[T/N] I apologize for grammar mistakes and incoherencies
Chapter 0: Introduction.
In a lecture hall at a certain university, more than half of the students were in a state of disarray. Even the professors couldn’t make the students in the large classroom pay attention to the lecture. Furthermore, the appearance of the person who went out to stand at the podium did not attract any glances at all.
The presenter wore an oversized checkered shirt and dark jeans that were not trendy. He also pulled down a low-crowned cap, making his face unclear. But when he pressed the button on the PowerPoint remote, the audience’s bored expressions were instantly dyed with surprise.
[Good Personality and Social Role of Hankuk University Students]
The seemingly large font size of about 93 points made it feel quite overwhelming. What was even more surprising was that he used the GulimChe font. I had no idea whether the biggest problem was the faint background image of Bobo x Bono or the excessive use of rainbow colors to decorate each letter one by one.
“With your permission, let’s start the presentation.”
The presenter moved on to the next slide with a nonchalant expression, as if mocking the audience’s reaction. Although this time the slide only had subheadings in yellow letters on a black background, he still maintained the intimidating font size and eye-straining font.
“For this presentation, I have conducted research on the integrity of Hankuk University graduates. To what extent they are innovative thinkers and dedicated workers based on the voices of renowned alumni of Hankuk University, who are well-known in society. I have also redefined the suitable personality traits and explored the roles and responsibilities of new students in the future.”
The students, who had been daydreaming, became alert again after seeing the shocking PowerPoint slides projected through the projector. The presenter’s voice remained flat, neither high nor low. Moreover, the suspense built up as they waited for him to continue speaking but he didn’t finish his first sentence.
“First and foremost, here, is an individual known for their integrity, ladies and gentlemen.”
The presenter thoroughly researched whether the training of personnel displayed on Hankuk University’s website was genuine or not. And he concluded that it was not. The mentioned examples of alumni included politicians who were removed from their positions due to corruption cases, university professors who fabricated research papers, and businessmen involved in financial scandals.
In terms of content, it can be said that it delves deep into unexplored territories. In terms of presentation, it was logical and reasonable. For a group project worth only 2 credits, it was extremely difficult to find students who were genuinely honest. Unfortunately, it seemed that there were only a few people who stayed attentive throughout the entire presentation, even with the inclusion of professors. The presenter emphasized the importance of honesty and fairness. The presentation lasted only about ten minutes, yet there were still a few claps.
[Group Leader: Chu Sangwoo
Presenter: Chu Sangwoo
Research in Part 1: Chu Sangwoo
Research in Part 2: Chu Sangwoo
Data Summary: Chu Sangwoo
Presentation Organization: Chu Sangwoo
List of Contributing Members: Chu Sangwoo]
The professor adjusted his glasses with a puzzled expression, struggling to speak. At the same time, the students expressed their dissatisfaction with audible sighs when they saw the tense atmosphere in the lecture hall. Chu Sangwoo, the presenter, believed that the popular cartoon character displayed on the background of the slides received a positive response.
return 0; [3.]
A student wearing a cap and a face mask walked into the teacher’s office. Then the person, who turned out to be the professor, gestured for the other party to sit down with a troubled face.
“So, Student Sangwoo, I called you here because of today’s presentation.”
“Is there a problem?”
“The content was impressive, but...”
The professor flipped through the list with a concerned look. Although StudentChu Sangwoo presented the content in a shocking manner, it was still a group project. There were three more members in his group.
“Other group members. Did they not contribute at all?” “Yes.”
The student responded with a blank expression.
“Can you tell me in detail?”
“Initially, my role was only to research and create the slides for the first part. However, the person assigned to research the second part, who promised to provide the information by 6 PM yesterday, didn’t follow through. So I had to do it all on my own. As for the presenter, they are upset because their aunt, who is also their mom’s sister, passed away and they couldn’t participate. So I had to take responsibility for that too.”
“There’s still one more person, right?”
“I’ve never met that person before.”
The professor paused and checked the attendance list. At that moment, they started scrutinizing it as if they found something.
“This group also has a senior who is about to graduate. They had to participate in an international competition, so they sent an email requesting permission to skip classes this week.”
“I heard someone went to participate in a competition.” The professor looked at the student in front of them.
“That’s unfortunate. Did you remove their name from the group just like that?”
“No. I didn’t think that way.”
“Why not?”
“If they had been actively involved until now and only missed one class, I would have listened to their reasons. But that person has never attended a single meeting during the class, nor did they contribute to the project at all.” The professor sighed and flipped through the attendance book, looking at the student directly.
“This is quite a situation. You should have removed their name earlier, don’t you think?”
“No. I didn’t consider that.”
“Why?”
“If they had participated before and had just missed today’s class, I would have probably listened to their reasoning. But that person has never attended any class meetings, and they haven’t contributed to the project at all.” The professor pushed the attendance book forward.
“Look here. Apart from the previous class and this one, they attended every single class...”
“I don’t know. Maybe they sent someone else to check their attendance.” The professor heard that and made a frustrated face.
“Well, in that case, I understand now. You may leave.”
“Thank you.”
The student left the professor’s office with a nonchalant expression, just as they had entered.
[1] Laser Pointer: A device that emits a small, focused beam of light that can be used to point at specific points desired by the user. It produces a clear visible light and is developed to aid users in pointing out details on slides from a distance.
[2] GulimChe: The font style used in the Korean language. It has a thin and difficult-to-read appearance, so it is not commonly used for presentation slides or formal documents.
[3] return 0;: A programming command that signifies returning a value of 0 to the main function, indicating that the program has executed correctly and successfully completed its operations. In this context, the author used “return 0;” as a way to separate scenes.
