A quick note from adamandeve;

Please be noted that there are little parts in the story that are almost rated M for implications. I just had the urge to say it as some of you may not be comfortable with that, though the said parts are really minimal and are really limited.

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DATING TEACHER BAE

“What do you want to be when you grow up?”

It has always been a question asked at least once in a person’s lifetime. As young as they are, they’d already be posed with such a big question – their young minds not knowing what they’d really be, but they’d still be able to answer it without a doubt of their capabilities,

“I want to be a doctor.”

“I want to be an engineer.”

“I want to be a lawyer.”

And the list goes on.

But it’s very seldom that someone confidently says,

“I want to be a teacher.”

And it makes you wonder why, because you’ve never really given much thought about it, too.

Maybe it’s difficult, maybe it’s less-paying, maybe it’s not good enough, maybe it’s not worth it.

It’s only when you meet Bae JooHyun did your whole world start turning upside down and started becoming more colourful.

A whole lot more colourful.

Because dating Bae JooHyun was – is – never an easy thing for you.

Especially since JooHyun is a teacher – of pre-school at that.

And if you were to be asked of how it feels dating a person with such profession, you would never have any second thoughts in answering.

Because you certainly – and by heart – already learned a thing or two about dating a pre-school teacher.

 

You can’t take her out on a daily basis.

You most certainly can’t take her out as much as you want to, most especially during the first few weeks of the start of classes. When kids would bawl their eyes out, snot running and wails deafening ears.

You do sympathize with the kids, though. You remember howling your lungs out on your first day of school too because you thought your mom left you to die.

And the start of classes is the worst for JooHyun.

When kids would basically latch their selves onto anything except their teachers. Attaching their little bodies anywhere outside the classroom, with some children even sprawled on the floor throwing tantrums and all.

When some kids would even slap or kick your girlfriend and her co-teachers when they try to get the children off their mothers, or their daddies, or their nannies. One ear almost deaf because of the pests’ loud cries of help.

When JooHyun will be more than dead-tired when you come and pick her up from school. A loud sigh of relief or of agony – you’re not sure which one of those – escaping her lips as she put the seatbelt on and you don’t have the heart to on how ‘good’ her day went, because you know that the start of the school year is the closest she’s been to hell.

And you most certainly can’t take her out on a daily basis even after that,

Nope. Not even after dismissal. Not even after her working hours are over. Not even after she’s already in your car and you’re about to ask her where she wants to eat for dinner but she’s quicker to say that she needs to make the lesson for the next day so she just wants to go home as soon as possible. Her answer making you bite your tongue and making you just obediently nod – like one of her kids.

But you don’t get mad.

Because she apologizes just as quick, “I’m so sorry, baby,”

Running a hand on your lap as she throws you a very regretful look and you just know that she wants to spend time with you – just as much as you want to spend every second with her – and so you can’t help but to lean in and wipe that adorable pout on her face with your lips instead.

 

You can’t make them sleep later than 10 PM, because they have to wake up earlier than you do. A whole lot earlier.

You resist the urge to whine out loud because she says ‘good night’ a bit earlier that day since she feels tired because her assistant-teacher was absent and she was left to take care of the kids on her own.

When you wanted to cuddle a little bit more on the couch because you had a stressful day, but then you heard her story and suddenly, your exhaustion is nothing compared to hers – because you can’t imagine yourself taking care of kids, that you’re not as good with kids. With kids either innocently kissing or choking each other – no in between. So you do let her sleep early – like how all other nights were.

Because you know that she deserves the rest.

And you wonder how she does it. Being tired the previous night and yet still having to wake up real early. Even being able to juggle preparing both her things and yours – a visual aid for that day’s lesson in one of her hands as she holds the blueprint you finished the night before in the other.

Even having the time to prepare your breakfast and iron your clothes for you, and you do feel bad about it.

But you can’t help her because she doesn’t let you.

Remember that one time you accidentally burned her favourite shirt because you said you’ll do all the household chores as anniversary gift to her?

Apparently, she still holds a grudge on that.

 

Most nights would end up with you watching TV by yourself while she grades papers, and having to fall asleep in the process.

So most nights are all alike.

With you idly flipping television channels as she checks some artworks or some worksheets her 5-year-olds or so made that day.

You tell her you’ll help her, but she quickly dismisses your proposal.

