176 – A Premature Graduation # 5

176 – A Premature Graduation # 5

Heroic Academy High School.

It was once a university site, teetering on the edge of closure due to insufficient enrollment, before the government acquired it. They thoroughly renovated and repaired the place to cultivate superhumans.

Perhaps because the construction was so robust – designed to function as a bomb shelter in times of emergency – the school buildings stood, more or less intact, even amidst the current state of ruin, where hardly a road remained undamaged.

But, truth be told, I didn’t know much about the school’s facilities or buildings.

Having transferred in as a third-year student this past March, I barely attended classes, save for the initial weeks of the semester.

Between battling scoundrels, sustaining injuries, getting hospitalized, and even spending time locked up in the detention center, my attendance record was, quite frankly, a mess.

So naturally, I was largely ignorant about the school’s amenities.

In truth, I wasn’t all that interested either.

A school is a school, after all.

But Youngsa High, as it turned out, had more interesting corners than I’d imagined.

Take, for example, the lawn overgrown with clover.

It lay behind the building called the Grand Auditorium, and even with the toxic black rain that had contaminated the soil, it hadn’t lost its verdant hue.

“Look at that tree…! The leaves are starting to turn…!”

“Mheuheu, that Baonoi is an autumn nymph, born in the fall…! She gets ever so high-spirited when autumn arrives, she does…!”

“This Baekyeoul likes winter the best…! She wanted a Christmas present this winter, she did…!”

Leaving the lawn where the nymphs and Mibbang were darting this way and that, collecting bottle caps, I entered the Grand Auditorium to find it packed with people.

“Honey, did I leave the gas on…?”

“It’s alright. I checked everything.”

“What about our Ttaengchili?”

“They said the animals will be transported separately…”

These were people who had come to journey to the moon.

Already, in Korea alone, roughly 70 percent of the population had completed their evacuation to the moon.

The remaining 30 percent would eventually follow, I imagined.

A grand exodus, truly.

And at the center of this great operation was none other than Teacher Kkogae.

“For such a distinguished individual to grace this humble place is truly an honor.”

Teacher Kkogae, who was using his abilities to send people to the moon, paused what he was doing when he saw me.

A momentary halt to the proceedings, thanks to my arrival.

I could only wave my hands in a gesture of mild protest.

“Just continue with what you were doing. And, Teacher Kogae. Please, treat me as you always have.”

“Impossible, now. You’re the nation’s President.”

“Does that really matter, with everyone on the verge of leaving for the moon? So, Teacher, how’s the work progressing? Are things moving smoothly? Anything you lack, or any discomforts?”

“Progressing splendidly. The concept has even risen a grade, increasing the speed. At this rate, we should be able to send everyone to the moon before the weekend of next week. All thanks to Namjin, of course.”

“Ha Namjin!”

“Ha Namjin!”

The lunar relocation operation was progressing with remarkable, remarkable smoothness.

Wherever I went, people chanted my name. My approval rating was high.

Still, there were always those who trembled with anxiety.

“Say, when we go to the moon, they say we’ll be subjected to something called ‘stasis.’ Is that really alright?”

“What about our homes, when we return to Earth? They say they’ll all be gone.”

“Is it truly safe to go to the moon now?”

Questions rained down from every direction.

Teacher Kogae extended his hand to restrain the crowd.

“Everyone, these are stories we’ve already discussed.”

“Teacher, it’s alright. Even I think I’d still be curious.”

I, President Ha Namjin, the man of this nation, am the person in charge of this operation.

The people simply wanted reassurance from the man in charge.

“Everyone, has anyone had a sleep endoscopy during a health check? It’s just like that. You enter the device and count – one second, two seconds, three seconds – by the time you reach four, five seconds, it’ll all be over, and you’ll be back on Earth. You don’t have to worry about the stasis field.”

Stasis, literally, is stasis.

Seo Gaeul stole the concept of “Time” from Gu Sejun and gave it to the control device on the moon to create a noble phantasm, so the error rate and the probability of variables occurring was close to 0.

From the perspective of those heading to the moon, it was simply closing their eyes for a moment, then opening them again.

“However, I must admit that I cannot clearly tell you what Earth will be like upon our return, but I am sure that global warming and all sorts of environmental problems will be back to normal.”

The present Earth faced severe environmental issues beyond the pollution caused by the black rain.

The Earth’s temperature was steadily increasing, and projections suggested that most habitable areas would be submerged within thirty years.

But?

I could confidently declare that those environmental problems would be resolved when those who went to the moon returned.

“In short, the normalization of Earth. A global reboot. No more squinting at the cost of cooling during the ever-hotter summers. And the winters will be appropriately cold -.”

