Ms Kim, do u still rmb me? R u free tmr?

This is casual enough, right? Yoona decides it is and sends it before she can change her mind. Then she spends the next minute or so biting her nails because waiting for a reply is nerve-wrecking. Or nail-wrecking, in her case.

Ofc I rmb u. Yes, I’m free tmr. R u coming to see me?

Yoona smiles as she reads the reply. Then she types.

Yeah. What time shld I go?

5pm is best.

Ok. C u tmr. Goodnight!

Kekeke. It’s only 6pm. Shouldn’t it be good evening?

Yoona bites her lip. This is embarrassing.

Sorry. I was distracted.

U still get distracted easily haha. Anyway, having a good evening and night (:

Good evening and night!

Yoona’s smile turns into a grin. Then she’s giggling and rolling around on her bed.

“What are you so happy about?”

The question ends Yoona’s little celebratory roll and she sits up, blushing a little as she turns to her roommate, Sooyoung. “When will you learn to knock?”

“I wasn’t exactly quiet with the key and lock, Yoona. You wouldn’t have heard me opening the door if you weren’t so absorbed in your happiness,” Sooyoung rebuts as she puts her bag down. “And you haven’t told me what you’re so happy about.”

Yoona grins. “I’m going to see Ms Kim tomorrow.”

“What? Without me?”

“You can go with me the next time.”

“You .”

Yoona sticks her tongue out at Sooyoung. “You fart.”

“I’m gonna go over there and fart in your face.”

Yoona shrieks and pushes Sooyoung away, laughing hard, feeling happier than ever. Her best friend is her roommate and her ex-teacher remembers her. Life is good.

=

Yoona returns to her dorm to change into a dress after the last lecture of the day. Time check: 3pm. Good. She has two hours. That’s plenty of time.

It is ten to five when Yoona strolls into her ex-school. Everything still looks the same. Then again, it’s only been a few months since she left. She strolls down the familiar hallway leading to the teachers’ office with a smile, remembering her days here as a student not so long ago. This hallway is now a precious memory.

“Yoona?”

A wave of déjà vu washes over Yoona as she turns around. There stands Ms Kim, complete with her blonde hair, ocean blue blouse and black pencil skirt. The blonde hair has grown an inch or two since then but it takes nothing from Ms Kim’s appealing appearance. In fact, Ms Kim looks even better now, if that’s even possible.

“Hello, Ms Kim,” Yoona says, finding herself a little tongue-tied.

“You’re right on time. Just give me a minute to put my stuff down,” says Ms Kim with a smile. “Be right back.”

=

A while later, Yoona finds herself in the cafeteria with Ms Kim. Two cups of coffee sit between them, paid for by Ms Kim. Yoona had offered to pay for them but Ms Kim hadn’t allowed her to. Not even for her own cup. Now, she’s determined to get a chance to buy Ms Kim a drink.

“I hope you’re not distracted in your uni lectures.”

“I’m not. I’m very focused and attentive.”

“Really?”

Yoona nods. “I was only distracted in your classes, Ms Kim.”

“So it really is my fault then.”

Yoona grins. “Yes.”

“Okay, I guess I should apologize for being distracting.”

“You don’t have to apologize. I made it to university anyway.”

“Good thing you did. Or I would have to feel guilty forever.”

Yoona laughs. “I miss attending your lectures, Ms Kim. The lectures in university are so serious and kinda boring sometimes.”

Ms Kim smiles. “University is more grown up after all. It is to be expected. But not all lecturers will be like this. Ask your seniors about the lecturers’ style of teaching. It will be useful to know before choosing the course.”

“That’s a good tip. Thanks. I’ll remember to do it next semester.”

“Are you staying on campus?”

Yoona nods. “Sooyoung is my roommate. Do you remember her too?”

Ms Kim smiles. “Of course. It hasn’t been that long since you graduated and I’m not that old. My memory is still quite good.”

“You’re not old at all, Ms Kim. You’re very young.”

Ms Kim chuckles. “Oh, it’s hard to say I’m young when I’m talking to a first year undergrad. It reminds me that I’ve graduated for two years now. I feel old.”

“There’s only six years between us. It’s not much.”

With a laugh, Ms Kim concedes. “Okay, you have me convinced. I’m not old. There’s barely any between us.”

“Bye, Ms Kim!” a group of students chorus while trooping past.

“Bye! Go home safely!” Ms Kim replies, waving goodbye with a wide grin.

“Am I still the prettiest student or is there a prettier student in the new batch?” Yoona asks as casually as she possibly can.

Ms Kim laughs. “You haven’t forgotten, huh. Prettiest in the Class of 2008 isn’t enough for you?”

Yoona shakes her head. “It isn’t enough. I want to be the prettiest in your eyes.”

“Well, to be honest, I haven’t seen anyone prettier than you in this new batch.”

“Really?”

Ms Kim smiles. “A girl as pretty as you should be getting a lot of attention in university, am I right?”

Yoona nods. “They come sit next to me during lectures and try to chat me up. In the dorm too. But I’m not really interested.”

“Why not?”

“I already have someone I like.”

“Oh, I see. So you’re already in a relationship?”

Yoona shakes her head. “Not yet. What about you, Ms Kim? Do you have someone you like?”

Ms Kim smiles. “No, not right now.”

“Why not?”

“There’s no reason. This is the way it is. And I’m a new teacher so I should focus on becoming a good one before getting distracted,” says Ms Kim, with a wink at the end.

Yoona pouts. “Ms Kim!”

With a laugh, Ms Kim pats Yoona’s hand. “You can take a joke, right?”

“Only when it’s you, Ms Kim. If it were Sooyoung, I’d smack her upside down.”

“My, my, thank you for the privilege.”

Yoona meets Ms Kim’s witty reply with a laugh and her ex-teacher ends up laughing too.

=

“It was really fun talking to you, Ms Kim.”

“I had a lot of fun too. Now, go home safely, okay?”

“Can we do this again, sometime?”

Ms Kim smiles. “Of course. You are always welcome to visit.”

“Okay, I’ll see you often, then. Bye, Ms Kim.”

“Bye, Yoona. Remember not to get distracted in class again.”

“I won’t!” Yoona replies with a laugh. “Bye!” She turns away from her waving ex-teacher and walks down the path to the train station. Seeing Ms Kim today has quashed her doubts. It is possible to tear down the ex-teacher-student wall between them.

=