Dawn of the New Semester
The day of the new semester and returning students had dawned. March 2nd was a pretty special day for students. For some, that specialness might be annoying and irritating; for others, it could be filled with anticipation and excitement.
"Finally, back to school."
Seo Joo-hwan was definitely in the anticipation-and-excitement camp. It had been a full ten years since he'd last set foot on campus, after all. And this time, he looked completely different from his pathetic, unfortunate pre-regression self.
"Shall I draw today's fortune?"
He figured the fortune-telling would just be an item gacha pull.
> Using 1,000 LP to draw an item.
> Blessing, Mongma's Blessing (x14), has been granted.
Seo Joo-hwan's jaw dropped at the sight of the granted item. Blessings could come from item gacha too?!
"Nice!"
His luck was booming right from the moment he opened his eyes. Things were off to a great start already.
Back when he was twenty, Seo Joo-hwan had applied to the Publishing Content Department. Students called it "Chulkon" for short. Graduates typically landed jobs in advertising, publishing, or design. There were a few other paths, but if you were aiming elsewhere, a different department made more sense—or skip college altogether and get relevant certifications.
His reason for choosing Chulkon was simple: he loved books. In truth, he'd aimed for Creative Writing as his top choice but kept bombing literary contests, so he'd given up on becoming a novelist. Ironically, after graduation, he'd quit his publishing job to become a full-time web novel author.
'Doesn't matter now anyway.'
Post-regression, he'd started writing fast and was already tasting success. The accumulated royalties—before settlement—easily topped a billion won. And that was monthly income, not yearly, when he was barely mid-twenties. Factor in Bitcoin, and money worries were a thing of the past.
"Hmm~."
Humming a tune, Seo Joo-hwan strolled along. He was pumped for the university life about to begin. He'd come to campus purely to experience the vibrant campus life he'd missed in his previous existence. He'd always been a loner back then. That's why he wanted to make this life full of fun university memories.
"Kuh. They're all so fresh-faced."
Watching the students head to class brought a fond smile to his lips. They must be thrilled for their first day too. Unlike his pre-regression self, who'd reeked of gloomy trauma.
Seo Joo-hwan ambled along, people-watching the incoming freshmen. Their green vibe tickled him in a pleasant way. But while he was feeling great, the students were soon panting and heaving as they climbed.
It was such a familiar sight that he shook his head.
"Yeah, it's steep, alright."
The Publishing Content Department and a few others were in the library building, which happened to be at the absolute top of the hill. Da-an University was infamous for its brutal incline. He'd barely survived climbing this killer slope in his past life. Of course, now he wasn't even breaking a sweat.
He gazed sympathetically at the strugglers. Just a bit more, kids. Escalators come next semester.
"Ugh, I'm dying here!"
As he silently cheered them on, a weary voice came from ahead.
"What do you mean 'dying'? How far did we even walk? You run around kicking soccer balls all day, but you've got zero stamina."
The voices belonged to a guy and a girl. The guy was dramatically huffing up the hill, while the girl scolded him.
The guy pouted. "I'm normal, you're the freak. Muscle monster. Your legs are way thicker than mine, I bet."
"What'd you say? Wanna roll down right here?"
The girl whipped around with a fierce scowl. Contrary to his words, she didn't look muscular at all. Her small face and long, slender limbs gave her a model-like vibe. Her legs didn't seem thick either. But her face felt off somehow—botched plastic surgery? Weird makeup? Hard to tell with his eye. Her downturned eyes made her scowl look extra vicious. She probably chewed gum like a champ back in the day.
'Ah, that girl for sure...!'
He remembered her. A face from before regression.
Before he could fully recall, the guy freaked out. "Whoa! Hey, image control! We're heading to the department, right? Lots of classmates around? Weren't you gonna play nice?"
"...We'll settle this later. And call me noona."
"Heh. Yes, ma'am, Acting Department Head Noona."
"Hey, it's temporary acting head. I'm never doing full head."
"Nah. Give it up. To me, you're already the head."
"I'm gonna kill you!"
"Gah! The thug's murdering me!"
The guy bolted up the hill like his panting was a lie. The girl chased after him even faster, fuming. A pained scream soon followed—he'd been caught.
'Full of energy first thing in the morning.'
Youth. Pure youth.
...Somehow, stepping onto campus made Seo Joo-hwan feel old already. He needed to shift his mindset.
Lucy snapped him out of it.
Master, 10 minutes left.
"Gah. Already?"
People-watching had made time fly. He quickened his pace. Good thing he'd left early—almost late on day one.
