***gyohsoonim means professor (like a college professor)***

***choesonghamnida is the formal version of 'sorry'***

***kamsahamnida is formal for 'thank you'***

 

Chapter 4

***

Suho trudged through the snow, as the wind picked up and the cold slapped him in the face. His bruises ached when he gently touched and thought of Jisu.

 

I should go past there, for umma.

 

Suho turned into an alley, and passed a floral shop. He picked some carnations and paid for them. He kept walking through the maze of alleys, passing shady looking men. Suho kept his head down and hid the carnations behind his jacket.

 

The faint smell of smoke filled his nose. His face grew sad with memories. He glanced at the carnations, and brushed the snow off. Suho looked up, when the smell of smoke was strongest, and when the snow was fading into a light gray.

 

In front of Suho stood a mansion, with large black crumbled columns. The ivy that once hugged the columns now were ash that stood at the bottom, among the rest of the house. There was a mass of charred rubble, smoke slightly rising from them. Suho gently placed the carnations on top of the marble steps at the front.

 

He opened the door, that creaked, and threatened to collapse at the hinges. The foundation of the building still stood, and the marble floor was smeared with ash. The stairs that led to the upstairs were demolished. Suho walked into what was supposed to the kitchen, and traced the edge of the counter.

 

Suho stood in the kitchen and looked up towards the 2^nd floor. He glanced at the master bedroom and his insides churned.

 

Umma, why?

 

Something in Suho's pocket beeped. He reached into it and took out his phone. He opened it and read the text.

 

Jisu: Oppa, are you coming today?

 

Me: Yeah, I'm at my old house.

 

Jisu: Oh.

 

Me: I'm fine. I'll come later today.

 

Jisu: You better hurry, or gyohsoonim will make you clean the classroom.

 

Me: Love you.

 

Jisu: Love you too.

 

Suho tucked the phone back into his pockets and walked back into the streets. He hailed a taxi and headed to the college.

 

At the entrance, he slipped between the closing gates. He slid his key card at the elevator door. They opened and Suho stepped in. He tapped his feet as he waited for the elevator to reach the 6^th floor. He ducked under a few windows down the hallways, toward the end of the hall. He stopped, adjusted his collar, took a deep breath and turned the handle slowly.

 

The door silently opened revealing a large class, and a professor facing the vast chalkboard. Suho sneaked up the steps, towards the row Jisu was in. He was about to step into the 11^th row, when something hard hit his head. He turned around and saw a piece of chalk on the step below him.

 

“Kim Joonmyun. I told you to get here earlier. Detention.”

 

There were some giggles when the professor sent all the students a death glare.

 

“Choesonghamnida gyohsoonim,” Suho apologized while bowing.

 

Suho sat in the empty chair next to Jisu. She smiled and stifled a laugh as she ruffled the back of Suho's head.

 

“You okay?”

 

Suho nodded rubbing the spot that the chalk hit him at. He smiled back and grabbed her hand under the tables. He squeezed her gloved hands and she squeezed them back. The professor grabbed another piece of chalk and continued his lecture on algorithms.

 

At the right of Jisu, Chaerim started to doze off.

 

I'm so sleepy. Shouldn't of stayed up reading books.

 

Chaerim rested on her palms as her elbows tottered at the end of the textbook. Her eyes closed and she started to sway side to side on her elbows. Her head slipped between her palms and hung forward. She leaned towards Jisu and stopped inches from Jisu's shoulder.

 

She leaned forwards again and made a U-turn halfway, leaning back against the chair. opened and closed multiple times. She leaned forward and rested on the books, in her arms.

 

Suho saw Chaerim while glancing at Jisu. He smiled and looked back at Jisu.

 

The professor used his peripheral vision and spotted his target. He wrote slowly, talking louder, and spun around. He swung his arm back and threw the small piece of chalk.

 

It hit Suho in the forehead. Suho grabbed his forehead and twitched with pain. He leaned on his side as practically everyone stared. Chaerim was obviously asleep.

 

OOWWW! That hurt! How can that old man have such an arm?

 

He fell to the floor still grasping his head. “Joonmyun, this is your last warning. No googly eyes to your girlfriend. Pay attention, or I'll give you another detention,” the professor said, almost yelling.

 

Everyone looked at Suho and Jisu. Jisu turned beet red, and placed her head between her hands.

 

“Suho, come on. Get up, now! Your causing a scene-” Jisu started.

 

Suho rose to his feet, and stopped right in front Jisu's face.

 

“I'll make a scene, if you want me to.” Suho said seductively.

 

Jisu slowly shook her head and looked back toward the professor. Suho sat back into his chair and smiled. Class ended an hour later. He sat back as Jisu packed her bag, and shook Chaerim awake. Jisu gave Suho a motherly smile, and pecked him on the lips. Jisu and Chaerim walked down the stairs and passed the professor.

 

“Oh, Beom Chaerim, here is your homework, and lecture notes,” the professor suddenly aid, and bowed.

 

“Kamsahamnida, gyohsoonim,” Chaerim said, returning the bow.

 

“Um, may I ask –- if not an intrusion –- how is your father doing?”

 

“He is happy with your teaching methods, gyohsoonim.” Chaerim said cheerfully.

 

“Good, good. Well, have a good day,” he replied giving one last bow.

 

Chaerim once again returned his bow and left with Jisu. Suho watched the interaction between the professor and Chaerim.

 

Gyohsoonim up to Chaerim?

 

Suho got up from his chair and walked down the steps, with his hands in his pockets. He walked up to the professor, who was packing up.

 

“Clean the chalkboard, clap the erasers, un-stick any gum, pick up trash, push all the chairs in, clean the windows, and don't forget to line all the desks up,” the professor said wagging his finger lightly towards Suho.

 

Suho rolled up his sleeves and grabbed the towel and spray bottle when the old man left. He started spritzing the whole board, wiping off the access chalk residue on the board. He opened a window and clapped the chalkboard erasers together. The white dust surrounded his face and he sneezed. He wiped his nose with his chalk covered hands and continued to bang the erasers together. He gently set them down and grabbed the towel and spray bottle again. Suho stepped onto a chair to reach higher up, and his jacket lifted lightly.

 

He was suddenly feeling a tickling sensation near his abdomen and turned around. He met Jisu, who was laughing. Behind Jisu was Chaerim, who started arranging the desks, checking under them for gum or trash. Jisu laughed a little more and helped Chaerim arrange the desks. After an hour or so, they finished.

 

The snow had lightened up, and the sun peeked out behind a gray cloud. It felt good to have the sun come out, despite its shyness. They threw snowball and built small forts, forgetting everything else that worried them.

 

“What a bunch of immature people. You shouldn't be there Oppa on the ground kneeling,” a high girly voice sounded.

 

Next to a large pine tree, underneath it was a girl, bundled up, yet fashionably cute. She wore an expensive fur coat, and had a designer bag around her forearm. The girl had an elaborate bun on her head, with a diamond like pin to accent it. Even though the snow was still soft, she wore 8 inch heels that stepped through the snow easily. They softly clacked on the concrete below them. She'd looked pretty, if it weren't for her smirk and look of disgust.

 

“Oooppaa~,” she beckoned.

 

Suho cringed. Jisu coughed, while Chaerim stood there. Jisu's smile disappeared

 

Great. It's the .