Jun cringed.
Jun cringed hard.
But since he could not show it on his face, he cringed inside.
A 26-year-old English Literature and Language teacher at the Royal International School of Seoul - Mr. Lee Jun, on his first day at the job, in his first ever class after graduating from University of London and getting his qualifications to teach, watched in horror as the grand entrance was made.
"All rise for Her Royal Highness, Princess Lin!"
There were not so quiet murmurs among students as they rose at the announcement of the herald. In a way, this was no surprise following the intense media speculation throughout the summer that Princess Lin, upon her return to Korea, would attend this particular school. After all, it was one of the only two high schools in Korea that was granted the 'Royal' moniker by His Majesty. Nevertheless, reading about it in the news and seeing Her Highness in the flesh was a totally different matter.
'Why me… Why in my class… How am I going to handle this girl?'
Jun had high hopes and was brimming with optimism when he was offered the job at this school. It was a bit tricky because in addition to being an English teacher, he also had to be a homeroom teacher, which was no easy task for a beginner. Nevertheless, he was ecstatic when he received the call that he was chosen as the new English literature teacher in this most prestigious school in Korea where a teaching position vacancy was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity simply for the fact that no teacher working here would quit.
There were countless series of interviews that started with more than a hundred applicants, a rigorous screening process scrutinizing every aspect of a person - from academic qualifications to family background, school reports dating back to elementary school days to ensure that the new teacher was someone who had, literally, never ever been involved in any trouble.
Although Jun received the First Class Honours with Distinction from his university and did a double major of Education and English Literature, it was still a miracle to say the least that Jun got the job with no prior teaching experience at all.
However, being a humble young man he was, he was under no illusion that this was all to his credit. What he suspected helped him the most were the two recommendation letters he was able to submit thanks to some high profile friends he was lucky to make in his own high school days, which included a member of Royal Family from a certain European country and a son of the Chairman of a particular football club in the English Premier League.
The reason Lee Jun was horrified with having a princess of Korean monarchy - the Heiress Apparent, no less - was not because he found the task to be daunting. It was because her reputation preceded her, but not in a way that it was only because of her title.
Princess Lin, dubbed the Princess Disaster, was infamous.
Putting aside the fact that she was a princess, she caught the nation's heart when she first appeared in the Olympics at the tender age of fourteen in the discipline of Equestrian Dressage. The result?
She fell off the horse and face planted in mud on live television with probably a billion world wide audience.
That was only a start.
The following year, she decided to participate in Korea's Got Talent, much to everyone's delight. A real princess! What kind of talent will she surprise the nation with?
Indeed, a surprise it was. Nobody in Korea has ever heard of anybody who was more tone-deaf than her. It was to the level that the judges couldn't possibly grant her a chance to progress without causing a national outrage.
But she persevered. Courage was one thing she never lacked.
At the age of sixteen, she participated in the Winter Olympics for figure skating. There was some public outcry prior to that, where people complained she only got to represent Korea because she was a princess, which Jun also thought at the time.
Her true level was kept a top secret in the months leading up to the event. Nobody had ever seen her perform before. His Majesty was clearly a terrible doting father who let His daughter do absolutely anything she wanted to do, even if it was against the wishes of the entire kingdom.
But this time, she surprised everyone around the world. When she launched herself into the air for a triple axel the entire world gasped. She was extraordinary, extraterrestrial - like a UFO that spun out of control, crashing in the Antarctic, she made the world record number of spins, most of which were done after she landed on her ass on the ice.
It was then that she earned the title the Princess Disaster, and this name stuck with her as she embarked on a series of high profile challenges and failed spectacularly every single time.
It was rumored that her sudden return back to Korea was due to a bust up with a British Royalty at the school she went to in United Kingdom. That made sense. These prestigious schools, be it in Korea or elsewhere in the world, would never expel a royalty. If the said royalty pummeled a member of their own royal family in their kingdom though, then it would be a different story, and this was precisely what the Korean media speculated.
So there she was, the Princess Disaster, a walking catastrophe, a brat of the highest order, she was here to start her English class under Lee Jun.
While all the students stood and looked at each other awkwardly, the herald led Her to a desk at the front of the classroom. By this desk stood a timid looking girl who had a face that just screamed her favorite subject was literature.
"Move, young lady"
The herald ordered and the poor girl quickly packed up and vacated the desk for the Princess. As Lin took the desk for granted and took her seat, the herald commanded again.
"You may sit down"
All the students sat as they were told, although it was clearly written on their faces that they were disgruntled by this not-so-low-key bullying and abuse of power.
"You may start your class now"
The herald ordered Jun and it made him twitch.
"Sir, this is my class"
"Indeed, Mr. Lee. So you may start your class now"
The herald spoke with a smug expression on his face, standing tall next to the Princess who looked at me with a calm, confident, and curious look on her face.
"Sir, I meant - YOU don't get to tell me when to start"
Now it was the herald's turn to twitch.
"Excuse me?"
"And may I ask you to leave the classroom? Only students are supposed to be here during the class"
"I think you are mistaken, Mr. Lee", although he was clearly irritated, the herald kept his cool and decided to lecture the young teacher.
"Your student happens to be Princess Lin. You shall accommodate appropriate considerations for Her Highness and her particular needs"
Jun decided it was time to draw the line.
This was his first class, the start of his teaching career - a career he dreamt of, a career that he intended to see through till his retirement. If he failed to make a stance now, everything can only go downhill from here.
"Lin"
Jun addressed the Princess directly and the herald flinched, the students gasped, and Princess Lin's eyes widened.
"Do you need a babysitter during the classes?"
The right corner of Lin's eyes twitched for a split second, but she quickly regained her composure.
"Mr. Herald. Your presence is not required", the disaster girl spoke as calmly as she could, but it was obvious that her calmness was forced.
"But-, Your Highness, you do not need to tolerate this insolent young man"
"Out. Now", the Princess commanded, so the herald bowed his head once and swiftly left the room. He did extremely well to hold himself back and make no further issue out of it, but Jun was sure that he would get an earful from the school headmaster later on.
Although he scored this victory, Jun was doing his best to calm down his thumping heart.
'Was my theatrics too much? Did I push it too far? What if I lose my job now? Did I just ruin my life?'
All kinds of worries filled his head but this was something Jun couldn't afford right now. He had to remind himself of everything he'd gone through to get to where he was now to strengthen his resolve and be able to present himself as a confident teacher. First impressions were important, after all.
'Don't worry, Jun. You can do this. This is YOUR class. You've worked hard for this. YOU have earned this job. Let's do it now'
Little did he know, it was the Princess Disaster Herself who personally chose him.