“Your score of a 3 is an 8 for me.” She bats an eye as she says to you.

Unfortunately, your expectations are a bit too high for children their age.

It’s not your fault that that sketched dog looked like an elephant to you.

“I’m sorry?” You shrug as you apologize anyway.

“They’re kids, SeulGi,” She says as you feel her lean on your shoulder, and so you rest your head on hers as well, “What do you expect?”

“You’re too kind for a teacher.” You tease and so you get a jab on your arm.

“You’re too strict for a teacher.” She retorts, but you don’t hit her back.

Instead, you laugh as you pull her closer to you.

You nuzzle your nose on her neck repeatedly – because you know she’s ticklish there – and so you earn more punches on your arm.

“Stop,” She pushes you but to no avail, you’re enjoying this way too much, “I need to finish checking these.”

“Oh, come on, JooHyun,” You finally whine, but the amused tone on your voice betrays you, “A five-minute rest won’t hurt.”

“It won’t,” She successfully latches herself off you, and so your lower lip juts on its own, “But cramming will.”

You watch her stand up and go back to her work table, leaving you alone once more on the couch with the remote resting beside you.

You sigh, but you don’t do anything to bother her anymore.

JooHyun does need those five minutes.

If she finishes checking five minutes early, then she can sleep five minutes longer later.

And so you don’t bother her anymore.

But maybe JooHyun was lying when she said that she’ll check papers,

Because after the hundredth show you’ve tried watching, and you turn to JooHyun’s side of the room, you find her peacefully sleeping already – her face resting on the stack of activity books you’re pretty sure is not yet graded.

You can’t help but frown and smile at the same time.

Her sleeping face is the most serene you’ve seen of her and you can’t help yourself but adore her even more.

You silently walk towards her as you cautiously pull the books from under her.

You successfully take them out without waking her up, you don’t even dare make a sound so as not to interrupt her dreaming.

Now the problem is how to carry her to the bed without disturbing her from her slumber. Because you know that once she opens her eyes, she’ll go back to her ballistic mode as a hard-working educator and trade sleep for grading.

So you carefully – but easily, because you’ve done this a hundred times already – scoop her in your arms as you walk towards the bed.

You lay her down without a problem and you cover her with a blanket before kissing her forehead.

And a giggle escapes you because you hear her mumble the words you’ve been fighting over a little while,

“Five minutes.”

You hear her mumble words, so you bite your lips so you won’t giggle any further. Sometimes you wonder how she manages a class full of children when she’s sometimes a child herself.

You look at her one more time before you get her purple pen – she doesn’t use red ink because she believes it has a negative effect on the children when they see red marks all over their paper, and you adore her more for being caring like that – before opening the activity books and you start checking them yourself.

A smile sticks on your face as you look at the children’s drawings. The uncoordinated colours and smudges of crayons outside the supposed-to-be pattern welcome you as you go through them one by one. Taking into mind that they’re just children and JooHyun would still have given them a perfect ten for trying.

Heck, JooHyun would still have given them a perfect score for simply holding a pencil.

So you try your best not to judge too hard and just enjoy the ‘masterpieces’ that these kids were able to create.

And maybe JooHyun was correct,

That 3 could pass as an 8.

 

Her idea of a ‘fun’ weekend is staying at home to sleep until noon.

“Why are you up so early?” She childishly groans as she falls back to the soft bed, she restlessly pats the space beside her – eyes covered by her other arm, “Go back to bed.”

You know she’s cute when she whines like that but it’s the weekend, and you’re always excited for it because you’ll finally have her for the day.

“Hyun, it’s already 8 in the morning,” You lightly shake her, restraining yourself from the excitement running through your system because you’ll take her somewhere enjoyable to at least relieve her of weekday stress, “We’ll have fun today!”

You hear her groan again before she mutters, “I am already having fun in here,”

Then she adds a pitiful, “Let me sleep in until 10, please?”

She sounds so defeated you puff your cheeks as you sigh.

“Come on, Seul. Don’t be like that,” She takes her arm off her eyes to properly look at you. She takes your hand in hers as she circles her thumb around your palm, “I promise you. After 10 AM, I’ll divorce the bed and I’m all yours for the day.”

She smiles at you, and you hate it because you can’t help but smile back.

Because how can you not when she smiles at you like that?

“Okay.” You submit, because you accept that you’re weak when it comes to her requests, “But only until 10 AM.”

