A man ducked behind the bushes, hiding himself from Ji hyo and Jong kook who were shaking hands in the middle of the road to the dorm. This mysterious man grinned as he took more pictures of the two. When the teachers left, he stepped out of his hiding place and shook his head. “I really like you Miss Song… but you had to be close with Kim Jong kook. I’m sorry but you’re going to go down with him.”

~~~

Kyung soo quietly sipped his soup. He was quietly observing Ji hyo and Jong kook who were eating peacefully.

“Kyung soo-yah, is there something wrong?” Kyung soo shook his head vigorously. He was just wondering where the tense atmosphere between Jong kook and Ji hyo went.

“Nothing… none at all noona…” Ji hyo cocked her brows at him. It was only a few days but Ji hyo had always been good at reading people… she only failed once and he was seating right in front of her – the awkward muscles. She gave Jong kook a fleeting look of annoyance and Kyung soo clapped his hands.

“That’s the one which feels wrong noona… I mean the thing that's missing. You and hyung, you are not snarling or glaring at each other! But then you looked at him like this and then I –” Jong kook now was the one looking at Kyung soo sharply, warning him to shut up and the younger man went back to quietly sipping his soup. He just couldn’t understand the two. A while ago, he would’ve believed that they finally fixed their relationship but he was dead wrong.

“Miss Song, let’s do it this weekends. Meet me at Rmall, 4pm Saturday.” Jong kook said when he finished his dinner, standing up and turning to leave.

“Neh, don’t be late Mr. Kim.”

“I should be the one saying that. Don’t make me wait Miss Song.” Then he stormed out and went up to the rooftop.

“That spy-jerk! He really won’t let me have the last word… aissh that muscles!” She angrily attacked her food and was mumbling angrily that Kyung soo didn’t have the courage to ask her. Kyung soo’s mind wanted to process the ‘date’ as a romantic one but it sounded more of a ‘duel’ than an actual meet up for two attracted individuals.

Ommo, should I follow them? They won’t really fight or something right?

~~~

Thursday was pretty normal to Ji hyo. She was used to seeing the students whispering and mumbling behind her back but she didn’t mind already. She was actually starting to believe that they don’t need to do anything anymore and just let the rumor die on its own.

Ji hyo was discussing about Jang Ok Jung and misconceptions about the famous historical figure when the bell sounded off, signaling for the end of History period. “Okay class, now I want you to do an essay about Jang Ok Jung. I want you to write your own opinion if you think Jang Ok Jung is evil or good. Defend your answers, neh? Okay that’s all, you are all dismissed.” She fixed her lesson plan and books when a piece of paper fell. A boy picked it up for her and she raised her face to thank him but she was surprised at the boy’s expression. The boy has something in his eyes she couldn’t name.

“You are Seung Ri right? Thanks –”

“I’ve heard about the rumors on the second years’ dormitory… you were in a relationship with that P.E. teacher?” Ji hyo would’ve slapped him but she only clenched her fist and smiled even if she was deeply offended.

“I presume that you had seen the picture?”

“Umm, so you are not denying it ma’am?”

“I am not denying the pictures but I am denying the malicious interpretation in your head Seung Ri-ssi. I was surprised and then Jong kook-ssi suddenly appeared and I couldn’t help my reflex. I sensed danger and I defended myself.”

“So Mr. Kim felt dangerous? He was attacking you?” Ji hyo felt like screaming. It was just a picture of her on top of him. She wondered why everyone was interpreting it like that. “It is not like that. I am new and I was not used to the place. I didn’t like walking alone and when I felt someone approached, I didn’t sense if it was ‘good’ or ‘bad’… I reacted on pure instinct and it’s my fault for being rash.”

Seung Ri nodded and Ji hyo wished he would go since he was making her feel uncomfortable.

“Miss Song… don’t get me wrong. There are many rumors going on. They say Jong kook saem was your fiancé and you are here to be with him, some say you fell for him and you are you know… doing stuff… you are a woman and you live with men on the dorms. Okay… I’m sorry but at least you know.”

