The Saeteo Call
On the day of Saeteo, I was feeling somewhat sentimental when my smartphone rang with a call, completely oblivious to my mood. "Who is it?" —This number is not saved. "Then leave it. If it's urgent, they'll call back or text." Recalling how I'd missed Han Gaeul's call after blocking all unknown numbers last time, I left it alone this time around. Soon the ringtone stopped, and a notification for a new text arrived. "What? Is it really urgent?" Curious, I checked the message on my smartphone.
The moment I saw it, my head spun. It was plastered with emoticons and special characters, just like an adult ad. —It looks like an adult ad. Would you like to block the contact? "No, wait a moment." It looked like an adult ad, but the content itself was about Saeteo. The part about instant meetings with female students was a bit odd, but I thought of someone who would pull such a prank and figured out who sent it.
While I was wondering what to do, another call came in, as if the sender had confirmed I'd read the message. —Hyunjin senior! "I knew it was you." —Were you expecting it? "I'm not an idiot. Why would I get my hopes up over a prank text like this?" The person calling, even after changing their number, was Choi Seungah, the female student I'd been in charge of during last year's Saeteo and the 22nd class freshman department representative. 'No, she's the vice president now, right?' She had a straightforward, easygoing personality and loved crossing the line with sexual jokes and pranks. She was well-liked even among the seniors, which led to her being elected department vice president from freshman rep, and the general consensus in our department was that she'd become president next year if nothing went wrong.
We'd exchanged a few messages after Saeteo ended, but since then we'd only chatted when we happened to run into each other. No personal calls until now. So I got straight to the point. "What's this about?" —Come on, a cute junior like me is calling and you ask about business first? Isn't that a bit much? "You think you're a cute junior?" —Then should I say a fresh junior? "...Just say a close junior." I couldn't bring myself to deny the "fresh" part. She was easily among the top three prettiest girls in the freshman year, which was why the seniors tolerated her jokes and sexual innuendos. If she weren't pretty, it wouldn't have flown. —Hehe, then this fresh and close junior has a favor to ask. The president senior can't make it to Saeteo because of his grandmother's funeral. So please join and be the group leader! "You weren't about to say 'slave,' were you? And why me?" —It's the whole 'love your peers, love your country' thing. Since this happened because of the president senior, his peer should take responsibility too. If you join now, I'll cover the full participation fee. Even though he's the president and my peer, there are over a hundred people in just our year in the Business Administration department. We weren't strangers, but we weren't close enough to call best friends either. I couldn't figure out why she was specifically contacting me. For guys who'd just gotten back from the military, Saeteo was both a chance to adapt to the department and a great opportunity to claim the fresh new students, so everyone wanted to participate. How do I know? Because I was the same way last year. Since so many people wanted to join every year, they screened participants. Even without me, there'd be a line of people ready to sign up if she just called. Yet she was offering to cover my fee and insisting on bringing me along. Something felt off.
As I hesitated, suspicious, Choi Seungah spoke again. —With the president senior dropping out, a student council member in charge of the special management group will have to act as his stand-in. So while thinking about who to assign the special management group to, I figured you were the right person, Hyunjin senior. You did a great job last year, didn't you? "I did a great job?" —Not hitting on the freshmen or treating them badly already puts you in the top ten percent! It was more accurate to say I hadn't been able to do anything because Choi Seungah's presence was so overwhelming, but I didn't bother denying the praise. "More importantly, what's this special management group? Was there something like that last year too?" —There's a rich young lady among this year's freshmen. "A young lady? Like your peer Kim Eunha?" —No, not a fake one like her. A real chaebol third-generation young lady. Her family gave massive support for this Saeteo. They don't want any special treatment, but they asked us to make sure she can have a normal college life without her wealthy background being exposed. Not wanting special treatment but asking for a normal college life... It sounded a lot like "I'll drink and drive, but it's not drunk driving." "So that's why it's me?" —I thought you'd handle it well, senior. "What exactly do you think of me?" —Like a safe, reliable condom? "......" I couldn't tell if that was a compliment or an insult. "So basically, you're asking me to manage a potential time bomb that might go off?" —...Senior, you know I love you, right? Choi Seungah answered in a voice that was probably meant to sound cute, but to my ears it just sounded insincere. Just as I was about to refuse her offer, I remembered that if I wanted to gather points, I had to participate in university activities. I couldn't do anything about it during this Saeteo, but simply getting acquainted with the girls would make collecting points much easier later. "You owe me for this." —Kyaa, thank you, senior! Even if I can't match you with freshmen, I'll set you up with a female student you like among the current students! Choi Seungah sounded genuinely happy, as if she'd finally solved a problem, and gave me that same adult-ad style line. Since I'd already decided to go, I asked her about the schedule to prepare as much as possible. "When is Saeteo?" —Tomorrow. "What?" —You just need to be at the school main gate by 8 a.m. tomorrow. "......" —Then see you tomorrow, senior! You have to come! Click— Tomorrow at 8 a.m. meant I only had half a day left. As if she'd expected me to refuse, she hung up immediately and ran away.
