Chapter 257 (1/2)

Bada became a little proud of herself as she held up her four test papers. She scored above 90 points for all of them.

“There are two days left. I’m really going to be in the top 5,” she made a resolve as she left.

“Did you do something to her?”

“No.”

“Then did she grow up all of a sudden?” Maru’s mother looked at the door puzzledly.

“You’re starting your exams today aren’t you?”

“Yes.”

“You should do the basics at least, okay? That’s if you don’t want to be seen with contempt once you enter society. Movie shooting is good and all, but since you’re a student and all….”

“Yes, yes, Mrs. Lee. Don’t worry about that. Your son isn’t that stupid. Rather than that, mom, you aren’t going anywhere this evening, are you?”

“I don’t have anything after work. What is it?”

“How about father?”

“Your dad should come home after work as well.”

“That’s good.”

“Why do you ask?”

“I have something to talk about with you two.”

“Something to talk about? What is it?”

“I’ll talk about it once I get back from school. If you see entitled customers at the mall, then don’t listen to that person’s request. We’re well-off enough that you don’t have to work, aren’t we?”

“Worry about such things after you grow up. You should get going. You might be late.”

Maru’s mother saw him out until the door closed. Having brought his bike outside, Maru rode it to school. The head-of-the-year teacher, who would usually be standing guard catching any misfits, couldn’t be seen today.

“Wanna go to PC bang after tests?”

“Sure.”

“But hey, did you study?”

“Do you think I did?”

The atmosphere was definitely not as serious as normal schools. All he heard as he went up to his classroom after locking his bike was which PC bang they were going to go to today.

“Maru, did you study?”

“I did, a lot.”

“Really?”

“You believed that?”

Dojin put his thumbs up, saying that Maru was a true friend. Dojin’s desk was clean, despite the fact that other classmates at least had textbooks open on their desks due to conscience. Dowook and Daemyung were looking at their textbooks, revising.

“The first and second in the class sure are different.”

Dojin tried to interrupt the two by poking on their waists, but the two did not budge.

“Don’t try to drag others into hell with you and just sleep.”

“Dammit, you’re saying that to me as well? Are you still friends?”

“If a friend requires failing life with you, then I’ll politely stop being friends with you starting today.”

“I can’t read a single thing.”

“Then memorize this. This is for last-minute cramming.”

Maru threw him a notebook. It was his notes that he wrote throughout the night after coming back from Seoul yesterday.

“Traitor. You did study after all.”

“Don’t talk back at me and start memorizing. Culinary arts require brains as well. In this world even chefs require degrees you know?”

“I’m gaining experience by cleaning dishes like the masters on TV, you know? To hell with studying.”

“What if you end up breaking up with Iseul?”

“....”

“Stop bullshitting and get studying. Remember the history teacher’s words when he said he’ll beat you up with a PVC pipe if you don’t get above 60 points.”

“You’re right. I almost screwed up there.”

As PVC pipes were very common in engineering schools like this one, most teachers loved to use them as rods of love. One of the teachers even wrapped a pipe with tape and praised it for its striking feel. Of course, the students preferred getting hit with PVC pipes as well. It was hollow, so it was loud but it didn’t hurt that badly. In contrast, wet hardwood produced almost no sound and hurt like hell.

“I might actually end up dying if the history teacher decides to hit me for real.”

“So memorize those well.”

As they would be able to attend junior colleges even if they don’t do that well, there weren’t that many people focusing on studying. Only the students aiming for full universities within Seoul were revising really hard. After morning homeroom, tests began immediately.

“Don’t roll your eyes. You’ll be consulting me if I hear you rolling your eyeballs around.”

The teacher appeared with a cue stick.

Maru heaved a deep breath out before reading the test papers. The first subject was Korean. These were mostly common sense questions that he didn’t need to revise to answer. He marked the answer sheet and then started resting. He could hear Dojin having trouble with his test.

“Put your pens down. The ones in the back row, collect the tests.”

The first period ended without a hitch. The ones that actually revised properly took out revision materials for the next test, but most of them just went around marking their tests.

“Hey, hey, hey! I got 80 points!” Dojin shouted excitedly.

“Me too.”

“Me three.”

“Eh?”

Most of them scored above 80 points.

‘I knew it.’

The teachers gave out hints for the test starting a week prior. It was easy enough to get points by just memorizing the stuff they taught during that period. Moreover, the Korean test was really easy this time around. Naturally, the average scores would be really high. However, tests were made to differentiate the top from the rest. In this case, even a single point would be the deciding factor in grades.

“What the heck is this….”

This was the result of downward equalization. Like this, the ones that actually revised hard would be at a disadvantage since a minor mistake would cost them dearly.

“Ah shit, I’m doomed.”

“...Dammit.”

Although this was an engineering school, it wasn’t that there weren’t any students that studied. Maru made a bitter expression as he watched some of his classmates dejected. Those people entered this school with a purpose. They were plenty capable of entering normal study-focused high schools, but they entered this school with the mindset that they want to be the head of the snake rather than the tail of the dragon. However, they would become the tail of the snake with a slight mistake, so they were really on the edge.

“What the heck? Everyone got 80 points. What is going on?”

Maru covered Dojin’s mouth and gave him an intense glare. Dojin also became quiet after seeing someone studying hard. The noisy classroom quietened down in an instant.

“Let’s give them some quiet during the exam period.”

“Yeah, we should.”

Everyone was aware of each other’s circumstances. From that moment onwards, the class became quiet in order to not interrupt others from revising. Maru smiled after seeing that.