Chapter 14
Chapter 14
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 14
Chapter Title: Midterms and the Nomination
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“Once midterms are over... want to go work out together?”
“Work out?”
“Yeah!”
Though puzzled, Kang Hyun nodded, and she returned to her seat with a smile.
After that day, nothing much happened between her and Kang Hyun.
There were a few days while studying when he pondered what she might have meant by that, but as he immersed himself in the material right in front of him, he figured it was probably nothing important and soon forgot about it.
Just like that, the days before the exam flew by, and exam day arrived.
Surprisingly, he felt more relaxed than before the test. Since he'd studied perfectly, he could confidently solve the problems he knew and strategically tackle or skip the ones he didn't.
“Whew! Exams are done!”
“Good work. PC bang?”
Leaving the students swarming out, Kang Hyun immediately started self-scoring.
‘Did I... do well?’
His first student record exam since starting to study. With his heart pounding, Kang Hyun suppressed his fear that the previous miracle might not happen again and focused on grading.
“Phew.”
Kang Hyun let out a big sigh of relief. Contrary to his worries, his test paper was filled with nothing but circles.
It would take time for the official grades to come out, but based on self-scoring, he'd only missed three or four. Not the absolute top, but an astonishing score that could challenge the top ranks in the whole school.
The old Kang Hyun would have shaken his head at this unbelievable result, thinking missing three or four per subject was good enough. But now, things were different. In a word, he'd become an amazing talent.
If people around him found out about Kang Hyun's grades, there was sure to be another uproar.
‘Min-su will be the most shocked, huh?’
Suppressing his heart-pounding excitement, Kang Hyun carefully folded his test paper and put it in his bag.
Morning break.
A guy who loved spreading gossip burst through the classroom door.
“Guys! Crazy news! A reporter's at our school!”
“Why?”
“What's going on?”
With something exciting breaking the monotony of school life, the thrilled students crowded together, faces close.
“Shh! This is big news!”
“What is it?!”
“Quiet down! So... Teacher Park Hyuk-su... a reporter's here investigating his corruption!”
“Really? So it's all true?”
“He's always been shady. Hanging out with those delinquents in the Student Guidance Group and all. Plus, some top students have suspiciously perfect internal grades. Someone must've tipped them off.”
“They're really here for that? But our school's all on Park Hyuk-su's side anyway. Think that'll fly?”
Kang Hyun, deep in his studies, perked up at the kids' chatter.
He sidled over and asked quietly.
“Is that for real?”
“What?”
“The reporter.”
“Well, look who’s listening in?”
“If you don't wanna tell me, fine.”
As Kang Hyun turned to head back at the guy's snark, the chatty one quickly spilled.
“It's real! Totally real! I saw them heading to the teachers' room earlier! The reporter came for an investigation and requested interviews?”
Of course, the school would obviously refuse. With the chairman pushing this guy in as a teacher and him running all sorts of scams, it was a given.
As Kang Hyun sank into thought, the guy lowered his voice.
“But the real kicker is this: the finals were too obvious this time. One of Park Hyuk-su's cronies went overboard—all subjects perfect scores minus one, and that one was a trick question error.”
“So they got caught because they answered the erroneous question as if it was the correct answer?”
“Yeah! Even the top student missed two per subject on that insane difficulty, so everyone knows.”
The “top student” he hyped was Yoon Haneul.
She often came up in talk for her heart-stopping beauty among the guys, but without fail, during exam season, her scores became the benchmark for difficulty.
If she missed a couple, the test was brutally hard.
But this grade-fixer suspect nailed every single highest-difficulty question perfectly, then wrote the “error answer” for the ridiculously easy trick question. Total disaster.
“Hey, speaking of which, how'd you do this time? You crushed it last exam, but quiet on midterms... you didn't cheat, did you?”
One guy asked suspiciously. The others looked curious too, eyes on him, but Kang Hyun's attention was elsewhere.
‘If a reporter's investigating...’
The so-called “Park Hyuk-su crew” included various people tied by shared interests.
The “Student Guidance Group” thugs he'd seen on the field last time.
Kids who dipped in but didn't do much, pushed by grade-obsessed parents to pay for “answer keys” and fake grades.
Either way, the common thread among this “crew” was they were all scum doing trashy things that needed a merciless beatdown.
‘Finally, their tail's getting stepped on...’
Until now, rumors floated among students about some connection between Park Hyuk-su and them, but nothing visible, so digging deep was impossible.
But with a reporter poking around, change was possible.
As Kang Hyun felt things falling into place,
“Everyone quiet!”
A teacher burst in, eyes glaring, scanning the room.
None other than Park Hyuk-su.
“Break time's not over yet...”
A front-row kid muttered, and Park Hyuk-su stormed over, slapping him hard across the face.
Smack!
“You little shit, you think my words don't count? Meet me behind the field later!”
The classroom fell deathly silent like water poured on it, kids slinking back to seats.
Park Hyuk-su, grinning like it was hilarious, scanned them, as someone whispered, “Psycho?”
“Something unpleasant happened at school today. Some ragtag newspaper wants to 'investigate'—wandering the field and school without notice. Tsk! Idiots think we're pushovers.”
