Ch.219Side Story – I Became a Heroine After the Pure Love Ending (10)

“Ah, Doha-min! You just finished your counseling session, huh?”

“Ah, yeah. That’s right.”

As soon as Ha-min opened the door and returned to the classroom, students greeted him with sparkling eyes, as if they had been waiting for him. Each held workbooks and reference materials filled with red markings or reference stars.

Since he had gone to the teachers’ office after being called away while helping other students with difficult problems, it made sense that the children looking for Ha-min had been eagerly awaiting his return. They also wanted to hear about whether Do Ha-min, the undisputed top student in the school, had been accepted to Seongcheon University.

“What did the teacher say? Did they say you could get into Seongcheon University?”

“Well, they didn’t tell me the exact probability, but just that there’s a possibility. I’m not sure how much of a possibility though.”

“Are you kidding? Even Do Ha-min, who’s been first in the school for everything except the first-year midterms, only has a ‘possibility’? Seongcheon is insane.”

“Well, it is a university that only accepts students who’ve always been first in their school. Especially for Seongcheon’s medical school. I heard that even slipping once in your first year is considered a major deduction.”

The students who heard Ha-min’s answer showed different reactions depending on which class they belonged to.

The students from Classes B and C, who were unfamiliar with Seongcheon’s acceptance rates and competition, seemed surprised by Ha-min’s statement that there was only “a possibility,” as they had expected to hear that he would easily be accepted with a scholarship or otherwise.

Meanwhile, the students from Class A, who knew something about how fierce the competition was, nodded as if they had anticipated such an answer.

“I guess students from Seongcheon High School are often given priority for science and engineering departments. Especially for external applicants like me, the competition seems even fiercer… hehe.”

“Ah… what a shame. If it weren’t for Ban Do-young in your first year, you probably would have heard that you could easily get accepted.”

“…”

“Hey, hey…!”

And some of the students who had known Ha-min since his first year were placing the blame for his uncertain future on Do-young.

“Hey, there are things you should and shouldn’t say in front of Do Ha-min. How would you feel if you heard you might not get into college because of your girlfriend?”

“No, but still. We’re talking about Seongcheon, not just anywhere. If you get accepted, you’re guaranteed an elite path. And if you think about it, they weren’t even dating during that exam. Do-young was just messing with Ha-min one-sidedly. Can’t I even say that much?”

“Um…”

As Ha-min approached the students who were talking about Do-young, they quickly covered the mouth of the one blaming Do-young.

“Ah, sorry, Do Ha-min! We apologize. This guy just speaks without thinking.”

“Um… didn’t you come to ask me about some problems?”

“No, no! Every minute counts in your situation. We shouldn’t be taking up your time! We’ll go back to our classroom!”

“No, it’s okay. Show me the problems.”

“…Huh?”

Ha-min gently grabbed the shoulders of the students who were about to return to their classroom. The shoulders of the other students, which Ha-min had to look up to until the beginning of the first semester, were now below Ha-min’s.

“It’s fine, so show me.”

“…But.”

The students’ eyes drifted to the workbook sitting next to Ha-min’s desk. It was Ha-min’s workbook, which he hadn’t been able to progress through because he had been helping others with their problems.

“You said you didn’t understand problem number what earlier?”

“…Number 19.”

“I need help with number 30!”

Ha-min scanned the workbooks he received from the students and unhesitatingly wrote out the solutions in red pen.

“I don’t think this is taking away my time or lowering my scores. So feel free to ask me any questions you have.”

“…Really?”

“Yes, really. I believe this will eventually come back to me. It’s the same as when I helped Do-young with her studies. I want to believe that the scores I couldn’t get then will someday be returned to me…”

“Do Ha-min…”

“So could you please stop making it sound like it was Do-young’s fault when it was my own shortcoming back then?”

“…I take it back.”

“This insensitive bastard, seriously!”

“W-wait! Don’t hit him!”

The student who had tried to blame Do-young ended up being punished by the other friends around him. Even without Ha-min taking direct action, the other students who trusted him now stood up for him first.

“Sigh…”

It’s okay.

Ha-min repeated those words in his mind to comfort himself.

‘I just need to do better.’

Right.

There’s no need to look for problems elsewhere.

And there’s even less need to blame anyone else.

