Reunion with Childhood Friend Kim Eunji: Is the College Game Over?
Before I knew it, I'd arrived in front of the lecture hall. Glancing at the time, I was about fifteen minutes late.
I pushed open the door, and the students were already huddled in groups, chatting away.
This class I shared with Eunji, Classical Philosophy and Literature Reading, was a discussion-based seminar.
Stepping inside, I spotted Eunji right away—she'd draped her beige coat over a chair and was talking with her group mates.
I shrugged off my own coat, pulled out a chair, and sat down with a greeting.
"Hey! Sorry I'm late. How've you all been?"
Our group had four members: a first-year girl, a second-year guy, me, and Eunji.
The guy spoke up.
"Nah, we haven't been at it long. Hi."
"Our group's carry machine has arrived~ Oppa, how've you been?" said the chick-like girl with a grin.
"Hey! Carry machine, what? It's been like a week since I last saw you guys?"
"Hey? What hey? Seongtae, why haven't you been replying to my texts?" Eunji shot back.
"Eh, just how it went."
"What? I'm asking later!"
"Got it."
I glanced around the room.
Everyone was deep in what looked like debates or just chit-chat, and the professor was wandering between groups, tossing out questions.
"So, what's today's topic?" I asked.
"Wittgenstein's Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus. I tried reading it, but no clue what it's saying. Hand over your report first." Eunji replied.
I pulled the report from my bag and passed it over.
"Oh, I read that one ages ago," I said casually.
But the guy started flipping through the book, while Eunji and the girl dove into random gossip.
"Unnie! They say listening to this frequency makes you money. Isn't it wild? I listened all day yesterday—gonna buy lotto today."
"Really? Got one for making boyfriends appear? I've been feeling weirdly lonely lately."
"Eunji unnie, try this one then. It's supposed to attract love."
The two of them popped wireless earbuds in—one each—and rambled on about these ridiculous frequencies.
Frequencies... that make you fall in love... nah, better not butt in.
From experience, just nodding along was key.
Plus, who needs frequencies when you've got the hypnosis app?
"Why the sudden urge to date?" I jumped in.
"Weather's turned chilly out of nowhere? My side feels cold."
"Weren't you all 'no time for that with job hunting' last time we had lamb skewers?"
"Hey, we drank Tsingtao that night. You see that thing about them pissing in it? Gross, we drank piss."
"Yeah, heard that. Stock tanked too. Not touching it anymore."
Tried Jian's yesterday—fruity taste, but...
I turned to Eunji.
"So you wanna date now? Someone catch your eye?"
"Nah, just think it'd be nice to prep for jobs with a smart boyfriend. You really not job hunting? Do it with me... please?"
"Me? Nah. You never done a study group? They're all just fuck-study sessions. Hardly anyone actually preps—too busy sucking and fucking."
"That's why I avoid guy-heavy groups. Starts fine, but ends with them sending dick pics on SNS."
Eunji mimicked a guy's voice.
"Wanna grab drinks after study? Like that. And—"
She leaned in like she was whispering in my ear.
I tilted my head closer, and she murmured,
"Some dude even sends jerk-off pics? Fucking psycho?"
She pulled back from my ear and continued.
"So I block 'em quick and skip guy-heavy studies. If I can."
"You got a girlfriend, sunbae?"
The girl beamed, all smiles.
"Me? Uh, yeah. Just got her this weekend."
"Ooh, popular guy! CC?"
"Yeah, CC. Junior from another department."
No need to hide it. Not coming to school much anymore anyway.
"You got one?"
"Me... broke up recently."
"Ah..."
"But sunbae, weren't you single as hell last week? Tell me over coffee after class?"
"Nah, busy today. I'll introduce you next time."
Eunji, who'd been listening, finally chimed in.
"Oh, so that's why no replies. How long? One day? Two?"
"Two days. Why, jealous? Thought you weren't into me."
"Huh? Did I say that?"
Shit... wiped her whole memory.
