Chapter 44
Chapter 44
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 44
Chapter Title: One Week to the CSAT
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#149
"Haa..."
As I let out a soft breath, seeing the tiny puff of vapor cloud up made me realize the weather had indeed turned chilly.
November 30th.
With just one week left until the CSAT, every classroom was filled with the scratch of pens on paper and the rustle of flipping through textbooks and workbooks, the sounds echoing loudly.
It was as silent as if there were a rule that talking meant execution.
At this time, every student was gripped by anxiety over messing up the CSAT and the exhaustion of grinding through day after day of nothing but studying.
I was feeling those emotions more intensely with each passing day as the exam approached, so one of my stress-relief plans was to completely forget about the CSAT during lunch and just relax.
Along with these two idiots right in front of me, who thought, 'The CSAT? Isn't that just a day off?'
"Ah, damn it. That jerk ruined yesterday's blind date too!"
"Bullshit, seriously. It got ruined because of you. Why blame me? You wanna die?"
"Heh heh, you crazy bastards."
No matter how pretty, sweet, lovable, cute, and perfect my Seo-ah was—someone I wouldn't mind poking my eye out for...
Still, without these two, things might've been a bit tougher. Just watching them was hilarious enough.
Especially after Kim Seung-hyun suddenly declared one day that he'd get a girlfriend through blind dates. I thought he was just talking big,
but he was serious, and before I knew it, these two had been on their third one.
Ah, of course, the results were...
"So why'd this one fail?"
I'd heard the first blind date ended because neither knew how to talk to girls and just sat there trembling. I could relate— I'd probably do the same if I went.
Not that I had any plans to.
The second one went better since it wasn't their first, and they thought they'd nailed it but fell just short, swearing the next would be a win.
Yet here they were after another flop, unbroken. Pathetic, but kinda impressive.
"Hey, Lee Jun-woo, you know what Park Jae-hwan said as his opening line to the girls?"
"...What'd he say?"
"He went, 'Do you know Taesang-hyuk?' like a total moron!!!!!!"
"Ah, I was hyped up on that high—how could I hold back?!?!"
"Why the hell do you unleash that on girls you've just met?!?!"
"Pfft, Park Jae-hwan's insane, for real?"
—Though honestly, I probably couldn't hold back either.
"Hey, so what'd the girls say? Hate it?"
"How the hell should I know, you damn idiot. They just looked at him with utter contempt, said a few words, and left."
"Close call. Hey, if they don't know Taesang-hyuk, you wouldn't click anyway. Good riddance."
—Solid filter method.
"Lee Jun-woo, I wanna kill both you and Park Jae-hwan."
"Patience, patience. Fourth blind date, shoot~"
"Fuck..."
Park Jae-hwan bombed too, but as long as he could rag on Kim Seung-hyun, he was happy.
As I chuckled along, watching Seung-hyun fume, Jae-hwan suddenly looked at me like he'd just remembered something.
"Hey, but how's your CSAT prep going?"
"One week left, and you ask now?"
"You're not our class topper anyway."
—True enough.
"It's... going well, yeah. Or it has to. If I wanna go to the same college as Seo-ah."
For the past six months, that goal had kept me glued to my desk through summer break and holidays—no trips, just grinding.
Seo-ah had felt bad about holding back on dates because my grades dragged, but she'd always encouraged me instead of complaining.
For her sake, I had to ace this CSAT.
"Having a girlfriend who's too good is tough..."
"An ugly girlfriend's way worse, dumbass."
"Suddenly hitting hard, you psycho."
As I thought of Seo-ah, these two started goofing off between themselves, drumming and clapping like idiots. I couldn't help but laugh in disbelief.
"Still, my mocks keep improving, so maybe it'll be fine."
"If you say so."
Leaving the two relieved by that, I finished lunch—my one break besides sleep—and braced for more studying. Darkness loomed.
My grades could've barely scraped into a capital area school, but matching Seo-ah's? Impossible.
When she suggested aiming lower to match me, I couldn't bear dragging her down. I desperately convinced her otherwise,
promising I'd raise my scores.
