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Friday, the day after the CSAT.
School went back to normal, but the center of conversations in Eungwang High was still the CSAT.
First was the enormous Jegal statue that welcomed students in front of the clock tower at the main gate.
“I thought the Year Two Class Zero sunbaes made this to cheer on the CSAT takers? Why did they put it in front of the gate?”
“I don’t know, but let’s take a picture first.”
“Oh, the clothes are different from yesterday. I guess it’s new.”
“I wanna see other outfits.”
“I’ll jump high using an item, and then take a picture of me with the professor!”
Jegal had a lot of fans other than his homeroom class.
I was among them, of course, and although he’s not here, there’s Jegal’s old student who always keeps track of him.
Dingdong.
Just when I was taking a picture of the Jegal statue wearing a different outfit, a message from his old student came immediately.
[Hong Gyubin] Euishin-ah, I heard the news. The professor-nim’s statue is wearing a new outfit?
How did he know that?
He might be checking posts under the Eungwang High tag.
[Hong Gyubin] Euishin-ah, I got a building for the professor’s statute.
Uhh, what?
There’s no way the Year Two Class Zero seniors would give the statue up so easily, so why did Hong Gyubin secure a building for it?
He’s been under a lot of stress lately, so I wonder if he’s winding down through shopping.
‘I guess this means he wants me to ask for it.’
Just as I expected, Hong Gyubin’s next message was as follows;
[Hong Gyubin] I prepared one where it can fit easily based on my estimation from the picture, but I need to know the exact measurements to place it.
[Hong Gyubin] If you have time, can you check the exact size of the statue?
What does it matter if he hasn’t acquired the right to the statue yet?
Hong Gyubin is getting a little too ahead of himself.
Still, I was in the main gate to look at the statue anyway, so I decided to do Hong Gyubin a favor.
‘I should give him treats from time to time.’
After approaching Jegal’s statue closely, I used an application to get an exact measurement.
When I sent the results to Hong Gyubin, a disaster of thanks poured out.
[Hong Gyubin] Thank you, Euishin-ah! Now that I know its exact measurements, I can prepare some furniture and clothes for it hehehe
So that’s what Hong Gyubin is planning.
Well, he has an order from Seodol, Neuru’s designer, so I guess he can make that work easily.
It’s questionable whether Hong Gyubin can win the statue, but he asked me to take photos of it whenever it gets a new outfit.
“Oh, the news is spreading quickly!”
I took a few more photos before heading in when Moon Saeron approached me.
She must’ve come here to write a story.
“You’ve been busy lately Suspicious VP, so I’ll let you take this one. It looks like I’m a little late!”
Moon Saeron thinks I’m here for the newspaper department.
I haven’t been able to participate in their activities recently.
I belatedly felt a sense of guilt, so I decided to write a good article about this.
The Year Two sunbae-jerks would want to show off the statue anyway, so I’m sure they’ll respond eagerly to an interview request.
While I came up with a plan for the article, Moon Saeron brought up one of the most frequently mentioned topics in Eungwang High.
“Hey, have you heard about the DoWonWooKiHwan ranking?”
Do Wonwoo and Woo Kihwan were why CSAT was still a hot topic in Eungwang High.
The news was confirmed on the Eungwang High bulletin board.
This year’s CSAT was rumored to be difficult enough to turn the CSAT cold wave into hellishly hot for the test takers.
There was someone who proudly scored a perfect score.
That was Do Wonwoo, the summa cum laude of Eungwang High.
In addition, because Woo Kihwan is magna cum laude, people say that the dynamics between the two existed even in the CSAT.
But their scores were different by just a point.
“I guess Woo Kihwan sunbaenim didn’t give up this time.”
Provisional scoring results were released right after the CSAT.
Woo Kihwan immediately made a fuss against the Korea Institute of Curriculum and Evaluation.
Not even taking a break after the test, Woo Kihwan reportedly stayed up all night and wrote a thesis-level rebuttal, throwing it to the institute.
If his appeals succeed, Woo Kihwan will also receive a perfect score.
With test takers across the country who have similar answers to Woo Kihwan cheering on him, the spotlight is on the institute which will decide if the appeal will be recognized.
Hearing the details from Moon Saeron made me think that this was unexpected.
‘There are only a few cases where multiple answers are recognized in the CSAT, but it’s not like it doesn’t happen. The problem is…’
It’s quite different from what happened in PMH.
It may have been omitted, but there was no story of Do Wonwoo perfecting the CSAT in PMH, as well as Woo Kihwan filing an appeal.
What happened so far in Eungwang HIgh seemed to have affected the results of the CSAT.
“Let’s talk while walking to our rooms. The weather’s gonna be a lot colder today.”
“Yep! Ah, can you share Miro-nim’s live performance video? I want to edit it in with the videos taken by the newspaper department.”
We reached the freshmen district while talking about Dokgo Miro’s performance.
Perhaps because it was a holiday yesterday, there weren’t many students around yet.
In front of the quiet hallway, Moon Saeron spoke in a hushed voice before entering her classroom.
“Suspicious VP, your Bbang Shuttle seems to have become too strong these days. I know he’s being taught by Tak the Great, but… I feel like there’s something more to it!”
