The sun rises, which is enough indication for Joohyun that her day is starting early, and she must drag herself out of bed. A loud groan was heard from Joohyun as she entered her bathroom. Today is her first day in the new university she applied to a few months ago. It was such a good thing that she was hired.

During her first few years of teaching, Joohyun was teaching at a small university in Daegu, and she decided to apply to one of the well-known universities in Seoul. She was immediately hired as a university professor because of her excellent record and promising background.

Joohyun was used to living alone, even back in Daegu. She transferred to another apartment away from her parents and her sister. The professor wipes her face after washing and brushing her teeth when she felt a hug from behind. “Good morning, love.” the voice is so comforting, sweet, and soft that it makes Joohyun feel weak. The reality is finally sinking in. She’s not living alone anymore. She’s sharing a home with the person she’s considering her home.

“Why are you awake, hmm? It’s still so early.” the blonde woman snuggled into the crook of her neck before she landed a soft peck on Joohyun’s jaw. The gesture made Joohyun flustered, yet she let her girlfriend be. The shorter woman really has the tendency to be clingy, especially when she’s preparing for work.

“I just can’t believe that you are here now, that I don’t even have to wait for the weekends to come just to visit you and hold you like this.” Joohyun’s heart softens. She knows that staying in Daegu while her girlfriend is in Seoul is taking a toll on her puppy’s heart because she badly wants them to be together most of the time, and the thought of being apart is not something that she really wants to experience.

“My clingy puppy aigoo.” Joohyun’s chuckle made the woman hugging her chuckle as well. The thought of finally sharing a home together after dating for almost three years now is something they have been dreaming of. When Joohyun decided to go back to Daegu after graduating, it was a tough decision, especially when she saw her girlfriend at the station waving her hand with tears in her eyes.

But the time that her girlfriend was so sick and she had to take the earliest train the following day just to take care of her made Joohyun change her mind. “Yes, I’m your clingy puppy.” Joohyun tapped the arm around her waist, but the woman behind her tightened her hug.

“Come on, I need to take a shower. I’ll be late.” but her girlfriend is such a hard-headed woman, and Joohyun would lie if she said that it’s not one of the reasons why she’s been in love with the said person for almost six years now. Joohyun remembers the long, agonizing years of hiding her feelings for her very dense and subtle puppy. She remembers being frustrated whenever her woman teased and set her up with somebody else.

“Shower with me?” this time, it was Joohyun’s turn to hit her girlfriend’s arm. A loud snort and laugh followed as she saw her innocent-looking puppy laughing while sitting on the floor. Joohyun thinks it’s cute. Seeing her carefree girlfriend laughing just because she got flustered with what she said was very cute. “I love you so much.” Joohyun is only a person. She’s very fragile and weak. The professor smiles before she immediately closes the gap between them, savoring the short intimate moment that they can share before she goes on her first day at work.

Joohyun doesn’t even want this moment to end, she badly wants to stay inside the four corners of their home and be with her girlfriend, but reality struck her when she heard her alarm again. The brunette bites her girlfriend’s lower lip earning a groan from the blonde musician. “No more kisses for my clingy puppy. I can’t be late on my first day.” the professor wanted to coo when she saw how her girlfriend pouted and sat at the corner of their couch. She threw her girlfriend a flying kiss before she entered the bathroom.

After almost half an hour, Joohyun went out and saw her girlfriend placing some food on the table. “You still have time to eat, so I prepared breakfast before driving you to the station.” Joohyun giggles when she sees how her girlfriend miserably failed to make some bunny-shaped pancakes. “I’ll definitely try to learn to make better pancakes, love! I promise!” the determination in the eyes of the blonde is visible, making the professor chuckle. Her girlfriend is really the cutest human ever.

“Thank you for your effort, Miss. Never give up.” Joohyun saw how her girlfriend rolled her eyes. The musician reaches for her guitar and starts strumming. To this day, Joohyun falls in love whenever she sees her girlfriend singing or casually strumming the guitar. Her girlfriend’s love for music is something else, and seeing her pursuing it makes Joohyun’s heart blossom with pride.

“Says the one who hid her feelings for me for three years. Hoping that I’ll notice all of her mixed and subtle signals.” this time, it was Joohyun’s turn to roll her eyes before she sipped on her favorite hot chocolate. Her girlfriend really makes one of the best hot chocolates ever. The sweetness and bitterness are perfect, making Joohyun crave it even during the summer.

“If you only noticed all of the notes I left inside your music room, I’m sure we have been dating for almost five years now.” a loud snort was heard from the musician again while she was strumming some random chords. Joohyun watches with admiration as her girlfriend hums some soft tunes. “Composing a new song?” the blonde nods before she leans closer to the professor. Being used to those actions, Joohyun smirks before she nuzzles into her girlfriend’s cheek.

