“Nam Woohyun,” Jiyeon tapped the sleeping boy’s head with a textbook.

The teenager woke up with a jump, causing the entire class to erupt into laughter.

Jiyeon herself merely scoffed. “Mr Nam, this is the third time I’ve caught you sleeping in my class. Your grades have been abysmal and if you are to keep it up, you will soon be out of this class.”

Woohyun grumbled unhappily.

“Do you want to defend yourself?” Jiyeon challenged the teen.

Woohyun stared at the chemistry tutor defiantly but managed a ‘no’ in the end and settled back into his seat.

“Seriously I have no idea what is wrong with that boy. I mean, his results used to be fantastic but now they are like trash.” Jiyeon complained as she flipped through the said boy’s work.

Hyomin pouted, “He isn’t doing so well for biology tests either. But other than that, he submits his work promptly, I see no problem with him.”

“No problem?!” Jiyeon asked disbelievingly, “it’s the third time this week I’ve caught him sleeping in my class.”

Hyomin’s brows shot up immediately, “really? He looks tired but I didn’t know he is that tired. He is usually rather attentive during bio lessons.”

“That is because he likes you, Ms Angel Park while I play the Devil Park,” Jiyeon said grudgingly.

“Dino Park,” Hyomin corrected and smiled sheepishly before continuing, “well, you can be harsh sometimes.”

“It’s for their own good. They are in an elite system and they chose to be in it so they need to keep up with it.” The chemistry teacher spoke as a matter-of-factly.

“True.” Hyomin was never one to argue with anyone especially not with her best friend. Besides, her friend colleague was stating a fact.

The biology teacher however still felt uneasy about Woohyun not meeting up to his usual expectations. She knew that his grades for biology were dipping but had not known that his lesson attitude during other teachers’ lessons was abysmal as well. As a homeroom teacher, Hyomin decided to find a chance to talk with the teenager or find out about his situation through his bunch of friends.

Hyomin had just exited the staffroom when she saw the familiar boy running past her.

“Woohyun!”

The boy, skidded to a stop immediately. He broke out into a grin and waved back when he realised it was his favourite teacher. “Sorry Ms Park! If it is about the biology homework that I owe you, I will submit it to you through email later! I got to rush! Bye!”

“Hey no! Wait!”

Hyomin sighed as the boy sped off.

The biology teacher was about to turn and walk away in another direction until she overheard the conversation between a pair of boys, Sunggyu and Myungsoo, Woohyun’s best friends.

“Don’t you think Woohyun is working too hard?”

“No choice, he has to foot for his father’s medical bills and he doesn’t want to accept any help from us. Stubborn boy.”

“Right, as stubborn as a mule. Ms Park was so harsh to him during lesson just now, it is only a matter of time before that woman skins Woohyun alive.”

“I think he will tire himself out even before Ms Park manages to skin him.”

The pair of teenagers’ jaws dropped in synchrony as they came face to face with Hyomin.

“I-I-I did not mean you Ms Park. I meant the other Ms Park.” Myungsoo stammered before the woman.

Hyomin was amused but tried her best not to let it show, keeping her face straight. “Yes, I can very well infer that.”

Sunggyu smacked the back of Myungsoo’s head as whispered into his ears. Something which sounded like, ‘the Parks are good friends for goodness sake.’

Hyomin finally could not reign in her amusement and laughed. That however, made the teenage boys even more nervous.

The teacher then cleared audibly as she moved on to the topic of her interest. “You boys were saying something about Woohyun was it?”

The pair looked at each other once and nodded at her earnestly. The two teenagers then began explaining enthusiastically about their classmate’s situation to the teacher.

“But Woohyun says he doesn’t want to bother anyone.” Myungsoo finally added.

“He is already bothering Ms Park Jiyeon with his result. I’m pretty sure your dear friend would want to keep his skin since the weather is turning chilly.” Hyomin joked and the two teens responded with genuine laughter.

“Don’t you guys worry about him, I will try to come up with a solution. No promises, but I will try my best.”

With that, the teacher winked and walked off. She could hear the eager hoots and cheers from the two boys from a distance.

“Children…” Hyomin muttered bemusedly to herself.

The biology teacher’s was almost immediately occupied by the problem at hand causing her to knock into her person.

“Sorry, sorry.”

She apologised profusely but later blew a gust of air up messing her bangs after realising it was her friend, Kai.

Kai had been leaning on the pillar, listening intently to the three’s conversation gaining access to two-thirds of the information shared.

