Chapter 5: Chapter 5 (1/2)
Sensing something under his feet, Juho looked down. There was a piece of paper on the ground.
It was not at all in a good shape. There were already multiple footprints on it. After brus.h.i.+ng off some dust, Juho was able to get a sense for why that paper was so unpopular.
”Literature Club.”
It seemed boring even at a glimpse. Aside from Juho and Seo Kw.a.n.g, most people would move on without even bothering to look into it. It seemed to have reached Juho after getting kicked around.
He read the details of the club on the paper.
Homeroom Teacher: Song Hak Moon.
It was that teacher who sighed before even giving a proper introduction.
”Are you interested in the Literature Club?” Seo Kw.a.n.g made his way through the crowd and asked.
”It didn't sound half bad.”
”You want to join together then? If you say yes, I'll give up the Book Club.”
”You're giving the Book Club up because of the teacher.”
Seo Kw.a.n.g pretended he didn't hear him and took the flyer. Juho had already finished reading through it, so he gladly handed it to Seo Kw.a.n.g. His face didn't seem to brighten up as he read it.
”Apparently, they changed their name to Literature Club from Literature Debate Club. It could be one of the lazy clubs.”
'Lazy clubs' were clubs whose primary activity was made of independent study. Clubs like Film Appreciation or the English Newspaper Club existed just in name. The reality was that they spent their time in self-study. Even their homeroom teachers hardly showed up. Kids who were part of those clubs were either working on their study guides or taking naps.
”Well, that ain't so bad.”
”Maybe you're right. Then again, you could take that time to read a book.”
Juho had had a similar thought. If it was self-study time, he could use the time to write.
Of course, Juho and Seo Kw.a.n.g would be the only people who would be reading or writing among other students.
”OK. Do we go with this one then?”
”Let's do it.”
Just like that, the two decided on a club without much trouble even though there was no way to know how many members there were in that club. Determined, they carried on without hesitation. They filled out their applications and headed straight to the staffroom.
Mr. Moon's desk was visible right as they walked into the staffroom. Unlike other teachers who were dealing with waves of students, he was lost in his book all alone.
”Mr. Moon, here's our club application.”
”Well, well.”
Mr. Moon looked away from his book to looked at Juho and Seo Kw.a.n.g. With a mysterious exclamation, he took the applications from them. He scanned for their names and slid them between the pages of his book. That was it. No greetings or anything.
Seo Kw.a.n.g asked out of curiosity, ”What kind of activities are we doing?”
Mr. Moon answered with a smirk, ”It's too late now. You can't withdraw after having already submitted the application.”
It was not clear, but it didn't seem to be one of the lazy clubs at least. It was the Literature Club, so they probably did some writing too.
”That kind of scares me.”
”What does? Aren't you guys used to being forced to do things?”
”Haha! That is true, but I'm still curious.”
Mr. Moon was casually saying things that a teacher wouldn't normally say to his students. Seo Kw.a.n.g agreed with him with a smile and kept on pestering him for an answer. Meanwhile, Mr. Moon kept avoiding giving direct answers to their questions. Here and there, he turned his eyes back to the book in his hand. It didn't seem like he was trying to hide the book, but rather, wanting to get back to it.
”A book over his student asking him questions… Why is this person teaching?”
That moment, they heard somebody come into the staffroom. Juho and Seo Kw.a.n.g turned around, and they saw two girls with applications in their hands. One had a ponytail and the other had bob-cut hair. The girl with the ponytail said, ”Excuse me.”
”Sure.”
Before Juho even had time to signal Seo Kwan, she cut through them boldly. The other girl quietly followed. Mr. Moon took the applications and slid them between the pages, just like with Juho's and Seo Kw.a.n.g's. There had been no difference to his actions, and Seo Kw.a.n.g broke the silence and continued on his attempt at a conversation with Mr. Moon.
Nodding reluctantly, Mr. Moon answered, ”Then, I'll tell you about the Literature Club's past. There's a saying that you can see the future if you know the history.”
”The Literature Club has a past? It wasn't just a new name?”
”If the name was the only concern, wouldn't the other name be more sophisticated? Literature Debate Club, why bother changing it?”
That was true. The two girls were still around as if they were curious. Mr. Moon continued to talk about the Literature Club and emphasized its deep tradition. He seemed livelier than ever.
”Considering the tradition, it doesn't have much presence.”
Mr. Moon agreed with Juho, ”You're right. It lacks presence. That's why it disappeared, but I brought it back.”
”Aha!”
It seemed like the Literature Club took the place of the Literature Debate Club in the process of its revival.
”It still needs presence,” the girl with a ponytail said.
Mr.Moon slowly raised a book. It was the same book he was sliding the applications into, and the applications fluttered between the white pages.
”But we're living in another time. There's been a second wind in the world of literature because of this book.”
The book was t.i.tled 'Trace of a Bird.' Juho's eyes followed the book waving from side to side, and Mr. Moon continued, ”Everyone's talking about the birth of a teenage bestselling author. So, the Literature Club simply rode that wave and made a comeback.”
Juho remembered seeing the news that an increasing number of parents were sending their children to private inst.i.tutions after school for composition writing. Now that he thought about it, it had made sense for him to be arrogant seeing how the book had been such a big deal.
Because the bell rang and the topic wasn't exactly welcoming, Juho and Seo Kw.a.n.g made their way back to cla.s.s.
The two headed to the science room. It was the meeting room for the Literature Club. Located in the corner of the third floor, the science room was often at the center of ghost stories because of its location and purpose. They were stereotypical school stories kind of like the mannequin coming to life at midnight. They'd be laughable even for kindergarteners.
Juho and Seo Kw.a.n.g went into the science room, which was far apart from other cla.s.srooms. There were two other people who had already arrived.