He arrived five minutes early, thank god. Before entering the department, Seo Joo-hwan detoured to the smoking area. Nerves hit as he approached—needed to chill.
'For mind and body peace? Nicotine it is.'
Classic chain-smoker logic. Then a familiar voice from the smokers' spot.
"Pfft. I'm having one more cig, so go ahead~."
"Tch."
"Jealous? Smoke one if it bugs you."
"You little... damn... huu."
It was the guy and girl from earlier. The guy lit up, chuckling; the girl glared, then stormed into the building.
'Guess I was right.'
He'd been unsure, but seeing them here confirmed it. Faces from pre-regression. Same department, same class.
Chik.
Lighting his own cig, Seo Joo-hwan sidelong-glanced the guy. Late 170s cm, brown curly hair. Silver earring gave him a bit of a punk vibe. Earring or piercing?
Were you friends?
'Eh? Kinda ambiguous.'
The guy had been one of the few to approach him first in his past life. They hadn't gotten close, thanks to his own timid gloominess.
'Popular with girls, though.'
Tall and handsome, total "innie" personality. Rumors said he'd hooked up with half the campus girls.
A rival, then.
"What? Pfft."
Lucy's words made him snort. He wasn't here for girls. He wanted that youthful, romantic campus life. Sure, CC was part of it, and dating led to sex naturally. But he hadn't returned for romance.
"Rival my ass."
"Huh? Talking to me?"
The guy ahead turned at his mutter. Startled, Seo Joo-hwan waved it off.
"Nah, just talking to myself."
"Ah, gotcha. Using this smoking spot means same department, right?"
This area led straight to the second-floor Publishing Content Department, so mostly Chulkon kids used it. That's why he'd assumed.
Seo Joo-hwan checked. "Chulkon, yeah?"
"Yup. You too?"
He nodded. The guy paused awkwardly, then half-bowed in greeting. What the hell?
"Uh... hello, sunbae. I'm Lee Seok-chan, class of '16."
"Pardon? Get up first. Sunbae out of nowhere?"
"You're not?"
Technically yes—he was '13—but he'd enlisted right after admission, still technically freshman, and had no intention of acting senior. He wanted to blend as a peer.
Seo Joo-hwan stubbed his cig and pulled Lee Seok-chan up. "It's complicated, but anyway—I'm a freshman."
"...For real?"
"Yeah."
"...Ugh, embarrassing. Why didn't you say sooner? Real freshman? Didn't see you at orientation."
"Skipped it."
"Ah, that explains. What's your name? I'm Lee Seok-chan, as I said."
Lee Seok-chan grinned broadly. His bright smile softened the punk edge.
"Seo Joo-hwan."
"We're gonna be together, so drop the formal speech?"
"Sure. Yeah, let's keep it casual."
Lee Seok-chan nodded, then smirked slyly. "Heh. Call me hyung from now on then, Joo-hwan."
"...What?"
"I'm twenty-two. Late admission. Ah, casual is fine. Same class year—gotta be close."
"Ha...."
He'd planned to reveal age later. No way he'd call a younger guy "hyung."
Seo Joo-hwan smirked. "Fine. Same class year, let's be close, punk."
"Huh? Casual's cool, but 'punk'? Not even my name."
Lee Seok-chan frowned slightly. Seo Joo-hwan chuckled.
Lee Seok-chan's face scrunched more.
"I'm twenty-three, so call me hyung, Seok-chan."
"...Huh?"
"Casual's fine, speak easy."
Lee Seok-chan stared blankly. Let's get along, Seok-chan.
Lee Seok-chan looked totally owned, then clung annoyingly.
"Joo-hwan. Hey? For real?"
"Zip it. Nicknames are weird. Casual's fine—just call me hyung."
He threw the guy's words back. Lee Seok-chan thumped his chest in frustration.
"My birthday's January. Practically same age, right? I'm the early one."
"Nuh-uh. You're the one twisting the rules. I don't count early."
"We said we'd be close."
"Yep. I already think we are."
"Right? Close friends are just friends."
"Exactly. Friends."
"So no hyung?"
"Hey! Watch it, dongsaeng! It's me. Birthday's March. Even if yours is January, that's nearly a full year."
"Argh!"
"Latte's what I'm saying, kid. Got it?"
"Ugh!"
Lee Seok-chan plugged his ears and faceplanted on the desk. Seo Joo-hwan patted his back, laughing.
Then he felt the girl from earlier glancing over.
'Name was... Jeong Ha-yeon, right?'
Like Lee Seok-chan, she'd approached him first pre-regression. Someone he personally owed a debt of gratitude to.