A world that has passed through the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, and world wars.
Despite enduring so many eras, the irony is that a modern education system was only established relatively recently.
However, elementary schools, middle schools, and high schools have now become essential institutions in any civilized nation.
Schools, created by the state to nurture children into capable individuals who can contribute to society.
At first, they seemed to function well, but over time, things began to creak.
Among the herbivores that should have grown up grazing peacefully in the serene plains, a mutation appeared.
Among the animals that lived by eating grass or those that couldn't digest green weeds and had to eat flowers some developed longer teeth and sharper claws.
They began preying on the animals that ate grass, trampling and devouring the flowers.
But where there is darkness, is there not also light?
Among the herbivores, a strong individual, like a rhinoceros, emerged.
The hyenas' flimsy teeth couldn't pierce its hide, and their momentum seemed to wane. But they found a way.
If one-on-one didn't work, they'd overwhelm with numbers.
Calling forth all sorts of mongrel carnivores, they hunted the rhinoceros one by one, while avoiding the baby elephant guarded by its mother.
The hyenas gathered around the strongest carnivore, scavenging the scraps of flesh it left behind that was the state of the plains now.
Of course, not every vast plain out of the hundreds was like this, but the school Mina attended had a touch of this wildness.
And now, Mina was painting zebra stripes on her rhinoceros, smoking a cigarette in the back alley as soon as the school bell rang.
Alongside the other hyenas.
*Spit.* "Ugh, school is so damn boring, I thought I was gonna die. Anyone up for the PC bang?"
A girl, clearly acting tough, spat on the ground.
"Idiot. This chick's in low tier but always wants to hit the PC bang."
"What the hell? Silver's pretty good, okay? How's your mom doing?"
Amid their classy conversation, Mina silently smoked her cigarette.
"Hey, Mina. You going to the PC bang?"
"Huh? Nah, I gotta study, so I probably can't."
"What the hell, pfft, fix that way you talk, you crazy girl. You sound like such a lesbian."
"Seriously, this chick's always like, 'I gotta study,' whenever we plan something. You think it's cool to ditch your friends and rank top in school?"
(Of course it's cool. If I had a rich family like you guys, would I be studying?)
Mina, feeling exasperated by them, exhaled a puff of smoke.
But they, as if spotting an opportunity, started teasing her sarcastically.
"Seriously, how does this chick do everything and still study? I feel betrayed, Mina."
"What if… Mina, you've been sneaking around at night with that rumor about seducing the chairman?"
They bantered back and forth, stomping their feet and bursting into laughter.
One of them choked on cigarette smoke mid-laugh, coughing loudly.
"Hey, you still dating that guy?"
"Who? Oh, Yoon-sung? Nah, I got bored and dumped him."
"Wow, you're such trash. You were all over him before. If you're done with him, give him to me."
They kept chattering among themselves before turning to Mina.
"Hey, Mina. There's a party with some guys tonight. They're total players. You could hook up with anyone if you come wanna join?"
"God, I'm so jealous of you, Mina. If I were you, I'd have become a total player ages ago. Damn, what don't you have? Why are you still a virgin? I don't get it."
Mina slightly regretted getting involved with them.
She'd planned to quietly study and graduate, but they started talking to her, and before she knew it, she was drinking and smoking with them.
She'd joined their group to avoid being a bother, but now her original goal was at risk.
Just as she forced a smile to politely decline, her phone rang.
*Ring! Ring!*
Checking the caller, Mina put a finger to her lips, signaling the others to be quiet.
"Shh. It's that unnie."
"That unnie? Oh, Isia unnie?"
"You're still in touch with her? You're really something."
Mina made a hissing sound like a snake to shush them again before answering the call.
The noisy girls fell silent.
"Yes, Sia unnie."
"Hey, Mina. Did you look into that person I mentioned last time?"
Mina thought for a moment before realizing what she meant.
(How am I supposed to find someone like that?)
"Yeah… I looked, but I couldn't find anyone, so I didn't call back."
"Really? Ugh, guys are getting crazier these days. Every time something happens, I check it out, and it's always a guy."
"Yeah… I get it, unnie. I'll keep looking, though."
"Okay. They don't have to be exactly what I described just someone who can hold their own against guys and has a strong mentality. Got it?"
(This unnie must be really desperate if she's asking a high schooler.)
"Okay, unnie."
"Alright, study hard. Don't feel too pressured."
(As if she didn't just dump all that pressure on me.)
Mina hung up and stubbed out her cigarette.
"Hey, what'd that unnie say?"
Annoyed, Mina answered vaguely.
