Ryu Ji-Ho's School Life (2)

Ryu Ji-Ho slowly rose from his seat, a bitter smile etched across his face.

"I'm sorry, Sir. I promise I won't doze off again and will pay more attention in class. I would appreciate it if you could forgive me just this once. Once again, I sincerely apologize."

Carefully, Ryu Ji-Ho bowed deeply, a gesture that conveyed his genuine remorse.

"...?"

At first, the math teacher thought Ryu Ji-Ho was just pretending. But after seeing the sincerity reflected in Ryu Ji-Ho's eyes, he realized the apology was genuine. Despite being known for his strictness, the teacher found his anger melting away in the face of Ryu Ji-Ho's polite and heartfelt demeanor.

"Hmm, alright. Take your seat."

Ryu Ji-Ho bowed once more before sitting back down.

"But remember, if I catch you dozing off again, I'll send you out into the hallway."

"Yes, Sir!"

With that, the lesson resumed. Ryu Ji-Ho fought hard against the drowsiness that gripped him. He struggled to stay awake until, finally, the first period ended.

As the bell rang, Ryu Ji-Ho staggered out of the classroom and headed toward the cafeteria. There, amidst the long line in front of the food counter, stood Hwang Jae-Jung. Ryu Ji-Ho reached into his pants pocket and pulled his hand out. All he found was a few one-hundred won coins.

His weekly allowance was only a thousand won. He slipped the coins back into his pocket and turned to leave the cafeteria. But just then, Hwang Jae-Jung approached him, carrying a bread roll and a carton of milk in his hands.

"Not getting any bread? If that's the case, I'll just eat everything myself," Jae-Jung said with a laugh.

Ryu Ji-Ho, known for his small appetite, would normally refuse such an offer. But this time, he grabbed the milk carton from Jae-Jung's hand and gulped it down quickly.

"Huh? What's gotten into you? I thought you didn't like milk?" Jae-Jung looked at him with a puzzled expression.

Ryu Ji-Ho wiped the milk from the corner of his mouth with his sleeve before asking, "Is studying always this tough?"

"Of course. That's just the way it is. Why are you suddenly asking about that?"

"Maybe I should just take the equivalency exam instead," Ryu Ji-Ho mused.

"Idiot! Just go to sleep if you're tired. Don't start talking nonsense."

Jae-Jung snapped back with a touch of irritation, snatching the milk carton out of Ryu Ji-Ho's hand.

"It's been a while since I've heard the word 'idiot,'" Ryu Ji-Ho muttered softly.

"Ji-ho, run! Quick!" a voice shouted suddenly, shattering the silence.

"...?"

"The bell's about to ring!" his friend exclaimed, grabbing Ji-ho's hand with urgency.

Ryu Ji-ho stumbled back to his seat inside the classroom, just as the bell rang out sharply, signaling the start of the lesson. Even though Ji-ho knew that adjusting to his new environment wouldn't be easy, he had hoped that time would make it better. But reality had other plans; everything felt so complicated for him.

The lesson began, but Ji-ho found it impossible to concentrate. The subjects being taught barely caught his interest. The teachers were so serious, with not a hint of humor to break the monotony, making the classroom atmosphere stiff and unbearably dull. Time seemed to drag, and before Ji-ho knew it, the morning had slipped away.

"Ding dong~"

The lunch bell chimed. Ji-ho felt so exhausted that he let himself slump over his desk, too tired to even think about the hunger he should have been feeling.

"I'm going to lose my mind like this," he mumbled softly, almost inaudible.

Kang Yong-seok, one of his classmates, lightly patted him on the shoulder.

"Aren't you going to the broadcast room?" he asked.

"Huh?" Ji-ho looked up at him, bewildered as if he didn't understand what was just said.

"The broadcast room, you idiot!" Yong-seok insisted, sounding slightly annoyed.

"Oh, right! The lunch broadcast!" Ji-ho replied, as if snapping out of a daze.

Just then, the opening music for the SPBS broadcast began playing from the speakers mounted in the corners of the classroom.

