Chapter 7

7

'I need to earn money.'

I had always thought about it, but my resolve became even stronger after meeting my grandfather.

Until then, I was preoccupied with getting used to my new life as 'Rohan.' I also had the constant anxiety that I might wake up from this 'dream' at any moment.

However, human adaptability is truly frightening. After about a week, I gradually began to accept that I was 'Rohan.'

Around that time, a sense of direction in life started to form.

'I can't keep relying on others forever.'

It was only natural for me to think this way given my situation.

After all, I am an 'outsider.' My mother and father, who were still on a business trip, were in the position of supporting a 'Rohan' who was just a shell.

'I don't want to be a burden anymore.'

The thing I hated the most in my previous life was being a burden to someone. A life where I had to rely on others was powerless. The memory of that time still lingered as a scar deep in my soul.

To be completely free from the shackles of the past, I needed to achieve complete independence.

'Let's start by writing a novel.'

When I decided to earn money, the first thing I wanted to do was write.

My mind still held the works I had poured my heart into during the last year of my previous life.

And as someone who had been addicted to reading for about 30 years, those works were definitely not bad.

While they may not have achieved commercial success, I was satisfied with the quality of each work.

'I'll have to see how it goes.'

I made the most of my free time to continue writing.

"'I checked the package. There was no sender information. However, the recipient's name and phone number were clearly written. It was suspicious. It wasn't the time when delivery companies usually circulate through apartments, so I hesitated to open it. I left it outside. I also thought about returning it, and if someone stole it, I wouldn't have to worry about it anymore.'"

I decided to start with a work titled [Unsolved 7].

Not all of my works were like this, but most of my early attempts were numbered instead of titled.

So [Unsolved 7] means it was the seventh work I wrote.

If I had to categorize it, it would be considered an early work, with very rough writing but a powerful story.

'The story just poured out. I barely managed to keep it in check and give it direction.'

Since I had just started writing, ideas were gushing out of my mind. When I actually started writing, the story flowed out like a dam had broken.

At that time, I completed the novel enthusiastically and without hesitation. I didn't even revise it. Strangely, I felt that the more I revised, the more the writing became bland.

'The raw feeling, I guess? If I killed that, it would have been better not to write at all.'

So, while the result was rough, I was satisfied with it in its own way.

'Finally, it's done.'

It took me a total of one month to complete [Unsolved 7].

In my previous life, I had written all my works in Korean, so translating them into English took more time than expected.

'Rohan's' basic vocabulary was lacking, and even though I was the same person from my previous life, my translation skills were not great, which caused me a lot of headaches.

'I studied hard, but strangely, my concentration improved.'

Was it because my body was younger? When I studied for the GED, I also noticed that my concentration had improved to a frightening degree.

I quickly understood difficult concepts, and as I became more familiar with English, I even started to feel like I was writing directly in English rather than translating.

'[Unsolved 7] has a relatively simple structure and easy content, so I decided to start with this work...'

Putting aside such doubts, I focused on completing [Unsolved 7] and managed to finish it within a month of starting.

"......"

Holding the completed [Unsolved 7] in my hands, I felt a strange sensation.

In my previous life, all my works were stored only as digital files.

But this time, I didn't stop there; I went to the library and printed everything out.

Even though it was just a stack of printouts, holding my work on physical paper stirred my emotions.

'How would it feel if this were actually published as a real book?'

Just imagining it made me happy.

I read through [Unsolved 7] again, word by word.

'It's interesting. I can hardly believe I wrote it.'

Feeling prepared, I started compiling submission emails to famous publishers.

In the United States, the five largest major publishers are called the Big Five. I listed a total of 50 places where I could find submission emails, including these.

I also compiled 50 contacts of literary agencies that regularly solicit manuscripts.

Now that all the preparations were complete, all I had to do was send the manuscript.

"......"

But the thought of presenting it to the world made me feel afraid.

I found it enjoyable to read, but would others feel the same?

I was scared of the public's reaction and the criticism of experts.

Since I had never shown my work to anyone before, it was difficult to send the emails.

'...Well, it's a risk worth taking.'

I mustered the courage to send my manuscript to 100 places.

"Ah..."

The thought of others reading my work made me kick the covers off in my sleep.

'If only I could recall the emails...'

Now, it was time to wait.

*

The three major sports in the United States are American football, basketball, and baseball.

American football is overwhelmingly the most popular, followed closely by basketball, which is slightly more popular than baseball.

For some reason, the American football season starts first, followed by basketball, and baseball is the last to begin.

"Isn't it almost time for our school's first American football game? Who are we playing against?"

"Even if you're a freshman, how can you not know that? The opening game is always against our rival, Pacific Heights."

"Oh, that's rough. They're the North Cal champions. They're often invited to national tournaments..."

Although Oakland High School was one of the lowest-ranked schools in the country, it was the opposite in sports.

With over 1,500 students, the school had a wide pool of talent, and the overall school atmosphere was such that students were more interested in sports than in studying, leading to a high percentage of students dedicating their entire lives to sports.

