The Hijacked Date and Final Exam Triumph
After successfully wrapping up finals and his next promise with Isul, the remaining week before the exams flew by in a blur of nonstop frenzy.
"Aaaagh! Fuck, why's the math scope such bullshit! I'm totally screwed."
During lunch, Dasom clicked her tongue pityingly at Park Geon, who was yanking at his hair and wailing.
"What, Park Geon? You tanked midterms by coming in dead last in third place, and you actually thought about studying?"
"No, I saw online that midterms don't count much toward your grade! Finals are the real deal!"
The friends gathered around burst out laughing, clutching their stomachs at Park Geon's utterly shameless nonsense.
"Wow, thanks to idiots who believe crap like that, the bottom of our school's rankings stays rock solid."
"Even the internet trolls post that garbage knowing suckers like Park Geon will buy it."
Seo Juwon and Ji Yoon flanked him, cracking up and roasting him mercilessly.
"Argh, for real! Namjjin! You get me, right?"
"Sure, sure. Thanks to you, Geon, I climbed a rank, so of course I do."
Nam Siu couldn't hold back his grin as he played along, and Park Geon actually turned away like he was sulking for real.
"Forget it! Talking to you guys is pointless. Time will prove me right anyway!"
"Heh heh. Got it. If finals are such a big deal like you say, guess we gotta study hard."
Juwon, finally catching his breath after laughing his ass off, tossed out a casual suggestion to the group.
"So, how about we meet up this weekend to study? Like before midterms, right when exams are closing in."
"That—!"
Nam Siu's voice boomed out suddenly. All eyes snapped to him amid the chatter.
"Jeez, you scared me. What the hell, dude? Why yell like that?"
"Haha... no, it's just..."
A bead of cold sweat trickled down Nam Siu's back. This weekend was his long-awaited second solo study date with Baek Isul. No way was he letting these clueless idiots crash it.
He scratched the back of his head awkwardly, trying to play it cool.
"Nah... doesn't sound great. Last time we all got together, we barely studied. Couldn't focus at all..."
"C'mon, this is finals— we'll grind for real this time! Gotta keep this guy from the PC bang too..."
Juwon was pushing back when—
"I'm against it too."
Baek Isul, who'd been glued to her phone at the desk in front of Nam Siu, turned abruptly to back him up.
"You guys meet up, you'll hog a cafe table, gossip, play games. I don't wanna tank my grades."
Her signature blunt tone. Even Isul, who never opined on group hangs, was flat-out vetoing it. Juwon couldn't argue anymore.
"Hmm... yeah, guess so. If even Baek Isul says that, no choice. Solo grind this weekend, then?"
He smacked his lips regretfully but relented. Luckily, the group's attention shifted right back to Park Geon's grades and scattered.
"..."
"..."
By chance, or maybe fate. In a blind spot away from prying eyes, Nam Siu and Isul's gazes met secretly.
Nam Siu beamed with relief, eyes crinkling in a soft smile. Isul glanced back at him, then casually returned to her phone like nothing happened—though the corner of her mouth twitched ever so slightly.
Amid the noisy classroom chaos, their secret promise felt perfectly sealed, known only to them.
After twists and turns, Saturday afternoon was secured. Nam Siu arrived twenty minutes early at the big downtown cafe where he'd gone with Isul last time.
Phew, dodged a bullet. Almost ended up studying with those guys.
Contacts in as Juwon taught him, dressed neatly for the occasion, he checked his phone tensely—
"Huh? Hey! Namjjin!!"
"...?"
That booming voice, now as familiar as breathing—but the last one he wanted to hear right now. Nam Siu whipped around, spine tingling, to see Park Geon and Seo Juwon across the crosswalk, waving wildly in tracksuits.
"W-Why are you guys... here?"
"What! We said solo grind, but you're sneaking off to study alone at a cafe?"
Park Geon bounded over as the light turned, slapping Nam Siu's back with a bright grin.
"Library was packed, got kicked out! Might as well study here together now that we ran into you!"
"N-No! I wasn't coming here! Just... passing by!"
Nam Siu flailed in panic, but couldn't shake off the iron grips clamping his sides. Juwon especially eyed his sharp outfit up and down, smirking knowingly. He'd finally pieced together why just Siu and Isul opposed the group plan.
