PM CHAPTER 1.3

Having successfully completed his first external activity, Do-won felt a slight sense of pride as he cleaned up. He carefully packed the remaining pamphlets and booklets into a box and gathered the miscellaneous trash. Meanwhile, Han I-rok was putting away the laptop and other equipment.

I wonder how much we’ll get paid for this? It felt nice to earn a little extra spending money from this kind of activity. Would they get paid daily? Or would it be accumulated and given monthly or quarterly?

Curious, Do-won finished tidying up and approached I-rok.

“Here, the leftover materials.”

“…….”

“Hey. I have a question.”

“Don’t do that at the next presentation.”

I-rok spoke as he packed the laptop into his bag. His tone was almost like a warning.

“What?”

“Don’t talk to the students like that. We don’t get to decide the direction of their questions.”

“…Are you talking about the Q&A earlier?”

“Yeah.”

What did he even say? He had made so many casual remarks that he couldn’t quite remember. Something about asking admission-related questions instead?

“Is it normal for students to come to an admissions presentation and ask if I have a girlfriend?”

“That’s exactly the unique charm of a school visit led by student ambassadors rather than admissions officers—you can have casual and open conversations.”

“They should be studying instead of wasting time with that kind of stuff.”

“You should be acting the way you were trained—to be polite.”

I-rok’s expression was indifferent but tinged with irritation. Seeing the crease forming between his brows, Do-won frowned as well.

“Was I rude? Didn’t you see how lively the atmosphere was?”

“I’m just saying don’t scold the students unnecessarily. They’re at a sensitive age, and even a single word can cause unintended problems. You have to follow the guidelines properly—”

“Oh, come on! Then why do you answer all those personal questions? Or wait, is there some secret ambassador rule I don’t know about that says you can’t push back on those kinds of questions?”

“No. The rule is to conduct the session according to protocol.”

I-rok’s response was robotic, like he was reciting a manual. As Do-won’s voice rose first, I-rok pinched the bridge of his nose, pressing down as if to relieve a headache. That refined, patient demeanor of his irritated Do-won even more.

“The rule was to answer students’ questions politely.”

“And what if they ask weird questions? There are always troublemakers in a crowd.”

“Don’t exaggerate. You answered just fine.”

“…….”

…Well, now that he thought about it, none of the questions were particularly inappropriate, and Do-won had answered them without hesitation. If he had really felt uncomfortable, he could have simply avoided answering—just like how I-rok had dodged the tricky request for his number by offering his email instead.

Looking back… maybe the things he had blurted out without much thought could have been insensitive to students at such a delicate age. But honestly? Nah, that’s nonsense. They were all laughing and having a great time!

But Do-won couldn’t find the right words to say. The more he tried to argue, the more it felt like he was just reinforcing Han I-rok’s point.

I-rok picked up his bag and added in his still rigid tone,

“And if the question had really been dangerous or inappropriate, I would have made an exception and stopped it. I wouldn’t just tell you to endure it no matter what.”

“…….”

“I hate to sound condescending, but I’ve been doing this for three years now—I know better than you. When it comes to official events like this, sticking to the rules is always the right call.”

“Hey…”

Do-won almost let slip a bad habit of his that tended to come out when he was flustered. He instinctively pressed his fingers against his lips to stop himself, then let his hand drop.

“I didn’t even mess up, so why are you being so serious about this?”

There was nothing wrong with what I-rok was saying, but all this talk about rules and principles just felt overly rigid to Do-won. This kind of thing should be handled with a bit of flexibility, and in the end, everything had gone smoothly. So wasn’t that enough?

Apparently not.

“I just don’t like it.”

With that, I-rok grabbed his things and walked out of the classroom.

Do-won scoffed, left standing alone in the now-empty room. He turned around with an incredulous snort.

“Hah. Me?”

He stayed there for a while, just staring at the door I-rok had disappeared through.

————

The entire weekend, Do-won couldn’t shake his irritation because of Han I-rok.

The more he thought about it, the weirder I-rok seemed. From Do-won’s perspective, it felt like he was just nitpicking over something trivial. It wasn’t like he had done anything bad enough to deserve such a reprimand, yet I-rok had treated him like a strict old-fashioned teacher.

More than anything, I-rok was shattering one of Do-won’s fundamental biases.

Do-won had always believed that good-looking people naturally had good personalities. And why wouldn’t he? Handsome men had probably grown up surrounded by compliments and admiration. People would naturally be kind to them, and if they had lived their whole lives basking in that kind of warmth, there’d be no reason for them to turn out bitter or twisted. On the other hand, unattractive guys….

