On an early fall afternoon, the warm sun rays enveloped the entire high school, caressing it tenderly and softly, akin to a young mother’s hand touching her newborn baby. The wind rustled through the trees, causing a few leaves to gracefully float and settle on the ground near the roots. In just thirty minutes, the first afternoon class would commence, and the school grounds were teeming with students. They chatted, shouted, laughed, chased one another, ran, and played.

A blue SUV parked in the lot between two white cars, and a man and a woman emerged from it. The man stood tall, around 185cm, while the woman was noticeably shorter, measuring less than 160cm. The man wore a white V-neck T-shirt under a light pink casual suit, paired with bell-bottom jeans and white high-top shoes. His hair was styled in bangs that gently framed his large, single-lidded eyes, which had a captivating deer-like quality when he focused his gaze on someone. The woman sported black-framed glasses, short hair, and fair skin. She was his stepmother and twelve years older than him.

Hand in hand, they strolled towards the teacher’s building, drawing the attention of many students who couldn’t help but glance their way. The girls, in particular, would steal glances at him and then exchange whispers and giggles. Whenever students greeted them, she would respond with a nod and a smile, while he would wave cheerfully in return.

He leaned towards her, gesturing with one hand, sharing something in a hushed tone. She tilted her head towards him, attentively listening. Balancing two books in her arms and a bag hanging from one shoulder, she walked alongside him, while he carried a brown and yellow bag, his wristwatch sparkling in the sunlight.

In the distance, the elderly headmaster, his hair partially grayed, approached them. “I’ll greet him in Korean,” she said. “What?” He paused, looking at her curiously. “Let me surprise our headmaster,” she replied mischievously, a playful smile forming at the corner of her mouth. “Don’t. You’ll startle him,” he cautioned in a hushed voice. “That’s precisely what I want to do. Scare him a bit,” she insisted.

They quickened their pace, hastening towards the headmaster. As they reached him, she bowed deeply, just as she had seen Koreans do on TV shows, and uttered, “A li ha sai yo.” The bewildered headmaster stared at the young couple for a moment and finally said, “What’s wrong with her? Is she okay?”

Straightening her posture, she burst into laughter, and he joined in, leaving the headmaster standing there, looking bewildered. They laughed heartily, bending over and clutching their stomachs. The headmaster chuckled and asked again, “What did you say just now?” “She greeted you,” the young man explained, trying to stifle his laughter, “In Korean.” “You know Korean?” the headmaster exclaimed. “Yes. She can speak four languages now: Korean, Japanese, English, and Chinese,” the man proudly stated. “You naughty girl!” The headmaster playfully patted her shoulder and laughed. “You were teasing me, weren’t you? Be more mature; you’re with your stepson, and you should set a good example for him.” “Sorry,” she managed to compose herself, suppressing her laughter. “I was just joking. I wanted to see you smile. You see, the students are afraid of you.” “I’m aware. Thank you! The class is about to start. Head to the office,” the headmaster instructed.

Watching the headmaster depart, he turned towards her and said, “You’re as mischievous as a little girl, even smaller than the students. Look at how they laugh when they see you.” He naturally patted her shoulder and held it gently.

“But that’s precisely why we like you,” he murmured. As he gazed at her proud and smiling face, a broad smile filled with admiration, praise, and tenderness spread across his sparkling eyes and cheeks.