Magic Academy's Genius Blinker - Chapter 177

Chapter 177

Unreality (1)

In the waves of thoughts where even light and time lose direction, Flame was endlessly walking forward.

Like pressing the power button on a TV, Flame’s consciousness, which had been completely blacked out, returned.

“Ah.”

She stumbled and stopped walking, hurriedly looking around her.

Chatter.

Honk honk-!
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Noisy and foul-smelling.

Gray buildings towering high into the sky, cars emitting exhaust, people and students heading towards their daily lives.

“Huh…”

Thud!

“Move! I’m in a hurry.”

A company employee bumped into Flame’s shoulder as she stood there dazed. It was then that she realized she was carrying a bag.

“What is this…?”

[Ilwol High School, Class 3-7, Flame]

It was a name tag.

‘Oh, right.’

Her memory came back to her.

She was Flame, a third-year student at Ilwol High School in Seoul. Wasn’t she on her way to school right now?

‘Geez.’

She must have zoned out for a moment. She had almost stayed up all night studying last night, and it seemed her head was feeling fuzzy because of it.

Such a fantastical dream.

‘…But, what was the dream about?’

Dreams tend to fade away the more you try to remember them after waking up, and now she couldn’t recall any of it.

“Whatever.”

She shook off the memories of the dream world and took out her smartphone. Checking the bus route application, it said the bus would arrive in five minutes.
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‘…Feels a bit awkward to use.’

Why did it feel unfamiliar to handle the smartphone? As she stood at the bus stop, tapping her smartphone while tilting her head in confusion, someone suddenly hugged her tightly from the side.

“Hey~ Flame~ Why have you been ignoring my messages all day?”

“Huh, huh?”

The hug was so startling to her, but the other person seemed very familiar with it.

The girl with long black hair was Han Choyeon.

Contrary to her serene and demure appearance, she had a very mischievous personality, but she had been Flame’s closest friend since their first year.

“Hmm? You’re on your phone right now. What are you watching? YouTube? Oh my gosh, what’s this? Since when did you start watching Goppa Boy Band videos? You always acted like you didn’t care about celebrities.”
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“I wasn’t watching it! It just popped up in the YouTube algorithm while I was scrolling…”

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“Come on, don’t lie. Did you think I wouldn’t know? I’ve seen you always watching your oppas’ variety shows.”

“I’m telling you, I didn’t subscribe, and I definitely don’t watch the live broadcasts! I only click on them out of curiosity when they show up!”

Words that felt both odd and familiar poured out from her mouth.

“Huh~ Really? I thought you only watched English and math lectures on YouTube. You really are human after all.”

“I told you, I don’t…”

It wasn’t really unfair, but she felt unjustly accused.

The truth was, she had indeed been secretly watching the Goppa Boy Band videos diligently, but she didn’t want it to be found out…

Her face felt hot.

Maybe it was because she pretended not to care but got caught; the embarrassment felt ten times worse.

“Oh, the bus is here!”

“Changing the subject~”

Luckily, the bus arrived just in time, and Flame dashed towards it as if fleeing.

…Of course, even after getting on the bus, Han Choyeon sat right next to her, so the teasing didn’t stop.

* * *

‘…Is this really our school?’

Ilwol High School was a five-story building.

A typical straight-line building with the school emblem engraved on the rooftop, just an ordinary high school you could see anywhere in Seoul.

“Why did you stop? Let’s go. We’re going to be late.”

“Oh, okay.”

Han Choyeon urged her, so she had no choice but to walk towards the school, but something kept bothering her, making her feel uneasy.

“Hey, Choyeon.”

“Why are you calling me so sweetly? It’s creepy.”

“Was our school always this small?”

“Yeah, it is pretty small. The school in the neighboring district is huge, though.”

“No, I mean, it feels smaller than usual.”

“Like your height?”

“You crazy girl, are you asking to die…?”

“Look at you, showing your true colors the moment someone mentions your height. You were acting weird this morning, and now you’re fussing about the school size?”

Han Choyeon’s reaction was normal.