If even Moon Saeron noticed it, then it’s clear that Bang Yoonseob has become too strong.
It must be no coincidence that he was able to shake off Mok Wooram’s pursuit.
‘…The reason why he’s not getting caught smoking isn’t that he’s changed, but because he can avoid being seen by Maeng Hyodon and Joo Soohyuk.’
Bang Yoonseob’s failed connection with Choi Younghee might have caused this.
However, there’s a limit to that.
One doesn’t just become overly strong from heartbreak.
There are people who live differently upon strengthening their resolve, but that is the result of long-term efforts.
I thought it was too early for Bang Yoonseob to be able to beat Joo Soohyuk and Maeng Hyodon.
While I was lost in thought, the door of the classroom suddenly opened.
“Why aren’t you coming in?”
Hwang Jiho opened the door.
There was no one else inside our classroom.
I wonder why he came so early.
He does this sometimes, that fickle old man.
But looking at his attitude, it seems to be for business matters.
Hwang Jiho sent a document file to my device after I went in and closed the door.
“This is Jeokho’s report. I came early to hand this over.”
I tried opening it right away, but I unconsciously stopped after realizing what Hwang Jiho had just said.
I know Jeokho is competent, but I didn’t expect him to complete the report in such a short time.
I was waiting for this, but I hesitated to read it.
Jeokho, an NPC from PMH, doesn’t have many appearances compared to the playable characters.
This document would contain the hardships that he went through that weren’t shown in PMH.
“Read it while I’m here, Jo Euishin.”
I thought he would ask me to read it later, but Hwang Jiho said the opposite.
“Here?”
“Yeah. You’re a fast reader. It’s not a big deal, but you’ll be able to read it all before our other classmates arrive.”
I checked the length of the document, and as Hwang Jiho said, it was short enough to read it all.
Perhaps it contains information that I need to know right away, that’s why Hwang Jiho wants me to read it right now.
“If it was an emergency, I would’ve explained it to you right away instead of having you read it. It’s not like that.”
“Then why?”
Hwang Jiho took out a thermos bottle when I asked again.
I became wary, thinking I’ll be given medicine again, but when he opened the bottle, the scent of fragrant tea flowed out.
It must be pure tea since there’s no way Hyangrok’s medicine could smell this good.
Hwang Jiho offered me a cup.
“You’ll read this anyway, whether it’s now or later.”
That’s true.
I can’t miss out on reading a report made by Jeokho containing information that he obtained by going through such a hard time.
I intend to read it thoroughly without missing a word and use it as a basis for my next course of action.
“I thought it would be better for you to read it in the presence of someone else.”
What does that mean?
I couldn’t put a finger on it, but I decided to read the report first.
I read it quickly, occasionally taking a sip of the tea prepared by Hwang Jiho.
In a business-like style, Jeokho summarized what he had experienced — the people he met, his speculations, and his appreciation.
Beyond the facade of a professional report, immeasurable pain was conveyed.
Jeokhoadded notes, expressing his thoughts, most of which were regret and self-deprecation.
Jeokho concluded the report by admitting that he was in such a state of mental breakdown that he couldn’t tell whether it was snowing or raining at the end.
“I see you’re done reading.”
As soon as I read the last sentence, Hwang Jiho spoke to me and I was brought back to my senses.
Maybe because Jeokho wrote the document too well, I felt like I returned to the miserable world of PMH.
If I was alone, I might’ve obsessed over it.
Hwang Jiho poured another cup of tea and floated a hologram.
“There’s a part of the report that bothered me.”
What emerged in the hologram was the summary of the conversation that Jeokho had with Ahn Dain.
Jeokho seemed to have paid keen attention to her in PMH.
‘Jeokho and Ahn Dain became close quite quickly and trusted each other.’
The reason wasn’t revealed in PMH, but I thought it was because Ahn Dain was supposed to be a student of Kim Shinrok.
However, after reading the report, it felt like that wasn’t the only reason.
Jeokho didn’t trust and help all the other children in Year One Class One.
Was it because of Ahn Dain’s talent and character then?
Jeokho was paying such a close attention to her that he included a conversation in the report that he wrote.
— When my abilities awakened, I met someone who has predictive power. No, maybe he was just a crook.
— I was told to follow the stars at dawn when it got dark. But…
In Cheonik Mountain, Ahn Dain mentioned a prophecy.
It caught my attention a little, but it seems like Hwang Jiho was completely baffled by it.
‘There wasn’t anything like this in PMH.’
Ahn Dain said the prophecy might be fraudulent, but I don’t think so.
It’s not like Ahn Dain to take a con artist’s words to heart.
“A star at dawn… It reminds me of what Hyunmoo said to you.”
When we went to China for an overseas coverage trip with the newspaper department, we heard from Hyunmoo, one of the gods of wisdom.
— I like your name.
— Eui means ‘righteousness’ and Shin means ‘dawn’. I think the name is worthy of your power.
— I hope this child’s talents will help you and give you the strength to endure until the dawn.
Hwang Jiho was next to me when he said that, so he must’ve remembered.
“…Right, you weren’t in that world.”
Hwang Jiho looked at me quietly, beyond the words “Star of Dawn” displayed on the translucent hologram.
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