"A-Are You Okay?!"
Supervising proctor rushed over to Jeong In-ah. The students taking the exam stared at her in shock. The proctor shook her body. She didn't respond for a while. Then her eyes snapped open, and she bolted upright. Jeong In-ah looked around in confusion before realizing mid-exam and hurriedly sat back down. She stared intently at the watch on her wrist.
"……Are you okay? F-For now, let's get you to the infirmary—"
"Can you give me a new answer sheet?"
Jeong In-ah cut off the proctor. She handed over her bloodstained answer sheet and continued. "Please swap it out. Quick. It's got blood on it……."
"……."
The proctor stared blankly at Jeong In-ah. Her eyes were glazed over, and her nose was still bleeding. No matter how you looked at it, she wasn't in any condition to continue the exam. But forcing her to stop wasn't an option either. The proctor fetched a fresh answer sheet and some tissues, handing them to her.
"If it gets too much, you can stop midway—"
"I'm fine."
Jeong In-ah took the sheet and pressed on. "Really, really fine."
She placed the answer sheet on her desk and checked her watch. Four minutes left. It was tight. But not impossible to submit. Jeong In-ah grabbed her pen and alternated glances between the exam and answer sheet, scribbling responses. Every time she turned her head, dizziness hit, and nausea churned in her gut. The letters danced wildly, making it hard to even read her pre-written answers on the exam paper. Each time, she shook her head to force herself alert and tried to read calmly. But the letters kept dancing.
Blood from earlier had smeared some problems, blurring answers. In those cases, Jeong In-ah re-solved them on the spot or recalled her solving process to guess. That's how she filled out the final answer.
"Time's up. Hands under desks, everyone."
And the exam ended.
Some students jumped up cheering the moment it was over. Others were already planning trips. A few still reeled from the brutally tough difficulty, while one stared blankly at their paper. Jeong In-ah stared at the letters still spinning in circles. They weren't just dancing on the paper. Sometimes they crawled off it, wriggling. Even closing her eyes didn't help—they danced there too.
Unable to see clearly through the letters, Jeong In-ah blinked. But each blink multiplied them.
"……Ah."
Thud.
Her body tilted sideways. The chair toppled, and she hit the floor. She wanted to get up, but her whole body felt drained—no strength even in her fingers. Her skin prickled and itched, like letters from the paper were dancing on her.
"You okay?! Hey, snap out of it……!"
"Should we call an ambulance? No, first……."
Layers of letters blocked her vision. Nothing visible. But she heard the proctor and some students' voices. She wanted to reply. That she was fine, really fine, no need to worry. Then act normal, get up, and bolt home. But even "fine" wouldn't come out. No strength to speak.
Suddenly, her body felt light. Jeong In-ah forced her eyes open.
"……What."
In that split second, she saw the face of the person holding her. So familiar and dear, yet sometimes infuriating. But he wore an expression she'd never seen, making his face strangely unfamiliar. Jeong In-ah closed her eyes. In the darkness, she barely heard a heartbeat.
*
"……Whoa!"
Jeong In-ah gasped and shot up the moment her eyes opened. Then flopped back down. The sudden movement brought vertigo. She grimaced, pressing her temples to fend off the headache. Deep breath in, out. The infirmary's disinfectant smell hit her. Her dark vision gradually cleared. Wind slipped through the open window, fluttering the curtains. They glowed orange in the sunset. No mistake—it was dusk.
Jeong In-ah gauged the time. Exam started around 10 a.m…… Almost eight hours unconscious.
"You're awake."
"Ah, y-yes……. Huh? Wait, you!"
She'd assumed the school nurse and replied politely, then realized who it was and yelped oddly. Do Seon-woo sat on the bed's edge, watching her. Jeong In-ah tried to sit up, but he stopped her.
"Just lie there."
"……."
No strength anyway, and lying felt better, so she obeyed. She sank back weakly. Do Seon-woo watched silently. A brief silence fell. Jeong In-ah glanced at him, wanting to say something, but looked away embarrassed when their eyes met.
"W-Why keep staring?"
"Worried."
"Liar."
"I carried you here."
"……I know."
Jeong In-ah replied curtly, out of words. Right before blacking out, that glimpse. She'd been in his arms. Do Seon-woo had looked urgent, anxious—an expression she'd never seen. But maybe it was wishful thinking, hoping he'd worry about her. He was always calm, composed. No way he'd freak over little old her collapsing, she thought. Yet part of her wished it wasn't illusion. Wished he'd truly cared.
