"Kang Hyun, go get your final exam report card."
Kang Bong-du's square jaw was sagging. His eyes, looking at his report card, were filled with complex emotions. Not only was he at the top of his class, but he was also getting perfect scores in all subjects. Kang Hyeon was at the bottom of his class until the midterm exam. As a teacher, you shouldn't be suspicious of your students, but you couldn't help but have doubts about these grades.
"In this final exam, Kang Hyun took first place in the entire school. Everyone applauds."
Kang Bong-doo swallowed his doubts and said. The students' eyes widened at the mention of the top student in the entire school. Some students even asked if Kang Hyun was really the top student in the entire school. When Kang Bong-doo nodded in agreement, the class became so noisy that it seemed as if it would blow up. The students rushed to look at Kang Hyun's report card. However, Kang Hyun's expression showed no change at all.
'When will I grow up?'
The wide school uniform is extremely cumbersome. I am shorter than my peers, so it feels like I am wearing my father's clothes. I know that my height grew slowly until I graduated from middle school. It was only after I entered high school that my growth plates opened and I grew explosively. By the way, why are these kids so bulky?
'Tsk.'
He clicked his tongue inwardly. The kids were busy sticking their heads in to look at the report cards for the top student in the entire school. While some kids sincerely congratulated him, others looked at him with envy, jealousy, and a look of incomprehension. Kang Hyun didn't care what they thought. He just wanted his parents to be happy when they saw his report cards.
It was about time for lunch to begin.
"Kang Hyun, the teacher needs you to come to the principal's office right now!"
An unknown female student came into the classroom and spoke to Kang-Hyeon. The class became noisy again at the mention of the teacher's office. Some of them glared at him as if to say, "Well, that's right." From a young age, kids are taught to be suspicious.
Thump.
As I entered the teachers' office, an unexpected sight caught my eye. Kang Bong-du and an old lady were standing facing each other, and the old lady's loud voice resonated through the teachers' office. Her attire was extravagant, and her eardrum-piercing voice made me want to take my eyes off her. Suddenly, Kang Bong-du glared at Kang Hyeon as he entered the teachers' office.
"Kang Hyun. Why are you here?"
Why are you doing this when you called me?
"The teacher called you."
That was when.
"Mom, I brought him!"
The female student who had called Kang-Hyeon into the teachers' office shouted. Only then did the woman who had seemed so fierce turn her head and glare at Kang-Hyeon.
"Are you Kang Hyun?"
Oh my, that woman has eyes that look as if she's going to devour people, just like her heavy makeup. When Kang-hyun nodded briefly, the woman got angry at her.
"No, how did a kid who was at the bottom of the class become top student in the whole school overnight? Hey! If you have a mouth, you should speak up. From what I can see, your family's financial situation wasn't all that great, so there's no way you received private tutoring. How did you cheat?"
"Hyejin's mother, you speak harshly!"
"Teacher. You know that my eldest child graduated last year and went to an international high school, right? Since then, I've been the president of the PTA and have helped Daesung Middle School so much. I've even collected membership fees to help with environmental beautification, and I've even helped our children go on field trips abroad. But how can you say that you can't catch one cheating student? My child used to be the top student in the entire school!"
This woman?
He speaks such ridiculous nonsense as if it were the truth. All the teachers in the principal's office stand up. Kang Bong-du's face is also clearly embarrassed. Even he thinks about it, it doesn't make sense that the last place student became the top student in the entire school in just a few months. At that moment, everyone became dumbfounded.
"Can you guarantee that?"
Everyone's attention was focused on it.
"Article 156 of the Criminal Act: A crime committed by reporting false facts to a public office or public official with the intent to have another person receive criminal or disciplinary action. Here, false facts mean reporting with the definite or indispensable knowledge that the reported facts are contrary to objective facts."
Of course, in these cases, false accusation is not established under criminal law. Furthermore, false accusation is not established in civil lawsuits. However, Kang Hyun will not stop.
"In particular, he used his position as the president of the PTA to raise funds for environmental beautification, arrange school trips, and even the opaque operation procedures of the PTA. I don't think he did all of that as pure volunteer work without any compensation. In the late 1980s, when the incident of the village note caused public resentment, the Supreme Court made many rulings corresponding to Article 129 of the Criminal Act on bribery. If you want, I can read the rulings here."
Kang Hyun looked straight at the woman whose eyes were as wide as lanterns.
"Let me ask you one more time, can you guarantee that I didn't cheat?"
It's a voice that digs into your ears.
