Even if it’s called collecting game information, it’s just boys at the level of an official cafe on the internet.
In comparison, I’ve searched for the game’s English name on various search engines, finding special commands, hidden Easter eggs, and bugs in no time.
As a result, I’ve accumulated an incredible amount of progress and skill that’s hard to believe in just a day.
Even when playing the same PVE game, these kids can’t tolerate falling behind others.
Thinking back, perhaps it was these very elements that led me to get hooked on a few RPG games back in my elementary school days in my previous life.
“How did you get this character?”
“When you open the game, it sometimes changes to a different form, and if you use the recovery skill there…”
“I never get this weapon!”
While explaining something to one person, another boy butts in, muttering something extra.
Just like that, my spot has turned into a gathering place for boys in the blink of an eye.
The little kids show no sign of wanting to leave, regardless of whether I’m telling them something or not.
‘I wish they’d all just leave.’
Swallowing the awkward words that wanted to spill out, I forced myself to ignore the noisy surroundings and focused on my smartphone screen.
I just wanted to find a game to focus on for the first time in a while, but this happened to be a game that kids liked.
No matter how much roguelike games are popular among kids, I never expected this to be the trending game.
Well, if it’s visible in the app store rankings, I guess the kids can’t avoid it.
Next time, I’ll be more cautious and pick out a game buried in the depths.
“Okay, everyone, put your smartphones in front of you.”
At the teacher’s few brief words, the noisy boys obediently came up to the podium and submitted their smartphones.
It was still a time when they listened relatively well.
Only after the boys, who were practically blocking the way, dispersed did I finally manage to lift my backside off the chair.
It was the moment when today’s boring school lesson was about to begin.
Fourth grade science.
Following the teacher’s instructions, I tore a blank notebook page and placed it on my desk.
“Today, just like digging fossils, we’re going to take the chocolate chips out of cookies. If you keep the cookies and chocolate separate, I’ll give you a bag of cookies as a reward, but if you eat them right away, you won’t get any cookies.”
On top of the pristine page of the notebook were cookies with chocolate chips and two toothpicks.
Using cookies as an incentive to curb behavior, this class is quite innovative.
Well, for kids who aren’t interested in fossils and excavations, it might be a good method.
Anyway, there’s no reason not to enjoy free cookies.
Without needing to go into my delicate skills from when I used to break dalgona into shapes, there’s no way the chocolate inside the cookie would easily break.
I wiggled my fingers, broke the cookie into big pieces, and brushed off the remaining cookie crumbs from around the chocolate. That’s it.
“If you’re all done, raise your hands, and I’ll come check.”
Without needing to wait longer, I raised my hand at the teacher’s voice.
The chocolate chip cookies are notorious for crumbling easily, so I rubbed my fingers and shook off the crumbs onto the notebook page.
“Well done, Mari, here’s your cookie.”
After looking at the chocolate and cookie parts that were mostly well separated, the science teacher handed me a bag of cookies.
In fact, it would be more accurate to say a line of cookies rather than a bag.
I didn’t feel like eating them right away, so I simply stuffed the cookies into my bag with both hands.
Then, I folded the page of the notebook with the scattered cookie and chocolate bits to create a deep valley and poured it into my mouth.
Even if it’s all broken and scattered, once mixed with saliva in my mouth, it’s all the same anyway.
Even without being the first to finish excavating the chocolate pieces, hands from other students in the classroom raised up toward the sky one by one.
The teacher, busy moving around the classroom with several lines of cookies, saw the kids receiving cookies, each excitedly eating or putting them away in their desk drawers.
Anyway, it was a science class that turned into a full-blown feast.
I wondered what I’d be thinking about during the next class while stretching in the tight space…
“Teacher, me!”
A hand shot up from the side.
Even while most of the class had finished, it was my classmate who had been struggling to remove the chocolate pieces with a toothpick.
The kid grinned, anticipating receiving a cookie.
“Uh?”
But from the teacher’s mouth came a surprised, short groan.
The teacher looked around the podium and nearby, but there were no cookies left at all.
Cookies that were surely brought in sufficiently to match the number of students in the class.
