Letters to the Spawn of Satan: First Set

WHITEHALL ACADEMY
9th September

Dear Minah,
I can't believe you finally bought the house! It's only an hour's drive from the school. It would me nicer if you came up to the village sometime, that would only take me ten minutes. I can't spare much time on private pleasures considering the fact that I have to mother fifty-three young ladies all between the ages of eleven and fifteen. It's a painfully enjoyable task, but I can't take much time off so the village it will have to be.
I don't know if I've ever told you about my school properly. It's an old building, I think it used to be the house of Lord Something or Earl Someone, but it was kindly donated to be turned into an institution for a little over a hundred young boys and girls from the first from to the fifth. Of course during the War we took in a few children for shelter and now we're left with three scores of children, all without families or relations to go back to. So we're now not only an academic institution, but an orphanage as well. Don't worry yourself, we have an excellent staff, full of kind people, if a little eccentric at best.
At the head of this institution we have Kris Wu but really it's his wife, Haneul, who has the real brains— don't tell anyone but our honorable Headmaster is a little afraid of hoards of children, he only allows a handful into his office at a time. Still, he is a good man, with the best interests of the children and that's all we need anyway.
Minseok ge (all the teachers older than me are "ge") teaches mathematics. He's really the oldest one out of us all, which isn't saying much except for the fact that we're all pretty young. He's really strict but kind and everyone looks up to him. I'm the only one who gets to call him a hamster though (he truly looks like one when he eats!).
Luhan ge is the football coach, and he insists on being called manly every other minute (it's probably not his fault since we call him pretty every other minute— he is).
Yixing ge is the counselor. I'm happy that we have him, the children need someone to talk to sometimes and someone who knows what's going on in their minds. Well we need someone who knows what's going on in our minds once in a while too really. When he's not advising people on the ways of the world, he teaches History.
(Also here is where I add— never leave Yixing and Luhan ge alone together for too long, the last time they came up with plans for a hay fever bomb. Time before that they were going to sneak the children out for a midnight walk, all hundred and fifteen of them.)
Joonmyun ge is the resident physician. He really lives in the village with his wife, Miya, but for the most part they've been living on school grounds. Joonmyun ge takes his work in healthcare really, really seriously. Thanks to him, not only do the children get regular vitamins, so do we. I swear if you raid his house, you might hit upon the Ali Baba cave of vitamin tablets.
Jongdae is in charge of science. He's also in charge of having a really sharp tongue. When he's not busy putting people in their places, he's happily teasing the hell out of me. The nerve of that man.
Baekhyun teaches music. He managed to put together a choir and now they sing something new every other week. He thinks there needs to be less bombing and more singing, I agree.
Sehun teaches Geography to the lower forms and economics to the final two. He's the only one who teaches two subjects. He's also the youngest, but for me. He goes around with his poker face and makes all the older girls secretly swoon over him even though they pretend to hate him.
Jongin teaches ballet. He's a beautiful dancer. He should have been on stage if his family hadn't been so against it. They think he's teaching a "proper" subject here. We let them think that. They're too far away to know the truth anyway.
Chanyeol is the groundskeeper and the cook all rolled into one and he does a fabulous job of it, even if he does grin at everyone a little too much.
Tao is the last person on our staff. He takes care of the horses with the help of the older students and is their horseback riding instructor. He also teaches the good ones how to play polo. We have six horses right now, and with everyone excited to learn, I think it's a little too much for those poor creatures.
If you look at our building from the outside, you might be putt of by the austere blue and gray paint but we're really one happy big home for the children.
I'm told a new teacher is coming here tomorrow. He's been to some really famous art schools in London. You know how I like new people. I'm excited. I wonder if he's the prince charming of dreams... but I digress.
I must be off now, the girls need to be put to bed. Congratulate Donghae on his promotions and the new house. Let's have lunch soon,
Yours, a little hassled at the start of term,
Ahra.
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Dear Spawn of Satan,
When I woke up today, I was excited for the first time in a long time. I was going to meet you. Someone new. I like new people. I like all people. I don't like you.