“Yes, and it’s about my muse.” Joohyun blinks her eyes before she lands a soft peck on her girlfriend’s cheek. The action made the musician smile. “And my muse needs to gather her things now because she will be late, and I might not let her leave this house if she stays longer.” Joohyun knows that if only they didn’t have a life outside this bubble, she would choose to stay beside her girlfriend longer.

-

It’s no secret that Joohyun’s power makes everyone turn their backs. The professor walks on the school grounds while attending her first class. Her long hair flows free, while her round specs make her more professional and scary. “Is she a student here?” Joohyun heard some of the students talking when she passed them. Her eyebrow twitched before she fixed her school ID. “She looks so young to be a professor, you know.” Joohyun wanted to roll her eyes, but she decided to continue walking. She saw a very long line of people waiting for the elevator she chose to use the stairs.

Joohyun feels so nervous, it’s not her first time teaching, but knowing university life in Seoul, she knows it’ll be challenging. “You can do this, Joohyun.” the professor whispered before she opened the room door, her eyes wandered, and she saw that there were already a lot of students inside the classroom, and most of them gasped as soon as she placed her things on the table. “Good morning, class, please settle down.” the whole class was in awe as they watched their professor write something on their board. “My name is Bae Joohyun. I’ll be your professor for Introduction to Psychology.” the class was still in awe as they watched how Joohyun leaned her back on the table. Her eyes roamed the classroom, and she saw one empty seat before her eyebrows twitched. “I don’t have many rules. You can leave my class if you think this is not your interest, I’m not strict, and I only have two rules.” the professor smirked as her eyes went towards the door, “I don’t like people who are homophobic in this class we respect each other’s preference and life.” Joohyun could sense it. Someone will open the door, so she smirks before she continues. “And I really hate students who are coming in late.” that is when a small girl enters the classroom, her eyes trained toward the professor, who is now staring at her. “Welcome?” the girl gulped before she bowed and started running towards the back of the classroom. “Excuse me, miss, I haven’t told you to go there. Come here for a while.” the class chuckles, making Joohyun look at them with no emotional eyes. “Can you introduce yourself to the class.” the girl was gulping before standing in front of the class.

“My name is Son Yerim. I’m twenty years old.” Joohyun’s chuckle was heard as she gestured for the girl to go on, earning a roll of eyes from her student. “I spend my time playing games and listening to music.” Joohyun’s smirk was seen before she gestured the younger woman to her seat.

Joohyun believes the world is small, but she never expected this to happen. Out of all the classes that she can handle, she has to take the class of her girlfriend’s cousin. Joohyun heard stories from Seungwan about the girl who was originally from Incheon. She knows that girl is a menace and gives nothing but stress to her girlfriend, and seeing her now makes Joohyun chuckle. She truly understands her girlfriend now.

Joohyun is a great teacher. There is no doubt that the passion and love Joohyun got for psychology is something she loves to share. She is very passionate, and she loves her job.

The professor started the class quickly, took her time remembering her students' names, and didn’t fail to take note of Yerim’s behavior in class. Her girlfriend’s cousin seemed so disinterested in the stuff happening.

As the class approached its end, Joohyun dismissed the course a few minutes early before she sat at her table. Her eyes went to her phone and saw a message from Seungwan.

Clingy puppy: I dropped you some food for lunch. I gave it to the guard! I love you and see you later at home.

Joohyun’s smile blossomed before she stood up and started leaving the classroom. She reminds herself to drop by the gate first to get her lunch before she proceeds inside the faculty room, where she will spend her time waiting for her next class.

“Hi, Miss Bae, a woman riding a cool motorcycle left this one for you.” the professor gave the guard a tight-lipped smile before she bowed and grabbed the lunchbox. Joohyun knows how much Seungwan loves to prepare her meals. Even back then, whenever the vocalist visited her in her home in Daegu, she would wake up first to start preparing a meal for the both of them.

Cooking and baking are definitely one of Seungwan’s coping mechanisms whenever she’s stressed, the professor sighed before opening the faculty room door. It’s empty, and Joohyun thinks she’s fortunate today. “I wonder what is going on inside her head again,” Joohyun whispers before she opens the lunch box. The professor’s soft smile was seen when she saw a sticky note at the top of the lunchbox.

“Date later? Sua’s bistro place 8PM.”

Joohyun can only chuckle as she takes her phone out and immediately composes a message for her girlfriend. Her silly little girlfriend.

Clingy Puppy: Okay, I’ll see you there. I love you, thank you for my lunch.

The professor chuckles before she starts eating. Joohyun sometimes wonders how her girlfriend is so skilled in cooking but always fails when preparing their pancakes every morning. “Who got you smiling like that?” Joohyun was surprised when she saw the door of their faculty room. Her smile automatically vanished when she saw a man enter the room.

The brunette professor shrugged before continuing to eat, but what surprised Joohyun was seeing the man smiling at her while pulling the chair near her. “I’m eating, and you are disrespecting my personal space.” Joohyun’s tone was flat as she moved her chair away from the man. She subtly rolled her eyes before she continued to eat her lunch. Joohyun hates it whenever her lunch is interrupted, primarily because people want to talk to her without apparent reason.

