83

23. 50% attendance rate (3)

Min Geurin put on the item I handed to her without any complaints.

She came in front of the 1st year class 0's classroom's door, but hesitated and couldn't enter.

It looked like Min Geurin's 'many people' from the mid-term exam was lingering in her mind.

"I'll give you an item when you enter."

"Ah, I know!"

Min Geurin gulped down her saliva and then stretched her hand out towards the classroom's door.

In the meantime, I operated the device and activated the program with the setting I prepared beforehand.

Swish—!

The door opened and Min Geurin, who looked inside with a nervous expression, opened her mouth wide.

She looked surprised, but Min Geurin didn't run away.

"Uh, this is… this is master-nim's studio[1]!"

What I handed to Min Geurin were AR glasses.

AR glasses were an instrument which, when synchronized with a device, allowed one to see the mix of reality and virtuality through the glass lenses.

Currently, rather than the non-prescribed, horn-rimmed glasses she used to cover her face with, Min Geurin was wearing an augmented reality device shaped like glasses.

'In order to keep Min Geurin, it was better to build a familiar to her environment.'

My thinking was that rather than the classroom Min Geurin escaped from before, she would feel better in her master's[2], Hong Gyeongbok's studio.

The AR glasses connected with my device made our classroom look like Hong Gyeongbok's studio.

During the days when Min Geurin shook the Korean Art world, the media published many pictures of the two people working in the studio, so it wasn't difficult to imitate.

'Hong Gyeongbok's studio's and the classroom's size and structure are different so it's not perfect, but…'

The classroom desks were changed to look like lacquered hardwood tables, and here and there the classroom's walls were decorated with Hong Gyeongbok's and Min Geurin's paintings.

On empty desks, Korean paper, inkstones, bunchae[3], seokchae[4], chaemuk[5] and bottles with glue water and golden powder for base fabrics materialized.

If looked with AR glasses using the filter I designed, the 1st year class 0's classroom would look like nothing but a studio.

There was also something more to prepare besides the background filter.

"She really came!"

"It's the kid that came during mid-term exams?"

"Woah, it's Geurin, huh!"

I saw the 1st year class 0 children sitting in chairs arranged in a circle.

Excluding Min Geurin, the headcount in the current classroom was seven.

By Min Geurin's standards it was too many people, but she didn't escape.

Rather than escape, Min Geurin mumbled in a dazed voice.

"Chicken… Pebble… Violin…."

Min Geurin was looking at Sawol Seeum, Maeng Hyodon and Lee Lena as she spoke.

"Yes?"

"… What?"

"Ah, you're talking about the filters set on the 'markers' Uisin gave us, huh!"

Lee Lena's words were the answer.

Unlike unmovable backgrounds, moving people were difficult for AR instruments to recognize in real time and apply filters straight away.

The technology to make up for it. It existed in this world.

That was an 'exclusive marker'.

'I'm glad that the store which sold AR glasses and exclusive markers didn't close early yesterday night.'

It was possible to designate a person's face with a marker, but when the face isn't perfectly captured by the AR glasses' camera, it is possible that the marker won't be recognized and the filter will be lifted.

'If something like that happens, Min Geurin may end up panicking.'

In this world, when using exclusive markers that can possibly be electro-recognized by AR glasses or devices, that marker can be overlaid with matching virtual information.

Or in other words, if the kids in class wear the beforehand distributed markers, I can make the class children seen with AR glasses to be always overlaid with the filter I designed.

"Hey! What pebble, vice president!"

"Chicken? Why…"

For reference, our class children were unified with about three head tall cotton dolls.

The dolls were dressed in aprons specially used in Hong Gyeongbok's studio, but I didn't have time to think about anything besides that.

So for minimal differentiation, I set up for the cotton dolls to have a photo attached to their faces.

For Sawol Seeum that photo on the face was a chicken, and for Maeng Hyodon it was a pebble.

"I didn't have time to design it as I spent too much time on the background."

In any case, the thought was that they won't look like people if they're like that.

"Geurin, what do I look like?"

"Look at me too, please."

Soon the kids gathered around Min Geurin.

Though she was flustered, Min Geurin answered the children.

In her eyes, it would look like cotton dolls flocked to her and talked to her, so I guess it didn't feel threatening.

"It's like that, over there is a chicken, here is a pebble, and…"

Each of the pictures I attached to our class kids' cotton dolls was as follows:

Sawol Seeum, chicken.

