Golden Print [EN]: Chapter 13

Generally, freshmen look forward to drinking sessions during orientation to meet classmates and visiting seniors.

Unlike most universities with all-night drinking parties, K University’s Department of Design had ‘Design Night’ – a welcome party just for design students.

K University also had regular drinking sessions.

Design Night took place during the orientation.

After returning to Seoul, a drinking session with the second-year students, called ‘The Introduction,’ was scheduled.

The reason for this drinking session was to make friends, meet the older students, and get advice about school. This was a tradition in K University’s Department of Design, and Woojin wanted to be part of it.

Woojin didn’t really like alcohol, but he also wanted to have a good time at school.

‘It’s good to have friends, right? We’ll probably meet in the design world after graduation…’

Woojin knew how important K University’s Design Department would become.

K University was already a top design school, and it would only get better. Woojin knew many famous designers would be K University alumni in the future.

So, Woojin planned to attend the beginning-of-semester drinking session.

“Oppa, are you going?”

“Yes, I’ll go.”

“Okay, should we finalize the list and make a reservation?”

“Yes, Senior. Everything is confirmed.”

“Thank you, Junior.”

Jin Soohyun, the second-year class president, got the list from Kim Inha, the first-year temporary class president.

“Inha, how many are coming?”

“Thirty-five.”

“So about twenty people aren’t coming?”

“Some people have other plans.”

The shuttle bus back to school was quieter than the day before. Everyone was tired from Design Night and fell asleep quickly. The freshmen from room 202 were the same.

The highway was jammed, but no one noticed. They slept on the bus, and when they woke up, they saw the schoolyard.

“Alright, Spatial Design juniors, gather here! Follow me!”

Following Jin Soohyun, the first-year students walked in small groups and left the schoolyard. They were headed to a pub near the university called .

Around 2010, universities were moving away from hazing. But art and sports departments, like design schools, still had some of it. K University wasn’t much different.

It wasn’t serious hazing, but there were still some rules between older and younger students, and some activities were required. This was clear in how students addressed each other.

No matter their age, freshmen had to call older students ‘Senior’ when they first met them.

“Wow, so many juniors came?”

“I know, right? I don’t think even half of us came back then.”

The ‘talent show’ was the hardest part of university culture for Woojin. There was no official announcement, but Woojin could feel it in the air. The ‘self-introduction’ the second-year students mentioned clearly meant a talent show.

“It’s not a big deal, so don’t worry too much, juniors.”

“Yeah, yeah. Let’s get to know each other, and then we’ll do self-introductions.”

Even without considering his mental age, Woojin was twenty-two years old.

‘Me, doing a talent show at this age…’

Most of the second-year students were younger than Woojin, which made it even more awkward.

‘What should I do?’

While Woojin worried, was filling up. All the seats were taken by the Spatial Design students.

After the seats were assigned, a second-year male student stood up with a spoon in a soju bottle. He had a round face and a large build. He looked like a recently discharged veteran and was going to host ‘The Introduction’.

“Hello, juniors. I’m Oh Yuntaek, class of ’07. Please take care of me.”

Oh Yuntaek’s loud voice was met with cheers from the students who had already had a drink or two.

“Waaaah… !”

“Oh Yuntaek! Oh Yuntaek!”

“Handsome!!”

Yuntaek, who looked like a big bear, wasn’t really handsome. But he didn’t seem to mind the compliment.

“Kim Minju, you. You know what’s up?”

“Of course, of course. Senior Yuntaek is handsome. At least his eyes, nose, and mouth are all in the right place, right?”

Kim Minju’s joke made the second-year students laugh, and the freshmen started to relax.

“You, I’ll get you during course registration, Kim Minju.”

“What! Why! Why!”

“I’ll talk to Professor Jo Unchan and make sure you get stuck in the digital modeling class.”

“Ah, Senior. I was wrong. Please… !”

Freshmen are usually all classmates from the same year, but things change from the second year on. Many students take a year off after the first year, and they don’t all return at the same time. So, Kim Minju and Oh Yuntaek, though in the same second year, were two years apart in school year.

“Alright, some nonsense got mixed in because of someone…”

Oh Yuntaek glared at Kim Minju and continued, “Anyway, Spatial Design class of ’10 juniors, you all know what this event is, right?”

A small voice came from a first-year student in the corner, “The Introduction!”

Oh Yuntaek nodded and said, “That’s right. It’s the Introduction. So, what’s the purpose of the Introduction? Any juniors know?”

“To build strong friendships between seniors and juniors!”

“You, stay out of this, Minju.”

“Ah, why? I’m a junior to the senior too.”

“Are our fresh, new juniors the same as you?”

“Ooh- Senior is discriminating against juniors!”

Oh Yuntaek wasn’t very talented, but he hosted the Introduction well. The second-year students created a good atmosphere, and the event became friendly.

Of course, they still had to do ‘self-introductions’…

“Alright, starting with temporary class president Kim Inha! Let’s start the self-introductions… !”

“Kim Inha! Kim Inha!”

The party went smoothly, and more funny things happened than expected.

From the very first person, Kim Inha, they showed talents that surprised everyone.

