Dream Breaker

Chapter 1 (2)

My friends who were peeping down the school corridor shouted loudly.

And about ten seconds later,

Creak-

The classroom door opened, and the woman we were desperately waiting for entered, carrying a handful of white envelopes in her arms.

She was our homeroom teacher, who had been with us for about a year.

Her gaze was filled with affection and concern as she looked at her graduating students.

Thud.

The homeroom teacher placed the white envelopes on the podium and began to speak.

"Everyone, have you been waiting long?"

"......"

"......"

But we weren't in the mood to answer, as our eyes were focused on the envelopes stacked like a tower on the podium.

With a light bitter smile, the homeroom teacher said,

"I understand. It's more nerve-wracking than the exams. Your seniors felt the same way."

Swoosh-

Carefully picking up the envelope on top, she continued in a calm tone.

"As promised, the results of the aptitude test conducted by the Ministry of Education are out. The results are in these envelopes."

"Ah!"

"Ah!"

With the breaking of the suffocating silence, the students' sighs could be heard from all around.

Aptitude test.

A test to find out one's aptitude for work.

Like compulsory education, everyone born in this country has to take this test without exception.

"Teacher."

A brave female student raised her hand and spoke.

"Do you have a question?"

"Yes. Did you also take this test, Teacher?"

"Of course. I took the aptitude test around the same time as you all. And the result was a high school math teacher."

So, she became our homeroom teacher in charge of high school math and stood at this podium.

Even without saying it, every student in this classroom waiting for the aptitude test results knows this fact.

'Aptitude test...'

If my father had accepted the results like the homeroom teacher...

My mind became complicated.

Clap! Clap!

Then, our homeroom teacher, who clapped her hands as if to renew our tense atmosphere, declared in a bright voice.

"Now! When I call your name, come forward and receive your aptitude test results."

"Finally!"

"Ah!"

"1st, Kang Moon-soo."

"Yes."

"2nd, Kang Seung-ho."

"Yes!"

We received the envelopes and returned to our seats, carefully unfolding the aptitude test results.

Swoosh-

"Oh yeah! I'm a doctor...!"

"No way! The guy who gets injured all the time is a doctor?"

"Is it real? I'm jealous."

"Even a veterinarian! I love pets!"

"Wow! Congratulations!"

The students who got their desired jobs, or even better, shouted for joy.

"Huh?"

"Why?"

"I had a feeling it would be sports-related... but it's not soccer."

"What is it?"

"Volleyball player."

The students who got slightly off-target jobs from their expectations tilted their heads.

"What is this..."

"Huh? What job did you get?"

"I got a gourmet."

"... A job evaluating the taste of food, right?"

"That's right. I'm on a diet every day, so why..."

Some students were puzzled by the unique jobs they got.

"What is this..."

"Huh? What job did you get?"

"Mine says I'm going to be president."

"Are you crazy?! Is it real?!"

"It's real! So how should I plan my career path? Business administration? Political science? Or should I participate in protests or volunteer activities...?"

There was also a student who was confused by getting such a great job. And that student was my friend.

When the noisy classroom quieted down after a while,

"What about Kang Moon-soo?"

"Yeah, Moon-soo?"

"What's your job?"

The students who had checked their aptitude test results turned their eyes to me.

"I am curious, too."

The homeroom teacher, who couldn't see the students' aptitude test results due to personal privacy, also showed deep curiosity.

"......"

I slowly took out the aptitude test results from the white envelope.

'Please.'

My father longed to make a lot of money during his lifetime, but his aptitude test results didn't meet his expectations.

How about me?

I don't have high expectations. I don't care what job it is, as long as I can make money right after graduating from high school.

"Will Moon-soo be the president too?"

"Since he likes science, maybe he'll be a technician or researcher."

"I'm getting excited for no reason!"

"Maybe an astronaut..."

Amid all sorts of speculations, I flipped over the aptitude test results lying on the desk and checked them.

"Huh?"

I doubted my eyes.

After rubbing my eyes with both hands, I cautiously looked again-

"This doesn't make sense!"

Aptitude tests cannot be altered. The result is the same even if you look again.

"Moon-soo, tell us."

"What's Moon-soo's aptitude?"

"Hey, hurry up and show us."

Now everyone in the classroom was looking at me.

"My job is..."

There's no use hiding it here. My aptitude test results are still on record at the Ministry of Education.

Sooner or later, the homeroom teacher will know about it for career counseling.

'Father...'

The last image of the man who was dissatisfied with the aptitude test results suddenly came to mind.

"Is it hard to tell?"

"...No."

At the teacher's remark, I came to my senses and read it out with a sigh.

Just as it was written in the aptitude test results,

"Shaman."

It seems like I'm destined to work with ghosts that I've never seen before.