Became an American Retro Novelist - Chapter 133



Only Noblemtl

133.

A leisurely dance routine.

About twenty couples walked around the stage, each holding hands with their partners.

Even though it wasn’t a pre-coordinated performance at all, it reminded me of some kind of formal group dance. The colorful lights were twinkling and moving, like the movement of shining stars.

Jiwoo, who was sitting and watching them with sparkling eyes, thought that they looked very mature.

My first prom party ever.

To Jiwoo, it was completely an ‘adult world.’

Starting with the process of accepting the proposal and choosing a dress, I also received my first proper makeup and hair styling.

The prom party felt like a one-night, sweet moment to become an adult.

And I felt grateful to Doopi for bringing me to this place.

“Scalp.”

“What’s going on, Jiwoo?”

Doopi, who was sitting, had his hand on his upper left chest.

He was born with a weak heart as a child, and after several surgeries, he recovered to a normal level, but he still could not completely recover from the trauma. That is why he developed the habit of often touching the area where his heart is and checking its beating.

But even in the midst of all that, Jiwoo’s voice could be heard clearly, helping to keep the scalp from being completely immersed in that fact.

Doopi took his hand away and looked back at Jiwoo.

“Those two people, don’t they have a really good vibe?”

Jiwoo pointed to Shin and Alexa, who naturally took center stage. No one asked them to do so, but the other couple avoided them, making them feel like they were their hangers-on.

Two people staring intently into each other’s eyes, letting their bodies flow to the slow music.

Doopi, who had been quietly watching the scene, soon nodded his head.

“That’s great. They’re both great people.”

“Whew, just looking at it makes my heart race?”

“It seems like today’s prom king and queen have already been decided.”

Scalp, who thought his prediction was almost like a prophecy, pushed up his glasses.

After giggling as she watched him act as usual even in this special situation, Jiwoo turned her head again to watch Shin and Alexa.

The two of them seemed to be floating through the Milky Way under the darkness and light.

And indeed, Alexa’s feelings right now weren’t much different.

It felt like I was walking across the night sky.

God beside him said nothing.

He just stared at me with both eyes locked.

Before him, countless thoughts passed by like countless stars in the night sky.

Why don’t you say anything? Should I just keep watching? What do you think about me? Do you feel the same way as me?

Alexa’s face grew redder and redder amidst the many thoughts that a girl in love might often recall at that time. But she never turned her eyes away from God.

The sound of the violin being played stretched out.

The two of them continued to move as one, like dancers in sync.

‘Is this what it felt like?’

God thought while dancing with Alexa.

After a long time, he reflected on his life that had returned, and finally, in front of her blue eyes, he recalled the emotions he had forgotten. Alexa’s eyes were as deep as the ocean. And in them, God rescued his boyhood self.

My heart was pounding faster and faster than usual.

The innocence I thought I had lost has returned.

She doesn’t know yet how much her presence warms her heart.

I wanted to do anything for you and protect you no matter what.

Because I received something much better than that.

It was ’emotion’.

A person who is more happy and sad about his work than he is about himself.

And someone who understands your shortcomings as well.

Is there any reason not to like it?

The two people who danced like that until the song ended came back to the table.

“Oh, that was cool!”

Jiwoo applauds as if he was watching a performance.

Dupi, who was sitting next to him, also raised his thumb without saying a word.

God poured water from the jug and handed it to Alexa, then poured another glass for himself, and only then, feeling the moisture in his body finally being replenished, did he let out a hearty laugh and open his mouth.

“I’m tired. I’ll rest for a bit.”

“Whoa······.”

Alexa was also feeling drained for reasons entirely different from God’s.

It was never easy for her to look into someone’s eyes for almost five minutes without saying a word, especially when she first felt special feelings for them.

Nearly three hours of dance time.

Alexa, who thought she had already achieved her goal, raised her head.

“Honestly, I feel so happy.”

“······okay?”

“Yeah, I have something to tell you guys.”

Alexa looked back at Jiwoo, Doofy, and Shin.

And I said the words I had kept in my heart in a situation where my emotions were at their peak.

“I love you.”

“That’s a nice saying.”

“Ah, Alexa······!”

“······suddenly?”

Alexa turned around with her mouth sticking out at the last words of the god, and opened her mouth thinking that perhaps her explanation was a bit lacking.

“I really enjoyed the time I spent with you during my school days. I want to continue to be with you guys who made me who I am. ······Even if we graduate and become physically distant, let’s keep in touch and meet up.”

