Sometime Later,A Non-Specific Day In July Of The Next Year

You sighed as you began putting up posters for the new school year, starting in a month or so. Even though you were fully recovered, un-traumatized, and cleared by the State Department Of Health To work again, you couldn't stop thinking about the Matoki......

It had been 16 months since you'd last heard or seen of the Matoki, and you wondered how they were all doing, if they were even alive, if they ever got back with Jongup....

You sighed as you had a flashback to the last thing you remembered, 16 months ago...

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-When you came to, you were laying on the bed in the hospital again, and Hyerin was at your side, "Oh, thank goodness you're alright!"

Looking at her in confusion, you asked,"What the hell happened?"

She shrugged, looking just as confused as you were, "I honestly don't know-yesterday, I was on my cigarette break when a car pulled up and  a tan man with a strong Busan accent carried you out of the backseat like a bride-except for you were unconscious and not breathing," you gasped as she tapped her chin, looking up at the ceiling,"There was another nerdy looking guy with him, muttering about 'using too much' of something and then the third guy, one with a really deep voice and cold eyes, said to me,'Take care of her, please'-and then they drove off, leaving you in my arms."

You moaned as she laughed,".....You've got some interesting friends there, __________." You mumbled to yourself, "....At least they didn't leave me on the streets in an alley somewhere."

Hyerin laughed, and pointed to the table next to you, "Nah, I think they're just shy sweethearts, is all." Turning your head, you notice a big basket of the most gorgeous flowers you'd ever seen in your life, complete with a stuffed white rabbit and a card. In the card said five simple words:Dearest Noona-we did it."

Hyerin smiled as she said, those came just a few hours ago by that guy in the leather jacket and a really tall, skinny guy who looks like a giant baby. You were still pretty out of it though."

You squeezed her hand, "Thanks for being here, Hyerin," and she squeezed back-

-suddenly, two police officers appeared at your door, "Are you Miss ________________by any chance?"

Hyerin stood up slowly as you said that you were, and they bowed politely," My name is Officer Yen, and this is my subordinate, Wang-we'd like to ask you a few questions about some.......... associates, of yours...."

.......As it turns out, while you were unconscious for a day and a half, there was a massive shootout at the pier where major import ships were. This resulted in many wounded, a few dead, and a massive explosion that destroyed the property of Miss Shim Kang Yin, propietor of a famous magazine, and causing her stocks to drop as she struggled to find money to cover the damage.

While you tried your best to answer the officers questions with a straight face, when the officer got to that part, you burst out laughing, and they looked at each other in confusion as you stuggled to get back under control,"I'm so sorry, where were we?"

They gave you a lie detector test, which you passed with flying colors because you were literally drugged at the time of the crime:

"No, I haven't been in contact with Bang Yongguk or any of his subordinates."

"No, I haven't accepted any bribes or things like to move my kids up a grade early."

"Yes, I have a valid working license and a place of my own."

"No, I have never taken drugs before in my life-unless Nyquil and Tylenol count."

They presented the results of this to a local judge, who then cleared you completely, and sent you on your way form the courthouse a few days later as Kang Yin stormed out with her bodyguards-angry that she couldn't sue you for anything...

...........Ever since that time, you hadn't heard anything form the Matoki. Days turned to weeks, weeks to months, months to seasons.

Holidays came and went; your class graduated from Kindergarten, leaving you with a whole new batch of children to raise from little seeds into sprouts all over again.

You laughed as you thought back to what Zelo had said, "Our noona is such a bad now...."

It was true-since hanging out with the Matoki nobody and nothing ever scared you anymore. You could literally walk down dark shady alleys and cause other creeps to back down in fear because of the way you carried yourself, of the things you've seen.

Hyerin and you hung out a lot, she was funny and a great friend, and an even better distraction from the pain you felt in your heart as the time went by.......

You tried to reflect on the positives of all of this:

"I'm alive and well, I have a job, a roof over my head, food on the table, a friend who cares about me, that's good right?"

You sighed as you and Hyerin sat on the beachside together....

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You finished putting up the last of the posters and decorations, and your Korean teacher walked in with a stack of papers for you to sign, just as you thought your work was over, ugh.......let's just get this over with.

Coming off the stool you were using, you sat down, pulled out a pen and got started on the mini-mountain range of stationary in front of you.

You were on what you were sure was your 157th piece of paper to sign, your wrist cramping up in the worst kind of way, when you felt a presence in the room, and without looking up you said kindly, "I'm sorry Miss Kim-I only have a few left to go-I'll bring them to your room later."

There was a pause, as someone said hesitatingly,"...............I'm not even a woman.Do you need glasses now?"

Your head shot up so fast your neck cricked and you got whiplash-

-and there, in the flesh, was Jongup, smiling shyly and holding a simple bouquet of flowers as he said, "Hello, _____________ noona.Long time no see."

You couldn't even speak as Himchan suddenly appeared with wine, whacking him over the head as he said, "Jongup-ah~you came in too early and ruined the surprise!!!" Jongup ducked his head as he said, "Ah?I did? I'm so sorry!!"

