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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 25
Chapter Title: The Final Dash
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Now, with only the run left, I'd finished all the physical fitness tests.
Maybe because it had been so long, but breathing in the breeze felt pretty good.
After entering society, I realized there was no time for structured workouts like this.
Especially not in a group setting.
It was still March, so the wind had a chill to it, but with heat rising all over my body, it just felt refreshing.
I'd rolled up my short sleeves like tank tops and was sprawled out in one corner of the field, catching my breath.
Kim Sun-woo was sitting next to me.
"Hey, how's it look? How's it? Feeling pumped?"
Woo-sik came running over from afar and struck a pose in front of Kim Sun-woo.
Kim Sun-woo eyed Woo-sik's sleek arms, flashed a big smile, and shot him a thumbs-up.
Man, Kim Sun-woo really has a great personality.
Watching him laugh along with the beaming Woo-sik, I felt it anew.
Anyway, everyone was working way harder than I'd expected.
As expected from a top arts high school.
Even Moon Woo-hyuk was putting in more effort than I'd thought.
And seeing Song Ha-na at the gym late into the night, she must just love working out.
"The last one is the 50m dash!"
The PE teacher's announcement drew groans from the exhausted kids, but he didn't bat an eye.
"To the starting line—go!"
As expected, jeers like that didn't faze the PE teacher one bit.
"Second-group pairs, wait at the finish line and hit the stopwatch when they arrive. To your positions!"
Buoyed by Kim Sun-woo's praise, Woo-sik perked right up and headed to the finish line to time him.
The other guys shuffled limply toward the finish line.
Somehow, Kim Sun-woo, Moon Woo-hyuk, and I ended up lined up at the starting line together.
I could feel Moon Woo-hyuk glaring over at us with blazing eyes.
Kim Sun-woo glanced at him, found it cute, and let out a chuckle.
He really works hard—more passionate and diligent than I'd given him credit for.
"Ready."
Beep.
The kids bolted off at the starting signal.
Lightly jogging behind the sprinting Do-hyun was Kim Sun-woo, while Moon Woo-hyuk charged alongside like he was on fire.
My body felt even lighter.
I've always been pretty confident in running.
It felt like blazing heat was radiating from beside me, so I pushed harder, scared Moon Woo-hyuk might catch up.
Maybe because of his big frame, Moon Woo-hyuk wasn't quite as nimble as I'd thought.
I gave it everything, and in the end, I crossed the finish line first.
"Awesome! 6.7!"
"7.0!"
My time was 6.7 seconds. Moon Woo-hyuk clocked in just shy at 7.0.
"Uwaaa!!"
Whoa.
Startled, I lowered the hand I'd subtly cupped over my ear from Moon Woo-hyuk roaring like a beast right next to me.
The PE teacher grinned contentedly at the two of us sprinting our hearts out.
In the next lane, it looked like Song Ha-na had taken first in the girls' race too.
Song Ha-na's time: 7.3 seconds.
And for some reason, after finishing, she lifted her head and stared my way for a moment, like she was asking if I'd seen her time.
Not sure how to react, I suddenly remembered Kim Sun-woo's response to Woo-sik earlier.
I quickly flashed Song Ha-na a thumbs-up.
Thanks, Kim Sun-woo.
***
After the fitness test wrapped up, the classroom had every window flung open to let out the heat.
Song Ha-na, seated next to Moon Woo-hyuk, kept feeling inexplicably hot and fanned herself with her hand.
"Ah, why's it so damn hot?"
She glanced sideways and saw flames of heat pouring off Moon Woo-hyuk's body.
Ah, it's this guy.
"Why don't you go splash some cold water on your face?"
"Huh?"
"Go wash your face or something."
"Too lazy."
"Go."
Under Song Ha-na's piercing glare, Moon Woo-hyuk sneaked a look around and slunk out.
Just then, Do-hyun—freshly changed into his uniform—came out of the bathroom and ran into Moon Woo-hyuk.
Moon Woo-hyuk tried to brush past without a glance, but Do-hyun's voice called out.
"I'm thinking of starting practice tonight. What time works for you?"
Moon Woo-hyuk planted himself right in front of me, looming down as he spoke.
It's only a couple centimeters' difference, you punk.
"Practice? Do it on your own."
"On our own?"
I got that he hated being teamed up, but acting like such a brat?
Suggesting solo practice for a paired test.
I swallowed the sigh bubbling up and spoke calmly.
"How long are we doing it separately?"
I knew getting mad at a kid wouldn't help, so I kept my tone steady.
"Till the end."
Hah, would you look at that.
"You saying we hit the stage without syncing even once?"
"What, no confidence?"
I paused at Moon Woo-hyuk's taunting tone, lost in thought.
I'd already locked in first place in the vocal test.
This acting round was a single-scene showdown, where individual skill mattered just as much as chemistry.
Scores were individual, not team-based—that's why even teammates talked about winning or losing.
I knew personal prowess played a huge role in the judging.
Post-regression, my weak vocal cords and shaky vocal control were weaknesses, but my acting should naturally outclass these kids.
"Well? You sure about that?"
No way I'd lack confidence.
I'm just worried about you, kid.
"You really..."
I'd asked with all the concern I could muster, but it looked like I'd gotten under Moon Woo-hyuk's skin anyway.
No point grabbing the even more pissed-off Moon Woo-hyuk and talking it out now.
