213 The Password Is 0108 3 (1/2)
Translated by: ShawnSuh
Edited by: SootyOwl
Just like that, the club members' experience in promoting their club came to an end, and the club members emphasized the name of the club until the very last second on their way out. As the Literature Club stepped out of the cla.s.sroom, the Volunteering Club, who had been waiting for their turn in the hallway, went in with their colorful tools.
”Honestly, the response wasn't too terrible!” Seo Kw.a.n.g said nonchalantly, and Bom agreed.
”Yeah, it really wasn't that bad. I think we can keep it going like this!”
Then, remembering something, Sun Hwa stared daggers at Juho, ”You know, you did well back there, but why do you keep bringing up other clubs?”
”It just came out,” Juho said calmly, and the displeasure on her face deepened.
In the end, Bo Suk interjected, ”Let's look at the bright side. I think the story about Yun Woo really worked. I saw their eyes sparkle.”
”That is true.”
”Well then, let's move on and get this out of the way,” Seo Kw.a.n.g rushed his clubmates, and they headed toward Cla.s.sroom 2, which was right next to the cla.s.sroom they had just left.
Then, after thinking for a brief moment, Juho asked to be excused, ”You guys go on ahead.”
”What?... Well, we have to wait anyway, so hurry back.”
”It won't take long.”
As if irked by him, Sun Hwa waved irritably and walked away. Then, Juho turned around and peeked his head through the back door of Cla.s.sroom 1 and saw the student sitting in the backmost seat. Conveniently, the freshman with long, thin eyes was looking in his direction. As Juho waved, the freshman looked around in confusion. 'Yes, you,' Juho murmured internally, and the freshman, who wasn't as tall as he had appeared to be, walked toward him.
”Were you looking for me?” the freshman asked in a rigid voice, obviously nervous.
”Yeah,” Juho said with a smile, indicating to the nervous freshman that he had come in peace.
”What is it?” the freshman asked, still nervous.
”What's your name?” Juho asked light-heartedly. The freshman wasn't wearing a name tag.
”Gong Pal Kong.”
A name that grabbed attention came from the freshman's mouth. 'Is it a name or a series of numbers?' Juho thought to himself. Nevertheless, although it was rather unusual, it was also an interesting name, and swallowing the question that came to him by impulse, Juho got to the point.
(TL's Note: 'Gong Pal' translates or sounds like 'zero eight' in Korean.)
”I wanted to ask you something. You're not busy, are you?”
”No, not at all.”
At that, Juho nodded.
”We locked eyes in the library, didn't we?”
”... Yes, we did.”
”I knew it. You were the one reading 'Grains of Sand,' huh?”
”Just like you said, it was just too good.”
'But I had no clue that it was written by someone like you.'
That blatant flash of emotions appeared on Gong Pal's face. However, Juho was quite fond of his honesty
”Gong Pal,” Juho called to him. It rolled right off the tongue.
”Yes?”
”So, are you planning on joining the Literature Club?”
”I… can't say at the moment,” Gong Pal said, looking at Juho.
”If you come to our club, you'll find even more things to read.”
After Juho's tempting words, Gong Pal just stared at him instead of giving him an answer.
”Not just what's already been written, but what's going to be written in the future, as well.”
”...”
While he was hesitant, Juho patted him on the shoulder as a gesture of telling him to think about it some more.
”It's a fun club to be part of. Come visit if you're ever curious.”
After a long pause, Gong Pal gave him an affirmative answer. Then, checking the expression on the freshman's face one more time, Juho walked away in order to reunite with his clubmates while thinking back on the faces of the people who had been moved by his writing. Juho's writing had a profound impact on people.
Gong Pal was fond of 'Grains of Sand,' in particular, and reading one's favorite piece of writing brought about joy. Maintaining a state of joy was part of humanity's natural instinct, and it was for that reason that people looked at books written by other authors. They wanted to replicate the emotional experience, and they wanted to experience it repeatedly. The bait that Juho had just placed before the freshman had to be quite appetizing for him, and Juho hoped that he would take it.
”What did you guys talk about? Were you advertising? How'd it go?” Seo Kw.a.n.g asked, and at that moment, the club that was in the cla.s.s came out of Cla.s.sroom 2. Then, Juho said as he walked in, ”He had a cool name.”
At that, Seo Kw.a.n.g gave him an emphatic, non-verbal signal, suggesting that they should resume their conversation later. Meanwhile, Sun Hwa repeated things similar to what she had said in the previous cla.s.sroom and Juho looked around the cla.s.s, standing still with books in his hands. At that moment, his eyes were drawn to the backmost seat of the middle row.
”Huh?”
They met again. The long, thin eyes. Juho blinked twice to make sure that he wasn't hallucinating, but sure enough, it was the same pair of eyes from a moment ago. The student also had a playful look about her, and just like Gong Pal, she had a straight face, as if knowing that she could come across as insincere and frivolous. However, her long hair followed her sharp chin line past her shoulders. On top of it all, she was a girl.
”Juho,” Bo Suk called to him, poking at his side. Then, stepping forward in a delay, Juho explained about the books. At that moment, the girl raised her hand.
”Where's the other book?”
”Eh?”
Only then, did the rest of the club members recognize the student. Then, Seo Kw.a.n.g, taken aback, asked, ”You look just like the guy we saw in Cla.s.sroom 1!”
At that, the girl answered sullenly, ”We're twins.”
”Huh, twins!” Sun Hwa said, also taken aback. As if familiar with the situation, the girl accepted the club members' responses. After thinking for a brief time, Juho asked, ”Your name?”
Then, blinking twice, the girl answered, ”Gong Il Kong.”
(TL's Note: ”Gong Il” means ”zero one” in Korean. The last name ”Kong” is also interchangeable with ”Gong.”)
At that, Juho found himself thinking, 'So, not 007.'
(TL's Note: Remember, last names come before first names in Korea!)