6. The Seed Always Awakens Underground (1)
6. The Seed Always Awakens in the Soil (1)
'One morning, as Gregor Samsa awoke from anxious dreams, he found himself transformed in his bed into a monstrous vermin.'
Lately, Han So-jeong often finds herself recalling this passage.
At least it's some comfort that she hasn't turned into a monstrous vermin like Gregor Samsa, so Ryu Baek-seol wouldn't immediately try to kill her upon discovery. But it was still plenty troublesome.
"Wet dream."
After returning from her trip with Baek-seol, So-jeong was searching online for clues about the bizarre event that had happened to her last night.
[Last night while sleeping, I suddenly released something white and sticky. What is this?]
The internet had quite a few people who had experienced the same thing as her. The only difference was that they were all men.
In the responses to their concerns, So-jeong discovered the term 'wet dream.' And upon researching what a wet dream was, she learned it was a natural phenomenon that occurs when semen accumulates in the body.
It was fortunate that what she experienced wasn't an illness but a natural phenomenon, just like that thing hardening in the morning, but So-jeong's expression remained complicated.
"So that means... semen has been accumulating inside me."
She had vaguely anticipated it.
Even if only as academic knowledge, she knew that this thing that had grown on her was male genitalia, and from how it occasionally became erect (So-jeong still found this term embarrassing), she could infer it had sexual function.
But there was a world of difference between knowing something intellectually and experiencing it directly.
"Then to avoid having wet dreams..."
There was no way she could fall asleep under the terror that all the men in the world might soil their underwear every night. Believing this, as So-jeong searched the internet a bit more, she soon found the solution without much difficulty.
"Ah, here it is. To avoid wet dreams, you need to periodically ejaculate semen through masturbation or sexual intercouuuuu..."
Thump.
So-jeong slammed her laptop shut as fast as lightning.
"......Huuuuh."
Her eyes widened like a startled rabbit, her face turned beet red like a Hongdangmu radish, and her expression resembled someone who had suddenly witnessed a lewd scene.
'Masturbation? Sexual intercourse?'
Those two words, which had been completely unrelated to her throughout her life until now, instantly became seared into So-jeong's mind.
"There's no way I can do something like that......!"
She had always had low libido and never once felt the desire to masturbate in her life, and now she suddenly had to do it regularly? And with male genitalia, no less.
"But if I do nothing, something like yesterday might happen again."
Wet dreams were troublesome enough, but what if it built up and built up and then erupted during daily activities?
Of course, the possibility was almost nonexistent, but So-jeong, still lacking practical knowledge about male genitalia, didn't know this and endlessly fueled her anxiety.
She wanted to avoid ejaculating suddenly on the school campus at all costs. Ultimately, to prevent the worst-case scenario, So-jeong reached the conclusion that she must choose the lesser evil and let out a deep sigh.
"Anyway, since I sort of dealt with it once yesterday, I should just sleep normally today......"
Perhaps because she had absorbed too much shocking information at once, fatigue washed over her intensely.
Turning off the light and lying in bed, So-jeong blankly stared at the dark ceiling for a moment.
How much more about this thing that suddenly appeared on her body did she still not know? How long would she have to live with this problem?
Would a day ever come when this problem would be resolved? What if, like Gregor Samsa, it was never resolved?
Tossing and turning amidst these persistent questions, So-jeong slowly and laboriously crawled into sleep.
***
Although she never had any particular grand romance with campus life to begin with, So-jeong was quite satisfied with her university life.
There were several reasons. First, unlike high school, she could live an autonomous and independent life, and another reason was attending school with Baek-seol.
And her major, Law, was also one of the reasons her university life was satisfying.
If she had to pick the greatest advantage of the Law department, it was that group projects barely existed.
The fact that she didn't have to mingle with people and could focus solely on the text in front of her was quite appealing to So-jeong.
Of course, she had chosen the Law department because it aligned with her desired career path, but this element certainly made her life easier.
"Hi, Baek-seol-ah."
That's why, even with a first-period class starting early on Monday, So-jeong could greet Baek-seol with a bright smile as she opened the door and entered.
"Hi."
Baek-seol sat next to So-jeong and returned the greeting.
"You're early today?"
"Yeah. I woke up a bit early this morning."
"Did you rest well after getting home yesterday?"
"Of course. I went to bed early and woke up early. What about you, Baek-seol?"
"Me too."
A day starting with ordinary conversation.
It was like a signal that the day would be an ordinary one.
A day with no heart-pounding excitement, but also no major problems—just an average day. So-jeong was satisfied with that mere uneventfulness.