Other students on their way to school were also laughing and chatting casually, so maybe she was just overthinking it.

‘Am I just too sensitive these days…’

The stress from being a high school senior was no joke.

Ding-dong-dang~

As the archaic 20th-century school bell rang, Flame barely made it in time for the zero period.

Zero period wasn’t an actual class; it was just a time for English listening practice. Most of the students were lying down, trying to catch some sleep.

The teacher didn’t bother them either. After all, those who wanted to study would do so regardless of the circumstances.

Something felt off.

No one else was really studying, except for maybe four or five students.

There were about forty students in the classroom, and only four or five were studying?

Is this normal?

Weren’t they supposed to study like their lives depended on it?

She was sure it was like that just yesterday…

No, that would be too ‘fantastical’…

Is this the real ‘reality’?

Ding-dong~

The bell rang, signaling the start of the first period.

Flame was in the science track, and she had a biology class. Because of her short stature, she always sat in the front row to see the blackboard clearly.

“Open to page 39.”

The biology teacher started the class with a sleepy voice, without any greeting or joke.

As she pulled out her book from her bag, she noticed her name tag and her eyes widened.

[Ewol High School, Class 3-7, Flame]

‘Huh?’

Was that the correct name of the school?

“The origin of life…”

But with the teacher starting the lesson, there was no time for deep thought.

The class progressed quickly, but as expected, almost no one was paying attention. Some students were already sprawled out at the back, taking a nap.

She decided not to care about such things anymore. They had their lives, and she had hers.

“Damn, look at that loser.”

“Acting like a model student again.”

“What’s the point of studying in this dumb school? I feel like hitting her on the back of her head.”

Thud!

A wad of paper hit her head. Flame scowled and turned around. Some delinquent girls at the back were laughing.

“Hey, she’s staring at us.”

“Scary.”

‘These idiots…’

She almost lost her temper but held back because it was class time. Biology was one of her weak subjects, so she had to pay attention.

Ding-dong~

But she didn’t promise to hold back after class.

Thwack!

Crash!

“Argh! You crazy girl!”

“Didn’t I tell you not to bother me during class?”

“W-Wait, Flame! You’ll kill someone if you hit them with a chair!”

“I’m telling you to die.”

“I think she’s lost it!”

Flame doesn’t hold back.

Especially not with those who disrupt her studies.

“High school bullies? Are you good at fighting? Are you, you bastards?”

“You’re going to regret this…”

“Try anything funny again, and I’ll kill you.”

She was past the age of being scared by childish pranks. Ever since she started working, she regretted all the times she was intimidated by the antics of kids and their wannabe gangster acts.

…Work?
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Did she do that?

Hesitating, Flame stopped swinging the chair, and the delinquents took advantage of the pause to run away.

Han Choyeon, looking worried, made Flame put down the chair and asked directly,

“Are you on your period?”

“No, you crazy girl.”

“You’re really sensitive today.”

“Whatever. I just feel like smashing everything.”

“But what are you going to do? If they bring their brothers…”

“Their brothers?”

She remembered. The school bullies were protected by a gang they called their ‘brothers.’

“…Great.”

She realized she was in deep trouble, but at least there was plenty of the day left to come up with a plan.

Ding-dong~

The school bell rang.

‘…What?’

So suddenly?

Flame hurriedly looked at Han Choyeon. She was humming and merrily packing up to leave.

“W-Wait… Is it over already?”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

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“It was just the first period.”

“Ah~ Yeah. But I slept through the first period, and now it’s time to go home. Wanna go to the karaoke?”

“…No.”

“Hmm, yeah, you don’t like singing. Anyway, get home safe. It doesn’t seem likely, but those girls were really pissed earlier.”

Han Choyeon pointed towards the delinquent girls before disappearing out of the classroom.

“Sigh…”

Flame didn’t know what was going on anymore. As she packed her bag to leave, she noticed her name tag again.

[Samwol High School, Class 3-7, Flame]

“Huh…?”

