“Ms. Jung!”

 

Jessica turned around to see a student in the school basketball jersey and shorts running towards her. The student skidded to a stop right in front of her, panting.

 

“Yes?” Jessica asked politely - well, as politely as she could feign - eyebrows raised slightly.

 

“Ms. J-Jung,” the student gasped in between breaths. “Ms. Jung, my name is Im Yoona and I really like you and I want to ask you out!”

 

Jessica froze a little, unsure of what to do. This wasn’t the first time that this had happened - after all, a teacher this pretty was bound to catch some attention from the students - but she still felt a little bad for rejecting them every time.

 

She sighed. The student was tall and pale, with beautiful doe-like eyes and an adorable smile. But she was a student, nonetheless. “I’m sorry, but I don’t think it's appropriate for students and teachers to be in relationships together.” With that, she spun around and continued down the hallway.

 

“I-I’ll make you fall for me! I promise you that I’ll try my best to show you what I’m worth!”

 

Jessica heard the student and smirked a little. How bold and naive of her.

 

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

 

The next afternoon, Jessica left her classroom a little later than usual and passed through the gym. She heard shoes squeaking, balls thumping, girls shouting. There was basketball practice for the girls’ team today. She squinted a little and recognized Yoona, her pale sweaty skin glistening under the fluorescent light.

 

Jessica her lips unconsciously, then stopped herself. What the heck? Why was she staring at a student’s delicious looking- She noticed a pair of eyes on her. Yoona stared at her and waved.

 

“Hey, I’ll catch up with you guys later!” Yoona threw the ball randomly at a poor girl, grabbed her water bottle and towel from the ground, and jogged up the stairs to where Jessica was standing.

 

“Jessica!”

 

The said person rolled her eyes and glared at Yoona.

 

“I’m a teacher here, shouldn’t you be treating me as a teacher?” Jessica asked.

 

Yoona grinned cheekily. “Come on, it’s after school hours already. So what are you doing here? Did you miss me so much you came to find me?”

 

“You wish,” Jessica retorted. She left Yoona behind, her heels ringing clear on the wooden floor.

 

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

 

“What are you still doing here at this hour?” Yoona asked, leaning on her scooter.

 

“What are you still doing here at this hour? Jessica shot back. It didn’t help her mood that she had to send her car to the auto shop this morning because its A/C had broken and Yuri had left early to take her dog to the vet.

 

“It seems that you don’t have a car today,” Yoona pointed out, jerking her head in the direction of Jessica’s usual parking spot. “Want a ride, babe?” she asked playfully.

 

Jessica rolled eyes her eyes in exasperation. How could this kid be so stalkerish and so un-smooth at the same time? “No, thank you.”

 

“No, but seriously, It’s not safe for you to walk home, let alone in those heels. Your place isn’t exactly that close.”

 

“I said it’s- Wait a minute, how do you know where I live?” Jessica glared. “I swear, if you’re a stalker, I will not hesitate to call the police and report you whether or not you’re a student!”

 

Yoona blinked twice and opened and closed her jaws. “Oh~ I forgot you didn’t know. I live on the same floor as you in the same apartment complex and I’ve seen you around a few times.”

 

“Oh.”

 

“Come on, I’m a safe rider. I’ve had this scooter and my license for a while now, so I’m completely legal. I promise you I won’t get you hurt.”

 

Jessica sniffed indignantly, but gave in. It’d take an hour to walk back, probably even longer in her stupid heels. Not to mention the drama she was currently keeping up with would be starting soon.

 

“Fine, but only this once.” Jessica stomped toward Yoona and Yoona immediately stepped away and grabbed a second helmet out of nowhere. How convenient.

 

“Look, we now have matching couple helmets!” Yoona squealed with glee as she tried to put it on Jessica, who shot daggers at her. “Just joking.” She gave the helmet to Jessica in obvious disappoint, while Jessica only rolled her eyes and put it on herself.

 

“This is going to be so romantic, oh my gosh, oh my gosh,” Yoona hyperventilated.

 

“Shut up.”

 

Yoona clammed up and got onto the scooter. Jessica followed suit, grabbing onto the back of the seat gingerly.

 

“Aw come on, Jessica. Can’t you pretend you like me for once and hug my waist from behind like the dramas?”

 

“Just go, you idiot!”

 

Yoona grinned dorkily and started the engine, quickly zooming out of the parking lot and down the street.

 

“Oh my god!” Jessica lurched forward in fear and gripped the sides of Yoona’s shirt. She blushed when she noticed, and she was sure Yoona’s face was as pink as hers too. She almost pulled back but Yoona placed a hand on hers and slowly moved it to the front of her stomach.

 

“It’s okay. It’s safer this way anyways.”

 

Jessica gulped and nodded meekly. She didn’t pull away either.

 

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

 

The next morning, Yoona parked her scooter outside the complex and waited for Jessica to come out.

 

“Good morning Jessica!” Yoona greeted brightly.

 

“Eh?” Jessica grunted groggily, then rubbed her eyes to make sure she was still awake. “Yoona?! What are you doing here?”

 

“Here to pick up a cute girl,” Yoona attempted to wink. “Your car is still in the shop, so hop on.”

 

Jessica sighed in exasperation, but got on anyways. She hesitantly touched Yoona’s waist, but decided to just hug it tightly. She didn’t want to almost die like yesterday. At least that was what she was trying to tell herself.

