widely,
'ah!'
Thump, thump... thump,
"Oh my gosh... I really need to organize the warehouse... Why is it so annoying?"
I've been putting it off for days. There's nothing in particular in the storage room. There's a chair I bought last year that's been sitting there with a broken leg, and a desk that's a little worn from years of use. And the rest are boxes. I've even forgotten what was in them now. I think there were boxes filled with clothes that were about to be thrown away because the necks were stretched out or the hems were a little torn. But, whenever I go into this damn storage room to clean out, the first thing I want to do is leave... Seriously, just looking at it makes me want to plop down on the sofa. It's the same now.
"Ugh... Cha! I can't leave A4 paper here anymore. The ones I stack up keep falling over. I'm going to get crushed by the boxes."
So... when are you going to clean this place out? I ordered only one box because it was cheap, but I later found out it was being sold in units of 10... so I still have eight boxes left. What about the other two boxes? I sold one to a friend for cheap, and I'm using the other one. Oh, I was putting on rubber gloves to clean out the warehouse... but my hands are already taking them off.
"By the way, Jo Hae-ryeong, when are you going to start dating? You're already twenty-six?"
What about dating, right? I wanted to get married quickly. I thought there couldn't be a destined partner in this big world... but I guess there really isn't. How can you date in your second year of high school and still not have a boyfriend for years? Well... if it weren't for being single, then it would be fine. It's already sad. I'm twenty-six, so I should at least dream of marriage. At least for me, my flowering years are over. If I keep going like this until I'm in my thirties, then the flowers have already fallen. My back must be bent, should I call it a grandmother's flower?
***
"Oh, Teacher Haeryeong."
"? oh..."
"Why are you here?"
"Teacher Seungkwan, you came out a little early today.."
"It's a bit much, I usually come out at this time, but I end up sleeping on a bench at school."
"...Lies, you always come here in a hurry, even with a tie in your hand, and yet you say such things?"
"Ah...what, I forgot my tie so I went home and came back."
"Aren't you sleepy? High school is tough...and the kids are sensitive too."
"Hmm... at least excluding the still energetic second year high school students?"
"They must be running again. Yesterday, they were running upstairs as if the ground was going to break."
"Hey, how old are the kids..."
"Just work in my place, you know. You'll be here in an hour, asking to be replaced."
I'm currently working as a Korean teacher for 2nd and 3rd graders at Sebong High School. Teacher Seung-kwan is in charge of history... The kids really like Teacher Seung-kwan. Even my class, Class 4, Grade 2, cheers for Teacher Seung-kwan more than I do. He's a teacher who's a bit of an entertainer. But still, I'm your homeroom teacher...?
***
"Okay, that's it. It's over. You must be hungry. Let's go eat. Hurry up and go eat. You know you'll be late if you don't, right?"
As soon as the bell rang, the kids would say to me, "Thank you for your hard work," and then, shoving and pushing each other, they'd hurry off to eat. At that age, you're always hungry.
"Teacher,"
"ah!"
"Are you surprised?"
"Hey... Don't you know that this tall guy has a weak heart?"
"I've never heard of this before."
"By the way, aren't you going to eat?"
"Can't I eat with you, teacher?"
"Teacher, you're a jerk. So Seokmin, you go see your friends. Can't you see them? Waiting for you outside the door?"
"Hey! You go first!"
"Hey, you go first, what's that?"
The guys, were they hungry or were they annoyed at Lee Seok-min not coming out? The moment Lee Seok-min said a word, they ran towards the cafeteria at the speed of light. This guy... doesn't seem to be upset at all.
"Ah... it's okay, I can eat with you."
"I can't eat with you, right? You should know that after going to school for a year."
"Is it a sin that I'm a second year student?"
"Is it a crime to be a teacher?"
"Teacher, what can I do if my workplace is here?"
"What I'm saying is, you're a sophomore in high school, what am I supposed to do?"
"Ah... I don't really have anything to say. Goodbye."
"What the... You've been holding me back all this time... and telling me not to eat?"
***
Ttororong-ttororongdongdong-ttorongdong-
The school bell rang, signaling the end of school, and the kids ran out. Of course, their destination was a PC room. Even I, after work, had to walk home, barely able to muster up all my strength. That's how much work I had to do without rest.
"Ha... I need something to lean on too..."
Yes, but in this world where men and women are all over the place, why can't I see my love? As if it's all a set-up.
Phew-,
"Huh?!"
"Oh, are you surprised?"
When I look back, it's Lee Seok-min.
"Hey... aren't you going home?"
"Um... I want to go with you, teacher."
"Oh, what's going on? I heard other kids are studying history or math. I guess they're not interested in Korean."
"why?"
"You don't know, do you? But you seem to like Korean? You really like me."
"Well, that's because I like the teacher."
"Yeah, Seokmin, I hope you don't change your mind. You know that kids are leaving the literary world one by one."
"I'm doing that because I like you, teacher."
"know."
"Really. As a woman."