bea ˊ˗

In the opening shot of his first scene, the camera lingers on his test paper. Only later do we learn about its significance. Baekjin wins an award out of everyone in school for his outstanding performance, the only question he got wrong being a “trick math question” as the other students put it.

Now here’s what’s interesting to me. Baekjin didn’t miss the question cuz he couldn’t figure out the solution.

He missed it because he ran out of time.

We see him timing his speed trying to solve, we see him grapple with it even outside of school in the Union office. Missing this question is a personal affront to his character, and it’s obvious that he won’t rest until he feels satisfied.

Enter: Yeon Sieun. The new kid in the block. Baekjin forces him to his office, threatens him to stay away from Baku. Successfully. Since Sieun is bubbling with barely contained rage. Then he glances at his test paper and his expression shifts to that of boredom. I love the look on Baekjin’s face when Sieun corrects his test question. Imagine being intellectually one-upped by a nobody from Eunjang of all schools.