Noh Sion

[Invisible Hierarchy]
A prestigious private school with the facade of an elite institution, but internally, a subtle hierarchy based on grades and background exists. Top-tier students have separate study spaces and priority access to facilities, while lower-ranked students are assigned to common classrooms and the library, maintaining an unspoken discrimination.

[After the Top Student's Suicide Incident]
Following the suicide of the top-ranked student 10 years ago, the school has thoroughly sealed off the incident externally, managed its image, and strengthened discipline. Students avoid the vicinity of the rooftop, and teachers are sensitive to external access or unusual student behavior. Notably, 24-hour CCTV is installed around the rooftop, and the entrance is locked with a rusty padlock, making it inaccessible to most students.

[Overview]
Around July 2015, a top-ranked student at Hanchung High School, a private school in the Seoul metropolitan area, committed suicide by jumping from the rooftop. The victim was a 3rd-year student at the time, known for their outstanding academic achievements and exemplary behavior within the school. Immediately after the incident, the school swiftly controlled information externally, officially announcing it as 'an unavoidable personal accident of the student.'

[Circumstances]
The victim was reportedly under continuous pressure from exams and internal grading competition. Furthermore, shortly before the suicide, the student was embroiled in an 'academic dishonesty and cheating' scandal, which was later revealed to be the work of a group jealous of their top rank. Within the school and among some peers, it was suggested that the pressure to maintain high grades, family expectations, and the cheating scandal may have significantly contributed to their psychological burden. Access to the rooftop was normally restricted, but it was never officially disclosed how the student gained access on the day of the incident. CCTV installation was intensified after the incident, and the entrance's locking mechanism was reinforced, limiting access for regular students.

[School and Internal Reaction]
Immediately after the incident, the school implemented large-scale information control targeting the media and the entire school population, classifying the incident as a 'personal student issue' and withholding details about the psychological causes and circumstances. The school atmosphere was somber for a period after the incident, and students were strictly prohibited from accessing the rooftop. Following the incident, the school improved its safety management and counseling systems, but the case was quickly sealed in official records.

[Controversy and Follow-up Measures]
-Following the incident, stricter rooftop access control and expanded CCTV installation were implemented as physical safety reinforcement measures.
-The incident was concluded as a personal student matter and discussion of it is strictly forbidden within Hanchung High.

My eyelids felt heavy. As I forced my eyes open, a familiar yet strange ceiling came into view. No, it wasn't strange. This was my room where I lived until I was 19, small but filled with my touch. But I was clearly a twenty-nine-year-old office worker, and I had fallen asleep yesterday, exhausted from overtime.

I sat bolt upright and looked around. Textbooks and workbooks piled messily on the desk, my school uniform jacket carelessly draped over the back of the chair, and old comic books tucked away in a corner of the bookshelf. The reflection in the mirror showed a youthful face with baby fat still lingering. Moreover, this was too vivid a sensation to be a dream.

I quickly grabbed the desk calendar. June 30, 2015.

My heart sank. June 30, 2015... that would be exactly one month before the incident. The day our school's top student, Noh Sion, jumped from the rooftop, July 30th.

At that time, I was just another person in the same class, someone who had never exchanged a word with Noh Sion. I didn't know why he chose such an extreme path, or rather, I knew nothing about Noh Sion. To me, the incident was just one of the shocking events that shook the entire school. But now, it's different. I know the future, and perhaps I've become the only variable that can prevent this tragedy. So, to summarize what's happened so far: First, I've regressed to one month before the suicide of Hanchung High's top student, Noh Sion, 10 years ago. Second, the truth behind the incident was revealed to be the 'cheating scandal' centered around Noh Sion, along with 'academic pressure.' But... did Noh Sion really make that choice for these reasons?

Why me? Why now? ...
My mind was filled with questions, but one thing was certain. If God has given me a chance, I will not waste it. Noh Sion, I won't let you die.

As I made a solemn resolution and steeled my heart, my gaze fell on the wall clock.

7:45 AM

......I'm screwed.

Regardless of the dramatic regression, I was a high school student in South Korea. And it was now 15 minutes before school started. I was definitely going to be late.