189 - Unqualified
"The historical figure I'm presenting is King Sejong! King Sejong created Hangeul, but he has many other achievements too. In the Joseon era, they called circles Daeryun... um... King Sejong's Minyu Bangbon... that is, Minyu Bangbon is Joseon's most representative Six Great Circles sorcery. Um... the meaning of Minyu Bangbon is that the people are the foundation of the nation—"
As part of the performance assessment for the 'Basics of Transmutation' class, presentations on historical figures were in full swing. But now with a magical twist. Choosing one person and introducing at least two major contributions to magic studies wasn't an easy topic for second-graders. And understandably so—Pythagoras' theorem, learned in middle school, was proven in the 5th century BCE, and the method of exhaustion was handled in ancient Egypt. So even for Korea's top prodigies, kids that young were too immature to grasp the life achievements of people from just a few hundred years ago. Thanks to that, Attendance Number 1, Kang Do-hyun's friend, looked like he was about to burrow through his A4 script paper.
Well, the homeroom teacher only expected a general overview anyway, so no big issue. But he seemed flustered by words he didn't fully understand. I gave him a thumbs-up to cheer him on as his expression darkened. Stumbling at first, the kid eventually rattled off King Sejong's true masterpiece, Hangeul, word for word, and finished safely.
"Th-thanks...!"
"No prob, you nailed it."
The bashful kid returned to his seat after thanking me, and Number 2, Go Kyung-won, stepped up to the blackboard.
"The figure I researched is King Sejong."
King Sejong again? Well, what else would kids know? At best, Sejong or Yi Sun-sin, who went from 100-won coin to 100,000-won bill.
"Yoon Si-hu, who'd you do?"
"Jeanne d'Arc."
"Oh, you know Jeanne d'Arc?"
Going French for creativity points in topic selection?
"Dude... is that for real...?"
"What?"
"That... I overheard your parents talking this morning. You..."
"Presentation starting. Talk with pen if you gotta."
The introduction to Joseon's first 6th Circle wide-area spell, Minyu Bangbon, played as background music.
A bit off, so I crossed out kidnapping with an X and added below.
The moment I dotted the i, Si-hu's mechanical pencil lead snapped limply. With trembling hands, he clicked another pen and kept writing.
I wasn't born with memories intact either.
Our eyes met again. I'd planned to brush it off vaguely, but this guy knew more than I thought. The news had just broken this morning—kids shouldn't even know about it.
"...!"
Si-hu flinched. He mumbled a tiny "sorry" only I could hear, then suddenly started drawing.
"Hah."
A cute cat pic with tears streaming down. The consolation was so kid-like, it was adorable. Better reply quick—his face was crumbling in real time.
Stuff like this is for adults to handle. Our job as grown-ups is to give kids a better future.
"Next, Number 6, NoName. Um... did you prepare for the assessment?"
All eyes in the class turned at Jacqueline Teacher's question.
"I'll just wing it."
Clack—I set down my pen and stood before the class for the first time in ages. Forty sparkling eyes from twenty kids stared back. To avoid overlapping with anyone else's pick, I chose someone obscure.
"The person I'm presenting is Werner Heisenberg, an indispensable figure in quantum mechanics. One key achievement is introducing matrix mechanics into transmutation circles—"
Thud—Number 7, Park Ji-su, sitting front row, suddenly collapsed face-first onto her desk. Heatstroke from the summer heat?
* * *
"Waaahhh!"
After class, Park Ji-su bolted into the hallway bawling. Her poor script was crumpled in her fist. Girl classmates rushed to pat her back consolingly.
"It's okay! You said three whole sentences!"
They couldn't fib "you did great," but the pure honesty doubled her heartbreak.
"Why am I Number 7...?"
More presentations ahead—she'd be compared to NoName nonstop. No day had made her regret her Park surname more. Half her prepared script undone by timeout. Sure, bad grade stung, but the stage fright nausea lingered worst. Friends' comfort finally shook off her tears.
"But this morning, Mom asked if NoName was doing okay."
"You too? Dad suddenly asked if she's in our class."
"Huh, why?"
No 2nd Year A Class kid was clueless about NoName's news fame, thanks to Yuna and Se-ri hyping her nonstop. Her academy return got a hero's welcome from morning. Now summoned to the principal's office again. But oddly, parents fretting NoName's welfare this morning—a common thread. Only two knew the truth: Yoon Si-hu and I Ha-ru. Maybe guilt for gossiping sans NoName, Ha-ru whispered to the curious kids.
