Okay. It seems like seeing a wolf pack walking around your house in the middle of the night, or hearing strange noises from the woods, or even a sudden huge wave from the lake aren't weird enough for you after years living here since now there's this girl who suddenly break into tears when she sees me. But really, at least I still have more understandable theory for the wolves, but this girl?

A lone tear escaped her eyes but her lips curved into a sincere smile. Her hand still tightly gripped onto my wrist like I would runaway in a heartbeat if she takes it off. The girl clasped her hand on and cried even harder with sobs once in a while. What the hell's happening here?

"It is really you, Professor Liu." She wiped her tears with her sleeve and giggled before she smiled whole-heartedly. She took the box from me and all of a sudden she tackled me into a hug, a tight one. I was taken a back but before I realized it she's already entangled both of her hand behind my back and sobbed again on my chest. Gradually, I felt the wetness and how from her tears seeping through my not-so-thick shirt.

"M-miss? Are you o-okay?" I tried to see her face but she hid it on the crook of my neck. She only tightened her hug as a reply.

'Of course she's not fine, you insensitive idiot! She wouldn't have sobbed on your chest if she's okay!' The inner Amber barked and I mentally face-palmed after I asked such a rhetorical question.

The girl sniffled but still wouldn't let me go. It looks like I don't have any choice left so I just slowly her hair down until her back to calm her trembling body. Maybe she'll let me go after this. Because I have no other choice left, I just kept on her hair until she stop sobbing and let me go.

I couldn't help to feel hot blood rushing to my face when she snuggled closer to my chest and the crook of my neck. God.. Please don't let her hear my thundering heart beat.

About a few minutes later she let me go slowly and stood straight while combing the hair that were stuck on her face because of her tears. She let go of her iron grip on my wrist after she realized she's been gripping hard for so long. It'll definetly leave some mark.

"Are you okay now?" I gave her my handkerchief for her to wipe her puffy and red face after crying. The girl bowed a little as a thank you and wipe her face thoroughly before taking a deep breath to calm herself. "I'm so sorry I acted so weird, Professor. But, d-do you by an chance.. remember me?" She tucked the strand of her hand behind her so I could see her clear face.

Sharp nose, black hair, cold demeanor, she reminds me of a.. cat.

Have I met her before, somewhere?

I tried to think harder but still, I have no single clue on who she is, except that she's Mr. Jung's daughter. I lowered my head in embarrassment and shook my head. How come she remember me but I have no idea who she is. Was she one of my student back in campus?

I lift my head again when I heard her crispy laugh. She has this habit to cover when she laughed also her eyes disappear behind her lid and turned into a thin line. I felt my heart beated faster again and I unconsciously hold my chest. I felt my rapid heartbeat from my skin, pulsing so strong I could feel my chest tightened with each beat. I could feel it beating even faster (if it's possible) just by the sight of her laughter. Why do I feel so suddenly warm right now?

"Well then, why don't you come inside, Professor?" She opened the door wider for me to come inside. I checked my watch and I think I still have some free time. A short visit wouldn't hurt anyone. "Please, just call me Amber. I.. was.. a professor, but now I'm not, so.." I smiled sheepishly and she giggled from her shoulder. "Okay then, Amber. Please have a seat first." She took the box to the other room which I guess the kitchen area.

The interior of the mansion was beyond compare. It feels like I was into a different timeline to the Victorian Era just by seeing the architecture, the colors, and the way they put the furniture on the right place just right. I guess the guest room was as big as my whole house.

Painted with rose pink color, it resemblance the feminine, elegance, and beauty of this mansion. The huge chandelier hung above me and reflected the sunshine that fell on it from the huge windows. I sat on one of the leather sofa and I can actually feel how expensive the sofa is just by touching the best quality leather. Mr. Jung is sure is rich.

I fidgeted on my seat and somehow I felt anxious and nervous while waiting for her. She popped out from the kitchen with a tray with a steaming kettle, 4 mini jars, and 2 cups. She already changed her clothes into a simple black knee-length skirt and a shirt.

She opened the kettle and pour one of the jar filled with tea leaves. She leaves it for a while to let the leaves disolve with the hot water and leaned back on her seat with her leg crossed, showing her milky white legs. "Do you like milk tea? Prof- I mean, Amber?" She said as she lift one of the jar. I nodded and she took it as a cue to start pouring the milk inside.

I stayed still on my seat and let her do the work. It's not like I don't want to help her, but... I still feel kinda awkward with her, so.. this is the right thing to do.

The girl peeked open the lid and smiled when she's satisfied with the result. She put a cup in front of me and poured the milk tea inside before she poured some for herself.

