The pedagogical meeting of this Monday evening ended unusually early. It was just a sort of debriefing after a whole week of classes and a weekend of correcting exercises. And yes, teachers are also working. Chaewon was working hard on her students' separate cases.

She was giving all of them meticulous attention. There was a file per student, alphabetically stored on a broad shelf in her desk room. In it, she kept all the information about the child's learning, from their strengths and weaknesses, allergies and family circumstances. Everything was professional, of course, but to say that she didn't go through Kim Minjeong's file would be a lie.

Regrettably, there was nothing about her aunt, except her name and her birthday.

The aunt she was supposed to meet in a few minutes, by the way.

Since she had a car -graduation gift- Chaewon rarely took the subway. Sure, it was the fastest and most efficient method of transportation, serving many stations and stops all over Seoul, but she preferred the comfort of her neat car to the purple seats of line 14. Nevertheless, today's circumstances forced her to wait quietly on a plastic bench at the Seoul National University subway station.

Her school was only a few minutes drive from her flat, and she had time to drop by to release herself from her school bag and quickly put away the files they had studied in their place. She took a brief shower, applied a little makeup on, put on a simple but pretty outfit, and doused herself with perfume before leaving her residence.

Faster than she had expected, she had already passed four stations from her Gangnam neighbourhood to the university station of Seocho. At 8 pm, there were a lot of students and workers in the subway. To her great advantage, despite her excellent physical condition, she managed to find a seat to avoid getting her hair tangled before meeting the college student.

Minjoo could arrive by any minute now, and out of the familiar context of the classroom and text message, Chaewon was quite nervous. Not that she was anxious that the date would not go sublimely well as she expected. For that, no doubt, having talked night and day during all the weekend, she knew for sure they'd enjoy a lot to say. The brunette possessed all the qualities Chaewon appreciated in people amicably speaking, plus she was completely her style. A rare gem in a way, and maybe that's what made her so nervous about encountering her for the third time.

20:07

She turned up the volume on her Airpods a little more, checked for any new notifications other than "kim minju: i'm otww", pretending not to look impatient. 20:08. Chaewon looked down at her latest shoe purchase; red and white suede Air Jordan 1s, bought from a Japanese reseller after a Tokyo special event. , she swore, bending down a little more to retie her shoelace and adjust the little collector's pin that hung on it.

Only then, she felt two small taps on her shoulder, and a pleasant, strong smell of perfume seize her senses.

"Hey, hey," Minjoo greeted first, giving the young teacher a beaming smile as the latter immediately straightened up, removing her headphones. Her breath seemed to be lost between and her lungs, and it required her a few seconds to recover from the shock. The first physical contact.

"Hey there," Chaewon smiled as well, trying to hide her reddened ears with her hair when half of her brown curls were pulled up in a bun on top of her head. Being shy was clearly not her style, and although the college student was far prettier and more intimidating -in a good way- than any of her previous dates, Chaewon resolved to appear natural anyway. "Been waiting for you for two hours."

"You're not for real?" Minjoo raised her eyebrows, awkwardly surprised, adjusting the strap of her small leather handbag over her shoulder.

"Kidding," Chaewon chuckled. Her gaze scanned up and down the brunette standing in front of her, savouring every part of her body. Still gorgeous, if not a thousand times lovelier up close. "Pretty girls are always late."

"Don't be silly," Minjoo breathed as she instantly lowered her eyes to the ground, giving Chaewon's bare shoulder a little slap. "Sorry, the tutoring took longer than expected."

"I was just kidding," Chaewon smiled more sweetly, tenderized by the brunette's rosy little dimples. Apparently, she wasn't the only one who was a little nervous. "I arrived like three minutes ago."

They didn't waste another minute and jumped on the first tube to enter the station, heading for Geumcho station. And if taking the underground hasn't thrilled Chaewon so far, taking it with Minjoo was a complete game-changer. Because of the crowd, you had to squeeze to stay upright without tripping at every turn, and Minjoo's chest was pressed against the teacher's arm holding the metal bar, and because of their proximity, Chaewon could smell the fruity shampoo as well as the perfume.

Minjoo spoke close to her ears to make herself heard, and her breath tickled her gently as she giggled. To say that the sensation was intoxicating wouldn't be enough; it was completely intoxicating.

"My brother-in-law has the same shoes as you," the brunette remarked with a raised eyebrow.

"Impossible," Chaewon denied, lightly wiggling the foot where the little collector's tag hung. Thankfully, despite the crowded undergrounds, no one had stepped on her shoes. "It's a limited edition."

"He loves sneakers. I'm pretty sure he has the same ones," justified Minjoo, taking advantage of the subway braking to put her free hand on the young teacher's uncovered waist. Her delicate face had the nasty advantage of always looking candid and innocent, and Chaewon could have believed that the gesture was not premeditated. "I didn't think you were a sneakerhead."

