In the sacred school

Episode 8

Se-ah walked into the classroom, rubbing her head as if it was being squeezed. She took a headache pill and then entered the classroom for the morning meeting.

“Everyone’s here, right? Raise your hand if you’re not here!”

She joked as she looked at the students. Of course, no one could raise their hand if they weren’t present. The students giggled and pointed at an empty seat.

“Park Ji-tae isn’t here yet.”

“Ji-tae, late again.”

Park Ji-tae was the only troublemaker in Se-ah’s class. Most of the students this year were kind and cheerful, but Ji-tae had been causing problems since the first day.

She had tried scolding him, talking to him, and even being strict, but he never opened up. He skipped class and arrived late as if it was a daily routine.

“Alright, Ji-tae. But you’re here now. Did you eat breakfast?”

“I didn’t.”

“Buy me some food.”

His loud voice made Se-ah’s heart soften a little. She tapped the teacher’s desk.

“Quiet down. I’ll give today’s announcements.”

After class, Se-ah went to the teacher’s office. Ji-tae still hadn’t shown up.

She called Ji-tae’s mother.

“Ji-tae didn’t come to school again.”

The moment the call connected, Ji-tae’s mother spoke without even greeting her.

“Yeah, he wasn’t there during the morning meeting. When did he leave home?”

“How should I know? I was at work.”

Her blunt tone made Se-ah feel like the breakfast she hadn’t eaten was rising back up.

“He’s not answering his phone either. I thought I should inform you first.”

“How are you teaching him if he keeps coming late every day?”

Se-ah’s mind went blank for a moment.

Ji-tae’s mother had never been this aggressive before.

She was a single mother, raising Ji-tae alone after a divorce. She left for work early in the morning and only returned late at night.

Se-ah had always felt bad for them and tried to help whenever she could.

“Ma’am, I believe I have guided Ji-tae as best as I can.”

Her voice wavered slightly.

She had taken Ji-tae out for tteokbokki before. She had invited him for tea. She had tried to connect with him.

But he never opened up. And lately, it seemed like he was hanging out with kids who didn’t even go to school.

“I’ve tried talking to him too.”

“That’s not it. You need to hit him.”

Ji-tae’s mother’s voice grew sharp.

“What kind of school lets a student be late all the time? If he won’t listen, just hit him and make him come on time. Why do you keep calling me about this?”

“Ma’am, corporal punishment is banned.”

“You can hit my son. I won’t say anything. Just make sure he shows up on time. Teachers these days are too soft, that’s why kids misbehave!”

Se-ah took a deep breath.

“Ji-tae is 18 years old now. Not only is hitting banned, but at his age, it wouldn’t help. From what I see, Ji-tae seems to have something on his mind.”

She was frustrated, but she had always believed in strict yet fair discipline.

But she knew this wasn’t just Ji-tae’s problem.

She had told his mother this before, many times. She had suggested counseling.

But Ji-tae’s mother was always too busy. She said she had no time, no money, and avoided responsibility.

“Have you ever had a real conversation with Ji-tae? I remember suggesting that you try talking to him.”

“Talk? I’m too busy for that. Are you blaming me now?”

Ji-tae’s mother instantly became defensive.

Se-ah swallowed hard.

Sometimes, parents were harder to deal with than students.

“That’s not what I meant, ma’am. I just think Ji-tae needs understanding more than strict discipline.”

“That’s just your opinion. Last year, his teacher was stricter, and he was fine.”

Se-ah sighed and ended the call.

It was pointless to keep talking. Ji-tae’s mother wasn’t going to change anything.

She felt all her strength drain away.

If only Ji-tae’s mother would cooperate, things could be different. But she seemed too caught up in her own struggles to see how much her son was suffering.

What about me?

Suddenly, Se-ah thought about her own high school days.

She was never the type to skip class or arrive late, but inside, she had been struggling alone.

A faint light from the past flickered in her mind.

— “Come out.”

