*
“Um, sorry, but only people in our department can attend this special lecture.”
“I know.”
“You don’t seem to be from our department…. May I have your name?”
“Noh Pyeonghwa.”
“Ah, the one who got in through regular admissions with a grade 1 on the college entrance exam! You didn’t come to school, so I thought you were retaking the exam!”
The first-year department representative who had been checking the list and walking around was shocked and shouted when he heard Pyeonghwa’s name. The Virtual Reality department had high competition, so it was nearly impossible to get accepted without the awakened bonus points. So the admission of a grade 1 non-awakened student on the college entrance exam was bound to be a hot topic.
However, even after the semester started, the grade 1 non-awakened student was nowhere to be seen. The professors and students thought, ‘If he studies that well, Jangmak University must have been somewhat disappointing,’ and didn’t bother looking for Pyeonghwa. The curriculum was mainly focused on awakened individuals anyway, so even if he attended, there was a high possibility he wouldn’t be able to adapt.
As classmates who heard the department representative’s shout started gathering around, Pyeonghwa’s surroundings quickly became noisy.
“Wow, you’re Noh Pyeonghwa? Why haven’t you been coming to school? I thought you dropped out.”
“I don’t do irresponsible things like dropping out.”
“Then are you retaking the exam? You got all grade 1s on the college entrance exam, right?”
“Not all grade 1s, 12111. I only studied for a month so I messed up math.”
“Why did you come to our department? If you’re a non-awakened, just go to another department. You won’t even be able to play the game, right? Then you won’t get hired later either, so why bother?”
“Just just just.”
Pyeonghwa didn’t like the classmates asking sensitive questions, so he answered half-heartedly. Now that he had awakened it was fine, but if he had continued to be non-awakened and heard those words, he would have been very hurt.
This is why people who easily awakened don’t understand. In this world, there are people who challenge things even though they know it won’t work out, and there are people who have no other choice. Pyeonghwa belonged to both the former and the latter.
As the male classmates’ interest died down, this time the female classmates tapped Pyeonghwa’s shoulders. The female classmates handed Pyeonghwa an armful of snacks.
“Pyeonghwa-ya, want to eat this? It’s chocolate… Ah, do you like chocolate?”
“Yeah….”
“We have one extra coffee. How about an iced americano?”
“It’s bitter, so not really….”
“We have lattes too. Lattes are okay, right?”
“Yeah….”
“You were talking fine earlier, why are you so shy now?”
“Because you’re girls….”
“Pfft! What~? Pyeonghwa is so cute! Look at his ears turning red!”
The female classmates giggled. Pyeonghwa felt embarrassed and sipped the drink they gave him. He thought he’d be fine with girls his age in real life since he saw many of them in the game, but the awkwardness remained the same. It seemed his mental strength stat couldn’t cover this kind of thing even if it increased.
The female classmates even moved their seats to surround Pyeonghwa. It was natural to be interested in a handsome new face. Even the Broadcasting and Entertainment department at Jangmak University, which had the best-looking people, didn’t have someone this good-looking.
He’s really handsome. His skin is like a baby’s~ Cute~ How tall are you? Do you have a girlfriend? A boyfriend? Giggle! The twenty-year-old female classmates were essentially no different from high school girls. Pyeonghwa broke out in a cold sweat as he tried to adapt to the girls’ talk.
“What the hell? That bastard is such a chick magnet.”
“Is he that handsome? I don’t think he’s anything special.”
“A non-awakened acting all high and mighty. One punch and he’ll be knocked out.”
“Those materialistic bitches are the problem too. They can’t even remember how ugly they are….”
He automatically became a thorn in the side of the male classmates. Regardless, Pyeonghwa rolled his eyes around. He needed to find the male classmate who was 183cm tall and keep him from going home, but since they were sitting in chairs, he couldn’t gauge their heights.
“Ugh, they’re talking shit again. They’re saying we’re ugly and materialistic.”
“Those guys never stop gossiping. Why are they like that, really?”
“Pyeonghwa-ya, are all guys like that? I wanted to date in college but my fantasies are all being shattered.”
“Yoon Gyeom.”
“Hey, Yoon Gyeom is an ahjussi~.”
Pyeonghwa meant that Yoon Gyeom had entered the large lecture hall, but the female classmate who didn’t quite catch on giggled and shouted. When Yoon Gyeom, who was about to take the microphone and go up on stage, hesitated, silence fell over the large lecture hall.
“I’m sorry, Director. Our students are still young….”
“No, I am an ahjussi to the students.”
“Oh, what should I do? I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it that way….!”
“It’s okay, student. Please don’t worry about it too much.”
