Author: joell55

SMNTCERR, Chapter 1 <1> #1.   

   The first semester of the third year was packed with 23 completed credits. What made Sangwoo struggle the most was not the renowned challenging major courses but rather an elective course worth only 2 credits called “University Han Gook Image Training.” It was a mandatory elective where if you didn’t attend the lectures, you couldn’t pass. The task at hand was simply attending easy lectures and working on a group project that wasn’t too demanding.   

   The presentation topic was extremely straightforward. At first, he thought it was a joke, even though there was one group member who used participating in a competition as an excuse for not attending class. He still didn’t think it was a big deal. But then, one person remained unresponsive from the previous day until the day of the presentation. If he had done it alone from the beginning, he would have finished the work in just one day, but now he had to constantly contact his friend to send him the information, wasting both time and mental peace.   

   Although Sangwoo felt annoyed, once the presentation was done, he completely forgot about it. However, after the grades were released, problems started to arise.   

   [NonPaddler 1: Did you remove my name?? Didn’t I tell you it wasn’t me who couldn’t attend because of your grandma’s funeral? How can you treat me like this???_10:04.]   

   [NonPaddler 2: Yes, fuck  whatever. Are you satisfied? ^^ㅗ_15:29.]   

   [NonPaddler 3: I have to thank you for making me not graduate. Can we talk a bit, little hubaenim? [1]_20:23.]   

   On the day of the grade announcement, Sangwoo received a continuous stream of messages. Although the first two people sent only one message and then stopped, the other person asked to meet and kept calling persistently, so he blocked that number.   

   Then came the end of the semester. Sangwoo had planned to reduce his workload next semester and work on a mobile game project. Therefore, he self-studied programming language [2] on ordinary days and worked parttime at an internet cafe on weekends. Everyday life went smoothly, but there was one troubling issue.   

   That day was a Saturday when he went to work at the internet cafe as usual. Two students came to the shop and used the services all day. Sangwoo was stationed at the counter, handling payments and overheard their conversation.   

   ‘Don’t you know, Jaeyoung didn’t graduate.’   

   ‘Why? Was he planning to study abroad?’   

   ‘Well, it’s because of the elective course worth two credits, that…personal image something. Some people complained about attendance, so they got an F.’   

   ‘Can’t they request a grade change?’   

   ‘It seems like the professor favored the student who complained, so it’s impossible to get it changed.’   

   ‘Sounds like they’re being left to clean up their own mess.’   

   It felt like he had heard a similar story somewhere before. Sangwoo pretended to clean something near the counter while secretly eavesdropping.   

   ‘But I heard that guy doesn’t answer phone calls.’   

   ‘Which top student is it?’   

   ‘He doesn’t have a pager, just a computer. Jaeyoung said he would kill him if he finds him. Now he’s trying to track down his address, but it seems like he’s a person no one knows. It’s really troublesome.’   

   ‘Oh, so it’s just a lawsuit. Probably some justice seekers.’   

   Listening and listening, it seems that Sangwoo has gotten involved with some bad influences since he entered university. Although there have been conflicts, he has managed to solve them well. In one year, he almost got involved with senior students who forced him to drink alcohol, and he once refused to pay the student union fee until he was interviewed by a newspaper. He had arguments with people in the park that escalated into fights, and he even had an altercation with someone who cut in line, resulting in a visit to the police station. But when compared to someone who didn’t graduate, those incidents became insignificant.   

   Sangwoo seriously considered changing his phone number, but he didn’t do anything wrong, so teasing him would be funny. Therefore, he didn’t do anything, but after that day, he became paranoid every time he heard the notification sound of his phone.   

   [Senior Han Sooyeong, Virtual Arts Design: Junior-Dev [3] ^^! By coincidence, I have received a job and won’t be able to continue working on the project. I apologize, but I kindly request my skilled classmates from the same batch to attend the meeting in my place, okay?_12:31.] The messages received over several days turned out to be disappointing. Senior Han Sooyeong was very busy with work and although it took a long time, she helped him with the drawings until they were completed. And now Sangwoo has planned a game that suits the style of the other party, so the need to change the designer halfway through is considered bad news.   

   In university, there are countless irresponsible individuals, but even so, it would be fortunate if this person found someone to take over for them. Even though there is nothing to guarantee the abilities of that party, well, what can you do?   

   [It’s a pity. I liked your designs Noona-12:33]   

•    [Han Sooyeong, Virtual Arts Design: That friend is better than me, trust me! Can I give him your phone number? 12:34]   

   [Can I have that senior phone number?_12:34]   

•    [Senior Han Sooyeong, Virtual Arts Design: Before this, I lost all the numbers I had saved, so I don’t have any numbers now; But when we met yesterday, I told him the time and place clearly. He’s in the same year as me, his name is Jang Jaeyoung! ^^12:34]   

   [Okay_ 12:34]   

   Sangwoo finished the conversation and headed towards the university. He scheduled a meeting for 4 o’clock, but he arrived at the meeting place three hours in advance to organize the storyline and sketches of the characters in the game with senior Jang Jaeyoung, an excellent graphic designer. Other than what senior Han Sooyeong mentioned in the message that the other party is talented, Sangwoo didn’t know anything else about this person.  

