Chapter Text
A new day. A new start.
Jongho closed his door and locked it. Once he plopped his Airbuds in his ears, he lifted his nose towards the air, smelling the food from the restaurant down the street along with his freshly brewed coffee. He’d have plenty of time to drink it on his way to work, meaning he could savor the Americano blend for as long as he liked. Taking a sip, he stepped onto the sidewalk to begin his journey. His favorite OST from one of Korea’s most famous singers filled his ears, making him grin.
Someday I’ll be as famous as him.
Jongho had always wanted to entertain, but unfortunately, he’d fallen short of his dream. After an unsuccessful idol debut, Mr. Choi Jongho was hired to teach at the Seoul Academy of Music and Art. Thankfully the process didn’t take long because Jongho needed the extra cash to afford his apartment in Itaewon. He’d gotten so used to the updated living, he refused to downgrade. Because of that, Jongho had to take on additional employment to pay his bills and make ends meet.
Too bad the idol thing didn’t work. If it had, Jongho wouldn’t have needed two jobs. He’d trained for the last three years, working on his singing and dance skills while attending the very same school he’d be teaching at. Unfortunately, the group wasn’t strong enough and disbanded.
Although that left Jongho with a bad taste in his mouth, he refused to give up entirely. He figured instructing young people to appreciate it, in addition to his music shop gig would give him a bridge until the opportunity to sing in front of thousands rose again.
Due to the band’s failure, Jongho’s parents urged him to move back in with them, but he refused. At the tender age of twenty-three, he desired to be out on his own. Last thing he wanted was to be a burden when he’d already done that for seventeen plus years. Besides, a failed idol had to continue to pay his debts back to the company. The only way that could happen was working steadily and not allowing his folks to get in his way.
By the time Jongho finished his cup, he arrived at the school. Just before he entered the gate, he froze. He could have sworn he heard something behind him but maybe it was just the wind, Then small footsteps, caused him panic. He gasped and looked over his shoulder, as if he sensed something. When he noticed nothing amiss, he kept walking.
Why do I feel as if I’m being followed?
Jongho had felt that way for a while. Lately, after closing the music shop and locking it, he felt a shiver run down his neck onto his spine. It was as if someone was watching him, but when he searched the area for whatever it could’ve been, nothing appeared.
I must be going crazy.
Jongho chalked it up to stress and thought he should take a vacation. With the bills needing to be paid, he couldn’t take that holiday just yet.
He’d just have to wait until his debt with the entertainment company was cleared.
As Jongho continued onto the school grounds, several kids ran passed, most likely unaware he was an instructor. Instead of getting upset, he wavered through the crowds to get to the front entrance. Good thing there was no coffee left. With so many students starting at eight a.m., getting to his destination without a spill would be impossible.
Upon entering the classroom, Jongho forgot his discomfort. He picked up the box he’d dropped off the day before, and sat the box of belongings on the desk. He adjusted his glasses and smiled, looking at the number of empty chairs in front of him.
Soon this room would be filled with students. Twenty in fact, because many of the children wished to dance instead of sing or play instruments. Many of them thought because of the amount of idol bands, they would easily make it too. Though Jongho knew better, he wouldn’t crush anyone’s aspirations. The only thing he could do was be honest with his pupils and wish them the best on their journeys. Life was full of disappointments. How one handled them was what shaped a person to be who they’d always wanted to be.
‘Never give up on your dreams.’ His mother always said to him in their native language. Although she wasn’t the most emotional of people, in fact, neither was he, she didn’t pass on the opportunity to impart knowledge. Although that advice would sometimes include a swift but playful punch in the arm, she was always right in everything she said. Not shy about telling the truth, nor afraid to threaten her only child if she needed to, she was the enforcer in her house.
Such was the big reason Jongho developed this kind of no nonsense temperament. Admittedly, that attitude was one of the reasons the group didn’t make it through their first year. People’s constant complaints about Jongho's brand of tough love. All his brothers wanted to enjoy the benefits of idol living without doing the work.
Despite being the makanae, Jongho was the strongest and the most serious. When it came to playing, Jongho was the most competitive. He often beat any opponent in his path, which angered his bandmates to where they no longer wanted to be around him. It was a lonely experience, but Jongho took it in stride. Someday he’d show them and the world that he could be the entertainer and performer he as well as his parents expected him to be.
Someday.
Jongho turned to the chalkboard and wrote his name in Korean and English. There weren’t many foreigners at the school, but he prepared nonetheless. With this being his first day on the job, he had to be ready for anything. No one would ever catch him flat-footed, because his parents had taught him well. With a stern father who never missed a day of work and a mother who went above and beyond to provide for both sides of their extended family, Jongho absolutely had to establish his role as teacher during the initial meeting.
Anything less would be another failure he didn’t want to deal with.