Chapter 30

As Seok-Woo waited for class to begin, students streamed in to take their seats, gradually filling up the classroom. Despite the crowd, the seat beside him remained unoccupied.

"What's the subject again?" Seok-Woo pondered to himself, attempting to recall the topic for this session. His thoughts were interrupted by someone approaching him.

"Excuse me, is this seat taken?" the newcomer inquired. Seok-Woo glanced at her before replying, "No, it's available." With his affirmation, she settled into the seat beside him.

Turning towards Seok-Woo, she introduced herself. "Hi, I'm Han Nari, but you can call me Nari." She extended her hand with a light smile. Seok-Woo reciprocated the introduction. "Nice to meet you, I'm Choi Seok-Woo, but just call me Seok-Woo." Their hands briefly met before parting ways.

"If she's here, then it must be Acting 101," Seok-Woo speculated silently as they exchanged pleasantries and returned to their own thoughts.

As they waited for the professor to arrive, Seok-Woo and Nari occupied themselves with their phones. After a few minutes, the professor entered the room, accompanied by someone who drew murmurs from the students.

Taking her place at the podium, the professor cleared her throat and began addressing the class. "Welcome, freshmen, to the beginning of your college journey! I'll be your instructor for Acting 101," she announced, her voice carrying across the room.

"I'm Lee Yerin, your professor for this course." Yerin introduced herself before gesturing towards the person behind her, indicating their role in the class.

"Some of you may know her, but allow me to introduce her to those who don't," Yerin said, glancing at Seol Hee before returning her gaze to the students. "This is Han Seol Hee, an actress you might seen before. She'll be assisting me in this class." Gasps of surprise echoed throughout the classroom, with students taken aback by Seol Hee's unexpected presence and role in the class.

Seok-Woo remained largely indifferent, recognizing that her appearance wouldn't affect his grades. While he acknowledged her beauty, he was more interested in assessing her capabilities.

Noticing Seok-Woo's impassive expression, Nari glanced at him curiously. "Why aren't you surprised?" she inquired, prompting Seok-Woo to turn his head to face her.

"It's not a significant development for me that she's here," Seok-Woo responded, then turned the question back to Nari. "Are you surprised by her presence?"

Nari nodded, admitting, "Well, I've occasionally watched her dramas and consider myself somewhat of a fan. So, I never expected her to also be teaching." With a nod, Seok-Woo redirected his attention to the front of the class.

Observing him, Nari speculated, "Is he always like this?" She concluded that Seok-Woo was nonchalant and mentally labeled him as such before refocusing her attention on the lesson.

The class started, and Yerin discussed the objectives of the class and the syllabus. Today was just an orientation for the subject, and Yerin didn't take too long to speak as she let Seol Hee continue on her behalf.

Both Seok-Woo and Nari listened intently, but eventually, Seok-Woo lost interest after a few minutes. However, he still kept his ears open in case there was any crucial information for him to know.

After a while, Seol Hee finished speaking, and Yerin took over. "Before I check the attendance, I have something to say," she announced to the class, causing the students' ears to perk up.

"There is an open audition for the film and theater club. If anyone is interested in joining the club, please inform me so I can add you to the list of applicants."

Most of the students didn't show interest, but some did, especially Nari. "Then I'll be checking the attendance, so pay attention," Yerin continued. She then began the roll call, going through each student's name one by one. Some answered, but a few remained silent.

"Seok-Woo," Yerin called out, and Seok-Woo raised his hand to indicate that he was present. Yerin nodded in acknowledgment before marking his attendance.

Eventually, Yerin finished checking the attendance. "Only a few are absent today. Are there any questions?" she asked the students. Seeing that no one had any questions, she then announced, "If there are no questions, you're all dismissed," signaling the end of the class.

As soon as she said that, students started to stand up and make their way towards the exit. On the other hand, Nari stood up and noticed Seok-Woo still seated, browsing his phone. "Why are you still sitting? Class is over," she questioned him.

"I'm just checking when my next schedule is," Seok-Woo replied, to which she responded, "I'll be going first," before heading outside to find Yerin.

Seok-Woo glanced at his phone to check his upcoming schedule and sensed someone approaching from the side. He turned to find Seol Hee standing nearby, seemingly hesitant to speak.

"Why are you still here? You're the only one left," she inquired, causing Seok-Woo to realize he was indeed the lone occupant of the classroom.

"Just reviewing my class schedule. I'll be leaving shortly," Seok-Woo responded, returning his attention to his phone.

Observing him on his phone, Seol Hee nervously fidgeted, preparing to ask him something. Sensing her hesitation, Seok-Woo glanced up, curious as to why she lingered.

"Um... How did I do? During the class, I mean. Was I good?" Seol Hee sought feedback on her performance as an assistant, unsure of her effectiveness.

"To be honest, you presented well, but I lost focus after a while. Nevertheless, you seem capable in your role," Seok-Woo replied honestly, offering a compliment mixed with constructive criticism.

As Seok-Woo rose to leave, Seol Hee, buoyed by his praise, lost her balance and began to fall. Reacting quickly, Seok-Woo reached out and caught her, preventing her from hitting the ground.

Grateful for his support, Seol Hee looked up at him, only to find their faces inches apart, a moment of unexpected closeness shared between them. However, their intimate moment was interrupted by the return of Yerin and Nari, who walked in on the scene.

Yerin crossed her arms as she observed the scene, while Nari was surprised that an assistant and a student could be so bold in the class.

"Ms. Seol Hee, if someone else saw this, it would be a big scoop for the entertainment industry," Yerin playfully said to Seol Hee. As soon as Seol Hee regained her composure, she pushed Seok-Woo away, creating space between them.