Chapter 1 <1> #1.
The first semester of the third year was packed with 23 completed credits. What made Sangwoo struggle the most was not the renowned challenging major courses but rather an elective course worth only 2 credits called “University Han Gook Image Training.” It was a mandatory elective where if you didn’t attend the lectures, you couldn’t pass. The task at hand was simply attending easy lectures and working on a group project that wasn’t too demanding.
The presentation topic was extremely straightforward. At first, he thought it was a joke, even though there was one group member who used participating in a competition as an excuse for not attending class. He still didn’t think it was a big deal. But then, one person remained unresponsive from the previous day until the day of the presentation. If he had done it alone from the beginning, he would have finished the work in just one day, but now he had to constantly contact his friend to send him the information, wasting both time and mental peace.
Although Sangwoo felt annoyed, once the presentation was done, he completely forgot about it. However, after the grades were released, problems started to arise.
[NonPaddler 1: Did you remove my name?? Didn’t I tell you it wasn’t me who couldn’t attend because of your grandma’s funeral? How can you treat me like this???_10:04.]
[NonPaddler 2: Yes, fuck whatever. Are you satisfied? ^^ㅗ_15:29.]
[NonPaddler 3: I have to thank you for making me not graduate. Can we talk a bit, little hubaenim? [1]_20:23.]
On the day of the grade announcement, Sangwoo received a continuous stream of messages. Although the first two people sent only one message and then stopped, the other person asked to meet and kept calling persistently, so he blocked that number.
Then came the end of the semester. Sangwoo had planned to reduce his workload next semester and work on a mobile game project. Therefore, he self-studied programming language [2] on ordinary days and worked parttime at an internet cafe on weekends. Everyday life went smoothly, but there was one troubling issue.
That day was a Saturday when he went to work at the internet cafe as usual. Two students came to the shop and used the services all day. Sangwoo was stationed at the counter, handling payments and overheard their conversation.
‘Don’t you know, Jaeyoung didn’t graduate.’
‘Why? Was he planning to study abroad?’
‘Well, it’s because of the elective course worth two credits, that...personal image something. Some people complained about attendance, so they got an F.’
‘Can’t they request a grade change?’
‘It seems like the professor favored the student who complained, so it’s impossible to get it changed.’
‘Sounds like they’re being left to clean up their own mess.’
It felt like he had heard a similar story somewhere before. Sangwoo pretended to clean something near the counter while secretly eavesdropping.
‘But I heard that guy doesn’t answer phone calls.’
‘Which top student is it?’
‘He doesn’t have a pager, just a computer. Jaeyoung said he would kill him if he finds him. Now he’s trying to track down his address, but it seems like he’s a person no one knows. It’s really troublesome.’
‘Oh, so it’s just a lawsuit. Probably some justice seekers.’
Listening and listening, it seems that Sangwoo has gotten involved with some bad influences since he entered university. Although there have been conflicts, he has managed to solve them well. In one year, he almost got involved with senior students who forced him to drink alcohol, and he once refused to pay the student union fee until he was interviewed by a newspaper. He had arguments with people in the park that escalated into fights, and he even had an altercation with someone who cut in line, resulting in a visit to the police station. But when compared to someone who didn’t graduate, those incidents became insignificant.
Sangwoo seriously considered changing his phone number, but he didn’t do anything wrong, so teasing him would be funny. Therefore, he didn’t do anything, but after that day, he became paranoid every time he heard the notification sound of his phone.
[Senior Han Sooyeong, Virtual Arts Design: Junior-Dev [3] ^^! By coincidence, I have received a job and won’t be able to continue working on the project. I apologize, but I kindly request my skilled classmates from the same batch to attend the meeting in my place, okay?_12:31.] The messages received over several days turned out to be disappointing. Senior Han Sooyeong was very busy with work and although it took a long time, she helped him with the drawings until they were completed. And now Sangwoo has planned a game that suits the style of the other party, so the need to change the designer halfway through is considered bad news.
In university, there are countless irresponsible individuals, but even so, it would be fortunate if this person found someone to take over for them. Even though there is nothing to guarantee the abilities of that party, well, what can you do?
[It’s a pity. I liked your designs Noona-12:33]
- [Han Sooyeong, Virtual Arts Design: That friend is better than me, trust me! Can I give him your phone number? 12:34]
[Can I have that senior phone number?_12:34]
- [Senior Han Sooyeong, Virtual Arts Design: Before this, I lost all the numbers I had saved, so I don’t have any numbers now; But when we met yesterday, I told him the time and place clearly. He’s in the same year as me, his name is Jang Jaeyoung! ^^12:34]
[Okay_ 12:34]
Sangwoo finished the conversation and headed towards the university. He scheduled a meeting for 4 o’clock, but he arrived at the meeting place three hours in advance to organize the storyline and sketches of the characters in the game with senior Jang Jaeyoung, an excellent graphic designer. Other than what senior Han Sooyeong mentioned in the message that the other party is talented, Sangwoo didn’t know anything else about this person. Whether it’s their gender or drawing style.
It’s possible that a senior in a higher year might be busy, so they probably wouldn’t withdraw midway through since they have a job, just like senior Han Sooyeong. Sangwoo wasn’t sure, but he had to meet this person face to face and find out.
Sangwoo got up from his seat at 3:55 PM and walked up the stairs. He had reserved a small meeting room on the third floor of the library. He arrived at the meeting room one minute before the scheduled time, carrying a notebook and pen, ready and prepared.
But the designer didn’t show up.
If it were any other appointment, he would probably leave without looking back. But this project was something he couldn’t do alone, and a designer was necessary. Sangwoo picked up his mobile phone and started playing games. In the meantime, ten minutes passed.