"Still, you never know. Games against Pacific Heights are so intense that upsets often happen."

"Really? I didn't know that."

"Wow, what do you know? We usually lose to Pacific Heights, but we play the most fiercely and have the most fights, so it's always the game with the highest attendance."

"Hey, I've heard rumors of fights breaking out. Isn't that the flower of amateur American football?"

"Especially this year, with many promising juniors and seniors being scouted by colleges, it should be quite a show. Last year, we placed in the top three in North Cal, and most of the starters are still here."

"Top three?? Then isn't it possible for us to place first or second this year??"

"Of course. That's why the school has increased the budget. Thanks to that, many top freshmen have enrolled, and this year's tryouts are expected to be intense."

"Wow. The tryouts are open, right? Let's go watch."

"Definitely. It's one of the biggest events at Oakland High. The football team tryouts. Almost the entire school will be there, right?"

With the American football season approaching, heated discussions were taking place all over the school.

- Rogers is the new captain, right? He's been a starter since his freshman year last year, so he's been promoted to captain. He's insane.

- Rogers is a national-level player. I bet there are promising players who chose our school over Pacific Heights because of Rogers.

- Right. Who is he? This year's freshman, Jones, is a case in point. He's a California middle school champion who turned down other offers to come to our school.

- Insane. We could aim for a North Cal championship and even a national tournament??

- Definitely. This year's tryouts are even more promising. The quality of the freshmen is completely different.

*

This enthusiasm also spread to the Oakland High School football team.

"Your feet are showing! Aren't you running hard enough?? Five more laps!!"

"Push, push, push! Is that all you can do?? Should I mix you a bottle of formula??"

"Blockhead. Did you forget the tactics already?? I'll have them tattooed on your arms!!"

The training intensity was increased from the beginning of the semester. Although the tryouts for new members were still to come, the league mostly featured juniors and seniors as starters.

The current roster was 95% likely to be the final team.

With the opening game, [Pacific Heights vs. Oakland], just 10 days away, the coaches were squeezing every last drop of sweat from the players.

"Training is over, you brats. If you show such poor stamina tomorrow, you'll all be cut!"

The players, exhausted, headed to the locker room.

Dozens of them took cold showers and struggled to change into their clothes.

"Rogers, did you hear about that?"

Rogers, one of the few blonde white guys and a typical handsome man at Oakland High, turned his head. It was Samuel, a receiver he often worked with.

"What?"

"Apparently, that bastard is coming to the tryouts tomorrow?"

"Bastard?"

A word he hadn't heard in a while, but it was a nickname he had heard often when he first enrolled, so he quickly remembered.

"Are you talking about Cromwell? I thought he was expelled..."

"Not Cromwell. Just Rohan Kim. He has East Asian blood, so they said his athletic ability was crippled. No wonder he was kicked out of his family."

"But why is he suddenly trying out? Can second-year students even try out?"

Tryouts were usually held to select new members, primarily freshmen.

"Originally, tryouts are open to all grades. Some kids grow a lot after their second growth spurt."

"Hmm."

"Of course, Rohan Kim isn't one of those cases. I don't know what's gotten into him lately, but he's been showing up at school more often, and he's about the same height. He looks thinner, probably from drugs."

As Rogers listened to his story, he recalled last year's events.

'Being a Cromwell, I approached him to be friends.'

Rogers had a very clear goal when he enrolled at Oakland High. He was willing to be friends with anyone who could help him achieve that goal.

And Rohan Kim, with his East Asian blood, was a highly anticipated prospect, even more so than Rogers himself.

He felt more excitement than jealousy, looking forward to friendly competition.

- I'm Rogers. We'll be competing for positions, but I hope we can be friends.

Rohan Kim laughed. Rogers still vividly remembered what he said.

- Get lost, you idiot. Enjoy this trash school to your heart's content. Small ponds make the bravest fish.

- ...

- Not leaving? Do you want to get beaten up?

Rohan Kim was ashamed of being stuck at Oakland High and didn't join any sports teams.

He hung out with troubled kids, caused trouble, and eventually stopped coming to school altogether, so Rogers lost interest in him.

'But now he's suddenly trying out...'

"What a lunatic... How much does he underestimate our football team to show up after a year of not exercising and being high on drugs?"

"Let's beat him up when we see him at tryouts. Make sure he never shows his face again."

Not just Samuel, but other starters were also grinding their teeth.

Rogers, too, had been ignored by Rohan Kim, but he quickly lost interest.

'What is he thinking?'

Rogers briefly pondered but soon lost interest.

Rohan Kim had become someone not worth his attention.

*

It was the day of the tryouts.

"Ah! The smell of grass."

I stepped onto the outdoor field, which was already packed with people.

The stands were full, even though there was no official game.

'American high school sports are indeed very popular.'

Everyone's gaze was cold, but that was to be expected. Rohan Kim was a typical troublemaker. Now, anyone who was nice to him was suspicious.

'Let's start with a simple warm-up, I guess.'

Just then, someone approached me.

"......?"

American Physical Genius 8