PM CHAPTER 1.2

<Korea University Student Ambassadors Han-ul Instagram>

The New Faces of Korea University!
The first meeting of the 20th class of Han-ul student ambassadors has taken place! ^^
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Our fresh and eager new Han-ul members just finished their welcome event! ><
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We’ll be introducing them through official profiles soon!
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Get ready for an amazing campus life with our newest Han-ul members—let’s go!

—

“Hey, what is this?!”

Yu-jeong exclaimed dramatically while checking her phone in the middle of lunch. She shoved her phone screen right in front of Do-won’s face, shouting again.

“Baek Do! Isn’t this you?”

She held it so close that he couldn’t even make out what was on the screen. Frowning, he leaned back slightly, and only then did Yu-jeong start swiping through the news cards one by one.

“Look! Here, in the corner—that’s you! When did you get into this?”

The screen showed a group photo of the new Han-ul student ambassadors. In one corner of the image, Do-won was standing at the edge, holding the end of a long banner. The next picture showed a gathering at a pub near campus—probably their first team dinner. His side profile was barely visible.

Apparently, these had been posted on the official student ambassador SNS account.

Do-won let out a quiet sigh and took another bite of his food. That’s all? He had half-expected the stock market to have crashed or something.

“Yeah, I guess so.”

“Wow, this is insane. You—a student ambassador?”

Yu-jeong kept flipping through the photos in disbelief.

“I just wanted to add some extracurricular activities to my resume.”

“Wow… unbelievable.”

In reality, he had applied after failing to get into another external program. But his pride was still wounded, and he wasn’t ready to talk about the disappointment in detail.

Yu-jeong checked SNS again and let out a gasp of surprise.

As the class representative, Jung Yu-jeong had known Do-won well since their freshman year. He wasn’t the type to cling to people coming or going. While he didn’t go out of his way to build walls, he also didn’t actively seek out connections.

Most of the time, whenever she saw Do-won, he was either checking his stock app or studying for certification exams. The idea of him becoming a student ambassador—where he’d have to be friendly and approachable—had never even crossed her mind.

“A competition-obsessed guy like you, joining the student ambassadors? Unbelievable.”

Yu-jeong and Do-won had grown close while preparing for competitions together. Do-won had noticed Yu-jeong’s exceptional PPT-making skills from their very first class assignment and had latched onto her ever since. Somehow, she had been dragged along, dominating finance-related competitions with him. She had even changed her career path toward investment banking because of him.

“I thought it’d be easy work, but there’s way more to do than I expected. Maybe it’s just because it’s the beginning… Oh, that reminds me—since you showed me this, I should tell you. They recommended making an Instagram account, so I made one.”

“No way! Give me your ID.”

Yu-jeong grinned, oddly excited. Baek Do is finally doing something normal for a college student!

When Do-won told her his plain and simple username, “dowoni,” she immediately searched for it and hit follow. His profile had no pictures, just a minimalistic bio with only text.

Korea University Student Ambassador Hanul 20th Class / Business Administration, Class of NN, Baek Do-won

“That’s so like you.”

The two continued their meal, chatting about the student ambassador activities. They talked about how getting a profile picture taken for the ambassador program could save them the cost of professional job application photos and how the activity stipend was more generous than expected.

“There are a lot of good-looking people there, right?”

“Well… yeah, kind of.”

Since they were student ambassadors, most of them had neat and pleasant appearances. It wasn’t that only the most attractive people were selected, but it was undeniable that everyone had a warm and likable impression.

“You know that famous guy, right? Han I-rok from the Korean Literature Department.”

“Oh, yeah. He’s the leader of the 18th group. Was he famous? He was pretty good-looking, though.”

“The admissions director personally scouted him. Crazy, right?”

“Wow, really?”

That level of recognition? Hm.

But now that Do-won thought about Han I-rok’s appearance, it made sense. He was tall, well-proportioned, and undeniably handsome. Plus, he looked great in the formal uniform.

As Do-won took his empty tray to return it, he casually asked,
“Do you know anything about him?”

“Not much. Just his face, since he’s pretty well-known. I don’t really go to the Humanities building much, so I’ve only seen him a few times at events.”

For Do-won, this was his first time seeing him in person. The only time he had seen Han I-rok before was on promotional materials around campus, and even then, he had assumed he was just a hired model. Who really pays attention to those posters anyway?

