Episode 74. Qualifying Camp (1)
inside my dorm.
I was lying on the bed and staring up at the ceiling.
‘There wasn’t even an inch of lies.’
After taking Shin So-ra to the trouble counseling department and examining it through memory reading, a full day has passed.
For some reason, Aram Kang was not in the circle that day. Thanks to that, after skipping the cumbersome process of kicking her out, I was able to cross-verify my past memories and Shin So-ra’s past memories.
same date.
My first meeting with her. It started when I met Shin So-ra on the street.
“Please give me a red line. I am very hungry.”
“what! Where do you get your hands on expensive jeans with dirty hands… … ?”
He was asking for begging while wearing a hoodie all the way over his head. I was caught by my ankle while trying to pass in front of it, and I tried to kick the beggar, but I got startled on the way.
“Boo, please, at least a little bit.”
“Hey you. Look at your face.”
His throat was so hoarse, and he was lying flat on his face, making it impossible to tell whether he was a man or a woman. However, in the past, I crouched down in front of it and looked at the beggar as if I was sure of something.
“ah?”
Forcefully lift the hood.
The identity of the beggar was Shin So-ra.
appearance before change. Black horn-rimmed glasses with messy, curly hair.
“Oh, you were a woman? Besides being from the spirit world, this face. Hmm. It’s twisted, so it’s subtle just looking at it.”
「Oh… … ! Uh, where are you touching?”
“What are you making a fuss about touching my shoulder? Straighten your back a little. Look at your body.”
“Why why… … .”
“Bust is fine. The hip is pretty good, right? I think what will happen if I wash my face thoroughly, put some makeup on, and decorate it well. The basic base is worth looking at.”
“Ugh… ?”
I roughly picked up a wad of 50,000 won bills from my wallet and put them in her hand. Even at a rough estimate, it seemed well over 500,000 won.
“If you get reported even once in a while, it’ll be annoying. Think of it as a deposit and an agreement.”
“This, so many… … .”
“But you. Just know that. the money you have in your hands. Settle for that amount and continue to live like a loser on the street. Or else, follow me and at least live as a human being.”
Shin So-ra looked at the money in her hand with blank eyes.
“What if I follow you?”
“How is it? Even if you have a good body, you can’t even find the courage to find a part-time job, and if you don’t even try, you have to be prepared for your body to suffer. Why are you scared when you talk about your body? Would you wrap it up as a high-class service industry?”
“So, do you make a lot of money?”
“It depends on what level you go up to. what… . Even if it’s only a B grade, if he hugs a man’s arm just once and even whispers a few words of lip service, he earns a lot of money from that.”
“really?”
With eyes as if she saw a ray of light in the darkness, Shin So-ra was looking at me in a kneeling position.
“Have you been deceived? The only thing he knows how to do is make money, and rich middle-aged men who want to hang out with young women on that subject are crazy about that.”
“Why are you giving me so much money…?” ?」
“Why would you give me a lot? That’s right, it’s the money they give you to keep your mouth shut about what you did there.”
“How do you know such details?”
I tidied up my collar and approached Shin So-ra.
“I’ve been free these days, so I have time to grow a new one. From head to toe, even the loser mentality in your head, I’ll fix everything and make you a new person.”
“… … .”
“Ah~ look at the expression that makes me feel good. I’m not forcing you, man. Trust is important on this floor, so if you drag it by force, the kids will only make an accident. If you are interested, follow me on all fours. I have no regrets.”
After saying that, he is about to leave as if he really has no regrets.
and.
“Hey, wait!”
By the time the distance was about ten steps apart. Shin So-ra got up from her seat and looked at me with trembling eyes.
“I don’t really want to hear the beggar’s chatter. If there is anything more you want to ask me, do it after becoming a human first.”
this.
My first meeting with Shin So-ra.
The last parting was the rainy alley at that time.
I have summarized the flow so far.
‘Anyway, that’s how I came to follow me in the past. After being educated under me, I was gradually recognized by the people around me, and a meeting was arranged with a person worth tens of billions of won.
Even though they got to know each other through impure circumstances, the care and teaching they received from me in the process completely changed Shin So-ra’s life.
Even though I treated Shin So-ra like a tool in the past, she quickly rose to the point where she met a billionaire with my help.
‘The property owner really liked Shin So-ra and said he wanted to marry her.’
So many things have changed since the first meeting when she was dressed as a beggar.
‘Even if the relationship breaks down after being abandoned by me on that rainy street.’
Shin So-ra had already made a lot of money thanks to the work I ordered, and her wallet situation had improved. Even if the relationship with me was broken, I was in a position where I had nothing to regret financially anymore.
The memory of Shin So-ra that I first looked into was the scene of the collapse.
‘So at first I thought she might harbor some kind of anger or hatred towards me.’
This was a big mistake and a huge miscalculation.
The change in Shin So-ra’s feelings for me was not something that could be simply defined.
Something more than gaslighting. If it had been gaslighting, it wouldn’t have gone to this level.
