Chapter 25: The importance of communication

Chapter 25: The importance of communication

EP.25 The importance of communication

When I entered, Mizukis desk, the teacher burdened with our class, was right at the corner in the teachers office.

Usually, the front of the door was treated as the worst seat because the wind comes in, but it seemed that her seat had been assigned here because she was a new teacher who came in this year.

Hello, teacher.

Uh, come in.

The teacher raised her head up as if she wanted to keep an eye on me because it was career counseling, but I quickly sat down because she was not that tall and sitting on a chair, and I thought she would fall over the chair as she was leaning her neck back.

Then Mizukis neck returned to a normal angle.

Pushing back the chair to make it easier to see, I said,

I think you can tell me, now that were at the same eye level.

Well! Hold on a second

The teacher, who heard me, hurriedly opened the student record next to the desk.

You can take your time.

No, I wasnt nervous at all?!

Mizuki looked back and forth in the student record, shouting like that, and stopped on the page where my picture was attached.

Wow, lets see. Korean, Math, English, Physical Education

The teacher, who was looking at the grades of each subject one by one, shut the student record as if there was nothing more to see.

Kim-kun whats your dream?

I answered the sudden question, rubbing my neck.

Im not sure yet. If I dont have anything to do, Im thinking about taking over my parents family business.

Then Mizuki opened her eyes wide.

Well, if you dont mind, what are your parents doing?

They run a small restaurant in Setagaya.

Your parents run a restaurant?

Yes. Is there a problem?

No, theres not. ?

Mizuki, who seemed nervous at first, gradually loosened her expression as the conversation progressed.

Perhaps the tension of the career counseling had been eased for the first time.

Then what subject are you most confident in, Kim-kun?

If I have to choose, I think its math or science. I think there are a lot of difficult vocabulary in Korean, so its a close call.

When the teacher heard my answer, she muttered, taking notes hard in her notebook.

Yes, yes, math and science. Then, wouldnt it be better for Kim-kun to go to the department of science and engineering?

When I heard something I never wanted to hear again, I unconsciously stiffened my face.

No. Thats not true.

Huh?

I think its a complacent attitude to choose a job just because youre good at a particular subject. I want to do what I want.

I didnt know anything else, but I didnt want to go to an engineering university in this life.

The teacher was surprised to hear my firm rejection, and looked like a surprised rabbit, but I couldnt help it from a position where I was stimulated by PTSD.

I see. I was careless. Being good and liking are different.

As the teacher said that, she laughed, covered the notebook, and put her hand on her knee with a serious look on her face.

In fact, I didnt want to be a teacher when I was a student.

So, Mizuki unconsciously quivered and asked another question.

Well, if you dont mind, what are your parents doing?

Then, Kim Yoo-sung slightly closed his eyes, opened them, and replied in a calm voice.

They run a small restaurant in Setagaya.

As soon as she heard that, Mizuki felt like she was beaten hard in the back of her head.

Your parents run a restaurant?

Yes. Is there a problem?

Huh? No, theres not. I really want to go there later.

She was a fool.

If she thought about it a little bit, she would have quickly noticed that the rumors about Kim Yoo-sung were only nonsense, but instead she immediately believed it.

He wasnt the kind of bully she thought he was.

Rather, he might be a filial son who ran a restaurant day and night and was proud of his parents who raised their only son.

She was afraid by her own quick guess.

After the misunderstanding was resolved very simply, Mizuki was able to naturally proceed with the consultation of Kim Yoo-sung with a smile.

He was still a big man with a blunt face she wasnt used to, but it didnt feel as scary as before.

It was when they talked about going on to school that the consultation suddenly stopped.

No. Thats not true.

When she rashly recommended that he should set his career in a science and engineering university, Kim Yoo-sung refused in a firm voice.

I think its a complacent attitude to choose a job just because youre good at a particular subject. I want to do what I want.

As soon as she heard him, Mizuki recalled memories of the past.

About seven years ago, when she was still 17, her homeroom teacher said to her,

Mizuki, you can enjoy your hobbies as much as you want later, so wouldnt it be better to have a stable job before that?

In fact, in retrospect, it was an irresponsible advice that anyone could give.

If she were in the teachers shoes, she would never have said that to a student.

At least challenge your dream, because if you give up without even challenging yourself, youll regret it later.

She wanted to convey her feelings to Kim Yoo-sung.

So, she talked about the rambling past, and Kim Yoo-sung listened to Mizuki from beginning to end.

After the whole story, she was suddenly shy.

It was because as she tried to explain her experiences by mixing them, she felt like she said everything, even what she didnt have to say.

Im sorry. Was I talking too much? As I was talking with Kim, I thought about the past.

No, it was quite helpful.

Kim Yoo-sung nodded as she said so.

When she said he could go back, with confidence, Kim Yoo-sung asked Mizuki a question just before he got up from his seat.

Do you like your current job?

The answer to that came right out without thinking.

Yes, I think my current job is good, too. It feels strangely rewarding when I teach students.

Then, Kim Yoo-sung nodded as if he was satisfied, greeted her, and left the teachers office.

After finishing the last consultation, Mizuki, who was left alone in the teachers office, looked down at the seat where he had stayed for a while and firmly resolved.

From now on, she wouldnt judge a student just by his appearance.

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