Yoon Gyeom waved his hand at the professor and student’s apologies and went up on stage. Everyone’s eyes turned to his legs. His gait didn’t show that his right leg was a prosthetic.
“Ah, really…. I’m going to be on Director Yoon Gyeom’s bad side, and the professors’ and seniors’ too, right? Should I take a leave of absence? No, I’ll just drop out….”
“Why would you drop out over something like this? It’s okay, it’s okay. Don’t cry, stop!”
The female classmate who misspoke lowered her head deeply and sniffled. The other classmates reached out their hands and patted her back, busy comforting her. Pyeonghwa, who had been quietly watching, casually asked her.
“Do you like kalguksu?”
“Sniffle… Kalguksu?”
“Which professor are you most worried about?”
“That woman with glasses over there…. She’s my advisor….”
“Oh, perfect. The professor and you guys can cover for me then.”
“Cover…?”
Pyeonghwa grinned at the puzzled-looking classmates and stretched out his index finger, pointing at Yoon Gyeom on the podium.
‘Yoon Gyeom handling squad formed. Hehe, this worked out well since it was annoying.’
Yoon Gyeom was a good person, but he was annoying because he had a clear purpose. Pyeonghwa planned to leave Yoon Gyeom to the professor and classmates at the kalguksu restaurant and escape to another table.
Of course, there was someone he needed to find before that. Should he use Yoon Gyeom’s kindness one more time? Pyeonghwa opened his phone and sent him a pleading text.
[In part 2, when students participate, please only call students over 180cm tall on stage ㅠㅠ Ahjussi no Director no hyung-nim please please please ㅠㅠ]
There was a break before part 2 started. Pyeonghwa planned to call if Yoon Gyeom didn’t check his phone then. Fortunately, he read the text. Though no reply came.
In part 1, Yoon Gyeom introduced professional teams and explained how to join them and what kind of talent each team wanted. He also introduced jobs that students could do after graduation even if they weren’t players, such as team managers who manage players or training coaches.
There wasn’t a single joke during the lecture, but the students’ concentration was considerable. Unlike when seen in the game, Yoon Gyeom had a heavy atmosphere that commanded people. Perhaps that’s why his every word and action came across seriously. He had thought Yoon Gyeom’s boring personality wouldn’t suit lectures, but it was unexpected.
And in part 2, he taught them how to optimize their bodies in the virtual reality world. In reality, an awakened person’s stats only increase and never decrease. The problem this causes is that the gap between virtual reality and reality widens without them knowing.
A brain that has already adapted to virtual reality doesn’t feel that gap. There are some people born with the natural sense to adapt to those changes, but they’re extremely rare. So professional teams conducted specialized training, going back and forth between reality and virtual reality.
What Yoon Gyeom was trying to teach the students in part 2 was the correction method that professional players actually use.
“Since there are many people for the practical training, I’ll only select a few. To be clearly visible even from the back row, it would be good to have tall students. Students who are 180cm or taller, please stand up and come up on stage.”
“Wow.”
To naturally package a request to only let students 180cm or taller participate like that. Adults really are adults after all. Pyeonghwa admired as he stood up from his seat.
“Huh? Pyeonghwa, why are you standing up?”
“I’m tall.”
“You might be embarrassed if you go up for no reason. Just sit down.”
“I’m meant for the stage though.”
“That’s not what I mean, you’re non-awak….”
“I’ll be back!”
Pyeonghwa ran out with an excited face. Why does it feel like we haven’t been communicating well since earlier? He doesn’t seem like a bad person though…. The female classmates tilted their heads as they watched his back.
A total of ten students came up on stage. He needed to find exactly 183cm among them. Pyeonghwa didn’t care what Yoon Gyeom was saying up front and gauged the students’ heights.
“The student in the white hoodie, please come forward.”
“……”
“Student?”
“……Me?”
Pyeonghwa, who hadn’t even heard himself being called and was looking around, was able to come to his senses thanks to the student next to him poking him with an elbow. Damn, I’m busy as hell, why call me first? Pyeonghwa approached Yoon Gyeom with an expression like he’d eaten shit.
“Student, what’s your name?”
“Noh Pyeonghwa.”
“Ah.”
The smile on Yoon Gyeom’s lips deepened. He had called on him just in case since he’d never seen Pyeonghwa’s face in person, and it was correct.
“You yawned loudly earlier, it must have been quite boring.”
“Yes, a bit.”
When Pyeonghwa answered indifferently, the murmuring in the audience grew louder. Who is that guy? Is he crazy? I heard he’s non-awakened. Why is a non-awakened up there? Shouldn’t he come down? Even the professor in the front row stood up, but Yoon Gyeom acted as if nothing was wrong and corrected Pyeonghwa’s posture.
