Knock knock.
"Yes, come in."
I closed the student record folder and looked up.
It was Robert—the other new teacher who started this semester.
He handled discipline. But his face today looked... off.
"Got a minute?"
It was nearly the end of the school day.
"Sure. What's going on?"
He avoided eye contact.
Licked his lips. Hesitated.
Then suddenly—
"It's... about Nikky."
Nikky. One of my homeroom kids.
Russian background.
Real name Nikolai.
He had no friends. Spoke barely any English.
His Russian was shaky, too.
Didn't talk. At all.
Didn't socialize.
Didn't improve.
"Yes? What about him?"
"Apparently... he hit Alex."
I blinked.
"Nikky hit Alex?"
"Yeah."
"Why?"
"He won't say a word. Nothing."
Of course he won't.
Robert glanced at me, like he had something more to add.
Then—
"He just kept saying one thing. 'Tel.'"
"Tel?"
"Yeah. That's all he says."
...That's me.
They call me Tel.
This year, we had three new Russian students.
Nikky, Alex, Sasha.
They were all placed in my class—something about easier adjustment.
Maybe it would've been better to split them, for language exposure.
But the school wanted "emotional adaptation" first, and I agreed.
I gave them time. Spent every free moment checking on them.
Especially in September, when everything's chaos.
Sasha could hold a conversation.
Alex struggled but tried.
Nikky? Nothing.
Still, I did everything.
Hand gestures, facial expressions, bad jokes.
One day, he smiled. Just barely—at the corners of his lips.
That was the day I got a nickname.
Tel.
At first, I thought it was just a cute nickname.
Felt good. Meant they felt close to me.
Then I learned the truth.
"Uchitel."
Russian for "teacher."
Robert pulled me out of the thought.
"So, uh... since you're his homeroom teacher…"
"Yes?"
"Could you maybe find out what happened? - like, right now?"
Creak.
Nikky looked up.
His curly blond hair shifted with the movement.
The counseling room was dim.
I opened the curtain.
"Hey, Nikky."
He mumbled.
"…Tel."
I smiled.
My chest tightened a little.
"You okay? Was it a rough day?"
He probably couldn't understand.
But it didn't matter.
Tone. Face. Vibe.
That's enough, right?
He was just a kid.
A scared one.
Far from home.
Click.
"Nikky!"
A loud voice burst through the door.
Angry.
Alex.
He spotted me—
Froze.
I'm not going to eat you, kid…
I remembered the first time I saw him.
Tall. Broad-shouldered.
His hair was wild, but disciplined somehow.
From day one, he avoided me.
And those eyes—
Cold and sharp.
I probably would've been intimidated, too, if I weren't his teacher.
"Alex. Come in. Doing okay?"
Another voice arrived before the body did.
"Alex! Nyet!"
Out of breath. Rushed.
Sasha.
Even I knew nyet meant "no."
She stopped at the door.
Saw me. Flinched.
Do they all think I'm some kind of ghost?
I remembered when I first saw Sasha.
Just another foreign student, I thought.
But up close—
She looked like a porcelain doll.
Ridiculously pretty.
Still, I kept it cool.
"Hi, Sasha."
"…Hello."
"So, what's going on? Sounded serious."
"Um…"
She couldn't find the words.
In the meantime, Alex turned and spoke to Nikky in rapid Russian.
It sounded intense.
Urgent.
Angry.
I didn't understand a single word.
"Alex."
My voice came out sharper than intended.
He flinched. Stepped away from Nikky.
I turned to Sasha.
"Could I ask a favor?"
"…Yes?"
"Tell them I'll talk to Nikky alone for now. Please."
"..."
"I heard about what happened.
But we're talking.
Let's do that first."
Sasha hesitated.
Then said,
"Alex… he's fine.
Nikky, too."
"Both are fine?"
"Yes. So can we… just all go home?"
That's suspicious.
The tone. The choice of words.
They're covering something.
"Sasha."
"…Yes."
Her eyes dropped to the floor.
"I'll talk with Nikky first, okay?"
"It's really nothing…"
"Yeah. You're probably right."
I glanced at Nikky.
He was silent.
Mouth clenched.
What are you trying to say?
Still—
That face.
I made up my mind.
Alright. One more try.
Hand signals. Body language. Overacting. Frog eyes. Whatever it takes. I just hope I can reach Nikky. Right now, I'm ready to try anything.
"Alex, wait outside. Please."
Sasha translated.
Alex stood reluctantly.
Left.