The designer still didn’t come.
Did they get the time wrong? Did senior Han Sooyeong give the wrong time and location? Or did they change their mind? Or did something unexpected come up? As numerous unanswered questions flooded his mind, another ten minutes passed.
The designer still didn’t come.
‘A habit of being late.’
Someone who doesn’t value time isn’t suitable for this work. Working with someone like that, the project definitely won’t be able to move forward. While Sangwoo was boiling with frustration, another ten minutes passed.
The designer still hadn’t arrived.
‘Finally, the last ten minutes.’
He had faith in senior Han Sooyeong, who was kind-hearted and capable. So Sangwoo waited for another ten minutes. Even though he tried to calm his restless mind, but until the end, the designer didn’t show up.
He clenched his teeth and got up from the chair. Sangwoo tended to avoid doing anything wasteful, but among all those things, he hated wasting time the most. The second he reached out to grab the doorknob, it was pulled away.
(Here, right?)
Sangwoo looked at the other person with a scowling face. A man wearing a black beanie walked in nonchalantly and sat on the chair opposite him. He wore large glasses that rested on the bridge of his nose, and one ear was adorned with three metal piercings. Despite coming for a meeting, he came empty-handed, taking both hands out of his shirt pocket and raising his chin.
“Oh!”
________________________________________ .
[1]. In the original print, it was typed without spaces, reflecting Jang Jaeyoung’s chat typing habit.
[2] Programming Languages: High-level computer languages such as Pascal, C, VB, Java used for program development.
[3] Dev comes from Developer, referring to a developer, which in this case means a game developer.
Chapter 2 <1> #2.
When they locked eyes, the other party pointed at Sangwoo.
“Why?”
Sangwoo subtly touched his cheek as if to ask if there was something on his face. The other party looked surprised, but then their eyes gradually returned to normal. Sangwoo didn’t want to work with this person, but he reluctantly sat down, thinking that he should follow the basic steps. He intentionally avoided looking directly at the other person and picked up a pen.
“Are you the designer in your senior year?”
“Yes.”
“Do you already know what needs to be done?”
“Roughly?”
“Right now, I’m developing a 2D action game. I’m using Framework[1] Cocos2d[2] as the main tools. The game will be an adventure featuring a child protagonist and will have a single-player perspective.”
But it seemed like the man wasn’t paying attention to what Sangwoo was saying at all. He sat leaning back in his chair, shaking his leg. He even grabbed Sangwoo’s notebook without permission, flipping through its pages while saying, “Seriously focused, huh?” Plus...
“So boring.”
He complained as he sighed loudly before diverting his gaze from the character concept of the “Vegetable Man” that had been created with intention.
“My friend said you are talented. But this feels half-hearted, it’s the real concept, but you don’t seem to care much. The sketches are also rough.” He slid the paper document forward. As the paper fluttered in the wind, the corner of the paper hit Sangwoo’s nose. Sangwoo frowned and placed the paper on the notebook. He intended to show and explain it, but his patience had reached its limit... Sangwoo thought it might be better if he left. There was no point in wasting his energy here.
“It seems like you don’t click with me. In that case, I’ll go find another designer.”
He prepared to put the notebook and documents into his bag, but the other party suddenly spoke up.
“You’re a junior who can write code that well? If I ask you to create something, how much can you do?”
“Just design it well. I can do all the necessary things for a 2D action game.”
“You’re quite confident in yourself.”
Those words sounded belittling to Sangwoo, spoken that way because they saw him as just a student or someone who had recently returned to studying.
Sangwoo felt unwilling and retorted.
“Especially debugging[3] and optimization[4]. I’m confident in those areas.
In my final project, I’ve created an income and expense tracking app using
HTML5[5] and developed an arcade game[6]...”
“Not like that.”
The young man adjusted his glasses slightly and tapped on the draft documents of the “Vegetable Man” with his finger. Then he continued speaking.
“Just having a well-functioning system doesn’t mean it’s good enough. A game needs to go hand in hand with fun. The controls and movements need to feel natural, and it’s not solely dependent on graphics. BGM[7] is also important. That’s why I’m not okay with this planning approach. I want to trust you and invest my valuable time in you, can I?”
It was difficult for Sangwoo to understand him. On the surface, it seemed like he didn’t care about the job, but suddenly he became serious. He decided to lower his head and hug his chest.
“Well, if you trust me, I will do my best.”
Sangwoo responded calmly before feeling that something wasn’t right. He realized that this person was actually the team leader and the true employer. There was no reason for him to bow down to his employees. Sangwoo straightened his back and sat up, embracing his confidence.
“Actually, have you ever made mobile games before?”
A fitting retort came at the right time, even though it was from someone seemingly inexperienced. Whether it was his lack of ability or not, he would just walk out of the room.
“No, I haven’t.”
“Goodbye then.”
“But I’ve made games on the web platform.”
Sangwoo was about to stand up, hesitating. If he could handle designing, UI[8] for websites, then he should be able to develop apps as well, as they are smaller in scale. Although he needed to be cautious about optimization, the main factors were similar. Besides, the senior who didn’t seem trustworthy had praised him highly.
“May I see your portfolio?”
The other party smirked and pulled out a tablet from his jacket pocket, tapping on it a few times before handing it over.
Sangwoo quickly scrolled through the showcased works on the bright white background, zooming in on each image for a closer look—website designs, posters, logos, and illustrations. This man could do many things at once, and the quality was on par with professionals, almost not resembling the work of a student.
‘This is even better than the average professional’s work!’ ‘The efficiency of the UI, pass!’ ‘The simplicity of the UI, pass!
‘The appropriation of the illustrations, pass!’
