Win No Matter What

CHAPTER 17 - SPIRITED AWAY

The next day, you wake up from the most blissful sleep you've had in a long time. You stare at the ceiling thinking about what happened the night before. Remembering the kiss makes you blush and smile. I kissed a man I barely knew, yet why does it feel completely natural? Why am I not shocked by the fact that I hardly know Ji Min, but kissing him made me feel like my whole body was on fire! I've never felt like this towards any man before.

Whilst you want to explore where the kiss will lead you both towards, you hope the kiss won't complicate the task you're about to embark upon with the Bangtan gang. You hope, seeing Ji Min won't cloud your judgement or plan of action. You hope, last night's kiss wasn't something which you will both come to regret. So many hopes, so little time to worry about them.

To prove that your determination will not be swayed by last night's event, you decide to make the bold step of going to see Principal Bang today. Whatever happens, you will ask him about these malspirits. As soon as you finish your three-lesson day which you remember that you haven't planned for. And two of those lessons are a double with Second Year students, whom you've yet to meet (great!). You get dressed, grab a fruit from the canteen and eat as you walk to your classroom. With the experience of ten years of teaching behind you, you manage to prepare for the double lesson in less than twenty minutes. Boom, the boss is back, you think to yourself, impressed with your prep work. That kiss seems to have given your self-confidence a boost too.

You stand outside your classroom, waiting for the new faces, and you see Yoongi walking towards you. You look at him expecting him to scowl at you or ignore you, but instead he looks straight at you and gives you a curt nod. You're shocked. Getting a nod from Yoongi is like getting an enthusiastic hug from Ho Seok! Is that ice-hard exterior finally melting? Will you and Yoongi actually, one day, become friends?  Your thoughts are rudely interrupted by someone bellowing, "Pick up that mess off the floor, this is a school not your bedroom!" You turn to see Yoongi berating a nervous first year student who'd been carrying too many books and of course, soon dropped them. Picking them up, the student quickly runs away from Yoongi. Nope, Master Min hasn't changed much.

Your lessons are, thankfully, uneventful. Students seem to be enjoying your lessons, although at times you are distracted by thoughts of how and why malspirits are trying to come through to this world. It all seems too incredible to be true and you feel like this is only the tip of the iceberg. The last lesson is with the Fifth years and you give them that test you promised.

"Oh Madam Min, come on, are we really having a test? It's only our second lesson. Wow, have you done something new to your hair? It looks great!" Min Ho makes himself heard.

"Nice try, Min Ho, yes you are really having a test. And you really have fifty minutes to complete it. You may all begin!" you instruct. Soon the lesson is done and you collect the papers in. It feels strange to think about marking papers when you have other things to worry about. And all these students have no idea, which is something else you're going to ask Principal Bang about.

You head straight to his office on the ground floor of the Seoul wing. Its door is white and wide, with large windows holding curved metalwork inside them. You open the door leading straight into his office which is eerily quiet. You walk in with some trepidation, "Er, Principal Bang? It's Rumi, I was hoping to speak with you?"

"Yes of course, Madam Min, I've been expecting you," you hear a reply, wondering where it's coming from. Then you see Principal Bang come out of the shadows from the far corner of the room. "I was just looking out the window, gathering my thoughts. Something you like to do as well, I take it?"

How on earth does he know that? You wonder how many people have actually been 'keeping an eye on you'.

"Principal Bang, I don't want to waste your time, so I'll come straight to the point. Please tell me more about these malspirits and what's happening at the lake. And more specifically, why is Park Ji Min acutely affected by it?"

"Ah, I like your assertiveness Madam Min. I knew straight away when I met you that you were determined, reliable and possibly a force to be reckoned with when the time comes." 

You wait for him to continue.

"Yes, I think it's pertinent that you know everything that I do if we are to succeed. What I'm about to tell you, even the Bangtan boys don't know. I have kept it from them for their own safety, and to avoid anyone doing anything rash, but you are different. You will be able to digest the information I'm about to give you and discern for yourself the best way forward."