By Zephyria 
After Min Si-hu, acting as a mentor, bought Lee Beom drinks, we officially began our academic consultation. If Lee Beom hadn’t recognized Min Si-hu and remembered the novel, his purpose for wanting to meet Min Si-hu would be…
“Haha… So, um. How is your studying going?”
“With the Suneung just 100 days away, I find myself easily distracted.”
“That’s a common time for that.”
“Right. I was like that too.”
The consultation proceeded very constructively. We calmly continued with just study advice.
Lee Beom apparently had no particular interest in academics until his second year of high school. He only took a few essay classes out of politeness. He played games and hung out normally, but he decided to buckle down when he entered his third year of high school.
“I know it’s already late to start, but….”
A sense of unease could be felt on Lee Beom’s face as he trailed off.
“No. It doesn’t matter whether it’s late at this point.”
Seong Hae-min shook his head firmly.
“Don’t look back at the time that has passed. What matters is how much you can do from now on.”
Seong Hae-min calmly reassured the anxious Lee Beom.
He explained that no matter how much the college entrance landscape changed each year, the most stable path was ultimately through regular admissions. Since he couldn’t change his GPA now, nor could he control the difficulty of the Suneung, all a student preparing for exams could do was their best right now.
‘He’s so eloquent.’
Unexpectedly, Seong Hae-min was the one giving the best advice among us.
“Do you have a target university?”
“Ah, no. Just the highest school I can get into…”
“What are your grades like? Your scores from the March, June, and July mock exams, and even private mock exams, are fine.”
“Ah, first, for Korean language…”
“……”
The one we expected to be quietest was now talking the most, leaving Min Si-hu and me to just watch.
Putting aside the fact that we were having a realistic college entrance consultation with Lee Beom, whom I knew from the novel, I actually didn’t have much to say. Not only was I bad at offering comfort, but our preparation paths for college were completely different.
I was admitted to university by meticulously preparing my extracurricular activities record and personal statement from the moment I entered high school, so I had little expertise to offer on questions focused on regular admissions. Especially since personal statements are being abolished from university admissions starting this year!
Min Si-hu was in a similar situation. Although his department was switching to full regular admissions from the next academic year, he had gotten in through a practical skills exam, so he didn’t seem to know much about admissions through the Suneung.
‘What are they doing?’
Min Si-hu leaned back slightly and gestured with his finger towards Seong Hae-min and Lee Beom, who were engrossed in conversation, mouthing silently. I just shrugged.
“Realistically, is a Grade 1 possible?”
“Well, I’d need to know your weak points to say. Honestly, I think realistic mind control is more important than setting unrealistic goals right now. It’s a short time, but maintaining a state of concentrated effort for over a hundred days every day is incredibly difficult. Thinking you can use 100% of your energy every day is actually closer to an illusion. Not only is it impossible, but even if you managed it, it could still depend on luck on the day of the Suneung.”
“Yes, that’s true……”
“Then shall we go over each subject? How are you studying Korean?”
Seong Hae-min gave Lee Beom detailed and friendly advice for each subject. Min Si-hu and I quietly rolled our eyes.
Lee Beom nodded seriously. It seemed that Lee Beom, who had been studying moderately until now, felt overwhelmed by facing the Suneung alone. College admissions were a battle against the admission system, but also a battle against oneself.
“Looking at the increase in your scores from the March, June, and July mock exams overall, you seem to have a solid foundation. So, it’s good to maintain your feel by consistently solving problems.”
‘How did he prepare so well?’
Seong Hae-min was like a college admissions strategy expert. I had also prepared for the Suneung to some extent, but Seong Hae-min explained it so well that there was no room for me to step in. I just added a few words from the side.
“Right, maintaining feel. It’s important.”
“Ah, yes.”
“Lee Beom mentioned that grammar was difficult. If grammar is your weak point, it’s actually an area where you have more room to improve your grade. It’s an area that’s advantageous for raising scores in a short period, so don’t worry too much.”
“Do you recommend any workbooks?”
