Jelly
" I already finished it all. "
" Wait a sec? I'll grade it for you? "
She took my textbook and checked my answers while following along with the solutions.
Watching her nod with a cheerful hum and circle every correct one, I stood there with a blank expression, mind drifting back to moments just moments ago.
…Studying really isn't that hard, huh.
It was something I always avoided back in school days.
Now that I was doing it, it didn't seem nearly as tough as I'd thought.
Even in my previous life, while it was exhausting, I'd still attended classes at least half-heartedly.
Thanks to my adult mind, I seemed to grasp and focus better than before.
Plus, the biggest key to studying was the teacher, right?
Nam Yu-ri's teaching skill was at a really high level.
Honestly, it was enough that she could get a job as an academy instructor without batting an eye.
Since she herself was good at studying, there was almost no concept she couldn't explain.
Because she'd experienced the past cluster, she also had the ability to break things down in an easy-to-understand way for people who didn't know anything about it.
And every time I understood something even a little, she showered me with praise and reactions.
On top of that, her looks were enough to make it impossible to look away.
'Why did I never realize that kids who get tutored by a pretty noona end up with great grades.'
There was one girl in my high school class who suddenly shot up in grades.
She'd told me once that it was because she wanted to impress her tutor.
Back then, I hadn't been interested in studying at all, so I just let it slide.
But thinking about it now, I could see how huge of a motivator that really was.
Even now, every time Nam Yu-ri praised me, my drive kicked up a notch.
Just for those compliments and smiles, I wanted to do even better.
'Why did I throw in the towel back in high school and just live my life?'
Of course, even if I had studied hard back then, I don't know if I would have made it to university.
Still, I felt a pang of regret at the thought that I had completely given up on studying on my own back then.
My head just ached a little.
It was something I could have done with a little effort.
As I kept turning over my own past, the girl in front of me flashed a bright smile right into my eyes.
"Wow… incredible."
"Hm?"
"Everything's correct. Woo-hyun, are you really a genius? I've never seen anyone this good at studying."
I knew it was her way of encouraging me with an over-the-top act.
But honestly, there was probably only one student she'd ever taught before.
Still, I couldn't help the corners of my mouth lifting at the praise from such a pretty girl.
It made me feel a little proud too.
It was like realizing I'd actually be able to do something this well.
"Don't praise me too much, or I'll get too cocky for the next class."
"I'm not praising you. I'm serious. And at this level, you can get cocky if you want."
"…"
"Actually, if I hadn't been the one teaching you and you just listened to some online lectures, you'd probably have done well too. It was just my fast understanding speed."
Her sparkling eyes staring at me made me feel under a lot of pressure.
She was hoping for a lot, but to me, I didn't think I was quite that good.
But if she believed it, then I had to believe it too.
At least the way someone who actually studied well saw it would be different from mine.
She glanced at the phone sitting beside her and smiled softly as she said,
"You know what? Woo-hyun?"
"What is it?"
"I already finished all the preparation for today's class. But there's still over ten minutes left."
At her words, I checked the time on my own phone.
It was true.
Out of the one hour and thirty minutes total class time, only one hour and twenty minutes had passed.
It wasn't like she hadn't prepared well at all.
It was probably because I had understood the lesson faster than she'd expected.
To her, it was a pleasant mistake.
From the teacher's point of view, having a student who followed along so well must have looked pretty good.
"It was all thanks to the teacher teaching so well, right?"
"Modesty. Still, thanks. Hehe."
When I playfully took the credit for her, she accepted the praise with pure innocence.
Even her refusal to deny it showed how much she trusted herself.
"Well then, shall we wrap up the class early today?"
"Sure."
"For the next one, I'll bring extra material to study. Be ready?"
"Even better than now?"
"If we make it 1.5 times more, the time should fit perfectly, right?"
"Eh… Woo-hyun isn't that good."
Watching her seriously consider adding extra content to the lesson, a cold sweat ran down my back.
***
"♫ Humming ♫"
A cheerful tune escaped my lips on its own.
Nam Yu-ri was simply happy.
Today's class had gone smoothly.
And the student had been even better than expected.
Most of all, the fact that I'd come along in a way that made her want to teach me.
She loved teaching someone.
Her student council work had been busy lately, and she'd been stressed a lot.
Feeling that weight lift a little thanks to today's lesson, she felt grateful toward Woo-hyun.
"Um… Nam Yu-ri."
"Hm?"
"Where do you get picked up from?"
"Hm? Ah. Probably right in front of the school."
…It seemed even Woo-hyun knew about it.
No matter what her private life was like, she was quite famous at school.
It was also because her looks drew people's attention.
There was the spotlight from being the top student and perfect student council president.
But even stronger than that, the titles that clung to her like glue were the ones that really mattered.
'The daughter of the Yeonseong City Mayor.'
She knew it too.
She knew that even the teachers were interested in that title.