"Professor, this isn't what you think it is. I was being ca-" Seol Hee attempted to resolve the misunderstanding, but Yerin interrupted her.

"Don't worry, Ms. Seol Hee. This will be our secret," Yerin smirked, then glanced back at Nari. "Right?"

To which Nari nodded, at her words. Kept this scene in their head. She never thought that Seok-Woo whom she just met had a secret. 

To which Nari nodded, keeping this scene in her head. She never thought that Seok-Woo, whom she had just met, had a secret.

Yerin then looked at Seok-Woo. "You owe me a favor," she said to him, but Seok-Woo was not having it. "I'm sorry, but both of you misunderstand the situation," he said to Yerin and paused for a moment before continuing. "I only caught her falling. It's unfortunate that you both saw us in that position," he said to them seriously.

Yerin then tilted her head, observing his face to determine whether he was lying. After a moment, she concluded that he was telling the truth.

Yerin apologized to the two of them for misunderstanding the situation. "I'm sorry for that. I jumped the gun before knowing the truth," she sincerely apologized.

"It's okay, Professor. I'm glad that this was resolved," Seol Hee said to Yerin. Seok-Woo then started to walk past them, intending to go to his next schedule.

The three noticed that Seok-Woo left without saying anything. Yerin didn't know if he accepted her apology or not. "I must have rubbed him the wrong way with what I said," Yerin sighed as she thought. She never thought that she would cause a problem at the start of the school year.

Well, Yerin was right about rubbing Seok-Woo the wrong way, but not too much. He just walked out directly as the time for his next schedule was almost upon him.

"Why the hell is my schedule so tight?" he muttered to himself as he walked toward the next class. He exited immediately because the next area of his class was a distance away. Obviously, he didn't want to run just to arrive on time.

Seok-Woo continued moving from classroom to classroom for his classes. Some he listened to attentively, while others he didn't. He was only fully engaged in his major subjects; otherwise, he was physically present but mentally absent.

Now that his recent class had ended, it was time for lunch. He pondered whether to eat at the cafeteria or outside.

Lost in his thoughts, he accidentally collided with someone, causing that person to fall. As Seok-Woo snapped back to reality and looked down, he was surprised to see that it was Sunhwi he had bumped into. Upon closer inspection, he noticed her panties through her stockings but pretended not to see.

Extending his hand to help her up, he asked, "Are you okay?" Sunhwi, rubbing her butt, looked up at Seok-Woo, surprised to see him. She took his hand, allowing him to pull her up. "I'm fine, thank you for asking," she replied before quickly walking away to join her friends.

"Excuse me, but is your name Jang Sunhwi?" Seok-Woo's question startled Sunhwi, causing her to slowly turn back to face him. She observed his questioning expression, initially feeling uneasy, wondering how he knew her full name. Seok-Woo quickly addressed the misunderstanding, sensing her anxiety.

"I'm sorry for asking so abruptly," Seok-Woo apologized, attempting to reassure her. "I forgot to introduce myself that moment as my friend suddenly arrived," he explained.

Upon hearing this, Sunhwi tried to recall where she had seen him before, carefully matching his voice and face. Her eyes widened as she recognized him.

"You're the one who helped me before, right?" she asked cautiously. Seok-Woo confirmed, "Yes, that's right. I hope you had a better experience after that encounter with the unpleasant person."

Feeling relieved by Seok-Woo's presence, Sunhwi smiled, grateful to meet him again. Seok-Woo then introduced himself, saying, "Sunhwi, I'm Seok-Woo. It's a pleasure to meet you again," offering her a light smile, to which she smiled back.

"Nice to meet you, Seok-Woo," Sunhwi replied warmly, initiating a conversation. As they chatted, Sunhwi couldn't help but notice Seok-Woo's appearance, particularly how his glasses added to his allure. She found herself entertaining the thought, "Should I consider dating him instead?"

As their conversation came to a close, Seok-Woo planned to find somewhere to eat. Before he could leave, Sunhwi interjected, "Are you heading for lunch?" Seok-Woo nodded in affirmation, prompting Sunhwi to propose an idea.

"Why don't you join me and my friends? We're going for lunch too," she suggested. Seok-Woo contemplated her offer for a moment before agreeing, realizing he had no other plans.

Sunhwi and Seok-Woo strolled towards where her friends awaited. Along the way, they continued chatting. Upon arrival, they were met with curious gazes from Eun-Ah and Ja-In.

Eun-Ah was surprised to see Seok-Woo in person again, while Sunhwi took the lead in introducing him. "Girls, this is Seok-Woo," she said with a smile, gesturing towards her friends.

"Seok-Woo, these are my friends. This is Ja-In, and this is Eun-Ah," Sunhwi introduced them, allowing Seok-Woo to greet them in turn.

Once the introductions were complete, Sunhwi began discussing lunch plans with her friends, inadvertently sidelining Seok-Woo in the conversation.

After deliberating, the trio settled on a dining spot, prompting Seok-Woo to inquire about transportation, considering the distance from the campus.

"We usually take public transportation," Ja-In informed him. Seok-Woo suggested driving for them instead, surprising the group. Sunhwi, on behalf of her friends, graciously accepted his offer.

The group then made their way to the parking lot where Seok-Woo had parked his car.

Seok-Woo unlocked the car for them, and then looked at the group. "You can enter now," he said. The group began to enter the car, with Sunhwi taking the front seat, wanting to sit beside him.

Both Eun-Ah and Ja-In just rolled their eyes, as they were already accustomed to her behavior of being so forward in her advances.

As soon as the girls settled in the car, Seok-Woo started the car and drove off to the place where they would eat.