▬ Chapter 4: Year 10: Love ▬

“Okay, class.” Jinki clapped his paint-stained hands to get their attention. “Place your easels by that rack to let them dry out. We’ll continue this assignment tomorrow.”

Sounds of chairs scraping by the cold, hard floor as the students did as told made Jinki wince. Even after all this while, he still couldn’t get used to the loud noise. Being a demon, their senses are far more sensitive — sight, smell, taste, hearing, and even touch, all were far more superior than an average human’s. What ticked him off the most was what happened next. The sound of the bell dismissing the students to their next class or at this moment, signify the end of the day.

“Ugh, I can never get used to that darn bell,” he mumbled to himself as he cleaned up as well.

“You and me both,” a student replied beside him. “I get drained out every time I hear that thing.”

Jinki didn’t even have to look to his side to know who it was. The voice belonged to none other than a student named Yongnam. He was practically good at everything — sports, math, you name it. But personally, for him, Yongnam was average in art.

“You still owe me that research paper, Yongnam.” Jinki went behind his table and fixed his papers, ready to leave for the day. “You’re a college student so get a hold of yourself.”

“I still don’t know how you can differentiate us two when we practically have the same voice and mannerisms,” the student snickered as he referred to his twin brother who went out first. “You have some sort of powers, right?”

His teacher just stared at him, not really giving any sort of expression. No one really knew about him being a demon and he’d like to keep it that way.

“I was kidding!” The student raised both of his hands in defeat. Yongnam then took out a thin stack of stapled papers from his backpack. “I just wanted to give you this. Thanks for granting me that extension, Mr. Lee.”

“Sure,” Jinki took the paper from his student and gave him a sly smirk, “Next time, getting too drunk instead of finishing your paper will no longer be a valid excuse.”

Yongnam’s eyes widened. From what he remembered, that wasn’t nearly as close to what he said as an excuse when his teacher asked for the whereabouts of his paper the next day. He even thought he cleaned himself well before going to class considering that the class happened late in the afternoon. He practically stayed in the bathroom since the moment he woke up until it was time to leave.

“I-I don’t know what you’re talking about. How’d you even get to that?” He worriedly laughed.

“Firstly, you looked disoriented when you came in,” Jinki started without even looking up from what he was doing. “Secondly, you usually make snarky comments the moment you enter the room but you never did the entire class period. Third, you don’t even have a dog so the ‘my dog ate my homework’ excuse doesn’t even apply to you.”

“How would you know I don’t have a dog?” He questioned back.

“Please,” Jinki said matter of factly, “You said you lived in the dorms and that your roommate was allergic to fur. The school would be furious if they knew you had an animal hiding in there.” His nose twitched a bit from remembering that day.

Plus that strong alcohol stench didn’t make it any better.

Before he could list more, the student stopped him, “Okay, you got me. Please don’t tell my parents or the principal.” He pleaded. “You’re unusually perceptive, unlike other professors. How come you didn’t say anything then?”

Jinki looked up from reading the contents in his folder and lowered the glasses sitting on top of his nose a bit, “Because I care about my students and their grades. I don’t want to fail anyone for asinine reasons.”

Yongnam smiled in understanding. “Thanks again, Mr. Lee. You know, you’re not as cold and indifferent as what others make you out to be.” Jinki raised an eyebrow. Did students really think of him that way? “Anyway, bye! See you tomorrow!”

Once Yongnam left, the sound of hurried footsteps and a calm pacing one right behind it resonated across the halls a few moments later.

“Dad!” Taemin’s face popped up from the door. He then ran up the steps to the front of the room to give his father a hug. “Uncle Kibum dropped me here!”  

“I can see.” Jinki looked at the other man by the door, waiting for an explanation.

“He said he wanted to see where you worked,” Kibum shrugged. “So here we are.”

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