Graduate(5)
Graduate(5)
What is a nightmare?
The definition may vary from person to person, but I think it's a dream with a sense of reality added to one's worries.
In other words,
'It wasn't a nightmare.'
This wasn't a nightmare, but a prophetic dream that showed me the bleak future that would soon happen to me.
...What else could it be?
If it's not a dream, it's occult, far beyond the realm of science.
"Moon-soo."
"Yes."
"You've been so quiet on the way to the faculty office. Aren't you curious about who the teacher invited to the school?"
"Of course, I'm curious! Why wouldn't I be?"
I was not curious at all because I already knew who it was, but I decided to follow the lead of my homeroom teacher.
"Want to guess?"
"...Yoo Il-am."
"Oh my! You got it right in one guess! Yoo Il-am must be famous."
"I only know his name."
Everything had gone exactly the same way up to this point.
The passionate homeroom teacher had invited shaman Yoo Il-am to the school to help me, who was wandering aimlessly, and he had started broadcasting live without fail, showing off his arrogance.
'But not this time!'
I quickly checked on shaman Yoo Il-am, who was following me, and naturally passed the stairs leading to the school rooftop.
I didn't think it was appropriate to bring him to the female student who had fainted and lost consciousness.
Kicking someone who fainted?
I couldn't understand it with my common sense.
Also, I was bothered by leaving someone lying on the cold concrete floor.
"Hmm. This should be fine."
I sent a text message to my homeroom teacher with my smartphone.
「Kang Moon-soo: Teacher. There's a female student who has fainted on the school rooftop.」
"...Good."
I was sure that shaman Yoo Il-am wouldn't kick the defenseless female student in his crazy act.
It's perfect.
'What more can I do?'
Feeling lighter, I turned my steps around. Then, I peeked into the classroom and called shaman Yoo Il-am, who was in the middle of filming.
"Mr. Yoo Il-am. I can't find the ghost."
"Look closer! It's hiding around here."
"I think it's impossible. My talent is too lacking. And I have a part-time job soon, so I need to go."
"......"
Shaman Yoo Il-am stared at me, who was clearly trying to escape.
But perhaps because it was a live broadcast with numerous subscribers watching?
"...Then there's nothing I can do."
He gave up very quickly.
'As expected.'
I vaguely remember hearing a snippet of knowledge that broadcasters have two faces.
Their appearance when there's no camera.
Their appearance when there's a camera.
And right now, the camera was following him. This was a live broadcast that couldn't be edited...
In other words, finding the hidden ghost in the school was more urgent than dealing with the uncooperative me.
However,
"Here's my business card. It's not something I give to just anyone, so keep it safe."
Shaman Yoo Il-am didn't give up easily either.
"Yes, I'll keep it safe."
I put the golden business card he offered me in my pocket.
'I'll throw it away in the trash can at the bus stop later~♪'
I didn't want to be involved with this reckless man anymore. I'd rather not run into him by chance on the street.
"Kang Moon-soo, give your contact information to my disciple-"
"I'm busy with my part-time job, got to go!"
I ran like the wind to escape from the school building, not giving Yoo Il-am time to manipulate me.
'My contact information? No way!'
Since it's personal information, my homeroom teacher wouldn't casually give it to him, an outsider.
"That was close!"
I'm free now!
Although I have an annoying part-time job waiting for me, it's better than dealing with shaman Yoo Il-am's nonsense-
Thud!
"Huh?"
I heard the sound of something big falling on the grass next to the school's main entrance.
'What is that?'
As I reflexively turned my head toward the sound, my face-
Splatter...
And my school uniform was splashed with a bright red liquid.
"This looks like blood- Gasp?!"
As soon as I saw where the liquid came from, my mind went blank.
* * *
"Buddha..."
"Lord..."
"Father..."
I saw students desperately seeking divine help.
<Aptitude Test Site>
And I saw the sign that I thought I would never see again.
As an atheist, I couldn't help but seek the divine like them.
"Dear God..."
Is this even possible?
I went back to the day when I took the aptitude test at the designated hospital bus set up in the school gym.
'This is the third time...'
I had concluded that the first time was a prophetic dream and the second time was reality. But now, the second time turned out to be a dream too?
I was confused.
"Next student."
"...Yes."
I entered the hospital bus at the call of the nurse I met again.
This time, I decided to keep my mouth shut and quietly take the aptitude test without being misunderstood for playing with words.
"Student, before we start the test, I'll ask you a few simple verification questions."
"Yes."
"Have you ever taken an aptitude test before?"
"No, I haven't."
"Have you traveled abroad in the past 15 days?"
"No, I haven't."
"Do you have any medication that you take regularly, excluding supplements?"
"No, I don't."
"Did you have a fight with a friend?"
"...Huh?"
There wasn't such a question before?
"Sorry, your expression was so serious that I asked without thinking. Just ignore that last question."
"Ah, yes."
"We'll start the test now. Please don't move or get up even if you don't feel anything."
"Yes."
Although the nurse asked an odd question due to my change in expression, the aptitude test was completed smoothly.
But there was one thing...
"Strange."
The aptitude test was going too smoothly.
If my memory wasn't distorted, there was a student who left without taking the aptitude test.
But what about now?
"Next student."
"Yes."
"Next student."
"Yes."
"Next..."
There wasn't a single student who made the nurse wait like before. Not even until the end of the aptitude test.
'Something's strange...?'
Did the future change because I quietly took the test?
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