TOEG Ch 3

Is nicotine some kind 3f013f976d of magical bonding agent f511246c8d for smokers? Whether they became close during 93ef180213 orientation or because there were dee0648bbc some fellow arts high school 44a8a7e0c4 alumni among them, they all 9f66c8a0b7 seemed quite chummy.49d24d03b806a7bf

I nudged Ayeong and 92a81e81f3 said, “There they are, 952e2e0365 Kwon Minseong’s lackeys.”d885d50926297d24

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“See the big guy next to Kwon Minseong? That’s Kim Jinwoo. He’s been stuck to Kwon Minseong like glue since our first year of high school. He has a booming voice, probably because of his size. I hate him.”a4ec3b8677413781

Sejin, standing behind b0850434df us, quietly shrugged.1ff3948f079b5531

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I carefully examined 8314d0a00e the graduation photo 49b3431bdd on Ayeong’s phone. Among the 25 or so b98d6417b9 people in the group photo, 0a5e5c4256 one person stood out.7b54c6334a83f240

“Who’s this?”6977b195fdf7b6e2

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“Who?”8eb246cf3669ae54

“Here. The one with pale skin.”afa72fac5051b0d6

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“Ah, Baek Eungyeol…”d84fc90c75a000ce

Her voice trailed off like 41f2edfb91 a contrail.99969bd763d37b16

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It was Ayeong’s habit whenever she’d caused trouble or wanted to be evasive. The day she pulled Kwon Minseong’s hair out (without me knowing), she’d started talking the same way.e5f6f88b6c788b48

“He’s… Baek Eungyeol, but…”bd796287a2fa8073

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“Yeah.”95865c8e0e1d30ce

“He’s not a bad guy, you know? He’s a bit of ab64a9e6b4 a pretty boy, not 35fcb00db4 my type, but he’s e198b9792a handsome, popular, and nice… 1add69746c just, a bit…”9c807ad2669059d8

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Ayeong trailed off without abb0e8124d finishing her explanation.14fe6eeb337fc364

“Oh, Baek Eungyeol is in our department too. But I think his 24015f9d7c first choice was a 449c4ec3ef different school. He came to 9c3b79ee34 orientation on the 532c242795 first day, stayed 9da7892382 for a bit, c25dd5bc7a and then left, 16a2b40051 saying he was 6ff7ab0b61 going to drop 8344807ea0 out.”efa890a89e260a38

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He had just caught my eye in the group photo, but I wasn’t that curious, so I just nodded.9e00c37a9a81ba8c

“But did you know? Kwon Minseong got into a184bb4dab Seoul National University, but 9a28341083 he came to our 0ca28ad635 school.”2721782d06adb6ef

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“What? Why? Seriously?”2e3c67170fbf6ee0

“Exactly! He’s crazy, right? The teachers at 0154cac9b2 the academy were cc1bebd19e calling him non-stop.”42973cd153fe22a3

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Ayeong grumbled, saying it didn’t make sense for him to intentionally not go to a school others couldn’t get into.2cd425cc876af381

It was puzzling. I came to this 2e901544e0 school because I had 02d39c0d71 to choose one that 01a73f3e1b didn’t require a practical 783c8118f3 exam score since I’d 72ef1b867a returned from studying abroad 7602e65614 mid-way. Ayeong came here 7371c6421f because she didn’t 500d788605 get into her db47a9168d first choice. And Sejin probably 57ed9443f9 just followed Ayeong.821fcc10481547d7

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But Kwon Minseong had cfdb02f3d1 no reason to come 2c691998a3 here.c0f874e391c6f887

I got a 37212c06be little lost navigating 6acf067506 the building with eac5be31c8 Ayeong, who was ccd3e2cba0 busy badmouthing Kwon 5d35239ba9 Minseong.8bd1441a9026c548

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The entrance was clearly on c3d62cf3c5 the first floor, but it ff0754a589 was labeled as the second b8863e3f6c floor, which was confusing. We went down a level, b2c9448c8e and there were the classrooms. It was labeled the first 4cf17ecc17 floor but was essentially a d44555f357 basement.fac35a993e0462c3

