Chapter 29
5.
Unlike the outside world buzzing with stories about the genius S-class Guide, the school was more interested in the upgraded gate level where the students had practiced and the strategy used to conquer it.
There was no need to give me special treatment; the fact that students from the 3rd School had accomplished this was like a huge medal of honor.
This would have been the same situation even in regular schools, not just Esper-Guide schools.
Even though the school hadn’t provided help, the fact that its students received awards became a point of pride for the school.
“Wow, I wish they’d take that down.”
I wish they would finally remove the banner with my name, Yoon Cheong’s, and Ji Yeohoon’s hanging at the school gate, even though several days had passed since we conquered the gate.
The two of them didn’t seem to mind it much, but I was different.
Espers were often the talk of the town as they moved up in rank. Even though they had limited contact with ordinary people due to dormitory life, they all knew they attracted attention.
That’s probably why the school warned students to be careful when creating social media accounts.
It meant Espers were more famous to people than Guides were.
But what was that about being careful on social media? Was this some kind of class to prevent middle school syndrome?
One good thing about regressing was that I prevented all the embarrassing content my past self had posted on social media from ever existing.
Before my regression, that video of me being cute as a baby suddenly appearing on my mom’s Facebook when I was twenty-one…
Well, at least that video was of something I actually did in the past, so I only needed to feel a little embarrassed.
But that banner was quite embarrassing.
Even though I hadn’t done anything particularly meritorious, they were proudly announcing that for the first time since the establishment of Korea’s specialized Esper-Guide schools, middle school students had conquered a C-class gate.
“Isn’t it nice? You’re going to be famous anyway.”
“That might be true for you… but not for me.”
I let out a deep sigh while looking at Ji Yeohoon, who had come to visit our class and was munching on snacks I’d given him.
Maybe he couldn’t help it since he was still a first-year middle schooler craving attention.
It might be the first occurrence since the establishment of ability user schools in Korea, but if we count the time before the schools were established, it wasn’t. There were quite a few cases of children accidentally entering gates and coming out after conquering them.
Laws were enacted to allow gate entry only after middle school, guild membership based on personal choice after becoming an adult, and to void or cancel memberships of minors or those registered by parents.
After that, there weren’t any young conquerors because it would violate the law.
In the 1970s, before related laws were enacted in Korea, there was a famous story about elementary school students who went to gates and conquered them to earn money.
Hearing that story and thinking “oh, that’s cool” is completely different from becoming the middle school conqueror and a celebrity myself.
“Soo-young! Your photos are all over the place!”
“Please don’t look them up…”
I don’t know what’s so great about it, but Yoon Seong-jin seemed delighted.
He was eagerly saving photos on his phone and showing me pictures with my face, which was so embarrassing I felt like I could collapse any moment.
I’d heard that once you become famous, your popularity keeps rising, but I never thought I’d experience it myself.
Right now, I must be the most famous student in this middle school building, no, in the entire 3rd School.
“Moon Soo-young, saw you on the weekend.”
“Ah…”
Even teachers who had only greeted me in passing were now openly talking to me.
Yoon Cheong, sitting next to me, had been tapping on his phone with Ji Yeohoon. I wondered what they were doing…
“Hyung, I want this one.”
“Then send me the one you found earlier.”
These damn Espers…
They were doing exactly the same thing as Yoon Seong-jin.
“Delete them!”
“Hyung, why would I delete something so precious!”
“Hey, you little brats!”
“Hyung, nice words, nice words.”
I wish they would just fight with each other as usual, instead of saving my photos.
Feeling a strain at the back of my head, I sighed deeply. Ji Yeohoon was grinning happily in front of me, and Yoon Cheong looked pleased too.
“What’s wrong? The photos turned out really nice. You should save things like this.”
“Save your own photos, your own photos.”
“Why would we save our faces when we can see them in the mirror?”
“Then you don’t need to save my face either since you can see it directly.”
“How are those the same thing?”
What is this? Am I talking to rocks right now?
I didn’t have confidence in winning since they weren’t making any sense.
The boys, like proud parents showing off their children, were checking all sorts of news photos, but they weren’t saving photos of themselves.
In revenge, I started saving photos of the two of them on my phone, but these brats didn’t seem to care.
They actually looked even more pleased, so I ended up giving up first.
“Aish, go back to your own class.”
“Hyung, nice words make you feel good.”
