Dear Sandara

PROLOGUE

Year 1995…

“KIDS, are you done with your artworks?” Mrs. Annaliza asked her students as she roamed her gaze on each of the kids inside the classroom. Their heads are hanging low and are busy with their own things.

      “Not yet, teacher!” they all responded in unison. She smiled as she started walking around and looked at their progress. Some are almost done, while others are only halfway done with their artwork. She just observed and did not rush them. After all, she allotted plenty of time for them to finish their activity.

      Her gaze landed on the little boy who is holding a crumpled paper up in the air. In front of him is a little girl who is trying her best to retrieve the paper from his hold. When she finally realized what is going on, her eyes grew wide and she immediately approached them.

      “Jiyong Kwon!” she called out, grabbing the little boy’s attention. He looked up at her and his mouth, which seemed to be munching unto something, stopped moving. Even the little girl in front of him turned her head toward her direction. There are tears on her big eyes and her cheeks. “What are you doing?” she asked.

      “Teacher, Jiyong took my artwork!” Sandara complained.

      “Teacher, I did not!” Jiyong opposed.

      “Jiyong, let me see the paper,” she said and offered her hand in front of the little boy. He looked down and slowly handed her the paper. She exhaled a good amount of air when she discovered that it was indeed Sandara’s artwork. “Jiyong, how many times did I tell you before to not take your classmates’ things, especially Sandara’s?” He just kept his head low. “Jiyong.”

      “Sorry, teacher.”

      “Apologize to Sandara.”

      “But teacher—”

      “Jiyong.”

      “Sorry, Sandara,” still with head hanging low, he mumbled.

      She handed the paper back to the little girl who immediately accepted it and thanked her, before sitting down on her seat once again. Jiyong remained standing and did not budge, as if waiting for her next words.

      “Also, Jiyong, how many times did teacher tell you before to stop munching on bubble gum in the class? Now, put that on a piece of paper and throw that in the trash bin. Did you hear me?” He just nodded in response and placed his hand inside his mouth. He pulled the gum but instead of placing it on a piece of paper, he attached it at the end of Sandara’s hair. He then rushed and ran off to hide inside the playroom. “Jiyong Kwon!”

      When Sandara held on her long hair and realized what he did, her eyes grew wide and she immediately stood up. She followed him on the playroom and knocked on the closed door. “You ugly Jiyong! Come out!”

      Mrs. Annaliza just heaved a sigh and went to her table to pull out a pair of scissors. She just smiled and shook her head before heaving another sigh. “Tsk, Jiyong.”

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This will be a short one. I hope you'll like it!