What was this? Was the school name like this before? She hurriedly looked for Han Choyeon, but she was already gone.

‘Am I really sensitive these days…’

With her bag slung over her shoulder, Flame trudged towards the main gate.

…She realized her mistake about five minutes later.

“Hey. Is this the guy?”

“Yes. This is the guy.”

As expected, the delinquents had brought their ‘brothers.’ They brought their gang on motorcycles to show off their power.

“Pfft! You act like a model student, but you’re just a dumbass. We even posted guards at the back gate, but you had the guts to come out the front?”

Flame, with her head lowered, glanced around.

Teachers, making eye contact with the delinquents, quickly fled, and the students didn’t even look this way.

Thinking if anyone would call the police was pointless.

‘My school life is ruined.’

Summoned to an alley, Flame stood with her hands behind her back and her head down.

The way out was already blocked by the delinquents, squatting down, smoking, and spitting.
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‘I need to study…’

She sighed, and one of the class delinquent girls tapped her forehead.

“Hey. Are you sighing? Still haven’t come to your senses?”

Annoyed, she looked up and glared, causing the girl to flinch and step back. Feeling humiliated, the girl shouted angrily.

“Are you looking to die?”

She saw it.

The raised palm.

The bulging veins.

That arrogant delinquent was about to hit her. But if she retaliated now, she might really get into trouble with the ‘brothers,’ so she had to hold back.

So she decided… she would just take the hit and closed her eyes tightly.

…However, nothing happened.

‘What’s going on?’

She peeked with one eye to see the delinquent, who seemed to be looking at the alley with a puzzled expression.

“…Who’s that crazy guy?”
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“Is he one of the brothers?”

“No. He’s wearing your school uniform. Do you know him?”

“No. I’ve never seen him…”

What were they talking about?

Turning to look at one corner of the alley, she saw a boy with sunglasses, striking a confident pose like a third-rate movie hero, walking towards them.

He appeared to be around seventeen, and judging by his name tag, he seemed to be a third-year student like her.

His name was…

‘Baek… Yu-seol…?’

A strangely familiar name.

But she couldn’t remember who he was.

“Stop. Who are you?”

The delinquents blocked Baek Yu-seol, who approached with his hands in his pockets. He lowered his sunglasses and glanced at them, smirking.

Then,

Thwack! Thud! Whack!

With a single strike, he took down three delinquents.

‘This isn’t some 2000s romance novel hero…’

It was definitely a cool scene, but it wasn’t cool at all.

‘The situation and the setup are so contrived!’

A feeling of a 90s classic movie’s old-fashioned BGM filled the air. But regardless of how cheesy it was, Baek Yu-seol had definitely come to rescue her… so she was grateful.

“Get him!”

“I’ll take care of him, boss!”

The third-rate delinquents shouted third-rate lines as they charged at Baek Yu-seol, but they were no match for him.

With his small frame, Baek Yu-seol unleashed terrifying strength, and the delinquents were scattered around the alley like modern art.

Finally, standing before Flame was Baek Yu-seol.

“Damn…”

The lead delinquent began to retreat, and Baek Yu-seol quickly closed the gap.

…And suddenly lifted a motorcycle onto his shoulder.

“Huh?”

“What?”

“Wait, what?”

Is it even possible to lift a motorcycle with one hand? Why did he suddenly lift it? Was he going to hit someone with it?

Baek Yu-seol’s bizarre behavior didn’t stop there.

He lowered his sunglasses slightly, showing his signature sly look and flashing a white smile.

“Honestly, I wanted this.”
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Then he quickly ran away with the motorcycle.

“…”

“…What’s with that guy?”

“I don’t know, boss…”

The delinquents, stunned by the sudden and surreal situation, sat down, staring at the direction Baek Yu-seol had disappeared.

‘This is my chance!’

Taking advantage of their distraction, Flame hastily grabbed her bag and ran away.

[Ewol High School, Class 3-7, Flame]

Even in the midst of confusion, the name tag on her bag caught her eye.

Flame didn’t want to think about anything anymore.

End of Chapter.