Chapter 29
Chapter 29
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 29
Chapter Title: Memory King and Chess Prodigy
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After the exams ended, the Kingston University dorm was wrapped in a completely different atmosphere from usual.
The tension and cutthroat intensity that had dominated the exam halls over the past few days had vanished like a bad dream, replaced by a sense of liberation and festive energy filling the entire building. Laughter erupted from corridors everywhere. Doors that had been firmly shut were now all flung wide open.
As Seo-ha finished brushing his teeth in the washroom and stepped out, the hallway was already buzzing with activity. Students who would normally be quietly studying or resting in their rooms had all come out to mingle.
It was almost time to head home. They might never see each other again. Thoughts like these gave the students the courage to approach one another.
"Kiddie! Over here!"
Hans waved Seo-ha over.
Once they started exchanging greetings and getting a bit friendly, everyone began calling Seo-ha 'Kiddie.' To his ears, it sounded like "kiddo!"
"What's up?"
He gave a light knock on the open door and entered the room to find over ten students already gathered.
"Let's do a memory challenge. Helen's on a seven-win streak right now."
It was just as Woo-hyun had warned. Everyone was itching to show off their brilliant minds.
Approaching for a closer look, he saw a deck of playing cards laid out on the table. A blonde Danish girl sat in one of the chairs. She looked brimming with confidence from her winning streak. She suddenly addressed Seo-ha warmly.
"Kiddie! I heard you were the only one who solved problem six? Our teacher mentioned it."
"Not sure if I was the only one, but yeah, I got it done. It was tough."
"You were the only one. Shall we test that amazing brain of yours?"
Helen grinned and tapped her temple with her index finger.
With a challenge like that, it was hard to back out. Seo-ha sighed and took a seat. At Helen's nod, Hans began shuffling the cards. He must play a lot, judging by his flashy shuffle technique.
Shuffle.
Hans laid out 30 cards in a 6x5 grid on the table.
"Okay! You get 30 seconds to look. Both ready?"
"Of course."
"I'm good."
They both nodded.
"Go!"
Hans and his friends flipped the cards over in unison.
'Spade 7, Heart King, Diamond 3, Club Jack...'
Seo-ha's eyes swiftly scanned the cards. The other students crowded around, watching eagerly to see how he'd memorize them.
Seo-ha and Helen both stared intently at the cards. But their approaches were worlds apart. Helen seemed to be using the classic Western memory palace technique, her eyes zigzagging as she tried linking cards to specific spots in her mental space.
Seo-ha, on the other hand, chose a completely different method.
In his mind, the thirty cards transformed into a 6x5 mathematical matrix. He memorized each one with its coordinates (row, column). Spade 7 at (1,1), Heart King at (1,2), and so on—bundling position and card data into single datasets. Suits became numbers: Spades=1, Hearts=2, Diamonds=3, Clubs=4.
This turned each card into a four-dimensional vector: (x coord, y coord, suit value, number value). And numbers were Seo-ha's native language.
"Time's up!"
Hans called time and flipped all the cards back over.
"Helen first!"
Hans pointed to the first card in the first row.
"Spade 7."
Correct.
"Now Kiddie. This one?"
Third row, second card.
"Club 3."
Seo-ha answered without hesitation. Hans flipped it to confirm and nodded.
"Helen!"
Fourth row, third card. Helen paused, thinking.
"Um... Diamond Queen?"
Hans flipped it.
"Correct."
The game continued. Both displayed astonishing memory, but cracks appeared past the 20th card.
"Helen?"
Hans pointed, but Helen hesitated.
"Club... Nine?"
Hans flipped it, and groans rose from the crowd.
"Ah..."
"Helen's losing?"
"Nerves? She won the memory contest."
"Wrong. Club Six."
Helen made a regretful face.
"Kiddie's turn. Get this, and you win."
Hans pointed to the fourth row, fifth card. But Seo-ha's mind already held the complete dataset for all cards.
"Spade Ace."
The card flipped. Correct, of course.
"Wow!"
"Incredible!"
"New memory king!"
Everyone clapped and cheered.
"Wanna finish the rest for fun?"
At Hans's suggestion, Seo-ha nodded.
"Diamond King, Heart 4, Club 2..."
Seo-ha named them as he flipped each one. Helen watched with a defeated look. Nailing all 30 sent the room into a frenzy.
"Kiddie! Kiddie! Kiddie!"
The students chanted his name.
"Now I get why you were the only one who solved number six."
Helen laughed and offered a handshake. Seo-ha shyly took just her fingertips, making everyone burst out laughing.
"Helen! He's a kid. Gotta wait a bit for the testosterone to kick in."
Helen flipped the bird at the snickering guys.
"What're you losers yapping about? You got crushed by me."
