Chapter 67 - Counsellor

Kiaraa headed to meet the counsellor. 

The school counsellor was a middle-aged woman, who gave out strong intellectual vibes. She was sitting in her office, accompanied by the teacher, who was in-charge of the school annual play.

"Were you looking for me?" Kiaraa asked after seeking permission to enter the room.

"Great you are here please, have a seat" The counsellor lovingly smiled at Kiaraa and pointed at a chair across her.

Kiaraa sat next to her teacher and looked at the counsellor waiting for her to speak up.

Counsellor and the teacher looked at each other meaningfully. Counsellor nodded her head slightly and smiled at Kiaraa.

"Dear, I got to know you are acting in the school's upcoming annual play"

"Yes"

"You were offered the role of Cinderella but you requested to play the role of evil sister instead, is that true?" The counsellor sounded very friendly while asking the question.

"Yeah, it is true" Kiaraa accepted.

"May I know why you rejected the dream role of every girl?"

"It is not the dream role of every girl. It isn't my dream to play Cinderella"

"Then what is your dream?" 

"To take over my family business" Kiaraa confidently declared surprising the two women.

'Isn't she just 13?' The teacher thought.

"Oh! That's a very nice dream" The counsellor smiled and asked, "You know you need to be very smart to handle that kind of an empire"

"I am very smart you can check my grades" Kiaraa proudly declared.

The counsellor smiled back, "I know, I already did that's why we called you here"

Kiaraa frowned in confusion.

"Kiaraa, did you know Cinderella's evil sisters were actually dumb?"

"They were fictional" Kiaraa countered.

"Of course, but their creator made them dumb. Did you know that?" The counsellor asked her.

"Hmm, I know that"

"Don't you think a smart girl like you should not be playing dumb roles like that?" 

"Are you suggesting I should play Cinderella instead?" Kiaraa looked annoyed with the thought of that.

"No, no, I think even Cinderella is not good enough for you" The counsellor patiently explained.

"Then?" Kiaraa didn't get what she meant.

"I think this play is too much of a time waste for a smart girl like you. This play is wasting your precious time and I personally feel it is interfering with your real dream of becoming a businesswoman"

Kiaraa was still processing her words.

"What do you suggest?" Kiaraa asked her.

"I have nothing to suggest. I just wanted to know your opinion. Don't you think this play is distracting you from your dreams? The real important dreams" Counsellor focussed more on the word 'real dreams'

"True, I feel tired after going home" Kiaraa agreed with her.

"Therefore, I wanted to discuss this matter with your teacher, who is heading this play" Counsellor pointed at the woman, who was now impressed by the counsellor for handling Kiaraa well.

"What do you want to discuss?" Kiaraa asked the counsellor, still looking confused.

"Ma'am, I think you are wasting Kiaraa's precious time. As this school's counsellor, keeping the student's interest at heart, I strongly suggest please free Kiaraa from this play's burden and let her focus on more important things" Counsellor said to the teacher, who was trying to not smile.

Kiaraa looked surprised, "You are trying to remove me from this play?" she asked the counsellor.

"Yes, but for your own good. Kiaraa, you are not meant to do dumb things in life" The counsellor was not flustered by Kiaraa's accusation and rather handled her well.

"Wow, you truly think so?" Kiaraa was surprised that the counsellor was calling the play dumb in front of the person, who was investing all her time and energy in it.

"Yes, I really think so" The counsellor answered in affirmative.

"You are offending her" Kiaraa told the counsellor, pointing at her teacher.

"No, No, I am not offended. She indeed has a point. You are meant to do bigger things in life, Kiaraa. My play is not worth your time" The teacher tried to convince Kiaraa based on the suggestion she earlier got from the counsellor.

"Oh okay. Cool, I'll resign from this play then." Kiaraa declared making the two women happy.

"It is our loss but for your better future, we need to take this tough decision" Teacher tried to look sad but, in her heart, she sighed in relief.

