A flurry of whispers erupts the moment Ms. Jeong steps into the classroom. She smiles coyly behind a pair of wire glasses with her hands casually tucked into the pockets of her pants. A few students openly stare, and more than one look away with a blush on their cheeks. Ms. Jeong showing up in the middle of class isn’t an odd occurrence, but rarely does she have such a mischievous look on her face.

“Ms. Jeong, is there something I can help you with?” Ms. Park asks kindly, even as her students notice the slight tick in her eyebrow that indicates she’s annoyed.

Ms. Jeong chuckles, and a few spines straighten at the sound. “I seem to have misplaced my third period’s tests,” Ms. Jeong explains breezily. “I thought I might have left them here.”

Another rush of whispers spread through the room as the students speculate about what Ms. Jeong had been doing in the room and what made her forget the tests. It doesn’t come as a surprise to any of the students. Ms. Jeong has been seen in Ms. Park’s classroom all the time during lunch and after school. The news sparks the students’ curiosity nonetheless.

“They’re not here,” Ms. Park tells her firmly.

Ms. Jeong raises an eyebrow and says, “You aren’t even going to check?”

“I keep my desk clean. I know what’s there and what’s not,” Ms. Park replies pointedly.

“Okay,” Ms. Jeong nods, even lifting her hands in a mocking surrender. She turns to the students who aren’t even hiding the fact that they’re watching the interaction with avid attention. “Study hard,” Ms. Jeong drawls with a lazy smile. “You don’t want to make Ms. Park mad. Trust me.”

With that, Ms. Jeong wanders out of the room, leaving an almost heavy atmosphere in her wake. The students wait until they’re sure she’s far enough away before they burst with a thousand questions.

“Ms. Park, are you dating Ms. Jeong?”

“Why did Ms. Jeong think she left her papers here?”

“What did Ms. Jeong do to make you mad?”

“Why are you so formal with Ms. Jeong?”

Ms. Park’s face steadily reddens with every question, and the wiser students cower as they watch their teacher’s patience visibly wane. It barely takes ten more seconds before Ms. Park snaps and yells, “Hey! Who’s the teacher here?” The room goes silent immediately, and the students look at her with wide eyes and their lips pressed into nervous lines. “Those questions are all completely inappropriate and none of your business. Ms. Jeong is a colleague. Let’s leave it at that, shall we?”

The students shrink away from the stern tone and all murmur a chastised, “Yes ma’am.”

“Good,” Ms. Park huffs. “Get out your books, so we can discuss your next essays.”

Meanwhile, Ms. Jeong makes her way over to the athletic wing of the school for her conference period. She greets the students she recognizes and pretends she doesn’t notice the staring, whispering, and generally mild chaos that her presence causes. While the students stretch and linger in little gossiping groups, Ms. Jeong sidles up next to Ms. Yoon.

“Good afternoon,” Ms. Jeong says as a quiet student nearby eavesdrops.

Ms. Yoon gives her a bright grin as she says, “Hi! Bored in your room alone?”

It’s a well established fact around the school that Ms. Jeong and Ms. Yoon are best friends. Apparently they attended both high school and university together, and it’s thanks to Ms. Yoon that the school hired Ms. Jeong in the first place.

“Yeah, I finished marking exams, so I figured I’d stretch out my legs,” Ms. Jeong shrugs.

Ms. Yoon nods then says with a sly smile, “I heard you created quite the stir in Chorong’s third period.”

“Eyy, I just asked if she had my missing tests,” Ms. Jeong says as she rolls her eyes. “Students always make it seem like we’re two seconds from ripping each other’s clothes off.”

“Aren’t you?”

“No!” Ms. Jeong nearly shouts. She freezes when all the girls near them turn to look at her curiously. She blushes then says, “Go back to stretching before you break a toe or something.”

The girls giggle before looking away, but the quiet student can’t help but continue listening.

“I already told you it’s not like that between me and Chorong,” Ms. Jeong whispers harshly, but the words feel like a blatant lie.

Ms. Yoon gives her a look like she knows and says, “Well, maybe it should be. You should see the sparks between the two of you. It’s basically a fireworks show every time you talk to her.”

“I’m never coming to visit you during my conference period again,” Ms. Jeong says with a scowl, walking away.

“See you soon!” Ms. Yoon calls out to her with a laugh.

After school, Ms. Jeong goes to Ms. Park’s classroom. Except with the final bell that rings, the two of them simply become Eunji and Chorong.

“Hey,” Eunji says, poking her head through the doorway with a shy smile.

