Still Shining (샤이닝)

STILL SHINING

JULY 2014

MAEUM STUDY CENTER

5:09 A.M.

MAEUM STUDY CENTER

MAEUM STUDY CENTER

Hello.

Hui-seo, you think can you walk?

Yeah.

Hui-seo, get on my back.

Hui-seo, try to stand. You can do it.

- Don't trouble your brother. - Ma'am, it's fine.

Hui-seo.

Okay. One, two, three.

Are you feeling okay?

Sorry.

You okay?

STILL SHINING

You think you can you walk?

Goodness.

Grandma, could you move back a bit?

I'll come down.

Come over here. He said he can manage.

- I'm pretty good, right? - Yes, well done.

I told you I'm all better now. You don't have to worry about me.

I'm very proud of you.

Goodness. Hi, Tae-seo.

- It's good to see you. - Have you been well?

CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR GRADUATION

My medical report?

You might not be ready for school when classes start,

so I'll submit it for you.

I'm going to school, even if I'm hurt.

You came all the way here for my sake.

I'm not a kid. I can manage just fine.

I can just take Bus 19 at the bus stop.

Ugh.

Hey, the bus stop!

Grandpa!

Stop! Tae-seo's going to school.

Right, your grandfather was worried that Hui-seo would have trouble walking.

He can walk fine on crutches, and I'll go with him to and from school.

I saw him playing soccer last summer.

I also talked with your father.

My parents both worked,

so Hui-seo always came here during vacation.

Right. Well, you hang in there too.

The local elementary school closed last year,

and there's been talk about us closing too.

But Hui-seo should be able to graduate. Mmm.

We don't get any transfers.

You're the first in five years.

I see.

So…

Did my documents and transcripts arrive?

I'm looking for them now.

Yes, they're all here.

And I see this is your second transfer this year.

Why didn't you just come straight here?

My aunt said I had to go to college in Seoul.

- Living in Seoul won't guarantee that. -

You didn't cause trouble there, right?

No, of course not.

Hui-seo found it hard adjusting to Seoul.

Why?

He was being bullied.

God, those awful punks. Doing that to someone who's hurt…

I'll keep an eye on him, so don't worry too much.

With us, all the kids aiming for college have transferred to schools in the city.

The rest who remain here help out with their family businesses,

so they have no pressure to study.

Anyway, let's make sure you get your high school diploma here.

Mmm.

And no need to buy a uniform.

We have some that our graduates handed down.

You should grab Hui-seo's as well.

Okay.

This one's for winter. The summer ones are in front of the library upstairs.

They're usually inside the library,

but there's a kid named Mo Eun-a.

She's doing independent study there, so we moved them outside.

She's the transfer from five years ago.

LIBRARY

UNIFORM DONATION BOX (SUMMER)

- -

Hey, what on earth is this?

Oh. It got crumpled in my bag.

They're my mock exam scores from March and June.

I thought you may need them for college counseling.

No, the crumpling isn't the issue. Look at this.

Top-ranked student multiple times, all 99s for grades,

and in the highest percentile in all major subjects.

Geez, with these grades, you can take your pick of med schools!

You should have this framed, not shoved into your bag.

Gosh, you're…

Wow!

Gosh…

Your desk didn't arrive.

I told them a while ago.

Goodness, what a mess.

YEON CHANG-SIK

Tae-seo's here.

Gosh, good job finding your way here!

But we have a problem.

Your desk didn't arrive.

I already told him.

We should've made sure it arrived today.

It's okay, Grandma.

Right, I'll make sure to tell them tomorrow.

Why did you have to throw out his father's desk?

Why are you talking about his father?

I'm just saying you could've thrown it out after the new one came.

YEONWOO HIGH SCHOOL CLASS 3-1

The lights didn't even come on since it's summer break, so I made a fuss.

I heard they make you do independent study until 10:00 p.m. in Seoul,

so the least they could do is help me study here.

So now, just the library has power, and I can use the fans.

Turn that one on.

Which bus did you take?

The 6:12 a.m. bus.

That's the first one.

Sit wherever you like.

You can switch into study mode right away?

I need to warm up first. Don't mind me.

Let me say one thing.

Just this. I promise.

Go on.

I suddenly have time to spend on myself now.

I was taking care of my dad…

But I won't get into that.

I just didn't want to waste this time,

so I decided to study.

I wasn't planning on going to college, but I think I will.

I don't know what I want to become,

but I'll figure it out as I go.

I know it won't change much, but I'm giving it a go.

What I mean is, I was never big on studying.

Just saying.

Right.

So my point was,

that's why I need to warm up.

I move around, so bear with me.

Okay, do as you please.

The Wi-Fi password.

- - I downloaded some online lectures,

so I'll lend you my USB if you need them.

I'm fine.

Blue is for seniors, green for juniors, and sophomores are…

Maybe yellow?

YEONWOO HIGH SCHOOL MO EUN-A

You're Yeon Tae-seo. Hui-seo's older brother.

We call your place "Hui-seo's."

Sorry.

- -

"Facilitate."

"Facilitate."

"Facilitate."

"Facilitate."

"FASILITAT…"

The men's room is to the right.

"F…"

What about lunch?

That's definitely gone bad.

TEACHERS' LOUNGE

I'll restock the ramyeon I eat.

Vacation's almost over anyway. Two a day will last us just fine.

I bought plenty in case anyone dropped by.

Ah.

For you and Hui-seo.

Gym uniforms are valuable, so upperclassmen never pass them on.

They wear them forever.

These are magic shorts. They fit in middle school and as an adult.