Monday

This was not going to work. Yeon Hee looked up when she heard Hae Sook stutter again, her face blushing as she trembled with the piece of paper in her hands. And that was happening for almost 40 minutes now. She is being like this even if it's only me here. This was going to be more challenging than she originally expected. Yeon Hee crossed her legs and raised her pen in the air interrupting her Hae Sook's speech.

„ That is unecessary. The speech needs to be short and memorable. Can you tell me why?“ Teacher Yeon Hee. Oh, Lord her father would have a field day with this one.

„ There w-will be children a-around and they d-don't have patience to listen to a long s-speech.“ Smart girl. Yeon Hee nodded and bit her pen again, thinking about her next words.

„  Your version is a little too serious. This is a serious event, a charity project, but it also needs to be more lighearted. Full of hope. Endearing in a way. Something in the lines of..... hopefully with your help these children will be able to enjoy an adventure in the amusement park of their own....

„ All because of the k-kindness of your heart?“ Hae Sook finished, looking at her with hope in her eyes. Yeon Hee clapped her hands a little and smiled.

„ Very good. Ego boosting and sensitive. Not bad.“ Hae Sook nodded at the praise, blushing again while writing that last sentence down. Yeon Hee looked through her notes still biting her pen, seeing what she had written in the last 45 minutes. Scared of public speaking. Can't control her fear. May drift off in the speech. She frowned a little, thinking thoroughly about her options. Hae Sook coughed and started speaking again, her shaky silent voice almost unnoticeable in the empty meeting room, even if they were all alone.Yeon Hee had managed to get the principal to give them time to practice and Mister Park was almost thrilled to have her out of English saying that she was only there to make the other students feel bad anyway. But even though they were given time and space, the progress was slow and Yeon Hee was surprised to see how much Hae Sook was unprepared for this kind of public speaking. The mere thought of holding the speech in front of people made her blushing and stuttering worse. The problem wasn't the speech itself, it could be written fast- with their teamwork it could be written under an hour. But the problem was the obvious insecurity of the person who should be giving the speech. With one ear listening to the sentences Hae Sook uttered, Yeon Hee was shaking her head at the ones she deemed unecessary while her mind was overflowing with the thoughts.

20 days isn't a long time to get through her fears and insecurity.. But....there might be a way. She seemed similar to Ji An in a certain way. Ji An was a drama queen but she was cute and kind and the only person who could balance Yeon Hee's evil ways and Soo Ae's know it all attitude. But no matter how kind she was, when she got angry enough she could be scarier than Yeon Hee. If she felt pushed enough and if someone she cared about was being threatened she would turn into a beast. Yeon Hee supressed the snickering at the memories flooding her mind. Oh, yeah, a very entertaining beast. She raised her eyebrow at the cute girl in front of her, who was gripping the paper tightly, her lips shaking as she said the words. I wonder if you work on the same principle. If I push you, will you push back? She slightly tapped her fingers on the surface on the table, her mind split between listening to the girl and her own thoughts. But how far can I push you? We are working on a limited time frame, but she is way to sweet and kind to be handled roughly as her colleagues in the debate club. Like that time everybody but two newbies and herself fell victim to a horrible cold and she had a week to prepare them for a competition. Were there tears involved? Yes, a lot of them, while Yeon Hee pushed them to the brink of madness. But one of them is her vicepresident now and the other moved to USA last year to become a leader of her own debate team. She got their backbone out and now she has to do the same with the girl in front of her. The speech can be written in an hour. But no matter how good the speech is, the person who delivers it has to own it. Where to start? Where to begin looking for her backbone?

„ Hae Sook, sit down for a moment please.“ The girl jumped in surprise, avoiding Yeon Hee's gaze. 

„ I am sorry I am d-disappointing you, sunbaenim.“ Oh, Lord Jesus.

„ You shouldn't care about that at all. The only person you should worry about disappointing is yourself.“ She nodded but obviously not understanding the meaning of Yeon Hee's words. Yeon Hee sighed while standing up and starting to walk around the room. Information. She has to build her a mental profile so she knows where to start. She already knew she was smart, very kind but also incredibly shy. But on the other hand no matter how shy she was, she was able to think of this idea and pitch it to the principal and to the room of seniors during a brain storm. She looked at the girl, who was looking down at the table, rereading what they wrote of the speech. There is something about her Yeon Hee liked. She wasn't weak. But her strength was hidden, buried behind that stuttering. The need to help her was overwhelming and not just for the speech. Weird. It's been a long time since she genuinely liked a person and wanted to take her under her wing. But the girl had something captivating in her. She just needed to get it out.

„ How did you think of the idea for this charity?“ Yeon Hee asked, still walking around. Hae Sook raised her head in surprise and confusion.

„ S-sunbaenim?“

„ Just answer me please. Why did you think of the Park Institute? Why did you want to do this?“ Hae Sook gripped her arms, a sure sign she was nervous.

„ I just....I just w-wanted to help.“ Try again.

