Dream Breaker

Graduate(4)

Am I dreaming?
 
This was the first thought that crossed my mind.
 
Just a moment ago, I was having a brawl with genius shaman Yoo Il-am on the school rooftop.
 
But now, here I am at the school playground.
 
Unless I jumped off the rooftop ready to die, there's no way I could have come down to the ground this quickly.
 
Moreover,
 
"Please, make me an astronaut!"
 
"Oh, God! Please give me a miracle~!"
 
"I wish I could be the president..."
 
The third-year students who had finished their morning assembly long ago were bustling around the playground.
 
How did this happen?
 
I was confused.
 
"Next student."
 
A woman's voice came from inside the medical bus.
 
"......"
 
"Next student! Hurry up and come in!"
 
But since no one was entering the bus, the voice grew louder.
 
"Moon-soo, what are you doing?"
 
"Hey, it's your turn."
 
"Get in there quickly!"
 
"Huh?"
 
I was pushed by my annoyed friends and walked into the hospital bus.
 
'Is it my turn?'
 
Every citizen is required to take the aptitude test once. Even if you retake it, the results will not change.
 
But why again?
 
I was bewildered.
 
"Student, take off your shoes and lie down on the bed on the right."
 
A female nurse, whose face I remembered seeing before, pointed to a makeshift bed.
 
"Um..."
 
"Student, we don't have time. Ask your questions later to the doctor."
 
Despite her clear refusal, I insisted.
 
"Is this really an aptitude test?"
 
"......"
 
The nurse hesitated at my question and frowned.
 
"Please tell me."
 
"Student, I'm very busy and don't have time for word games. Did you not know this was an aptitude test and stood in line?"
 
"...I'm sorry."
 
I felt like I would be kicked out of the bus if I asked another question.
 
"Hurry up and get on."
 
"Yes."
 
I closed my lips and lay down on the bed. I didn't agree, but I complied.
 
'I've already taken the aptitude test.'
 
I couldn't understand why I was taking a retest.
 
"Student, before we start the test, I have a simple verification question."
 
"Yes."
 
"Have you ever taken an aptitude test before?"
 
"Yes."
 
"You haven't- You said yes?"
 
"Yes, two days ago."
 
"Wait a moment."
 
The nurse, with a slightly flustered face, tapped the laptop keyboard.
 
Click, tap, click-click-
 
"......"
 
I calmly waited.
 
Since I had taken the aptitude test on this medical bus, there must be some record of it.
 
"Student, what's your name?"
 
"Kang Moon-soo."
 
"The name is correct, but... two days ago, did you take a paid test at another hospital?"
 
"I took the free test."
 
"Our hospital is the only designated one where students from this school can take the test for free."
 
"I took it on this medical bus."
 
"......"
 
"Please check."
 
"...Student. At that time, we didn't even start the test. If you play another prank, you'll be kicked out."
 
"......"
 
I wasn't lying.
 
However, the nurse, who seemed to be annoyed, didn't seem to be lying either.
 
'I'm going crazy!'
 
It felt like I had gone back in time.
 
I couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of my thoughts.
 
"Student, close your eyes and stay still from now on."
 
The nurse, who had labeled me as a lying prankster, didn't sound very nice.
 
"Yes."
 
I put my confused thoughts aside for a moment and 'retook' the aptitude test.
 
* * *
 
I'm not an expert, so I don't know the exact principle of the aptitude test machine, but I learned that aptitude is determined by measuring values from head to toe.
 
Brain cells, vocal cords, kidneys, body proportions, capillaries, lung capacity...
 
Even reproductive organs!
 
"......"
 
I didn't feel anything during the test, but the special radiation from the medical bed beneath me was penetrating my body.
 
"The test is over. Get up."
 
"Yes."
 
I was nervous the first time I took the test, but now I already know the result.
 
It was creepy to think that my life would be determined in such a short time.
 
'Ah! No.'
 
Could it be that my memory of the aptitude test result showing 'shaman' was just a nightmare?
 
As evidence, I couldn't see the ghosts that shaman Yoo Il-am could see.
 
Clear proof of no talent!
 
As soon as I concluded it was a dream, my mind felt at ease.
 
However,
 
"What was that shaman?"
 
Although dreams are said to be reconstructed based on experiences, the series of events where I met 'a completely unknown person,' shaman Yoo Il-am, slightly bothered me.
 
'No, maybe?'
 
Could genius shaman Yoo Il-am be a fictional character that I created in my imagination?
 
After getting off the medical bus for the next student waiting for the aptitude test, I took out my smartphone in the corner of the gym.
 
Tap tap-
 
I immediately accessed the search engine and entered his name.
 
'Yoo, Il, Am... Huh?!'
 
"Genius Shaman Yoo Il-am! Live Broadcast"
 
"Shaman Yoo Il-am's Counseling Center"
 
"Famous Detective Shaman Yoo Il-am! Catching Ghosts!"
 
"Shaman Yoo Il-am vs Shaman Song Eun-young"
 
"...He's a real person."
 
It's very unfortunate that I live under the same sky with a person I had hoped didn't exist.
 
"The test ended quickly."
 
"Yeah."
 
"Did you really take the test...?"
 
"President! Please~!"
 
The long line waiting for the aptitude test gradually shortened.
 
The kids waiting for the results of the aptitude test they've heard so much about.
 
"......"
 
It seemed that I had spent 'today' in such an atmosphere.