Let me think a sec.
Going into the test without a single joint rehearsal.
I had the confidence, and it might even be fun.
Back in my old troupe days, we'd actually rehearsed like that sometimes.
"Fine. Let's do it that way."
As I agreed readily, Moon Woo-hyuk clicked his tongue and brushed past—watching him go left me uneasy.
Since things had come to this, I hoped it would be a wake-up call for Moon Woo-hyuk too.
***
No lesson today, but I was practicing acting in Huh Ji-woong's practice room.
I needed to nail down the voice tone for the test scene with Moon Woo-hyuk as fast as possible and get comfortable with it.
"Ahh. Ahh."
That's when Huh Ji-woong walked in.
"What're you doing here? No lesson today, right?"
This place was his personal hideout that he used all the time, so he seemed surprised to find Do-hyun inside.
"Teacher, what brings you? Personal practice rooms were packed, so I was doing acting drills."
"This is my hideout."
Pre-regression, I'd never practiced outside of lessons, so I hadn't known.
Turns out our mentor had nowhere else to go at school.
"Personal rooms packed?"
"Yeah. The first-year ones, anyway."
"Talking like you've been a second-year."
Oops—at Huh Ji-woong's chuckling remark.
Gotta watch my mouth.
Huh Ji-woong seemed to mull it over for a moment, then promptly opened the practice room door again.
"Just use this place for today."
He cut off mid-sentence and left.
"For today...?"
What the heck was that?
I tilted my head but bowed to his retreating back.
"Thank you!"
***
Huh Ji-woong stepped out into the hallway and dialed someone.
"Yeah, So-hyun?"
When the call connected, he called out to her a bit more urgently than usual.
"What's up? Senior actually calling."
"Got a favor to ask."
"A favor? From you?"
Huh Ji-woong rarely asked for anything, so So-hyun was floored.
They'd known each other for years—this was a first.
"Never thought you'd ask. What is it?"
"You still managing the small theater?"
"Yeah, why?"
So-hyun was Huh Ji-woong's junior, now working in facilities management at Cheongyeom Arts High School.
"Wondering if I could borrow the key."
"Normally no... for you? Finally making a comeback?"
"No comeback. Not for me."
Huh Ji-woong pictured Do-hyun practicing alone in the room just now.
The kid was working so hard—he wanted to help however he could.
"One of my disciples needs it. Just evenings, short sessions. He's a good kid—no trouble."
So-hyun had never seen Huh Ji-woong fuss over a single student like this.
Hell, he'd already vouched for the kid...
"No...?"
Huh Ji-woong asked again, uncharacteristically tense at her silence.
"How can I say no when you put it like that? So, who is it? If Huh Ji-woong's this invested, must be some prodigy."
He is. In all sorts of ways.
"You'll see."
Too much hassle to explain, so Huh Ji-woong brushed it off.
"Name? Gotta know for if we get caught later."
"Lee Do-hyun."
"Lee Do-hyun? Never heard of him. Got it. I'll head to the staff room—come out and wait."
"Thanks."
A sudden wave of embarrassment hit Huh Ji-woong; he hung up quick and headed to the staff room.
***
I'd thought Huh Ji-woong was gone and was deep in practice when he came back into the room.
"Why're you back?"
"What, punk—this is my practice room."
I'd just asked, and our mentor snaps.
He didn't come close—just chucked the key over.
"What's this...?"
"Small theater key. You can use it after classes, evenings only."
"Huh?"
"No trouble, and don't get caught."
A small theater key.
And Huh Ji-woong— of all people—had gone out of his way for his disciple, me. Emotion welled up.
He hated asking favors for anyone more than death.
"Teacher..."
"With all this, if you can't win—you know."
I had no clue what he meant, but I nodded.
He probably has no idea what he's implying right now either.
...Not hiking, right?
"Thank you, Teacher!"
I gripped the small theater key tight and bowed deeply.
Huh Ji-woong, looking awkward, slammed the practice room door shut on his way out.
I'd never dreamed he'd look out for me like this.
It felt like proof he cared for his disciples more than I'd thought—I clutched the warm key in my hand even tighter.
***
So-hyun's curiosity about which student had Huh Ji-woong going this far got the better of her, so she sneaked over to the small theater.
Days after handing over the key, she saw faint light leaking out—looked like it was getting good use.
She quietly opened a door hidden from the stage.
Through the crack, she spotted a male student onstage.
"Taller than I expected."
Contrasting her mutter, a powerful vocalization rang out, filling the small theater.
"What use asking what love is?"
The voice carried an aching intensity hard to believe from a freshman.
So-hyun got chills just from the first line.
One line, and the emotion landed perfectly.
Natural delivery, no overacting—yet it hooked right into your ears. Incredible.
"When we meet, we smile and enjoy—that's enough. Who knows tomorrow; what's the use in knowing?"
So-hyun was stunned by Do-hyun's skill.
Now she got why Huh Ji-woong was so invested.
"Come, let's kiss. Youth of eighteen... till we drop."
As Do-hyun's final line ended, So-hyun carefully shut the door and slipped out.
Her heart raced like she'd just watched a full play.
Suddenly craving theater, she pulled out her phone and booked tickets for the nearest show.
If Kim Sun-woo and Lee Cheong-ha's strength was turning every song into their own,
Do-hyun's was claiming every role as his own—and pulling you right in.
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