It takes a warm-hearted teacher named Bang YongGuk to look past the tantrums of a misunderstood student: Choi JunHong.

Bang YongGuk was so nervous that as he walked down the hallway to the classroom he tripped over his tied laces and fell flat on his face. He laid there for a good minute contemplating whether or not he should get up and when he finally did he wasn’t sure if he could force his feet forward. They seemed to want to spin 180 degrees and take him right back to the staff room.

He had never taught teenagers before and the thought absolutely petrified him. Elementary school children were right up his alley – not as helpless as preschoolers but not yet as defiant as teens. He had accepted (or rather been forced to accept) a promotion due to the retirement of the former teacher and now here he was, walking towards his doom.

When he arrived at the right door he tenderly turned the knob and stepped into the classroom. Boys and girls alike stopped their chatter and turned to look at him. A few of the girls giggled and nudged their friends as he made his way to the big desk at the front of the room.

“Good morning,” he started. “I’m your new teacher, Bang YongGuk. You can call me Mr. Bang.”

YongGuk wrote his name on the board then cleared his throat awkwardly and looked at the class. He could tell they were all sizing him up, trying to decide whether he was a pushover or strict. Maybe if he could give the impression of having a backbone they wouldn’t give him any trouble, he thought. His deep voice should help in that department.

“I’ll take attendance –”

A loud slam sounded as the door to the classroom was pushed open so hard it bounced of the wall. A tall, pale boy wearing all black and with perfectly tousled magenta hair stalked into the classroom and to the only empty seat in the back corner. He sat angrily (YongGuk didn’t even know that was possible) and immediately turned his attention to the window. This was exactly what YongGuk feared. The boy was seething and he had no idea how to deal with it – he didn’t even know if he should deal with it.

“Ah...like I was saying before I’ll take attendance now...”

The boy’s head snapped toward him and YongGuk thought he may just have noticed the presence of his new teacher. YongGuk had his attention for maybe two seconds before he was back to staring out the window.

The nervous teacher began calling the names for attendance and everything was going swimmingly until he called.

“Choi JunHong?”

No answer.

“Choi JunHong?”

YongGuk watched everyone’s heads swivel to the seething boy.

“Choi JunHong?” YongGuk called louder.

“What?” the magenta-haired boy asked, obviously annoyed.

“I’m doing the roll call...” YongGuk said, hoping the boy would just say ‘here’ and leave it at that.

“I can see that. Do you think I’m stupid?”

YongGuk gulped.

“No, I certainly don’t. I just need you to clarify that you are you, and you are here.”

“It’s pretty damn obvious I’m here. That doesn’t make any sense,” the boy retorted.

The class tittered at his language and looked from the teacher to the student.

“In case you haven’t noticed, I’m new,” YongGuk explained. “I don’t know your name. If you are Choi JunHong, could you acknowledge that? If not I’ll move on and mark him as absent.”

The boy glowered at him before answering.

“I am Choi JunHong. Unfortunately...” He muttered the last part but YongGuk was satisfied and continued with the attendance.

He began to teach the lesson, stopping to ask questions here and there. Then he decided to drop a pop quiz. The entire class groaned but he assured them that they were sure to pass as long as they had been listening. He passed out the quizzes then sat and listened to the hurried yet gentle sounds of pencils scratching against paper.

His eyes slid to JunHong who wasn’t writing at all. He really didn’t want to single him out so he decided to casually patrol the aisles and then stop at his desk so it didn’t seem too obvious.

“How is the quiz?” YongGuk tried to ask as casually as possible.

JunHong picked up the paper and handed it to him.

“I have better things to be doing than wasting my time with this crap,” he said to YongGuk, looking him straight in the eyes.

YongGuk took the quiz and saw that JunHong had completed it with every answer correct. He couldn’t help but smile. It made him so happy when his students did well.

“You think I’m joking?” JunHong asked loudly, misinterpreting YongGuk’s happy smile for a mocking one.

