Chapter 01
“Teacher, I was really wrong.”
Se-a let out a low sigh as she looked at Mok-yeon, who stood in front of her with tears falling nonstop.
Both of them were Korean language teachers at Suyoung High School.
Mok-yeon was twenty-four this year. Se-a was six years older. Se-a had started working here right after graduating from college, so this was already her sixth year.
“Please… can you save me just this once?”
Mok-yeon lowered her head deeply.
“How am I supposed to do anything about Teacher Jin? What do you want me to do?”
The first time Se-a met Mok-yeon was when she became a homeroom teacher for the first time. Mok-yeon had been her student. Even now, after six years of teaching, she was still the student who had caused the most trouble.
Se-a never imagined she would meet her again as a fellow teacher in the same department, even teaching the same grade.
“You’re a full-time teacher, but I’m still temporary. If this mistake becomes known, I might get fired. If you could just… do something.”
“So you want me to take full responsibility for your mistake?”
At Se-a’s question, Mok-yeon lowered her head again.
Even though she was a Korean language teacher, Mok-yeon barely knew anything. Se-a had to teach her everything from one to ten, even writing her lesson plans for her. Still, Mok-yeon always made one or two mistakes.
This time, during the exam, she had taught the test content incorrectly, so the students who attended her class answered those questions wrong.
Originally, both Se-a and Mok-yeon were supposed to share responsibility for the exam, since they were in charge of the same grade. Even if Se-a had done nothing wrong.
But Mok-yeon clearly wanted Se-a to step forward and take all the blame alone.
“If I get fired for this, my mom will break my legs.”
Se-a shut her eyes tightly.
It wasn’t just Mok-yeon who was difficult. Her parents were just as overwhelming. Se-a had learned that painfully during her first year as a homeroom teacher.
Whenever Mok-yeon suffered even the smallest problem in class, her mother would rush to school and cause chaos in the teachers’ office. Se-a, who had been only a first-year teacher, was dragged to the principal’s office countless times and scolded.
But her mother didn’t always protect her either. Once, after Mok-yeon failed her midterms, her mother slapped her so hard that her cheeks swelled. Se-a had to comfort her while she cried.
“You know my mom. It’s already a miracle that I got hired here even as a temporary teacher. If I don’t get renewed next year, I’m in serious trouble. Please save me. Please.”
Watching Mok-yeon rub her hands together desperately, Se-a closed her eyes once more, then opened them.
Yes. Mok-yeon had once been her student. She had caused her a lot of trouble, but Se-a had grown because of it.
And at the end, Mok-yeon had even brought her a gift. A handwritten letter.
“Then promise me one thing.”
Se-a looked at her directly.
“From now on, prepare your lessons thoroughly. And before and after every class, you’ll receive mentoring from me. A teacher has to put her life on the line for her lessons. This is our livelihood.”
Se-a held both of Mok-yeon’s hands tightly.
“Can you promise me?”
“Of course! I’ll do my best.”
Yes, she’s only in her first year. I wasn’t like that, but if she learns properly from now on, it’s not impossible. I’ll teach her well.
Se-a released her hands.
“If you promise me that, I’ll take responsibility for this. So get yourself together, okay?”
“Yes, thank you, Teacher Han Se-a! You’re my favorite teacher!”
Se-a gently pushed away Mok-yeon, who tried to hug her, and stood up.
“My head already hurts. I wonder how much I’ll get scolded.”
Shaking her head, Se-a walked to the break room. Her mouth suddenly felt dry and her stomach burned.
Inside, Dong-jun was just finishing making coffee. When he saw her, he smiled softly.
Dong-jun was a social studies teacher. They had been dating for a year. And he was the principal’s son.
“Something wrong?”
“Ha, it’s Teacher Jin Mok-yeon.”
Se-a took out the cup with her name on it from the cabinet and held it out. Dong-jun naturally poured the freshly brewed coffee into her cup first.
“Did she make things hard for you again?”
“You could say that.”
“She’s your junior teacher. You should guide her kindly.”
Se-a turned her head slightly to look at him. He was making his own coffee now.
“I know. She used to be my student too. Maybe I’m just too narrow-minded.”
She didn’t want to speak badly about Mok-yeon to Dong-jun, since he was from another department.
