Yunho always thought humans are fickle minded creatures, saying one thing, doing one thing and thinking one thing.

Not that he’s a vampire or some other non-human entity. Yunho just considers himself above the average human, able to use his brain better than most. And it’s not just his own proclamation either. His incredible focus has kept him at the top of his academic life since high school and he prides himself to be able to read right through a person and hence he’s a Psychology major.

Yunho believes if his classmates were not allowing themselves to be controlled by their libido instead of their brain, then maybe they could just be a little under par with Jung Yunho.

Like now, as he’s making his way to his professor’s office, he encounters many a brainless specimens of his species.

He smirks as he passes Choi Dongwook cornered at the end of the hallway by the three women he was dating at the same time. Yunho had seen Dongwook outside a shady hotel with Dara when he knew the college jock was dating Taeyeon and Yunho had accurately predicted he would go after Jessica because Dongwook preyed on the popular, gorgeous yet deep down insecure girls.

At the water fountain, Yunho sees Lee Hyukjae flirt with girls and he knows it’s a farce. On the first day he saw him, Yunho knew Hyukjae was hiding a part of his personality from the rest of the world. From the longing glances he sent to Professor Donghae, Yunho understood he was a closeted homoual who hid his preference for men because of his conservative family.

Yunho’s ability is a gift and a curse. There was no one who could hide their feelings from him. at age seven, he had perfectly guessed his father didn’t exactly love them and it was true for the man had another secret family. After the divorce, he had guessed his mother is hiding a grave secret and when he and his sister were sent to their grandmother, he knew his mother is dying.

“Humans are predictable if you look for the right signs” that was the first thing Dr Shim told them the first day of Clinical Psychology and Yunho was a practitioner of it to a ‘T’.

The thought of Dr Shim made Yunho smile a bit. The man, also a young boy genius from a small town is like an older brother and father figure to Yunho. He’s the only one Yunho considers his equal and it’s true because both came packed with their own snark and the brains to back the sass plus the Adonis like looks that leave you befuddled in their shining presence.

Yunho was heading to the Professor’s office so he could discuss the latest assignment he gave in class yesterday. He wasn’t beneath asking guidance in order to meet his professor’s high expectations of him.

Yunho reaches the office at the end of the corridor and he hesitates to knock on the door. Not that he’s nervous, but the rosewood door had detailed carving which could do quite a number on bare knuckles. While there were many a modern buildings on the campus of Seoul University, the departments with a large number of students such as Psychology were housed in the enormous gothic structures.

For that reason, there’s a bell at the side of the door but Dr Shim hates it because by his reckoning, a bell means he has to answer the door and welcoming someone and he doesn’t like welcoming random people.

 he’s a man of many eccentricities. Like the name board at the side of the door. The words ‘Dr Shim Changmin, Head, Psychology’ in white lettering were the only the words on the black board. Most HODs, when they get their own office, or even regular professors in the department rosters tend to add an ants’ trail of qualifications. If they could they’d mention their elementary school spelling bee runner-up prize too. However, Dr Shim didn’t allow a public display of his degrees so he would remain “enigmatic to the students on the first day of class”. That and he is rumoured to have said on his first day as HOD that he doesn’t want to make other lecturers insecure with his double Masters and PhD he got way before them. And they say he gave his trademark smirk so it must be true.

That nobody protests is testimony of his standing.

Yunho grabs the door knob and slowly turns it. One time his professor had told him he was one of the few who had liberty to enter his office. Just that he opens the door and announces his presence so that the loathe-to-unnecessary-effort professor doesn’t have to leave his cosy armchair.  

Yunho breathed to announce his arrival through the small crack on the door but instead his ears picked up on a voice.

“I’ve been in love with you since before.” It was a girl’s voice.

Yunho restrained his voice. Listening to this is more interesting anyway. Only there were no other words after that statement. Yunho dared to peek and saw the side profile of the two occupants of that room.

His professor, Dr Shim was standing there with a gentle expression and one could make out the moisture and lip colour smear on his lips and chin that remains on a male’s face after they have been kissed by a woman.

Yunho couldn’t see the other person because her hair blocked her face but she’s definitely young and a student no less.

If he was the type to humiliate, Yunho would call out this girl in public for proclaiming her love to a teacher, a married man no less. But Yunho is the type to give private warnings in the guise subtle taunts. If that alienates him from his peers, he never cared anyway.

However, before he does anything to this girl, he wants to see what his professor’s position is.

He’s about to find out as he sees Dr Shim move his hand and gentle place it on the girl’s head before sliding it to the side of her face.

