Lessons After Class.

Chapter 18

I finally heard my name.

For a second, I did not move. It felt like the sound floated past me and did not land properly. My body was still on the chair but my mind was already far away. My hands were cold. My legs felt numb, like they did not belong to me anymore. The hallway suddenly felt too quiet, even though people were still breathing, still shifting, still waiting.

“Hana”.

The lady at the desk looked up and called it again, louder this time.

“Hana”.

I swallowed hard. My throat was dry. I pushed my palms against the chair and stood up. It felt strange, like I was rising in slow motion. My knees shook slightly but I forced one foot forward, then the other. Each step felt heavy, like I was walking through water.

The hallway smelled like paper, sweat, and the faint scent of coffee drifting from inside the office. The floor was cold under my shoes. The light from the window was dull now. The clouds outside had covered the sun fully, and everything looked gray and soft, like the world was holding its breath with me.

As I walked, my mind replayed the night before.

I had not slept properly. I had laid on my bed with my phone glowing in the dark, scrolling through articles and videos. Interview questions. Common questions. Tricky questions. How to answer tell me about yourself. How to answer where do you see yourself in five years. I had whispered my answers into the quiet room, practicing softly so my roommate would not hear me.

“Tell me about yourself?”

“I am a focused law student with a strong interest in criminal law.”

“Where do you see yourself in five years?”

“I see myself as a lawyer who understands justice beyond theory”.

I had repeated the words again and again until they stuck to my tongue. I wrote points in my notebook. I crossed them out. I rewrote them. I imagined Prof Mi Jun face as I spoke. Calm. Serious. Watching me closely.

Now, standing in front of his office, all that preparation felt fragile. Like thin glass that could break at any second.

The lady at the desk opened the door and gestured for me to enter. I nodded and stepped forward.

“Good afternoon ma”.

She gave a small nod and stepped aside.

Inside the office, the air felt different. Warmer. Quieter. The noise from the hallway faded as the door closed behind me. The light was soft. A desk lamp was on, casting a yellow glow across the table. The curtains were half open, letting in weak daylight. Outside the window, the sky was dark and full, heavy with rain.

The smell of coffee was stronger here. It mixed with the smell of old books and polished wood. It was a serious smell. A thinking smell.

Prof Mi Jun was seated behind his desk. He looked up as I entered. His face was calm, just like always. No smile yet, but not cold either.

“Good afternoon sir”.

“Good afternoon Hana. Please take a seat”.

His voice was steady. It helped a little. I walked to the chair in front of him and sat down carefully. I placed my hands on my lap, fingers interlocked tightly. I was very aware of my breathing. In and out. Slow. Do not rush.

He picked up a file from his desk. I knew it was mine. My name was written on it in black ink. Seeing it made my heart jump.

“So Hana, he said, looking at me over the file. Tell me about yourself?”

“There it was. The question I had practiced the most”.

I took a small breath.

“Sir, I am a law student with a strong interest in criminal law. I am very disciplined with my studies and I value learning beyond exams. I enjoy understanding how the law works in real life and how it affects people”, I replied without my voice shaking. I gave myself a high five in my mind.

As I spoke, I felt my voice grow steadier. The words came back to me, just like I had practiced.

He nodded slowly and made a note on the paper.

He asked another question.

“What are your strengths?”

I paused briefly, then answered.

“I am organized, sir. I pay attention to details and I am willing to learn. I also work well under pressure”.

“What about your weaknesses?”

I remembered what I had read online. Always turn it into something positive.

“Sometimes I overthink, sir, but I am learning how to manage my time better so it does not affect my work”.

He looked at me carefully, like he was weighing my words.

“Where do you see yourself in five years?”

This one made my chest tighten a little. It felt big. Heavy.

“In five years, sir, I see myself as a lawyer who understands criminal law deeply. Someone who does not just know the law but understands justice and responsibility. I want to keep learning and growing”.

The rain started outside while I was talking. At first, it was light. Small drops tapping gently against the window. Then it grew louder. The sound filled the room, steady and calming.

He asked me about my courses. About my grades. About how I handled pressure during exams. Each time, I answered as best as I could. I remembered the notes I had revised the night before. I remembered to sit up straight. I remembered to breathe.

As the interview went on, my fear slowly changed shape. It did not disappear, but it softened. I began to feel like myself again. Like a student who belonged here.

Then he leaned back slightly in his chair and closed the file.

He looked at me directly now.

“Why do you want this job?”

The room felt very quiet suddenly. Even the rain sounded far away. This question was different. It was not about practice. It was about truth.

I hesitated for a second. Then I decided to be honest.

“Sir, I need this job. I need this job because I need it to keep my scholarship. It is very important to me. Without it, things will be very difficult for me. I also want this job because I want to learn from you. I admire how you teach and how you practice law. I believe working with you will help me grow in ways I cannot get from books alone”.

As I spoke, my voice softened. My chest felt tight. I hoped he could hear the truth in my words.

For a moment, he did not say anything. He looked down at my file again. The only sound was the rain against the window and the soft hum of the ceiling fan.

Then he spoke.

“I am impressed with your CV, Hana. You are a serious student and that shows”.

My heart jumped at his words.

“Thank you sir”.

He gave a small nod.

“I will get back to you. You can go no.

That was it.

I stood up slowly. My legs felt strange again, like they were unsure. I bowed my head slightly.

“Thank you very much sir”.

I turned and walked out of the office.

The hallway felt brighter even though the sky was dark. The air felt cooler. The rain smell rushed in through the open windows. Wet concrete. Fresh earth. Something clean.

I walked past the other students who were still waiting. Some looked at me with curiosity. Some looked away. I did not stop.

As I stepped outside, the rain hit me fully. It soaked my hair and my clothes within seconds. Students ran past me, laughing and shouting. I did not run. I walked slowly, letting the rain fall.

I did not know my fate.

I did not know if I would get the job or not.

All I knew was that I had done my best.

And as I walked across the wet ground, with the rain washing over me and the gray sky above, I held on to that thought tightly.