I should have known you were evil the moment you walked in and Kris ge introduced you. You, with your wide eyes and pleasant smile, I should have known you were too cute not to be evil. You're the Spawn of Satan for certain.
Kris ge said you were really qualified in art apparently, something about schools from London or something. I have to say I was looking forward to meeting you, maybe talking about London— I've always wanted to go there. Thank you for dashing my dreams about the perfect art prince.
I even took the trouble to wear my best formals (I used makeup after ages and gave everyone a heart attack). I hope it pleases your evil heart to know that I'm currently stomping around my room in anger (I shooed Jongdae away when he wanted to know if I had an ant infestation I was trying to rid myself of).
I've never lost my temper. Today was the first and something tells me, with you around, it won't be my last. I think people are properly scared of me now. No I'm not thanking you! I do just fine when people don't think I'm a she-gorilla on a rampage, thank you.
Thank you for pointing out every tiny bit of mistake I'd made all day. I should appoint you my personal secretary, and then fire you for the pleasure of it. I wonder if Yixing ge's psychology degree involves hypnosis, Kris ge seems like a gullible candidate.
Yes, I'm perfectly capable of handling the girls of all the forms by myself. I've done it for years now. No, I'm not too young. Yes, I could beat you black and blue if you asked me one more time.
You're horrible. I think you're selectively horrible to me, which makes you more horrible. I hope you trip and impale yourself on a penknife or something. In English we'd call that poetic justice, in my words I'd call it "pest control". If you don't die I hope you poke an eye out or something,
Yours thoroughly annoyed but angelic,
Cho Ara
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Dear Spawn of Satan,
It's been a week, a week since my perfectly sweet haven was infiltrated by your evil presence. Infiltrated thoroughly apparently. Everywhere I turn I hear "Do Kyungsoo, this" and "Do Kyungsoo that". I've only got to open my ears and I hear news about you supplied like some public announcement system. Why does everyone know your habits already?!
This morning, I was only trying to get my tea when I heard Joonmyun whispering to Jongin, "he has such cute cheeks... Don't you get the urge to pinch them?" I didn't hear Jongin's reply but it involved a lot of flailing and the breaking of a perfectly good cup. For you to turn the ballet teacher into an uncoordinated mess, you must be made of pure evil.
The students have caught it too, whatever it is that's plaguing the teachers. I have had to confiscate at least twenty chits about you and tell of plenty of students staring at you from the windows. Can't you take your classes inside? It's rather troublesome for me to keep rapping them on their heads.
I'd appreciate it if you could give me a little credit for the job I've done, not that I need it anyway but as you wrongly pointed out over lunch that maybe someone more mature ought to take over being form head, I'd like to tell you to go jump into a pit of cobras. I feel half done with life after our daily sparring matches. I don't know what possesses me to bother to reply. But every time you open your mouth to point out something, I feel the need to reply.
No I don't need your green advice in form management. Go manage your underwear drawer. According to Jongin, it's color-coordinated, not that I care for that information. I do care for his sanity though... It seems to be on the downside these days... Maybe he should be seeing Yixing ge,  not me. Actually, you need Yixing's expert counsel. Seriously. Or you need that pit of cobras.
Yours, sincerely building that pit,
Cho Ara.
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Dear Spawn of Satan,
I grudgingly admit, you live up to your degrees. I saw a half painted canvas in the gardens and asked Chanyeol whose it was— turned out to be yours. It looked enchanting, that bowered garden with vines and falling petals glistening in the sunlight, colored in green and gold and orange like everything was gloriously ablaze. I quite liked the nymph sitting in the tree, sadly they were untouched by paint. I wanted to see what she'd look like...
I don't know why you yelled at me though... You're the one who left it out in the open, and I just happened to pass by. It's not like I read your diary! Mind you Chanyeol witnessed the whole fight while he pretended to trim the hedges. If you wondering about the strange looks you were getting over lunch, that was what it was about.