You hear her say a triumphant ‘Yes!’ before she starts tugging at you rather forcefully, she says – demands,

“Now come here and cuddle with me.”

And you can’t fight that wide smile forming on your face as you encircle your arms around her waist as she intertwines her fingers with yours,

Because you were wrong a while ago. You’re not weak when it comes to her requests,

You’re just really weak when it comes to her.

 

She is an instant celebrity because suddenly, there will be kids everywhere. Flocking around her… and swarming you in the process, too.

“What do you want for dinner tomorrow?” She asks you while she keeps your entwined hands together as the two of you walk in the grocery store.

The way she tightly holds onto your hand as her other hand inspects the food while yours has the basket is not a really wise move, but she’s clingy like that, and you actually don’t mind.

You love it.

“Anything you’ll make is fine.” You say.

She clicks her tongue and you force yourself not to smile, “‘Anything’ is hard to make, babe. Give me specifics.”

“How about something spicy?” You suggest, “Or would you want noodles instead?”

She only groans again because even if you did suggest things, you widen your choices still, and so you let your smile form on your lips once more.

Only to be diverted to a tiny voice that says,

“Teacher Bae!!!”

And even before you were able to look at the one who called, you feel JooHyun’s hand be taken off yours.

Your eyebrows rising in surprise as you witness how a child is already squishing your girlfriend in a very tight hug – and you wonder which of them was tinier at that moment – as JooHyun hugs the child back.

“Hey, YeRim.” JooHyun squats down to be on-level with which you assume is YeRim, “Who are you with?”

You see how YeRim continues to hug JooHyun – YeRim’s tiny arms wrapping around JooHyun’s neck, and you resist admitting that it’s somehow cute. Too cute, much for your liking.

“I’m with my Momma!” YeRim says as she leans her body to JooHyun as to hug the older girl better, “We’re buying milk to make me grow tall!”

“Very good!” JooHyun ruffles YeRim’s hair, with YeRim smiling widely at the remark – two of her front teeth gone, and your wide smile winning over your control as you admit that that kid is adorable like that.

JooHyun continues to patiently chat with the child until the said kid’s mother arrives and you see them say polite goodbyes at each other. With you bowing at them, as well, but YeRim hugs JooHyun instead.

And you don’t mind seeing kids randomly when you and JooHyun are out.

Except when they come in packs, and groups, and battalions, and they start swarming around JooHyun like vultures thirsting for dead meat. And you might be over-exaggerating with that, but with how the children cause chaos every time they see your girlfriend, you can’t help but see it as that.

You admit that you get shocked the first few times before when you’re with her and kids would just suddenly pop out of nowhere like mushrooms – only with a lot of hair, and a lot of stories.

And you wonder if these kids have radars that track JooHyun because they seem to be everywhere JooHyun is.

May it be in malls, or parks, or restaurants, or churches. Even near your neighbourhood.

And you wonder how and why do they appear at places where you thought they would least likely be in.

Even if you’re already having a vacation with JooHyun in her hometown, and you’d still see kids waving and pouncing at JooHyun like you just didn’t pray last night that no kid would be there.

JooHyun talks to you about it, as well. How she refrains herself from wearing too short shorts, or too revealing clothes, or anything too inappropriate in public – not like she really does,

That she has an image to protect.

That she even wears an over-sized shirt and too long for beach-shorts in actual beaches and pools.

For she fears that kids – or worse, parents – might see her wearing anything racy like that, and they might think bad about her.

Because she argues that she’s someone who these parents let to take care of their kids for them – someone who should be respectable and a good role model to the young.

So JooHyun urges you to wear proper clothes if you’re going out as well.

You protest at her suggestion – well, command – but then she reasons that you’ll always be probably with her all the time, and so there is a big chance that you’ll be seen with her, and you don’t protest as much anymore after that.

Because she thinks of spending a lot of time with you.

So you do admit that you got shocked the first few times, because when they see JooHyun – and unfortunately, in groups – they start flocking around you, too.

But for an entirely different reason.

If they gather around JooHyun to hug her and kiss her, then you get the exact opposite.

They horde around you to actually keep you away. To keep you out of their way to JooHyun.

And you’re left there to gape at the kids – your hands in mid-air as you shrug and wonder what you ever did to the kids to get such treatment.

But you do get used to it as time passed by.