They seemed to think it wasn't their place to butt in, lighting up another cigarette in a chain-smoking session.
"Hey, Hyemin. Did you hear about the transfer student coming to our class?"
"Yeah, I overheard the teacher and told you about it, remember? Anyway, I know. It's a guy. The teacher asked me to look out for him."
"Pfft, that's hilarious. Look out for him? You're probably gonna hook up with him right away."
Feeling like the conversation had no value, Mina slung her bag over her shoulder.
Who cares if the transfer student's a guy?
"Hey, you off to study now?"
"Wow, ditching your friends? Betrayal much?"
"No, no, I'll come if you call me later, I swear."
Leaving the hyenas behind, Mina walked away from the scene.
As expected, she thought she was meant to graze on grass.
Someday, the herbivores of this plain would move to another land.
And she was certain the hyenas would starve in a desolate plain with no one left.
.
.
.
_____
I toyed with my new ID card, lost in thought.
How much patience and hardship had I endured to get this little thing?
(By the way, I'm really Korean now.)
Embracing my newly acquired nationality with joy, I pulled out my mother's ID card.
The face of my aging mother, which I saw for the first time, was still strikingly beautiful.
I could see where this face came from.
(Especially those eyes i look just like her.)
Golden blonde hair and sparkling golden eyes.
Maybe because this body is mine now, I occasionally felt a motherly connection.
I touched her face on the ID before carefully placing it back in the drawer.
(She probably didn't want to leave like that in front of her son. You suffered until the end. Rest well now)
After a brief moment of paying respects, I got up to look for a cigarette.
Trudging down the stairs, I headed to an alley near the house, put a cigarette in my mouth, and was about to light it when I saw my bandaged fingers.
(Right, damn it… I'm not supposed to smoke. But I can't resist.)
I've been taking my antibiotics diligently, so what's the harm?
As long as I don't drink, it's fine.
Lighting the cigarette and inhaling the smoke, I felt alive.
(Hah… this is the life. I'm never quitting.)
Halfway through savoring it, I saw a female student with a backpack walking toward me from a distance.
Our paths seemed likely to cross, so I started to put out my cigarette.
"Ugh, I lost all my study time today."
Hearing her mutter to herself, I felt a sense of familiarity.
That voice… where have I heard it before?
Forgetting to put out my cigarette, I looked at the source of the voice.
Pale skin like mine, a sharp nose.
Blue eyes like a tranquil lake, and radiant silver short hair.
A slender, beautiful girl, about 170 cm tall pretty tall for a girl.
She was walking toward me, pouting in a way that didn't match her aloof demeanor.
Sehwa, feeling a mix of curiosity and distraction, stared at the approaching girl.
Mina, sensing his gaze, squinted at him.
Then, as if remembering something, her eyes widened with a question mark.
"Huh…?"
Sehwa, realizing something too, sighed and brushed his bangs back with his left hand.
Pointing at him, Mina spoke.
"Hey! You're that guy from the convenience store, right?"
"Yeah. Nice to see you again. But… that uniform?"
Mina froze.
(Oh, right, I'm wearing my school uniform.)
Sehwa, observing her outfit, thought to himself.
(She seems like a party girl.)
Her skirt was so short it barely covered her, clinging beautifully to her milky-white thighs, almost making him worry about whether her underwear was showing.
Sehwa smirked and put out his cigarette.
"So… you're a high schooler, huh?"
Mina, remembering she'd lied about being an adult, awkwardly scraped her foot on the ground.
"Yeah… I am. Oh! You didn't have to put out your cigarette. I smoke too, so it's fine. Ugh, what a waste of a good cig."
Sehwa felt a sense of familiarity with her cute, normal way of speaking something he hadn't heard in a while.
His tired eyes curved slightly into a smile as Mina continued.
"I was kinda worried after you left like that last time. Wow, seeing you up close, you've got a ton of tattoos. Why does a guy have so many?"
She marveled at his sleeveless shirt revealing his tattooed upper body.
"Just felt like it. No real reason, whether you're a guy or a girl, right?"
(Hmm… definitely a party guy.)
"Yeah, true. So, you live around here too?"
"Yep. You too?"
"Yeah, I live nearby. Wow, what a coincidence! Let's hang out next time we see each other, oppa."
Giggling, Mina walked away.
Sehwa, left alone, lit another cigarette.
(Running into her here. She probably thinks I'm some crazy guy after last time.)
Then, a sudden realization hit him like lightning.
(Wait a damn second… I'm 18 now too. If she finds out)
(I'd seriously kill myself.)
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Translated by Reversalmanhwa.web.id
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