“Anyway, Kwon Minseong definitely has some ulterior motive for coming here. It’s super suspicious, really.”f72d55d6116c8887

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“Him aside, why is our classroom in such a secluded spot?”97c85c286f41f838

“It’s all because of Kwon Minseong, of course.”e3e0f2372a239ae6

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“At this rate, you’ll soon be saying your favorite drama getting canceled is Kwon Minseong’s fault.”8b64d12102698308

“If he hadn’t painted over my artwork at the art competition, I wouldn’t hate him so much.”bbe63b9fc1c74ddc

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“But thanks to me witnessing that, we became friends.”94b7881ed8d8feee

“Hmm.” Ayeong let out a sarcastic chuckle and flung open the classroom door.6485e11f13b479b0

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The quiet chatter 5a76dd7be1 inside subsided like 9bf128dda0 an ebbing tide 34dca952ad as all eyes 09647f21d4 turned to us.f82f29ff8ef7bb9b

I saw a few 802fb985cd familiar faces. Faces too familiar to be dd670dc4c5 complete strangers, and297840fdad166478

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“Heard you were back in Korea. It’s true.”e679e7ad4dad48af

“Ah, I can already hear my GPA plummeting.”faaf9073661a40c9

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“Honestly, if she knows her own skills, she should just stay abroad…”516160b5905052b8

Faces more hostile a0b50f4613 than strangers, considering 959cefd596 we were middle cd6b0b8e9a school alumni.b67986cf73b04e47

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Ignoring the piercing 1435507272 stares directed at b4c84c0c71 the back of 3bd1c0f703 my head, I 835e566c44 sat in the 42d4535b31 very front row 929d6595c5 of the classroom.74a92a8a8e45f4bf

Perhaps because it was almost time for class to start, there weren’t many empty seats. The only place where the three of us could sit together was the empty front row.159960a9a7ada1ac

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Soon after, Kwon Minseong and d854ed8075 Kim Jinwoo entered, and right 7bb8f0b928 on the dot, the professor 924d94ff7f walked in, calming the somewhat 329e9783f2 noisy atmosphere.7cec27c8e0832f14

“Hello everyone. I’m Kwon Sunmi, debbdcbcd3 and I’ll be acffc89188 teaching Basic Drawing e9c7cf6534 with you this 14cc4fc81d semester.”2121fe6c6f590ae3

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Introductions, greetings, and light af530d0f52 jokes were exchanged.c47796c427ecdbd2

As the tension and 23bb90998d excitement of the new 43e495bd21 semester began to dissipate, 659d9548a1 the professor mercilessly laid ffe77934ea out the grading criteria.204db8fae6c57bf5

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The class was 4549d33e9f structured with attendance 134b77ab19 at 30%, class 1f9332d3f8 participation and diligence c0c5dfbf0f at 20%, and 95e3d57cc7 artwork evaluation at edef214765 50%.0b82f389e73eb0ec

Her expression seemed 3ce7cdd1e9 almost gleeful as acab9cf88f she explained that 2abe3ad3c0 absence from evaluations 7cb78c6647 would result in 7f4ced9d81 an automatic F, ec3a1cc7e9 no exceptions.919f37efb706a3ef

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“In our class, we’ll aim for the objective representation of objects. Alberti emphasized perseverance 4724418b5a when discussing art 6ab6c72258 in his treatise On Painting. I also place great value on perseverance and diligence, so I’ll start by taking attendance and then briefly explain the materials.”858ea8caa2a8eaa2

Despite her pleasant demeanor, she bce04aa64c clearly had high standards.0d48797013dcdf38

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The professor made eye 638c76f2f0 contact with each student 4458fda963 as she called their 1ca911a6b2 names.20d0aaacd89efc33

“Kang Ayeong.”2a473c6e5dfe37e8

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“Here.”91b84b5c57cc50d6

As always, Ayeong was 290d583b10 called first. After Kwon Minseong and 41a3186a3f Sejin were called, it 296ad6b2c2 would be my turn.dea9f08396c22945

