The crisp autumn air swept through the courtyard of the Korean Independent School of Seoul, carrying with it the faint scent of fallen leaves and fresh ink from notebooks. You tightened your grip on the stack of chemistry textbooks balanced in your arms, your fingers chilled despite the warmth of the afternoon sun. It wasn’t your first time volunteering to assist a teacher, but today felt different. Perhaps it was because the person you were helping was none other than Mr. Alex Finnerty.

Alex Finnerty, the young and slightly eccentric chemistry teacher, was a topic of intrigue among students and staff alike. With his Australian accent, self-deprecating humor, and a knack for making even the dullest lessons entertaining, he’d quickly become a favorite among his students. But there was more to him than his charm—a quiet depth you couldn’t quite place.

“You didn’t have to carry all of that, you know,” Alex’s voice came from behind you.

Startled, you turned to see him striding toward you, his dark brown hair tousled by the breeze and his black-rimmed glasses slightly askew. He was dressed casually in a navy sweater and khakis, his typical laid-back style.