"Still, ignoring your childhood friend for a girlfriend?"
"Group 4, enough chit-chat." The professor had snuck up on us.
"Looks like a heated debate. Question for you: What's the first proposition of the Tractatus? You there?"
He pointed at Eunji.
"Uh... the proposition is..." She stammered.
"Mind if I field this? 'The world is all that is the case.'"
"Good. And what does 'The limits of my language mean the limits of my world' imply?"
I thought for a sec, then dove in.
"In Korea, 'Wanna grab ramen before you go?' usually means 'Wanna fuck before you go?' right?"
The girl in our group buried her face, turning beet red like a tomato.
The prof nodded—keep going.
"Say there's this foreigner Wilson who just started learning Korean. He gets a crush.
"One day, after a date, she asks, 'Wanna grab ramen?' She's too shy to say 'fuck' outright, figures he gets it.
"But Wilson takes it literally: instant noodles? 'Next time, I'm full.' He leaves.
"She thinks he rejected sex, ghosts him. Wilson's clueless, loses his girl.
"Point is, without precise grasp of words and usage, your world shrinks—you miss out.
"Wittgenstein called out philosophers' vague language.
"Oversimplified, of course—the Tractatus is math-heavy. Not exact."
I paused, caught my breath, continued.
"Real story—hit the news. 50s salaryman hooks 20s employee with 'I'll make spaghetti, come over.'
"Heard 'MZ gen' slang, thought witty twist on ramen.
"She thinks literal pasta, follows. He tries kissing—bam, sexual harassment report.
"Loose language caused it. They're in different worlds, can't connect.
"Me, I suck at French. In France, I'd miss tons compared to a French speaker. Can't even read the menu.
"Weird how 'Netflix and chill?' works worldwide."
"Student, read much Wittgenstein?" the prof asked.
"A bit."
"Thoughts on the Tractatus?"
"Masterpiece. But the last proposition—'Whereof one cannot speak, thereof one must be silent'—self-contradicts the whole thing."
"As in his later Philosophical Investigations, critiquing his early ideas..."
"Oh, you've read Investigations too?"
"Uh, yeah..."
"Go on."
"He brutally self-critiques his early work. Makes him greater, right?"
"Impressive. Undergrad level... What's your major?"
"Physics."
"Physics? Wow. Group 4 gets extra credit."
Eunji thumped my back.
"Dude, you're insane! Epic. Like you prepped."
"Nah, read it way back. You know I love books. Got carried away."
"No way, it was hot. Oppa always carries us—reports too. Send nudes?"
"Pass. No biggie."
Eunji whispered,
"So... Netflix at my place?"
She flushed like the girl who'd overheard "sex."
I waved it off.
"Kidding. I'm busy now."
"...Seongtae, seriously..."
You've already had your deflowering twice...
Last class anyway. Sorry, groupies.
Hypnosis app made college playtime obsolete.
"Oh yeah, might not make next class."
"Why?"
"Why, oppa? You gotta carry us T_T"
"Dropping out."
"Quitting? Suddenly? Lotto win? GPA?"
"4.2 or 4.3."
"Insane... Wasted GPA. One more year?"
"Oppa!! 4.3 quits, I kill myself. Deception..."
"Anyway, that's the plan."
"If you say so, got plans. What?"
"Mm... Starting a company."
"You, Steve Jobs? What kind?"
"Tra~de secret."
The junior scooted her chair closer.
"Office and stuff?"
"Probably."
"Oppa, can I visit later?"
"Sure. Open house, come by."
"Yay. Succeed, don't forget me?"
The girl hooked her arm in mine.
Not my type... Name again??
"Yeah yeah, class now."
Time to expand my world. Ditch school, play big leagues.
Chit-chat flew till time flew; prof announced next topics before end.
"Next: Lacan's mirror stage. Then Nietzsche's Übermensch."
Wanna hear that... nah.
We packed up.
"See ya, sunbae! Tell me when company starts!" The girl bounced off.