"Hmm~ Studied alone but bothered with contacts and dressing up? Suspicious. No way—group study it is!"
As Nam Siu teared up trying to pry them off—
Click-clack.
Through the dazzling summer sun, a familiar silhouette approached. Light summer blouse, even more polished than last week; swaying black bob. Baek Isul.
She'd hurried her steps near appointment time, a faint spark of anticipation softening her usual indifference. But the moment her eyes landed on the two leeches stuck to Nam Siu—
"..."
Her feet halted. The subtle hope on her face evaporated in real time, freezing into icy frost.
"Huh? Hey! Baek Isul! You here to study at this cafe too?"
Park Geon, oblivious to the vibe, waved cheerfully. Juwon chuckled and gave a lazy wave too.
And sandwiched between them, Nam Siu with a lost-puppy look.
"H-Hi, Isul... what an insane coincidence... all bumping into each other here..."
Nam Siu forced a shaky wave and awkward greeting through his grimace.
"..."
Isul's brows furrowed sharply as she eyed the three waving guys. Impulse to spin around and bolt home warred with fury at wasting her effort getting dolled up.
"...Hah."
A short, heavy sigh. She stuffed her exasperation and boiling anger down, spitting out dryly,
"Yeah. Some coincidence. Let's just go in and study."
She shot them a glare and marched past into the cafe with stiff steps.
And so finals week Monday arrived at last.
"Haaa..."
In Class 1's room, Nam Siu slumped over his desk, dark circles drooping to his chin.
Saturday had ended in total disaster. Park Geon's bright idea to call all the girls too ballooned the two intruders into a full seven-person chaos squad.
No way could seven crammed at one table actually study. His cozy study with Baek Isul went up in smoke, and he'd limped home to cram sleeplessly through the weekend, tears in his eyes.
Body and soul shredded, the nightmare finals began.
As his leaden eyelids drooped toward sleep—
Plop.
Someone dropped a small candy casually on his desk and passed by.
"Huh...?"
Lifting his heavy head, Nam Siu's eyes widened. A little strawberry candy in red wrapper.
He whipped around to see Isul's neat silhouette slipping out the back door.
Before exams started, trekking here from another class just to toss candy and bounce—peak cool.
He couldn't hear her, but it felt like quiet cheer from her.
He unwrapped it and popped the candy in. The sweet strawberry burst chased away weekend fatigue and regret like melting snow.
"Alright. Let's do this!"
The four-day finals kicked off with that sugary strawberry scent.
Classroom vibes were polar opposites.
"Urghhh..."
Fifteen minutes after the start bell, half the kids face-planted asleep. The other half, like Nam Siu, grinded problems nonstop.
He gripped his mechanical pencil tight, pen flying. Notes from his solo cafe review with Isul resurfaced crystal-clear, riding the candy's sweetness.
The brutal four days zipped by.
Ding-dong-daeng-dong—
The final bell for third period echoed school-wide.
"It's over!!"
"Dude! Math 18 was 4, right?! I bubbled 4!"
Proctors barely out with answer sheets, and the suffocating room exploded into euphoric chatter.
In the mayhem, Nam Siu stretched with a light heart. Weekend prep with Isul paid off—solid scores.
Then, as Isul slipped in the back door amid the noise, their eyes locked.
She'd been pity-eyeing Juwon and Park Geon freaking over wrong answers. Meeting Siu's gaze, she tilted her chin up slightly.
Nailed it?
He grinned wide, flashing a tiny OK sign with his fingers. She smiled faintly, relieved.
"Hey hey! Everyone, listen up!"
Dasom strode to Juwon's desk behind Isul, grabbing the group's attention.
"Finals done—what's left? Our glorious summer break and the epic valley trip!"
"Wooo!!"
Park Geon, despair forgotten, whooped like a kid.
"So! Valley trip needs gear. This weekend, everyone meet at the downtown mall for a full shop!"
Dasom's pumped declaration. With that cry, Nam Siu's mind flashed to cascading valley waters—and Isul splashing there with him.
The dull, choking exam hell curtain fell. Scorching, refreshing true summer began.