It was a letter.

‘What is this?’

I picked up the envelope.

It seemed to have been slipped through the crack of my locker… A letter out of the blue?

I held the envelope up to the light. Fortunately, there didn’t seem to be any strange objects inside, like a box cutter.

‘Who sent this?’

I quickly looked around. Everyone tried to avoid making eye contact with me…

‘…This is unsettling.’

Having already experienced the gym storage room once, I had a feeling that this letter wasn’t going to be a good thing either.

‘Nothing that has appeared out of the blue in this world has been helpful to me.’

Feeling uneasy, I pinched the envelope with my fingertips and shook it.

‘Ugh, this is ominous. Ominous.’

Returning to my seat, I placed the letter on my desk and glared at it with my arms crossed.

“Hmm…”

What should I do with this?

I was in a serious dilemma.

Since it was addressed to me, I should probably read it…

No. Should I just pretend I didn’t see it and move on?

‘From the outside, there’s nothing particularly eye-catching.’

The envelope was just an ordinary type sold at the school store.

Judging by the design, it seemed to have been sent by a girl, but this wasn’t certain.

‘There’s no sender’s name.’

I examined it from various angles, but the envelope was clean. There were no clues to identify the sender, like handwriting.

‘It seems to be just regular paper inside.’

At least it didn’t appear to be an attempt to harm me.

‘No. It could still have violent content despite the appearance…’

I couldn’t let my guard down yet. Even for me, suddenly receiving a barrage of swear words wouldn’t feel good.

I went back into contemplation mode.

[What could this be about? ㅇㅁㅇ]

That’s what I’m saying.

It’s truly one problem after another.

‘What are the cases where someone would give a letter like this in a novel?’

This time, nothing came to mind.

‘I’ve only ever received birthday letters in my life.’

Even those were replaced by mobile messages as I got older. It’s been a really long time since I’ve seen such an analog letter.

‘Considering my ruined human relationships, it’s definitely not going to be a warm message.’

Besides, why a letter when it’s not even an era without texting?

‘Argh, I don’t know.’

It’s not like it’s going to kill me, right?

No matter how messed up this novel world is, it can’t kill me with just text.

‘Let’s just read it quickly and get it over with.’

In a fit of frustration, I tore open the envelope.

Riiip.

‘What in the world did they write?’

I unfolded the neatly folded letter.

And the moment I saw the contents written inside, I blinked.

Meet me on the rooftop after school.

“…Huh?”

The letter turned out to be a challenge to a duel.

[This is the timeline separator]

‘No matter how I think about it, I don’t think I should go.’

I thought as I steadily moved my feet towards the stairs.

‘Meet on the rooftop? Isn’t this completely asking for a fight?’

In countless dramas, movies, and comics, the rooftop was a place for duels.

The famous line “Follow me to the rooftop.” was like that too… The probability of something positive happening on the rooftop was close to zero.

Of course, special events do take place on the rooftop sometimes. For example, eating lunch together or playing hooky.

‘But they wouldn’t go through the trouble of sending a letter for that.’

Moreover, would there even be someone who would do that with me at this point in time?

In many ways, the hypothesis of it being a challenge to a duel seemed the most plausible.

‘But are school rooftops usually open? Aren’t they typically locked?’

I vaguely remember something about fire regulations… Based on my memory from when I attended school, it was never open.

‘But this is the novel world. It will definitely be open.’

Originally, school rooftops were sacred grounds for delinquents in the early 2000s.

It’s truly a convenient and lazy worldbuilding.

‘What crazy thing will happen today…?’

With a mix of excitement and unease, I headed to the rooftop.

I finally arrived in front of the rooftop door.

With a pounding heart, I placed my hand on the doorknob.

And then.

Creak.

“It really opens…?”

I expected it, but I was still surprised that it actually opened.

Secretly hoping the door would be locked so I wouldn’t have to go to the rooftop, I was slightly disappointed.

I peeked my head in and surveyed the rooftop.

‘Hmm.’

Fortunately, no one was there yet.

‘Let’s go back for now.’

I closed the door again and went back down the stairs.

‘Now I really have to decide whether to go or not.’

I weighed the situation in my mind.

Pros of going to the rooftop: Finding out who sent the letter. Satisfying curiosity. Cons: Not knowing what will happen.

Pros of not going to the rooftop: Nothing happens. Cons: Ignoring it might come back to bite me later.

Hmm, anyone can see it’s better not to go.

It was the obvious conclusion, even if it wasn’t something I should say after coming all this way.

‘Yeah, at most it’ll be some fan club kids again. Don’t be curious and just go back.’

I turned around to return to the classroom.

At that moment, I heard the sound of someone coming up the stairs.

‘Oh no.’

My body froze stiff at the unexpected situation.

Wait.

Could that be the person who called me out?

