“I’m giving out your test papers. Reflect,” said Myungsoo in a tolerable volume albeit feeling disturbed upon going through a stack of paper for the umpteenth time.

“Eunkwang, Maru and Hani- stand up,” the class was overshadowed with sheer silence as he gestured them to stand up, and they knew something was not right with their results.

“Now, the three of you, mind giving me 100 reasons why you failed? A collaboration for the answers would be nice,” he added sarcastically, his sharp and steady gaze succeeded in making the three students froze in trepidation.

“Hmm….The Three Sages. Better than The Three Idiots,” he smirked, euphemistically giving the trio a new nickname. From the corner of his eyes he saw Eunkwang rolling his eyes in frustration- while Hani and Maru had their still gazes riveted at the floor. Through the small crevasse of his anger, the silence subconsciously touched his soft side, and he smothered a sigh.

“Sit down,” the three of them meekly obeyed his words, and another sigh were set free from his lungs.

“Say, Baro, what do you think about your girlfriend? Just tell me, I’m forever a good sport,” Myungsoo pointed at the class monitor before shifting his gaze at Min, the assistant who was sitting two desks away from him.

He stood with utter confidence. “I fancy being around her, and everything about her evokes my interest. I, well….um, love her a lot,”

On the next picosecond the class was occupied with the clapping hands and screaming of the other 26 students. Myungsoo was quick to silent them, and for the second time, he wore a genuine serious expression on his face. Min’s face was beet red, seemingly displeased with Baro’s frank words.

“That’s exactly how you rephrase such feeling. See? When you’re madly in love, you care about that particular something or somebody more than you’d ever realize. Try reading in between the lines,”

“I know, Sir! English is no different. Well, sure, English is super abstract sometimes, but that’s what makes it exceptional. Plus, look who’s teaching? The ever-charming Sir Myungsoo for god’s sake!” this time a female student raised her hand up, giving the whole class a slice of her thoughts.

Myungsoo snapped his fingers in awe. “That’s brilliant. Cookies for you, Kyungri. Alright, we’ve just obtained a remark from the best student for this paper- and another cliché compliment for me,” he paused for a fleeting moment before the class exploded with an outburst of laughter.

“Forgive this vain English teacher. I’ve been teaching you kids for over two months, no? Time sure sprints,”

“But we know nothing about you, Sir! What about a sharing moment?” Kyungri’s voce rang again, and he took a step backward, leaning against the teacher’s desk with arms crossed.

“Me? Hmm…..seems acceptable. I don’t know for how many times I’ve been saying this- but I’m just an ordinary man living in an ordinary life, teaching inside this ordinary class with extraordinary students. What more shall I say?” all eyes were centred at him, and he rubbed his chin as he dryly uttered those words. Words he had been uttering for the time he never cared to remember.

“Well, what about your love life? C’mon Sir, answer us- if you really are a good sport!”

Searching for a perfect series of answer, he tried to recollect the past. He thought this was the best moment for him to open up his mind and share a piece of memories, a part of his past that left indelible marks inside his life.

“Jieun. Lee Jieun,” he blurted the name out subconsciously, and almost all female students were staring at him with mouth agaped.

“So where should I begin? She’s, well….the reason why I’m standing on front of this class- as a teacher,”

“Hmmm. Nostalgia trips, if not done too often, could be quite refreshing. Are you ready for my story, kids?” Myungsoo’s eyes darted furtively around the classroom, and practically all students nodded- eyes bursting with curiosity to discover the truth.

-RINGGGGGG!

Just a second before the story started, the bell punctured the silence that overshadowed the moment. The noise later was a jumble of sounds coming from people’s mouths when all of them tried to speak at the same time.

“It’s time to go home. Why don’t we save this for later?” Myungsoo’s clear voice monopolized the entire conversation, instantly bursting his students’ bubbles.
“Meh, it’s alright Sir! We always have time to spare when it comes to your story!”

“That’s sweet, but I still have to leave. I got a mountain of matter waiting to be done. We’ll be seeing each other tomorrow, is it? I’ll see you when I see you,”
“That’s not exactly a good sport, Sir!”

He briskly made his way out of the class, and audible sighs of disappointment from the students hit his eardrums- but were instantly bounced off and dissipated into thin air.

--------------------------------------------------

There was a deathly silence inside the teachers’ room, and a myriad of question gnawed at Myungsoo. Consumed by curiosity, he was.

“Tch, he’s here,” Tony’s voice pierced the still air as he threw a suspicious glance at him. Eunji curled her lips in annoyance.

“What is your problem?” she scowled grumpily at Tony before shifting her gaze at Myungsoo who was clearly puzzled.

“Myungsoo, there’s someone waiting for you at the cafeteria. You should go,”

“You’re serious? Who is it?” his eyes flew open in surprise.

“Halt it, Myungsoo. Stop pretending like you don’t know a damned thing- what now? Bringing a as if this school’s yours? That’s just-“ Tony was silenced the moment Myungsoo turned his blazing eyes at him.

“Who is it, Eunji?” this time he inquired in a soft voice, struggling to brush off the anger that was starting to adhere on his heart.

“I don’t know…but she seemed pretty elegant. Around Sera’s age, I assume?” she fidgeted with her colourful geometric motive scarf, trying to ease the anger that was stacking inside her fiery soul. A cackle leaked from Tony’s mouth, and she saw an unsymmetrical grin hideously carved on his lips.

“Scum and a . Perfect match,” he resumed with an applause, and everyone inside the teachers’ room had their eyes centred on him.

“I can’t stand this moment longer,” Eunji abruptly stood and dashed towards Tony- eyes glinting with utter rage as she grabbed him by the collar of his shirt.

“Hey, what’s gotten into you?!” her menacing look rendered him stiff with terror, but Myungsoo was quick to pull her away before she could cross swords with Tony.

“I’ve had it with you lot! Stop, shut that stinking mouth, you damned cur!” her patience exhausted, and she ended up venting her wrath at Tony before marching off in a huff. Myungsoo’s attempt to run after her was halted when Sera stretched her arms at the room’s entrance, her eyes reflecting sheer annoyance.

“How I wish I could pour concentrated hydrochloric acid on Tony’s face. Now Myungsoo, go and meet your stepmother- but don’t run after Eunji. Go,” she unblocked the entrance and pushed him out from the tense-filled space. Unbeknownst to Myungsoo, there was a surprise in store for him.

Stepmother?

“Short fuse, short fuse,” Tony chanted, wearing a terrified expression on his face- his hands were still trembling like a leaf.

Through the translucent glass door of the cafeteria, Myungsoo’s eyes captured an image of a woman who was solely sitting at the east end- and he was disenchanted by the sight.

The woman- clad in a laced cream dress, elegantly draped over her narrow shoulders and slim, alluring frame. Her long whip of coal-coloured hair swayed as she turned her head, and Myungsoo was standing before her two eyes, his face displaying utter dissatisfaction.

“M-Myungsoo,” she cast a steady look at him, and his expression turned darker. Through her trembling voice, she managed to make him sit, but the unusually loud screeching of the metal chair made her realize he wasn’t really pleased with her appearance.

“Why here? You’re humiliating both parties. Are you that desperate?” Hyorin lifted her downcast eyes, silently admitting the mistake she had committed- and to him, she was so predictable. A surge of hatred plunged his soul upon gazing at the elegant woman opposite him, merely two years senior his current age.

The new wife of his father.

The woman he would never acknowledge as his stepmother.