Chapter 34: Duality (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 34: Duality (2)
*
Bam-ba-ba-ba-bam— Ba-ba-ba-bam— Good morning—
A noisy alarm blared. Shin A-young opened her eyes as sunlight filtered through the gaps in the curtains.
“…”
She blinked slowly.
She pulled out her phone; it was 7:00 AM on a Monday morning.
“…Ah.”
She thought she had finally reached the weekend after a grueling week, but in the blink of an eye, it was Monday again.
What kind of hell was this?
“...I don’t want to go to school...”
Shin A-young rolled around in bed, clutching her duvet tightly.
Roll, roll.
After tossing and turning, she stared blankly up at the ceiling.
Honestly, maybe this was all just a dream.
“Sigh...”
Fat chance.
Shin A-young dragged herself out of bed, staggering slightly.
“Yaaaawn...”
A long yawn escaped her lips.
The living room was quiet. Her father was still asleep, exhausted from a shoot that had lasted late into the night, and her mother had already left for an early shift.
Consequently, she had to fix her own breakfast.
“…”
Shin A-young habitually poured cereal into a bowl. After adding just the right amount of milk, she sat at the dining table. She didn't forget her phone.
What should she watch?
Taking a bite of cereal, she scrolled through NewTube, looking for an interesting thumbnail.
“Hmm...”
Not this one...
This doesn't look fun either...
Flick, flick— Her finger moved rhythmically up and down the screen.
— [Shin Jin-seop, the ‘Black World’ Craze... What’s the Hype About?]
— [‘Black World’ Gains Popularity Overseas: What Captured Their Hearts?]
Her finger stopped right there. Headlines like those were impossible to miss.
“…”
Shin A-young’s eyelids lowered slowly.
Lately, no matter where she went, this was the only topic of conversation. The drama craze she thought would die down quickly showed no signs of fading. If anything, people were paying more attention as time went on.
Black World was a massive, rare hit. The kind of mega-hit that happened maybe once a year.
It was clearly something to be happy about, but for some reason, she wasn't joyful. She felt strangely numb.
If anything...
“…”
Shin A-young abruptly turned off her phone.
No, let’s not go there. Wasn't that too selfish of a thought?
She felt a sharp pang of self-loathing.
“…”
She picked up her spoon and ate the cereal. The flakes had already gone soggy, drowning in the milk.
“...Ugh.”
Why was she like this so early in the morning?
She finished the soggy cereal and put the empty bowl in the sink. After quickly getting ready for school, Shin A-young slung her bag over her shoulder.
“I’m leaving.”
She muttered the words to no one in particular and stepped out the front door.
Clack, clack.
Since she had left early, she could take a leisurely walk to school.
She reached the door for Class 2-1. Before heading inside, she paused.
“…”
Inhale— Exhale—
Alright, let’s do our best today, too.
After a short, deep breath, she cautiously opened the back door. The students' eyes immediately gathered on her. There were significantly more eyes turning her way than before.
She had been feeling it more acutely lately.
“Oh, A-young’s here.”
“Hi, A-young~”
Her classmates greeted her, their gazes lingering.
“Good morning~”
Shin A-young responded naturally.
‘...He’s not here.’
Shin A-young scanned the classroom. It seemed Lee Seung-ho and the others hadn't arrived yet.
‘Maybe I should have come later.’
As she was hanging her bag on her desk, a shadow fell over the seat in front of her. Looking up, she saw a boy she had spoken to a few times.
“A-young. I heard you haven't watched Black World yet? It’s so good, why not?”
“…”
Where did he even hear that?
Shin A-young replied with a small, practiced smile.
“Oh... well... I’m just... saving it up...?”
“Ah~ You’re the type to binge-watch it all at once?”
“Yeah, something like that.”
Even as she answered, Shin A-young sighed inwardly.
“…”
This guy. Honestly, he didn't even seem that interested in Black World. The things he was saying were weird, too. It was obvious he was just using the drama as an excuse to talk to her.
“Your dad’s acting is really great~”
Whether he noticed her lack of interest or not, he continued to drone on.
“...Right?”
She gave him a half-hearted response.
‘Who does she think she is, a celebrity? Her parents are the famous ones, but she’s the one acting all high and mighty.’
‘Exactly.’
From a distance, she could hear the faint whispering of some girls.
“…”
Her hand resting under the desk tightened into a fist. Her throat felt scratchy. The whole situation was beyond absurd.
‘...Ha.’
You guys were the ones who begged me to get his autograph. You seem to have forgotten that already. What exactly are you so unhappy about?
‘...The way I see it...’
‘Oh, right... I’m sure that’s it...’
The girls giggled as if they were having the time of their lives. They probably thought she couldn't hear them. But Shin A-young, who was always sensitive to how others perceived her, could hear them with disgusting clarity.
Don't let it get to you. You're used to this anyway.
Even as she repeated that to herself, it wasn't easy.
“…”
Shin A-young lowered her head. Her stomach churned. The cereal she ate this morning felt like it was about to come back up.
*
...After a long, long period of endurance, class was finally over.
Stomp, stomp, stomp, stomp—!
Shin A-young hurried toward the stairs leading to the east gate. Her destination was the very top floor, where no one ever went.
She looked around, then checked the stairs below. Good. No one was there.
“Inhaaaaaale—! Exhaaaaaaale...!”
She took a deep breath and let it all out. It was a massive, heavy sigh.
“Ah...”
