Chapter 3: Strange Adult
In the end, today has become my last day.
Rather than the realization that I am falling, the relief that I have finally been liberated dominated my mind.
Since humans cannot defy gravity, my body was rapidly plummeting down the cliff.
Although I awakened, I am a D-rank, and since I am not an aerial ability user, I probably won't survive from this height.
However, is it because I know it is the end of life?
The moment of falling from the empty air felt too long, as if time had slowed down.
In many media, it is said that right before dying, the past life flashes by like a kaleidoscope.
Is that state coming to me too?
Or is it giving me a reprieve time different from before because it is the end of life.
While asking and answering myself, I entrusted myself to the last time allowed by God.
I, who was always running away.
Only at the end.
For the first time, I was able to look back on my past life.
I closed my eyes slowly.
The black world inside the eyelids.
A picture began to be drawn in that world that only I could see.
‘Since when was it. That hell began.’
Was it from when I received the call that my older brother died 10 years ago.
Or, was it when I applied to the same school to uncover my brother’s death.
If not that either.
Thwack!
“What does your brother dying have to do with my brother.”
Probably since I was marked by the promising prospect called the future of Korea.
“It’s annoying that a D-rank bastard is in the same class, but you keep bothering me?”
That time is probably correct.
That my life began to turn into hell.
And it was probably from that time.
That I began not to trust adults, teachers.
“What? Watch your mouth, punk. Suing over friends having a little quarrel. And even if you are an academy student, don't you know it’s a crime if a guy who hasn't even registered as an awakener uses force?”
“I didn't use force, I got hit first so in self-defense…….”
“Self-defense my foot! I will let you off just this once, so go to Tae-wook and apologize. It’s fortunate that Tae-wook is nice, otherwise you would have been dead already. If anyone held back, A-rank Tae-wook held back, would a D-rank like you hold back?”
A person called a teacher.
Why do they judge without even finding out properly?
Without even listening to both sides.
Why is it already decided that I did wrong.
The one who got hit is me.
The one bullied is me.
“Is it because Tae-wook’s dad is an executive of the Hunter Association?”
That was my courage against injustice.
However…….
Slap―.
“This bastard, just because I’m letting it slide.”
On this day, I was hit by a teacher for the first time.
And I learned that an adult’s hand is a little harder.
And that day, a place deeper than the swollen cheek felt cold so I couldn't sleep.
After that, my school life truly turned into hell.
Teachers treated me as a troublemaker.
And to other students, I became an object of avoidance that should not be approached.
A problem child who did nothing wrong.
That was my image embedded within a month of admission.
However, if it was only that, if it was to that extent, I probably could have endured it.
“Did you hear that? That kid named Jin-ho who came last time.”
“Teacher Choi’s class? The kid who keeps picking fights with that Tae-wook?”
“Yeah. That actually is…….”
“Really? Not Tae-wook but Jin-ho’s words were true?”
“Shh, shh! Hey, your voice is too loud.”
“So what. There’s no way a student would be on the rooftop during class anyway.”
“Is that so? Anyway, that Tae-wook guy had a clean image, but he was a scary guy.”
“Originally, kids from well-off families all have one mask like that. And it doesn't matter anyway, right? Whatever the truth is.”
“That’s true. To stick around in school anyway, we have to take Tae-wook’s side.”
Adults are all creatures like this.
Beings for whom their own safety is more important than the truth.
They teach to stand on the side of the weak, but they themselves are a class that calculates practical interests more selfishly than anyone else.
That was the adult I saw, and the teacher.
“I don't need teachers or whatever. From the start, I intended to reveal my brother’s death with only my power.”
I tried not to become weak.
Because I had a goal.
However, there was one thing I overlooked.
That is precisely that a place called school is not as easy as I thought.
The most important thing for a human to live is society.
However, the place called school, experienced before the self is properly established.
Was a little different.
That place where beings who need to be protected the most are gathered had worse public order than society.
Unlike society which rolls like a hamster wheel with defined laws and order existing, the place called school was like a jungle where no laws and order existed as if it were a different world.
No.
Perhaps it’s not that they don't exist, but they might be different.
