Seong found himself in a state of apprehension, unsure how to respond to the teacher's question. Just as he was about to admit not knowing the answer, Alejandro leaned in and whispered, "It's 15."
Though Seong harbored some skepticism, he found himself with no alternative but to echo, "The answer is 15." To his relief, Ryunosuke chimed in with approval, affirming, "That's correct – good job."
After that pivotal moment, Seong found himself more engaged in the class, even if he didn't grasp the entire lesson until the end. Following the class, Seong approached Alejandro and expressed his gratitude, saying, "Thank you for helping me there. I would have been in trouble without your assistance."
To Seong's surprise, Alejandro responded, "No problem. If you want, I can tutor you in math."
Perplexed, Seong asked, "I would really appreciate the help, but why would you? Wouldn't it be a waste of your time to help me?"
Alejandro smiled and replied, "It will be fine because we're in the same group. Helping you out actually gains us points, and that can give us an edge against Mr. William's group. Plus, without my phone, I've got a lot of free time anyway."
Seong, appreciative of Alejandro's willingness to help, responded, "If you say so, I'll take you up on that offer."
Following their conversation, Seong and Alejandro made plans to meet after classes at Alejandro's dorm.
The remainder of Seong's classes proved lackluster for him, given his proficiency in those subjects. After concluding his classes, Seong returned to his dorm where he found Eun Jeoung reviewing her health report.
Curious, Seong inquired, "What does your health report say?"
Eun-Jeoung reassured him, saying, "It's fine, nothing for me to worry about." She then turned the question back to Seong, asking, "What about you?"
Seong opened his health report
Patient Name: Seong-Min DOB: 21/8/2053
Medical Assessment:
Vital Signs:
Blood Pressure: Normal
Heart Rate: Stable
Respiratory Rate: Within Normal Range
Temperature: Normal
Physical Examination:
General Appearance: Healthy
Skin: Clear and Hydrated
Eyes: Normal
Ears, Nose, Throat: No abnormalities
Laboratory Results:
Blood Count: Normal
Cholesterol Levels: Within Healthy Range
Blood Glucose: Normal
Diagnostic Imaging:
X-rays: No abnormalities
MRI/CT Scan: Normal
Conclusion: The patient is in overall good health, with no significant medical issues observed during the assessment. Routine follow-ups are recommended to monitor and maintain well-being.
As expected, he found everything in order. He responded, "My results are fine," indicating a clean bill of health. The exchange highlighted a casual concern for each other's well-being in their shared living space.
Eun-Jeoung nodded approvingly, saying, "That's good." She then inquired, "What do you have planned for the rest of the day?"
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Seong mentioned, "I've got a tutoring session with a classmate from my math class."
Eun-Jeoung, with a playful tone, teased, "Is it a girl?"
Playfully rolling his eyes, Seong responded, "Do you really think I can get a girl?"
Eun-Jeoung chuckled, conceding, "Yeah, you're right."
Seong, with a hint of mock disappointment, retorted, "aren't on, don't roommates supposed to encourage each other?"
Eun-Jeoung smirked, replying, "Yeah, you're right, but honesty is crucial too."
Deciding not to prolong the banter, Seong said, "I've got to go. Don't want to be late for the first session."
"Okay, bye," Eun-Jeoung waved.
Seong echoed, "Bye," and headed off for his tutoring session.
Seong navigated his way to Alejandro's dorm, and after a brief knock, he announced, "It's Seong from math class."
Alejandro swung the door open with a warm welcome, saying, "Welcome, Seong-Min."
Seong, with a playful tone, asked, "Do you want me to call you sensei or teacher?"
"Alejandro is fine," he replied.
"Then you should call me Seong," Seong suggested.
"If it's fine with you," Alejandro replied while gathering his math materials.
As they settled in for the study session, Alejandro inquired, "Let's begin. What areas do you find the most challenging?"
Seong responded with a hint of disappointment in himself, "Anything that surpasses the basics."
This admission surprised Alejandro, prompting him to wonder about Seong's entrance into the academy. Despite hailing from an important family, he would still need above-average scores.
Curious, Alejandro asked, "Seong, are you good at any other subjects?"
Seong pondered for a moment and replied, "I don't know if I'm 'good' at English, science, and social studies, but I don't encounter problems with them like I do with math."
Alejandro understood that Seong excelled in other subjects, explaining his admission. However, he refrained from delving into questions about Seong's family even though he was interested, not wanting to be intrusive.
Throughout the lesson, Alejandro imparted as much knowledge as possible. As they wrapped up, Seong expressed gratitude, saying, "Thank you for the lesson, Alejandro. I hope we can do this again."
Alejandro replied, "That's fine. Just give me your contact info, and I'll message you when I'm free." They exchanged contact information, and Seong headed back to his dorm, looking forward to future study sessions.
Seong silently entered his dorm to find Eun-Jeong already fast asleep. Trying to make as little noise as possible, he tiptoed through the room. As he settled into bed, he made a mental note to be extra careful, especially with the alarm.
The next day, a blaring alarm pierced the silence, startling Seong awake. It wasn't his alarm, so he wondered who it belonged to. Turning to investigate, he was surprised to see Eun-Jeong standing right beside his bed.
Startled, Seong asked, "What are you doing here?"
Eun-Jeong, standing resolute, replied, "You're going to miss the bus if you wake up any later. Get your ass up and get ready."
Seong quickly checked his phone and realized it was already 7:20 am. Reacting swiftly, he sprang out of bed and darted into the bathroom. In a rush, he freshened up and emerged within ten minutes.
Profusely thanking Eun-Jeong, Seong said, "Thank you so much for waking me up. I'll make sure to repay you for this."
Eun-Jeong sightly blushed by Seong's response, responding, "You don't have to repay for waking you up; this is what roommates are for."
With that, they both hurried to the bus stop.
As Seong and Eun-Jeung reached the bus stop, they encountered an elderly man. The man greeted them, saying, "Hello students, are you going to the Botanical Garden?"
Seong replied, "Yes, we both are going to the Botanical Garden."
"Then both of you can get on the bus," said the elderly man.
Seong and Eun-Jeung boarded the bus, and after a few minutes, it began its journey. Thirty minutes later, they arrived at the impressive Botanical Garden. Seong was taken aback by its size—a vast, see-through glass structure in the shape of a dome that could accommodate up to 700 people along with the thriving greenery inside. Seong couldn't help but wonder about the nature of the assignment they would be given.
As the bus came to a stop, the students began to disembark. Seong turned to Eun-Jeung and said, "Eun-Jeung, go ahead. I want to talk to that to talk to someone."
"Okay, I'll see you in the garden," replied Eun-Jeung.
After everyone had left, Seong approached the elderly man and inquired, "Hello, mister. I was wondering if you could tell me your name. I forgot to ask last time."
Min-Soo, surprised by the question, responded, "My name is Min-Soo. Could I ask why you need my name?"
Seong explained, "You helped me when I needed assistance, and I believe it is rude to address someone as 'mister' so many times. I thought it would be useful to know your name if we ever meet again."
"Thank you for answering my question," replied Min-Soo.
Seong bid him farewell with a simple "bye" and walked toward the garden. As he departed, Min-Soo found himself reflecting, 'He reminds me of someone, but I can't remember.'
Seong arrived at the garden to find a crowd gathered in front of a man with blond hair and an emotionless face, dressed in a black suit. The man held a pad of paper, adding an air of formality to the scene.
Seong, eager to discover the nature of the assignment, decided to postpone searching for Eun-Jeung until after the details were revealed.
As the person in the black suit commenced speaking, Seong listened intently, curious about the task that awaited him in the Botanical Garden.