Saturday night.

Kahi invited all the teachers to her birthday party in a chic restaurant. The untouchable teacher just held out smirks as she entertained her guests. Nevertheless, all just enjoyed.

Over a variety of Korean dishes, the teachers talked about the successes of their students, but Yong Hwa's mind was wandering. He was looking at the birthday girl herself, who was holding a Mona Lisa smile as she talked with the school principal. Kahi never failed to make Yong Hwa's heart flutter. Though far-fetched, Yong Hwa always wanted to make her his. When Kahi looked at him, she smiled at him coyly that Yong Hwa felt his heart feeling restless and all. To this, Jung Shin saw and felt an irresistible urge to get jealous.

"I have to have Kahi-noona as mine," Jung Shin thought before resuming to his old jolly self.

Jong Hyun was out of sight because he gatecrashed at his cousin Choi Seunghyun's birthday and partied with T.O.P's five girlfriends. Min Hyuk let out a smile because he can have Shin Hye to himself and he was quite lucky that Shin Hye chose to sit beside him. Yong Hwa did not notice this because he drowned himself in Kahi's beauty, but Shin Hye wished he would turn to look her way.

Yet, he never did.

"All right everyone, after this dinner, let us sing at a noraebang of my friend," the school principal said before looking at the birthday girl. "Eottaeyo (How's that?)"

Kahi, who was never one for surprises, let out a gape. She had never been given gifts by the principal for all her hard work, but here comes a noraebang session for everyone. She broke into her Mona Lisa smile again and thanked the principal profusely.

"A good girl deserves good reward, eh?" the principal said as he got his shot glass ful of soju. "Geonbae!"

"Geonbae!" the other teachers cheered as they clincked their glasses.

****

After dinner, they proceeded to White Flower restaurant where a noraebang which could hold fifty people was located. It was the only noraebang that the principal knew that can hold a large group. As the rest of the teachers got inside, the principal looked at Jung Shin.

"Are you not coming inside, Lee-seonsaengnim?"

"Aish, I don't want to embarrass myself," the otaku smirked.

"It's Park Kahi-seonsaengnim's birthday," the principal convinced him as he pushed the slim teacher inside the room.

Because the principal was more massive than Jung Shin, the younger teacher was obliged to get inside.

****

Once inside, another Korean literature teacher announced that Kahi should sing. Really, nobody even missed Jong Hyun in the event.

"What will I sing?" Kahi asked bluntly.

"Aigoo, just sing what you young generation sing!" another teacher spoke up.

Min Hyuk got the remote and punched in some numbers before pressing 'play.'

"I know Park-ssaem will like this song," Hyukkie said.

And an After School song, "With U," was heard.

"You've got good choice, Kang-ssaem," Goo-ssaem said to the young teacher.

"Ah....ne... gamsahamnida," Hyukkie said happily.

Shin Hye smiled because Hyukkie got praised by his fave teacher again. As the song played, Shin Hye looked at Yong Hwa, who was intent on looking at Kahi. The slow song was clenched her heart painfully, knowing that Yong Hwa had a huge crush on Kahi.

"Andwae..." she thought, making sure tears don't fall.

Finally, after the song, Goo-ssaem was sorry that she had to go out first, and she bid the company goodbye. Min Hyuk and Shin Hye offered to take the poor teacher to the bus stop.

"Why did Goo-ssaem not hire a driver?" Min Hyuk asked, feeling sorry.

"You know, my son, I cannot afford that," the old teacher said. 

"I should have brought my Lamborghini along," Min Hyuk said.

The old teacher patted the young teacher on his head, feeling proud to have a son like him.

"If I should retire by the end of the year, please continue visiting me," the old teacher said.

"Ne," Hyukkie said.

"I'll do too," Shin Hye said.

Goo-ssaem was used to the look of the tomboy teacher, and she did not scold her anymore at all.

"Shin Hye-ya, is it all right if I take Goo-ssaem home?" the gentlemanly teacher asked Shin Hye.

"Oh, no, no, you can just wait the bus with me, and I'll go home," Goo-ssaem said.

"Anio. I insist," Hyukkie said.

