An Unpleasant Encounter
Professor Yu Eun-yeong's office, which I'd stepped into for counseling, was surprisingly well-ordered and smelled good.
It really did feel like a woman's room.
Professor Yu Eun-yeong sat on her desk—not in a chair; she was literally sitting on the desk—and gestured for me to take the sofa nearby.
"So. Is there something you wanted to talk to me about?"
"Huh? Ah… well. Not really…"
"What? You raised your hand right away, so I figured you had something to ask."
I'd only raised my hand because she seemed approachable as a person… But now that I thought about it, what did counseling even involve?
"Then we'd better go by the book… Let's see. Wa Sol, what do you want to do after graduating from this department?"
"…I'm not sure. Get a job at a chemical company, maybe?"
"Yeah. You haven't thought about it at all."
"No…"
"What do you need to do for that?"
"Study hard, right?"
"Study what?"
"…My major?"
Professor Yu Eun-yeong fell silent for a moment and stared at me intently, chin propped on her hand, as if she were observing a specimen.
A few minutes passed like that.
"Wa Sol, why did you choose this school, this department?"
"Well… because it was the highest I could get into with my grades."
"Honest. Hmm. Let me ask you this. On a scale of one to ten, how would you rate your current motivation for studying?"
Had I answered too honestly? Better to go a little higher this time…
"…About a three?"
"Even with what seems like a slight bump, that level means you basically have no academic motivation."
"…"
She was sharp.
"Whew. I'm going to ask a personal question. Is your family happy, Wa Sol?"
"…I don't know… Things are a bit awkward with my mom."
Did I really have to talk about this too…?
"How did you end up growing your hair out like that?"
"Well… on my mom's recommendation."
Half forced, really.
"…Hmm. Found it."
"What?"
"Nothing. Just means I've got a rough idea."
Professor Yu Eun-yeong got down from the desk and this time properly sat in the chair in front of it. That was when I noticed a box that looked like a ring case sitting open in the corner of the desk.
"Ah, this? It's a ring."
A ring? Oh—so she was married. But people usually wore their wedding rings on their hands, didn't they? Maybe she'd taken it off for experiments.
…Though before that, I wasn't even sure it really was a wedding ring. She seemed like the type who loved jokes.
Of course I couldn't just ask something like that casually, so I simply waited for Professor Yu Eun-yeong's next words.
"Just asking—is graduating your ultimate goal, Wa Sol?"
"Yes…"
"And you haven't thought about what comes after?"
"Yes…"
"Is your mom really that hard to deal with?"
"Yes… Yes!?"
I answered without thinking. What had she just said?
Watching my startled reaction, Professor Yu Eun-yeong let out a snort of laughter and tossed me a candy from her desk.
Slightly flustered, I caught it and looked at her blankly, so she gestured for me to eat it. It was a red ginseng candy I didn't particularly want, but somehow I felt like I should, so I put it in my mouth.
Bitter and sweet…
"I have no right to say this with any authority, but there's no law that says mothers and children have to get along. Still, usually kids like their moms. But if it's the opposite…"
If it's the opposite?
"That means the mom did something wrong. Ah—does this count as a mom roast?"
It could sound that way. But I didn't mind at all.
Because it was the truth.
"People can easily brush off things they don't care about, but they can't easily brush off things they do care about. The reason you feel uncomfortable around your mother yet can't just let it go is probably because you cherish her—or want to cherish her—don't you think?"
Me, cherish Mom? Honestly, I wasn't sure.
I'd already half given up on her…
But I understood what Professor Yu Eun-yeong was saying.
If it were someone I truly didn't care about, I'd just try to ignore everything about them. Like those guys just a moment ago.
"I'll… think about it."
"Good. Looks like you're going to need counseling often."
Professor Yu Eun-yeong marked something on her calendar as she spoke.
"Then let's meet again next month."
"What? I thought counseling was once per semester."
"I'll give you special treatment. No need to thank me."
Was extra class special treatment? I didn't think this was something to be grateful for.
"Plus, I think I need to keep a closer eye on you. Otherwise you'll go off the rails."
"I don't think it's that bad…"
I'd been a model student through high school, if not a top student. No matter how sick I got, I always went to school and collected every perfect-attendance award. I'd never caused any major problems—me, going off the rails…?
"Alright, you can go. Oh, and please don't let me see you multiple times in the same class. These days a B is enough to pass, so at least hit the average."
"…Yes."
Feeling a bit sour at Professor Yu Eun-yeong's implication that I'd be retaking courses, I stood up, said goodbye, and left the office.