“You know I love you too, but I can’t leave her.” So that’s how it, Yunho thinks.

Yunho finds it amusing. It’s like one of the American soaps where a married man has an affair to sate himself and strings along the mistress. The foolish mistress herself gets carried away, harbouring a one-sided love and hoping to be chosen over the wife.

Yunho has a disgusted smile as he moves away from the door. He may have lost a little bit of appreciation for his professor as he just turned out to be like those adolescents Yunho is surrounded with.

He leans his back against the wall at the end of the hallway and texts his sister to ask her whereabouts. He’s just waiting because this is the only way to and from the Head’s office. His sister says she just returned to their shared apartment after grocery shopping when Yunho hears the clink of heels.

“Eavesdropping is bad you know…” Yunho smirks at the voice. so it was her after all.

Kim Jaejoong, the ice-cold beauty with the eidetic memory who’s academic achievements rival Yunho’s. She’s just as aloof as he is and has a penchant for skipping classes and cocooning herself in the library. Just like Dr Shim, she holds two Masters degrees and is about to begin her doctorate like Yunho. She had first intrigued Yunho for her lack of expression. Over time, Yunho had found her eyes are literally the ‘windows to her soul’. Seeing the myriad emotions in her eyes simply when she’s reading a book amused Yunho. In everyday encounters though, what she expresses through those large doe-eyes are controlled and hypnotic.

Yunho and Jaejoong are masters of controlling their expressions, but Yunho doesn’t let you see what he feels while Jaejoong lets you see what she wants you to see.

That makes Yunho a little wary, especially since she was aware he overheard her conversation.

“Your secret’s safe with me Kim Jaejoong. You know I don’t indulge in petty gossip.” Yunho said with a condescending smile, a little irritated she doesn’t even look at him properly. She’s only standing near him and facing the front with her eyes giving him a sideway glance. As if he’s a peasant who’s not even regarded even if he knows her secret.

“Oh I know you're above gossip, I was expecting that biting wit. Isn’t that why you waited?” she says like she’s got all the time in the world.

“Well yeah, how could I miss the chance to call Miss Pretty ‘n’ Perfect a giant idiot.” When Jaejoong cocked an eyebrow and scowled lightly, he continued. “too late to be offended Jaejoong. Having an affair with a married teacher is like the watermelon asking the knife to slice it. You know there’s nothing for you to gain from this affair except humiliation.”

Jaejoong now fully turns to him and crosses her arms by which Yunho knows he has successfully riled her up. “and I assume you will be the one to serve my humiliation on the platter.”

“I am kinder.” Yunho said smugly but his smirk was wiped off his face when Jaejoong stepped close to him, backing him against the wall.

He’s a staggering 6feet but she’s just a couple inches shorter and with the heels, they can see eye to eye without difficulty. And right now, Yunho sees a promise to hurt in those eyes. “Get this straight Jung Yunho. I’ve been in love with him far too long to be slighted especially by a hypocritical blind narcissist like you. And for what it’s worth, it’s none of your business. So come at me with all your snark because I don’t give a damn.” So saying Jaejoong steps back and turns around to walk away; leaving a surprised Yunho in the dust.

“Oh yeah…” Yunho looks up to see she’s a few steps ahead, again not facing him fully but regarding him with a slight tilt of the head. “You’re the first person to call me an idiot.” That smug grin was back on her face and Yunho was grinding his jaw. “Thank you.” And she was gone.

“Hypocritical blind narcissist!?” Yunho’s growl echoed in the empty hallway. He was seething for reasons he couldn’t pinpoint but he was nevertheless determined to prove to Kim Jaejoong how big of an idiot she is.