"Good morning~"
Soon, the professor entered and stood at the podium.
"Alright, I'll take attendance now."
After calling attendance one by one, the professor started the class with his usual meaningless small talk, as always.
Things that happened over the weekend, news stories, just random thoughts he had while eating breakfast that morning, etc.
When that small talk ended, he would continue the class as usual with, 'Enough chit-chat. Last time, we got to here, right?'
Thinking this, So-jeong opened her notebook and textbook and blankly waited for the small talk time to end.
But after the small talk ended, the words that came from the professor were slightly different from usual.
"Ah, and I have one important announcement. It seems a new assignment will be given out."
An assignment?
So-jeong blinked and slightly lifted her head from where it was resting on her hand.
This professor giving an assignment? That's a bit rare.
Other students seemed to be thinking the same as So-jeong, as they looked around at each other, exchanging questioning glances.
And simultaneously, they each made their own predictions about what kind of assignment it would be.
A book review? A report? Or perhaps a court observation?
But the professor's next words were enough to shatter all those expectations and plunge the students into despair.
"I will be assigning one group project."
***
The feeling of her heart sinking with a thud was clearly not something So-jeong alone felt. The murmuring among the students grew louder, and sighs mixed with complaints began to leak out here and there.
But despite this, the professor stubbornly continued his speech.
"I know you students dislike group projects. But someday, when you enter society as legal professionals, you must inevitably..."
A lengthy explanation about why he had insisted on assigning a group project followed, but no student was listening attentively.
The only thing that mattered to them was the fact that one of the most dreadful events of university life—a group project—had finally happened to them too.
"Sigh......"
So-jeong hung her head low and let out a deep sigh.
"A group project."
Glancing sideways, Baek-seol was still looking forward with her usual cold expression, her gaze unfocused.
"Are you okay, Baek-seol? A group project."
"Not particularly."
True to her words, Baek-seol showed no particular reaction to the sudden group project announcement. It just felt like one more thing she had to get done.
Her greater concern was So-jeong, who was next to her, clutching her head and groaning.
"Are *you* okay? Can you handle a group project?"
"Ugh, well."
So-jeong was extremely awkward at conversing with people she didn't know. Both Baek-seol and So-jeong herself were considerably worried about whether she could harmonize with several people.
"But I have to do it, what choice is there."
So-jeong said, letting out another sigh.
"If it gets too difficult, talk to the professor. It's the professor's fault for suddenly assigning something like this."
"Hmmm......"
After seriously pondering for a moment, So-jeong eventually answered with a weak laugh.
"But I should try it once. It might even turn out to be a good opportunity, right?"
"......Is that so?"
At So-jeong's words, Baek-seol made a subtle expression.
The theme of the group project was the problems with current Korean law and proposals for solutions.
And adding insult to injury, the professor announced that he had already randomly assigned the group members.
"It's to meet new people, and also to consider those who don't have friends."
Spouting this nonsensical reason, he began calling out the members of each group.
"Ughhh, I was hoping to be in the same group as Baek-seol..."
Seeing So-jeong become fidgety and talkative as the sudden situation unfolded, Baek-seol couldn't help the corner of her mouth twitching unconsciously.
"You said it might be a good opportunity earlier."
"But I'd feel so much calmer if you were there, Baek-seol... and you're good at studying too."
Just as So-jeong was grumbling,
"Han So-jeong, Ryu Baek-seol, and Choi Ha-na."
The professor called out two names, followed by an unfamiliar name, in succession.
So-jeong and Baek-seol, plus a woman sitting a few seats away from them in the front row, raised their hands.
"You three are Group 5. Check each other's faces and try to say hello after class."
At the professor's words, the woman sitting in front swiftly turned her head to find her group members.
Eyes full of vitality, and makeup that made her face shine even more.
Her wavy brown hair swayed with the movement of her head.
Spotting So-jeong and Baek-seol with their hands raised, she opened her eyes wider, sent a sparkling glance their way, then turned her head back to face forward.
"Do you know who that is?"
So-jeong asked, just in case.
"No."
Baek-seol also had to answer that way, as it was a face she was seeing for the first time.
A short while later, as So-jeong and Baek-seol were packing their bags to go to their next class after it ended.
"Helloo!!"
At the clear, lively voice, like a nightingale's, So-jeong and Baek-seol looked up.
"I'm Choi Ha-na, who's in the same group this time!"
Choi Ha-na showed them a smile that seemed to bounce like a little shooting star, going 'hee-hee'.
"Please take care of me, sunbaenims!"