Chapter 8 – Graduate (8)
Despite investigating Song Sun-young during every break at school, I found very little information about her.
Just that quite a few male students had a crush on her?
It was tough. They guarded details about her like it was some grand treasure map.
“Shaman…?”
“Yes, I’m a shaman.”
“…”
Song Sun-young stared at my face with an observant gaze.
What was she thinking?
Looking at a convenience store worker who stopped her on the street and introduced himself as a shaman.
“I—”
“I remember now. Shaman Kang Moon-soo. The honor student who betrayed the teachers’ expectations with a weird aptitude.”
“Betrayed is a bit harsh…”
The teachers know about my family situation. They just hoped that, given my struggles, I’d at least get a good aptitude.
It’s true I’ve outpaced my peers in many ways through sheer effort.
But I’m not some genius.
‘As expected.’
In this regressed world, I haven’t even taken the aptitude test yet. But Song Sun-young already knew “Shaman Kang Moon-soo.”
In other words, she’s not a victim caught up in the regression—she’s a key player.
Just like me.
“Shaman, since we’re the same age, can I speak casually?”
“Sure.”
“How much do you know?”
“That’s a pretty broad question.”
“About memories.”
“That you jumped off the school rooftop on the day the aptitude test results were announced.”
“…So you know everything.”
Thanks to Song Sun-young’s straightforward admission, the conversation flowed easily.
“Why do you keep trying to kill yourself?”
“That’s my business.”
“It’s my turn to ask a question.”
“You just did.”
“I did?”
“You asked why I keep trying to kill myself. My turn again.”
“…”
Where did this punk come from…?
She wasn’t entirely wrong, which made it even more annoying.
“I’ll ask my next question tomorrow.”
“Wait—”
“Do you know what time it is? Not everyone spends their nights working a part-time job like you.”
“…”
I’m not doing this because I want to. But I didn’t feel like bringing that up.
“See you at school.”
“Yeah. Don’t kill yourself.”
“…Unbelievable. Shaman, worry about yourself.”
“I’m doing fine.”
“Really? There’s a lady waiting for you at the counter.”
“What?!”
It was true.
“Hey, you can see a young girl but not my cup noodles?”
A woman with heavy makeup, who had placed an S-brand spicy cup noodle on the counter, was glaring at me without hiding her irritation.
“Sorry!”
‘Kang Moon-soo! Get it together! Your livelihood comes before someone else’s life!’
Getting distracted in front of a customer waiting to check out?
I deserved the scolding.
Ding~♪
“Thank you! Come again!”
“Do your job properly.”
“Yes!”
Did my enthusiastic response please her? The woman, now in a better mood, left with her cup noodles in a bag.
“Phew~!”
I could only breathe a sigh of relief after her figure completely disappeared into the darkness.
‘Song Sun-young… she’s already gone.’
It was a bit absurd, but as she said, we could talk again tomorrow.
Ding~♪
“Welcome!”
Dreaming of a bright tomorrow, I diligently worked my part-time job.
***
“Student Kang Moon-soo, come up and solve problem 3 on page 338.”
“This is driving me insane!”
The occult triggered while I was heading home after my shift.
This time, it happened in the middle of the night, less than a day later. Given the circumstances, it was definitely Song Sun-young’s doing—
“…Student Kang Moon-soo, no matter how much you don’t want to solve the problem, you shouldn’t say that out loud.”
“Sorry, Teacher! I meant I’m thrilled because it’s a problem I studied for!”
Thrilled enough to go insane, thanks to studying it three times!
“Oh! My mistake? Then hurry up and solve problem 3 on page 338. I’m curious how well you prepared.”
“Yes!”
I could confidently say I’m the best in the world at this problem.
Did Song Sun-young’s whim change the future again? This time, Choi Kang-hoon didn’t come to see me.
That made it clear.
‘Song Sun-young is the culprit!’
I can’t control the occult and just get swept up in it, but she’s manipulating it freely.
This isn’t a guess—it’s a certainty!
The regression happened shortly after our conversation.
“Enough is enough!”
I can’t stand it anymore, not after my labor has been exploited without pay.
Suicide?
I don’t feel the slightest pity anymore. She’s doing it because she wants to. It’s hard to see her as sane.
Dash!
Fueled by anger, as soon as break time started, I bolted from my seat like a track athlete and ran to Song Sun-young’s classroom. I wasn’t going to let her escape school like last time.
“Student Kang Moon-soo, no running in the halls—”
“Sorry!”
Ignoring the teacher’s scolding as I sprinted down the corridor, I kept going!
“Moon-soo, wanna play soccer during lunch—”
“Do it without me!”
I wasn’t in the mood to have fun with friends. I’d just come from a backbreaking shift! I’m mentally exhausted.
Slam!
I flung open the door to Song Sun-young’s classroom and strode in.
‘There she is!’
As before, she was leaning out the window, looking outside.
“Hey!”
“…It’s true.”
“Song Sun-young!”
“Hold on, your voice is too loud.”
She frowned at my call.
“You’re caught!”
“Caught what?”
“It’s your doing! Because of you, I haven’t slept all night!”
“I wanted to confirm.”
She triggered the occult to check if I really retained my memories.
“Unbelievable. You said we’d talk tomorrow, then pull this kind of stunt?”
“If I didn’t say that, it’d drag on.”
“Hah!”
As I was about to argue further, I heard whispers around us.
“Wow, he didn’t sleep all night?”