Every pencil stopped and the room became silent. Before YongGuk could explain himself JunHong kicked his desk away and strode through the aisle. YongGuk turned just in time to see him shove his books off the teacher’s desk and exit the classroom.

The new teacher blinked in surprise then quickly headed out of the classroom.

“JunHong!” he shouted at the boy’s retreating back. “JunHong!”

JunHong clenched his fists and kept walking but YongGuk didn’t give up. He ran after him until JunHong spun around angrily and shouted in his face.

“What do you want?”

“If you leave I’ll have to contact the principal and I really don’t want to do that, JunHong...”

“Like I haven’t been to him before,” JunHong said, rolling his eyes.

“That’s not the point. Why are you upset? I was smiling because you got full marks on that quiz,” YongGuk told him.

“You don’t need to explain yourself –”

“I do.”

JunHong frowned at the man in front of him and narrowed his eyes as he surveyed him.

“I’m sure you would look a lot more handsome if you smiled instead of scowling all the time,” YongGuk said.

To his surprise, JunHong actually blushed but tried to hide it by deepening his scowl.

“You should keep your mouth shut,” JunHong threatened. “You could get in trouble for saying stuff like that. You’re a teacher.”

YongGuk couldn’t help but chuckle.

“I wasn’t making a pass at you; I was just telling the truth. Will you come back to class?”

“...No...and everyone in there is probably cheating so you should get back to class.”

“Very well,” YongGuk surrendered, “I guess I’ll see you tomorrow, JunHong. I hope you’ll be in a better mood.”

“I never am,” the boy said, smirking bitterly.

YongGuk let him walk away then exhaled heavily. He had exceeding patience but such encounters still wore him out. When he opened the door to the classroom it went silent which meant everyone had been talking and most likely discussing the quiz.

“Why did you go after JunHong?” a girl asked. “You’re just wasting your time. He doesn’t listen to anyone.”

YongGuk shrugged.

“No one is a waste of time. I’m going to scrap the quiz, by the way, so you can pass them back and they won’t be marked.”

“You don’t trust us?” a boy asked.

“Well...I don’t know you all yet so...no.”

The class exploded with cries of indignation and YongGuk couldn’t help but laugh at their childish behaviour.

***

The next day JunHong wasn’t in school and class actually went quite well for YongGuk. The kids seemed to be warming up to him more already. They thought he was relatable since he was young and he in turn enjoyed their company. At the end of the day he assigned homework and realized that JunHong would miss out on a grade if he didn’t receive it.

“Would any of you like to volunteer to take JunHong’s homework to him?” YongGuk asked, brandishing a prepared folder.

Suddenly eyes were everywhere but on him and he let out a little sigh. He should have expected nothing less.

“Very well, then. I’ll see you all tomorrow.”

The students rushed off before he could catch any of them and YongGuk headed to the tall filing cabinet in the staff room. He located JunHong’s file, catching a glimpse of straight A’s,  and found his address. He drove to the address and pulled into the parking lot of a decent-looking apartment building. He found JunHong’s door and knocked.

The door swung open to reveal a tired-looking JunHong clad in a wifebeater and basketball shorts.

“What are you doing here?” he asked immediately.

“I brought your homework,” YongGuk said, holding out the folder.

JunHong snorted but took the folder. YongGuk stood outside the door awkwardly, not quite sure how to leave.

“Want some tea?” JunHong asked suddenly.

“T-tea?” YongGuk asked, startled.

“Yes, tea,” JunHong said, rolling his eyes. “It’s a hot beverage that some people enjoy –”

“Sure, sure,” YongGuk accepted.

JunHong smirked and stepped aside to let YongGuk in. It was a nice, little place. It was very clean and tidy and had the air of a nice middle-aged woman living in it. YongGuk followed JunHong to the kitchen and sat at the round, table in the centre while his student put the kettle on. He looked utterly bored and YongGuk felt that he was imposing.

