“At this moment, Ms. Hwang aced the whole semester. Congratulations for your exceptional performance. Eunbi.” Those are the remarks of our professor which infuriates my . I am supposed to hear those words, commending me! She’s sitting in front while I am at the second row. I keenly observed her actions, she nodded and fixed her specs while wearing her sly smile. “Thank you, Mr. Choi.”  She answered and the teacher just smiled and looked at me, so I sat firmly.

“Also Ms. Kim, you still have an outstanding intelligence even though someone has claimed your spot. You should keep it up.” That even made my cheeks fiery. I want to dash out because of embarrassment; first, because I am shaming myself and I fail my consistency for that spot, second because of my prof’s remarks in front of everybody and that includes her who is currently looking at me nonchalantly. So… I averted my gaze and look at my prof and nodded. I may look disrespectful with that act of mine, but what can I do? It’s so vexatious I swear! I hid my hand underneath the table and clench my own skirt to stop myself from doing another shameful deed.

Since the day when this girl transferred here in this university, I started to have hard time on claiming what’s mine. This Hwang girl is always competing with me academically and with the extracurricular activities. I started to have competitor, I have conventionally accepted that this is just a challenge on my abilities, but this is too much. I need to get back what is supposed to be mine.

The bell rang stridently as a sign of the end of that class. I did not waste a single time and stood up from where I am sitting. I picked up my stuffs but when I turned back, someone’s furious hand held my shoulder which made me turn around in displease behavior.

“Better luck next time Kim Yewon.” The girl with sly smile swanked around. That made me hold her arm and threw it like something unimportant and which made her grimace.

“Shut up Hwang. I’m gonna claim what you have right now so better hold on it tightly. Secure it, lock it. I don’t care, I’m still going to have it!” Our other colleagues who is still in the scene look at us, but I did not tolerate the tension which started to build up, just hold on to the strap of my bag and dashed to get out of the hall.

“Try harder missy!” She shouted as I left the room. Her insulting manly laugh filled the whole room and started to pour some fuel on my burning tranquility.

---

After that exasperating slash annoying or infuriating and vexing encounter–YES THAT’S HOW I SHOULD DESCRIBE IT, I frantically slammed my notes, thick hardbound academic books on the study table in my room. I never wasted a minute studying, learning and understanding every words and even the punctuations of every lessons! That is how desperate I am to surpass that big-headed woman. I am only going outside the room when I am going to the school or library to borrow new books. My mom understands that I am drowning myself in studies so she’s initiating to bring my foods to my room; of course I requested chocolates (For somewhat psychological explanation that it can improve someone’s brain mechanism or whatever). There is no day I never thought of her face dissing my downfall, call me over reacting, but I am still in it. My ego was totally devastated like it was a fragile wine glass and her laugh and insulting words were millions of hammer frenziedly shattering the transparency into innumerable wreckages.

The days have passed. My routine did not change: GO TO SCHOOL, STUDY, EAT AND SLEEP. It’s a cycle. It was monotonous. But I don’t mind because every time I’m seeing her face… I’m getting pissed and my eagerness to burn her in our equal rivalry will suddenly tense up.

March. The much awaited month for my exceptional endeavor. I joined the crowd of creatures, who are in yellow adorable uniform (Yeah only the uniform and not the beings who sported them), as I walk in the hallway. Before I can even take my step to the examination hall, someone stops me by holding my left shoulder…with the very familiar presence and scent. Not mistakenly, when I turn around, I’m already facing the most annoying living sunlight because of her bright face. DON’T THINK OF IT AS A POSITIVE COMPLIMENT; it’s a bright face that made me always refused looking at her. My eyes were hurting so much just by…seeing her. I clenched the strap of my bag to ease my temper, I might lose my sanity and smack her we are too respected to create another issue – I mean I AM TOO RESPECTED and she’s not.

“I hope you can surpass me this time. Good luck…Yewon” She whispered the last three words that made me a little bit startled and leaving me in an utter moment.

“Wow. What the hell was that?” I voiced out not minding if someone could hear my manic thought. I was already stomping when I entered the designated room where she’s actually my -mate seatmate. I threw my light bag to the chair and settle myself on the chair and directly look at the white board in front. In less than a minute, the usual examination proctor already entered and gave his instruction for the exam.

“Any further questions?” Mr. Choi asked which echoed in every corners of the large room. I think this room comprises of more or less 100 examinees from the sophomores only.

Most of all did not have any questions so he started distributing the test papers. When he handed me one, I grinned knowing I am already having the success when I saw the furrows from her brows as she receive her own paper, yes I’m talking about that Eunbi girl, but averted my gaze when I sense she’s about to look at me. From that moment, I only focused on the exam, answering every essay type test in very wise and knowledgably. Easily picking from the varieties of possible answers, all because of my hard work. Hours have passed, and we’re now just waiting for the results to be announce in our own section room. It’s a lot easier for them to check papers because of automated system the university have so we don’t have to wait for days to have the most awaited results. I can smell my triumph against her.

It’s already here.

Professor Choi was already holding bunches of papers and started greeting us. “Thank you for waiting students. Maybe some of you already went home because being present here is optional. Hmm, where’s Ms. Kim?” I raised my hand proudly. I already know what it is all about. I am certain that I never missed a single question in the pit. I’ll aced it!

“Congratulations. You got it perfect, you are so impressive.” He smiled and handing me my exam result. I stood up and bowed before getting my paper from him. “Thank you Mr. Choi, I really worked hard for this.” Then I darted my look to Hwang Eunbi, who seems to be preventing her laugh while bowing down. Her shoulders were moving like laughing. What’s so funny? When she return her gaze in front, she looked up and fix her specs. I sat down hesitantly while and reviewed the results of exam. Mr. Choi started to announce something again.

“I’m sorry Ms. Hwang Eunbi, but there’s one item you misse---” She interrupted while the prof was still talking.

“Would you mind reading the only item I missed, Mr. Choi?” She spoke loudly. The professor was also hesitant but affirmative with the suggestion. “Okay sure. Oh, so it’s the first item you missed and the instruction is... Create an example of a rhetorical question in relation with the current dilemma of the country. But Ms. Hwang, are you sure I am gonna read your answer?” The teacher asked, surprised.

“Yeah sure, Mr. Choi.” I placed down my paper on the table and anticipated with what she answered. “Okay. Here it is. I don’t care about the dilemma of the country. The only question Hwang Eunbi want to ask is, KIM YEWON PLEASE ALLOW ME TO DATE YOU? And the dilemma starts here, because I know you were too infuriated by me.” Those…those were her answers? WAIT HANG ON, IS THAT EVEN----

My sudden reverie were cut by her actions.

“Yewon-ah. I like you a lot. As lot as those vexing moments you had with me. I hated expressing cringey stuff so I made way to gain a lot of attention from you and seem like my brain did a good job on that judgement.” She held my hand, my face. OH MY GOD, I CAN’T FEEL A THING. “Would you like to give me a chance? Please. I promised to lessen annoying you. I’m sorry about that.” What the hell is she thinking about confessing in front of the professor who is…wait…? So she planned this all! Her mind ugh! How can I reject her in front of my classmates who are now cheering for the two most outstanding students of the university? I still can’t believe she’ll intentionally missed the single item for her breathtaking slash heart stopping proposal. With that, I still felt defeated and caught off guard. All weapons destroyed and all I could do is to give up and surrendering by saying…

“Yes.”