SAV Chapter 5

A little while later, Choi Jeha brought the ordered food to the ahjummas and then sat down at a table in the corner. He opened a workbook he had covered earlier. Perhaps due to not having his glasses, he bent his head so low that his face was almost buried in the workbook.

 

Choi Jeha had never received private education. School classes were all he had. And after school, he worked part-time jobs until 4:30 in the morning.

 

Despite such a lack of free time, he had never lost his position as the top student in the school. This guy was truly a “munchkin” created by the novel’s settings.

 

No, this isn’t the time for me to be amazed at someone else’s study skills.

 

‘I haven’t ordered food yet, you jerk.’

 

I’m starving, but Choi Jeha really seems to think I’m just here to hang out.

 

I tried to get his attention with my whole body, but Choi Jeha didn’t react at all. After a few minutes, Choi Jeha, while solving problems, reached out with a cup to get water from the water purifier behind him. I recalled a character detail from my sister’s manuscript.

 

<Often filled his stomach with water to suppress hunger>

 

It’s unacceptable to skip meals in front of me, who lives to eat.

 

“Order here! Take my order!”

 

I shouted, raising my hand high. It was loud enough that he couldn’t possibly miss it, but Choi Jeha didn’t lift his head from the workbook.

 

“Jeha, there’s an order over there?”

 

Only after the ahjummas kindly pointed out my existence did Choi Jeha approach with a disgruntled expression. He dropped the order form and pen in front of me with a thud. It seemed to mean ‘check what you want and leave it, I don’t want to talk’.

 

“I’ll have a beef brisket soybean paste stew and bibimbap. What about you?”

 

I checked off what I wanted to eat on the order form and looked up at Choi Jeha. His bangs, which had been covering his eyebrows, twitched slightly. Thanks to that, I could see Choi Jeha’s shaken pupils, not expecting that I would order for him too.

 

“What?”

 

“I’m asking what you want to eat.”

 

“Why are you…”

 

Grumble.

 

Choi Jeha, who had been irritated, quickly shut his mouth. A rather embarrassing sound came from his stomach. Having filled his empty stomach with water, the sound was so loud. It was too thunderous to pretend not to have heard.

 

“What do you want to eat? I’m thinking of getting kimchi stew too, how about that for you?”

 

“You’re really annoying.”

 

When he glared at me with his neck turning bright red from embarrassment, I wasn’t scared at all.

 

“What? Is that how you talk to someone offering to buy you a meal?”

 

Choi Jeha’s expression twisted at my question.

 

“Why are you buying me a meal in the first place?”

 

“I asked to stay for a day, remember? This is advance payment for lodging, and I can’t eat alone.”

 

“This isn’t funny at all, you know? So stop it.”

 

He seems to think I’m messing with him. Given what Cha Eunseong has done so far, this is something I’ll have to put up with while I’m here as Cha Eunseong.

 

It hasn’t even been a few hours since I entered this novel, and I’ve already got two nicknames. Crazy bastard, weirdo.

 

‘But when am I going to wake up from this dream?’

 

Suppressing my puzzled and anxious feelings, I replied gruffly to Choi Jeha.

 

“Yeah. I don’t find you amusing either, grumbling only at me.”

 

“Then just stop.”

 

“What have I done for you to keep telling me to stop? I’m just asking to eat together.”

 

“That’s exactly it. Why are you asking me?”

 

“You’re the only person I know here. Who else should I ask to eat with?”

 

I glanced at the ahjummas chatting at the next table.

 

“Should I go over there and ask to join them?”

 

“Are you crazy?”

 

“Yes, I’m the crazy bastard and weirdo. So if you don’t want to see me really go crazy, eat with me.”

 

I might seem persistent, but I had a reason for insisting on eating with Choi Jeha.

 

In my sister’s worldbuilding, it clearly stated that dominants show their traits between middle school third year and high school second year. I remembered this detail well because it was an intriguing new concept when I first read it. Plus, it hadn’t been long since I read the synopsis, and my good memory helped.

 

Choi Jeha is now in his spring of high school third year, and he’s supposed to be a Golden Alpha, the most exceptional among the dominant alphas (though I don’t understand why there’s an additional “golden” title when “dominant” already exists). He should have shown his traits long ago.

 

‘If he had, he wouldn’t be living like this.’

 

In my sister’s world, dominants wouldn’t live in poverty. I don’t fully understand the “traits” repeatedly mentioned in the synopsis, but they have abilities far surpassing ordinary people, which wealthy individuals covet.

 

If Choi Jeha had shown signs of being a dominant from his school days like Kim Juyoung, he would have received support from the wealthy, and this novel would have been a completely different story.

 

Anyway, could it be that despite having the dominant trait, he hasn’t manifested it yet due to the character settings my sister gave Choi Jeha?

