"THE person I am going to marry is the sweetest girl I ever knew"

With that statement of Seulgi ringing at the back of her head for the whole weekend, Joohyun decided that she should try to get rid of her Ice Queen nickname. She'd try to be sweet in order to win Seulgi's heart. Yes, Joohyun already decided that she would also try to win Seulgi's heart starting that day!

That day, she woke up early to prepare lunch for Seulgi. She was so hesitant about it because she felt like a high schooler experiencing her first love. The said professor prepared a meal that Seugli would surely enjoy. WIth this, she'd be able to invite her to eat somewhere where it would only be the two of them.

Joohyun also got rid of her usual top bun hairstyle and just let her hair down while it parted to the side. She took her curling iron out of the drawer after a long time and gave her hair curls by the  tips. She also abandoned her plain-colour fashion and wore a dress with a touch of pink.

"Nice." Joohyun nodded at herself in the mirror after the finishing touches. She really made sure that Seulgi's jaw would drop the moment she sees her. There was a sudden message from Seulgi asking about where she is and that the other professor is already waiting for her downstairs. Joohyun quickly grabbed her things and the lunch that she prepared before going out.

She was even checking her appearance in the elevator and was really, really excited to see Seulgi. Seulgi's car is already parked in front of the apartment's entrance and Joohyun made her way to her usual seat only to get an unpleasant surprise.

"Hello, Joohyun! Good morning~!"

Joohyun's eyes dramatically widened when she found Seungwan already sitting in her seat. Seulgi then took a look at her and casually said, "Good morning, Hyunie! Today Seungwan will be going with us to school. You can sit at the back."

First, someone else was already sitting in her seat and then she got no reaction about her looks from Seulgi at all? The smile that Joohyun practised in front of the mirror earlier instantly disappeared.

Without saying anything Joohyun just rode on the backseat. She's suddenly reminded of her college days where she would be sitting away while the two would be sitting together on their way to class.

Seulgi just watched Joohyun sit at the back through the rear mirror. After securing that she's seated, she started driving.

"It's been so long since we last went to school all together." Seulgi chirpily said, which didn't help improve Joohyun's mood at all since Seulgi’s basically talking about the time she and Seungwan were dating.

"Right~ It has really been a long time!" Seungwan seconded. "Thanks for giving me a ride, Seulgi~"

"Anytime!" Seulgi answered with a beam. "I need to take you to the possible venues for the play anyway~"

'Here they are again talking with the same sun energy.' Joohyun thought to herself as she threw her stare outside. 'I should do something. I should say something. But what should I say? How can I match this kind of energy early in the morning?'

Joohyun took a deep breath. "S-Seul–"

"Are you sure I am allowed to eat at the professors' canteen though?" Seungwan suddenly asked as if she and Seulgi already talked about it before Joohyun even came. "They won't judge me being there, right?"

"Who's going to judge you? The professors' canteen isn't a talent show!"

Seulgi earned a soft smack from Seungwan with that comment. The two just laughed a bit before Seulgi proceeded with, "There's no need to worry, you’re our special coach. Also, we'll be eating there with you. Right, Hyunie?"

Joohyun suddenly forgot what she was going to say. She instinctively hugged the bag that contained the lunch she made for Seulgi. "S-Sorry... I'll be a little busy during lunch. I might not be able to join you."

"Hm?" Seulgi had to quickly take a look at Joohyun. "Lunch time is rest time, Hyunie. You should–"

"Sorry." Joohyun just looked outside again before closing her eyes. The hug to her bag tightened. "I woke up pretty early and I am a little sleepy. Please let me take a nap for a bit."

Seulgi looked pretty worried, she only pouted. "Okay, Hyunie."

Seungwan could just nod with an awkward smile on her face while thinking about Joohyun's actions. She was sure Joohyun was smiling when she came out of the apartment. Seulgi probably didn't tell the other professor about her being there and she's obviously not pleased with her love rival sitting at her usual seat but...

'She could just say something.' Seungwan thought. 'She could just simply join the conversation and then change it to what would benefit her. Why is she acting all grumpy now?'

Seungwan took a look at Seulgi who was obviously worried for her best friend. She caught the writer constantly taking peeks of Joohyun through the rear mirror. The actress fell deep into her thoughts and it was obvious with the crease between her eyebrows. 'Don't tell me it has a better effect? Rather than shouting 'pick me, pick me!' she got more attention by being cold. Hmm... Not bad, Joohyun-ah. Not bad’

Joohyun on the other hand was already sobbing internally. 'Why did I do that? I should be sweet towards her but I immediately gave her a cold treatment... I've been doing it for years whenever I see her with another girl and it just became so natural to me... Get a grip, self!'

She let out a sigh. 'I guess I'll be eating lunch alone today…’

During lunch, Seulgi and Seungwan did go to the professors' canteen together and the rumours about Prof. Kang bringing her fiancee to school has already reached Joohyun even though she stayed at her office. The Ice Queen was actually lurking at their school's gossip page and that's where she saw the post about the two.

"I only have one class in the afternoon and then the mentor meeting." She then looked at the sad lunch box that was supposed to be for Seulgi. "This will just be a waste if I throw this. I am too full to eat it myself."

With a sigh, the professor stood up from her seat and carried the lunchbox with her. She decided to just give it to anyone and she was thinking about the convenience store clerk outside.

Joohyun used to work part time in a convenience store back in college so she knew that clerks were only given food from the store. Getting some homemade food would really please the clerk. But, when she was about to enter the said store, she saw Seulgi and Seungwan inside buying vitamin-c drinks for her first meeting with the theatre kids. Joohyun's automatic brakes were so efficient that she stopped right away.