The kids didn't grasp "trapped" physically—capsules just button-pop or push open. Many had never used one.
"What? Trapped how...?"
Yuna, eavesdropping from behind, approached.
"Oh, Seo Yu-na..."
Everyone knew Yuna was NoName's bestie. But since she didn't know, spilling felt wrong. Si-hu, following Yuna to the hall, was about to speak.
"This the place?"
"Go check quick!"
"Hey, don't shove!"
"You're holding up everyone behind!"
"No, I'll get demerits for real...!"
"Hurry up!"
"Stop! Don't push!"
Senior students swarming the hall end. Rarer than during commute, the 2nd years froze en masse.
"Hey kids, haha... hi. Is, um..."
"Spit it out! Is NoName in your class right now?"
Purple name tag on chest—6th years.
"Uh, she went to principal's office just now... I think..."
"Kaboom!"
"Back off quick, what if teacher comes!"
"You stop shoving, no space back there!"
We could only watch the seniors' chaos wide-eyed. Then a low "oooh" echoed off the walls from behind.
"Why are upperclassmen here? Make way, people need to pass."
The tangled crowd parted like the Red Sea instantly. The academy's hottest topic, NoName, strode center with a puzzled frown.
"Whoa, so cool...!"
"She's tiny!"
"Like a 1st grader."
"Yo, is she the genius or is our grade's top student?"
"What kinda question? Obviously... her."
"Kyaaah!"
"Whoa! Almost swore... why so sudden?"
"She's too cute!"
"You weirdo...?"
Some stared at NoName like a monster, eyes wide in fear.
"Asked my bro at Se-yeon Uni if studying hard makes you like her?"
"And?"
"Faster to reincarnate."
"Harsh..."
"That's how monstrous she is."
"First monster I've seen alive..."
"Hey, NoName's not a monster!"
"Um, No... NoName?"
One kid stopped her.
"Yeah?"
"Could you... sign...?"
"Why need my signature?"
His naive question stunned the senior. Friends scolded him instead.
"You live under a rock, no news?!"
"Sorry, kid...!"
"How could you say that to her!"
"What'd I even do...!"
Sepiron Academy was total pandemonium, a battlefield. Especially clueless hype-kids approaching NoName got zero mercy from truth-knowers.
"Hey, back to your classes! I'll snitch to homerooms!"
Finally, 2nd Year D homeroom arrived, calming the storm barely.
* * *
This morning, Yuna buzzed with excitement like never before. NoName was her irreplaceable friend.
She'd heard Korean streamer NoName solved a tough math puzzle. Se-maru explained it was her friend NoName. Even without bro spilling, Yuna knew. Every NoName news mention made her burst to brag inwardly.
NoName's not 14, she's really 7!
The puzzle-prover's my friend!
She'd waited endlessly for NoName's return.
But worry she'd never return kept Yuna sleepless sometimes. She daydreamed talks and play upon return.
NoName knows everything—maybe even finals predictions.
Air games again? Or trampoline?
NoName's arrival hit unexpected vibes. Always-missing-her Jacqueline Teacher got awkwardly silent. Even close pals like Yoon Si-hu and I Ha-ru weren't openly thrilled. Yuna wondered if they envied her genius—pure delusion.
"Seo Yu-na? Why in the hall? Next class soon, c'mon."
"Ah... uh..."
"Your face? Something happen? Who hit you?"
NoName stared, then tilted her head. Memories with NoName flashed: envying her, assuming rich kid, past wrongs—face burned. Even her potion chugging from illness...
"You crying?"
"N-no, not crying... sniff... really not..."
Endless tears invalidated excuses. Blurry vision held her idolized friend. NoName gently wiped her tears with slender fingers, full of care. Imagining her pains was beyond Yuna's 8 years.
"Hurt? Want me to take you to nurse?"
This kid, scarred yet hiding it, comforted others first. If NoName hid fully, would they know? Yuna doubted. It shook her "friend" trust. Her love-craving stemmed from busy mom and dead dad, but she didn't want one-way kindness.
Am I unqualified to be by NoName...?
Such thoughts made Yuna shove off the gentle hand and flee to class. Like they'd never meet again...
* * *
"You're right behind me."
"Don't make me talk! Hic...!"