DERANGER - SEULRENE

002

you clearly remember the first time you laid eyes on her.

it was the start of the semester, and you're having your first class of the day with these university students.

she came in late wearing jeans and a blue university sweater. you would have dismissed it if it weren't for her abruptly stopping on her tracks to look at you.

getting distracted, you ask her if there's any problem.

she said she wanted to apologise for arriving late.

you said okay and dismissed her.

she stood there unmoving for a moment before moving to sit down.

you feel her eyes on you the entire time.

---

you aren't the type to give too much attention to your students. not that you don't care about them. you surely give your best whenever you discuss the modules you're supposed to.

but like the usual school year, these people pass by your life and leaves as the semester end. you prefer not to be too close to any one of them.

however, kang seulgi seems to have plans of sticking around. due to her multiple absences, you dropped her out of the class as part of the university protocol. and to your surprise, she's under your class again the following semester.

you didn't put much thought into it. she's not reaching out to talk to you either to explain why those unexcused absences occur.

but secretly, you're glad you're seeing her again.

---

it was that friday night, three months ago, when you first met her outside the university.

your cousin, taeyeon, and her wife tiffany, opened up a gay bar downtown and invited you to join them in the opening night. you've been particularly close with this cousin of yours, the reason you accepted the invite despite knowing your parents would frown upon it.

yeri, taeyeon's younger sister, is also there along with some of her friends.

it was around eight in the evening when taeyeon's best friend, yuri, came in to join you along with her colleague, yoona, and a familiar person you were surprised to see there.

it was her.

the three of them walked inside the bar in their coat and tie attire. the dim lighting inside the expanse made them look like suit models strutting down the red carpet.

you've always admired how yuri and yoona carry themselves in those suits. it's part of their work to go formal, being sales agent and all. but as for kang seulgi, you are the reason she's in that suit today.

and you are glad you required your class to be in business attire every meeting.

you were introduced. you found out she's yuri's friend. you shake her hand, and she smiles at you.

"professor, i'd never thought i'd see you in a place like this," she comments. and that's when everyone got curious how you two are acquainted.

you explained your presence in the bar, saying how you're related to the owners.

she raises an eyebrow at you, and you quickly dismiss her by saying you have a boyfriend.

she shrugs and proceeds with conversing with other people. you're lucky she's occupied as it gives you the advantage of taking a real good look at her, which you can't do in class.

she bows and greets all the new people introduced to her. you didn't miss how her cheeky smile makes her eyes somewhat disappear.

you certainly didn't find it cute.