“So I told him Ji hyo… I told him about the girl Cheol Ji had been. And he told me, what a woman Cheol Ji had become…” he smiled proudly and tipped back his drink.

---Flashback---

Kim Jong kook repeatedly glanced at Myung soo but the boy expectedly avoided looking at him. Jong kook thought wounds are better off left alone to heal, but then maybe sometimes you have to check if all the shards were taken, that nothing’s left there to heal it the wrong way. He was not a person who liked to talk feelings… but sometimes, maybe, one just gotta have to make exceptions.

The PE teacher had easily slipped into the locker rooms, glaring at his charges who ‘forgot’ to clean up the place after class. “Guys! Why did you leave the gym like that? Finish up here and go back. Put away everything in the storage. I don’t want anyone using the equipment on the weekends just because it’s lying free for grabs.” He shooed the boys but before Myung soo could get past him, he placed a heavy hand on the teen’s shoulder. “My office. We… have to talk.” The boy glanced around but everyone had dashed off, probably afraid that they’d be called too into ‘detention’. When the boy walked to his office without any protests, Jong kook breathed a little easier.

“Saem, so, what did I do?” Myung soo asked before Jong kook can even close the door. He told the boy to sit on one of his visitor’s chairs and went to his little pantry. He sighed and got two bottles of orange juice. He placed both on the table then sat down in front of Myung soo instead of using his chair. Right now, he is not Myung soo’s teacher, but Cheol Ji’s.

“I know that you probably don’t want to do this… especially with me. But can we talk about that?” He leaned towards the boy who wouldn’t even look at him. “Myung soo… I really am sorry but are you not curious why? What I am sorry for? Right now… don’t think of me as a teacher. Ask me. Ask me anything and I will answer you. Right now… do anything you want and I will let you.” His voice is almost pleading and Jong kook wished he could force Myung soo to say something, to blame him… to just say anything. Because no matter what he does… he still feels guilty. There are still night when he couldn’t sleep, nights that he questioned if he was a bad man. Until now… he still feels like he doesn’t have the right to know how she is or maybe he is a coward and couldn’t face the possibility that she’s doing worst --

“Cheol Ji noona… I’m her proud little bro. But I am also mad at her.” the boy took the drink but just held it, fiddling with the can while he slowly chose his next words. “I hated that she acted like it’s no big deal. I hated that there was a settlement. I hated what others say about my noona… because they are wrong.”

Jong kook took a deep breath and swallowed back the fear. He could ask now, whatever the answer is… he should stop running and face it -- the result of his past. With a voice almost a whisper, he asked, “did she continue… graduated?” the boy nodded. Jong kook was flooded with unexpected relief and broke into a broken but proud smile. He was once again reminded of the fierce street-smart kid who told him before, ‘there are better stuff than a degree.’

Cheol Ji is not school smart but practical. She goes to school because it is a necessity. A means for her dream… whatever it is. Despite her vague principles and headstrong beliefs, Jong kook saw a kid who has dreams but already saw too much of the world. And Jong kook deeply admired how she copes, doing bit by bit. Planning carefully the ways to her goals even if it doesn’t make much sense some days. A snort from Myung soo made Jong kook realize that he’d just described her former student aloud.

“Yeah, that is my noona. Straight out of a drama description, but very, very apt, teacher.” The hint of pride and admiration from Myung soo’s voice made the teacher smile and the guilt in his heart thaw further. “After the incident… I really wanted to hunt you down but she told me not to. That you were a good teacher… and that she was sorry. I didn’t listen and could only think why she could say all of those.

“Years passed teacher… she actually went to college to all our shock and got a fairly okay job. the past seemed like a nightmare, and it’s like she forgot but then she probably didn’t… just made the most out of it as always… but I still couldn’t accept that she called you a good teacher. Because a bad teacher doesn’t do that.” The boy grasped the can hard, his knuckles almost white.”Anyone could but only monsters would.” He adds with a regretful whisper.

“So I found you… and the scandal, uhh, I thought it was only fitting. But I was wrong. I should have listened to noona.”

“It’s okay Myung soo. I messed up. I don’t have the right to say this… but I’m glad I didn’t mess up everything for her.” The two men looked away, nursing their own memories of the girl who brought them together.

“She’s still stubborn, still wouldn’t tell me what really happened. But all these is on me… what I did, especially Ms. Song. You two, are actually quite similar… you’re both good teachers.” The boy said, making Jong kook laugh unsurely.

“It’s nothing I can’t forgive, Myung soo. Please don’t live like me…

“When I was younger, I was so full of ideals… her class was my first you know… so I thought I’ll make miracles. She’s the kid I thought I could change if I show her what I think is the right way. But look how it ended… she is a good kid. Until the end I believed that… until now. I just can’t pinpoint how I’ve ed it all up.” he chuckled in resignation and glanced at the boy. “Now, I know better. I just try not to mess up so badly. ‘Cause you kids, you’d do what you want, what you think is right. And I? I could only support you guys and make sure you don’t mess up as badly as I did.”

