˹Unni, I think it was better if I told him it was you who tended him last night, what to do unni? I think he’s mad this morning because of what you told me to do.˼

Emi stared at the message Eunmi sent her early this morning. She told Eunmi what exactly to do if he woke up in the morning; it’s to pretend that everything was made by Eunmi, and that something happened to them. And the inexplicable feelings she felt when Eunmi did what she told her.

˹He won’t get mad at you too long, don’t worry dear. ;)˼ was her only reply before keeping her phone back to her back, smiling at the wink icon she added on her message but not wanting to wait for her reply. She was rushing on slipping her foot on her shoes on the door way, if she didn’t catch the bus stopping at the bus stop any minute now, she’ll definitely run late in her class, and Teacher Emi is never late.

Turning around after locking her doors, Kris surprised him as he lean on his car, with that gummy smile that whenever she sees, she can’t help but smile too.

“Kris! What are you doing here?” she didn’t mean to be rude, but she needed to rush or else she’ll be late, she obviously made him notice she is walking too fast than the usual walk a person talking to someone should be doing. And she was crossing her fingers that Kris would notice, and would just leave her alone, and catch the bus.

“Hello Emi,” again, she halted at the way he called her, without the word teacher, she can’t help but to feel warm whenever she hears it from him. “I’m here to pick you up.”

“What?” and she surely didn’t expect that, the thoughts of how to make it to the bus stop all disappeared in her mind. “Pick me?”

She saw the panic on his face straight on how his eyes went big, “Oh, no! No! I didn’t mean it that way!” she laughed at how unusual for Kris to wave his hands in front him just to defend what he said, and Kris doesn’t look like himself at that moment. “I mean I will pick. . .no, I mean I am going to get you, no. . . I mean aisssssht.” and there came Kris rubbing the back of his neck that is now really unusual of him, and it made her laugh more. “I mean, you,” with Kris’ hands pointing at her, “And school. . .” with his hands pointing to his back. Emi was giggling on how Kris is not making any sense.

“Okay, okay Kris. I get it, so you mean, you are sending me to school?” she explained, understanding what he wants to say.

“Yes! Exactly, that! You are really smart Emi.” Like relief washed him, he straightened his back from leaning his car, “So. . .yeah?”

“At normal cases Kris, I would really decline,” she looked at her watch, “But I am really running late, so I need your car, so yes please, let us keep moving!” and she really did start moving fast, ignoring Kris and went to the other side of the car.

“So only my car? My car won’t move without the driver who is me.” Kris talked to himself, but he heard her giggling as she opened the door car and stopped looking at him from the other side.

“Okay Kris, I need you and your car right now. Happy?” she looked at his face, but it happened that he was staring at her face too. The two end up staring at each other, until Kris answered a dumb, “Yes.”

Sitting in the car, Emi let out her thoughts. “You know what? You don’t seem the Kris I know today.”

“I am not? How?” driving, he still listened, and focused listening on her.

“You looked silly!” she gave another giggle, and his head snapped at her.

“Silly?!”

The look Kris gave her made her try to stop from giggling more, “No, I mean you look cute.” The moment the word came out her, she couldn’t stop it and she giggled more.

She waited for him to fight back, but he didn’t. He just looked back on his drive with that silly smile on his face, and she suddenly felt weird. She pursued her lips from laughing, and silence came.

“Where is Ace?” she tried to talk, to keep a conversation, suddenly she felt nervous.

“Already in school, early bird as always.” He replied back with such tone of being proud on his son. “He always want to be early than anyone else.”

She smiled, the kid is has been always punctual, and she’s supposed to give him the Most Punctual Student award at the end of school year.

It went silent again, and she wished the school is just a second away, she never thought being with Kris in a close area would feel like that. If only she could reject his offer for a ride, but she couldn’t be late. It would be such a bad example for her students.

“Emi,” again, the way he called her gave her warmth. Such warm she missed. “About last night,”

She wished he didn’t start it, she just doesn’t know how to deal with it.

“I mean that, if you don’t get it. I will make it clearly now,” she looked at him, and the cute Kris she was with was long gone, and was now replaced by the Kris he used to know, the always serious Kris.

“I will court you,” she knew it already, last night she isn’t stupid not get what he meant, she just didn’t expect him to be this bold, to be this candid, the words came out his mouth, and she froze. “I know you’ve been rejecting guys, I don’t know why. But I am not gonna take your rejection.”