Chorong looks up from her computer and smiles back brightly. “Hey! I was wondering if you’d show up.”

“Why wouldn’t I?” Eunji asks as she walks in. She clears some paper out of the way before hopping onto Chorong’s desk. She swings her legs and stares down at the other woman. “I always come by after school, even if it’s just for a few minutes.”

“I was sort of rude to you earlier,” Chorong points out.

Eunji laughs and says, “That? Don’t worry about it, Chorong. Besides, I was basically asking for it by coming in the middle of your class.” She reaches out and tucks a loose strand of hair behind Chorong’s ear, fingers lingering against the other woman’s cheek. Eunji snaps out of it quickly though and blames Bomi for putting those very tempting ideas in her head. “I hope your class wasn’t too rowdy after I left?” Eunji says.

“They were insufferable,” Chorong tells her bluntly. “They always ask if we’re dating.” She rolls her eyes and adds blandly, “As if.”

Eunji tries not to feel offended as she tries to laugh and says, “Right… as if.”

Her tone must be off because Chorong looks away from her computer screen to give her a scrutinizing look. “What, you don’t think those rumors are dumb?”

“Of course I do,” Eunji replies sharply. She takes a deep breath and centers herself before saying, “I just didn’t realize the idea of dating me was so repulsive.”

“Oh Eunji,” Chorong says softly, standing up so they’re face-to-face. She reaches out and places her hands on Eunji’s shoulders. “Of course not. It’s just really annoying that the only thing that holds my kids’ attention in my class is my dating life.”

“That’s not true,” Eunji shakes her head, gently taking Chorong’s hands in her own. “Your kids love your class. I hear them talk about it all the time.”

A blush brightens Chorong’s cheeks as she ducks her head shyly. “Really?”

“Of course,” Eunji says. She glances down at her watch and sighs. “I better get going. I told Bomi I would help with volleyball practice today. Apparently her usual assistant coach is out sick with the flu.” Eunji hops down from the desk, but in doing so, she falls in the small space between Chorong and the desk, leaving her more or less pressed up against Chorong.

Eunji flushes and goes to apologize when Chorong leans in and kisses her. She flails for a moment before she regains her sense and kisses back. It’s a short kiss, but Eunji still feels entirely too warm now as Chorong pulls away.

“I guess those rumors weren’t so dumb after all?” Eunji can’t help but laugh.

Chorong blushes even darker than before and hits Eunji’s shoulder. “You were just… And we’d just been talking about…” She shakes her head and spits out hastily, “I just wanted to know what it would be like.”

“How was it?” Eunji asks lowly, hesitantly placing her hands on Chorong’s hips. She her lips and asks, “Did you like it?”

Chorong peers at her through her eyelashes as she answers softly but firmly, “I liked it, a lot.”

Without thinking, Eunji kisses Chorong, backing her up against the whiteboard. She swallows the noise of surprise Chorong makes and presses herself closer. She doesn’t even think to double-check if she closed the door behind her earlier. All Eunji can focus on now is how Chorong is a really good kisser, right down to how her tongue–

“Oh my god!”

Chorong pushes Eunji away from her so quickly and roughly that Eunji stumbles into the desk behind her. The two women stare at each other for a moment before turning to the newcomer. It’s thankfully not a student, but the dancer teacher Ms. Kim is staring at them like Christmas came early.

“Namjoo,” Eunji says in a warning tone, even if the effect is lessened by the fact that she’s ninety percent sure her hair is messed up and she’s got Chorong’s lipstick smeared across her face.

“I can’t believe I’m gonna win the faculty pool!” Namjoo squeals.

Eunji can’t help but laugh while Chorong shrieks, “There’s a faculty betting pool?”

“Yes, since like Eunji’s second day working here,” Namjoo nods brightly. “I have to tell Bomi!” Before either woman can stop her, Namjoo darts away, cackling happily.

“I’m going to kill her,” Chorong mutters darkly.

“Aw, she’s such a cute kid though,” Eunji grins as she walks back over to her. She isn’t fazed when Chorong glares daggers at her, giving her a quick peck. “Now, since the betting pool is going to hear all about it, not to mention the kids soon enough, we might as well make this more official, don’t you think?”

“Official?” Chorong repeats curiously.

“Yes, will you go out on a date with me, Ms. Park?” Eunji asks with a cheeky smile.

Chorong can’t help the smile on her face, even as she rolls her eyes and says, “Yes, yes I will go on a date with you, Ms. Jeong.”