Not when you see JooHyun earnestly hug all of them back, and you finally let that smile escape your lips. Because JooHyun truly likes all her kids, and genuinely cares for all of them – not one more than the other.

You admit that your girlfriend does make a pretty good pre-school teacher.

A real pretty one, too.

And you don’t mind seeing her with kids as much anymore.

 

You are prone to sickness and other ‘child’ diseases, which you’ll most probably get from her – which she got from the kids.

You hate kids at times, too.

Especially when they give you the ‘diseases’ – yes, you refer to a simple cold as a terminal disease because you argue that it’s from ‘devils’.

Yes, you refer to your girlfriend’s pre-school students as demons. ‘Because it’s what they are’, you said to JooHyun once which she only gave you a rather less-enthusiastic face as reply.

Your sneeze echoes through the house like in an empty theatre at night, and you feel JooHyun’s hand on your back as she rubs it and hands you medicine.

“Thanks,” You say with a clogged nose.

“You’re so sickly, Seul.” You hear her say, and you try not to choke on the water you’re drinking.

“And where do you think I got that from?”

“Well, I did tell you not to kiss me that one time I was sick.” JooHyun defends herself, “But you’re just so stubborn to listen to me.”

“It’s not my fault you’re kissable.” You shrug, and she teases you more as she intentionally pouts closer to you.

“You know I’ll kiss you, Hyun.” You try to threaten her so she’ll stop, but she really is such a tease because she just comes to you closer to say,

“I know.”

You know you badly want to pull her face closer and seal her lips with yours to teach her a lesson, but you also know that she might get sick again if you do and so you restrain yourself.

She says she can’t afford to miss another day of school. Argues that her kids need her – and that her substitute teacher almost lost her mind.

“This is all your kids’ fault, why don’t they drink vitamins?” You plop to the bed as you reach for her hand, “Or why do they even go to school if they’re sick? I swear, JooHyun, I will vaccinate all of them if I get the chance.”

You only hear her chuckle, like what you just said isn’t threatening enough, “Yeah, because you totally can.” You also hear that sarcastic tone in her voice so you just grunt as response.

“Teach your kids to not anymore go to school when they’re sick. They spread the virus, too, you know?” You intelligently suggest, intelligently for you, at least.

“Don’t you think I tell them that?” She lies beside you as she play with your fingers, “After having the colds from them the 20th time, don’t you think I’ll tell them a thing or two?

“And if I know, you’re thankful to them because you have an excuse for not being able to go to work today, you jerk.” She playfully slaps your arm as she teases, and you can’t help but chuckle at that. Because it is somehow true.

But more than not being able to work, you’re actually more thankful to the kids for having JooHyun take care of you.

 

She gets excited over school supplies and ‘back-to-school’ sales. Even that new discounted colouring set looks interesting.

You swear you’ll kill YongSun for telling JooHyun about today’s sale in the bookstore.

Because when you look over the things you have in hand, you grimace at what you see.

New set of crayons, glue, scissors, pencils, paper, tape, a new stationary, post-it notes, stamps, stickers, notebooks.

And it makes you wonder if your girlfriend is actually sending you off to school with the amount of school supplies she’s buying.

You remember her screaming at you this morning to quickly dress up as you’ll both go to the mall to buy things, leaving you to sigh in defeat with the memory.

“SeulGi! Come here, quick!”

Your recollection was stopped when you hear her yell.

And you wonder if the shriek she just made was because she’s asking for help from someone or if she’s asking for help to bury someone.

You get the answer the moment you turn to a bookshelf.

You see her eyes gleam as they attach themselves to what is in her hands.

A story book.

A big story book about whatever squirrels or birds or whatever main animal character it is about.

You continue to watch JooHyun gasp in amazement – so open as she smile widely, as if she’s found an actual treasure full of gold.

“What is it?” And you just have to ask why she squealed a moment ago to make sure you’ve heard her right. Because why is she excited over a book, anyway?

She gives you a scowl, like you’ve asked something so offending. Like you’ve asked her if she’s gained weight, and you only widen your eyes as response.

She says with distaste, “What do you mean ‘What is it’? I found it, SeulGi!” She eagerly shows you the big book of a rabbit and a bear, “I found it!”

“… May I ask why should I be happy as well?” You shrug, just to piss her off. Because you’re a mean person that takes pleasure whenever she’s mad. Because, hey, she’s hotter like that.

