Common Sense Alteration: Group Project Grade Distribution (1)

It was a bright Wednesday noon. Taeyoung was diligently working on his assignment in the dorm room while I teased him before heading to class. I deliberately used an overly playful tone.

"You sucker~ Oh, you total sucker~"

"Ha... Hyung. What can I do? It's my grandfather's memorial service..."

"So you're just going to take on all the research and report writing for the group project by yourself? You sucker~"

Taeyoung sat at his desk, focused on his laptop. I had already finished getting ready for class and was standing behind him, poking fun. He still found moments to defend himself.

"I'm the group leader, so it's my responsibility."

"Oh my. You're the leader too? I thought you were just a sucker, but you're a super sucker. Super sucker~"

"Seriously, hyung."

"You should learn to push the work onto others in group ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠projects, you dummy~"

"...It's not that easy."

"Easy or not, sucker~ That's what negotiation skills are for~ In the business department, you survive group projects with negotiation skills alone~"

I continued teasing Taeyoung from behind until it was time to leave for class. Wednesday's Fundamentals of Psychology lecture. I left the dorm and walked down the hill. Before long, I passed the fountain.

'Oh...'

Right in front of me was the back view of a beautiful female student. Black high heels, coffee-colored stockings. A short black skirt hugging a slim waist. A white blouse so sheer that the black bra strap underneath was faintly visible.

'A white blouse with a black bra... Did she wear it on purpose to show through?'

That wasn't all. Because the blouse was slightly cropped, a glimpse of her slender, beautiful light-brown waist showed. Her long, glossy black hair swayed gently. Her back view was stunning—perfect proportions, tall stature, and a toned figure with no excess fat. The tight skirt especially accentuated her lower body.

'Wow... She looks like a model...'

My eyes locked onto her back. Whether she was walking slowly or I was walking fast, the distance between us gradually closed. The closer I got, the more her beautiful leg lines drew my gaze.

-Click. Click.

The sound of her high heels grew clearer with every step. It almost felt like she was seducing me.

'Huh?'

As I got closer, I realized who she was. Kang Dahyun. The girl who took Fundamentals of Psychology with me. The one whose stunning figure always attracted the male students' attention during class.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

-Click. Click.

She was heading to the same lecture in her coffee-colored stockings. I slowed down slightly and kept a bit of distance, pretending to look elsewhere while stealing glances at her back. Every time she took a step, her hips swayed softly.

'This... I'm basically stalking ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠her now...'

I wasn't the only one admiring her. Several male students walking from the opposite direction glanced at her from afar, then turned their heads to stare at her rear as they passed. Some stopped in their tracks, others gaped silently, and a few snickered with their friends. They all reacted the same way to her beauty.

'She really is pretty...'

I could understand their reactions completely. Her cat-like face and gorgeous body acted like a magnet for male gazes. Before I knew it, I had arrived at the building where the lecture hall was. The classroom was on the second floor. She started climbing the stairs.

-Click. Click.

As she ascended, more of her legs came into view beneath the skirt. That was when she noticed my footsteps behind her.

"Huh?"

She quickly swung her bag behind her to cover the back of her skirt. I lowered my gaze the moment she started to turn her head, pretending I had only been looking at the steps.

'Did she notice?'

I wasn't sure if she had caught me staring or simply covered up because someone was behind her. By the time I finished wondering, we had reached the classroom. A few female students were chatting outside. One of them spotted Kang Dahyun and called out.

"Dahyun!"

She joined the group and started talking with them. I walked past and entered the lecture hall. Rows of two-person desks filled the room. I took the back-left seat by the window and placed my bag on the empty chair beside me.

Soon, class began. Kang Dahyun and three friends entered and split into two desks right in front of me. By chance—or maybe not—Dahyun sat in the seat at my eleven o'clock position, right next to the window.

'She probably didn't notice...'

The thought from the stairs crossed my mind again. Had she covered herself because she knew I was looking, or just because someone was there? If she had noticed, she probably wouldn't have sat so close now. Or maybe she simply didn't care about me.

Class started. Dahyun crossed her legs and began listening. From my diagonal view, her coffee-colored stockings were clearly visible. Her legs looked incredibly alluring.

Then the professor's voice rang out.

"We'll be doing a group project in pairs."

While I was distracted by her legs, the professor suddenly announced the group assignment. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠What followed made it worse.

"Form your own groups and send me the names via message or KakaoTalk. I'll notify you of the finalized groups later."

'Ah... No way!'

This was the worst. We had to form groups ourselves. I didn't know anyone in this class.

'What do I do?'

My mind went blank. The professor continued calmly.

"Group presentations will be held in order, and the group project scores will be released along with the final exam scores after finals."

The group scores wouldn't be revealed until the end of the semester. Meanwhile, laughter came from the front seats.

"Then I'll pair with Dahyun, and you two can be together."

Dahyun and her three friends had already decided their groups. They showed none of the panic I felt.

"Oh!"

One of Dahyun's friends spilled coffee from her disposable cup. Dahyun quickly pulled out a travel pack of tissues from her desk and wiped it up.

"You okay?"

"Thanks~"

She was kind to her friends. They would probably handle the group project smoothly together. My own worries returned.

'Ha... What now? Should I email the professor?'

That would be awkward too. I imagined the message.

-Professor, this is Kim Juwan, second-year business major in your Fundamentals of Psychology class. I don't know anyone in the class, so...

'Ha...'

Just imagining it made me sigh. Then—

A quest about the group project. The common sense alteration would make sure the workload was split fairly so no one slacked off. It was exactly what I needed right now. The time limit caught my attention.

'Until the group project grade distribution is complete?'

The professor had said the group scores would be released with the final exam. That meant the quest would last until the end of the semester. If the alteration ensured everyone was satisfied with the division of work, it probably meant my chosen group members would actually do their share until finals.

'Not bad at all. I get help with the project and earn points.'

Especially useful in my current situation.

'But... who should I do the project with?'

I could pick anyone I wanted. I had no idea who was good at studying or assignments, though. Then my eyes landed on something.

-Swish.

Kang Dahyun, sitting at my eleven o'clock. Her legs, now crossed the other way, wrapped in coffee-colored stockings, seemed to beckon me.

'Wouldn't she be fine...?'

She looked attentive in class today, and I'd seen her working hard on assignments at the cafe before. (Even if I had been behind her doing something else at the time...) She seemed like a good choice for a group project partner. I justified it to myself.

'It's definitely not just because of her legs...'

There was also a small, hopeful thought.

'If we're in the same group... we'll run into each other more often, right?'

-Tap. Tap. Tap.

My fingers started typing the message.

[Kang Dahyun]

I stared at her name for a moment, then sent it.

-Tap.

[Message sent.]

Shortly after, another notification appeared.