Chapter 29
Chapter 29
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 29
Chapter Title: Midterms - 1
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Why didn't Mom give birth to me as a genius?
Mom would probably shed bloody tears, saying she'd given birth to a beast instead of a son if she heard that, but during exam season, all sorts of random thoughts popped into my head.
"Ah, why is this so damn hard..."
"Hey, just give up. Studying is something you do steadily from the start."
"...Yoon Do-hyun, you little shit. What grade did you get last year to act all chill like this?"
"Me? Grade 7."
"...?"
"I told you. Studying is something you do steadily from the start. We're already too late."
Is this guy insane?
He plops down next to me, scrolls on his phone, and gives advice like he's got it all figured out. I thought maybe he was good at studying, but no—it was the leisure of someone who'd given up early.
Looking back, calling him "Class President Material" when I first met him was ridiculous. The more I got to know him, the more of a moron he seemed.
"...Shouldn't you at least look at it now? We've got a week left."
"Ah, Mom. I'll handle it. Come on, hang out with me a bit. Jinhyuk's always studying like that, so I have no one to play with. No one."
"He's aiming for grade 1. He was the same last year."
As Yoon Do-hyun said, Seo Jinhyuk was the type who went straight to cram school after classes. Once exam period hit, he cut ties with us completely.
Before I met Yerim, I was like Yoon Do-hyun now—thinking, "Exams? Aren't they just testing your usual skills?" and preparing half-assedly.
—But I couldn't do that anymore.
Yerim, Seo Jinhyuk... even Han Sea were all top performers. I couldn't just jerk off to "Heh, middle of the pack isn't bad, right?" all by myself.
Still.
"Haah..."
It's hard. Way too hard.
My grades had improved a lot from before, but just to that extent.
...Maybe I should go to cram school too.
But I'm studying to match up with Yerim. If I end up with less time to see her because of cram school, what's the point?
Staring at the workbook in front of me brought up all sorts of thoughts.
"Hey, didn't you say your girlfriend is a year younger than us?"
"Yeah, why?"
"Is she good at studying?"
"Tsk, I think she said grade 2 or something...?"
I wondered if this guy couldn't even confirm his girlfriend's grades, but then it made sense—he'd cycled through seven already. No wonder he's confused. And number eight was on the horizon.
"Your girlfriend's good at studying. Doesn't that make you wanna step up your game?"
"Me? Why?"
"...I'm bad at it, but she's good, so don't you wanna show her your best side?"
"What the...?"
Yoon Do-hyun laughed like it was the dumbest thing ever.
"Dude, everyone has their own strengths. Just 'cause she's good at studying doesn't mean I have to be too."
"So what's your strength?"
".........Anyway, I've got something, you punk. If she was gonna judge me for sucking at studying, we wouldn't be dating."
It stung a bit seeing Yoon Do-hyun unable to answer right away about his strengths, but what he said wasn't wrong, so I had to concede.
Conversations with Yoon Do-hyun were always like this.
Not everything was relatable, but somehow, it always made sense in a weird way...
"And worst case, I'm not marrying her or anything, so who cares?"
Shit.
This guy's just on a whole different wavelength.
"...Never even thought about it?"
"She'd hate it too."
"......"
That's the mindset that makes it possible.
Impressive in one way, tragic in another.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Scratch scratch.
After class ended, knowing myself well as I did—
I had no confidence in focusing alone, so I came to the study cafe with Yerim, Seo Jinhyuk, and Han Sea.
I sat with Seo Jinhyuk, while Yerim sat with Han Sea, split into pairs.
Coming to the study cafe didn't magically turn it into a study session.
Seo Jinhyuk looked impressive as he flipped open his workbook and started solving problems without a hitch right away.
"Hey."
"......What."
"How do you just dive right into studying?"
"Shouldn't have asked."
…Holy shit. You don't have to say it like that.
Embarrassed, I turned my head, and a bit further away, I saw Yerim and Han Sea talking seriously.
...What are they talking about to look like that? Both good at studying, so maybe planning their study schedules or something.
Sigh. Guess I should study too. I let out a breath and opened my workbook.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
At that moment.
"...Sea-ya."
"Yeah~?"
"I wanna buy Oppa some pajamas..."
"Yerim-ah. You know you've been talking about that for a month straight? I think this is the fifth time today alone...?"
"But nooo..."
Coming to the study cafe because Oppa suggested studying together was great, but even after sitting down, I couldn't focus on studying.
...No, more than that, why did I have to sit separately from Oppa?
Of course, logically, same grade-mates sitting together wouldn't distract each other.
