Chapter 20

There is a moment that everyone runs into at least once in their work life.

The moment when a bomb falls into their hands. A bomb that is powerful enough to blow up an unsightly boss in one shot.

[TL/N – not literally, metaphorically]

When such a moment comes, office workers often fall into deep worries.

‘How do I use it?’

Those who give up the bomb are eliminated first, and those who try to detonate it are broadly divided into two categories.

First, the weak ones.

They are anxious to detonate the bomb quickly because it’s nerve-wracking in itself that the risk factor is in one’s hands.

Two, the calculating ones.

‘They detonate it when the benefits that will return to them reach their peak.’

If you ask why they detonate their bombs at the return, it’s because it’s a high return, high risk.

Then you could get the perfect revenge.

This was the difference between the calculating and the ones who tend to rush.

It was truly different.

‘Just when you think everything is over, it secretly explodes the moment no one is watching.’

Social life is like the wild. Safety was more important than killing others.

In my previous life, I couldn’t even fit in with the weak.

Even if the bomb was dropped right into my hands, I just turned a blind eye to it. So in this life, I wanted to try something else.

‘But it doesn’t mean much even if I detonate it now.’

The organizers of the contest will not want to develop unnecessary controversy and create more work for themselves. This issue concerning the Hankook University team will likely be dealt with quietly, even if they were accused right away. Moreover, Hankook University has a strong influence throughout the art industry as a whole.

‘If I do this, they might try to silence me.’

It may not end up like that, but it was better to approach these issues as conservatively as possible.

The organizers cannot be completely trusted either. Therefore, I was going to detonate this bomb when the moment came where they wouldn’t be able to defend themselves.

That was my plan.

“What do you think?”

“······um.”

At my lengthy explanation, Ju Ji-hoon stood still and said,

“Satan will weep.”

“Great.” I coughed without realizing it.

However, I still had something to say.

“But I’ll do it when I have to. If we had been beaten without knowing that this was happening behind the scenes, we would’ve just been fools for them to laugh at.”

“That’s right.”

“In addition, we’re not the only ones being tricked. They almost deceived all the other schools, so if we think about it, wouldn’t waiting just a little longer be worth it?”

“Hmm. That’s true too.”

Ju Ji-hoon nodded as if he understood. In fact, it didn’t seem like he was planning on refusing from the very beginning.

Next was Hanseol’s turn.

“What do you think?”

“······.”

“To be honest, I don’t know.” She said as she stood still with her arms crossed.

“······.”

“It’s upsetting to think that I’ve been fooled by them for so long up until now, and I don’t even want to see them being excited. I want to go and hit them right now.”

She seemed beyond annoyed—she was actually angry.

I guess she couldn’t help it.

She had the greatest attachment to this work out of the three of us.

If Ju Ji-hoon and I were like businessmen, then she was like an artist. It would be a big disgrace to be defeated—even for a moment—by such cheaters.

“But noona….”

It was the moment when I tried to push further.

“Still, I’ll do what Jaeha says.”

“What?”

“We were given this opportunity because of your courage.” Hanseol sighed.

“······.”

“So, I’ll leave it up to you to figure out how you want to use that video.”

She seemed to believe that I would do well on my own.

“Alright, please be patient for just a while longer.” I smiled.

Let’s wait a little bit.

The prize will return to its rightful owner eventually, no matter what.

*

A short time has passed.

The Hankook University team returned to the event hall and soon resumed their exhibition.

“There was a brief breakdown in the drive unit.”

They quickly began sweeping the crowd again. A generous sight for an exhibition that had a malfunction at the scene.

If this was a corporate exhibition, then there would be a problem with reliability, but if you are a college student, then the errors would be because you are still young.

It was a good thing for them.

The visitors who came to our team for a short time also eventually flocked over there.

“They’re practically on fire.”

“Wow. That’s amazing.”

Hanseol and Ju Ji-hoon muttered.

It was especially hot over there.

As the number of people waiting increased, so did the amount of  attention.

‘I knew that it’d be like this, yet I still can’t help but feel a little disappointed.’

But, it’s okay.

We had a plan. As long as we were pushed back without countermeasures, this moment was only one step in the winning streak.

