Chapter Seven

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Kahi paced around the Headmistress’ office, trying to fully grasp what had happened earlier. It came off as a real shock to her as she tried to explain over and over again to the headmistress that everything happened in a spur that she hardly had any time to prevent it from happening. Kahi was grateful that she spun around just in time or she would have been presented with a bruised face by now.

“Are you sure it wasn’t you?” Kangta frowned, throwing a glance at the lady who was walking back and forth. “You’ve always had a temper vast enough to explode things,”

“I freeze objects, not blow them into smithereens!” Kahi snapped in return, hands cocked at her hips. “And what did you meant about that last sentence?”

Kangta immediately threw two hands up in surrender. “Nothing. Ignore me if you may.”

Kahi narrowed her eyes at him just as the headmistress cleared . “Well, maybe Sooyoung-sshi’s ability is to…blow objects up?”

“But her mother and grandmother and everyone else from her line were empaths,” Kangta said in confusion. “Or could she have inherited that ability from her father?”

Kahi and the headmistress exchanged a glance before the latter shrugged and said; “Maybe.”

“Do you two…know something that I don’t?” Kangta raised a brow, obviously realizing the secret glance the two ladies had exchanged. “Like maybe the identity of Saeyoung’s husband?”

 “Nothing you should know that you haven’t already known, Kangta-sshi.” Mrs. Jung said after a long pause.

“What do you reckon we should do, gyojang-nim?” Kahi changed the subject easily, avoiding the frown Kangta was giving her. “Do you think we should observe her a little while longer before assigning a star ranking for her?”

Mrs. Jung nodded her head in agreement. “Yes, maybe you can even give her extra lessons, Kangta-sshi? At least to confirm what ability she truly possesses.”

“Sure,” Kangta nonchalantly agreed. “I can do that.”

“And Kahi-sshi, maybe you can continue to observe her from afar and make sure she doesn’t run into trouble since she’s at a disadvantage here. I’m slightly concern that the other students might take this chance to bully her…”

“I highly doubt Saeyoung’s daughter would be a victim to such act,” Kahi said monotonously, “But sure, I will keep an eye on her.”

“Good.” Mrs. Jung said with a smile. “Now can you two please call Sooyoung who is waiting outside to come in? I would like to have a word with her.”

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Sooyoung’s eyes never left the rows of photographs hung against the wall in the corridor of the Headmistress’ office. Rather than worrying if she would get into trouble for destroying a school property (if that was even her in the first place), she was instead, preoccupied with staring at all the photographs of certain alumni of Aeradias.  There was one frame that particularly drew her attention though; the oak coloured frame on the third row, fifth column from the left.

It was a photograph of five female students smiling brightly into the camera. Two of them in a squatting position with peace signs, and three standing, their arms around each other. The caption of the photograph which read ‘Honors Students, Class 1994’ gleamed under the orange bulb, and Sooyoung felt her heart do a back flip. She peered closer and squinted her eyes for a better look at the slightly faded photograph, her eyes transfixed at two particular students; the one standing in the middle and the one to her left.

Sure, it was eighteen years ago, but Sooyoung was certain that the girl in the middle was none other than the scary Park Kahi—who, Sooyoung has to admit, does not look anything like she was at the current moment. The Park Kahi in the photograph was different; wide smile, eyes that shone brightly, hands tightly wrapped around both girls on either her sides…

‘She was happy,’ Sooyoung concluded. 'Clearly something happened two years after that,’ she added in her mind. Something which resulted to the then no-nonsense teacher she so feared at the very moment.

And then Sooyoung stared at the girl to Kahi’s left, and she realized the uncanny resemblance of herself to that girl. She could almost feel herself tearing up, her hands reaching out to trace the figure of the girl she knew was her mother.

‘So this was how mother looked like eighteen years ago,’ Sooyoung thought. ‘And she was even in the honor roll.”

She was deep in her thoughts that she did not realized Kahi had called her name twice from the door leading to the Headmistress’ room. Kahi walked towards her and her steps gradually slowed down when she noticed what Sooyoung was looking at. Inevitably, Kahi bit her bottom lip as she avoided looking at the rows of photographs on the wall. “Sooyoung,” She said in her usual monotonous voice when she halted beside the occupied girl. “The headmistress wants to see you. Go on in.”

Sooy