Despite that, her rising blood pressure showed no signs of dropping.
...She needed sugar. Right now.
Shin A-young pulled out a chocolate bar she had brought along.
‘Why won't this open...!’
The plastic was tough. Shin A-young tore at the packaging with rough, frustrated movements. Finally, the chocolate was revealed.
Munch, munch.
As she chewed the chocolate and cursed inwardly, her anger seemed to subside a little.
“Whew...”
Before long, the chocolate was gone. Shin A-young sat on the stairs and narrowed her eyes in silence. Now that things had come to this, a thought crossed her mind.
She really, really... wanted to play a game.
‘It’s been a while since I went to a PC café...’
Thinking back, between midterms and the school trip, she’d had no time to go. She felt like her stress would vanish instantly if she could just play one match... An act where no one would judge her, no matter how brutally she crushed her opponent. Because that was what gaming was to her, Shin A-young had started using it as a way to relieve stress before she even realized it.
“Hmm...”
She was torn. If she told Lee Seung-ho, he’d probably agree to go right away. She could just skip the Drama Club by saying she was sick.
‘Alright.’
Shin A-young stood up abruptly. Now that she had decided, she moved toward the counseling office as quickly as possible.
......
Knock, knock—
Shin A-young knocked and cautiously opened the door to the counseling office.
“Yawn...?”
Park Min-ji, who had been dozing off on the sofa, widened her eyes.
“Oh? A-young, it’s been a while.”
“Haha... I’ve been a bit busy lately...”
Shin A-young gave an embarrassed laugh. Because she was being called here and there at all hours, she hadn't had time to drop by the counseling office.
“Come by often. You can just come here to hang out,” Park Min-ji welcomed her warmly.
“Yes, I will.”
She really should. It was better here than being harassed by everyone else.
...But.
Shin A-young scanned the club room with a puzzled look.
“...Where are the others? They said they were going to the club earlier...”
For some reason, only the Club President, Kim Yisu, and Min-ji were in the room. At that question, Park Min-ji waved her hand dismissively.
“They stepped out for a bit to go to the school snack shop. I saw we were out of snacks, so I told them to stock up for now.”
“Ah...”
So that was it.
Shin A-young leaned back against the sofa with a more relaxed expression. The sofa was incredibly comfortable. The tension left her stiff shoulders, and a soft curve formed on her lips.
...It really was comfortable. Not just physically, but mentally. For Shin A-young, this place had somehow become a sanctuary where she could calm her mind.
“Is there anything you like? Should I tell them to buy some?”
At Park Min-ji’s question, Shin A-young quickly waved her hands.
“No, no. I’m really fine.”
“Really?”
Park Min-ji got up and moved to the seat next to Kim Yisu. Then—
“Oh, right.”
She clapped her hands lightly and suddenly brought up a certain topic.
“That drama is really good.”
“...Ah.”
Her expression almost froze, but Shin A-young quickly brushed it off. No. Let’s not overreact. She might just be talking about a recent hot topic.
“The way they end the episodes is such a cliffhanger... I don't usually watch dramas, but I binge-watched it all the way to the latest episode.”
Park Min-ji pointed to the dark circles under her eyes and grinned.
“Have you seen it too?”
“No. Not yet.”
Shin A-young shook her head. Actually, she had seen it, but she didn't want to talk about it.
“Huh? Really? It’s so good... Is it because it’s awkward to watch a drama your family is in? I guess I wouldn't be able to immerse myself if someone I knew was in it.”
“...There is a bit of that.”
Shin A-young nodded in agreement.
“I thought so.”
Park Min-ji’s words were followed by a slow addition.
“...You know...? If it’s okay with you...”
Ah.
Shin A-young’s shoulders gave a sudden jolt. She looked up. She saw Park Min-ji fidgeting with her hands as if she were shy. Her eyelashes trembled for a moment.
She reflexively stood up.
“A-young?”
“…”
It felt strange. It felt as if the place that had been comfortable just a moment ago had transformed in an instant. Her breathing became slightly erratic.
“…”
She blinked slowly. Shin A-young herself couldn't understand her own state. Her chest just felt tight. She needed to calm down.
“Um... I need to go to the bathroom for a second...”
Shin A-young made a hasty excuse and hurried out of the club room. Or she tried to.
“Oh, what the.”
When she opened the door, she locked eyes with Lee Seung-ho, who was about to enter. Behind him, Lee Sol and Ji Nuri were peeking their heads out, holding bags of snacks.
“When did you get here?”
He was about to pass by her with his usual nonchalant attitude.
Pause—
He stopped in his tracks.
“…”
Lee Seung-ho tilted his head as he looked at Shin A-young, as if something were wrong.
“...Are you okay?”
At those unexpected words, Shin A-young’s eyes went wide. Those words felt incredibly peculiar to her.
“…”
Shin A-young brushed her hand over her mouth. Her expression was no different from usual. Her bright smile was still in place. Yes, it was an act she had maintained for years. It wouldn't crumble so easily. The exterior was always the same.
And yet.
“Here, have this.”
Lee Seung-ho held out a can of coffee. He was being considerate of her, as if he could see right through her. Perhaps he was the only one who saw her not as a celebrity’s daughter, but as just Shin A-young.
“…”
Shin A-young carefully took the can he offered. It was warm.
She gently pressed it against her forehead. The warmth transferring from the surface softly unraveled her knotted insides.
...Phew.
Shin A-young relaxed her shoulders and let out a steady, relieved breath.