3PM Saturday 1 April 2017

The past month in my new environment proved to be more interesting than I had hoped for. Of course, they were no cherubs like the preschoolers in the school but my new students were all enthusiastic and our lessons were never quiet nor boring. Leeteuk, being the charismatic leader that he is, helps to maintain order in class when the members, usually Heechul, are being chaotic. Heechul surprised me. Despite his flamboyant and pretentious persona on stage, he proved to be quite a diligent and promising student. I know I was not to have any favourites but Heechul was slowly climbing up the ranks. Yesung and Shindong were usually the co-operative ones who did not give me a reason to frown while Sungmin and Kyuhyun were taking turns in making my heart race each time we were in class. To say that coming to work was a roller-coaster ride was an understatement. Who needed to go to Everland when working with the legends of Korean pop culture was just as exhilarating?

I was about to enter the lift when I heard someone call for me. Manager Yoo, who was in charge of Super Junior’s schedules. He jogged towards me, handing me a couple of documents from his file as he pressed for the lift.

“Manager Kim and I have decided that a new teaching schedule is necessary from this month onwards.”

Nodding, I followed Manager Yoo to the 5th floor, where their offices were located.

“This month will be a crazy month for the boys. Sungmin’s musical has started and we have just received his schedule for that. Then we have Yesung and his solo and an upcoming concert. Heechul and Leeteuk will still have their weekly recordings.Shindong will be having more activities and our youngest…”

His pause was deliberate and he sounded almost sad.

“Kyuhyun’s enlistment should be next month. The new military rule is enforced and he is the only member left. He has so many things he wants to fit in this month. It’s giving me a headache and all these wrinkles.” Manager Yoo shook his head in frustration, his sad smile not leaving his face.

“How long have you known Kyuhyun Oppa?”

“I’ve worked with the band ever since the accident of 2007. I was the newest manager then and I almost lost my job.”

Manager Yoo looked at the various rosters and schedules on his table, shaking his head again. “Trying to come up with a schedule that won’t kill them is giving me a headache. It’s worse than a Level 100 Sudoku puzzle.”

Nodding sympathetically, I patted the older man’s shoulder and looked at the documents he passed to me earlier.

“Does this mean lesser lessons or do we change the teaching mode?”

“Manager Kim said to leave it up to you but we are thinking of proposing individual sessions instead of a group setting?”

I gave the idea a thought. Individual sessions are usually more productive for students as the teacher can focus her effort in helping each individual student. That was what one side of me was thinking. The other half of me was engaged in a colourful fantasy with a certain member of the group.

For goodness sake, Jung Mina. Get a grip.

Hoping that my voice was not going to betray me, I pursed my lips thoughtfully and nodded. “It’s a good idea. We’ll keep each session to about an hour and this arrangement makes so much more sense.”

“Really? But that means you have to repeat your lessons six times?”

What is repeating your lessons several times when you get to see them Super Junior boys every day of the week?

Grinning at Manager Yoo, I gave him two thumbs up and started to excuse myself. “It’s alright. All part of the job. I’ll leave you to your schedule planning. Just drop me an email when it’s ready!”

The classroom was already occupied by the time I arrived. Kyuhyun, Heechul and Yesung were seated, with their homework compiled on my desk.

“Sungmin’s not coming today but his worksheet is there” Heechul pointed to the neat stack of papers on the table.

Today’s lesson went smoothly, with the usual array of snarky or flirtatious comments from the youngest Super Junior member. One month of knowing him and it was enough practice for me to stop panicking each time he tried to be clever with me. My heart still raced but I had better control of my reactions and always tried to maintain nonchalance.

“Alright, so before you all go. Management has spoken to me regarding this month’s class schedule and from tomorrow onwards, I’ll be seeing all of you one-on-one.”

Heechul wolf-whistled, promptly earning an eye-roll from me.

“I think Manager Yoo will inform you of your new schedules for this month. But for tomorrow, I have Leeteuk Oppa and Shindong Oppa in the morning.” Both men nodded in acknowledgement.

“And Sungmin Oppa, Kyuhyun Oppa, Heechul Oppa and then Yesung Oppa in the afternoon.”

“Does that mean we see you more often now?”

I looked up at Kyuhyun. He was smirking, just a small pouting of the lips; a narrowing of the eyes and tilting of the had. It was subtle but his intention was clear.

“It’s entirely up to Manager Yoo.” I deadpanned. “Although I can request for more lessons with the weaker students if I see the need to.”

Winking at Heechul, I then pointed to the words I had earlier written on the board.

“Tomorrow, it will be an ‘open talk’ session so I’d like all of you to think of a topic that you’d like to share and talk about. I will be asking some questions, so that we can have a discussion, purely in English so it’d be good to prepare something tonight.” Heechul and Kyuhyun both raised their hands and I raised mine, “Let me finish with my instructions, please.”

Heechul lowered his arm while Kyuhyun kept his raised, grinning obstinately.

Shaking my head and ignoring him, I continued. “If you want, you can bring in a script or notes with you but I don’t want you to be reading from the script while you are in front of me. The purpose of tomorrow’s session is not to test your reading skills. It’s for us to have a proper conversation.”

Sighing, I turned to Kyuhyun who was now resting his still-raised left hand on his right. “Yes, Kyuhyun Oppa?”

“Let’s say I am preparing tonight and I need help. Can I call you? We will need your number.”

Before I could reply, Heechul was the one who interjected. “Yah, is that your attempt at asking a girl for her number? That’s pathetic.”

Leeteuk glanced over at his group mates, the corners of his lips fighting a smile, his eyebrows slightly raised. Clearly, he was amused.

“There’s plenty of online resources. I’m sure you know how to use an online dictionary.”

Leeteuk exhaled loudly and reached over to pat Kyuhyun’s shoulder.

“Give up man, you don’t deserve her.”

Kyuhyun kept silent, his fingers twiddling on his desk, his eyes dead set in concentration. Clearing my throat, I tried to regain their attention back and listed out some final reminders. The boys then stood up and began packing their things, with Yesung and Leeteuk exiting the room first. Shindong then bowed in farewell and I was once again left alone with the two sharp-talkers of the group.

Using the tone that I usually use on Little Mayumi and Little Kezia when they were feeling particularly whiny, I patronized the two who were still dilly-dallying. “Come on guys, let's hurry up. Your Mommys are waiting downstairs.”

Heechul pulled a face and zipped his bag while Kyuhyun waited next to him, his eyes on his phone yet a mischievous smile playing on his lips. Both men walked towards the door and I followed behind them, switching off the lights and air-conditioning before exiting the room.

“Aren't you going to lock the door?” Kyuhyun gave me a curious expression, looking as though I was committing a sin for leaving the classroom door unlocked.

“I've never locked the classroom. I wasn't given the key.”

Heechul had already started walking towards the lifts, leaving Kyuhyun behind. I bowed towards Kyuhyun and turned around in the direction of the teachers’ room

“Ah, but you do have the key to my heart.”

There was a momentary pause in my steps as I heard Heechul stifle a laugh. I turned to him and he offered a non-committal shrug. Kyuhyun then walked beside him, his eyes were bright and triumphant as though Christmas came early for him. He gave a small wink, subtle enough for me to wonder if I even imagined it, before turning around to join his Hyung in the lift. Both men wore identical grins and waved at me as the lift doors closed before them. I shook my head. Why was my heart still racing even though I have convinced myself that this was just a prank?