Until they’ve arrived at the Korea University, Lee Hyun kept his head stationary like that.
“Deureureong, kuwuool.” (snoring)
The girls’ bitterness grew as he pretended to sleep.
‘This makes it look as if we’re the bad people.’
‘Still, he was too severe to Soyun.’
‘I want to ask for his contact info…’
The misunderstand increased when Lee Hyun arrived at the school and at his classroom.
The university’s lecture hall was large and magnificent, and was stocked with various state-of-the-art equipments.
Lee Hyun victimized himself.
‘This is where my tuition goes?!!’
Since the tuition money was already officially paid to the university, the cut was even deeper!
Since the money was gone, the resentment filled up quickly resolved.
‘Hayan also, is taking classes.’
Lee Hayan has a different major, so she didn’t have class on Monday. The only time where they were in the class was Liberal Arts on Friday.
‘Anyway, let’s enter the classroom.’
He did not know anybody in the class.
The senior student threw several welcoming parties and had invited him several times. The motive was that to have the students get acquainted with one another, form friendships from the curriculums, but Lee Hyun didn’t go.
The fee was 20000 Won. (20bucks)
Nothing in this world exists for free.
He even skipped the Admission Ceremony a week before. Usually, for most, at the beginning of the new semester shouldn’t be a time for them to be late.
In other word, the moment he first stepped into the class was his first time ever.
“Who is he? Don’t seem to recognize him.”
“Is he a returning senior?”
“I think he’s on the waiting list. What his student ID?”
The students who were taking the class noticed him and whispered amongst themselves.
Lee Hyun steadfastly ignored them and took a seat, and then opened up his laptop.
An old, outdated laptop.
It was a relatively inexpensive item from the marketplace on the internet. It was heavy and crude, but the performance wasn’t that far behind others.
However, Lee Hyun’s face lit up with embarrassment.
‘I don’t have any books.’
The lecture was on the Existence of Virtual Reality.
He didn’t know what kind of textbook to get so it had completely slipped his mind.
Lee Hyun was sitting there in embarrassment when a book slipped in the middle from the girl sitting beside him.
“You can share with me.”
“Thank you.”
“No problem. likewise to Seonbae-nim too.” (Senior classmen.)
“……”
Lee Hyun took a bit to explain.
“So you can be at ease. Im not a Seonbae.”
The girl then, persisted.
“Seonbae-nim, please do not joke like that.”
Freshman girls seemed to treat many males like poison, at the same while only be interested in their Seonbae. So she took what he said as a joke.
“I really am not a Seonbae……”
Suddenly the misunderstand became unpleasant.
Since he didn’t show up at the Admission Ceremony, he didn’t make acquaintances with anybody; and surely, the people in this class wouldn’t want to hear this conversation.
‘I have no choice.’
Lee Hyun gave up on it.
Letting the misunderstanding fizzle out on its own was the best method.
Shortly afterward, he dove into the lecture the professor was teaching. Since the subject the teacher was teaching caught Lee Hyun’s interests.
“Many organizations, one in particular is the military, began research into the numerous advantages virtual reality poses. On their part, if they were to deploy a team of Special Forces on a dangerous mission, the survival rate wouldn’t be very high; so to have them train on the same terrain in a virtual reality will increase their experiences. This will maximize their survivability, and……however, this notion then wasn’t fully completed.”
Lee Hyun more or less nodded in agreement.
‘It was lacking in many ways. The earlier development placed emphasis on education and training. But to truly place a real being into another reality, it took a long time.’
The Professor spoke.
“Initially, the development of virtual reality then was insufficient; however, there were many feedbacks on the subject regarding the looming possibility of increasing people’ happiness via this method. Ultimately, many companies dove into researching virtual reality. Their goal was a simple one.”
‘Obviously it’s the money.’
Lee Hyun’s pet theory (simple logic) did not change.
Money is the thing that can make one either cry or laugh!
“Companies essentially gave birth of new societies within virtual reality and sold it to the consumers as a mean of reinvigoration. As technology develops, the field became more competitive. And from this, Unicorn surfaced from the ground to what it is today with its greatest game, Royal Road; which, in my opinion, is the most beloved by humanity.”
The professor then went on to lecture about the history of VR, in which he simplified.
Lee Hyun then felt a surge of boredom. Ever since he decided to play Royal Road, he researched countless of articles before even actually playing the game. Thus, he already knew the basic contents of the professor’s lecture.
“Euhaam!”
Lee Hyun unknowingly let out a big yawn as he ninja-stretched. He was already tired when he rode the bus, but now sitting in chair listening to the lecture, the waves of sleepiness splashed over him.
And he was reprimanded with eyes from every direction pouring in.
‘Until now, he barely came to class on time……and now he doesn’t look like he’s in the mood to study.’
‘Is he a student, or was he fired? Oh, then how was he able to come to our department?’
‘Looks like he’s a returnee……that must mean he got an F to be retaking this class. I don’t want to be like him, gotta work hard and learn. Jjeutjjeutjjeut!’ (pencil hitting paper)
Most of the students who are attending this class are freshmen, whom if not openly criticizing him, made unpleasant faces.
Lee Hyun regained his posture and pretended to be studying hard. But the book placed in between the two earlier by the girl who was next him, seemed a bit further away from him.
It was a subtle three centimeters from the previous spot!