I saw you studying the painting with Jongin while I was teaching Keats to the fifth forms. He looked pretty ecstatic, you looked a little happy too, I think. I note you don't really smile at me. I don't think I've ever felt quite so upset teaching my favorite poet. Not that I care to see your work. Or see you smile.
Yixing ge says I should admit my feelings somewhere and that denial can drive people crazy... so... Yes, it hurt me. It hurt me that you've known all of us for the same amount of time and yet you single me out to be horrible to... I don't remember doing anything to you...
I think I hate you.
Not really, I just really dislike the sight of you.
Yours, currently upset,
Cho Ara.
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Dear Spawn of Satan,
Today was the kind of day I look forward to in fall— cloudy, with a slight nip in the air. It's the perfect time for tea and curling up near a window with a book of poems, and losing yourself to the world. Thank you for killing that. If there was one person who could kill Christmas, it would be you.
As for today, I might remind you that the third and the fourth forms are my responsibility during school hours. Not the second. I don't mind watching over them in Minseok ge's absence, but for you to come marching into the teachers' room like a battle charged General and admonish me like a little child is ridiculous. I'm still waiting for the apology, which must come in a long sheet of paper with the words, "I am sorry, I shall not raise my voice to the great and capable Miss Cho ever again" written a hundred times and accompanied by appropriate groveling.
A normal apology would do too.
You just stopped and stared when I reminded you and then marched straight out. That's not normal... are you sure you don't need Yixing ge to see you?
Your fan following has increased. Luhan ge seems to have taken a shine to you. I can't believe he stopped coaching to talk to you— he NEVER does that! I've seen him finish a game through the news of bombing in the next town. I actually stopped halfway through reading a really nice poem on daffodils and stared, until a student reminded me. Thankfully you didn't notice. You might have yelled at me across the field. I'm a little terrified of you and to be fair you've given me enough reason to be.
I was hoping for one of the footballs to hit you in the head and knock you out. I'm sure Joonmyun would have been more than happy to be tending to you at the infirmary. I'm not sure if his wife should worry about his possible love for you or not... I wonder if he talks about you at home...
See this is why I call you the spawn of Satan to begin with. What kind of thoughts are those?! I'm not in the habit of wondering what people talk about to their wives but now I'm very curious. I might follow him home some day to find out and it will be all your fault.
Everything is your fault these days. Jongdae frequently asks after the ants in my room. I might throw him into the cobra pit with you, or not... Maybe something less venomous, it's only fair...
Yours, arranging for another snake pit, but it's all your fault actually,
Cho Ara.
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Dear Spawn of Satan,
Yixing ge says it's good to write these. I don't see the point of it. It's not like I could send any of these any way, but apparently it good to get my feelings out instead of keeping them locked up. It's true I suppose, I'd never be able to say these things to you otherwise.
Take for instance, what happened in that hour after lunch when the students of the fourth and fifth forms study in the library. My students and I walked the long way, admiring the trees with their leaves all in the colors of fall. We arrived a good fifteen minutes late. I admit it was rather indulgent of me to agree but I wish you hadn't punished the children, and then told me off for being irresponsible later. Who put you in charge?! I told you that I'd never let it happen again. What I wanted to ask you was that if you perhaps leave your nature appreciation outside with your canvas when you come in with your military airs and your stiff upper lip. Did you ever serve in the army? I'll bet you an entire box of the best cookies that you did; and they were terrified of you and happy when you left.
Chocolate is good for the children. We can't ration on that completely! What else do I hand out to the little ones when they miss home and the elder ones when they don't want to go back?! You had your way, supported by Joonmyun, who by lieu of being our doctor, had a final say. So good for you, you horrible man, the children don't have chocolate any more. Try bribing them with oatmeal. I'm sure it'll work. I hope the children mutiny and eventually barricade you in one of the classrooms... or outside the door, yes that sounds better. I hate you. I miss my nightly chocolate.
In the evening I saw you sitting on the steps with one of the little ones. She looked like she'd been crying. For a second I jumped to the conclusion that you'd told her off, until I saw you give her that sugar candy. Did you visit the village and buy a stash? She looked happy, that child, not because of the candy but because you were kind and you made her feel at home. I couldn't tell you this but I don't think you're all that bad, at least not to the children, and that's fine by me. Yes, Do Kyungsoo, I think you're alright as a person.