“Did Song Sun-young get tired first because it went on so long…?”
“What did those two do last night?”
“Kang Moon-soo, you lucky bastard.”
“Go to hell.”
For some reason, they were jumping to ridiculous conclusions.
“Hey! Follow me!”
Grab!
I seized Song Sun-young’s wrist and dragged her out of the classroom.
“Ouch! That hurts! I get it, hold gently—no, let go!”
“Fine.”
As soon as we reached the noisy school hallway, I released her wrist.
“People can see us here. Let’s go to the bathroom.”
“Hey, I get that you’re flustered from being dragged out, but I’m a guy. Or do you want to come to the boys’ bathroom?”
“Are you crazy?!”
“That’s what I want to say. Come to the stairs. We don’t have much time.”
“Alright.”
We moved to a staircase rarely used by students for a private conversation.
I wanted a more secluded spot, but with less than five minutes of break time left, there was no choice.
“How did you regress?”
“Secret. And follow the order. It’s my turn to ask.”
“…Go ahead.”
Calming my anger, I waited for Song Sun-young’s question.
“How do you retain your memories?”
“Because I’m a shaman.”
That’s what I said, but I don’t know the reason myself.
“Shaman…”
“My turn. How did you go back in time?”
“Secret.”
“…Suicide, right?”
“Secret.”
“Guess I’m right. No use denying it. It’s written all over your face.”
“…”
Song Sun-young’s face looked like she’d bitten into something foul, which made me even more satisfied.
‘Suicide, huh…’
It wasn’t some mystical incantation, then.
This wasn’t a wild guess.
It was a perfectly rational judgment!
I don’t condone suicide, but it’s understandable to make an extreme choice when life gets tough due to mistakes or bad decisions. I felt that impulse right after my father passed away.
But to keep committing suicide even after going back in time to correct those choices and decisions?
That’s too strange.
Even fantasy novel protagonists who give up on life easily don’t keep killing themselves after regressing, using future knowledge to succeed.
‘But Song Sun-young keeps doing it.’
She repeatedly killed herself every few days.
A hobby of jumping off rooftops?
It’s hard to imagine someone enjoying the pain of their bones and flesh being crushed without any safety measures. If such a person existed, they’d have left this world long ago.
“We’re gonna be late for class. I’m going. See you next break.”
“What?! That’s unfair! You can’t just learn my secret and run!”
“You should phrase it right. I didn’t learn it—I figured it out.”
So shameless.
“…Don’t go.”
“Nope.”
“I’m gonna kill myself again anyway. Attending class diligently is pointless.”
Stop.
Her words halted my steps toward the classroom.
‘Now that I think about it, she’s right.’
Up until now, I didn’t know the conditions for triggering the occult, so I just stayed diligent in the present.
Attending classes, taking the aptitude test, being frugal, going to my part-time job…
But now things are different.
“Ask away.”
“Changed your mind?”
“Yeah.”
I didn’t like that Song Sun-young had taken the lead, but she was the one holding the handle of this occult knife.
“How do you retain your memories?”
“I don’t know.”
“Are you kidding? Answer seriously.”
Song Sun-young’s eyes narrowed, clearly displeased with my response.
“I’d love to answer seriously, but I really don’t know. Do you know how you regress?”
“By killing myself.”
“Come on! So you don’t know either.”
“I do. I said suicide.”
“That’s the same as not knowing.”
“It’s different.”
“How’s it different?”
“There’s a rule: I die, and I go back in time.”
“There’s a rule for me too: you die, and I go back in time.”
“…”
“…”
My flawless logic left Song Sun-young speechless for a moment. She stubbornly pushed back.
“You’re wrong. Everyone except me should lose their memories. That’s how it’s always been.”
“Thinking the world revolves around you is a bit…”
“Don’t treat me like I have eighth-grader syndrome!”
“It’s the truth. Your confidence that you’re some special human with mystical powers is just absurd.”
“…Fine. Let’s drop this topic. I feel like I’m the only one looking stupid.”
“Good call.”
“Shaman, let’s go to the rooftop.”
Ding~♬
At that moment, the bell signaling the start of class rang.
The water was already spilled.
I heard an angelic whisper saying it wasn’t too late, but the devil named Song Sun-young in front of me was too overwhelming.
‘To think I’d skip class without permission!’
I’d been to the infirmary all day once, passing out from lack of sleep, but deliberately breaking school rules was a first.
“Hurry up.”
“Fine. But why the rooftop specifically?”
“There’s a reason. You barged in and acted all friendly.”
“I didn’t act friendly.”
I shot back at her ridiculous nonsense.
“You grabbed my hand.”
“Wrist.”
“Same thing. It’s obvious the class will think we’re dating.”
“Just because of that?”
“For sure. When Choi Kang-hoon came to our class, he misunderstood right away.”
“I see.”
This school had too many people curious about others’ private lives.
“I’d rather die than be misunderstood as dating you.”
“You sure know how to talk harshly! And I hate that I’m convinced by it.”
“Got it, so hurry. The science teacher will come up these stairs soon.”
“Geez…”
I could sense the experience of a frequent absentee in her.
“Just follow me, and we won’t get caught on the way to the rooftop.”
“Explain as soon as we get there.”
“Explain what?”
“Why you keep killing yourself. It’s not like suicide is your hobby, right?”
“It is.”
“…”
“Kidding. So don’t look at me like I’m a bug.”
“Depends on how you act.”
We started our second meeting on the school rooftop.