Maeng Hyodon, pebble.

Lee Lena, violin.

Hwang Jiho, tiger.

Kim Yuri, magnolia.

Han Yi, cake.

And me, the last, chess piece.

"That, can we please change that!"

"Ah, what! Why are only two of us like this!"

Including Hwang Jiho, the rest of the kids liked the photos and didn't have any problems, but Sawol Seeum and Maeng Hyodon were extremely resistant.

While the two of them were saying something, I observed Min Geurin exchanging device codes with other girls, while thinking:

'The ignorant strategy of visual information manipulation is effective. Thank goodness.'

When a person who was traumatized by many unspecified people sees other people in front of them, that person will show a different body reaction from ordinary people.

'Social anxiety or social phobia isn't a simple problem of a mindset. When a person in question finds themselves in front of many people, and in the instant they perceive that fact, their body will react involuntarily of their own will.'

The instant the visual information 'There is someone here' is received by the brain, the hypothalamus and pituitary glands go off and start producing excess of the hormone, adrenaline, and cause the body abnormality.

Things like expanded pupils, racing heart, rising blood pressure, trembling of hands and feet because of tightened muscles and a suffocating feeling as if the insides were suddenly blocked.

As a result of that, a situation arises where it's impossible to control the body with will alone, and usually the person chooses to flee or collapses on the spot.

'Currently, it's impossible to completely heal Min Geurin's fundamental trauma. However, it will be possible to help if Min Geurin has a will to overcome it.'

On the day of mid-term exam, Min Geurin couldn't say much and fled after seeing our class' speechless kids.

In other words, the number of people she saw was the problem there.

If that was the case, I thought that if I first manipulated the visual information to deceive the brain, something like that wouldn't happen.

And that much was possible to achieve even with this world's technology standard.

"Geurin, are sweets fine with you? We also prepared ginger cookies without sugar."

"… I'll eat sweets."

"Then would you like liege waffles? They taste best when pearl sugar is half melted."

"Th-thanks…"

When Min Geurin stretched her hands out and received the waffles Kim Yuri handed to her, the classroom doors opened.

Swish–!

The class bell had yet to ring, but Ham Geun-hyeong already came.

The children didn't hide that they were preparing a party on Teacher's Day, so perhaps because of that, it seemed that he decided to come earlier to spare time during the day-start meeting.

Ham Geun-hyeong saw Min Geurin sitting among the kids and made a surprised face.

"Eight people, huh."

"Yes. It's thanks to Uisin!"

With Kim Yuri as the representative, today's events were organized and passed on to Ham Geun-hyeong.

What I explained to kids when I gave them the markers was the following:

When hearing the words left by Min Geurin during mid-term exam, I assumed that she is very shy[6].

So I said 'let's use AR glasses and markers to help Min Geurin adapt to school'.

"That… Is that so, huh."

Hearing the explanation, Ham Geun-hyeong looked at the markers in the form of badges worn by kids, while smiling softly.

Ham Geun-hyeong with a smile on his grim face nodded slightly towards me.

It seemed that Ham Geun-hyeong praised me.

"That, he-here. A gift!"

After Ham Geun-hyeong finished his words, Min Geurin ran towards him and stretched out the paper envelope.

Inside of the paper envelope Min Geurin handed was a carnation painting on Korean paper.

On Korean paper, expressed only with black ink lines, were wild carnations.

The delicate petals depicted with slim lines and stems formed from bold strokes were filled with liveliness.

"Did you paint it personally? Wow!"

"It's drawn so perfectly…!"

"Wooah, it's like paintings exhibited in a museum."

As a loser living in the corner of the room, Min Geurin couldn't use good materials, but that painting was full of her talent and heart.

"Thank you, Min Geurin."

Ham Geun-hyeong received this painting with a truly bright smile.

As the painting created by the Korean art world's prodigy, its value made it impossible to receive, but it ended with a decision that Min Geurin was still its owner like before, and it will decorate the classroom.

"Then let's sing Teacher's Kindness[7] and cut the cake!"

Kim Yuri stood in front of Ham Geun-hyeong holding the carnation basket as she spoke.

After we all sang Teacher's Kindness together, the tea party started.

I was worried Min Geurin would escape in the middle, but she sat with us until the end.

"The last time I ate and talked like this with kids other than Daeseok… it was a long time ago."

