Midterm Exams (3)
It is a Saturday morning, with about two weeks left until the midterm exams. But what on earth am I doing right now?
"Ugh, I really don't want to study."
Lying on my bed, I keep repeating the same complaint over and over.
The midterms. It's the very first exam since entering high school.
It's also the first opportunity to make a good impression on the high school teachers, and a fairly important exam for shaping one's image for the rest of high school life.
Lying around with such an exam only two weeks away might make me look lazy at first glance. I might look like someone who has given up on studying altogether. But there is a reason for my behavior.
Our household is basically very free. My aunt always says that when it comes to our future paths, Kim Dahi's and my opinions matter most. Her policy on having fun is that she doesn't really care as long as we don't do anything morally wrong.
However, there are three core principles that my aunt holds in the highest regard.
The first is character. This refers to the basic decency a human being should possess. Well, I think this one is a given.
The second is responsibility. Taking full responsibility for one's own actions. My aunt has drilled this into us since we were young. She said that character is the foundation of a person, and to grow, one must form the habit of taking responsibility for what they do.
Finally, the third is preparation. Many might wonder what that means. To get straight to the point, I don't have a dream yet.
There isn't anything specific I want to do when I grow up. Since I'm the type to just enjoy the present, my aunt gave me one piece of advice: since I might find something I want to do once I become an adult, I should study while I'm still a student. So, I study quite hard. (In Kim Dahi's case, her career path isn't in the humanities, so her standards are lower, but she doesn't even work hard for that.) That is what preparation means in this context.
During middle school, I was always in the top ten of the entire grade. I've already previewed the high school curriculum up to the second semester, and since I review every day, I don't have much to worry about for the midterms.
Even yesterday, I studied until midnight before going to sleep. I wonder what Pina is doing. Is she studying?
Since I have nothing to do, thoughts of Pina keep crossing my mind.
I was just rolling around, too lazy to study since morning, when my phone rang.
"Hello?"
"Hanbyul, are you busy right now?"
"No, why?"
What's gotten into Park Sung this morning?
Neither Sung nor I usually contact each other unless we have a specific reason.
It's not like two guys have much to call each other about anyway.
"It's nothing major, but let's study for the exams together."
"Huh? Study for the exams? Who? You?"
Why is he asking to study together? Sung is actually pretty good at studying. I remember him always being in the upper-middle tier, even if he wasn't at the very top of the school.
Since Sung's parents set a condition that he must maintain a certain grade level to continue doing judo, he takes good care of his grades.
"Maybe it's because it's our first exam in high school, but studying is a bit tough."
"But when you studied with me last time, you said it was manageable..."
"Hey, tell me the truth. Is it you who's struggling?"
"...Someone says it's hard."
"Sigh... Where are you guys?"
"We're at...!"
Hearing my response, Sung gave me their location in a bright voice. He must have been having a really hard time.
Of course. There was no way Sung would find studying that difficult. That meant there was only one culprit.
The person with the absolute worst academic brain I have ever seen in my life.
"Kim Dahi..."
"Hehe, Hanbyul~ Help me out~"
Yes, it was Kim Dahi, the one with the worst grades among everyone I knew.
It's not that she's stupid, but she just doesn't study. Literally, she does not study at all.
Back in middle school, when the three of us—Sung, me, and Kim Dahi—were studying for exams at my place, it gave me a massive headache when she asked what the exam range was. And that was the day before the exam. Even Sung, who usually found everything she did cute, couldn't hold back a deep sigh back then.
The very guy who thought she was adorable no matter what ridiculous things she did.
When I arrived at the cafe where they were studying, the first thing I saw wasn't them studying, but Sung desperately trying to get Kim Dahi to study.
For the record, this cafe is a place the three of us have frequented since we were kids. It doesn't have many customers, and the owner is a very gentle, elderly gentleman.
"So, what do you need help with?"
"Huh?"
"I mean! Which subject is the problem?"
"Heehee, all of them!"
"Excuse me?"
"I don't get any of it. So please help me, Teacher Hanbyul!"
"Hey, I'm leaving."
"Ahhhh, Hanbyul, please, just this once~"
Wow, can't I just run away? They say you can't spit on a smiling face, but instead of spitting, I really want to punch her.
"Hey, shouldn't you not be saying that with such a bright smile?"
"Well, since I have Teacher Hanbyul and my Sung, won't it work out somehow?"
"..."
"..."
"Sorry, Hanbyul. I tried to handle it somehow... but it was beyond my ability."
"No, it's not your fault. It's all because of that stupid brat."
Will we really be okay today?
"Sung~ I'm tired~"
"Dahi, you still need to endure it a little and study, okay?"