‘And, things aren’t all that bad.’

The attention on our team was still maintained above a certain level.

With the exception of the Hankook University team, it was definitely the best in the entire venue.

It has been particularly well-received by corporate customers.

I could see it in their eyes.

The reason why I was sure of this was because the context of their questions were different.

“What material did you use?”

“We mainly used wood.”

While general visitors’ questions usually remained sentimental, corporate visitors focused on the practical uses of our design.

“The production cost of this must’ve been high. Assuming that you’re installing it in it’s actual size, are you going to make it from the same material?”

“What about softwood at a relatively low price then? I think if we do a prefabricated design with plywood, we can greatly reduce the cost required for installation.”

“If I change the material, wouldn’t the aesthetics deteriorate?”

“That’s okay.” Ju Ji-hoon said in a confident voice.

“I think the real value of our work lies in its functionality, not its outward beauty.”

In order for them to have a perfect understanding of our work, they were educated in a similar way to being brainwashed.

“·······oh.”

Even the visitors seemed to be very satisfied with his answer.

“If you don’t mind, I’d like to contact you separately later.”

There were also a few visitors who sneakily handed us their business cards.

No, to say a few would be a lie. There were definitely a lot. The number of business cards that I myself have collected has already exceeded 10.

An overwhelming response from active industry members—this was the difference between our team and other teams.

‘If it keeps going like this, we’ll definitely win the Excellence Award.’

And thus, the first part of the contest was over.

*

It was late-afternoon.

A short 30-minute break was given before the second part was due to begin.

If it were any other contest, there wouldn’t be such a break, but it seemed that they were trying to be considerate as it was an exhibition contest for college students.

“Ah. It was hard.”

“It’s the first time I’ve spoken this much.”

“I think I’m going to get a head cramp at this rate.“

Here and there, students from each university poured out their complaints with an exhausted look.

“Why did you answer the question so awkwardly?”

“I thought our model was collapsing during the middle of it, so I was too nervous to answer properly.”

It was a part that didn’t apply to us, however, it was certainly the same for the fact that we were all desperate for fresh air.

We left the venue for a while and chatted while walking in a nearby park.

“Everyone worked hard.”

“Not everyone.” Hanseol glared at Ju Ji-hoon and said, “Jaeha worked the hardest. From designs to materials, he did everything. Didn’t he technically do it all by himself?”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. He’s working hard while you’re just eating rice.”

“Hey! I did my job too!”

This moment felt even shorter as the three of us spent an already short break chatting. However, it was fitting to enjoy a break like that.

‘Hm?’

Familiar people caught my eye a short distance away from the park bench that we were sitting on.

‘What’s going on with them?’

It was the Hankook University team.

Despite attracting crowds of audiences throughout the first part of the event, they seemed somewhat uncomfortable.

“If it weren’t for that breakdown earlier·····.”

“No kidding…”

I knew why they were anxious.

‘You must be worried that you might not be able to win the grand prize.’

As they had borrowed the hand of a professor, they had to win the grand prize. If they couldn’t, the responsibility for that loss will completely fall to them.

Relief is the right of those who have tried with integrity, so perhaps even if they win this contest, they won’t feel so well. Guilt will reside in the bottom of their hearts forever.

‘There are a lot of people like that who’ve succeeded, though.’

I’ve experienced several situations where a person who used backhanded tactics climbed to the top.

I was the only one at that time who didn’t get it right away.

I was blamed for the mistake made by the son of the company’s president. I collapsed at once, but he would’ve continued to live well.

In short, it was like having extra life.

‘But this time, it’ll be a little different.’

It was the moment when I was looking at them while thinking like that.

“Do you remember Han Yewon’s team?”

There was a story about us.

“Oh?”

Ju Ji-hoon and Hanseol stopped their conversation and listened to theirs instead. They continued without knowing that we were eavesdropping on the conversation.

“Someone from their team kept looking at me.”

“Who?”

“A short boy.”

I’m not small, I’m average. But Jihoon-hyung is too tall, so the only other person that they could be talking about is me.

[TL/N – Hyung is a word used by Korean males to address another male older than them who they are close to. Hyung literally means “older brother”]

Anyway, a member of the Hankook University team who heard that replied as if he realized something.