"You have very low opinions of me sartorially speaking..." Chaewon sighed, plunging her doe-like gaze into Minjoo's. The spot where Minjoo's hand had been was burning, and a new fire consumed her as the student giggled near her neck. She knew what she was doing.

She knew very well, and it seemed that her nervousness had turned into something else.

"Sorry," and she moved a little closer, pressing firmly against the teacher's warm skin. "Chaewon."

Oh Gosh.

Her white linen shirt-covered chest pressed a little against Chaewon's arm, and her hand slid over the skin that had become hot, gently encircling the waist uncovered by the thin crop-top blouse with the uncovered shoulders. Her innocent look drove Chaewon even crazier. It had merely been ten minutes, and she was already marveling at how she was going to make it through the evening.

"Don't," Chaewon whispered, tightening her grip around the metal bar. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up one by one as she fully realized that the object of her desires for the past week was presently against her. The sensation was exquisite and yet they were only glued together in a crowded underground. But it felt like a dream, more real and thrilling than her thoughts, which had repeatedly gone to the brunette's hands on her skin, wondering how they would feel.

"What?" Minjoo feigned innocence, a small chuckle dancing at the corner of her lips. "You prefer Deer teacher?"

Chaewon felt her cheeks heat up, and her credibility shattered. Despite how little they knew about each other, she had managed to get a handle on the character. After all, studying personalities was part of being a teacher. Minjoo was an intelligent and quick-witted girl. She was very spontaneous, given how easily she dared to leave her number, but also sensitive. And above all, very playful.

As much about words as about actions, apparently.

But if Minjoo wanted to play, then Chaewon would establish the rules, but not right now.

"Two stations left," she changed the subject immediately. She locked her gaze with the brunette, smiling briefly. Yes, not right now; they still had plenty of time to discover each other. There was no need to rush things. "You hungry?"

"I'd die for meat right now!" the younger girl joked, wiping off her former teasing look with an impatient little pout. Her fingers slid over the teacher's skin again, more naturally and unconsciously this time, then returned to clutch the metal bar as the sub' tube braked abruptly.

The streets of Hongdae were as crowded as the underground, if not more so. This area was one of the most popular among young people for its various shops and restaurants; what better place for a first date? At least if they didn't have much to talk about, there would be always the possibility of talking cheese balls and clothes. But they weren't really worried about that; the conversation came to them with a disconcerting naturalness.

"I don't remember you being this tall," Chaewon remarked after a swift glance at her date as they entered the large, cobblestone shopping alley.

Minjoo gave one of her famous destructive smiles, then pointed to her converse, "Platform. I cheated a little."

"Even without these, you're above me, aren't you?" Chaewon slowed her pace to take a more proper look at the brunette's height, taking advantage of the moment to ogle the body that she hoped would be hers someday. And she was dying for it.

"Let me see," Minjoo moved closer, crinkling her nose adorably as her hand left her forehead to rest gently on Chaewon's, taking care to lift the bangs of brown hair that covered it. "Indeed. A boomer and shorter than me."

Chaewon took advantage of their proximity to place her warm palm on the college girl's lips, "I'm only six months older than you."

Minjoo's tongue grazed Chaewon's palm, and she hastily withdrew it, caught in her own trap. The student undoubtedly knew how to take advantage of the situation. "That's a lot. Generation shock, you know?"

"The only shock I know about is my hand in your face," scoffed the young teacher. Dating a student -she was forgetting that they were indeed six months apart- had some pros, but mostly cons, and her teasing temper was one of them. It almost felt like Chaewon was dealing with one of her five-year-olds kids, but at least she knew how to take control over them.

"So...you're that type?" The brunette smirked wider, clearly very amused as Chaewon's cheeks flushed as much as her ears heated. If this kept up, she would soon reach her limit. "Huh?"

"Let's go find something to eat," she changed the subject again, properly replacing the strap of her purse on her shoulder before fixing her bangs. The evening was barely beginning, and her lower abdomen was already beginning to wriggle, almost painfully. It was promising.

"Been a long since I ate Odeng!" the student exclaimed as if nothing had happened. Once again, her angelic face and innocent look surprised Chaewon.

Every shop was playing its own music and famous remixes, animating the entire length of the street, in addition to the speakers brought in by the dance bands that were performing at a few rather strategic locations along the avenue. The shops were still open and bustling with people, both inside and around the racks outside.

The two young women had a shopping bag on their arms containing several small rings and jewellery purchased in a Chuu shop. They had challenged each other to find charms that matched the other. It was a way to get to know each other a little better and to have a thing in common. Thus, Chaewon had chosen a pair of discreet but nicely sized earrings, and Minjoo had opted for a necklace with a small medallion representing a little Angel.

It seemed ironic, a little. Minjoo possessed the beauty, sweetness and heart of an angel, but according to her, Chaewon was the one. That was a significant sign.

