Happily Never After

Chapter 1: Two Years After

CHAPTER 1: Two years after…

                   

“I said one day,

I’d be coming back to you…”

 

…

Just as she stepped down from the taxi, Chun Gyeol heard the bell rang. She hurriedly ran entering the school gate. She ran along with the students, who, like her, are already late for their first class. She hears them greeting her while she runs.

Students: “Good morning, mam.”

She runs for her first class. But too late, the principal had checked her class.

Mr. Kim: “You’re late again, Ms. Kho.”

Chun Gyeol: “I’m sorry, sir.”

Mr. Kim: “See me at my office after your first class.”

Chun Gyeol: “Y-Yes, sir.”

As he walks away, his last words linger on her.

Chun Gyeol: “See him at his office? Oh my, isn’t he? No. He’s not goin’ to fire me, right?”

She sighed and put her worries away before she entered the room. A happy and worry-free Ms. Kho entered the room.

Chun Gyeol: “Good morning, class.”

Students: “Good morning, Ms. Kho.”

Chun Gyeol: “How’s your weekend? I hope you didn’t forget about our lesson last week ‘coz today, you’re having a surprise quiz.”

Students: “No…”

Chun Gyeol: “Yes. So bring out one whole sheet of paper. Put your name, year and section.”

Kho Chun Gyeol or simply Ms. Kho is a middle school English teacher in a nearby province out ofSeoul. She is close to her students as she treats them as her little sisters and brothers. She is also close to her co-teachers especially Mr. Stroem, who she sees while she walks towards the principal’s office.

Mr. Stroem smiled at her when they met at the door.

Chun Gyeol: “I’m here to meet Mr. Kim.”

Markki: “What a coincidence. He also told me to meet him after my first class.”

Mr. Kim has them seated at the sofa inside the office.

Mr. Kim: “I called the two of you today so I can tell you the news.”

Chun Gyeol: “Bad news or good news? Am I getting fired?”

Mr. Kim: “Though, you’re always late, Ms. Kho, no, we’re not firing you. In fact, we are sending you toSeoulbranch. And you too, Mr. Stroem.”

Markki: “Us? Why?”

Mr. Kim: “TheSeoulbranch lacks English and Music major teachers. So the board chose you. This is your last week in this branch.”

Chun Gyeol: “But,”