If I go down now… Will I run into that person?

‘…..’

Hide!

I hurriedly went towards the rooftop.

Looking around, I saw a huge rectangular machine. I didn’t know what it was used for, but it was enough to hide my body.

I hid behind it.

Catching my breath, I thought.

‘If worse comes to worst, I’ll use the system to run away.’

I’m counting on you, system!

[You only look for me at times like this! 〉ㅁ〈]

Ignoring the system’s protest, I peeked my head out to assess the situation.

After a while.

With a creaking sound, someone opened the rooftop door and entered.

I couldn’t see who it was at once because they were obscured by the door. However, thanks to the long shadow cast on the floor, I could tell the other person was male.

‘Who the heck called me out… huh?’

The moment I saw the man’s face, I let out a surprised voice.

“Ji Chan Sung?”

That’s right. The one who appeared on the rooftop was none other than our delinquent leader, Ji Chan Sung!

Hearing my voice, Ji Chan turned his head this way.

“Huh?”

As our eyes met, Ji Chan spoke with a startled expression.

“Uh, what? Why are you here?”

That’s my line.

“Why are you here?”

“I asked first?”

“No. Why did you come?”

We were both dumbfounded and just repeated our own questions like idiots.

‘At this rate, the conversation won’t end.’

I took out the letter from my pocket and showed it to Ji Chan.

“Did you send this?”

Ji Chan replied immediately.

“Do you think my handwriting would be that pretty?”

“That’s true.”

It was so logical that I was instantly convinced.

‘Then that means he’s not the one who called me out…’

Come to think of it, there’s no reason for Ji Chan to call me out like this.

‘Then who the heck sent it?’

I still had no idea.

I neatly folded the letter to put it back in my pocket.

At that moment, Ji Chan snatched the letter from my hand.

“Meet me on the rooftop after school?”

Ji Chan frowned.

“What is this?”

“I don’t know either.”

“Huh?”

Ji Chan read the letter again with a serious face and said,

“Isn’t this a challenge to a duel?”

As expected of the delinquent leader, he seemed to have a wealth of experience receiving challenges to duels.

“Probably?”

“Probably?”

Ji Chan clicked his tongue as he returned the letter to me.

“Chun Ja. What the heck are you doing to receive a challenge to a duel?”

This jerk is still calling me Chun Ja…

“I haven’t done anything wrong?”

“If you haven’t done anything wrong, why are you receiving a challenge to a duel?”

“Then why do you receive challenges to duels from Hae Sung High School kids?”

Ji Chan fell silent for a moment, then soon laughed, “Heh.”

“There are things between men that you wouldn’t understand.”

Wow, so annoying…

Seeing Ji Chan suddenly acting pompous made me feel bad.

I openly made a sour face and shook my head. Of course, Ji Chan didn’t care at all.

“Anyway, you also think this looks like a challenge to a duel, right?”

At my words, Ji Chan nodded.

The credibility increased as it was the opinion of the current delinquent leader.

‘As I thought, it’s better to avoid it.’

I had no confidence in winning a duel against the unknown opponent. Are you avoiding it because you’re scared of getting beat up? That’s right. I’m avoiding it because I’m scared.

‘Whoever it is, let’s run away before they come.’

I resolved once again to escape from the rooftop.

“Hey, can I see that again for a sec?”

At that moment, Ji Chan suddenly spoke.

“See what?”

“That.”

Judging by his gesture, it seemed he was referring to the challenge letter.

‘What?’

Despite my doubts, I handed the letter to Ji Chan.

Ji Chan examined the letter with a serious face as if contemplating something.

Does he know something?

‘No, but this isn’t the time for that. I need to run away.’

Should I just give that letter to Ji Chan and leave?

It’s not like I need to keep that letter anyway since I’m going to run away.

While I was having an internal conflict, Ji Chan abruptly spoke.

“Ah, I think I know who sent this.”

“What? Who…”

It was then.

Creak.

The rooftop door opened.

Ji Chan and I simultaneously turned our heads towards the door.

‘Who is it?’

For a moment, I flinched.

The person who entered this time was a girl.

A clear and gentle female voice was heard.

“Ji Chan, I’m here…”

And the girl made eye contact with me first.

“…”

“…”

Oh my?

I was at a loss for words and rolled my eyes.

‘Why is she here?’

Surprisingly, the girl was someone I knew.

After a moment of hellish silence.

I carefully opened my mouth, glancing at her.

“Hello…?”

Then the girl’s face contorted.

‘Ah, I’m screwed.’

I didn’t know what it was, but I could clearly tell that something was going terribly wrong again.

And behind me, Ji Chan spoke nonchalantly as if nothing had happened.

“You’re here?”

That’s right.

The one who came was Ji Chan’s guest.

The girl’s identity was Ji Chan’s ex-girlfriend, Ye Won Han.