He continued mockingly.
“You all know, but the reporter'll be gone by noon, so if any weirdo asks for interviews or whatever, don't engage at all. Got it!”
Bang bang bang!
Park Hyuk-su scowled, slamming the podium with a big stick.
“Got it?!”
“Yes...”
“Then carry on.”
Scrape.
As he left, the kids started whispering cautiously.
“He's lost it...”
“Why's he like that?”
In the chilled atmosphere, Kang Hyun's eyebrow twitched.
‘It's been years since the city student rights ordinance... this ain't the '80s...’
Such high-handed bullying crap. Hard to believe he's a teacher, but the school wouldn't say a word to him.
Definitely something fishy behind it.
But Kang Hyun's thoughts didn't last long.
“Kang Hyun?”
The adjacent class's academic affairs teacher poked his head in, calling for him.
“Yes, that's me.”
“Oh, you're Kang Hyun? Head to the vice principal's office quick. Something about a Seoul city recommendation?”
The already buzzing classroom from gossip exploded at “recommendation”—all eyes on him.
“Kang Hyun, what?”
“Won some essay contest?”
“Made a UCC video?”
Ignoring the surprised and snarky kids, Kang Hyun stepped out.
‘Recommendation?’
What now?
This was his second time entering the vice principal's office.
Knock knock. “Come in!” boomed the vice principal's loud voice.
Kang Hyun opened the door.
And then...
“Oh! Our Kang Hyun! Come in, sit down.”
The vice principal beamed brightly.
At the drastically changed attitude, Kang Hyun hesitated before entering, only for the vice principal to grab his hand and pull him in.
‘...?’
The vice principal's face was glowing—not just pleasant, but healthy and bright—sitting with Park Hyuk-su, who forced a twisted smile as homeroom teacher.
And two unfamiliar men sat opposite.
“Kang Hyun?”
“Yes, hello.”
As Kang Hyun awkwardly greeted, the vice principal patted his shoulder loudly.
“This is him! Our proud candidate for the Seoul Metropolitan City Citizen Award, student Kang Hyun! He's always upright, brave against injustice—a truly exemplary student!”
At the vice principal's fuss, the two men chuckled and introduced themselves.
“Hello, I'm from the Seoul city Youth Policy Division, and this is Jeong Eun-seong from Seoul Ilbo.”
“Hello, Kang Hyun.”
One was a typical suit-wearing civil servant with neat hair and ID badge; the man introduced as Jeong Eun-seong had a mild, ordinary look.
“Yes, hello.”
As Kang Hyun nodded lightly, the civil servant continued smoothly.
“Um... we're here today because you were recommended as a candidate for this year's 'Seoul Metropolitan City Youth Award.'”
“Me?”
In that instant, Kang Hyun pieced it together, memories flooding back.
Whether the subway incident or the library one, it was clearly a reward for what he'd done.
Whatever the reason, who turns down an award? Thrilled, Kang Hyun thanked him and asked.
“Thank you. May I know who recommended me?”
“Um... recommenders are confidential. But you've got lots of public recommendations plus institutional ones, so we already told the teachers here you're a strong contender.”
The civil servant smiled faintly and went on.
“Seoul Metropolitan City co-hosts the Citizen Awards with Seoul Ilbo every year. The top prize is from the mayor himself, and you'll likely be up for grand prize among four candidates.”
“Wow! Really?”
The vice principal gasped before he finished.
“Haha! Such honor for our school! Kang Hyun's always been good-behaved with excellent grades! Surely great results!”
The vice principal's eyes shone with affection as he spoke smoothly.
Kang Hyun felt a bit burdened, but deep pride welled up, validating his actions—the thrill outweighed it all.
“From the institutional merit report, you did all these good deeds without external activities or aid programs. We hope you'll continue devoted community service.”
“Of course, Kang Hyun's already great and will be an even finer citizen. Haha! Right, Teacher Park Hyuk-su?”
“...Yes.”
The vice principal nodded eagerly at the explanation.
But Park Hyuk-su's face soured. The vice principal was thrilled for school prestige, practically dancing, but Park looked stung.
“Oh, and we'll email details, but the category is 'Service.' We need the principal's recommendation, so we came to say hello.”
“Of course we'll write it. Kang Hyun raises our school's honor—he's the model for all! Right, Teacher Park? You praised his skyrocketing grades from his hard work just recently!”
“Well... yeah. Shot up like he got the answer key.”
“Ahem! Coffee anyone?”
At Park Hyuk-su's sour face and icy interjection, the vice principal quickly changed tack, urging him up.
As the civil servant stepped out for a smoke after wrapping up, faint displeasure crossed Jeong Eun-seong's face.
Then he said carefully to Kang Hyun.
“Hello. As you heard, I'm Jeong Eun-seong. The 'Seoul Metropolitan City Youth Award' is a prestigious one citizens can receive, like the Brave Citizen Award. Just being nominated is an honor. I came early for an interview, but...”
He trailed off, as if more to say.
Kang Hyun looked up at Jeong Eun-seong, who met his eyes seriously.
“Actually... I have another purpose too...”