I was able to know these facts by directly looking into Shin So-ra’s memories.
‘Is this really an area that can be improved?’
No matter how expert you are, you can’t change your personality. If that were the case, he would have rehabilitated every single prisoner who went to prison for committing a crime into a good person.
What people in the industry like me can do is pave the way. Whether or not the water will flow along that path depends entirely on the will of the other party.
‘A normal person would have simply stopped thinking there.’
Unlike Pyo Yu-rim, whose abilities didn’t work well, Shin So-ra had one more option. Correcting the mind through the power of my natural “influencer”.
Like physical therapy, you can interfere with the opponent’s mind and change their personality. I had enough ability to do that.
In fact, he even made an offer to himself.
“You said you’d change… ?」
“It’s my fault that you became so dependent on me. So, if you want, I’ll make you live independently so that you don’t feel insecure even if you don’t depend on me.”
The day I took Shin So-ra to the trouble counseling department. I told her in front of her that I had given up on my previous job and that I would live a different life from now on. The story of psychiatric treatment also came out at that time.
“I, I… . I really want to hear what my brother says, but… … . I hate this.”
“… … .”
“Of course, it was very difficult when my brother wasn’t around. But more than the hardships, the feeling of wanting to be by my brother’s side again is strong… … . I feel that I have been able to live until now.”
“I see.”
“Because I’m so happy to be close to my brother like this…” … . I don’t know if I can find a happier way than this when I’m fine. So please, just stay by my side.”
As Shin So-ra said that, she looked at me with vague eyes. Looking at it with a somewhat flushed face, I couldn’t bring up any more related topics.
‘It might be better to adjust it rather than forcibly change it.’
Wasn’t it because of the salvation of the world in the end that he decided not to answer Pyo Yu-rim’s feelings right away? It seemed that I would have no choice but to bring out that shameful justification again.
What happens after everything is over, hmm. Let’s leave it to the future me. New Neo Majesty Kim Do-yoon, who has matured a little more than now, will do something.
Anyway, I knew that So-ra Shin had no ill feelings toward me, and when I asked if I could participate in the Meteor Shower, I said yes without hesitation.
“I understand how he feels.”
“what?”
On the way back after the story with Shin So-ra was over. Yu-rim Pyo told me that in an indirect way.
“Because Kim Do-yoon is a very kind person. Of course, I know very well that I want to fix it in a normal way.”
“About my past? don’t you feel anything? It’s unpleasant or unpleasant, you know?”
“Are you trying to change now? That’s enough.”
“What if this was all acting and, in fact, nothing has changed in my heart?”
“does not matter.”
“It doesn’t matter?”
I remember Pyo Yu-rim’s face smiling softly at me.
“I feel the same way as Sora. Please stay by Kim Do-yoon’s side. Then, whether you act like a hero or a villain, I will always be on Kim Do-yoon’s side.”
It feels like it’s hard to breathe because the lungs are weighed down by the sincere heart of others. It reminded me of what Yooseong always said, ‘Only trust me’ or ‘I’ll take responsibility’.
‘Did he always laugh so vigorously under such pressure?’
mate!
I hit my cheek hard with both hands. I took a deep breath and exhaled.
‘Let’s not overcomplicate it. Let’s worry about the problems in front of us.’
In a few days, the selection period will end. After the application period ends, two days later, they immediately enter the training camp stage for the preliminary round. You could call it the so-called 3-1 stage.
The contest is held in a very unique way.
A training camp located a little far from Signal. Students who participate in the selection competition will eat and sleep there for about 10 days and 9 nights and compete in the selection competition. Of course, attendance is allowed during this period.
If you do not meet a certain standard, you may be disqualified at any time during the training camp and may drop out midway. Because the examiners who act as supervisors and graders are watching from around them.
Those who did not pass were returned to their classrooms and continued their normal classes as usual. In the original game, if you were eliminated, a game over decision was made and you restarted from the save section.
‘There is no such additional opportunity in real life. It must be cleared with one stroke.’
You have to be mindful in many ways.
From what I heard from Seol Chae-hwa, the number of contestants during the first year was approximately 1,000.
The average number of students per class is about 150. You can roughly guess the scale from the fact that the number of classes per grade easily exceeds 10.
Signal is a place where adults from all over the Republic of Korea are forcibly called every year to fulfill compulsory education. Because of that, the size of the site is enough to eat steamed in small and medium-sized cities. There has to be a lot of people.
‘It can be said that almost half of the number of first-year students participated.’
It was worth it. The moment you win the Meteor Shower, you only complete up to the grade you are currently in and graduate right away. Who wouldn’t want to do it when you can complete three years of military service in one year?
If so, is the tournament without merit for the third year, the last year? that wasn’t it again
As this is a career that can only be achieved while attending Signal, the third year students are more interested in participating.
Considering that only two candidates are selected for each position by grade level, the competition rate is really absurd. Even the all-rounders were not included in the list of positions.
In fact, it existed until the year before last, but it has been abolished. The purpose was to select talents who could definitely do it in one position, rather than taking halfway power.
