblings. That should be enough to convey my intent.
"Haa..."
With a deep sigh, my body sank into the mattress.
Today was a truly dense day. I joined a ghost club where I can slack off, and I unexpectedly broke the ice with the person upstairs.
In this desolate world, is it really that easy to become friendly with a neighbor? Especially with the 'upstairs neighbor' who was the main culprit of the noise.
'Please... I hope they live quietly from now on.'
It's good that we became gaming friends, but it'll be a problem if they start shotgunning their desk and screaming again.
Well, at least we've met face-to-face now. If it gets noisy, I can just send a warning through 'Discord Chat' saying, 'Hey, be quiet please,' so maybe it's actually for the better.
'...Surely they won't try to act all superior just because they're a sunbae-nim.'
Looking at how shamelessly they accepted the free meal earlier, or how they just wander around in a tracksuit because they're lazy, they don't seem like the type to do that.
But you never know with people.
For now, let's sleep.
I need to save up my energy since I don't know what might happen tomorrow.
.
.
.
The next day.
As the elevator doors slid open, I saw a familiar face directly in front of me. It was the woman from Room 703.
Whether it was fate or a cursed connection, we naturally headed toward the school side-by-side as if we had planned it. Throughout the entire commute, only two sentences were exchanged.
"S-Gong is a shit game, agreed?"
"Agreed."
That was all.
Any further unproductive small talk was a luxury between us.
As we reached the main gate, Hyun-woo was waiting.
"Uh... hello."
Hyun-woo saw the woman from Room 703 and offered a hesitant greeting.
She simply gave a rough nod and coolly went her own way.
"I'm off."
"Yes."
Her back receded without a hint of lingering attachment. Someone that indifferent to men is a truly rare specimen from our perspective.
We moved our steps toward the Humanities Building where our classroom was located.
'Wow... holy shit...'
As soon as we entered the building lobby, a group of female students waiting in the hallway blocked our path like a barricade.
"Oh? He's here."
"Excuse me, would you like to attend class with us?"
An overt proposal. Their eyes were burning.
I shook my head, feeling bothered.
"No. I'm with someone."
"Aw, don't be like that. We just want to get to know you."
They didn't back down and looked ready to subtly grab my arm and pull. It was an exhausting situation to refuse.
I glanced at Hyun-woo beside me.
The fellow was already hiding behind my back, clutching my clothes, not knowing what to do.
'This guy...'
I felt a sudden surge of irritation.
Why do I always have to play the role of the tanker? This guy just reaps the benefits by hiding behind me whenever there's an emergency.
Fine. One day, I will definitely use you as a meat shield. Don't resent me. I have no choice if I want to survive. I'll save this for later.
"Alright...."
In a state of half-resignation, I was surrounded by the girls and dragged toward the classroom. Hyun-woo was swept along with me.
As soon as we opened the classroom door and entered, I saw Shin Ga-young sitting in the back.
She spotted me and was about to raise her hand in greeting, but she paused mid-air.
She had seen the unfamiliar girls surrounding me.
"······."
Her expression instantly froze into a cold stiffness.
A chilly, serious face with all traces of a smile gone.
I pretended not to notice and turned my gaze away, sitting down as if being led to the seat the girls chose.
As soon as I sat, a barrage of questions began.
What's your name, give us your number, do you have a girlfriend.
'Wow, this is driving me crazy.'
This is why all the men in this world end up like Hyun-woo. For introverts whose MBTI would definitely start with an 'I', this kind of excessive attention isn't love—it's poison. It's suffocating.
I killed time by spitting out mechanical answers with an expression that looked like my soul had left my body.
Fortunately, the professor entered, and the noisy marketplace was settled. It was a relief that they at least shut their mouths during class.
Of course, that didn't mean the sticky gazes fixed on my cheek had disappeared.
It must be my imagination. I want to believe that.
.
.
.
Class ended.
"Jin-hyuk-ah, did you eat lunch? You have a break now, right?"
"Come eat with us. We'll buy you something delicious."
The moment the books were closed, they clung to me.
Free food. A very attractive phrase. But I didn't have the confidence to swallow a single grain of rice while enduring this soul-draining tension. I'd definitely get indigestion.
I made a troubled face and shook my head.
"I'm sorry. I have to go to my club."
"A club? Which club?"
"It's called Utopia... do you know it?"
In an instant, their expressions contorted strangely.
"Ah... that place?"
The place rumored to be crawling with men. A place where only dicks gather, which by my standards, wouldn't be out of place if called 'Jot-topia'.
From the women's perspective, it's a forbidden zone they can't enter, and they aren't exactly pleased to see men huddling together to play, so the reaction couldn't be good.
"Does that place even have activities?"
"Yes."
"What kind of activities do you do?"
'Breathing exercises.'
I wanted to say that, but I figured they'd hold onto me longer if I did, so I made up an excuse.
"It's just... the sunbae-nims called for me... the military discipline is a bit strict there."
It was a lie, of course.
Far from military discipline, that place is the pinnacle of laissez-faire and debauchery. But the effect was certain. The girls said, "Ah..." and opened a path with regretful eyes.
I took the opportunity to escape quickly, driving the final nail in.
"Sorry! Let's eat together next time!"
The national rule phrase of Koreans, 'next time'. I don't know if that will be in this life or the next.
Leaving behind the girls who were smacking their lips, I quickly grabbed Hyun-woo and escaped the classroom.
