Chapter 43
Chapter 43
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 43
Chapter Title: Old Friends, New Friends - Paid Start
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Sitting in a chair in the yard, flipping through the newspaper, Jin-hyuk let out a shallow sigh.
'Why are they all like this...'
He'd never been interested in that field before, and it was the same now. He could understand it intellectually, but he couldn't empathize with why people acted that way. Was being class president really that great? Empathizing with others' psychology was truly difficult.
'I hate getting famous.'
Just then, a light pink scarf wrapped around Jin-hyuk's neck.
Kwoooaaak-.
"Kek-."
"Oh dear, did I tie it too tight?"
Even Mom's flustered laugh felt happy.
She always trimmed his hair, but today was extra special. Middle school hair regulations meant a sports cut, and Jin-hyuk was no exception.
It was the day Son Jin-hyuk became a buzzcut kid.
"Mom'll make it look nice."
Warm water from the spray bottle misted out with a chick-chick.
Still, don't comb it all the way to my ears with that brush, ow.
Every time Mom touched his hair, his eyes drooped and sleepiness washed over him.
"Our son, already so grown up and heading to middle school..."
Han Yu-young trailed off.
Don't get emotional over something weird like that. Even so, Jin-hyuk sniffled a bit and comforted her in his heart.
"Jin-hyuk, middle school isn't like your rural elementary school with only nice kids. You might get teased for your speech or personality..."
"Yes."
It wasn't hard to know what Mom was worried about.
Even his closest friend, Choi Mi-kyeong, called him an old soul all the time.
'I am an old soul.'
Immature kids tease like that.
He got angry at those who mocked others' pain, but being called an old soul didn't hurt Jin-hyuk.
'Well, if I just control my strength properly, I can graduate middle school normally too.'
Like elementary. Jin-hyuk clenched and unclenched his fist, renewing his resolve.
His forearm trembled each time. Somehow, his strength felt stronger every day.
Chak-chak, chak-chak, the scissors sang a lullaby.
The air was still chilly, but the sunlight was plenty warm at the end of February. Wrapped in the cozy rays and Mom's gentle hands, Jin-hyuk began nodding off.
But the sweet drowsiness vanished in an instant thanks to an intruder.
"Ahem!"
Dad, who had appeared out of nowhere and sat on the porch, cleared his throat.
Son Gwang-yeon soon started strumming the guitar with a dudung-dudung.
Dung-dung-doong-aeng-.
"Leaving home—boarding the train—the day I head to boot camp—."
It was the 1986 folk song by Kim Hyun-seong, "A Private's Letter."
This dad, seriously...
Dad's folk vibe singing and guitar skills were top-notch, but the song wasn't welcome to Jin-hyuk.
'I skipped enlisted life and commissioned as a sergeant...'
An odd reason, as expected.
Jin-hyuk signaled General, who was enjoying the music under the porch, with his eyes.
'General, bite him!'
Heh-heh-hek-.
Chijijik—signal lost.
General, chin on paws, slyly looked away. How dare a lowly sergeant command a general.
'Dad's voice is nice.'
Still, Dad's singing was pleasant. Maybe that's why Jin-hyuk sang well too, like Dad. But as he thought that, another soul immersed in the song made Jin-hyuk's hairs stand on end.
"Oh dear-."
Ah, Mom...
She was swaying to the rhythm with Dad's song.
Jin-hyuk sensed doom.
'Got a flat spot.'
Mom rubbed the offending spot on his head with pity.
A few more songs from Dad, and the haircut was done.
Jin-hyuk didn't find his reflection awkward or strange. He just liked it. Even if it was a buzzcut, Mom had done it.
'Mom's skills are the best.'
A perfect sports cut with just scissors, no clippers.
The flat spot on the back of his head would fill out soon enough.
'Anyone who teases me is done for.'
No holding back on flat-spot bullies. His earlier resolve flew away like spring wind.
Jin-hyuk grinned at the mirror.
He looked like Bingoo.
Forcing a smile still looked awkward, even as a kid.
When a new school year and semester start, the game of sizing each other up begins.
It's especially intense when changing schools. Like going from elementary to middle school...
