Chapter 1 Part 1: Admission Test

…When I opened my eyes, I saw a transparent wall.

It was made of reinforced glass, a wall that couldn’t be broken without considerable strength.

I walked forward, slowly extending my hand to touch the wall.

My reflection in the mirror was incredibly small.

And it looked incredibly pitiful.

My body was covered in wounds and bandages.

The pupils of my eyes, stained with tears, repeatedly shifted between vertical and horizontal.

The only clothing I wore was a clean white dress, and beyond the wall, countless people stared at me expressionlessly.

Yes, this is a dream.

I’m having the nightmare of the lab I escaped years ago, again.

I’m recalling those terrible memories once more.

I slowly took my hand off the wall and sank to the floor.

Since I realized it was a dream, there was nothing more to fear.

Because I’ve had this dream so many times, I already knew how it would unfold.

This was during an experiment, and I even memorized who the researcher in charge of this experiment was.

They say fear comes from ignorance, don’t they?

So, I didn’t need to be afraid anymore.

Soon, Aunt Ailey would come in and give me a painful injection.

And I would receive that painful injection, writhe in pain, and then wake up from the dream.

That’s exactly what happened.

“Hello, little lady. It’s Ailey-unnie.”

“…Hello, unnie.”

“Well, you have to get your shot today, too, right? If you say you won’t, I’ll have no choice but to give you a more painful one.”

“…”

I slowly extended my arm to Aunt Ailey.

Soon, when she injected the shot into my wrist, I would wake up.

…I had to hope that would be the case.

“…!”

As Aunt Ailey administered the injection, the blood vessels in one of my arms bulged significantly.

I slowly tried to force a smile and endured the pain.

But it was unbearable.

With each flow of blood, it felt like needles were tearing my blood vessels apart.

Every time I breathed, my lungs ached so much that I wished I didn’t have to breathe at all.

My eyes hurt as if they were being pulled out, and cold sweat streamed down my entire body due to the pain.

Then, when I lost consciousness.

“…Ugh, keoheok!”

I clutched my heart and sat up in bed.

Because I woke up quite late today, the pain was considerably severe.

Normally, I wake up the moment the injection is given.

So, the blanket and sheets weren’t soaked with cold sweat.

But because I woke up too late today, something came up this morning.

I let out a long sigh for a moment, then stripped the sweat-soaked blanket and sheets from the bed.

In times like these, I couldn’t believe I was a snake beast-person.

Snakes are reptiles, and they don’t sweat.

Just because I had a nightmare, I wouldn’t wake up drenched in cold sweat, right?

I grumbled for a moment, then rolled up the blanket and sheets.

And after checking the clock, I went outside.

“…You’re up early? What’s the occasion, Ah. Did you have another nightmare?”

“Yeah. Aunt Ailey was in it.”

“I see. Did you have it for a while today?”

“I’m sorry. But it can’t be helped, you know. I have it three or four times a week.”

I grumbled softly and walked to the veranda.

And after putting the blanket and sheets into the washing machine, I added detergent and started the machine.

Normally, I would have just put them in the basket, but because I had a nightmare today, I woke up early.

I could at least run the washing machine.

As I came out after starting the washing machine, Aunt Ailey was waiting with a health checkup kit.

I examined Aunt Ailey for a moment.

When I was a test subject, her blonde hair was so vibrant, and she didn’t have any wrinkles, I think.

Ten years seemed to have changed the title of unnie to Aunt.

“Is there something on my face?”

“No, there’s nothing.”

“I see. Well, yesterday was your left arm, right?”

“Yeah.”

I extended my right arm.

Aunt Ailey tied my arm and began preparing to draw blood.

And the usual morning questions followed.

“Are there any problems with manifesting the physical characteristics of a snake?”

“No.”

“Good. Is your schizophrenia a little better?”

“Aunt, really. I told you I don’t have that anymore.”

“I’m just worried. It’s also your academy entrance exam today.”

“Do you often exhibit excessive violence? No. There, done?”

“You’re still cutting off my last question.”

I just smiled.

Unless I consciously manifest them, I’m closer to a human… but that probably doesn’t matter.

It’s not schizophrenia, but possession, but that probably doesn’t matter either.

I’m suppressing excessive violence, but that probably doesn’t matter either.

What matters is that I’ve successfully adapted to society for ten years.

So, I stared at the syringe, hoping the blood would be drawn quickly.

Because, as Aunt Ailey said, today was the day of the academy entrance exam.

I wanted to get ready quickly, go there, and get used to the temperature.

After drawing all the blood, Aunt Ailey wiped the wound with an alcohol swab and applied a character band-aid, just like she did ten years ago.

I rubbed the character band-aid lightly and grumbled.

It wasn’t my favorite character band-aid.

It was a slightly less favorite character band-aid.

“It’s a waterproof band-aid, so you can shower freely…”

“Yeah.”

“I’ll heat up breakfast while you shower. Today’s breakfast is hearty. You know?”

“Thank you.”

“…And, Lee Yeji.”

“Yes, Aunt.”

“If you can’t manifest, or if other side effects appear, tell me anytime.”