Especially the lines art form, it has a distinctive and lively quality. Sangwoo even went as far as erasing the blueprint of ‘Vegetable Man’ that was etched in his heart.
“Wherever I go, people just admire how talented I am.” The young man glanced at Sangwoo’s face and continued.
“sunbae, did you do everything himself?”
The young man chuckled in response to Sangwoo’s question, picked up a pen, and comfortably started sketching in his notebook. In just twenty seconds, he produced a cartoon-style character that differed greatly from the previous designer’s style. This character looked a bit worn and tattered but had a lot of style. In the end, Sangwoo had to admit that the other party was good enough to have a conversation with.
‘That’s impressive.’
Sangwoo felt his heart racing. He had to calm himself down before expecting too much. There was still something he was worried about.
“Can you devote your time to this project next semester?”
“Yes, actually, I made a slight mistake with my plans when the previous project ended, so I’ll be free next semester.”
“If you get the job, I will work on it until it’s completed.”
Just as Sangwoo was about to accept him, someone arrived forty minutes late and seemed unbelievable at first glance but gradually became someone trustworthy. If he’s this talented, no matter how unenthusiastic he appears, Sangwoo was ready to open his heart to that possibility. Moreover, as someone who values sincerity, this decision was monumental for him alone. “In that case, may I have your phone number?”
When Sangwoo handed his mobile phone politely, the young man calmly entered the number and handed it back. Meanwhile, his facial expression changed, and the young man furrowed his brows, gradually shifting his gaze towards Sangwoo.
“You already have your number.”
“It can’t be.” “Look here.”
His voice sounded assertive. Sangwoo took his phone back, still not understanding the situation.
[NonPaddler 3 is Calling...]
________________________________________ .
[1] Framework: Development of foundational systems, command sets, or basic formats to enable developers to easily and quickly invoke commands, formats, or systems. In other words, a framework is a convenient tool for programming, web development, game development, etc.
[2] Cocos2d: A framework for game development.
[3] Debugging: Resolving flaws or troubleshooting errors in computer programming.
[4] Optimization: Improving efficiency. In this case, it refers to making a game run smoothly while using fewer resources, such as reducing file size while maintaining quality, smooth gameplay, and high-quality graphics, but with minimal memory “RAM” usage.
[5] HTML5: A computer language used as the primary language for writing web pages. HTML has been developed in several versions, and version 5 is the latest.
[6] Arcade Games: These include pinball games, Street Fighter, racing games, puzzle games, etc. Originally, arcade games were played on arcade cabinets located in game centers or shopping malls, but nowadays, arcade games can be played on computers or mobile devices.
[7] BGM: Background music used to enhance the atmosphere of a particular situation.
[8] UI: User Interface, what the user sees. Whether it’s a web page, app screen, or various visual components such as buttons and icons that allow individuals to interact with a product or service.
Chapter 3 <1> #3.
[NonPaddler 3 is Calling...]
Sangwoo noticed the text displayed on the screen simultaneously, and at that moment, the ringing sound from the other party’s mobile phone became louder. The young man picked up his phone from his jacket pocket with a calm expression before bursting into laughter. Sangwoo himself saw that the other party had saved his name as something amusing.
[The Scoundrel is Calling!]
Sangwoo was startled to the point of forgetting to pick up his notebook and other belongings. He then rushed out of the meeting room, so caught up in the moment that he didn’t even think to turn around and see if the other party was calling him or just sitting there.
Twenty minutes ago, he lost his train of thought of that time frame. When he returned to the room, Sangwoo locked the door behind him and took a moment to catch his breath. He stumbled as he ran up the stairs, feeling a sharp pain in his knees. His body felt exhausted as he walked over to the refrigerator, opened it, and grabbed a bottle of water to quench his thirst.
“Fucking hell.”
It was all a blur. Sangwoo had locked himself out of his own phone until he finally managed to unlock it with trembling hands. He saw that there were no incoming calls, just a contact named ‘NonPaddler 3.’ Then, messages and missed call notifications started popping up. Five days ago, ‘NonPaddler 3,’ or Jang Jaeyoung, had sent a message asking for understanding and requesting to meet Sangwoo. He admitted fault without directly telling the group leader anything but informed other members within the group. The messages seemed threatening.
[NonPaddler 3: You will regret this_2:00 yesterday.] That was the last message.
Sangwoo quickly scanned the text before returning to his chilling thoughts. He considered himself a talented designer, but deep down, he knew he had a bad personality, made mistakes, and lacked conscience. It was fortunate that he realized this before starting the project. Although he felt some regret after seeing the other party’s artwork, he had high expectations but ultimately had to make a firm decision. He had no intention of collaborating with one of those troublemakers. Likewise, that senior probably didn’t want to work with him either.
‘I didn’t do anything wrong.’
Although having a fight with the other party was beyond expectations,
Sangwoo was confident that it was all the senior’s own fault. Nevertheless, the suffocating feeling in his heart didn’t dissipate. There was no logical reason for him to feel this way, but Sangwoo continued to brood over his phone before eventually falling asleep in the dark morning.
…
The next morning, the message notifications were already waiting.
[NonPaddler 3: Sangwoo-ya, let’s talk [1]_08:56.]
Sangwoo rubbed his eyes, still half-asleep, and glanced at the screen of his mobile phone. When he was a child, people in the neighborhood used nicknames to address him, so he grew up without a real name. In college, he became StudentSangwoo, the senior Sangwoo, and then Chu Sangwoo. When he entered the military, he became Private Chu, Sergeant Chu, Lieutenant Chu, Captain Chu, and the person they called Sangwoo-ya. In this world, there were only his parents and himself.
[Wrong number, dude_09:01.]
