At the mention of the midterm exams, the kids’ reactions were divided.
Kim Yuri, the one who mentioned it first, seems to have no problem with it.
Meanwhile, Hwang JIho, who’s set to get a high score anyway, didn’t react much.
“I can take any test at any time, no problem.”
“Let’s make a plan! Let’s do a group study again this time. I think it will be difficult to do it in my house this time because my dad’s at home.”
In addition to those two, the other kids with excellent grades seem to feel like the midterm exam is just another routine school schedule.
“It’s already the midterms? The art department will be resting for a while too. Oh no, there’s a painting that I haven’t finished yet.”
“…I haven’t been to the association these days ‘cos I was watching the games, and I haven’t studied much yet too. Geurin, you should study too!”
“I don’t want to.”
“The seniors who are taking the General Enemy class said they’d hold a study party. I’m thinking about joining them since their scope is much wider. If partial participation is possible, maybe I’d join them while doing group study with our class.”
I felt ease from Min Geurin, Song Daesok, and Hani’s tone of voice.
On the other hand, the other kids sounded a little anxious.
“I usually do well in exams even if I don’t review much. I think I have to study every day for this one though…”
“Come to think of it, there’s that event too. I always forget and end up cramming the night before to prepare for an exam. There are people I want to impress this time, so I’ll do better than the last ones to get better grades.”
Mok Wooram seems to want to get good grades to impress Kwon Lena.
I guess he shouldn’t have said that he only studies the night before an exam since he doesn’t even attend classes.
The topic of conversation briefly turned to Mok Wooram.
“Wooram, you were out of the country during the first semester, right? How did you take tests?”
“You have to wear anti-cheating headgear when taking the test remotely, right? I’m sure you got that.”
“You have to take the tests at the same schedule as the kids at the school though.”
“I took the tests either at the designated association office or at the embassy. I was homeless already before the exams, and thankfully they provided me food and accommodation, so I wasn’t cold or hungry during the exam period.”
The employees at the association and the embassy because they felt sorry for this homeless and broke pushover.
The atmosphere improved somewhat thanks to the heartwarming story, but there are still two kids who looked like their souls left their bodies.
“What? Oh god, is it already time for those tests? It hasn’t been long since the semester started though!”
“…Midterm exams? Oh right, it’s already the midterms. Why did I forget?”
Maeng Hyodon and Kwon Lena, the two candidates for being failing students of Class Zero, looked like they were in agony.
We decided to stop by a nearby café and make a study plan for the two people.
It wasn’t possible to stay at Yuri’s house, and some other kids said they might not be able to join the study sessions due to personal reasons.
We couldn’t easily secure a place and a schedule.
“There’s a study room for dormitory students, but commuting students aren’t allowed to use it. Anyway, dorm students who want to study at night should go there.”
“Well done, vice president.”
“…I think I should start studying today.”
It looks like Maeng Hyodon and Kwon Lena are planning to stay up late at night studying at the dormitory study room starting today.
“I wanted to study the general education subjects with everyone though. We have to practice practical skills as a team anyway.”
“For teamwork, they’d probably put us in a labyrinth-type otherworld through a simulator.”
“We should reserve a simulator room then.”
“Then should we use the multipurpose room in the freshmen building on weekdays, and then we can meet at the study café on weekends?”
“The reservations at the study café near the school seem to be almost full though.”
After a long discussion, a group study plan for our class was set up.
The goal for this midterm exam is, as usual, for everyone in our class to pass.
* * *
The next morning.
I slept in a little bit today since it’s the weekend.
We stopped by the Jiikhoe Hall last night, and Maeng Hyodon and Kwon Lena were far off worse than I thought so they stayed up late to study.
Maeng Hyodon did his best, but it seems like this stone head’s effort wasn’t quite enough to keep up with the math class of Korea’s most prestigious high school.
The problem is Kwon Lena.
‘She didn’t take notes on any of the classes that we had recently. She’s not paying attention at all.’
Mok Wooram, who’s taking the same subject as Kwon Lena, saw that empty notebook and said “It seems like Lena-nim has every information stored in her head! I will follow suit and refrain from taking notes from now on.”
Kwon Lena’s face suddenly turned pale as she spoke in a crawling voice and asked Mok Wooram to show her some of his notes.
When she saw Mok Wooram’s handwriting, it was such a mess.
The prospective master craftsman took notes freely by mixing English cursive and Korean characters.
Kwon Lena couldn’t understand the contents of his notes to the point where she couldn’t even tell which subject he was taking notes on.
‘I can help with high school level music classes, but I don’t really know much about subjects that combine music and energy wave…’
One can watch video lectures posted on the Eungwang High website even if they’re not taking the course, so that’s one way for me to possibly help and tutor these kids.
However, if I do that, I’d have less time to help Maeng Hyodon, who’s in a really big crisis.
Maeng Hyodon is the only one among dorm students who chose to take the math class, so he has no one else to ask for help from.
I decided to entrust Kwon Lena to Mok Wooram’s teaching abilities.
‘Perhaps it’s better for Kwon Lena to study on her own? No, the other dorm kids might find it weird, and it’s for sure going to bother Kwon Lena.’
Saeum actually offered to help Kwon Lena with a general education subject, but when he did, her face turned sour.
