Arena

Chapter 1: Kim Hyun Ho (1)

Translated by End. Proofread by BloodAdept, MrBaconator, Froshi

There are 7 billion people living on this world right now. Those who drank their lives away, there must be about 300 million of these crazy people, right? These 300 million, I wish they would all die. Really.

Compared to other days, my nightly part time work I do at a convenience store was quite difficult. At about 1 o’clock in the morning, this drunk mister started buying tons of beer and was chugging it all down by himself.

He was so drunk that he started gorging on snacks, ice cream and the cuttlefish without checking them out. I tried to persuade him to pay for it first, but… he started going on this explosive rant about even me ignoring him and his fists began to fly...

I wanted to report him to the police, then and there. But I thought it would become even more bothersome, so I admonished him and managed to somehow quiet him down. After his episode, the tired mister started crying all by himself and left. That mister’s life, it must have been quite a mess. His retreating figure was quite a depressing sight.

But even so, what right does he have include me in his mess?

I finished my s.h.i.tty, part time work and returned home. To my dark and damp, single room located in a bas.e.m.e.nt. Deposit was 5 million Won, my monthly rent is 300 thousand Won. In Autumn, it’s cold. In Winter, it’s colder. During Summer nights, it’s a wondrous cold dungeon. During rainy seasons, it comes with an option of a leaking roof!

I chucked off my clothes and crawled into my warm blankets. In this cold room without any heating, I still couldn’t fix my habit and still slept without clothes on. I am quite an amazing person.

Just as I was about to fall asleep, my smartphone suddenly started vibrating, telling me I had a call.  

The caller was my mom.

‘Fantastic.’

The climax of my difficult day seemed to culminate with my mom. No matter what, the call would just be filled with lectures and scolding.

‘Ah, screw it.’

I decided not to accept the call. I can always make up an excuse that I was sleeping after returning from my part time work.

The vibration stopped and I thought my mom gave up. Then, this time, there was a ding~ informing me that I had a text message.

[Son. Stop pretending to be asleep and answer my call. Or else, I will cut your allowance.]

...Right.

Who does she think she’s fooling?

When the call came once again, I s.n.a.t.c.hed it up immediately.

“h.e.l.lo.”

- Son, why didn’t you pick up?

“I couldn’t as I was pretending to be asleep.”

- Really? My son is such a good and dutiful child.

“Well, you know.”

- I am cutting your allowance.

She’s think she can oppress people with allowance? Does she think I will give in?

“I am sorry.”

I surrendered. I tucked my tail in immediately. My mom gave a silent chuckle as she spoke.

- How is your studies going?

“I just returned from my part time work. I will study once I catch up on my sleep.”

- Does sleep come to someone who is a two year repeater of the civil servant exams?

“Stop poking into my wounds.”

- Son, don’t get me wrong and listen to your mom’s word. Your head’s made of rocks so you’re in no position to study properly. Why don’t you just come back home and run the fried chicken business with me?

A sudden curveball. It was a direct hit, without any bit that could be misunderstood. Mentally shocked, I tried to grasp for an appropriate response.

“Uh, mom. It’s only because I don’t study, my head’s perfectly fine.”

- Mom thought the same two years ago. I will give up my useless expectation and won’t force you into this impossible endeavor. Studying till the end, or a career that doesn’t involve studying, isn’t it one of the roles of a parent to find the career that fits your apt.i.tude?

She was confirming in her words, that a career that fits my apt.i.tude is to run a fried chicken business. Feeling fear, I spoke up quickly.

“Mom, please, just give me one more chance. If I fail the civil servant exam this time, I will do what you want and fry chickens for the rest of my life.”

- Of course you will. You are turning thirty next year. That girl from the convenience store next to us is two years younger than you. She’s already married with two children. Do you know how much they boast about their grandson?

“This again?”

That fat convenience store auntie, it seems like she was boasting about her grandson to my mom again.

- Oh, when will my son ever meet a girl he can marry…..

“Please, let me do something about my life first before consulting about your daughter-in-law or a grandson.”

What crazy woman would like a man who just chased after his civil servant examination till he was 29?

- That’s why I am telling you, just throw away everything you are doing, come back and run the fried chicken...

“I am hanging up.”

I terminated the call and nimbly took out the battery. Fried Chicken, thirty, a wife, grandson, fried chicken again. It was a frightening combo that knocked me down. Who wanted to live, frying chicken for a living?  

Of course, I was not disparaging fried chicken at all. Our mother sold fried chicken like mad to send me and my two sisters through university. But I abhorred difficult work. I rather be a civil servant. Just work leisurely, make sure to receive my wage regularly and leave the office in a blink of an eye.

I was feeling stuffy and wanted to give out a large sigh. I crawled deeper into my blanket and rubbed my eyes. Really, the edge of my heart was feeling more stuffy and frustrated. I felt blocked up, it felt like there was a huge weight on my chest.

Ah, what the h.e.l.l. This is all because of stress. After I have a good night of sleep, I will be fine.

And so, I slept.

… And dreamed.

TL Note:

Decided to take a short break from LMS with a new series. You know, clear out all the baggage and re-energize myself. Going to work on chapter 9 next week Tuesday after my test.

I been told that this translation is dropped. I did my own research and no one seem to be working on this, and the other translator TlecK seem to have deleted everything. But just to be sure, if there are other group working on this, please tell me now so I am not intentionally poaching your work.

On the translation:

There probably should be more swear word in this, but I replaced them with more mellow ones. This is really different experience compared to LMS, and I am still exploring how to set the tone and character. Also the language is… more loose than LMS. Everything is very informal and due to style, I was also very liberal here and there to fit in the proper context.

Also 닭강정, I translated as fried chicken, but it’s different that your average KFC.
In j.a.panese it"s Karaage, so maybe that"s a better context for you to understand.

Here is an image: Click

There is a subtle difference. 닭튀김 vs 닭강정
The first is fried chicken and the second is the one the word the author used. 
 닭강정 - is when you prepare more spice on top of the fried chicken, so there is a distinction between the two.