"Cool" Kiaraa looked indifferent as she was anyway not that interested in this play but then what she said next confused the two women, "Will you be giving my role to someone else?"

"Yeah, I'll take some auditions and…"

"You are not allowed to" Kiaraa interrupted her teacher.

"What do you mean I am not allowed to?" The teacher was turning flustered with this unexpected turn of events.

"What's mine is mine. I don't like other people having what belongs to me" Kiaraa surprised the two women again.

"What do you suggest dear?" The counsellor patiently asked her.

"Drizella's role will only be played by me but since I am quitting, that role is not supposed to be taken by anyone else" Kiaraa knew what position she holds in this school because of her grandpa so she didn't hesitate speaking her mind.

"Are you suggesting there would be only one evil sister in this play?" The teacher asked her.

"Yes" 

"But that goes against the story" Counsellor tried to make Kiaraa understand the problem.

"I don't care" Kiaraa brightly smiled before adding, "Ma'am, do you know my IQ is very good and I have an eidetic memory?" she asked.

The counsellor nodded her head.

"Therefore, you can't manipulate me" Kiaraa smiled at her, "Although I am just 13 and soon going to be 14, don't underestimate me"

"Kiaraa…" The counsellor wanted to say something but before that Kiaraa looked at her teacher, "If you didn't wish for me to be in your play, you should have told me directly instead of pulling all these strings"

"I didn't wish to hurt you" The teacher defeatedly replied as she understood there was no point in denying the truth. She was aware how smart Kiaraa is.

"You are not that important to be able to hurt me" Kiaraa's words again shocked them.

"Kiaraa, five girls quit this play because of you." The counsellor decided to be honest as she understood she can't handle Kiaraa the way she handles other students.

"Is it my fault that they are weak?"

"Kiaraa, every person has different levels of patience and tolerance. As you just said, your IQ and memory are strong, thus, you are much smarter than your peers. Therefore, you can easily trouble them and they can't withstand against it. So, is it their fault that they are not as smart as you?" 

The counsellor's question this time actually triggered Kiaraa.

"I like the point you made" Kiaraa looked proud and smirked in satisfaction.

"So, we are requesting you, please quit this play and let someone else take over your role" The counsellor directly suggested.

"Fine, I don't mind that. Also, I don't truly believe Drizella's role is mine as Cinderella play happened multiple times across the world and a lot of girls played this character"

Kiaraa's assurance came as a huge relief for the two women.

"Thank you for understanding" The counsellor genuinely smiled at Kiaraa.

"You are good at your job" Kiaraa praised her before adding, "From next time, whenever I will have a problem, I am coming to you" she declared.

"Sure, my doors are forever open for you" The woman was happy that her task successfully finished and Kiaraa too took this sportingly.

After Kiaraa left from there, the teacher thanked the counsellor as her biggest hurdle got solved.

Kiaraa then met with the three guys, who were in the library waiting for her.

She was surprised to see Ian and Hwan too reading books with Ji Hun but on reaching closer, she saw Ian was reading some mystery novel and Hwan was checking the latest Korean Entertainment Magazine.

"Guys" Kiaraa softly called them and the four people stepped out the library as they anyway were supposed to leave for home.

"I am quitting the Cinderella play" She informed the three boys.

"What?"

"Why?"

Ian and Hwan asked her together while Ji Hun tried to read her expression to see if she was sad about it.

"Because I am too good and made five girls quit" Kiaraa laughed.

"Oh god! Why are you laughing?" Hwan flicked her forehead.

"Isn't this situation too funny? Our teacher was scared of me, how cool am I?" she looked extremely proud of herself.

"You are weird" Ian put his arm around her shoulder, which annoyed Ji Hun.

Ian looked at Song Ji Hun but seeing him indifferent he thought, 'I guess he got over her seeing how close we are'

Two years ago, Ji Hun worried him but after that coin museum thing, Ji Hun didn't do anything to separate Kiaraa from Ian and neither did he try to get closer to her.

So, Ian thought two years ago he just over thought the situation.