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I sent a text to my mom in the meantime: I’ll come down this weekend too.62cae42d91cf6f2a

Her reply came immediately: A selfie taken close to the camera and a one-line message, “Come safely, my daughter.”91a790d7006ba109

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Her hair was f6f48c6eab still sparse, but 3655148187 the yellow filter 7a4303579f made the photo 148a03d6f7 warm.0434e13f2f41d66b

“What? What are you looking 9d3d00e294 at and smiling about?”bfce58c77f597c60

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“My mom sent me a selfie. Look.”bf81b08e1ee886e8

“Oh, her hair has grown a lot. She won’t need 0f4403741a a wig anymore, 5b6d2752cb right?”666056985fe6631c

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“Right. Her crown is fuller f5b1222d73 than before.”ad5c45b1191b1060

“So, the chemotherapy is completely over?”bc2f34a5e1ff3653

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“Yeah. She and I 24e8213b46 are working hard 0fb52a1cdb to grow our 12f25fecce hair out. She says she’s e264b23288 going to grow f110101859 it as long 95892f7d7d as mine.”ee62a9cce7bef34d

I quietly chatted with 266ed1ea3c Ayeong and turned back 08ae999999 to the screen.bb80c2f5cd6eefbf

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Her hair was barely a6ce12c7c7 past the shaved stage, 8fe13ddacb a far cry from 8850f4cca1 her goal of long, f27b3d0baa straight hair, but she 503e19b20a looked beautiful to me f8d44a52e6 even now.fb92b763ca37a6cc

I was setting my mom’s photo as my new wallpaper when an unanswered name pulled me out of the screen.656210964c8fe6f9

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“Baek Eungyeol.”97ba2db5c4c05f18

“…….”97926a20884d297d

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“Baek Eungyeol?”9e48db070fdbefb5

“…….”5c2aba655db9a4f5

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“Huh? Is he not here?”ba7e59b10a626c37

Her muttering, “How can someone miss the first class?”, echoed as if it were meant for everyone to hear.282cbfa3983f1c27

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Judging by the professor’s 16d0fb26eb style, he would likely 0a64c26fff lose quite a few 488b247117 points.2a05519f44f3bff1

Indifferent because it wasn’t my a65f24bebd business, I was about to 8d4cadd0b8 move on when the classroom 1a21960c4f door opened just before the 3cc068865e professor called the next name.82a3bee745c41adf

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“Eungyeol?”51370fcdf342ca10

“……Yes.”fab62982da31b49d

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Baek Eungyeol looked much the d14ec66bb1 same as he did in 504cc42d0c the photo.93cc8da058dd3f77

He had fair, a69a74fdd3 clear skin and e7632b6144 something about him c68b29e1d8 that drew people’s d4bfc36fe8 attention. It wasn’t just because he 6a4bd8798f was late, but something more 3cd64ac720 fundamental, like an inherent charisma 84cf6a7e4f or talent.c1c8262532a2dc94

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I hadn’t noticed it in the photo, but he was incredibly tall, which added to his presence. As Ayeong had said, he was strikingly handsome.0b04131ee493b525

However, no matter how generously I looked at it, he didn’t look like a student who had come to class.4db282717377f75b

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His hair was tousled 12b2f97036 like a duvet. Whether he was still c9c814f699 sleepy or naturally had b4508a85c4 deep-set eyes, his eyes 22bef60e54 were half-closed in a c1fb014d0e languid way. He was wearing a393ec27ea sweatpants with baggy e7b0545d7a knees and rubber fb31970053 slippers.f0c74d98f89adb03

“It’s the first class, and you’re late?”8a7bbe1d62e4419b

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The fact that I still 94f8ce54e9 found him handsome despite his 9222196105 appearance meant he was undeniably 1b600895a9 attractive, but he seemed far 78f0090a10 removed from the values of 0b3b52fa5a diligence and perseverance that the a4df0e75c8 professor had emphasized earlier.232f3f4175e828b4