Spring would bring forth beautiful blossoms, truly like spring.

Autumn, like its very name, would be cool and refreshing, the boughs laden with plentiful fruits, surely.

Spring, summer, autumn, winter—

I dreamt of a world where all those seasons were perfect.

“Everyone, trust me. I may have told you a few fibs here and there. But this time, I swear on my manly pride, there’s absolutely nothing to worry about.”

I was consoling those who had to temporarily leave their beloved hometowns and families.

Of course, my words couldn’t completely set their minds at ease.

“Namjin, shouldn’t you be somewhere else right now? I thought you had an important event today.”

“Ah. Right.”

# # #

*Creak-*

As I opened the door and stepped inside, nearly two hundred pairs of eyes swiveled to meet mine.

Before them all, I declared confidently,

“Yes. I am that Ha Namjin.”

“You little punk, you know today’s the last class, and you still show up late? And if you’re late, you should quietly sneak in through the back. Go get to your seat, now!”

Captain Kang Chulmin’s booming voice unleashed a wave of *haha-* laughter throughout the room.

Today was the final class for the seniors of the Hero Academy High School.

It was only autumn, yet it was the final class.

Because starting tomorrow, the students would be going to the moon.

Which meant today was the last day we could be students.

“Ha Namjinnie! Over here, sit here! Next to me!”

Bbangdaengi waved his hand frantically.

I squeezed through the crowd of nearly a hundred students.

Because it was a combined class from A through F, there weren’t enough desks, so many students were sitting on the floor.

Bbangdaengi was one of them, and so was I.

“Therefore, in this new era that’s dawning, what must you, these superhumans, do? You must rebuild human civilization. You must use your special abilities to usher in a new age─”

The Captain’s lesson was about how to live when humanity returned from the moon.

Kind of cliché, isn’t it?

Boring enough to make me nod off.

And just as I was about to doze off a little, the Captain roared.

“You scoundrel, Ha Namjin! You may swagger about outside like you’re the President himself, but inside this classroom, *I’m* the boss! How dare you sleep during a sacred lesson…!?”

“I… I’m sorry-ssumnida….”

“Then you, as representative, stand and tell us, what is the most vital virtue for humans to uphold as they live in this new era!”

The greatest virtue humans should possess?

What could it be?

There were so many, but to choose just one, what would be best?

Just then, the ‘Mellow-Mellow’ I received from Seo Gaeul flashed in my mind.

I was to receive ‘Mellow-Mellow’ from Seo Gaeul a total of three times, meaning only two remained.

“The virtue humans must preserve is, undoubtedly, Mellow-Mellow.”

“Mellow-Mellow?”

“What is that?”

“Dunno.”

How could I explain this?

To find the closest word for my friends who didn’t understand, wouldn’t this be it?

“Loving each other.”

“Aish, that’s too obvious.”

“Honestly, I had a little hope for something else.”

“Mellow-Mellow isn’t about, like, touching chests?”

“You little…! The obvious is important! It’s obvious *because* it’s important! And whoever said anything about chests, just leave the planet.”

I wanted the people who returned from the moon to love each other.

To become one, embracing and even kissing.

Everyone would do well.

United as one before the goal of rebuilding Earth.

In any case, class proceeded like that.

It was that drowsy time after lunch, but surprisingly few people were dozing.

Perhaps it was because we knew this was the last time to be irresponsible minors, simply students.

“I, Captain Kang Cheol-min, am honored to have taught you. No matter where you go or what you do in the future, I believe you will not lose your way and will be able to proceed correctly.”

*Kkubuk*-.

Captain Kang Cheol-min bowed his head toward the students.

Then, as if unable to overcome something welling up in their hearts, everyone who had endured so much hardship rushed toward the lectern in a torrent – and tossed the Captain into the air.

“Captain!”

“Captain!”

“Hey! Put me down! If you guys throw a person, they’ll hit the ceiling, you know!”

*Thwack!*

Indeed, the Captain, thanks to the overflowing strength of the Espers, collided with the ceiling.

Everyone tittered – *Karr-Karr!* – even Bbang-ddengi cackled – *Kalkal!*

“Hanam-jjin, I never knew school could be such a fun place!”

Yeah, well.

Frankly, I didn’t think I needed to bother with something like high school.

I was already the smartest middle school graduate in the world, after all.

I’d planned to quit as soon as I succeeded in kidnapping Seo Gaeul. It turned out I couldn’t quit, but, good thing I didn’t.

I couldn’t help but feel a little wistful, too.

There were countless faces here, but I only knew the names and faces of a few of them.

“Hanam-jin! Hi!”

“Hanam-jin!”

They knew me, but I didn’t know who they were.

Is this the plight of a celebrity?

