CH 17

Chapter 17 Exciting Vacation (Part 1)

"Huh? Geon, I should teach you how to study. Your grades must have dropped a lot lately because you've been working part-time."

My sister's doing quite well these days, thanks to the taco coupons and 500,000 won monthly allowance I put in her wallet.

In any place, but especially among female students, there's an unspoken hierarchy based on grades.

My sister hasn't run out of allowance lately because I've been using a cheat code to put money in her wallet.

She seems to feel sorry, so she wants to help me study.

She's cute, trying to look out for me like a sister.

Of course, 500,000 won per month is a lot by today's standards.

"Oh right, the report card. Geon, where did you put your report card? Why didn't you bring it?"

My mother suddenly realized that I've never brought home a report card.

Where did I put the report card?

I've been so busy with work that I didn't have time to think about it.

"Oh, that? In the office cabinet. Or maybe in the club room? I don't remember."

It's not like it's really important, though.

"Geon, you didn't come in last in your class, did you?"

"No, Mom. What do you take me for? I'm your son; where would my intelligence go?"

How could I be last with all the advanced cramming I've done?

But then my mother suddenly looked flustered and started rambling.

"Oh? Oh, well.. right, hahaha. Where would my son go… No, Geon, Mom trusts you, but you still have to bring your report card. Even if you're last in your class, I understand. Our family has a history of not being great at studying, but we're smart."

My mother seemed to be giving herself absolution.

"Alright, I'll help Geon study more from now on."

"Right. Geon, this time, your sister ranked 11th in her class."

Her grades were much better than I expected.

I thought she would be around 30th.

"Wow, really? You're so good at studying, sis."

"Yeah, so I'll definitely teach you everything during this vacation. Let's study hard together."

Jin-i wanted to get closer to Geon, who had grown distant over the past few months.

She felt sorry for always taking and never giving back.

Geon had become so much like an old man lately, it was kind of annoying.

If they could joke around like before, that annoying part would improve.

It wasn't because she was bored.

"Oh, let me find the report card for a moment. Where did I put it? Oh, right."

I completely forgot that my report card was in my bag.

I had crumpled it up and put it in the side pocket of my bag.

I forgot about it.

"Here, Mom. This one is the final exam, and this one is the midterm."

My mother took the report card with zero expectations.

"Let's see, as long as my son doesn't come in last, I'm happy… Korean 81 points, English 100 points, Math 100 points, History 90 points. Huh? Is this really your report card, Geon?"

"Yes, it's mine."

"It seems like there's a mistake on the report card."

The report card Geon brought didn't seem like his.

Moreover, the class rank on the report card was an impressive 3rd place out of 47 students.

Taking into account the overall rankings, Yi Geon was ranked 25th out of 561 students.

Moreover, his final exam scores were almost perfect, except for Korean at 89 points and history at 95 points. He was ranked 2nd in his class.

"Geon, you ranked 2nd in your class for final exam scores? And 15th in the entire school?"

"Ah, yes. Somehow, it turned out that way."

"Oh... son, I trust you, but you didn't cheat or anything, did you?"

"Of course not. I studied a lot, you know. Seven hours a day at school, and then another 20 minutes at home?"

"Wow, our son is good at both working part-time and studying. If you study just a bit more, you could even go to Korea University."

"No, mom. This is definitely my limit."

Yi Geon broke into a cold sweat when his parents started talking about studying just a bit more. Korea University, the top prestigious university in Korea, was way beyond his reach.

He had just aimed to get decent scores, but with the exception of the difficult 1993-style Korean language course and pre-reform history course, he scored almost perfect marks in all subjects. It was all thanks to his advanced learning skills, a common attribute of students from the 2000s.

"Still, it's good to aim high, like aiming for Korea University."

"Haha, sure."

Korea University is the best university in the country. It guarantees job opportunities and connections, but it also has its drawbacks. One of them is the need for intense studying if you get accepted into a prestigious program. Yi Geon preferred to enjoy a laid-back life in the 1990s rather than aiming for the top.

"Mom, I just want to take it easy. I prefer working over studying, and I'll make a lot of money in the future."

"Oh, well, ambition is good for a young man. How about having some short ribs for dinner tonight? Oh, right. Jin-i, I need to meet up with my friends this afternoon. Maybe I should call them after a long time?"

Yi Geon could clearly see his mother's intention behind her humming – bragging about her son's achievements to her friends. His mom was happy, and everything was fine, but...

