His fate was decided after the morning exercises on the sports ground. As usual the students had saluted towards the city capital, listened to the daily speeches of the Military Leader and made their way back to the class room. Everybody was nervous because on this day their results of their ability assessment exam would be revealed. It was the most important day for all the students. The whole class chattered away, part in fear, part in excitement as they waited for the teacher to return to the class room. It didn’t take longer than usual however in the eyes of the students this short time equalled an eternity on that day. Then finally the teacher stepped through the door with a stack of paper in her arms which she loaded on her desk as soon as she got there.

Immediately all the students jumped to their feet to greet her.  She waved her hand dismissively telling them to sit down. She smiled and started to speak. “Well, students, I think all of you know the importance of this moment. Before I want to give you your report sheets I congratulate you all for passing the exam.”

All the students cheered. That meant that no one will be sent to the work camps were all people who weren’t capable to do their part in upholding the law and peace on Mato Planet went. The only one not cheering was Bang Yongguk. His eyes were fixed on the stack of paper hoping his teacher would finally start giving out the results. He was lucky. His name was one of the top ones on the list so he would get the report faster than most others. He was so concentrated on the sheets that he didn’t notice his teacher starting to talk again. His hands began to sweat from the suspense, his brain blocking out all the sound from around himself. He only snapped out of it when he heard his name being called.

“Bang Yongguk, the management department of Sonic Technologies. Congratulations.” The first few seconds he sat in his chair not acknowledging what he teacher said. Then he felt all the tension drain from him as he dragged himself to the front of the class accepting his report sheet. As he turned around to return to his table he felt all the jealous eyes on him. Sonic Technologies. One of the leading tech companies on Mato Planet and he got into it.

The rest of class slipped by in a blur. When the bell rang he lifted his head and looked as the students streamed out of the room. He packed his report into his bag and ran up to his teacher. “Seonsaeng-nim.” He called. She sighed when she saw who was running up to her. “Yongguk.” She nodded signing him to go on.

“Seongsaeng-nim. I applied for the music & entertainment department and as far I know my abilities are well enough to enter it.”

The teacher sighed again.

“It’s not that your abilities aren’t well enough. But the directors at the abilities assessment department looked through all your result and decided that your talent are best suited for this job at Sonic Technologies. I’m sure your parents are proud that you made it in such a great firm.”

“Yes, they’ll be proud but they also want me to do the things I like.”

The teacher pressed her lips into a thin line. She couldn’t answer to that. The law forbid the realisation of his dreams. He was chosen for the department that suited him the best. The government made the decision based on a perfect evaluation system. Her students might not know but the appointed job was their perfect match.

Yongguk saw that his teacher wouldn’t help him so he bowed and excited.