Okay since they’re soulmates right, my theory is that all these “unfortunate incidents” are just intended to make sure that Hongkibara & Yeon-ah stay in each others lives. If he’d gone to nationals they probably would’ve never spoken to each other again, but instead because of his injury, they ended up at the same school. It’s little stuff like that that’s been sprinkled in through the story that makes me think the universe is intentionally trying to keep them together.