Minji stood in front of the lecture hall, glancing out at the rows of sophomore students seated before her. It was the first day of the semester, and today was all about introductions and preparing them for what lay ahead. She went over the syllabus, outlining the topics they'd be covering, and could already see a mix of excitement and sorrow on the students' faces. She smiled a little.
Becoming a history professor was never in her plan before, but here she was.
When she finished the introduction, Minji opened the floor for questions, wanting to get a feel for their interests and maybe ease any concerns.
A student near the front raised his hand, and Minji nodded at him. "What's your name?" she asked.
"Sunoo," he replied, looking curious. "I wanted to ask, which part of the medieval era are we going to cover? The Dark Ages, or the later medieval period?"
Minji gave him a thoughtful nod. "Good question, Sunoo. We'll actually cover the entire medieval period, from the early days, right up until it starts transitioning into the modern era," she explained. The answer was met with an audible "woah" from several students in the room, already envisioning how much there would be to learn.
She couldn't help but smile at their reactions. "I know it sounds like a lot, but we'll break it down step-by-step. By the end of this course, you'll not only understand how things evolved but also why. This era shaped the modern world in ways you may not expect."
A hand shot up from another student, and Minji nodded at him. He grinned and asked, "Are you, uh, single?"
The question caught Minji off guard for a second, but she quickly recovered and chuckled. "Yes, I am," she said, and there was an audible stir of excitement and playful whispering from the students. But before it could go any further, she added, "Though, to save any heartbreak, I'll add that I'm not looking for that kind of relationship right now. No plans for it, actually." This time, a wave of exaggerated sighs of disappointment filled the room.
Minji shook her head, amused. "Now, let's keep the questions relevant to the class, alright?" The students murmured a polite "okay" in response.
Then, a girl in the middle row raised her hand. "I'm Haewon. I noticed in the syllabus that we're going to learn about black market activities. Is it really necessary to include that in history class?"
Minji's smile broadened, it was a thought-provoking question. "That's a great question, Haewon." She looked around the room, intrigued to see if anyone wanted to share their perspective on the topic. "Actually, I'd like to hear what you all think. Why do you think black market activities might be important to study in history?"
After a moment, another girl raised her hand, looking a little hesitant. Minji encouraged her with a nod.
"Well," the student began, "I think it's probably because the black market influenced the economy and maybe even some political decisions? Like, it was illegal, but it still impacted society in a big way."
Minji nodded, "Exactly. Black market activities are a part of history because they reveal what happens when laws, supply, and demand clash. These underground economies affected everything from the lives of everyday people to decisions made by those in power. It's a hidden layer of history that influenced what was happening on the surface."
The class seemed to consider this, and Minji was pleased to see the interest sparking in their eyes.
But then the girl continued, "Ban Heesoo, PC130891069," clearly used to rattling off her student ID.
Minji tilted her head in confusion. "Excuse me?"
"For plus points?"
The whole class burst into laughter, while Minji smiled, half amused and half perplexed. "Alright, maybe I'll consider it," Minji said, "but you'll have to answer my questions correctly."
Heesoo just nodded confidently.
"Alright, here's one for you then," Minji challenged, "When do you think black markets actually started?"
Heesoo took a breath before answering, "While it's widely known after World War II, black market activity actually existed way back in the medieval era."
Minji nodded, impressed. "You're absolutely correct. Black markets aren't just a modern phenomenon. They existed in the medieval era as well, often springing up as ways for people to bypass regulations, heavy taxes, or bans on certain goods. They reveal a lot about the values and needs of a society, as well as the way people found ways around strict regulations."
Minji continued her lecture, her voice steady, "The most notorious black market operation, known as 'The Shadow Network,' was run by a man whose identity was hidden for years, operating from the shadows. His network spread across several regions, dealing in not only illicit goods like food, weapons, and medical supplies, but also in forbidden practice, such as cannibalism." Minji paused for a moment, glancing at her students to ensure they were paying attention. "But his reign didn't last. The authorities were eventually tipped off by an informant, a person who had once been part of the network. It was a coordinated effort to dismantle the operation."
"In the end, the network's boss was caught, tried for treason, and given the death sentence, along with many of his subordinates. His right-hand men were executed publicly, a brutal display meant to discourage any further illicit operations. The boss himself, however, committed suicide in his cell, leaving a legacy of chaos and suffering behind."
Minji finished the segment, giving them snippet of what's coming ahead. This was the version most people had accepted, the version taught in universities, books, and history classes. It was the sanitized narrative, the story with clear lines of good and evil. The guilty were punished, the system restored.
But just as she was about to move on, a voice interrupted her.
It was Heesoo again, her expression somehow knowing, "That's not the story, though, is it?" she said, interrupting Minji's lecture.
A wave of murmurs swept through the classroom, and some students exchanged glances as they felt the tension growing in the air. Heesoo's seatmate, lightly poked her shoulder. "Heesoo, maybe don't," she whispered.
But Heesoo didn't back down. She kept her eyes trained on Minji, the faintest glint of something oddly familiar in her gaze. "You're leaving out the most important parts,"
"That's what most people accepted as the interpretation, though," Minji managed to say, "The authorities caught the criminals, and the rest is history. The boss was caught, his subordinates executed. That's what history tells us."
But Heesoo's smile not fading. "I know it, because... I think I've been there." The laughter coming from her classmates, but she didn't care.
Minji's lips curved into a genuine smile. It was the kind of smile that could only be born from true recognition. Minji moved her lips, as if saying, "You're here" to Heesoo without making a sound.
"Then I guess you'll have to meet me after class to explain more about your story."
=
And that's it :P
Thank you for reading this story. Honestly, I didn't expect it would be quite this long, and even went on hiatus in the middle.
I will upload another story this week, which will be very different from this one. See you again on the next story :"