“Wow, did that guy work as a backup dancer somewhere?”

“He’s a really good dancer.”

Kim Inha had loved idols since high school and danced very well, even though he was small.

Someone else sang like a professional, and another person did impressions of famous people that were as good as a comedian’s.

They made the party even more fun.

Even though the party was fun, the freshmen still felt nervous as their turn got closer. It’s always a bit scary to perform in front of people you just met.

“Oppa, what are you going to do for the talent show?” Han Soyeon asked, sounding worried. Woojin chuckled and tilted his head.

“I wonder.”

Since her last name was ‘Han,’ her student number was near the end, so she would go after Woojin.

She looked jealous of Hyejin, who had easily finished the talent show with her great singing.

“Oppa, you’re so relaxed. Do you have something ready?”

“No, not really anything special, but…”

Woojin didn’t show it, but he felt even more nervous than Soyeon.

Then, suddenly, he had a good idea.

‘Great. It turns out that 20 years of experience at construction company dinners will be helpful at times like this.’

After Hyejin’s turn, a few more performances happened without being very exciting. Finally, it was Woojin’s turn to introduce himself.

“Next up… Seo Woojin, junior!”

“Wooo-aah!”

“Woojin oppa! Fighting!”

When Woojin’s name was called, some classmates he had briefly met, and the sophomores at his table, cheered loudly.

Woojin’s smile looked a little forced as he stood up. He walked slowly towards the stage, the shiny surface reflecting the pub lights.

“Hello. I’m Seo Woojin, class of ’10, twenty-two years old!”

“Twenty-two… so you must have failed the university entrance exam three times before getting in?” the senior joked, asking if Woojin had failed the university entrance exam three times before getting in.

“Ah, no, senior. I joined the military early, so I started university late…”

“Ooh…! A freshman who’s already done his military service!”

When Woojin answered, people started talking about it in the pub.

Woojin’s case was certainly not common. In this country, many students go to university right after school. Doing military service first is less usual.

The male students from ’08 and ’09 who hadn’t done their military service sighed the loudest.

“Wow. That junior has already finished his military service. Are you jealous, Hyunsoo?”

“Hoo…”

“If you took a break from school, you should have gone to the military.”

“I should have.”

But being a veteran didn’t mean he could skip the freshman talent show.

“Our handsome, veteran junior, did you prepare something for the talent show?” Oh Yuntaek asked in a loud, joking voice, pretending to be a military officer. His class year was different, but his military service number was similar to Woojin’s.

Woojin, who had an idea, grinned and confidently answered.

“Yes, senior. Of course.”

“Ooh…! Yeah! A veteran!”

Woojin’s confident answer made the audience even more excited.

When a freshman answered so confidently, it usually meant the talent show would be good.

And the talent Woojin had prepared was…

Everyone leaned forward, waiting to see what amazing thing the veteran freshman would do. Woojin paused, a small smile playing on his lips, before finally speaking.

An ultra-powerful mixed drink, made with 20 years of experience from the tough construction company dinners.

“There are… fifteen tables here, in total.”

“What are you planning to do?”

“I’m going to make a different mixed drink for each table.”

“Hmm…?”

Woojin’s unexpected words made the noisy pub quiet for a moment.

It was not the kind of talent show anyone expected.

But only for a moment.

Thump- Thump-

Woojin moved with surprising skill. He grabbed bottles of alcohol, pouring them into glasses with a quick flick of his wrist. Beer foam shot out with a *pssssh* sound, and he spun the glasses in the air. Students gasped, their eyes wide, and started to stand up to get a better view of the amazing show.

“Woo-ooo!”

“Amazing!”

It was hard to believe that a freshman could make mixed drinks so well.

Sssssss-!

The mixed drink, half-filled with beer foam, started to swirl.

Woojin quickly grabbed it and offered it to Kim Minju, who was sitting closest to the table.

“Ever heard of a ‘Whirlwind Drink’?”

“?”

“Have a drink, senior.”

“Me…? Me?” Kim Minju blinked her large eyes at Woojin’s unexpected suggestion.

Then, Yuntaek, who was the host, took the chance and added.

“Ooh…! Kim Minju! Of course, it’s a one-shot, right?”

The excited students shouted.

“Kim Minju! Of course, it’s a one-shot, right?!”

Kim Minju, who was known as one of the most energetic sophomores…

“Oh, well, whatever!” she said confidently.

She took the glass and drank it all in one gulp.

“Oh…! Oh-oh!”

“As expected of senior!!”

Glug- Glug-

Kim Minju drank the mixed drink, which had different kinds of alcohol, in one shot. The other students watched and admired her.

“Krooo…!”

Everyone watched Minju, curious to see how she would react after drinking the whole thing.

Then, a moment later.

Kim Minju’s face, which looked a little unhappy at first, started to change.

“This…”

The mixed drink she had downed in one gulp was more delicious than she had expected.

“Why is it so delicious…?” Her eyes widened. “Wow,” she said, “It’s sweet and fruity, but also has a kick!”

As soon as she said that, the students in cheered.

“Wooo-aaaah!”

Golden Print