Became an American Retro Novelist - Chapter 138



Only Noblemtl

138. 『About T: Prom』 (5)

Students at Central City Value High School wanted to know ‘the truth.’

Is it true that the new writer is attending the same school as rumored? If so, who is he?

The rumors spread like wildfire and became a small source of energy for school life. And I was planning to take advantage of that excitement.

‘It’s a very minor use, though.’

But wouldn’t it be a shame to not use all the cards you have when you graduate from school?

Moreover, this was a win-win outcome.

Students enjoy satisfying their curiosity and taking pride in knowing that a famous person shares their background.

Before I graduate from school, I can explain to them that I have a separate identity, different from the one I’ve been quietly(?) maintaining, and because of that, I can build a foundation for building name value with instantaneous impact in this day and age when media, the internet, and SNS are not as developed as they are in the future.

‘It’s not a bad idea to approach it with the concept that ‘being famous makes you famous.’

A conclusion reached through thoroughly rational judgment in that way.

And the first step towards that was accomplished smoothly.

“Oh, God. Good morning. ······I enjoyed the novel.”

“······Yes, hello. What happened to what I told you before?”

“Yes, I decided that you would be in charge of the graduation ceremony.”

“Thank you, teacher.”

Break time in the morning.

After a brief conversation with Mrs. Benoway in the hallway, I turned around with a pleasant smile.

As expected, things worked out as expected.

At the graduation ceremony, the current students give a congratulatory speech to the departing seniors, and one of the graduates responds to the speech. Knowing this, I approached Mrs. Benaway and expressed my interest in taking charge.

And in fact, if I said I would do it, there was no one who could stop me.

‘Because I was number one for three years.’

Even though there was Marcus, the student council president, and Kate, who was close behind with her excellent grades and experience in the broadcasting club, they couldn’t beat me, who was always loved by the teachers. It wasn’t just my grades, but I was also overwhelmingly active in class.

Marcus had originally said that he wasn’t very interested.

“You can come to the gym after school.”

“Okay, I understand.”

After receiving some general instructions from Mrs. Benaway, I sent her off with a grin.

Then Alexa, who had been behind me, came over to my side.

“Did it work out well?”

“Yeah, I’m in charge of the graduation tour.”

“Oh~. The first condition is clear?”

“Yeah, just as I expected.”

I smiled and thought about the remaining things in my head.

There were three main issues.

When and where is it revealed and how is it proven?

And the first two conditions were cleared. I was going to reveal that I was a god at the end of my graduation speech.

Of course, if the ending wasn’t resolved, most students would hear it and think, ‘God is just making a joke at the end.’ So I needed a way to prove that I was ‘SEEN.’

Of course, I had thought that point through carefully.

‘I should write a novel.’

Coincidentally, the day that ‘About T: Prom’ ended its serialization was also a graduation ceremony.

***

The series continued smoothly until its conclusion.

As if to show what has been built up over time, ‘About T: Prom’ showed Tony, Alice, and many other characters who appeared during the trilogy enjoying a prom.

As dinner ended and it was time to dance, Alice, holding Tony’s hand, thought of someone.

It was my older sister.

“My sister must still be wandering around the world somewhere. And of her own volition.

It wasn’t until Alice reached her final year of school that she realized the importance of creating her own world.

Alice has had many experiences, living a fulfilling life that she had never experienced before with the boy she was holding hands with.

I have failed and been frustrated.

I’ve seen joy and I’ve even screamed.

I wanted to share all those experiences with my sister when I met her again.

‘This too today.’

He came to prom with the best football quarterback in school. That story alone would have made his sister laugh and have fun. But the point was, that wasn’t all. Tony wasn’t just a handsome football quarterback.

Alice thinks of Tony as a boy who has a more delicate and tender heart than anyone else, and who cares for her more than anyone else.

And Alice also wanted to be that kind of person for Tony.

We hold hands, dance, take pictures, and do some silly things.

The depiction of the party from episodes 13 to 14 made those who have memories or fantasies about prom smile happily.

But at the same time, it also left a certain sense of melancholy, as Torrance New Media reporter Simon Carver put it.

‘Huh?’

‘This is kind of lonely.’

‘I guess today will be the last day these kids play together like this.’

‘Once it’s over, we’ll all go our separate ways.’

This story is about to come to a complete end.

For most Americans, prom was the event that symbolized the “end” of high school.

