Emily Brontë’s ‘Wuthering Heights’ is quite an interesting novel. I’d even read the Korean version several times. But they’re going to teach it? It was a class I’d absolutely never refuse. Yeah, normally I would have participated in this class very enthusiastically and concentratedly. But I couldn’t do that at all. It was because Bryan Roberts was on my mind.
‘Tell me everything you know about Bryan Roberts, quickly!’
I shouted inwardly toward the system. The system made a “wooong” sound, then began to display information in the air, letter by letter.
Bryan Roberts – Lived in Texas, parents divorced due to mother’s affair. Came to Bluedale with his father. Huge fan of the comic ‘One-Eyed Jack’. Hobby is writing novels, always writes stories where he’s the heroic protagonist.
I knew Bryan Roberts was a nerd and an incel¹⁾. It seemed I’d have to get more detailed information through conversation. But how? First, I’ll greet him, and then…….
Ah, I suddenly remembered the tip that came up when I received the new quest. It said the higher the affection, the more they’ll listen to what I say! Then I could build up Bryan’s affection and persuade him not to commit terrorism later. I felt uneasy about him being someone who committed indiscriminate gun terrorism, but I had no choice to prevent future disaster.
“Well then, that’s all for today’s class.”
The bell rang just then and class ended. I slowly packed my things while gauging the surroundings. And when almost all the students had left the classroom, I approached Bryan, who was hunched over like a frightened animal.
“Hi, I’m July. July Baek.”
“……”
Bryan, who had been wiggling his insect-leg-like long, thin fingers, rolled his eyes and looked up at me silently. Those eyes were black and shiny. The slightly cloudy whites were tangled with blood vessels, making me dizzy, and the area under his eyes was dark with dark circles. An unpleasant appearance in many ways. Nevertheless, I didn’t erase my smile and spoke again.
“I’ve been living here in Bluedale the whole time. If there’s anything you don’t know, ask me. I heard during class, but could I hear your name one more time?”
“……Why?”
“Huh? Well…… we’re classmates taking the same class!”
“I hate kids like you. You’re handsome so you must have lived an easy life. That’s why you’re popular, at the very top of the caste system, unnecessarily cheerful and bright. Don’t you want to be acknowledged as generous and kind enough to show mercy to a loser like me?”
“……”
He was more twisted than I thought. Does a person have to have this much of an inferiority complex to commit gun terrorism? I just wanted to smack him on the head and walk out of the classroom. I hate you too! I hate it! But, for your sake, for my sake, and…… for everyone’s sake including that bastard Joel, it’s better if you don’t commit any crimes.
“Hmm, I guess you could think that way. But I’m not that popular, you know? I’m a nerd too. I like comics. Do you know One-Eyed Jack? I like that the most……”
“……You know that?”
As soon as I brought up the title of the comic he liked the most, Bryan cut off my words, stood up abruptly, and glared at me. Does that mean he hates it, or does he like it? I was confused, but I laughed “haha” for now.
“You know it too?”
“To know that masterpiece……”
Bryan looked me up and down. It was a look as if evaluating me. It wasn’t pleasant, but I held back and kept my mouth corners pulled up the whole time, then Bryan suddenly said.
“What was your name again?”
“July. July Baek. What was your name?”
“Bryan Roberts.”
<Character Status Window>
◈ Name: Bryan Roberts
◈ Age: 17 (12th grade)
◈ Popularity: -30%
◈ Affection: 10♥
◈ Nicknames: Transfer Student, Country Bumpkin, Hick
◈ Special Notes: Huge fan of the comic ‘One-Eyed Jack’
“Who’s that? Ahh, that kid who came from the countryside? He looks gloomy, not my type.”
He definitely seemed to hate me earlier, but seeing he has an affection of 10, I guess it’s the effect of ‘One-Eyed Jack’.
“If you like it too, do you want to talk about that comic later? After all, there’s no one at this school who knows that comic.”
“I knew it…… From the moment I entered this school, I felt it in the air. There’s no way there’d be anyone here who knows that kind of thing.”
Bryan suddenly looked into the air and sniffed. I have no idea what he felt in the air. Still, I didn’t erase the smile on my face.
“Do you have time after school tomorrow?”
“……I do.”
Bryan nodded, though he didn’t completely drop his guarded attitude.
After getting Bryan’s contact information, I left the classroom with a much lighter heart. Then I discovered a large figure standing next to the door and was so startled that my legs gave out.
“……What!”
“What were you talking about with that transfer student?”
“……It’s a secret.”
