Ch.76My Brother (3)

-Woong

-Wooong

[Alarm: Train Departure Time]

Do Hamin’s phone rings, signaling the end of study time.

He checks the time on his phone, then hurriedly packs his bag and puts on his school uniform jacket.

“Alright, I’ll head out first.”

“Ah, it’s already time for the train. I was so focused I didn’t even notice the sky had darkened.”

“I was surprised by your concentration in the final stretch. Do-young, you… you really can do it when you try.”

“Ahem. Can you feel the difference in power?”

“I’ll check the problems you solved today when I get home. From what I saw, most of your solutions seemed correct, so they’re probably right, but just to be sure.”

“Oh, thanks for that.”

Do Hamin had adjusted his study time at our house to match the end of after-school self-study.

Since he was hiding the fact that he was skipping after-school study from his mother, he needed to match his return time with his usual schedule.

Our current study group was based on a certain level of deception.

To maintain that lie, Hamin had to act like an exemplary student, adhering even more strictly to the schedule than when he actually attended after-school study.

I suppose he’s similar to me in that way—knowing he’s a boy, aware that his main heroine persona is fake, yet desperately having to play the role of the main heroine to return to his original world.

In a way, you could say this table is filled not with studying students but with actors playing roles.

Though I’m the only one who knows this fact.

“An average of 69 points… I’ll need to adjust the difficulty of the problems I make at home… The ones I’ve made so far were targeting an average of about 55 points.”

“No, you don’t need to make special problems just for me. Give me the same ones you solve.”

“Huh…? Are you serious?”

“This isn’t the time to only worry about my score. Hamin, you don’t have any time to study yourself because you’re busy making problems for me, right?”

“Hiccup.”

Hamin’s chest and shoulders jerk as if I’ve hit the nail on the head.

It was a development I’d more or less anticipated.

“H-how did you know that?”

“You said looking at problems reveals answers. When I applied what I know about your daily schedule, it was pretty obvious.”

“You can apply math so well to real life, yet your grades are…”

“What did you just say, Hamin?”

“I’m sorry.”

The truth is, I was now spending the most time with Hamin out of anyone in his day.

So I was also the person who could most objectively estimate the reality of his situation.

That’s why I could see it.

No matter how I calculated it, between school, martial arts training, and commute time, Hamin simply had no time left for personal study.

Even if he studied for just one hour on his own,

my calculations showed he would have to sleep only two hours before heading back to school.

That’s not what you call superhuman.

That’s what you call self-destruction.

“For the remaining time, you don’t need to force yourself to make problems for me. Just give me the same ones you’re solving. I’ll study with those.”

“A-are you sure? When you see the advanced problems, you might lose your motivation again…”

“The current Ban Do-young is in a state of extreme motivation, so it’s fine. And if you explain things I don’t know, it’ll help your studies too, right?”

I gave a thumbs up and directed a gaze full of well-founded confidence toward Hamin.

“W-wow, when there’s a deal at stake, even your eyes look different…”

“That’s right. You promised to grant me one wish if I reach the target score.”

“Yeah… if that’s what it takes to keep you focused, I couldn’t ask for more.”

Though somewhat burdened,

Hamin nodded with a secretly satisfied smile.

A deal to grant one wish if I reach an average of 69 points.

Hamin willingly agreed to this arrangement.

If I had set my target score at around 55 points, which was probably what Hamin had originally expected for me,

he likely wouldn’t have accepted this proposal.

By suggesting a score that was slightly beyond my current level, yet still achievable with effort,

Hamin became willing to agree to this deal.

“B-but let me say this in advance—if it’s a weird wish, I won’t grant it, okay? Don’t try to force anything unreasonable later!”

“Yeah, that’s fine. This is enough for now.”

For now, I’m satisfied just having you at this negotiation table, Hamin.

This deal was originally meant to fulfill my purely personal desires.

A wish that you would never normally grant.

It’s enough that I’ve created a way to achieve such a wish through the perfectly wholesome, student-appropriate method of “studying.”

With this, you won’t be able to easily escape this negotiation table.

“Hehehehehehe.”

“Ugh… I just know it’s going to be some weird wish.”

“Kekekekeke…”

For the first time in my life, I was looking forward to midterm exams.

**

Having finished preparing to go home, Hamin tightened the strap of the bag on his shoulder

and put on his shoes at the second-floor entrance.