When Yunho stomped off, a figure stepped out from the shadows. “even when he’s told he’s blind to the face he doesn’t get it.”

~~~

Yunho strolls along the small spaces between the bookshelves. He’s looking for some books that will help his thesis but he’s in a lazy mood today so he’s just casually glancing at book titles instead of really searching.

He’s already reached the dusty section of the library and he wonders when the last time somebody came to this part was.

As if the heavens responded to his query, he heard sounds and boy are the familiar. The slow grin on his face was telling he’s going to enjoy this.

“We can’t do this but you're really precious to me, you know that right?” Preparing his own defence, Yunho thinks. Dr Shim is toeing the fine line where he’s against the relationship but wants it nevertheless. Yunho finds it amusing the stony-hearted Jaejoong can become a docile puppy by a hand petting her.

“I know. I won’t make you do something you don’t want to.” And the large hand thumbed a small tear from the corner of her eye. Jaejoong gestures for the professor to come closer and she whispers. “I’ll try to move on but stay with me.” Dr Shim smiles as he nods.

“What did she say?” Yunho mutters under his breath. He cursed the lack of strategic positions because he’s quite far from the couple. He could pick up their normal tone of voice in the quiet library but Jaejoong just had to foil it by whispering.

“I have a class. I’ll see you later.” Dr Shim once again pats her head before leaving.

Yunho had long escaped to the other end of the library and hid. When he deemed it safe, he peeked from the nearest bookshelf.

He saw Jaejoong place a couple of books at the private reading booths and groaned. “What now?”

“I’m beginning to think you have eyes at the back of your head.” Yunho mocked as he stepped out his hiding place. But little did she know, there’s a hint of praise in his statement.

“It’s just how kids explain intuitive.” Jaejoong’s hip leaned against the desk and she crossed her arms. “you want help with a book Jung? The mind reading for dummies is that way.” She points in a random direction.

“Ah! So does that mean you’ve read it?” Yunho asked oh so innocently. Jaejoong though is not the kind to dignify it with a response so she slips into the booth. She can’t help but scowl when Yunho slips into the other chair opposite her. “yes?” she says sweetly despite her irritation.

“I’ve seen you twice now with him. you should be careful before someone else catches you.” Yunho advices albeit insincerely.

“Thank you for caring, but what is it you really want?”

“Entertainment. The ice princess turning into mouldable clay just by a few words. Are you really that desperate for love or just love from him.” and there goes her blank and controlled face. For her to mask it means there is something behind it.

Yunho leans forward, hitching his elbows on the table. “Give me more insight into you Jaejoong. why go so far for a man’s affection? Growing up unloved by the family? Or always struggling so daddy will appreciate you just that little bit?”

When the corner of Jaejoong’s lip tilts upwards, Yunho reminded himself to not falter. “Is that all Yunho? Such basic deductions?” She chuckled as if he told a joke while continued to smile through the pressed jaw. “FYI, my father was a very nice man and he really loved me. My parents died protecting me in that accident. I was raised by my Aunt and cousin. So there was no lack of love. Now what’s your theory?”

Jaejoong laughed loudly at Yunho’s silence. The genius boy who’s never lost to an opponent hated this bitter taste of failure. Irritated, he stood up to leave but a hand on his wrist stopped him.

Jaejoong gestures at the seat he vacated telling him to wait. “Come on, I’ll give you your ‘insight’ nevertheless’.” Her mannerism said she was merely humouring him which meant Yunho wouldn’t know if she’s telling the truth. But she’s not being cold or condescending. In fact, she sounds playful and that’s the first time he’s seeing an honest emotion from her.

“go ahead…” Yunho says slowly, taking his seat.

“Well, you know I have eidetic memory right?” Yunho nods. “you see, till I was 6 neither I nor my foster family were aware of it. and in comes my cousin’s best friend and I was going through books after books and finishing school like a turkey dinner every month. And my cousin was like a proud mother. She and her friend were practically teen parents to an eight year old me. You know this…best friend of my cousin also had a photographic memory. And he for all intents and purposes took me under his wing. So no Yunho, I don’t love him because of lacking affection in my early life. I love Changmin because he saw me beyond the pale-faced big-eyed doll.”

Yunho blinked, processing all that information. So she’s known him from before and has been harbouring feelings for him that long. It’s like a child crushing after their first grade teacher and Yunho unintentionally says it out loud which earns him a kick under the table.

“You know BTS is performing this Friday.”

“Yeah, my brother already got me tickets. You want to come?”

Yunho and Jaejoong turn towards the source of the voices and see the overly friendly Dara and Taeyoon enter. Unknowingly, the two chuckle under their breaths and looked at each other.

“Does a common cheating boyfriend lead to friendship?” Jaejoong had to resist an unladylike snort seeing the two girls compliment each other’s earrings and blouses.

“apparently a shallow one.” Yunho hid his mouth with his hand to stifle his laughter.

“Pathetic!” the two said in unison which attracted the attention of the two girls. Yunho and Jaejoong pretended to be very absorbed in their books till the girls in question averted their attentions from them.

“I guess common ground is necessary to establish friendship.” Yunho muses. “I wonder if Jessica is friends with them too now.”

“I doubt it. Jessica pretends these two are beneath her and she’d never be friends with them but the truth is Jessica is scared coz these two have proven to be rivals to her popularity after the whole Dongwook debacle.”