Golden Print [EN]: Chapter 9

Woojin’s name tag number was 26, and Hyejin’s was 30. This meant they would be sharing the same room.

Of course, sharing a room didn’t mean it was co-ed. There were two separate rooms inside the suite, after all.

The freshmen did not know it yet, but they might not sleep much tonight.

“What, you’re in room 202 too?”

“You too, Oppa?”

Woojin chuckled. Meeting Hyejin on the subway by chance, then finding out they were in the same department at the same school, and now sharing a room at the orientation – it was certainly peculiar.

“What is this? Should I consider this lucky or unlucky…?”

“Shut up.”

Hyejin retorted at Woojin’s playful remark. And regardless of their bickering, both of their gazes were directed towards the corner of the lodging.

Various materials were neatly arranged in the corner of the spacious living room.

‘Rather than materials, it’s closer to random things,’ Woojin thought.

Woojin and Hyejin could easily guess why those things were provided in the lodging.

“Wow, I can’t believe they’d put something like this in a resort…”

“Seeing this, the memories from the entrance exam are flooding back. It’s like we’re about to make a three-dimensional sculpture at a ski resort, isn’t it?”

As of 2010, most design universities required both the national scholastic ability test and practical skills for regular admissions. Like general humanities and engineering colleges, they considered grades and test scores while also administering separate practical skill exams created by each school.

The practical skill exam at K University, where Woojin was admitted, was a subject called ‘Three-Dimensional Sculpture.’ It was an exam where students had to create a sculpture using the materials provided in the testing area, reflecting a theme and concept that changed every year.

Therefore, the freshmen at K University, who had prepared for that exam for several years, couldn’t possibly not know the various materials provided in the lodging now.

Woojin was even more knowledgeable because of his experience working in the field rather than just preparing for the entrance exam.

‘Wooden square rods, plywood for models, and five cans of 401… Acrylic, foam boards in all thicknesses? This is practically a stationery store moved here.’

Woojin looked at the materials one by one, thinking. Saying it was a stationery store was a bit of an exaggeration, but it was true that the material setup had almost everything one could need.

While Woojin and Hyejin were marveling at those things, they heard someone approaching from behind.

“Looks like we have to make some kind of model with those.”

“It seems so.”

Hearing the unfamiliar voice, Woojin reflexively turned his head. Then, three new freshmen came into his view for the first time.

‘Are these the friends who will be using the same room?’

Woojin saw a tall male student wearing thick horn-rimmed glasses, and a short-haired female student who was just as tall, and a pretty female student with her long hair tied in a ponytail.

Woojin could immediately know their names. All the freshmen participating in the orientation were wearing name tags around their necks.

“It seems like there are five of us in this room.”

The male student with a lanky figure like chopsticks, Ryu Sunbin, opened his mouth towards Woojin first.

Woojin nodded and replied.

“It seems that way.”

Woojin, who had briefly made eye contact with Sunbin, naturally shifted his gaze to the two female students standing next to him. Unlike Ryu Sunbin, who was ordinary except for his towering height, the two female students had completely contrasting impressions.

Among them, the female student with fair skin and her long hair tied up, slightly raised her name tag and smiled brightly.

“I’m Han Soyeon.”

And starting with her words, they began to greet each other in a slightly awkward atmosphere.

Among the three new classmates he had met, the most noticeable figure was Han Soyeon. Flawless white skin and pretty eyes curved like crescent moons, a sharp nose and plump lips.

Even though she was dressed plainly in a tracksuit with light basic makeup, Woojin could say for sure that among the freshmen he had seen at the orientation, Soyeon was definitely in the top three in terms of beauty.

‘I thought they brought a trainee from some entertainment agency.’

However, the reason Soyeon stood out wasn’t just because of her appearance. Among the three people who joined room 202, she was also the most outgoing.

“Wow, so Woojin Oppa and Hyejin met by chance on the subway on their way to school?”

“I’m telling you, Unnie. I really didn’t expect to be sharing a room here with him.”

Soyeon and Hyejin had slightly different images, but they got along quite well. Soyeon, being a repeater, was a year older than Hyejin, but Hyejin never cared about such things.

“I greeted him because I was happy, but it was my mistake.”

“Why?”

“I didn’t know he would be such a boring old man.”

Woojin frowned, and Hyejin flinched slightly. But regardless of that, Soyeon laughed gleefully as if it was funny.

Soyeon leaned forward, her eyes sparkling. “Still, it’s good to have an *oppa* in the room.”

Woojin tilted his head, confused. “Why is that?”

“Well,” she said, lowering her voice like she was sharing a secret, “I was worried I’d be the oldest one here.”

“Ah,” Woojin said, understanding dawning on him.

Soyeon laughed, a bright, tinkling sound. “Don’t worry, *old man*. I won’t tease you *too* much. I just meant, being the big sister can be tiring.”

Hyejin piped up, grinning, “You can tease *me*, Unnie!”

Soyeon playfully swatted Hyejin’s arm. “You stay out of this, you cheeky thing!”

Hyejin just stuck her tongue out.

Woojin watched Soyeon, a small smile playing on his lips. *Was she really teasing him?* He shook his head slightly. *With that sweet smile? Impossible.*

Someone might say I care too much about looks. But I think pretty people are often kind.