I heard Min Geurin's mumbling in a very small voice.

Teacher's Day.

Eight people from our class came to school and we achieved a 50% attendance rate.

***

Lunch time.

Bench on the 1st years' walk trail.

After eating lunch, I pulled out a canned coffee for dessert and sat down to fall into thoughts.

'Min Geurin said that she would come to school in the morning in the future, so the 50% attendance rate is achieved.'

Min Geurin said she would attend the general class and morning classes the 1st year class 0 takes together.

As a commemorative gift for going to school, I also gave her the AR glasses with the promised earlier 'Water Droplet filled with the Breath of a Mermaid'.

Min Geurin said she would buy AR glasses with her own money, but when she heard the price, she shut her mouth.

She promised she would paint me a painting I'd want as she felt sorry.

'If I sold it, I would be able to buy a few AR glasses and still have spare.'

Of course, I have zero thoughts of selling a painting made by my Playable Character.

'I wonder what type of painting Min Geurin will paint when she completely recovers from her trauma.'

The plan is to not accept the painting Min Geurin paints for me until she takes off the AR glasses and goes to school.

When I was organizing my thoughts and drinking the entire coffee can, I heard familiar voices.

"I wanted to eat lunch with Geurin."

"I guess there are too many people in the cafeteria, so she can't."

"Let's take take-out next time, so we can eat outside or in class together!"

"Okay!"

I heard the voices of Lee Lena, Han Yi and Kim Yuri.

I guess they failed to hold Min Geurin until lunch time today.

Even so, starting next week, Min Geurin would also eat lunch together with those three.

"I have a mini test on today's Introduction to Enemy Studies, so…. I shall go first."

"Ok, see you in the last class!"

"See you next time, Han Yi."

After Han Yi waved her hand, she headed towards the classroom in quick steps.

I was listening together with Han Yi to teacher Gong Cheonghwon-nim's Introduction to Enemy Studies.

And it seems there is a mini test today?

'Should I also head to class beforehand to study with Han Yi?'

When I was thinking like this and was about to quickly drink the remaining coffee.

Before I could drink the entire coffee can, I heard our class kids' voices.

"Oh, it's Uisin!"

"Excellent, I was just about to message you, Uisin!"

I guess the two of them had something to talk with me about.

Kim Yuri and Lee Lena walked up towards me, who had been sitting on the bench and drinking canned coffee.

"Here is a thing, Uisin. I have a request."

I may not known what that request was, but I hoped it wasn't ticketing.

"I, Lena and Hyodon. The three of us wandered around the flower markets together, right? During that, Hyodon didn't seem particularly interested in flowers, so I asked him to go to the VR game room to wait, but…"

Kim Yuri told me about the events the carnation's procurement team went through.

I guess in Kim Yuri's eyes, Maeng Hyodon also looked tired of touring flower markets for the entire night.

In consideration of Maeng Hyodon, Kim Yuri asked him to go rest in some other place.

However, Maeng Hyodon refused and replied he would continue to follow them.

"Thinking about it, I guess Hyodon wanted to buy carnations separately. He later asked us to help him buy something. He said it was for his middle school teacher-nim."

Maeng Hyodon said that during his middle school days, no one besides his 3rd year homeroom teacher who was in charge of mathematics was like a teacher in his county school.

Taking into account that point, there would be no one beside Him who was worthy of being called a teacher-nim.

"We bought a flower basket, and we also went together to Namdaemun materials market to buy decorations shaped like mathematical symbols and attach it, but… it seems that he's hesitant to go or talk to give it."

"Right. He put the flower basket in this school locker and left it, and I don't think he is going to contact his middle school or his teacher-nim."

"If it goes like this, Hyodon won't be able to give the carnations on Teacher's Day."

Was Maeng Hyodon hesitating on the subject of buying carnations?

'There is no way that Maeng Hyodon, who didn't even have a smartphone until now, would know that 3rd year homeroom teacher's contact information… and he will probably hate contacting the school he has not a tiny bit of good memory of even more.'

And if that was the case, if he went to find him in person, he wouldn't be able to simply step in.

'After classes end, there is no assurance Maeng Hyodon's 3rd year homeroom teacher won't leave work unless he is on night duty.'

Middle schools' classes end earlier than highschool ones.

While Maeng Hyodon hesitates, he would lose an opportunity to hand carnations today when the classes end.