“So now you are going to give yourself extra work to do?” Kai pushed himself off the wall as he helped steady the girl.

Hyomin slapped his arm. “What extra work? This is part of our job.”

“According to our Educators Code of Conduct…” Kai trailed off until the girl stopped him with a finger to his lips.

“Okay, okay. I concede defeat. Yes, I’m giving myself additional work to do. So what?”

Kai sighed. “It’s their private lives what they do anyway. Besides, the boy doesn’t wish for external help. You’ll just be pitting yourself against the tide.”

Hyomin poked her finger against his chest as she rebutted, “it is because of mind-set like yours that students find teachers unapproachable.”

It was just then when two girls walked past the talking pair, giggling along the way.

“See, I told you. Mr Kim and Ms Park are a pair.”

Hyomin retracted her finger immediately and a tinge of red washed over her face while Kai swallowed multiple times, ears turning beetroot as well.

“U-Uh, so what are you going to do?” Kai managed to recover himself.

Hyomin bit the bottom of her lip, she hadn’t thought through it thoroughly yet. “Well… guess I will have to talk to him or his parents first. Then I will apply for school financial aid for him.”

“And if he rejects?” Kai raised a brow.

“I guess he wouldn’t. After all, I’m his favourite teacher,” the biology teacher said confidently.

Kai’s broke into a smile and nodded. “Okay, if you say so.”

“Are you going to help me?” Hyomin pleaded the man with her eyes.

Kai gulped again. “U-Uh it depends on what you need help with?”

The female teacher’s eyes twinkled with mischief.

**

“Luhan, what did you say to President Jung’s daughter?” A woman in her mid-thirties pressed in on his nephew.

That woman, was Luhan’s most respected Aunt. Aunt BoA is second wife to his sixth Uncle, Yunho. Her dark brown waves fell past her shoulders, a few strands of loose tendrils framing her impeccable face. Due to her petite body frame, the woman looked nearly ten years younger than her actual age.

“I guess she already told you, I don’t want to repeat nasty words.” Luhan was never one to disrespect his elders especially not his favourite aunt but he really hated the blind dates that she set up for him.

BoA sighed. “I heard you were spectacular during the meeting this morning-”

“Thank you, Aunt.” Luhan interjected before she could carry on.

His Aunt however, held out her palm before him. “But you still need powerful backing. You know that your Second Uncle isn’t all too happy about you ascending to that position.”

“I don’t give a damn about power-hungry but mindless people,” Luhan said curtly. Much less so about that old dolt.

BoA’s thin lips parted slightly. “Well… you’ve still got to watch your words. After all-”

“After all, he holds a lion’s portion of the stocks, almost on par with me. Yes, yes I’ve heard that a million times.” Including this, a million and one times.

His Aunt pursed her lips for a while before starting again. “Actually you know that Chorong has always been interested in you, don’t you? If the both of you get together, then perhaps her father would…”

“What?! No! I would not allow that! She is my cousin, aunt.” Luhan was near exasperation. And a spoilt brat at that.

“I was just saying if. Oh god, the royals marry their cousins don’t they? I see nothing wrong with that.”

“No, Aunt. Please don’t suggest such scary things.” I have enough nightmares of my own.

“Okay, okay. I will leave you alone for now.” The elder woman lifted herself off the couch and left the room leaving Luhan to sort out his thoughts.

Xiumin entered the office moments later, giving a deep bow to the CEO.

The young CEO then motioned the secretary over to him. Xiumin took a seat in the vacant chair then opened the folder without any prompting needed.

“Everything is going as smoothly as planned in Malaysia. The laboratories will be fully constructed within four months’ time, give or take. We’ve taken all safety precautions into consideration so everything would most probably be running smoothly.” The secretary then laid the folder before the CEO to peruse through.

Luhan smiled bitterly. “Odd that I could only seek solace in work. The life of a bachelor.”

“You chose to be one,” Xiumin commented.

Luhan narrowed his eyes at his loose-lipped secretary.

--------------------

Author's Note:

I hadn't plan to update (so soon). Eish, so worried that I will run low on my pre-written chapters.

Thank you guys for being so responsive to my message >< I am somewhat touched, really.

Not much romance in the first few chapters, especially this one, unless if you count Kai-Hyomin's moments as one :D

Well... I am so sorry to readers if I bore you guys out with students' problems but I thought I wanted to add some flavours (and meaning) to this fic, so readers, please just bear with me okay? :D

Once again, I thank all subscribers, commenters as well as readers! Hope you guys have a pleasant day ahead! 

Yipees!