You could choke out,".......H-H-Himchan.....J-Jongup........."

Daehyun and Youngjae jumped into the classroom at the same time, the former holding a massive cake and the latter holding champagne, "Ta-dah!!!!Oh wait, where's Zelo?" Daehyun slapped his forehead as Youngjae slapped his tablet in frustration, "For all the times the music should stop working...ugh..."

You could only blink and gape as Zelo sprinted in, holding roses of multiple colors and box of chocolates bigger than him, "I was locking up my car-how could you guys start without me?!"

His eyes held betrayal as Himchan shoved Jongup, "It's all his fault!!!"

You opened your mouth , but all that came out was a squeak-

-and then Yongguk showed up, in the same teddy bear sweater that first night when you two met, and immediately the others straightened up and lined up as he bowed to you,"..............Hello, noona sunsengnim."

You finally let out a high-pitched,"What the ery happened to you guys?I thought you all were dead...?"

You sank down in your chair as Jongup began the story, "..............They intercepted me before I met with the leader of The Strays-I don't know how they found me, but they did it-and they told me that you brought them the video I made," he looked at his brothers with humbleness and love as Daehyun shyly squeezed his shoulder,"We.......made peace with each other, and then The Strays showed up and saw us talking..."

Youngjae picked up from that point, "Noona-sunsengnim, the men that attacked you, came from that gang-Yongguk hyung was away on a business trip when we did our....interrogation.....but once we pointed out the main leader involved in the attack-"

Zelo chimed in, "Boss lost it-he went on a destructive rampage, it was so badass!!The man that wanted you hurt-well, let's just say that he can't have kids, or pick up chopsticks anymore-with either hand!!!"

You looked at Yongguk in surprise, who blushed and modestly looked away as Himchan said, "It's just as the officers who interrogated you said, noona- there were wounded, there were deaths, and then damage to a certain snob's docking bay of boats," Himchan brought up a fist, "I heard from Yongguk what Kang Yin said about you that night-I took vengeance for you properly." 

Daehyun leaned against Youngjae as he looked at you with some regret, "Of course, we had to lay low-the police swarmed our known locations, hang out spots ,even your school-we took a group vacation and left the country for a few months until the heat died down. We couldn't contact anyone without fear of the police tapping into the lines....But....we're here now......and so......."

You folded your arms as all the emotions you went to therapy for to get rid off came back in full-

You crossed your arms as anger, happiness, joy, sadness,and upset coursed through your veins at the same time,".................So now what? Your vacation wasn't for that long-it's been 16 months, you jerks-what do you want from me now?My heart? Too late, it's shut down temporarily, closed for repairs," you wiped your face as Youngjae swallowed hard and looked at the ground, Zelo scratching his head awkwardly and Jongup coughed.

"You drugged me after I did all that to come find you, and now.....this is your idea of a follow-up?....Oh my goodness," you wiped away more tears as you said, "16 months, 16 months, I thought you guys were dead, I thought...I thought-"

You stuck out a hand and swept off the whole damn stack of papers in your anguish, "I grieved for you, you bastards...!!!I loved you all, my beloved students....!!!!"

Yongguk closed the distance between the two of you and embraced you, and you punched his chest as he held you close, and after awhile of struggling , you cried into his chest as he whispered, "We're sorry, we're so sorry," over and over into your ear.

"..................We are here now, noona, we are here to make it all better, we are here to fix things, and to put you back together,the same way you put us back together. We're here, to be your students again."

Yongguk patted you back and carefully wiped your face off as he sat you back down at your desk, and he pulled out a  heavy silk bag full of cash and a bunny sticker as he knelt and read from a folded piece of paper in his best formal voice, "To Whom It May Concern, we are thoroughly satisifed with the courses that Miss__________ sunsengnim has provided us, and we are very much interested in renewing a few more semesters of Business English with the talented professional," his eyes crinkled as he said,"as we understand, this time the sessions will be longer and more taxing on sunsengnim, so we have provided more compensation for her hard work-as well as longer vacations in her contract and more sick days, all compensated by us, of course."

You closed your eyes as Jongup came up behind you and hugged you, "You saved me twice, noona-make the third one the charm."

Zelo held up the chocolates, grinning and letting his dimples showing, "I wanna write lyrics for my raps-you've gotta help me!!!"

Daehyun blushed as he said, "........I know a great spot by the river where we could catch up and have dinner-ALONE," as Youngjae held up his phone and smiled," I can show you how to track the latest stocks, with the best returns!!!"

Himchan only crossed his arms and grinned," Of course, I will keep you up-to-date on all the latest trends-and help you get rid of anyone you don't like."

Yongguk looked into your face as he flicked his lighter, "Well, what do you say? Can you find it somewhere in your heart to let us in again? You never left ours.Take us back-we need you. We want you. You.......complete us."

You looked at everyone's hopeful faces and said.........

*THE END!!!!!!*