35. Hanon Forty-Nine
Incheol’s house.
“Wait, why are you writing this part of the code in a for loop?”
In response to my question, Incheol stopped typing and said.
“There is a four-digit password in the system configuration file, which is generated by a random number generator.”
“A random number generator?”
A random number generator or random number generator is a program that randomly selects a number in a specific section.
I didn’t ask Incheol because I didn’t know what a random number generator was.
Of course it is, but… Incheol is now a freshman in middle school.
So, when I heard the word random number generator, I was a little surprised and asked again.
In-cheol answered my question.
“ah… ! Random number generator, this is a bit of a strange concept… You’re just picking up random numbers. That way, you can’t predict what number you’ll get. That’s why they said that a random number generator is essential when creating passwords.”
As Incheol explained, the number generated by the random number generator is unpredictable.
However, this is theoretically impossible to predict, but in practice, there is no algorithm that generates random numbers with perfect randomness, so it is said that a fine pattern occurs depending on the characteristics of the algorithm.
I said with a thumbs up.
“Oh oh! Choi In-cheol… Is that great?”
Hearing my praise, Incheol said with a stern expression on his face.
“this guy! Sajo says, your mannerisms are rude!”
“You don’t speak exactly the same way as the vice principal now, don’t you? ha ha ha!”
At my words, In-cheol imitated the characteristic tone of the vice-principal, and we both giggled and laughed for a while.
Rather than thinking that I was childish with such a smile, I felt regretful that I did not know the fun of my past life.
While coding with In-cheol, the story of Lim Yeon-ji suddenly came up and I asked In-cheol.
“Oh right! I forgot earlier… You said there was a riot in your class today? What does that mean?”
At my question, In-cheol’s expression became quite serious.
“just now… When Yeonji’s mother came to our class, then Jin— I was scared. I am the first person in the world to be so scary.”
“… ?”
“It was social class, and I was playing chess in the classroom… The teacher was so scared that I couldn’t say a word.”
“why? What’s going on?”
According to Incheol’s explanation… .
The front door of the classroom bangs during social studies class! and said it was open.
A woman exuding a tremendous force takes off her sunglasses, asks who Kim Soo-kyung is, and Kim Soo-kyung raises her hand… It is said that she entered the classroom and slapped Kim Soo-kyung in the face.
“Is Soo-kyung Kim and Yeon-ji Lim’s best friend?”
In response to my question, Incheol nodded and said.
“Yeah, you two got along very well.”
Incheol continued.
It is said that the woman in a black suit did not end up slapped on the cheek, but grabbed Soo-kyung by the neck and dragged her to the front of the classroom.
In front of the classroom, she said she repeated these words as if other children were to listen.
Yeonji was originally a good kid, but she said that she made this mistake because she had a bad friend.
The next day, early Sunday morning.
My mother and I headed to Korea University with Youngmi’s family.
This is because there is an awards ceremony for the Mathematics Olympiad at Korea University.
It is said that a phone call came to Youngmi’s house last night.
She was the vice principal of our school, and the vice principal announced that Youngmi won the prize and left a message that she should participate in the awards ceremony this morning.
My mother told Youngmi.
“Young-mi, congratulations.”
“thank you.”
“Young-mi’s mother is fine. You said winning a math olympiad isn’t for everyone?”
“Youngmi was lucky. The question I studied in the previous workbook came out on the exam and I solved it… If there were any other issues, I would have paid a blank slate.”
“Ah, that means you worked hard to prepare. But do you really not know what the prize is?”
“Yes, I only know that I won a prize, and I don’t know what kind of prize it is, so I have to go and receive it myself.”
“okay? I think Youngmi won the championship?”
“Aww, don’t drink kimchi soup already. haha!”
Young-mi’s father’s car arrived at Korea University, and we got out of the car and walked towards the College of Science building.
The award ceremony was held not in the auditorium of the gymnasium where the test was held, but in the lobby of the College of Science building, which was held as one of the major events of the math and academic conference that Professor Park Bo-soo mentioned in the past.
Upon entering the College of Science building, there was a large banner hanging at the entrance to the lobby.
＜Korea Mathematicians Association 1994 Winter Academic Conference>
The atmosphere is quite different from the American academic conference.
American math and academic societies are pretty formal… It is common for presenters as well as simple participants to wear suits, but now there were hardly any people wearing a tie.
At first glance, the only people in suits were the parents attending the awards ceremony.
9 a.m. on the hour.
The voice of the ceremony host came out through the speaker.
“hello! The 23rd Middle School National Mathematics Olympiad Awards Ceremony will begin.”
After a brief congratulatory speech from the professor of mathematics at Korea University, the full-fledged awards ceremony began.
First of all, the winners of the third year of middle school were called.
There were two co-winners and three students placed 3rd, 4th and 5th respectively.
There was no winner in the second year of middle school awards that followed.
Instead, three students took a joint second place, and two students took fourth and fifth place respectively.
After the awards ceremony and photo shoot for the sophomores were finished, the moderator picked up the microphone.
