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The teacher turned to gaze down at the little girl.  Who was bravely attempting not to burst into tears.  But Jung Sook could also feel her relief.  And an odd jittery sense of excitement and nervousness.

“I swear that I will never raise a hand to you.” 

Those were the first words out of the teacher’s mouth.

Bo A turned her dark eyes on her new friend.  Eyes that were suddenly filled with an aching vulnerability.

“I will never hurt you in any way,” Jung Sook whispered.  “You see, I know how you feel.”

The little girl’s eyes widened in surprise.

Jung Sook examined the girl.  She appeared to be about seven years old.  But she knew from experience that looks could be deceiving.

“How old are you?” 

“Ten years old.”

Echoes started clamoring again.  Jung Sook’s lips twisted into a bitter smile.  Life was terribly ironic.

Somehow, she had been handed even greater power than Lady Ae Ji had possessed.  God had entrusted Jung Sook with the entire care of this tiny mite.  She’d been given the opportunity to change this child’s life for good.  It was a responsibility that she did not take lightly.

“I shall consider you my little sister then,” Jung Sook smiled.  “I am eighteen.  And I have seven sisters.”

The child’s eyes grew even wider.  “You do?” she breathed in astonishment.

Jung Sook nodded.  Then she leaned towards the girl to whisper conspiratorially, “But they are all older than I.”

Bo A smiled.  “I’m the youngest too.  But I’m the only girl.”   Then her grin faded as she glanced back down the road at her mother’s departing back. 

“I’m sorry that you had to leave her.” 

“Me too,” Bo A breathed.  “But I’m not sorry that I came to stay with you.  You are very kind, I think.”

“I hope so.  I try to be.”

The girl shook her head.  “No.  You are.  No one else has ever offered to teach me or to take care of me.  You are the first person who has ever cared.”

“I know what that feels like too.”

Bo A blinked.  “You do?”

Jung Sook bobbed her head.  “When I was your age, the lady who lived next door offered to teach me.  She…changed my life.  As I am hoping to change yours.”

“What are you going to teach me?”

The teacher grinned.  “How absolutely precious you are,” she murmured.  “And how smart you are.  I am going to teach you to read.  And to write.  And to do your sums.  And…how to be a proper wife, of course,” she beamed.

The little girl giggled.  But then she breathed in awe, “You’re going to teach me to read?  I’ve always wanted to read!” 

Bo A had a brilliant imagination.  She was always crawling into it to hide from her father.  She’d created beautiful worlds in her mind.  With the most wonderful characters.

“And I will soon be able to write?!” she exclaimed.  “Will I be able to write my stories down on parchment?” she whispered in wonder.

“Your stories?” Jung Sook queried, another echo surfacing.

The child bobbed her head.  “I write them in my mind.  All the time.  To amuse myself,” she explained.

No, my dear.  You mean…to escape from your life.  I did the same thing.

But Jung Sook didn’t speak those words.  She simply smiled at the girl and responded, “You can write down as many stories as you like.  Once you’ve learned the characters.”

The little girl was bobbing up and down on her toes.  Absolutely ecstatic.  She didn’t usually trust people easily.  But there was something about this woman that inspired her confidence in her. 

Bo A gazed up at the kind woman and breathed, “Thank you!  Thank you so much!”  She leaned forward and slipped her arms around her new teacher, hugging her tight.  “Thank you.”  She buried her nose against the woman’s chest and breathed in. 

She was rewarded with the same scent that had enveloped Soo Ho.

The promise of a sweet, spring rain.

Jung Sook was her new beginning.