"Do I really have to come again next month? Why only me…"
Thinking I'd somehow picked the wrong counseling professor, I regretted my decision from a few minutes ago as I headed for the cafe where Yun-a was waiting. Along the way—
"Hey, you?"
Right now I was the only one in the hallway. If someone said something like that in that situation, they were probably calling me.
"Yes?"
"Ah, I knew it. Long black hair. Wow, you're really pretty."
Ugh.
I instinctively took a step back.
Wanting to put even a little distance between myself and that blonde-dyed guy approaching with a smile.
"Hi, I'm Kim Ju-hyeon. I returned this year. Nice to meet you."
Ju-hyeon held out his hand as if for a handshake. Not wanting to take it, I bowed my head in greeting instead.
He clenched and unclenched the hand he'd offered, then shrugged.
"So you're Wa Sol. I heard from the kids there's a goddess among this year's freshmen. I knew it the moment I saw you."
"…Thank you."
"No need for that~ Ah, do you have time after this? Want to grab a meal together?"
"No, I have plans."
"Then let's meet after your plans."
"What?"
"Can I get your number?"
Ju-hyeon held out his phone to me with complete confidence. What? I'd clearly been trying to refuse.
"Hmm?"
He looked at me as if asking why I still hadn't entered my number. But I absolutely did not want to give this person my number.
I just didn't want to create any more reasons to get involved with him.
In the end I tried to apologize and leave right away, but the words wouldn't come out easily. That was when—
"If you're going to hit on people, do it somewhere else. This is a sacred school."
"…Professor Yu Eun-yeong."
The person who saved me was Professor Yu Eun-yeong. She gave Ju-hyeon a slight glare, then heaved a deep sigh and scratched the back of her neck as she spoke.
"Haa. Don't cause any problems."
"Problems? I just want to get friendly."
"Impossible. A kid like you can't get close to Wa Sol. And Wa Sol is a student I'm giving special care to, so don't approach her any further."
As if protecting me, Professor Yu Eun-yeong stepped in front of me and spoke toward Ju-hyeon.
Yun-a too—there seemed to be a lot of cool women around me.
"Ah~ I see. Got it."
Creepy.
I got goosebumps at the sound of Ju-hyeon's voice as he spoke looking at me. I didn't know why, but I still hated that guy.
"Wa Sol, you go on ahead. Kim Ju-hyeon. You hurry up and go take care of your business."
"Yes~"
Ju-hyeon answered that way and, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, entered the password on Professor Yu Eun-yeong's office door lock and went inside.
He waved at me as he did, but I didn't respond.
If only I'd refused more firmly then—if only I'd mustered a little more courage—maybe the things that would happen later wouldn't have happened.
It's a question that means nothing now.
After the counseling with Professor Yu Eun-yeong, the atmosphere around me began to change little by little.
In a bad direction.
"Wa Sol~ Let's have dinner together."
Even though we weren't the same year or the same grade, Ju-hyeon always found wherever I was. For the record, on the surface Ju-hyeon was a handsome guy who was cheerful and took good care of his juniors—a model senior, and of course popular.
Though from my perspective I wondered what was so great about someone so full of pretenses.
"Sorry, but Wa Sol has plans with us today."
"Ah, with Je-cheol again?"
"I'm here too, you know?"
Having two friends who blocked that senior's advances was a huge source of strength.
After the semester started and I got tangled up in various problems, I no longer thought about making more friends, and just hung out with these two.
"Then the four of us can eat together, right?"
"I'd feel uncomfortable eating with you, Senior."
"A guy being that petty."
Je-cheol, who was neat, quiet, and wore glasses that gave him an intellectual air, and Ju-hyeon with his flashy, cheerful, bright vibe.
Of course plenty of girls were after the two handsome guys. Though neither of them seemed interested in the girls around them.
"Man, if those two are the competition, no one else even gets a shot."
"I'm not giving up yet."
"Forget it, look at Wa Sol's face. Your face doesn't stand a chance."
I overheard some unpleasant conversation. It wasn't like that.
"You okay?"
"…Yeah, thanks. Je-cheol."
I didn't know about Ju-hyeon, but Je-cheol didn't look at me that way. That was reassuring.
And for the record, it wasn't just the guys who made me feel bad.
"…Why only Wa Sol."
"She's just pretty, that's all."
No matter how many times I received those resentful looks, I never got used to them. Those looks.
"Enough. Let's go first. I'm hungry."
Yun-a shielded me by wrapping an arm around me. And so, protected by my two friends, I was still managing to have what I considered an enjoyable school life.
If only I'd thought about toughing it out more on my own…