Anyway, that was the logic behind it. Han I-rok was supposed to be kind, according to Do-won’s bias, but he wasn’t—and that contradiction made Do-won uncomfortable.

“…….”

No, actually, it seemed like Do-won was the only exception. Wasn’t I-rok known in their department as the “warm-hearted robot”?

Thinking about that just made it even more annoying. Why me? From the very beginning, it felt like I-rok had some inexplicable dislike toward him. And now, Do-won was getting curious—why?

Know your enemy, know yourself, and you’ll win every battle. Even in investing, the first step was to analyze a company’s financial statements. If he wanted to figure out Han I-rok, he needed to do some research.

Do-won opened his laptop and typed “Han I-rok” straight into the search bar. He wasn’t expecting much, but to his surprise, something actually popped up.

[ Handsome Famous Non-Celebrity from Korea University… ㄷㄷ ]
(Photo attached)

He’s a Korean Literature major at Korea University, and his name is Han I-rok.
Even his name sounds like it’s straight out of a romance comic.
Students say multiple casting managers have approached him on campus…
Damn, he’s really good-looking. His proportions are insane.

Comments:
User: Please let him have only 3 cm down there.
└ Reply: They say that kind of confidence comes from there… sigh.

– Lol, I bet it’s all Photoshop. He just looks like any average guy.
└ Reply: Wipe your tears before you speak.

———

It seemed that Han I-rok was quite well-known even in the online world.

Do-won kept coming across posts filled with photos of him, calling him a “handsome non-celebrity” or even the “god of Korea University.”

Apparently, he had even been a magazine cover model.

“<University Tomorrow> Cover Model! Korea University Korean Literature Major, Han I-rok”

Former captain of ‘Hanul,’ the university’s official student ambassador group and the face of Korea University.

The article started with the editor dramatically stating how difficult it had been to get in touch with the school just to recruit him.

Q: What do you love the most right now?
A: Korea University.

“What kind of guy…?”

Do-won unconsciously muttered to himself as his eyes landed on that ridiculously short answer.

Q: How would you introduce your university?

A: Korea University, the hall of academia, is the first national university in South Korea. With a proud history of 100 years and a rich tradition, it is dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge… (omitted)… Its founding philosophy is to nurture leaders who contribute to the prosperity of the community and the advancement of human society.

As he read through the article carefully, he noticed that there wasn’t a single personal answer—everything was purely promotional for the university. Was he too obsessed with Hanul? Talking about the prosperity of the community and the university’s founding philosophy—what a weirdo. The thought of Han Irok giving an interview with his usual expressionless face and stiff pronunciation made Do-won chuckle a little.

It seemed like he didn’t even have any social media accounts, just as expected. No matter how much Do-won searched, the only things that came up were posts like:

[Korea University Bamboo Forest] #109134th Confession
“If Han Irok from the Korean Language and Literature Department doesn’t have a girlfriend, then date me.”

Or,

[Korea University Bamboo Forest] #104543rd Confession
“I happened to see the student ambassadors passing by earlier, and I think our school’s ambassadors are seriously amazing ㅠㅠ.
It was an honor to see Ambassador Captain Han Irok in person :)”

There were plenty of posts desperately looking for Han Irok, but the person himself was nowhere to be found.

Without realizing it, Do-won had spent hours searching. It was only when he noticed how late it had gotten that he rubbed his eyes and shut his laptop. He had gotten so caught up in it that he’d lost track of time.

In the end, despite all the searching, he didn’t learn anything personal about Han Irok—not his background, not his personality, nothing. The deeper he dug, the more mysterious Han Irok seemed. And to make things worse, all he found was evidence of just how much everyone else adored the guy he found so irritating. It only made him more annoyed.

And so, after wasting his entire weekend, Baek Do-won ended up oversleeping on Monday.

————

In his rush to leave, he had skipped breakfast, but at least he managed to arrive on time and even had a moment to buy a carton of milk from the convenience store.

As he drank his milk, his eyes were glued to his phone’s stock app, checking if any of the companies in his portfolio had faced any issues over the weekend. Seeing the market in the red with no major problems made him feel satisfied as he headed toward the lecture hall.

And then—

“……”
“……”

Right at the entrance to the required general education class, he stopped short.

Someone else was about to walk in at the exact same time.

Han Irok?

Even though he was wearing a cap, Do-won recognized him instantly.

The very person who had haunted his thoughts all weekend was now standing right in front of him.

