60 – Ulrike (1)
“Teacher Song Yeo-ul?”
“Yes.”
“The principal would like to see you in his office for a moment.”
Yeo-ul, who had come out to school in the morning and was sitting at her desk in the office, was approached by someone who appeared to be the principal’s secretary.
Although she had never been called to the principal’s office since becoming a teacher, it seemed that there was probably something going on.
“What is the matter?”
“You should ask the principal directly.”
“I understand.”
Yeo-ul got up from her seat and went to the front of the principal’s office. Then, the secretary who accompanied her knocked twice on the door, with precise timing.
“Principal, Teacher Song Yeo-ul is here.”
– Hmm. Let her in.
Yeo-ul opened the door and went inside.
The antique atmosphere of the principal’s office.
Just like the first time she saw it, the cozy space was filled with the presence of one person alone.
Principal Jung Kyung-sik, the principal of the Korean Superhuman Specialized High School.
“Teacher Song, it’s been a while.”
“Hello, Principal.”
“I’m always fine.”
Kyung-sik smiled warmly.
“What can I help you with?”
“Oh, well, it’s just that this person says they know Teacher Song.”
He points to the couch in the middle of the principal’s office with only the lid of a pot in his hand.
Ah, so there was a way.
But the fact that someone knows her.
Following his hand, the first thing that catches my eye is her long and pointed ears.
“Ahahahaha….”
When Yeoul and her eyes meet, the elf who awkwardly crafts an awkward smile, a face she hasn’t seen in a long time.
“Ulrike?”
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“Long time no see, Yeoul.”
It was Ulrike.
Why is Ulrike, who was always so busy only within the company, here in this remote place?
The reason was still unknown, but judging from their conversation with the principal, it didn’t seem like it was for a trivial matter.
“Teacher Song. Do you know this person?”
Although she does know him, why did Ulrike tell the principal that she knows him?
What could be the reason for being someone she knows?
Thinking about it, he hesitated for a moment and refrained from speaking, and Ulrike stared at him.
In her eyes, there was only desperation.
“Yeoul, can you please help me just this once… He’s someone we know….”
It felt like her inner thoughts were being heard.
Well, whatever.
He had received a lot of help from Ulrike until now, it wasn’t a lie, and he could easily say that he knows her.
“Yes. I know this person.”
“How can you trust him?”
A trustworthy person.
As Yeoul held back his words again, Ulrike looked at him intently once more.
“Please, Yeoul…. I’ve been working hard until now….”
Yeoul reviewed her actions.
The first impression could be called the worst, but since then, she had been consistently doing well.
We sometimes heard harsh words while drinking together, but I thought it was just a simple happening.
“Yes. He’s a trustworthy person.”
When his words were uttered, Ulrike’s expression brightened in a way I had never seen before.
“I see. Understood. Director, I will consider this matter positively.”
“A good response. I will be waiting.”
Ulrike got up from the sofa and shook hands with Kyung-sik. Then, she walked towards the door, as if she was about to leave the principal’s office.
“Oh, Teacher Song. You said you knew this person. Since this matter is settled, why don’t you join us and have a chat?”
“I understand.”
Although I didn’t hear the reason why she called him in the first place, I might be able to find out from Ulrike.
Nodding, I bowed and walked with Ulrike, opening the door of the principal’s office and walking outside the school office as it was.
Outdoors, it was a cool, breezy season.
Ulrike, who had been glancing at Yeoul with a worried expression, cautiously opened her mouth.
“Thank you so much, Yeoul-nim…”
“Yes. So, what’s the matter?”
What could possibly have happened for her to meet with the principal and sell her name like this?
Yeoul’s question contained such meaning. Sensing that if Ulrike answered strangely, she wouldn’t see a good outcome.
It’s okay.
But still, there was no certainty.
“It’s not anything strange. I was inquiring about a company to strengthen the school’s security…. So, I suggested that our company could do it.”
Our company is the best in that field in Korea after all.
Well, even with a casual glance, the security level is really the worst. Even though the times have supposedly entered a stable period, it is so vulnerable to attacks. If someone with ill intentions were to invade, it would probably…
At her words, Yeoul nodded her head.
“I see. But why did you mention that someone you know?”
“Because he is someone I know…”
“Don’t joke around.”
“I’m sorry…. It’s just that I wanted to give more credibility to Principal’s trust….”
Still.
She added.
