Chapter 10

"Jung Yun-seong."

"Yes."

"Didn't you cheat?"

"Come on, teacher, what do you take me for?"

"I'm only saying this because you're Jung Yun-seong. The perennial bottom-dweller, Jung Yun-seong!"

Is it right to say that you failed to control your strength when you saw this?

The score on the science test was 100 points.

It was a score I had never received before, except for my TOEIC scores.

"You've never scored above 50 points before. Does this make any sense?"

Yun-seong.

Even if that's the case, 50 points is too low, isn't it?

Especially until the third year of middle school?

"I was so suspicious that I kept this separately."

"Wow, teacher. Is it okay to doubt a precious student like this?"

"Yes, it is. So, sit down and solve this."

I wondered why you suddenly held me back when I was about to go home after school, just to make me solve this test paper?

"There are only ten problems. If you really have the skills, you'll solve this quickly."

I sighed briefly and took the test paper.

'I don't have an aura right now...'

But that doesn't mean I can't solve the problems.

In fact, I didn't use my aura during the actual test.

'Now I can solve this without an aura.'

Over the past few weeks, I've learned something while using other people's auras.

When the other person moves away, the aura fades, and the talent it contained disappears as well.

I'm talking about things like core strength that doesn't match the physical body, like when I used Kim Tae-yeong's, or intuitive and creative aspects.

But not everything disappears.

'Knowledge remains.'

I currently don't have any aura.

But even without the aura, the knowledge remained.

Of course, I don't remember all of it.

When the aura fades like a receding tide, the knowledge also washes away.

However, as this process repeats, the knowledge gradually remains, like being filtered through a sieve.

I remember many things in bits and pieces, but with that knowledge, I can quickly fill in the gaps in my studies.

That's why,

"If you solve this, I'll drop all my suspicions today. Really. So, try to solve it quietly..."

"I've already solved it."

"What?"

I handed over the completed test paper before the teacher even sat down.

"Since it's multiple-choice anyway, if you were going to give it, you should have made it a subjective test to make it harder."

Then you might have taken some time to solve it?

"V-Very soon?"

The teacher checked the test paper several times, unable to believe it.

"All correct, right?"

"......Y-Yes."

"Then you'll drop your suspicions now?"

"No, wait a moment."

Oh, this teacher. You're persistent.

"Who are you learning from these days?"

"Me?"

"Are you going to a good cram school? Or do you have a private tutor?"

I answered in a very firm voice.

"I only study with textbooks, focusing on Korean, English, and Math."

"......"

"Really."

Still, the teacher didn't seem to believe it.

It's understandable.

A guy who always scored 50 points and was always at the bottom suddenly got a perfect score.

"I'll keep an eye on you, for now."

"But you said you'd drop your suspicions if I solved it all."

"Y-Yes, but the karma you've built up over the years is significant. So, bear with it."

"Ah, yes. I'll aim for another 100 points on the next test, teacher."

I said jokingly, and the teacher smiled.

Relieved that I hadn't cheated.

"Haha. Sure. I'll still check and verify it the same way today, so be careful."

"Really? Then if I get 100 points on the next test, will you buy me something?"

"Pizza and chicken, both. Okay?"

"Yes! And will you buy something for my younger sister too?"

"Who? Oh, Jung Yun-a from the second year? Sure. I'll buy for both of you. But I heard Yun-a isn't easy either... Since I'm in charge of the third year, have her brother give her some tutoring."

Is Yun-a's score that bad?

That's strange.

I know my father graduated from an American university and my mother from a prestigious one.

Did they only pass on their faces and not their brains?

"Yes. I'll teach her very strictly to get a perfect score."

"Good."

"Then, goodbye."

Just as I was about to leave, the teacher stopped me.

"Yun-seong."

"Yes?"

"......I'm grateful that you're working hard now. I thought you had given up on studying completely."

Unlike the grumpy math teacher, our homeroom teacher seemed to be a very kind person.

"Yes, I'll meet your expectations, teacher."

"Okay."

With a warm conclusion, I closed the classroom door and came out.

The school, which was so noisy, was now very quiet.

An unfamiliar silence...

"Brother!!"

"Ah!"

I almost fell over because Jung Yun-a suddenly jumped out from behind.

"Hey, you scared me."

"Hehe. Just for that."

If I had reacted wrongly, Yun-a.

You would have been thrown to the floor and knocked out by now.

"Why are you so late?"

"Oh, I had to talk to the teacher for a bit."

"Huh? What did you talk about?"

"Since you're not good at studying, I'm supposed to teach you."

"What-?! No way. I'm good at studying!"

"Then what score did you get on the last pop quiz?"

"T-That's..."

Yun-a rolled her eyes and suddenly changed the topic.

"Haha. Brother, they patched the online roster for soccer today. Let's go to the PC room?"

It seems her score was so bad that it's hard to even mention.

