Oh gosh here she goes again. 

Minjeong sighs, for the nth time that day, as she stares at a certain literature professor, who is currently busy “subtly” staring at their faculty’s chairperson. 

“Hey, you okay? You can take a break you know. We’re almost done encoding grades anyway. Still can’t get over the fact that Aeri passed. Wow.”

“Jimin unnie, never underestimate the power of deadlines. Aeri unnie may slack off most of the time, but she still can pull it off once she realizes how close we are to ending this academic year. Also, yeah I’m fine. I’m just getting so very frustrated with Ms. Bae and Ms. Son. Gosh.”

“Eh? Why?” Jimin asks, as her fingers hover over the laptop’s keyboard, attention shifting from the excel file she’s working on to the other girl beside her.

“You see, earlier this day Ms. Bae found the same cup of coffee on her desk, with a baby blue sticky note saying ‘Hope you have a great day’. Then she looks around, shrugs, then drinks the coffee.”

Jimin was confused, not quite following what Minjeong was trying to tell. “Uhm… your point is?” Minjeong slowly looks at Jimin’s eye, with a bored look, not believing this unnie doesn’t see what she sees. “Unnie. We’ve been Ms. Son’s student teachers this whole sem. We’ve spent most of our time here in the faculty room. We pretty much know almost every single thing in here and to whom it belongs. We know Ms. Son is always the first one to arrive. We know she loves that coffee shop around the corner, and it has the same logo as that coffee on Ms. Bae’s desk every single morning. Furthermore, all of the professors here in this faculty uses that boring yellow sticky note, only Ms. Son uses a blue sticky note.” Minjeong rolls her eyes, then she looks at Jimin again and whispers, “How can Ms. Bae be this oblivious?! Why won’t Ms. Son just… you know?! Talk to her or tell her she likes her or something?! I hate watching the both of them being so hopeless like this when they clearly like each other! UGH.”

Jimin purses her lips, preventing herself from laughing too much. Minjeong is frustrated, alright. “Hold on, I understand where ‘Ms. Son likes Ms. Bae’ comes from, I clearly see it now, but how did you come to the conclusion that Ms. Bae likes Ms. Son too?” She asks, realizing what Minjeong said just now. 

“Watch this.” Minjeong says, as she grabs the book reviews submitted by a class being handled by Ms. Son, and walks toward the professor’s desk. 

“Ms. Son, here are the book reviews on Lois Lowry’s The Giver that you asked class 3-7 to do last week.”

“Oh, thanks Minjeong. I’ll go check them now. Are you done checking the worksheets from the other class?”

“Yes, Jimin unnie’s encoding their grades now.”

“That was fast! Thank you, please wait a little longer, I’ll treat you both to some burgers.” the professor tells Minjeong, with a smile. 

Free food! Nice! 

“Sure, Ms. Son! Thank you!” Minjeong bows one last time, before returning to the desk she and Jimin share.

“What was I supposed to watch? How did you get us free burgers?”

“No, but you can admit it was cool! Listen, everytime Ms. Son is focused on doing something,” Minjeong pauses, then slowly points towards Ms. Bae’s direction by pouting her lips “Ms. Bae stares at her… and then… you count 17 seconds. You’ll see.”

Jimin does what Minjeong says. She stares at Ms. Bae, and true enough, their chairperson was looking at Ms. Son through the papers she was reading previously. While counting 1-17 in her head, she was shocked to see what she just witnessed. 

1...2...3...4..5...6…

Ms. Bae hides her face with the papers she was holding

7.. 8… 9… 10...11...12...13…

Ms. Bae puts down the papers on her desk

14...15...16...17

Ms. Bae fans her face and a pinkish tint starts to appear on her cheeks

“See what I mean unnie? They’re both helpless.” 

Jimin nods, and suddenly an idea pops in her head. She held Minjeong’s shoulders, and looked into the latter’s eyes. “This won’t do, Minjeong. I refuse to graduate from this university without seeing them finally get together. We have to help them.” Minjeong’s eyes widened, thinking it was a very dumb idea. “No no no no. I refuse to get in the way of fate. I don’t want to get involved.”

“Oh come on! Just think of it as  fate that we were Ms. Son’s chosen student teachers, and got to witness this cheesy love story.” Minjeong was about to answer when Ms. Son appeared behind her. “Let’s go kids! Uhm… we’re done for today Ms. Bae… see you tomorrow.” 

Ms. Bae clears , and smiles at the trio “Sure. See you!” 

*at the burger place* 

“I didn’t know the both of you loved double patty this much.” Says Ms. Son, amused by how the two are happily eating her treat. “Hehe. Thanks for the food Ms. Son.” says Jimin. “Oh come on Jimin, I told you you can call me Wendy-unnie outside campus. We’ve been together for almost half a year already. And besides, I treat you both as my sisters anyway.” says Wendy, laughing at how shy the two students got. “Well then. Wendy unnie. Since you treat us as family now, can I be blunt and ask you something?”asks Minjeong while chewing her burger. 

