From a distance, she saw Jareed and her Nanny waving at them. She was sure her mom informed her brother that they would be coming today, that’s why they came to pick them up.
She smiled and waved her hand as well. She ran hurriedly towards her brother and hugged her. Then she turned to her Nanny and did the same.
“I missed you Nanny”, she yelled.
“I missed you so much boo”, she exclaimed.
“I missed you too sweetie. How are you?”, Jareed asked while seriously looking at her.
“I’m fine boo. Don’t worry”, she smiled and winked her eyes.
Jareed turned his gaze to Jungwon and tapped his shoulder.
“Thank you bro for accompanying JA here. We owe you so much.”, Jareed uttered.
“It’s okay bro”, Jungwon responded.
After a while, they had gotten into the car.
**********
Finally, they arrived at their residence. She felt really happy because she thought she could not be able to see their home again. She went upstairs and get inside her room. She laid her body on the soft bed, while stretching her arms wide open.
Then, Jareed went inside, bringing her luggage.
“Uhm, where is Jungwon bro?”, she asked.
“He is there in the guest room”, Jareed responded and seated on the couch.
“Can’t you love him back sweetie? Jungwon is a good person. And I know he loves you and cares for you so much”, Jareed spoke in a calm voice.
“I know that boo. I love him and I care for him too as a brother. I don’t want to hurt him by giving him false hope”, she explained, as she took off her clothes from the luggage and placed them in the closet.
After some time of chitchatting, Jareed went out of her room.
In the evening after they’re done eating, she decided to go to the rooftop. She did not know that Jungwon was there standing, with both his hands in his pocket. She knew he did not notice her presence because he was concentrating on staring the stars in the sky.
“Jungwon-ah, gwaenchana?” she asked. Jungwon just looked at her with a sad face. He gave her a soft smile then turned away his gaze.
“Are you okay Jungwon?”, she asked again.
“Ne, gwaenchana J.A.-yah”, Jungwon replied.
“Uhm, JA I’ll be back in Korea tomorrow. I’ll be missing you then. But I will keep in touch with you always. And one thing, please don’t anymore cry okay? I want you to be happy”, Jungwon quavered.
“I’m sorry Jungwon, but I love you and care for you as a brother and a friend. I know the right woman will come to you at the right time”, she became emotional and tears welled up in her eyes.
Jungwon pulled her a hug and caressed her back.
“Ssshh. Enough JA-yah.I understand”
“Do you really love Zacky that much?”, he asked.
She was shocked because she didn’t expect that Jungwon would ask her such question.
“At first I thought, you just love Zacky because you’re thinking she is the reincarnation of your first love Ryle. But as I read your story, I found out you really love her even if you know, she is a woman.
“Why Jungwon, do you believe in reincarnation?”, she asked curiously.
“Nope. There’s no such thing like that”, Jungwon replied.
“Me too. I don’t believe in reincarnation. That’s only found in the movies”, she said while crossing her arms.
“But why you still love her even if she is a woman. I don’t believe you’re a lesbian”, Jungwon jested, and a soft partly suppressed laugh escaped from his mouth.
“Of course not!”, she responded and slightly struck his arm. Then, they chuckled.
“Geunde, J.A-yah, Zackyga namjalaneun geos-eul mid-eun jeog-i iss-eo? (But JA, have you ever believed that Zacky was a man?)”, he asked while intently looking at the sky.
She shook her head, because she didn’t know what to answer.
“Gwaenchana, ij-eobeolyeo (It’s okay forget it)”, Jungwon uttered and changed the topic.
She felt comfortable talking with Jungwon because they have the same likes and dislikes. But how come, she was not falling for him? Jungwon has good looks, a stable job, a successful career and undeniably came from a wealthy family but it’s not enough reason for her to fall in love with him, because love is something that cannot be predicted or necessarily controlled.
********
The time came when Jungwon went back to South Korea. She was teary-eyed when she and her brother drove him to the airport.
“Why are you crying sweetie? Do you miss Jungwon?”, Jareed asked, on their way back home.
“Why? Do you realize now that you’re falling for him?”, Jareed asked again.
“I missed him boo. I love him and care for him too, but I’m not falling for him”, she responded.
“She deserves someone better than me boo”, she uttered.
They were silent for a moment until Jareed spoke.
“Will you go to school this afternoon?”
“Yes boo. I missed the kids so much and I want to see them.”
*******
At Bannister Academy
“Good afternoon sir”, she greeted as she stepped inside the school director’s office.