American street music captured their attention as they passed a shop that rose several floors high, displaying the words 'Streetwear' and 'Sportswear' in neon pink. With her free hand, the other occupied by a half-eaten corn dog, Chaewon began rummaging between the many Varsity jackets hanging on the rack.

"I always steal my best friend's one," she said as she continued to look through the various models, feeling Minjoo getting closer to her back.

Apart from her childhood friend and colleague Kwon Eunbi, Chaewon didn't have many friends. She had lost contact with many of her school acquaintances pursuing college when she entered professional life. Kang Hyewon and Choi Yena were her best friends since high school, despite the two of them being a year older.

Hyewon was studying business marketing in alternation with a fashion magazine publishing company. As if it were a coincidence, Choi Yena, a digital marketing student, was a real fashionista. Although their schedules were totally different and relatively booked, the three friends would make every effort to hang out from time to time, and it always meant shopping strolls through Seoul's biggest malls.

Shopping with Minjoo, for that matter, was just as enjoyable.

She shifted her corn dog to grab one of the jackets, "I like that one."

"Green?"

"If you have something to match it, then yes," Minjoo affirmed, pulling the varsity jacket off the rack to look at the details more carefully. It was quite pretty, indeed, and included several nice little patches. She held it up in front of Chaewon, then nodded with satisfaction. "Would look good on you. With beige or brown."

"You're a stylist now?" chuckled Chaewon as she took the hanger and jacket in her hands. Most of their conversations revolved around clothes at this point, but they didn't mind either.

Much like her friends, Chaewon was a fan of fashion. Who said a kindergarten teacher couldn't dress well? And yes, although she wasn't trying to impress the five-year-olds, Chaewon liked to remind herself and others that despite her busy job, she was still a twenty-three-year-old who followed trends and fashions.

"Hey, hey," Minjoo chuckled in turn. Under the neon lights of the storefront, her skin looked more tanned, and the penetrating brown of her eyes made you want to get lost in them. Completely, helplessly. "No need to be a stylist to match colours."

"Point." Chaewon began to walk towards the shop entrance. Some rap music was playing, perfectly matching with the place's aesthetic. Baseball Jerseys, baseball caps and sports jackets were hanging on the walls next to footballs and basketballs, and clients were wearing all kinds of sports items. "Choose my clothes carefully, 'cause remember?"

"I know," the brunette affirmed behind her back, moving at the same pace towards the checkouts indicated by large pink and blue neon lights. The line began between a rack that featured New York, New Era, and NBA hats, highlighted by a bunch of themed decorations. Minjoo grabbed a black one and placed it on her head. "Look."

Chaewon smiled fondly at the brunette who looked at her with wide eyes and a satisfied pout. Usually, this expression on the little kids in her class only appeared when they were trying to cover up something foolish, but strangely, on Minjoo, it was just the most adorable thing ever.

"Like this," Chaewon said, repositioning the cap backwards on Minjoo's head. "You're cute."

And she became even cuter as she lowered her head to the ground, revealing red ears between her brown locks held in place by the fitted cap. It was the first time Chaewon had seen her like this, and she couldn't help but do what she always did to her favourite students; a little fingertip pat on the chin.

With a new bag around their arm, the young women left the shop, only to find themselves in a new queue in front of a small street food stand. Smoke emanated from the place, attracting a lot of people. Once they had bought their Odeng and Dumplings, they continued down the main avenue of Hongdae, stopping every time something caught their eye.

Surprisingly, Minjoo was not as reserved as she appeared on the outside. The more minutes passed, the more the college student let herself go and talked about everything, almost as comfortably as she did on texts. Like a five-year-old, she had a thousand things to say about her roommate, Yuri, her insufferable brother-in-law, Taehyong or everything she could think. Chaewon was listening anyway.

Moreover, knowing more about Minjeong's parents amused her teacher greatly. Chaewon would have never guessed that Kim Jisoo, the beautiful woman who occasionally came to school reunions and after-school parties, could be a dad jokes enjoyer and an undisputed Pikachu fan. And the more she learned about the Kim family, the more she saw where Minjeong gained her character from.

After a while, the modest portions of food from the stands were not enough to satisfy their growing hunger, and it was time for a real meal.

"Do you want to go to a restaurant, or we could like... get takeout and eat somewhere?" asked Chaewon as they reached the end of the main street.

"Whatever you want," Minjoo shrugged.

"As you wish," Chaewon replied with a smirk, amused. In the hour and a half of shopping and ordering food with the younger girl, she'd also realized that she had trouble making decisions. If she acted instinctively and spontaneously -like giving her niece's teacher her phone number- she could spend several minutes hesitating between two sauces.

"No," the brunette gave her that little innocent look again, the one that had so much effect on Chaewon. "As you prefer."

