CBR 31

“Of course everyone is the protagonist in their own life. But becoming the protagonist of this world is a story on a completely different level.”

Listening blankly to what Jaewon was saying, one student asked another,

“Is this a pyramid scheme?”

“I don’t know.”

She shook her head with the exact same expression as her friend. Jaewon ran his mouth without giving them a moment to breathe.

“The reason I prepared this occasion today is because I saw a certain potential in you guys.”

He clapped his hands together, then sat down after fetching a box from somewhere. Next, he crossed his legs, folded his arms, and raised his chin.

“From now on, we’re going to have time to figure out that potential. Whether you sing, dance, or just speak. Anything is fine. You just have to show who you are as you are.”

“Why do we have to do that?”

When a female student asked in confusion, Jaewon’s brow crumpled for a moment before he smiled like a golden Buddha statue.

“Of course, the final winner will be given a reward fit for it.”

“What is the reward?”

“That is none other than fried chicken.”

Gasping sounds were heard from here and there. Gulping down her saliva, a female student asked,

“How… how many birds?”

“Two of seasoned and two of fried.”

“Woaaaah!”

Hardly had he finished speaking when rough cheers burst out from all sides. Jaewon barely managed to calm down the female students, who were enthusiastic like Viking warriors.

“One thing to keep in mind is that I’m not looking for someone pretty and talented. People like that are dime a dozen in this world. What I’m looking for is someone special.”

“Chicken! Chicken! Chicken!”

“Plenty of pickled radish! Plenty of pickled radish!”

“Depending on how you do right here, your future life will change. Now then, shall we start?”

After finishing his words, Jaewon raised his eyes sharply and focused all his nerves on his eyeballs. While the male lead was a complete package with no flaws whatsoever, the female lead, whose growth potential had to be evaluated, had strict selection criteria. He judged the students radiating various charms with gravity.

“Hyeonseo lacks air when dancing. When moving your body, there must be empty space. If you think of it as half air and half movement, it’ll be easy to understand.”

“Beat, rhythm, soul… Kim Donghee just pops out as is. Donghee’s singing seems to have made me look back. Needless to say, it’s major. Congratulations.”

“Gyuri’s water-splashing acting was truly perfect. The moment I got hit by the water, I could even understand the feelings of the paramour. It seems that perfection held you back today. Regrettably, Gyuri, please move to the minor seat.”

As Jaewon announced calmly, joy and sorrow intersected among the students. The students called out as minor moved their seats with tearful eyes to the ground with sparse grass.

“All of you did really well, but there were definitely disappointing points. Don’t be disappointed just because you’re minor now, and I hope you strive even harder in the future. Now then, major friends, please step forward.”

When the speech ended, the students who were standing on the lush grass swarmed forward.

“Congratulations. Every single one of you standing here is a brilliantly shining gem without exception. Everyone was very splendid.”

“Woah!”

“We made it!”

The students cheered upon hearing the congratulatory address. Shouting hurrah, they hugged each other and shed tears of joy.

“Then what about the chicken…”

“However, multiple suns cannot exist under the same sky.”

Getting down to business, Jaewon’s eyes flashed sharply. A sense of tension quickly washed over the students’ faces. Amid the flowing silence, only the sound of gulping saliva could be heard.

“There is no winner I have pre-selected in my heart. Since each has different pros and cons, it was difficult to determine superiority.”

His words were sincere. Since all were outstanding talents, it was difficult to distinguish them. If so, there was only one remaining method.

“Would everyone take off your glasses?”

“Boo! I’m hungry!”

“Cut it out and just pick someone!”

When the final hurdle was announced, boos and complaints poured out from the students.

“If you don’t like it, say goodbye to the chicken too.”

“I’ve really wanted to try taking them off since way back.”

Having succeeded in pulling off a quick trick, Jaewon collected the glasses one by one. The glasses hanging on his arms dangled like bananas. When he returned to his spot, an intense brilliance was radiating from one side.

‘Found her.’

Squinting his dazzled eyes, Jaewon was certain. It was the prelude announcing the full-fledged start of the game.

∞ ∞ ∞

“Do you think you’re pretty yourself?”

