"All learning has an emotional base."
Plato

“Do you know where can I find your hyung?” She asked, determined only to be greeted by an arch eyebrow.

“Which one?”

“Hmm…” She looked over the ceiling and the latter just followed her move, wondering about what kind of magic the ceiling will give her to replenish the name inside her mind.

“Jung.. Jung Yonghwa?” She answered with uncertainty before caressing her invincible beard.

“For?” Jungshin looked at her weirdly.

“I want to be his student.”

“Bwoh?!” His sudden outburst caused the whole hall to look over them. He heaved a deep sigh and shook his hand in disbelief. “I should refrain from any question now. Go to the music room number 3 after the class.”

***

Seohyun was scanning the campus hallway, making sure there was no threat detected in the form of her eight unniedul who seemed to think she was not yet over her last break up and tried a ridiculous attempt to cheer her up. It’s the worst kind of attention she needed and the worst kind of question will be coming her way if she doesn’t get away from their peering eyes to meet this Jung Yonghwa guy.

“Seohyun?”

“Omo!” She shrieked out loud only to stare at the figure in front of her incredulously. “Seriously?” She asked him.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to shock you. Uhm.. so hi?”

“Hi?” She smiled only because it’s a courtesy to do that.

“So yeah..” He nodded, looking really weird. Maybe, because the evident awkwardness around them.

“Uhmm Seo Joohyun?” A soft tap was felt on her back.

“Ne..” She answered the unfamiliar voice, turning her back on her ex when she saw a slightly taller guy than her with messy brown hair and he was wearing a black leather jacket with ripped jeans. He was looking at her… and he was handsome for sure with his high cheek bones, sharp jaw and fine looking nose.

“Jung Yonghwa ss..”

“Oppa… call me oppa.” He said, interrupting her sentence making sure she doesn’t say the sshi she was about to say before flashing her, his signature smile.

“I was supposed to see you..”

“Sorry for cutting you in ‘again’..” He apologized to Seohyun before directing his gaze towards the man behind her..  “but you are?”

“Someone I know.” Yonghwa narrowed his eyes, questioning her and she felt strange… really strange. They just met but he already asked him to call her oppa, interrupt her when she talk.. not just that, he even ask about her friends like he has known her for quite a while.

“I’m her ex.” The man answered back, slightly shouting. His eyes are still glaring at Yonghwa like he was about to end his life. “So, you are?” The guy asked Yonghwa back.

“I’m? Hmm.. What am i?” Yonghwa tapped his chin with his fingers.. “Aha!” He grabbed her hand and intertwined their fingers together. She tensed and looked at him like her eyes were about to bulge out. “A very friendly… newfound friend of hers.” He smiled cheekily ignoring how the girl beside him got her jaw hanging in the air and how the guy was about to pounce on him. 

‘This is amusing.’ Yonghwa thought to himself when he saw how dejected the guy was when his back hunched miserably at his claim.

***

Yonghwa plopped on his couch, comfortably while Seohyun stood there still looking baffled over his sudden action. When she regained her rational mind back, her ex was gone and Jung Yonghwa was dragging her into a room where they were supposed to meet.

“Take a seat.” He patted on the empty stool.

“What, just happened?”

“We met. I asked you to call me oppa. I helped you and I brought you here so that I can hear your request out because Jungshin asked me to.”

“Help?” She frowned.

“Yeah, to get rid of the guy. He was delaying us.”

“Oh.” She nodded lightly, before sitting on the nearby stool.

“So, you wanted to be my student? I thought you were the college precious student?”

“You knew?”

“Everyone does, though I tend to fall asleep on such occasion.” He answered nonchalantly when he saw how a few lines of wrinkles were forming on her forehead.  “No offense, I’m just tired.”

“None taken. So, my favor was for you to help me to be more impulsive. I mean, not to think for every single actions that I was about to do?”

“Are you being serious right now?”

“I am.”

“Why?”

“I want to enhance my EQ.”

"BWOH? You wanted what?!” Seohyun was about to sigh when he abruptly continued his sentence. “That's ridiculously AWESOME!" He grinned sheepishly, shaking his head in disbelief. “I never saw someone as straightforward as you and I like it. So yeah, I’m willing to help though I’m a bit trouble in comprehending the emotional intelligence you’re talking about.”