Myung soo nodded then looked at him thoughtfully. The younger man also leaned forward and for the first time during their conversation, he looked directly at Jong kook. “I understand now saem. I also think I know it now… why she did that. Gods, my noona is so stupid.” the words confused Jong kook but he could only wait until the boy spoke and gain. What he said only puzzled him further. “Saem, have you ever been in love?”

Jong kook blushed and silently thanked fate that he didn’t open the orange juice or he’d be choking to death now. He felt the tips of his ears warm up and the question made him realize what possible drive Cheol Ji could have…

“This is a drama plot I swear… and you’re so blind saem. Wow and you still don’t get it!” Myung soo raised his hands in mock surrender, “Cheol Ji noona… liked you.” His grin fades. Jong kook chokes on nothing and almost doubles over despite his earlier enlightenment. “What she did… we might never know saem, why exactly but believe me… she’s right. You’re a good teacher, a good man.” Myung soo says with an easy gentle expression.”So I’m sure my crazy noona couldn’t help but fall for you and do what she’s always good at -- being crazy.”

---End Flashback---

“So she fell for you.”

Jong kook blushes hard and shrugs. “It’s not like that. Why would she want me anyway… it doesn’t make any sense.” And Ji hyo really wanted to strangle him right there because he was getting irritating with his self-pity. She glares at Jong kook and the male teacher feels like he’s going to die real soon. “Girls like guys who care. People fall for qualities, not looks or riches and you Kim Jong kook… you work hard. You care silently and you think no one sees the little things but you’re wrong! I’m not blind, Kyung soo is much more sensitive to this things than you give him credit for and I’m sure he’d give you an earful for this.”

“But I--”

“Stop looking down on yourself!” she angrily drowns a shot and stares at Jong kook hard. “You said, Kyung soo shouldn’t worry, neh?” he nods. “Because he is a great son and if his parents don’t see that, he has people here who knows how good he is and what a treasure he is. Say that to yourself. You are a good teacher and you didn’t mess up Cheol Ji.

“Maybe things you didn’t expect happened but look at now! It ended up okay Jong kook.”

“But Ji hyo… it could have ended differently. I could have… I--”

“It didn’t… because you didn’t do anything wrong, she didn’t do anything wrong too. This repressed society is just very ty. And I got your back, Kyung soo would say that too if he’s here. We got your back, we are family and we’re all amazing.” She stands up to give Jong kook a hug just like she did to Kyung soo and because the man looked so small hunched like that and in dire need of a hug. She sloppily transfers to his side and lands in his lap. With a goofy grin, she encircles her arms around his neck and hugs him tight.

Ji hyo could feel Jong kook flinch at the contact but she didn’t really care. It only made her hug him tighter “And you’re also a good dancer oppa. You can be my poor Nero -- we can bitter the world but I wouldn’t give up until you see it’s not all bad -- and I really hope we could be friends…”

“I’m not a stray cat Ji hyo… but yeah,” he ruffles her hair affectionately and hugs her back, burying himself in her scent. “Of course we are friends Ji hyo-yah,” Finally letting himself believe that he’s not alone anymore, not alone for a really long time actually but an idiot for not realizing it sooner.

“Yes oppa, you’re an idiot and you’re okay, stop being idiot…” she stands up shakily but looked like her knees couldn’t support her anymore. He quickly stands to guide her, letting her lean most of her weight on him.

“Okay.” She smiles like someone who just trained a pet to do a trick but he couldn’t get offended at all, not when it makes everything so warm, and pushes the bad things away. “I won’t do that… I won’t be an idiot anymore.” He whispers into her hair as they stood there in the kitchen tangled with each other into mimicry of a dance.

“Good, oh, we’re dancing again. Sing oppa, let’s dance.” she giggles into the lapels of his shirt and Jong kook could only hold on as he lets himself fall further. Clinging unto her while he hoped that when he lands from the fall… it wouldn’t hurt too much. And he sings, as she rocks silently with him. He murmurs words in a familiar melody of their youths. She was humming back, creating music with him. He catches her hand and squeezes back. Ji hyo closes her eyes and rests her head in his chest. He bravely lowers his head to plant a kiss into her hair that reminds him of the only thing from the past that doesn’t make him want to run away again.

“Thank you, my princess…” he whispers and tightens his hold wishing this night was not a dream.

That night, Kim Jong kook is not an idiot anymore… but he’s still a coward.

I hope you like the story... Jk is slowly opening up to people and I hope the stuff from their past helps explain why my characters are like this and why RM-High is such a special place. Thank you for reading and maybe you'd let me know what you think? I would always write what comes into mind... but it would be nice to know if we're all enjoying this little Au. 

To the regulars I really appreciate you guys even if I don't reply much to the comments... I would be more visible now coz finally we got wifi in the house.

Happy New Year readers!