Chapter 37

Seol-rin, who had clearly put extra effort into her appearance, checked herself one last time before stepping outside. A soft pink blouse, a tailored skirt, and black flats with a slight heel. Finally, she applied coral lipstick to her lips, her face filled with nervousness.

The long-awaited semester had begun, and today was the day of the entrance ceremony. Although she had been assisting Professor Ma Tae-oh with various tasks, her real work was just beginning now.

Moreover, Cha Yeon-woo was scheduled to attend today’s ceremony. Since yesterday, the security guards had been struggling to disperse the lines of his fans, and Seol-rin was well aware of it.

This only made her more anxious. Since the issue involved the Philosophy Department, she worried that something might go wrong.

[Are you on your way?]

Just as she stepped outside, a text from Tae-oh arrived. Seeing his message, her lips curled into a smile.

[Yes, I’m on my way. Good luck with your welcome speech today, Professor!]

After sending her reply, Seol-rin hurried along. Although it was much earlier than her usual work hours, her mind was restless. While the entrance ceremony itself wasn’t something she particularly looked forward to, it was undoubtedly an important event marking the beginning of someone’s journey. She wanted to prepare everything perfectly.

“First, check the list of new students, then move to the auditorium, and once the ceremony starts…”

She walked briskly, mentally rehearsing the day’s schedule over and over.

“…?”

As she walked, lost in thought, she suddenly felt an odd sensation, as though someone was staring at her. Despite her generally oblivious nature, the feeling was unmistakable.

At first, she thought it might just be nerves, but the gaze on her grew more blatant. She stopped briefly and glanced over her shoulder.

All she could see were groups of students chatting noisily and busy-looking office workers. No one seemed to be looking her way.

‘That’s strange. I was sure someone was watching me.’

Tilting her head in confusion, she casually pulled out a small mirror from her crossbody bag. She intended to use it to discreetly survey her surroundings.

“Jin Seol-rin!”

Before she could do so, someone smacked her shoulder with a loud thud. Turning around, she saw Mi-yeon standing there.

“Oh, it’s you?”

“What do you mean, ‘you’? What’s going on?”

“Weren’t you the one staring at me earlier?”

“Huh? What are you talking about? I just ran over when I saw you standing there.”

“Really…?”

Then what was that gaze I had felt earlier? Was it really just my imagination? 

Seol-rin frowned slightly, deep in thought.

“What are you doing? Aren’t you going? Today’s the entrance ceremony. It’s going to be hectic.”

“Oh, right.”

She quickly followed Mi-yeon, deciding it was probably nothing.

***

“Kyahhh! Oppa!!”

“We love you, Cha Yeon-woo!!”

The atmosphere was as intense as a concert. Seol-rin couldn’t tell if this was an entrance ceremony or a solo concert for Cha Yeon-woo.

She gaped at the line of fans blocking the entrance to the auditorium.

“But Cha Yeon-woo hasn’t even arrived yet.”

What was even more baffling was that he hadn’t even shown up yet. As the ceremony time approached, her heart started to race. Next to her, Mi-yeon, looking visibly excited, spoke up.

“I heard Cha Yeon-woo is giving the oath as the freshman representative today.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yeah! He’s probably one of the most famous idols ever to join Korea University, so it makes sense.”

“Ah…”

Seol-rin trailed off. She had heard that Professor Ma Tae-oh would be delivering the welcome speech on behalf of the faculty at today’s ceremony. While it might just be unnecessary worry, she didn’t want him to be overshadowed by Cha Yeon-woo.

“What’s with that face?”

“Oh, it’s nothing…”

“I know what it is. You’re worried about Professor Ma’s welcome speech being overshadowed by Cha Yeon-woo, aren’t you? Geez, you’re already acting like he’s your man!”

“Hey, hey! What if someone hears you…?”

Startled, Seol-rin frantically looked around. Fortunately, no one seemed to be paying attention to them. Still, she couldn’t help but worry about what might happen. She didn’t care about herself, but she absolutely didn’t want Tae-oh to face any trouble.

“Who’s going to hear? Everyone’s too busy fangirling over Cha Yeon-woo.”

“Anyway! You know you have to be careful with what you say, right? Don’t even mention the word ‘professor’ around me!”

“Alright, alright. Oh! Look, Cha Yeon-woo’s here!”

At that moment, Mi-yeon nudged Seol-rin’s side excitedly. Even she couldn’t help but feel a little thrilled at the thought of seeing the famous Cha Yeon-woo in person.

The crowd’s cheers grew louder as Cha Yeon-woo finally appeared, flanked by bodyguards. The eyes of the new students gathered in the auditorium also turned toward him, filled with curiosity and a mix of admiration and envy.

Seeing him in person, Mi-yeon’s eyes practically turned into hearts as she gushed.

“Wow, even that semi-formal look suits him perfectly.”

