Yooji: Love is War [Winrina]

13: Closed Doors

               A+

               That was the mark that was scrawled on the top corner right of my portfolio folder. Every page was full of commendation from my professor. They were utterly amazed at how superb I conducted the project that even the things that they hadn’t mentioned in class were listed down and was explained in full detail. There was even a note below saying how I was the best student they had ever had and they were proud to have someone like me studying under them.

               Normally, I would be jumping around in joy by now, hollering like a madman after receiving such a compliment from one of the most respected professors of our school, but since I wasn’t really the one who was responsible for the project, I could only sulk internally and wallow in regret.

               “You got the highest mark for our project but why the long face?” said Aeri while we were walking around the campus to find a nice spot to hang around. Our supposed professor today called in sick and only asked for our signatures on a piece of paper for attendance then we could leave. My best friend didn’t want to stay inside the room so here we were.

               I unconsciously puckered my lips.

               Thank you so much for adding salt to the wound, Ri.

               “I wasn’t the one who got the highest mark.” To be honest, I wasn’t mad or anything. It was more like a self-disappointment for failing to do my responsibility myself and relied on somebody else instead. Then again, I doubt I would even receive the same mark if I was the one who made it. “It was your cousin who did.”

               “What?” Aeri asked, obviously puzzled. “Girl, are you okay?”

               “She was the one who made my project.”

               I noted how her face morphed into a surprised look, leaving me wondering which exactly was she surprised about. The fact that I allowed the devil to help me and be at her debt or the fact that the devil volunteered to help despite being a slacker?

               “Kim hates projects.” So, it was the latter choice. “If it wasn’t for Ryujin, I’m sure she’d fail all of her subjects since there’s no way she could get a passing grade just by acing the quizzes and exams. But you’re telling me that she was the one who did your Math project? And out of her own will too?”

               “Yes, Ri,” I said. “That’s what I’m saying.”

               “That girl really...” She shook her head, fighting back an amused smile. “She is whipped, I’m telling you.”

               Whipped, huh?

               I think that word was too wholesome to describe the spawn of the devil.

               “Anyway, how about you?” I inquired, dropping the subject at hand. “What grade did you get?”

               “B+.” She seemed as if she didn’t care that her grade was kind of low. Knowing her for years, I was sure she was just glad she didn’t get a failing grade.

               “Ri, you need to take your studies more seriously,” I chastised while trying not to sound like a certain menopausal unmarried old woman in everyone’s neighborhood. “I’d rather us enrolling in the same university as much as possible. I mean, it’s totally fine if you have other plans in mind. It’s just wishful thinking, I guess.”