03: Partners in Crime
THE DATING GAMEBE WARNED. Not edited because I've been too busy staring at Teen Top. :) Might make edits later.
[Byunghun's Point of View]
On the day our Math's test was handed back, I headed down to the library to study after school. I was feeling absolutely terrible and yet I was forcing myself to study. I had convinced myself that I needed to. In my own eyes, I was a stupid failure. I studied all night before the test. I made sure that I knew how to do everything. I checked, double checked and tripled checked all my answers. Even then, I still made one stupid mistake. Instead of using 'k' in the question, I used 'x'. That was the only thing that I got wrong. The teacher is a fair marker. For the university entrance exams, if you use the wrong pronumeral you will get marks taken off. So getting one mark off for that mistake was fair. That stupid careless mistake had cost me a perfect grade. That stupid careless mistake put me one mark behind Chunji.
"Damn it!"
I bashed my head against the table. I was still hated myself for losing to him. I was a nervous wreck since yesterday after the test. The teacher came into the classroom in this morning and placed the stack of test papers on her desk. She peered around the classroom. A quarter of the class was already preparing for their early morning nap.
"Once again, I am very disappointed in your efforts. I thought that some of you would start getting serious this year because this is your future that is at stake this time. But I was wrong. There were only ten students who achieved a score above 70%. Anyone who achieved a score below 50% MUST attend an after school extra class with me today in the library. Please come up to collect your paper when I call your name."
Some students groaned in annoyance. I didn't care about them. I only wanted to know my score.
Did I beat Chunji or not?
The teacher started reading out the scores after each name. With each name, my anticipation grew. Then, she reached my name.
"Lee Byunghun." There was a slight pause. "98%."
98%!? What did I get wrong!?
I bolted from my seat and snatched the test paper out of her hand after quickly thanking her. At my seat, I scanned through each question. There were a row of red ticks on every question. Then, I reached the very last question and I spotted my error. Burying my face in my hands, I was mentally kicking myself for my mistake. Since the test was only out of 50, each mark that was taken off would cost me 2%. Luckily, I had only lost one mark but 2% was still something.
"Lee Chanhee." My head jolted up at the mention of that name. The teacher had called Chunji by his name real. That meant that she was actually being very serious about this test hand back. "As usual 100%. Well done." The teacher smiled at Chunji as he approached the front. He kindly thanked her and returned peacefully to his seat.
Yes. 2% was everything. It meant that I had achieved a score 2% LOWER than Chunji. I had lost. My depression for the rest of the day began. I couldn't stop blaming myself. The only way to make myself feel better was to study in the library. So when the end of school came around I rushed to a quiet spot in the library.
As I was unpacking my things, I saw Chunji leisurely enter the library.
Mrs Song probably asked him to help tutor the others again.
He walked past my table to get to the quiet study rooms at the back of the library. The quiet study rooms were for teachers to book out for extra lessons or for when students came to them needing extra help. The extra Maths classes were usually help in one of those quiet study rooms.
Ignoring his presence, I decided to get to work. I couldn't let him intimidate me. I was sure to be
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