“I appreciate the concern Seung Ri-ssi… thank you.” She bowed out and rushed outside, welcoming the air. She thought she was going to suffocate of humiliation. If she thought it would be easy teaching there, she was dead wrong. Not only does she needs to prove herself to everyone but she also have to protect herself.

~~~

Friday, Ji hyo was in the middle of a meeting with the other history teachers when her phone vibrated. She ignored it and tried to concentrate on the meeting. It vibrated again, then once more until she got tired of it and decided to shut it down.

Scribbling furiously, Ji hyo was interrupted when someone tapped her back. It was another teacher and she strained to hear what he was telling her. “Mr. Cha, what?” The tall man leaned to her and whispered, “Jong kook-ssi said to… err come out? I think he is outside.”

Ji hyo fumed, she gripped her pen and crossed her arms. Jong kook really does everything to infuriate her. “Thank you Mr. Cha, but I’d rather be here… I’ll meet him later.”

The said man only shrugged then went back into listening to the speaker. Ji hyo noticed that Cha Seung Won also turned off his phone and Ji hyo got angrier because Jong kook was disturbing people for her and it’s embarrassing. They were already considered in a ‘scandal’ and instead of keeping his distance, he would always be around annoying her.

30 minutes before the meeting ends, there was a knock on the door. Don’t tell me… no he wouldn’t… right? She thought, fearing that it was he. If it’s Jong kook, she’d die of embarrassment already.

The History head went to the door and opened it. He was talking to someone then he nodded but Ji hyo couldn’t hear nor see who it was because she was seated behind, on the door’s side.

“Okay, before we start again… Miss Song? Could you kindly step out for a while?”

“Neh? Me? I mean yeas sir… excuse me.” Ji hyo nervously walked to the door and she can feel the History head looking at her oddly. Please, don’t let it be him… please.

“Took you long enough.” said a voice as soon as she closed the door. She cringed when she saw Jong kook standing there, his arms crossed. He was sweaty and wearing a sweatpants which outlined things that shouldn’t be outlined. She gulped seeing his thin-shirt clad body. He was just so well built. Then Ji hyo’s gaze travelled upwards and amused eyes met her. “Done checking me out Miss?”

“Yah! Who says… I’m not –” She was dragged into an empty room and Jong kook locked the door after checking that no one saw them. Ji hyo blushed furiously, rubbing her wrist which felt like burning after his hands touched it, still unbelieving what Jong kook had said or what she had just thought. It was not her fault that he was wearing something that was asking for attention. 

“Yah, Mr. Kim, just what are you thinking? You bugged me for what? You even have to use Mr. Cha, disturb the meeting, and are you implying that I am a… a p-per… I mean that I am admiring you? Hah! You wish!” Instead of answering her, Jong kook only walked closer to her and naturally, Ji hyo stepped back. “Yah…” she felt a chair touch the back of her knees and she had no choice but to sit down to avoid his stare that was making her heart beat so fast.

Jong kook was grinning deep inside even if he wasn't showing it. He didn’t plan their rendezvous to be like that but teasing Ji hyo was amusing and it gives him some kind of satisfaction. He knows he shouldn’t but she was so hard to resist. He thought at first she was like those girls who think so highly of themselves but in fact, knows nothing. Ji hyo was different and he couldn’t figure out that different. “Miss Song, I looked you because of these…” he handed her some flyers and Ji hyo’s jaws dropped. She stared at the paper then back to Jong kook.

“Who did these? Why are they doing this to us?” Ji hyo looked so sad that Jong kook actually felt pity on her. He was used to things like that popping out of nowhere so he knows that whoever did that was someone who hated him and Ji hyo was an innocent bystander who was unfortunately used to hurt him.

“I think I know why.”

“Why? What did I do so wrong? I just wanted to teach here because of my mom and my oppa and appa, and now I am in danger of getting kicked out because I am causing problems and I am destroying the image of the school… just why? Who would do this? Who would hate me like this?” Ji hyo was almost crying, feeling so victimized. Jong kook felt guilty seeing her suffer and for a while, he patted her back. “Don’t, what if someone sees us? This would be so hard to explain.”

“I’m sorry, it’s me… it’s because of me.” Ji hyo put down the flyers containing their pictures when they were shaking hands the other day. It was taken in an angle that made her and Jong kook look like some lovers. If Ji hyo weren’t the person in the picture, she would’ve also believed the people in the photo were in a relationship.