“You don’t have to –”

“My mom would shave my head if she knew someone came by and I didn’t give them tea,” JunHong explained as he ran his hand through his hair that he obviously cherished.

YongGuk chuckled and made a mental note that JunHong respected his mother.

“Um...I’m sorry about the way I was yesterday...I wasn’t thinking straight...” JunHong muttered, his cheeks turning a bit red.

“Apology accepted,” YongGuk said genuinely.

JunHong nodded awkwardly and eyed the kettle that was yet to produce a sound.

“Why weren’t you in school today?” YongGuk asked.

A scowl returned to JunHong’s face and he shrugged. YongGuk decided to leave it at that. They both heard the sound of a distant cough from somewhere within the house and JunHong sprinted off down a hallway. The kettle began to whistle and YongGuk quickly got up and shut it off.

He could hear JunHong’s voice down the hallway, sounding as though he was trying to persuade someone. But what really struck JunHong’s teacher was the gentle tone he was using. After a few minutes, JunHong emerged from the hallway without an explanation and began to prepare the tea.

“Is there someone else here?” YongGuk asked.

JunHong ignored him and took a mug of tea with him down the hallway and returned empty-handed.

“My little brother is sick,” JunHong said shortly. “He’s been sick for a while.”

“Did you stay home to take care of him?” YongGuk asked.

JunHong nodded.

“My mom works a lot – but she has to,” he added quickly, as though to take away blame. “She’s home when she can be.”

YongGuk nodded slowly as JunHong set the tea in front of him and sat opposite his teacher.

“Don’t get that sorry look on your face – I’m fine,” JunHong muttered.

“I’m not sorry for you,” YongGuk said. “I think you’re a good brother and going through this will only make you a better person.”

JunHong blinked in surprise and looked at his teacher.

“Th-thank you,” JunHong said. “You know...you’re not like any other teacher I’ve had. Why are you being so nice?

YongGuk shrugged and couldn’t help but smile.

“I wasn’t aware that I was being overly nice.”

JunHong rolled his eyes then nodded at the tea.

“Is it ok?”

“It’s perfect. Very calming.”

There was a lull in the conversation and JunHong got up to check on his brother. He returned with the empty mug and a smile on his face that YongGuk hadn’t seen before.

“He drank it all and kept it down,” JunHong said happily. His mood had changed instantly.

“If you need to stay home,” YongGuk said, “I can continue to bring your homework for you.”

“Really?” JunHong asked. “But that’s such a hassle...I’ll probably just repeat –”

“No need for that,” YongGuk said firmly. “I’m sure I can work something out. I looked at your grades and you’re a really good student. I’m sure an exception can be made.”

“Why are you –”

“I don’t think your education should suffer because you’re being a good son and brother,” YongGuk said then drained his tea. “There’s no reason you should repeat. I’ll make sure of it.”

JunHong stood a little stunned with his brother’s mug still hanging from his fingers.

“Thank you...”

He didn’t know what else to say.

“You can repay me by continuing to do well,” YongGuk said with a smile.

JunHong nodded and YongGuk stood from the table. JunHong followed his teacher to the door and opened it for him.

“Really...thank you for helping me...” JunHong said, turning a little red at what he was about to say. “I...I was thinking of dropping out...so if it wasn’t for you...um...” He cleared his throat awkwardly and looked nowhere in particular.

He wasn’t used to thanking people – at least not genuinely.

“You’re welcome, JunHong. I’ll see you tomorrow?” YongGuk asked hopefully.

“Yes, I’ll be here,” JunHong said, nodding.

“And if you ever need help with anything or if there’s anything you don’t understand, you can ask me, ok?”

JunHong nodded again and YongGuk smiled at his student. JunHong had a lot on his shoulders but he was still a teenager in high school; and YongGuk was willing to help him through those years as much as he could.

It's been almost a month, I know! Sorry for the long break ;______; *tries to balance school and life*

And thanks to Daisuke-san! Your comment on the last chapter somehow sparked this ^_^

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