"Good work." Guy left.
Whoa... dude barely spoke. Silent type.
Room emptied. Just us two.
"So! Who's the girlfriend? I know her? Pics!! Curious!!"
"You don't know her. Pics..."
Her keyword...?
"Rabbit-Like Cute Girlfriend."
She dropped into hypnosis.
"You on your period?"
"Yeah, yesterday."
Phew... no pregnancy.
"Why Netflix? Joke?"
"No joke. Like you."
"Since when? Weren't you over it?"
"Dunno. After your place, keep thinking. And hot earlier."
That's hot? Bad suggestion...?
Couldn't figure it. First hypnosis, fuzzy memory.
'100-Day Girlfriend' stuck, but...
Not my type anyway.
"Just stop liking me."
".............
Minor brain damage detected
?
"What's wrong? Huh?"
What? '<100-Day Girlfriend>' specific, but 'don't like me' too vague? Friend feelings mixed in.
Flipping emotions like pancakes harder? Need specifics.
I shelved it, told Eunji,
"Anyway, before home, buy a pregnancy test. Do it secret. Text results."
"Got it."
"Shoulder tap wakes you."
Tap tap.
"Whoa Seongtae, dizzy... that time of month?"
"You good? Head home."
"But seriously, Netflix?"
Clock said 1 PM—just past office visit time.
"Told you, girlfriend."
"Yeah, but if you're cool, I'm fine as second."
"...?"
"Dunno. After your place, can't control it... weird, right? You ghosting makes me antsy."
Hmm... seriously, what?
"Fine. Gotta run somewhere—wait a bit?"
"Where? Take me?"
"Prof's office. Quick."
"Quick? Wait at door then."
"Whatever."
We headed to the science building together.
Eunji later. Prof first—hypnotize on sight.
More hypnosis targets from today.
Kim Haeun one of 'em.
Curious about app mechanics.
And coin mind... how it controls...
Science building. Hallway to door plaque: Prof. Kim Haeun. Metal door.
Here?
Sign: In Office.
"Be right back?"
"Yeah. Wait here."
Knock knock knock.
Door opened. Kim Haeun sat there.
"Hi, Prof. Han Seongtae—from this morning's email."
Didn't see her at first.
White-painted room hit me. Left wall: Mondrian painting—bold red, blue lines screaming lifelong scholar.
Walnut bookshelves crammed with books.
Center: L-shaped sofa, huge one for prof. Bookshelves hid her face.
Voice from shadows: "Yes, Seongtae? Sit?"
"Sure, Prof."
Plush white sofa—no stains. Neat freak obvious.
Glass table: papers, graded sheets, red pen.
Rustle—she stood, slippers shuffled.
"Called you about our lab—interested?"
She emerged: metal glasses, grayish wavy long hair.
New prof vibe: navy semi-suit, comfy office slippers.
White A4 in hand.
"Hi, Prof."
"Oops, forgot greetings. Hi."
She sat gracefully. White shirt, navy skirt—nice legs crossed.
"Prof, why'd you call?"
"Heard you were under Prof. Jemulpo."
Paper on table—my thesis.
"Yeah, his student. Left now."
"Impressed in class, asked around. Prof. Jemulpo said undergrad wrote paper—read it. Solid. No PhD?"
"Nah, new interests."
"Doing brain science project with Prof. Choi Cheoljong. Y'know, the 'To Einstein!' toast guy."
Like Jian said.
"Yeah, took his lecture."
"Hmm. Still into brains? Join our lab? New grant—good pay."
You're the one I'll make research...
"Prof, saw a paper lately—mind showing on phone?"
"Sure. What?"
I opened hypnosis app.
"Look at this?"
-1000 Coins
Remaining Coins: 15000
Her eyes went dead fish. Sharp wit gone—doll now.
Glasses off first.
"Hmm... face prettier up close? Keep it simple this time?"
Oh, Eunji waiting outside?
=== To Be Continued ===