“ruler! Then, in the following order, we will proceed with the awards ceremony for the 1st year middle school math olympiad. For reference, three students tied for third place, one was second and one last was the winner. Then I will name the joint third-place students.”
I glanced at Youngmi sitting next to her, and Youngmi had a light blush on her face as if nervous.
“Choi Soo-min from Jeongmoon Middle School!”
“Korean Middle School Seokjin Lee!”
“And Hyejeong Yoo from Hangi Middle School! Congratulations!”
After the call was over, Youngmi’s short sigh was heard.
After the presentation of the third-place students was over, the voice of the moderator was heard again.
“Then I will name the first-year winner of the middle school and the runner-up student.”
Youngmi had her eyes closed.
“First, the winning student!”
“… .”
“Youngmi Kim from Namseo Middle School! And runner-up is Choi Isu from Gaema Middle School! Congratulations!”
A bright smile spread across Youngmi’s face as she got up from her seat, and I also got up and said to Youngmi.
“Wow! congratulation!”
“thank you… .”
Perhaps because Yeongmi was excited by the joy of winning, she hugged me tightly.
ah… You are using the expression you wish that time would stop like this at times like this.
That was then.
Somehow… I felt a chill in the back of my head, and I turned my head slightly while holding Youngmi… .
The face of Young-mi’s father, who had a mysterious expression mixed with joy, anger, and sadness, caught my eye.
Mister, I swear! It was really quiet.
I said, patting Youngmi’s back lightly.
“Young-mi, I have to go get the award now.”
The second place student won the award first, followed by Youngmi on the podium.
Young-mi, who received the certificate and medal from the president of the Association of Mathematicians, smiled broadly, and at the same time the camera flash went out.
After the presentation of the English and American contests was over, a total of 15 award-winning students went up to the podium according to the instructions of the moderator, and the congratulatory remarks and grading speech by Seongsoo Ha, the chairperson of the exam, began.
It was an obvious story.
A total of 523 students gathered from all over the country could feel the passion for mathematics, and it was really difficult to differentiate between the superiority and inferiority of the students because the level of the students was so high… what kind of story
Mr. Ha opened the water bottle, shook his head, and continued.
“Actually, I didn’t expect to see a winner in the first year of secondary school. The problem was really difficult, but in fact, the grading criteria were also very strict. The word tricky here is… It means that only answers that solved the problem with only middle school math knowledge were the correct answers without prior learning.”
He paused for a moment before continuing.
“To solve this difficult problem without prior study means that the first-year winner, Youngmi Kim, received the medal for the championship fairly. In that sense, I would like to give a big round of applause once again to the youngest first-year students among the winners today, and especially to Kim Young-mi from Namseo Middle School.”
As the congratulatory remarks of Teacher Ha ended, applause erupted.
When the applause subsided… My mother, who was sitting next to me, spoke to me in a low voice.
“Jeong-ho, my mother keeps feeling envious, what should I do?”
At my mother’s words, I turned my head and looked at my mother.
“Mom… .”
My mother smiled at me and said,
“Even though Mom knows everything, I can’t help being envious.”
After the awards ceremony was over, Youngmi returned to her seat and took a picture with her medal and certificate.
First he took a picture of himself alone, then he posed for a picture with his parents, and then with me.
The moment Young-mi’s father was about to take a picture,
Youngmi’s mother told me
“Jeong-ho, don’t stand so awkwardly, and do something shoulder-to-shoulder together.”
Young-mi’s father’s expression hardened slightly, holding the camera.
Young-mi’s father’s expression takes a little while… .
Hmm, that’s fine… will it be ok?
The moment he put his arm on Young-mi’s shoulder, his eyes met.
Yeong-mi said, stroking my side with her elbow.
“Chae Jung-ho, form–take a good posture.”
Four days ago, at Youngmi’s house.
Youngmi and I were sitting at the table in the living room, solving the previous questions from the Olympiad.
Young-mi’s mother said as she put the plate of fruit on the table.
“Eat some of this and study.”
“I will enjoy this food!”
I peeled a tangerine, cut it in half and placed it in front of the English seat.
Young-mi was still trying to solve the problem, so she didn’t even care about the fruit.
However, Youngmi’s book of previous questions… .
239 pages were now open.
So, if you turn one page, 241 pages will come out.
Considering Mr. Ha’s tendency to like complex and difficult geometry problems and dislike students’ prior learning… In this Math Olympiad, it was clear that questions similar to the question 23 on page 241 would be asked.
I reached out and turned over the bookshelves of Young-Mi’s previous workbooks and turned to page 241.
“Young-mi.”
Youngmi bowed her head and answered while concentrating on solving the problem.
“yes… .”
“Young-mi, look here.”
Youngmi still bowed her head and spoke dryly.
“Yeah, eat yourself first.”
“hey! Youngmi Kim?”
Only then did Yeongmi raise her head and tear up her eyes.
“Are you going to keep interrupting me? I’m in full form right now—I’m unraveling… yes?”
Youngmi bowed her head again and concentrated on solving the problem.
Suddenly, I remembered a line from the movie that Youngmi often told me in her past life.
‘We don’t have money, don’t we have Gao? yes?’