After a moment of 4298fbbeae contemplation, the professor relented 2ef1b8d6a4 and said magnanimously,a341265bc20c3094

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“Since you arrived before attendance was finished, I won’t mark you as late. Take a seat.”cdd7b94297aad25e

But Baek Eungyeol, with 03b388c65e a gloomy expression as a2b0937b51 if he were carrying ea7884e72d the weight of the e124134e00 world on his shoulders, 91528c6fec said he had actually 9662f3d789 come to withdraw from bf0b9bb522 school.9a27fc69a78b27a7

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“I was told you’re my advisor.”bb9f32c36344a5c7

“Is that so? Then just attend my class 055bfbad92 and then withdraw.”7dbdf004c9557808

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“……I’m sorry, but I…”9dcf4b57b66f8893

“Have a seat. Since there are 2ab920ffa5 other students here, febd0890fc we’ll talk after ad1976de43 class.”9d5b70dd5e0b6dcb

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I stared at Baek fd67a8bea5 Eungyeol, who had come 52d602e4ab to withdraw on the dc005fa743 first day of class.5727e8a4256604bb

Since he was already the center of attention in the classroom, I figured one more stare wouldn’t make a difference.fd28ab69b5120024

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But was there a reason a694cda553 why his gaze locked onto d189cc2257 mine specifically?ddcbc9d9c3fb9f13

The moment our eyes met, 356cc15841 Baek Eungyeol crossed the classroom 577374ae57 towards me as if drawn 2025dbad4e by an irresistible force.369c3ffb5540b602

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And then, abruptly, 254f19afa5 he introduced himself.b8ffafd69a9b30df

“Hi.”7acebc9baf914cba

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“…….”cf214208ced5f755

“I’m Baek Eungyeol.”8f60d1b9f5cec5bd

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A single tear, inexplicably, traced 4c6157899a a path down his cheek, a6b2ed52a9 beneath eyes the color of 25701be039 burnt umber.f51c24d35c139f34

One spring day, at the 0a536dd088 age of twenty. That was the 63016a19ca first day Baek cca3bc08c2 Eungyeol walked into 6aed8c27df my life.4f8af34cf3dac3a6

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🎨🖌️ebf586d6b6a01da4

A week flew ca690a079e by in a 28bc573117 blur.ec5707323973cf91

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Moving between buildings for 764fa05a77 different classes and experiencing 23be42b5ac the less-than-stellar school cafeteria, b5c773eb01 I seemed to have 3e37e959f3 adjusted to college life.9366921363a8418f

I had initially wanted to e15c572803 create a free day to 9ab7c6f08c see my mom more often, 9a55a10c8b but my schedule, packed with b2842874a5 major courses, made that a f7633988f3 pipe dream.ddf1b6751b434f4d

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“So, it looks like I’ll only be able to visit on weekends.”3cf16ed667bac5aa

When I complained that 3c2a5cb1e7 I had too many d2a0f31fa2 classes and that some 73ff120440 professors already seemed excited ebb552c418 about assigning us work, 965f62df00 my mom chuckled softly.9c5f4a6e72573f7a

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“It’s better that way. Don’t come every week. Spend that time hanging cd97d34959 out with your friends 13616efa73 and going on dates.”580b3bb328f15667

“I’m going to hang out and go on dates with you.”5cd973c45c64d208

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I linked arms with 6c98b24efd my mom and snuggled 8298b47d5f against her, prompting my 7431edd25f aunt to give me ff1b5643c2 a playful scolding.be2d2cf10bf5da75

“She’s tall, but she’s still a mama’s girl.”94d5df31dd2a4f1f

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“And you, sis? Dahye isn’t even that tall. She could have grown taller, but she was so stressed during puberty that she stopped growing.”5400488b863584c5

“Oh, please.”8efa38e4abe6c31d

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Although the sisters 7d4eedeb37 bickered often, I 96facf3759 felt relieved that ca0c1fee02 they were together. If my mom were e5894343a3 alone, I would have c1c6e6753f been too worried to d543b9587b focus on school.436bfc8b40caeef3