Kang Bong-du swallowed his surprise. He thought she was a young child who didn't know anything. However, her deep voice and strong eyes were not ordinary. In particular, she was so calm that you wouldn't think she was 14 years old.
"You, what did you just say······!"
The woman grabbed the back of her neck and shouted.
"Hyejin's mother, Kanghyun is right. It's not right to accuse you of cheating without any evidence. If you keep doing this, I won't stay still as your homeroom teacher."
Kang Bong-du stepped forward in front of Kang Hyeon and spoke firmly. The incident finally came to a halt when the pot-bellied principal appeared. The woman still glared but did not step forward any further. Instead, she heard something from the principal and smiled faintly.
Plague.
It didn't matter. No matter what they said, the fact that I was first in the entire school remained unchanged.
Only after some time had passed could I understand what that smile was about.
"Kang Hyun, I'm sorry."
Kang Bong-doo looked at Kang Hyun with a complicated expression. Kang Hyun doesn't think badly of Kang Bong-doo. Even he would have hesitated. No matter how much he trusted his students, it wasn't common for the last place student to become the top student in the entire school. Furthermore, Kang Bong-doo even stood up for Kang Hyun. To this extent, he had done his duty as a homeroom teacher.
"The principal said he would personally observe the exams next semester. If Hyun's grades drop, the PTA won't stay still. It could be a problem that could be brought up in the first semester. If we're not careful, it could even lead to a forced transfer."
It seems that the PTA has a lot of influence, to the point that even the transfer officer is in charge of it.
"are you okay."
It was a calm voice. Kang Bong-doo looked at Kang Hyun with a puzzled look. Just like when he felt it in the teachers' office, he looked like an adult. Just a few months ago, he was a very mischievous child. However, when he looked into Kang Hyun's eyes, he could tell naturally. This child did not cheat. Rather, he felt like an idiot for having such a suspicion.
"Kang Hyun, how on earth did you become so good at studying?"
It was pure curiosity.
What should I say?
I saved a drunk man from the subway tracks.
Should I explain that when I opened my eyes, I was back in the past?
Kang Hyun just smiled silently.
* * *
Sizzling.
The pork belly on the grill was golden brown. Spicy pickled vegetables made with my mother's cooking, along with perilla leaves and lettuce bought at the market, added to the flavor. My father poured some spicy soju into his mouth and burst into laughter.
"Hehehe. Our son is so cool. He's so cool!"
In the past, my father was always blunt. This was the first time I saw him burst into such hearty laughter. Kang-hyun held back tears. The smile on his mother's face as she grilled meat didn't seem to leave.
"Why is my son so smart? He takes after me. Right, hehehe."
"Hey, I was better at studying during my school days."
"Hehehe. Yes, my wife and son are the best!"
My father held my face and rubbed it for a long time. The alcohol smell that stung my nose and the rough beard irritated my skin. But listening to my father's hearty laughter, this was also good. The simple happiness under the star-embroidered night continued without end.
"Hyun-ah, what are you going to do during summer vacation?"
Kim Dae-woo is chubby. Whenever I see him, he reminds me of Winnie the Pooh. I wonder what he will do during summer vacation. He probably will help out at the laundry. Riding a bike and moving laundry under the scorching sun is no easy task.
"Are you going to study again?"
Study.
These were middle school level problems. I didn't need to put in all my effort yet. I was confident that I could take first place in the entire school without spending any summer vacation. The teachers had already stopped being suspicious. They asked me questions during class, and there was nothing I didn't know.
"I told him that when I asked him to do club activities with me, he said he would hold a violin solo recital this summer vacation."
If the teacher in charge is able to maintain club activities even during summer vacation, it can be said that the teacher in charge is very hardworking. However, he is busy working at the laundry on hot summer days. He cannot spend time listening to classical music.
"I'm sorry, but I can't."
With Kang Hyun's firm words,
Kim Dae-woo looked regretful. It seems he doesn't have any close friends in the club.
Thump.
It was when I was walking away after the closing ceremony.
Kang Hyun headed to the first floor to leave the school, and Kim Dae Woo had to part ways at the fork in the road for club activities. Kim Dae Woo's back was seen walking away with his shoulders slumped. It seemed like he hadn't expected to be rejected so firmly. At the moment when Kang Hyun was about to walk away, smiling faintly.
Thump thump thump.
My heart started pounding.
and
Freude, schöner Götterfunken! Götterfunken!
O joy, oh joy, beautiful flame of the gods! O beautiful flame of the gods!
It dug into my ear.
Beethoven's 9th symphony, 4th movement.