READ NOVEL ONLINE Chapter 231
May, the month of family, arrives, leaving behind the unwelcome news of the military.
The first day of May, Labor Day, when most parents and workers rest.
But for students who don’t fall into either category, it’s just another school day.
On the way to school, passing by the station entrance.
Usually packed with people looking like they’re about to drop dead during rush hour, today it’s eerily quiet.
I shouldn’t envy people who work even on weekends, damn it.
Can’t magical girls be considered workers and skip school?
‘Of course not, yeah…’
I’m still a student, so that’s nonsense.
After finishing my internal monologue with a clear answer, I quietly walk on.
Even though it’s just time to go to school, the desire to go home is creeping up.
I let the desire that’s risen to my throat spill out.
“I wanna go home.”
“Me too.”
The morning commute is empty except for students.
Siyeon, walking beside me, chimes in.
We’re not exactly passionate about school.
But dropping out and being labeled a middle school dropout doesn’t sound great either.
Even if I take the GED, that’s still studying, so it’s annoying.
I’ll just wait for time to solve everything.
High schoolers who don’t have night study are freer than you’d think.
“Ugh! I really don’t wanna do night study.”
It’s not even a week after exams, right after the morning assembly.
A girl suddenly vents her frustration among the classmates gathered like coordinates.
Bringing up night study before lunch, let alone the first period, she’s torturing herself.
Since it’s not mandatory like before, another student blinks and responds.
“Then don’t do it.”
“But my mom’s making me, what should I do?”
“Then you have to do it.”
Even if the school isn’t forcing it, in this case, it’s the parents at home.
Parents think that if they keep kids at school longer, they’ll do something, even if they don’t study.
“Ugh, so annoying…”
Even if she complains, the responses from friends are predictable.
Especially since night study isn’t mandatory like before.
At most, ten people in a class do night study.
There aren’t many friends to sympathize or get angry with.
What can you do? You don’t have the money to be independent, so just do as you’re told.
“What’s first period?”
After venting briefly, realizing it’s pointless, the conversation moves on.
The girls ask what first period is without bothering to check the board.
“Probably Korean.”
“Ugh, I hate it.”
“Isn’t the Korean teacher ever gonna change?”
Hearing it’s Korean, they openly express their dislike in unison.
They’re like psychopaths who can’t empathize, but when it comes to bashing a disliked teacher, they’re united.
Is this good teamwork or just great at ganging up on someone?
Listening to their complaints, it’s stuff like the teacher wakes them up often or gives too much homework.
From the teacher’s perspective, they’re just doing their job, but somehow they’ve become the class’s public enemy.
Honestly, a book report every two weeks is harsh for high schoolers stuck in night study and cram schools.
I don’t do night study or go to cram school, but can’t it just be once a month?
I’m running out of book report templates from my past life…
‘Should I stop by the library?’
I don’t feel like spending my own money at a bookstore for a book report.
Thinking about the school library I’ve never been to, wondering if I really have to go.
“Alright, book report due next week—”
Before first period even starts, the Korean teacher announces the homework instead of a greeting.
“Ugh, teacher, seriously…”
“What’s ‘seriously’? Reading books is good for you.”
‘Guess I’ll have to go.’
Of course, the class erupts in boos and complaints.
The teacher shuts it down with the argument that reading is good, but in the classmates’ minds, the teacher’s reputation is already rock bottom.
I decide to stop by the library if I have time after lunch and lean on my desk.
Time passes, and after finishing today’s lunch featuring mini sweet and sour pork.
I settle into a surprisingly crowded school library chair and start picking a book suitable for a book report.
After lunch with classmates, Siyeon follows me to the library.
“Why the library?”
“Book report.”
I whisper in a lowered voice.
The library has a few manga, rare as they are.
Students who prefer quiet over hanging out gather here, eyeing the limited manga.
Among them, I quietly pick a book with a title that sounds like it’s full of life lessons and flip to a random page.
A book report doesn’t require deep reading from start to finish.
If it’s a serious book, there’s bound to be a part where the author pretentiously spouts life lessons.
Just pick that part, write it in the report, and sugarcoat it with how moved and enlightened you were.
Too lazy?
Well, you can’t exactly write, “This rich brat who’s never suffered, what does he know about pain, damn it…” in a book report.
If you’re the type to genuinely be impressed and learn profound lessons from someone else’s serious experiences, you’re probably good at anything.
With next week’s book report done, I close the book and return it.
Siyeon, still in her seat, asks belatedly.
“You’re done already?”
“Yeah, you’re not?”
I nod indifferently.
Since we came together, it’s better to leave together, so I sit down without a book and whisper.
“I haven’t even finished reading it…?”
Siyeon tilts her head, still at the beginning of the book.
She was planning to read the whole thing before writing the report.
How inefficient. As a life senior, I share a sweet tip.
“Just read the ending and pretend you got a lesson from it.”
“Huh?”
“Why bother reading the whole thing?”
At her confused tone, I exhale deeply.
The impactful parts are usually near the end anyway.
So if you just read the latter part, the beginning doesn’t matter.
Like when you get bored of a manga and just skip to the end.
After understanding the tip, Siyeon finishes her book report in under 10 minutes.
With next week’s homework done, we head back to class worry-free.
I slump on my desk, using the remaining lunchtime for a nap.
After 5th, 6th, and 7th periods, I meet up with Siyeon to head home.
“Yawn.”
Covering my mouth, I let out a light yawn and trudge along the asphalt road.
The path to the school gate is bustling with students.
This level of noise during dinner time was unimaginable a decade ago.
Pretending to be sleepy, I lean playfully on Siyeon’s sturdy frame, and she gently wraps her arm around my shoulder.
Patting lightly, it’s playful but… her touch is as gentle as a mother’s.
I wanna nap like this.
“Still sleepy?”
“A little.”
The playfulness ends, and I start walking on my own.
If I’m gonna nap, it’s better to do it at home, so I stagger out of the school gate.
At that moment, *beep!* A horn blares nearby, startling me.
A car parked right in front of the school gate.
After sitting quietly, it suddenly honks—what a jerk move. Thinking ‘is this guy crazy,’ I glare at the front window….
“Ji-eun unnie?”
“Hop in, let’s go grab dinner.”
At the familiar face and voice, my anger subsides.
The efficiency of a worker on a day off.