Lesson of the day: “Recognise those who sincerely want to help and those who don’t.”

The teenager before Hyomin was unlike that of the usual Woohyun she knew. His eyes were filled with so much anger that it scared her – and she was his favourite teacher, perhaps no longer.

“Why did you have to tell them I am a minor?” The teenager asked curtly.

“I-I didn’t… I merely told them I was looking for my student,” Hyomin suddenly felt small in that situation.

Woohyun scoffed. “And what difference does it make?”

The female teacher was at loss for words, things have spun entirely out of control. She had not meant for the situation to turn out like this.

Kai, who had been conserving his silence the whole time finally spoke, “Technically it is entirely different. The way your manager interpret the word student is key, a university student is a student as well and Hyo-” Kai cleared his throat before continuing, “Ms Park here had no intention of letting the person know what she doesn’t even know in the first place, which is you lying about being of age to work in an environment as such.”

Woohyun clenched his jaw and he had balled up his fist so tightly that his tendons were showing. “Don’t try to mindf-ck me, Mr Kim. You teachers know very well that I am not allowed to work in such places.”

Kai spread his arm into an open gesture, donning a smirk, “and that is why teachers do what they are supposed to do.”

The student lunged for the teacher in the couch without warning, grabbing him by the collar. Angry rasps of breaths escaped from his lips which had turned into a snarl. Kai merely sat coolly, unmoving from the spot where he was sitting at.

Hyomin gasped in terror. She had really not given any side thoughts to how situation would turn out differently from what she had expected. It was supposed to have been a peaceful, heart-to-heart talk between a student and teacher to discuss how to solve the problem at hand, not at all violent.

**

Luhan had been spinning his favourite miniature soccer ball on the tip of his index finger for the umpteenth time. He had been pouring over several innovations which consists of mainly medical equipment that was submitted through a contest open to students from several high schools. Many of which had failed to catch his interests, all but one.

Designer: Nam Woohyun, Seuta High School *Photo Attached*

Assisted and Submitted by: Park Hyomin, Biology Teacher *Photo Attached*

Design: Wearable Cooling Pad

*Design Attached*

The design as well as uses for the innovation were much simpler than any of the other submitted entries but its uses were much more novel. A small lopsided smile spread across his face as he thought he had finally come across a prospective winner as well as useful addition to the company.

 Just as he was about to contact the person who had submitted the entry, he was interrupted by a constant, impatient rapping on the door. He immediately knew who it was. The CEO swept his prized-design aside before permitting entry for that person.

“Oppa, I heard about it, all of it. I’m so sorry, I had no idea father would do that…” The girl prattled on and on.

Of course, what ideas could you possibly contain in that underdeveloped brain of yours?

Luhan wanted to so badly shut up physically but eventually managed to endure and maintained his smile throughout. His mind drifted off shortly after and entertained the girl merely with ‘it’s okay’ the whole time.

After what felt like eternity, the girl finally ceased revolving about the same topic and apologising. Luhan thought he could not beg for anything better but was utterly wrong when the girl moved on to the next topic.

“Oppa, should we have dinner together? Tonight?” The girl asked hopefully.

“Tonight… I’ve got work to do…” Besides, I don’t want my dinner ruined.

Luhan eventually gave in to the girl, her cousin, after her relentless attempts to offer alternative suggestions. One was as such, ‘having dinner in the office.’

Surely Luhan doesn’t want to have rumours circulating in the company – his company – about the CEO involved in a romantic relationship with a minor, his cousin at that.

“Okay Chorong, let’s meet at 7pm later.”

**

“You’re not going to report him for hitting you, are you?” Hyomin asked softly while rubbing a boiled egg on the side of Kai’s bruised lip.

“Hell, of course I am! For ruining my alluring  lips.”

Hyomin got taken aback by such words, opened slightly.

“You think I was going to say that? Like how a minor would?” Kai smiled. His premature wrinkles at the sides of his eyes showed while doing so but they were surprisingly beautiful to look at. That was what Hyomin thought. Hyomin could not help but stare at the charming being before her. It would be so nice if she could do it forever. The girl broke into a small smile randomly.

Kai waved a hand before the dazed teacher to gain back her attention. Hyomin’s body jerked from his action, turning her face away to conceal her embarrassment. The physicist noticed the faint blush on her cheeks and smiled as well but decided to put it aside at present, “Well…? At least we’ve examined the root cause of his anger. Seriously, you should have paid heed to me when I told you not to get yourself involved in such things.”

“Then we will never get to know what his real problems are,” Hyomin debated.

“Ok, ok, you win.” The physicist threw both hands up to concede defeat. It is never wise to argue with woman.

Earlier on, the peaceful talk the teachers meant to have with Woohyun turned into a nasty confrontation.

“You people have no idea what I’m going through so don’t assume that, by being teachers, you can do anything and everything,” the teenager spat those words at Kai while holding onto his collar.

Kai let out a scoff and in a flash, the two’s positions were swapped, with Woohyun’s collars tightly grasped in Kai’s. “That is precisely why we’re here for. And even though we, as teachers do not know anything and everything, we definitely do know more than what you little puppies do.”

Woohyun’s nostrils flared, and his right arm flew into Kai’s mouth, causing the teacher to lumber a few steps back.

Hyomin had been feeling utterly helpless from the start but that was until she saw Kai get hit.

“Hey, what the hell!” The female teacher had no idea what gave her the strength but she drove forth and pinned both of the student’s arms on the couch and gave her a piece of her mind.

“Your friends were concerned about you well-being and despite having projects of their own to complete, they spent time talking to me about it and were beyond elated to know that I volunteered to help. And hell! You’re right about us having no idea what you’re going through but how the hell do you expect us to know if you aren’t telling us. It is like you want us to know but not know at the same time. Do you know how many people are concerned about you in this situation? Even the Ms Dino Park whom you hate so much is willing to give you private tuitions outside curriculum time when I told her about your situation.”

The student was temporarily stunned and tried to blink angry tears away from his eyes. Hyomin was as well shocked by her excessively long speech.

“T-They didn’t want to help. S-So I thought nobody wanted to… I thought… I thought I was alone.” The boy nearly choked on his words as tears kept falling.

Hyomin slowly released his arms. Her heart ached at such words and at the crying boy.

“Who? Who didn’t want to help?” Hyomin asked, gently.

“My uncles, aunties, all of them. They don’t want to have anything to do with us after, after my dad’s business failed. T-They didn’t even want to lend us money to tide over his medical bills.” The multitude of emotions caused the boy the break down further, sobbing uncontrollably as he narrated his sad tale.

“It will be okay,” was what Hyomin managed to utter as she placed a comforting hand on the shoulder of the boy.

Kai stared incredulously at the girl before him. It is Hyomin after all, he smiled as he thought.

“That was some impressive speech you’ve made there, shy girl.”

Hyomin pouted. “Can you stop reminding me of my childhood nickname?”

The physicist guffawed. “Right… You do know that Jiyeon is going to be very angry at you later for exposing her childhood nickname as well right?”

“What?! When did I-” Hyomin paused in her protests as she recalled.

‘Even the Dino Park whom you hate so much…’

Oh darn!

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

Author's Note:

Heeya peeps! So sorry for taking this long to update even though this chapter was pre-written.

I was at camp and had been unwell the past few days. Pray for me ya! Just kidding!

Ouh, an almost LuMin moment there! So sorry to disappoint haha!

I made it up with a KaiMin moment there! So do forgive me alright! 

I promise the next update won't take as long! So... enjoy reading and waiting

Thanks to all commentors and subscribers! 

Loveya!