## Chapter 1409 – 1409. Savior Of The Academy
The Korea-Japan Academy Exchange is divided into three rounds over two months.
The first exchange match takes place three days after arriving at the Arashi Academy in Japan.
The second exchange match is held a month later.
The third exchange match is a week before leaving Arashi Academy.
In short, it’s easiest to think of it as a best-of-three series. Of course, the official purpose is an exchange, so victory has no official meaning. However, unofficially, it’s seen as a battle and a match between Korea and Japan. Especially since both countries have a lot of pent-up feelings.
With one day left until the exchange, Yoon Hee-jung asked us,
“Who will participate in the first exchange match?”
The first exchange match had both team and individual battles. The required number of participants was 12. There was no need for all 20 students to participate.
Most of the students raised their hands enthusiastically, expressing their willingness to participate. I didn’t. From the start, my goal wasn’t to participate in the exchange.
“Yujin, aren’t you interested in the first exchange match?”
“Teacher, I’ll participate in the third exchange match.”
“Won’t you reconsider? There will be things to learn from the exchange match.”
Yoon Hee-jung looked at me with pleading eyes. In Korea, there’s a saying that you have to win any match against Japan, no matter what it is. If we lose the exchange match, Yoon Hee-jung, the teacher in charge, would be in a bit of a bind. From her perspective, she would want me, the top-ranked student in the grade, to participate in the exchange and secure a victory.
But I firmly shook my head.
“I haven’t been feeling well lately. I haven’t been sleeping well either.”
Two women flinched at my words. It was Sung Ha-ri and Choi Da-yeon. The women I had spent the night with yesterday.
“Ms. Yoon, since Yujin isn’t feeling well, let’s let him rest. Even without Yujin, the students from Maruhan Academy are strong.”
Sung Ha-ri stepped forward and said.
“Teacher, I admit that Sung Yujin is strong. But we’re not weak either. We can win the exchange match even without Sung Yujin.”
Even Choi Da-yeon joined in.
All the students agreed with that statement. They were all within the top 10 of the grade. Their confidence was naturally high.
‘Confidence and reality are different. They won’t win as easily as they think.’
Maruhan Academy in Korea and Arashi Academy in Japan. In terms of level, they were about equal. The average level of academies worldwide is about the same.
‘Of course, except for me.’
After an hour-long meeting, the participants for the first exchange match were decided.
***
During the exchange period, Maruhan Academy students are educated in the Arashi Academy’s way.
The teaching methods were similar. The atmosphere in class was also similar. However, the Arashi Academy students seemed strangely excited. It wasn’t because of the exchange match.
‘Well, it’s just like the original.’
Japanese schools had their own unique culture.
The cultural festival.
Korea also has cultural festivals, but in Japan, the quality of the cultural festivals is on a different level. Japanese cultural festivals are more like local festivals held at schools.
And Arashi Academy’s cultural festival? It boasts a scale so impressive that it’s broadcast on national television. The students of Arashi Academy have a lot of pride because of it.
Even though the Arashi Academy’s cultural festival was still more than a month away, they were already excited about preparing for it.
I walked down the hallway with Choi Da-yeon. As always, Choi Da-yeon walked beside me with a haughty expression.
Very quietly, I muttered just loud enough for Choi Da-yeon to hear.
“Ah, I want to have sex.”
“Pfft…! W-what are you saying all of a sudden?!”
Her reaction was amusing. She trembled and desperately tried to hold back her laughter. It was a silly sex joke, but it was as if I had pressed her laugh button.
『Choi Da-yeon’s thoughts: It’s not even that funny, so why is it funny? I have to hold it in.』
“Sex.”
“Cough!”
“Sex sex.”
“Pffft.”
Choi Da-yeon covered her mouth with both hands. Her eyes, visible above her hands, were shaking fiercely.
I was about to tease her a few more times, but we arrived at our destination, so I stopped.
Class 1-4.
While staying at Arashi Academy, Choi Da-yeon and I would be educated and act in Class 1-4.
I opened the front door and went inside. It was HR time, so all the students and the homeroom teacher were in the classroom.
“You’re finally here!”
The homeroom teacher was a young girl.
No matter how generously you looked at her, she looked no older than 13 years old. She had bright brown bobbed hair, bright eyes, and soft-looking cheeks. The clothes she was wearing were an ill-fitting suit.
“You must be Sung-kun and Choi-yang, right? I’m Uratami Nene, the homeroom teacher of Class 1-4!”
“An elementary school student is a homeroom teacher? You’re looking down on me too much. If it’s a hidden camera, it should at least be of a certain level. Who would fall for this?”
I spoke in fluent Japanese. I had received a Japanese translation artifact, but I had left it in my room and hadn’t used it. My Japanese was already at a native level.
“Pfft!”
“Cough!”
“Hahahaha!”
The Japanese academy students burst out laughing.
“I-it’s not a hidden camera! I’m the homeroom teacher of Class 1-4!”