“Miss Song… I am actually the one who gives out detentions and you know, punishments so many students hate me… and this is not the first time someone made this to get me kicked out… and now they are using you. I’m sorry.”

“Wait, you mean a student would do this?”

“Who knows, it can be a teacher… it could be anyone.” Jong kook said sadly.

“Who hates you the most here?”

“Only that tall boy in your homeroom class is vocal about it, but I am not saying it was him.”

“Gwang soo? But he is such a nice boy… he wouldn’t do that. Never, I’m sure of it.” Jong kook only shrugged. “We have to find that person and ask him why he’s doing this. And stay away from me Mr. Kim! People would have more reasons to believe those rumors if they see us together.”

“I only called you here before Principal Dong wan calls us. Unless you wanted to face him without knowing why.” he said.

The truth was when he saw the pictures, he was furious but a part of him worried about Ji hyo. He just thought that he should reach her first. He could’ve just waited for her in the dorms but he came looking for her. When she didn’t answer his call he told himself to just wait after her meeting ends but instead, he found himself getting angry that she was ignoring her. The next thing he knew, he was doing everything he can to reach her. He remembered that time when he looked for her all over the place, worried that she was lost or something, and then he found her in the park with a sore ankle. He felt so relieved at that time and he liked that feeling of being the strong one and her the delicate one. They could have avoided being annoyed by each other’s very presence but he couldn’t back down when it comes to her. She came off as a nice challenging surprise and she amazes him in ways he didn’t dream of. Maybe he was just disappointed that she wasn’t the type of woman who’d need him. That he couldn't really be responsible because she can survive even without him.

“I can’t let this happen. I hate doing this but I have to ask Pa to find the one responsible for this mess.” Ji hyo stood up and took out her phone. She was about to press the call button when Jong kook stopped her.  “Ah, why?”

Jong didn’t know too. He didn’t know why he did that. “What if that rumors… we…” we pretend they are true…pretend it’s us… he thought but instead he was horrified and said the exact opposite. “It’s not a good thing to ask your father for help. I’m sure we could do this on our own.” Jong kook knows how weak his reasons were but something tells him they shouldn’t involve her father. He couldn’t understand himself. He wanted to make everything okay for her.

“You’re right… I can’t ask Pa or he’d think I am not fit to be here and I’ll find myself home before I find out who’s doing this.” Jong kook almost sighed in relief, he didn’t know it but that was the very reason he didn’t want her to ask her father. Because he was afraid that she would be gone, but that would, still take a lot of time before he can even dare think of it.

“Okay… first we need to trace the source of these flyers. As of now, I had made sure that everything was taken off, although the damage was already done. I bet this has spread online too.” he said, ripping the papers and tossing them in a trashcan. Ji hyo only bit her lip. It wouldn’t be spread online because her father’s staff was monitoring it for sure and she could only hope they’d do their promise and not tell her Pa.

“We can ask the libraries for printing logs since that’s the only place where students can print.”

“Students don’t have printers in their rooms?” Ji hyo asked.

“Some has, but the inventorying won’t be until next week so as of now printing is done via libraries on each dorm. Unless…” he said looking seriously at Ji hyo. “Unless it’s a teacher doing this. He would’ve printed it on his room or in the faculty.”

“Then we also have to look into teachers who have their own printers.”

“That’s not too easy to do Miss Song. Teachers are free to bring in what they want. There’s no way we could know.”

“How about CCTV? We could check who posted this. Some people always forget cameras when doing this kind of stuff.” Jong kook looked at Ji hyo and watched her write things on her notebook. It felt like they were in some kind of spy movie and they were on a mission. He nodded to her, not voicing out the way he admired her quick thinking. They were on a mission to clear their name, and he had better not fail it.

the first mission XD anyone who could guess who the culprit was? (I feel so light and young doing this story)

Sorry for not updating much and I will try my best to update once a week. I hope you enjoy this chapter ^^