The girl gestured towards a miniature basketball hoop, and Sara expressed her gratitude. Seong and Sara then made their way to the small basketball setup, where the score was deadlocked at 1-1, setting the stage for a decisive tiebreaker.

Although Seong had never played basketball before, he had observed the fundamental aspects of the game by watching others. These basics revolved around the simple goal of getting the ball into the hoop.

The miniature basketball hoop game was set for a swift 60 seconds, with each successful shot earning a thousand points on the scoreboard. Anticipating the challenge, Seong decided to kick off with a warm-up game.

To his initial dismay, Seong missed his first 5 shots, grappling with the unfamiliar trajectory of the miniature basketball. However, he quickly adjusted, finding his rhythm and managing to sink 12 out of the next 20 shots. While his accuracy improved, Seong realized that the game prioritized scoring over precision. The realization dawned on him that success in this game wasn't solely determined by accuracy; rather, it hinged on the ability to rapidly launch as many shots as possible. Unfortunately, this crucial insight came to him a bit late.

Following Seong's warm-up, Sara decided to employ a different strategy—showing incompetence to catch her opponent off guard. She emulated Seong's initial approach from the first game, making it seem like she struggled with the shots intentionally. In the end, she took 20 attempts and managed to sink only 2, deliberately giving the impression of novice skill.

Seong, not entirely convinced by Sara's act, suggested, "Okay, you should go first in the real game." He doubted Sara's skill level, even as a beginner, considering his own recent experience.

However, Sara seized the opportunity, offering a perfect excuse, "That's not fair; shouldn't I have to regain my stamina?"

Recognizing the validity of her point, Seong conceded, "That's true. Then I will go first." Despite the game being a brief sixty-second affair with minimal impact on stamina, Seong chose not to question Sara's reasoning, allowing her the chance to recover before taking her turn.

Seong began the real game on a strong note, effortlessly sinking the first five shots. However, as the seconds ticked away, his wrist movements slowed down, and he found himself adjusting the shooting angle, resulting in a decline in accuracy. By the time he realized the issue, precious seconds had elapsed, and he concluded the game with 17,000 points.

Sara, taking a different approach, stepped up for her match-point game. Disregarding angles and trajectories, she opted for a rapid-fire strategy, spamming shots toward the hoop. The result was a remarkable 32,000 points, nearly doubling Seong's score.

Observing the stark contrast, Seong remarked, "So that's how you're supposed to play the game," acknowledging Sara's effective approach.

Sara responded with a light-hearted perspective, "You focused too much on how you shot; it's just an arcade game. The goal is to have fun, so they designed it to be less skill-based." Her words emphasized the essence of enjoyment over skill in the context of the arcade game.

"Alright, I'll keep that in mind for the next time I play arcade games. So, what can I do for you?" Seong inquired.

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Sara pondered for a moment before responding, "I don't have any ideas right now. Give me your number, and I'll message you once I think of something."

"Sure," Seong agreed, sharing his phone number with her.

Before parting ways, Sara asked, "Tell me that girl's name? If she seems interesting, I might try to befriend her. You know, it's better when friendships happen organically. If you push people too much, you might end up with fake friends, and that just complicates things."

"Her name is Allisa," Seong disclosed.

Sara was visibly surprised. "You talked to Allisa?" she asked.

Seong seemed nonchalant. "Yeah, what's so special about that?" he inquired.

Sara explained, "She's really rude to boys. Even in the library, she would give them the information they needed and tell them to scram. Are you sure she didn't do the same to you?"

Seong shook his head. "No, she didn't. If anything, she was actually really nice to me," he clarified.

Sara assured him, "You don't have to worry about her. She has a ton of friends and is really popular among the second years." Her words aimed to dispel any concerns about potential negative encounters with Allisa based on her reputation.

"What about you?" Seong asked.

Sara responded with a teasing tone, "If I were popular, why would I be with you, dumbass?"

Seong, slightly irritated, retorted, "Can you stop treating me like I'm a nuisance? You're acting like you had no fun at all in the arcade."

Sara softened her tone and added with a playful smile, "Okay, maybe a tiny bit." Her admission acknowledged the enjoyment she had, despite her earlier attempts to downplay it

"Okay, I've got to head back to my building. I'm going to be late for my lecture. See you around, bye," Sara announced.

"Bye," Seong replied.

Left with nothing else to do, Seong stayed in the arcade for an additional two hours before finally deciding to head back to his dorm.

Later, as noon approached, everyone in the first-year cohort received a notification. The message revealed ‘The clue being revealed this week is a location that has not been found in your section which will help you figure out the cure.’

"Seems like this is going to conclude sooner than I thought," Seong mused, contemplating the unfolding events.

After 30 minutes, Eun-Jeoung returned to the dorm from her assignment and inquired, "How did your day go?"

"I went to the game center," Seong replied.

Eun-Jeoung showed interest, asking, "How was it? I heard it was quite good."

"It was fun," Seong replied. "How are you feeling after the clue was revealed?"

Eun-Jeoung sighed, expressing her stress. "I'm anxious. I don't know how smart Mr. William's group is."

"Okay," Seong acknowledged, returning his attention to his phone until it was time to go to his English lesson.

"I'm heading to my lecture. Bye," Seong said as he left the dorm.

Eun-Jeoung said "bye," and Seong headed to his English lecture. He took a seat in the lecture room and waited for the teacher to arrive. Suddenly, he felt a tap on his shoulder, and upon turning back, he saw Minjun.

"Minjun, you're in this class?" Seong asked.

Minjun nodded and took the seat next to him. "Yes."

"I thought you would be with Amelie twenty-four seven," Seong remarked, curious about Minjun's unexpected presence.

Minjun explained, "I may spend a lot of time with Amelie, but it's mainly because I work for her mother's company."

"That must be challenging, juggling work and school," Seong observed.

Minjun reassured him, "Not really, since most of the stuff correlates, it's not much of a hassle."

The English lecturer, Miss Hana, entered the room, bringing silence with her as the lesson began. Throughout the duration of the class, Minjun appeared to be visibly struggling with the English topic, facing difficulty in understanding it.

As the lesson neared its end, Miss Hana announced, "Everyone will need to submit an essay on this topic by the end of next week. You may leave now."

Minjun appeared visibly stressed by the announcement when Seong offered, "Do you want me to help you with the essay?"

"Are you sure? It might become a hassle for you," Minjun expressed concern.

Seong replied, "I've got a lot of free time since the assignment, so it won't be a hassle."

"Okay, then. I'll come to your dorm at 9 tomorrow," Minjun confirmed.

Seong replied with a simple "ok." Both of them left the lecture theatre and went their separate ways.