Chapter 12: Study for Exams (1)

This school has never been a particularly lively place.

With half the students buried in books, it’s hardly an active atmosphere. You might expect some liveliness from the arts track students, but even they’re too busy with lessons and training to make much difference.

And now, this already quiet school was about to become even quieter.

It was exam season.

As exams approached, even the arts track students started hitting the books. I don’t know much about admissions in their world, but I guess they can’t completely neglect their grades.

Of course, there’s no need to mention the academic track students. I’ve even seen someone get a nosebleed during class after pulling all-nighters for days. That says it all.

So…

[Don’t contact me for about two weeks.]

I wrote this message and sent it to So-yul.

From the moment I accepted the ‘fake dating proposal’, I’d made it clear. I’d only go along with it as long as it didn’t interfere with my studies.

My escapades with So-yul had become a kind of stress relief. But during exam season, every minute counts. I wanted to avoid unnecessary meetings or pointless KakaoTalk exchanges.

I thought So-yul would understand this.

[I don’t want to.]

Of course, that was just my delusion.

Her reply came with a bear emoji dancing side to side. Is she making fun of me right now?

I let out a deep sigh and pressed my temples as I replied:

[Midterms are coming up soon. I told you I’d only participate as long as it doesn’t interfere with my studies.]

[Yeah. So just study.]

[You’re distracting me when you contact me.]

[Why?]

Why, you ask? Why don’t you try playing piano while texting? …I decided not to give such an emotional response. Even this reaction was a waste of time. I should’ve just ignored her.

I tried to convince myself of this, but…

So-yul’s next message was quite unexpected.

[Why don’t we meet and study together?]

◎

“Long time no see.”

Saturday morning, when I knocked on the piano room door at our meeting place, So-yul popped out.

“What do you mean, long time no see? We just saw each other yesterday morning.”

“I mean it’s been a while since we met alone, dummy.”

She snorted and turned her back, heading inside.

Come to think of it, this was the first time we’d met alone since having dinner together. So it wasn’t entirely wrong to say it had been a while. …Though I’m not a dummy.

Anyway, I followed So-yul into the piano room.

Inside, there were empty desks and chairs like last time. The only difference was that today there were two of each.

I guess even So-yul can’t study in front of the piano, so she must have prepared these separately.

I glanced sideways and asked:

“Where did these desks and chairs come from?”

“I brought them from next door.”

“Is that allowed?”

“Just live a little.”

Well, if she says so, I guess I’ll just live a little.

Until I arrived, I’d wondered if she was going to suggest studying at the same desk. Thankfully, that didn’t seem to be the case. Sitting separately to study wouldn’t be much different from a slightly larger reading room. I was glad I’d come.

Or so I thought… but for some reason, So-yul picked up one desk and put it opposite the other.

Then, dusting off her hands, she said:

“Alright, that’s done.”

“What do you mean, done… You want us to study facing each other?”

“Why? Don’t you like it?”

“Not really. I don’t think I’ll be able to concentrate.”

“Why?”

So-yul tilted her head and raised her eyebrows slightly.

“Don’t tell me you think you’ll end up just staring at my face the whole time?”

She grinned at me as she said this.

Her intentions were crystal clear. She probably thought I wouldn’t be able to refuse if she asked like this. It was an obvious tactic, not even trying to hide her intentions.

“Fine. Let’s just study facing each other.”

And obvious tactics often work well.

“Okay. Got it.”

So-yul accepted my answer as if she’d been waiting for it. Then she let out a small chuckle. See? It was all calculated.

Anyway, that’s how…

So-yul and I ended up sitting face to face to study.

Fortunately, So-yul focused silently on her studies. She didn’t try to distract me by chatting unnecessarily.

Come to think of it, when I occasionally glanced at her during class, she was often taking notes. Most of the arts track students tend to doze off or goof around.

I’d thought she was a bit odd, but I hadn’t realized she was this diligent.

She might be full of mischief, but she takes things seriously when it matters.

It was an impression I had when I visited the piano room last time too.

After some time had passed…

“Hey. Min Woo-jin.”

So-yul tapped her fingers on the desk and called my name briefly.

I looked up slightly to see So-yul looking at me with an apologetic expression.

“What?”

When I asked quietly, So-yul hesitated before answering:

“Um… are you good at math?”

“Well, I’m not bad at it.”

I might not be first, but I’m in the top tier. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say I’m confident.

“Really?”

So-yul’s face lit up at my answer. She even leaned towards me. Her long amber hair swayed, giving off a subtle fragrance.

Then, pointing at the book in front of her, she continued:

“Then can you show me how to solve this problem? I’ve been thinking about it for a while, but I’m not sure…”

“Oh, sure. Let me see.”

She’d provided a good study place for us, so I couldn’t refuse to help with this much.

I willingly took the book and read the problem So-yul had pointed out. It was an integral problem that looked simple at first glance but was quite tricky to approach.

I organized the solution process in my head.

Since the initial idea is the hardest part of this problem, if I just give her a hint up to that point, she should be able to solve the rest easily. I’ll tell her to calculate the rest on her own.

I looked up and handed the book back to So-yul.

“First, divide both the numerator and denominator by x to the nth power. Then see if you can separate it into similar forms. Once you get the hang of it, it’ll turn into a standard substitution integral problem, so give it a try.”

“Hmm…”

She looked doubtful. There was a hint of uncertainty in her tone too.