 

In the afternoon, Yoona gave Jessica a ride home again. And it became a routine. Jessica got her car back a day later, but it became a habit for her to ride on Yoona’s scooter. She usually left school later than the other teachers anyway, just around the time Yoona’s basketball practice ended, so it was always convenient for her.

 

But habit only made Jessica more confused. Day by day, her feelings for Yoona became more and more muddled. Her emotions were in a turmoil. Between classes the other day, she saw Yoona and Sooyoung, the P.E. coach, walking closely together, arms around each other’s shoulders. Jessica stopped them in the hallway and jabbed a finger in Yoona’s face.

 

“You, you, uhhh,” Jessica stuttered. What was she supposed to say? That she was jealous of seeing Yoona manhandling another teacher? That she only wanted Yoona for herself, and no one else?

 

“Hey, what’s up, Jessica?” Sooyoung tried to high five Jessica, but Jessica ignored her.

“What are you doing with Sooyoung?” Jessica asked angrily.

 

Yoona retaliated. “So what if I’m doing something with Coach? Why am I not allowed to be friendly with someone else? Huh?!”

 

Sooyoung shifted her eyes between Yoona and Jessica and slowly inched backwards, before running off like a madman in the other direction.

 

“I-I-”

 

“I can’t keep this up anymore. You know how much I like you, yet you pretend that my confession never happened.”

 

“Yoona, I-” Jessica tried to reply, but nothing came out.

 

“I have to go. I’ll see you later, Ms. Jung,” Yoona emphasized. She wiped her cheek with the back of her hand and ran past her.

 

By the time Jessica turned around, Yoona was gone. Damn her freaking long legs.

 

Was she crying?

 

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

 

Jessica skipped class for the rest of the day. The image of Yoona wiping her tears was ingrained in her mind. She wanted nothing more to reach out and her face, to show her how much she loved her. But she couldn’t. She couldn’t jump onto her, wrap her arms and legs around her, and snuggle in the crook of her neck. She couldn’t kiss her, even though she wanted to every time she they ate ice cream together after school and Yoona would get some on her lips. She couldn’t, because Yoona was a student, and she was a teacher.

 

Jessica returned to class the next morning, with dark circles under her eyes and her face visibly distressed. During lunch, instead of going to the staff room to eat with her colleagues, she went upstairs to the old music room and slouched on the piano bench as she gazed tiredly out the window.

 

“I knew you’d be here.”

 

Jessica heard her best friend’s voice from behind and slightly smiled.

 

“What’s going on?” Yuri asked, walking up to Jessica and sitting beside her.

 

Jessica glanced at Yuri and bit her lip. Should she tell her? This was Yuri though, the same Yuri who let her stay at her house for months during high school when her parents were going through a messy divorce, the one who found this job, the one who helped her survive through every breakup. Jessica fessed up.

 

“I-I'm in love with a student.” Jessica confessed, her voice cracking at the end.

 

“What?!" Yuri gasped in shock, feeling a bit scandalized. “Jessica!”

 

“I know, I know, I’m such a fool. I rejected her at first, but I couldn’t help it. Those backhugs, those sunset-lit rides, those times we went out to eat at night, and-and-and-” Jessica became a sobbing mess.

 

“Hey, hey, hey, it’s fine,” Yuri soothed Jessica, patting her on the back and her hair. “But, Jessica, who is it?”

 

“Im Yoona,” Jessica croaked.

 

...

 

Yuri let loose a deep breath. “Oh, thank goodness. I thought you meant a student at our school for a minute there.”

 

“Wait, what?” Jessica jolted up.

 

“Don’t tell me you thought Yoona was a high schooler this whole time?” Yuri asked, greatly amused. “I already told you last time, Yoona is my cousin who’s taking a gap year before going to graduate school. She’s Sooyoung’s TA and the assistant coach for the girls’ basketball team this year.”

 

“Oh my god!” Jessica bolted for the stairs immediately.

 

Yuri chuckled to herself. “Jessica, will I ever have to stop worrying about you?”

 

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

 

Jessica sprinted down the hallway, literally flying past each classroom, and didn’t stop running until she reached the locker room.

 

Where Yoona happened to be changing in.

 

“Hey,” Yoona greeted halfheartedly just as she reached for her shirt. “Are you look-”

 

Jessica grabbed Yoona forcefully and pushed her against the lockers, ignoring the fact that Yoona only had a bra and pair of shorts on. She pressed her lips firmly to Yoona’s. Yoona closed her eyes, as Jessica’s warm body pushed against her own. It didn’t help that in Yoona’s half- state, every touch of Jessica’s felt red-hot on her skin. They kissed slowly, languidly, their lips molding to each other as their noses softly bumped.

 

They came up for air after a while. Yoona hugged Jessica tightly, pulling her into her embrace and resting her chin on Jessica’s shoulder.

 

“What made you change your mind?” Yoona breathed, as she Jessica’s back.

 

“I love you,” Jessica mumbled into Yoona’s neck, and she gripped the waistband of Yoona’s shorts tighter. “I love you so much.”

 

Yoona beamed, her face glowing. The two leaned towards each other again, their breaths tickling each other’s lips.

 

“Oh.”

 

They leaped apart, cheeks burning red.

 

Sooyoung literally dropped her jaws - and her sandwich - to the floor. It wasn’t everyday she caught her friend and half- assistant in such a compromising position.

 

“Uh...I’m just going to go now...”