Prologue: Cram School Instructor Yeon-woo
"Yeon-woo Teacher. We're heading out first."
"Ah, yeah, go ahead, teachers. I've got some extra work to do."
My name is Yeon-woo Lee. I'm 23 years old. A female college student attending the Aviation Department at K University with dreams of becoming a flight attendant. Until just recently, I was known as the goddess of the aviation department, living a flashy social life without a worry about money. But now, during summer break, I'm grudgingly working at a local re-taker cram school, choking back tears.
Why? *Ding!*
> To Customer Yeon-woo Lee
> Your unpaid card payment of 6,845,330 won from July 25th remains outstanding.
> Please check your linked account.
"Ugh..."
The unpaid credit card amount from last month—or rather, the snowballing debt from revolving payments that now includes the previous month's balance too. That's the reason.
"Just for scratching one bag... This is scary as hell."
When Dad's business was thriving, this amount wouldn't have fazed me. But now, after the failure, living off my uncle's family, I'm trembling over a single Dior bag.
So, to pay off the card debt, I'm working at this self-study re-taker academy run by one of Uncle's acquaintances.
"And upload like this... Perfect."
My main job is as the academy's promoter. Modeling to advertise Mabong Self-Study Re-taker Academy, uploading promo materials online. I shoot the videos and photos myself as the model, edit them, and spread them virally on Instagram, Facebook, all sorts of SNS, and Shorts.
Right now, I'm posting promo photos I took as the model on Instagram.
And my second job is—
"Yeon-woo Teacher. I need to step out for a bit. If you're done uploading, could you cover questions for the kids?"
"Ah, sure thing."
—filling in as a backup question teacher.
What’s a question teacher? The official title is learning management teacher—a role unique to self-study re-taker academies, not found in regular ones. Unlike standard cram schools with live lectures, here students use assigned computers or iPads to watch online lectures on their own, then self-study the rest. It's more like a study room with learning management than a traditional academy.
Still, compared to 100% solo self-study at a regular reading room, the 'learning management'—tracking attendance, progress, etc.—helps build systematic study habits. Plus, tuition is about half the price of full-service cram schools that cost over a million won a month.
And even though self-study is the core, when online lectures aren't enough, they can ask the question teacher. A teacher stationed to answer quick questions on stuck problems. I also check their online lecture progress, manage attendance, and so on.
That's why we have a dedicated classroom for questions, and when the regular teachers are busy, I fill in. As I head out of the office to the question room, male students are already lined up waiting for me.
Legally adults, but after years of re-taker life that feels like an extension of high school, they still look like kids fresh out of school.
And just like high school boys gawking at a pretty student teacher, they're grinning at my face.
Do I really look that good to you guys?
"Yeon-woo Teacher!"
"Teacher, we've been waiting."
"Aww, why not ask another teacher instead of me?"
"Nah, you're our fave, Yeon-woo Teacher. Can't do that, hehe."
"What's the question?"
"Uh, this math part here."
Damn... Math is especially not my strong suit. Truth be told, I got hired for promo because of my looks and figure, not academics. I only fill in as question teacher for the extra pay.
These guys like me for my appearance, not my teaching skills.
"'Okay, looking here... Uh... So, regarding the real number t, let the x-coordinate of the intersection of the curves y = t - log2(x) and y = 2^(x - t) - 1 be f(t). Which of the following statements is true...' Hmm..."
I'm buffering hard. My face flushes bright red.
I have no clue on this...
"Teacher, you don't know, do you?"
The boy teases me with a playful grin, reading my awkward expression.
"What? I know it, I just can't explain it precisely right now..."
He's hit the nail on the head, and I'm mortified. Cold sweat drips down as—thank god—the male instructor I was covering for returns.
"Yeon-woo Teacher. I'm back."
"Ah, Teacher. You're back early."
"It was quick... Are the kids backed up?"
Saved by the bell. A miracle from Buddha, God, whoever. I quickly shove it off on the real question teacher and slip away.
"Oh, Teacher Geun-woo is back. I could solve it, but he'd explain better."
"What? Scared 'cause Teacher doesn't know? Running away?"
"Tch. Whatever! I gotta clock out."
"Already, Teacher?"
"Yeah. See ya."
The disappointed boys try to hold me back, but I brush them off curtly and head down the hall to prep for leaving. I pause at one classroom.
The quiet hallway. Classrooms divided by gender—boys and girls. I peek through the glass door of the boys' room.
Desks packed with individual partitions like a study cafe. Re-takers silently self-studying inside.
Are they doing okay?
This is the academy run by Uncle's acquaintance, remember? So my little brother Jin-woo Lee and my cousin Cheol-gyu Lee, Uncle's son, study here too.
As I stare blankly inside, either he senses me or can't focus, but Cheol-gyu whips his head around, spots me, and waves happily.
Ugly like a monkey.
I ignore the cheerful punk and look at my blood brother right beside him.
Unlike his cousin who stops studying to greet me, my brother has noise-canceling earbuds in, diligently laser-focused on his work.
Good kid. Studying hard...
He's way smarter than me—could've gotten into a SKY university easy—but he's retaking to aim higher for med school, dental, or oriental medicine. Back when Dad's business boomed, I'd have gotten him private tutoring. Now, with no money, he's studying here at half price on connections.
Maybe feeling our tough family situation more than anyone, he's extra diligent. It tugs at my heart a bit. I step away from the door and head out.
Ah, not fully off work—I've got a night gig to hustle.
Stepping out of the academy, the night air is still sweltering despite the hour. Right in central Seoul, the tropical night heat is no joke.
"Ah, fuck, it's hot..."
I grab a taxi out front, slump my tired body into the back seat, and open KakaoTalk.
Our KakaoTalk from two hours ago. I tap to reply.
Hm. Yeah... The truth is, I'm a prostitute.