HEART LIES

EARLY BIRD

Sweaty palms and squeaking sneakers of stressed students filled the hall in front of the class despite the early hour. Everyone knew how it worked; first come, first served to be taught by Lee Seongsaengnim.

A lucky few would have the honor to follow the professor around in the hospital rotations. Many prayed to obtain the privilege, a dragon, a beast they called her, but a recommendation from the professor opened doors to institutes a doctor could only dream of entering.

Whispers and scrunching papers paved the way for Ji-Seong's nonchalant steps, which halted at the end of the queue in front of him. It was insane; even Disneyland Paris had lines shorter than the one he joined, "excuse me," Ji-Seong said, trying to make his way through.

"Ah, chum, look at this one. Do you think you are a direct descent of King Sejong? Wait your turn like everyone," a boy with a Pusan accent said.

"죄송해요 [cheseonghaeyo=sorry]"

"Aren't you in a hurry to meet the witch?"

"Witch?" Ji-Seong turned to meet the eyes of his interlocutor.

"Yeah,집선생님 [jip seonsaengnim=Dr. Jip]."

"Chip,ーah Jip, ーeh, why such a name?" Ji-Seong asked. [jip is the Korean word for the house]

"You know, Dr. House, well, Lee Seonsaeng is the female version of him," the girl explained.

Ji-Seong listened while he eyed the girl. Glasses and bob haircut, she looked like she leaped out of a series herself.

"Annyeong, I'm Nam Soo-Hae," the young woman said with a voice too cheerful for the early hour.

"만나서 반갑습니다[mannaseo bangapseupnida] Nice to meet you, I' m-."

"Chae Ji-Seong, THE transfer from Seoul University, I'm sorry to say this, but I think you're crazy."

Soo-Hae's remark left Ji-Seong's lips stuck on his name's Ji shape, which he wanted to pronounce.

"OMG, you're the transfer?" The Pusan accent boy said in a friendlier tone than the one h employed earlier to push Ji-Seong to the line's back.

A small group of students gathered around Ji-Seong. Everyone heard about the top-ranking student who transferred from Seoul's number one university.

"Honestly, why did you do that? Why did you leave heaven to come in this hell hole," student A said.

"Yeah, it's this year with Dr. Jip will be like walking through purgatory," the boy with the accent added.

"I understand you though, I mean, Seoul University doesn't have Lee Seonsaeng. I wonder why?" Soo-Hae said.

No one understood why the star practician did not choose a more prestigious institute.

"Let me remind you, people, that our establishment is 3rd in the national ranking we have nothing to envy Seoul University," student B said.

Soo-Hae was right; Ji-Seong came for her. Lee Seonsaengnim was the only professor who could quench Ji-Seong's thirst for knowledge.

Ji-Seong decided to mingle with a question, "since when did you guys arrive here?"

"7:00 AM."

"7:35 AM."

"6:45 AM."

Everyone turned to face the boy, who wore a gray suit and a prune-colored turtleneck.

"Neo [You=informel]?" Ji-Seong said.

Of all encounters, this one was quite a shocker for Ji-Seong, who never imagined meeting the guy who now strode towards the little group.

"What do you think you are the only person on earth who wants to be taught by Lee Seongsaeng?"