Studying with Byul is a nightmare. She's strict, judicious, ridiculously hard to seduce into letting Hyejin out of the hook of, like, thirty economic questions have to be done in an hour. Whenever Hyejin makes a move, Byulyi just stares at her blankly, and very firmly, fixes her attire without hesitation. As if they've dropped from an rated movie to a G or PG-13 something.

If not for their rather quality time back then, Hyejin would be sure to call her teacher "Conservative Moon".

So tonight is the seventh Friday night they spend together, and Hyejin is in, quotes, "a sack they use to bag potatoes, you know".

"Remember to do the homework about probability statistics--"

"Okay, I know, I know--", she shoves the notebook back in her bag.

"And the paper for class--"

"Yes, yes--", Hyejin is in a bit of a hurry to turn on her phone, after three hours of phone-banned rule the other one sets up.

"Both are turned in on Monday so hurry up, Hyejin."

"I know! Are you done?", Hyejin scowls at the blond, unconsciously pouts. Protesting doesn't work, she tried, so a useless guilt trip is on the go.

Byulyi nods, a silly smile lingering on her lips at the frustrating student. Daggers shoot out of Hyejin's eyes. Damn her wicked, delicate pink, plump lips. Hyejin has no idea how the teacher could be in such a good mood after, like, centuries trying to shove bit by bit of Monty Hall problem and all about dice to an idiot like her.

How can she be so complex, she was the devil of Maths just moments ago, and now she's beaming the kindest smile.

Anyhow, they had agreed no ual activity would be done as long as Byulyi is still in control of Hyejin's class, so the student deliberately takes her eyes off Byul's lips, doesn't want to cause any gaucherie, or take the risk of losing the promised A, aka a deal to keep her job at the pub. Hyejin lets her hair down, ready to leave while Byulyi takes the used glasses to the kitchen. She waits a bit for Byul to send her away. Byulyi insisted.

"It's late, I still think it's better if you let me take you home, Hyejin ah.", Byulyi says. In the soothing silence of the elevator, they are somehow... we can say they're in a friendly relationship. "Besides trying to get your grade up, possessing balance in work and health is important too. It's good that now you can go straight home, working at the pub must be tiring. I can offer a ride."

Hyejin shakes her head, fingers still typing phone vigorously. "No need. My apartment is around here anyway."

"Really, can I pay a visit to make sure you won't wand--"

The elevator chimes open.

Everything is in the mood for interrupting Byulyi, isn't it?

Sends a smirk Byul's way, Hyejin waves. "See you next time, professor." and runs away as fast as her feet take her.

Mischievous.

The steel doors slowly close, Byul's eyes follow the rushing woman afar without fail, until she disappears in the crowd, among the busy traffic.

A small 'ding' from her pocket breaks her flow of thoughts.

Lone word on the screen.

> Emergency.

-

Hyejin takes off the large sweaters, and pulls the matching pants down. Long nails hook and throw them to the nearby sofa, abandoned by their owner.

If not wearing a sack of potatoes, how can she hide this dress from Byulyi?

The professor once asked how would Hyejin deal with the Friday show, she mindlessly replied she'd dropped the schedule. But let's be real, she isn't ready to drop 60% of her profit like that.

December is no exception for the regular show, especially when the special call is made by the pub's VIP customers. Hyejin looks at herself in the mirror up and down, eyes trailing from red lips to the collarbone and downward.

Fancy clothes, shiny jewelry. The alcohol smell stabs into her senses. More revealing than her liking.

She must be here tonight, Hyejin briefly thinks.

Wheein's curiosity fills her AirPods.

"Are the lessons that bad? I read the papers and I have to admire her professionalism in this field, she can make this hell of Maths looks interesting! I'm awfully curious about her private tutorings, chingu-yah."

 "Just interesting to you, Ms. Top-Notch-Effortlessly Jung Wheenius. She frowned when I scored a 60% and slammed heaps of test on the table, they came with a deadline too!", Hyejin almost roared. "If you are that impressed, replace me, please."

In amusement, Wheein laughed at her best friend's verge-of-tear tone.

"Nah-ah, not gonna happen. And I doubt if Professor accepts that, Hyejinie. And what's that sound? Are you working?"

"Yeah, I just arrived at the pub."

"For real, Hyejin...", a sigh drops at the other end of the line. "That place is no good for you."

Blaring music, blinding lights.

Shady people.

Hyejin knows all the reasoning Wheein doesn't say. They know each other too well to hide anything. Twirling strings of hair around her fingers, the singer walks to the glass windows looking down the club, and in no time, sickening feelings run in her guts.

She's there. Seems like she has a guest tonight, too. Hyejin isn't unfamiliar with all the situations involve a third guest. And on the other hand, she still can't get used to this regular guest of her. She never can, unless...

A blond flashes in her mind.

Hyejin shakes her out immediately.

Taking a deep breath, Hyejin takes an earpod out, hand above the hang-up red button.

"I'll be fine, Wheeinie. Love you."

Without waiting for a reply, she shuts down her phone, putting it in her backpack. It is somewhere lost in tons of probability tests. Hyejin straightens her back, puts on a smile, slowly walks down the staircase.

When she arrives at the VIP private booth, a pair of arms instantly wrapped around her body. Tight jeans scratch her skin. The singer tries not to quiver in disgust when her client rubs her .

Also, she tries not to freeze at the cold glare from the customer's... friend.

"I've been waiting for you. Why changing your shift, baby girl?", the VIP asks, tone darken with a hint of dominance. "I have to wait for you, which is a bit unfair, don't you think?"

