Chapter 84
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 84
Chapter Title: Don't Scold Me
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Lunchtime, when countless students swarmed the cafeteria.
"Phew."
Su-hyeon let out a deep sigh without even picking up her fork.
Even with her favorite tonkatsu from the school menu right in front of her.
"Huh? That's a new outfit."
Ga-eun arrived a step late, pushing through the crowd to reach the table.
What Su-hyeon was wearing were clothes from before her body changed—back when she was a human boy.
Among the ones her mom had tried on her over the weekend, she'd picked the least outdated-looking ones.
Still, being from decades ago, they had that vintage vibe.
"Hey, Ga-eun."
"How was your weekend?"
"Feels like it's been forever, everyone."
With midterms over and the weekend passed, the friends exchanged light greetings.
"So, why the huge sigh?"
Ga-eun settled next to Su-hyeon and asked.
"She's been moping all day."
Ji-eun answered on her behalf.
"Hoo..."
Su-hyeon finally picked up her fork, but she still just poked at her food halfheartedly.
Unable to stand it, Ga-eun snatched the knife and fork, cutting up the tonkatsu for her instead.
"Stop sighing and spill. What happened over the weekend? You said you went home."
Three pairs of eyes stared at her quietly.
Su-hyeon fidgeted for a moment before dropping her head with a thud.
"I ran into someone I used to be close with back in the day, and I don't know what to do."
"...Huh?"
Min-ji and Ji-eun exchanged baffled looks at the vague statement, full of omissions.
"Don't know what to do about it?"
"...Whether to act like I know them or not. They don't seem to recognize me."
"Ah~. Because you awakened and ended up looking like this?"
Min-ji and Ji-eun only knew that she'd awakened and turned into a kid's appearance.
"Just go up and say, 'Long time no see, it's Kim Su-hyeon!'"
Su-hyeon sighed deeply again at Min-ji's straightforward advice.
'Easier said than done.'
"Honestly, with how different you look, they'd probably have a hard time believing it."
Only Ga-eun, who knew the truth about Su-hyeon's race, seemed to understand somewhat.
Though she didn't know Su-hyeon had been a guy, so there was still a bit of disconnect.
"They might not believe it's the same person?"
"Wouldn't old photos or an ID convince them? Hey, got any old IDs?"
"What."
Su-hyeon panicked briefly before relaxing.
Any ID with her old male face had long been replaced with new ones.
How was she supposed to show what didn't exist?
"I changed them all ages ago. Tossed the old ones too."
She refused with a calm mind.
In the records, the male Kim Su-hyeon from the past no longer existed.
"Now that you mention it, I'm curious what you looked like back then. Got any old pics or selfies?"
"Yeah, show us."
At Min-ji's words, the other two showed interest too.
Ga-eun especially eyed her expectantly, having imagined Su-hyeon's past self as some shady big-boobed lady.
"Nah, I was just average. Height... totally normal. And I don't have photos..."
She almost said she was short but corrected herself.
Short for a guy, sure, but average among girls.
Ga-eun was just tall.
"Aw, lame."
"Figures. You'd never take selfies with your personality."
'Whew.'
Fortunately, their interest faded quickly.
Maybe because of how prickly she'd been at first—everyone nodded, convinced the old Su-hyeon wouldn't have snapped selfies.
Of course, now her selfies filled the group chat screen now and then.
She was gradually turning into a teaching assistant type.
"Is there a reason it's hard to just approach and talk?"
"Well, we were close, but it was only a year... Then circumstances kept us from talking after. And now our worlds are so different..."
"Hmm, I get the vibe. Scared they'll say we weren't that close, or not remember you, or it'll just be awkward?"
"......Yeah."
Su-hyeon's eyes widened.
Min-ji had nailed her feelings spot on.
Honestly, she'd always seemed kinda dumb.
"Just go for it. If the reaction sucks, that's that. Or maybe you'll reconnect?"
"True. Sometimes things change when you reunite with old friends."
The friends started chiming in with their takes.
"Best if they figure it out themselves. You're such a scaredy-cat, Su-hyeon."
"Hey."
Ga-eun pointed out the flaw in Min-ji's words.
"But looking like this, would they even notice?"
"Probably not, but if they do? Epic win."
Ji-eun, who'd been listening, added her thoughts.
"Show them something you carried back then, subtly. Or some habit."
"Nice one."
"Heh."
Su-hyeon started pondering as Ji-eun puffed up proudly.
