The Applauding Extra 5

“You just need to answer three questions.”

As school ended, a fan club member I’d seen before handed a note to Hee-ae and spoke. He also gave me a note. What was his name again?

“You have a week, and I’ll give you my contact info so you can send your answers by message.”

I’ll submit it after about 5 days, I guess? I put the note in my pencil case and finished packing my bag.

Hee-ae and I live in opposite directions. So I have no choice but to walk home alone. Hee-ae expressed disappointment about not being able to go together, but I started walking anyway. As the chilly wind brushes past, my breath forms misty puffs that appear and vanish. Tuesday was coming to an end.

Although I’ve transmigrated into a novel, my family and our home remain the same. Of course, there have been some colorful changes. Like my mother’s eyes now having a light green tint, unlike before.

I entered the familiar password and greeted my mother. And there was a large man occupying the living room.

“Father?”

It was my father, whom I hadn’t seen in a long time. He smiled warmly and waved his hand.

“Did your business trip end?”

“It ended earlier than expected, so I rushed back to see you all.”

It had been a really long time. Even before transmigrating here, I hadn’t seen my father for a month. I smiled brightly with delight.

“Always going on business trips, and you still call yourself a father, really.”

My mother playfully scolded him.

***

Before transmigrating, I read novels indiscriminately. I didn’t discriminate by genre. I read fantasy novels, romance novels, horror novels—everything.

Since I read whatever came my way, I didn’t remember titles well. I only vaguely remembered the context of the stories. And even that got mixed up here and there after the shock of transmigrating. All I barely remembered was the title and the content of Chapter 1.

‘Don’t Obsess Over That Villain’

That was the setting—I had transmigrated into an internet novel that was popular when I was young.

Internet novels from when I was young had quite cringeworthy writing styles by today’s standards. Han Cho-yeon, who transmigrated into such a novel, shudders at this cringeworthiness.

Han Cho-yeon transmigrated into a villain and tries not to catch the eye of the protagonists, the Five Great Kings. But as novels go, ending up catching their attention was the content of Chapter 1.

I slammed the desk.

“Of course you’ll catch their eye! Everyone else is praising them, but you’re the only one going ‘I don’t know them, I don’t care.’ Even I would be curious about that.”

I shouted, completely immersed.

“If I transmigrate, I’ll just quietly clap as an extra.”

After making such a bold claim, I really did transmigrate.

‘Transmigrating into a novel about transmigrating into an internet novel….’

I entered the novel three days before school started, and now, three weeks after enrollment, I’m still diligently clapping.

***

“I’m off.”

“Take care.”

With my parents’ farewells, I left home. I had enjoyed the past week. With my father’s return after a long absence, our family atmosphere had become warmer. It was especially so because father said he wouldn’t have business trips for a while.

And today marks the third week since school began—already the latter part of March. It should be time for the protagonist to arrive. If I recall correctly, they said he couldn’t come because he was sick. I don’t remember exactly.

I took out my phone and pressed the keys to send a message.

[Yu Shi-dan][8:18 AM] 37. Lee Ye-gyeol nim has a mole near his right eye. 38…(omitted)

[Kim In-sae][8:19 AM] Confirmed. ^^

A reply came in one minute. Judging by the tone, it seems like a copy-paste response.

What I just sent was the answer to three questions given as a fan club activity last time. I smiled back at the ^^ attached at the end. The message I just sent will be forwarded to the fan club executives and compiled together.

‘It’s not too late. Should I withdraw?’

I felt a momentary impulse but suppressed it and took my eyes off the phone. Today’s walk to school was extremely ordinary. I wish it could always be like this.

Click.

“Hello.”

I was in a good mood today, so I greeted the students first. Though they looked a bit surprised, all the students in my class kindly returned my greeting.

Looking at the seat behind mine, Nam-hwi’s seat and the one beside it were still empty. The only remaining seat in our class was the one next to Nam-hwi. Coming in to find yourself next to one of the Five Great Kings on the first day—tough luck.

I put down my bag, smiling brightly at Hee-ae and the fan club students. The students were puzzled by my unusually excited demeanor.

“Did something good happen?”

“What’s wrong with smiling? You don’t like it?”

In-sae, whom I’ve recently become friends with, looked at me as if seeing something bizarre. Hee-ae said softly:

“No, not at all.”

“Thanks.”

I replied and sat down.

I don’t know when exactly, but the protagonist will be arriving soon. That fact made me extremely happy.

Before, I was anxious about catching attention, but now I can say goodbye to that worry. The protagonist will stand out much more than me, so I’ll just blend in appropriately. If they’re going to come, I hope it’s today.

And not much time had passed.

Creak—

Bang.

