I Became an Artist in a Romantic Comedy

Chapter 23: Sixteen and Growing, Plus a Retreat and a Competition (6)

In the end, Ha Soyeol won the game.

It was expected, so there wasn’t much talk about it.

However, there was plenty of chatter about who came in second and third.

When the judge made the final ruling, everyone seemed to accept it without complaint.

In that sports event, Ha Soyeol was a literal mole cricket, skittering around like a chaotic blur.

“Did I do well?”

“Yeah, you did great. Let’s hit up the snack bar later.”

“Okay.”

I congratulated her as she returned and turned to look at the clock on the edge of the lodging building.

It was 3:30 PM.

According to the schedule, we’d have dinner in two hours.

That meant we should be able to head back to the dorms now, right?

There was nothing else listed on the schedule.

However, my thoughts were shattered by a soldier’s shout.

“Take a short break, then we’ll move to the classroom for another session!”

One thing about retreats—whenever there’s free time, they love to show us educational videos.

The exhausted students groaned and reluctantly got to their feet, frowning.

“Can’t we just go back to the dorms?”

“Yeah, this is too much.”

“Come on, guys, this should be the last one.”

Complaints rose here and there, but everyone eventually stood up without further protest.

Class presidents tried their best to rally their classmates into moving.

We moved to the classroom, watched yet another educational video, then headed to the cafeteria for dinner.

Something about this whole setup felt wrong.

At least this was the last training session for the day. Even though I didn’t have to participate, the others had done low-crawl training.

On the way back to the dorms after dinner, I asked the teacher following us.

“Teacher, this whole schedule isn’t going to be repeated tomorrow, right?”

“Probably will be.”

“Poor students.”

I could sit out, but it would be hard for the others to avoid the training unless they faked being sick or came up with some clever excuse.

‘In times like these, all you have to do is claim you’re not feeling well, and they’d probably let you off.’

They couldn’t force minors into this kind of training, right?

But if everyone started claiming illness, it’d throw off the schedule.

I just felt sorry for them.

There wasn’t anything I could do to help.

“By the way, teacher.”

“Yeah?”

“Why do they take our phones at a retreat? They don’t do that on school trips.”

“Who knows? Why don’t you ask the principal?”

“That… doesn’t sound easy.”

It’s all due to, what? Old-school views?

Even though we paid to be here, they still wanted to control every detail. It didn’t make any sense.

As I chatted with the teacher, we soon arrived back at the dorms.

Partly because the distance wasn’t far, but also because time passes quickly when you’re talking to someone.

“Everyone, wash up and prepare for bed at 10.”

The soldier assigned to our class delivered the message and left.

The remaining students looked around the common room.

“…Wait a sec. You mean it’s a shared bathroom?”

Of course, it’s shared. What else would you expect in a place like this?

At least there was a separate shower area.

It wasn’t very big, but it could accommodate about ten people at a time.

Since I wasn’t that dirty, I could shower later.

In the hallway, students waited with their toiletry bags in hand.

With nearly 100 guys here, it’d take a while to get my turn.

I lay on my bed, waiting without much to do.

“Hey, Ha-eun.”

The class president approached from the opposite bed, looking up at me.

Since I had a top bunk.

“Kim Jin-hyuk? What’s up?”

I knew the class president’s name, at least.

Leaning over, I met his eyes.

“Heh… Could you mark this for me?”

Kim Jin-hyuk handed me a sheet of paper.

A closer look revealed that it was a list for tomorrow’s morning march.

It looked like he was collecting participation and non-participation responses.

After taking the sheet from him, I marked “non-participation” next to my name.

“Thanks. Keep resting.”

“Yeah. Good luck, President.”

It seemed like he could’ve just marked it for me, though.

Just as I was about to hand back the paper, I noticed a familiar name.

Kim Byung-jun.

It was listed under Class 1. Could it be… that guy?

Someone I’d had a bit of trouble with a few years ago.

The list included not only our class but all the other classes as well.

A coincidence, spotting that name.

What surprised me even more was that Kim Byung-jun had marked himself as participating in the march.

“Ha-eun?”

“Oh, sorry. Just saw a familiar name.”

“Oh? Well, I need to finish getting everyone’s responses…”

“Sorry, here.”

“Thanks. See you around.”

With that, President Kim Jin-hyuk took the paper and moved on to the next person.

But really, Kim Byung-jun? The one I knew didn’t seem like the type for physical activities at all.

Even if I thought about it more, it didn’t hold much meaning for me, so I let it go.

It was just a memory of an old acquaintance, nothing more.

“Well, I guess I’ll go shower now.”

Stepping into an air-conditioned room after a hot shower…

Ah, now that’s heaven.

Before heading out, I checked the clock—it was already 9:30.

I should finish up quickly.

—

“I’ll explain the roll call process now.”

