Kim sighed as he unlocked the door to his modest apartment, the scent of steamed rice and warm spices greeting him. The familiar sounds of his younger siblings, Ji-sung and Ji-yeon, arguing over the television remote brought a smile to his face. For a moment, the suffocating atmosphere of campus life—the constant comparisons, the biting remarks—melted away. Here, in the simplicity of his home, Kim found refuge.
As he stepped inside, Ji-yeon, the youngest of the three, ran up to him with a drawing in her hands. “Oppa! Look what I made today!” she exclaimed, her eyes shining with excitement.
Kim crouched down to inspect the paper, which featured a colorful crayon drawing of a stick figure family standing under a bright sun. “This is amazing, Ji-yeon,” he said, ruffling her hair. “You’re going to be an artist someday.”
Ji-sung, ever the curious younger brother, peeked over Kim’s shoulder. “Did you bring any snacks?” he asked, grinning mischievously.
Kim laughed. “Not today, Ji-sung. But if you help me with my chores later, maybe we can get some tomorrow.”
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The small apartment was a far cry from the opulence of his classmates’ homes, but it was warm and filled with love. Kim cherished these moments with his siblings, even as the weight of his responsibilities pressed down on him. After a quick dinner, he sat down to help Ji-sung with his homework. The boy’s face scrunched in concentration as he tried to solve a math problem, his pencil tapping against the table.
“Think of it like this,” Kim said, drawing a quick diagram on a scrap of paper. “If you have five apples and you give three to Ji-yeon, how many do you have left?”
Ji-sung’s eyes lit up. “Two!”
“Exactly,” Kim said, smiling. “See? You’re smarter than you think.”
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Later that evening, after the kids had gone to bed, Kim sat at the kitchen table with his textbooks spread out before him. The faint hum of the refrigerator was the only sound in the quiet apartment. His schedule was grueling—classes during the day, chores in the evening, and studying late into the night—but he was determined to keep up with his studies.
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Seo often reminded him to take breaks, but Kim knew he couldn’t afford to. The competition at the university was fierce, and falling behind was not an option. Still, there were times when exhaustion threatened to overwhelm him.
On one such night, a knock at the door startled him. Seo’s familiar voice called out, “It’s me!”
Kim opened the door to find Seo holding a bag of snacks and a six-pack of soda. “Thought you could use a little pick-me-up,” Seo said, stepping inside.
Kim chuckled. “You have a knack for showing up at just the right time.”
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The two friends sat at the kitchen table, munching on chips and talking about their day. Seo shared amusing anecdotes about campus life, including one about a wealthy student who had accidentally locked himself out of his luxury car and had to wait hours for a locksmith.
“It’s a good reminder that money doesn’t solve everything,” Seo said with a grin.
Kim nodded, appreciating the humor but also the underlying wisdom in Seo’s stories. Seo had a way of putting things into perspective, reminding Kim to focus on what truly mattered.
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As the conversation turned serious, Seo leaned back in his chair. “You know, Kim, it’s easy to get caught up in all the drama at the university. But don’t lose sight of why you’re doing this. You’ve got your family, your goals. That’s what counts.”
Kim looked at his friend, the words sinking in. It was true—his siblings, his dreams, his determination to rise above his circumstances—these were the things that kept him going.
“Thanks, Seo,” Kim said quietly. “I needed that.”
Seo smiled. “Anytime.”
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The next morning, Kim woke up early to prepare breakfast for his siblings before heading to class. As he watched Ji-sung and Ji-yeon eat, their laughter filling the room, he felt a renewed sense of purpose. The challenges at the university were daunting, but they paled in comparison to the importance of providing a better life for his family.
Kim’s home life was far from perfect—money was tight, and the responsibilities often felt overwhelming—but it was a grounding force amidst the chaos of his academic world. Here, he wasn’t just a scholarship student or a target of ridicule. He was an older brother, a role model, and a source of stability for Ji-sung and Ji-yeon.
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As he left for university that day, Kim carried with him the warmth of his family’s love. It wasn’t a shield against the cruelty of the wealthy world, but it was a reminder of what he was fighting for. And that, he realized, was more valuable than any gold-covered phone or designer watch.