Some day maybe I could tell you what I think, instead of looking like a deer in the headlights, like Jongdae says I do. Till then,
Yours sincerely, preparing an angry speech,
Cho Ara.
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Dear Spawn of Satan,
Well, well, well.
How the mighty fall... and face the earth. Literally.
Finally one fatal flaw.
Apparently, Mr. Perfect cannot ride horses. People might think that's not really a big deal, and it isn't but trust me I took great pleasure in watching you try to mount that horse, and fail miserably.
I think I noticed it sometime while I was walking aroun class, making sure the students in the first form were doing their grammar work when I caught a sight of Rainbow. You might think it's a bit odd to name a black stallion, "Rainbow" but no one wants your opinion really. You should know, Rainbow is my favorite horse, so when he threw you off his back and into the mound of hay, I was secretly willing to buy everyone champagne to celebrate. I believe it's called "poetic justice"?  I don't remember how many times I happened to look out the window (I'm a busy person, I have other things to do) yet each time I looked out you were in some stage of falling off. I wonder if you managed to stay on the saddle long enough to catch a breath? You probably didn't, and that's great news. 
Small joys of the world come from unexpected places.
Yes I might sound perfectly mean saying any of that but it's the truth and I'd rather be truthful here than slowly lose my mind in denial. I liked watching you suffer. I wish the children hadn't bothered me with corrections so I could have watched some more. I saw Tao laughing nearby. I thought I was going to sleep happy knowing at least someone did.
Before lunch I was going to slip Rainbow some extra sugar cubes but then I saw you, sitting on a mound of hay, caked in dust and looking world weary. I pretended not to know anything, though I was really gloating silently. If you could hear my thoughts... I'd probably be dead. So I politely nodded and walked past, petting Rainbow's soft mane and giving him the sugar.
"Great, it likes you too," I heard you mutter.
"He." I snapped, and I probably gave you a good glare too. But then I saw the shafts of hay sticking out from your black hair and the streaks of earth down your shirt and I felt a little awful for being so mean.
"He's not used to strangers really," I explained, "if you like I could help you sometime?" The offer probably mystified you, given our established status as enemies now. Actually it was pretty evident from that raised eyebrow.
"Really?"
"Sure, it's no big deal. What about Saturday?" I meant it, it wasn't a big deal but I was honestly rethinking my decision and some part of me was hoping you'd decline my help with some other jibe at me.
"Thank you." I was waiting for the part where you decline the offer, but you walked away. You walked away and now I'm stuck teaching you horseback riding on Saturday!
What do I do?!
I shall be in Yixing ge's office for the next half a day trying to sort this one out.
Yours sincerely, ready to set up temporary camp in the counselling room,
Cho Ara.
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Dear Spawn of Satan,
Autumn rains are beautiful, with the dull gray skies, and the sudden need for added warmth. I can't believe I spent my first autumn rain with you. Alone. In the stables. With silence as our only form of conversation.
Weren't we supposed to be getting you to remain seated in a saddle for more than three seconds? I don't think we even got to mounting the stirrups before the rain set in and I decided to run Rainbow back to the stables. Trust the rain to ruin the one thing I'd looked forward to after my talk with Yixing ge yesterday. I was certainly mentally prepared to have the first hand joy of seeing you crash face first into hay, or mud, or both. Whoever the rainman is, he doesn't have my thanks.
So we waited, for heaven knows how long, rotting in the stables amidst the horses who were blissfully unaware of the steady descent into awkwardness by us humans. I doubt they'd understand at all. Do horses ever get awkward?
I don't believe I've ever seen a man who could glare holes into a bucket of water with his eyes alone. Are you quite sure you've never killed a person? You have the makings of a natural killer. That's a compliment, by the way, since so many killers have such weak dispositions these days. Absolutely unfit to be killers.