They’re all Espers, so they must be interesting fellows.

It’s almost a shame not knowing their names, not sharing a single memory with them.

Of course, there were some friends I *had* become close to.

Like the kids from “No Leftovers Day.”

“The last class… feels so surreal. Doesn’t even feel real. Honestly, when the sky and earth split, I just assumed we wouldn’t be taking school lessons anymore.”

On the way out of the classroom after the lesson, Chang-shik kept looking back, as if he regretted something.

Jin Eun-byeol linked arms with Chang-shik.

“I wish I’d gone to the same school as you guys! Then I wouldn’t have met a jerk like Wang Ja-hyun, and I definitely would have had fun in school with Chang-shik.”

“Why are you suddenly insulting me? And you were the one who kept following me around because you liked me. I honestly didn’t like you, you know? Because you were a scary woman!”

Wang Ja-hyun frowned, looking displeased.

Jin Eun-byeol wouldn’t back down and raised her voice.

“Look at Chang-shik. Just look at his face – he’s destined for greatness. A big nose, too. If he’d been born in the old days, he’d be a king; born in today’s world, he’d be a president. I like men who are going places.”

It seemed Jin Eun-byeol’s taste leaned toward men who would wield great power.

If Jin Eun-byul had gone to school with us from the beginning, would she really have ended up with Chang-shik?

I figured it was a perfectly plausible scenario.

Chang-shik was destined to be president, after all.

President of the only safe city, in a world gone to ruin.

That meant he would have been an incredibly important VVIP, normally.

Maybe he still would be.

“So, have you two decided to date? Aren’t one of you supposed to confess to the other at graduation? I heard confessions at graduation last forever.”

Jin Eun-byul narrowed her eyes, looking at Geum Tae-sung and Oh Deok-soon.

Oh Deok-soon, who had been scurrying along beside Geum Tae-sung, jumped, startled.

“W-we…”

A furtive glance –

Deok-soon stealing a look at Geum Tae-sung.

Soon Geum Tae-sung was also hedging.

“We, uh…”

Frustrating, this.

“Geum Tae-sung, you scoundrel, acting all unmanly when I least expect it! If you’re a man, then act like one, make a decision, all or nothing!”

Geum Tae-sung’s face flushed red, and he shuffled his feet.

Then he spoke a word to me.

“And what about you, Nam Jin? So who have *you* decided to date?”

“Me?”

Everyone’s gaze snapped to me.

I did have something to say, regardless.

“I’m going to tie things up definitively like a man at this graduation too. I’ve even prepared a gift, so you can all look forward to it.”

“Jin-ah, you’ve finally made up your mind. If it’s a gift, I hope it’s something edible.”

Like a shot –

Yoo Yeo-reum, who had been yawning and dozing off since the last lesson, wrapped her arm around mine.

Seo Ga-eul grabbed Yoo Yeo-reum’s arm and pulled her away.

“Yoo Yeo-reum, even if Ha Nam-jin confesses, it won’t be to you, so keep dreaming.”

“Then is it me, after all? I’ve been on a roll lately!”

Even Bbang-ddaeng-yi chuckled.

Anyway, in many ways, I’d been looking forward to graduation.

And so, the time passed, day by day, until that day finally arrived.

Before the graduation ceremony began.

I approached Bbangdaeng and held out the bundle.

Not a bouquet of flowers, but a bundle of clover.

“You know clover is shamrock, right? I thought these three-leaf clovers suited you so well. And look, there’s even a four-leaf clover in here. I suffered quite a bit in the fields finding it.”

“Hanamjjiin! Such a precious thing for me! You’re giving me clover because I carry both luck and misfortune? This is so meaningful, so touching!”

“Bbangdaeng, you were my lucky charm. Ever since I met you, things have been going smoothly. This clover bundle is meant to say, please continue to be my lucky charm.”

Bbangdaeng seemed genuinely moved.

Even though it wasn’t anything expensive, just a bundle of clover plucked from a field.

“You chose me! I’m going to cry! This is the happiest day of my life! I’m so glad I lived this long!”

Bbangdaeng opened her mouth wide and started munching on the clover bundle.

Why is she eating it?

I didn’t give it to her to eat, but she was enjoying it so much that I decided to just let it be.

“So, Bbangdaeng, do you know where Yoo Yeoreum is?”

“Why Yoo Yeoreum!”

“I have to give her a gift too.”

“What? There’s no such thing! A graduation confession only has meaning if it’s given to one person!”

“Is that so?”

“Yes! Now that it’s come to this, I’ll stop you from giving Yoo Yeoreum a gift! Then I’ll be the only one who receives a gift, and it’ll be my victory!”

Pitter-patter-.

Bbangdaeng ran off somewhere.