Hyejin smiles sweetly, closes the gap between them to leave a lipstick mark on her neck, obediently. "I'm sorry, Professor Kim. I hope the adjustment in schedule doesn't bother you."

"Aye, I told you to call me Lia! Where's that confidence when we have business, baby?"

Hyejin's inside twists at that. She doesn't like it when private deals with her customers are exposed to others. Lia Kim doesn't take notice though, instead, she pushes Hyejin out towards her guest, proudly as if the singer is a golden treasure Lia owes.

"Don't be shy with each other, yes? Hwasa, this is my friend, Dahee-nim. Dahee, Hwasa, my favorite entertainer."

"Nice to meet.", Dahee smiles, politely shakes Hyejin's hand. She mumbles back a hello.

Hyejin knows a fake expression when she sees one. Hell, she owns the technique. She's uncomfortable with this newcomer's appearance.

Anyway, it isn't Hyejin's business. Right now, she's Hwasa of Eros Pub, and it's her job to satisfy , fake, problematic riches like Lia, like Dahee,

like Moonstar.

What?

Stop walking in my mind, dammit!

"Are you okay, Hwasa-ssi?"

Hyejin blinks, blankly looks at Dahee, who must have caught her shifting. Untwines from Lia's embrace, the brunette shakes her head, mask swiftly put on. "Nothing, madame, thank you. May I serve some drink for you?"

"Sure. Pick for us."

"And please sing some Jazz afterward.", Lia adds.

Order taken, Hyejin gets away from the booth, going through lists of drinks in her mind.

But the conversation doesn't slip until she's out of eavesdropping radius.

"Why would you bring that lowly e here?"

"She's not a e, come on.", Lia whines.

"If she offers her body, that's a e."

"She doesn't."

Dahee snorts. "Not to you."

Right.

Not to Lia, but to the other one.

Hyejin smiles bitterly.

She doesn't seem to be able to escape the stars map, does she?

-

The night is chilly, wind blows may rip her skin apart. She's always hated winter, and almost all aspects of it.

Winter represents separation, and winter is a reminder of her shabby, barely intact rooftop house.

This fur coat draped over her racy dress doesn't help.

"Hyejin! Hey, Hyejin!"

A car honks its horn, gradually stops beside her. A blond head pops out from the smoggy window.

"Hey you. Why are you here, it's 3 am!", the teacher asks. "No objection, come in here!"

"It's fine--"

"Come in, I'm holding your grades hostage, young lady.", Byulyi snickers, unlocks the passenger door, waiting for Hyejin to dive in the warmth of her Mercedes. The younger does that with a grunt, of course.

She pretends she isn't surprised at the rather... provocative attire of her student.

"Not only is it a Mercedes but the inside is handmade too.", Hyejin comments while putting on her seatbelt. Leather, real . "Are you sure you're not a CEO or a chaebol?"

A low chuckle comes in reply. "Who knows. Where should I take you to?"

"The 95 bus station, thanks."

"No, your house. Spill."

"No."

"Yes."

Hyejin grumbles. "No."

"Hyejin, your grade..."

The content left unsaid but Hyejin knows too well. She glares at the hamster-like happy face, surely satisfied with the unfair win. Is she being blackmailed? Probably.

Gosh, she misses the day she can make Moonstar stutters with a touch only.

"I miss when you're my hostage, not I yours.", Hyejin says. Her fingers quickly tap her address in the GPS, in order to run away from the shame slowly overflowing in her heart, and the car (finally) starts to move.

"I still am."

Hyejin huffs, not one bit believes her ears, or the person next to her. "You're just lying."

The teacher shrugs.

"Why are you up this hour, by the way?", Hyejin asks.

"Ah... I have my own concern too, and a ride helps, Ms. Ahn.", Byul smiles. "And do you have any? You look pessimistic walking in the night."

"No."

-

The rest of the ride is spent in silence. Snow has already taken its place on the trees, the road, and even on Byul's car hood. Will have to put up plastic hoods and turn on heating lights before her small garden wilt in the cold, the teacher mindlessly thinks.

The air between them thickens when Byulyi stops in front of a grill restaurant, for reasons none of the two would like to explore.

Byulyi knows what this is in one look.

A miserable, cheap, offers-nothing-against-the-weather room to rent.

"We're here, thank you.", Hyejin nods, pulling the handles.

It doesn't work.

"Professor Moon..."

"This is your place?”

“Yes. Rooftop.” Not looking back, Hyejin's fist tightens around the cold metal. "Don’t overstep, Professor."

Stillness drapes on them.

“...Right.”, Byul clicks at the door lock. “Good night, Ahn Hyejin.”

Hyejin nods, embarrassed. “Good night, Professor Moon.”

But just a step out of the car, Hyejin feels the tight hold on her wrist. She turns to a halting Moon Byulyi.

“A-Are you free tomorrow?”

“Maybe? Why?”

“Do you want to go out with me? I mean, not as professor and student or anything, just us?”

Hyejin chuckles. “Why so sudden? You are scandalous, aren’t you?”

“Just for a change.”, Byulyi smiles back. “I don’t want all memory of you about me is either torturous or… arousing. So, will I have a yes, or…?”

“You think too high of yourself, Professor. Fine, if you insist.”

“Does 10 in the morning work?”

“Sure.”

“Nice!”, the teacher yelps happily. “Alright, that’s a deal. See you tomorrow!”

“Alright, good night, Professor.”

Byul doesn’t leave until she makes sure Hyejin comes inside safely. Hyejin looks at the car speeding through turns and crossroads from her balcony, tries not to overthink about her enthusiastic companion.

Anyhow, Hyejin puts on an alarm at 9:30.

< ready for starwalk >

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