RRRRRRRRRIIIIINNNNGGGGGG!
The loud sound of the bell echoed through the halls, sending students scrambling to their seats. Most of the girls were already sitting at their desks, their eyes glued to the front of the room. They were utterly captivated by their teacher, Kang Min-jae. Despite being forty years old, he possessed the flawless, youthful features of a twenty-three-year-old, and his striking, ruby-red eyes seemed to pull people in. The girls were practically drooling over him, while the boys were a mixed bag—some paying attention, others already zoning out.
Min-jae began his psychology lecture, but it didn't take long for the class's attention to fade. Sensing the boredom, he paused, a small smirk crossing his face.
"Let's make things interesting," Min-jae announced. "If anyone can answer one question from our reading—specifically, what is the complete summary of chapters 46 through 49?—you will get an automatic 'A' in all my classes for the year, and you won't have to attend my lectures anymore. Anyone interested?"
Immediately, four hands shot up. However, their answers fell short, only hitting two or three of the five key points required for the prize.
Then, two more hands slowly rose—the smartest students in the class. Min-jae pointed to the boy. "Let's hear your answer, Park Min-seok."
Min-seok answered confidently. "The points you're looking for are: how stress affects behavior, trauma responses, emotional overload, and why some people break under pressure."
"Hmm, that's good," Min-jae said. "But you're missing something."
Min-seok blinked, confused. "Is there something else included in the book?"
Before he could think, the girl with her hand raised chimed in. "Is the last answer 'healthy versus unhealthy coping mechanisms'?"
Min-jae smiled. "That's correct, Hye-jin. For that, both of you will pass. However, Hye-jin, since you answered the final question for Min-seok and didn't state the rest of the points yourself, I'll be deducting your grade to an A-."
Hye-jin's face contorted in confusion and outrage. "Why an A-?! Why am I not given an A like Park Min-seok?"
"First, you answered the question for him," Min-jae explained calmly. "And second, you didn't state the rest of the summary. I'm sorry, but what's done is done."
"Please, teacher! Let me answer another question!" she pleaded.
"No exceptions," Min-jae replied. "But since you have an A- for the whole year, you are good to go. You can leave the class if you wish."
Hye-jin crossed her arms and huffed, sinking back into her chair. "I'll stay."
Meanwhile, Min-seok was already packing his bag, practically skipping toward the door. "Yeahhh! I'm free!" he cheered.
"Min-seok," Min-jae called out, his ruby eyes tracking the boy. "Don't forget your appointment with me later on at the end of class."
Min-seok waved a hand dismissively as he walked out into the hallway. "Alright, alright, I'll come by! Bye, see you!"
Min-jae continued his lecture, diving deeper into the complexities of human behavior. For thirty-seven minutes, his calm, steady voice filled the room, holding their attention as best as he could until the clock finally ran out.
RRRRRRRRRIIIIINNNNGGGGGG!
The lunch bell rang, and the whole room let out a relieved sigh. Chairs scraped against the floor as students eagerly packed their bags, thrilled that class was finally over. They were ready to bolt for the cafeteria.
"Before you go," Min-jae's voice cut through the chatter, freezing them in place. "Don't forget the three assignments you need to complete online."
A boy near the back paused, his backpack half-zipped. "What assignments?"
Min-jae offered a faint, amused smile. "The ones I've been reminding you about for the past three days. You have two videos to watch—they are only ten minutes long combined, so it won't take much of your time. After that, there is a quick ten-question multiple-choice quiz. It is timed, so I suggest you use that time wisely. It is due tonight."
A chorus of dramatic groans erupted across the classroom. It was typical for this group; no matter how small the workload, they always acted as if they were being handed a life sentence.
Min-jae just stood at his desk, quietly entertained by their misery. I've reminded them for three days straight, he thought to himself, watching them silently. Yet when the day finally comes, they still whine like babies.
A slow, defeated line formed at the door as the students began to shuffle out.
"I'll say it one last time," Min-jae called out over the shuffling feet, his tone leaving no room for argument. "There will be no extensions for this quiz. Remember to do it. If you don't, that's entirely on you."
The students walked out into the hallway, their hopes completely shattered. They had assumed their handsome, cool teacher would be a pushover who would easily grant them an extension. Now, annoyed and utterly defeated, they realized Kang Min-jae wasn't going to let them get away with anything.
A few minutes later, Min-jae stepped out of the teachers' lounge, making his way down the busy hallway toward the restroom. Just as he reached for the handle, the door swung open.
A group of boys shoved their way out, laughing loudly and acting as if they owned the place. Min-jae paused, his sharp eyes instantly scanning them. Their uniforms were wrong—different blazers, different crests. They're from the high school a couple of blocks away, he noted in his head.
His gaze dropped to the boy leading the pack. The kid was smirking, but Min-jae's eyes locked onto his hands. The boy's knuckles were raw, red, and freshly bruised.
A cold knot formed in Min-jae's stomach. Please don't let it be, he thought, stepping into the bathroom. Please don't let it be.
But his worst fears were confirmed.
A student lay crumpled on the cold tile floor near the sinks. The boy's face was severely swollen, with a fresh cut bleeding above his eyebrow. His uniform shirt had been violently torn open on purpose. His torso was bruised, patches of dark purple showing through.
Min-jae immediately knelt beside him, his expression hardening. He gently checked the boy's injuries. "Can you walk?" he asked, his voice low and steady.
The boy groaned, clutching his ribs as he tried to sit up. "I... I think so."
Min-jae carefully pulled the boy's arm over his shoulder, lifting him up and supporting his weight. He guided the Hurt student out of the bathroom and down the hall, ignoring the whispers and stares of the other kids, until they safely reached the nurse's office.
As soon as the nurse took over, Min-jae turned on his heel and walked out. His calm, approachable teacher persona vanished, replaced by a cold, calculating look. He walked quickly down the Hallway, tracking down a few students who were hanging around near the bathroom.
"The guys in the other uniforms. Where did they go?" Min-jae asked in a demanding tone.
"They... they just left through the front gate, Mr. Kang," one of the students stammered, intimidated by the sudden intensity in his teacher's ruby eyes.
Min-jae looked toward the exit, his jaw tightening. A dark, dangerous thought crossed his mind.
"It's good that they left", he thought, adjusting the cuffs of his shirt. It will be much easier to take care of them off of school grounds.