There may be more content to come later, but it does not mean that it is the end of the series, but rather that the school days are coming to an end.

As the ‘dance time’ scene, arguably the most important part of the prom, was nearing its end, everyone felt a chill somewhere in their hearts.

‘A lot has happened in the meantime.’

‘Who would have thought that Alice and Tony, who couldn’t even speak properly at first, would end up like this?’

‘Realistically, there’s a distance between their universities, so do you think they’ll be able to meet each other?’

‘A man like Tony wouldn’t have his eyes on another woman, would he?’

While reading the novel and thinking about many things, the last episode of Chapter 14 ended like this.

『It was an unbelievable number of photo shoots, but everyone seemed anxious as if it was still not enough.

“Hey! Ally! Quick! I’m going to take another picture! Pretty faces, gather around!”

“Uh, yeah!”

Alice took a picture with a bright smile at Hannah’s excited shout.

She attended the prom after finding a partner of her own, and it seemed that she wanted to build deeper friendships among girls rather than just hanging out with her partner, along with May, who brought a band member as her partner.

Alice, who had sensed their hearts, also smiled brightly and started hanging out with them at some point.

It seemed like everyone wanted to cherish this moment forever.

But the end of the party was slowly approaching.

And at some point, Tony sat down and quietly watched the brightly shining Alice, thinking the same thoughts as those gathered here.

‘I wish I had known a little sooner.’

No, even if that time had been early, the regret I feel now would have been the same. Maybe it would have been even greater. The end is always sweet and bitter at the same time.

So, even though he thought it was a little greedy, Tony mustered up his courage and spoke.

“Allie.”

“Oh, Tony. Sorry. I keep taking pictures.”

“Did you take a lot of pictures?”

“Haha, enough. I don’t know how many disposable cameras I used today.”

“You haven’t taken many pictures with me yet.”

“Uh, yeah. Should I take a picture?”

“I don’t like it here.”

Alice’s cheeks turned bright red when she heard those words.

And so did all the California school girls who were reading the novel.

‘You’re crazy! You’re crazy! You’re crazy!’

‘How is this happening?! Where are you two going today?!’

‘No way, no way······?!’

‘Aren’t you going there with Tony at the end?!’

‘The place where the memories of two people linger!’

The insight of a reader who is deeply immersed in a favorite novel often surpasses the author’s intentions.

Likewise, many female students felt that the last place the two would take pictures and have a good time was the place that was featured in the first series, ‘About T: Viewfinder’.

Two days passed by early in the morning, with everyone full of anticipation.

Kate Moore, who woke up early in the morning, half-forgot that today was graduation, opened the Los Angeles Times that was on the doorstep, sat down, and began reading issue 15 absentmindedly.

Her mother sighed as she came out, noticing that the door was not closed yet.

“Kate, why don’t you read it at home?”

“Wait a minute. This is an important part!”

“Oh my, it seems like this kid thinks his novel is more important than his graduation.”

After giving a light scolding, my mother went back into the house.

All the while, Kate’s gaze remained fixed on the newspaper.

Shin Han. A mean guy who took away one of his goals, the graduation song.

But Kate put aside such trivial(?) feelings for a moment and enjoyed the ending of the novel she had really enjoyed reading throughout her third year of high school.

『The observatory in Griffith Park at a time when the city is asleep.

The value this place, away from the heart of Los Angeles, held for the two of them was indescribably special.

It was the perfect place to mark the end of my high school years.

It was almost midnight when Tony drove out of Manhattan Academy.

The king and queen were probably being chosen by now. However, the two people who did not want to get involved in the issue secretly ran away.

I ran through the park, enjoying the wonders of nature.

By the time they got home, it would be dawn and they would definitely be extremely upset, but Tony and Alice had no hesitation in deciding to go there.

Because this moment will never come back.

“Allie, watch your step.”

“Uh, yeah.”

Of course, the door was locked, so they had to climb over the railing to get to the terrace. Seeing Alice struggling in her dress, Tony reached out and carefully grabbed her hand, and the two soon arrived at the terrace where the last piece of the treasure map was hidden.

“Whew.”

Alice raised her head with a refreshing expression and looked up at the night sky.

“······This is driving me crazy. Seriously.”

I had so much fun reading this novel, but at the same time, I didn’t want it to end.

Is this how Tony and Alice felt at prom?

