Chapter 35
Chapter 35
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 35
Chapter Title: German Constitutional Law
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Kang Hyun stepped away from his desk, leaving his notebook behind, and Woo Si-hyung, unable to contain his curiosity, sneaked a peek at it.
The notebook was filled with neatly organized notes spanning several pages, itemized point by point.
– Sociology of Law, page 135: case law updated.
– Philosophy of Law, pages 785 to 795: room for discussion.
The contents scribbled in the notebook were all like this, covering every major textbook Kang Hyun had brought.
Seeing his scribbled notes only deepened Woo Si-hyung's curiosity.
'What kind of scholar is he? This doesn't look like studying—more like evaluation.'
On top of that, the seemingly least important points were marked as crucial.
– Important! German Constitution intensive reading; checked reference list—no need for additional purchases. Suggest to professor.
As Woo Si-hyung looked through Kang Hyun's notes, the curiosity he thought would be satisfied only grew stronger.
'Is he prepping for student council or something? Why bother with all this?'
The key points in Kang Hyun's notebook seemed unrelated to exam prep—vaguely puzzling stuff.
But Woo Si-hyung could draw a conclusion.
Kang Hyun wasn't just deeply understanding the books overall; he knew details that only specialists in subfields would grasp.
'Is he a law scholar? Or a professor pretending to be a student?'
Woo Si-hyung could only click his tongue in the end. Whether the rumors of Kang Hyun being a genius beyond imagination were true didn't matter.
At the very least, he had clearly devoured the major textbooks from the start.
"Surpassing... genius?"
He muttered aloud in reluctant admiration.
'To become friends with a monster like this... what luck!'
His mind filled with joy at having met and befriended Kang Hyun.
The monitor at the front of the lecture hall boldly flashed the course title: "German Constitutional Law."
Kang Hyun naturally took a front-row seat and unpacked his bag. Just as naturally, he overheard the students from the back.
"Did you see the syllabus?"
"Yeah, it's a required course, but they won't let you enroll without the books? Isn't that too much?"
"They don't even beat around the bush. What are we supposed to do when the total cost exceeds 300,000 won?"
"Professor Yoo Dong-hee doesn't allow tablets either, right?"
"It's his policy or whatever—probably just a ploy to sell his books."
Kang Hyun agreed with them.
Of course textbooks were necessary for class. But there were still plenty of professors pulling obvious stunts to force students to buy their own materials.
Even if it wasn't clearly for effective teaching, defying a professor's self-authored required texts often led to penalties.
In extreme cases like Professor Yoo Dong-hee's, you might not even be allowed to attend.
He had a reputation for going overboard on this front, tangled in legal disputes regardless of his personality.
"Hoo."
He placed a worn-out main textbook he'd painstakingly found at a university used bookstore and let out a tiny sigh.
The books for this class cost as much as Kang Hyun's monthly allowance from his part-time job.
It looked like he'd have to line up daily at the school library and compete to borrow what he needed.
Just then, someone approached Kang Hyun in the front row.
"Hey, hyung. Mind if I sit next to you?"
"Who... calls me hyung..."
"I'm an early admission student, so everyone's my hyung."
"Oh, really?"
Kang Hyun looked up at the voice's owner.
He'd heard rumors of an early admit, but didn't know who it was.
Tall, broad-shouldered, solidly built, but with a small, handsome face. He had one of those familiar, approachable looks, so Kang Hyun scooted over one seat without objection.
Then whispers from the back rows reached him.
"Isn't that Yoon Chan-rim? Does he know Kang Hyun?"
"Isn't he the one fluent in Japanese, English, and German like a native?"
"German like a local, they say. Yoon Chan-rim's in the genius league like Kang Hyun."
Feeling awkward eavesdropping further, Kang Hyun turned to Yoon Chan-rim, who showed no sign of minding the surroundings.
He exuded a unique aura while preparing for class in his own peculiar way.
From the front desk, he'd pulled out a white notebook and was writing something. Kang Hyun unintentionally glimpsed it and chuckled.
'Reasons why it's unfair for professors to use their authority to force book sales.'
Yoon Chan-rim looked ready to demand nearly 400,000 won in book costs the moment the professor entered.
He seemed like the type who couldn't stand injustice, like Kang Hyun, but with a bull-headed style that charged ahead without looking back.
'Huh?'
Then Kang Hyun tilted his head.
'Whoa, same pen.'
It was the one Yoon Haneul had gifted him while eating tteokbokki—hard to find even at stationery stores, a limited-edition high-end overseas brand unavailable in Korea.
His first gift from a girl, too precious to return, it was a treasured item he used diligently. Seeing Yoon Chan-rim with the same one was intriguing.
