Chapter 6
Chapter 6
There was no need to hear anything more.
I have to get him out of here.
Bom tucked Han-gyeol’s consultation materials into a yellow envelope and handed it to Jae-gyu. Then, she stood up quickly and gave a polite bow.
“It’s getting late.”
Her entire body language screamed that she was trying to usher him out.
“I hope the consultation was helpful to you.”
Watching Bom sweat as she guided him toward the door, Jae-gyu let out a booming laugh from his diaphragm. He stood up abruptly and spoke in a jovial tone.
“I have a feeling we’ll be seeing a lot of each other, Teacher Bom. Since there isn’t much of an age gap between us, let’s be friendly.”
“Yes. Please get home safely.”
Not much of a gap! It’s four years.
Bom succeeded in herding Jae-gyu toward the front door and out of the classroom, much like one would drive cattle. Just as he had been pushed out by the Vice Principal before, Jae-gyu let out a series of “Whoa, whoa”s while chuckling as he stepped into the hallway.
“I’m off then.”
“Yes.”
“See you again.”
“……”
Since she didn’t intend for there to be a next time, she didn't bother answering. A cheerful smile was plastered on Jae-gyu’s face as he waved goodbye.
His back finally disappeared as he descended the stairs with his hands shoved casually in his pockets. Only then did Bom feel relieved enough to firmly shut the door.
“Sigh…”
That was chaotic. The tension that had gripped Bom’s entire body slowly began to dissipate. His name was Jae-gyu, right? What a ridiculous man.
“What am I supposed to do with this?”
Bom looked at the Money Tree left behind, eyeing it from different angles before eventually shoving it into a corner of the classroom.
Just as the man had said, the pot wouldn't get enough sunlight on the classroom floor. However, it was far too large to place on the windowsill. There was simply no proper place for it.
“…It’s bothering me.”
Bom felt unsettled as she straightened the chair the man had sat in. It was then that her phone rang.
“Hello?”
—Hello. This is Choi Yi-jun, Choi Se-jin’s older brother.
“Ah, yes. Hello.”
—I apologize for calling so late regarding the consultation. Is now a good time to talk?
The man on the other end of the line was exceedingly polite and sensible. Bom immediately felt at ease with a phone call that fell within the bounds of her expectations.
“Of course. Please, go ahead.”
—I believe I’ll have some time the day after tomorrow. Would it be alright if I paid a visit?
⋆★⋆
In the classroom, where a sense of coziness lingered due to the sudden warm weather, only Bom’s soft voice echoed.
With the afternoon sun streaming in after lunch, some of the students were nodding off, their bodies slumped in relaxation.
The subject Bom taught was Ethics and Ideology. Today’s lesson covered the characteristics of human beings—Bom’s favorite unit—and featured Socrates.
After spending fifty minutes summarizing his arguments against the Sophists, Bom glanced at the clock. It was exactly time for the period to end.
“…That’s it for today’s lesson. You all know about the performance assessment, right? The virtual interview with a scholar. Don’t forget to turn it in by next class.”
The bell rang with perfect timing. Bom briefly called over the class president to discuss a few things needed for the start of the semester before leaving the classroom.
“Are you Teacher Yoon Bom?”
As she stepped into the hallway, Bom was met by a strange man who had been waiting for her.
“Yes, I am. Who might you be?”
As far as Bom knew, there was no one in this town who would wear such a high-end suit with their hair styled back so neatly with pomade. He was also quite young. He looked to be only three or four years older than Bom herself.
“Oppa!”
Before the man could even respond, Se-jin burst out of the classroom.
They look exactly alike.
Se-jin stood side-by-side with the stranger. Only then did Bom realize that this man was Choi Se-jin’s older brother.
Their pale skin and slender bridges of their noses were carbon copies. Their eyes and lips were subtly different, though. The brother looked much colder.
“Oppa, this is my homeroom teacher. I told you about her, right?”
Se-jin looked up at her brother with an excited voice. However, for some reason, the brother’s gaze was incredibly icy. He spoke harshly, his brow furrowed deeply.
“Your uniform looks different from what I see at home. I suppose you change into a shorter one at school. I loathe deception. I believe I told you not to disgrace the family in public.”
A silence fell over them, as if Yi-jun’s hardened gaze had suddenly doused the mood in cold water.
“It’s not that I was hiding it…”
“Instead of wasting time on things like this, why don’t you solve one more practice problem?”
“That’s not it, I spilled lunch on mine so I borrowed a friend’s…”
Se-jin, who never backed down to anyone in the classroom, was now completely cowed. Seeing her like that felt strangely personal to Bom.
Normally, she would have avoided the situation and pretended not to notice, but her body moved on its own. Stepping between the two, Bom tactfully pulled on Se-jin’s arm.
“That’s right, Se-jin. There really was a lot on your skirt. You must have been quite startled earlier.”