“You, idiot.” She pinches your side which you do say ‘Ow!’ to, but a smirk tells her you’re not that hurt, “I’ve been looking for a cheap story book huge enough that children at the back can see!”

She shoves the book more to your face, so you try to playfully avoid it.

“I must buy this one!” She says happily as she looks around for more.

You laugh at her cuteness as you take the book from her so she can explore the bookstore freely.

Which you quickly regret because she turns into another aisle and you hear her squeal in delight once more,

“Oh, my God! They have it 50% off?!”

 

She uses her ‘teacher tone’ on you accidentally yet more often than she should. You’re actually used to it.

And you hate it. You loathe it.

When you do something that doesn’t quite fit her liking, or something you say that rubs her off the wrong way.

And you’ll see her slowly turn her head to your direction and you just know that look on her face.

That look that you just know that you’re in deep with what you did or what you said, and you dread at times since it’s worse because you don’t know – you can’t remember – what it is that earned you ‘that’ look from her.

But there are more times – more often than not – that you do things, obvious things that you can’t bail out off because the evidence is present, and you know you’ll get a lashing with that scorn on her face.

“Kang SeulGi,” She calls your name like usual, but it’s that tone on how she said it that makes shivers huddle down your spine, “Can you please tell me what happened here while I was gone?”

Your eyes wander around the living room first before you let them land on your girlfriend’s own pair. And you know you shouldn’t feel scared, because one, you’re not a kid, and two, you’re not her student.

But you still feel yourself swallowing a big lump down your throat because you see those wide, expecting eyes piercing you as if studying your soul. Making you want to confess your sins altogether.

And you do, mainly because the broken vase is there, and because you realize that there’s really no way out so what’s the point of even denying it?

“… The vase… broke…” You said timidly, barely audible, but JooHyun has a good sense of hearing so you’re pretty sure she’s heard you clearly.

“I know that, SeulGi,” She says calmly, but you know better not to fall for that, “It’s right there.” Her voice slightly changes into a thinner one, since she says it with clenched teeth, and you know you’re in deeper by the second.

You avert your gaze to the ground, because hey, is that a new carpet?

“SeulGi, look at me when I’m talking to you.”

There goes that line again.

That line that you wish never existed in the first place.

Because is JooHyun insane? How can you look at her when she looks at you like you contributed to world hunger?

But you do raise your gaze at her again, since you know it’s going to be worse for you if you didn’t.

“Y-Yes?” You clear your throat because why did you stutter?

“Tell me what happened,” She sternly commands, “In details.”

It’s no big deal, really. You can always buy a new vase for the living room.

But JooHyun likes everything in order, and when she sees that something was not in order, she just has to ask you.

And you have to come clean, “I accidentally bumped onto it, and it fell, and it broke.” You state the truth, “That’s all that happened, I swear.”

She’s not buying it though, “SeulGi, how did you exactly ‘bump’ onto it? The living room is spacious enough for you to walk into.”

Goddamn it all.

Why can’t she just let you off the hook?!

… Okay, maybe you did leave some parts there.

“I… was running around.” You finally confess with a huff.

Technically, you didn’t lie. You just simply weren’t stating the truth.

You hear her sigh.

Bad indication. That means she’s nowhere near pleased.

“Oh, come on, JooHyun,” You try to win her good side once more, “I’m sorry, okay? I was clumsy, and I promise to buy a new one.”

Which gets you another sigh as she starts speaking – like she is with a toddler,

“I’m not mad at you, SeulGi. I’m just disappointed. And I need you to promise me that you will behave yourself the next time I leave you on your own, do I make myself clear?”

Your mouth hangs after she finishes lecturing you like you’re in her classroom.

When you don’t reply as fast, she widens her already-large eyes as she takes a step closer. She repeats – more demanding now,

“I said ‘Do I make myself clear’?”

And you’re left to reply a shaky,

“Perfectly clear.”

What’s not clear is when you’re playing your console at days and she’ll suddenly use that voice on you, for the hundredth time,

“SeulGi! I told you a million times to turn the volume down!”

You stare at her – eyes and mouth open in shock, you try not to sound as sarcastic when you say, “Well, I’m sorry, Teacher Bae.”

She closes her eyes as she sighs, “Just, please, lower the damn volume?”

