SWJY: Hierarchy: School of Money and Blood

Chapter Seven: 2 AM

Won Young's desk was a mess of textbooks, notebooks, and papers, all arranged in a controlled chaos only she could understand. The dim glow of her desk lamp was the only light in the room, casting long shadows on the wall as she hunched over a thick textbook. Her eyes burned from hours of staring at tiny print, and her hand ached from scribbling notes. But there was no time to rest. The exams were coming, and she wasn't going to let anything stand in the way of her success.

The clock on her wall ticked relentlessly, its hands nearing 2 a.m., but she ignored it. Time had become a blur. The concepts in front of her swirled together, formulas, equations, theories. The information was starting to slip through her fingers, but she pushed through the mental fog, refusing to give up.

Her phone buzzed on the edge of the desk. She glanced at it, expecting another notification from one of her study apps. But when she saw the name Yu Jin flash across the screen, her heart skipped. Her best friend never called this late.

Won Young hesitated for a moment before picking up, her voice barely above a whisper. "Hello?"

"You're still up, aren't you?" Yu Jin's voice was soft but filled with the warmth of concern.

Won Young sighed, leaning back in her chair and rubbing her tired eyes. "I'm studying. I have to finish these notes, or I'll never be ready for the test."

"It's nearly two in the morning, Won Young. You've been at it all day." Yu Jin's tone was a gentle mix of scolding and worry. "You need sleep, not more notes."

Won Young glanced at the mountain of books in front of her and felt a pang of guilt. "I know, but I have to do this. If I don't study, I won't get the scores I need."

"You'll get the scores, you always do." Yu Jin reassured her. "But not if you burn yourself out. You're no good to anyone if you're half-asleep during the exam."

Won Young smiled a little, despite the exhaustion tugging at her. Yu Jin always knew how to cut through her determination, reminding her to be human when all she could see was the goal in front of her. "I just have to get through this chapter." She muttered, flipping the page of her textbook, though she barely had the energy to focus on the words.

There was a pause on the other end of the line before Yu Jin's voice came through again, softer this time. "Won Young, please. It's okay to stop. You're allowed to rest. You've done enough."

Won Young stared at the page, her eyes unfocused. She wanted to argue, to say she hadn't done enough, that there was still more to cover. But the truth was she could barely think straight. Her vision blurred with fatigue, and her brain felt like it was wading through quicksand. Maybe Yu Jin was right. Maybe sleep wasn't a defeat, but a necessary step in the process.

"I just...I don't want to fail." Won Young whispered, the admission feeling heavy on her tongue.

"You won't" Yu Jin said firmly. "You're the smartest person I know. But even geniuses need rest."

Won Young let out a tired laugh, the tension in her shoulders loosening just a bit. "Alright, alright. I'll stop for tonight. But just tonight."

"Good" Yu Jin said, the smile evident in her voice. "Now go to sleep. I'll check in tomorrow to make sure you haven't turned into a zombie."

"Thanks, Yu Jin" Won Young murmured, her eyes already closing as she stood up from her desk.

She hung up the phone, glancing one last time at her textbooks before turning off the lamp. The darkness of her room was a strange comfort as she crawled into bed. As tired as she was, the weight of the day lifted slightly as she listened to the silence, knowing Yu Jin had been right to interrupt her. Tomorrow, she would study again, but tonight, she would let her mind rest.

Within minutes, sleep took her, pulling her into the deep, dreamless rest she had denied herself for far too long.

To be continued...