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Monday.
The day every Korean student fears more than tax season.
As I walked into my classroom at Cheongrim High School, the mind-reading phone buzzed like it was gossiping with itself.
> "Welcome back, student-slave. Enjoy the emotional rollercoaster of teenagers pretending to be functional humans."
"Thanks for the warning," I whispered, slipping the phone into my hoodie pocket.
The classroom looked the same as always:
— Desks arranged in near-military formation.
— A whiteboard that hadn't been white since 2015.
— The smell of instant coffee and unwashed PE shirts.
But now, everything had changed.
Because I could hear everything.
And by everything, I mean literally everyone's thoughts.
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Exhibit A: My Best Friend, Jun-Pyo
Jun-Pyo waved at me with his usual sleepy smile.
> "If I sleep through class with my eyes open, does it still count as attendance?"
I nodded respectfully. A true scholar.
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Exhibit B: The Queen of the Class, Minji
She was sitting near the window, sunlight hitting her like she was starring in a shampoo commercial. Boys glanced at her. Girls whispered about her.
> "If I hear Ji-Hoon call me 'sunbae' one more time, I'm switching schools."
...Okay, not the best start. I sat two desks away.
> "Wait, is he walking toward me? Don't tell me he's going to confess—"
I swerved and sat next to Jun-Pyo.
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Exhibit C: That One Weird Kid (You Know the One)
He was scribbling in his notebook, eyes wide.
> "If I summon a crow at midnight using ramen broth, maybe I'll finally awaken my inner shadow demon."
I scooted my desk two inches away from him. Just in case.
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Exhibit D: The Class President, Hyun-Woo
He stood at the front with perfect posture, adjusting his glasses like he was about to declare war on gum under the desks.
> "I swear on my planner, if someone forgets to clean the whiteboard again, I'm invoking Article 7 of the Classroom Constitution."
He scares me more than the actual principal.
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Meanwhile, the Teacher…
Mr. Park walked in, tie askew, holding his coffee like it owed him money.
"Good morning, everyone. Today we're doing a pop quiz."
Everyone groaned.
> "If even ONE of you scores below 70, I'm cancelling lunch for the whole row."
My entire row turned to glare at me.
> "If Ji-Hoon ruins this, I'm putting glue in his chair."
"I knew he was cursed."
"This is why I don't trust quiet boys."
I broke into a cold sweat.
But then—ding! The phone buzzed.
> "Want the answers? Hint: the nerd in front of you has them memorized."
I peeked at the boy ahead.
> "A. B. D. D. C. B. A. D. A. E. Wait—was that last one E or A?! AHHH PANIC!"
I copied the answers at light speed.
I finished in five minutes.
Mr. Park raised an eyebrow.
"Done already?"
I shrugged and smiled. "I had a spiritual awakening this weekend."
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Lunchtime Madness
In the cafeteria line, the chaos continued.
> "If the lunch lady gives me soggy fish again, I'm legally allowed to cry."
"I need to fart but the girl behind me is cute."
"Should I sell my math notes for ramen coupons?"
The phone buzzed like a bee on Red Bull.
And then I heard something that froze me mid-bite:
> "Whoever stole my answers during the quiz... I will find you. I will destroy you. You will never know peace again."
That was the nerd.
He turned slowly and stared straight at me.
I waved. "Nice quiz, huh?"
His eyes narrowed.
He knew.
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The Final Bell
After school, I sat alone on the bench, watching clouds drift like unbothered ajummas in the sky.
The phone buzzed again.
> "So, how was your first school day with psychic powers?"
"Mentally scarring," I replied. "Everyone's insane."
> "Correction. Everyone was insane. You just didn't know it until now."
I sighed.
Maybe I could use this power for good. Maybe I could help people.
Or maybe... I could just survive high school without going completely nuts.
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