Only one person can interrupt her meal, Seungwan, and her silly and goofy stories she mostly loves to share whenever they are eating. Joohyun smiles at the thought of her girlfriend’s fluffy cheeks whenever they are eating and she’s sharing stories. “I’m sorry, I thought you were like those girls.” Joohyun’s eyebrows arched as she placed her chopsticks down. Her eyes traveled to the professor in front of her table. Her eyes were filled with coldness, and anyone who didn’t know Joohyun will surely be scared.

Joohyun is tired. She hates dealing with men who feel entitled and thinks all women are dying to be with them. “I don’t ask for your opinion about me. I’ll appreciate it if you’ll just leave… Professor Lee.” Joohyun breathes out before she resumes eating, mentally reminding herself to eat faster so she can walk around the park at the campus as she waits for her next class.

Joohyun sighed as she closed her lunchbox. The man is still standing in front of her table. She grumpily sets aside the lunchbox before she stands from her chair and leaves the room. The professor slams the door shut to tell the man she’s annoyed.

Seungwan and her friends know that an annoyed Joohyun is someone that you should avoid. There are times when Joohyun randomly rolls her eyes at anyone when she’s mad. Seungwan finds that trait of her girlfriend funny, but Joohyun is just one scary human being to others.

People close to Joohyun wonder if they only knew Joohyun deeper, would they still consider the professor scary? The long-haired woman could only puff her cheeks in annoyance as she sat on one of the benches inside the campus park. “Miss Bae?” Joohyun’s attention went toward the woman standing in front of her. It is also a professor from her department. “Why are you sitting all alone in here?” Joohyun shrugged as she pointed to her wristwatch.

“Just killing some time before I head to my next class, Professor Kwon.” the female professor chuckles as she points to the space beside Joohyun. The younger professor nodded in acknowledgment, so Professor Kwon immediately sat beside her.

“Why not stay inside the faculty room? It’s cold there and comfortable.” Joohyun looks at the woman beside her. It was the first time someone decided to talk to her because most of the time, the people around her were scared of her and her aura.

“I was enjoying a peaceful lunchtime there, Professor Kwon, not until Professor Lee decided to ruin it for me.” a chuckle was heard from the older professor. Joohyun feels a pat on her shoulder. It is foreign to Joohyun because the only person she allows to touch her is Seungwan and their close friends. “Is he usually like that?” Joohyun’s voice sounded like a small kid asking her older sister for something she was clueless off.

Professor Kwon nods her head before she leans closer to Joohyun. The younger professor blinks her eyes due to the very close proximity they are sharing. “That guy thinks all the girls are head over heels for him. He usually targets newbies.” Joohyun ended up laughing when she heard what the other professor told her. “He thinks he can get everybody, especially every woman in our department, without knowing every woman in that room hates him.” Professor Kwon chuckles as she sits appropriately and leans her back on the bench. Her eyes went towards the field where a few students were studying. “I hope you don’t mind me asking, are you single?” Joohyun was caught off-guard. The professor felt her ear getting warm, and the way Joohyun shuffled on her seat was enough to make the older professor laugh. “Oh, come on, Joohyun, I can tell you I’m dating someone. She’s also a professor here. Do you know Professor Young from the English department?” the brunette was surprised by what she heard, but she saw how Professor Kwon hushed her with her fingers. “Okay, now this is only a secret, okay? So how about you? I’m sure you are not single.” Joohyun grins as she leans her back on the bench as well.

“Why are you so certain about your claim?” Joohyun daringly asks the older professor, earning another laugh from the both of them. Yuri points at her ring finger before she winks at Joohyun, who can only hide her rosy cheeks.

“See! I am always right with my assumptions. This is why Tiffany calls me the best.” Joohyun chuckles as she ends up nodding her head. Her eyes went to meet Yuri, who was smiling warmly at her.

“I’ve been dating this woman for almost three years now. I knew her from the University and met her in my senior year.” Yuri nods her head as she grins. She finds Joohyun cute with her red ears that resemble bunny ears. “She’s an indie singer, the main vocalist of an indie band.” the older professor was surprised as she heard those from Joohyun. It suddenly reminded her of her friend Taeyeon.

“She’s probably close with Taeyeon.” this time, it was Joohyun’s turn to be surprised because Taeyeon is her cousin who is also close with Seungwan. It was actually Taeyeon who set them up in that cafe for fun.

“Taeyeon is my cousin! She helped me meet my girlfriend!” Joohyun believes the world is small, but she wouldn’t even think it would be this small.

Now Joohyun wonders if Yerim will believe the world is small when she knows she’s Seungwan’s girlfriend.

-

Seungwan was playing with her guitar while sitting on one of the couches inside Sua’s Bistro place. She hummed softly as she saw the place slowly filled with customers. As the main vocalist and band leader, Seungwan comes first into their gig place and is always served with a bottle of her favorite beer. The vocalist dri