And as soon as we reached the end of the hallway, I pushed his back.
"Hey, you go on ahead. I have something else to do."
"Huh? You're not coming?"
"I'll go later."
I exiled Hyun-woo to Utopia first.
That den is fine, but what I need right now is perfect silence and solitude.
I turned my steps toward the Old Humanities Building. To my own secret honey pot, the 'Hanlim Classic Studies Society'.
Kkiik.
The door opened with the sound of a rusty hinge. It was empty. I guess the President hasn't come yet.
'...Sweet.'
I tossed my bag into a corner and threw myself onto the fluffy sofa.
The smell of old books, the smell of dust, and the silence.
'This is it.'
This is the real Utopia.
I'm hungry; I wonder if I can order delivery. I think the President said they've ordered food here before. I should ask when they arrive. A bowl of Jajangmyeon would be perfect.
'But are they even coming to school today?'
If they don't come, I'll just go to the convenience store and settle for something simple.
I let out a long yawn and looked at the old computer in the corner. The tower had turned yellow, looking at least five years old.
I should try using that later if I get permission. Even if it can't run Rel, it should be able to run S-Gong(?).
.
.
.
In the end, the President never showed up.
I clutched my hungry stomach, went out, and settled lunch simply with two triangle kimbaps from the convenience store. It was much more comfortable than going to the school cafeteria alone.
After spending some peaceful time alone, it was finally time to retrieve the exiled Hyun-woo.
I brushed myself off, stood up, and headed toward Utopia.
What can I do? If I don't look after him, who will?
However, in the hallway leading to Utopia, I ran into a familiar face.
"...Oh?"
"Oh, Jin-hyuk-ah! Where are you going?"
It was Shin Ga-young. The timing was so perfect it was as if she had been waiting for me here.
"To get Hyun-woo. He's at Utopia."
"Ah, really? Let me go with you."
"...Do whatever you want."
There was no reason to stop her. She was a face I'd see again in the classroom anyway... We walked side-by-side toward the Utopia club room.
The hallway in front of the club room was empty. The girls who used to camp out there were nowhere to be seen today.
'What's going on?'
I was puzzled for a moment but shook my head. Whatever. It's better for me if they aren't there.
As we reached the door, Shin Ga-young hesitated for a moment.
Perhaps due to the pressure of the title 'Forbidden Zone for Women', she didn't enter readily and only peeked over the threshold.
I swung the door open and just poked my head in.
"Sunbae-nims, hello. Hyun-woo, let's go."
The sunbae-nims, who were lying on the sofa like corpses, just flicked their fingers lazily. Hyun-woo popped out as if he had been waiting for this.
"Oh, you're here? Let's go, let's go."
Hyun-woo's eyes widened when he saw Shin Ga-young standing outside the door.
"Huh? The... the class rep was here too?"
"Yeah. Hi, Hyun-woo-ya."
Ga-young greeted him with a bright smile. The three of us headed toward the classroom for our next major course together.
Deureureuk.
As soon as we opened the classroom door and entered, a strange atmosphere was detected.
That group of female students who had practically kidnapped me earlier—let's call them 'Group A'—were watching us with hawk-like eyes. Their names... I'm sure we introduced ourselves, but I can't remember.
Their gazes swept back and forth between me and Shin Ga-young.
It was a look mixed with curiosity, wariness, and the absurdity and anger of having 'the prize snatched away at the last second'.
They stood up from their seats and approached Shin Ga-young.
"Oh my, Ga-young-ah. You brought them already? You're really fast."
Shin Ga-young smiled, casually brushing her hair back.
"Yeah. I ran into them on the way. I'm the class rep, so I have to look after them."
The woman who seemed to be the leader of Group A smacked her lips regretfully while looking at me, then gave Ga-young a flirtatious smile.
"Still, it's a bit much~ We had roughly agreed to sit together earlier. Right, Jin-hyuk-nim~?"
Ah, fuck. Why are you dragging me into this shit?
Just as I felt my back getting damp and was about to open my mouth, Ga-young naturally stepped in front of me and cut her off.
"Ah, really? I didn't know. But what should we do? I have a lot of announcements to give these guys. I think I need to have them with me today."
"Aw, you can just send announcements via text. Ga-young, aren't you being a bit too greedy?"
The air turned chilly in an instant.
The corners of Ga-young's eyes curved beautifully like half-moons.
"Greedy? The boys haven't adjusted yet, so I'm just helping them. Besides, you guys have so many people, wouldn't it be hard for you to look after them too?"
A tense silence flowed for a moment.
Eventually, the leader of Group A swallowed a hollow laugh, nodded, and took a step back.
"...Is that so? Well, since Ga-young has such an outstanding 'spirit of service'. We should yield."
"Thanks. I knew you guys were considerate."
"Then good luck~ See you later."
They turned around sharply and went back to their seats. Only then did Shin Ga-young turn back to me and smile brightly as if nothing had happened.
"Let's sit, Jin-hyuk-ah. Hyun-woo-ya. Come on, your legs must hurt."
I stared blankly at her back before whispering to Hyun-woo.
"Hey."
"Huh...?"
"Did you see that?"
"...What?"
"...Never mind."
Ignorance is bliss. Because this naive fellow would never realize, even if he died and was reborn, that a sharp blue blade is hidden behind a woman's bright smile.