164 You Who Live within a Book 4 (1/2)
Translated by: ShawnSuh
Edited by: SootyOwl
”That noodle soup was really something, wasn't it?”
”Yeah. It was pretty good.”
After finishing their lunch, Juho and Sung Pil were on their way back to Garam Hall when they saw a crowd of staff setting up the stage for the award ceremony.
”That must be where the award ceremony is taking place,” Sung Pil said as the staff were busy setting up the microphones.
Unhindered, the two walked past the stage and went into the lecture hall, where a good number of contestants had already arrived, and the professor and the T.A.'s were moving busily around the podium in preparation for announcing the winner. Then, Juho sat on the same spot where he had sat previously, while Sung Pil sat diagonally behind him. The hall was noisy from all the chattering. Soon, the doors closed, and the professor spoke up.
”Is everyone here?”
Like previously, a handful of students answered by reflex, and Juho listened intently to Professor Hwang, who seemed to be observing the students more intently than before.
”Great job everyone. I realized the students nowadays had come a long way as I read through your essays. You all did well,” she said as if trying to encourage the contestants.
”As you know, there will be an award ceremony after announcing the winner. Attendance is not mandatory, but if you're one of the winners and you are absent when we call out your name during the ceremony, please keep in mind that your award will be nullified.”
At that, a series of answers sounded yet again, and Juho hid behind them, murmuring, ”Yes, ma'am. I'll gladly accept the loss.”
Then, the professor opened up a sheet of paper that seemed like it would contain the list of winners. The contestants waited anxiously for the announcement, each in anticipation for their names to be called, hoping that the judges were moved by their heartfelt writing.
”We will now announce the winners.”
Then, as Professor Hwang paused briefly to drink out of her water bottle, the air sank into silence immediately as all eyes were focused on her.
”Starting with third place.”
With that, the professor called out a name, and a sound came from the back of the lecture hall. While a handful of them looked in the contestant's direction quietly, others applauded for them. Before the dull celebration came to its end, Professor Hwang moved onto the next person.
”Second place.”
Juho heard the person sitting next to him tensing up. It was the very breath of a person who had worked hard toward their dreams, and the fact that they anticipated an award meant that there was a level of confidence toward their efforts and skill.
At that moment, Juho glanced over his shoulders at Sung Pil, who was sitting diagonally behind him, locking eyes with him.
A unexplainable tension traveled from his fingertips to his arms, urging him and making him think that he wanted to beat Sung Pil.
”Pil Sung Choi.”
For a brief moment, Juho found himself wondering who that was. Pil Sung Choi. It was the name of the future author who would be called by his alias, Sung Pil. Sitting diagonally behind him, Sung Pil remained silent and looked straight ahead while the contestants around him looked around, confused and clapping. Then, Juho looked up slowly and also looked forward.
”First place.”
The professor paused briefly, and announced…
”... Juho Woo.”
… his name.
”Congratulations.”
The professor congratulated the winner as she continued to observe the contestants. Then, reminding them where the award ceremony was taking place, she left the podium in a hurry, and the contestants also rose from their seats. As the lecture hall grew emptier, Juho stayed completely still in his seat.
”Congratulations,” Sung Pil said, and Juho smiled.
”Is it a one-to-one situation, now?”
”You can say that.”
With that, the essay contest came to an end. Being the last ones to leave the lecture hall, Juho and Sung Pil stood quietly as they watched the contestants exiting the campus to go home. The path was split in two: one toward home, and the other toward the award ceremony. The first path seemed to be significantly more popular, but before he joined in with other contestants himself, Juho asked Sung Pil, ”What are you gonna do?”
Sung Pil pondered for a little while, looking to the left and to the right.
”You won first place. Are you really not gonna go?”
”No.”
'I'm gonna go home. I already got to experience what it's like to win an award,' Juho said to his friend internally, and Sung Pil nodded quietly.
”If you don't think the bet was fair because my award was nullified, feel free to call it off.”
”No, that doesn't change the fact that you won. I'll buy the drinks tomorrow morning.”
Juho smiled at the appropriate recognition, and after a brief time thinking, Sung Pil said, ”I'm gonna go to the award ceremony.”
To which, Juho thought to himself, 'I knew it.' He knew that Sung Pil would have gone to the award ceremony even if he hadn't won.
”Well, take care now,” Juho said as he raised his hand, and they said goodbye to each other. As Juho walked toward a crowd of students unhurriedly, Sung Pil looked at him for a little while. He stood out among the others around him.
Then, Sung Pil remembered Juho's appearance while he had been busy writing. Sung Pil was completely incapable of multitasking, and in the end, he had chosen to focus on writing. By the time his essay was nearly finished, he had looked up at Juho, and he found himself regretting having made that decision in hindsight.
”He was desperate.”
Juho had written desperately, and he was quite unique even among Sung Pil's friends. By nature, he remained unfazed at all times and knew how to laugh off any taunts directed toward him. He also had a tendency to to stare intently at certain things, and Sung Pil realized that his thick eyebrows were one of his friend's subjects of observation. Looking like he didn't have a care in the world, he wasn't afraid to talk to strangers when he hardly ever talked about himself. It wasn't clear whether or not he was fond of Yun Woo.
For those reasons, it had been Sung Pil's first time seeing such serious and desperate look on Juho's face. It had been clear that he had been concentrating. Something had welled up from within, and Sung Pil grew all the more curious about Juho. He wanted to approach his mysterious friend, but unfortunately, Juho didn't wait for Sung Pil. As Juho looked up after finishing his essay, the world around him seemed to grow silent as his usual, lazily peaceful look appeared on his face. Although Sung Pil was left feeling unsatisfied, he had come to realize where his priorities needed to lie and how much room for improvement there was for him still.
Slowly, Sung Pil tried to revisit the things he had felt back then. From the rustling sound of the leaves and the surface of his paper, to the rigidity of the bench, the memories were still vivid. They were burned into his mind, unwilling to be removed. Then, suddenly, he had a feeling that things would never be the same as before, thanks to his strange friend.
'Had Juho worn that same look while he was interviewed?' Sung Pil asked himself as he saw and walked toward a number of tents in the distance, set up along a stage for the award ceremony.
'After the ceremony, I'll go home, eat, and write. I need to start writing about this person that I have in my mind.'
”The ceremony is this way!” a voice shouted as the judges had already taken their seats.
Then, while Sung Pil had to endure a displeased glare from the judges as he received his award, Juho was learning of some unexpected news.
”A character based on Yun Woo.”