“Yes. Of course. I feel so lucky to have friends like you. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t be able to honestly show who I am in front of others.”

“Me too, yes. God, Doofy, Alexa. If it weren’t for you three, I wouldn’t have gotten over Tony’s death yet. And I wouldn’t be here.”

Each person said a word and then looked back at God.

“······.”

And God was silent for a moment.

Yeah, that was definitely a nice statement.

Everyone opens up their hearts in this great atmosphere, and isn’t that the fun of a prom party?

But one unfortunate fact is that it is difficult for God to keep up with the dazzling innocence that teenagers display these days.

Although he still looks like a boy on the outside, he’s 100% a man on the inside.

He eventually decided to just joke about it.

“It’s all thanks to me.”

All three of them burst into laughter.

“What! You should thank us too!”

“That’s right! This is really too much!”

“As expected, it’s God. He always goes beyond our expectations.”

What were your first impressions of each other, and how did you come to like each other more?

As this conversation continued for a while, Alexa suddenly had a realization.

‘The important thing at prom isn’t the prom itself.’

Having candid conversations with friends in a space different from everyday life.

Looking back at the stage where exciting music was once again flowing out, she smiled as if something had occurred to her. Then she gestured to Jiwoo, who was sitting across from her, and began to whisper something in his ear while putting their heads together on the table.

The gods and scalps, who did not know the contents, could only tilt their heads.

“That’s a good idea?!”

“right!”

After a while, the two people smiled as if they had finished discussing something.

God asked.

“What did you talk about?”

“It’s stuffy here. I want some ice cream.”

“······suddenly?”

“Yeah, suddenly.”

“I want to eat chocolate ice cream too!”

“Oh, then how about mint chocolate?”

“Oh, I’m sorry, Alexa. I really hate mint chocolate.”

“······.”

Alexa seems to be hurt by the firm rejection.

Watching the two people sharing such a skit, this time God burst out laughing.

It was a prom that I had prepared so hard for.

Now that the dancing is over, the Prom King and Queen awards are given out, and party games continue all night long.

A place where everyone returns home, changes into comfortable clothes, and participates in games with prizes up for grabs.

Since I couldn’t attend the event anyway due to Mr. Flare’s request, I thought it wouldn’t be a bad idea to follow the wishes of the two ladies.

“Doob.”

“Shin.”

Bro fist.

No further words were needed for these two men who became true cowboys thanks to the prom party.

***

By the time the long dance time was over, the counting staff had also finished selecting the Prom King and Queen, which had been done before the entrance.

And Kate Moore, who received the results, couldn’t help but ask with wide eyes.

“Is this real?”

“Yes, it was definitely strong. The women’s side was overwhelmingly strong.”

“······No, I expected that to happen. But, uh. Um.”

“why?”

“Men! This is weird! Why did you pick him as king instead of John, the quarterback?!”

“Oh, that.”

The junior who helped with the process explained.

John proposed to Alexa Flair and got kicked in the butt, which has ruined his image at school these days.

When Kate heard that story, she felt she couldn’t understand it at all.

“And Kate, there’s a problem… Kate?”

Still, she couldn’t deny the result, and for some reason, suppressing her irritation, Kate quickly went up to the stage with the thought of annoyance and ending it quickly.

And because of that hasty judgment, what the junior was trying to say was ignored.

Kate looked around under the lights.

Dance time is over and everyone is sitting down.

This is what the students thought.

‘The queen is Alexa.’

‘He can’t win.’

‘If you spend time together, you’ll realize that her pretty face is really secondary, right?’

‘He’s a really good kid who knows how to care about people’s feelings.’

That’s why most students voted for Alexa Flair as queen. Although it’s an unofficial record, the vote for her was the most overwhelming in Central City Value High School history, regardless of gender.

The problem was the king that was to be placed next to it.

The female students knew Alexa’s feelings little by little, and with their supportive hearts, they chose Shin as her prom partner.

And the male students······.

‘John, that little bastard is not good.’

‘If you become a man and go after a girl who doesn’t like you, you’ll end up with your dick broken.’

‘Then who should we choose?’

‘If we’re going to do it, wouldn’t it be better to trust Alexa’s choice?’

‘Usually, the king and queen come from one couple······.’

‘He was really good at studying, though.’

So this is the result.

It wasn’t as overwhelming as Alexa, but it was still a high enough vote total.

Kate Moore cried out, her heart bubbling inexplicably inside her.

“This year’s Central City Value High School Prom King and Queen are······!”