And that feeling naturally made Kate look back on her high school days.

‘It wasn’t a bad time for me either.’

I felt regretful, but it was natural and inevitable.

As described in this novel, the regret you feel at this moment is an emotion that comes regardless of how you have been doing so far.

Kate sat on the front porch, smiling without realizing it, and slowly read the end of the novel.

And again, there was a line using T that symbolizes the ending of this novel.

But while in previous works one person would deliver the lines, this time it was different.

They talked to each other as if to express that their hearts were connected as one.

“Do you remember when I told you that I liked you?”

“Were you sitting at the table?”

“Yeah, I almost cried when you nodded.”

“Was it really that much? I thought you spoke very affectionately.”

“No. I did it because I was trying to get excited. In fact, I felt like I was going to die.”

“I almost made a mistake with the tip.”

And soon the conversation died down and the time spent just looking into each other’s eyes continued for a long time.

Alice, you made me realize how brilliant my teenage years were.

Me too, Tony.

i like you.

me too.

Tony carefully placed a hand on Alice’s shoulder.

Alice slowly closed her eyes, her heart pounding as if it was going to burst.

And Tony kissed her gently.

『 FIN』

As she read the final words written at the very bottom of the page, Kate felt deeply moved.

I felt like I could welcome today’s graduation ceremony in a good mood.

***

Central City Value High School’s graduation ceremony took place at the football stadium.

The football field next to the school parking lot was the largest venue in this ordinary public high school. Around lunchtime, about five hundred graduates gathered at the school, donned their caps and gowns, and took pictures with their families who had come to watch the ceremony, waiting for the ceremony to begin.

Of course, I joined that group.

“Oh my god~! You have to smile!”

This is my second high school graduation.

But it was more fun than my first graduation. Of course. Because I had friends to take pictures with.

Click-!

A flash of light appeared from the shutter of the disposable camera my mother was holding. Jiwoo, who was next to her, looked at me and gave me a thumbs up.

“You look great together, oppa!”

“Thank you. Shall we take a picture together?”

“great!”

Hey, since when did he start talking so loudly?

I was moved by the sight of my daughter(?) finally opening her heart, and I took a picture with Jiwoo.

It felt like my family had grown by one member. And it was already halfway there.

My parents moved to Texas, and Jiwoo came to live with us. At first, Jiwoo was a little awkward, but after about two days, she has completely become her mother’s adopted daughter.

As we were taking pictures so excitedly, familiar faces soon began to gather.

“Shin.”

“Doob.”

A true cowboy, just like my brother, starting from the scalp.

“Ah, author!”

“Julia! You really came?! How’s the work?”

“Outside work.”

“ah.”

My correspondent, Julia Chandler.

“Simon said he wanted to come with me, but it looks like Remy caught him.”

“What a sad thing.”

“god-!”

“SEEN! SEEN! SEEN! SEEN! SEEN! SEEN! SEEN! SEEN! SEEN! SEEN!”

Nerd guys at the comic book store.

In addition, some people who couldn’t come due to work-related reasons congratulated the graduation by sending flower bouquets or other means through acquaintances.

I soon found myself carrying a huge amount of flowers in my arms, and feeling my back starting to hurt, I looked around to see if there was anywhere I could leave them.

Then the most beautiful flower entered my eyes.

“god!”

“Alexa.”

“Congratulations on your graduation!”

“Congratulations on your graduation. Shall we take a picture together?”

“Yeah yeah! Denzel!”

“······Congratulations on your graduation, author.”

“Denzel, you came.”

“There are father and mother there too. Let’s take a picture together.”

“Yeah, let’s do that.”

Just looking at Alexa in front of the camera lens made her smile happily and clung to me. My mother was so excited to see this that she kept changing the film and taking pictures.

I felt somewhat embarrassed and turned my head, only to find a face staring intently at me.

“······.”

Alexa Flair’s father, Mr. Flair.

He is a huge fan of ‘SEEN’, but he cannot acknowledge ‘Shin’.

‘How ironic.’

Still, I continued taking pictures, thinking that they would let me off easy today, when at some point Alexa whispered in my ear.

“Are you ready?”

“Oh, yeah. There is one thing I didn’t expect.”

“What is it? Are you okay?”

“maybe······?”

I looked around the entire football stadium and smiled awkwardly.

Anyway, there were way more people than expected.

End

(138)