As he marveled at the coincidence, the door burst open.
The noisy lecture hall fell silent at the professor's entrance.
The sharp click of dress shoes echoed loudly through the room.
Kang Hyun quickly stopped his thoughts, straightened up, and watched the professor ascend the podium.
"Hello, everyone. I'm Professor Yoo Dong-hee, in charge of German Constitutional Law."
Professor Yoo Dong-hee appeared in an oversized suit that didn't fit his gaunt frame, decked out in luxury items—watch, belt, clothes—that screamed expense.
With the students' attention locked, he began in a peculiar dialect-tinged drawl, not quite a full accent but with dropping endings.
"Before we start, orientation. This intensive reading course covers the basic principles of the German Constitution based on its general theory. As announced, all major textbooks are mandatory."
At that moment, someone in the lecture hall shot up a hand, halting him.
"Professor! Forcing the supplementary books beyond the main textbook is unfair."
Yoon Chan-rim.
The one next to Kang Hyun stood abruptly, firing back confrontationally. He'd clearly been waiting to protest.
The room's atmosphere flipped 180 degrees in an instant, the professor glaring at Yoon Chan-rim like a bug.
Most students froze, watching. Professor Yoo Dong-hee seized the moment and boomed:
"Get out."
"Pardon...?"
"I said get out, Yoon Chan-rim."
With a subtly condescending smirk, Yoon Chan-rim couldn't hide his slight fluster.
But Professor Yoo Dong-hee responded with smug leisure.
After all, he was the professor.
An oppressive silence hung, like a staring contest, before Yoon Chan-rim spoke again.
"...This isn't baseless rebellion without logic."
"Then explain. If you can't answer my question, leave the class."
The students watched the intriguing showdown unfold, and Kang Hyun quietly alternated glances between Yoon Chan-rim and the professor.
"I don't think the supplementary books are essential for the class. Let students choose."
The others rooted for Yoon Chan-rim as their champion against shared grievances, but it wouldn't win the fight.
"The books aren't essential? Yoon Chan-rim."
"Yes."
"I knew your name because I thought you were a fine student. But I'm very disappointed. Pathetic."
Professor Yoo Dong-hee continued with pitying eyes, as if explaining to an ignorant fool.
"You won't achieve greatness swayed by childish emotions. Think you can bite a professor with untested teeth?"
"I'm just asking you to reconsider the unfairness."
"Then answer this. Volume 1, 'Foundational Formation of the German Constitution,' is the main textbook interpreting and explaining the preamble and basic terms of the Basic Law. Unnecessary?"
"Of course, I agree the main book is essential. But..."
"Volume 2 appendix systematically compiles and concisely analyzes treatises and papers on constitutional principles and state institutions below the federal government. Volume 3 excerpts essential parts from Dr. Hart's 'Rule of Law in the Basic Law' at Leipzig University to cultivate constitutional mindset. Volume 4 is the renowned translation by Professor Han Young-sook. Unnecessary?"
'Professor Han Young-sook is the professor's wife, right?' someone muttered.
"...I think they're unnecessary."
"Then I'll ask questions—answer them. Claiming my books unnecessary implies you know their contents well enough, right?"
"Pardon?"
"How do the concepts of democratic rule-of-law state, social state, and federal state differ in approaching the constitution? It's in the early section of Volume 3—you say the book isn't needed? Answer."
"...That's not the point."
"Hmm, can't answer. Admit you're ignorant. Then, what's the difference between a dictatorial constitution and an ideal one?"
"We haven't... covered that yet."
Yoon Chan-rim ground his teeth, and the professor sneered.
"Ha! So brazen. Not even worth my class. Anyone know? Mentioning necessity without basic knowledge is just..."
The room went dead silent, students like honey-mute.
As Professor Yoo Dong-hee smirked mockingly to wrap up:
"There are differences in the scope covering constitutional ideals and principles."
Kang Hyun slowly rose from the seat one over from Yoon Chan-rim, calmly answering the professor's question with leisure.
"I can explain with examples of values or contents guaranteed by constitutions of various nations, but generally speaking, it's based on whether constitutional norms align with constitutional reality."
Unlike the stumped Yoon Chan-rim, it was a logical, precise response—enough to fluster Professor Yoo Dong-hee.
"Only when there's actual normative power and no gap between society and constitution can one claim an ideal constitutional view. A dictatorial constitution is one without normative power, made for show. It's the kind dictators push with political bias and decisionistic views."
Professor Yoo Dong-hee now ignored Yoon Chan-rim entirely, turning his attention to Kang Hyun.