Pleasant Imagines (Jinjoo)

First place (1)

Exam season swung by when students thought they still had time.

Mugging. Something every kid on earth goes through just to get a few more As on their report card.

That goes for Minju. She can never lose out on a single A because studying is all she can do. Other than working her ass off for the first alphabet, she believes she was nothing.

She didn't think people cared about her if her name doesn't appear on the top of the ranking list.

She was only known as the top scorer, the girl who doesn't socialise, the girl who comes to school to listen to classes.

And there she is, sitting at the front, doing her work when everyone's out playing and having lunch.

"She's not tired?"

"Why does she always study?"

Minju hears some of her classmates at the back talking about her. She'd be lying if she said she didn't mind.

She ignores them, trying to focus just to get greeted by headaches.

Migraines are her best friends. They never leave her alone. The only thing that stuck to her throughout high school.

Reaching into her pencil case, she pulls out a tiny bottle that had pills in them. Pills that weaken those throbs in her head and are easy to find at any pharmacy store.

But this one was extra strong because the normal ones do nothing.

She swallows them whole and sips on her water.

Yujin walks up the stairs, turning past the pillar when she bumps into someone.

"Oh? Where are you going? Have you eaten?" She heard the girl ask. Hyewon. They're friends.

Yujin points. "Library. I should start studying." she shows her files.

"You're studying?" Hyewon laughs. "I think it's a little too late, don't you think?"

Yujin's at the bottom of the list. Out of 215 students in the school.

She was in 215th place.

Sometimes she climbs up to 214th place when her grades had a variety. But that rarely happens.

"I'm trying," Yujin said. "I still have time before the real exam. I just need to pass this one, on the dot," she assures.

Hyewon pats her shoulder. "Fighting." she encourages, proud that Yujin was doing something.

Yujin nods before walking to where she intends to go.

Through the glass doors, down the shelves. She finds a seat at the side that had the sun shining nicely on the table.

It was the perfect spot. Charging station at the side, vending machine just a few steps away, and a pillar she could lean on if she falls asleep.

"Time to study," she whispers to herself, taking out her pencil case.

After a while, she did manage to do something. By something, she just read through her textbook.

That's when someone appears beside her.

Yujin adjusts her reading glasses, facing the girl. She looks at her nametag. "Kim Minju," she mumbles. "Your name sounds familiar. Where did I hear it from..."

Minju didn't know what she was saying. All she knew was that the girl was sitting in her usual seat.

She comes here almost every day, at this time, on this exact seat. There was not one day someone was here.