“Is that an insult?” Seohyun asked him with a frown and it was the cutest most charming frown he has ever seen. He knew it sounded weird but it’s really cute how she even scrunched her nose as if she was judging him but he really don’t mind being judged by her. Well, he can’t help but liking her as his company because she was definitely amusing to watch at.

“No, it’s definitely a compliment.”

“Thank you, then.”

“Any question?”

“Why do you help me?”

“Because I’m bored and I wanted to do something fun and you seemed like a fun case.”

“Anything else?”

"Do you really have to smile like that, all the time?"

“Is there something wrong with it?”

“No, I’m just amazed. How can you smile like that to a stranger? Can you tell me how?” She said like she was about to study him with her notebook and her pen. He was slightly taken aback over how her eyes sparkle when she asked him that. It’s as if she was really curious..

“BWOH?” He chuckled.. he can’t be defeated. He wanted to make her speechless too. “I smile like this because you’re a pretty woman and a man got to admire a pretty lady right.” He winked at her but the latter just dismissed him with another question. “So, when can we start?” She asked him, sounding determine.

This girl, is a tough girl to score for sure.

“Before that, I should introduce myself first.” Seohyun stood up and bowed politely at him. “Seo Joohyun imnida, I’m a freshman.”

“Jung Yonghwa, imnida. A senior. Obsessed about music, like shiny things, outgoing, charismatic, handsome and right now I’m going to be your favourite sunbae. How about we dropped the formalities?”

“What?” She asked him shocked.

“Call me.. yaa oppa?”

“Do I really need to?”

“I mean, that’s the first step to do thing carelessly. Come on, you can do it!”

“It’s hard.” She pouted.. “But I will try!”

“Ya… op-pa?” She tilted her head, as in questioning him whether she did it the right way or not but he just looked at her with his bashful looking smile like she was the most fun girl to be around with and she really can’t understand this guy. He’s such an enigma, walking around with his smile plastered all over his face like was on some dental ad.

“Aigoo.. kyeopta.” He leaned forward to pat her head when she jerked away, protectively.

“Aha! Come here.”

“Is it really necessary?”

“Don’t think Seo Joohyun sshi. Just do it!” He encouraged her when she reluctantly stepped forward right beneath his palm and shut her eyes tightly when she felt his palm patted her head like her dad used to… whenever she did a good job.

Strangely, it felt good.

***

That afternoon, Yonghwa had emphasized over and over again for her to sit with him in her department lobby especially after she said that she feared what people might think about them.

“Think.. that’s all you do. We as teenager.. I mean young adult has the responsibility to be irresponsible.” He claimed as he patted his chest where his heart was located at, proudly.

Seohyun bitted her lips, knowing fully well that some people were speculating unnecessary stuff about her sudden closeness with Jung Yonghwa. It’s even more of a hot topic when they learned how opposite they both were and how she was from the medical department while he’s from the modern music department.

They said it was like the sky and ground meeting each other.

“Seohyun, I prepared a surprise for you.”

“What kind?”

“Hmm..” He took a short glance on his wrist watch.. “In one, two, three.. surprise!” He showed his cheek bursting smile, as he pointed on the ceiling and there it goes, the fire alarm… the sprinkles of water made its way to extinguish the non-existent fire. Seohyun can felt the drop of water hitting her body.

“What? We need to run oppa!” She exclaimed, her bag was shielding her head.

“Wait, up.” He held her wrist. “What do you feel like doing now?”

“Run away for my life.” She tried to run again but he pulled her back yet again.

“There aren’t any fire. There just some chemical explosion in a small scale. I asked for some help.”

“What?” She asked.

“I have connections.” He grinned. “Now, what do you feel?”

 “I feel something rising...”

“Okay.. what is it?”

“I feel like it’s burning.. I know.. I feel angry!”

“Then get mad.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, why not?”

Seohyun took a deep breath before punching his chest. “Ya Jung Yonghwa! What the freak you just did to my department?! It’s not funny.”

