NOVEL NEXT “Is that a computer?”
“Yeah.”
I nodded firmly in response to Gomteng’s puzzled question.
Computer, monitor, keyboard, mouse, and speakers.
Even though I was reborn as a girl elementary school student, with the spirit of a muscular Dae-han guy, I couldn’t help but possess these items at home.
However, I had yet to acquire them. Why?
Because even if I had them, there wasn’t much I could do with them.
When it came to transferring game accounts or signing up on some site, there were various verifications.
If you were under 14, it was a one-way rejection saying “get lost.”
Why is this ridiculous world only realistic in such matters?
‘At least I could probably play some videos.’
Every website is crazy about money, so it’s actually comedic that you can make payments as a non-member.
Should I call it fortunate or laughable?
Since I could watch videos on my smartphone without any special verifications, it would be a similar situation once I bought a computer.
Once I made my decision, the payment went through in an instant.
A hefty sum that could buy a hundred rolls of kimbap disappeared in one go, along with internet cables, monitor and computer connection cables, etc.
After making each payment one by one, I looked at the pile of completed payment screens and took a deep breath.
Thud thud thud thud. Even the noisy sounds felt like a melody that would sweeten my revenge.
Let’s just wait for the day of retribution, their laughter will soon turn to screams.
“Hmm-hmm—”
That day had come, making me hum a tune involuntarily.
“Hey, Kimbap!”
“Yeah, yeah, it’ll go well with tteokbokki.”
It was a day when I could smile even after being teased with my usual name during school.
“Mari, a monster is…”
After the third period ended, I heard the monster alarm ringing during the ambiguous break time.
“Yeah, yeah, let’s deal with it quickly.”
Less than an hour later, amidst the fourth-period class, I heard that a monster had appeared.
But on this day, I could accept everything with a big smile on my face.
The countless screens saying “delivery complete” made me happier than resenting the world.
“Hehe…”
‘What music should I play for the upstairs neighbors?’
With a wicked laugh that one wouldn’t associate with a magical girl, I filled my mind with the evil thoughts.
Heavy rock music with swearing?
Metal known for its booming vibrations?
Videos featuring the sound of a drill going non-stop for eight hours?
Honestly, it didn’t matter which one.
The sounds from the upper floor at undesirable times are just that.
Even if I played sweet piano music or a majestic orchestra, it was merely noise.
“Wow, what is all this?”
Siyeon, who came back home holding my hand, gasped at the stacked boxes first.
Monitors, speakers, keyboards, mice, and various cables and components.
Since all of that had been delivered, it was natural for the entrance to be filled with packages.
With her small body, it was quite a challenge to bring everything inside.
If I were an adult, making four trips would have been enough, but with Siyeon, it felt like we made at least seven trips back and forth.
Still, I didn’t think of that process as tough or unnecessary at all.
After finally assembling everything.
The computer turned on, the speakers were working properly.
The internet was connected correctly, and the monitor was brightly lit.
“Got it!”
“Now we can use the computer like teachers do?”
“Yep, we can.”
After answering a somewhat excited Siyeon, I immediately opened the internet browser.
In the URL bar, I quickly typed in a familiar link and opened that page full of videos.
As soon as I entered the word ‘floor noise’ in the search bar, without needing to search for anything, ‘floor noise revenge’ was automatically completed at the top.
Sounds of stomping, the rattle of a gong, and the simple sound of a hammer hitting a nail.
I just drooled at the feast of videos laid out before me.
Of course, I bought speakers that could be attached to the ceiling.
Since no one was around to see it inside the house, I abused the power of a magical girl to extend the cord and fixed the speakers to face upwards.
“Siyeon.”
Before playing the video, I looked at the speaker tightly attached to the ceiling and quietly called Siyeon’s name, invoking the laws of some great nation in my mind.
“Yeah?”
“Have you heard of the Hammurabi Code?”
The Hammurabi Code.
I spoke that magnificent name into existence.
“No…?”
“A man who kills shall be put to death. A man who breaks another’s arm shall have his own arm broken. A man who blinds another shall have his eye gouged out.”
