Chapter 3 : Hahye (1)

Children’s voices drifted in from outside the classroom.

I peeked through the window and saw them gathered in small groups.

It was a heartwarming sight, friends sitting together, sharing their favorite stories.

Then, a girl sitting in the corner by the window caught my eye.

Her white hair, ruffled by the wind, reflected the sunlight, casting a soft glow around her.

As if envious of her, a few children surrounded her and started throwing things.

They threw crumpled balls of torn worksheets and bits of ripped erasers.

The girl flinched with each projectile, but the children didn’t seem satisfied.

One of them, noticing her clutching her worn skirt, seemed to have a bright idea.

Whispering to another child, the recipient immediately yanked the girl’s hair.

“Ah!”

A short cry escaped her, and the children laughed delightedly.

“Ahahaha! I win!”

“That’s cheating!”

Making a sound meant losing. That was the rule of their game.

“No way. If she made a sound, I won!”

Just as the child’s fist raised above her head, I opened the door.

“Hi, everyone.”

The children stopped what they were doing and turned to me, smiling brightly.

“Hello, Teacher.”

Even the child who was about to hit the girl did the same.

Annoyed by my interruption, they kicked the girl’s desk before returning to their seat.

Startled, she flinched again and then hid her face on the desk.

I looked at the bully and asked, “Aren’t you going to say hello? I’m feeling a little hurt.”

Reluctantly, the child bowed their head.

“Hello, Teacher.”

Giving them a satisfied smile, I went to my desk.

Normally, I wouldn’t have been able to get there so quickly, but the protest ended sooner than expected.

“Harin, take your seat. We still have fifth period.”

“Okay.”

Harin, who had come in with me, returned to her place but didn’t sit down.

She brushed off her desk and chair, then turned and shouted, “You did this, didn’t you?”

It was the same children who had been bullying the white-haired girl.

“Did what?”

“You left this trash here.”

“It wasn’t for you.”

One of the children tilted their chin towards the girl, and giggles rippled around them.

Perhaps the whole class was in on it.

“Teacher told us not to bully others.”

“She’s not a friend. She’s a demon.”

“That’s right. Hehehe.”

As the jeers continued, Harin strode towards me, seeking help.

Despite her quick steps, her eyes were already brimming with tears.

“Teacher, that’s not true, right? You said we could be friends with demons, right?”

“Friends? I bet Teacher’s killed the most demons.”

Oh.

“What did you just say?”

I stood up and glared at the child.

“I asked you what you said.”

The frightened child shifted their gaze to the floor. Their accomplices followed suit.

Suppressing my rising anger, I spoke calmly.

“I told you before, right? We can be friends with demons. Everyone, has Rose ever said anything particularly mean to you?”

No─

“Has she ever hit anyone?”

No─

“So we should all get along, right?”

“Yes.”

Only one person answered. Harin. The rest remained unresponsive.

Buzz─

My smartphone on the desk vibrated.

“Hello, this is… I’m sorry, but I can’t take personal calls…”

[Did you just yell at my child? And getting along with demons? What kind of nonsense are you teaching my kid?!]

Oh.

* * *

“As you know, Mr. Han…”

The vice-principal’s scolding began.

He went on and on about how teachers don’t have the same authority as they used to, how children have recorders in their bags, so I should be careful what I say. He stretched out things he didn’t need to say, over and over.

“Mr. Han, do you understand what I’m saying?”

“Yes, I understand.”

“Good. Oh, by the way… Oh dear, I almost forgot. Could you please sign this? Everyone else has done it, but you haven’t yet.”

He handed me a black payment form with the words ‘Please Sign’ written in yellow. I unfolded it to find several blank A4 sheets and photocards of me.

I glanced up, but the vice-principal just cleared his throat.

Since there were other teachers around, I asked quietly, “Again?”

He covered his mouth with his hand and replied softly, “It wasn’t me, it was a relative who asked… There should be a slip of paper inside with a name on it.”

A small folded piece of paper contained someone’s name. I reached for the pen in my jacket pocket but then noticed the marker in the vice-principal’s hand. He feigned ignorance, putting his hands behind his back and swaying.