Jin-i, why are you burying your face in your bag?

Knock knock~

I couldn't even tap on her.

Through the gap in her bag, Jin-i's red face shone.

Her face was so red that it seemed steam would start rising.

"Hey, Jin-i, do you want to have a California Roll Taco?"

"Ah... I want to wash my face!"

Jin-i, whose face was as red as a strawberry cake, quickly ran to her room with her face still wrapped in her Eastpak bag.

'Did I do something wrong? Jin-i seems really angry, and it seems like it's because of me.'

Yi Geon, who had become a high school student in his second life, had grown more insensitive to such situations.

"Ah, I'll go hang out with my friends then. I brought a lot of tacos, so please share them with your friends."

"Hohoho, go have fun with your friends. Kids should play when it's time to play."

Yi Geon's mother seemed delighted, perhaps due to the surprisingly good report card.

'I don't know. I should go out and buy a nice present for Jin-i.'

After Yi Geon quickly left the house, Jin-i cautiously opened and closed her bedroom door.

"Ah, so embarrassing! How can Geon look at me like that? I'm going crazy."

She now had another embarrassing memory added to her collection.

'I really wanted to help him study better...'

------

The next afternoon, at a bustling intersection.

Vroom~ Vroom~ Vroom~

The sound of motorcycle engines could be heard from somewhere.

Were they bikers?

As they stopped on the road and lifted their helmet visors, familiar faces were revealed.

"Hey, Yi Geon, I got a new bike."

"I got one too, matching with Sang-du."

"Geon, I also got a black one, because men look best in black."

Sang-du, Sang-il, and Dong-pal all rode up on motorcycles of the same model.

It was a model that Yi Geon knew well: the VF125.

It was once an iconic motorcycle for Korean bikers and fed numerous delivery riders.

Seeing the legendary bike stirred up Yi Geon's retro fever.

“The VF125 is cooler than any Harley or Ducati, right, Geon?”

Sang-il, with his ridiculous air of confidence, spoke.

"Hey, Yi Geon, what do you think?"

"Wow, it's so cool. Can Ducati or Harley compete with the VF125?"

Genuinely impressed, Yi Geon's eyes sparkled.

"Just as Sang-il is crazy, Yi Geon is too."

"Isn't it? Isn't it a bit too cool?"

"Yeah, it's really cool. Wow."

Yi Geon's envious expression was obvious.

"Aren't you going to buy one, Yi Geon? You have the most money."

"Me? I have to buy one."

He was planning to buy one slowly, but after seeing the actual VF125, his heart wavered.

This is why it's hard to resist the urge to spend.

How could he hold back?

"I don't know. I have to buy one right away. Hey, why hasn't Min-seok come?"

"I don't know. Someone call him. Sang-du."

Pfft~

"Ah, shoot. I pressed the wrong number."

Ring~

When Sang-du called Min-seok, it took a while for him to answer.

[Hey, what are you doing?]

[Um, I'm cleaning right now.]

[Forget it, just leave and come out, punk.]

[I can't. My mom will scold me if I don't clean.]

[Sigh~ Seriously, kid...]

"What did he say?"

Sang-du sighed heavily and shook his head.

"Min-seok is helping his mom clean the house. He said he'll be cleaning all day today."

"Ah, come on... Hahaha, that's so like Min-seok. Hey, where's Min-seok's house? Let's go help him and hurry up."

"Alright. Hey, Sang-du, call him again. We need his address."

Yi Geon got on the back seat of Sang-il's motorcycle.

The group arrived at Min-seok's house.

"Wow, Min-seok is living well. What's this building? Wow, he's really living well."

"I don't know. It's supposed to be the top floor here."

"Wow, seriously!"

"Wow."

"He's living so well, that punk!"

Min-seok's house was a typical three-story mini commercial building.

The first and second floors were occupied by shops and offices.

The third floor was decorated as a residential home.

Considering the average standard of living, it was a really nice house.

In fact, there probably weren't many building owners like this in the entire school.

"Wow, Min-seok was really rich."

"Indeed."

Min-seok was sweeping water down the stairs of the second floor with a broom.

In the year 2030, they would have called a professional cleaning company to do it instead.

But, of course, it's 1993 now.

Owning a three-story mini commercial building in 1993, just as in 2030, meant that you were wealthy beyond the middle class.

Even if this place was located far from the central commercial area, it was still true.