“Hm…?”

Perhaps because he was giving the oath, Cha Yeon-woo was dressed in a sleek semi-formal outfit, a white collared shirt paired with black slacks. For some reason, the sight gave Seol-rin a strange sense of déjà vu.

“Doesn’t he look a bit like Professor Ma?”

Mi-yeon seemed to think the same thing, as she suddenly asked Seol-rin.

“Well, it’s a common outfit…”

Suppressing her doubts, Seol-rin took her seat. Soon, the entrance ceremony began with a celebratory performance by the university’s orchestra club.

Standing in this place and experiencing the entrance ceremony again felt strange. Memories of herself as a freshman, full of excitement as she entered the Philosophy Department, came flooding back.

Back then, she had been so proud of choosing philosophy as her major. She had confidence and a strong sense of pride in taking a path that others rarely chose.

But at some point, she had completely lost that initial passion. She blamed and regretted her choice, using excuses like the difficulty of finding a job compared to others or the lack of recognition from society.

Seol-rin slowly scanned the faces of the new students. Their eyes sparkled with excitement for a new beginning, looking just like her younger self.

“And now, we will have the freshman representative oath. Cha Yeon-woo from the Philosophy Department, please come forward.”

Lost in thought, she was startled by a loud cheer. It was time for the much-anticipated oath by Cha Yeon-woo.

As he stepped onto the podium, his face was broadcast live on the large monitors placed on each side. His slightly flushed face as he read the oath was such a heartwarming sight that it brought a motherly smile to her face.

Next to her, Mi-yeon squealed like a fangirl.

“Cha Yeon-woo looks so shy. He’s adorable.”

“He really is…”

For someone who could act and sing effortlessly on stage and in front of cameras, this oath should have been nothing. Yet, Cha Yeon-woo seemed surprisingly shy.

Murmurs could be heard all around. Some said, “I’m so jealous of the Philosophy Department students. Do they get to see Cha Yeon-woo all the time?” Others joked, “If I’d known, I would’ve joined the Philosophy Department,” or, “Should I double major in Philosophy?” While these were lighthearted comments, they weren’t unpleasant to hear.

“This is crazy. ‘Cha Yeon-woo Entrance Ceremony’ is trending as the top search term right now.”

“What? Really?”

“Yeah, totally.”

As Mi-yeon mentioned, mobile search engines were flooded with Cha Yeon-woo’s name. Alongside his name, Korea University and the Philosophy Department were also trending. Seol-rin once again realized the immense influence of celebrities and why universities worked so hard to recruit them.

Although he seemed a bit nervous, Cha Yeon-woo successfully completed the oath and stepped down from the podium. As he took his seat among the Philosophy Department freshmen, he briefly scanned his surroundings. His eyes met Seol-rin’s, who was sitting a few rows away in the staff section.

Upon spotting her, he flashed a bright smile and mouthed the words:  

‘Noona, did I do well?’

Understanding his meaning instantly, Seol-rin’s face turned red with embarrassment. Unsure how to respond, she hesitated until Mi-yeon nudged her side.

“Hey, hey, what’s Cha Yeon-woo saying? Is he talking to you?”

“Ahem, well, I’m not sure…”

Unable to give a proper answer, Seol-rin awkwardly avoided her gaze. She found Yeon-woo’s actions utterly bewildering.

“Next, we will hear a welcome speech from Ma Tae-oh, an assistant professor in the Philosophy Department.”

“…!!”

Just hearing his name made her heart race. Worried she might miss anything, Seol-rin quickly lifted her head and focused on Tae-oh.

Sitting in the front row, Tae-oh walked toward the podium. As he stood before the microphone, a different kind of murmur spread through the crowd. Comments like, “Wait, isn’t he a Performing Arts professor, not Philosophy?” “Is his appearance even real?” and, “Double majoring in Philosophy isn’t optional; it’s mandatory,” could be heard.

Seol-rin couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride. Soon, his calm and eloquent voice filled the auditorium.

“Welcome to all the new students entering Korea University. I understand that each of you has taken your first step here to pursue your dreams, ideals, and hopes. While our choices may not always be the best, the school and we, the faculty, will do our utmost to ensure that your choices do not lead to regret. Once again, welcome.”

It was a short but heartfelt speech. The words about striving to ensure their choices wouldn’t lead to regret offered great comfort.

Thunderous applause followed. Even those who had initially cheered only for his good looks were now moved by the sincerity of his speech.

‘He’s amazing…’

To think that such an incredible man was hers. Seol-rin clapped for him wholeheartedly.

Meanwhile, someone else was watching her intently from a distance. It was none other than Cha Yeon-woo.

“What the… She said he wasn’t her boyfriend.”

He muttered to himself. She had insisted that Professor Ma Tae-oh wasn’t her boyfriend…

“But she’s making it way too obvious.”