The day had already felt long, but the weight of the campus’s division pressed harder with every step. Kim and Seo-joon made their way to the cafeteria, which was nothing short of extravagant. The massive space was filled with gleaming marble countertops, polished wood tables, and towering windows that let in streams of sunlight. At first glance, it looked like a luxury hotel’s dining hall, not a university cafeteria.
Despite the lavish surroundings, Kim couldn’t ignore the divide that hung in the air. There were two distinct sections in the cafeteria: one for the wealthy students, located at the front, where large tables were arranged in clusters and waitstaff served gourmet meals; and another at the back for the scholarship students, where plain tables and inexpensive meals awaited.
Kim and Seo-joon found themselves standing in the second line, the one for students like them. As they shuffled forward, Kim’s eyes wandered to the other side of the cafeteria, where the rich students were seated comfortably. They sipped exotic beverages, laughing and chatting as if the world were their playground. Meanwhile, the scholarship students like Kim and Seo-joon waited patiently in line, their options limited to basic sandwiches, salads, and coffee.
“I hate this,” Kim muttered under his breath, his frustration boiling over. The unfairness of the situation was unbearable. The world of the rich was so different from his own that it felt impossible to bridge the gap. The separation wasn’t just physical—it was cultural, social, and financial. It was a constant reminder that no matter how hard he worked, he would always be treated differently.
Seo-joon glanced at him and gave a small, reassuring smile. “It’s tough, but we’ll find a way. We’re not here to fit in. We’re here to make a difference.”
Kim tried to force a smile, but it didn’t reach his eyes. As they reached the counter, he swiped his student ID card. He was surprised to see a small balance on it.
“The university deposits your scholarship funds onto these cards every week,” Seo-joon explained, his voice tinged with the same frustration Kim felt. “It’s all we get to use here.”
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Kim glanced at the rich side of the cafeteria once more, his eyes lingering on the expensive meals and the drinks that were clearly far out of his reach. A part of him longed for the comfort of that world, but he knew that it would always be just out of his grasp.
His frustration grew when he saw one of the wealthy students on the other side of the cafeteria turn and sneer in their direction. “You really think you belong here?” the student said, his voice dripping with mockery. “You wouldn’t even be able to afford half of what we have here.”
The other students around him snickered, and Kim’s anger flared. He clenched his fists, his pulse racing with the urge to snap back, but he knew he couldn’t afford to. In this world, one wrong move could cost him everything.
Instead, he gritted his teeth and turned away, heading to the counter to order his meal. The staff behind the counter were efficient, offering Kim a simple coffee and a small snack—a stark contrast to the extravagant offerings across the room.
As they found a table in the corner, Kim’s mind raced. How could they all be so blind to the injustice of it all? How could the rich students sit there, enjoying their lives while the scholarship students struggled just to get by?
“It’s not just about the food, is it?” Seo-joon said, his voice quiet but firm. He had been watching Kim, reading his thoughts. “It’s the way they look at us, like we’re not even supposed to be here. Like we’re invisible.”
Kim didn’t respond at first. Instead, he stared at the students on the other side, their world so far out of reach. For a moment, it felt like nothing could ever change, like he was trapped in a system designed to keep him at the bottom.
But then something inside him shifted. He couldn’t just let this be his life. He couldn’t let these divisions define him. He had already come too far to back down now.
“Maybe we don’t belong in their world,” Kim said finally, his voice quiet but resolute. “But we can build our own. We just have to make it work.”
Seo-joon nodded, a flicker of determination in his eyes. “Exactly. We’ll find a way to stand on our own, and when we do, we won’t be looking up at them anymore. They’ll be looking up at us.”
Kim felt a spark of hope flicker in his chest. Maybe the path ahead wouldn’t be easy, but at least he wasn’t walking it alone. With Seo-joon by his side, he could fight against the tide. He could rise above the divide.
But that would take time. And in a world so rigidly divided by wealth and status, time was one thing Kim didn’t have much of.