“A secret, a seeecret?”
I didn’t want to tell him, so I turned my head sharply, and Joel pulled my chin with his index finger to make me face him. He lowered his face close to mine. I stumbled backward.
“J-just! We talked about comics!”
“Comics?”
Joel’s brow furrowed slightly.
“Yeah. Comics. Since we like the same comic, we just talked about comics……”
“Hmm.”
Joel, with his arms crossed, raised his eyebrows as if suspicious. After looking down at me silently like that for a while, Joel suddenly asked.
“What comic?”
“……One-Eyed Jack.”
“Don’t get too close with the transfer student.”
“Why.”
Tap, Joel’s index finger pushed my forehead. He’s doing this again, again! When I responded dissatisfied, Joel pulled both corners of his mouth and grinned.
“I’m jealous.”
“……What?”
“Just go to class. Fuck, I’m dying of sleepiness, I should go home and sleep.”
It was still morning. Nevertheless, Joel trudged toward the parking lot. Such a scoundrel. But what did he mean by being jealous? Is he just saying that? Why does he care that I’m talking to Bryan? ……Does he really like me?
“……No way.”
As soon as I imagined Joel liking me, I got goosebumps. Because the very idea of Joel Gomez ‘liking’ someone was unfamiliar and strange. Joel’s affection toward me was abnormally high, but it definitely couldn’t be in a romantic direction. That’s because Joel Gomez is Joel Gomez, and I’m July Baek.
I didn’t want to misunderstand the heart of a heterosexual boy who couldn’t possibly like me again. Didn’t I do very foolish things and think foolish thoughts, falling for Dave’s kiss and sweet words? Those guys just wanted to mess with me.
* * *
For an in-depth conversation with Bryan, I headed straight to the bookstore. And I bought all the books related to ‘One-Eyed Jack’. I may look like this, but I was ranked first in my whole school. This kind of comic, studying it is a piece of cake!
I started confidently, but in fact, it wasn’t easy at all. The comic that came out around World War II had a long history and unnecessarily many versions. I had to memorize all those versions.
‘One-Eyed Jack’ was a comic where the characters from playing cards were the protagonists, and the protagonist, One-Eyed Jack, was an anti-hero. He had a rough, sly attitude in everything, and despite all his actions being selfish, he unintentionally did righteous things or saved people.
Among the various versions, I suddenly thought One-Eyed Jack resembled Joel. That One-Eyed Jack was set up as having gone crazy from feeling empty about the endless multiverse, and that crazy personality was similar to Joel’s. Of course, Joel’s mouth was much filthier though.
“……But why am I thinking of that bastard?”
I’m dying of busy-ness since I have to talk with Bryan tomorrow, but I don’t know why Joel Gomez suddenly comes to mind.
Come to think of it, that bastard said he was my life savior and acted like he did me a huge favor, but I have no idea what he’ll demand. Money? That doesn’t seem like it. Joel teased me calling me ‘bourgeois young master’, but he wouldn’t extort money…… no wait, he already extorted 10 dollars from me.
It might be money. What if it’s money? They said there’s a trust fund in my name, but if I use that…… of course not. If he was going to demand that much money, he would have done it already. Because that’s the most obvious condition.
My labor…… I already proved it was pretty useless when we went to the movie theater. My brilliant mind, he ignores it calling me stupid, so obviously not. It’s not like something like that, right? Like making me dance in front of the whole school, or confessing a secret. Nah, no way something that childish……! What if it really is that? Damn it, Joel Gomez was so childish!
I worried all night thinking about what Joel would demand in return for saving my life. At the same time, I studied ‘One-Eyed Jack’ hard, so Joel as One-Eyed Jack appeared in my dream. Joel, wearing an eye patch like pirates would wear over one eye, looked into my eyes and shouted.
‘Idiot! At least wake up!’
“……Huk!”
As soon as I heard that line, I woke up with a start. And a few seconds later, bzzzzzz! Bzzzzzz! Bzzzzzz! My cell phone vibrated violently. I thought it was an alarm, but it wasn’t. Bzzzzzz! Bzzzzzz! Bzzzzzz! At that persistent vibration that seemed like it wouldn’t stop until I answered, I crawled across the bed and put the phone to my ear.
“H-hello……”
― Hey, seventh.
The son of a bitch who called without manners this morning was a son of a bitch I knew well. To hear that bastard’s voice before I’m even fully awake…… I buried my face in the bed.
—
Footnote:
1) involuntarily celibate – referring to involuntary celibacy, users of male-dominated online communities