Not laws and order.
But invisible power and order must exist.
Rather, school would be the place where survival of the fittest is best expressed.
Therefore, guys with power call school the nourishment of the future.
And beings without power call it later.
A place they never want to go back to again.
A scar that won't be erased for a lifetime.
They probably call school like this.
Of course, to me, school was the latter.
Even a normal school is like a jungle, but the place I attend is the Hunter Academy.
An exceptional space where even adults' laws and order are not properly established yet.
Therefore, things happening inside there might be worse than a normal school, but not less.
That I became a being without a single friend in a month would be the proof.
Still, I endured.
Even if I got beaten every day by the school’s pride who had a dad as an association executive with good backing.
Actually, that guy is the bad guy, but that guy’s reputation gets better and better.
While I, the victim, get bad rumors every day.
I endured thinking of only one thing.
I will definitely reveal my brother’s death.
That it wasn't suicide but homicide.
Even if he jumped with his own feet, that invisible hands, bullying pushed my brother’s back at the end.
I really wanted to reveal that.
I did, but.
Why on earth.
The black world seen inside the eyelids gradually disappeared.
Eyes opened slowly.
Through the blurry vision, the cliff where I stood every day was seen.
Why did I come to think the same as my brother.
I cursed at my brother who died like that saying he didn't think about our mother left behind.
Why am I driving a second nail into mother’s heart.
Countless emotions fluctuated.
Some stabbed the heart sharper than a needle.
Some sent a touch of comfort saying the pain is over.
I wondered if death is something like this.
Painful yet comfortable on the other hand.
Such an emotion I can't speak of precisely.
Even so.
Since I cannot refuse now.
I just decided to accept.
Since I was bullied for a year.
I think it was great that I endured until now.
Since every single day was hell.
Right, I endured well.
Grind!
“Actually I…….”
If only one person had reached out a hand.
Just one person.
Even the ones I hated the most.
Teacher, adult.
If they had reached out a hand.
It wouldn't have come to this.
‘Jump.’
Why is it that person I think of at the end.
Is the face of that person on the cliff whom I saw for the first time today, whose name I don't know and whom I don't know, coming to mind.
Perhaps it might be because he is a completely different person from the adults I met until now.
Unlike other teachers who were busy only avoiding my eyes out of annoyance.
For the first time.
Perhaps because he is a person who looked at me straight.
Tears burst out.
‘Why did you appear so late.’
Is it because the time allowed by God is up.
The time that seemed to flow slowly returned.
I felt vividly that I was falling fast.
That means.
It meant there isn't much time left until I crash into the ground and die.
I regret.
That I didn't endure a little more.
I regret.
Falling from that place.
Because.
Actually I.
“Still, still…….”
I know that bringing this up won't change anything.
That I can't go back now.
I know too well but.
Probably my brother would have uttered these words too.
Even people who chose death after much agony.
The end.
If reaching the very end.
Probably.
“Actually…… I don't want to die!”
Because one comes to know one’s true heart.
.
.
.
Thud!
The falling body defied gravity in an instant.
Through the shaking vision, a hand gripping the cliff strongly was seen.
“See, you…….”
A voice was heard.
A voice I shared a conversation with only once, but probably won't be able to forget for a lifetime.
My gaze moved to where that voice was heard.
The only one who didn't avoid my eyes.
The face of a real adult with upright eyes came into view.
Grin.
“Actually you want to live.”
The sun that completely drove away the darkness before anyone knew.
Next to the face of the smiling man, the Drake with eyes rolled back was seen falling.
He is a strange person.
Adults hid when harm came to them, and only ignored me saying I’m a kid.
This person is now.
Jumped off from that cliff to save me.
It’s strange.
He was different from the adults I knew until now.
The adults I knew were liars.
Even mom.
This person is.
This person is.
‘You said so. That they turned their backs when actually needed. So, I will watch clearly for you. As an adult. And as a teacher.’
He kept his words.
“Waaaaah―.”
Even at the crying that burst out.
He didn't turn his gaze away at least.
“Cry a lot, kid. Since there won't be anything to cry about from now on.”
For the first time, an adult I want to trust appeared.