You exaggeratedly widen your eyes as you impishly smile to taunt her more, because you really just like pissing her off, as you raise the remote control high enough as to show her you decrease the volume.

“Ugh! Thank you!” She cynically says before going back to the bedroom.

Sometimes, you just swear you’re not sure whether she’s your girlfriend or your strict professor when she uses that tone on you.

And so you hate it. You loathe it.

Especially when you lose your self-control at times as you push her to the bed hastily. Your lips devouring hers as your hands skilfully thread their way pass through the buttons and inside her uniform.

“Seul–” She’s not even able to finish your name as you silence her with your mouth.

You quickly lift her so she can rest her head better on the pillow, your kisses never leaving her skin as you do.

“SeulGi,” She finally calls out to you, only for you to ignore it as you start taking a mouthful of her neck.

Your hands find their way to her clothed s – clothed because you have no patience in fully taking them off. She bargains, tries to, “SeulGi… L-Later…”

“SeulGi, I…” You try to keep her silent with your fervent lips again, prolonging her sentence, “… need… to finish… things.”

But even when she does end up saying it, you still trail kisses down to her collarbone. Still disregarding her reasons.

It’s only when you slide a hand up her thigh that she finally had the strength to push you away,

And again with that damned ‘teacher’ tone – so much for your dismay,

“Kang SeulGi! Behave yourself!!!”

So you’re left groaning and whimpering like a kicked puppy – but you’re kicked out of the bedroom instead.

Though you do like it at times – you very much like it, no, scratch that, you love it – when she submits to your demands and give what you – the both of you – want.

Finally.

And when you lay there after you finished, with her cuddling up your arm, or you huddling by her neck – bodies still pretty much pressed against each other – and you teasingly ask her to rate your ‘performance’, in which earns you a huge smile slapped across your face because she won’t even hesitate to always say,

“A++.”

 

You will hear a lot of stories about kids. A lot.

And you’ll surprise yourself because you’ll actually enjoy it.

You’ll enjoy it so much that you have invested a lot of time and emotion listening about the kids you’ve never even met.

Or maybe you did meet them, but they all are the same brats to you and so maybe you don’t remember.

All you remember is JooHyun sometimes coming home with paint stains on her face, or glitters by her hair, or crayon marks on her shirt.

And you always ask her why all children smell like pencils – and you’d get only a glare that would turn to her laugh – but you’re thankful that your girlfriend still smells like roses whenever she comes home from hell they call pre-school.

“So how were Joy and YeRim this time?” You ask as you welcome her into your embrace. Tough day, she said.

She hugs you sideways as she rests her forehead on your shoulder, “Tiring, as usual.”

“They keep on fighting?” You tuck some hair from her face, a grin already present on your lips.

“They keep on fighting!” She repeats to give more emphasis, “And they keep on picking on other kids!” She quickly looks up at you, almost bumping your nose in the process if you haven’t backed away fast enough, “On other kids twice their sizes! I swear, SeulGi, they make the boys cry.”

She finishes with a sigh as you chuckle at her statement. With her past stories about those two devils, it’s impossible not to imagine how they fight boys bigger than they are.

You remember how those two spawns of darkness tricked their classmate into eating clay – thinking it was candy.

You also remember gasping for breath as you laughed your off that story, which you get a hard slap as JooHyun said it was not funny because KyungSoo, the said classmate, could have had died.

You hear JooHyun sigh again, “SeungWan is the only one keeping me sane in that class. Gods, I thank her parents for giving birth to that kid.” She lazily rests her head on your shoulder once more as you rub her back to comfort her, while you restrain from laughing out loud. She pretty much knows you’re already snickering, anyway.

“Yeah? What did SeungWan do this time?” You lead her to sit on the couch so you can embrace her better.

She looks up at you again, eyes wide, making you open your eyes just as big, “She’s an angel! And angel is an understatement!

“She cleans her space, she says all the correct answers, she behaves well, she listens well, she stops YeRim and Joy from killing each other. Babe, you have no idea how badly I want to kidnap SeungWan.” Her emphasis on her desire to adopt SeungWan from the latter’s parents is so entertaining you can’t help but softly chuckle.

“Ugh, it’s just…” She peels herself off your arm to rest on your lap instead, “I’m just happy I’m home again.”

You play with her hair as she closes her eyes, maybe from the warm feeling you’re giving her. You tease, “So you can rant about them?”