“Good afternoon Miss Jannah. It’s good to see you again. Welcome back!”, Mr. Mendoza exclaimed as he offered her a seat.
“How are you Miss Jannah?”
“I’m fine sir, thank you”, she responded
“I just wanted to meet the kids sir”, she said intently.
“Yes sure, Miss Jannah. I’m sure they will be happy to see you. I will inform the substitute teacher that you are back”, Mr.Mendoza uttered.
She nodded and smiled. Afterwards, she went out of the office and headed towards the kids’ classroom.
She slowly flipped the doorknob and slightly opened the door. Some of the kids were busy playing games on their cellphone while others were busy chatting one another. Then she gradually opened the door..
“Surprise!”, she exclaimed
The kids looked at her direction and as soon as they recognized her, they grinned and hurriedly ran towards her.
“Teacher! teacher! You’re back!!!”, they screamed and hugged her.
“We missed you so much cher!”
“How are you cher?”
“Are you now okay?”
“Yes sweethearts, I am fine. I am now back”, she said and pinched their lovely cheeks.
The kids were yelling while clapping their hands and jumping around her. She could not help but laugh as well as she heard them laughing out loud.
“You know kids I have something for you. I bought all of these in South Korea”, she uttered as she took the ten medium-boxes from her pack bag.
The kids widened their eyes in great surprise. They hurriedly opened the box intended for each one of them. She was so glad to see all of them who were so excited in opening the boxes.
“Thank you so much cher!”, the kids said happily.
She was delighted seeing happy faces of her kids. Those were just simple stuff but brought happiness to the young and innocent ones. She loved them very much and now that she’s back, she will continue what she had started until these kids will graduate in Senior High School.
She was back in her usual routine. She went to school for her classes, afterwards went home. During weekends, she and her brother went into shopping and went to some places to unwind themselves. All her time was fully occupied by her work in the school and in her writing journey, so she had no time to entertain plenty of suitors. For her, it doesn’t matter even if she would stay ‘single’ for the rest of her life, she would still be happy teaching with the kids in school because that’s her destined fate.
Besides, she was already enjoying her life being a writer, because through writing she could freely express whatever emotions she had. Mostly, she preferred to write love stories which usually have happy endings because she wanted to give at least an irony from what was actually happening in her life.
*******
Five years later…
She was still working in Bannister Academy, handling another batch of students. She was supposed to have been promoted as the Discipline Head of the school, but she did not accept the promotion because all she had ever wanted was to teach kids and do psychological counseling.
Josh and Gillian were now in the Senior High School, while the rest of the kids were still in Junior High. They were already back to the regular classes according to their respective ages because they were already completely healed in psychological aspects. But though she was not anymore handling them, still those ten kids often visit her in the classroom during their free time.
She hurriedly went to her classes, because it’s almost 3:00 in the afternoon, but suddenly she received a text from the school director telling her to proceed to the Function Hall for an emergency meeting.
She was in deep thought because she was thinking why in the Function Hall and why not in the Faculty Room?
When she reached there, she hastily flipped the doorknob and as soon as she entered, she heard a ‘bang’ and confetti were thrown at her.
“Happy birthday JA!”, Everyone was laughing and clapping their hands. Those were her co-workers in the school. And others were her kids, the first and second batch. She was stunned into silence because she did not expect that the school has prepared a birthday surprise for her. She was not used to celebrating her birthday in the month of August, though it was her real birthday, because she and her family usually celebrated it in the month of April. But still, she was so thankful for the effort made by the school.
“Thank you so much”, she responded with tears starting to form in her eyes.
“Happy birthday cher!”, the kids exclaimed as they gave her the bouquet of flowers and balloons.
“Happy birthday teacher!”, Samantha smiled while bringing the two-layer birthday cake with candles around it.
“Make a wish cher, then blow!”, Chris screamed.
She did what she was being told to. Afterwards, everybody clapped their hands.
“Thank you so much sweethearts. Thank you everyone.”
“Sir Lester, thank you”, she uttered as she turned her gaze to him.
She felt inexplicable happiness when everyone approached her and hand in their birthday presents. It’s her first time to receive gifts from other people not related to her by blood and it was indeed overwhelming!
Everyone was already seated as the short program started.
She looked around because she noticed there’s someone lacking. Josh was not around, so she asked Gillian since they were classmates. But Gillian did not have any idea. According to her, he was with them while ago, she thought he was following them.
She started to get nervous. What if something bad happened to the kid?