Come Home

Two

"Unnie, stop chasing me." Little Chunsa pleads as her last resort as she's backed up against the wall. Lisa approaches her with slow, antagonising steps with her arms outstretched and teeth bared out. "Ah!" Chunsa shuts her eyes hard as she yelps, accepting her defeat as Lisa only stands a few steps away from her now.

"You're gonna be it next, Chunsa." Lisa antagonises the little kid with a smile on her face.

"I don't wanna be it." Chunsa mutters painfully as if her faith's about to take turn for the worst.

"You're gonna have to run around, chasing after us like I've been doing the whole time." Just as Lisa's finally about to tag Chunsa, Chaeyoung walks out from the classroom and shakes her head at the scene unfolding involving her cousin.

"Lunch is over, kids. Come back in now."

At the sound of their teacher's voice, Chunsa's eyes open in delight and sticks a tongue out at Lisa. "I'm not it! I'm not it!" She celebrates, rubbing salt to the wound on Lisa who had to run around, chasing energetic seven year olds the whole lunch time.

All the kids run towards Chaeyoung and hugs her legs because as that's all their height allows them to reach. "Teacher Chaeng, Lisa unnie didn't catch us!" One kid called Deehan who has messy hair, rosy cheeks and beads of sweat trickling down his forehead after running around under the sun states proudly.

Chaeyoung crouches down and ruffles the kid's already messy hair. "You all run so fast. Look at her. You tire her out, she can't run anymore." Chaeng points to her cousin who is now hunched on her knees, breathing heavily and trying to catch her breath. She leans in as if she's about to reveal a secret. The students come in closer to, ready to listen intently. "You wanna know how Lisa unnie wont catch you?"

They all nod and now about thirteen pair of eyes are locked on Chaeyoung, looking at her like she holds all the answers in the world.

"You just run as fast as you can and Lisa unnie will get tired eventually because she's old." She whispers to the group of kid and their reactions are priceless.

"What are you talking about?" Lisa projects her voice in a booming way to terrify the kids and she succeeds because they all break out into screams again and hides behind their teacher.

"Teacher Chaeng, I thought you said she's tired?" One kid asks.

Chaeng laughs and gives Lisa a look. "She is."

"Yeah, I'm very tired." Lisa collapses on the ground for more effects. "You kids are like little flies, I can't catch you anymore. I guess I need to eat more fruits and vegetables so I can be as fast as you."

"I told you, kids." Chaeng faces her students. "Walk back to the classroom and fix yourselves. When I come back, we'll start reading again, okay?"

The kids skips back to the classroom and Chaeng and Lisa remains outside. Chaeng knows her students are well behaved and they can go a few minutes without supervision.

"As for you, clean yourself up." She says while laughing. "You're covered in sweat, sand and dirt."

"Nah, I'm good." Lisa stands up and goes in the classroom, leaving Chaeng behind.

Lisa voluntarily spends her weekdays at their local school. She arrives during lunch time to play with the kids and joins the rest of the class to assist Chaeyoung. She's been helping at the school for four years now and the kids completely loves her.

It's the end of the day and almost all the mids are out. Chaeyoung has gathered her books, ready to head home for the day while Lisa stands by the door to give each kid a goofy good bye.