“Good… but not good enough. I know you want to do something more to express yourself.” He challenged her.

“You rude jerk!” She was screaming while hitting him with her bag and Yonghwa just stood there, receiving her blow only to end up laughing once she stopped because she looked so effing guilty for her reckless behavior.

“Good job!”

“That? No, that’s rude.”

“You can let yourself go with me. Put down your wall. But, come on. That’s funny right?”

“But can we like dance under this rain drops?”

“What?” He was slightly taken aback seeing how her big brown eyes were staring at him... peering into his soul asking him for a permission to do so.

She started giggling at his question, ignoring how the water doesn’t stop pouring yet. “Like this?” He started to do some random silly dance, the most memorable one will be the cheesy body wave and he sticks with it claiming he’s not a good dancer and she genuinely laughed at his attempt… feeling absolutely free at the moment and as magical it was he started laughing too... they were laughing like it was a really funny thing. Ignoring, the running people… no… to be more exact. They ignored the world.

***

Seohyun heaved a deep sigh when she saw her ex looking at her like he was about to ask her another question when they were supposed to dissect the rat in front of them.

“What is it, this time?”

“You really like hanging out with that guy?”

“What, guy?”

“Come on Seo Joohyun, who else?”

“He’s a great guy and a good friend. He helps me around so yeah why not?”

“Are you sure he’s a friend?”

“Wait, a minute. Why are you even asking me this question like we are still together? We broke up remember?”

“You asked for it.”

“Of course I did. You cheated on me with some girl from the Broadcasting department and you called me the ‘think too much’ girl.”

“You can always forgive me and we can start over again but you don’t want to do so.”

“Stop, putting the blame on me. It’s on us. But we are over now. The class is about to start. Please.. just go away.”

“I really do like you.”

“Yes.. but I liked you.”

“I know. I just wanted to say I’m sorry. Sorry for going into circles, I just can’t seem to say it out loud because I’m so embarrassed about my mistake. You deserve better. I thought you should know that.”

Seohyun adjusted the book on her hands when she noticed Jung Yonghwa was freaking out with a dead body moving beside him on a stroller, she laughed out loud.

“Oppa!” She called him over and the pale face guy ran as fast as he could to greet her was what she would think if she doesn’t saw the way Yonghwa almost lost her soul out there looking at the blood on the now cover dead body. He was clearly trying to cling on any living things he saw in here.

“This place is the scariest place in the university!” He gripped her arm quite strongly that Seo Joohyun can’t help but laughed over how scared he was seeing that kind of stuff around here.

“Someone is dating.” Seohyun heard a loud hooting voice coming out from Heechul sunbae. A third year medical student known for his peculiar behavior and she looked around for ‘the dating couple’ but there was none. Mostly the students were on their respective classes.

“Who are you talking about?”

“You two.. Who else? The campus hot new couple.” Heechul pats her back and winked at the frozen Yonghwa before walking ahead… leaving the two of them alone.

“What?”

“Sorry. It slipped out of my mouth.”

“What? How?”

“The girls has been bugging me so much Hyunnie.. you know to date me and all.” Yonghwa said to her almost pleading when he felt someone is winking at him.

“See!” Yonghwa exclaimed.

“How does it involve me?”

“Come on, just go along with it.” He cooed her and she just sighed.

“Fine, I will do you this favor.”

 “We are going to be real anyways..” He mumbled.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

***

Seohyun drowned herself in between the notes for her upcoming recital but the result was none. She can’t play the freaking piano and she felt miserable so she laid her heavy head on the piano keys, producing a loud annoying sound.

“Seo Joohyun?” Yonghwa screamed, closing his ears with his hands trying to deafen himself up not wanting to hear the loud piano sound.

“Oh oppa. Any suggestion from the music prodigy? I can’t seem to play the piano well.”

“Do you use the notes?”

“Of course I did.”

“I heard you are a master in piano… even challenging some of the classical department student skills?”

“That’s quite a preposterous claim oppa but I can play well enough.”