— “I have to stay for night study.”

It was an optional study session. Sae-ah had signed up because she wanted to stay away from home as long as possible.

— “Just skip it for one day.”

Seong-han spoke in his usual relaxed tone.

— “I’ll say I gave you student council work.”

— “You’re a retired student council president. You have no authority.”

— “My grandfather does, though?”

Ever since she once joked about his grandfather’s wealth, Seong-han had used it as an excuse whenever he wanted.

— “Right, your grandfather is rich.”

Seong-han just smiled and pulled her along.

They took a bus to Namsan.

The sky had darkened, and the city lights stretched out below them.

A cool breeze brushed past her hair, making her smile.

Before she realized it, Seong-han’s hand was resting on her shoulder.

— “Do you like it?”

— “Yeah.”

— “I come here when I have a headache.”

Se-ah turned to look at him. His eyes were staring off into the distance. His gaze was fixed somewhere far away, his eyelids trembling slightly.

I thought nothing ever troubled him. But he gets headaches too?

She raised her hand. When her fingertips touched his forehead, his skin was cool and smooth.

He lowered her hand.

His soft lips brushed against her fingers.

— “Han Se-ah.”

Seong-han lowered his eyes.

His lips moved as if he had something to say, but in the end, he said nothing.

Instead, he pulled her into a silent embrace.

His arms were warm, but for some reason, it felt like he was about to cry.

That night, on their way back, they took the subway.

Seong-han insisted on taking her home.

There was an empty seat, so Se-ah sat down first. Seong-han was about to sit next to her when—

The subway jerked forward, moving faster than usual.

Just as he was taking off his bag and lowering himself into the seat, the sudden motion threw him toward her.

Se-ah instinctively reached out to catch him.

But instead of leaning on her, Seong-han let go of his bag and threw himself to the floor.

His knee scraped against the ground as his bag rolled across the subway floor.

— “Are you okay?”

Sae-ah asked in shock.

Seong-han got up without a word, dusting off his uniform.

Then he looked at her.

— “Are you okay?”

That’s when she realized—

He didn’t want to fall on me. So he threw himself onto the ground instead.

Se-ah’s gaze fell on his uniform, now covered in dust.

Her lips trembled.

— “You didn’t have to do that, sunbae.”

As she thought about it, she closed her eyes.

Why does this keep happening?

She had already tried to forget.

She should forget.

It was over.

He had left without a word to study abroad.

He had changed his number and disappeared completely.

Someone who had cut ties so cleanly.

And yet, even now, she—

After that, she had lost confidence.

She convinced herself that he had left because he didn’t want her.

That’s why she never dated again.

Not until she met Dong-jun at work.

— “Han Se-ah, do you have a break now?”

Dong-jun’s voice pulled her back to the present.

He had changed into a fresh shirt after the earlier spill.

Se-ah had been meaning to talk to him anyway.

“Yeah, I have about 30 minutes.”

“Then, can we talk?”

Dong-jun turned and walked away without waiting for an answer.

His footsteps were heavy.

Se-ah felt a little thrown off.

Why does he seem angry?

Shouldn’t she be the one upset?

Then, she suddenly remembered.

When she first started working at this school, Dong-jun had scolded her once.

She had been sick with a fever the night before and arrived late.

Even though she had already called the vice principal for permission, Dong-jun was the one who gave her the harshest lecture.

She had cried in the bathroom that day.

But later, he took her out for dinner and said he was too harsh.

That’s how it started.

He scolded her. Then comforted her.

It was confusing.

One day, he confessed.

— “I like you. Let’s date.”

Se-ah had been too exhausted to think.

If I say no, will he just make my life harder?

She said yes.

At some point, she realized—

Maybe, without meaning to, she had started seeing Dong-jun as the same kind of person as her stepfather and stepbrother.

Dong-jun walked into the teachers’ lounge and sat down.

Then, he gestured at the seat across from him.

Like he used to.

Like he was about to scold her again.