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As soon as Mr. Moon finished talking, the students picked up their pens and drew a big circle on their paper, ignoring the squares of the graph-like paper. At that moment, the circle was empty.

“What time are you planning on planting the apple tree?” as if unable to think of a time, Seo Kwang asked Sun Hwa.

She gave him a genuine, serious response, “I want to plant it right after I see the news. I should do something to calm myself down, like planting a tree.”

“Maybe I should read. Whose book do I read? Are there going to be more classics by then? Yeah, probably...”

Seo Kwang had made an obvious choice. He looked like he was looking more to the new books in the future rather than the apocalypse itself.

“What about you, Baron? Juho asked.

He too was drawing a neat circle on his sketchbook. He was truly an artist.

“I’ll probably live just like any other day.”

“Is that so?”

Just like any other day, it didn’t sound like a bad idea.

“Well, I did think about running around the neighborhood butt naked.”

“Whoa!”

‘That was bold of him. Heck, it’s the last day on Earth. What couldn’t they do?’ Seo Kwang enthusiastically agreed with Baron, “I’m sure a single lap around the neighborhood would be acceptable. If you’re near my place, I’ll treat you with some beverage.”

“I’ll remember that if I get thirsty. Do you keep a tab though? I think I’d look odd carrying a wallet when I’m naked.”

‘If you’re arguing about something being weird, that was already over the moment you said “naked,” Juho thought.

“It’ll be free of charge, of course.”

“Great! I’ll be there.”

Seo Kwang drew a line across the center of his circle and added, “Treat Baron to a beverage.” He had already set a time, midday, without even getting Baron’s opinion.

“What are you planning on doing?” he asked as Juho looked at his planning chart.

“Hm. I’m probably going to be writing, presumably,” he murmured nonchalantly. ‘I wonder what would come out in the face of death,” he thought to himself.

“OK. You go ahead and write. If you finish, you have to come show it to me. You have to! Promise.”

“What’s wrong with you, man? You’re making me uncomfortable.”

His words were like those of a predator that was pouncing on a prey, so Juho turned around from Seo Kwang’s uncomfortable enthusiasm. He paid no attention to Juho and kept on blabbering things like, “I have to read your work before I die. I’m more curious about what you’d write than any other author.” His words were quite overbearing.

“OK, OK.”

Juho gave up trying to be serious. He couldn’t ignore such a passionate reader, so he decided to keep things simple. ‘Eat. Take a walk. Write about the last day.’

“Seriously, what’s with all the fuss? You need to see someone for that addiction of yours.”

“If my love for print is a sickness, I refuse to treat it for the rest of my life.”

Sun Hwa was also organizing her chart to find time for her comics. In Juho’s eyes, there was hardly a difference between the two.

“Do you want to read comics together?” Bom asked Sun Hwa as she watched her working on her chart.

“Sure. You should come over. We’ll plant a tree together.”

“We’ll probably get hungry afterwards, so I’ll bring us lunch.”

They almost sounded like they were going on a picnic. ‘How innocent,’ Juho thought with a smile. ‘A picnic on the last day... That doesn’t sound too bad.’

“Our chart looks exactly the same.”

“Huh?”

Their charts looked identical from the layout to their bedtimes to when they’d wake up in the morning. Whenever Sun Hwa wrote something down, Bom did the same on her chart.

‘Am I being too sensitive?’ Juho thought for a moment. ‘It could be that I didn’t approach the subject of the apocalypse very seriously. They’re making plans to hang out and going over to each other’s house, like it’s a joke. It’s nothing out of the blue, but still...’

“What are you guys planning on doing together for the rest of the day?”

“Huh?”

“Bom, is there anything you want to do?” he asked with his usual tone of voice.

After a brief thought, she answered with an awkward smile, “I’m not too sure.”

“Is that right?”

“Yeah. Maybe it’s because it doesn’t feel real to me.” Then, Bom changed the subject somewhat forcefully, “How about you Juho? What are you going to do?”

She turned her eyes to his paper.

For some time, there had been something that had bothered Juho. He had been noticing a sense of incompatibility in Sun Hwa and Bom’s friendship and had become curious.

The past memories rushed through his head.

The essay contest. the sprint race, Bom didn’t get ahead of Sun Hwa. It was especially apparent when she was presenting her results during writing lessons. He had seen their identical notebooks and the similar self-introductions that were written inside them.

He thought of the time when the club members had been to the school library together. That was when he noticed something strange. Before choosing her book, Bom had asked Sun Hwa, “What do think it’d be a better choice between these two books?”

Now, he was certain. Bom was dependent on Sun Hwa.

“OK, it’s time to make a choice,” Mr. Moon said to the students as they munched on chips.

“What are we choosing?” they asked each other with their mouths full.

“An essay contest hosted outside of school,” he explained briefly.

Juho looked at pieces of paper next to the chalkboard. They were filled with information Mr. Moon had been collecting so far. Newspaper companies, publishing companies, universities, cultural foundations, literature associations... There were countless places hosting a contest.

“There’s also a competition for special recognition, so choose carefully. It’s up to you to decide which contest you want to be part of.”

Winning an award at a special recognition competition was a huge boost to college applications. As the name of the contest suggested, it meant that the winner was going to be recognized for his special skill in literature. It was a competition many wanted to win desperately.