It was practically perfectly matched; that was probably the problem.
They must have torn open one or two to distribute to the class.
“I don’t have any left…”
“What?”
The expression on my expectant classmate’s face changed instantly to one of neutrality.
An elementary school student’s sense of injustice and deprivation is hard to bear.
Tears may spill when one is very sad, but they can also burst out when feeling utterly wronged.
Just as expected, his expression twisted as he bowed his head, the boy beside me.
Ah, he’s definitely going to cry.
Those cookies cost just a few thousand won if I buy them anyway.
I grabbed one of the cookies I saw in my open bag and casually passed it to the boy next to me.
“Here, eat.”
“Eww?”
“I’m full.”
I passed the cookie over while feigning indifference, managing to hold back the tears that were about to burst out.
The science teacher finished the class a bit awkwardly, promising to give me cookies separately later while apologizing.
Right after the first period ended, I returned from the bathroom to find the classroom filled with a commotion.
“Hey! Kim Mari! Are you dating Shin Taehyun!?”
‘What the heck is this nonsense…?’
When I frowned and tilted my head as if to say what kind of nonsense that was, the boy who asked if I was dating shouted loudly.
“You gave him a cookie earlier!”
‘Oh, that?’
I had completely forgotten.
According to elementary school couple standards, one side unilaterally gives something to the other.
If boys and girls hang out together, it means they’re dating.
It’s a bizarre logic built on nonsense, a torturous psychology typical for their age.
With their low intelligence, that weird formula tends to spread to those around, making it comedic.
“So that’s all it takes to become a couple, huh? Why, should I buy you one too?”
“Ew, no!”
The voice of the boy in disgust; I don’t want to buy cookies for a schemer like you either.
The ruckus that had erupted over a bag of cookies faded as quickly as it had escalated.
I scribbled down this month’s expenses on the torn notebook page and made plans to move to an apartment in two years while indifferent.
Compared to me, who responded without much emotion, the elementary school couple seemed to have handled it poorly.
Especially the arrows aimed at the female students.
“They’re a couple! They’re a couple!”
“Stop it!”
The female student screamed out, protesting against the boys teasing her that she’s a couple.
Looking back, kids who liked each other sometimes flaunted toy rings as couple rings.
From an adult’s perspective, you’d wonder why they tease, right?
In a way, could it be said that, even without any special actions, they have a charm that captures someone’s heart from a young age?
Some of the boys who are excitedly teasing now will likely lead lonely lives after elementary school, going through middle school and high school without ever connecting again.
‘…Maybe I should try dating now.’
“Tsk tsk.”
Watching the boys tease the couples, I clicked my tongue in pity.
Right now, they might be the subject of jokes, but in a few years, they’ll surely envy that.
Pitying someone who might end up on the path of middle school, high school, engineering college, and then military service, I simply spread the textbook for the next class on my desk.
After pretending to empty my brain and passed the remaining time focused in a daze.
At the promised time of 2:30 PM, the bell rang to signal the end of the class.
‘Ah, it’s snowing.’
Trash falling from the sky, no rhythm or reason.
Early February, still the time when rain falls as snow to cover the world.
From the looks of the falling snow, it seems like flurries; thankfully, it doesn’t seem like it will pile up.
As I quickly headed back to the school entrance, not on cleaning duty, I found Siyeon standing blankly while gazing into the air.
“Let’s go.”
“Mari, it’s snowing again! Let’s bring out the duck clip!”
Hearing a familiar voice from behind, Siyeon’s face lit up as she finally noticed me.
I felt sorry for Siyeon, who was filled with excitement, but I had no choice but to deliver some unfortunate news.
“Um… this snow probably won’t pile up.”
“Why not?”
“Flurries usually don’t gather.”
“Flurries?”
Even though I explained quite accurately, Siyeon, who still didn’t quite understand the exact concept of flurries versus heavy snow, tilted her head.
Not wanting to go into details, I just mentioned that such snow exists before returning home.
My prediction turned out correct; it wasn’t the kind of snow that would accumulate, and it was a day when Siyeon’s knowledge increased by one.
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