'Why am I suddenly back in the past now?' She sighed as she absentmindedly turned around.

That action was so sudden that she didn't notice there was someone behind her. Luckily, the said person managed to stop her by holding her by the shoulders before she even bumps into them. When Joohyun looked up, she was greeted by a familiar dimple guy. "C-Coach Park?"

"Prof. Bae!" Chanyeol answered with a huge smile on his face. "Sorry I didn't notice right away that you were in front of me. I was parting ways with a student and then suddenly you were in front of me when I turned. Sorry for suddenly grabbing you as well."

"I-It's okay. I suddenly turned around as well."

The coach's eyes suddenly widened which caught Joohyun off-guard. "Is there something wrong?"

"N-Nothing!" The guy laughed. He was actually expecting that Joohyun would just roll her eyes on him before leaving him like nothing happened. He has been giving his shot to Joohyun but he was always shunned. That's the reason why he was surprised that Joohyun actually spoke to him. Heck, Joohyun even asked if there's something wrong.

"Anyway, Prof. Bae! It's very rare to see you alone during lunch. Where's–" Chanyeol stopped when he realised something. "Ah, right! Prof. Kang is together with her rumoured fiancee, right? I see. I see."

'Should I just give him an uppercut?' Joohyun had a sudden internal discussion. 'No, if word spread that I uppercut the coach then my reputation as Mafia Daughter would be cemented.'

"Oh, are you out to eat lunch?" Chanyeol asked while pointing at the lunch box that she was holding. "Are you going to use the convenience store microwave for it?"

"A-Ah, this..." There was a tint of pink in Joohyun's cheeks and it didn't escape Chanyeol's eyes. He actually marvelled at the sight of it. "I accidentally made two lunch boxes. I already have one and I was thinking of giving this to the clerk so it won't get wasted..."

“Oh~? That’s a cute mistake of yours~” Chanyeol’s eyes glittered. “Then if you don’t mind, can I have it?”

“Hm?” Joohyun asked with eyebrows raised. “You haven’t eaten lunch yet?”

“I already had lunch but it wasn’t enough. I still need more energy for today’s practice.”

“Well…” Joohyun looked at the lunch box, then inside the convenience store before looking back at Chanyeol. “I guess you still have the metabolism of a highschooler, huh? You can have it then.”

The coach’s face brightened even more when Joohyun handed him the lunch box. “I can really have this, Miss Beautiful~?”

There went the eye roll. “You can do whatever with the container after you eat. I don’t really need it anymore.” Joohyun looked at the lunch box in Chanyeol’s hands one last time before a faint smile was seen on her beautiful face. Chanyeol was so sure he’s in love with the person in front of him. “I really prepared that well. I hope you enjoy eating it.”

The coach was put in a daze when Joohyun gave her a tight lip smile before greeting him goodbye with a bow. The professor was already away when he managed to utter “Bye, Prof. Bae…” under his breath. “I swear I’ll take you out on a date someday!”

‘Nice, Joohyun. You managed not to act like the usual. Keep it up!’ Joohyun was praising herself but it seemed like someone wasn’t pleased with what she just witnessed.

“Seulgi?” Seungwan called when she saw Seulgi looking outside. “Is there something wrong? Why are you frowning like that?”

“Nothing…” Seulgi turned towards Seungwan but her attention was definitely somewhere else. “I just think I witnessed something weird.”

JOOHYUN’S journey to being a sweet girl didn’t end with that. During her classes, she showcased her kindness to her students. She didn’t get angry at the late comers. She didn’t roll her eyes to anyone. Her way of critiquing her mentees’ works was much kinder than before. Her students were in fear when they entered her room but they went out being healed.

Who would’ve thought that the Ice Queen would be that warm to people?

Of course, Prof. Bae’s abnormal behaviour didn’t escape the chains of the school’s rumour page. Many are speculating that she’s suddenly kind because she’s not stuck with her best friend anymore since Prof. Kang is already with someone else. 

Another rumour sprouted when someone posted about witnessing Prof. Bae handing a lunch box to the basketball team’s handsome coach. Sending the whole school in haywire just because she had her hair down, her attire having a pink accent, being kind to her students all of a sudden and now giving a lunch box to someone? Everyone is convinced that someone has thawed the Ice Queen’s heart. She’s definitely in love!

Well, she’s indeed in love but definitely not with the one that everyone was thinking about.

Joohyun was quite satisfied with her progress with her road to sweetness not aware that she’s now trending in the rumour page. She decided not to look at it for that day since it was all about Seulgi and Seungwan that she was seeing. Tables have turned, Joohyun~

Earning more points for being kind to Minjoo and accompanying her during the student’s interview with Hwang Hyunjin, Joohyun earned another one when she didn’t coldly turn down Coach Park’s invitation for a date that was done in front of the players. She gave him what she thought was an impossible challenge that somehow backfired at her.

She knew that the guy was into her but she didn't know that he would really grab the chance just to take her out on a date. The coach didn't miss one shot at all! Joohyun knew she already messed up. She was already running simulations on her head on how to respectfully turn down Coach Park after just one date and how to keep everything a secret to Seulgi when a familiar figure suddenly appeared before them and grabbed Chanyeol's final shot in mid air with her left arm.

Joohyun's heart leaped in joy as her body moved on its own to stand from her seat. Seulgi, her dork, just made her grand entrance and stopped Chanyeol's final shot.

"S-Seulgi–"

"Don't you think this is a very easy way to win a date with Professor Bae? You just can't take her on a date without the approval of the best friend!"

And just like that, the sweetness points that Joohyun all disappeared.

"Oh my goodness..." Joohyun fell back to her seat. '