“There are tons of rumors about him. From what I hear from the Korean Lit department rep, he’s kind of rigid, like a strict rule-follower. But he also takes care of his juniors well and doesn’t shy away from tough tasks. That’s why people call him a ‘warm-hearted robot.’”

“A warm-hearted robot? He seemed a bit prickly to me.”

“Why? Did something happen?”

“No, not really.”

Do-won briefly recalled the slightly awkward welcome dinner. Since Han I-rok was the only other person his age, Do-won had tried to strike up a conversation, but the responses had been so short and dry that he ended up just sipping his drink in silence. Other than that, there was nothing particularly noteworthy.

A warm-hearted robot…? Well, if that was his reputation, maybe he was just shy. Do-won decided not to think too much about it.

“Try getting close to one of the handsome new members. Oh! And introduce me to one.”

“I’m against campus couples.”

“Pfft, whatever. I’ve already set up a group meeting with the aviation students from the neighboring university after midterms.”

“Whoohoo!” Yu-jung playfully cheered as she walked ahead with a bounce in her step.

Do-won, adjusting his bag strap, suddenly froze in place.

Shit. He had completely forgotten about midterms.

Do-won threw himself into last-minute cramming after that.

Forgetting about midterms—what a disaster. Between external activity interviews, the student ambassador selection process, and the training that followed, he had been too overwhelmed to keep track of everything.

Holed up in the library for hours, he suddenly checked his phone and mumbled,
“Oh. I have to go to training.”

He had to attend ambassador training two or three times a week. Maybe he really should move closer to campus. If it weren’t for this, he would have had more time to study for exams. But there was no point in complaining now. Efficiency of thought—making the most of the time he had left was the best strategy.

‘At least they don’t call us in on weekends.’

If he quit the ambassador program now just because it was inconvenient, he would definitely regret it later when midterms were over and he had more free time. Besides, Han I-rok’s words still lingered in his mind.

‘If you’re here without the intention of taking this seriously, you might as well leave now.’

Remembering that, quitting so soon felt like admitting defeat. Come to think of it, his tone had been kind of annoying. Do-won unconsciously replayed I-rok’s words in his head as he hurriedly packed his bag.

When he arrived at the lecture hall for training, he noticed someone unexpected. Instead of the usual leader from the 19th group, Han I-rok was standing at the front.

Of all people, why did the guy he had just been thinking of show up? Was this some kind of bad omen? Do-won gave him an awkward nod and casually took a seat.

“Today’s training is being led by I-rok hyung,” someone nearby informed him. The 19th group leader couldn’t attend due to overlapping exams. Do-won raised an eyebrow briefly before nodding in acknowledgment.

Soon, the session began, and Do-won absentmindedly flipped through the newly distributed booklet while resting his chin on his hand.

‘Why is this so thick?’

And they expected them to memorize all of this? That was ridiculous. Who in their right mind would ever care about such trivial school details? He was convinced that this training was far more useless than he had anticipated.

Still, there were only a few more sessions left. Might as well get it over with.

Han I-rok’s clear and precise enunciation made his presentation easy to follow, but Do-won’s eyes gradually drifted away, landing on his midterm study materials. Listening with his ears while studying with his eyes…

“Baek Do-won.”

“Huh? What?”

Before he could get away with it, he was caught. Was I-rok a mind reader or something? The senior’s face remained mostly expressionless, but his brows were slightly furrowed as he questioned Do-won.

Oh, shit… Yeah, of course, he was paying attention.

“Of course.”

Do-won quickly hid his study sheet and smiled. The look I-rok gave him screamed, I’ll let it slide this time. He figured he should just get rid of the evidence entirely, so when I-rok turned away, he discreetly stuffed the papers into his bag.

What was he supposed to say? Actually, I can multitask just fine? Was it his fault he was smart? Do-won grumbled internally.

With a bored expression, he listened to the explanation while absentmindedly clicking his pen. Skimming through the booklet, he made his own annotations on the parts he thought no one would actually care about. Memorizing the key points first would make the minor details fall into place naturally.

‘Top-down approach is the way to go….’

Lost in thought, he flipped through the pages. At the very end, he found a summarized script.

‘So this is the main takeaway?’

Do-won started reading through it first.

“…….”

Little did he know, Han I-rok’s gaze had once again landed on him.

After the training ended, Do-won slung his bag over his shoulder and made his way to the front.

Ahem. Clearing his throat lightly to catch attention, he watched as Han I-rok, who had been organizing the training materials, turned around. Without even asking what was going on, I-rok simply raised and lowered one eyebrow.