“I’m not feeling good right now, you brat.”
“…Hey, Ji Yeohoon, that wasn’t the photo.”
“Wasn’t this what you asked me to send? I received the photo fine.”
“Hey, you little sh—”
“Tut-tut, Hyung should use nice words too. I’m going back to my class!”
Ji Yeohoon stood up from his seat, placed his hands on the desk, and jumped over it.
It seemed like Yoon Cheong tried to grab him by the collar, but Ji Yeohoon’s movements were surprisingly fast.
He seemed to be growing taller these days, catching up with me, and the speed at which he jumped over was concerning.
Yoon Cheong had a frustrated look on his face after failing to exchange photos.
Seriously, how is that something to be frustrated about? Please explain it to me.
Since the gate conquest, the two had been bickering more than before, but their bickering had clearly changed.
Before, it felt like they didn’t like each other but had to stick together because I put them together.
But now, it’s like they’ve become more comfortable with each other.
Maybe the wall between them disappeared after overcoming danger together.
Now it feels like they’re just habitually teasing each other.
“Yeohoon and Cheong seem to have changed a lot.”
“I’m not the only one who feels that, right?”
When I heard this, I immediately asked, and Yoo Ji-ae nodded.
“Before, they fought with a ‘whatever’ attitude, but now… um…”
How should I explain it? Should I say it feels like they’re bickering as equals?
Until now, they saw each other as inferior, but now there’s a strong sense that they truly acknowledge each other as similar.
The tone of trying to put each other down seems to have disappeared a bit.
I should be happy that my plan to make them close from a young age has succeeded, but considering this atmosphere developed after visiting the gate, I couldn’t be entirely pleased.
It’s like they’re following the old-fashioned story that Espers grow by going through gates.
Doesn’t this mean these kids are being raised as combat personnel from a young age?
“By the way, weren’t you called by the teacher earlier?”
I asked, hoping they would finally stop saving photos, and Yoon Cheong finally put his phone in his pocket.
Right after lunch ended, while we were eating snacks and staring blankly at the sky like sunflowers, he suddenly received a call and was summoned.
The same happened to Ji Yeohoon, who was crunching snacks beside me, but I had forgotten about it because I was distracted by these guys saving photos as soon as they returned before class started.
“The gate conquest application was approved.”
“…What gate conquest?”
“Espers with experience conquering D-class gates can work part-time at gates.”
I looked at Yoon Cheong with an incredulous face.
“…What? Did I hear wrong? You applied for a part-time job?”
“Yeah. I’m going to tag along with Auntie and Uncle for a conquest next weekend.”
“What about Ji Yeohoon then?”
“He can’t.”
“Why not?”
“He’s not 14 yet.”
Maybe Ji Yeohoon wasn’t just being petty about photos with Yoon Cheong.
Regular people can work part-time from age 15, but Espers and Guides can start from age 14.
Espers needed different age requirements because they mature faster after manifesting, and Guides needed the exception because there weren’t enough of them.
They both would have heard about this in the same office since they’re both in middle school, but Ji Yeohoon couldn’t apply because of the age restriction while Yoon Cheong could apply as he pleased.
Ji Yeohoon must have frowned deeply seeing this, while Yoon Cheong would have been radiating pleasure.
“You’ll be doing this constantly after becoming an adult anyway, so is there a need to start so early?”
I asked out of concern, and Yoon Cheong pressed his lips together.
I wondered if it was about money, but Yoon Cheong’s family wasn’t in a position to worry about money.
I could also apply for guiding part-time jobs, but gate entry would only be possible for practice like before, so I wouldn’t be able to participate in conquests.
If I were to apply, I would be primarily assigned to guide Espers coming out of the gate on the same day Yoon Cheong enters.
Ah, so that’s why Ji Yeohoon was annoyed.
He wants to receive guiding from me, but if I apply for a part-time job, I’d have to guide Yoon Cheong.
I wondered if Yoon Cheong had also thought about this when applying.
Judging by Yoon Cheong’s face, it seemed my suspicion was correct.
But you’ve misunderstood, you little Esper brats.
“You should do what you want. Have a good time.”
“Huh…?”
“Have a good time.”
I’m not going, you idiots.
I know how dangerous gates are, so if you applied despite that, get your guiding from the guild.
A moment of despair flashed across Yoon Cheong’s face.
Figure it out yourself, you fool.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