Uratami Nene shouted. Of course, I knew that she was the real homeroom teacher of this class. Despite her young appearance, she was probably over 30 years old. I was just reacting exaggeratedly for the sake of a first impression.
“You’re lying. It was fun enough, so stop now. Where’s the teacher?”
“I’m the homeroom teacher of this class!!”
Uratami, in anger, pointed to her chest as if to show off. Her chest was very flat, like a child’s.
‘That’s the chest of a 30-year-old… It’s heartbreaking.’
Uratami Nene had a teacher’s ID card hanging around her neck. After checking the ID card, I pretended to be shocked.
“Y-you’re really a teacher?!”
“That’s right! I told you! Why would I do such a boring hidden camera prank in the first place?”
“Arashi Academy allows even young children to become teachers… What a culture… “
“I’m not a young child! I’m in my 30s, even if I look like this. I’m older than you. And it’s not ‘culture,’ it’s ‘culture shock.’ In English, it’s ‘culture shock’! Are you weak in English, Sung-kun?”
Now that I think about it, it seems like culture shock. But ‘culture’ is more catchy.
“I’m good at English.”
Uratami Nene looked at me suspiciously, then shook her head and said,
“It seems like an unusual student has come to our class. Haa… The road ahead is dark, but… we should start with introductions. Okay, exchange students, please come forward and introduce yourselves.”
I stood in front of the podium as Uratami Nene gestured. All eyes were on me. Eyes filled with interest, eyes filled with hostility, eyes filled with caution, and so on. I quietly looked at them. I recognized some of the faces that I already knew from the original story.
“I’m Sung Yujin. I came from Maruhan Academy in Korea for the exchange match. I’m the top-ranked student in my grade at Maruhan Academy. By the way, my mom is Sung Ha-ri. Please take care of me.”
“……”
Sung Ha-ri.
As soon as that name came out, all the students looked at me with great interest. Sung Ha-ri, who was once called the strongest hero and praised, was also famous among the Japanese academy students.
“I’m Choi Da-yeon. I’m ranked 4th in my grade, and my family runs the Geumhwa Group.”
“……”
This time, too, the students were silent.
Geumhwa Group. It was an internationally renowned company that they couldn’t pretend to ignore.
“Okay, okay, it’s not good if the exchange students feel awkward because there’s no reaction. Everyone, please welcome the exchange students with applause!”
Clap clap clap!
Uratami Nene clapped first, and then the students clapped as well. It seemed that they were quite fond of Uratami Nene. She seemed to be quite popular with the students.
“Sung-kun! Choi-yang! Do you see those empty seats over there? Sung-kun, you can sit in the back, and Choi-yang, you can sit in that seat on the left.”
Choi Da-yeon and I headed to our seats. Choi Da-yeon walked haughtily, her long black hair fluttering. Her prim face and aura gave off an atmosphere that made it difficult for students to approach her.
“She’s a lady.”
“Geumhwa Group, isn’t that the place that makes smartphones?”
“Her aura is no joke… I shouldn’t get close to her.”
Choi Da-yeon didn’t seem to have any intention of making friends. Thanks to her drawing attention with her outstanding appearance and aura, there wasn’t much attention on me. Not that there was none at all.
“The son of the Thunder of Gwancheon…”
“If he’s the top-ranked student at Maruhan Academy, how strong is he?”
“He must be at least at the level of the Four Heavenly Kings, right?”
“He doesn’t look particularly strong.”
As I headed to my seat, I built up my tension. If there was anyone who openly picked a fight with me here… I was planning to crush them without hesitation. However, no one picked a fight, and I safely sat down in my seat.
The man sitting next to me greeted me. He had black hair and a seemingly ordinary impression. An impression that was anything but ordinary. He had the feeling of a typical Japanese protagonist.
“Hello, Sung-san. I’m Hyodo Yuuki. Nice to meet you.”
The man greeted me first. I paused at the name.
Hyodo Yuuki.
In the original story, he was a character who had a leading role in the Japanese exchange episode. The content was so light novel-like that not many fans liked him.
‘I didn’t expect to be sitting right next to him. He looked so ordinary that I didn’t even recognize him right away.’
I smiled back at him.
“Yeah. Nice to meet you too. What’s your grade ranking?”
“Ah, well… Arashi Academy hasn’t had its final exams yet, so the grade rankings haven’t been released. I’m ranked 300th in the entrance exam. I’m ashamed to say that I’m last.”
He said it with a face that showed no shame at all. Among the protagonists of light novels, there are often those who hide their strength… Hyodo Yuuki is one of them. Hyodo Yuuki was unintentionally late for the entrance exam and messed up the written exam. With the help of the headmaster, Tenrai Nagisa, he barely managed to get into the academy, but he was ranked 300th, the last place.
‘Hyodo Yuuki’s real strength is easily within the top 10 of the grade.’
It was a bizarre situation in many ways.
“It’ll only be about two months… but please take care of me.”