Our assigned soldier came into the common room and began to speak.

I was still drying my hair.

“Please gather around the central table.”

The students reluctantly got up and shuffled to the table.

“The first person will say ‘one.’”

“One!”

“The next person says ‘two.’”

“Two.”

And so on, passing down the line.

“After you say your number, look at the next person.”

More rules piling on. This was giving me a headache.

“The last person says, ‘Room secure. Evening roll call complete.’”

“Yes, sir!”

Class president Kim Jin-hyuk responded loudly.

“Alright, let’s start. One!”

The counting continued down the line.

“One!”

“Two!”

“Three.”

And when it was my turn, number four…

“Ya!!”

Oops. Reflex. Must be all the Shin-chan I’ve been watching.

Everyone’s eyes were on me, with their mouths twitching as they tried to hold back their laughter.

“Pfft!”

Kim Jin-hyuk couldn’t help but burst out laughing.

“…Again.”

Um, excuse me, Mr. Soldier? You’re laughing too.

The roll call game resumed and finished without any more issues.

Ugh, I’d blurted out “ya” without thinking.

Maybe I should cut back on Tooniverse.

“Eight total presents. No one is missing. Room secure. Evening roll call is complete!”

With Kim Jin-hyuk’s spirited declaration, the soldier moved on to the next room.

Finally, we were free.

The others crowded around me, speaking in mock seriousness.

“Lee Ha-eun, you’re seriously hilarious.”

“Hey, do it again, that part.”

“Ugh… pfft.”

I kind of understood their reaction, but was it really that funny?

But still… I didn’t mind it.

The quiet smile that bloomed made me feel oddly happy.

Maybe I needed a little attention after all?

“Huh, what?”

The lights turned off. We hadn’t touched the switches.

Maybe they cut the power from the main control room.

It was 10 PM now.

Probably a signal to go to sleep.

“Alright, lights out, everyone.”

We all nodded at the class president’s words, though we couldn’t see each other.

I also reached out and climbed up the ladder to my top bunk.

As time passed, my eyes adjusted to the darkness, and I could slowly make out the room.

My gaze turned to the ceiling, getting used to the stillness.

Sometimes, when it was this quiet and I couldn’t sleep, I’d get lost in deep thoughts.

I’d start writing monologues, scribbling imaginary words across the white ceiling.

Even if it was just a fantasy in my head.

Two lives… I still didn’t understand.

In my past life, the world had seemed nothing but painful.

But now, in this life, I was afraid of losing it.

Though I always carried these tangled feelings, I couldn’t let them out.

It wasn’t that I avoided people, but I didn’t see the need to tie myself to them either.

If they weren’t interested in me, then I didn’t need to care about them either.

I let out a small breath and closed my eyes.

It seemed I still hadn’t fully escaped my past.

Suddenly, I had the urge to draw.

—

—Attention. Rise and shine.

The scratchy morning broadcast made everyone groan.

“Ugh… what’s going on…”

A complaint came from below.

I winced, realizing I’d woken up earlier than usual.

I scratched my messy hair and sat up.

Trainees participating in the morning march, gather on the field by 7.

Hearing this, some students crawled back into bed.

“Anyone here joining…?”

A sleepy voice echoed in the room.

In response, the class president and vice president lazily raised their hands.

“…Mandatory for company and platoon leaders.”

Poor souls.

The two sluggishly changed into their military uniforms.

All other trainees assemble on the field by 8 after the morning roll call.

The bedbugs crawling back

into their bunks sighed in unison.

Then—

Bang!

“Morning roll call begins now!”

The soldier came in, placing his hand on the central table.

The eight of us reluctantly gathered around.

“One…”

“Two…”

It was like a scene out of a zombie movie.

When the count reached the president, the soldier announced,

“Be ready by 7:50. We’ll move together.”

He tossed out the order and left.

Ah, this was a pain.

But I still had to shower, so I reluctantly made my way to the bathroom.

If we’d be sweating again later, it didn’t seem necessary to use shampoo, but…

Images of Ha Soyeol and Choi Yeseo flashed in my mind.

With a sigh, I opened the shampoo cap and squeezed some out.

Cleanliness is still important. Yeah.

After a quick wash, I returned to see a long line outside the shower.

Good thing I’d gone early. If I’d waited, there wouldn’t have been enough time.

Back in the common room, I saw it was just past 7.

Plenty of time to get ready.

By the time I’d slowly put on my clothes and even donned a helmet, it was 7:40.

Then, suddenly, the hallway became noisy.

“What the—move!”

“What’s happening?”

Curious, I peeked out into the hall.

Hmm.

Then I closed the door and went back in.

“What’s going on?” one of my roommates asked.

“Nothing… nothing at all.”

I crossed my arms and spoke with exaggerated dignity.

“What’re you talking about?”

They snorted and lay back on their bed.

…How sad.

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