“Are you sure you are not going to change your mind anymore?” The old man sighed. He faced the tall windows overlooking the whole school. He didn’t dare face his daughter, lest he suddenly change his mind. “I will do it, I can so don’t stop me anymore Pa. Neh?” the grown woman who still acts like a young child in front of his father, walked closer to the old man and wrapped her arms around him making the old man admit defeat. “What else can I do…? I’m powerless when it’s you.” She chuckled, knowing that she just won against her father. “Thanks pa! Do you know I love you?” The old man just smiled and tapped her daughter’s hand. It will be hard he knows, but she won’t be alone.

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First day of school in Running Man High, it was pretty normal for the exclusive all boys boarding school. The freshmen are loitering around making new friends and trying to make good impressions. The sophomores are getting excited being not the youngest anymore. The juniors are hanging around together worrying about everything. And the seniors are just confidently doing what others won’t dare to do.

Students are grumbling about going to school, the wealthy are showing where they went on vacation, some are talking about the girls in the nearby school, others are complaining about teachers and life, and a strange rumor is floating among them.

“Have you heard?”

“What?”

“There’s a new teacher.”

“So?”

“It’s a ma’am… a new lady teacher!”

“Really? Is she pretty?”

Another group of famous boys just snickered as they heard the rumor. Some believed, some hoped and others just laughed about it. Others predicted it is an old hag like the school nurse. A group of seniors held a freshman hostage and was trying to squeeze information about the strange rumor.

The pretty boys who act like girls are terrified to lose their boyfriends to the new teacher. The boyfriends tend to their naggings, assuring them it’s just a rumor and there are no way an all boys school will ever have woman teachers.

The faculty room is restless too. The teachers are busily arranging furniture instead of preparing their lectures. Married ones are just gossiping about cars, sports and women. Among them, a stranger rumor is being whispered.

“Is she a daughter of someone in the board?”

“Why would a young female teacher go here?”

“Is she someone’s mistress?”

“Is she the real heir of this school?”

“You think she is single?”

A shy man entered the room and all eyes darted on his direction. He bowed and greeted the others before carefully making his way to his table, carefully so he won’t bump and hurt anyone. He smiled at his colleague beside him. “Hyung, why is everyone like this? It’s like someone important is coming or something.” The older one chuckled and pulled the younger closer. “Yah, you… do you live in the mountains or something? Someone’s daughter from the board or executives is coming to teach here. A woman teacher in an all boy’s school. Crazy right?” The younger one just kept silent as his hyung blabber away about the rose among the thorns.

The bell rang and all the students went into their classrooms to wait for their teachers. Everyone is fervently praying that the new teacher rumor is true. They all wished that she would be the one who’ll enter their classroom’s door.

A black car silently entered the school grounds. It is smoothly parked at the back of the school and anyone who’s looking would have guessed it was a professional racer, driving. The engine died and and the door opened. A woman went down the car and went straight to the administration building. There was no one in sight since the school bell has already rang. She straightened her medium length skirt and adjusted her blazer. She hugged her bag and wished herself good luck.

The long corridor leading to the principal’s office is spotless and gleaming. There was just a long narrow corridor, which reminded her of a hospital. She entered a room, smiling. A handsome receptionist greeted her warmly. “Good morning! You are Song Ji hyo right?” She shyly nodded while she took the man’s hand and shook it. “Neh I am Song Ji hyo, the new history professor.”

“Haha I am Ji Jin hee, nice to meet you ma’am. Just go inside, the principal is waiting for you.” He walked her to the door and opened it for her. Ji hyo admired the sleek and modern interior of the office. The walls are mounted with traditional Korean paintings. A large oak table in the middle caught her eye, stacks of paper are neatly place on top of it. There are books everywhere. A comfy looking set of loungers can be found in a corner.  It was very clean and posh but she can’t find the principal.

Another small door leading to the conference room opened and a small man appeared. Seeing him Ji hyo immediately stood up and bowed to him. “Good morning Go Dong Wan principal. I am Song Ji hyo the new history teacher. They told me you’ll be the one who will brief me.” She walked to him and offered her hand in which he dismissed lightly. The man frowned but still tried his best to look unconcerned.

“Neh, miss Song Ji hyo. I already assigned your class and your co teacher will help you around here. Honestly I am not really keen on having you here for obvious reasons.” Ji hyo knows it won’t be easy but she just bit her lower lip and continued to smile. “Neh sir, I know but I am a professional so I’ll handle it. Thank you for your concern.”