So we sat there in silence, nothing to hear save the steady drum of rain on the roof, the occasional snorts of the horses and my footsteps, going up and down the expanse of the stable. Would it have troubled you much to perhaps open your mouth and attempted at a conversation? I've never heard one as monosyllabic as you. If possible, you were more monosyllabic today.
"It's sudden rain we're having."
"Yes."
"I wonder if they'll come looking for us."
"No."
"I wonder why Tao doesn't keep food in here..."
"What?"
It was excruciating, not romantic like Jongdae hinted at. There is nothing romantic about watching a man kill a bucket with his eyes. Or breathing in horse scented air. But of course Jongdae doesn't care for logic like that. He's quite adamant to prove we had the most scandalous time in the stables, not agreeing to the logic that the most scandalous thing that might happen between the both of us is a handshake. Or murder.
You almost bolted out the doors when the rain slowed down to a drizzle after what seemed like eternity but should have been only and hour or so. That was mildly insulting. I should like to think of myself as good company. Not to you apparently.
Yours rightly insulted,
Cho Ara.
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ENGLISH ROOM, WHITEHALL ACADEMY
24th September
Dear Tao,
I'm sending this through a little one because I have to run to class. In short, I think you need to look at better ventilation for the stables. It's stuffy and gets musty in the rains. I don't think that's good for the horses. If you're wondering how I know, I experienced life among the horses for an hour and a half during the rain. It's not hospitable. Maybe you should talk to Kris ge. He never says no to you.
Excuse the illegible letter,
Ara.
P.S.— is it possible for you to make a secret stash of food for anyone who is stranded in the stables? I look forward to the day I can be stranded but without the pains of an empty stomach.
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WHITEHALL ACADEMY
25th September
Dear Minah,
For the sake of my sanity, please do not send so many angry telegrams demanding to know why your letters have been going unanswered. They terrify me. I can almost envision you shaking my shoulders and yelling at me. I am a busy woman. The future of a hundred and fifteen young ones rests in my hands— or my English teaching abilities at least— and that doesn't give me much time to breathe.
A lot has happened since I've last written, and yes the new art teacher is here. Prince Charming, you ask? He's the perfect Spawn of Satan. I call him that in my head only because it might be rude to do so in front of anyone else. He's awful! Not really... more of a granite statue, that paints... he lacks feelings. Everyone loves him and I can't seem to understand why. It's difficult to hate the one person everyone loves. I don't understand why he singles me out to be horrible to. He's really detached from everyone, but it's only myself that he's downright mean to.
What does he look like...? Well he's not much taller than me, which is politely saying he's not very tall at all and that that's good because he's much too intimidating anyway. He has really wide eyes that remain half lidded for the most part and his coal black irises stare out from beneath them, smoldering everything in their path. He's pale and on the occasion that I've seen him smile, I think it resembles the shape of a heart that children so love to draw. For the most part he resorts to smiles that are mere upward tugs of the left corner of his lips and not much more. I wonder if he gets charged to smile. Which is probably why he doesn't. Or... He's an escaped felon with an art degree, using us as asylum. Ask Donghae to find out. Actually, I'd much appreciate it if you could trouble your husband to find out any piece of information about him. The more scandalous, the better. He's much too perfect to be real. But then again he's horrible so that's fine, I suppose.
As for what has happened since I've last written, we've had Jongdae's birthday, heard some good news about Minseok ge and I've gotten myself embroiled in a rather ridiculous scandal. Jongdae's birthday was a small affair, and I helped the cook bake him a cake. Do Kyungsoo was surprised to know I can bake. Why should anything and everything I'm capable of surprise him?!
Since I've already mentioned Jongdae and Do Kyungsoo, I might as well tell you of my scandal. It transpired to the teachers that the Spawn and I had been stuck in the stables for over an hour yesterday because of awful rains. Nothing, I assure you, could have been more unromantic than being forced to inhale the scent of horses while being stuck with someone who was busy incinerating a defenseless bucket with his eyes. Jongdae has been not-so-subtly hinting at scandalous happenings each time the Spawn is out of earshot. Why must I suffer?! If it's a scandal then so should he! Too many people have fallen in love with that man, I tell you. Too many people.
