One month had passed since Ji-hoon’s interview, and today was the day that would decide his future.

The anticipation had been building inside him like a storm, growing stronger with each passing day. Every morning, he had woken up with a nervous energy, counting down the days until the results were announced. And now, the wait was over. The scholarship results were set to arrive via email, and Ji-hoon knew he had to check them at the library—the only place in town with a stable internet connection.

He lay in bed for a moment longer, staring at the ceiling as the morning sunlight streamed through the thin curtains of his small room. His siblings were still asleep, and the house was eerily silent. It was as if time had slowed down, the world holding its breath along with him.

Taking a deep breath, Ji-hoon sat up. His hands were clammy, his heartbeat unsteady. Today would change everything.

As he stepped into the main room, he saw his mother in the kitchen, preparing breakfast. She glanced up at him and smiled softly, but he could see the worry in her eyes. She had been just as anxious as he was, though she had tried to hide it.

“Are you ready?” she asked gently.

Ji-hoon nodded. “Yes. I’ll head to the library soon.”

Unlike before, his father couldn’t accompany him this time—he had already left for work at dawn. Ji-hoon felt a bit of regret; he knew his father would have wanted to be there for this moment. But they all had responsibilities to bear, and this was his.

Just as he was about to leave, a familiar voice called out from outside.

“Ji-hoon! Let’s go!”

It was Min-jae, his best friend.

Ji-hoon stepped outside and found Min-jae standing beside his bicycle, a nervous but excited expression on his face. Like Ji-hoon, Min-jae had his own future hanging in the balance. He was waiting for his university acceptance results, hoping to get into Hanseong National University.

“You didn’t think I’d let you go alone, did you?” Min-jae grinned.

Ji-hoon chuckled, though his hands were still tense at his sides. “Thanks, Min-jae.”

Min-jae gestured for him to hop on the back of his bicycle. “Come on, let’s get this over with.”

Ji-hoon climbed on, gripping the sides as they rode through the familiar streets of their small town. The cool morning air rushed past them, carrying the scent of fresh bread from the local bakery. The dusty roads, the tiny shops lining the streets, and the occasional passerby waving at them—it all felt strangely nostalgic today.

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This place had been his entire world for so long, but soon, it would just be a memory.

As they reached the library, Ji-hoon took a deep breath. This was it.

The library was quiet as always, filled with the soft hum of computers and the occasional rustling of papers. A few students were already inside, some reading, others working on assignments. Ji-hoon barely registered them. His focus was singular.

He walked over to one of the computers, his hands trembling slightly as he logged in. The screen glowed before him, the email inbox just a few clicks away.

Beside him, Min-jae sat down and did the same, his nervous energy mirroring Ji-hoon’s.

For a few seconds, neither of them moved.

And then, there it was.

An email from the Royal University of South Korea.

Ji-hoon stared at it, his pulse pounding in his ears. His fingers hovered over the mouse. This was the moment he had been waiting for.

He clicked on the email.

The words blurred for a second as his heart pounded. His eyes skimmed over the opening lines, skipping past the formalities until he found the sentence that mattered most.

"We are pleased to inform you that you have been awarded a 100% scholarship."

His hands froze.

His mind went blank.

For a second, he thought he was imagining it.

He reread the words, again and again, just to make sure he wasn’t hallucinating.

100%.

Full scholarship.

Everything paid for.

His dream was real.

His throat tightened, emotions crashing into him all at once. The weight of months—no, years—of struggle, sacrifice, and relentless hard work came rushing to the surface.

“Ji-hoon?” Min-jae asked cautiously, noticing his reaction.

Ji-hoon turned to him, his face breaking into the widest smile he had ever worn. “I got it,” he whispered, almost as if saying it out loud would make it disappear. Then, louder—“I GOT IT! FULL SCHOLARSHIP!”

The entire library seemed to pause.

Min-jae’s eyes widened before his face broke into pure joy. “That’s amazing!”

Ji-hoon felt like he was floating. His dream—his impossible, faraway dream—was now his reality.

And then Min-jae snapped back to his own screen, suddenly remembering his own fate was also waiting in his inbox.

Ji-hoon watched as Min-jae clicked on his email.

A few seconds passed, tense and silent.

Then, Min-jae let out a triumphant yell. “I got in too! I GOT INTO HANSEONG NATIONAL UNIVERSITY!”

Ji-hoon barely had time to react before Min-jae grabbed his shoulders, shaking him with excitement. They stared at each other, completely overwhelmed.

And then they burst into laughter.

Relief. Joy. Disbelief. It all came out at once.

The tension, the fear—it was all gone.

They had done it.

They had secured their futures.

Ji-hoon’s mind raced with thoughts. His family wouldn’t have to worry about money anymore. His father wouldn’t have to take extra jobs. His mother wouldn’t have to count every expense. His dream of studying at the best university in the country was now a reality.

And in just one month, he would be leaving this town and stepping into a whole new world.

He grabbed his things without hesitation. “I need to tell my mom!”

Min-jae grinned, his own excitement evident. “Let’s go!”

As they rushed out of the library, the morning sun was higher in the sky now, casting a golden light over everything. It felt like the universe itself was celebrating with them.

Ji-hoon had spent years dreaming of this moment.

And now, it was finally here.