"Okay.. Let me introduce myself first. My name is Krystal Jung. I'm my dad's youngest daughter and currently I'm finishing my thesis for my master degree." She ended it with her charming smile. "You're probably wondering how do I know you, right?" She continued and I eagerly nodded for her to start her story. She giggled and crossed her leg again as she leaned on the sofa.

"I was one of your student, so you were my lecturer- my favorite actually." The corner of her lip tugged upwards in a teasing smile and god damn why does she have to look so seductive while doing it.

"And all of a sudden, when I was doing my last project, you disappeared into thin air. What are you? Are you an avatar or something?" She laughed at her own joke. I didn't realize I've done such a horrible thing to this Krystal girl back in the days.

The wave of guilt swept over me and I felt really guilty for leaving her in her final year, when she needed her lecturer the most. I put my chin on my hand and tried to remember her by staring at her face. Somehow her face is familiar to me, like I've seen that face so many times before. She's so familiar yet so.. new to me.

I roamed my eyes from the top of her hair to her feet. My eyes stopped at the silver ring circling her finger. It has a rose engraving on it, somehow it looked too familiar.

A rose ring..

Cold demeanor..

Wait a minute..

Memories flooded my mind when all the puzzles finally clicked together and showing the hidden picture. I know I've seen her somewhere, because she was the last student I talked to before I left the campus. I remembered we had a promise- a childish pinky promise- that I will help her with all my might.

Back then she looked so nerdy with her big glasses, but everything about her now just screamed elegance, beauty, and perfection. She sure has changed a lot in those years.

/flashback when Amber was still in the university/

I was sitting on my desk on that late afternoon after I teach my last class. Being a lecturer in such a young age like me wasn't an easy thing to do. I sighed loudly and slumped on my table, I don't even give a damn if one of the paper there would get messy. I almost jumped when I heard a knock from outside and I instinctively rearrange all the paper and put it beside me. "Come in." I said curtly.

A nerdy girl opened the door and walked into my room with her hand filled with papers and huge backpack on her shoulder. "Professor Liu, may I have some of your time, please?" She asked politely and I just nodded. "Please have a seat, Miss.." . I don't remember her name. "Krystal Jung." She smiled and sat down across me.

She let go of the paper and stacked it in front of me. I peeked on one of them and it's about her final project. I checked my watch and it's already 2.45 pm. I have to go at 3.30pm because I have this important dinner with dad and his colleagues. "Miss Jung, I only have 45 minutes for this so you might want to talk to the point."

Her eyes widened and her spectacles slid down to the tip of her nose. "O-okay Professor." She readjust her glasses and fumbled on the paper she's looking for.

She took a deep breath after she found her list of question. "Okay. Professor, in this type of flower, should I get the mix breed or the pure breed? Which one is more suitable for me, the European or the Asian? Where can I get the Asian? Oh! Is it okay if I use the sample from the lab? Where can I get the fresh sample? Will you mind if I use the lab? And also-"

"Woah woah woah. Slow down, tiger." I let out a laugh when I watched her asking- rapping- her question to me. She's already on the edge of her seat and it looks like she most likely would fall soon.

"I did say I only have 45 minutes, but that doesn't mean you have to rap your question like that. I can't even hear you properly." I saw a tint of pink on her porcelain cheek and it grew darker by each second. She lowered her head, "I'm so sorry, Professor." She apologized like a 5 years old who got caught red handed drawing the wall. She turned the ring aroung her finger and I fully see the rose engraving on it. Gosh.. She's cute. Wait.. What?

I took the paper from her hand and wrote down the answer of all her question that she wrote down. "This is similar to the project I did for my last thesis. Such a coincidence." I smiled when I said that but my eyes still focused on the paper.

 "So, can you help me, Professor Liu?" I lift my head and she has this irresistable puppy eyes that looks so innocent and full of expectant. She looked like she might cry if I said no.

"I'll try my best, Miss Jung. I'm in a pretty hectic schedule and I still have many unatended personal business. So yeah, I think I stll can help you." After hearing my answer, her eyes widened to a size of a platter, just like a kid in a toy store, "Really?" She sounds so happy and I couldn't help to smile amusingly at her. She has this really really happy expression on her now rosy face and she might explode from all those hapiness inside. She really is something.

"Will you help me until the end?" She said after I gave back her question paper back. I just nodded curtly and prepare myself to go home because it's 3.25pm now. I put every important file in my suitcase and the rest in my backpack.

"Professor Liu?" She called me when suddenly she lift her pinky finger at me. I looked at her questioningly but she only look at her finger and to me again. "Promise?" She asked with all the same expectation in her big eyes. I scoffed, "What are you? 5?" I laughed but she pouted again and that's enough to stop me.

