Chapter 2
Translator - Zofu
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Kim Tae-ho.
I loved "effort."
It was like magic. Because no matter how insurmountable the wall, no matter how unyielding the tree, if you kept trying and trying again, you eventually succeeded.
I had a "talent" for effort.
Studying, sports, magic—if I thought something was worth doing, I tried it all.
So of course, I set my sights on the "Academy," the pinnacle of Korea's academic pedigree that anyone would dream of.
As always, I tried, and I succeeded.
I thought getting my Academy acceptance would make me happier than anything, but surprisingly, it didn't.
Because I was going to the Academy alone.
I had a girlfriend.
"Tae-ho. I, uh... congratulations... hehe..."
Yoo Seo-ha was my first and last girlfriend.
She lowered her head, trying to hide her gloomy expression.
I couldn't see her face, but I knew. She was holding back tears right then.
It hurt.
This feeling, like sharp stabs in my chest, was eating away at me. Because I loved her sincerely, I couldn't show weakness, so I desperately held back my reddening eyes.
But in the end, I couldn't hold it in and tears fell. Seeing my pathetic state, my girlfriend finally shed tears too.
She grabbed my hand tightly with both of hers.
"It's okay... sniff... sob... Tae-ho, I can't go with you, but..."
Her trembling voice weakened my heart.
Should I just give up on enrolling?
Then Seo-ha, reading my expression, pinched the back of my hand.
"Ow."
I snapped out of it.
"Tae-ho, get ahold of yourself. You just... sob... had a weird thought, didn't you? About giving up on enrollment."
"Yeah..."
She stopped her flowing tears and looked straight into my eyes.
"Tae-ho. Is the Academy so laughable that you'd think something like that just because we'll be a little far apart?"
"No..."
"It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Don't waste it... I'm happy you think of me, but you don't need to sacrifice this much."
I silently nodded my head.
It was December.
A day when the wind felt unusually cold.
* * *
I entered the Academy.
The pinnacle of academic pedigree. They said only children from prestigious families entered and graduated from this famed Academy, and true to its name, the curriculum was packed.
Time flew by like a bullet, and the seasons changed many times.
And in that process, I... didn't make many friends.
Let me tell you about the Academy.
What was the Academy? Extreme elitism that pursued honor.
The ultimate honor that anyone with money and connections wanted to send their children to.
That's why those who entered were children from Korea's most famous prestigious families, chaebol chairmen's kids, famous politicians' sons and daughters. A horde of monsters whose names auto-completed when you searched for them.
The Academy was the first step on the royal road that people who'd hoarded money and honor gave to their children.
But what about me?
I had nothing.
A prestigious family recognized nationwide? My family had passed down a bakery for generations. Did that count?
Child of a chaebol chairman? It was a small but somewhat famous bakery in the neighborhood.
Son or daughter of a famous politician? We knew bread, not politics.
Shockingly, there was nothing. The only thing I could boast about was being self-made.
But even that was as insignificant as dust on a dining table inside the Academy.
Even if I had nothing, wasn't it okay since I came here through effort? Wouldn't they acknowledge me for that?
I once thought that.
Not a chance.
These greenhouse-raised brats had such fragile pride, they never gave someone like me a place to fit in.
Just like right then.
"Water."
Hearing that, I rushed outside. I took the tumbler she gave me and headed to the water fountain. As usual, I turned on the faucet and filled the tumbler with water.
A design of silver-inlaid flowers on a gold base covered the entire tumbler. The dazzling pattern was so flashy it hurt my eyes.
I filled it about two-thirds full, then rushed back to her.
Did this look like a normal student relationship?
"Thanks."
Fuck.
I didn't come to the Academy on a whim.
To achieve my dreams. And to remain a reliable, cool man for her, I came here.
I didn't come to this Academy to serve this fucking bitch.
"Do you want to go out of business?"
I smiled and handed over a straw.
Fuck.
* * *