The classroom door opened with an unusually loud noise. A door sound that draws everyone’s attention like this must be the protagonist. Coming today, you’re really a good kid. I turned around with a bright smile.

He enters with slightly widened eyes, as if surprised himself. The first things noticeable are his softly falling silver hair and upturned blue eyes. He has an astonishingly pretty appearance. Just as described in the book.

Ah, it’s Han Cho-yeon. The protagonist who transmigrated.

The students stirred at Han Cho-yeon’s appearance. I examined Han Cho-yeon, a fellow transmigrator, with curious eyes. Surely the novel hasn’t twisted to the point where he hasn’t actually transmigrated?

“Han Cho-yeon, you’re in our class, but why haven’t you been coming to school?”

“He’s handsome…”

“No, he’s pretty.”

“Kyaaa… like a fairy.”

I watched Cho-yeon while listening to the surrounding students’ conversations. Strangely, there are many such vibrant high-pitched voices in an ordinary boys’ high school. Ah, it’s a novel world. I understand now!

When a small boy made eye contact with Cho-yeon, he let out a cute scream and cupped his cheeks. These kids really blush easily. Cho-yeon’s eyes rapidly lose their life.

That reaction is similar to mine when I first heard the twins’ aegyo. It seems Cho-yeon has indeed transmigrated. Only a transmigrator could have such deadpan eyes.

After that momentary falter, Cho-yeon calmly walked into the classroom. I could understand his feelings. He must be thinking, ‘This crazy novel world,’ and decided to ignore it?

Cho-yeon stopped his confident stride. He blinked expressionlessly. Ah, Cho-yeon doesn’t know where to sit.

‘Should I tell him his seat?’

“Y-You sit here.”

Fortunately, kind Hee-ae tapped the seat behind him and spoke in a barely audible voice. Hee-ae stuttered briefly in confusion.

Cho-yeon nodded at Hee-ae’s words and plunked down in the seat. Then he immediately put his head down on the desk. Plus 10 points for the strong entrance and finish from the start. The students in the class stirred at Cho-yeon’s indifferent attitude.

“Like a noble crane…”

A student from the adjacent row said, clapping his hands softly. The surrounding students nodded in agreement.

Cho-yeon is more like a swan than a crane, with that slim, pretty face of his—swans have that look. I contradicted in my mind. Even his hair color is silver, clearly a swan.

“Look at him, silver hair. How should I describe it? Like the first snow.”

Hee-ae said to me. When I smiled at him, Hee-ae continued with slightly reddened ear tips.

“…Being next to Nam-hwi nim, I’m jealous.”

So it all comes back to Nam-hwi? Your ears turn red whenever Nam-hwi is mentioned, I see that clearly. I stared blankly at Hee-ae, Nam-hwi’s passionate fan. Hee-ae’s ears turned even redder. Thinking about Nam-hwi…?

Today the Five Great Kings are coming late. Normally they would arrive a bit earlier than me, but they’re unusually late today. I praised them for being exemplary before, but that’s all useless now. Now they’ll probably make their grand entrance last, just because the protagonist has arrived.

Sure enough, 5 minutes before the bell rings, the Five Great Kings make their flashy entrance. The students voluntarily offer explanations about the Five Great Kings, who are particularly eye-catching today. It’s such a kind explanation that even someone who knows absolutely nothing would understand what the Five Great Kings are.

“Kyaaaaa!!!! Take me!”

“They’re the top-ranked nationwide, right?”

“I heard they defeated Inwon High yesterday too? So cool.”

“There’s no one who doesn’t know them!”

“Despite countless confessions, they’ve never accepted anyone, they say?”

Wow, so they’re all single? That’s unfortunate.

I looked toward the Five Great Kings with eyes burning with passion. If I show a lukewarm reaction here, I’ll immediately stand out. Determined not to lose, I shouted:

“They’re so cool today that I might go blind—sunglasses are now essential items!”

I clapped my hands with tears welling up in my eyes, pretending to be moved. It feels incredibly embarrassing after saying it, but the surrounding kids are half-crazed, shouting just as much.

‘Maybe just clapping every day isn’t enough?’

This thought suddenly occurred to me, so I stopped clapping. The students had begun their 500-word descriptions of the Five Great Kings as if hypnotized. Our kids would do really well in creative writing… They won’t need to worry about their career paths.

Nam-hwi’s expression became somewhat subtle, as if he had noticed Cho-yeon who remained unmoved by the students’ cheers. He spoke kindly to Cho-yeon:

“Hello?”

Hee-ae flinched visibly at the exceptionally kind voice. This time his face turned so red, like a tomato, that I wanted to press it.

“Ah, yeah.”

And with that, Hee-ae’s and the surrounding students’ pupils vibrated intensely.