Sunggyu couldn’t believe his luck. He was top in the teacher’s academy prep classes and graduated with a First Class in Mathematics at Seoul National University. Yet here he was, driving his car into a rundown school compound for his first job. His car was easily the nicest thing the school ever had on its grounds. The next best thing was the principal’s crappy 6 years old Toyota scooter.

He had submitted his application for substitute teaching at the top high schools around town and he was almost certain he would get it. So when Hodong High School showed up on the system, he thought it was an error. Yes, his teacher academy instructor said he “had the brightest mind in the cohort despite lacking a dose of compassion”, but surely he didn’t deserve the most notorious school in Seoul? The only things that Hodong boasted were three things: high teacher injury rate (God knows how they were injured), high dropout rate and widest age range of students (since they just kept retaining as they failed).

He realised at once when the principal pulled up his ancient vehicle beside him, that the elderly was not pleased by his presence. Together, the two of them sulked their way to the office.

The misfortune of teaching in a school with little resources and manpower was that even new teachers had to teach on their first day. It’s like war really; you deploy even the weakest soldiers when all you need is just any man to fill up numbers on the battlefield.

The principal, Mr. Jungyeop, passed him his allocation with a grave expression. “It’s unfortunate that their previous homeroom had to take medical leave for half a year. You’ll have to double up as the math teacher as well. Both Yang seonsaeng-nim and Jung seonsaeng-nim broke their arms.” He said with a slight shudder. The principal seemed to have no intention of inducting Sunggyu into the school system at all. Other teachers just gave him looks of pity, but nobody offered to help. Their looks of condolences were confusing the newbie.

Sunggyu took a quick scan of his class’s profile. Three retainees, one of them at his limit of third year running, which meant he was only 2 years younger than Sunggyu himself. Worst scores of the school despite being a seniors class, and had changed a total of 2 math teachers, 4 homerooms and 5 English teachers. Wow.

Sunggyu had an inkling that his car had to do with his situation right now. Well, it shouldn’t be a problem. It’s always the kids that we had to deal with anyway. When the school bell rang for the first period, Sunggyu was ready to conquer his first class with his wits and math. He opened the door to class 3-D1.

The scene that greeted him was shocking. He had expected a chaotic mess of students running around and at least throwing paper balls or something. At least a prank on him? A falling duster? A bag of flour? He would expect no less from the most notorious class of Hodong.

Yet as he opened the door to the class, he was confronted by a class of students seated in upright positions, quietly awaiting his arrival. Their uniforms were neat, desks aligned to almost militaristic standards. The scene was so perfect and silent that it unnerved Sunggyu.

 Maybe it’s not gonna be as bad as I thought after all.

He approached the front of the class and resumed his position as their homeroom. “I’m Kim seonsaeng-nim, and I’ll be your homeroom and math teacher until your teachers return.”

A boy, Lee Howon, who identified himself as the class representative, stood up from his seat at the back of class and prompted everyone to greet Sunggyu.

Again, the bows were angled to such perfection that Sunggyu was taken aback. However, he did feel a strong sense of confidence and pride blooming in him. Well, it seemed that the worst class in Hodong was bowing down to his presence and charm after all. He could get used to that.

He was always used to that anyway.

Sunggyu was about to start his opening monologue when Howon asked, “Seonsaeng-nim, what have you heard about our class?” He has such a sincere and earnest expression that Sunggyu found it hard to recall he was one of the second year retainees.

Nothing? that would make him sound less authoritative though.

Horror stories? He didn’t want to sound like a to his new class.

“All’s good.” Yes, he’ll go with that. Building good rapport with his class. He smiled to the class, and partly to himself for the smart decision.

To his surprise, Howon’s expression morphed into a sly smile that, cute as it was, was totally unexpected. The boy started clapping gradually and just like magic, the class that was seated in uptight positions started relaxing all at once. A group of boys seated near him loosened their ties and took out the comics they had hidden under their desks; a couple of girls took out their make up and started putting them on; some kids plugged their ears in with their music; and a girl seated right at the front took out her sketchbook and continued a drawing she was working on.

Act one was over.

“Seonsaeng-nim, not very well-liked in the staffroom huh?” Howon teased. He had seen through Sunggyu. “Gave you a file with our records and barely talked to you then? Tsk, what are those old idiots doing. Bet they are lazy on welcoming newbies again.”

“Are you even old enough to teach us?” Another student piped up.

“Just leave.”

“He’s cute, let him live a few days.”

The girl who was sketching held up her drawing. Sunggyu was too shocked to be impressed at that point, but it was basically a complete replication of his car on paper, “is this your car?” The girl, whom Sunggyu later identified to be Janelle, asked in a deadpan voice.

“Yes? So?” He was on the brink of insanity.

Janelle turned around and announced, “Yep, point proven.” Howon smiled triumphantly.

“Welcome to class 3-D1, seonsaeng-nim.”

And Sunggyu realised at that point, he had entered hell, and Howon was the devil.

---∞---

He had wanted to avoid this, but Sunggyu had no choice but to dish out detention on his first day. In his attempt to demonstrate his authority in class, or whatever was left of it, he had ordered Janelle and Howon to stay back after school.

And he was now staring at the two teenagers acting, strangely, awkward.

Sunggyu was almost certain that the two were partners in crime to torture teachers, yet when he forced the two to sit themselves side by side for detention, the air was filled with discomfort and uneasiness. Janelle was burying her head in her sketchbook, and Howon had folded his arms across his chest chewing on a piece of gum impatiently.

Sunggyu made a mental note to use this information against these brats some day.

“Seonsaeng-nim, you don’t want to start out like this.” Howon glared at his teacher. Sunggyu’s stare, however, did not falter.

“I don’t need you to teach me how to be a teacher.”

“Pfft. Sure.” Howon rested his case on a mocking tone.

There was a knock on the door and Sunggyu realised it was the principal standing outside with a wearied look. He immediately went to address the old man.

“Just let them go. Howon is too used to detention to care anyway.”

“But sir, what they did was to fool a teacher! They were disrespectful against me!” Sunggyu protested.

“Oh c’mon, don’t be upset over their little tricks. Just think about how to find avoid getting tricked again, Kim seonsaengnim. And ah…speaking of which, there goes the boy.”

Sunggyu turned his head to the direction the principal pointed and needless to say, Howon had his backpack ready and was climbing out of the window. It was handy that their classroom was on the first floor.

Sunggyu dashed only in time to shout from the window at a sprinting Howon, who had almost reached the school gate already. He turned around with a bright grin on his face to address his teacher, “Bye seonsaeng-nim! And oh, just a tip! You might not wanna drive your car tomorrow. Principal hates it that someone drives a better car. See ya!” He gave Sunggyu a wink before heading out of the school compound.

Sunggyu was not sure whether to be impressed by the epic escape or infuriated at being outwitted. He turned around just to see Janelle packing up her belongings.

“Who said you could leave?”

Janelle looked up at Sunggyu with an unamused expression and said, “the principal?”

Sunggyu was so mad he was speechless. He stood there motionless, trying to calm himself of the overwhelming fury. The girl ignored his silent breakdown and headed for the door.

“Oh seonsaeng-nim,” Janelle called out to him just as she reached the door.

“What?” He managed a reply through clenched teeth and seething anger.

“Just saying. Nobody becomes a real teacher to us unless they pass the Nam Woohyun test.” And with that, she left the classroom for good.

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