April Fools' Special: This World Feels Wrong
The moment I opened my eyes, something felt off. There was definitely something different about this place. I couldn't put my finger on it, but a faint sense of unease lingered in the air. Still, I tried my best to ignore that discomfort and went about my day as planned.
Today's schedule was a simple outing. Me, Hye-ji, Elsia, and Caersi had all come to the mountain behind the Academy for a little break after those brutal classes. We were just trying to unwind.
While we were there, a warm-looking man who appeared to be in his thirties approached us.
"Yes, Mr. President. Thank you."
It was the Academy President. A fine educator who was stricter with himself than anyone else. He proved it through his rigorous self-discipline. He was also a model husband who would proudly show off his wife to the students whenever he got the chance.
After a friendly chat with the President, just as we were about to part ways—
-Prick.
It felt like something had lightly stabbed into my brain. I thought I heard someone shouting. That it wasn't true. That something like that could never happen.
Maybe my expression had soured, because someone spoke to me with concern.
"Ah, I'm fine. Thanks for worrying, Elsia."
It was Elsia. True to her elven heritage, she had a stunning appearance, but she seemed embarrassed by it and hid behind thick glasses. After looking at me with worry, she suddenly grabbed her phone and stared intently at the screen. It looked like she'd received some important message.
Before long, Elsia broke into a bright smile and said,
"Congratulations. So what are you going to do with the money?"
"That's a solid plan. You're always so diligent."
With that, Elsia suddenly turned her gaze toward Caersi. Caersi jumped in surprise at the abrupt shift in attention. But Elsia simply smiled softly, as if she didn't mind at all, and continued.
"W-why do you need it?!"
"I don't need it, but... if you're offering, I guess I'll take it."
Caersi looked reluctant but didn't refuse. Instead, she quietly accepted the money from Elsia and murmured her thanks in a tiny voice. Looking at Caersi now, it really did seem like she lived in poverty. Her nun's habit was old, with loose threads at the hem and patches of different fabric sewn over worn spots. In fact, I'd never seen her wear anything else.
Right then, a loud growl came from Caersi's stomach. Feeling sorry for her, I pulled a hamburger out of the picnic bag and handed it over.
"I-is that really okay?"
"...Thank you."
Caersi lowered her head in embarrassment and quietly accepted the hamburger. Just as I was smiling warmly at the heartwarming sight—
"Huh?"
Another intense wave of unease hit me. It felt like something was seriously, fundamentally wrong. Two scenes in particular triggered that feeling. Elsia happily announcing that her savings account had matured. Caersi struggling because she had no money. They should have been perfectly normal, yet the discomfort kept nagging at me. My head started to throb.
Why is this happening?
I never used profanity. I'd never once said anything that could hurt someone. Just in case, I avoided alcohol and stuck to a strict exercise routine. So why was I suddenly in pain like this? I couldn't figure it out.
At that moment, someone smacked me hard on the head.
-Whack!
It was Jung Ayeon. She glared at me with wide eyes and grabbed me by the collar.
"No, I'm not. My head really hurts."
"I'm telling you it's not fake."
Suddenly, Jung Ayeon let go of my collar and wiped the anger from her face. What replaced it was anxiety and unease—clearly negative emotions. Her hands began to tremble. She quickly shoved one into the pocket of her leather jacket, pulled out a cigarette, and lit it.
"Hey! You can't smoke here!"
She was so addicted to cigarettes that she suffered immediate withdrawal symptoms without nicotine. Her spiked leather jacket and skin-tight leather pants screamed delinquent. Only after the cigarette had burned down to the filter did Jung Ayeon finally calm down.
Then someone spoke to her with a shaky voice.
It was Hye-ji. Looking as fragile as a small animal, she was on the verge of tears as she spoke to Jung Ayeon. But because her body was trembling, her large breasts were jiggling along with it—a rather stimulating sight.
...The fuck?
The overwhelming sense of wrongness made me curse inwardly without thinking. Then I immediately panicked. I was supposed to be a diligent student who never used profanity. Someone who greeted everyone politely and got along with all kinds of people. So why was I swearing?
Something had to be seriously wrong with me. Even though the unease was stronger than before, it wasn't enough to make a hardworking, upright person like me start cursing.
Meanwhile, after seeing Hye-ji, Jung Ayeon simply stared at her without a word. Then she clicked her tongue and scratched her head awkwardly.
"Yay! That's great! I knew you were a good person, Ayeon!"
Hye-ji clenched her small fists and bounced with joy. The motion made her chest bounce even more violently. Watching it, Jung Ayeon made a slightly disgusted face and said,
"I just sleep well and eat a balanced diet!"
Jung Ayeon stuck out her tongue with a revolted expression, as if she'd remembered something disgusting. Hye-ji put her hands on her hips with a determined look and said to her,
"...I'll try."
"Good! Good!"
Unlike how she treated me, Jung Ayeon was being surprisingly gentle with Hye-ji. Looking satisfied, Hye-ji turned to leave—
"Kyaa!"
Hye-ji suddenly let out a high-pitched scream. We all rushed over to her in a panic. She was clutching her large breasts, sniffling as she spoke.
Thankfully it wasn't anything serious. We all let out sighs of relief and began offering our opinions.
Jung Ayeon, Caersi, and Elsia all looked down at their own chests with short sighs and expressions of envy. As the only guy here, it was a little embarrassing to watch.
Hye-ji stared down at her chest with a gloomy face and muttered,
The moment she finished speaking, my head hurt so badly it felt like it would split open. The unease had turned into a sharp awl, stabbing me with pain. Maybe that was why the question slipped out before I could stop it.
I was shocked even as I said it. Why was I questioning something so obvious?
The others all stared at me with extremely puzzled looks. Then they spoke one after another.
Hye-ji's face turned bright red as her body trembled. Then she looked at me with a pitiful expression and asked,
No words came out of my mouth. After a brief silence, I finally realized it.
Yes. I had remembered the one absolute, immutable truth that existed in this world. The unease was gone now that I understood.
The moment I shouted, the world in front of me suddenly froze. Then a single crack appeared. It spread across the entire world, shattering everything into pieces. The broken world completely collapsed, and all that remained was pitch-black darkness where I couldn't see even an inch ahead.
At the same time, my consciousness began to rise again.
I shot upright, yelling at the top of my lungs. Looking around, I realized I was back in the hotel room where I'd been kidnapped and locked up earlier. It had all been a dream. A horrible, absolutely impossible dream.