“Uh, I have exams in the evening on these days next week, so I don’t think I can make it to training.”

Do-won held up his phone screen to show his schedule as he spoke.

I-rok responded in a firm voice, “I already mentioned that there’s no training during exam week. Guess you weren’t paying attention.”

“Oh, uh… I see.”

When did he say that? His cheeks grew slightly warm with embarrassment. He took back what he had said about being good at multitasking.

I-rok emphasized once again that he had already mentioned that the final training session would be on Monday next week, after which they would officially complete their ambassador certification. And once more, he gave Do-won that particular look—the one that seemed to say I’ll let it slide this time.

How considerate.

“Uh… thanks.”

Muttering a reluctant thank-you, Do-won turned to leave, but just then, he heard a voice that sounded almost like a casual remark.

“Your Friday is free.”

It seemed like I-rok had noticed his schedule. Do-won stopped in his tracks and turned around, only for I-rok to address him directly.

“Baek Do-won. Are all your exams done next week?”

“Huh? …Oh, yeah.”

“Then are you free next Friday?”

“…Huh?”

Do-won found himself responding with dumb noises without meaning to.

“Do you have any other plans that day?”

He wasn’t sure if he was startled because I-rok suddenly spoke to him, or because of the unexpected question itself. Flustered, Do-won pulled out his phone again and checked his calendar. There was no way he had anything scheduled for a golden Friday off after exams.

“I don’t… think so? Why?”

When he asked, I-rok looked down at him and said matter-of-factly,

“Because I’m going to keep an eye on you.”

——–

“You have three tasks. First, distribute the promotional pamphlets and guidebooks to the students—one set per person. That shouldn’t be too hard.

Second, advance the PowerPoint slides according to my explanations. I’ll give you a signal, but unless you’re an idiot, you should be able to tell when to switch slides. As long as you don’t zone out and start daydreaming like you did during training, it’ll be easy.”

“Oh, uh….”

“And third, take a few photos for documentation. Other than that, just follow what you’ve been trained to do. The student group has been limited to thirty people, so it won’t be too overwhelming. You just have to stand next to me and follow my instructions.”

Even though I-rok wasn’t speaking particularly fast, Do-won could barely keep up, nodding as he tried to process everything. In the midst of it, he completely missed the subtle jab hidden in I-rok’s words.

Han I-rok, who had asked if Do-won was free on Friday, gave no further explanation—only telling him to show up in front of a certain high school at a specific time.

And that was how Do-won suddenly found himself at an orientation session at the school. It was part of the responsibilities of a student ambassador—visiting one’s alma mater to give an informational session. Apparently, this was the high school that Han I-rok had graduated from.

It was only after I-rok finished his explanation that Do-won took a proper look around. The classroom was empty since there were no ongoing classes. On a nearby desk, stacks of booklets and pamphlets were piled up. Do-won slung his messenger bag off his shoulder, placing it in a corner, and took off his baseball jacket.

“Keep it over here.”

Without even looking at him, I-rok motioned with his chin to the spot beside him. Do-won picked up his things again and placed them neatly on top of the storage cabinet next to I-rok. The whole time, I-rok remained focused on checking the computer screen.

“…….”

Would it have killed him to give a little warning about what was going on?

Now that he had a moment to process the situation, that thought crossed Do-won’s mind. This was his first time participating in an external activity, yet he had been dragged here with no mental preparation, no time to brace himself. It was annoying.

“Aren’t I supposed to wear the uniform?”

I-rok was already dressed in the official uniform. Seeing how polished he looked, Do-won’s tone came out sharper than intended. At last, I-rok pulled his eyes away from the screen and gave him a once-over—from head to toe.

For some reason, that slow, scrutinizing gaze made Do-won feel oddly tense.

“You don’t have to wear it. You’re just handling the slides. Besides, you’re still a trainee ambassador, so you’re not allowed to wear the uniform yet.”

As he spoke, I-rok casually adjusted his tie.

I’ll be an official ambassador by next Monday, so why draw a line over something like this?

There were extra uniforms lying around in the promotional team’s office anyway—probably spares. He had wanted to try one on. So inflexible.

Just as he was thinking that, I-rok locked eyes with him again. Do-won felt a tiny pang of guilt.

“You’re dressed neatly enough.”

“…….”

All he had on was a white shirt with a knit sweater over it. Do-won let out a sigh and shrugged, as if to say, Whatever. Instead, he idly fidgeted with the stacked booklets.