I stared deep into her eyes. Somehow I found myself in her. The same ambition and will power I had back in school. Hell I even stayed in front of my professor's house in the middle of a cold winter night just for my final project. While now she stayed really long after her class, just to meet me for a short 45 minutes discussion. I see no harm on helping her, so I will just take the shot.

I linked my pinkie with her's, "I promise."

---- ----

Weeks have passed with her trying on squezing times on my already jam packed schedule. She tried stopping me on my way home just to ask some question and a review on her paper.

Yes, sometimes I regret my decision for agreeing to help her because she's been calling me so frequently I had to mute my phone at night so I can get a good night sleep. In campus, she wouldn't hesitate to leave her lunch so she could chase me when she got a glimpse of me walking outside. It looks like she's everywhere. Did she learn how to copy herself like naruto?Because she's literally everywhere.

Speak of the devil, her comes the girl who has been bugging me non stop. With a bright smile on her face, the now familiar glasses slid down to the tip of her nose when she took a step closer, and her jet black hair bounce so elegantly. She looks like she just came out from a salon when I'm pretty sure she just finished another brain-wrecking study session.

"Professor!" She waved her hand in excitement and I unintentionally waved back. She seemed surprise because I've never waved back no matter how many times she waved in front of my face.

"Have you done your class?" I asked after she stopped in front of me. She adjusted her glasses and combed her sweaty hair back, "Yes. Can you review this for a second?" She handed a paper and a pen. We were in a hallway so I didn't have any choice to sit on the floor. I checked everything written in the paper and honestly, I felt proud of her. Her writing has improved a lot and no more petty mistakes. "You've worked hard. Good for you." I smiled proudly when I gave back the paper to her.

Her cherry lips tugged upwards in a beautiful honest smile and I couldn't stop my heart from beating too fast when she said it whole-heartedly, "It's all thanks to you. Thank you, Professor Liu."

---- ----

Days turned into weeks, weeks turned into months. In those excruciatingly slow months have finally finish my own project to get my master degree after so many times procrastinating on doing other not-so-important things. This way I could finally be a lecturer with good position in the university.

They said the ceremony would be in 4 days and so I called my parents and sister to come to Korea to see my graduation. They congratulated and already on their way here.

With a wide smile pastered on my face, I walked down the hallway filled with student congratulating me for my achievement on becoming the youngest full-working professor here. I got a text from my sister and she said her congrats and sent me her selca on the plane with my dad and mom beside her. She said she'll arrive soon.

I walked to the parking lot to get my car and drove to the nearest flower shop. I bought a bouquet of roses to welcome my family at the airport. I haven't seen them in years so I didn't think it's too much for just welcoming them.

I waited patiently at the airport with a happy smile and a bouquet in my hand. I put extra care on grooming myself to do and damn I look and smell good. I checked my watch. They should be arriving soon. I sat down to calm myself from the hype on seeing my parents in Korea. Calm down, Amber.. Do not jump on them.. You will most likely to break their back.. Phew..

30 minutes have passed. They should be walking out of the gate now. I peeked inside and I found the hallway was surprisingly empty. Maybe the plane got delayed. Yeah. Let's just wait for a moment.

I felt my phone vibrated in my pocket. Huh? An unknown number? I picked up the call, "Hello?"

"Hello? Is this Miss Amber Liu's number?" I heard a male sound from the other end and he sounded so frantic. I heard so many phones ringing in the background and it was so noisy.

"Yes, this is Amber Liu speaking."

"I'm Park Hwangmin from Korean Airline public service. Do you by any chance have seen the news? I'm so sorry for your lost, Miss Liu." What? What is he talking about?

I was looking at my surrounding and I saw a news playing on the TV. I walked to the TV and read the breaking news headlines. I felt each step I took was the heaviest. A chilling sensation shot through my spine when I felt my heart, brain, and my world stopped. I couldn't even believe my eyes when the red colored text glaring on the screen.

[Breaking News : Korean Airline KR-3546 from America lost contact and reported have sunk in North Pacific Ocean. 176 passanger and 12 crew died.]

---- ----

That day was rainy. Everything seems so dark, miserable, and pointless now. I walked aimlessly under the rain, still clothed in a suit with a bottle of liquor in my hand. I'm not drunk but I'm not sober either. The cold water fell on my skin like thousand of tiny needle, but I didn't even care anymore because everything are already numb. On my graduation day, I didn't even show my face there, because I know it's pointless to come there anyway.

They won't come. They will never come back.

Days passed in a blink of an eye. People come and go. Some will return, some will not.

People flocked around the funeral building. They gave their final goodbye in front of my parents and my sister's picture on the altar. People hugged me, shook my hand with a pat on a back and told me to stay strong and they would do anything to help me when I'm in need. If you said everything, can you turn back time and bring them back for me?