The very person who had plagued his thoughts all weekend was now standing right in front of him.

What the hell? Don’t tell me… he’s taking this class too?

Do-won tried to mask his shock as he stared at Han Irok, who, in turn, slightly furrowed his brows.

We’ve been in the same class this whole time? How have we never run into each other before?

Judging by the expression on Han Irok’s face, he seemed to be thinking the exact same thing. He looked slightly surprised to see Do-won, but then sighed. Seeing that made Do-won frown instinctively.

Then, Han Irok adjusted his cap and took a step back.

Why the hell is he letting me go first?

Being given the right of way somehow felt even more irritating. But he didn’t refuse. Turning his head sharply on purpose, Do-won entered the lecture hall first. He could hear Han Irok following behind him, which only deepened his despair.

So it was true—they were in the same class.

Do-won took a seat somewhere in the middle and, as Han Irok walked down the steps to find a spot, his eyes unconsciously followed him.

Since this was a required general education course for all students at Korea University, the class was large, and the lecture hall was designed in a tiered layout. Seeing Han Irok sitting all the way at the front, Do-won realized it made sense that they hadn’t run into each other before.

Before long, the professor entered and quickly began taking attendance using the electronic check-in system.

“I’ll start introducing the final project now.”

The professor briefly went over the team project that had been mentioned before. Students would form teams, create a business proposal, invest in other teams’ businesses, and receive grades based on their performance.

A student from Do-won’s department, someone he had spoken to a few times before, glanced at him and made a subtle gesture.

“Wanna team up?”

“Oh, okay.”

They exchanged quick, silent signals. But just as they were about to finalize it, the professor pulled up a new screen.

“Apologies to those who signed up with friends, but to ease the fears of students without partners, I’ve taken the liberty of assigning teams myself.”

A few quiet groans of disappointment filled the room, but the professor paid no attention and continued speaking.

“Each team consists of five members. I tried to make sure students from the same department or year weren’t grouped together. Ideally, no one should know each other. And since switching teams would be a hassle…”

Do-won quickly accepted the situation. It would have been more convenient to work with fellow business students, but it wasn’t a big deal.

He scanned the list, looking for his name. And then—

Among the tiny letters, he finally spotted Baek Do-won.

And the moment he did, he unconsciously muttered under his breath.

“You’ve got to be kidding me…?”

Team 5 – Choi Joo-hye, Park Yoon-tae, Lee Se-jin, Baek Do-won, Han Ir-ok.

Baek Do-won. Han Ir-ok.

Do-won’s eyes widened as he whipped his head around. At the same time, Han Ir-ok, seated at the front, seemed to have just spotted his own name and furrowed his brows.

A hollow laugh escaped Do-won as disbelief washed over him, but the moment he did, Han I-rok turned to look at him as if he had sensed it.

“……”

Their eyes met dead-on.

The sharpness in their gazes clashed like sparks flying in the air.

“Since this is a business proposal project, I will be focusing heavily on teamwork between group members.”

I sincerely hope you all cooperate as a team. Hope… Hope… Hope…

The professor’s words echoed ominously between the two of them.

———

After the lecture ended, the members of Team 5 gathered at the side of the classroom for brief introductions.

“I’m Choi Joo-hye, a first-year in Chinese Language and Literature!”

“Oh, a freshman. I’m Park Yoon-tae… fourth year, Food and Nutrition.”

His casual speech felt a little off-putting right from the start, but Do-won kept his discomfort to himself and continued.

“I’m Baek Do-won, a third-year in Business Administration.”

“I’m Lee Se-jin, a fourth-year in Child and Family Studies.”

Finally, it was Han I-rok’s turn to introduce himself.

“I’m—”

“I already know! Han I-rok, sunbae!”

“…Ah, yes. I’m Han I-rok, a third-year in Korean Language and Literature.”

The freshman’s eyes sparkled as they cut him off excitedly. Han Irok didn’t so much as blink as he finished his introduction, but the other two members chimed in.

“So we’re in a team with a celebrity, huh?”

“Is there anyone in this school who doesn’t know Han I-rok?”

“……”

The person who hadn’t even known Han I-rok existed until last month simply kept his mouth shut.

“The proposal isn’t due until the week before exams, but we need the professor’s approval along the way, so we should start preparing early.”

“Let’s make a group chat first.”

“Who wants to be the team leader? The leader can collect our numbers and set up the chat.”

At those words, a brief silence settled over the group. Eyes darted around uncertainly until the freshman spoke up again.