I wondered if studying together with the other dorm students would be detrimental to Kwon Lena.
Dingdong.
My thoughts were interrupted by the messages on my device.
‘It’s from the newspaper department.’
It’s the aftermath of yesterday’s closing ceremony, and thousands of messages and attachments were sent to our message room.
I was reluctant to check everything since there’s a lot, but I decided to check before the messages are pushed back.
Once I checked the message room, I couldn’t take my eyes off the pictures that were sent.
Among them, I saved some pictures of Jang Namwook and Yoo Sanghoon which I will send to them later.
As I scrolled down, I saw a message sent by Moon Saeron.
[Moon Saeron] Suspicious VP, you know the freshman batch leader from the military academy, right? The Jang Namwook guy.
[Moon Saeron] Please interview him!
I was happy to respond to that message.
Summarizing an interview with Jang Namwook, a naturally talkative guy, would be a bit cumbersome, but it’s going to be comfortable for us both.
There weren’t a lot of messages in the message room with Jang Namwook and Yoo Sanghoon, but Namwook’s last messages were too long.
Jang Namwook praised Yoo Sanghoon’s performance and celebrated Eungwang High’s victory in the last basketball game.
[Jang Namwook] It was such a great game, Sanghoon. The support from Eungwang High was good, and the team play of the team and your superior play as the MVP were impressive. Sanghoon, you even closed your eyes when you shot the free throw. Even professional basketball athletes say it’s hard to make a shot with your eyes closed. It’s amazing. Sihoo said he wouldn’t be able to even shoot close to the rim if he shot with his eyes closed. The other seniors praised your performance too.
[Yoo Sanghoon] Ty.
[Me] Jang Namwook, interview with me.
[Jang Namwook] …Alright.
I noticed that Jang Namwook got a little sad from Sanghoon and I’s short responses, but he moved on quickly since he’s already used to us.
[Jang Namwook] Right, Euishin you’re part of the newspaper department. The midterm exams are coming soon, so let’s meet up and talk as soon as possible. I’m still in Eungwang district ‘cos I did some training last night nearby. I’ll come back by Sunday afternoon so let’s meet before that.
[Yoo Sanghoon] Can I come?
[Me] Yep.
[Yoo Sanghoon] K.
[Jang Namwook] See you guys! What should we eat? Should we eat some meat?
[Yoo Sanghoon] Yea.
Before earnestly entering our focus mode for the midterm exams, we decided to meet and hang out for the interview.
Jang Namwook suggested where we should meet and eat, but since Sanghoon and I know Eungwang District better, he said he’d leave it up to us.
In line with Jang Namwook’s schedule, we decided to meet early tomorrow morning.
I closed my message window.
‘Alright, shall I go meet that kid now?’
Aside from Yoo Sanghoon and Jang Namwook, I have someone else I need to meet before the next week starts.
* * *
At a church in an almost closed-off area.
My good student came on time.
“Teacher! Have you been well?”
“Yes.”
Yeom Junyeol greeted politely.
Yeom Junyeol and I had no chance to meet as teacher and student after the second semester started.
Starting next week, Yeom Junyeol will start with his campaign on top of preparing for the midterm exams and filming Playlist, so we had no choice but to meet now.
“I’ll check your homework.”
“Yes, teacher! Please give me some feedback after!”
With that, Yeom Junyeol showed me how he could stifle his presence.
Yeom Junyeol demonstrated it in a way that his fiery energy wave seemed to disappear gradually.
His efforts were felt anew as the signs of energy wave disappeared delicately.
‘At this rate, it’s enough to fool the Dragon Clan’s eyes for a few seconds. Not enough to fool Blue Dragon (Cheongryong) or Yong Jegun though.’
Yeom Junyeol’s presence faded to the point where it was difficult to know where he was standing when I closed my eyes.
Being able to maintain this state on the move would help him greatly in surviving major scenarios.
“Good job.”
“Thank you! I happen to have a junior around me who’s sensitive to presence. I think I’ve improved a lot thanks to her.”
Yeom Junyeol replied with great joy to the compliment.
Is the junior he’s referring to Dokgo Miro?
He would’ve encountered Dokgo Miro a lot during the filming of their show, so I guess she was a great help to my student’s training.
“Keep practicing stifling your presence. Don’t let anyone know yet just how much you can do it. You can ask for help from that junior.”
“Oh? Do you know who it is?”
I nodded.
I thought he’d ask how I knew, but Yeom Junyeol just admired me.
“As expected! It’s like there’s nothing that you don’t know, teacher!”
After that, we talked more about his homework.
When he asked if we would practice stifling his presence some more, I shook my head.
“We’ll practice something that only I can do and you can only practice when you’re with me.”
“Something that only you can do… Will we practice energy wave control?”
“We’ll do that next time.”
For a moment, my student had a curious expression before it turned into a bright smile.
He seems to realize what our new homework is.
“You’ve done your homework well, so we’ll do something else today.”
I raised my hand in the air.
<Using character’s light skill, Summoning Hongryong.>
Fwaaaa!
Hongryong appeared in a gap in the space above my hand.
My student’s eyes opened wide at the appearance of Hongryong, who was much larger and more intense than the one that he knows.
“Today, we’ll practice handling Hongryong.