There goes my early clock-out. What is this mess…
The counseling room was dim.
Niki lifted his head.
His soft curls shimmered faintly in the half-light.
I opened the curtains right away.
"Hi, Niki."
A small voice came back.
"…Tel."
Just one word.
But I smiled.
A thousand things rushed through me.
"What's wrong? Is something bothering you?"
Of course, he wouldn't understand.
But it didn't matter.
My tone, my face, my presence—
Maybe that alone was enough.
I hoped it was enough.
This boy was just a kid,
A little face from a foreign country.
Maybe too young to be carrying all that weight.
And then...
Click.
The door opened.
"Niki!"
A voice snapped in anger.
Alex.
He froze as soon as he saw me.
'Seriously? I don't bite, you know.'
Back when I first saw him,
His height stood out.
His shoulders, maybe.
Compared to scrawny ol' me,
He looked like a full-grown adult.
Even his messy hair had this military sharpness.
From the start, Alex avoided me.
And those eyes...
He stared so intensely.
If I weren't his teacher, I might've avoided him too.
"Hi, Alex. How are you?"
Then another voice arrived, breathless.
"Alex! Niet!"
I recognized the word.
"Niet."
No.
It was Sasha.
She stopped at the doorway, saw me, flinched too.
'Do I really look that scary?'
I remembered our first meeting.
Sasha seemed like just another foreign student...
Until she stepped closer.
She looked like a porcelain doll—
Unreal.
But I kept calm.
"Hi, Sasha."
"Hello…"
"So? What's going on? Why the 'niet'?"
"Uh… well…"
She couldn't get the words out.
While I was looking at her,
Alex turned back to Niki and whispered something.
Fast. Harsh.
Sounded like, "Don't."
I had no clue what he said.
"Alex!"
My voice came out sharper than I meant.
He flinched.
Took a step back from Niki.
I turned to Sasha again.
"Sasha. Can you do me a favor?"
"Huh?"
"Tell Alex that I want to speak with Niki first.
Just a moment, that's all."
"..."
"I've heard what happened—
That Niki hit Alex.
But I'm talking to Niki now, okay?"
She hesitated. Then said:
"Alex is fine. Really.
So is Niki.
We can just go home."
I frowned.
That… didn't match.
Something was off.
I could feel it.
"Sasha."
"…Yes?"
She looked down.
"I'll talk to Niki a bit more, alright?"
"It's not a big deal…"
"Sure, just like you said."
I glanced at Niki.
He bit his lip hard.
That look…
I made up my mind.
Time for another round of gestures and mime.
"Sasha. Please tell Alex to wait outside."
She nodded and relayed the message.
Alex rose stiffly.
'So much for getting off work on time… what is happening right now?'
Two hours later...
I was drained.
I'd waved my arms, made silly faces,
blinked like a frog, stretched my mouth like a cartoon character.
Two hours of charades.
What did I find out?
Niki wanted to talk to me.
Alex and Sasha didn't want him to.
They fought about it.
And that was it.
I still had no idea
what Niki actually wanted to say.
I considered pulling Sasha back in to interpret.
But…
She wouldn't tell the full truth.
I could feel that too.
'Ugh...'
Eventually, I ordered pizza.
He looked hungry.
And I was too exhausted to care anymore.
Late dinner.
"Niki."
I called while picking up the empty plate.
He looked up.
"Tomorrow, I'll find someone who speaks Russian.
That'll help.
Better than English, at least."
I wasn't really talking to him.
Just thinking aloud.
Then I pulled out a piece of paper
and doodled:
A kid.
A school.
A house.
And a big arrow pointing home.
He smiled.
A tiny, tired smile.
That was enough.
We left the counseling room.
"Take care. See you tomorrow."
And just then—
He tugged my sleeve.
'Hm?'
He placed something in my hand,
then dashed off.
His sneakers tapped the floor twice
and he vanished down the hallway.
I stood there, card in hand, heart pacing just a little too fast.
What the hell just happened...?
I opened my palm.
A card? A name tag?
It sparkled.
See-through.
Not plastic. Not quite paper.
Smooth. Light.
'I'll ask him tomorrow.'
I put it in my pocket.
Felt like some kind of smartcard.
I got home.
Dropped my clothes on the chair.
Washed my face half-heartedly.
Collapsed into bed.
Fell asleep.
Midnight.
From inside my pocket,
A glow.
Wheeeeeeng…
"Fingerprint confirmed.
Guest access granted."
A swirl of light.
Then—
The bed was empty.