Her father, Mayor Nam Ju-hak, had been in the position for eight years now.
The daughter of Mayor Nam Ju-hak.
Before he took office, this city hadn't developed like this.
Her father had wide connections in politics and was skilled, so he successfully brought in various road networks, subways, and academic districts, expensive luxury neighborhoods, and cultural facilities.
He had even cleared almost all the city debts during his term.
There was no one in the city who wouldn't recognize those achievements.
So it was openly known that she was the mayor's daughter.
Most students knew that the special car with a driver and a luxury sedan picked her up every morning and evening.
'I have to do better so I don't let my father down.'
Because of that, she always paid attention to the looks directed at her at school.
She knew that every small action she took could have a big impact on her father.
In fact, the mayor of a nearby city had failed re-election because his son had committed school violence.
Naturally growing up with that kind of news, Yu-ri had no choice but to be cautious with every single action of hers.
One word.
One bad behavior.
There, dignity was born.
She stood by the bus stop next to the place where the car always arrived when leaving school.
At first, she'd had some reluctance about arriving by herself unlike other kids, but now she was used to those looks.
"Crap. The bus is coming super late. I should have left a little earlier."
"How many times do you take it?"
"25. Ten minutes."
Woo-hyun seemed to ride the bus too.
When I checked the bus number he taught in on the electronic board, it showed twelve minutes.
If he had left after regular cluster class ended, he could have caught it right away.
Because he left early, it had turned out this way.
"Me too."
"What?"
"The driver. He comes on time, so I have to wait."
Of course, if I called, he would come a bit faster.
But I didn't really want that.
"Ah, really?"
"Yeah. Let's wait together."
Even though it was different from usual, having someone else made the wait less lonely.
Because her parents were busy, and when she got home she spent most of her time alone in the big mansion.
Even pretending not to, she was thirsty for human connection.
"Got it. Then wait a sec. I'll go somewhere real quick."
"Eh? Ah… yeah."
Hearing her words, he seemed to make a decision and suddenly started running off somewhere.
Staring blankly at his back, I saw he went into the convenience store.
…What was he buying?
And in less than thirty seconds, he came out holding a small bag.
He immediately returned to the bus stop and handed me the small bag he was holding.
"What is this?"
"Jelly. Eat it."
I couldn't help but be surprised when I received the thing.
It was the jelly I loved the most in the world, Trolli Sour.
…Must have been a coincidence?
I hadn't told him that I liked jelly.
It wasn't like I was on bad terms with Woo-hyun, but we weren't close either.
Since he was friends with the vice-president Tae-jun and always hung out with him, it just happened that way.
'Back then, I didn't eat sweets at school anyway…'
There was no one at school who knew that I liked sweets.
I loved desserts and sugar, but I always held back.
If I got fat and it made me look ugly, it would also be a blemish in my father's eyes.
Maintaining my figure was essential to keep my favorable image.
So I didn't touch even snacks, let alone desserts served at lunch.
"…But why give this to me?"
And I didn't know why he was handing it to me.
When I tilted my head in confusion, Woo-hyun answered awkwardly.
"Just because I taught you well today, thanks. Think of it as a lecture fee."
"…"
As a cluster mentor, he didn't need to give me anything special since he got benefits at school.
But the gift from Woo-hyun probably meant something more.
It was a gift from someone who really appreciated me.
"I wouldn't have been this motivated to study if it weren't for you… and it also carries the meaning of a bribe for how well I'll do in the future."
"My heart really thanks you…"
I shouldn't take this.
If I kept it, I'd definitely eat it all.
I hadn't thought of myself as someone with self-restraint.
I always showed a good side to others, but other people didn't know how impulsive I really was.
It was at the moment I was about to say I'd take the heart and return the jelly.
"In case it makes you gain weight."
"…Huh?"
"Don't worry about that. Eating just one of these won't make you gain weight. You look too skinny, you need to gain a little to look pretty."
How did he know…? Did I look that obvious?
Watching Woo-hyun say it as if he had read my thoughts completely, I felt a little strange, as if my inner thoughts had been seen.
…Plus, 'you need to gain a little to look pretty.' What did that even mean.
There was no one in the world who looked pretty by gaining weight.
Even while thinking that, for some reason, when I heard it from Woo-hyun, my face heated up.
It was probably because he was a guy.
"Eh… um… that…"
"Woah. The bus is here. Huh? It's coming way earlier than expected? I'll go first? Eat it nicely!"
"Yeah? Ah. Yeah. Bye."
Watching Woo-hyun's back as he left the place in a hurry without returning the jelly.
Looking at the wiggling little creatures in the jelly bag, the combination of sour and sweet from my mouth already made my mouth water.
"I-It was a gift. I can't just throw it away. Yeah."
With those words, I shoved the jelly he gave me into my pocket.
I had to eat one or two while studying at the academy later… hehe.
For some reason, I felt today's academy class would be a little more fun.