It’s okay, Gayoon. You’ll be perfectly fine. You’ve prepared hard for this moment. Don’t be intimidated by them, they’re younger than you. Be str-

                “Yah, Ahjumma, you’re blocking my way,” a low husky voice brought her out of her thoughts.

                Gayoon turned around to find a tall high school student looking down at her. His expression didn’t seem all too pleased.

                “A-ah, sorry,” she stuttered. She scrambled against the railing in attempt to make room for him to pass. Unconsciously her eyes followed his figure until the bus drove away from the stop.

                “Eh,” her eyes widened as she noticed the familiar school house and realized that she was drifting further away from it by the second.

                “A-Ahjussi!” in unsteady steps, Gayoon quickly made her way to the front of the bus, “Please stop the bus! I need to get off.”

                “Agassi, why didn’t you get off properly?” the bus driver asked.

                “Sorry, I’m very sorry. Please,” she bowed multiple times in hopes that the bus driver was nice enough to stop the bus.

                The bus driver pulled to the side of the street and stopped the bus. Gayoon felt a rush of relief go through her.

                “Thank you! Thank you, thank you. Thank you very much!” she continued to bow in gratitude.

                “Okay, okay. Hurry and get off.”

                She rushed down the stairs and off the bus. Automatically, she bowed again to the bus driver before running off in the direction of the school house.

                These heels. Gayoon winced at the growing pain in her feet. Habitually, she bit her lips in attempt to divert the pain and continue to run.

                In a moment of unexpected fate, Gayoon’s eyes wandered from the main road to the passing sights beside her. One of which included a small alley way, a high school student, and a lit cigarette. 

                Reflexively, she stopped abruptly a few feet away from the alley’s entrance. From around the corner, she sneaked a glance of the student to size up the circumstances and the possible consequences. There were two possible outcomes:

1.       The student gets annoyed but actually is willing to listen to her nagging.

2.       The student gets angry and beats her up to a pulp.

                She shook her head at the latter thought. His posture, his profile, and even his uniform were awfully similar to those of the student from earlier. She squint her eyes to confirm her observation; the far away gaze in his eyes was unforgettable. Gayoon took a deep breath before she entered the alley way with her heart racing crazily against her chest.

                “Students are prohibited from smoking. Hand me your cigarettes and your lighter,” Gayoon was surprised that her voice managed to sound assertive with her nervous shaking.

                She watched him as he in a breath of smoke and blew it back out forming a streamline of smoke from his lips before he glanced over at her.  His expression was nonchalant. In another attempt, she reached out her hand for him to place the requested item. Instead, he chuckled and stepped towards her.

                “What would I get if I obediently listen to you?” he asked with a hint of annoyance in his voice. He tilted his head as he waited for an answer.

                “Nothing, but it’s against school rules to smoke as a high school student. I advise you to hand them over before I report you to your school.”

                He leaned forward. In a matter of seconds, he managed to invade her personal space without effort. His cheeks were close enough for her to feel the subtle heat radiating from his skin as it passed her own.

                Against her ears, his voice came out in a low whisper: “How about a…kiss.”

                He placed the cigarette to his lips again and huffed in a breath of smoke. He cupped her head in his hands as he placed his parted lips between hers like a matched puzzle. He swiftly blew the contained smoke from his mouth to hers. As quick as he had initiated the kiss, he pulled away after she have taken in all the smoke. Flabbergasted, Gayoon inhaled the smoke and immediately broke into a coughing fit. She grabbed the arm of his jacket as she struggled to breathe. She glared up at him to see only his annoying smirk and grabbed his collar when her coughing had subsided. His eyes widen and smile disappeared. She began dragging him by the collar.

                “Ahjumma, what do you think you are doing?” he questioned.

                How many times am I going to get called ‘Ahjumma’ by this kid?

                “Where is your school?” she demanded but not really expecting an answer, “Kids like you aren’t properly educated and disciplined.”

                She twisted around to face him. Her sudden stop and his momentum had them closer than necessary, but her focus was on the name tag on his uniform.

                “Kim Jongin-shi?” she glanced up at him and reverted her eyes back to his name tag, “Jeongwon High School…”

                “How fortunate is it that we are headed for the same direction?” she yelled back at him.

                “Not at all,” he mumbled.

                “Hurry or we’re going to be late,” she began to run, still dragging him along.

                She heard a sigh escape his lips which only caused her to smile happily.

                A few minutes later they reached the school’s front gate.

                “K-kai?” a tiny, cute girl from a group of female students just inside the gates questioned, “What are you doing?”

                “She likes S&M,” Jongin wrapped his arm around Gayoon’s shoulders before he winked at the group of students in which received a uniformed group of squeals and giggles. She shook off his arm and continued to drag him to the school’s office.

                As they walked through the corridors to the office, students were whispering and staring at the sight in front of them. Jongin ran his fingers through his hair in embarrassment.

                “Kai, did you finally get in trouble for your ways?!”

                “Shut up D.O., I’ll see you guys later in class.”

                The group of male students broke into laughter.

                “You can let go. I won’t run away,” the warmth of his breath against her skin sent a shiver along her spine. She stopped in her tracks abruptly causing Jongin to crash slightly into her back.

                “Sorry, go ahead and continue to pull on my collar,” he sighed annoyed.

                She took a second glance at her surroundings before her brows furrowed together.

                “Where’s the office?”

                Small broken laughter escaped his lips from behind her. She twisted around and glared at him.

                “Ah! Ms. Heo!” She jumped slightly at the sound of her name.

                “I’ve been expecting you,” the same voice sounded from down the hall.

                She immediately replaced the glare she has been giving Jongin with a typical innocent expression. Surprised by the sudden change, Jongin once again broke into a fit of laughter.

                “Hello, you must be Mr. Yoon?” she smiled politely.

                “Yes, I’ll be showing you around today,” Mr. Yoon held out his hand. She shook the hand he offered.

                “Please take care of me then,” she bowed.

                “Of course, it’ll be my pleasure,” he smiled, “Eh, Jongin? What are you doing here?”

                Jongin shrugged.

                “Well, since you both are here, Jongin this is your class’s new homeroom teacher, Ms. Heo, and Ms. Heo this is Jeongwon High School’s pride, Kim Jongin, our top student,” Mr. Yoon smiled proudly.

                “I’ll be in your care from now on,” Jongin bowed with an evident smirk on his face.