270 - One Day Wasn't Enough to Teach the Lying-Down Kids
I figured one day of grueling effort would be plenty to whip the lying-down kids into shape. But as life tends to go, things didn't unfold as planned. My daytime was crammed with back-to-back practice sessions, leaving zero chance to catch even a wink. At night, the kids kept swarming our room, bombarding me with questions. At least I had to get Yuna to bed, so I shuttled her off to Haru's room for the night, pulling three straight all-nighters as their unpaid red-pen tutor in the process. Looking back, it was a drowsiness no awakening spell could fend off.
Sitting in the middle school division waiting room, I racked my brain for solutions and spotted what looked like the coziest wardrobe imaginable. 'Blankets in here... why though...' No time to ponder. Treating it like a capsule, I clambered onto the stacked bedding and flopped down sideways. Sleep was creeping in sweet...
Kiiiek— Just as my mind started to haze over, the wardrobe door swung open, blasting my eyes with light.
"Uwak! What the— Nami, what're you doing in there? Hide-and-seek?"
"Close the door. I'm sleeping..."
"Oops, sorry for interrupting! Sweet dreams!"
Rehearsal for the middle school division was still hours away, so two hours of shut-eye would do...
Kiiiek—
"Kyaa! What the heck! There's actually someone in here?"
"Agh, come on..."
I nearly snapped at the kid. With so many people coming and going in the waiting room, the real issue was these curious brats flinging open the wardrobe on a whim.
"You were sleeping. Sorry. I'll close it now."
"Lock it while you're at it."
"Huh?"
"Lock it from the outside, nice and secure."
Clunk—
What if everyone forgets I'm in here and leaves me behind? Perfect. In this bone-tired state, I could probably sleep the whole day away.
Offset Interference
I slapped a noise-cancelling magic circle over my ears, turning the kids' chatter into soothing ASMR. Only then could I curl up like a shrimp and sink into the sweetest slumber.
In my dream, I'd shot up to 170 cm tall, hand-in-hand with Seola, sprinting through a Korea University campus blanketed in blooming cherry blossoms. I tentatively guessed the horde chasing us was a mob of KU students furious over the C- I'd gotten them.
Swaaak-swaaak— Nami's two small hands, neatly folded over her navel, rose and fell rhythmically. Strands of long hair poked out from between the wardrobe door and the blankets. It evoked a fairy-tale scene, mystical and enchanting.
Clunk— The sudden door slam made her twitch, scrunching her face as her bright eyes blinked a couple times. Tilting her head right, she spotted countless camera lenses and reflector panels glittering.
"...?"
Nami squinted one eye, her expression disarmingly vulnerable. The raw cuteness struck the staff like a fatal blow, drawing awed whispers and gasps.
Still groggy, Nami spoke in a deep, husky voice.
"What is it."
The end cracked slightly, husky and raw.
"We're here looking for NoName contestant. Is this you?"
Her unique look and hairstyle had tipped off the reporter ages ago, but broadcast protocol demanded the obvious question.
"Hyaam... Yeah."
"What were you doing with your eyes closed in here? Meditating?"
"Just catching some Z's 'cause I was beat... How'd you even find me here, ughhh..."
Nami stretched her arms and legs upward in the cramped wardrobe, shivering as she let out a massive yawn.
"Aha, sleeping! We're live on KBS right now—mind if we do an interview once you're a bit more awake?"
"Interview?"
Nami's face crumpled. She'd assumed no schedule till full rehearsal, but this network had tracked her to her hideout.
She rolled her cold, sharp eyes before sighing in resignation.
"I'm wiped, so let's just do it like this. Cool?"
The unexpected agreement rippled surprise through the staff.
"Like this?"
Meaning, interview while lying in the wardrobe.
Nami lifted her waist, grabbed the top blanket, and wrapped it around herself. Peeking only her head out toward the camera, she scanned the crew.
"I'm comfy, so don't worry—just interview away."
Her brazen expression left everyone stunned.
'This is terrestrial live TV, right?'
'Isn't this too lying-down vibe?'
'Of course you're comfy, kid! You're buried in blankets!'
Post-license fee split, KBS was at the mercy of public opinion. Nami's radical lying-down interview pitch wasn't for on-site PDs to greenlight without higher-ups.
They bought time with 30 seconds of ads. Then caster Kim Jae-seong arrived and made the call.
"This could skyrocket ratings... Let's go for it. I'll take full responsibility."
(NoName KimbapRoll Edition.jpg)
Even when she throws a tantrum, NoName's just too lovable.