Shin Hye nodded and waited for the bus with them. When the transpo stopped in front of them, Hyukkie and Goo-ssaem got in the bus, leaving Shin Hye behind. Since it was a good time to walk, she decided to walk--back to the noraebang.

"I could have Hyung to myself after the session," Shin Hye mused.

As she walked back, she saw two familiar people talking under the tree near the building.

Yong Hwa and Kahi.

****

"Saengil chukhahae, Noona," Yong Hwa tenderly and huskily spoke.

Kahi blushed and let out another elusive smile.

"You are rude," she replied back. "I am a teacher much older than you, and you just spoke to me in banmal?"

Yong Hwa let out a boyish smile.

"Wae? Noona, nan su eopseo (can I not)?" he asked playfully.

Kahi rolled her eyeballs and laughed daintily. Yong Hwa had never changed. He was still the loving boy she knew back then.

Kahi's Flashback

Yong Hwa and she were far neighbors back in Busan. As a boy, she was a bit irritated with him because Yong Hwa often caught bugs and beetles, and gave them to her as gifts. She's six years older than him, and she could not understand why a six-year-old boy would go about bringing her gifts. Later, when the boy Yong Hwa was eight, and Kahi was fourteen, Yong Hwa declared that Kahi will be his girlfriend in the future. Kahi did not take it to heart. After all, Yong Hwa's just a boy!

When Kahi was in her last year in high school, she still did not take notice of Yong Hwa, who was already in his first grade of middle school. When she was twenty-one, and Yong Hwa was fifteen, she suddenly noticed that the boy was acting not a boy anymore. He was silent, but when it came to her, he was amorous. And when she declared that she'll be teaching in Seoul, Yong Hwa visited her in her room one night, and promised that he'll follow wherever she'll go. Soon, the irritation/cold treatment turned into fondness. Kahi liked Yong Hwa a bit because he had gone handsome, but to her, their was too wide to go unnoticed. And what will their parents say?

There were no contacts made between the two of them, but one day surprised her. She saw Yong Hwa entering the faculty room with his long hair and cold expression. All the young female teachers went into explosive nosebleeds at his hotness. When he saw Kahi, he smiled at her, and she found herself smiling at him.

She could not forget the look that the other teachers gave her: one of shock for suddenly smiling like an idiot.

End of flashback

"Why is Noona still single?" Yong Hwa asked.

Kahi smiled.

"Molla. I guess my heart is not ready to love," Kahi said.

"Will you mind having a man younger than you for a boyfriend?" Yong Hwa asked.

Kahi smiled again.

"Why? Are you applying? The position's not open," she joked.

"I'll apply and apply, Noona," he said. "You know, from the first time I saw you when I was a kid, I liked you."

Kahi smiled again.

"That feeling has not changed, has it?" she asked.

All of a sudden, Yong Hwa grabbed her by the nape and crushed his lips to hers. Kahi tried to protest, but Yong Hwa pined her hands to the tree, and the two of them ended up kissing.

****

Jung Shin was feeling stuffy inside the noraebang because he could smell the smelly armpits of the teachers around him.

"Phew! Do they know what a deodorant is?" he fumed.

He stealthily went out of the room to go look for Kahi, who walked away with Yong Hwa. He saw them talking seriously, and the smile left his face. Just as he was about to go near them, he saw Yong Hwa kissing Kahi and pining her to the tree.

"Andwae... Maldo andwae!" the otaku muttered, tears building up.

His hopes were now gone, and he knew he can never have a chance with Kahi. He was not one to torment himself, so he rushed into the bar of the restaurant and ordered a bottle of Johnnie Walker Black Label for himself.

****

Shin Hye felt her stomach gone upside down.

No, no, this can't be... she thought.

The love she thought she could have was nothing at all but a mere wish. And Yong Hwa will just look at her as a dongsaeng.

Her heart and her eyes burst as she watched them kiss. She was not willing to take any of it. She wanted to go and bust them and curse them and box Yong Hwa, but her heart told her not to. She ran farther and went inside the building, went to the bar, and saw Jung Shin ordering a bottle of Johnnie Walker for himself.

****

Kahi and Yong Hwa finished their kiss. And when they looked at each other, Kahi looked at him solemnly.

~~~~