- [NonPaddler 3: Chu Sangwoo, 25 years old, Computer Engineering Third Year, took leave to work at the government office and just returned to study in September, not part of any clubs, doesn’t participate in student activities_09:02.]
- [NonPaddler 3: If you don’t want to make things worse, let’s talk while I still intend to speak nicely_09:02.]
The content seemed a little scary. Sangwoo stared at his phone, reading the message repeatedly. In the meantime, new messages kept coming in.
[NonPaddler 3: Today, meet me at the university’s main gate at 6 o’clock_09:05.]
[NonPaddler 3: I won’t punch you_09:06.]
“It’s a joke.”
Sangwoo held his phone tightly, suppressing a cold laugh. He hadn’t done anything wrong, so why should he believe the other party?
“Did he investigate me? Should I report it to the police?”
Sangwoo belonged to those who relied on the power of the state. He knew well what situations should be reported to the police.
He slowly read the messages on his phone screen again. Although he didn’t know what would happen when they met, the threat was clear. However, he wasn’t afraid because there was no way for the other party to harm him. Sangwoo was a dedicated student, focused solely on his studies. He never got involved in any other university activities. The only ones who could attack him within the university were the professors.
return 0;.
Three days passed. Sangwoo thought that the intense conflict had come to an end, but that was just his foolish thinking. He was working at an internet cafe near the university. How long could he avoid meeting students from the same institution? Think about it realistically, and you’ll know.
While Sangwoo was organizing pastries into boxes, a mischievous group of friends walked in through the door. When he saw Sangwoo, the tallest person in the group slowed down.
“What a coincidence, just having a meal together... that’s it.”
If his gaze hadn’t been so sharp, Sangwoo probably wouldn’t have remembered who that person was. They exchanged glances as if time had stopped, and then the eyes behind the big glasses blinked before narrowing. At that moment, the background image seemed to disappear. Suddenly, thoughts like “End it already.” “I’m annoyed.” “I want to escape from here.” flooded his mind. Sangwoo felt inexplicably tense, causing the bag of pastries to slip from his hand.
In Sangwoo’s mind, he prepared himself for the fight, but Jang Jaeyoung acted as if he didn’t know him and just took a service card and walked away. As all five of them disappeared into the smoking area [2] Sangwoo returned to sit at the counter once again. Although his eyes were fixed on textbooks and notebooks, he was absent-minded.
When he looked up, he saw Jaeyoung’s head emerging from the screen slightly. Sangwoo glanced at the other side’s screen to see what game he was playing or which website he was browsing. Jaeyoung had opened a website with information about a game and entered an online RPG. He was hunting monsters for a couple of rounds to gain experience. Then he switched to playing FPS games, two matches. Meanwhile, the other side switched to playing an MMORPG. Sangwoo was reading a book but didn’t turn the page.
‘Are you just going to let it slide like this?’
Seeing the threatening message, he considered using force, but judging by the calm demeanor, it seemed like Jaeyoung intended to bury the issue. And Sangwoo thought that this might be the best conclusion, but it was merely wishful thinking.
[Order from customer number 32: Explosive Spicy Ramen.]
‘Alright then.’
Sangwoo took a deep breath and got up to cook the explosive spicy ramen. He measured 450 milliliters of water according to the recipe and took more time than usual to boil it. He broke the noodle block in half and put it in the pot while waiting for the soup to boil. It occurred to Sangwoo that in the past, when he had issues with someone, their anger would often engulf him, leading him to spew out insults or even resort to violence. But this time, he didn’t let his emotions run wild. Instead of responding to aggression with aggression, he chose to take a step back and notify the police. That’s what he planned to do this time.
The smoking area was filled with cigarette smoke. Sangwoo held a tray under the cup and walked over to stand in front of table number 32. The young man sat leaning back in the chair, smoking a cigarette. When Sangwoo placed the tray down, the other side turned the chair around and looked at Sangwoo with narrow eyes. Today, he was wearing a red letterman jacket with a pattern on the chest, and just by looking at him, one could tell he was crazy.
His appearance truly resembled a jester. ‘Don’t you like me at all.’
Sangwoo turned around. The other side spoke up.
“I didn’t know you, a loyal and honest hubaenim was working here.” Jang Jaeyoung mumbled, flicking his cigarette ashes into the ashtray. Then he slowly shifted his gaze back to Sangwoo.
“Why did you ignore my call? Are you worried?” Sangwoo didn’t know how to respond. No matter how intimidating or threatening someone might be, he was confident in his ability to handle it with courage. But he had never encountered an opponent who chose to provoke him in such a calm manner.
“Sangwoo, why did you not answer my call?” The tone of Jaeyoung’s voice was softer than expected, not inviting conflict. Sangwoo decided to take a step back and reveal his true intentions.
“Please speak directly if you have any business.”
“Let’s talk face to face.”
That’s not a difficult request, Sangwoo raised his head and locked eyes with the other side. This time, that person averted their gaze, took out another cigarette, lit it, and remained silent for a while, surrounded by smoke. Then they made eye contact with Sangwoo again and extended their right hand abruptly.
“Shall we play a game together first or shall we make peace up?” The large hand reaching out felt insincere. Sangwoo felt uneasy.
“How can we make peace if we’ve never fought? Besides, I don’t work with seniors.”
Jaeyoung just laughed without saying a word, keeping his hand withdrawn.
“Why do you think I wanted to meet you?”
“I don’t know.”
“You lack imagination.”
“sunbaenim, just because we meet doesn’t mean your scores will change. sunbaejim, you smart enough to get into university. At least try to understand that.”
Jaeyoung hugged himself, revealing a twisted smile.
“What scores? It’s been a long time since the score correction period ended.”
“If that’s the case, why bother leaving me waiting and picking a fight with me?”