But Dong-jun continued.
“If your mind is small, you should try to grow it. You can’t gossip about a junior teacher. Especially one who used to be your student and has become a proper teacher.”
Se-a frowned slightly.
Dong-jun rarely said anything wrong. But that was exactly why he could be so annoying sometimes.
“You really are something. I know, I know. But can’t you take my side at times like this? You’re so fair and righteous, like a true social studies teacher.”
Dong-jun lightly wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
“I’m saying this for you. I want you to become the best teacher.”
“Okay, let go. Someone might come in.”
Se-a pushed him away gently.
They were secretly dating. Even his father, the principal, didn’t know.
“By the way, I heard the chairman is changing.”
At her words, Dong-jun poured coffee into his tumbler.
“Yeah. I don’t know what’s going to happen. Ever since the school was sold to Jeong-un Group, they’ve been trying to run it like a company. The person coming this time is from the owner’s family, apparently. He doesn’t even have a teaching license.”
The school had recently been sold to the large corporation Jeong-un Group due to the foundation’s poor financial management. Since then, rumors of major reforms had spread.
At the name Jeong-un Group, Se-a’s eyebrows twitched.
“Of all groups… Jeong-un.”
“Hmm?”
“Nothing.”
She shook her head.
“So this person without a teaching license is from the owner’s family? Do you know anything specific?”
“That’s all I know. My father won’t tell me more.”
At that moment, another teacher entered, and their conversation ended. After Dong-jun left first, Se-a slowly stepped out with her coffee.
She stopped in the hallway.
It was midterm period, so the students had already gone home. The corridor was empty and quiet.
Suddenly, a voice echoed in her mind.
— Can we really do this here?
— There’s no reason we can’t.
Se-a closed her eyes.
It was a memory she should forget. Someone she no longer kept in her heart.
He wouldn’t come here. He’d go into business. Becoming chairman of a school made no sense. We’re just in the same group. There’s no point where our paths cross.
She opened her eyes and let out a soft sigh.
After taking a few steps, she sensed someone beside her. Was it Dong-jun? She glanced over.
It wasn’t the clothes Dong-jun had been wearing.
A sharp suit.
She raised her eyes and unknowingly let out a long breath of relief.
“Why do you look so surprised?”
The one smiling at her was Principal Lee Sang-tae, Dong-jun’s father.
“Hello, Principal.”
While bowing, Se-a suddenly remembered promising Mok-yeon that she would take full responsibility. That meant she would apologize and accept any scolding in her place.
“Haha, good timing. Do you have a moment?”
Se-a’s face twitched slightly. Did he already hear about the incident?
“Yes, I have time.”
“We have an important guest. Come to the principal’s office. You’re dressed nicely today.”
Principal Lee walked ahead.
Se-a pressed her hand to her chest, then stiffened her face again. It didn’t seem like he knew about the mistake yet. Was he asking her to act like a secretary because she dressed nicely?
But when the principal tells you to do something, you have no choice. Especially when she soon had to beg for forgiveness.
She left her untouched coffee in the teachers’ office and hurried to the principal’s office.
“Ah, Teacher Han, please bring two cups of coffee.”
When Se-a entered, Principal Lee gestured. The guest’s face wasn’t visible—only the back of his head.
“I’m fine without coffee.”
But the guest’s voice sounded far too young to be the principal’s guest.
A soft, low tone. Strangely familiar.
“I only came to greet you briefly today.”
Without realizing it, Se-a stepped further inside.
And she saw him.
The boy who once wore a school uniform was now a man in a tailored luxury suit. More than ten years had passed, yet time seemed to have left marks only on Se-a. His white skin was flawless.
His broad chest and shoulders filled the sharp suit perfectly. Just like before, he seemed to shine.
He stood up.
Step.
He moved closer.
“So you’re a teacher at this school.”
The corner of his lips lifted gently.
Shin Seong-han.
The grandson of the current chairman of Jeong-un Group. The boy who had once worked in the student council with Se-a.
And her first kiss.
He extended his long, pale fingers toward her.
“Nice to meet you. I’m the new chairman, Shin Seong-han. I look forward to working with you.”
Se-a stared at his hand with frozen eyes.
Like his face, his hand showed no trace of time. Just as firm, straight, and flawless as it had been that day.