"Good afternoon, this is Sinpo High School Educational Broadcasting Station. S.P.B.S!"

The announcer's voice echoed clearly throughout the room, capturing everyone's attention.

Ryu Ji-ho froze for a moment, his eyes fixed on the wooden speaker mounted in the upper left corner of the classroom wall. He didn't move, as if he were trying to comprehend what was happening.

"Did you skip your broadcast duties?" Kang Yong-seok asked, opening his lunchbox, seemingly unconcerned with Ji-ho's confusion.

Ryu Ji-ho, who had been staring blankly at the speaker, suddenly snapped to attention. He quickly stood up from his seat, moving hurriedly.

"Enjoy your lunch," he muttered hastily before dashing out of the classroom.

Bang!

His chair clattered to the floor as he ran out, nearly tripping over it.

Screech!

Panting, Ryu Ji-ho arrived at the broadcast room. As soon as he entered, his eyes met those of the senior second-year students who had just started the lunch broadcast. Their faces were cold, filled with disappointment.

Realizing his mistake, Ji-ho stepped further into the room, bowing deeply and apologizing sincerely.

Ryu Ji-Ho stepped swiftly into the room, his footsteps light yet purposeful. He bowed deeply, an unmistakable sign of sincere apology.

"Please forgive me," he said, his voice tinged with regret.

"You're always so busy...," one of the senior students remarked, the sarcasm in his tone hard to miss.

"See me after the broadcast," another senior added sternly, his eyes narrowing.

"The broadcast is in progress. Don't get distracted, and stay focused," a third senior warned, his voice firm yet not without concern.

As the second-year seniors took turns reprimanding Ryu Ji-Ho, Han Su-ho, one of the more respected seniors, chimed in with his own cautionary words.

Carefully, Ryu Ji-Ho slipped toward where the first-year students were standing, trying his best to avoid drawing any more attention to himself than he already had.

"Why are you late?" Park Sang Eun whispered, her face inches from Ryu Ji-Ho's, her voice filled with worry.

"Shh," Ryu Ji-Ho replied curtly, pressing his index finger to his lips, signaling her to hold her tongue.

Ryu Ji-Ho's eyes quickly found the ongoing lunchtime broadcast, led by the school's broadcasting club. He watched intently as the seniors skillfully adjusted the mixer's volume, their hands moving fluidly, as if this were the most natural thing in the world. But Ryu Ji-Ho knew all too well that synchronizing hand speed and accuracy wasn't as effortless as it appeared.

It took rigorous practice to balance the volume of the starting music with the one that followed. And there were many other skills to master—giving the CUE sign, blending music using the dissolve method, changing LP records, setting the needle on the turntable, and managing equipment like microphones and audio mixers.

For one semester, first-year students learned these skills by closely observing the seasoned seniors. Unlike the broadcasting clubs at other schools, typically run by second-year students, at Sinpogo, first-year students were put through intensive training before they could truly take the reins.

"The short training period makes our broadcasters' skills fall far behind those of other schools," Ryu Ji-Ho muttered under his breath, lost in thought.

That's why, although the seniors could be harsh when it came to scolding basic mistakes, they were generally more forgiving when it came to the quality of the lunchtime broadcast scripts or the broadcasting abilities of the students.

Ryu Ji-Ho then cast his gaze towards the second-year senior who was manning the mixer.

"Han Su-ho, the head of the club..."

Han Su-ho was exceptional, excelling both academically and athletically. Despite coming from a less privileged background, he always exuded a contagious confidence and cheerfulness.

In the Sinpogo broadcasting club, first-year students were referred to as department heads, while second-year students were called club heads. This club proudly referred to itself as a broadcasting station rather than just a club, a testament to their great pride, even if it sometimes sounded a bit juvenile.

Third-year students officially stepped back from club activities to focus on preparing for college entrance exams. With his considerable skill, Han Su-ho expertly managed the mixer, adjusting the music and sound volumes with the precision of a seasoned professional.