Chapter 1

            I sat on my desk, looking outside the window while my other classmates go around chatting with each other. I did not mind the noise that was filling the air as thoughts clouded up my mind. What happened to me and my brother was just too sudden and it was overlapping inside my mind. Today is the first month of school and my first month of being a high school student. I already anticipated that a lot of challenges and hard one’s too will come my way. But I have to admit that I am facing them just fine.

            “Good morning class!” I was able to recover because of him, our seonsaengnim.

            “Good morning seonsaengnim!” I looked up at him while the other students took their seats immediately. He put the piles of books on his desk and arranged his round glasses.

            “How was your weekend?” he asked. You must wonder why he is involved with my messy life. But it really is a secret that we must keep.

            “It was great seonsaengnim! I spent time with my family.”

            “I studied for the exam!”

            “Really? That is very good.” He skimmed around the room and finally, our eyes met. “Good morning Miss Yoon.” He greeted with his innocent eyes and gentle smile.

            Our secret is something that you should not tell others.

            Because seonsaengnim and I,

            “How are you Miss Yoon?”

            …are engaged.

            “Good morning seonsaengnim! I am good, thank you.” I answered.

            And no one, not even a single soul in this school knows.

            “Good! Let us start our class.”

            It all happened the night when I ran away from home with my brother. It was dark, cold and raining that night. We waited in a waiting shed near the school as my brother, Mansae, slept on my lap. Seonsaengnim was just getting home from school when he saw the two of us with our things in the shed.

            “Miss Yoon!” he greeted as he saw me, his eyes running on our luggages. “Is something wrong? It is raining hard and it’s cold, you might get sick.” He took a step towards us and saw my brother sleeping on my lap. He put aside his umbrella and settled under the shed. I did not say anything. He sighed and continued, “Look, if you have a problem, why don’t we talk about it and let me get you home?”

            “I don’t want to. I don’t have a home anyway.” I said coldly, not looking at his face.

            “Don’t say that Miss Yoon, come on, let me take you home.” He put a hand on Mansae’s shoulder and tried to take him from me.

            “Don’t!” I jerked his hand away and hugged Mansae tightly, still not waking up by the noise that I made. “Leave us alone, you’ve got nothing to do with us.” I looked at him and saw his eyes, so gentle and so caring that is full of concern.

            “Of course I have something to do with you, I am your homeroom teacher, I should be taking care of you.” He said as he lowered his head down so he can look me closer in the eyes.

            “What can you possibly do? My parents are dead, my relatives hate me. They even wanted me and my brother gone. I am tired of it!” I feel my voice rise and my breathing got heavier.

            “I don’t think I can solve something like that in an instant but you can come with me and let me help you.” He said as he put his hand on my right shoulder.

            “I’ve got no place to go.”

            “Let me take you home.”

            “No! Take us in instead!” I did not even know where that idea came from. But it was already out, no taking back!

            “What?” he was shocked, I can tell it. He did not know what to say after that.

            “You said you’d help us.”

            “Yes, but-“

            “So you can’t keep your words! I thought you’re concerned seonsaengnim!”

            “Of course I am!”

            “Then take us in!” Both our voices were rising and yes you’re right, we are fighting.

            “But-“

            “You can support us right?! You care about our future?!” I just can’t think of other ways, he is the only one who could take care of us. I still care for my brother’s future, never mind what will happen to me. As long as Mansae will grow up and have a good life, it does not matter what will happen to me.

            “Of course I can! Yes! I am your homeroom teacher!”

            “So take us to your home and take care of us!”

            “But taking a student in my home is not proper!” I put Mansae on the chair and stood up. I just can’t take this fight any longer. I looked straight in his eyes and blurted out the words.

            “Then marry me!” Both of us were fighting and raising our voices and I just proposed to my homeroom teacher. “Marry me and take us in! I think it’s proper to take home a wife and not a student!” We were silent for a moment and we are just looking at each other, shocked from the words that came out of my mouth. “Seonsaengnim, we have nowhere to go. My relatives don’t care about me and Mansae. They always mistreated us! I’d rather die than go home!”

            “Okay then! I will marry you!”

            That’s my little secret. I, Yoon Bora, 16 years old am engaged to my homeroom teacher, Do Kyungsoo, 25 years old and it all happened in just minutes.

            “I will take you in and will be responsible for you and your brother.” It happened a month ago. I have been staying in seonsaengnim’s house for one month. I do not know seonsaengnim that much. I just saw him on the high school building when I was in grade school. Now that I am already a freshman in high school, he became my homeroom teacher. We are not that close but I am trying hard to be nice to him since he accepted my proposal and took me and my brother in. Staying with him for one month made me realize that he really is a good person. Maybe he took us in out of pity. But in that one month, I have developed these feelings I have never felt before. Yes, I already have feelings for seonsaengnim.

Back to present:

            “Don’t forget to study and finish your assignments! We will check them tomorrow.” He said as he arranged his glasses, closing the book he lectured to us. Some students who have crush on him went straight in front of his desk and pretended to ask something from the lesson just to have a chat with seonsaengnim. I stood up and stormed outside the room, I can’t stand those eyesores. “Miss Yoon! Is something the matter?” he peeked his head outside the door so he could see me.

            “Nothing!” I said as I grunted and stumped my feet heavily as I left him with the other girls. I sat outside the building, under a huge tree. I fell on the grass and felt the coldness of the earth underneath me. I grabbed by lunchbox inside my bag seonsaengnim made for me. Mansae also have one. I opened the lunchbox and saw kimbob rolled up neatly. I felt happy that time, knowing seonsaeng-nim really cared for me. I pulled my hair and tucked it behind my ear as the wind blew behind my back, taking my chopsticks and having a first bite of the kimbob. It was really good! This kimbob made by seonsaengnim, it nearly melted my heart. The wind from behind me suddenly vanished and arms were suddenly wrapped around me. I looked around and saw seonsaengnim.

            “Seonsaengnim!” I shrieked as the surprise overwhelmed me. I can feel the heat rise up to my cheeks as seonsaengnim wrapped his arms around me.

            “My cute wife.” He said as he leaned his head closer to mine.

            “You are crazy! Someone will see us!” I pushed him away as I looked around, checking if someone saw us.

            “I checked first, no one’s around.” He sat behind me and was chuckling to himself. I frowned as I watched him. I am relieved that no one saw us. I don’t want to burden seonsaengnim. “Did you like you lunch?” he asked as he smiled at me. Gosh my face is burning red.

            “Y-yes. Thank you seonsaengnim.” I answered as I lowered my head for him to avoid my silly-looking face.

            “You must eat a lot. A student, moreover a growing lady needs nutrients.” He took the chopsticks from me and took one kimbob. “Say ahhh my cute wife.” He said, opening his mouth and saying “ahhh”

            “Ahhh.” He was feeding me! I chewed the kimbob and covered my mouth with my palm, still for him to avoid seeing me blushing.

            “I have to go now, next period is coming up. Just call me if you need anything. Don’t be late, okay? Get inside, it’s cold out here.” He stood up and patted my head. I watched him as he went towards the building.

            Thoughts suddenly filled up my mind. How lucky I am to have been able to meet such a kind person like him. He took me and my little brother into his house without asking anything in return. I wonder how I could repay his kindness someday. Each day, I am realizing that my feelings for him are growing more and more though there is no assurance that he feels the same. I have to hide what I truly feel for him because I might end up hurting in the end. Do Kyungsoo, is the name of the man I fell for this hard for the very first time. He is the first man to make me feel this way. I can’t explain myself either. Maybe this what falling in love means.