"Jeez, I didn't even know you were back at school. You never pick up."
She changed the subject. Do Seon-woo eyed her before speaking.
"Same exam room. Whole time."
"……Then say hi!"
She yelled unnecessarily. She'd had no clue they shared the room. Buried in studies, no room for anything else.
Do Seon-woo just smirked without replying, watching her.
"Stop staring. I look ugly lying down."
She teased. He chuckled dryly.
"No difference upright……."
"……If I were at full strength, you'd be dead. Like, really dead."
"Yeah?"
Do Seon-woo stared intently and added, "Then recover quick. To hit me."
"Ha, you bet. Just wait."
Jeong In-ah laughed back. But her smile faded fast, shadow falling. The exam hit her late. Collapsed mid-test, swapped sheets in panic, filled late. No confidence in answers. Maybe botched sure ones, or shifted them in the rush. No review—time short, mind scattered. Anxiety gnawed. One slip could drop her from single to double digits. And who knew how many slips? Top spot aside, even top 10 for scholarship felt shaky.
"……How'd the exam go?"
She forced a smile to hide worry. Do Seon-woo nodded, expression neutral.
"Eh, average."
"Average tells me nothing."
"Results not out yet……."
He trailed off vaguely. Jeong In-ah dropped it. He'd skipped weeks for personal reasons, barely studied on return days. Worse than last time at best. Pushing would just embarrass him.
"Well, good if good! Bad? Whatever. You're the practical test beast anyway."
"Useless. No practicals this midterm."
"Finals practicals, ace 'em!"
Jeong In-ah beamed. Not empty comfort—Do Seon-woo dominated practicals, earning "practical beast." She was "written beast." Ma Yu-hyeon took last written top but his rep kept the full title from him. She secretly loved the childish nicknames. Tied for tops in their fields. Acted annoyed outwardly, but felt equal inside.
"……Heard you fought Ma Yu-hyeon."
Nicknames sparked the question. Do Seon-woo smiled bitterly.
"Fight? Just took the hits."
"Why just take it? Not your style."
"……Sometimes eating it pays."
"Still, don't go getting beat. Only I hit you."
"Sure, whatever."
He nodded smiling. Jeong In-ah grinned wide. Rumors said Kim Jin-seo sparked it—was it true? Questions piled, but she buried them. No prying to risk awkwardness. This was enough: easy talk, banter, laughs. Pushing closer might push apart. Scary.
*
Class buzzed from morning. Grades day.
"Hey, In-ah! Heard?"
Her recently chatty friend approached as usual. Jeong In-ah, catching up on sleep, looked up.
"Heard what? Spill."
"Ma Yu-hyeon! Walked out mid-Romanica theology. No answer sheet."
"……So?"
Still groggy, she missed the point. Friend beamed excitedly.
"So? Without him, you're obviously first!"
"……Ah."
Jeong In-ah gasped late. Ma Yu-hyeon forfeiting theology? No way he topped. Her odds for first soared. No real rivals sans him. But no celebrating yet—sacred materials was iffy too. She shook her head, wry.
"First? Nah. Results not even out……."
"Gotta see 'em? No Ma, you're first."
"Hope so. Me too."
Resigned smile. Yu Jeong-hak entered. Ha Ye-jin fully quit, so he went temp to full homeroom. He plopped grade sheets on podium casually.
"Front numbers first. Objections by Thursday. Done."
He left. Students fetched by number anyway. Do Seon-woo grabbed his, tossed on desk unread. Looked middling.
Jeong In-ah's turn: stepped up, checked rank.
"……."
Second. Again. Thought Ma's forfeit meant first—nope. Initial letdown. Later, fine. Collapse cost sacred materials points. Could've tanked below 10th—second was solid.
"Do Seon-woo! How'd you do? Not as good as me, obvi—"
She started asking, then spotted his sheet. Clammed up.
"Ah, first……."
First bold on Do Seon-woo's sheet. Rubbed eyes—same. Yet he looked joyless. The top spot she'd wrecked her health for, he took casually. Naturally.
"Whoa, huge jump from last! First, wow."
No reply. Just looked up at her. Awkward, she blurted.
"Thought you slacked. Secret grind? Impressive."
Words tumbled like self-justification.
"Bad face had me thinking fail—total feint. Wasted worry. Anyway, glad. Really glad, good for you……."
"……Why crying?"
Drip, drip. Jeong In-ah was in tears.
(To be continued next chapter)