“Okay while we are waiting for him, seat down.” They both sat face to face in the lounger. The door opened and Ji Jin hee entered, bringing in a tray of tea. He carefully put it in the table. He glanced at Ji hyo and winked making Ji hyo smile. She felt thankful to Jin hee for making the tension vanish. He left and they had tea silently.

“As I was saying Miss Song, I am against this but I can’t do anything now, can I? You are a woman, but still you insist on being here, well there is another lady nurse in here but other than that… anyway you probably know more about this school than me but I still have to brief you. You see Running Man High is an exclusive all boys boarding school. We don’t accept excellent students but make them, so you don’t really expect everyone to be a genius here. The school specializes on sports and has produced athletes Korea is proud of like Park Ji sung and Kim Seo hee, and Park Tae Hwan. The students go to class from 8:00 to 4:00; they do study hall and training from 5:00 to 8:00 then go to their dorms for dinner. Each dorm has their own schedules under each head. You are assigned in class 2-C, you will also help manage the newly built sophomore dorm with Mr.…” the door opened again and a well-built man entered. He bowed courteously, avoiding any eye contact. “Good morning principal Go Dong Wan. You called for me?” The principal finally smiled seeing the muscled man.

“Oh neh, Miss Song this is Mr. Kim. He will help you around and you’ll be his assistant in the new dorm. I have already talked to him and he will take care of you.” Ji hyo smiled at the man but he didn’t even look at her. That’s strange, I have just met three people and only one seems friendly. What’s wrong with them? However, despite those thoughts Ji hyo just smiled. She stood up and offered her hand to Mr. Kim.

“Good morning, I am Song Ji hyo the new history teacher.” Mr. Kim looked at her hand hesitated, and then shook it timidly. He tried to smile but it looked more like a wince.  “Neh, I am Kim Jong kook, the PE teacher. Let’s go.” The two bowed to the principal and left.

Jong kook can’t believe what’s happening. A week ago, he went to the school to check on sports equipments and he heard the rumor that there will be a new teacher. Then the principal personally asked him to take care of it. He didn’t think much and just accepted, thinking that it was nothing big. Now that he is walking beside her, he knows it will be a big deal. He sneaked a glance at her and wondered why a beautiful woman would even want to be a teacher. She could have been a model or an actress but there she is silently walking with him. He tried to find his voice, knowing that he should brief her and not glance at her as if she’s some exhibit.

“Ah, Miss Song, this place is the admin building and the faculty is just on the top floor. The building on our right houses the study hall and the library. That path besides the study hall is where the classrooms are. This park in front of us leads to the front part of the school, it also connects us from here to the dorms. So when you walk in this park, turning left in the middle will take you to the dorm, going straight leads you in front and turning right will lead you to the gym and the courts.” They stopped for a bit to look at the park. Ji hyo thought it was so beautiful and it is why she loves the place.

 They turned right walking in a covered path lined with tress. They walked until they reached the old brick building which houses the classrooms. The building is four floors high; it is u-shaped with a wide courtyard in the middle. It is in contrast with the modern design of the administration building with its renaissance design. Another brick building just beside where they are houses facilities for arts and sciences. Ji hyo also knows that further in her left leads to a pavilion where students can rest and eat.

The students are all inside the rooms now and no one knows that the rumored teacher is now walking in the grounds. Class 3-A the door opened and the students prayed in anticipation. A male teacher entered and the boys groaned in protest. “Oh why are your faces like that? By the way good morning class, I am Ji suk Jin, let’s all have a nice year, neh?” but he never got any response.

Jong kook stopped walking in front of a classroom. The sign says ‘2-C’, if Ji hyo was so cool a while ago, now she feels as if her heart would burst out from her chest. She placed her hand on the door and breathed deeply.

Jong kook knows that the new teacher is getting nervous. He doesn’t know if there was a mistake or if the principal purposely placed her on that class, but he can already see that she’s going to go through a lot of hard times. He smiled as he whispered, “Good luck Miss Song…” Ji hyo nodded to him surprised that the man can actually smile. She opened the door and went in class 2-C.

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Not really a great chapter to start it haha sorry for the boring stuff. Jong kook is now Miss Mong’s buddy teacher so wait for the Spartace moments because they are coming. Thanks for reading XD

*just a fun activity for all of us… I’ll be using a lot of familiar names so look for them all haha XD*