Make the other person notice first...
But how?
Looks, height, gender—all changed. Age didn't match either.
No natural connection to show off casually.
Ga-eun asked Su-hyeon, who chewed on her fork in thought.
"So, what's this person like?"
"Must've been pretty close, huh? You're acting like you really wanna reconnect."
"A guy?"
Min-ji's eyes sparkled as she asked.
"Ah."
A guy.
Yes, a guy, but...
"Not like that."
"Heh, a guy. Older...?"
Su-hyeon made a genuinely horrified face.
"I said no? And girls count too."
Though lately, meeting Jun-hyeok made her feel this way.
At that age, same-sex friends felt closer than opposite-sex ones, and recent memories with Jun-hyeok lingered strong.
A-young's relationship had shifted a bit, but they could still talk somewhat.
"Hey, I didn't say anything! Now I'm even more curious. Heh heh."
"Grrr."
Su-hyeon tried her best threatening glare to shove away the sticky bait.
"Pfft, your face is all scrunched up."
"Still cute. Total cheat."
"Don't touch. Don't poke."
The friends kept eating as they teased Su-hyeon, whose face looked like she'd licked a sour lemon.
Early afternoon on Wednesday.
Gate Ecology Observation class resumed after two weeks, and Su-hyeon was in Professor A-young's lab for the first time in a while.
She'd skipped work for various reasons but still gotten paid, so a twinge of guilt lingered.
The company had nearly gone bust after the exhibition, fine. But this time, exams meant no help needed.
"Professor, this week..."
"Next week's exams, right? Take this week off, next too. We'll catch up after classes end the week after."
"Pardon? But..."
"Students popping in and out during exams draws bad looks. Even if leaks are less risky now... Don't worry, salary's the same."
"Th-thanks? I get this week, but why next..."
"You gotta have fun on the weekend after exams."
Students milling about the lab during exams just looked bad.
Or maybe the professor's consideration for studying other subjects or resting.
Nothing much to do anyway.
Today's task wasn't tough.
'No issues here either.'
Su-hyeon maneuvered the heavy mouse with her tiny finger, sorting graded reports into another folder.
Even unfamiliar upperclassmen classes were pre-graded by TAs, with professor guidelines—easy if no TA errors.
Just needed a quick glance.
Felt like they were giving her simple stuff on purpose.
Tedious only because of the lengthy content.
'What to do...'
Su-hyeon rolled her eyes to watch the professor preserve third-years' terrariums.
Today was the day to try Min-ji's advice.
Help Professor A-young—er, the professor—and subtly evoke memories, plant unease.
But over 40 years gone.
Pencil cases, bags from then? Replaced long ago. Others at Jirisan home, not Seoul.
No way this look and gender triggered middle school first-year boy Kim Su-hyeon memories.
A distinctive habit would've helped.
'Sigh...'
Su-hyeon briefly imagined herself as a pocket monster.
If her speech had flair, it'd be easier...
Make one now?
"Su-hyeon, going well?"
"No problem-tree."
"Huh? Tree?"
"Ah, no, yes..."
Damn it, idiot!
In self-defeat, she'd muttered and tacked on the dumb ending without thinking.
Luckily, the professor just laughed amusedly.
"Hoho, did I interrupt and make you blurt what you were reading? Sorry."
"N-no, it's fine......"
"Heh, suits you. Adorable."
"Th-thank you..."
"No rush. Take it easy."
"Yees......"
Su-hyeon ignored her burning ears and stared at the monitor.
The professor smiled warmly before diving back in.
Suddenly, the lab scene felt off.
'Like a childish granddaughter and grandma.'
Spry her lounging in the boss chair, eyeing the monitor comfy. Professor, looking mature, bent over working.
...Something seemed backward.
"Um, should I do that?"
Su-hyeon asked carefully.
"It's fine. It's secondary verification too."
"Aha."
But the professor smiled gently, perhaps misunderstanding.
"Having fun watching?"
"Pardon?"
Su-hyeon blinked at the out-of-left-field question, glancing back.
Terrariums her height filled the floor.
Tweezers, sprays, mystery gel boxes of various sizes.
Like plastic model tools—intriguing, yeah.
"Uh, honestly a bit......?"
Her leaf hair rustled faintly.
The professor giggled at her honesty.
"Finish that, then come help here? I check, you finish—faster that way."
"Yes!"
Su-hyeon's pace quickened just a tad.