The First Request
Professor Kim's voice, one I hadn't heard in a lecture for quite some time, filled the empty spaces of the large auditorium.
"Do you remember everything you've learned so far?"
"Well, I assume most of you don't. Honestly, during my own college days, I was too busy enjoying myself to pay much attention."
Laughter burst from the students. They were probably chuckling awkwardly because he'd hit a little too close to home. I was no different.
"However, everything you've heard from me and the other professors is still fully stored inside your heads."
Professor Kim, who looked a little thinner than he had two years ago, scanned the lecture hall. Just like the first day we met, I felt his gaze linger on me a fraction longer than the rest. This time, it wasn't my imagination. It was deliberate.
The conversation I'd had with him a few days earlier flashed briefly through my mind.
In the quiet room thick with a sunken atmosphere, Professor Kim and I sat facing each other. The mood was so stifling it made me forget the joy of our reunion.
"You've changed quite a bit since back then, haven't you, Jihyun?"
"...Ah, you do look like you've lost some weight. It actually suits you."
Professor Kim forced another smile.
"Has something happened to you?"
It might have been a difficult question, but in that heavy atmosphere, it was the only one I could ask.
"...Have I ever mentioned my daughter before?"
So he had a daughter.
"I'm having a lot of trouble with her. No matter how much I study, no matter how many people I counsel, I can't even understand my own child's heart... It's pathetic."
Professor Kim smiled again—a smile saturated with bitterness.
"That's why I'm asking. Could you help me, Jihyun?"
Ah. So that's why he'd brought it up. It caught me off guard, but I took a moment to think.
"Asking an undergraduate student... Does that mean this is a situation you can't easily share with your acquaintances or colleagues?"
The professor shook his head.
"No, it's the opposite. People my age can't solve it."
Rebellion against adults? The conflict with his daughter might have planted a negative view of other middle-aged people in her mind.
"And the fact that you're asking me even though it's your own daughter means other female students wouldn't work, right?"
The professor looked at me for a moment, then answered with a slight smile.
"That's correct. I'm truly glad you returned to school, Jihyun."
The psychology department was overwhelmingly female, and when it came to counseling tracks, men were nearly nonexistent. The reasons were complex, but the primary one was the high demand for female counselors. Those suffering from psychological issues were also disproportionately women. Female clients usually preferred female counselors. That simple yet enormous common ground of being the same gender formed an incredibly important bridge in counseling. The demand for female counselors was only natural.
But sometimes the opposite occurred. Clients who had experienced violence or abuse from their mothers, or who had been rejected by other women, tended to avoid female counselors altogether. For those cases, both male and female counselors needed to coexist.
"May I ask how old she is?"
"She's nineteen."
A high school senior? Then it might be college entrance exam stress. Or perhaps issues from her high school life were compounding with that pressure.
"The rest I should learn by meeting her directly, right?"
Knowing too much beforehand would create preconceptions. Or the fact that I knew too much might make her uncomfortable.
The professor smiled again.
"You're truly impressive, Jihyun. When I was your age, I didn't know anything at all."
"Then... for this practical training course..."
"Of course I'll increase the enrollment. You were discharged not long ago—how could you have registered in time?"
What a relief. The classes I'd missed after sleeping for two straight days—I'd managed to salvage them.
But there was still one thing I was curious about. Should I ask?
"Professor..."
"Yes?"
The professor, who had thought the conversation was over, turned back to me.
"Before I enlisted, you told me to take your class. At that time... were you already having these conflicts with your daughter?"
A brief silence fell.
"...No, no."
Huh?
"I simply hoped you would take it. I didn't expect things to turn out like this. In a way, it worked out for the best. Haha... As the saying goes, everything in life is connected. I'm glad you came at just the right time."
I could sense Professor Kim was flustered. More precisely, I could sense him trying to hide his fluster. His attempt to sound casual made his words tremble ever so slightly.
Had it been a difficult question? I'd only wanted to know when the conflict had started...
"I understand. Please take care of me from now on."
I showed him proper respect without letting any of my thoughts show. If a student made him feel seen, it probably wouldn't feel good.
"Likewise, please take care of me, Student Jihyun."
"...Keep that in mind. Practical training will begin from the third week. Until then, we'll review counseling principles together. Grades will be calculated differently from other courses, so there's no need to worry. There are no midterms or finals."
It felt like I could hear cheers rising from the very depths of the students' hearts.
"That said, without exams, the weekly activities might be demanding. Since this is your first experience with practical training, let's not let our guard down completely, but let's not be overly tense either."
"Excuse me!"
Someone was calling me in a lecture hall where I knew no one. This could only mean I'd done something wrong, or the person calling was the annoying type. Before my return, I hadn't known anyone; after my return, that was even more true.
I turned toward the voice to see who it was.
Our eyes met. She was beautiful.
"Are you a returning student? I don't recognize your face! Oh, my name is Han Jieun, and I'm the psychology department's student council president this year!"
She looked too young for that role... Yet within her youthful but benevolent eyes, I could sense both her capability and her confidence in herself. The department's top ace, perhaps?
"Actually, our school is really well-known for counseling psychology, right? A lot of people are considering careers in that field. We've created a group chat for those people and have been running it, so it would be great if you joined!"
The excessive kindness made my head spin. She was definitely the annoying type. Why did it have to be me?
"Well, I don't really know many people..."
I needed to escape somehow, but whether it was her attractive appearance throwing me off or the military having lowered my resistance to women, my mind wasn't working properly and the words wouldn't come out.
"That makes it even better! If you join, you'll definitely expand your network, and we run active study groups too, so you'll be able to study more! Taking a practical course right after returning shows such incredible passion! Please, you have to join our chat room~!!!"
She flashed an innocent, crystal-clear smile and pressed me for an answer.
This is driving me crazy... I had zero intention of making friends in college.
"What do you think?"
I had to refuse. It would definitely become a nuisance later.
"Ah..."
She smiled. It was beautiful. Even though I didn't want to, I found myself smiling back.
"...Sure."
When I got home, I collapsed onto my bed.
This is driving me crazy... They must have all been lured in by that woman, Han Jieun. Even if they were the same gender, humans naturally feel goodwill toward attractive people. She must have coaxed them all into the group. Of course, she probably wasn't even aware she was doing it. That she was pretty, charming, and had a talent for drawing people to her.
Then again, maybe it wasn't exactly coaxing...
I turned onto my side. In the chat room, messages from people talking like close friends scrolled rapidly upward. Most of them were discussing where to meet next.
First, I checked the members. Six people total, including me. One the same age, the rest all younger. The only guy was me.
This was insane. Back in all-boys high school and during my military service, I'd always wished for a life surrounded by women. But the more I experienced university life, the more I realized being around the opposite sex made me uncomfortable. There were plenty of good points, but having to be so conscious of them was exhausting. Having just one girlfriend seemed like the right balance.
Women, huh...
I turned onto my back again. The ceiling filled my vision.
Professor Kim's daughter... Suddenly I felt anxious. If I couldn't quickly readjust to conversations with the opposite sex, it would definitely interfere with the counseling. I should probably attend the next meeting. I needed to get used to it again.