Elite University

Chapter 14

A day after the try-outs

"How did your mom react when she knew you got into the Polymath Club, Ryujin?"

Sana asked the youngest, who instantly swallowed the chicken she just shoved inside her mouth, eager to answer Sana's question.

"She was pleased, Unnie. She even cried." Ryujin responded before taking another bite of her meal. "All I have to do is to wait 'til I'm drafted for the upcoming competition so that I could pay the remaining bills on the hospital," She added, smiling dreamily as she fixed her gaze to the sky.

Chaeyoung was never wrong in her first impression of Ryujin. She was, indeed, an open book. It was one of the reasons why she and Sana quickly got accustomed to each other. The first time Chaeyoung brought Ryujin to the Precariat's lair and introduced her to Sana, she immediately narrated her life story, almost too detailed for Chaeyoung's liking.

Ryujin had told them about her mother, who had just undergone a hysterectomy, an operation where her uterus was removed. There could be many reasons for the operation. In the case of Ryujin's mother, it was done because of a possibly malignant tumor spotted on her uterus, which could eventually cause cancer if not removed.

His late father's employer vowed to pay for the procedure and all the other medical expenses. In fact, he has already spent more than half of the total bill. Everything was fine until last month when the man told them he wouldn't be able to pay in the meantime since he's facing financial problems in his company. As a consolation, he promised he would pay them as soon as the company recovered, which he approximated to be in the next two months.

Ryujin cannot wait that long. though; the expenses increase day by day with her mother staying at the hospital. The hospital won't let them leave without the payment either, so they're technically stock until Ryujin miraculously picks up a million won on the streets. She doesn't want to burden her father's employer further. He already pays for her tuition and even most of her family's expenses, which includes her, her mother, and her younger brother. That left her with no choice but to find a source of income, and that would be the Polymath Club.

Chaeyoung and Ryujin had the same motivation in joining the club, which is money. Although the younger had a deep interest in the club's activities and competition, which was something that's lacking for Chaeyoung. Nevertheless, she was happy that both of them successfully landed a spot on the team.

"I am proud of you, both! I will be cheering you on your competitions!" Sana cheerfully said, tackling Chaeyoung and Ryujin in a hug. The former rolled her eyes at the gesture, which Sana chose to ignore.