Hey everyone, I am so sorry that the progress of this story is quite slow, and I hardly post the update; making it worse. But I really hope I could work on this properly despite my packed schedule. I'll try to be better each day, thus I deeply thank all of you who anticipates for this fic!

9.

I turn my head to the sneezing sound that comes from the office, and since I know very well of the fact that the person inside would not really favour of my presence, I tip on my toes and hide behind the closed door. My neck cranes to check on her inside; apparently Ga Eul is sitting on her chair with a box of tissue placed right by her laptop. She keeps pulling out one piece after another, as if she is watching a sad movie or something emotional. And that sight gives me a strange feelings – of concerned, sorry yet touched – as I know the reason behind why she caught a cold in the middle of summer.

It was last night when she gave me a lift in her Volvo;

We arrive home but it is still raining cat and dog outside, making me hesitate to come out from the car after thanking her – as I didn’t bring an umbrella or anything that could cover me from those drops. But whatever, it wouldn’t be any harm if I just run through it. However right at the moment where my hand touches the door handle, Ga Eul stopped me.

“There’s an umbrella below your seat. You can take that.”

Thus I do as what she said then points to outside, though she is checking on her phone, not even glancing at me. “Okay then again, thank you.” Once more when I was about to get out from the car, my action halts, this time voluntary by myself. I pivot facing her, tilting my head, “You aren’t coming?”

“I will, after I make a call. You should go first.”

“And you have an umbrella for you, right?”

She blows a raspberry, and even Ga Eul isn’t looking at me, I see her eyes roll, “Of course. Just go, I’ll take care of myself.”

And that’s where she tell lies.

I had already get myself ready to take a shower – clothes off, towels around waist – when suddenly I heard the flips and flops of someone running upstairs in the heavy pour. Thus I peeked from the panes, witnessing Ga Eul only sheltering herself by using those small pair of hands, and not the umbrella she claimed she had one for herself before.

That night I foolishly believe those words and ran out in the rain by myself, with the one and only umbrella that she had in her car.

“I suggest you go in there and talk to her if you’re already worried sick like this.”

As how he always does, Baekhyun pops out from nowhere and leans against the wall beside me. He wiggles his brows, lips stretching a cheeky grin, still not giving up in teasing me on this new person. Ever since the day he almost ran over us with that motorbike, Baekhyun keeps insisting that there is something going on between us, which is quite impossible to happen.

Perhaps yes, I have a little crush on her.

But have any of those crush things ever work? Yes, in a perfect world but what a bummer, this is reality.

Not to forget, the lady is currently in a love relationship which strengthen the reason why I should ignore this tingling feelings and make it fade.

And so I give that friend of mine a mocking titter over his unfunny joke before patting his shoulder a bit roughly, “How about you, the boss, giving a day off to an unwell employee? Sounds like a nice idea, huh? Mr. Byun?”

From behind, I could hear soft grunts from Baekhyun and even I am not looking, I know that those lips of his are pouting as he sighs, “You could be harsh sometimes, Jongdae.”

“I’m a really nice person, honey.” I turn to him to mock a bow then shrugs as I pivot my way forward again. “I’m going to the pharmacy, and you should knock that door. Talk to her, because at least she’d listen to you.”

“I guess that’s it for today,” Ga Eul breathes and beams to the class for a few seconds before placing one hand on her chest and clears her sore throat for the umpteenth time today, “Class, dismiss.”

Meanwhile from the outside, one person finds that he couldn’t take his eyes off the tutor, still worrying of the former’s health yet too nervous to face her this time. Unlike in the past, this time Jongdae refuses to be ignored again. He thought he has already used to it – getting cold treatment