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KAP 14
That day, whenever a strange tension flowed between the two, Tristan didn't stop his childish sabotage.
He made baseless complaints about the food and knocked over perfectly fine drink cups with his elbow. It was the kind of pathetic behavior that would have been unimaginable for him normally, but he didn't care.
As if playing a hockey game, he would do whatever it took to win. Moreover, in this case, there was no referee to penalize him even if he cheated.
Tristan closed his eyes and thought of Kora.
Her clear eyes, her dainty lips glistening with apricot-colored lip gloss, and her slender neck that looked as if it could be gripped in one of his hands.
Her clean and neat appearance was just like a ballerina's, yet the aura she exuded was that of a final weapon forged through rigorous training.
Her serious voice, an octave lower than other girls', was another element of her unexpected charm.
'She's a rare breed.'
And above all, that damn scent of her skin.
The scent of her skin mixed with floral perfume drove him crazy. It made him want to bury his nose in the crook of her neck and inhale deeply, like some kind of pervert.
In short, this was all Kora Han's fault.
Recalling that scent, Tristan let out a low sigh, feeling the blood rush to his lower body.
Anyway, she was so frail that he worried he might break a bone if he touched her without controlling his strength. He wondered if a body like that could even handle him.
Well, regardless, he'd have to try it to find out.
He didn't know how long this interest would last, but it probably wouldn't be forever.
Once he had her, his interest might cool down quickly. Like a shiny toy, or...
'Like hockey.'
But because of that, he had to enjoy it while he could.
'It won't be a losing deal for you either. You'll be quite entertained for a while. Because my attention is expensive.'
Just then, Jenkins, having settled the commotion, shouted.
"Alright, since Kora Han has been designated as the Captain's draft pick, we've all promised not to encroach on each other's territory, right? Now that that's settled, let's move on to the next thing!"
Draft pick.
Tristan's eyes narrowed as he listened to those words.
It wasn't entirely wrong.
As of now, she was merely an interesting subject for experimentation and a partner for deviation—nothing more.
Yet, he didn't know why that specific term felt so irritating.
As it entered late September, the chaotic atmosphere of the campus at the start of the semester calmed down considerably. This was thanks to the conclusion of major events like freshman welcomes and initiation rites.
One afternoon, when the air felt cool to the tip of the nose but the sunlight touching the skin was still warm.
Kora was attending a lecture wearing a hoodie emblazoned with the university logo.
The class was a general elective titled 'Understanding Theater and Film: The Evolution of Narrative.' It was known as a good course for padding one's GPA since the assignments weren't particularly difficult.
As the class drew to a close, Professor Stevenson adjusted her Navette glasses and made an announcement.
"The assignment for this semester will be conducted in pairs. Please keep in mind that you must watch at least three films and plays together and write a comparative critical report."
"How do we form the groups?"
At a student's question, the professor displayed an Excel spreadsheet on the screen.
"I have already assigned partners considering your majors, so please check this table. I've also uploaded it to the course management app for your reference."
The classroom became noisy as students checked for their partners and began introducing themselves to one another.
'Where's my name? Ah, there it is.'
Scanning the screen, the moment Kora checked the partner's information written next to her name, she almost let out a shriek.
Tristan Lockwood - Founders Scholar Program, Sophomore.
Kora blinked twice, wondering if she was seeing things. But the more she looked, the more clearly Tristan's name appeared.
"What are the odds of getting hit by lightning...?"
Furthermore, it was the first time she had learned that Tristan's major was the 'Founders Scholar Program.'
'That's a position where only fifteen people are picked from the entire college. Only the top 1% geniuses get in...'
The Scholar Program was a multidisciplinary convergence major that could only be chosen by students who achieved top grades in their freshman year and passed a professor interview.
They could combine the major subjects they wanted and were even exempt from basic credit requirements. It was truly a privilege enjoyed only by the elite of the elite.
Kora knew this well, having had the experience of interviewing and being flatly rejected.
Tristan might have had some special treatment since he was a descendant of the university's founder, but unless he was exceptionally brilliant, passing the test wouldn't have been easy...
'Well, I heard his IQ was high. Anyway, he really has everything. Ah... how annoying.'
But come to think of it, it felt strange for someone in the Founders Scholar Program to take such a trivial elective.
She quickly turned her head to scan the classroom, but he was nowhere to be seen.
'Now that I think about it, I don't remember seeing Tristan in this class even once. Did he drop it?'
The thought occurred to her that she might end up doing the entire group project alone. Kora hurriedly packed her things and headed toward the professor standing near the podium.
"Um, Professor Stevenson."
Professor Stevenson, who was just about to leave the classroom with a large tumbler and her textbook, turned around.
"What is it?"
"I was wondering if it's possible to change partners."
"Your name?"
"Kora Han. My partner is Tristan Lockwood. I've never seen him in class, so I was wondering if he might have dropped the course."
At the mention of Tristan's name, Stevenson paused. She adjusted her glasses as if she suspected something but was hiding it, and spoke in a soft voice.
"Ah, you mean Tristan? You don't need to worry about him. He's decided to attend class diligently starting next week."
"...But."
As Kora hesitated and lingered, Professor Stevenson looked puzzled.
The professor let out a small sigh before continuing.
"I don't see what the problem is. I intentionally matched students with different majors for these groups. That way, you can analyze narratives while sharing opinions from different interdisciplinary perspectives. If I grant you a favor, I'd have to do the same for other students, which would be difficult."
"......"
"Besides, Tristan is an outstanding student in the Founders Scholar Program, so working on the assignment with him will be of great help to you. Isn't it a good opportunity?"
Faced with the professor's firm attitude, Kora had no choice but to back down.
She couldn't think of any further justification to refuse Tristan as a partner. She couldn't exactly whine to the professor that she just felt uncomfortable being around him.
"If you're that worried, I'll give you Tristan's email. Or you could go into the course management app and send him a message."
The professor wrote Tristan's university email on a post-it note and handed it to Kora.
"There, alright?"
"...Yes, thank you."
After receiving the memo, Kora bowed politely to the professor and left the classroom.
Then, unable to shake off a lingering feeling of unease, she made her way to the central library.
Entering the antique library, Kora took a seat in a corner.
Turning on the green banker's lamp on the desk, she took out her major textbook and a second-hand tablet PC from her bag.
The schedule of an economics major was incredibly packed.
Starting with Intermediate Micro and Macroeconomics, all the way to Econometrics, which was as grueling as mathematical torture.
As if there wasn't enough to learn, the discussion-based classes and group projects characteristic of the Ivy League sucked the energy right out of her.
And that wasn't all.
Preparing for exams, studying Excel modeling, and the nerve-wracking hunt for summer internships. She felt as if ten bodies wouldn't be enough.
Moreover, trying to meet the exacting standards of her major professor—a candidate for the next Nobel Prize—made the time spent carrying beer glasses at a pub feel like a vacation.
Kora had majored in economics entirely based on the judgment that it was advantageous for employment.
Her goal was to graduate early and join an investment bank (IB) on Wall Street in New York.
Her ultimate goal was to survive there for at least two years to increase her market value and then be scouted by a place like a hedge fund to make a lot of money.
In truth, she didn't have a brilliant mathematical mind, so surviving long on Wall Street wouldn't be easy.
However, she possessed one weapon that was second to none. That was 'persistence.'
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