The MC is not without flaws, the way she discriminates academically is frustrating. But you slowly come to realize that so much of her behaviour is due to her mother's influence. I can feel the character developing, she comes to realize how narrow-minded she was as well.

I like seeing her struggle to achieve her goal. I admired her dedication, and in the long run, I discovered that there's a reason why she is the way she is. Turns out, her mother keeps breathing down her neck about her studies. Denying any sort of entertainment she could have, even refusing to let her listen to English songs even when she studied for English. This created a gap in her knowledge. There was a time she failed something because she wasn't familiar with pop culture.

She maximizes her time to study, even during mealtime and physical education classes. Turns out, she used to love being active, playing badminton, running track, etc. If I remember (and read the MTL) correctly, she won a sports competition during junior high. When she went on to a top senior high, she was asked where she graduated. People kept on saying to her, 'Never heard of it.' She was ecstatic when someone said they had heard of it before. Only to hear how they are of ill-repute and how a lot of the students were gangsters. They doubted her ability and insinuated that it was only by a stroke of luck that she was accepted into No. 3 Middle School. She resolved then and there that she would prove them wrong.

I like how reading her story felt like opening a matryoshka doll. When I thought I knew of her, the author reveals another hidden side to her character. I sympathized with her while I watched on as she tried her best and still failed. She spent all her life learning to be independent; she didn't know how to ask for help when she struggled. It's like watching a child grow up when she achieves enlightenment and changes for the better. If it wasn't obvious, she really grew on me.

It's not the best story there is, and it might be too naive and shallow for some of you, but something about this novel struck a chord within me. Goodness knows how I hated it when I was nearing the end of the story. I was sad and crying when she got ripped out of her environment for the second time. When she returned to the present, nobody knew of the friendships and memories she made along the way. (I really hate this kind of torture, it reminds me of two other novels I read that ended this way.) Her classmates actually remember what happened, which turns out to be the same as what she experienced, except she was the only missing person in the story.

I really recommend this story to everyone. Give it a try for at least 10 chapters to see if it's your cup of tea. The main characters are likable, the side characters are interesting, and you can read the whole in one sitting.

I am not satisfied with the ending. I was screaming in excitement deep in my heart when the leads met again in the real timeline. They have this chemistry between them that seems really natural and well-paced. The ML didn't fall for the FL instantly. I like how he disliked her at first, then appreciated her good sides when he started observing her. He thinks she's cold on the outside but hot on the inside. He knows that she will agree to his requests if he continues to pester and beg her. I like how she tries to be patient when he keeps asking questions about their studies when he doesn't get it (because of a story he once said, go read the story if you're curious!). I like how their relationship got better because of the little compromises and letting themselves get to know the other person. There actually isn't a lot of dog food, but I really like the progression of their relationship. There's more to the story than what I have written here, so please give this a try, then maybe you might come to like this novel the way I did.