   Whether it’s their gender or drawing style.   

   It’s possible that a senior in a higher year might be busy, so they probably wouldn’t withdraw midway through since they have a job, just like senior Han Sooyeong. Sangwoo wasn’t sure, but he had to meet this person face to face and find out.   

   Sangwoo got up from his seat at 3:55 PM and walked up the stairs. He had reserved a small meeting room on the third floor of the library. He arrived at the meeting room one minute before the scheduled time, carrying a notebook and pen, ready and prepared.   

   But the designer didn’t show up.   

   If it were any other appointment, he would probably leave without looking back. But this project was something he couldn’t do alone, and a designer was necessary. Sangwoo picked up his mobile phone and started playing games. In the meantime, ten minutes passed.   

   The designer still didn’t come.   

   Did they get the time wrong? Did senior Han Sooyeong give the wrong time and location? Or did they change their mind? Or did something unexpected come up? As numerous unanswered questions flooded his mind, another ten minutes passed.   

   The designer still didn’t come.   

   ‘A habit of being late.’   

   Someone who doesn’t value time isn’t suitable for this work. Working with someone like that, the project definitely won’t be able to move forward. While Sangwoo was boiling with frustration, another ten minutes passed.   

   The designer still hadn’t arrived.   

   ‘Finally, the last ten minutes.’   

   He had faith in senior Han Sooyeong, who was kind-hearted and capable. So Sangwoo waited for another ten minutes. Even though he tried to calm his restless mind, but until the end, the designer didn’t show up.   

   He clenched his teeth and got up from the chair. Sangwoo tended to avoid doing anything wasteful, but among all those things, he hated wasting time the most. The second he reached out to grab the doorknob, it was pulled away.   

   (Here, right?)   

   Sangwoo looked at the other person with a scowling face. A man wearing a black beanie walked in nonchalantly and sat on the chair opposite him. He wore large glasses that rested on the bridge of his nose, and one ear was adorned with three metal piercings. Despite coming for a meeting, he came empty-handed, taking both hands out of his shirt pocket and raising his chin.  “Oh!”   

   ________________________________________ .   

   [1]. In the original print, it was typed without spaces, reflecting Jang Jaeyoung’s chat typing habit.   

1.    Programming Languages: High-level computer languages such as Pascal, C, VB, Java used for program development.   

1.    Dev comes from Developer, referring to a developer, which in this case means a game developer.   

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   Introduction: <0>.   

   Synopsis.   

   Chu Sangwoo, a third-year engineering student in the Computer Engineering department, was living a straightforward life as a robotics enthusiast. He made the decision to leave the NonPaddler group “a bunch of slackers” during a group project because they refused to contribute. As a result, he caused one senior to fail and not graduate.   

   NonPaddler 3: [I have to thank you for making me fail, let’s talk a little. You, my junior] – 20:23.   

   Jang Jaeyoung, a fourth-year art student from the prestigious School of Fine Arts, was about to pursue a Master’s degree at a renowned university abroad. Despite being well-prepared with talent, looks, and status, everything fell apart because of Chu Sangwoo alone.   

   Chu Sangwoo didn’t care about seniors he never met because they probably wouldn’t meet again, but who would have thought they had to work on a mobile game project together!   

   “At first, I thought of letting it pass, but I changed my mind. Let’s wait and see what happens next semester.”   

   Red duck shirt, red jersey, red cap, and a Coke can! Semantic Error, the fiery character, is about to shake Sangwoo’s perfect world!   

   Will he be able to fix this bug? Or one day… Error, this character will become a permanent part of the operating system.   

   ________________________________________.   

   Introduction.   

   In a lecture hall at a certain university, more than half of the students were in a state of disarray. Even the professors couldn’t make the students in the large classroom pay attention to the lecture. Furthermore, the appearance of the person who went out to stand at the podium did not attract any glances at all.   

   The presenter wore an oversized checkered shirt and dark jeans that were not trendy. He also pulled down a low-crowned cap, making his face unclear. But when he pressed the button on the PowerPoint remote, the audience’s bored expressions were instantly dyed with surprise.   

   [Good Personality and Social Role of Hankuk University Students]   

   The seemingly large font size of about 93 points made it feel quite overwhelming. What was even more surprising was that he used the GulimChe font. I had no idea whether the biggest problem was the faint background image of Bobo x Bono or the excessive use of rainbow colors to decorate each letter one by one.   

   “With your permission, let’s start the presentation.”   

   The presenter moved on to the next slide with a nonchalant expression, as if mocking the audience’s reaction. Although this time the slide only had subheadings in yellow letters on a black background, he still maintained the intimidating font size and eye-straining font.   