“Then, play. Don’t look at the notes because it’s within your circle of competence Seo Joohyun and when you are in it, you don’t need to think. It brings the worst out of your ability. Do it with your instinct instead. Using the EQ term, it’s called ‘Reasoning with Emotions’. I started reading some EQ book to help you out and darn it… it’s a tough read but I do understand a thing. People can be born with EQ and some need to learn it. I think I’m born with it.” He smiled, arrogantly.

“Okay.” She smiled sincerely as she crumpled up the paper and threw it away.

“No objection?”

“No. I trust you and that’s a wise explanation you have.”

“I guess, someone finally rubbed off her influence on me.” Yonghwa stood there, observing how carefree the girl in front of him that he began wondering what’s with the claim that she told him how emotionless being she was before.

***

“What, are you two actually?” Tiffany asked the guy who was eating in front of them.

“I want her as my girlfriend.” He answered, ignoring how the girls squealed with the sudden declaration.

“What do you mean?” Seohyun looked at the guy beside her in shocked.

“I mean it. I want you as my girlfriend and I like you.”

“What? Please.. don’t joke around here.”

“I’m serious. You’re the most charming person I ever met. I love your eyes.. your skin… everything about you.”

“Let’s talk.” Seohyun abruptly stood up and her unniedul freeze on their seat, knowing fully well how stubborn Seohyun is and how scary she can be when she is angry.

“I think we are done. This is going overboard.” Seohyun said, looking like she wasn’t feeling anything although her heart was speaking otherwise.

“Trying to push someone out again Joohyun?”

“I’m serious.”

“I’m serious too and I like you!”

“Shut up!” She slightly screamed and lower down her voice again when she noticed how the people passing looking at them weirdly. “Don’t say that word so flippantly.”

“I like you.” He said it again, stepping nearer to her while she kept walking backwards and stopped when his palm was pressed on the wall and her back was glued to the wall.

“Let me go.”

He leaned closer to her, their breath are mingling with each other.. “My feelings said I like you so why do I need to tell you otherwise. I said I like you. You’re not going to acknowledge that? Tell me Hyun. What do you feel like doing? And don’t you dare to think. Just do..”

Yonghwa was about to say do it when suddenly the girl shut his mouth with her plump lips… touching her lips with his.

When they finally leaned away, he noticed how her eyes were still closed.. he grinned… smiling at her lovingly ignoring how people are scoffing over their public display of affection. He was teasing her with his eyes as he saw how a flush her cheeks were.

“Your whole body is beet red now.” He , again.

“I’m not.” She denied, flaring her nose.

“I like your cute button nose when it flares. I want it to flare again.” He smiled.

“But Joohyun, I don’t get your claim.” He broke his smile.. and stated his curiosity.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, you think.. and it’s normal. But to call yourself a human shell, empty of any sincerity was overboard. From what I know, you are the sweetest person ever. I mean you write letter, sing songs to people when it’s their birthday. You used your effort to give someone something special despite having enough money to buy them gift because you want them to come from your heart. You are beyond considerate and you are concern over your friend health too. You are not thoughtless.”

“It’s because I don’t invest too much of emotions when I’m with them.”

“No, because they don’t worth it. I know for sure, you can’t believe how rewarding it is to finally see you open up and when you did, you can be really easy going Joohyun ah.”

“Then, I don’t get it too.”

“What?”

“You are not emotional, following of your feelings every single time. You still get your job done even when you are feeling terrible. I think you just wear your heart on your sleeve. Nothing more.. nothing less. Why are you smiling that way again?”

“I’m going to take the word like back. I think I’m going to use the word love.” He grinned, planting a kiss on her forehead. “I love you.”

She felt his lips moved as he said it… she closed her eyes, enjoying the feeling of being pampered lovingly by him before saying the word she never said to any other man aside from her dad.

“I love you too, ‘emotional’ man.”

People called her uptight, the girl who knows it all… but this man views her differently. He doesn’t take her for granted. Instead, he respects her… he applies the word patience and think of her as someone who is worth his time and because of that, he’s the right person she can truly let go of herself with... Someone, who don’t judge her and love her for being Seo Joohyun.

Author's Note

I believed, it was quite a fast paced story. LOL since it's a one shot. So yeah, i include most of Yongseo in every single thing to end it quick. Do leave some feedbacks, etc.. Enjoy :)