Good. From today, I'll use all the knowledge I have to teach her.

I don't expect a high score.

I just want her to do well enough to be average.

I'm not going to send her to Seoul National University just because I'm teaching her.

"Shall we go?"

"Sure!"

Whether going to school or coming back, I always walk with Yun-a.

Listening to her chatter is a pleasure.

It's not just because she's my sister.

She has a talent for making things interesting.

At first, I didn't notice, but once she gets going, it's like a pink aura rises around her.

She's that humorous.

It's really funny that such a person was suffering from mental illness and was always gloomy and dark.

"Phew~."

When we arrived at the PC room, Yun-a was performing her usual ritual.

She was deeply inhaling the smell of the PC room she loves.

"Do you like this smell so much?"

"Yes. This is the smell of freedom and joy?"

I chuckled at Yun-a's back as she ran in.

"Oh, you're here."

"Hello, sir."

"Sure. Our Yun-a looks so pretty today? And Yun-seong, you're so quiet. Hehe."

The owner lady really likes us.

She said our regular visits have increased the sales here.

Not only male customers, but surprisingly, the ratio of female customers has also increased.

"Charge us for 2 hours, please."

"I've already charged 10 hours. Just go and log in and start playing."

"Really?"

"You don't have to pay. Just come often and show your face. Got it?"

The lady winked, and I raised my thumb and winked back.

"Hmm~ Where should we sit? Brother."

"Maybe in the corner?"

"Sure."

Yun-a and I found a quiet spot to sit.

Behind our seats was a boy in the same school uniform.

But,

Whoosh!

As if they were waiting, our sides and back were quickly filled with customers.

They moved to their seats at the speed of light, a sight to behold.

"Drink this while you play."

Then a part-time worker came and handed us an ade.

"Really? We didn't order it."

"Yes. I'm giving it to you. If you need more, just send a message to the counter. Got it?"

The owner lady has already given us free time, and now the part-time worker is giving us free drinks.

What kind of life has Jung Yun-seong been living?

"Wow, our brother is popular. The pretty lady's drink must taste even better, right?"

"U-Uh-huh."

But I know that when there are male part-time workers, they always bring drinks to Yun-a.

"Hurry up and drink. It must be delicious. Just for you."

"......"

Why do I have to be the one to notice these things?

It's unfair.

So today, I won't let it go and will make her cry until her tears run out.

I sucked down the ade and entered the game.

I was planning to thoroughly crush Yun-a's squad, who had been acting arrogant in front of me.

But right then,

"Damn it!!"

The student sitting behind us slammed his fist on the keyboard.

"Just die. These damn bastards!"

The noise was so loud and intense that people in the noisy PC room stood up and looked at the student.

"Oh my! What's going on now!"

The owner lady finally came out and grabbed the student's collar.

"Yeon-seok! I told you not to get angry when playing games!"

"Ah! It hurts!!"

"You're making the customers uncomfortable. Be quiet! If you do this again, you won't be able to play at all, got it?!"

Oh, he's the owner lady's son.

Usually, parents drag their kids out when they play games.

Is the owner lady open-minded?

Well, our parents don't say much about us playing a little.

But the funny part was what happened next.

"Sniff. Mom, I'm so angry. I did well, but I lost because of them."

"Ah, no. Why are you crying? It's just a game."

"No, if I lose here, my rank will drop."

The boy was crying so pitifully that the owner lady didn't know what to do.

What game could make him cry like that?

I glanced at the student's monitor.

League of Legends.

Also known as LOC.

It's the most popular game not only in our country but also worldwide.

As soon as I saw the game screen, I understood.

'He has a reason to cry.'

A game where you ask about each other's parents' well-being at the start of each match and can turn a normal person into an orphan in an instant.

A game where trolls are so common that hardworking players end up being the ones who look stupid.

But its addiction is so strong, and it's practically the best online game, so it still holds the top spot in PC room occupancy and has active leagues.

I used to play it regularly before I regressed, so I know the ecosystem very well.

"I need to win and climb. What if I get kicked out of the trainee program? I can't win because of the trolls."

Trainee?

Could he be a pro trainee?

"Seon-ah. No one is going to kick you out. It's just the beginning."

The lady was patting the crying child.

"Let's call it a day today. Okay?"

But the child wouldn't give up.

"No, I'll definitely win today and recover my score."

If he keeps going, he'll definitely go on a losing streak.

I thought about stopping him, but it seemed like I was overstepping, so I ignored it.

'After all, it's not my business. I'm not that good at LOC either.'

I'm just an average player, so I'm not in a position to give advice.

But,

'Huh?'

An aura was flowing from the child's body as he grabbed the keyboard and mouse again.

I've seen auras before, so I could have ignored it,

'But I've never seen one like that before.'

A bizarre, distorted aura was rising as if it would pierce the ceiling.

Chapter 11