About Minseok ge, we heard he's engaged to be married next year! Which is great news because Minseok ge is a lovely person who deserves the nicest person possible. Unlike a certain other person who right now needs a fury from hell. He's too mean to nice people. Actually he might get someone nice and be nice to her. He's just pointlessly not nice to me— but I digress. I asked Minseok ge what she's like and he leaned back into his armchair with a soft smile on his face and a farawy look in his eyes and it took me all my willpower not to squeal in happiness over rthat sight. You can tell he loves her.
"Jung Danbi is one difficult woman," he smiled. It must be nice to call someone difficult affectionately and not out of pure irritation. "She's probably going to drive me crazy."
He really is in love.
She's apparently been to college and comes from a long line of professors, but chose to go against everything and become a field journalist. She sounds smart, and ge says she riles his nerves sometimes, but I know he loves every bit of her from the look in his eyes. Usually when I say a certain person riles my nerves I don't mean it the same way, contrary to Jongdae and Luhan ge's opinion. I have not been spared the slightest slip (no matter how far and few they are) since that man has arrived— any and all feelings, but annoyance, are out of the question.
Life at school is slowly settling down, soon I might have Kris ge allow us to keep a cat or two or maybe a good dog for the children. They feel so homesick at times and I was hoping we could cheer them up with something to look forward to. It will also teach them to be responsible, we hope. We being the Spawn and myself, since pets were our solution to the loneliness and homesickness problem. We're not really working together. The alliance is temporary. He's much too much of an army general. Well... I don't have a choice, Kris ge put us in charge of the thrity orphaned and abandoned children, since we were the only two who were going to stay on campus throughout the year, apart from Kris ge and Joonmyun ge. Apparently, a literary and an artistic mind would be the perfect combination to find solutions to all of the academy's pressing problems. I am now a permanent mother to thirty children. The responsibility is daunting.
When you're done settling in, I hope you'll come up to the village for lunch sometime. It'll be nice to catch up in person.
I hear a terrible commotion in the hallways and I fear Doomsday is nigh. I must go see. I hope this letter makes up for all the missing ones. Say hello to your smitten husband,
Yours happily,
with hopes to see you soon,
Ara.
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STAFFROOM, WHITEHALL ACADEMY
25th September
Do Kyungsoo,
Ji Sungah fell down the stairs. Front teeth broken. Bleeding.
Dentist, immediately. Get the car. Come at once.
Cho Ara.
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STAFFROOM, WHITEHALL ACADEMY
26th September
To,
The Headmaster,
Kris Wu,
Whitehall Academy.
Dear Sir,
This is an application for the reimbursement of dental fees paid for the student Ji Sungah, yesterday, the 24th of September, paid from the pocket of teachers, Do Kyungsoo and Cho Ara. The child in question had fallen off the stairway on the first floor and broken her top incisors. She had to be taken to the village to the emergency room with bleeding gums. The child is well now, under the care of Kim Miya. Enclosed within is a copy of the receipt, including the medicine bill. 
Thank you.
I remain,
Yours faithfully,
Cho Ara.
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SECOND FORM, WHITEHALL ACADEMY
26th September
Dear Kris ge,
Only moments after I dispatched the application, I realized you might be in a flurry and since I may not have the time to visit you, I shall write this while my second forms write their essays and then send someone with this to you. Before I say anything else, Miya is taking care of the child. She is on a few sedatives to numb the pain but the doctors say she should be fine within a few days. I give her till today afternoon and then she'll be wrecking havoc again. Don't worry. She's in safe hands. She was in safe hands last evening too. Do Kyungsoo has  a superbly cool head in times of trouble. You know how queasy blood makes me... but I still tried to do my best in putting ice on her gums to make it numb. Once Do Kyungsoo arrived though, it seemed as if he'd been taking care of broken teeth all his life. I've never seen someone so calm in the face of a howling child. I wonder if that man is made of stone sometimes. Really, I do. Having said that, I could not have begged for help from anyone more capable for the task. Don't tell Joonmyun about this new-found talent of his. I'm afraid he might be permanently put to work in the infirmary. Joonmyun is much too smitten by him to begin with.