Figuring out who to watch out for based on looks and build, and who's an easy mark. Sun Middle School, where Jin-hyuk enrolled, was no different. Being an all-boys school made it worse.
Of course, it's not just sizing up.
The cuckoo clock at home announces the hour.
"Sex! Sex!"
The new semester starts with the horny birds' call.
These guys never go extinct in boys' schools. As long as hormones exist, they'll live eternally. Tougher than dinosaurs.
"Hey, damn, that X-cock's huge."
"Ah, get it away-."
"Look, dude! Nice, right-!"
Can't forget the ones flipping through porn mags with unfiltered vocab. They shove it in your face even if you say no.
"Hol!"
"No pair. Hand it over."
"Agh, you cheater."
And the gambling addicts playing cards with serious faces.
Most students were from Sun Elementary, so it didn't take long to get friendly. Lots ended up in the same class with buddies.
"Energy wave!"
"Sun fist!"
"Argh-! My eyes-!"
Are those guys insane? Jin-hyuk closed his eyes and steadied his breathing.
'Peace like a river for me.'
Still, the highlight of a new year is the tough guy bursting through the door.
Bam-!
"Hey! Class 1! Which punk is it?"
These types barge into other classes and sour the mood.
Jin-hyuk sighed deeply.
The single-class rural elementary was cozy and nice.
Moving to middle school changed the world.
His six friends from the same elementary were all in different classes, so no one to chat with.
'How was it before?'
Abandoning meditation, Jin-hyuk smoothed his furrowed brow and looked out the window.
He saw the wrestling club doing morning training.
'Wrestling club still does duck walks around the field every morning, same as before.'
He'd attended this school in his previous life too.
Graduated from Sun Elementary in town, entered Sun Middle. A few familiar faces from elementary, no one picked fights with the quiet, average-height Jin-hyuk who just studied.
But this life's Jin-hyuk was the rural kid.
"Hey! You any good at fighting?"
A voice from another class boomed near Jin-hyuk.
He could understand getting curious stares for an hour since he was unfamiliar to most. But this aggressive tone wouldn't sit well even with mild-mannered Jin-hyuk.
"Hey, Oh Jong-dae. Better not mess with him."
A welcome voice.
It was Jo Seol-chan.
"What's this punk's deal?"
Calling a stranger "this punk" rubs anyone the wrong way.
At the unwelcome curse, Jin-hyuk stood up.
Drag-.
Chair slid back.
The much shorter Jin-hyuk glared with feigned anger, freezing Oh Jong-dae. He'd shot past 170cm over winter break, with athlete-level daily training. Just standing there exuded presence.
Jin-hyuk smacked his lips lightly.
"Hey. You Oh Jong-dae?"
"Uh? Y-yeah..."
Oh Jong-dae's slit eyes widened like saucers. No wonder. Tall was secondary; the strong jaw unfit for a middle schooler, broad shoulders, sharp glare when frowning. Pretty built from judo, but a kid next to Jin-hyuk.
His voice even sounded like a beast growling.
"Get out."
"Y-yeah."
Oh Jong-dae hesitated, then fled red-faced.
Kkakakakak!
The classroom filled with mocking laughter.
"That moron's payback!"
"Feels good. Back in national school, that jerk beat me up..."
The class's admiring gazes fixed on Jin-hyuk.
Jin-hyuk ignored them pointedly.
This attention was bad. Kids might lean on him subtly, ask for help if other classes picked fights.
'Gonna stay quiet.'
As he sat, Jo Seol-chan approached. They shook hands happily and caught up.
"Whoa, Jin-hyuk always seemed like a bro, now he really is. How much did you grow? Ji-beom transferred to Suwon for soccer last year. Yeom-byong-i's in our class, doing track in middle school too."
Remembered a track friend from before; that was Yeom Byong-taek. Made sense—only Jin-hyuk's future changed, not others'. Weird they were in the same Class 1-1 as before.
"Hey, whose seats are those two empty ones in the back? Late on day one?"
Jin-hyuk knew the owners.
Wrestling club seats. Slipped in quietly mid-second period, listened quietly. Gentle for athletes.
'Shin Woo-seong, Lee Seung-hoon.'
In his past life, Shin Woo-seong died before 35.
