This is how you will learn

At first, Na Hwa-jin showed no emotion. While the teachers spoke about the mysterious student, he remained seated with his arms crossed, observing the teachers' expressions more than their words. ‎ He has heard too many stories of "model students" who end up being the real culprits behind the problem. ‎ However, something begins to catch his attention. ‎ No teacher describes him as a hero. ‎ One says he is unbearably stubborn. Another person says that he has ended up in the principal's office more than once. A teacher admits that when she gets angry, it's impossible to change her mind. ‎ But even so... ‎ Everyone ends up saying that school would be much worse without him. ‎ That breaks the pattern. Na Hwa-jin barely smiles. Not because I'm convinced. But because, for the first time since he arrived, he feels curious. ‎ —"Interesting... They don't speak of him with admiration. They speak of him as if he were a coworker." ‎ When he discovers that the student is not in class, far from being annoyed, he gets up immediately. ‎ —"Let's go find him." ‎ No further explanation is needed. He wants to see him act before drawing any conclusions.

Bong Geun-dae remained silent as the principal recounted the incidents that had occurred during the past year. Hospitalized teachers. False accusations. Influential parents. Students who no longer recognized the authority of any adult. It was a case I had seen too many times. But then a teacher said something that completely broke the thread of the conversation. —...Although there is one student who always intervenes. Bong looked up. He didn't interrupt. He just kept listening. —The students stop causing problems when he appears. —We teachers feel more at ease if we know he's in the building. —Many students come to him first before they come to us. Bong didn't look at the person speaking. She looked at the others. None of them contradicted her. On the contrary. Everyone nodded. Naturally. As if it were an everyday occurrence. He waited until they finished. Only then did he ask a question. —Do they respect him... or are they afraid of him? The room fell completely silent. The director answered first. —Both. Bong tilted his head slightly. —That doesn't usually last long in a school. A teacher smiled wearily. —Because it doesn't force them. —That respect is earned. Another added: —And when he has to stop someone... he doesn't hesitate. Bong slowly placed both hands on the table. That answer had indeed piqued his interest. Not because of the student. But because of the teachers. There was something strange about them. They weren't exaggerating. They weren't trying to sell the image of a perfect student. They spoke of him with the same objectivity with which they described a school incident. They mentioned his virtues... And also its flaws. —He's too stubborn. —He carries problems that are not his own. —Sometimes he disappears from class without warning. ‎

Han-rim would be the most distrustful. While the teachers are talking, she doesn't just pay attention to the words. She observes how their expressions change. Notice that when the student is mentioned, they stop looking defeated. They speak with relief. This seems strange to him. He begins to ask much more specific questions. —"How many fights has he been involved in?" —"Has he been suspended?" —"Have you ever threatened another student?" —"What do you get in return?" Each answer confuses her a little more. She doesn't receive money. She doesn't belong to any group. She doesn't seek recognition. She doesn't want student positions. She simply... intervenes. When he hears that, Han-rim remains silent. Not because he believes in him. But because she still doesn't understand his reasons. Upon learning that the student is also not in her classroom, she is the first to stand up. —"There's no point in continuing to talk." He adjusts his jacket. —"I want to observe him without him knowing who we are." For Han-rim, people show their true colors when they think no one is watching. As they walk through the school, she's the one who pays attention to the small details, sparking Han-rim's interest. Finally, as the three of them make their way through the hallways, it's Na Hwa-jin who breaks the silence with a slight smile. —"It's been a long time since a student has piqued my curiosity so much." Han-rim looks towards the main building. —"We'll find out in a few minutes."