Wendy was clearly confused, but she’s curious as well so she tells Minjeong, “Sure, go ahead, what is it?”

“Really unnie? I can ask anything? It may be a bit personal…”

“It’s okay, Minjeong. You got me curious here, come on spit it out.” Answers Wendy, then grabs her iced tea and takes a sip. 

“Why don’t you just ask Ms. Bae on a date?”

Wendy was obviously caught off guard with the question, and chokes on her iced tea. Jimin immediately runs to her side and rubs the latter’s back. “You fine unnie?”

“Yeah… yeah thanks Jimin-a. Why the sudden question Minjeong?”

“Well… it’s just that… you know… you’re not so subtle unnie. We notice things… hehe.”

“Is that so… wow I thought I was slick. Well… you know… I like her for years now… I think I liked her from the first time we met. I remember her holding the elevator open for me on the day I applied for this job. She was confused why I got off the same floor as her, only to find out I was the person she was supposed to interview that day. That was the first time I heard her laugh, and I still haven’t forgotten how melodic it sounds.” says Wendy, eyes far away from where they are… like she suddenly traveled through time and was living in that certain memory. 

Minjeong snaps her fingers in front of Wendy’s face, which effectively brings her back to the present. “Ehem… sorry  about that. Hahaha” Jimin stares at her in disbelief. Minjeong just lets out a huff and says “Unnie, if you like someone, just tell them. That saying ‘Action speaks louder than words’ won’t work on everyone, specially if the other person is as dense as Ms. Bae” 

“Really, Minjeong You really think Irene is dense?” Wendy deadpans, then looks at Jimin, who has been silent for quite a while now. Minjeong just laughs, failing to notice how the other unnie is a blushing mess. 

A few minutes later, the three are ready to go home. “Bye, my beloved unnies!” Minjeong suddenly says, taking a step back as she was holding her phone. “Oh, Minjeong, you’re not taking the bus with Jimin today?” asks Wendy, as she looks at the disappointed look on Jimin’s face. “No, Taeyeon unnie just sent me a text, says she’s around this area and she would be taking me home with her.” “Oh.. okay then. Bye! Take care.”

 “Bye Minjeong! Say hi to Taeyeon unnie for me.” says Jimin.

“Sure!”

Wendy was about to walk away with Jimin when they both heard running footsteps coming closer. As Jimin turned around, Minjeong came and gave Jimin a bear hug. “See you tomorrow unnie” She hears Minjeong say, before pulling away, and after bidding the both of them goodbye, starts to walk back to the burger place and wait for her unnie. 

Wendy just sighs, and pats Jimin’s back. Jimin turns to her, and just smiles. “It must take a dense person to know another dense person, doesn’t it Wendy unnie?” she just laughs, before looking at her student. “I guess so… come on, I’ll accompany you to the bus stop.” 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Minjeong spots Jimin on her usual waiting spot - the bench beside the tennis field. Ever since they became Wendy’s student teachers, she always finds Jimin waiting for her there, and walks with her to the faculty room. They’re not from the same class, so she just knew Jimin once they became student teachers. In between their duties, both of them have 3 hour classes. Jimin always walks with her to her class, even though her class was on the opposite building. 

Aigoo this unnie. She knows she can wait for me at the faculty room though. 

Jimin spots her coming nearer, and stands up, waving her hand. Minjeong runs to her. “Good morning unnie! Let’s go! I bet Ms. Son’s already there.”  and together, the two walked to the faculty room. 

When they opened the door, they were a little bit surprised by what they saw. 

Ms. Son is still not there.

But Ms. Bae was already there, in the process of turning on her PC. 

Jimin clears , before greeting Ms. Bae. “Good morning, Ms. Bae.”

“Oh, Ms. Yoo. Ms. Kim. You’re early.”

“Uhm… yeah… may I ask, Ms. Bae.. have you seen Ms. Son? She usually arrives before us…”

“Oh. No… I have not.”

“Oh… okay Ms. Bae. Thank you.”

As Jimin and Minjeong settles on their desk, the door opens and in came Ms. Son, holding two cups of iced coffee. 

The two students looks at each other with wide eyes, then back to Ms. Son.

“Good morning everyone!” Ms. Son greets everyone with a blinding smile that could render the sun jobless. The two students watch with amazement as Ms. Son walks toward Ms. Bae’s desk, who was busy looking for something from the drawers behind her. 

“Ehem. Good morning Ms. Bae.” The latter was startled for a moment, then turns to look at Ms. Son. 

“Uhm… I got this for you.” says Ms. Son, placing the cup of coffee on Ms. Bae’s desk. They can see a blue sticky note stuck on the cup’s lid. Ms. Son bowed, then turns around to leave, but not before hearing the very silent “Thank you” from Ms. Bae.

“Daebak.” Says Minjeong, while watching both of them doing their jobs, with pinkish tints on their cheeks and the tips of their ears. 

A few weeks passed by, and Minjeong was happy to see that Ms. Bae and Ms. Son started going out with each other. Everything was going smoothly, and she really was happy for her professor. 

