Red-Haired Witch (2)
I've often been told that I'm smart, just like my mom. At first, I couldn't believe it.
Seferon Academy Admission Notice
But I actually passed. I reaped the full benefits of what my brothers taught me, sacrificing their sleep to pore over those elementary textbooks they'd scavenged from the recycling bin. There was a time when I even thought, maybe I'm a genius too. Academy classes were tough, but learning magic was always fun.
That illusion shattered during my first midterm exam.
"Whoa, Yuna, you did great on the exam! Seventh in the class?"
"This is... great?"
No. That couldn't be right. Thirty-second out of eighty. I couldn't accept that I was just another average student at the academy.
The top of our class was a kid named Kim Hangeol. He didn't listen much to the teachers, but he was popular, always hanging out with friends. For the first time, I hated someone else.
At first, I didn't know what to make of the feeling, but I figured it out soon enough.
"Hangeol, how do you ace exams like that?"
"Me? Just some tutoring at home, nothing special."
Jealousy. Rage. Hatred. I loathed kids who so casually had what I lacked... I bit my lip hard.
"Thirty-second? How far down does it go for the scholarship again?"
"Twentieth..."
"Yeah... good job on the exam, Yuna."
The day I showed my report card to Maru oppa, I cried in Mom's arms all day. I'm so sorry to everyone. I'll do better from now on. So please don't hate me.
After that, I started staying up until midnight to study for the first time. I felt bad keeping Maru oppa awake past his bedtime, but I thought it was the only way I could repay him.
Even walking forty-five minutes to school every day felt like a waste, so during exam season, I'd ask the security guard for permission and sneak a nap in the break room.
Noeul oppa was right. If you don't get ruthless, you can't grow.
I learned everything I could from the smart kids, and sometimes I'd even do their tutoring homework for them. I stopped talking to the low scorers altogether. Time was too precious.
If I spotted an old workbook in someone's locker that looked unused, I'd swipe it and work through it. For performance assessments, I'd take the flashy roles that guaranteed me the points.
Still, time was always in short supply.
I did it...!
Combining midterms and finals, I scraped into twentieth place. At least half-scholarship territory!
But for finals, no one asked about my scores like before. My desk was even pulled away from my partner's—couldn't be helped.
No regrets, though. My way proved right in the end, and I gained confidence.
Praise from friends doesn't thrill me. Mom's, Maru oppa's, and Noeul oppa's is enough.
So even if people badmouth me, I can take it. Probably.
"Seo Yuna, wake up your desk partner."
"..."
"Seo Yuna, didn't you hear me? Exam starts in ten minutes—wake up Kim Hangeol."
"No way, why should I?"
"Whoa..."
He's choosing to sleep, so why do I have to deal with it? But I Ha-ru saw it differently and scolded me.
"Hey, wanna talk after the exam?"
"Sure, whatever. A quick chat's fine."
In the end, Hangeol woke up with a smack to the back of the head from Ha-ru. Groggy like that, he'll bomb the test, right? Actually works in my favor.
I was totally confident for this second-semester midterm. The perfect chance to beat Ha-ru and Hangeol, who always vied for first and second.
I aced the first two days' exams—from general subjects like Korean, math, and autumn to academy ones like safety rules and records of magic.
Just nail the last one, the crucial basics of runes.
In the forty minutes allotted, I finished every problem in thirty. Memorization's my strongest suit—maybe I'll be the first first-grader to score a perfect hundred. Teacher said no one's done it yet.
After the exam, Ha-ru was waiting behind the school, looking pissed.
"Seo Yuna, know what the class calls you?"
"No clue."
"Re-wang. Like, the king of bad luck loner."
"...Yeah?"
I'd guessed, but it hit harder than expected. Not even Red-Haired Anne—just straight-up outcast.
"Doesn't that bother you?"
"..."
"Ever think about why they call you that?"
I'd noticed kids avoiding me bit by bit. But why was Ha-ru telling me this?
"You weren't like this at the start of the semester. Nice to everyone, early to school for milk snacks, doing their homework. What's changed?"
"Does being nice make you smarter?"
"What?"
"I'm aiming for first in class—no, whole school. While you and Hangeol goof off at breaks, I'll study and catch up."
"You're hilarious."
"Think what you want. After this exam, I won't even talk to you guys."
Ha-ru's words didn't feel genuine anyway. She was always at the center of the girls' group. Just like the rest.
"Think you can catch Yoon Si-hu like that? No chance."
Ha-ru yelled.
"Who's Yoon Si-hu?"
"You don't know? School's eternal first place."
"I'll catch him for sure."
"A deadbeat loner with no dad..."
I could take the insults aimed at me—I deserved them. But dragging my dad into it like that?
"Wanna die?"
I was furious. I tried Noeul oppa's go-to line.
"What? It's true, you orphan brat."
I wanted to slap that mocking face and never regret it. But weirdly, an image from the sports festival flashed up—a girl who'd swung her aura around her whole body and decked a senior two heads taller, right in the jaw.
Like this, channeling mana circuits.
My heavy head lightened. I'd been pathetic, just stewing in misery.
They ignore me 'cause I look weak. To make sure I could never climb back, I swung at the necklace Ha-ru treasured most.
"Kyaaaagh!"
Kids are so stupid. Why don't they get it? Nothing's impossible with effort. No matter how poor I am or how no tutors I have, time's fair to everyone.
High school seniors study twelve hours on weekends. Elementary kids? No one here does that.
If they did, I'd never catch up. So while we're young, I'll stand above them first.
My brothers cheered at my report card. I could share good news with Mom, whose illness worsened by the day.
I hope she holds on until I graduate the academy with honors and head to university.
But something felt off about my scores. Second place. That meant a first existed. Was it the Yoon Si-hu Ha-ru mentioned? Guess I'll visit Class A next week.
"If Yoon Si-hu’s in class, can you call him?"
"Sorry, gotta hit the canteen with friends! What you wanna eat?"
This friend too.
"Hey, can you grab Yoon Si-hu for me?"
"Just go in and call him yourself."
That one too. No one grants my requests. Is it 'cause I'm the outcast? Sucks getting ignored by strangers.
Can't just barge into another class, though—kids might snitch to teachers, and I'd get penalty points.
So every break, I'd stand outside Class A, waiting for Yoon Si-hu to emerge.
"You Yoon Si-hu?"
"Yeah, why?"
He looked familiar. With so few students, you memorize faces over the six months outside breaks.
A bit shorter than me, but his neatly mended uniform screamed it: this was him.
"You got first this time, right?"
"Uh? Yeah."
"Redo the records of magic exam with me, from the start."
Other scores were probably close. My only low was eighty-four on records of magic. School knowledge had limits.
Magic's different memorized vs. practiced. Even known stuff blanks your mind when drawing circles.
Time to see how the top student solves problems.
"When?"
"Right now?"
"Like, immediately? Left the exam papers at home."
Si-hu scratched his head. But time's wasting.
"No problem. I memorized everything. You too, right?"
If I could remember, surely he could. I guessed right.
"...Yeah, I remember it all."