   “For this presentation, I have conducted research on the integrity of Hankuk University graduates. To what extent they are innovative thinkers and dedicated workers based on the voices of renowned alumni of Hankuk University, who are well-known in society. I have also redefined the suitable personality traits and explored the roles and responsibilities of new students in the future.”   

   The students, who had been daydreaming, became alert again after seeing the shocking PowerPoint slides projected through the projector. The presenter’s voice remained flat, neither high nor low. Moreover, the suspense built up as they waited for him to continue speaking but he didn’t finish his first sentence.   

   “First and foremost, here, is an individual known for their integrity, ladies and gentlemen.”   

   The presenter thoroughly researched whether the training of personnel displayed on Hankuk University’s website was genuine or not. And he concluded that it was not. The mentioned examples of alumni included politicians who were removed from their positions due to corruption cases, university professors who fabricated research papers, and businessmen involved in financial scandals.   

   In terms of content, it can be said that it delves deep into unexplored territories. In terms of presentation, it was logical and reasonable. For a group project worth only 2 credits, it was extremely difficult to find students who were genuinely honest. Unfortunately, it seemed that there were only a few people who stayed attentive throughout the entire presentation, even with the inclusion of professors. The presenter emphasized the importance of honesty and fairness. The presentation lasted only about ten minutes, yet there were still a few claps.   

   [Group Leader: Chu Sangwoo   

   Presenter: Chu Sangwoo   

   Research in Part 1: Chu Sangwoo   

   Research in Part 2: Chu Sangwoo   

   Data Summary: Chu Sangwoo   

   Presentation Organization: Chu Sangwoo   

   List of Contributing Members: Chu Sangwoo]   

   The professor adjusted his glasses with a puzzled expression, struggling to speak. At the same time, the students expressed their dissatisfaction with audible sighs when they saw the tense atmosphere in the lecture hall. Chu Sangwoo, the presenter, believed that the popular cartoon character displayed on the background of the slides received a positive response.  return 0; [3.]   

   A student wearing a cap and a face mask walked into the teacher’s office. Then the person, who turned out to be the professor, gestured for the other party to sit down with a troubled face.   

   “So, Student Sangwoo, I called you here because of today’s presentation.”   

   “Is there a problem?”   

   “The content was impressive, but…”   

   The professor flipped through the list with a concerned look. Although Student Chu Sangwoo presented the content in a shocking manner, it was still a group project. There were three more members in his group.   

   “Other group members. Did they not contribute at all?”  

   “Yes.”   

   The student responded with a blank expression.   

   “Can you tell me in detail?”   

   “Initially, my role was only to research and create the slides for the first part. However, the person assigned to research the second part, who promised to provide the information by 6 PM yesterday, didn’t follow through. So I had to do it all on my own. As for the presenter, they are upset because their aunt, who is also their mom’s sister, passed away and they couldn’t participate. So I had to take responsibility for that too.”   

   “There’s still one more person, right?”   

   “I’ve never met that person before.”   

   The professor paused and checked the attendance list. At that moment, they started scrutinizing it as if they found something.   

   “This group also has a senior who is about to graduate. They had to participate in an international competition, so they sent an email requesting permission to skip classes this week.”   

   “I heard someone went to participate in a competition.” The professor looked at the student in front of them.   

   “That’s unfortunate. Did you remove their name from the group just like that?”   

   “No. I didn’t think that way.”   

   “Why not?”   

   “If they had been actively involved until now and only missed one class, I would have listened to their reasons. But that person has never attended a single meeting during the class, nor did they contribute to the project at all.” The professor sighed and flipped through the attendance book, looking at the student directly.   

   “This is quite a situation. You should have removed their name earlier, don’t you think?”   

   “No. I didn’t consider that.”   

   “Why?”   

   “If they had participated before and had just missed today’s class, I would have probably listened to their reasoning. But that person has never attended any class meetings, and they haven’t contributed to the project at all.” The professor pushed the attendance book forward.   

   “Look here. Apart from the previous class and this one, they attended every single class…”   

   “I don’t know. Maybe they sent someone else to check their attendance.” The professor heard that and made a frustrated face.   

   “Well, in that case, I understand now. You may leave.”   

   “Thank you.”   

   The student left the professor’s office with a nonchalant expression, just as they had entered.   

1.    Laser Pointer: A device that emits a small, focused beam of light that can be used to point at specific points desired by the user. It produces a clear visible light and is developed to aid users in pointing out details on slides from a distance.   

1.    GulimChe: The font style used in the Korean language. It has a thin and difficult-to-read appearance, so it is not commonly used for presentation slides or formal documents.   

1.    return 0;: A programming command that signifies returning a value of 0 to the main function, indicating that the program has executed correctly and successfully completed its operations. In this context, the author used  

   “return 0;” as a way to separate scenes.   

      

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