"Stop it!" Logan pushes himself between the girls, barely separating them. Rushing down, he takes hold of Seok Kuyn and pulls her back from Rona, who's pushed on the floor trembling, orange juice dripping from her hair. "Both of you, my office", he barks. He looks around to the other students who are gaping at the scene without intervening. There’s more than one phone out, capturing the fight, the people’s spectacle. "And you all are explaining yourselves after", he aims at them. 

 

"I didn't do anything. Let go of me'' Seok Hyun yanks her hand away and fixes him a manic stare. 

 

He doesn't. Furious, -the blood thumps in his ears as if he was the one battered and humiliated- he brings her hand in front of her face, forcing her to look at Rona's hair still between her fingers. 

 

"Now". 

 

___

 

It's been three months since he started teaching physical education at the Cheon Academy, but it's not the first time he had to deal with this incident. The kids hail from the elite families of Seoul and navigate the world as if it's their playground. All fun, no rules, no consequences. 

 

He's seen horrific bullying and teachers pushing it under the rug and he can't stand it. For Seol Ah, he won't. 

 

___

 

 

He's dealt with Seok Kyun's father enough to make him dread the call. An arrogant man who controls half of Seoul's real estate market, who’s rumored to have threatened his way to success, with connections always keeping him out of trouble. He and his wife apply the same philosophy to his daughter's transgressions, denial and blaming everyone else. She'll never learn that way, only cover her actions better, and he fumes that it’s all for a girl who wants attention from her parents. 

 

His office door bursts open and he's ready to raise hell. Instead of the thumping footsteps of a self-important man, the clank of stiletto heels announces no other than Shim Su Ryeon. She bypasses the girls on the sofa and strides to his desk, puts her five-figure handbag on his neatly tied papers and looks down on him. 

 

"Who's responsible for this?" 

 

For a moment he’s speechless. She’s towering over him, arms crossed, exuding the protectiveness of a wolf mother who’s ready to fight for her little one. They've met a few times in school functions, she’s very involved despite her painting work. But she’s always polite and greets everyone with a smile. The woman before him is fuming. His ire awakens. 

 

"Your daughter". 

 

She bites a grimace and stares at him, willing him to back down. 

 

He's dealt with parents and she's taking it like they all do, unapologetically. 

 

"Seok Hyun pulled Rona’s hair, pushed her to the ground and doused her with orange juice. In front of the whole class”. 

 

Ignoring him, she touches her daughter on the shoulder. 

 

"What's wrong honey? Why are you behaving this way?”

 

Seok Kyun flinches and she drops her hand.

 

"Rona has sustained a wrist injury" he adds. “When I'm done questioning the bystanders, I am pushing for disciplinary action”. 

 

Seok Kyun looks at her phone, as if this doesn’t concern her at all. 

 

“After-school cleaning”, he says to get a reaction from them both. These people think carrying a broom is more humiliating than death. 

 

"Not a chance. I'll discipline my kids however I see fit", Su Ryeon objects.  

 

He bears his teeth. 

 

"Will you?" 

 

She aims the fiery gaze at him, with the precision of a military laser beam. Turning to fully face him, she makes herself taller. 

 

"As their new teacher", she emphasizes the word to harp on his inexperience, "what would you suggest?"

 

She would intimidate many, he's sure. But he's not a mom from her PTA. 

 

He pushes down a smile of vicious satisfaction. He's got her now. 

 

"As her mother, you do her punishment. Or else she’ll be kicked out of the Academy". 

 

___

 

 

"Do you know who she is? How dare you make her, what, clean toilets?" 

 

The headmaster starts without preamble, not giving Logan time to sit opposite him. He should have run it by him before springing this on her, but he couldn't lose the chance. Sometimes one doesn’t ask permission. Seol Ah’s bullies didn’t. 

 

"Fitting punishment, don't you think? If she doesn’t do it, I offered suspension". 

 

"You don’t have the authority to do that! I know you just started here but I will fire you without a second thought if parents oppose this.” Logan doubts that. Firing a new teacher who comes glowingly recommended would raise some eyebrows. Then again, he doesn’t expect loyalty from the man before him. “Have you considered who Mrs Shim is? She's married to our biggest donor. We can't make her do" he winces "manual labor. They'll pull out the donation, the one that paid for your state-of-the-art gym". Said gym remains empty, the pristine bodytrain equipment the kids never use, choosing football or running. The kids don’t care about luxury equipment, the donation was purely to show off. As is everything with these families.  

 

"And you don't find any fault in this logic?" his outburst startles the older man. "They think they own the school. I'm showing her she doesn't".

 

The headmaster squints at him. One would think the topic of corruption in education has never once crossed his mind. 

 

"Keep her for one week.” he raises a finger. “And go easy on her". 

 

"Copy, boss" he lies shamelessly.