And it was enough for her breathing to have that sudden stop, her heart to beat the most unusual way ever since that one last man she swore will only love did. And she thought her heart had a change, a change she’s longing and never thought would ever happen.

“Kris-“

“I know, it was him. You don’t need to hide it from me. He might be your ex boyfriend maybe?” Kris gave out a laugh, which made her calm down a little, “Or, a guy you like but didn’t like you back?” she was looking at him, watching how he was taking it so cool and normal, and suddenly she thought, she thought, that maybe she could trust the guy, “Or he dumped you?” she wanted to tell him, it was all he said, combined, and much worse. “Or maybe. . .” he looked at her, catching her eyes looking back at him, “maybe. . .” they were just staring at each other, she didn’t realize they were at the school already, after parking his car, he focused on her.

“Maybe. . .” she was waiting, maybe you two got married and. . .

“I might kiss you again right now Emi.”

And her thoughts went off, her eyes widen, the way he would surprise her, she’s been not used to it.

“And not just in the cheeks Emi.”

She couldn’t make her tongue to say no, she stilled looking at him, at his eyes.

“And not in your forehead too.”

He spoke with his lips only moving, his eyes glued on her, and she wasn’t breathing.

“And you’re not saying no.”

A few seconds passed, she said nothing, until she said, “Kris-“

“Too late,” and she saw him smirked, and the last thing she felt was his lips on her, the feeling of soft and warm kiss he gave her, and all she could do is gave in.

How she missed it, being liked, being affectionate, being appreciated, being cared, being valued, and maybe being loved too.

It was him who pulled away, not too away, a few centimeters away from her face, and he smiled.

“You even kissed me back,” the smirk was on his face, and she liked how he looked so good with that smirk on, “So I take that a yes,” and before completely pulling away, he gave her another kiss.

She was lost, I am not dreaming.

The next thing was him opening her door beside her, waiting for her to step her foot down, but she was still dazed and lost, and he laughed to break it, “You don’t want to be late Emi.”

“Oh, yes yes, sorry!” she hurried down, picking her things, acting like nothing happened. “Thank you again, for this and-“

“It’s nothing, get used to this, I’d do this everyday now.” The gummy smile was on his lips again, and even if he didn’t want to smile, her lips pulled wide to smile. “You don’t need to do this everyday, I could take a bus-“

“No okay, no. So just shut up, I’m gonna send you everyday to school or to anywhere you want, all you need is call okay?” and he smiled again, this time even it was that gummy smile she felt more than warmth, but safe.

She need to try, just try, try, “Do you really mean-“

“Yes, aisssssht Emi shut up okay? I am courting you, end of discussion. Now go away or you’d be late.”

All she could do is walk towards the entrance of school, she couldn’t reply. Thinking what else she could tell him, she couldn’t think of any. Her mind is still drowning of what happened, she isn’t even sure if she could still have the brain to teach. She smiled on herself, and on her half way through the entrance, she turned back to see him. He was still watching her, smiling she mouthed her thank you.

Thank you for something she couldn’t even tell what for.

*8*8*

The entire day went well, she managed to teach anyway, and she thought she couldn’t. Her class being all too lively, children all participating, it was such a good day for her. Everything is going on her way, that day she thought she had never smiled so much.

At lunch, Kris was there. Inviting her for lunch, together with his son Ace, they ate out. It was a happy picture of a family, except that they are not a family, but nonetheless, you could see them all enjoying, especially Ace.

Ace probably knows, he and his father have ganged up on this, Ace really liked Emi, but Kris really liked her more.

At the end of the day, Kris with Ace sent her home. All smiles, she waved goodbye to them. It felt new, she wished she could get used to the feeling, but she told herself not to hope too much. Turning back to her door after seeing them drive away, she got the keys and turned her knob.

The darkness welcomed her, but as she went in, she smelled that familiar smell, that familiar smell that gave her goose bumps. Her hair from her back up to her nape rearing. She slowly got her palm slowly on the wall to feel the switch, she’s scared.

And she found the switch, turned it on, and someone was sitting on the sofa; his back facing her.

“So you are not kissing your boyfriend huh?”

*This chapter is for RHEA who will only kakao me when I update, and for MRS. WU YIFAN who replaced her bias-supposed-username (mrskimjoonmyun) to KRIS.