The closing bell blared loudly and a loud cheer erupted in the classroom.
"And that will be all for today, see you all next week" the teacher announced, and instantly, the students began to leave the classroom one by one. Bora swung her backpack on her back when she felt Hana's slender fingers grip her wrist.
"And where do you think you are going to?" Hana asked. Bora swallowed hard, before turning her head slowly.
"Oh, Hana" Bora said, as she smiled nervously.
"You wanted to leave without doing your duty? Hell no Bora, I know your tricks" Hana responded, her two friends nodding in agreement. Duri immediately walked over to Bora, a pile of book stacked neatly in her arms. She shoved them on Bora's chest, causing the poor girl to stagger and try to stop the books from falling off at the same time.
"These are our homework, be sure to get it done" Hana ordered. Bora opened her mouth to speak, but only air escaped from mouth. Hana and her goons cackled before leaving the classroom, leaving Bora frustrated where she stood. Bora sighed, before arranging the books she was given and headed out of the classroom.
Bora stepped into the admin block, walking hastily down the corridor till she made a stop in front of a large door which had the description "principal's office" written at the top of the door. Taking a deep breath, Bora stretched her folded knuckles and knocked lightly on the door, before turning the doorknob. She found Mrs. Choi graciously seated alone in her office, as though she had been expecting her. The principal's gaze was still cold, despite her perfect appearance and her wicked beauty which radiated despite being in her late fifties.
"Good afternoon ma'am" Bora greeted with a slight bow.
"Sit Miss Baek" Mrs. Choi sharply responded, her cold expression not changing one bit. Bora sat on the chair in front of her, facing the principal. She avoided her gaze, with her head slightly bowed.
"I called you here because I have an offer to propose to you" Mrs. Choi started. Bora's thought began to wander, her curiosity heightening.
"You are the best student of your class, especially in science. I would want you to tutor our new student, Lee Hyeol" Mrs. Choi announced. Bora swiftly lifted her face, her confused stare meeting Mrs. Choi's dead deep brown eyes.
"Ma'am?" Bora asked, in a bid to know if she had just heard properly.
"I said, you'll and tutoring our new student starting from Monday. Get prepared for that, you'll have to put him through with the curriculum and make sure you help him out with the tricky subjects" Mrs. Choi narrated.
"But ma'am..." Bora tried to say before she was interrupted.
"No buts, you have no say in this. But Hyeol's family is generous enough to pay you $200 every week if you could put their boy through, is that understood?" Mrs. Choi asked.
"Yes ma'am" Bora responded casually.
"Very good. Better do a good job, the integrity of this school falls on you now, see it as a payback for the scholarship opportunity you were given" Mrs. Choi remarked. Bora simply nodded,
"You can go on now, I'm done with you" Mrs. Choi said, before turning in her seat towards the window. Bora stood up, bowed a bit, before slowly leaving the office.
"I guess my hands are full this year, I hope I'm able to handle all these" Bora sighed. Suddenly she heard a beep, which seemed to come from beside her. Bora's eyes widened and she turned her wrist to check the time.
"Darn it, my shift is about to start!" Bora exclaimed, and began to run down the block.
Hyeol looked out through the window of the moving car, as it entered into the large beautiful estate. The black Bentley finally came to a halt and Hyeol came out of the car. He walked graciously over towards the entrance of the huge mansion. The two of the housekeepers who stood at the entrance bowed slightly as Hyeol entered into the mansion. Just as he walked in, a maid approached him.
"Good afternoon master, what will you have for lunch?" the maid asked, her head still bowed.
"Tteokbokki would be good" he answered calmly. The maid bowed and walked off, while Hyeol continued to walk further into the house when he met a man and a woman standing in the living room. They wore an almost cold expression on their faces, their faces closely resembling that of Hyeol's.
"Good afternoon mom, good afternoon dad" Hyeol greeted, as he tried to head towards the stairs.
"Young man, you can't just go upstairs" Hyeol's dad said. Hyeol stopped right on his tracks, and turned.
"Yes? What do you want us to talk about?" Hyeol asked coldly. His mother let out a sigh,
"Don't start this please" she pleaded, to which Hyeol scoffed.
"You decided to send me to school among humans and you expect me to act like everything is fine?" Hyeol asked, anger lingering in his tone.
"Oh just shut up will you? You blew every chance you got to study in the prestigious schools reserved for the higher gods. You literally got yourself kicked out of Haneunim's Imperial school, Sang-je's Jade school. Even the god of the underworld doesn't want to have you as a student, and you expect me to let you just hang around?!" Hyeol's father roared.
"I didn't want to go to any school, not at all" Hyeol protested.
"Because you want to run away from your destiny huh? You have forgotten you have a duty to fulfill as Gumiho, don't you?" Hyeol's mother asked, her voice cracked as she spoke.
"I don't want to be Lord of Baekja mountain, neither do I want to be supreme ruler of all the Lords of the ten mountains" Hyeol shot back. There was silence in the room for about five minutes, the stare between Hyeol and his parents was very intense.
"Very well then. You will continue to school amongst the mortals. As the Supreme Lord of the ten mountains, I command it so" Hyeol's father commanded.
"Father!" Hyeol cried.
"No child of mine would be rumored to be a useless fox. A nine-tailed fox who can't have some dignity will be subject to judgement if he doesn't fix his ways" Hyeol's father maintained.
"And if you can't be useful in the spirit realm, then the human realm would be very fitting for you" his mother added.
"I can't believe you two, I just can't!" Hyeol cursed and stomped his way up the stairs. Hyeol's mother's eyes fell as she watched her son go until he was out of sight. She slowly turned to her husband, who also wore a mournful look and let out a sigh.
"Aren't we being too harsh on Hyeol?" she asked.
"Of course not. Where is the no nonsense deity I married?" Her husband asked.
"Nothing changed Rang, but I am concerned" Hyeol's mother answered. Her husband, Rang, took her hand and squeezed it in he's.
"Bari I know you are concerned, but remember this is for Yeol's good. The prophecy your sister gave us one of two roads, we have to make the positive road work" Rang said, giving his wife a reassuring smile.
"We would invite my sister over tomorrow, I want to ask her what's going on so far" Bari stated.
"Sure thing my love. Right now, let's focus on work for a bit, it's time to tend to requests" Rang announced. Bari smiled,
"You are right my love, evening is upon us" she responded.