 

Irregular eating habits and excessive stress from bullying. Those were the only settings different from Kim Juyoung, who manifested without any issues.

 

‘With Cha Eunseong, who caused stress, gone, could sufficient nutrition hasten his manifestation?’

 

It was just a guess, but worth trying.

 

Choi Jeha’s quick manifestation. I thought that could be the way to escape poverty and bullying for him, and for me to survive.

 

“Choi Jeha.”

 

He glanced at me with uncomfortable eyes.

 

“You need to eat well. And reduce stress.”

 

Not knowing when I might wake up, I wanted to give him the simplest yet most effective hint.

 

“You’re the one giving me stress.”

 

Yet he just grumbled at me. I can’t turn myself inside out to show him, and I can’t ask the synopsis writer to enter the dream with the file. I’m the only one feeling frustrated.

 

“Come on, I’m just asking to eat together. Why are you getting stressed about that?”

 

“Forget it. I can’t eat while working. So if you can’t eat alone, go home and eat.”

 

Choi Jeha picked up the order form and pen, telling me to leave immediately if I wasn’t going to eat.

 

“Hey, you think I’ve never worked at a restaurant? They always give time to eat. You’re just not eating because you’re studying during that time, right?”

 

Choi Jeha looked me up and down with raised eyebrows.

 

“Are you a stalker?”

 

Not a stalker, but a reader. Though I’m not sure if just reading the synopsis counts as being a reader.

 

“Let’s eat. I’ll help you clean up afterward.”

 

Seeming to realize he couldn’t break my stubbornness, Choi Jeha thought for a moment before reluctantly throwing out a word.

 

“Boiled egg.”

 

Anyway, they say smart guys have bad luck. Even in this situation, he chooses a menu that can be eaten in one bite and allow him to leave immediately.

 

“Don’t be so cunning, eat the kimchi stew.”

 

“Then don’t ask.”

 

“Why? I just want to hear your lovely voice one more…”

 

I tried to indirectly tell him to stop arguing and go get the food, which he understood better than expected. Choi Jeha, chewing his lips, crumpled the order form and went into the kitchen.

 

A moment later, he came out with a tray containing soybean paste stew, bibimbap, and kimchi stew. With murderous intent in his eyes, no less.

 

It was a look that suggested someone might die during this meal.

 

Choi Jeha nibbled at his food, seemingly uncomfortable eating with me.

 

I picked up a piece of meat from the kimchi stew. Then, just before it entered his mouth, I gently placed it on his spoon.

 

The texture was so soft and chewy that it didn’t seem like it was quickly made at a jjimjilbang. I gave it to him because it was delicious and I wanted him to eat more, but Choi Jeha flinched as if he’d seen something unspeakable on his spoon and used his chopsticks to remove the meat.

 

“If you ignore my goodwill, next time I’ll put it directly in your mouth.”

 

Choi Jeha looked at me like I was a bug.

 

“I knew you were annoying, but I didn’t know you swung that way.”

 

“What way?”

 

“Are you gay?”

 

“If offering someone a side dish makes you gay, wouldn’t there be too many gay people in this world?”

 

I smiled brightly, and Choi Jeha quickly lowered his gaze to his rice bowl. I guess he doesn’t even want to make eye contact now.

 

‘Ah, this kid is really cute.’

I stared at Choi Jeha as he chewed his food with his chin propped up. Then I remembered the setting that his brain was exceptional not just for studying. I thought I might be able to use that setting to figure out Cha Eunseong’s home address.

 

“Hey, you’re smart, right? What’s your IQ?”

 

My sister, like me, had no middle ground. Everything was either maxed out or rock bottom. If his looks were at that level, she might have set his IQ at Mensa level.

 

“What good would knowing do you?”

 

“I want to borrow your brilliant brain for my sake.”

 

“What’s wrong with you today? Are you really crazy?”

 

“Stop saying I’m crazy and let me give you a problem to solve.”

 

Choi Jeha sighed. It seems he has trouble breathing whenever he sees me. Maybe I should bring a portable oxygen machine next time and stick it in his mouth.

 

“It’s just a simple problem. Not difficult. If you’ve eaten, you should pay for your meal.”

 

Of course, it was a problem I couldn’t solve even after four hours in this world, but I thought the brilliantly-brained Choi Jeha could solve it quickly.

 

Choi Jeha’s gaze moved from his rice bowl to me. His expression said, “What payment? You forced me to eat.”

 

I boldly ignored his unfavorable gaze.

 

“What nonsense…”

 

“It’s not nonsense or a scheme, so listen carefully. Someone was attacked by aliens and forgot their home address. But they can’t ask anyone. In this situation, what’s the fastest way to find their home address?”

 

Thinking that there really might be something wrong with my mind, Choi Jeha’s eyes, which had shown brief interest, fell back to his rice bowl.