She and Jimin were once again at the faculty room, checking yet another bunch of worksheets. 

“I’m so happy for Ms. Son. I’m happy she finally got the courage and just asked Ms. Bae out. It looks like it’s going well between the two of them.”

“Yeah… we didn’t need to meddle after all. All it takes was you to slap some sense in Ms. Son, and then,” whatever Jimin was about to say was cut off by Ms. Son’s voice coming from the door. “Hey you two! What are you doing here, it’s lunch time. Come with us. My treat.”

“Oh that’s not necessa-”

“Ya, what are you saying Jimin unnie, it’s free food!” Minjeong cuts her off, and was already standing and fixing her things. “Come on, don’t let Ms. Son wait. Let’s eat!”

Jimin just sighs, and follows Minjeong to the door, and on their way to the cafeteria.

“Oh, we’re eating with Ms. Bae? Is it okay, Ms. Son?” asks Minjeong.

“Of course. It was her who requested you two to be here.”

“Wait really?” asked Minjeong again, then turned to face Jimin. “Unnie, are we in trouble?”

“No, you idiot.” answers Jimin, earning a glare from Minjeong. They reached their table, Wendy sat beside Irene, and the two sat across them.

“I brought some tteokbokki with me, I was planning to share them with all of you.” says Irene, while handing out the three lunch boxes.

“Wow, thank you Ms. Bae!” 

“Oh wait hold on, I’ll buy us some drinks.” Wendy says, as she stands up again and goes to the counter. 

The two were left with Irene, and quite shy because they really have not talked to their chairperson a lot. Even though they know she is not the scary kind.

“You know…” Irene says, which immediately caught the attention of the two.

“Wendy has told me a lot about you two, how responsible student teachers you are. How smart the both of you are…. How close you both have become….”

Irene pauses, smiling at the other two. Then she looks directly at Minjeong. 

“Wendy told me something you said about me, Ms. Kim.”

Minjeong panics, remembering what she said to Wendy at that burger house.

Jimin, on the other hand, looks at Irene with wide eyes, opening and closing like a fish out of water. 

“Oh gosh don’t worry, I’m not mad. It’s just so funny to me. I wasn’t oblivious, by the way. I’ve had my suspicions that Wendy likes me, you know. I just don’t want to assume too much, so I waited for her to just come forward and ask me out.” Irene says with a smile, before looking over at Wendy, lined up at the counter. 

“Oh.. is that so… Well still, I’m happy for the both of you Ms. Bae. I’m sorry about that, please forget I ever said that you’re oblivious.” says Minjeong sheepishly. 

“No, really it’s fine. And just so you know, the oblivious one here isn’t me.” Irene says with a smirk, then sends a very subtle wink to Jimin. 

“Eh? Ms. Bae, what do you mean?”

“Tadaa!! I got everyone a lemon juice! It’s the only healthy beverage they have right now, so I hope you don’t mind?”

“That’s fine, silly. Come on, let’s eat.”

It was 6pm, Jimin and Minjeong were on their way home. Jimin observes Minjeong, walking with her head low, obviously deep in thought. 

“A penny for your thought?” 

“Jimin unnie. I think Ms. Bae just told me I’m dense.”

“Why do you think so?”

“I don’t know, she said that to me in my face earlier at lunch didn’t she?”

Jiimin just sighs, and stops walking, grabbing Minjeong’s wrist. 

“When you told Wendy unnie to just tell Ms. Bae that she likes her, and that ‘Actions speak louder than words’ does not apply to everyone, do you really believe that?”

“Well, yeah… I mean actions can also cause misunderstandings, you know. It’s better to just say it to the person bluntly to avoid confusion or something.” said Minjeong, and started walking again. Jimin followed.

“Well how do you tell someone you like them anyway? Say it bluntly?”

“Well, yeah I guess so. Why do you have to go around the bush, just tell that person and get it over with?”

“I like you.”

“Yeah, yeah unnie just like that.”

Aish, this dumb girl makes me wanna smack her in the face.

“No, I mean it. I like you Minjeong.”

Minjeong finally stopped walking. 

“Wait, what? You… you like me too?”

“Yeah you dumb .” “Wait, too?” 

Minjeong walked closer to Jimin, the older was rooted on her spot and couldn't seem to move. “I like you too, Jimin unnie. Took you long enough to admit you like me too. Can’t believe I have to feign innocence to your efforts just to hear you say you like me?!oh gosh.”

“Ya! I hate you!”

“Pabo, you just told me you like me." Minjeong winked, and faster than the speed of light, stole a peck on Jimin’s lips, before running away.

It took Jimin’s brain a few more seconds before deciphering what just happened. 

Hey, wait that was my first kiss?! 

“Ya! Ya come back here Kim Minjeong!” Jimin says, as she starts running after the other girl. 

(somewhere inside a parked car along the road...)

“It took them long enough to finally see their feelings were mutual.” says a certain professor, while smiling at the two figures chasing each other along the sidewalk.

“Don’t judge them, it took you longer than to finally ask me out.” "Shut up. Let's go?"