‘It’s always been me who was lacking, always me who was insufficient.’

It’s been that way all along, so why look for solutions elsewhere?

‘I just need to work harder than I am now.’

He had enjoyed luxuries beyond his means.

A warm family,

A mentor who genuinely cared for his student.

Like-minded friends.

And someone to love for a lifetime.

Despite all of these being things not easily obtained in life,

They had all come to Ha-min without any effort on his part.

Then naturally, he should know how to give back.

As much as he had enjoyed and received until now.

‘I need to work harder than I am now.’

If he couldn’t keep up with today’s progress because he was helping Do-young or other students with their problems,

He could reduce his sleeping time and devote it to studying again.

‘I need to work even harder.’

If he felt sleepy due to lack of sleep, he could drink coffee.

If that wasn’t enough, he could drink stronger caffeinated beverages.

‘I need to work harder.’

If his eyelids closed without him realizing, he could slap his left cheek.

And if he still closed his eyes, there was always his right cheek.

“I need to now…”

.

.

.

“Hey, Do Ha-min.”

“…Huh? W-what is it, Do-young?”

His vision, which had been gradually fading into darkness, suddenly cleared.

When Ha-min opened his eyes, Do-young was sitting beside him, poking his cheek.

Right, that’s right.

He had been helping Do-young with her elective subjects so she could get the minimum score for the college entrance exam.

Ha-min quickly assessed his current situation from the scattered memories.

“Did you come across a problem you don’t understand?”

“No, I just saw your head nodding and poked you. Seems like playing house with Sol-mi earlier tired you out quite a bit.”

“Huh…? Was I, was I dozing off?”

Only then did Ha-min notice the clear mark from his glasses frame on his forearm.

It was evidence that his consciousness had flown away even before he could think about slapping his left cheek.

“You were drooling on your workbook while dozing off. Oh my, what a waste, what a waste.”

“Ah, you’re right. The page I was working on is all wet. Such a waste.”

“I know, Do Ha-min’s drool, such precious stuff.”

“…Huh?”

Ha-min quickly wiped his mouth and fixed his disheveled hair.

After just resolving to work harder, he couldn’t show such a messy appearance to Do-young.

“Whew… Wake up!”

*SLAP!*

“Eek! W-what are you doing? Why are you slapping your own cheeks?”

“S-sorry…! I didn’t know it would make such a loud noise! Ouch…”

It was good that he slapped both cheeks simultaneously to wake himself up,

but the sound was loud enough to startle not only Do-young beside him but also Ha-min himself.

“B-but now I won’t doze off again! At least not while my cheeks are stinging!”

Ha-min grinned despite the red handprints on both cheeks.

However, Do-young’s expression as she looked at Ha-min wasn’t entirely pleasant.

“Now, if you have anything to ask or request, just tell me anytime!”

“Sigh… This won’t do.”

Do-young, seeming to have made some decision, pushed aside the table where they had been solving problems.

“Come here and lie down.”

“Huh?”

“Take off your glasses and come lie down here.”

Do-young forcibly pulled Ha-min’s head onto her lap.

“That’s right, good job. Stay right there.”

“Um, weren’t we supposed to be studying?”

“I’m not studying with a crazy person who says it’s good that his cheeks are stinging because it keeps him awake.”

“O-okay…”

Even the parts of his face that hadn’t been hit when he slapped his cheeks grew hot.

Even he had to admit it was a ridiculous thing to say.

“And how dare you slap my future husband’s cheeks? Your cheeks, Do Ha-min, are something that can only be slapped when you cheat on me with another woman.”

“I-I would never do such a thing to you, Do-young…!”

“Exactly. So it’s a place that should never be hit. Not by me, not by you. Not now, not ever.”

“…”

“If you really like me, cherish yourself more because I like you. Got it?”

“…Yes, I’ll keep that in mind.”

Ha-min nodded while lying on Do-young’s lap, answering in a low voice.

“You’re going to nap on my lap until those red swollen marks go away, and until you stop saying such nonsense even in your sleep. Begin.”

“B-begin…”

“Oh my, is that all the voice you can muster? Not ‘begin’ but ‘take me to bed’? Should we go to the bed instead of staying on my lap?”

“B-BEGIN!”

Indeed.

Ha-min still had a long way to go with Do-young.