She laughs at what you said as you feel her squeeze your knee, “Yeah.”

“Tell me more about your kids,” You continue to tangle your hand with her locks, “I like hearing your stories.”

“Is that sarcasm? Because I’ll really pinch you.” She threatens as she turns to properly face you.

“It’s true!” You giggle and you hope she wouldn’t take it the wrong way, “I mean it! I know your kids by heart! Oh! Give me an update about your sugar daddy!”

You see her scowl from the term you used, making you laugh a little louder. She corrects, “He’s not my ‘sugar daddy’! He’s a parent!”

“Yeah, he isn’t,” You taunt, “Like he doesn’t give you chocolates and flowers and stuff whenever they go on trips. Tell SuHo to tell his dad that he can’t win you no matter how rich he is.

You lightly tap her cheek as you jeer, “You’re already taken.”

She’s blushing, you know she is, because she quickly turns away as she says, “He’s not even courting me. Where did you even get that idea?”

You scoff, “Isn’t it obvious with the amount of things he gives you?”

It’s her turn to scoff at what you said, “He’s just grateful.”

“That’s why he asks for parent-teacher conferences every day?” You continue to , maybe you really has a loose screw when it comes to annoying her.

“Ugh!” She grunts, “It’s not like that! Stop putting malice on a good person!”

You only chuckle at the irritated response you were aiming for.

You gently touch her face so she can look better at you, “But you’d still choose me over him anytime, right?”

And she only stares at you for a moment – lovingly, even – before pulling your head down to let your lips meet with hers before she reassures you,

“Every time.”

 

You will laugh your off at the silly test answers of the kids.

Aside from the depressing stories of the stress-giving kids, JooHyun tells you fun stories about them as well.

When JooHyun would suddenly smile or giggle because she remembers what happened during their classes, and she’d share with you why she’s suddenly happy.

She tells you funny stories of what the kids did, or what they said, and you’d surprise yourself because you really enjoy it, too.

And maybe because you just really like it when JooHyun tells you stories, or when JooHyun simply speaks.

So you truly take delight in all her stories about the children.

Like that one time JooHyun told you about the kids jumping around like lunatics when she played a rather lively song for their morning exercise, and you hate JooHyun for always playing children’s songs repeatedly everyday because they stick in your head for a good two weeks.

You remember mentally cursing JooHyun because a song about monkeys jumping on the bed sticks in your head the whole day at work.

And you also remember that time your stomach hurt from too much laughing when she told you about the kids rolling on the floor like ‘fat, barrels of wine’ because the video sings about rolling under the sea, and it was too late for JooHyun to stop the kids from doing so.

But rather than the stories JooHyun tell you about the kids, you most certainly enjoy their answers the best.

Like that one time JooHyun showed you a test paper about the weather, and YuRi identified rainy day as ‘crying’.

Or that one time JooHyun asked the children their idea when it was right to marry and SooYoung instantly said,

“When they have money.”

You remember JooHyun laughing her heart out as she told the story, that you had a hard time getting the idea of it.

But she seems so happy, and so you’re happy as well.

But you were the happiest when you chanced upon an activity paper that asked them what they wanted to be when they grow up,

Because you find yourself stifling laughter as you run through their answers and their drawings of what they wanted to be in the future, with JooHyun watching over your shoulder as she quietly laughs as well.

You find a paper named after ChanYeol that said, ‘I want to be a police car.’

And you know that your girlfriend is the most supportive of dreams and aspirations, and you know that she’ll be there all throughout the kids’ journey to whatever they wanted to be, but there are just really some that are impossible to achieve. Some that JooHyun even admits to herself that she can’t help the kids to attain,

Because then she shows you YeRim’s paper with a drawing of a what it seems to be a girl with wings and what you assumed is a wand based on the caption under it that says, ‘I want to be a fairy’.

But the winner of your tears and your loudest laugh as your stomach contract is Joy’s answer – giving justice to her name – on what she wants to be when she grows up, surprising you because it’s unexpectedly the most practical,

‘I want to be rich.’

 

You will learn how to love school because of their open-events.

When you were still studying, you always looked forward to school events. Not just because there are no classes and it’s your free time, but because you can actually interact with others, or simply spend some time with yourself.

So when you started dating JooHyun, you expected nonetheless that they’ll also have school activities.

And you weren’t disappointed because they have…. A lot.