What beautiful echoes they are.
Those who torment others with floor noise shall suffer in the same way.
With the click signaling the start of the video, the revenge began.
Ah, just in case, I removed any mixed ads with a two-month premium trial.
“It’s time to pay the price for sin.”
“Mari is using hard words again…”
From the moment I heard the sounds of running, it was an hour.
I thought I’d just keep the life noise video on for that short while.
But, about 20 minutes later?
A knock on the apartment’s iron gate was heard!
The response was immediate.
‘The performance is solid.’
The first teaching of my ancestors.
An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.
The old saying is spot on.
“Excuse me! Please open the door!”
A voice dripping with irritation.
I could tell just by hearing it.
The latch on the front door was located quite high.
As soon as the door opens, I used a stick to wedged it in place so the lady couldn’t barge in.
“Who is it—?”
With a voice that seemed innocent, I opened the door.
The wrinkled face staring straight ahead turned downward.
Before she could say something annoying, I quickly piped up to greet her first.
“Hello!”
“Oh, uh…hi? Are your parents home?”
My ancestors’ second rule.
You can’t spit on a smiling face.
Especially if it’s a naïve, innocent child.
Even if they’re complete brats, they’d think more when dealing with someone close to their age.
“No! They went out because they’re busy!”
“Ah…then can I come in for a moment?”
“Um….”
I sighed dramatically to set the mood and then prepared to drive the lady away with what kids should naturally say.
“Dad says not to open the door to strangers!”
“Ha.”
The lady let out a short sigh, incredulous.
What’s the point of talking to a lower-grade elementary student anyway?
In the end, she just shifted her feet in a frustrated manner, leaving her frustration with a few words.
“If your parents come back, can you let them know I came by saying it’s too noisy upstairs?”
“Okay, I will!”
The sound of the door shutting with a click felt so satisfying.
As I faced the invisible world beyond the door,
I raised my right arm and held it firm, while I clapped my left hand against it to create a sound.
‘Eat this.’
Inside the gap of the slightly ajar door, the setup of the room was such that the computer tightly against the wall and the speakers on the ceiling were hidden from sight.
After delivering a perfect complaint as the lower floor resident, I paused the video and savored the refreshment of downing a can of soda.
“It should be quiet for a while now.”
“Really?”
At the comment about reducing the footsteps, Siyeon’s face brightened.
Although it’s hard to notice when sleeping, hearing those pounding sounds coming from above day-to-day is incredibly stressful.
Even kids dislike floor noise…
‘Let’s see.’
I briefly pondered over the boxes scattered around the house.
Computers, monitors, speakers, etc., that I had somehow connected by intuition.
I gathered the manuals that had been scattered in the boxes one by one, keeping them safe.
Then, while I was casually reading the manual for the speakers…
[Play your favorite music comfortably. No matter how good the music is, if someone else plays it, it’s just noise.]
[In order to avoid intentionality, use common life noises that occur in any house.]
‘…Huh?’
There was something written there that surely wasn’t typical speaker instructions.
It seemed to describe the floor noise revenge method precisely for my current situation.
[Dealing with disputes]
[If someone comes over, you can talk through the intercom or speak through the crack in the door while engaging the latch.]
[If security comes to check]
[You can say you’re playing music loudly to drown out the loud floor noise from upstairs. If the top floor is quiet, then you don’t need to. Just tell them to make the upstairs quiet first.]
[If the police come to check]
[Sometimes they might call the police from upstairs. Here’s what you should do.]
[Don’t dismiss the police. There’s no need to create enemies.]
[If they ask to come in and check, just say no.]
[The police can’t enter without the homeowner’s permission.]
[Legally, there’s no problem with them entering, but there’s no need to purposely show them anything.]
[The police know better that they can’t do anything legally.]
[If the upstairs calls the floor noise neighbor center]
[There are no legal constraints. You don’t need to respond if you don’t want to.]
“Oh ho….”
I surprisingly obtained unexpectedly useful information from an unusual place.
So that’s how it is.