"As you'd like."

"Shall we go eat somewhere then?" offered Minjoo.

"By the river?" suggested Chaewon. Usually, she would prefer restaurant first dates, but she wanted to do things differently with Minjoo. There was something unique about this girl anyway, and for some reason, she couldn't put it into words yet. Let's say Chaewon really desired things to be memorable.

So, what better way to go on a first date than to eat somewhere quiet and...romantic?

"Yes!" the idea seemed to satisfy Minjoo, and they started walking to the nearest subway station.

They had to use the tube again, except this time they had several bags of shopping and hot bags of food to carry with them. At least it was a little less crowded, and there were a few seats available as soon as they got a little further into the middle cars.

-

Compared to Hongdae and the underground, the area around Han River was disconcertingly quiet. Quite a few people were sitting in the grass and along the water, but everything seemed distant, far from the noise and bustle of bustling areas. In this even more remote corner, only a few groups gathered in a circle around bags of food. They weren't the only ones who thought about eating there. A little farther on, a few children were playing on a structure, watched by parents chatting around the benches.

The atmosphere was warm and relatively ideal for a calm evening.

The two young women walked a little further until they found an intimate place with relatively high and soft grass. Putting their stuff down, they sat with relief. They had strolled a long way, and their feet were getting sore.

"Odengs for this lady," announced Chaewon, sitting cross-legged, as she pulled out the small recyclable plastic box, still warm and visibly stained with oil. "I hope they put in napkins."

Minjoo took her food, "thank you, thank you."

"You're welcome, you're welcome," the older girl mocked with a small chuckle. Even though they barely had known each other for a week, or so, they had exchanged so many texts and voice messages that Chaewon had already noticed Minjoo's little habit of repeating words twice. And while she found it adorable, she also loved to tease the younger girl.

"Stop it," the latter begged, sulking again.

"Sorry, sorry," Chaewon giggled, receiving a tap on the shoulder that almost made her lose her balance. She'd only discovered this habit that night and was already enjoying it. Well...almost enjoying it.

Minjoo was an extraordinarily good company. Not that Chaewon was biased -although she was- but the brunette was a real unique and precious ball of sunshine.

The fresh air spread the smell of the still warm meal around them. It was dark, but the light from the numerous buildings and skyscrapers reflected on the river's peaceful water. A little further away, but visible from their location, the Banpo Bridge was displaying its many water and light effects, offering a breathtaking spectacle to those walking out on this pleasant evening.

And despite the beauty of the landscape, Chaewon only had eyes for the beauty sitting in front of her.

"Bon appetit!" she said as she left her reverie, biting into her tacos, a Mexican speciality imported here and sold in a small Latin shop on the outskirts of Hongdae's grand avenues.

"Bon app-" Minjoo struggled to bite into her Odeng, and some of it ended up on her chin, the rest on her pants. "Sh-!"

"Aye, be careful," Chaewon quipped between laughs, hiding behind her hand. "See? Napkins are always needed."

"That's not funny!" Minjoo's cheeks took on an even more crimson hue as she passed a napkin on her skin. She widened her eyes as she saw that the sauce had already soaked into her trousers. "I'm gonna have to scrub this with stain remover."

Almost an hour later, they were still in the same place, talking about everything and anything. About their lives, their friends and their family. About their studies, ambitions, disappointments, dreams and other anecdotes that left their lips without any restraint. They also talked about their tastes and desires, as well as the little insignificant details that would make the other smile like an idiot.

The temperature had dropped drastically, and Minjoo had buried her hands in the new green Varsity jacket to warm them up a little. Chaewon was already dreaming about the moment she would wear the jacket, only because it would smell like the college girl. Now that she was a bit used to it, she could recognize a few scents of the perfume, including orange blossom and rose, enough to make the butterflies in her lungs flutter.

They decided to leave around a quarter past midnight to make sure public transport was available. Moreover, Chaewon had work the next day, and the university campus flats locked up at two o'clock in the morning on weekdays. Anyway, it was definitely not like this was the last evening they would spend together.

This time, there were very few people on the tube as they sped between stations. Only a few young people who, like them, were returning from vibrant areas were getting on and off the trains. Security and cleaning staff were beginning to pass through the stations. The electric display indicated only one more station before attaining the one they had met at the Seoul National University campus.

After several hours together, and obviously a lot of complicity, they had become extremely close. Naturally, it was only the first date, but it seemed obvious now. As if they were made to meet each other, just like a predestined love at first sight. Like a fairy tale.

But if fairy tales inevitably end well, the road to absolute peace is full of pitfalls. And would it have been interesting to read a romance book if everything was too simple?

Of course, Chaewon would've liked to kiss her before they parted, but Minjoo didn't think so, nor did the seconds ticking away on the underground station clock, announcing the imminent departure of the last connection between the station and the dorms.