“Huh? Ah, yes…”
Se-jin answered hesitantly, but her eyes sent a look of gratitude. Bom felt unnecessarily shy, even though she hadn't done anything grand.
“I have to have a consultation with your brother now, so why don’t you go back into the classroom?”
“Okay.”
After stealing a glance at her brother, Se-jin went back inside. Bom took a short breath and officially greeted Se-jin’s brother.
“Um, hello. I’m Yoon Bom, Choi Se-jin’s homeroom teacher. You’ve arrived early.”
“I am Choi Yi-jun.”
She had scheduled the consultation with Yi-jun for later this afternoon, but it seemed he had arrived ahead of time. If he had arrived after school, they could have talked in the empty classroom, but she still had her final period left.
“Since I didn’t give you a specific location, you ended up coming all the way to the classroom. If it’s alright with you, shall we conduct the consultation outside?”
“Let’s do that.”
Bom stopped by the teachers' office to grab Se-jin’s records before heading out to the school grounds. There was no other choice but the wisteria benches by the athletic field.
Bom sat across from Yi-jun. He sat perched on the wisteria bench with his long legs stretched out as if they were uncomfortable, looking quite sophisticated.
But that was all. Bom finished her brief observation and spread the materials she had brought onto the wisteria table.
She was about to open the academic records to explain them when she remembered how Jae-gyu had been more curious about school life during his visit.
“Se-jin is doing well in school so far. She has good relationships with her new friends, too.”
So, she tried to relay stories about Se-jin first. The way he had berated her earlier for being a disgrace to the family was still weighing on her mind. She intended to bring up some positive points here.
“I’m not interested in that.”
“Pardon…?”
“I came for an entrance exam consultation. Even if she’s ranked first, there’s no real merit in a mediocre rural school like this…”
It was the truth, but it wasn't pleasant to hear. I should have just stuck to the usual routine, she regretted. Bom composed her complicated feelings and hurried to open Se-jin’s college entrance planning notebook.
“As you mentioned, Shinsu High itself has a low level of academic achievement, but in Se-jin’s case…”
Bom flipped through the pages as she explained Se-jin’s grades.
In a school with few students, one had to be careful to avoid ties, but Shinsu High was a mess in that regard. There were numerous cases of tied rankings, which was disadvantageous for Se-jin. Aside from that, her mock exam scores were lagging slightly in some areas.
Yi-jun listened to Bom’s explanation with intense focus. Though they were quite close as they leaned over the papers, she couldn't hear even a single breath from him.
“This has been quite helpful. I was skeptical since I heard you moved down from a Seoul school district, but you are indeed different.”
“I’m glad it was helpful.”
It was only natural, given that she had handled nothing but seniors for years. In Se-jin’s case, she required special care.
“Do you have any other questions? Se-jin seems to be lacking a bit of sleep; will she be alright?”
“Isn’t it stranger to get plenty of sleep at a time like this? Well then, I’ll be going.”
Having spoken curtly, Yi-jun took the materials Bom handed him and tucked them straight into his briefcase.
“Um, Se-jin’s guardian.”
After calling out to him, Bom looked down and toyed with her hands as Yi-jun stared blankly at her.
Is this overstepping? Even so…
[Even if I study like a madwoman, I can’t meet their expectations. Everyone’s expectations are through the roof.]
The words Se-jin had confessed with a gloomy expression during their consultation weighed on her heart.
“Se-jin works really hard. She doesn't show it, but it must be difficult for her.”
“What is it you’re trying to say?”
“If you could give her more praise…”
In an instant, a snort of ridicule drifted over her head.
“I wondered what you were going to say.”
Yi-jun’s flawless face had crumpled at some point. A clear light of contempt flashed in his pitch-black eyes, the depth of which was impossible to gauge.
“Is there anything to praise? It’s enough of a disgrace that she failed to get into the city’s foreign language high school and ended up pushed all the way out to the boonies.”
Bom’s shoulders flinched.
[Someone like you is a disgrace to this family!]
Her father’s fierce, shouting voice rang vividly in her ears. Just how important was a family’s reputation that it had to make a person feel so infinitely small?
“Even though Se-jin failed to get into the foreign language high school, she can still do plenty here…”
“I suppose you think doing one’s best is enough. You’re quite the optimist, but that kind of self-consolation doesn't help a child’s future.”
Yi-jun didn't even try to hide his look of pathetic disdain. Bom’s voice grew a level sharper as well.
“But isn't studying everything? Se-jin is only eighteen.”
“My court time is approaching, so I’ll be leaving now. Please take good care of Choi Se-jin. Goodbye.”
Yi-jun stood up and left the spot immediately.
Ugh, how can he be like that?
Unable to soothe the frustration in her chest, Bom walked aimlessly around the school grounds for a long time.