People looked at me with grief and sadness in their eyes. Pity reflected in them when they saw me sat there alone in the corner of the same room for days. My coworkers brought me food sometimes and accompanied me eventhough I didn't say anything. Sometimes they just sat there and let me lean on their shoulder. I think I've skipped so many classes I supposed to teach, but again, I don't even care anymore.

I kneeled in front of the altar with the same rose bouquet I got for them. The roses have died and one by one they all tearing down in a such pitiful way. It's been 5 days and I only took a bath a few times in those days. I lost track of time, I didn't even eat 3 times a day and I didn't even some of my dad's friend went all the way from America and offered me a job there.

I kept my silence. I speak only when I have to. I lost count on how many times I've cried my lungs out and now I ran out of tears. I felt the burning in my eyes got doubled after another cry. It has become a habit to cry myself to sleep. I hugged my own body, seeking for warmth.

Should I just die to join them? I have no reason to live again. I have nobody now. I'm all alone. I have no one to live for. My body slid down and I ended up curling in front of them.

"Mom? Dad? Jackie? Help me." Tears start rolling down freely. My face was bloated after so many times crying and I didn't even bother to wipe them. I heard the sound of rain falling hard outside. I closed my eyes and I secretly wish I didn't have to wake up tomorrow.

---- ----

Days have passed and I finally left the funeral house. I took a proper bath, a proper meal and it's the first time I'm completely sober. I wore my white shirt and black slacks to finally go to the campus.

People were surprised when they saw me walking on the hallway after missing for so long. I didn't even smile a bit on that day, becauss I've made up my mind to leave the university. I put my resignation paper on the rector's desk and I'm glad he understand my condition. He let me get all of my stuff in my room and dismissed me from all the class that day.

I brought cardboard boxes and walked to my old room. I decided to quit my job and leave to my dad's farm in Jeonju. I think I can survive there with running a little farm to fill my daily need. Besides, I know how to plant those crops. I spent half of my life studying them.

I just threw all the thing in the box carelessly and close it if it's already full. Suddenly the door was barged open, "Professor!" I heard the oh-so-familiar voice calling for me. Before I realized it, Krystal was already in front of my desk, breathing heavily as she tried to catch her breath. She has this mixed expression on her face but I noticed the worry reflected in her eyes. Why would she be worried?

"I'm not your professor anymore. You can ask someone else to help you, miss Jung." I said coldly to her. I saw the hurt in her eyes and tears started pooling in her eyes. She didn't say anything yet she's still standing there. Her head was hung low. I couldn't see her expression but I know she's hurt really bad, and I'm the one to blame. My heart was alreay numb I couldn't even feel a tiny bit of sadness or guilt. I was so broken and it's the time to start a life somewhere new.

I sealed the last box as I finish putting it all inside. "But.. you promised me." She said with tears already running on her smooth cheek. I tried my best to fight the urge to just hug her and wipe those tears, but the part of brain that control it already numbed. It's not dead yet.

I sighed loudly and opened the last box again. I grabbed my research journal and hold it in my hand. A simple book with dark leather cover, made by my mother for my 20th birthday gift. It's filled with all the procedure and the result of all the experiment during my study here. I even wrote down all the details of my 'breakthrough' formula that made my name famous throughout the country for founding the faster way to grow the crops with my organic fertilizer.

I held the book close to my chest. The book that I always bring everywhere, the book I never let anyone to touch it or even open it, the book that means so much more. There's part of me written in this journal and my history.

I opened it again and felt the graze of my pen, the fading ink, each scratch and marker, I create all of them. But I guess I won't need them anymore.

I put the journal in front of her and tapped it lightly to get her attention. "For you." I said. She lift her head to see my eyes. Her eyes were bloodshot red and her hair were sticking on her forehead. I shook her hand for the last time before I left this university. A flimsy and weak handshake.

And that day, I left everything without turning my back.

/end of flashback/

"It's been years, Amber." She smiled longingly. I nodded, "You've changed so much, miss Jung." I called her with the one I used to call her. She nodded as well, "Yes. And I still haven't forgotten your promise to me."

I felt my heart beated like a rabbit when I waited for what she's going to say next. She pulled a rather seductive smirk on her face and uncrossed her leg. I was about to explode from all this tense and I probably did when she open to say her wish,

"Go out with me."

---- ----

And that's it! Phew.. I've written Amber's past here and so far this is the longest chapter. Wow.. Good job, Jeon *pat my own back*

(When I'm actually too lazy to split it xD ) 

I hope you like this one and thanks for the subs, upvote, and comment. I really like reading them again and again.

If you want, you can give me a scenario in the comment box below.

Goodbye for now and I'll see you soon in the next chapter. 

Bye bye ;)