If you must know, I have come to realize that as the days grow shorter and shorter and the weather impossible to play outside in, the children are becoming restless. The their form children decided to play leapfrog down the steps and Ji Sungah was the unlucky victim of circumstances that could have hurt anyone. We must put an end to this. Kyungsoo-ssi and I talked about it in the car yesterday on our way back when Sungah was blissfully drugged asleep. We think you need to introduce something indoors for the children. Something that will exhaust them without putting them in danger. We cannot be running to the village with a bloodied child every other day! What will people think we do to our little ones?! Save your students, o wise headmaster. Your response is much awaited.
Willing to plague you with letters till you find something,
Yours lovingly,
Ara.
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STAFFROOM, WHITEHALL ACADEMY
26th September
Dear Jonginnie,
Urgent news! In order to avoid any future accidents like last evening's, our illustrious headmaster has devised a plan to wear out the children, though I do believe the idea must be Haneul jie's.
Do you know ballroom dancing? You must! Or make it up as you go along! But tomorrow you must teach all our children how to dance. Two hours in the evening before tea in what would have been their play hours or after tea in what would have been their free hours. Do Kyungsoo and I are to list out at what time which forms will be in the hall since it cannot accommodate all hundred and fifteen and leave room for dance. Tell Baekhyun he has to play the piano or to stock up the record player with music.
Send in your quick reply with the child I send to you.
Yours, eagerly waiting,
Ara.
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STAFFROOM, WHITEHALL ACADEMY
26th September
Do Kyungsoo,
Jongin and Baekhyun are both willing to devote their evenings in the pursuit of dance. Meet me in the library as soon as you end your classes for the day. Much work is to be done.
Cho Ara.
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Dear Spawn of Satan,
We had not had much of a chance to be alone since the stables and frankly I'm glad for it. We sit in awkward silences for the most part, communicating mostly while showing each other timings and such things. Even then must you have everything your way?! The third forms would have been better off with the first and second forms. But you disagree. So we have it your way, of course. Then you disagree on the music to be played. Is there anything we might agree upon? I forget, we agreed upon this— maybe we shouldn't have.
I will agree that we make a good team when we are not verbally having fist-fights. I do believe that we have a good arrangement. The library feels so empty since you've walked out. I don't mean it in the slightest nostalgic way. Only that perhaps we need to yell at each other less.
I feel like I'm starting to understand you more, unearthing the layers as it were and no matter how much we might fight, I will stand by my words when I say you are a good man. Except I'd rather not say it to your face. I'm not sure how I would say it or when I might— we need to stop arguing for me to say something like that.
I like writing these even though no one will read them, but I must go and pin the notice on the notice board before the teachers come in. I wonder if Jongin won't be the most exhausted person at the end of the day.
Yours, eagerly waiting tonight's first dance lesson,
Cho Ara.
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STAFFROOM, WHITEHALL ACADEMY
27th September
Dear teachers,
This notice is to remind you that there are dance classes today onwards for all the children, to be conducted by Kim Jongin the the assembly hall.
The following teachers please accompany the following forms to and from practice—
Before Tea:
First Form- Kim Minseok
Second Form- Oh Sehun
After Tea:
Third Form- Kim Jongdae
Fourth Form- Lu Han
Fifth Form- Zhang Yixing
Thank You,
Yours Faithfully,
Cho Ara
Do Kyungsoo.
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WHITEHALL ACADEMY
16th November
Dear Minah,
One... two.... three. One... two... three.
If you happen to come by our walls in the evenings, that's the only thing you might hear before and after tea. Don't worry, we're not turning our children into marching soldiers! This week, Jongin is teaching everyone how to waltz.
