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