My Professor

date

"Sunmi-ya!!" I knew that voice. It was a deep voice that I had not heard in a while and I hoped I didn't have to hear it ever again but here he was. My ex. Shin Kangin.

He kneeled down before me showering me with questions and caressing my hair like a concerned parent.

"Wait wait wait" I put my finger against his lips. "How did you even know that I am here" I asked disdainfully.

He told me that he had come to visit me the moment he came to know about my injury and that our caretaker had told him about my whereabouts.

"C'mon let's go," he said, helping me up. I hated the fact that I needed his help to get to my feet but I had to get going right. He supported my shoulders as we walked to the door. I wanted to shove his hands off me but the throbbing in my head had aggravated.

"Sunmi" I stopped and turned as soon as Suwon mentioned my name.

"Next time wait for a couple hours if anything like this happens." he lightly patted my head. It made me feel better. His touch, even though momentary, made me feel better than those ugly medicines I had been taking.

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I was on my way back home with Kangin. I resented his presence from the bottom of my heart. He was the reason why I didn't want to be in a relationship anymore. It feels like a burden. Burden of starting it, maintaining it, compromising for it and what not. I was happy being single. Only if this fragile little fucker got off my back. He was a year younger and couldn't accept the fact that we were over. He said he'd keep trying to win me over and to be honest, he diligently did. I had to let him. My mum said that it would be better to let him exhaust himself over you and give up rather than you shoving him away. It was probably his way of getting a closure, is what Mum thought.

Honestly, my parents really liked Kangin. He was a sweet guy but the kind of mental pressure he put on me was lethal. He put in his heart and soul in our relationship, to the point where it was suffocating me.

Uncle Jin was the only person who understood my side of the story unlike others who thought I was the crazy bitch who used that poor boy. He told me that you know you're making the right decisions when it liberates you. OH how right he was!

I didn't talk or respond to him throughout the ride. When we reached home, I thanked him and asked to return the keys.

"First let's get you to your room." he protested. Fuck! Now this man wanted to drop me till my room. I turned around and headed towards my bedroom. He followed. I was perfectly alright. Just needed a lot of rest.

I stopped him at my bedroom door. "You can go now."

He stood with his face just a few inches away from me. His eyes looked into mine with an unusual glint. He leaned closer aiming his lips at mine.

NO FUCKING WAY

I put my hand on his chest and stopped him. "Leave" He did not persist and left. I could never understand this guy. Why did he think we were having a moment? I was way past him. I could never accidentally kiss him, even if drunk.

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I returned to college after a week! It was nice to not wake up to an aimless day. My wound no longer needed bandages. I hadn't told anyone about me scrambling to Suwon's place because I thought he was dying. It was embarrassing enough that my parents, uncle and Kangin knew.

"Dude! I think he likes me," Da-kyung whispered to me during English.

"Who?" probably some new guy she had met.

"Suwon" I nearly choked on my water. I knew Da-kyung liked him hella lot but now she believed that he liked her back? Delusional much?

"What makes you say that?" I asked.

"He used to ask me to carry his file and pile of books around and omg he'd approach me so many times to help him tie his plaster correctly like it was so clear that he was making excuses. I can't."

Seriously? Girl, I had broken his hand!

"I thought about it. I am gonna ask him out."

"ASK HIM OUT!?" I said too loudly. Jiwon lowered his glasses and looked at me. I returned an embarrassed half smile. He continued teaching. Yeah, my uncle's choice in men was impeccable. Handsome and unobtrusive.

"Are you crazy? You're seriously gonna ask a teacher out?!"

"On one single date! Don't worry I am not jumping steps"

Yeah sure you're not jumping steps. You jumped an entire flight of it just by assuming that he likes you. I couldn't change her mind. Nor could I let her be hurt by Suwon's rejection. I had to do something. Even if she was rock solid dumb, she was my oldest friend.

I rushed to the staff room at the end of the day looking for Suwon. He sat talking to a group of teachers. He threw his head back while laughing, like a kid. The light from the window fell on his face and made his skin glow. He was such a handsome man. While I devoured him with my eyes, a hand touched my shoulder, "Yes Ms Lee?" It was Prof. Eun.

I bowed to him and said I was looking for Suwon. He called out to him and Suwon rushed to me. I saw him for the first time since that night.

"Everything alright?" was his first question. I liked how he was always concerned about me and my head.

"Yes. I need to talk to you," I looked around and lowered my voice, "privately"

We headed out and stopped at the end of the corridor. "Private enough?" he joked.

"This is some serious stuff okay?" I moved closer so I could whisper.

"My friend Da-kyung is going to ask you out on a date today."

He jerked his head back and frowned. He then broke into laughter clutching his chest.

"I'm serious! She really likes you and i don't know what you've been telling her but she thinks you like her too!"

He spoke unclearly through his unstoppable laughter, "What?...Me?...no way what did I even do?"

I clasped his hand, "Look please don't reject her. I know she's delusional but she's a nice person. Just go on a date this once and then tell her you would like to stop. Please~~~~~~"

"But I don't like her," he said.

"I know you don't! I don't want her to get heartbroken"

"Lying to her would break her heart even more"

"See, go on a date, bore her to death and then when you say that you didn't really enjoy the date, she'll leave you."

"WOW! So you want me to seem like the geeky professor who isn't cool whatsoever"

Really this man was something.

"Cmon! It's not like you care about what your students think of you and girls are gonna like you no matter what"

I saw Da-kyung approaching. "Please please I'm trusting you on this! Thank you! I owe you one!" I sprinted away before he could say anything.

"Hey, what were you talking to him about?" Da-kyung stopped and asked me.

"Oh nothing, just a couple doubts"

"kay, I am SO PUMPED!"

"Yeah go ahead! Best of luck!" I didn't want to watch how their encounter went so I paced to the ground to take my mind off it.