“I don’t know.”
“You lack imagination.”
“Once I encounter you, it’s true that the scores of the senior class will change. The seniors are smart enough to get into university, at least they should understand this matter.”
Jaeyoung hugged his chest and revealed a twisted smile.
“Scores? It’s been a while since the score adjustment period ended.”
“If that’s the case, why bother keeping me here and looking for trouble with me?”
“Looking for trouble? You’re the junior that Sooyeong recommended. Now, what about the project we have to do? I just wanted to talk about that, that’s all. I’m trying to listen to your reasoning and correct any misunderstandings so that things can go smoothly.”
“I don’t want to talk to you, sunbae.”
“Then just say it straightforwardly.”
Sangwoo felt that the other party’s tone became more aggressive.
“What? Sangwoo realized, where did your manners go?”
Sangwoo felt uneasy about the calm and composed way the other party insulted him. He kept tapping his phone to quickly retrieve it and call the police when he saw the situation turning sour, but this was too light. He didn’t really know how to respond.
He thought that if he apologized right here, the matter would probably end. But Sangwoo continued to act according to his settings. He gave the command to the other party as “enemy.”
“I don’t understand why this is my fault.”
He had argued with a teacher like this before and ended up being rebuked. Later, he was warned repeatedly that if he wanted a good life, he should improve himself. Since then, he had been controlling himself all along, but now he couldn’t hold back. That’s why Jaeyoung replied without caring.
“If you didn’t talk nonsense with the teacher, wouldn’t I have graduated? Because of you, I had to give up on studying abroad. Because of those two credits.”
“That’s not my fault.” Sangwoo responded.
“Sangwoo-ya.”
“Don’t act like we’re close. If someone else marks the attendance and you can still graduate, then the students who attend class must be really stupid.
And I’ll be considered easy just because I’m willing to put down the name of someone with a bad attitude hoping to get a score without doing anything in the report. Is that who I am?”
Sangwoo’s disagreement didn’t seem to surprise Jaeyoung in the slightest.
“That’s just who you are.”
“Can I go yet? sunbaenim?”
“No. I’m not done talking.”
He took a deep drag of his cigarette and exhaled the smoke.
“You don’t need to judge me. Who do you think you are? A prince, a police officer? Don’t act all authoritative. You damn brat.”
“Understood, sunbaenim. Then feel free to keep treating yourself like trash from now on and don’t contact me again.”
“Damn it, you’re so full of yourself.”
Jaeyoung stubbed out his cigarette and looked at Sangwoo with a cold expression.
“Did I ask you to kneel down and apologize? Did I ask you to go ask the teacher for a score for me? If you want things to end nicely, shouldn’t you be a little more remorseful? Hey, I did all this just so you could catch me in the act, didn’t I?”
Sangwoo looked puzzled by the other party’s vulgar words.
“I don’t understand what you’re saying, sunbaenim. If you want me to do something, just tell me straightforwardly.”
Sangwoo didn’t mean any harm, but Jaeyoung’s face turned as if he was being attacked. He opened his mouth hesitantly before raising his hand to hug himself and turning his back, clearly displaying his dissatisfaction on his face.
“Say that you’re truly sorry for causing me to miss out on good opportunities to study abroad.”
That wasn’t difficult. Sangwoo kept his mouth shut confidently because that statement contained some falsehoods.
“First of all, sunbae, you didn’t graduate because you didn’t attend classes and didn’t submit assignments. It’s not because of me. And secondly, I don’t feel sorry.”
When the feedback [3] was returned the words would transform into, ‘You missed out on good opportunities to further your education.’ That would be an explanation based on the truth, and it worked. No harm done, but the reproachful tone became louder.
“You’re crazy, damn it!”
Sangwoo had heard such words many times before, so he didn’t feel anything at all. Jaeyoung swiveled his chair back towards the computer screen.
Then, he picked up a cup of ramen with chopsticks.
“That’s enough. Take it.”
He pushed the tray with the cup of ramyeon back towards Sangwoo.
“Keep it.”
Sangwoo took the tray without saying a word, intending to leave. But Jaeyoung called him back.
“Hey.”
“What is it?”
“We shouldn’t see each other again.”
That was the best news Sangwoo had heard since he started listening. It felt like driving away an enemy unintentionally, as the other party raised his hands with a bitter expression.
“I finish work at 4:00 AM. You can come out after that.”
“You nerve-wracking idiot.”
Sangwoo cursed inwardly and left the smoking area. return 0;
________________________________________
[1] The ‘-ya’ in ‘Sangwoo-ya’, it is a suffix used to address family members or close friends, used as a suffix for names that do not have spelling. If the name has spelling, ‘-ya’’ is used.
[2] Smoking area in an internet cafe. In Korean internet cafes, the rooms are divided into smoking areas for customers who want to smoke while using the service, and non-smoking areas for customers who do not smoke and do not want cigarette smells.
[3] Feedback. In this context, it refers to data that is the result displayed by a computer program, and there is a command to input the resulting data back into the program during a certain period of time.
Chapter 4 <1> #4.
After resolving the headache-inducing conflict, Sangwoo’s daily life continued as usual. Even though it was the end of the semester, he still went to the library to read books every day. There was another major problem, though. The position of the designer for the project “Vegetable Man” was vacant again. He posted a job announcement on the university’s online forum, looking for a designer to take responsibility for all the graphic work of the action game. But no one contacted him. He scheduled his classes for the next semester to have free time for game development, but if he couldn’t find a designer, the designated time would be meaningless.
Apart from that, there were no other problems. Today, Sangwoo continued reading books according to plan and headed straight to the cafeteria. As he walked along, he saw a box ahead.