You’re happy about it because some events are open to everyone, even to outsiders.

Which means you are pretty much entitled to go over JooHyun’s school and visit her and spend time with her on her work hours.

And what you like the most is their Valentine’s Day special where their school holds a fair and an open-microphone which people who like to sing can actually do sing to their hearts content.

“You’ll go, right?” She asks you the night before.

“Is that even a question?” You glance over her from the bed you’re sitting on to give her a puzzled look, “Of course I’ll go.”

“But the event doesn’t start until the afternoon,” She says as she changes to her night clothes, “Pre-school still has classes in the morning, we’ll be freed before lunch still.”

You close the book you’re reading and put it aside the lamp table, “I can wait, I’ll just roam around your school in the morning.”

“Go to work, you lazy bum.” She pats your legs as to say scoot over.

“But I want to watch you work,” You do scoot over but not until some seconds and she gives you a stern look, “I always wanted to watch you do your teaching thing, makes me wonder if  you’re nicer.”

“I am nice,” She highlights the fact, you do know that she is, “I just don’t like you interrupting my class, or making fun of the kids.”

“Oh, yeah! I’ll finally see the kids!” You exclaimed, now you’re even more excited, making JooHyun whimper in your newfound persistence, “Oh, I’m so going to your school!”

“Ugh, SeulGi,” She buries her face on your chest, “Just don’t bug me or the kids too much, okay?”

You chuckle as you eagerly raise your free hand like swearing an oath, “I promise! Cross my heart!”

But you guess it was easier said than done,

Because then you find yourself – JooHyun finds you – standing outside her classroom. Peering in like a stalker by the window – with your wide grin reflecting how satisfied you are, JooHyun stealing glances from you as if to threaten you.

Maybe one of your perks is that some of her co-teachers know you already, and so they don’t really pay much mind to you. You guess that maybe it’s because even though you have no idea if they know about you and JooHyun – but you don’t mind if they do or don’t – you’re already no stranger to them anymore, the least.

So you watch and observe JooHyun and her children. The way some of those brats run around while JooHyun’s assistant-teacher keeps the others seated down.

And JooHyun looks so cute and motherly with the way she carries a child in her arms. You assumed that the kid is Amber, the energetic kid that goes over table to table to talk to her classmates. You remember JooHyun telling you she has to carry Amber most of the time to refrain the child from disrupting classes too much.

And the said kid puts JooHyun’s face in both her little hands as JooHyun makes cute faces at her as little Amber playfully kisses your girlfriend on the lips, with JooHyun playfully evading more of it.

It’s funny because you’re both amused and envious of the child all of a sudden so you just shake your head as a small chuckle makes its way out.

You also notice the amount of flowers and chocolates, and stuffed toys that are on and around your girlfriend’s table. If she was in another profession, you would most likely think that she’s cheating on you with five hundred more people with the amount of Valentine’s gifts she receives.

You unintentionally look at the bouquet you’re holding. Sometimes it boosts your ego that amidst all those that JooHyun receives, she values yours the most. But sometimes, your confidence falters when you actually see the amount of love that she receives from the kids and teachers and parents alike.

Because you wonder why JooHyun sticks around you for too long when she can have someone better for her.

So you just continue to watch them until JooHyun can’t take it anymore and goes out to meet you.

“What do you want?” She asks you in a frustrated whisper that you find so adorable you just giggled.

“I brought you breakfast!” You show her the paper bag you have, the bouquet still behind you, your wide smile still on your stupid face – stupid because you’re used to her call it like that.

“We already ate,” She says but she takes it from you anyway, “I told you to go to work for the morning half, right? I thought we were clear about that?”

“But I can’t stay still at work,” You do short jumps like a kid, “I need to see you.”

Her eyebrows start to furrow but you know she’s not mad – she’s nowhere near mad.

Because then you hand the bouquet of her favourite flowers to her, and her eyes widen for a bit.

Is she still not used to you giving her some?

And you know she’s not mad because there’s that faint pink colour on her cheeks again that makes you smile a little bit wider still.

“Take that smile off your stupid face, stupid.”

See?

She curses at you but you know it’s more of an endearment on her side because she suddenly can’t look at you properly as she bites her lips – taking the flowers into her hands as if she’ll lose it the moment she lets go of it.

“This is why I don’t want you here.” She mumbles, so weak you are