“…Did you prepare the medicine?”

“If necessary?”

“Really, I told you there was no need to prepare it.”

I sighed deeply.

I know it’s a medicine I’ve been consistently taking whenever needed for the past ten years…

But the cost was a bit too much to handle with my aunt and uncles’ salaries.

Besides, the current me didn’t want to rely on such things.

…If a situation where it’s truly needed arises, I can ask them to make it then.

“I’ll go take a shower. Please heat up the food.”

“Okay.”

“Oh no, clothes. I forgot to bring my clothes.”

“I thought you’d be showering, so I prepared them in advance in the bathroom cabinet.”

“Ah, Aunt. Thank you.”

I hurriedly entered the bathroom, closed the door, and locked it.

The tension was slowly easing, and I felt like I was going to fall asleep.

And to wake up in this situation, washing up was the best thing to do.

If I were a normal person, I would wash with cold water, but I couldn’t do that.

Because my body becomes weak when it’s cold, I had to wash with hot water to wake up.

I set the water to hot, and while waiting for a moment, I looked in the mirror.

Now I don’t have to cry, and I don’t need to create imaginary friends to endure.

But still, looking in the mirror always made me feel good.

I looked at my pink eyes for a moment, blinked, and changed my pupils.

I stuck out my normal tongue and then my snake tongue.

Finally, I tried to gauge the size of my chest, then gave up.

“It always seems to go here every time I eat.”

The other aunts tease me whenever they get bigger, and it was a little annoying.

It felt like my shoulders were getting stiff, and people’s gazes were focused on me.

This was why I deliberately dressed like a delinquent.

I had to dress like someone you shouldn’t mess with to be able to walk around comfortably.

It seemed like a miserable life.

“Well, maybe it’s all because I’m pretty.”

I joked like that and immediately started washing.

Washing my face with hot water, showering.

After washing my hair, I compulsively took out a large towel and dried my body.

Then, I changed my clothes inside the bathroom and came out.

“Aunt, should I put the clothes in the basket?”

“No, it’s okay. It’s an important day, isn’t it? Instead, hurry up, eat, and go.”

“Yes, I will.”

I sat at the table, continuing to dry my hair with a towel.

And I hung the towel on the chair and started eating.

A bob cut was good for this reason. A few years ago, I had long hair, and it took a long time to wash my hair every time.

“What, Aunt. Didn’t you say you weren’t good at Korean food?”

“I learned from the other aunts and uncles. Did you think Auntie was only good at Western food?”

“Ailey Aunt is American. It wouldn’t be strange if you were only good at Western food.”

“Anyway, how is it.”

“It’s delicious.”

Stir-fried pork with soybean paste stew. Kimchi and bean sprout salad with rice.

These were foods I loved in my previous life, how could they not be delicious?

So, I chewed every grain of rice thoroughly and brushed my teeth with hot water.

And while brushing my teeth, I also threw the clothes I had taken off into the basket.

I heard Aunt Ailey saying something, but I boldly ignored it.

She’s getting older, so she shouldn’t overdo it.

After finishing brushing my teeth, I went into my room and took out the school uniform I bought a few days ago.

Really, I never thought I’d wear a school uniform twice in my life.

It just made me think that you should live a long life.

“Hmm, it’s still short, huh?”

The color scheme wasn’t bad.

It looked stylish and cool, mainly using black, purple, and white.

But the skirt seemed quite short.

Well, I’m already used to it since I’ve been dressing like a delinquent…

“Is it okay for a school uniform to be this short?”

I grumbled for a moment, hissing my tongue.

There must be some female students taking the entrance exam who will be embarrassed.

Anyway, I didn’t have any problems, so I quickly put on the uniform.

After putting on the skirt, shirt, ribbon, and jacket, I looked at my body in the mirror.

“You’re pretty, my daughter.”

“Really? Auntie has good taste, so I can rest assured.”

“Aren’t you wearing earrings and a headband?”

“It’s the entrance exam. And I’ll check the school rules and wear them then.”

“And this. Be sure to take it with you.”

“This is…”

I looked at the pills Aunt Ailey handed me with a reluctant expression.

These are narcotic painkillers.

I tried to force a smile and said.

“Aunt, really. Do you think I’ll go berserk every time I manifest like I used to?”

“You never know. Don’t roll around on the floor in pain, take a few.”

“Aren’t you treating me like too much of a child?”

“In Auntie’s eyes, you’re always a 7-year-old child, Yeji.”

“…Then there’s nothing I can do. Okay.”

I forced a smile.

And I reproached myself internally.

The weak me who flinched at the words ‘7-year-old child’.

I already decided to bury the past and move on, didn’t I?

So, there’s no need to mention it further.

So, I managed my expression, packed my cell phone and wallet, and headed for the front door.

“I’m going.”

“Come back safely. I’ll look forward to good news.”

“Don’t worry. I’m Auntie’s greatest masterpiece.”

I said that and left the house with a light step.

I ignored Aunt Ailey’s dark expression that I saw on the way out.

Because I’ve already forgiven everything.