“Wouldn’t it be best if a fourth-year took the lead? You guys have the most experience.”

As if they had already resigned themselves to this fate, the two fourth-years let out long, exhausted sighs. It was the kind of sigh that screamed, I really don’t want to do this.

If we leave things to them, this project will be a disaster.

Do-won’s mind worked quickly.

It was obvious just by looking at them—these were the type of students who had procrastinated on their general education requirements until the last possible moment and were now taking the course out of sheer necessity to graduate. There was no way they would handle this efficiently.

Besides, the common assumption that seniors were the most knowledgeable was a complete misconception. The further along you got, the more drained both your knowledge and energy became.

“I’ll do it.”

Do-won volunteered to be the team leader. Sure, it might bring extra hassle, but it was better to take control from the start rather than deal with problems later.

No way was he going to let his grade suffer in a general education course.

All he had to do was gather ideas and draft the proposal. And if that was all, no one could do it better than a business major like himself. Rather than risk inefficiency by passing the work around, it was much more productive to handle it himself.

“If no one else wants to, I’ll do it. I’m a business major, after all.”

“No objections here! We’ll be counting on you, leader!”

The fourth-years, looking as if a huge weight had been lifted off their shoulders, immediately handed over their phone numbers. One by one, they exchanged contacts and agreed to discuss details in the group chat before leaving the classroom.

Finally, the only ones left were Do-won and Han I-rok.

Han I-rok stood in front of him and wordlessly held out a hand, signaling for his phone.

Do-won said—

“Yeah, I know your number.”

“…Right.”

Why does this guy always sigh every time he speaks? Do-won almost felt his blood pressure spike, but he forced himself to calm down as he stood up.

“Hey. Han I-rok.”

Han I-rok, who had been adjusting his bag to leave, turned around at Do-won’s call.

“Even if you don’t like me that much, let’s at least do well on the group project.”
Winning is when you don’t have to fight to win. The true victor is the one who wins without fighting.

“Yeah, sure. I’m not like someone who does things half-heartedly.”

“……?”

What’s this? The famous quote he had been repeating in his head shattered into pieces with a loud crash.
Is he saying I’m doing things half-heartedly?

Han I-rok, seemingly unaware, stood still, staring at Do-won for a moment before abruptly leaving the classroom.

You! Annoying!

Do-won was left staring at the closed door, helplessly stamping his foot in frustration. Ah, seriously!
“Seriously, we just don’t get along…”
It seemed like his bad relationship with Han Irok was going to drag on longer than expected.

———

He said he’s buying drinks, huh?

Do-won, who had received a text during class, sighed and quickly replied. It was from Young-hoon.

[Ah, I totally forgot! How about dinner tonight?]

[Okay.]

He had forgotten about Young-hoon. Do-won sighed in many ways as he put his phone back in his pocket. Young-hoon had helped him pass the paperwork without any issues, and he was also the same publicity ambassador who had spent two years together with Han I-rok.

If anyone could tell him more about that annoying Han I-rok, it was Young-hoon. Instead of randomly searching on the internet and wasting time, asking Young-hoon directly was the quickest way to find out.

Do-won hadn’t been thinking straight, probably due to that weird Han I-rok, and had missed the efficient approach. Slowly, he began to focus on finding ways to get more information about Han I-rok.

As the dinner time approached, he hurried to the location and found Young-hoon already waiting with a table full of food and drinks. Do-won couldn’t help but smile and roll his eyes before sitting across from him.

“Seriously. You’re trying to get all the food.”

“Hey, they pay well for being publicity ambassadors. Drink up, man.”

Do-won hurriedly set down his bag and grabbed a shot glass, which was already filled to the brim with soju.

“Congratulations on officially becoming a publicity ambassador!”

“Thanks, man.”

They clinked glasses, and as the soju hit his throat, Do-won immediately felt the burn. He grabbed some fries nearby and quickly popped them into his mouth.

“You know my help was huge, right?”

“Yeah, yeah. Order whatever you want.”

“Yeah, I ordered tuna sashimi.”

“…Is there tuna here?”

“Just kidding.”

Young-hoon made a lighthearted joke before continuing the conversation. Now that he was a senior, he seemed to want to act more like one. He asked how Do-won’s school life was going and which classes he was taking, offering some encouragement along the way.

The conversation eventually shifted to their roles as publicity ambassadors. Do-won complained about how much work there was, and Young-hoon laughed.

“I told you it would be tough.”

“Why do we have to meet so early in the morning?”

“This is nothing. The real challenge starts from the vacation.”