“No way. I’m just ordinary.”

The female student joked around, but her beauty hidden behind the glasses was extraordinary. Jaewon checked the items carefully.

‘Her name is Lee Gareyeong. Currently attending Jonse High School as a 2nd year. She looks plain, but taking off her glasses makes her a different person—a Glass Transformer who shows the highest suitability as the female lead.’

“Do you have a stylish friend around you who sticks her nose into everything? I mean a capable friend who can give you a makeover in case of emergency.”

“Umm… Jeongyeon?”

“Her eyesight is splendid… how is her hearing?”

“It’s on the bad side because I suffered from a high fever when I was little.”

‘It couldn’t be more perfect.’

Even her physical capability of having to miss important words without fail was a custom fit. Jaewon cheered inwardly. Having finished checks in various fields such as public self-consciousness, interpersonal skills, and physical qualities while taking Lee Gareyeong along, he looked lovingly at his last piece.

“Right. Enough with introducing ourselves, I’ll gradually let you taste the chicken.”

“Woah!”

“Do you have a separate preferred brand?”

“There’s a really delicious chicken place in front of the school called Absolute Chicken.”

“Read off the number.”

“But can I eat it with my friends? I don’t think I can eat it all by myself.”

Jaewon opened his eyes wide at the unexpected news. He knew high school girls usually ate four birds by themselves, but Lee Gareyeong seemed to have a small stomach.

“Then eat it with my friends.”

“Huh? Why?”

“It doesn’t matter whose friends they are. As long as they’re friends.”

“Huh? What kind of logic is that, that even cancer cells are life?”

Lee Gareyeong said in absurdity, but Jaewon ignored it. It was a golden opportunity to show her to the Four Heavenly Kings. In a situation where he wouldn’t even shrink from playing matchmaker, he couldn’t miss the golden chance where the protagonists would encounter each other naturally.

An additional technique Jaewon introduced was leverage. The leverage technique, which carries the dictionary definition of ‘a lever,’ is an investment technique that greatly amplifies investment returns by taking out loans—so to speak, making a fortune with other people’s money.

Archimedes said that if given a long lever and a fulcrum, he could even lift the Earth. Jaewon, having found Lee Gareyeong, gained the confidence to shake up this world. It was the start of a seesaw game that would lift and drop the hearts of the Four Heavenly Kings.

The way to win a seesaw game is simple. You just have to bring a friend in the heavyweight class. Jaewon intended to properly see a leverage effect using Lee Gareyeong.

“Delivery of three seasoned and three fried to Jonse High School, please. Please make the six birds feel like twelve. As for the pickled radish… I’m looking forward to it. Don’t disappoint me.”

After finishing ordering the chicken, he called Park Gyujin. The call went through before the signal even rang twice.

― Hello? This is Park Gyujin, who always gives his utmost. For date reservation inquiries, press 1; for confession inquiries, press 2; for counseling inquiries, press 3; for other matters, please say 0. Male callers are currently difficult to connect to, so please hang up and briefly state your business via text…

“Uh, it’s me.”

Jaewon pushed out his belly and stood on one leg like a middle-aged man who had just finished a meal at a gamjatang restaurant and stepped out. Then, the tone of the monotonous call voice changed.

― Yes, hyung! What’s up?

“I’ll introduce a girl to you, so bring your friends and come down.”

― Holy shit… Beautiful youth Bae Jaewon, milk-complexioned Bae Jaewon! Where are you?

“The spot with lots of flower beds behind the cafeteria.”

― Flower beds? What kind of flowers do you see?

Looking around, Jaewon glanced at the most eye-catching flower bed.

“There’s a heap of stuff that looks like purple eyeballs.”

― The language of anemones is helpless love. Please convey that to the lady beside you. I’m coming to meet you now.

Park Gyujin, who was pouring out words passionately, hung up the phone abruptly. The moment the radio wave stung his eardrum, a bell chimed across the campus. It was the bell announcing lunch break. Jaewon felt the vibration rumbling the ground and looked up at the sky.

‘The clouds look ominous. I don’t have a good feeling about this.’