“Ah. I know who he is.”

“Who is it?”

“He’s one of Han Yewon’s first-year Visual Arts majors. His name is Lee Jaeha. He’s pretty famous in his department. A friend over there told me about him.”

“Huh.”

The student, who had been standing still at first, muttered in a tone of absurdity.

“What did that freshman do to become so famous?”

“He must have looked good among the professors. Why, aren’t there a lot of people who have been flirting with their teachers since they were young~?”

They giggled.

“I guess there’s no one else in Han Yewon who can challenge us. How crazy they must be, bringing a freshman to the contest.”

“Yeah? If I had run out of ideas, I would’ve at least brought a senior with some experience.”

“They must have wanted to lose pretty badly”

“It seems the prestige of Han Yewon is gone, too.”

“I feel sorry for the other two. Aren’t they practically taking care of a child?”

Their sarcasm gradually grew stronger.

I knew why they were doing this.

They were trying to relieve their anxiety by turning it outward.

I wanted to say something, but I just held it in.

‘Yeah, let’s keep smiling for now.’

It’s not time yet.

Their downfall is set to happen anyway. There’s no need to go ahead and cause a problem.

With that thought in mind, I tried to move on.

However…

There was someone who didn’t intend to stand for it.

They were right next to me, too.

“That’s crossing the line.”

It was Hanseol.

She got up from her seat and walked over to Hankook University’s team.

‘So suddenly?’

While I was surprised, she said,

“Look at you talking”.

“······!”

“What do you know about Jaeha?”

The Hankook University team flinched.

Could it be that they never thought that the group they were talking about would suddenly appear in front of them?

“······Don’t pick a fight with us for no reason. What did we say?” They said, after hesitating for a moment.

“Don’t try to pretend you don’t know. I heard everything; how you said that there are no sane people in Han Yewon, and so what if Jaeha is a freshman?”

“He’s a first-year.”

“So what? Jaeha is really good at his job”.

At Hanseol-noona’s retorts that were pouring out like a flood, the members of the Hankook University team flinched again and said,

“Isn’t it normal to only bring senior students to Jeondi?”

“Oh, really?”

Hanseol laughed as if what they said was absurd and hissed,

“Then should we have brought a professor too?”

That was the moment.

“······!”

The members from Hankook University’s team became so stiff that they were practically statues.

Was it perhaps that they couldn’t find any more words to refute Hanseol’s? Or was it that they felt a stab of guilt and couldn’t speak properly?

As they stood still, Hanseol continued with a cold look.

“Without Jaeha, our group wouldn’t have been able to do anything. So don’t make fun of us with your mouths, idiots with ugly faces.”

Hanseol returned to us as it was.

Ju Ji-hoon whispered to Hanseol with a pale face.

“Seol! Why did you do that? What will you do when a problem arises after you provoked them?”

“If you’re going to be angry at me, then just let it go. They’re saying things like that because they don’t know anything. How annoying. They should know that they’re running out of luck.”

Hanseol looked back at me this time and said,

“Lee Jaeha.”

“Yes?”

The ends of her hair stood up involuntarily at her angry tone.

“You didn’t do anything wrong, so don’t be discouraged. No matter what they say, you don’t have to put up with it. Got it?

“But if a problem arises…”

“So what?”

She turned her head and said,

“Jihoon and I’ll fix it.”

“Me?”

“Oppa, be quiet.”

“······.”

“Anyway, Jaeha. You wanna know what’s good about being young? Even if you’re the one who causes a problem, you’re cursed out less.”

A moment of silence followed.

‘The problem is that you detonated the bomb yourself.’

[TL/N – remember that this is metaphorical]

Though, it didn’t make me feel bad.

I think she detonated it for me.

Hanseol was a person who had no thoughts running around in her head, but had thoughts of her juniors.

‘In this life, there are people who are angry for me.’

Was there even one person who was like that in my past life?

Well, I don’t know.

A smile came to my face with an unexpected feeling.

“Okay. The next time I get angry, I won’t hold it in.”

“Self-reflect.”

“I’ll reflect on myself.”

As such, the first part of the contest ended peacefully.

*

Until I set off the bomb.