A female student was holding a large box stacked with smaller boxes, seemingly blocking the way completely. Judging from the length of her steps, it was clear that she was about to stumble over something. Suddenly, he heard a loud scream.
“Oh no!”
The female student extended her hand and lunged forward, but the stacked boxes still fell to the ground. Various items such as bookends, snack boxes, and loose tapes scattered on the ramp. Although the situation of the student seemed sympathetic, Sangwoo, who was determined to go to the cafeteria, chose to walk past nonchalantly.
“Just a moment!”
But at that moment, the girl called out to Sangwoo.
“I’m really sorry, but can you please help me? I’m exhausted... If you help, I’ll treat you to a meal.”
“Where do you want to go?”
“To the locker in the third-floor library, please.”
If you want to go to the library, it takes a minimum of seven minutes to walk there. A meal at a cafeteria costs three thousand won. Without even calculating, it is clear that this is a more cost-effective exchange than the minimum wage. Sangwoo agreed and helped the young lady pack her belongings into a box. He used both hands to lift the large box. The other party was surprised to see this and did something inappropriate.
“It’s too heavy, isn’t it? Let me carry the small box myself.”
“Sure. It’s very heavy. What did you put in there?”
“Books and trinkets...”
The box was really heavy, Sangwoo had to take two breaks along the way, sweating so much that he had to take off his down jacket[1]. The journey took seven minutes and increased to fifteen minutes. When he lifted it up to the third floor, he was so exhausted that he used too much force just for one meal.
Sangwoo felt regretful about the unwise decision.
“Thank you so much for saving my life. I’m really grateful.”
During those fifteen minutes, Ru Jihye managed to gauge all of Sangwoo’s basic personal information, including his name, student ID, and faculty. The way she addressed him changed from ‘Min’ to ‘Oppa’, which confused Sangwoo as they walked out of the library. Jihye asked.
“What do you want to eat, oppa?”
“Just bring me one food coupon, that’s enough.”
“Huh, and what about the food inside?”
From the outside, Sangwoo appeared dark and gloomy, and no one approached him. But Jihye was different from other students, she wasn’t afraid at all.
“I’ll make sure to feed you delicious food that matches your gratitude, oppa.
Follow me, please.”
“Understood.”
“Stop being polite.”
“Okay.”
Then they started walking. Jihye said they would reach the destination in just ten minutes, but it took longer than that in the end. Sangwoo was not very pleased to have to walk so far just for a meal, but he gave Jihye the privilege of choosing the menu and silently followed along.
“Here is a pasta restaurant, it’s really delicious, both pasta and pizza are delicious, the pizza has thin crust and easy to eat. Last time I had pasta carbonara[2] it was so delicious that I almost licked the plate... Plus, there’s a 10% discount for students, and all the part-time staff members have nice faces...”
Jihye is talkative, even if Sangwoo is not talkative, she can keep talking on her own. They left the university and passed by a liquor store crowded with students outside. Then Jihye turned into a quiet alley and pointed to the second floor, where a sign with a hand-drawn tree made it clear that it was not an ordinary cheap restaurant.
As they climbed the stairs and opened the large door, a ringing sound echoed. The spacious restaurant was not brightly lit, but it was decorated in a cozy atmosphere. The staff came to inquire about reservations and the number of people. Then they were led to an available table.
“Here, you have to choose the staff based on their appearance, each one looks very professional.”
Jihye looked around and kept talking while sitting down at the table. Meanwhile, Sangwoo glanced through the menu to analyze the food options. For single dishes, the cheapest was 14,000 won (10.99 USD), and the most expensive was 23,500 won (18 USD), with an average price of 17,400 won (13.66 USD). When considering that the main ingredient was pasta, it was difficult to understand the high cost. Just helping out once shouldn’t require such a hefty compensation.
“Can you afford this price?”
“Just treat it as a long-term reward. I can deduct it from my salary at the end of the month.”
Even if he didn’t agree with her answer, he didn’t need to worry about other people’s wallets. Sangwoo reconsidered the unfamiliar food names on the menu while Jihye continued to admire them as if they made her feel reborn, Fresca, Citrus, Salad... Cacciucco, Rosso... Fritti-italiani...
“Should I order the food?”
While Sangwoo was still absorbed in looking at the food names, he heard a soft but firm voice coming from Jihye before he had a chance to speak.
“I’ll have one pasta Vongole, please.”
“As for me...”
Sangwoo raised his face and prepared to order the most expensive item on the menu. It was at that moment that he noticed the staff at the restaurant, just as Jihye truthfully mentioned. Even in Sangwoo’s usual indifference towards others’ appearances, he felt that the other person was a good-looking man, which was rare to find.
With a neatly combed hairstyle and a thin face adorned with a faint smile that revealed rounded dimples, and a prominent nose. The other person wore a white shirt tucked into a slightly faded black waistcoat, looking clean and tidy.
“Have we met somewhere before?”
The other person’s face looked familiar, perhaps seen in clothing advertisements. Sangwoo thought so and responded with a slight smile at one corner of his mouth.
“Oppa, what’s wrong!”
Jihye’s urgent voice caught Sangwoo’s attention, and he quickly ordered the pasta with lobster. The staff took note of their food choices and repeated the order.
“Anything else you’d like?”
“Do you accept student discounts from Hankuk University?”
“Of course. I studied there myself.”
The staff smiled gently and jotted something down on the receipt. Jihye took out her student card from her wallet and started talking excitedly.
“I know! I’ve seen you many times in front of the Sungam Theater. Last year, I even went to see the play ‘Salesman.’ Oh, it’s amazing how vividly I remember how hard it was to get a ticket.”
The staff examined Jihye’s student card carefully before returning it to her.