Drumroll please… …

The loud drum sound grew louder and quieter, and Kate turned to look around, thinking she had prepared in advance, and shouted.

“It’s Shin Han and Alexa Flair!!”

[Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaggghhhh-!]

There was an outpouring of applause and cheers.

And the two people who were supposed to have agreed to come on stage in advance according to the original plan did not show up for a long time.

“······huh?”

Kate’s eyes widened in shock.

The junior off the stage made a big X sign with his arm toward Kate with a look of disbelief on his face.

Shin Han and Alexa Flair have disappeared somewhere.

In fact, it was a common occurrence at prom parties.

······Although it wasn’t often the case that they were kings and queens.

The selection of Prom King and Queen ended with results that many people did not expect at all.

Meanwhile, at that time.

Shin, Alexa, Doofy, and Jiwoo were leisurely spending time looking out at the night sea, each holding an ice cream they bought from an ice cream truck.

And so the night of the prom came to an end.

***

Edward MacMillan was a professor of literature at Stanford University.

An older, white man with a laid-back personality, rather than the strict, old-fashioned image that usually comes to mind when you think of a ‘literature professor’.

He loved literature and pursued a long-term sense of mission to teach students with talent for it and create more ‘contributors to writing’ in this world.

Having taught countless students over a long period of time as a professor and even selected them as an examiner, he had his own standards for selecting students.

He never evaluated students applying to Stanford University solely based on their test scores, but sought to see as much passion and potential as possible in their application documents.

It was the same this year.

In the process of recruiting new students in 1984, he met with numerous young writers from all over the country, read their writings, had them write their own writings, and listened to their thoughts.

It was the so-called ‘entrance exam’.

He usually enjoyed watching the changes in the collective consciousness of young people along with the changing times on a yearly basis, but this time, there was one student who made him deeply worry.

Shin Han.

Korean-American.

From Los Angeles, California.

His first round of admission documents were literally ‘perfect’.

Edward had always been reluctant to even mention the word ‘perfect’ because he thought it was too violent, but now he had no choice. It was the evaluation that best suited the document containing all of the boy’s records from the three years of high school he had attended.

Internal data such as test scores, school life, and faculty recommendations were already impressive. But what made Shin even more special was his ‘external activities.’

SEEN, an artist who has made a name for himself throughout California and is now more than just a newcomer, he has also permeated popular culture.

Even his first external recommendation was written by the great writer Glenda Hoffman, who is called the ‘spokesperson for American housewives’, and his second external recommendation was written by Julia Chandler, a reporter for the Los Angeles Times. No, if you look at it carefully, it was almost like a recommendation from the entire Los Angeles Times. The contents included the opinions and signatures of the editor and president.

I have never heard or seen a case like this.

Normally, external recommendations were not considered a major factor because they were considered to compromise the fairness of the exam. But what about Glenda’s recommendation? What about a recommendation like the one in the Los Angeles Times statement?

The feeling Edward Macmillan felt here was ‘discomfort’.

There was almost no sense of the innocence typical of a child. The confusion and pain of that age, and the glimpses of growth that cannot be seen only in a negative light, were not felt at all.

After seeing the documents that were so perfect that they felt mechanical, Edward had him take the second test according to the procedure, but inside he wanted to throw God away. It was because he did not want to teach the boy who already had his own color and world firmly established.

But after taking the second test and meeting him through an interview, my thoughts changed.

Edward asked the question as if he was deliberately trying to test her character.

‘Isn’t genre literature something you just read once and then throw away?’

God answered that question calmly.

‘I think that novels are generally meant to be read once and then discarded.’

It was an interesting answer.

And the boy in front of me calmly talked about why he writes, what kind of life he has lived, and what kind of philosophy he has.

As he listened to the young writer’s answer, Edward felt that some of the standards he had held up until then were crumbling.

And after a while, Shin read the short story manuscript he had submitted for the second entrance exam and his mind became firm.

The theme was ‘cat’ and ‘water’. And he wrote a wonderful story about a kitten who wants to learn how to swim in order to find its mother cat who disappeared after getting into the water, and Edward was involuntarily impressed by the short story that was written in a thrilling sentence that seemed to ride the boundaries of the genre.

Edward thought to himself, smiling in amazement as he read the manuscript.

‘I’m really curious to see what kind of writing I’ll be able to do when I come to this school.’

And that was the thinking of most of the professors at the University of Iowa, Rice University, and Harvard University who met God during the admissions process.

End

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