“But, our company really is the best in the industry…! Just look at the scale alone, it’s much better than other places…. So, if this deal is successfully made, then…”
What was that called in Korean again?
“Sister is good and brother is also good? That’s not it…. Elder sister is good and younger sibling is good? That also doesn’t seem right….”
“I like older sister and I like stepmother.”
“Yeah, that’s right…! I like older sister and I like stepmother, that’s what it is…!”
“Well, okay. I understand.”
“Yes….”
While thinking, something suddenly came to mind.
“But, Yeoul-nim.”
“Why.”
“How did you become a teacher at Hanso High School?”
He didn’t seem particularly interested in teaching someone. No, it wasn’t just that. He seemed uninterested in everything in the world.
“Do you have a reason?”
“Just.”
“…Yes?”
“Just because.”
“……”
He probably didn’t have anything else to do. It was a task he started with the desire to try it out, so his “just because” only contained the truth.
Yeoul, who had no way of knowing that, just moved on.
“Uh, Yeoul-ssi!”
But then, a cheerful voice reached his ears.
With her small stature, Jieun came running towards Yeoul, who was walking to the faculty office after arriving at school.
“Hello!”
Smiling brightly, she approached him.
“Hello.”
After exchanging greetings, Jieun’s gaze turned to Yeoul.
“Oh? Aren’t you Yeoul-ssi?”
Since Yeoul already knew who Jieun was, even though they met at school, he wasn’t very surprised and greeted her.
“Hello, Jieun-ssi.”
“It’s been a while! But what’s going on here?”
“Oh, I just stopped by for work.”
“Oh, so you’re a company employee.”
Ulrike observed her appearance at the dining table, as well as her attitude towards Yeoul on a normal day.
Taking all of these into account, Jiwoo couldn’t believe that she was occupying the position of a director at a huge corporation.
In fact, apart from Yeoul, no one around him knew that Ulrike was such a person.
“Oh, Jiwoo. I had something to tell you.”
“What is it?”
“Well─”
A conversation going back and forth between the two. Since Ulrike was listening quietly from the side, it seemed that the topic was related to a one-second education.
“So, here at this place─”
“Ah, I see. Thank you for letting me know.”
“No problem, you’re welcome.”
But, what is it?
“But, Jiwoo. Ara is there, and she only talks about you every day.”
“Is Ara a student?”
“Yes. Yesterday, she said something like─”
That subtle emotion.
“I should say something later.”
“But don’t say anything too harsh. It’s just because she likes the teacher.”
“Understood.”
Unable to intervene in their conversation, Jiwoo quietly listened….
A thought that occurred to him again.
“What do you think, Jiwoo?”
“Oh, as for me─”
The temperature difference is not too severe, is it?
When Yeoul talks to Jiwoo.
Consistently using formal language, responding well, even asking questions in return, and the conversation doesn’t seem to interrupt randomly….
Maybe it’s just his mood, but in her eyes, Yeoul even seemed to be smiling subtly.
When talking to me.
In casual speech, he would often scare, threaten, and intimidate.
Without even asking any questions, he would respond rudely as if he didn’t want to talk…
“Well, see you next time, Yeowool-ssi! And also to you, Ulrike-ssi!”
After finishing his story, Jiwoo went on his way, leaving only Ulrike and Yeowool behind.
“Um, Yeowool-nim…?”
“Why.”
A piercing cold gaze.
A voice devoid of any emotion that would make one’s eardrums tremble.
“Oh, it’s nothing….”
Upon hearing that, Yeowool turned her head without a reply.
A subtle but amplified emotion.
Resentment.
Why does he treat me like this?
It’s something that I never thought about before.
Yes, there must be something wrong. It’s inevitable that I wouldn’t appear charming. After all, he even kidnapped the sister that he cherished so dearly.
Even when comforting myself like that.
The gloomy feeling didn’t improve at all.
Why do I feel like this?
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Why now?
Yeowool-nim has always been like this.
I never thought about it before.
It’s not the first time I’ve received this treatment.
But why now?
Why does my mood fluctuate with his simple words and indifferent actions?
Certainly.
When I heard someone say in the principal’s office that Yeowool is someone trustworthy, I couldn’t have been happier.
I thought I was finally being recognized.
But it seems that wasn’t the case.
So that’s why I feel like this.
… I don’t know.
Without any resolution, only with doubts in his heart, Ulrike returned to the company with heavy footsteps.