“Well, I’m actually from France, but yes, you’re right. You have a great eye for details.”
It seemed strange that the staff focused directly on Sangwoo while speaking, their gaze not particularly friendly.
“Haha! It’s just me who is from France. This gentleman here is not. What field are you studying, oppa-Sangwoo?”
Sangwoo didn’t want to discuss his major with someone he didn’t know. Besides, he felt it was inappropriate for this man to keep looking at him since they first met.
“No need to work, huh? Take the order and go then.”
With those words, the table fell into silence. Jihye looked as if she had seen a ghost, but the staff’s twisted smile became more apparent without any known reason.
“Always the beginning, always the end, indeed.”
The other party seemed eager for Sangwoo to hear that. Then, he collected the receipt and pen and bid them farewell, mentioning that the food would be ready in about twenty minutes. After the other party left, Jihye observed Sangwoo’s expression and asked.
“Are you angry, oppa?”
“No, not at all.”
Sangwoo replied truthfully, but Jihye didn’t seem to believe him.
“I didn’t mean to make you feel bad, really. If you’re not feeling good, I’m sorry. Sometimes I just blurt things out.”
“I said I am not, didn’t I?”
“I’m sorry!”
Jihye shook her head and rubbed her temples with her hand, feeling a headache coming on.
“Alright, I’ll tell you it’s not true.”
“Sorry...”
“Tell you already.”
Sangwoo turned his face away in annoyance. In that moment, he caught sight of a male employee who came to take their order without paying attention. He just looked at the air, but instead of avoiding eye contact, he deliberately glanced at Sangwoo and wiped the wine glass. They locked eyes for a moment before Sangwoo turned his face away.
“Oppa, that man can’t stop staring at you.”
“No way... Hey, really?”
“He’s just looking at you.”
“Not like that, huh?”
“You’re making it seem like I’m mad or something.”
“Nah, not at all.”
They chatted about various things for about twenty minutes, and as an example, Jihye asked Sangwoo softly if he would win in a fight against that man. Sangwoo replied that he was not the type to use force. If they had to fight, he would rather let the other party beat him once and report it to the police.
“Haha, you’re funny like that. You don’t seem like that kind of person at all...”
“What do you mean?”
“Seems like you’re joking around.”
“Don’t tease me.”
Jihye covered her mouth, suppressing a burst of laughter.
While sitting in silence, the food finally arrived. The waiter held two plates with one arm while making a surprised expression, then placed one plate right in front of Jihye. Then he turned intentionally to find Sangwoo and placed another plate down. At that moment, he whispered with a volume that Sangwoo could clearly hear.
“I thought I would act cool, but I couldn’t hold back my excitement.”
“What’s going on?”
“Why are you here? Nervous, huh? Want to try something?”
Sangwoo frowned and glanced at the young man with a slight surprise. The other guy’s eyes were filled with anger and resentment, making it difficult to understand why he was so angry just because of a few words. Sangwoo concluded that the other party might have mistaken him for someone else.
“Do I know you?”
Upon hearing Sangwoo’s response, the young man was taken aback, his mouth agape. He made a disbelieving face for a moment before bursting into laughter. Then he smirked at Sangwoo and reached into his stained cloth bag to put on a pair of glasses. As he looked through the large lenses, Sangwoo remembered.
The unreliable culprit he encountered in the library conference room wore similar glasses like this. He seemed to be tall, dressed differently, not wearing earrings, and had a completely different atmosphere around him. But somehow they seemed to be the same person.
“Uh... Min Youngjae-sunbaenim.”
Although Sangwoo added the word “sunbaenim” afterwards, it seemed that the young man was already annoyed. He leaned down and whispered in Sangwoo’s ear.
“I told you not to show your face again, do you want to die or something?”
“I didn’t mean to come he, really.”
“Sangwoo.”
The soft and unnecessary tone sent shivers down his spine. Sangwoo trembled and slightly leaned back in his chair. Then, the only pair of eyes right in front of him moved closer.
“Sangwoo, that senior is calling you.”
“I only have an older sister.”
Although it was a short answer, the atmosphere suddenly became tense.
“Isn’t there something you really don’t like?”
“You! sunbaenim”
Sangwoo replied directly, but the other party didn’t even flinch.
“A color you dislike, huh?”
“Red color.”
Red, the color of symptoms, ERROR. Generally, Sangwoo doesn’t particularly dislike any color, but there’s only one color he truly can’t stand: red.
“Animal you dislike?”
“Homo sapiens [4].”
Is there any creature that is as imperfect as humans? They don’t have strong claws, durable skin, dangerous toxins, and often they are dominated by desires and emotions. Sangwoo glanced at the soulless figure standing in front of him.
“Food you dislike?”
“Pasta.”
Sangwoo is not a picky eater, but now he dislikes anything related to this man.
“Place you dislike?”
“Within a ten-meter radius of you, sunbaenim.”
“Well then, please excuse me.”
After exchanging cold responses, the young man laughed tensely and whispered softly.
“You seem abnormal, so I was thinking of letting it go, but I’ve changed my mind. I’ll see you next semester.”
“Oh, sure. Feel free to hire a thug. I’ll be waiting for you at 112.”
“Lack of imagination, indeed.”
Before Sangwoo could come up with a retort, the other person had already walked away.
________________________________________.
[1] Padded jacket, also known as Michelin jacket or padding in Korean “패딩”, is a thick winter coat that has a puffy appearance.
[2] Panettone, a type of Italian sweet bread that is served with pastry-like texture. It has a round, dome shape, and the bread is hollowed out in the center, allowing the panettone, which is already prepared, to be placed inside.
[4] Homo sapiens, the species of humans, which refers to present-day humans.