"Uisin, can you please help Hyodon? I want to help him personally, but Hyodon seems to be uncomfortable with me and Lena, so…"

Kim Yuri's words trailed off.

I guess, the male highschooler Maeng Hyodon still couldn't talk properly with those two.

'The stone head Maeng Hyodon seems to admire that teacher enough to choose mathematics. If he can't give carnations today, he will regret it.'

Maeng Hyodon's middle school.

Maeng Hyodon's habits.

Today's classes and the remaining time.

As I organized the thoughts in my head, I came up with the answer to what kind of thing I have to do.

Unlike ticketing, it seemed I could easily help this time.

'Teacher Gong Cheonghwon-nim, my apologies. Han Yi, I'm sorry.'

I ended up skipping the afternoon Introduction to Enemy Studies class again today, but I couldn't help it.

"I got it."

Kim Yuri and Lee Lena replied to my answer with relieved voices:

"Wow, thank you!"

"Good luck."

Suddenly, the two people who were looking at my face opened their eyes wide, then looked at each other and smiled.

Why are you like that?

"That is…. I feel reassured when Uisin is making that expression!"

I guess I was making that suspicious expression again.

***

When I was moving towards the classroom while forming a plan on how to drag Maeng Hyodon out.

On the cherry blossom road, where after all the cherry blossoms withered and there were no even a little bit of traces of being used by humans, I discovered one pathetically miserable person.

'Ju Su-hyeok?'

Ju Su-hyeok was leaning against the tree, making a depressed face.

'That's an expression he makes when things don't go well with An Dain.'

As a stagnant water[8] of national hypewreck, I knew straight away.

*~*~*

[1] master's studio – Min Geurin uses yet another word for a teacher, 사부 which is even more polite form than '스승', which I used to translate as master, and which Yeom Junyeol uses to call Jo Uisin for example. I'll just translate both of them as master, because they are still a bit different and more polite than 선생 (teacher). 사부 could be just considered a more polite version of 스승.

[2] her master – Jo Uisin uses 스승.

[3] bunchae – traditional eastern earth paints. They are made from minerals mixed with glue, look like a powder and are mixed with water (or glue+water) to paint. (That was non-artist's explanation, if you're interested in the topic of eastern traditional painting, please head to the nearest expert for more information.)

[4] seokchae – referring to the note above, seokchae are minerals the paints/pigments are made of.

[5] chaemuk – while the above paints were made with minerals, this paint was made out of plants.

[6] is very shy – 'hides her face a lot' in raws.

[7] teacher's kindness – a teacher 'thank you' song. Look for '스승의 은혜' if you're interested in listening.

[8] stagnant water – a slang word for true veterans of a game, who spent really a lot of time in it.

Translator's note: *suspiciously glaring at canned coffee* What is your connection with Gong Cheonghwon?

Special note about English breaking and names' order:

In the future chapters, you may face unusual order when listing people. Like if we usually go in English:

"Kim Yuri, Han Yi, Hwang Jiho and I."

In the future you may see it as:

"I, Kim Yuri, Han Yi and Hwang Jiho."

There are two reasons why it will be so:

1. Author often uses the naming order to match who was speaking in what order. For example:

From chapter 82:

" "I come here at least once every two days!"

"Me too."

"Shall we go together next time? There are pastries that are too big to eat alone, so… I think it will be fine if we divide it half and half."

"Okay!"

Sawol Seeum and Han Yi smiled brightly as they made a promise."

Following the names order:

Sawol Seeum: "I come here at least once every two days!"

Han Yi: "Me too."

Sawol Seeum: "Shall we go together next time? There are pastries that are too big to eat alone, so… I think it will be fine if we divide it half and half."

Han Yi: "Okay!"

Author is doing this for all conversations. Sadly, the author is also very good at giving characters unique voices, which is why this stupid translator never realized that until now, always relying on specific speech patterns to guess who is speaking.

So from now on, if you see 'I' going first, it means that the first sentence was Jo Uisin's.

2. Hidden symbolism, because either this translator or author, or both are crazy.

I can't be sure there were no thoughts behind name sequences, and I won't attempt to guess it (I mean I will, but my guesses shouldn't affect the translation). Maybe the author had a specific reason to put 'I' first in some sentences, or maybe it's just their preference. I don't know.

Did you see a mistake? 🐞

EX-rank's Replajy (82)

EX-rank's Replay (84)