Win No Matter What

CHAPTER 5 - REFLECTION

Not too long after Seok Jin leaves, you make your way back to your room where your belongings have already been delivered to. You place the 'gift' Seok Jin gave you on your dressing table, making a mental note to never drink it. You lift your single suitcase on the bed and sit next to it, reflecting on your first day. You think back to when it began and whom you met; Hak-Kun, Principal Bang, Jung Kook, Nam Joon, Yoongi, Tae Hyung, Seok Jin. You smile as you remember Seok Jin. He'll probably be the easiest to get along with. Yoongi sounded like he wanted nothing to do with you, which was fine, you weren't here to win the popularity award. Nam Joon looked like the one to go to for academic advice, which you didn't think you'd really need. You can imagine Jung Kook getting along very well with Seok Jin. Finally, Tae Hyung hadn't said much, but first impressions make you question his sense of being in the present.

Then there were those you hadn't had a chance to speak to, namely VP Lenzo, Ho Seok, Ji Min. You're sure you'll bump into them eventually and get to know them better.

So, you actually met or saw all members of BTS and this is what they're doing; teaching at the school that made them megastars. It's interesting how this hasn't been made public and you wonder why. You try to ponder this, but your mind takes you back to Ji Min and lingers there against your will. Why did he stare at you and also why couldn't you look away? You know nothing about him and certainly don't intend on spending unnecessary time thinking about him.

Focus, you're here to do a job and be damned good at it, you chastise yourself. You've worked too hard and sacrificed too much to do anything stupid. You certainly did not come here to obsess over someone who looked like he needed a healthy dose of vitamin D.

Thinking about your sacrifices makes you pine for your family whom you left behind. You hope your mother and brother are doing ok and can manage without you. Mum has grown weak and Yumi works all hours at their supplies store. But they insisted on you pursuing your passion to teach at the Academy and you don't want to let them down. You think about the motto you've lived your entire life by, "Never mind the consequences, do your best".

Once you finish unpacking, you go to your window to enjoy the view. Your room is on the third floor of the Seoul Wing, and from your window you can clearly see the school grounds expanding to the playing fields and beyond. You look out to stare at the brilliance of the bright moon. There is something about the cooling effect of the moon that seems to melt away your worries. As you bring your gaze downwards, you notice a figure walking through the school field away from the building. You squint to get a better look at the figure, but it suddenly disappears. Maybe it was just your imagination or your tired mind playing tricks on you.

You look back at the moon and wonder what your first day of teaching will be like. You've prepared for it as best you can, and after all, the only things a person needs to defend himself/herself against evil sorcery is a wand and a strong will......and of course the ability to cast a spell correctly. You look over your teaching notes again and decide that there is nothing more you can do. You put them aside and get into bed where you continue to think about how well you will settle into the Academy and whether you made the right choice. Ah well, tomorrow is another day and things will definitely be more in your control; you will make sure of that.

You fall into a not-so-dreamless sleep - there are several people sitting at a long table having a tea party in the jigsaw courtyard. Principal Bang is the Mad Hatter serving Seok Jin's mystery tonic to Nam Joon and Yoongi, with his sidekick VP Lenzo as the March Hare trying to do the same. Tae Hyung is the dormouse hiding in the teapot and Jung Kook is running around wildly with a large pocket watch. While you dream, the dark figure continues to walk further away from the Academy building and closer towards the Lake of Despair.