“Ah, workbooks. The quality of the problems is also important. For Korean language, first…”
Hearing Min Si-hu’s question, Seong Hae-min, as if he had been waiting, started listing workbooks. Lee Beom waited patiently and politely. I stared intently at Lee Beom, who was focused on Seong Hae-min, my face flushing slightly.
Beneath his gently blinking eyelids, his lustrous, jet-black pupils stood out. His eyes, like inlaid marbles, sparkled with calmness.
Perhaps it was because he was asking for advice on something we had already gone through, but even though he was only a year younger, did he feel this young?
‘If you were to be precise, his appearance is more mature than in the novel…….’
Come to think of it, everyone’s appearance was more mature than in the novel. Though, there wasn’t a huge difference.
Now that they were older than the novel’s setting, it was natural. Come to think of it, I became curious about what they looked like in high school, which I hadn’t seen.
“Um, excuse me.”
Lee Beom, who had been quiet, suddenly spoke. Startled, I exchanged glances with Min Si-hu, who was sitting opposite me. Could it be?
‘Could it be, he’s remembered something about the novel?’
Lee Beom looked directly at me and opened his mouth.
“Is there something on my face?”
“Huh?”
“You’ve been staring for a while…”
I must have shown it too much. Flustered by the unexpected remark, I quickly composed myself and blurted out nonsense.
“Ah, no! It’s just! Your face! It’s really handsome!”
“Ah, thank you.”
Perhaps it was a compliment he’d heard often, Lee Beom nodded habitually.
“You’re even more handsome, Teacher.”
“Oh? Th-thank you.”
The compliment, returned to me so naturally as if we were exchanging favors, made my lips twitch. Min Si-hu, sitting opposite, his face bright red, struggled to suppress his laughter, finding my flustered state apparently hilarious.
I noticed the tips of Lee Beom’s ears turning reddish. Being sandwiched between three unfamiliar university student mentors, he seemed unable to easily relax. And then I stared at him, which must have been quite embarrassing.
‘But, come to think of it…….’
Looking at Lee Beom, who had bowed his head, a memory buried deep within me surfaced.
-It’s because of you.
-My heart is broken.
His reddened ears, his eyebrows twitching as he grumbled shyly and averted his gaze.
‘Lee Beom… In the novel, he confessed he liked me, didn’t he?’
I had completely forgotten!
Suddenly, a chill ran down my spine.
Come to think of it, wasn’t I the one who should stop Lee Beom from remembering the novel?
I steadied my wavering gaze. No, he might have thought differently about his novel self and his real self, like Min Si-hu.
Thinking that his confession in the novel would still hold true was just my overinflated ego.
“H-haha.”
Trying my best to think positively, I maintained an awkward smile.
Seong Hae-min, who had been watching us with a peculiar expression, pushed a memo pad with a list of practice books towards Lee Beom and spoke. The click of the pen cap closing was crisp.
“But you’re really handsome. I thought you were an idol.”
“Thank you.”
“You must be popular at school.”
“Ah, no.”
“Really? That’s surprising.”
Seong Hae-min, after exchanging retorts with Lee Beom, smiled faintly like a machine.
“You mentioned earlier that you decided to study hard when you became a third-year student.”
“Yes.”
“Is there a specific reason why you started studying diligently? Was it just because you felt the reality of being a third-year student? Did things like the college entrance exam or your future career start to feel important?”
As if he had expected the question, Lee Beom scratched the back of his head sheepishly. His slightly furrowed brow showed a rare hint of shyness.
“It’s a bit difficult to explain, but one day, the thought just suddenly struck me.”
“Suddenly one day?”
“Yes. Um…”
Lee Beom stroked his chin, lost in thought for a moment. Three pairs of eyes turned towards his pensive face.
“Like, a divine possession?”
“Divine possession?”
“Yes. There wasn’t any particular trigger. But suddenly, I felt an intense sense of urgency. Like, ‘Ah, no matter what, I have to get good grades and go to a good university.’… That kind of feeling?”
“……”
“……”
Silence enveloped the table.
Perhaps feeling that what he said sounded like nonsense, Lee Beom laughed, tidying his disheveled hair.