Chapter 2
Chapter 2
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 2
Chapter Title: First Period (1)
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"You moron. What the hell is [Ada Bomber] as a nickname?"
The nightmare of an entrance ceremony was finally over, and I met up with my friends. They seemed way more shocked by the fact that I'd named myself [Ada Bomber] than by me becoming an Awakener. One of them slammed back a shot of soju and chimed in.
"Right? Fucking hell. If it were me, I'd have picked something badass. You know, like... uh? GaoGaiGar or something."
"Dude, isn't that a cartoon character?"
I snapped at my friend who was striking a weird pose, trying to look cool. He shook his head and gave me a pitiful look.
"Better than Ada Bomber, though. Man, what kind of Ada-obsessed loser names themselves Ada Bomber? Legendary shit. Think about it—if your nickname was GaoGaiGar, people would've been lining up to shake your hand right after the ceremony. Total badass vibe."
"Shut up, asshole. That's exactly why I got roasted so bad. Fucking hell, why do they even announce nicknames at orientation?"
My friends burst out laughing at my irritation. When I looked like I was about to kill someone, another one patted my shoulder and said,
"Hey, at least it's not because you're a prick or ugly that you don't have a girl. Right?"
His encouragement didn't help much. A place with zero girls, and I'm Ada Bomber? What the fuck was I thinking when I drunk-set that nickname? I scowled and downed another shot. The soju tasted extra bitter tonight. My friend asked,
"So, what happened after? How'd people react to Ada Bomber?"
"Like I was some fucking idiot loser."
The stares mixing contempt and sheer bafflement—like something I'd have gotten stage fright and social anxiety from back in elementary school—were indescribable. The best way to put it was exactly what I'd said: they looked at me like a total fucking moron. The guy next to me who'd asked how I was doing avoided my eyes when I came back with my gift, and the girl right beside me scooted her chair away openly when I sat down.
"Fuck."
My friends cracked up again at that. Misfortune always looks hilarious from one step away. I whined, letting my hurt feelings show.
"Guys, fuck, it was a mistake, okay? Don't you ever fuck up? And my so-called friends won't even comfort me? You assholes."
But whining like a little bitch among the guys was like showing your soft underbelly as a lamb. Their response to my feeble griping was brutally affectionate.
"Who the hell puts Ada Bomber on their business card by mistake? Not like you're some horse racing nut. Fuck, it's getting funnier the more I think about it. You psycho. I thought Jun-seok was the craziest in our group, but nah, you're the king."
"Yeah, yeah. Sure. You're the best, man."
Jun-seok flashed me a thumbs-up. One of my buddies, Lee Jun-seok, dreamed of becoming a big streamer and started a variety gaming channel. He'd once twerked out a third-floor window for a reaction video and ended up with a six-week injury. Come to think of it, we'd all visited him in the hospital and laughed our asses off.
"Hey, no. That's not it."
I shook my head. No matter how low I'd sunk, I wasn't as crazy as Jun-seok. But he wasn't letting the chance slip. He jumped up, bowed 90 degrees right there, and said,
"Ah, big bro! Let me give you a proper greeting here!"
You little shit. I couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity. The drinking session picked back up. Another friend spoke up.
"Hey, congrats anyway. Seemed like yesterday you were skin and bones prepping for the civil service exam. But look at you—got some color, looking human again."
"Yeah. We were all worried when you failed. Hunter Academy was a surprise, but do your best from here. Even if no one calls you out 'cause of your name, we'll help however we can. Really rooting for you."
"Thanks."
The night that started with roasting me ended on a warm note of well-wishes. Maybe that's why I'd shown up today—just to hear this from my friends. The one with a job covered the tab. Jun-seok asked,
"How much?"
"It's good. Today’s Su-hyeon’s academy enrollment day, so I'm buying."
"Damn, that's cool."
"Kid, when you start getting that hunter pay, you buy next time. Let me mooch off a hunter for once."
"You got it."
The booze hadn't worn off yet. Just in case, I tapped to change my nickname again. Sure enough, the status window just said [Cannot be changed.]. I rubbed my flushed face and shook my head. Glancing over, my friends were huddled, watching me. Jun-seok said,
"Heading out?"
"Yeah. Thanks, guys. Really."
"Yeah. See you next time."
"Stay healthy."
I waved. Only after staring blankly as they disappeared could I turn my steps home. They looked back a few times, flashing grins.
"I'm home."
"Back already."
Dad's gruff voice was followed by the sound of a soccer broadcast. He usually barely spoke to me, but just knowing I'd gotten into Hunter Academy had melted away all the family tension—he was chatting away. I nodded, avoiding his eyes.
"Yeah. I'm home."
"Good. What'd they say at orientation?"
"Nothing much. Got the enrollment gift, heard some explanations. Hunter Academy's state-run, so no tuition, and they pay a monthly salary just for completing the courses. Thinking of giving it my all."
"Smart. Hey, what'd you pick for your nickname? Became an academy student and didn't tell us. Your mom's been curious too."
"Mom?"
"Said she's tired and went to bed early."
Checking the clock, it was 1 a.m.—my fault for being late. I nodded and started edging toward the master bedroom. Dad said,
"Why wake a sleeping person? C'mon, tell me the nickname."
"......Bomber."
"Bomber? Few hunters used that back in the day. Sounds decent."
He was evaluating my nickname like he was some hunter expert. Dad loved judging everything. Watching soccer, he'd turn pro commentator; sumo, he'd be the coach. During my civil service prep, he acted like a grade-9 clerk himself.
That personality kept our talks short. Without the booze, I'd have brushed him off tonight too. He looked at me. I couldn't bring myself to say it was Ada Bomber, so I just nodded.
"Yeah."
"Classes start tomorrow, right? Get some sleep."
"Yes, Dad."
I crashed into bed without washing up. Scratching my head, I pondered the future. They say closing your eyes shows the future—only pitch black for me. Life felt on track, but unease lingered.
*****
Next morning. My class was Hunter Academy 1-B. Hungover, I arrived a beat late. The second I opened the door, the chatting group shut up and exchanged glances.
After yesterday's flashy debut, it was inevitable. I quietly sat somewhere and set my bag down. Per the schedule, today was for forming teams with our future academy partners.
In short, I was fucked.
Soon after I arrived, a female teacher with neatly tied hair entered. Tight skirt, brown stockings, blonde-dyed hair, fox-like beauty.
"Nice to meet you, 1-B. I'm Lee Jeong-ah, B-Rank Hunter and your homeroom teacher—Summer Coffee."
She introduced herself in a voice as cold as her face. Murmurs rose at "B-Rank Hunter." Teacher Jeong-ah ignored them and spoke.
"Today, we'll select partners for your year at the academy. As you know, first-year classes are with one mentor senior academy hunter and two partners. Hunter life has almost no solo action, so this teamwork training is essential."
Group project groans echoed. Most academy entrants were adults—many awakened after or during college. They hated group work. The teacher spoke in a scolding, expectant tone.
"Everyone, this isn't a place where you can skip what you hate. Sighing won't help. Even A-Rank and S-Rank hunters stronger than me operate in groups. Being alone in a Gate is dangerous. You need to get used to teams now. But jumping straight to groups would be too sudden, right?"
Everyone nodded at Teacher Jeong-ah's question. She continued.
"So, first period: simple self-introductions. Share abilities, strengths, communicate."
Fuck.