Wrestled through middle, went to regional college, wholesaled seafood, drove live fish trucks, stabbed in a bar one winter. Jin-hyuk was overseas, missed the funeral.
'Couldn't even pay respects. One of my few friends.'
Lee Seung-hoon wrestled till first year high, then focused on studies due to injury. After graduation, took broadcasting college classes while helping Dad's fishing. Always waited at the terminal during holidays, greeting warmly.
'Friends who protected me.'
High school, they went separate ways.
Jin-hyuk, escaping the attic, got a scholarship to a boarding school elsewhere. Still, Shin and Lee visited, intimidating bullies. No need to explain how great they were.
'Without you, maybe no me.'
First period day one: meet the homeroom teacher.
Even the teacher was the same.
Shy science teacher, getting married next year probably.
"Um, kids. We need to elect a class rep."
Gazes locked on Jin-hyuk. The past life rep didn't raise his hand, sat quietly. Jin-hyuk sighed unwittingly. Planned to do nothing in middle/high, stay quiet and ordinary.
Kids followed, teacher's eyes landed on him too.
Finger on the roster.
"Name... Jin-hyuk?"
"I'll do it."
Said it as student-like as possible.
But reactions were weird.
To them, it sounded like a low growl, gruff.
Homeroom teacher Kim Sun-sook adjusted her glasses, stammering.
"Uh, it's not just saying you'll do it. We need other candidates..."
No one raised hands.
Uncharacteristically quiet for a rowdy first-year class.
Flustered teacher, red-faced, fumbled.
"We need votes, and vice rep too, so more candidates..."
Jin-hyuk frowned at the heavy silence's fatigue.
Tap on neighbor's back.
Desk mate shot up like stung by a bee.
"Y-yes! Me! I'm Chae Gyu-ho!"
Chae Gyu-ho: pimply, glasses, short—pushed to back, ended up by Jin-hyuk.
"Um, kids? Any other runners?"
Like on teacher's cue, Jin-hyuk scanned the room.
'Look at me.'
Chin nods to eye contact, candidates multiplied.
Miraculous. Such good kids.
Sensing a lively election, Kim Sun-sook clasped hands prayerfully, beaming.
"Alright, now candidates' pledges?"
Still fits kindergarten teacher better than middle school, Jin-hyuk thought, heading to the podium.
Unenthusiastic face, honest and blunt pledge, true to Son Jin-hyuk.
Yet listless delivery.
"I don't wanna be class rep. Wanna go to school quietly and ordinarily. If you don't pick me, thanks."
Woooah-! Clap clap-!
Weird bunch. What part touched them?
47 total, 2 absent. Jin-hyuk class rep, Chae Gyu-ho vice.
'Said I don't want it, why vote?'
Impossible to read. Rebellious age?
After teacher left, Chae Gyu-ho side-eyed Jin-hyuk, mumbling.
"Class rep. L-look forward to working with..."
Break time, chatted with desk mate/vice rep. Dad said first day of new year: survey your buddy.
"Got two brothers, not close. Enemies, heh."
Brothers smart: science high, fancy private. Awkward at first, banmal hard, but Jin-hyuk's smile relaxed him; they laughed together.
Before second period, Jin-hyuk said loudly.
"If anyone messes with the vice rep, tell me."
Buzzing classroom went quiet.
Weird bunch indeed.
Jin-hyuk sensed ordinary middle school life beginning.
Mid-second period.
Drr-r-r-.
Back door slid open cautiously; two big guys entered. Wrestler builds.
Jin-hyuk waved happily, forgetting class.
But their reaction was odd.
'Ah, my mistake.'
They don't know me.
Shin Woo-seong and Lee Seung-hoon blushed, averted eyes at the wave. Embarrassed or saw as provocation from a tough guy.
'Can't let misunderstanding linger.'
Seats right next, one aisle over. Jin-hyuk quickly showed textbook, no progress yet first class.
They smiled, nodded. Sneaked handshake avoiding teacher.
'Cute guys.'
So pure and kind, they looked out for Jin-hyuk.
'But where they headed?'
They left right after second period.
Jin-hyuk's brow furrowed slightly.
Shin Woo-seong and Lee Seung-hoon's faces too dark.
'Scared looks?'