“Yes, Mr. Kim Do-yoon. I got a call.”
As your mind becomes more complex, your thoughts become larger than necessary. I called Seol Chae-hwa to change my mood.
Of course, I didn’t call her because I was bored.
“What you said last time. You know, I mentioned the leading candidates who will pass the Meteor Shower selection with Eom Na-yeon. I called about it.”
“The application period was coming to an end. I was thinking about going to the person concerned and working on the bottom.”
“That’s okay. Because I’ve been looking for a better candidate than him.”
“If you are a better candidate than that person… … . Are you saying Shinsou? Did he make it clear to me that he had no intention of participating?”
“I did a good job persuading you.”
“With the power of nature?”
I can’t proudly say ‘no’. It could be said that the past me used the power of nature to convince Shin So-ra in advance.
Pondris pheromones were at their peak there.
“Friends from long ago… We were acquainted.”
Even knowing such a past, it was a bit like that to write the expression that we were close. In the past, I treated Shin So-ra like a puppet. Technically speaking, it was closer to the feeling of an attachment doll.
“Then you should have told me at the after-party. If I had known in advance, I would have been able to respond.”
“A response?”
“No matter how strong a candidate you are, you don’t know what will happen. If possible, I thought that I would apply heavily before and after the training camp for the selection so that I could more definitely pass. It’s good to be prepared.”
Even after graduating from Signal, it is to build a connection with talented people who will be your allies.
‘If it’s Seolchaehwa, it’s Seolchaehwa.’
He would still be preoccupied with clearing things up about false accusations, but even in the midst of this, I thought he was really amazing.
“I couldn’t help it. It’s been a while since I’ve seen you, so I wasn’t sure if you’d listen to me.”
“It’s unfortunate. Still, it’s better to be sure. Now that we know it, we should hurry up and reinforce the plan.”
After that, I talked with Seol Chae-hwa about the selection round for about ten more minutes. What kind of exam will come out, and what kind of exam will need to be prepared in advance. There was a conversation about that subject.
‘hmm. Apart from talking with Seol Chae-hwa, was there anything else to be concerned about during the preliminary round?’
When I thought about it, there was one. It’s more like a happening than a problem.
I don’t know why, but the percentage of female students among the contestants was exceptionally high. On the other hand, it reminded me that the number of male students was disastrously small.
It doesn’t end here, and the number of male students decreases as the selection process progresses, and later, among the first year male students, Yoo-seong is the only survivor.
what happens after that
Every time he plays an active part in the selection, Yoo-seong gains the favor of the female students around him one after another. The heroine around her shows her jealousy over and over again.
‘It’s a common story in male-oriented harem games.’
In that sense, the story aspect was different for me.
Time passed and flowed on the day of the preliminary round. As announced in advance, the students participating in the preliminary round gathered toward the main auditorium.
“hey. Look at the freshman lineup. There are almost only men there.”
“Isn’t it different from what you heard? I heard that there are a lot of female students among the first-year talents this year, right?”
“Didn’t you guys hear that? I heard that a male student who is rumored to be a bad rumor is participating in this selection. There are a lot of first-year girls who didn’t participate because they didn’t want to get involved with him.”
It was just like the buzzing around. Among the first-year participants, there was an overwhelming majority of male students. It was almost faster to count the total number of female students.
“Everyone quiet! Now that all the participants have gathered, let’s move towards the training camp! 3rd graders move to the main entrance of the auditorium, 2nd graders go to the left gate, and 1st graders move to the right gate, led by their guidance teachers! practice!”
At the cry of a supervising teacher who served as an officer in the army for decades, students started moving.
‘What will happen if I do this?’
A strangely different starting point from Jeongsa.
I was at a loss as to how to handle this situation. Is it better to just think positively? You don’t have to go through a tiring happening like a meteor.
… … I thought insignificantly.
Without even imagining what kind of result this male-to-female ratio, which is opposite to Yoosung, would bring about.
“Mr. Kim Do-yoon. let’s go together.”
“huh? Oh, then.”
I followed the procession with Pyoyu-rim, who sneaked up next to me.
“Brother Doyoon! hello! Did you sleep well last night?”
“okay. Shin So-ra, did you sleep well too?”
“lol. I went to bed thinking about my brother, so I fell asleep.”
Before long, Shin So-ra followed me.
“Uncle! uh? are you sora What, do you know my uncle?”
“It’s Nayeon! Yep! I, Doyoon oppa, are really good friends! Have you known each other for a long time?”
“Everyone is gathered. More than that, Shinsora you… … . You really came.”
“Hello, Chae-hwa too~ When I asked last time, you said you weren’t interested, right? But if Doyoon oppa invites you, things will change. so i changed my mind Ehehehe.”
The time when Eom Na-yeon and Seol Chae-hwa approached after him.
“… … .”
“… … .”
The stinging gaze I didn’t notice because the kids were frantic around me. It would have been nice if I had realized sooner the glares of the male students pouring in from all directions.