“You’re the oldest in this batch, so you should gain some experience first and help guide the others later. That’s why I brought you. Focus and pay attention.”

“I’m not going to be the team leader.”

“…That’s unexpected. I thought you’d take the role for the resume boost.”

“I don’t like dealing with hassle.”

As soon as he said that, the school bell rang. Partially drowned out by the chime, I-rok murmured,

“You don’t have to be the team leader to help others. Learn properly—don’t slack off.”

“……?”

Something about the way he emphasized slack off made Do-won raise an eyebrow.

Just then, the assigned teacher entered through the front door. They seemed to be on friendly terms, as I-rok greeted them with a light hug. Introduced by I-rok, Do-won shook hands with the teacher as well.

“Anyway, I’ll be counting on you. Here, some drinks and snacks. You can have them while you work.”

“Thank you.”

“I gave out invitations to the top-ranking students on a first-come, first-served basis, but when they heard that a handsome senior was coming, they got a little too excited. I hope you understand.”

The teacher gestured toward the window. Just as the noise outside became noticeable, a group of students had already pressed themselves against the glass, watching eagerly. They were all female students.

“Did you graduate from an all-girls high school?”

“…….”

“Just kidding.”

It was just a casual remark, but a cold stare was his response. No sense of humor at all. Wasn’t his nickname something like ‘Warm Robot’? Well, at least the robot part was accurate.

Wanting to escape the awkward moment, Do-won picked up a carton of white milk from the snacks the teacher had provided. As he tore open the pack and took a sip, Han I-rok, watching him from above, shook his head.

————

Even students who hadn’t signed up for the briefing session had crowded into the classroom, causing a commotion. A few more teachers had to step in to send some of them out, but it was impossible to completely calm the chaotic atmosphere.

Han I-rok decided to begin the session as it was. He figured this was better than having a dull and rigid atmosphere.

“Hello, everyone.”

The moment I-rok spoke, the students erupted into cheers. Any effort to calm them earlier was instantly undone, and the overwhelming energy and loud voices made his ears ring from the very start.

“I’m Han I-rok, a student ambassador for Hanguk University’s ‘Hanul’ program.”

“I’m Baek Do-won.”

They bowed slightly in greeting. The response was not just enthusiastic—it was overwhelming. The students pounded on their desks, further fueling the excitement.

‘Their stamina is insane….’

As a third-year college student, Do-won often groaned about how he wasn’t as energetic as before. Watching these lively students, he couldn’t help but be impressed.

He cut through the cheers and handed out booklets. Once he had distributed them all and returned to his spot, Han I-rok gave him a slight nod. Taking that as his cue, Do-won immediately started the PowerPoint presentation.

The content of Han I-rok’s explanation was highly informative. First, he built excitement for the university by briefly highlighting its facilities and student benefits. Then, he gave a detailed breakdown of the admissions process, covering both early and regular decision applications. He explained the type of students the university preferred, the kinds of extracurricular activities that would be beneficial, and how to craft a strong personal statement. Everything was concise and to the point. The tips were so practical that Do-won thought, If only I had known this when I was a student…

“Please turn to the back page of the pamphlet.”

“Yes!”

Though the students eagerly responded, few of them seemed to actually be paying attention.

It seemed like the only thing they were interested in was Han I-rok. They took photos and videos without permission, stared blankly at him, and whispered among themselves while giggling. Even outside the window, students were still gathered. Despite the teacher’s stern scolding, they only pretended to run away, quickly returning to press themselves against the glass.

Well, as long as they studied well, nothing else really mattered in entrance exams anyway…

‘If that’s the case, wouldn’t it be better to just study during this time?’

It wasn’t that he was blaming them for not listening. Do-won simply thought that, for the sake of efficiency, it would be better for them to use this time for studying instead. After all, they were all seniors in high school, meaning every second counted. They had homeroom teachers who could help them with their applications and personal statements, so there wasn’t really a need for them to attend this briefing in person…

“Baek Do-won.”

Startled, Do-won’s eyes widened at the sound of his name. He quickly turned his head toward I-rok, who gave a slight nod. Ah. Sorry. Do-won murmured softly, hurriedly pressing the keyboard to switch to the next slide. He had been so lost in thought that he had missed his cue.

‘His eyes are terrifying.’

Although Han I-rok continued his explanation as if nothing had happened, Do-won had caught that fleeting glance. ‘Idiot.’ That was probably what he was thinking.