“…Can I sign with this?”

“Uh, no, it’s not like I’m asking you to specifically use this…”

But his hand was still extended towards me. I gently took the marker and signed the relative’s name.

I should add a thank you note too, since they’re supporting me. ‘Thank you always’ would show my sincerity, they would understand.

As I closed the file and returned it, the vice-principal looked incredibly excited. His grin was so wide, I wondered if someone was pulling it up.

He looked through the contents, then our eyes met. Embarrassed, he cleared his throat a few times, then composed himself, putting on his usual dignified expression.

“You’re leaving now?”

“Yes? I still have a lot of work to do.”

“It’s alright. I hear working from home is the trend these days, so I’m trying to implement that in our school as well.”

“Even so…”

“Come on, go finish up at home.”

He pushed me on my back with both hands, a gesture everyone around us was already aware of. They pretended not to notice, burying their heads in their desks as if to say, ‘I don’t know anything,’ but they had tucked their hair behind their ears to hear better.

He pushed me all the way to my desk and then watched to make sure I actually left. I apologized to the other teachers, and they smiled, saying it was okay. They were lying.

I walked home as if the ground were ice.

Walking is not quite the right word. Yes, it was more like gliding across an ice rink.

It hadn’t always been like this. Using public transport led to cheering crowds, and walking did the same. So I resorted to magic.

Arriving home, I pressed the door lock and stepped inside. I took off my shoes and opened the inner door, hearing a deep male voice from afar. Ember must be watching another documentary.

“You’re back?”

I didn’t respond, wanting to be playful for a change. I lay face down on the floor to feign exhaustion. The tapping footsteps grew closer, stopping near my head. He didn’t speak, seemingly waiting for me to say something.

“Ugh… The calls from those entitled parents are driving me crazy.”

“Must have been tough.”

“And thanks to them, the kids are acting up, and it’s hard to control them…”

“Good work.”

“There’s even bullying going on now. My head’s about to explode.”

“Must be tiring.”

Why is he talking like this?

Annoyed, I abruptly lifted my head.

“I need more than just empty words! I need genuine…”

There stood Ember, scratching his cheek. It was a habit of his. Whenever I was hurt or sad, he’d turn his head slightly and rub his cheek.

Of course, he’d be worried. He’d been against it at first, but then he supported me. So I know how gentle and kind a fairy he is.

Ember handed me a microfiber cloth.

“Wipe your glasses. Your makeup’s all smudged.”

He’s so cute. But I should pretend not to notice, right?

“Aaah!! I said I wanted a sincere response!!”

I flailed my arms and legs, wriggling on the floor like the kids. Ember stared blankly for a moment, then turned and walked away.

Worried, I followed him silently. He was folding laundry, his attention fixed on the TV. Another documentary, as expected. This time, it was about bees. Judging by the year, it was quite old footage.

I could have turned off the TV with the remote, but that would have made him too sad. I quietly turned and headed for the bathroom. Ember asked, “Dinner?”

“Yes, I should eat.”

“I’ll make you something. Go wash up.”

“Ooh, something good?”

“You said you were on a diet. You can just have that diet food I made earlier.”

That stuff was awful. Do I have to eat it again?

“Aaah!!”

“Quiet, you’ll wake the neighbors downstairs.”

“Hmph, fine.”

Puffing out my cheeks, I stomped to the bathroom, making sure my steps were loud. Watching this, Ember rubbed his face, exasperated. He shook his head and tapped on my phone.

“A sandwich, then?”

“Thirty centimeters!”

“Alright, alright. Now go wash up.”

At his words, I tossed my clothes everywhere and headed into the bathroom. He must have refilled the diffuser, because a faint scent of acacia blossoms filled the air. And the tub was already full of hot water. It was a little too hot to get in right away, so I rinsed myself with lukewarm water first, then sank into the tub.

Submerged in the water, I felt myself relaxing. Even though nothing particularly strenuous had happened today, I felt extremely tired. I must be getting old.

No, I can’t. I still have so much to do. I need to revise next week’s lesson plans, check the quiz results, and most importantly… Rose…