Never in my life had I faced rejection until the day I met Professor Kim, or rather, Kim Minji—the once-failed, now-redeemed literature professor and author who has scarcely taken her eyes off me since our first encounter.
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The clock struck 8:20 PM as Hanni slipped into the room, the door clicking shut behind her. Professor Kim glanced up from her papers, a flicker of surprise crossing her features.
"Oh, you're here," she remarked, her brow furrowing slightly. "I thought I'd locked up for the night."
Hanni approached the desk, her eyes drawn to the stack of papers before the professor. "Still grading?" she inquired, her voice a mixture of curiosity and something less definable.
Professor Kim sighed, fatigue etched in the lines around her eyes. She ran a hand through her hair, usually pinned up but now cascading in soft waves around her face. "I'm afraid it comes with the territory, Hanni. As much as I'd prefer to while away the hours... otherwise, these papers won't grade themselves."
A flicker of disappointment crossed Hanni's face as she toyed with the edge of the desk. "Shame," she murmured, her gaze dropping to her fidgeting hands. The word hung in the air between them, laden with unspoken meaning.
Professor Kim continued her grading, her pen dancing across the papers with practiced precision. Occasional frowns, muttered comments, and the shake of her head punctuated the silence. It was the soft rustle of fabric behind her that finally broke her concentration.
She turned, her eyebrows arching as she took in the sight before her. "Ms. Pham," she said, her voice a blend of exasperation and poorly concealed intrigue.
Hanni, now perched atop the desk, met the professor's gaze with feigned innocence. "Problem?"
"Indeed," Professor Kim replied, her eyes traveling slowly upward. "Is there a particular reason you've decided my desk makes for an acceptable seat?"
Hanni glanced around the room, a mischievous glint in her eye. "I appreciate the vantage point," she mused, legs swinging lazily. "It's quite... empowering."
A soft scoff escaped Professor Kim's lips, amusement warring with professionalism in her expression. "As if you were ever lacking in that department," she murmured, her tone carrying a hint of something deeper.
"Are you implying I have an ego, Professor Kim?" Hanni asked, her tone a delicate balance of playfulness and challenge.
Professor Kim met her gaze unflinchingly. "I'm not implying anything, Ms. Pham. I'm stating outright that your ego could fill this entire classroom."
Hanni let out a soft, almost amused exhale, the sound tinged with a hint of a scoff as a slight smile played on her lips. Her gaze lingered on the crown of Professor Kim's head, where dark strands of hair framed her lowered face as she meticulously marked papers. The subtle curve of Hanni's smile deepened as she watched the professor's concentration, the furrowed brow and the gentle swaying motion of her hand as she graded each assignment with care. There was something quietly powerful about this scene, something that made Hanni's eyes gleam with a mix of curiosity and bemusement, the unspoken thoughts behind her smile lingering in the air between them.
Hanni's eyes narrowed, a calculating look crossing her features. She leaned forward slightly, her voice dropping to a near whisper. "Tell me, Professor... do you have feelings for me?"
The question hung in the air, heavy and charged. Professor Kim's carefully maintained composure cracked, her eyes widening. "I... what?" she stammered, caught off guard for the first time that evening.
YOU ARE READING
Hanni's Gambit
FanfictionAs Hanni's thirst for success grows, so too does her willingness to bend the rules, to cut corners and manipulate her way to the top. When she challenges Professor Kim with a smirk and a daring question, a dangerous game is set in motion, where the...