After seeing her ranks—way higher than expected—I nearly regretted it. But I craved that ~campus couple life~ with her too.
School all day, home studying till bedtime, falling asleep hugging each other. Rinse and repeat.
At first, I wondered if we should cut back on joint study or sleeping together till after CSAT.
But the moment I suggested it, her face—like she'd heard something unbelievable, complete with a cartoonish 'Kwang!' effect—made me swallow my words.
Of course, later I realized the huge stress relief of having her soft presence beside me while studying or sleeping.
When study got brutal, picturing her peacefully asleep in my arms steeled my resolve—the best motivation ever.
Thank goodness now.
With you, I can do anything.
#150
♪♬♪♬
"Junu! Let's head home."
"Huh, what's up."
—Already over?
With classes replaced by self-study a week before CSAT, I'd lost track of time focusing alone.
"Good work today."
Seo-ah must've wanted to ease my fatigue; her tiny hands kneading my shoulders was adorable. I chuckled.
Works like a charm.
Definitely relieving.
"Feels nice."
"Right? I'm secretly strong."
She spread her pale hands wide before my eyes, beaming brightly. My shoulders—and all my stress—melted away.
As I healed gazing at cute Seo-ah, I felt the classroom's silent pressure to GTFO.
—Sorry...
To kids who only studied, this was probably torture.
I get it.
We hurried out, arms linked, heading home. Seo-ah peeked up curiously.
"Junu, got a department in mind you wanna go for?"
"A department?"
My head was full of just getting into her college; hadn't thought about majors.
A major, huh...
"Hmm... I'm pretty athletic, so firefighter or cop maybe? Not sure."
I blurted the first thing that came to mind. Seo-ah's eyes widened in surprise, stopping dead.
"Why?"
"...Firefighter?"
She murmured "firefighter," and I wondered if she was worried about the danger, about to suggest something else—
when she hugged me tight.
#151
"Junu, you'd... make an amazing firefighter."
"...Suddenly?"
What's with this thick faith? Her hand stroked my head as she whispered,
"Yeah... I know it. You've already..."
—Saved me.
Remembering that hellish blaze, how Junu had burst through and rescued her that day.
He hadn't just saved her body—he'd redeemed her soul.
Hearing "firefighter" from his mouth fit him so perfectly, it hit first.
Of course, he could get hurt on the job.
"...Then should I aim for nursing or med school, so it's okay if you get hurt?"
"Dividing roles?"
We giggled, basking in each other's warmth. Junu whispered sweetly in my ear,
"Let's think it over slowly. We can adjust to whatever jobs we want..."
And, he added with a shy cough,
"But if possible... same department."
Thump.
My heart pounded loud.
What, Junu, you're suddenly too cute. Foul play?
"Hee... Let's go to the same department and flaunt our couple status everywhere. Sound good, Junu?"
"...What're you saying? Not just same department—everyone at college has to know."
"Yeah, right. So... we gotta work hard, huh?"
"......Yeah."
Chilly weather or shyness?
Our cheeks flushed pink, but that future thrilled us.
Our eyes locked, filled only with each other and excitement, hearts already racing for that day.
#152
CSAT day.
I dreamed of Seo-ah, woke to her soft lips recharging my energy perfectly.
Unlike usual exhaustion, tension gripped my heart unrelentingly. At the table with her, steaming seaweed soup appeared.
"Mom, why seaweed soup..."
Mom knew its meaning on CSAT day.
Puzzled, I asked,
"If by any chance you mess up the CSAT... blame it on your dumb mom for serving seaweed soup today, not yourselves. Got it?"
Like she knew our efforts.
If it went wrong, blame her—not us.
She seemed fine, but worrying since dawn to make this soup... it made me so sorry and grateful.
A sniffle came from beside me.
My vision blurred with tears too, but I held back,
swallowing the lump in my throat with the soup.
Chewing thoroughly, not wasting a spoonful,
to savor every bit of love inside.
At some point, my heart stopped trembling.
Bellies full and fortified, Seo-ah and I entered the exam hall and took the CSAT.
I got the best score of my life.