Before he got scolded again, he should take some photos. Do-won moved toward the corner, slipping to the back of the classroom to capture a few shots of the scene.

When the presentation finally ended and the last slide appeared, Do-won let out a long sigh. Without realizing it, his shoulders had tensed up so much that they now felt a bit stiff.

“We will now have a Q&A session. If you have any questions, feel free to ask.”

A few students raised their hands and asked about the school and admissions process. But, as expected, those kinds of questions didn’t last long.

“Oppa, your outfit is cool!”

“Thank you.”

That compliment was just the beginning. Soon, the students started throwing out all sorts of unnecessary questions.

“Do you have a girlfriend?”

“What’s your major?”

“How old are you?”

“If I go to Hanguk University next year, will I be able to see you?”

“Your name is pretty—what does it mean?”

They didn’t even bother raising their hands, just blurting out questions from all directions.

Wow, kids these days… impressive. Do-won couldn’t help but be amazed. Boldly asking such personal questions with bright smiles—it was a kind of skill in itself, a privilege only the young could enjoy.

“I don’t have a girlfriend, and my major is Korean Language and Literature. As for my age…”

Han I-rok, once again, was diligently answering every single question.

‘Why is he even responding to all of that?’

Wouldn’t it be better to just ignore those kinds of questions? But I-rok showed no signs of discomfort, continuing to answer with the same robotic expression and tone he had used while explaining the admissions process.

“Oppa, can you give us your phone number before you leave?”

“I’ll give you my email address. If you ever have any questions about Hanguk University, feel free to reach out—”

“Is it your personal email?”

“No, it’s the official email for student ambassadors.”

At that, a few students openly expressed their disappointment. They said young people today had no hesitation in showing their emotions, but seeing it firsthand was a bit overwhelming. Still, it reminded Do-won of his younger siblings, and their boldness felt somewhat endearing.

As he stood there watching, a student suddenly extended their finger toward him.

“Is that oppa in the same major too?”

“Oh.”

Me? Do-won couldn’t open his mouth and just stared at I-rok. I-rok gave him a slight nod, as if signaling him to answer. As I-rok stepped back a little, Do-won instinctively grabbed the podium and stepped forward.

“I’m in the Business Administration department.”

“Can we ask you questions too?”

“Yeah, sure.”

He assumed it would be something related to business administration. Just as he was about to glance at I-rok as if to ask, Is this okay?—

“Oppa, do you have a girlfriend?”

The questions directed at Do-won were no different. Laughter erupted from the students around him, and Do-won couldn’t help but chuckle as well.

“I don’t have a girlfriend, but….”

How was he supposed to respond to this? Standing there with a slight smile, he finally spoke.

“Guys, you’re in your senior year. Shouldn’t you be focusing on your studies instead of worrying about boyfriends and girlfriends? This is such an inefficient question. It would be great if you asked something more helpful for your college admissions.”

His tone was playfully scolding, laced with amusement. But instead of feeling reprimanded, the students just giggled as if they were enjoying the situation even more.

“Are there a lot of handsome guys at Hanguk University?”

“And how exactly will that help you with admissions?”

“What do you mean? Of course, it helps! If there are handsome people around, it boosts our motivation to study! Look at Hanseok University—they still use Song I-hyun in their promotional materials even though he graduated ages ago. Why do you think that is?”

Do-won chuckled along with the students. Hanseok University had been milking the image of Song I-hyun, one of Korea’s most handsome actors, who had graduated over a decade ago.

Of course, other celebrities had attended Hanseok University since then, but none were as strikingly good-looking as Song I-hyun. It seemed like the school had crafted a marketing strategy to maintain the illusion that attractive seniors still roamed their campus. Kids these days really knew everything.

“So if we go to Hanguk University, can we date a handsome senior like you?”

“I appreciate the compliment, but once you’re in college, make sure to date someone your own age.”

“Wow, such a boomer!”

“I’m totally a boomer. Maybe it’s because I have a younger sister.”

“Hahaha!”

The students seemed to be having a blast teasing Do-won. Even though he wasn’t saying anything particularly funny, they burst into laughter at every response, clutching their stomachs. He finally realized they were at that age where even a leaf rolling on the ground could make them giggle.

“I’ll pass the entrance exam before you graduate, oppa!”

“Great mindset. I hope you become my junior.”

From a step back, I-rok watched as Do-won handled the situation with ease.