"...I feel like I've heard that name somewhere."
"We're both 3rd-year students, even if we're in different classrooms. I must have heard it by chance."
"Maybe."
I entered the name Song Seon-young in my head so I wouldn't forget it.
"Hyung."
"What?"
"I've had this feeling that the seniors have been staring at me since a while ago."
"That's right. It's just your imagination."
Life is really unfair.
"Hyung."
"What again?"
"Senior Song Seon-young."
"Ah, right."
The 3rd-year female student who sent a note saying she liked the 2nd-year junior.
She had long straight hair and a school uniform that could be commonly seen, but I had an impression that she would be quite pretty if she dressed up.
Why?
'Ah, she has long legs.'
Even though she didn't shorten her school uniform skirt, her legs stretched out like a crane underneath it, causing an optical illusion.
"Hyung. What should I do?"
"...It's difficult to decide right now, so ask her for some time."
I don't know anything about dating either.
"Alright."
"I'm leaving now."
"Huh?!"
"Kang-hoon. Remember my advice. A man is all about confidence."
"Confidence?"
"Yes. Confidence."
"A man is confident..."
"That's why I'm a hindrance when I'm here. It makes you look like you have no confidence."
Song Seon-young.
I confirmed that she was the female student who committed suicide by jumping off the school rooftop.
'As expected.'
Song Seon-young was somehow related to this occult that drove people insane.
For now, I also needed time to think about my future plans.
Dear junior Choi Kang-hoon...
"I see~"
"......"
His eyes seemed a little uneasy as if he had gained a tremendous realization.
His face alone would cover more than half of the problem, so it should be fine.
I mentioned being a man to provoke Choi Kang-hoon, but confidence is a very important virtue for anyone.
"Manly, manly..."
"I'm leaving."
"Okay."
"...I'm really leaving."
"Okay."
Will he really be alright...?
* * *
"Student Kang Moon-soo. Come out and solve problem 3 on page 338."
"......"
It wasn't alright at all.
The 5th regression was triggered without giving me a chance to investigate Song Seon-young.
"Kang Moon-soo?"
"Ah, yes."
"Are you asleep?"
"...No."
Even with half of my spirit gone, I solved the problem without hesitation.
This is the third time.
I can solve it with my eyes closed now.
"Ah... It's really perfect. You solved it so well that there's no need for me to point out or add any explanations. As expected of Kang Moon-soo."
"Thank you."
"So, like other teachers, I have high expectations for your aptitude test results."
"...Me too."
Unlike the teachers' expectations, I knew well that there was no such thing as dreams and hopes, so I wasn't interested in the aptitude test results.
Instead,
'I finally see a clue!'
Until now, I didn't know anything and was only being unilaterally victimized by the occult, but thanks to Choi Kang-hoon who came to me, I was able to find a clue.
Song Seon-young.
I don't know anything about the occult, but I had a simple intuition that she held the key.
'There's no doubt.'
There is also the possibility that she was influenced by someone like me who preserved their memory intact, but I think the probability of that happening is very low.
Now, I will meet her in person and have a conversation.
But...
"Huh?"
I couldn't find Song Seon-young in the classroom or the hallway.
'Did she go to the bathroom?'
I didn't think it was a big deal, so I casually waited while peeking in her classroom, but I couldn't meet her even when the next class was about to start.
And even After that, she was nowhere to be found...
Song Seon-young was gone.
"Excuse me, I have a question."
"Hmm? What is it?"
So, I grabbed a student from her class and asked.
"Where did Song Seon-young go?"
"I don't know."
"You don't know?"
"Yeah. She suddenly disappeared without a word, and now it's chaos."
"...I see."
With that, I became even more certain.
'She's just like me!'
She doesn't lose her memory even after regressing. Otherwise, such drastic changes wouldn't be possible.
For now, I had no choice but to wait hopelessly for her to return to school.
* * *
Song Seon-young didn't return to school until all the classes were over.
And I...
"I don't want to work~"
As always, I went to work part-time right after school.
The boss, who was immersed in computer games, liked it when I came early and took care of the convenience store, and I liked getting extra pay besides my salary.
However,
"Yawn..."
Recently, it hasn't been good at all.
Standing at the convenience store counter in the middle of the night when good children went to dreamland, I rubbed my sleepy eyes and woke up.
Clean if it's dirty, greet customers when they come, monitor shoplifters, display empty products...
The tasks were always similar, so the fatigue was low, but my motivation kept dropping because I can't get paid if I regressed again.
'My life is really...'
It feels like I've been working for free for two weeks. I can't report it to the Ministry of Labor because it's an occult with no way to prove it.
It's so unfair.
"0:29 AM. It's time for that customer to come."
In a minute, a drunken middle-aged man will come and order T-company cigarettes. Then a lady with heavy makeup will come and pick S-company's spicy cup noodles, and about 30 minutes later, a noisy couple will come and buy 2 bottles of H-brand beer...
It seems even more boring because I know which customers will come and what they will buy.
Ding~♪
"Welcome!"
As soon as the small bell hanging on the convenience store entrance door rang, I greeted the customer with a bright voice.
"Cigarette-"
"Here you go."
Pop.
Without even listening to the staggering drunk man's words, I took out T-company's cigarettes and placed them on the counter.
"Huh? Did I say T-company?"
"Yes."
"Did I...?"
The man, looking slightly confused, paid without any further questions and staggered out of the convenience store.
'Mister. Please drink moderately. There's a chance that your only life will evaporate like alcohol.'
That's what my father did.
Through the glass wall of the convenience store, I could see the middle-aged man shivering in the cold, lighting the cigarette he just bought.
'He'll probably throw the cigarette butt on the ground again. He must think the convenience store's trash can is just for decoration - Huh?!'
While watching the same customer's same misbehavior for the fourth time with a listless gaze, my eyes widened.
Was it because of the customer?
No.
The female student who passed by the man, who was busy burning his life and health along with the cigarette.
There's no way I could have seen it wrong.
"It's Song Seon-young!"
Ding~♪
I ran out of the convenience store without hesitation.
"Hey! Wait - Uh, um. Song Seon-young! Just a moment, please!"
First of all, I randomly called out to her so that Song Seon-young wouldn't leave.
"Who-"
"I'm a student from the same school! I have something to tell you!"
"I don't have anything to say."
"......"
I yelled at her, who flatly refused.
"Did things not go well with Choi Kang-hoon?"
With that one word, Song Seon-young stopped in her tracks and turned to look at me.
A very surprised face.
"How, how did you...?"
She must have realized that I didn't lose my memory.
"I am..."
I had already decided what to answer.
"Because I'm a shaman."
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