Back The Last Fallen Star Save as PDF
Chapters (37)
  1. Title Page
  2. Copyright
  3. Dedication
  4. Introduction
  5. 1: My Family of Healing Witches
  6. 2: Saturday Is Temple Day
  7. 3: Even Witches Go to School
  8. 4: How to Open an Enchanted Safe
  9. 5: Time to Get Initiated, Witches
  10. 6: The Tiger Is Out of the Bag
  11. 7: Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way
  12. 8: Noah Noh and the Dojang
  13. 9: Um, Mago Halmi, Is That You?
  14. 10: The Dark Sun and Dark Moon
  15. 11: The Cheollima and His Cookies
  16. 12: Don’t Forget to Smile
  17. 13: Where Does the Bearded Man Buy His Suits?
  18. 14: The Best Boba Teas in Town
  19. 15: Potato Sacks and Truth Bombs
  20. 16: Of Course There’s a Prophecy
  21. 17: Why Is There Always a Catch?
  22. 18: It’s Time to (Rescue) Party
  23. 19: Anyone Hungry for Seoulful Tacos?
  24. 20: Halmeoni’s Soul Animal Is a Magpie
  25. 21: Make Way for the Bionic Girl
  26. 22: Taming of the Inmyeonjo
  27. 23: Are Family Reunions Always This Awkward?
  28. 24: Let’s Get Down to Business
  29. 25: Dokkaebi Rules of Engagement
  30. 26: The Dokkaebi Takes His Bite
  31. 27: Ticktock, Ticktock Goes the Heart
  32. 28: Nuh-uh, She Didn’t!
  33. 29: Get Your Battle Gear on, Fambam!
  34. 30: The End Is Also the Beginning
  35. Epilogue
  36. Glossary
  37. About the Authors

He passes the envelope to Professor Ryu. “Room eighteen today, Professor.” And to us, he says with a nostalgic look in his eyes, “Have fun, guys. I remember the good old days of Saturday School.”

Professor Ryu leads us to room 18, and it’s dim and windowless inside. It’s about the size of my bedroom, and the air smells a little like Cheetos, root beer, and something sour I don’t really want to identify. The large TV on the wall is flashing scenes from music videos and various song titles you can choose from. A large couch shaped like the letter C faces the TV, and between them is a low table with a few songbooks, a remote, some mics, and a feather boa. Cosette Chung, a super-pretty Gumiho witch (but unfortunately, Jennie’s number one henchwoman), immediately puts on the boa, and it’s not fair how good she looks in a tacky piece of pink fluff.

Professor Ryu finally opens the envelope, revealing this week’s glamour-reveal song. “‘Fake Love’ by BTS,” she announces, to which everyone fist-pumps and grins. It’s an oldie but a goodie.

“Now, when we get to Jimin and Jin’s hook,” she explains, “we just need to replace the words fake love with secret life. Everyone ready?”

She uses the remote to select the song. Music fills the room, and as the class stands in front of the huge TV with the scrolling lyrics, we sing our hearts out.

I’m so sick of this fake love secret life, fake love secret life, fake love secret life

I’m so sorry but it’s fake love secret life, fake love secret life, fake love secret life

As soon as we say the last words, the Gumiho’s glamour on the room starts to dissolve. The dingy walls shimmer as if they’re made of silvery water, and slowly they melt like hot candles.

Before we know it, the noraebang has disappeared, and we are standing in a spacious, brightly lit classroom with large beanbags instead of desks and chairs. Three of the walls are painted with meticulous landscapes that look so realistic they could be photos.

One is of the sandy beach under Santa Monica Pier. (I recognize the Ferris wheel. They also have the best teeny-weeny donuts there—drool.) The second must be New York, because I see the Empire State Building, and I think the last mural is Lotte World—one of the world’s largest indoor theme parks, which happens to be in Seoul. Gumiho witches change the murals from time to time, because, in addition to looking awesome, the images also double as portals. They’re so well guarded by the Miru, though, you’d never risk sneaking through one—not unless you want to know what superhuman strength feels like when it’s directed at you.