But it didn’t last long. Soon, So-yul scribbled with her pen for a moment, then:

“I-it really works.”

She looked up at me, her eyes sparkling.

I chuckled and replied:

“Well, did you think it would work falsely?”

So-yul pouted at my words.

“You just glanced at it and handed it back, so I thought you were brushing me off.”

“I’ve solved similar problems before, so I recognized it right away. As for checking, I can roughly run through it in my head.”

“…Are you some kind of genius?”

“It doesn’t feel bad to be called a genius by a piano prodigy.”

“Don’t call me a genius…”

She whined in a low voice. Her cheeks, tinged with a faint blush, puffed out ever so slightly.

Come to think of it, I remembered she wasn’t comfortable with being called a genius in the past. I didn’t know she’d be this embarrassed and dislike it so much. Maybe I should tease her by calling her that more often from now on.

I twirled my pen in my fingers as I spoke:

“I don’t know if I’m a genius, but seeing you grasp and solve this problem after just a hint, while you spend all day playing piano, is pretty impressive too.”

“Right? I’m amazing, aren’t I?”

So-yul giggled and made a V-sign with both hands, showing off. Maybe she was excited to get praise from an unexpected person. Her reaction is annoying, so I decided never to compliment her again.

Soon, So-yul lowered her hands and said:

“I’m just kidding. It’s because you explained it well.”

“I don’t know about that. What’s so hard about teaching? You just explain the way you solve it.”

I snorted as I asked, but So-yul shook her head.

“I can’t teach piano to others.”

“Why? Doesn’t the sheet music tell you what keys to press, and the teacher shows you how to press them? Can’t you just do the same?”

“You don’t know anything about piano, so don’t talk like that…”

So-yul clicked her tongue. Maybe she felt I was belittling the piano.

But that didn’t last long either. After a moment, So-yul slowly raised the corners of her mouth. It was the expression she had when she thought of an interesting prank.

Then, clapping her hands together, she said:

“Well then, want to learn from me now?”

“…What?”

When I asked back, not understanding, So-yul chuckled and said:

“I’ll teach you for a bit. Just try playing what I tell you to.”

“No thanks. I’d rather study.”

“It’s almost lunchtime anyway.”

So-yul countered as if she’d anticipated this.

I checked the clock and saw that it really was almost lunchtime. Even if we started studying again, we’d have to leave our seats soon.

“Come on, sit at the piano.”

So-yul started urging me, even though I hadn’t agreed.

She’s so stubborn sometimes.

I stood up before she could be more annoying. Then I had no choice but to go sit on the piano bench.

So-yul came up next to me. As she walked, her fresh scent tickled my nose again.

So-yul spoke in a slightly excited voice:

“Okay, first, press C, E, and G.”

“Mm.”

I guess I should follow along if she’s going to teach me. I gently placed my hand on the piano keys at So-yul’s instruction.

And then…

“But which one is C?”

“What…?”

An incredulous sound escaped So-yul’s lips. Well, what can I do if I don’t know? If you’re going to teach, shouldn’t you adjust to the student’s level?

So-yul asked in an exasperated tone:

“What do you do during music class?”

“I sleep.”

“How much did you sleep to not even know where C is on a piano keyboard…”

“There are so many good songs in the world. It just makes me sleepy.”

“That’s nothing to brag about.”

She even sighed, apparently dumbfounded. Well, I wasn’t really trying to brag.

Anyway, there’s probably no way to teach piano to someone who doesn’t even know the keyboard. I guess this proves there’s a difference between being good at something and being good at teaching it. Though in this case, it’s probably because my basics are too poor.

And so, So-yul’s brief piano lesson was about to end in failure… or so I thought.

For some reason, on top of my left hand resting on the keys,

So-yul’s left hand gently covered mine.

“Wh-what are you doing?”

I stammered, quite flustered. So-yul chuckled and said:

“I’ll press the keys for you, so try to follow along.”

With these words… she started playing using my left hand.

As So-yul moved, applying pressure as needed, pleasant music began to flow from the piano keys.

It wasn’t as good as So-yul’s performance last time, probably lacking in some element like intensity or whatever, but the sensation of playing a piece with my own hands was vivid.

Her long, slender fingers, mismatched with her small frame.

Our faces were so close that I could feel her breath on my ear.

The back of my hand, in contact with So-yul’s palm, felt slightly tingly.

After the brief performance ended, So-yul removed her hand.

I immediately turned my head to see So-yul standing there with a bright smile, hands behind her back.

Her cheeks were tinged with a very faint red.

As always, her face was full of mischief.

I stared at that face steadily and said:

“Why did you suddenly put your hand on mine?”

Even if we’re dating, it’s fake. We’re not close enough for casual physical contact. So-yul should know this too.

If not, I needed to draw a clear line right now.

But this time too, as if she had prepared the answer in advance, So-yul said:

“What’s the big deal? Last time, you even hugged me inside your long padded coat.”

“That was because we had to avoid getting caught, I had no choice but to hug you.”

“Plus, when we had dinner together, you touched me first.”

“That time was, well, a momentary mistake.”

“Really?”

As I fumbled for excuses, So-yul put a finger to her lips and said:

“Then, let’s say this was a mistake too.”

“No…”

Caught off guard by her counterattack, I was finally at a loss for words.

Looking at me like this, So-yul let out another chuckle.