A Smooth Life Side Story 1

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1. What are your thoughts on being selected as this month’s cover model? (Actually, this was a rather unusual selection on our part as well.)

Actually, a junior I know submitted the application without me knowing. I told that friend, “I don’t want to do this,” and then he started acting like he was about to cry. Asked if I was putting him in a difficult position. He felt so sorry that I just said okay. My honest feeling is that I hope the people around me don’t see this magazine. (Why?) It’s embarrassing.

1. We’re curious about your usual personality. What kind of character are you among your friends?

I’m quiet. Even when I was in school, I think I was well-behaved and just did what I needed to do. People probably think I’m boring because I don’t talk much.

1. Things you like

Eating spicy food. When a movie I want to see comes out, I go on the first day without seeing or hearing any spoilers. And I like going to the beach. (Summer? Winter?) I don’t like crowds, noise, and bustle, so I prefer winter beaches.

1. What you hate most in the world

Missing school. It’s a school I worked hard to get into, and it means something special to me. I want to do as much as I can at this school. I want to use the library a lot, and my wish is to read all the novels in the library before I graduate. Haha.

1. What are you interested in these days?

I started swimming. Actually, I didn’t want to, but someone kept recommending it, so I had no choice… But it turned out to be surprisingly fun. After doing it, my body loosens up and my fatigue goes away. If I do it before bed, I sleep better too. Oh! And if I do it in the morning, the day feels really long. (If you had to pick one advantage?) Um… a sport where you don’t sweat no matter how much you do it?

1. If you have a small, comfortable time during the day?

Bubble baths. Originally, I didn’t even do half-body baths because they felt stuffy, but one day I came home and there was bubble bath solution. I was curious so I tried it once, and it made me feel good. It feels better than just doing a half-body bath in plain water. When I take a bubble bath while watching movies or dramas on my tablet and drinking a can of beer, that’s when I’m happiest.

1. TMI

Always going home early? I feel at ease when I go home early. I don’t like nightlife or staying out late, and since I’ve always enjoyed playing alone at home, I think that just solidified into my daily routine. So when someone asks me to go out and wander around, I sigh first. But I still go out anyway.

1. My own study secrets!

I study kind of stupidly. I write everything down, create my own organized notes, and memorize them until they’re worn out. In high school, I tried hard to get on the teachers’ good side. Then they’d often ask me to run errands for them. At those times, I’d look closely at the workbooks and reference books on the teachers’ desks, then go to bookstores to check them out.

1. These days travel is booming—what’s a travel destination you recommend?

Um… Actually, I haven’t traveled much, so I can’t really recommend anything. There’s just one place I’ve been to. (Where was that?) England. The people were kind and the food was surprisingly good. If there’s one thing I’d definitely recommend from there, it’s riding the London Eye!

1. As a senior in life, what part-time job do you recommend to freshmen?

I have quite a bit of experience with part-time jobs too. I’ve tried various things, but in terms of hourly wage relative to time, tutoring is definitely the best. You just sit there and teach, and when they give you something delicious, you eat it. But I worry most during the student’s exam season. If you tutored them but their grades didn’t improve? Then you get fired right away. There’s the disadvantage of it being unstable in that way. If you want to do tutoring as a part-time job, I’d like you to gather a lot of preliminary information rather than just jumping in blindly. (What do you mean by gathering information?) Uh, I mean like information about the student you’ll be teaching, haha.

1. You look very young. Have you had any difficulties because of your youthful face?

Very, very occasionally, when I go to convenience stores to buy alcohol, they sometimes ask to see my ID. That’s the most inconvenient time. So I make sure to carry it around, though I don’t know until when that’ll be necessary. Once I’m past thirty, they probably won’t ask anymore, right? Haha.

1. We heard you took a leave of absence—how did you spend that time?

I didn’t take a leave to go on a long backpacking trip like others, or to work somewhere else, or for self-development. I rested fully. I just wanted to rest. I spent time in a place with good air and good water, eating healthy meals. You can think of the rest of the time until I returned to school as me just lounging around at home.

1. If there’s something you definitely want to achieve before graduating?

Getting all A-pluses. There’s always one plus missing. It’s really frustrating.

1. Do you have any worries?

I’m graduating soon too. As graduation approaches, worries about livelihood are increasing one by one—like how should I write my graduation thesis, how should I prepare for job hunting… Before, I just had to focus on managing my grades and that was it, but now the time is approaching when I have to take responsibility for my own life.

1. What are your BEST 3 most memorable moments from 2019?
2. Watching the New Year’s fireworks in London as we crossed into January 1st
3. I wanted to go as an exchange student, and I got to go last year! This will be a memorable moment. That’s when I saw the fireworks too.
4. The last one is this photoshoot right now. I don’t like being in front of others at all, but I think this will remain as the most unique memory of my entire life.
5. The interview ran longer than usual. Lastly, what is your life goal?

Um… It’s ordinary, but I hope to live smoothly like my name. I hope difficult things don’t happen, and I can wake up in the morning with peace of mind and fall asleep feeling good at night. And just like I want to do that, it’s also my goal to live without causing trouble for others as much as possible.