Ned, now thoroughly excited, began to gush.
"Wow, seriously, this is crazy."
"...Crazy about what?"
"No, no, this short story you wrote!"
Ned pointed at my laptop screen with great enthusiasm.
"It's written from the perspective of Friar Lawrence, isn't it?"
I just nodded.
In technical terms, it's an epistolary novel.
It's not a format commonly seen in fiction, but it can be very effective when used well in short stories.
"Wait, this is probably an assignment to write a fanfic of Romeo and Juliet?"
"Fanfic, hmm, you could see it that way."
"Yeah, yeah. I read what that senior wrote."
The senior from the comics club had written a version where Romeo and Juliet are heroes from opposing factions.
"Wow, I never imagined changing the story this way. You've created a new story by just changing the narrator, haven't you?"
Ned, who reads everything from comics to genre fiction, immediately grasped the core idea.
"That's right. In that sense, Mr. Leonard gave a good assignment."
Writing fiction, contrary to popular belief, isn't about creating something from nothing.
It's about selecting the right materials from the stories and experiences you've read, seen, and lived through, and weaving them into a finished product.
In this regard, parody is an excellent genre for beginners to try.
'It's a chance to freely explore characters created by another author within an already established world.'
While changing the setting or genre, like placing Romeo and Juliet into a superhero context, is an interesting attempt,
"Even minimal changes can work."
"Huh?"
"The narrator of the story."
Just changing the perspective from which events are viewed...
"...can give the story new life."
"..."
Noticing the sudden silence, I turned to see Ned looking at me with a changed expression.
"Eugene, do you see this?"
He suddenly showed me his arm.
"I've got goosebumps on my arm."
"...I don't think I said anything that impressive."
"No, it's not just that."
Ned's face, usually pale, was now marked by a frown.
"You don't seem like the shy Eugene I know. Were you abducted by aliens or something? Is this Eugene-MK2 or something?"
"What's going on?"
The Billie Eilish song that had been playing as background music abruptly stopped, and Adele approached.
"Look at this."
"..."
Adele stared wide-eyed at my laptop screen.
"Wait a minute, this..."
She grabbed the mouse from my hand and scrolled furiously to read more.
"Next section."
"Huh?"
"Where's the next part? Where is it?"
"I haven't written it yet."
"Oh, right. No, wait, that's not it..."
Adele shook her head as if unable to find the right words and then suddenly turned to Ned with a serious look.
"Unfortunately, Ned."
"Speak."
"I think I have to acknowledge your theory."
"Of course."
"What theory?"..
I asked, bewildered, and Adele responded as if it were obvious.
"The neuron theory."
"..."
"No matter how you look at it, you can't explain this without saying something extraordinary happened in Eugene's brain."
"See, I told you so."
"I remember the writing assignment Yu-jin asked me to look at last week. The sentences were really nonsensical..."
Recalling my previous assignment, I felt a bit embarrassed.
"See, I told you. Yu-jin must have awakened or something."
"Indeed. Yu-jin the Awakened."
Watching them passionately discuss 'Eugen's Awakening Theory,' I couldn't help but chuckle.
'They're really excited.'
...to be precise, not an awakened person but a reincarnated one.
The next morning.
A blue pickup truck drove across a gentle hill.
Kate said to Eugene, who couldn't take her eyes off the green scenery outside the window.
"Eugene, you seem to be in a good mood today."
Eugeneturned to her with a smile.
"Why wouldn't I be? Being alive is a blessing."
"...What?"
"The weather is nice, and the sunlight is just perfect."
Eugen continued, looking out the window.
"When I see the scenery like this, I think, 'Ah, I'm really alive.'"
"..."
Kate let out a small laugh.
'She's something else.'
Ever since she fell from the tree and woke up, she seems to have changed and become a bit more mature.
A little later, when the pickup truck reached its destination, Eugene suddenly turned to Kate with a serious expression.
"Kate, there's one thing I'd like to ask of you."
"Uh... What is it?"
Kate, now unexpectedly tense, heard a surprising request.
"Coke."
Coke... why?
Kate let out a small, amused laugh.
"That's something."
Since falling from that tree and waking up, it felt like she had changed into an old soul.
A while later, when the pickup truck arrived at their destination, Eugene suddenly turned to Kate with a serious look.
"Hey, there's just one thing I'd like to ask of you."
"Uh... what's that?"
The unexpected word made Kate nervous.
"Coke."
Coke? Why?
"Coke, you know, Coke. I saw a box of it in the fridge."
"Oh, and?"
Eugene furrowed her brow.
"How about switching to diet coke from now on? If you really need to have it."
"Oh, well, that's not a problem."
"And if possible, let's drink mineral water or tea instead of Coke. And Kate, try to cut down on beer too, okay?"
Why is she suddenly saying this?
As Kate was feeling perplexed, Eugene smiled, making a dimple appear on her right cheek.
"Thanks for the ride, Kate. I'll take the school bus from tomorrow."
"...Alright, see you later."
As Eugene closed the car door and walked away.
'Is she really worrying about me in her own way?'
Kate watched her departing figure with a contented smile
And at that moment.
Someone came running up to Eugene, who had just entered the campus, with a cheerful greeting.