It's a new plan the Headmaster came up with to wear out the children who can't go out due to the steady torrent of rain. So every evening, the allotted time, the children are bundled off to the assembly hall to be instructed in the fine art of ballroom dancing. For the last few weeks, Jongin has been teaching the Foxtrot and Quickstep to excited young ones most of whom have never so much as whiffed the air coming from a ball. It's enjoyable to spend my evenings sitting by the piano, listening to the gramophone play lively music while the children laugh and giggle and trip over each other's feet.
Then, last week, some of the older girls, came up to me, one of them tightly clutching onto a cop of Pride and Prejudice and her eyes glittering with romantic dreams.
"Do you think we could get Mr. Kim to reach us how to waltz," she asked, her cheeks turning pink. How nice it must be to be so young and have no cares for anything in the world. So I asked Jongin, who looked equally, if it more, excited as the girls. So now, we are all pursuing the noble art of Waltz.
Art... speaking of Art... Would it surprise you if I say that the Spawn and I have called truce for a while? He doesn't point out anything and I try to keep out of his way as much as possible, except it isn't working out very well since Kris ge has now constituted a Students' Welfare committee and we're the only two who constitute it. So whether we like it or not, Do Kyungsoo and I are forced to work together a lot more than either of us enjoy. We don't talk much save the pressing needs of children and solutions to it. My evening hours have been consumed between supervising the dances and holding meetings in the library with the Spawn. Well, at least he appreciates my ideas in child welfare. You see, we have over thirty abandoned children here, with no family or relations to claim them. Some of them are in their final years now... and we wonder what to do with them after they graduate. How will we send them to college if they so wish? How will we send them off anywhere with nothing to support them with?
Do Kyungsoo thinks we should hold some sort of pre-Christmas show for the trustees, in hopes of showing off the skills of these children and hoping that they might open their hearts and wallets out to us. I think in addition to that we should invite the other parents and maybe they might be willing to give a little extra to support the not so fortunate ones. So now, before we close for Christmas, we shall be having a day for the parents and trustees who will be shown the academic and artistic as well as sporting skills of the students. Everyone is busy with something special for the day— we only have a month's time.
It has been for days since I started writing this letter. I barely have time to catch my own breath. Something rather... odd happened today...
Usually Jongin gives the children a few minutes break halfway through their dance rehearsals. Today Jongdae suddenly wanted to learn how to waltz and I graciously obliged. It turned out to be the worst mistake in all my years, far worse than the time we tried to pet a baby kitten while it's hissing mother was right beside. My feet still have blisters from all the stepping on my toes. He really is awful at it. Almost everyone was laughing at his poor ballroom skills, save me, who was wincing in pain and dreading to take of my shoes and look at my feet. According to Jongin, the waltz was something even a monkey with two left feet could dance.
"Fine then, let's see Kyungsoo have a go."
I don't know if this means that Do Kyungsoo is the equivalent of a monkey with two left feet or that Jongdae has sinister designs in his mind but at that moment my mind went blank from the horror of it all. One look at his face and I knew that the open challenge would be too much of a blow to his ego for him to drop.
So we danced.
I'm not sure what was happening, but we were dancing. To music. Watched by our fellow teachers and our students. I'm glad it did not last for long. It was most certainly awkward and one should not have to dance with one's enemy.
I shall finally end this letter, don't complain of myself forgetting you.
By the by, would you and your husband be interested in a little charity for Christmas?
Yours lovingly,
Ara.
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Dear Spawn of Satan,
You should have said no. NO. That's what you should have said. Damn you and your dammed ego. You should have said no because I can't possibly say no to anything!
I hated you. It should be socially unacceptable to be that close to the person one hates.
I hated you then, when you walked towards me and held out your hand, I hated you when you led me to the center and placed your arm around my waist and I hate that after a while we fell into a gentle pace without having listen to count the beats, in spite of being novices at the dance.
Did I tell you I hate you?
I haven't been this embarrassed in a long time. Not since I crashed into a table on my first day here. My ears grew hot with each passing moment and my heart drummed louder. My mind felt so blank after we stopped and everyone started clapping. I must have been terribly embarrassed.
I hate you for that.
Yours, ready to throw you into a pit of cobras with Jongdae because he deserves it too now,
Cho Ara.