„ I don't doubt that, but there is something more isn't it?“ There must be, if she defeated her timid nature to propose it to the school. Hae Sook nodded, now sliding her hands down her arms like she was trying to keep herself warm.

„ My cousin died of l-leukemia when I was 14. He was s-supposed to have his whole life in front of him. But before he left us...we m- managed to get him to go to his favourite basketball team to see them winning a tournament. He was so happy when we did it. I still r-remember how he thanked us before closing his eyes. I just...I just wanted to raise money so o-other children c-can see what makes them happy too, even if it they don't have so much time left.“ Yeon Hee stopped in her tracks, looking at the girl. So kind. So good. Too kind sometimes. She continued to walk, her mind spinning ideas. Now there is motive. She wants this. She is passionate about this. There is desire and bravery in that. Good. All very good. Yeon Hee can use that to her advantage.

„ I am sorry for your loss.“ Hae Sook smiled at her slightly.

„ Thank you. I am sure he would be h-happy to see me doing this.“ Indeed he would. Hae Soo gripped the little golden cross around her neck.

„ I am s-sure he is happy to see this. He would look after me, even in death.“ Religious? Not expecting that one. Yeon Hee herself was not religious, but she could understand the appeal it could have for some people.

„ Why are you se nervous when you have to speak in public?“ Hae Sook looked up in confusion, releasing her cross. The mental profile was getting built in Yeon Hee's mind. Kind. Smart. Passionate. Likes children. Wants to help people. Innocent. Naive. But Yeon Hee needed more to get her started.

„ I-I don't know really. It was always like t-this, even when I was little and had to hold presentation when I was a k-kid. I just...the other kids mocked me because I would blush and stutter, so it became even worse. Since then I feared everytime I-I had to do it because I k-knew it was going to happen.“ Fear of humiliation. Fear of embarrassment. She can deal with that, it was hardly unexpected. But obvious. There had to be more to it.

„ But there is more, isn't there?“ Hae Sook, nodded before looking down at the paper in front of her.

„ I just s-sometimes feel like people are n-not interested in what I have to s-say. I am afraid they will think I am boring. Or stupid.“ Insecurity.  Fear of rejection. She saw the profile in her head and she pressed her lips thinking of the approach she was going to take. Now to work through all of these....it can be quite a journey.To get her to accept that she is a special girl, worth listening to. Hae Sook's next words surprised Yeon Hee, interrupting her thoughts.

„ I w-wish I could be m-more like you, sunbaenim. You are not a-afraid of anything. You are never insecure.“ Yeon Hee raised her eyebrows and approached her quickly before flicking her forehead.

„ Ouch, sunbaenim!“

„ Don't compare yourself to anyone, including me. Don't ever look at anybody and wish you had what they had, if you can be the best possible version of you.“ Hae Sook was still rubbing her forehead, pouting in pain.

„ But still, you are never left s-speechless. You are just....so brave. So c-confident. I wish I could learn to be like you.“

„  We all have moments when we aren't so confident. Or brave. Even I.“ Hae Sook widened her eyes in surprise as Yeon Hee continued to walk with her arms crossed while Hae Sook was leaning on the table, still rubbing her forehead. Where to start? Where to aim now? Think, think, think demon...

„ If you could speak without blushing and stuttering, what would you do?“

„ I w-would talk to people normally. I wouldn't be afraid to speak up....to ask...“Yearning. There was yearning in that ask. Yeon Hee raised her eyebrow at the girl. Don't tell me....

„ Tell me, Hae Sook, are you going to the Sweetheart dance?“ The girl suddenly dropped the paper on the floor, her eyes widened in shock.

„ N-no, sunbaenim.“

„ Why not?“ Yeon Hee asked, leaning on the wall across from her. Hae Sook fumbled with the paper before picking it up.

„ I-I....just didn't want to.“ Liar. So it is like that. A boy. You like someone. That is her ticket to Hae Sook's backbone.

„ Is there someone special you want to ask but you are too afraid to ask?“ The girl jumped up while staring at her, already starting to blush again.

„ How..how..?“ Girl, come on. I am reading you like an open book over here.

„ Why didn't you ask him?“ Hae Sook mumbled her answer under her breath.

„ I d-don't think he would accept. He is very p-popular. Many girls like him. And....I am pretty s-sure he likes someone as well.“

„ Is he with that person?“

„ N-no.“

„ So if he is not taken and is still available, you  still won't ask him? What does that girl have that you don't have?“ Hae Sook smiled while shaking her head.

„ If I were him, I would also like her. She is p-pretty amazing.“ Yeon Hee pouted a little, furrowing her eyebrows at the girl.

„ Now you are making me jealous, Hae Sook. I thought I was the only sunbae you thought was amazing. Oh, my poor broken heart.“ Hae Sook raised her head in surprise and tried to speak again but Yeon Hee waved her hand, gesturing her to keep quiet. So fear of rejection, humiliation, insecurity but passion, motive, strength, intelligence. Bravery. You needed bravery to pitch the idea,