Preparation time was tight, but when I thought about it, there wasn't really anything to prepare. The university was close enough to walk to from home, and they'd handle all the food over there anyway. When morning came, I packed some clothes, toiletries, and other odds and ends into a bag and headed to campus. It had been a while since I'd seen the university main gate. A large crowd of students had already gathered there. Our department alone had over a hundred freshmen, and with the current students in charge, the total was close to a hundred and fifty. It was quite lively. A male student holding a sign that read [Business Administration Department Saeteo Participants This Way] caught my eye. It seemed like I'd come to the right place, but I didn't recognize his face at all. Not just him—most of the male students who looked like current students were unfamiliar faces, probably second-year returnees who'd been in the military. I was glancing around to see if any of my third-year peers were there when someone called out to me from right in front.
"Hyunjin oppa!" Bright yellow hair that reminded me of a chick, and a petite frame. It was Park Naeun, Park Nayoung's younger sister. Standing next to her was the girl Park Naeun had shown me in a photo before. "You said you weren't coming, didn't you?" Park Naeun ran up to me and asked. While I was trying to figure out what to say, she spoke first, as if she'd figured it out. "Don't tell me you came because of me? Anyway, I'm a grown adult too, but you and my sister worry way too much." Park Naeun chattered on like a chick peeping. Then she introduced the girl next to her. "This is my classmate Yoo Soyeon. I showed you her picture last time, right?" "I'm Yoo Soyeon. Please take care of me, senior." Her tone was haughty and cold. She was wearing ordinary casual clothes that a freshman might wear, but there was an air of sophistication about her. "Oh, yeah. Nice to meet you. I'm Kim Hyunjin, class of 19." When Park Naeun had shown me her photo before, I'd assumed there'd be some editing and she'd look different in person. But seeing her now, she did look different from the photo—in a good way. She looked much better in real life. An icy, cold atmosphere and an expressionless face that made people hesitant to approach. Even taking that into account, she far surpassed ordinary looks and was much prettier than most idols. While I was exchanging brief greetings with Yoo Soyeon, not just the freshmen but even the current students couldn't take their eyes off her, stealing glances our way. A few of them were shooting me subtle glares. Park Naeun being a girl was fine, but the looks said, "Who the hell are you to talk to the goddess?" Just as the stares were starting to feel uncomfortable, I spotted Vice President Choi Seungah waving at me from a distance, signaling me to come over. "The vice president is calling. I'll head over now. Enjoy Saeteo." "Yep. See you later, oppa." Park Naeun answered energetically, while Yoo Soyeon beside her gave a slight nod in greeting. As I approached Choi Seungah, she greeted me enthusiastically. "Hehe, you came, senior. Want me to give you a kiss on the cheek as thanks?" "Hey, you— Haah, never mind." I started to complain but held it in. Choi Seungah leaned in and whispered carefully. "So, what do you think now that you've seen her?" "It's her, right?" "You know her?" "The one with the yellow hair next to her is my friend's sister." I'd thought the whole "special management" thing was overblown at first, but after seeing her in person, I understood. With looks at that level, she needed managing even if she wasn't from a rich family. Otherwise, after some drinking, there'd be no shortage of guys who'd lose their minds and do something stupid without thinking. "Just in case, you know what'll happen if you lay a hand on her, right?" "Don't worry. I won't do anything during Saeteo. If I tried anything now, her favorability would be close to zero, so the points I'd get would be close to zero too. No matter how pretty she was, I had no intention of doing anything during Saeteo." "Hmm, good. As a reward, I'll match you with a female student you like." "That wasn't a joke?" "For a senior who's going to work hard, this much is nothing. Do you have a junior you like?" "Well..." Since there were so many Business Administration freshmen, they divided them into about ten groups. Each group of freshmen, split evenly between boys and girls, would be led by two current students, one male and one female. The "matching" she mentioned probably meant the female student who'd be leading the group with me for the three days and two nights. "Then let me change the question. Do you like my style? Or Yujin's style?" "Is that even a question? Obviously Yujin's style." Lee Yujin was the name of the female student I'd been in charge of during the previous Saeteo, just like Choi Seungah. Unlike Choi Seungah's playful and energetic personality, she had a quiet, calm vibe, like a literature girl. "Then it's decided. You'll have a fun time with Yujin for the next three days and two nights." "Yujin is participating in Saeteo?" She didn't like noisy or group activities, so she'd only participated in Saeteo during her freshman year and hadn't joined any other university events since. That's why I asked again, puzzled. "Why would she join something like this?" "Hmm, I wonder? Why did she join?" Choi Seungah gave me a meaningful smile. "Maybe because she's close with you and came to help?" "What the hell are you saying, you condom of a man!" Her voice carried a hint of irritation, which wasn't like her usual playful self.