Chapter 40
Chapter 40
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 40
Chapter Title: The Outsider Skipping Class
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◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The calendar had flipped into July, signaling that half the year was already gone, and the full swing of the rainy season dumped torrential downpours day after day, turning the whole world muggy and oppressive.
Rain fell relentlessly, night and day, pumping endless steam into the air.
And the sweltering summer heat sucked it all up endlessly, leaving the classroom as dank and steamy as a public bathhouse with vapors billowing everywhere.
Even if you sweated from the heat, the excessive humidity kept it from evaporating, so your body temperature never dropped—a perfect hell.
Still, if the school had run the ACs in the classrooms for dehumidifying purposes, things might have been tolerable even in this weather.
But the classroom units stayed off, thanks to some idiotic regulation that they could only activate once the indoor temperature exceeded the government-mandated threshold.
They wouldn't turn on until it hit over 30 degrees? By then, someone would have keeled over.
Of course, the teachers' lounge had its AC blasting full tilt.
As a result, the school reeked of that weird smell from wet umbrellas left forgotten in the stands after morning commutes, mixed with the sweat wafting off damp students' bodies.
The classroom had morphed into an indescribably unpleasant space.
In this environment, the urge to fake sick and head home early started creeping in.
But if there was any small mercy, it was that with finals over, the teachers had nothing left to teach, so they just played movies during class to kill time.
Students essentially got free time during lessons and breaks alike. They huddled in groups to gossip or lined up for end-of-term counseling in the lounge.
Just one week until summer break began.
Even in the hot, stuffy classroom, glancing around revealed students buzzing with excitement for all sorts of reasons.
Some were thrilled just at the thought of not coming to school. Others bragged about family trips abroad. A few made plans to hang out over the break.
Ah, youth.
But the studious types chained to cram school all summer could only envy those vacation tales.
.
.
.
Back in high school before my regression, I was one of those kids envying others' summer plans.
I'd secretly looked forward to break, thinking, "Once vacation hits, things'll ease up a bit."
But realizing it just meant more hours parked at cram school instead of actual rest left me down in the dumps.
Looking back, adults always hounded me: "Finish studying quick and rest." "Do your homework first, then relax." "Exams are over—take a break." "Your scores say it's no time to slack."
So even as I spun between school and cram school like a top, I clung to vague hopes like "Once this is done, I can rest."
I never actually did until college admission.
There was a time I resented those adults—hated them, even.
Why'd I have to sacrifice my shining school days for this crap studying?
Was cramming textbook facts just for exams—stuff anyone could Google—really worth trading my entire youth for?
But now, at 35 in this young body, I vaguely get it.
"My school days weren't worth trading for anything in the first place."
People romanticize the past with "Youth was the best time," and manga, dramas, movies glamorize it for hits.
So back then, I fell for the illusion that youth should be something more beautiful, shining, special.
I wasn't strikingly handsome to win easy favor. No athletic gifts, artistic talent, silver tongue.
My family wasn't loaded enough to skip studying, nor did I have powerful connections.
If I'd wanted memories with friends, step one—making them—was a wall. Dating? Starting a conversation would've been the hurdle.
Above all, living youth costs money. Meals with friends, movies with a girlfriend, trips, shopping—all cash.
So I should've worked part-time to fund fun? As if—not some hyper-educated regressor like now!
Given my circumstances back then, "youth" was a phantom with no substance from the start.
But even so, what if I'd shoved studying aside to chase that empty dream?
No need to overthink.
Just look at the delinquents who'd ditched studies long ago to "live youth"—the answer's right there.
They're the endgame for kids without money or talent blindly pursuing the youth fantasy.
Someone once said, "Youth is a lie and a evil." I totally agree.
.
.
.
The class watched the teacher's movie or chatted in cliques.
Me? Zero interest in the flick, no friends to chat with.
So why stick around this muggy, stinky room?
Seizing the moment when everyone fixated on the screen, I slipped out pretending a bathroom break and headed to the library—no central AC control, total free cooling.
The library normally only opened at lunch.
So during class, it should be locked—and it was.
How'd I get in?
Library club member here. Copying a key? Piece of cake.
Lately, my school life boiled down to ditching every class to hole up there.
Let the young ones bask in fake youth in that hot, stuffy room.
This uncle doesn't need it—I'll nap alone, lonely and solitary, in the cool AC breeze!
Ah! So lonely and sad!!
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ After school.
"No wonder you're never at your desk during breaks. Who'd guess you'd sneak off to the library alone during class."
"Isn't that risky? Even if they're just showing movies, getting caught seems like it'd mean trouble..."
As usual, the three of us gathered after school—but today, in the library instead.
No official permission, but meeting in the hot, humid, smelly classroom sounded miserable.
So everyone agreed to my suggestion to sneak in here.
"It's fine. Teachers just set up movies and chill in the lounge—how'd they know I'm hiding here?"
But this only works because I'm an outsider no one notices missing.
If Han Si-a or Yoo So-mi tried it, they'd get busted for sure.
They knew it too, so they never suggested ditching class with me.
But then Han Si-a brought up something unexpected.
"Anyway, the reason I came looking for you today... I heard you got invited to the gifted program. Mom handing over an invite as 'sincerity for her apology'? Didn't see that coming. Honestly, I'd prefer you skipped it."
"But you just sit there and get paid. And top scores mean big prize money, right? Why pass that up?"
At my immediate question, she gave a wry smile.
"Most kids there are from elite families—some'll climb high later. Great for networking... but without backups like you, you'd probably just get ignored all week. Worse, botch a connection and your life's rough from there."
Han Si-a was genuinely worried.
About ordinary me getting humiliated mingling with elites.
I appreciated it, but no way I'd ditch the prize money.
"Getting ignored? Fine by me—it's my daily routine in class. So what if it happens? They pay."
She smirked at that.
"Talking like the prize is already yours? Just being good at schoolwork won't cut it there."
But I shot back confidently.
"It is mine. I'm not just some guy decent at school."
Hyper-educated regressor here. If it's not school subjects, I can crush even genius prodigies with experience alone.
Seeing my confidence, she pondered before speaking.
"I'd love to order you not to go, but that'd hurt your studies and wallet—no can do."
"Exactly."
"Guess we'll meet again at Daegwallyeong then? Honestly... might be less boring for me."
Han Si-a seemed to drop trying to dissuade me.
Yoo So-mi, who'd been listening, chimed in enviously.
"Wow... so you and Si-a keep meeting after break starts? Jealous!"
"But~ once that's over, you gotta hang with me too?"
Looks like Yoo So-mi felt left out.
We both promised we would, and she seemed satisfied.
Then Yoo So-mi added,
"Even at Daegwallyeong, Si-a has to clear commands on Ian with me first! I'll text when bored, so pick up if you're free!"
"Sure." "Yeah, got it."
As we agreed, she sidled up and whispered to me,
"And Ian, no becoming 'besties' with Si-a while I'm gone! Besties need all besties' approval to add new ones. Got it?"
"...Huh?"
I still had no clue what she meant by 'besties.'