Drabble #5

teacher

“And so the legacy of the God of Sleep left the island with the God of Fire, leaving the beautiful Goddess of that island in despair of longing and sadness… The end.” Naeun narrated to her kindergarten class, setting the fairy tale book down while looking at the filled with sadness faces of her students. “Hey, what’s up with your faces?”

Joy, the youngest but obviously the most talkative student she had, raised her hand up. “Did the legacy of the God of Sleep come back for the Goddess?”

And soon, the questions were nonstop from the kids.

“Why did she leave the goddess even when she loves her?”

“Don’t they have a happily ever after, teacher?”

“Teacher, teacher! Would the legacy come back and say I love you to the goddess?”

“Teacher, what is love?”

Naeun was being overwhelmed by the questions so she silenced the class down. The smile on her lips though was wide, realizing how much the kids were so engaged in the myth she just read for the kids.

“Easy, students… The story didn’t exactly end there… The legacy of the God of Sleep promised to come back for the girl when she reached her home in South Korea and planted a garden for her beloved. The legacy said that she will come back, be it in that life time or the next. So you kids shouldn’t worry okay? We can trust her for her happy ending!”

The kids clapped in happiness and at the same time the bells rang, signaling that class is over. The students left the kindergarten classroom one by one as their moms came for them. Everyone left, except for Joy.

“Do you think my mom left me, Teacher Naeun?” Joy asked her teacher sadly, hugging the legs of the tall girl.

Naeun, who find the sight amusing, smiled and picked up the little girl in her arms and shook her head. “A mom will never leave her lovely daughter behind…”

“But teacher, the legacy left the goddess even when she loves her…”

“Well, didn’t you listen to my story? Why did the legacy leave?”

“Because of her family…”

Joy pouted, looking at her teacher. A smile crept up on her face as Joy gave the answer.

“That’s true… The legacy had to go back to her family, even if she loves the goddess. Why? Because a person’s first love is always his/her family… Our family should always be first until such day we have our own family, right? And your mom’s fami