RIIING

"Goddamn alarm!"

Heechul's hand crawled across his bed to reach his phone on the nightstand. He furiously punched the snooze button and made small movements to soften his pillow before he dozed off again. However, his slumber didn't last long as his alarm went off once again. Groaning, he finally forced himself to get up and properly dismissed his alarm. Flickering his eyes tiredly, he sighed as his vision got clearer and he could finally tell where he was now.

Stretching his limbs, Heechul went out of his room and walked straight to the room next to his. The sleepiness, however, didn't go away, making him press his body against the wall as he knocked on the door.

"Prof. Park, I need to get my clothes."

Heechul began to get irritated because it was only twice he politely asked for permission but also twice he was ignored. Rolling his eyes, he couldn't bear any longer and finally entered the room.

Strange; he found no one inside.

Yet, he shrugged it off, even better with no trace of his professor, and searched for his bags. After getting the clothes, he was about to stand up and get out of the room when he suddenly heard a door being slid and soft hums, breaking the quietness. Heechul casually turned around but the second he laid his eyes on the source of the commotion, he almost fainted.

"Aaahhh!!!!"

"Yahhh!!!!"

Jungsoo, a towel wrapped around his waist, reflexively covered his upper body with his hands upon seeing he was not alone in the room like he always was. His stare accidentally dropped to his student's stubborn bare legs and he could only gulp seeing those unexpectedly smooth skin now that the good lighting allowed him to do so. Without even done processing what was happening, Heechul had fleed from the scene uttering tons of curses.

»»————-　♡　————-««

Jungsoo, taking his time enjoying the dark coffee, leisurely read some news on his iPad. He was not completely oblivious with the suffocating air around him as he eyed the person across him yet he chose to give no damn. The toasts he had made were still untouched, slowly getting colder. Sighing, he pushed the plate towards the other direction and took another sip of his coffee as if he'd done nothing. However, Heechul didn't appreciate even when he knew his professor silently asked him to eat.

"I'm getting my stuff out of your dungeon!"

Jungsoo was unfazed. He calmly grabbed a piece of toast and spread jam on it. Heechul was getting infuriated by how annoying his professor was. He was about to stand up and got his things out of his professor's room when suddenly the house bell rang. They both froze, exchanging looks with each other. It was not even three seconds after the staring contest began when a new voice broke the tension.

"Jungsoo? Son, have you—"

Heechul almost dropped to the ground when he saw Mrs. Park already walking to the dining room. He never expected that his mother in law would give him a surprise attack this morning. Contrary to him, a wide smile immediately bloomed on Mrs. Park's face as she approached him, already opening her arms. Heechul couldn't react when the middle-aged woman gave him a tight hug—it was comforting, he couldn't deny.

"I'm glad you've moved in, Heechul."

Unconsciously, Heechul had raised his hands, intending to return the hug when his eyes accidentally met his professor's serious look. For a split second, he was confused about what to do before he eventually put his hands down.

"You're squeezing him, Mom."

Jungsoo said as he shoved a piece of toast inside his mouth. Still hugging Heechul, Mrs. Park turned to her son and scoffed.

"Just say that you're jealous. Why don't you tell me, Jungsoo? I can help with his things."

"I'm fine, Mrs. Park. We've—"

Heechul cowered a little when Jungsoo's mother suddenly snapped at him, wincing her eyes. Gulping, he hoped his acting was not so weird that she might be suspicious.

"Why do you still address me as Mrs. Park, sweetie? Call me Mom or Mother. Come on, you're Jungsoo's husband, it means that you're also my son."

"My son? How are you my son, you er?"

"But Mom—"

"You should rot in hell—"

Heechul was brought back from his unwanted flashback when a hand took over his soulless body from Mrs. Park's arms. When he sobered, in front of him was a broad shoulder and he didn't even know since when he'd been clutching his professor's shirt.

"Mom, you're making him uncomfortable."

Jungsoo complained, protectively holding his student closer, his hand on the waist tightening. Little did he know, Heechul was clinging to him not because he wanted to act but because he needed it; he needed stabilizer. His breath became uneven since the frightening image didn't want to go away, so he only listened to the childish fight between Jungsoo and Mrs. Park without actually comprehended anything.

"I think I did shock him a little bit. Heechul sweetie, are you okay?"

Jungsoo frowned when Heechul was still stiff in his hold. He glanced at his student and his frown got deeper when he noticed that Heechul seemed absent-minded, his eyes staring at his shirt blankly.

"Hey. You're fine?"

Jungsoo asked tenderly.

"I— Uhh. I'm fine. I'm sorry, I-I think I have to go now. I have a morning class."

Heechul hurriedly freed himself from his professor's embrace and was about to walk away when Jungsoo caught his wrist. He was close to crying and he didn't want any of the strangers in the room witnessed it. He wriggled his hand out of the grip but Jungsoo was persistently holding his hand.

"You're really fine? I'll take you to college."

"No— I... Thanks but I can go alone. Please excuse me."

Jungsoo was stunned with the unusual change of his student so he eventually let him go. Something inside him stirred when he saw the sorrowful gaze his student radiated. Before Heechul managed to get out of the room, he swiftly pulled his student closer and leaned to his ear.

"Tell me if anything happens."

Heechul was caught off guard when Jungsoo suddenly kissed the intersection between his cheek and his ear where he whispered earlier. Feeling that his emotions were getting out of control, Heechul only nodded and ran out of the room, leaving the mother and the son in complete confusion.

"What happened, Son? Is he really okay?"

"I... I don't know. I hope he'll be fine."

Jungsoo stared at Heechul's half-empty coffee and was still dumbfounded. He didn't even try to cover up his bewilderment in front of his mother like he would if he was in his right mind.

»»————-　♡　————-««

The sun had slowly been setting in the afar yet Heechul still didn't have any intention to leave the place. Kneeling, his eyes were fixed on the name of the grave beside the flower he brought on the way here. His eyes were puffy for he had cried, a lot.

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