* * *
Siyoung’s early semester-end presentation was scheduled for the second week of the presentation period, which was a relief.
If it had been scheduled for the last week, it would have been a nightmare to juggle it along with exam preparation.
‘I did well on the midterms, haven’t missed any classes, submitted all my reports on time… And the timing of this presentation is perfect—finish it cleanly and dive straight into preparing for finals.’
This year marked Jooyoung’s final year in high school.
Siyoung had been too busy during the semester to help much, but since university breaks started earlier, he planned to take better care of him once he moved out of the dorm and back home.
‘He’s probably managing fine on his own, but… Still, I’m his older brother and guardian. It’s my responsibility to look after him. With the money I earned from carrying all the group project burdens, plus saving on meals while hanging out with those rich kids… I should be able to afford a few rounds of nourishing meals for him.’
Everything was going smoothly.
His academic performance was solid, and with a bit of effort preparing for certifications or building a portfolio next semester, he might land a decent job right after graduation—or, if lucky, even before.
“What are you thinking so hard about?”
“Ah! You scared me.”
Unexpectedly, he’d ended up befriending three people far beyond his league, but everything else was going according to plan.
And honestly, he didn’t mind this one deviation.
“Just thinking about how to allocate time for the presentation—it’s coming up in two weeks.”
“Ugh, you’re so boring. Seriously, this is why model students are no fun.”
Yeonseok suddenly appeared behind him, clicking his tongue in disapproval.
At first, Siyoung had been annoyed by the whole “rich kid can’t understand commoners” vibe, but now he was used to it and didn’t give it much thought.
“Are you tutoring during the break? How about adjusting your schedule to hang out with us?”
“Hmm… I have things to do, and my younger brother will be home during the break. I need to pay attention to him.”
“Your brother? Isn’t he in his final year of high school? He’s not a kid.”
“He’s in an art prep class, so he’s got more to prepare than most.”
“Art? Then you should ask Hyun for help. That guy got into this school through proper exams.”
Yeonseok acted as if it was a huge deal that Siyoung hadn’t mentioned this before.
Siyoung gave an awkward smile.
While they hung out, he wasn’t particularly close to Hyun, so their relationship still felt a bit stiff.
Unlike the other two, Hyun was living a proper university life, so their time together was limited, and he always seemed distant.
“I haven’t talked to him much. It’s still a bit awkward.”
“That guy does keep people at arm’s length. But come on, you don’t just click with someone instantly. If it’s really awkward, I’ll arrange something—just show up.”
“…”
“For what it’s worth, he was the top of his class for practical skills when he got in. That’s not something money can buy, right? I don’t know much about art, but if the professors picked him as the top student, there’s got to be a reason.”
Siyoung hadn’t paid much attention to Hyun, so he hadn’t known he was the top student.
Unlike Yeonseok and Jaeyoon, who barely squeezed into less competitive programs through loopholes, Hyun’s achievement might genuinely help Jooyoung with his college entrance preparations.
“Really…? Then when?”
“Hyun’s busy prepping for an exhibition right now. Maybe after exams?”
Even though the thought of talking to him felt awkward and unpredictable, if it could help Jooyoung, none of that mattered.
“Alright. I’ll contact him after exams.”
“Man, I can’t wait for exams to be over. Everyone’s so busy studying, and it takes forever to get replies.”
“That’s normal. You’re the abnormal one.”
Siyoung shot Yeonseok a pointed remark and turned to look at him.
Glued to his phone, he was probably lining up another romantic interest.
“Who is it this time?”
“Ah, nothing serious yet. But they seem interested, so we’re talking. You know I’m pretty popular, right?”
“Good grief.”
“She’s Lee Yena from the theater department. You know, the girl who modeled for the school promo? Somehow, things ended up this way.”
Yeonseok shrugged nonchalantly.
While Siyoung didn’t know the name, he vaguely recalled the face—he’d heard people gush about how she was prettier than most celebrities.
“So, are you going to date her?”
“If she asks me out, sure. Or I might ask her first.”
“For you to say that, she must be special. Every other time, the other person confessed first, and you just went along with it.”
While Yeonseok was open to whoever approached him, he’d never shown this much initiative.
This was a first.
“She’s different. I might actually confess if she doesn’t.”
Yeonseok’s grin was dazzling—an irresistible smile that had captivated more than a few people.
No matter how reckless he seemed, it was hard not to get drawn in by that charm.
‘Dating hasn’t been on my radar—I thought it was a useless distraction. But…’
He hadn’t fully acknowledged his feelings yet, nor was he willing to risk ruining their dynamic by confessing.
But the way that smile stirred something inside him—it made him wonder if he was losing his mind.
Still, he chalked it up to a fleeting emotion and kept it to himself.
“Well, do whatever you want. You two would look good together. What about that guy from before…? Gunjoon or something?”
“Oh, him? Just a friend.”
“You’re still in contact?”
“Barely, just enough not to cut things off.”
Unlike his usual habit of cutting ties immediately when starting a new relationship, this time, it seemed different.
When Siyoung gave him a disapproving look, Yeonseok offered a hasty explanation.
“Relax, I told him clearly I’m not interested. But you can’t stop someone from wanting to stay friends.”
“Still, you should cut ties. Don’t cause unnecessary trouble.”
“Once I start dating Yena, it’ll naturally fade away.”
Yeonseok dismissed the matter with a shrug.
Despite his flaws, he had a basic sense of decency. Satisfied for now, Siyoung nodded.
“I’ll finish the presentation report in two days. Just read through the script, okay? You know the professor still doubts you after you fumbled that question last time.”
“I know, I know. That’s why I’m stuck giving this damn presentation. Honestly, I wouldn’t mind taking a C and being done with it.”
“A C?”
“I’m doing this for you, you know. Who’s the real boss here?”
Yeonseok grumbled, avoiding eye contact, as if Siyoung’s glare could kill.
He wasn’t wrong.
“Just make sure it’s good enough to read. Got it?”
“See? This is why I wanted you to look over the materials once, but no…”
“Fine, fine. I’ll do it.”
Yeonseok, realizing he had spoken unnecessarily and got nothing but lectured in return, took a step back, muttering, “Fine, I’ll just leave.”
Siyoung, while usually quiet about other matters, was always like this when it came to academics.
“Should I connect you to my company once you graduate? I mean, I’m not some no-name employee. I can at least introduce a friend.”
“No thanks. If I go, I’ll get in on my own. I’d rather not be labeled as a parachute hire; it’s better to enter on my own merit.”
“You’re so stubborn. Connections are also a skill, you know.”
“But if I can do it on my own, there’s no reason to rely on that.”
Their circumstances were worlds apart, yet Siyoung believed that if he could join a major corporation on his own and navigate life confidently, he might someday stand proudly by Yeonseok’s side.
“If you don’t want to end up on academic probation, having at least one A+ will help, right? So cooperate. I’ll make sure we get an A+ in this subject.”
“Wow, kind of impressive.”
Leaving that triumphant remark, Siyoung headed to his lecture hall.
On the way, he secretly searched for Yena, the school’s promotional model, on her social media—a secret he would never share with anyone.
But that was fine. It wasn’t as if he was expecting anything in return.
He simply wanted to stand confidently in front of his first love, a goal that motivated him to push himself harder.
He thought if he continued working diligently, everything would fall into place as planned.
Life hadn’t been smooth, but he’d managed thus far.
He believed things would continue to unfold as expected.
“…Don’t cry. Just tell me. It’s okay.”
However, life rarely goes as one hopes.
Siyoung came to understand this a week later when he received a call from Jooyoung.
* * *