It was a fun afternoon.
"Hooah!"
Seo-ha leaped onto his bed back in his room. After the memory challenge, word spread, and tons of students showed up with games they excelled at.
Sudoku, mental math battles, the 24 game—a puzzle making 24 with four numbers and basic operations—even a pi digit memorization contest.
Elsewhere, a chess tournament was underway. Tournament in name only: the winner kept playing. True 'last man standing'—the survivor wins. Challenges open to all.
Knock knock!
As he lay resting, a knock came.
"Who is it?"
"...It's me."
Soo-jung's voice sounded uncharacteristically weak. Seo-ha hurriedly opened the door.
"What's wrong?"
Soo-jung looked on the verge of tears.
"Sorry."
She hung her head in shame.
"What happened?"
Soo-jung despaired.
"I lost all our ramen and snacks."
"What?"
The story was absurd. Do-kyung, confident in chess, challenged Russian rep Alexei. Crushing defeat. As Do-kyung geared up for round two, Alexei laid down terms.
"Can't take endless rematches. Stake something if you wanna go again."
Do-kyung, holding the Korean team's snacks, accepted. One by one, snacks were lost. Soo-jung jumped in to defend hers. Epic loss. Like gamblers chasing break-even, play continued until all Korean snacks vanished.
"Looking back, it felt calculated. We were so close sometimes."
They'd planned a party tonight and tomorrow with the remaining snacks. But now...
"Tell the teacher, and we'll hit New Malden tomorrow. I'll cover it—got money from my parents, so it'll be fine."
Soo-jung spilled apologies rapidly.
"Korean food's easy to find overseas now? Tesco and Sainsbury's sell ramen! You know cup noodles abroad have more chunks, taste better than domestic?"
Seo-ha squeezed his eyes shut.
Ramen and snacks were precious to him too. Mornings: British breakfast to fill up. Lunch and dinner: potatoes and meat.
Jacket potatoes, chips, boiled potatoes, mashed, roasted, potato cakes, potato salad, hash browns—even snacks were potato chips.
He'd never known potato dishes could be so varied until Britain. Terrifying place. Carbs meant potatoes only. He was already missing Korean food unbearably.
'Was gonna have ramen tonight...'
Woo-hyun's chess advice proved unexpectedly useful.
"Let's go! I'll handle it somehow!"
Seo-ha flung open the door with a determined look and headed to the hall. Soo-jung tilted her head but followed.
Down in the lobby, over 50 students crowded. Center: chessboard table, Alexei in one seat.
Seo-ha's arrival drew notice.
"Kiddie!"
"Kiddie's here!"
"Kiddie! Kiddie!"
Cheers erupted. He'd dominated every game.
"Ah, Kiddie! Here for chess too?"
Alexei shrugged casually, ignoring the US rep opposite.
"That American kid's a master,"
Soo-jung whispered in Seo-ha's ear.
"For real?"
"Yeah. Kentucky champ. Said he'd clean up last... knew him?"
She tsked, like acquaintances.
Seo-ha eyed the table behind Alexei: piles of snacks like trophies. Soon, US rep Brian surrendered his prized big jerky pack.
"We've played chess since the 15th century. American masters? Pfft."
Americans bristled, but none stepped up.
"Come on, Kiddie! One game."
Alexei grinned confidently.
Seo-ha nodded and sat. As Alexei arranged pieces, he spoke.
"In Russia, kids beat pros sometimes. Chess is talent over experience—pure calculation. Heard you soloed number six. Excited!"
"Don't get your hopes up. Only played one person."
"That'll make it quick. Treat it as a lesson. I was Russian junior champ."
"Don't get too comfy."
Alexei laughed heartily.
"Haha! Rules? Blitz or Rapid?"
Blitz: 5 minutes per side, 10 total—speed chess, mistakes galore from no think time. Rapid: more leeway.
"Blitz."
"My style."
Board set. Hans fetched a tournament clock.
"Game on!"
Alexei opened boldly: e4, King's Pawn.
Click.
Seo-ha paused, replied e5. Alexei's pieces flew—experienced, steering familiar patterns. Seo-ha started passive, adapting. But as it progressed, things shifted.
Intuition-based speed chess was Seo-ha's domain.
Ten minutes later, Alexei stared blankly at the board. His pieces: total annihilation.
The lobby exploded in cheers.
"Wooo!"
"Kiddie won!"
"Beat the Russian champ?"
"Kiddie avenged us!"
"Ha... rematch! Blitz screwed me. Rapid would've been different!"
Seo-ha's blistering pace forced errors matching it—obvious in hindsight. He was sure he'd win a redo. Red-faced, Alexei demanded.
Seo-ha tilted his head at him.
"Endless rematches? No end in sight, right?"
Laughter rippled through the lobby.