"Hey, Shy Boy! Eugene—!"
Ah, Shy Boy.
That's what he used to call me back in high school
When Eugene turned around, he saw a Hispanic boy with curly hair held up by a headband.
What was his name again?
"...Aiden, right?"
"No way, what's with this reaction? Are we meeting after ten years or something?"
Aiden complained, turning his phone mounted on a selfie stick toward Eugene.
'It's been almost twenty years, actually.'
Aiden Solar was famous for filming vlogs incessantly, and his persistence paid off as he eventually became a well-known YouTuber.
It's quite impressive.
Eugene smiled and faced the camera.
"Are you filming today's vlog?"
"Yeah, that's right. But bro, what's up today? You used to run away whenever I pointed the camera at you."
"Did I?"
Thinking back, it seems so.
Not because I hated the camera, but because I was embarrassed about my English.
"Did you manage to get any fans even though you kept running away?"
"...Fans?"
"Maybe it's because of the rise in K-pop fans. There are comments asking when the Korean cutie will appear and to show Eugene."
That's a bit embarrassing.
"So Eugene, just introduce yourself. If you're awkward, just say 'hi'."
It's not the camera that's awkward.
[Since the publication of "Forgotten Saints," I had done quite a few interviews.
Before that, I had also participated in filming as an editor.]
"Can I say more than just one word?"
"Sure, sure! That's perfect!"
Eugene faced the camera and smiled brightly.
"Hello, everyone! Thanks for watching Aiden's vlog—"
"Yo Aiden!"
"Yeah, thanks for subscribing to Yo Aiden's channel. I'm Eugene, Eugene Kwon."
When I first came here.
Eugene smiled, looking back at Aiden, who had introduced me everywhere.
"Aiden, even though he seems casual, is really serious about his channel."
"Wait, did I seem casual? Huh?"
"He's a friend so passionate that he'd even risk detention while filming. So everyone, make sure to subscribe, like, and hit the notification button."
As Eugenfinished her message and stepped back, Aiden looked like he was about to cry.
"Wow, Eugen... I'm so moved!
"Moved, huh. I'm leaving now."
As Eugen walked away, Aiden suddenly thought.
"But did Eugen... always speak English so well?"
Meanwhile, while Aiden was marveling at Eugens changed appearance.
At the teacher's lounge, the talk was all about Eugen.
"I'm seriously shocked. That Eugen who never spoke up in class..."
Eugen Kwon was known as a very passive student who rarely participated in class.
Now he was raising his hand multiple times, asking questions, and making presentations.
"Not only that, after class, he came up to me and said how he liked certain parts of today's lecture and thanked me..."
"Wow, life is full of surprises."
"Indeed, kids can change in an instant."
The teachers excitedly discussed Eugens transformation, while the literature teacher, Leonard, listened on the lounge sofa.
Whatever the reason for the sudden change over the weekend, Leonard thought.
'I was really worried about Eugen, so this is a relief.'
In the Midwest, where white students make up the majority.
At Hillcrest High School, where there are only a few Asian students, Eugen is the only Korean student.
'Thanks to Ned and... Adele, was it? Those two seem to have helped him adjust to school life.'
Perhaps due to language difficulties.
It was evident that he was losing interest and motivation in his studies.
This was something teachers couldn't really do much about, making it even more frustrating.
'Hearing that he has changed makes me so happy.'
As the corners of his mouth turned up, his smartphone buzzed with a new email.
'A new email... must be a late assignment.'
The moment Leonard opened his email inbox without much thought,
He widened his eyes upon seeing the sender's name.
[Eugene Kwon | Sending English Literature Assignment] [A parody novel of Romeo and Juliet. We selected the best work to review together in class this week.]
'I had already finalized the selection and printed out copies for the students.'
Moreover,
Leonard, a former creative writing instructor at the university level and a contributor to local literary journals himself, was known for his popular creative writing club among students aiming to pursue literary careers.
Due to the high number of applicants, there was even a separate entrance test.
The AP English Literature class also had a high level of proficiency due to the many aspiring creative writers taking the course, and...
'Especially this assignment was quite challenging even for native students.'
So, he hadn't really expected Yujin to submit it.
Though the deadline had passed, Leonard was impressed by the mere effort Eugen had put in and immediately opened the attachment.
[The Confession of Friar Lawrence]
To the Esteemed Duke Escalus,
I am Friar Lawrence, responsible for the parish of Verona.
Last week, a grave incident has shocked our virtuous citizens of Verona...
The letter, starting with that introduction, was a brief six-page epistolary novel.
As Leonard read through it, he couldn't even catch his breath.
"..."
Like a thirsty man finding a well,
He devoured each sentence and the next one with great focus—
"...Leonard."
Startled by the sudden voice, he snapped back to reality.
"Mr. Leonard, what are you so engrossed in on your phone?"
Leonard, still dazed, could only let out a distracted "Ah…"
"What's so important that you didn't even hear me call you—"
"Print."
"What?"
Leonard abruptly stood up from the sofa.
"I need to redo the prints."
Muttering to himself, he dashed out of the lounge, leaving his bewildered colleague staring after him.