“Don’t forget, kid. I haven’t given Sungwan hyung’s number yet.”

“Wow… This petty old man…”

The three, who had already heard about Hyejin’s blind date, chuckled at their bickering. And the pretty and kind Soyeon kindly started a conversation with the shy lanky guy as well.

“By the way, how good are Sunbin’s grades that he received a full scholarship?”

The naughty kid also added an exclamation with a surprised expression.

“Wow, Sunbin is a scholarship student?”

“That’s right? He was the top student in our department. Amazing, right?”

Woojin was surprised to hear that Sunbin was the top student, although he didn’t show it outwardly. ‘That lanky guy is the top student?’

It was a memory from over 20 years ago, but Woojin had really gritted his teeth and worked hard to get into the Department of Design at K University. Grades and practical skills. It was a school that was difficult to get into unless you had top-notch skills in the arts and sports.

Despite his efforts, Woojin barely managed to get into this department. Woojin almost didn’t get into university. If he had answered just two more questions wrong on the 2008 exam, he would have had to study for another year. He was lucky to get in right after going back in time.

‘Actually, I messed up the university entrance exam a bit back then…’

If Woojin was a case of getting in with overwhelming practical skills despite lacking grades, then Sunbin was probably top-class in both grades and practical skills. It was only natural that Sunbin’s first impression, who was thought to be just a shy lanky guy, looked different.

“But how did you know that Sunbin is the top student, Unnie?”

“I heard it by chance.”

“By chance…?”

“When I first entered the main auditorium earlier, the teaching assistant was talking to Sunbin.”

“Ah, I see.”

“Sunbin is really awesome.”

“I, it’s just that I was lucky.”

“Lucky…?”

“I just did a little better on the university entrance exam than usual…”

“So what grade were you?”

“That’s…”

With Soyeon’s one word, Sunbin suddenly became the center of attention, and he stuttered with a shy expression. The telephone pole, who was almost 190cm tall, blushed and stuttered, and that appearance was also somewhat comical.

Another lanky guy, Oh Yoonjung, who was even shyer than Sunbin, was covering his mouth and smiling quietly, as if it was not easy to join the conversation. And the conversation topic of the freshmen, who had roughly gotten to know each other, returned to ‘Design Night’ again.

“By the way, Soyeon Unnie.”

“Yes?”

“What will the theme be today?”

“Well, I heard that last year it was a Town House.”

“Really? How did you know that?”

“I retook the exam, you know.”

“Um…?”

“A friend I studied with is a senior in the second grade. His name is Park Junghoon.”

“Oh…! Good information!”

A town house can be expressed in one word as a row house. But rather than just a row house, it often meant a cluster of terraced houses.

‘Townhouse… Is the theme architecture design after all?’

Woojin, who heard Soyeon’s words, became interested again. And he asked, just in case.

“Then Soyeon.”

“Yes?”

“Do you happen to know the theme for 2008?”

“2008… The year before last?”

“Yes.”

“I know the theme from the year before last. Junghoon told me about that too.”

“Oh oh…!”

“What is it, Unnie?”

With everyone’s attention, Soyeon paused for a moment. Then she smiled and opened her mouth again.

“Skyscraper.”

“Huh?”

“The theme was skyscraper.”

A skyscraper is, in simple terms, a high-rise building. It can be said to be the flower of modern architecture. A beautiful high-rise building in the city that boasts a curtain wall look.

Woojin, who heard Soyeon’s answer, could now somewhat predict it. What kind of theme will come out at the Night of Design.

‘Looks like I’ll be making an architectural model after a long time.’

Woojin, who had been working on architecture-related projects for over twenty years, had of course also had experience making architectural models. For Woojin, who had liked making things and had good dexterity since he was young, the architectural model work was quite enjoyable.

In addition, if he used the materials sparingly, the income was quite good, so Woojin often did model work as a part-time job while working on-site.

‘Okay. This will be fun?’

Woojin’s mood was slightly excited for two reasons. First, the form of the design competition was in a field he was confident in. The second reason was that he was making a model with his own design for the first time, not a request.

The architectural models he had made in his previous life were all outsourced work from design companies or construction companies. He had only done the model work according to the drawings and designs given by the company.

‘The professor in charge of Design Night was Professor Jo Woonchan… Will a somewhat comprehensive and abstract theme come out? Maybe it’s related to public architecture…’

At that moment, when Woojin was imagining this and that in his head, the door of the lodging opened, and a familiar face appeared. It was the teaching assistant who had escorted the freshmen to the lodging.

“Here, the pamphlet is out.”

The teaching assistant tossed a thin booklet on the lodging entrance.

“Pamphlet?”

At Woojin’s question, he nodded and answered.

“Yes. It’s the 2010 Design Night pamphlet.”

The teaching assistant left only a concise answer and quickly disappeared to the next room. Hyejin, who was next to Woojin, quickly ran out and brought the pamphlet.

“The theme… Is it out?”

At Woojin’s question, everyone’s eyes were fixed on Hyejin. Hyejin spread the pamphlet in front of the students instead of answering, and the lodging became quiet in an instant.

Everyone was focused on reading the pamphlet. Woojin, who was reading it with a more serious expression than anyone else, gradually developed a strange expression.