Who locks the wardrobe door to sleep lmao
Honestly relieved when I saw it was Nami inside.
Couldn't imagine that back in our day
"We've been waiting for today to welcome Korea's pride, the little genius NoName! Born June 2043, turning 8 this year! Blood type A, height 113 cm, weight 19 kg! And shoe size a whopping 180 mm! Introducing once more: Seferon Academy's NoName contestant!"
Shocking details poured from Kim Jae-seong's mouth.
"Hello, NoName contestant!"
"Yes, hello, announcer Kim Jae-seong. Greetings to all Academy Tournament viewers."
"Aww, yes! Everyone's thrilled to see you, NoName contestant!"
Nami's voice was more composed now, her broadcast-aware tone drawing dad smiles from the crew.
"NoName contestant handles the cameras so naturally. You could be an actor."
Her streaming experience was pro-level. Amid five ENG cameras whirring, she rolled her eyes to lock gazes with whichever was on her.
Lying in the wardrobe under blankets, but she was putting in effort not to half-ass the broadcast.
"First time facing Alteer Academy in the tournament—how're you feeling?"
"Not much."
"Oho, no big thoughts! NoName contestant shares bold confidence. Seeing you so chill eases the pressure on Seferon Academy too. NoName contestant, a word of encouragement for your grade rep seniors heading to rehearsal?"
"After all I've done to help, lose and you're dead."
"...!"
"Ah! Meaning it'll tear you up inside if they lose! Our seniors must rally to protect such a cute junior's pride."
Nami smacked her lips in mild disappointment but refocused on the interview.
"Word is elementary 2nd year rehearsal fighters are heading to the arena. Seferon Academy's rep is Yoon Si-hu—can you see the screen okay?"
A staffer mounted a TV on a C-stand showing KBS1 live.
"Yeah. My friend."
"And Yoon Si-hu just got reported as NoName's desk mate."
"How'd you...?"
Nami's eyes went wide at KBS's intel this time. The announcer flashed a smug grin, pleased to land one on her.
"Anyway, most reliable friend in my grade."
"But get this—I just learned this is the middle school waiting room, right?"
"Yes."
"A word on NoName contestant competing for middle school division, not elementary?"
Camera close-up on Nami's face—so tight her pores were visible. She yanked the blanket up to her eyes, hiding.
"Still a candidate, but I'd love a sub-in chance. Could probably beat middle school seniors easy."
"What? Beat easy?"
Alteer Academy students in their waiting room watched the live broadcast in disbelief. Their interview slot had been hijacked mid-way by Nami's surprise segment, eating 20+ minutes already. They chalked it up to her viral "proper education" clip from overseas boosting her ego.
Still, magic-inept normies were no match. Even legendary field magus Ham Chorong had been helpless against kids over 5. In the magic world, age before 30 peak was basically "weight class."
"How do you view the duel, NoName contestant?"
⟨ Kim Jae-seong's Question ⟩
"Sounds fun."
⟨ NoName's Reply ⟩
Alteer students furrowed brows. Duels meant grueling pain—agreed by both academies. Every discipline demanded steps; runes and circuits overflowed with exceptions. Bad brains? Suffer the body. Some forged physiques for national camps, others sought deserts or Antarctica for unique auras.
Thus Nami's taunts struck as arrogant to magic hopefuls.
Until her next words.
"I see duels as flesh-and-blood Go."
"Flesh-and-blood Go?"
"Have you played Go, announcer?"
"Lots in games."
"Heard pro Go players see through opponents' personalities via the game. Aggressive? Cautious? Direct? Indirect? Makes you curious about their life. Why'd they end up that way?"
Breath quickening, Nami inhaled deep and continued.
"Some turn aggressive to protect loved ones. Others cautious from betrayal. Fun learning people, right? Duels too. But duels use body and brain— even more intriguing."
Nami tossed the blanket aside, perching precariously on the wardrobe edge. Legs swinging was cute, but her camera gaze dead serious.
"You might not feel it as much, but magic is miracle incarnate. I'm dying to know miracle-makers. Fire mages: pyromaniac kids or fire-trauma survivors? Aura too."
"So duels are Go... for you, Nami."
"Go stakes stones. Duels stake lives. Sounds exaggerated or funny, but that's the weight for me. Why take slaps and kicks? To have someone affirm your path. Life has no answers, but we crave them."
"Waaah..."
"So, picked as candidate for this glorious tournament, I wanna slap every Alteer senior's cheek once. Super confident in my path."
This was Nami's delicate, precise provocation.
"Think I'm wrong? Slap my cheek and prove it. I'll offer one."