Chapter 19: Chapter 19 (2/2)
Everyone turned around and found the word 'cement concrete' written on Mr. Moon's notebook. In parenthesis, it was also written ”'concrete' counts as an answer.”
”Maybe? Why'd you say maybe?”
”Hey, it's not like I'm studying architecture. How much would I know about concrete?”
”Even then, you shouldn't say something if it's not a fact.”
”You try it!”
At that, Sun Hwa walked out confidently to the front. She looked intently past the other club members in their seats and then at the notebook. For a brief moment, she was lost in her thoughts.
In the meantime, Juho saw an artist sitting toward the middle of the desk, recording the activity of the Literature Club members. His hand moved about his sketchbook.
As Juho watched, Sun Hwa began her explanation, ”OK. So, this is something that comes out during important scenes. There's a song about it too. It looks prettier from afar.”
”You don't look that pretty even from afar, so it can't be you.”
”I'm going to hurt you!”
Sun Hwa raised her fist at Seo Kw.a.n.g as he mocked her. At Bom's awkward laughter because of them, Sun Hwa continued, ”It's season-sensitive. Each has its own place, but some don't… and there's a lot of them. It's not visible during the day, but only at night. Oh, him! It has something to do with his name!”
Then, Sun Hwa pointed fiercely at Juho. All eyes were fixed on him as she pointed out suddenly. 'Juho. Woo-Juho' (TL Note: Wooju sounds like the Korean word for s.p.a.ce).
”Mozart really liked this!”
”Oh, stars!”
”Correct!”
Seo Kw.a.n.g got it right this time.
'I guess s.p.a.ce does have something to do with it,' Juho admitted to himself while thinking about his name. Then, he proceeded to ask a question, ”Mozart liked stars?”
”He composed music about it. Wouldn't you think he did?”
Juho stopped himself from acting on his urge to ask ”what makes that a.s.sumption so different from Seo Kw.a.n.g's?”
Next, was Bom. She seemed nervous to be standing in front of the others.
”You got this!” Sun Hwa cheered for her while shaking her arms. Seo Kw.a.n.g joined in by shaking his hand at her. Juho, too, clapped gently as a means of encouragement.
As soon as she saw her word, Boom started talking, ”It's delicious. Um, it's usually for dessert and everyone sits around it. Uh, and some don't have seeds.”
”Watermelon?”
At 'seedless,' Sun Hwa had thought of watermelon, but it wasn't the right answer. Bom gently waved her hand in denial and continued.
”You can get drunk from it if you drink it. It can be made into candy or a poem. You don't eat the peel or the seeds.”
”You don't eat the peel? Is it an Orange?”
”Really? You get drunk from drinking an orange?”
As Seo Kw.a.n.g and Sun Hwa quarreled, Juho quietly raised his hand. His answer may have been somewhat subjective, but he immediately understood from one of the clues: 'you can get drunk from it if you drink it.'
”Grapes!”
”That's correct.”
”I was thinking the same thing!” Seo Kw.a.n.g exclaimed. Then, he critiqued one of Bom's clues, ”I eat every part of the grape, even the peel and the seeds.”
”What for?” Sun Hwa questioned him in response.
With an apologetic expression, Bom told him, ”I don't eat the peel or the seeds, so I just said it without thinking.”
”Well, I guess that makes sense. There's not even a time limit, but this is so nerve-racking.”
So far, every person had shown a tendency of talking or trying to talk faster. Everyone was getting anxious because they felt like they were competing in a quiz show.
”I guess I'm next,” Juho said as he stood up from his seat.
From the front, he faced Mr. Moon holding his notebook. It really was like a quiz show. Juho's eyes met with Mr. Moon's. Without hesitating, he turned the page. The word 'snake' was written on the notebook, and he took a moment to think.
'Snake, snake.'
Juho immediately thought of the snake wine, but quickly moved on to a different image. He wasn't old enough to be thinking about such a thing.
”This has no fins, wings, or legs, but it lives in both the water and the desert. It's known to be poisonous. It's very seductive, but even if you give into its charm, you won't end up taking off your clothes.”
”That's so suggestive!” having shouted such a thing, Seo Kw.a.n.g was left with no choice but to face Sun Hwa and her pitiful glare.
”It signifies wisdom and medicine, and it has hundreds of ribs. It's the only reptile among twelve animals, and it won sixth place in Kyung Joo.”
That was more than enough, and the three answered simultaneously, ”Snake!”
”Correct,” Juho told everyone.
Then, he quietly returned to his seat. Looking at him, Seo Kw.a.n.g thought to himself, 'He's good.'
Having been training his vocabulary so far, Seo Kw.a.n.g could only acknowledge the skill Juho possessed. Juho excelled in language. Sun Hwa and Bom were both competent, but Juho was on a different level. He had the cognitive skills, but there was something about him that set him apart.
At that moment, Bom asked Seo Kw.a.n.g, ”I've been thinking this since last week, but doesn't Juho speak really comfortably?”
”Yeah!” Seo Kw.a.n.g agreed with her enthusiastically, and Bom was slightly taken aback by such pa.s.sionate response.
”We're running out of breath as is, but there's no hesitation in his speech.”
”That's not fair.”
Sun Hwa and Seo Kw.a.n.g glared at Juho. Even if they were to complain, he had nothing to say in response. He stared into the ceiling and, choosing to mumble through his words, he said, ”Maybe it's because I like snake wine?”
<yun woo=”” is=”” in=”” our=”” school=”” (2)=””> The End
</yun>