Soo-ji was fast asleep, snoring in fact, laid out like a log of wood that wouldn't move until a force was applied to it, legs pivoted in different directions. Her school books were scattered across her bed like an ugly piece of art.
Seo-jun barged into the room and stared down at her. She didn't budge.
"How am I related to this?" he said, shaking his head before tapping her. "Hey, Soo-ji!" He tapped harder. "Lee Soo-ji!"
No reply.
He moved closer to her ear and screamed her name, causing her to jolt up instinctively and send a punch toward him, but he was alert enough to catch her fist before it landed on his face.
"Are you insane? Do you want to disfigure my finely sculptured nose?"
She stretched, eyes still heavy with sleep.
"What do you want?"
"Aren't you going to be late for school, Don't you have your first assessment test today?" he questioned, waving a hand in front of her face.
Her eyes widened, sleep immediately disappearing. "No, no, no. How did I sleep off?" she said, hands over her head in doom.
Seo-jun laughed out loud. "Calm down, it's still evening. It's not Friday yet," he said between laughs.
She narrowed her eyes at him. "How could you?" she said, annoyed.
"It's 10 p.m. already. You better start studying," he said, attempting to walk out, then he turned back. "I hope you're aware you're going to be having assessment tests every weekend from now on."
"Who the hell picked this school? Why on earth do they have weekly assessments?" She slumped onto her bed, then rose up almost immediately. "You must be the devil behind this," she said, pointing at him.
"Hey! I went to the same school. Did you really think Mom and Dad would allow you to attend a school they aren't familiar with?" he questioned with a scoff.
"But that school is only for smart kids. How do I keep up? Tests every Friday?" She sulked, tears almost running down her face.
"That's your cross to carry," he said and walked out abruptly.
"What do I do?" Soo-ji cried, holding her hair.
The next day, the class was silent unlike other days. Everyone was studying one subject or another. Even Joon-seok, who was usually the loudest, was quiet this time. Bo-ram was just cramming formulas Soo-ji swore she had never seen before. She simply sat in her seat, already convinced that nothing was going to sink in at the last minute.
Just then, Eun-ji rushed in and stood at the front, breathless. She waved her hand to catch everyone's attention.
"We are doomed," she announced, still trying to catch her breath.
"Doomed?" almost everyone echoed.
She nodded quickly. "Mr. Moon took a sick day and now—"
Her words trailed off as Ms. Ga-young walked in, a wicked smirk playing on her lips.
"Settle down," she said simply.
Everyone looked horrified, from the people who had already imagined their deaths to the ones who already had tears falling freely down their cheeks involuntarily.
"Come in," she announced, staring at the door. Everyone's eyes followed hers.
Then time paused. Everyone froze, eyes wide.
He walked in smoothly, tall and nerdily hot. He ignored the attention, he was clearly used to it.
"Who is he?" Soo-ji whispered to Bo-ram.
"Kang Jae-hyuk," she replied, still staring at him.
His eyes met Soo-ji's for a brief second. It was too uncanny to be real. He looked too familiar, but she couldn't place where she had seen him before. He walked straight to the vacant seat by the window where Joon-seok was seated.
"No way, you're my new seatmate?" Joon-seok exclaimed.
Jae-hyuk completely ignored him.
"Focus, class. Haven't you all seen him before?" Ms. Ga-young said with an attitude before sighing. "I hate it more than you do that I have to supervise your test today," she added, though they could sense the wicked grin she tried to suppress.
"Lim Soo-ji!" she called out.
What does this hag want now? Soo-ji thought before standing up and forcing a smile. "Yes, ma'am?"
"It's Ms. Ga-young to you," she corrected abruptly. "Come sit here," she added, pointing at the front seat.
"Me?" Soo-ji exclaimed louder than she expected.
"Why not? Did you have something plotted out?" Ms. Ga-young questioned, raising a brow.
"No!" Soo-ji answered quickly.
"Then come sit close to me," she said before looking down at the girl occupying the seat. "Move."
"Yes, Ms. Ga-young," the girl replied before rushing to the back.
Soo-ji sluggishly walked to the front and sat down like a lifeless being.
Ms. Ga-young smirked before facing the class again. "You're in your final year, so I believe you know the rules. It's an all-in-one assessment test," she said, passing the papers to the students. "You may start."
The first subject on the leaflet was math. Soo-ji's entire expression changed. She had been terrified before, but now she was simply flabbergasted by how much of a witch a person had to be to set such questions. Not a single number appeared in the entire equation, a math test without numbers.
"I'm dead."