The Korean CSAT is the exam that stops a nation.

Every year around 600 000 students sit the College Scholastic Ability Test, a grueling, eight-hour set of university entrance exams.

For a single day in November, the exam becomes the priority of the entire nation.

Work starts an hour later, enabling students to get to their testing centers on time; planes are grounded during the listening portion so as not to create any extra noise. Younger cla.s.smates flood the streets to support uppercla.s.smen. Parents pray together that the many hours of study their children have put in will pay off.

When CAST results come out, it is quite natural that some people would be happy while others would be sad.

I trembingly dial the last digit and wait for a mechanical voice to ring out from the receiver.

*Register Number 131195 Score: 398*

'Did I misshear that?'

I hang up and dial the number again: 398.

IT WAS TRUE!

My first choice for University was Seoul National University (SNU) of Finance and Economics. The admission rate for which is .5%. Ten times lower than even that of Stanford or Harvard. It was no doubt that I had pa.s.sed the minimum admission score.

I decide to call Irene and tell her my score. Much like in my previous time-line, she's already been scouted by SM entertainment. We were on our way to eat ddeokbokki after cla.s.s when she received a phone call indication that they wanted to sign a contract with her.

*trin*

Irene picks up before the first ring has even finished and excited answers, "Dylan, I got 340! 340!"

Genuinely happy for her I say, "Congratulations, who knew my girlfriend was such a smarty pants"

She laughs, "And you, how did you do?"

"I got ... 398"

"398! Dylan did you say 398!" screaming so loud, I have to move the phone back a couple centimeters

"Yeah, 398. I only got one question wrong. Aren't you proud?"

Before I can hear her answer to my question, I'm listening to the conversation between her parents and her " ..Irene:Mom, Dylan got 398. Mom: Wow! let me talk to him for a bit."

Irene's mothers voice then comes from the receiver, "Dylan Well Done on your score! I'm so proud"

I choke a bit, I guess this is how parental affection feels. "Thank you Miss Bae"

We chat for a bit and then tell Irene I will pick her up later.

I check my phone and see two texts.

*New messages from VP Lee and Jae-a.s.s"

Jaeb.u.m: I got 360 :P, how much did I beat you by?

I smile and text back: 398!

That will keep him quiet for a bit.

I read the other message from VP Lee. We have probably spoken only about 3 times throughout the year.

His quite the caring fellow, even checking up on his dead friends child.

VP Lee: Dylan my boy, how did the exams go? Don't worry if you didn't do well. Remember you the S groups son, results don't really matter.

I laugh, this old fellow is really casual when it comes to abusing money and power it seems. What a good role model.

I text back: Uncle Lee, I did pretty well. I got 398.

I check Jaeb.u.m's text and his text back a rather crude emoji followed by : You are so annoying!

Not long after VP Lee called, he thought I made a mistake but after a few rea.s.surances he finally let up and told me well done. I also told him of my plans to go to SNU and he was highly receptive of the idea.

The next Monday a big deal was made about my result in school. This firmly cemented my t.i.tle as the most annoying kid. Not only am I handsome but also studious. It is only naturally that the others were gnas.h.i.+ng their teeth at how unfair it was.

When I went to submit my college application, I met with the Mrs Han who told me the date and time of the graduation party.

On the day of the party, everyone in cla.s.s showed up. They were all dressed casually instead of wearing their school uniforms.

Now that the tense atmosphere of CSAT was gone, everyone could enjoy themselves with good food and drinks.

The room soon becomes engulfed in song and dance. Its completely degenerated from a school affair into an all out crazy bash.

The Vice President of the cla.s.s, who was the one wearing the thickest gla.s.ses, suddenly slapped his hand on the table causing everyone to go quiet all of a sudden. His blurred vision and flushed face betrayed how drunk he was,

The most honest student in the entire school actually snuck in alcohol! Who would have expected that!

The typical case of alcohol making a coward brave. Looking forward to him making a drunken fool of himself I wonder who he is going to confess to.

His loud voice suddenly erupts "Dylan Park!"

'Huh'

'Me?' What did I do ? We barely even spoke

"Dylan Park, d.a.m.n you. I hate you the most!" He struggles to get anything else out and becomes increasingly emotional until he somehow ends up crying.

Despite the struggle of snot and tears on his face, he went on, "I can't give up! Joo-hyun, I like you too. I like you way more than he does!"

As I'm about to laugh it off. Various voices begin to ring out all around the room.

"Hayoon! It was me who wrote you that love letter in Grade 2. I like you" said Jimin who sat in the first row

"Minseo, you are really really cute! Please marry me!" says another random character.

Minseo just ignores him and pretended that he was talking to someone else.

During all this commotion Mrs Han was like a Shaolin monk during meditation. She ate and drank as if nothing was going on, completely ignoring all the happenings of these hormonal teenagers.

The girls all remained very calm. And the Dutch courage if the boys all but dissipated as they scurried like blind mice.

It got strangely quiet in the room.

Gla.s.ses clanging and chairs sc.r.a.ped as a slender girl with fair skin suddenly makes her way over to me.

Picking up a chair, she places it in front of me. And before everyone's eyes, she suddenly steps on it and clutches my shoulders.

*Smooch*

She kisses my cheek and then returns to her seat as if nothing happened.