“Then I’ll be going, Master.”

“Oh, Hamin. You’re leaving now?”

“Yes, it’s almost time for the train. Thank you so much for the snacks and drinks.”

Hearing that Hamin was leaving, Do-young’s father, Do-che, came running from the living room in his socks.

He couldn’t miss seeing off the tutor of his precious daughter.

“So… how did it go today? Did Do-young focus well without getting distracted?”

“Yes, her concentration and scores are gradually improving. And also…”

“And also…?”

“It might be a bit childish, but… I think Do-young has found her own reason to study hard. She said she’d stay and study more even after I leave.”

“R-really?”

Do-che’s eyes widened at this first-ever declaration of study from his daughter in the nearly 17 years he had raised her.

Come to think of it, Do-young, who usually saw Hamin off, was nowhere to be seen.

Normally, she would not only come to the entrance but even accompany Hamin all the way to the station.

“I should get going now. I was taking my time, so the train schedule is getting tight. I’ll need to run. I’ll see you tomorrow, Master!”

“Ah, Hamin! Wait a moment! It’s dangerous to run at night!”

-Thud!

Do-che grabbed Hamin’s arm as he was contemplating a full sprint to the station at night.

As expected of a 5th-dan kendo master’s forearm, Hamin was caught without any resistance.

“This works out well. If the train time is tight, I’ll drive you to the station. It’ll be quick by car.”

“R-really…?”

“Of course. After you’ve helped with Do-young’s studies, it’s the least I can do.”

Do-che went to get his car keys from the master bedroom to personally take Hamin to the station.

This was actually a good opportunity.

He had wanted to drive Hamin home before, but Do-young had always refused, saying not to interfere with her time alone with Hamin.

“Ban Do-young, I’m taking Hamin to the station. Don’t you want to come along?”

“I’m not going today! I need to study!”

“My goodness… it must be true… Do-young is refusing something using studying as an excuse. She’s never even mentioned studying as an excuse before.”

Do-che couldn’t hide his surprise at his daughter’s immediate rejection of the offer to see Hamin off.

It must have been a series of surprises for him.

Not only was it shocking that Do-young, who always prioritized Hamin, had declined to see him off,

but the fact that her reason was studying—something Do-young so despised—was an even greater shock to Do-che.

“S-so it’s just the two of us going?”

“Yeah, take good care of Hamin, Dad! See you tomorrow, Hamin!”

“Y-yeah… see you tomorrow.”

“Hamin, what method did you use? Even her homeroom teacher and tutors had given up…”

“Ahaha… I guess Do-young found her own motivation to study hard.”

“Thank you… Hamin. Thank you so much!”

Do-che kept thanking Hamin as he brought out the kendo school’s car and personally drove him to the station.

Even on his way back home after dropping Hamin off at the station,

Do-che’s face was full of smiles at the thought of his daughter actively deciding to study.

He was so happy that he rushed to a shop near the station that was about to close,

hurriedly buying armfuls of custard buns as a late-night snack for his daughter’s evening study session.

“Dad’s home…?”

Despite hearing her father return, Do-young remained quiet, neither coming downstairs nor greeting him.

Perhaps she had fallen asleep while concentrating on studying.

Yes, even if she had developed a taste for it, studying for the first time could be exhausting.

If she had fallen asleep at her desk, he should move her to the bed.

With that thought, Do-che carefully headed toward Do-young’s room.

Worried that the sound of his footsteps on the stairs might disturb her,

he tiptoed up, careful not to make any noise.

“The door is… open.”

Through the slightly open door,

Do-che saw Do-young sitting at her desk, eyes blazing as she solved problems.

“Woooah! Die, problems that Hamin left for me!”

“Oh… she really is studying hard… hmm?”

Just then, Do-che noticed some unfamiliar characters written on Do-young’s desk.

[下民高趨]

Perhaps it was a motivational phrase like “mental focus” or “success in life” that students often put on their desks or drawers.

That’s what Do-che thought when he saw the phrase on Do-young’s desk.

‘Ha (below)… Min (people)… Go (high)… Chu (run)…? The lowly people aim high and run toward it…?’

My goodness.

That phrase fits Do-young’s current situation perfectly.

‘Do-young… you’re even putting such phrases on your desk and drawers while devoting yourself to studying… You’re really serious this time! Dad is so moved!’

Do-che’s heart swelled with emotion as he understood the meaning of the phrase.