I was standing in the hallway last week about to go to class when I hear “EMILY TEACHA!!!!” and footsteps thundering down the halls. I turn around and there’s one of the third grade boys, panting and out of breath. I say hello, and he thrusts a box of Pepero in my face.
“Teacha! You know PEPERO Day?!”
“Yes, but Pepero day was in November?”
“I… no give Pepero. NOW today I give Pepero!” he beams.
“Oh wow, thank you” (I look down at the Pepero box – which might I add is half-opened. Pretty sure he was about to eat it when he saw me and then changed his mind). Not sure what to say now as Pepero is normally given either by same-sex friends to each other (normally girls) or by boys to the girls they like and vice versa. I was just given Pepero by an 18 year old boy… kind-of awkward. Then this third grader’s friend whose standing behind him chimes in.
“He loves you, EMILY! Every day, EMILYEMILYEMILY. EMILYEMILYEMILY.”
Bell rings. I escape to class. The pepero was delicious.
EDIT: As I am sitting at my desk working on my winter camp lesson plans I just got a giant square of 덕 (deok Korean rice cake) from afforementioned student along with this note:
“to, Emily ~ <3
Hi, My name is Park-Sung-Girl~
um… bye bye ~ ^^
I love you ~ <3″