“Can we not be part of one?” Seo Kwang asked light-heartedly.

The others, who were walking toward the board to get a better look at the papers, stopped and looked at him.

Mr. Moon nodded, “Your choice. No one’s going to give you a hard time.”

He met his eyes with everyone else in the room.

“Same goes for everyone else here. Decide for yourselves. Being a teacher is overrated. You can’t live another person’s life on their behalf. If you have something you don’t want to do, all you have to do is say it, like Baron.”

Baron shrugged with the sketchbook in his hand.

“So, if there’s something you want to do, go for it, even if you have the slightest of desires. I may not look or sound like one, but I am a teacher. I wouldn’t put you all in harm’s way.”

Juho looked at the papers hanging on the wall. They were from a high school amateur competition. He hesitated. ‘Can I be part of that? What if people find out who I am? Wouldn’t I get in people’s way? Maybe I shouldn’t compete.’

“I did want to take part in a competition once,” amid the chaos in his head, those words jumped out of his mouth before he could do anything about it.

Mr. Moon answered, “Then choose. Come find me when you’ve made a decision.”

With those parting words, he walked out of the science room. In the middle of the heavy atmosphere, Juho walked up to the front.

“Youth Literary Award, National Essay Contest Award, Literature Competition, National High School Essay Contest... There are a lot.”

Despite the number, every contest had something in common. ‘Qualification: High School Student.’ He brushed his smooth hands together, thinking about how they had been wrinkled before, when he drank. Now, he too met the qualification.

“What are you going to choose?” Bom asked from the side.

Sun Hwa was also looking at the details of the contests from the other side. She had to have decided to take part in one.

He stared at her face. She relied on others. Others were an essential existence to her. She avoided doing anything that would put her on someone’s bad side. For that reason, she didn’t try to prove herself to be superior than others.

“I’m not sure yet.”

It was a sensitive issue, and he decided to observe more. Like Mr. Moon had said, he couldn’t live her life for her after all.

“I’ve made up my mind!” Sun Hwa said confidently as she grabbed one of the papers. She had chosen a competition hosted by a renowned four-year university.

“National High School Essay Contest.”

“Are you aiming for the special recognition?”

It was like her. She’d always been an exemplary student.

“Win an award, and then get into a university. It’s like catching two birds with one stone. I can’t miss this.”

“It won’t be easy. Kids who compete in that train relentlessly at private institutes,” Seo Kwang said.

The name of the competition itself gave off a strong impression. There was no way around it. Yet, Sun Hwa stood her ground, “You might as well shoot for the stars. I kind of want to experience it for myself too. I made up my mind. Bom, do you want join?”

While she was looking at one of the papers, she nodded. At that moment, her eyes moved to another spot and stopped at the Literature Essay Contest, something different from Sun Hwa’s choice.

“Weren’t you thinking about choosing another competition?” Juho asked her quietly.

“Huh? Oh, not really. I think it’d be nice to have Sun Hwa around. I don’t think I’ll be as nervous either,” she answered with a smile.

As he looked at her, he heard a small voice sound from behind him and turned around.

“I’m going after the prize. Oooh, a thousand dollars in cash.”

It was Seo Kwang. He had a piece of paper in his hand.

“I thought you didn’t want to take part in any of them,” Juho said.

“Everyone else is, so I felt kind of awkward backing out on my own.”

“Do you even want to?”

“Meh, I’m not sure. Sometimes, I can’t figure out my own heart.”

Juho nodded. Nobody knew for certain. A person’s heart was quite a pain in the neck.

“What’s the hurry?” Juho asked.

After thinking on it briefly, Seo Kwang scratched his head and jokingly changed the subject, “Come on! It’s one thousand dollars! Who wouldn’t want that? If I win, I’ll take you out.”

Everyone turned their attention to Seo Kwang after his exaggerated remark. WIthout saying much, Juho moved aside. He had no intention to force a conversation.

“What the, there’s a prize?”

“Yep, one thousand dollars.”

“I want fried chicken!”

“Me too!”

Sun Hwa and Bom had already thought of what they wanted.

“Pizza for me,” Baron said, having sat quietly all this time. He’d never miss an opportunity like that.

Juho told everyone in a low voice, “You guys might not want to celebrate too soon.”

“At least we have something to celebrate,” Sun Hwa said. Then, she remembered something she’d been meaning to ask, “What about you Baron? Are you planning on taking part in a competition? You’re the sole artist in the Literature Club after all.”

“Of course I am,” Baron answered nonchalantly. Then, he took out a piece of paper he had been keeping to himself.

“Mr. Moon wouldn’t leave me out. These are the details for the sketching competition.”

“Wow, when is it? Can we go cheer for ya?”

“Forget it. You’ll distract me,” he turned down the offer at once.

As he watched the club restored to its boisterous atmosphere, Juho turned his eyes to the Youth Literary Essay Contest. It was relatively unpopular.

“Should I go with this one?”

The next day, he ran through the park early in the morning. It had become part of his daily routine to enjoy a beverage when he reached the rest area. As he quenched his thirst, he saw Sung Pil sitting straight on the bench. His thick eyebrows looked even darker, probably because he was sitting in the shade.