Detergent || Mark Lee

1

Areum darted towards the hall where her exam was about to be held. She was not late, but she didn't want to check her luck just in case.

The hallway was packed with many students. Areum quickly took a place near the door and leaned against the wall.

Her phone buzzed and soon received a call. She swiped the screen and held her phone against her ear with one hand while balancing her things on the other hand.

"Hey, have you reached there yet?" her mom said.

"Yeah, mom. We have ten more minutes before going in"

"Do you have your hall ticket? Your pens? Did you check if they write well? Do you have extras?"

"Yes, mom. Yes. I have everything in check. Don't worry" Areum cut off.
She could hear her mom sigh.

"Okay dear. Good luck on your exams. Do well and remember that no matter what, your dad and i will always be proud of you."

"Okay. Okay" Areum replied.

"But just because i said that doesn't mean you can fail." her mother added.

"Yeah yeah. I know that mom."

"Okay. I love you. Bye"

"Love you too" areum sighed as she turned off the phone. She checked if she had everything set again, just in case.

After a few minutes, the students were called in. Areum sat on the desk which was assigned to her and quickly clasped her hands together and did a quick prayer, though she never really prayed regularly.

This is one of the important exams she had ever taken in her life. It's an entrance exam for her college and she hopes to get in. It's her dream and she had never planned anything as an alternative.

Soon the hall was filled with students and the question sheets were given out.

Everything was going well for areum until her ink pen started to be problematic. It didn't write continuously, and frustrated Areum shook it back and forth furiously.

The pin drop silence broke as the pen flew out of her hand and landed on the floor.

She turned to the side as she heard a gasp. A guy in a white tee with blue spots.

The heck. Horror filled her thoughts as she realised the mess she had made.

"Is there a problem, miss?" the supervisor asked, his eyes were turned into slits and like a predator waiting to jump on a cheating prey.

"No.Nothing,sir. Just a pen" areum said quickly.

"I suggest you to not move from the seat. If you are writing an exam here, i think you would have extra ones" he said, his voice stern.

Areum nodded hastily and sat back down while mumbling an apology to the teacher for the disturbance.

She couldn't even apologise to that guy who had his tee painted by her.

The rest of the exam passed by in a blur with the constant glaring of the supervisor.