Still.
Still...
Oppa could teach me problems I don't know...
I desperately racked my brain for reasons it was okay to sit together.
Even though I didn't have any unknown problems yet. If not, I could make some, yeah.
"Why'd you suddenly get obsessed with pajamas?"
"The pajamas Oppa gave me for my birthday ended up being way better than I expected... They pop into my head every time I try to wear them before bed, while wearing them, when I lie down to sleep..."
"Stop. As your sister-figure, I don't need that level of detail about thinking of your Oppa..."
"...Anyway, I thought it'd be nice if Oppa felt the same."
"With reasoning like that, neither you nor Oppa needs pajamas."
"...And I kinda wanna get matching couple pajamas too."
"Ah-ha~"
Sea grinned like she'd figured out my real goal, and her gaze made me turn my head, a bit embarrassed.
"Got anything in mind?"
"...This."
Just imagining what pajamas would suit Oppa made me happy.
Lately, one of my daily routines was browsing pajamas for Oppa until I drifted off to sleep.
"Oh! Cute, puppy pajamas?"
"...Yeah. They seem like they'd suit Oppa."
"Since there's Yerim-nyang too, right~?"
"......"
From the start of my search, I hadn't even glanced at anything but puppy ones.
Oppa would be the same.
"Eek, but they're kinda pricey?"
"Yeah, so I can't buy them now..."
"With your allowance, couldn't you save up by next month?"
"I've been saving separately since last year, but even next month I can't... Probably the month after... Wait, no, then I couldn't get a birthday present..."
"...? What are you talking about? Isn't this the birthday present?"
"...? This is just something I wanna give Oppa..."
We stared at each other, eyes wide like "What are you saying right now?"
"...You wanna give him something this expensive just 'cause, not even for his birthday?"
"Yeah..."
"Uh... Couldn't you look at something cheaper~?"
"No way. It's for Oppa..."
"......But you said you're short on money...?"
"I'll start saving now..."
".........Then how about saving these pajamas and giving them on his birthday~?"
"I don't think I can wait that long... And I wanna give a birthday present too..."
"............W-well, compromising on a cheaper birthday present like last year..."
"Nooo, it's for Oppa..."
Sea hung her head, clutching her chest like it pained her, letting out a small "Ugh...!"
...I get it. I know why Sea finds me frustrating right now.
But even Sea couldn't budge me.
Not when it came to Oppa.
...This was more important to me than anything.
"I don't care. No more Oppa pajama talk in front of me!"
"...That's mean. I'm gonna sulk."
"Saying that with your orange eyes won't work~"
...Have I really been talking about it that much?
Sea always listened with a smile even when I went on about Oppa, or chimed in about Oppa Jinhyuk, but if even she's like this, I must've talked way more than I realized. I felt a little sorry.
"Ugh... You're so sly. Fine, I'm going to sit next to Woojin Oppa."
"...Isn't that just an excuse to sit next to Oppa~?"
I ignored Sea's grumbling from behind and walked over to Oppa's table.
Oppa, frowning at his workbook because the problems weren't going well, soon noticed me approaching and looked up with a smile.
I couldn't help but smile back reflexively.
"What's up? Stuck on something, Yerim-ah?"
"Yeah, that too..."
I couldn't exactly say it was because I had no answer for the Oppa pajama gift dilemma.
Thinking of another excuse, I soon spotted a familiar sight.
"Oppa Jinhyuk wants to switch seats..."
"Seo Jinhyuk?"
"......Huh? Me? Did you just mention me? What about me?"
...Sorry, Oppa.
Oppa Jinhyuk jumped in surprise, having no idea his name came up while he was focused on his problems.
"Oppa said he wants to switch..."
".........Me?"
"Yeah."
Even though Oppa had never said that to me.
We share the same blood, so he must feel the same, right?
Nodding to myself, Oppa's eyes twitched.
"...Yeah, right. Better if we switch so Woojin and I can help with what you two don't know."
The old Jinhyuk Oppa would've just said okay and moved, but now he played along like it was natural and switched seats.
"You could've just said you wanted to sit here. Jinhyuk's gonna cry."
Woojin Oppa laughed like he couldn't do anything about us.
Just like Jinhyuk Oppa had gotten used to it, Woojin Oppa would've been suspicious before, but now he casually made space for me like it was normal.
"...Oppa."
"Yeah?"
"I came because I wanted to sit next to you..."
"......I told you to tell Jinhyuk."
"But you said to say it to you..."
Still.
Watching Oppa avoid my gaze shyly right in front of me.
I was glad I'd switched seats after all.