"No~ No~ I've already been doing this for a whole hour~"
"Isn't it only an hour?"
"Isn't it a whole hour?"
"..."
Oh, seeing Park Sung look genuinely dumbfounded is a rare sight. Especially when that look is directed at Kim Dahi.
Even for a guy who always goes around with a gentle smile, those words must have been utterly absurd.
"Hey, Kim Dahi. If you don't do it now, you'll regret it."
"Why?"
"Do you even know that our school has an Academic Failure system?"
"Academic Failure?"
"Yeah, the Academic Failure system."
"What's that?"
"...Sung, I'm leaving."
"Hanbyul, no! You have to bear with it."
"With that airhead?!"
"What? Airhead?!"
"She's not an airhead, she's just a little... a very little bit innocent."
"Sung?"
What kind of conversation is this? I'm seriously going crazy.
I should have just stayed home and slept more...
"The Academic Failure system is like this, Dahi."
"Why are you calling me Dahi all of a sudden? Ugh, goosebumps."
"...Hey... Sigh, never mind. In our school, they calculate the grade average for each subject after every exam. Students who fail to score above that average have to attend remedial classes for those subjects during vacation. That's what it means to fail."
"Huh? That's the first time I've ever heard of that."
"They told us during the school orientation."
"I was asleep then."
"Hey... you..."
Wow, it's true that you really lose your words when you're completely dumbfounded. Fascinating.
"So, when do we take the remedial classes?"
"During vacation."
"Pardon?"
"During vacation."
"Oh, come on~ Hanbyul, no matter how dumb I am, I won't fall for a lie like that."
"Right, Sung?"
"It's true, Dahi."
"How do we take them during vacation?"
"By coming to school until the designated date."
"No, it can't be. It's not true. It's not!"
It's fascinating to see how a person can crumble like that when faced with an unacceptable reality.
Kim Dahi was in denial, repeating that it couldn't be true over and over. Beside her, Sung was trying his best to soothe her.
What was I doing? I was just watching the show, sipping the coffee I ordered earlier through a straw.
It would have been perfect if I had some popcorn right now. What a shame. Obviously, a cafe wouldn't have popcorn, though.
"Hanbyul, don't just watch. Help us."
"Huh~? But it's such a pain~"
"Hanbyul!"
I guess I should help out now. Watching was fun in its own way, but I felt bad for Sung, who had gotten dragged into this mess for no reason.
"Kim Dahi, that's why I came to help."
"Huh? No, it's not?"
She was still repeating "no, it's not" like a broken record.
"Do you remember when you made a bet with my aunt about your grades in middle school?"
"Who was the one who helped you back then?"
"And who was the one who pulled your grades up when you were preparing for high school?"
"I did all of that."
"So we can do it this time too."
"Really?"
"Yeah, as long as you actually study. Probably. Yes. Probably."
"Waaah~"
"Hanbyul!"
Why is teasing Kim Dahi after so long this much fun?
This is why I can't stop teasing her. The satisfaction of teasing Kim Dahi is on a whole different level compared to anyone else.
"Stop crying, haha. I'll help you. Even if we can't suddenly raise your grades to the top, I can at least make sure you don't get a failing mark."
"Really? You're not teasing me again, right?"
"Yeah, really. Sung will help too, so it's definitely possible."
"And you don't want to go to school during vacation either, right?"
"Of course not!"
"Then you'll study hard too. That makes it even more likely."
"But... I hate studying..."
"Then you'll have to go to school during vacation. Oh, poor Dahi, what are you going to do?"
"You won't even be able to play during vacation, and you'll be stuck going to school to study."
"Ugh,"
"Sung, should we go to the beach later with the guys from the gym?"
"I heard a lot of people go to the beach these days. Didn't you say you've been working out lately?"
"Aaaah! Let's study! Sung, let's study!"
"Uh... yeah, we should study."
Sometimes, the whip is much more effective than the carrot.
Especially for a dummy like Kim Dahi.
Just look at her. Kim Dahi, who was whining about hating studying just moments ago, is now studying so diligently. She's studying out of sheer worry that Sung might get hit on at the beach.
Every summer, our gym goes to the beach to hang out. Of course, every time we go, Sung gets asked for his number by girls. (I usually get asked as a sort of package deal.)
Sung might look a bit intimidating, but he's highly popular with older girls. He has a great build, looks a bit like a bad boy, and yet is unexpectedly humble. No wonder older girls love him.
Even as his friend, I honestly understand why Sung is so popular. It would actually make less sense if a guy like him wasn't popular. Frankly, Sung is way too good for Kim Dahi.