The scent of coffee and toast filled the bedroom. Despite the warm scent, the skies outside were blurred with dark grey clouds that screamed GLOOMY. If it weren’t for the fresh scent of breakfast, I would have just slumped back in bed without any hesitation. I grabbed my uniform, and tied the red tie around my neck precisely. Not too tight. Not too loose. Once everything was ready; bag, clothes, books, I walked down the stairs lazily.

“_____-ah.” I heard Jaehyoon call me. I looked at him, and nodded sleepily. “Have you ever gotten to call your parents? Remember, I told you to call them?”

“Oh, shoot!” I ran down the remaining steps, and dashed to the kitchen, dropping my school bag. “W-what?”

I looked at Mr. Kim sip on his coffee as he flipped the scrambled eggs in the pan. He had only his wife-beater on and his black jogging pants. His dark hair was messy from bed. I looked at the clock: 8:09am. Didn’t I tell him to leave at like 5:00am?

“Good morning, ____-ah.” He smiled while he placed the plate of eggs on the table. He sat down and grabbed some breakfast, eating it slowly. I just stood there and watched. He must have noticed. He placed the toast back on his plate and just stared back in confusion. “What’s wrong? Not hungry?”

Without saying a word, and actually, unconsciously, I walked over towards him, and placed my hand on his forehead. Mr.Kim hesitated at first, but then loosened up after a few seconds. Why did I just do that? He’s still warm. I grabbed the pills from the counter, and placed them on his free hand. “You’re still a bit warm. Take these pills after you’ve done eating, and the other three after your other meals. Not before them. After.” Mr. Kim looked up and just nodded.  Mr. Kim patted the chair beside him and raised an eyebrow:

“Have you already eaten in your room or something?”

I shook my head and pulled the chair a bit farther where he sat. “You cooked all this?” I asked him as I eyed all of the delicious foods on the mahogany table. Bacon. Scrambled eggs. Omelette. Rice. Sausages. Warm coffee with a side of marshmallows. How did he know I liked marshmallows with my coffee? I raised an eyebrow at my coffee, and stared at my teacher weirdly.

“Jaehyoon told me you liked it with marshmallows, so.” He shrugged and stuffed another mouthful of bacon in his mouth. “Oh and yeah. I did cook this. I hope you didn’t mind.” I shook my head and replied:

“Thanks. Usually, I don’t have much time to prepare breakfast so I sometimes end up not even eating…”

Mr. Kim scowled and frowned: “That’s not healthy, ______-ah. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, come on. If this were on the exam, you would have failed instantly in my class. You’re lucky this time. I’ll spare you. Now, eat. We’ll be leaving in like 25 minutes.”

My fingers played with the fork, but for some reason, I couldn’t bring myself to picking up some food. This is just so weird. I studied my teacher as he just kept eating, and eating, and eating. How is this guy so fit if he eats … so much? I looked over and noticed that Jaehyoon was just smirking. This guy…. What is he thinking about? I looked down at my plate, and watched Mr. Kim place some food.

“You should eat.” He growled. “We don’t have all day, Miss Hyun.”

I nodded quickly and pushed a mouthful of rice in my mouth. Mr. Kim smiled and we continued eating together. Suddenly, the phone rings high and loud.

“Oh, shoot.” I mumbled as I ate. “That must be my parents.” I took the phone and cleared my throat. “Hello?”

“_____? Honey? Hasn’t Jaehyoon told you to call us a few nights ago?” I heard my mom ask in disappointment and worry.

“Yeah, he did. I’m sorry.” I tried to swallow the rest of the food, but I put so much in my mouth.

“Darling? Are you eating?”

I told her that I was eating, and then soon got scolded by her to not speak while I eat or else I risk choking. I just nodded and nodded until she finally quieted down with the bickering and nagging. I leaned on the counter, and watched Mr. Kim look over as I spoke with my mother. He stayed silent. Thank god. I don’t want to explain why my teacher stayed overnight.

“Well. Your father and I have something very important to tell you.” I replied with a yes, and waited for them to proceed with whatever it was. “There is a young man. A prospect. A very smart man. Very athletic as well. We want you to go and meet him.”

“Me-meet him?” I asked in shock. Mr. Kim raised an eyebrow and just listened. I walked to the other room to make sure Mr. Kim didn’t hear anything. “Mom. Are you setting me up with this guy? How old is he? I hope he isn’t some old geezer!” My mother snapped and said why they would set me up with an old man. It was the same thing. A young man. Someone who could possibly be an asset in our company. I was some lure. To bring in assets and money in the company.

“I…” I hesitated.

“You will meet him tomorrow at 8:00pm. He will meet you at your place, and Jaehyoon will accompany you both until you both get to the restaurant his parents own.” My mother said. Before I could object, my mother quickly said her goodbyes and wish me best of luck.

Jaehyoon met up with me and placed his hand on his shoulder. “____....” He said in an upsetting tone. He knew I was angry at him. Why couldn’t he tell me earlier? I could have objected earlier, and avoided this. I pushed his hand away and yelled:

“I thought you were my friend! I thought you said you had my back! But no. You’re the same as the other people my parents hired. Jus..Just go ready the car.” I turned away and stomped to the kitchen. I forgot that my teacher was there. Mr. Kim was standing up and he just looked over. I looked away and grabbed my bag. Without any eye contact, I murmured:

“We better leave now. I’ll meet you outside.” I walked out the house without letting my teacher say anything.

***

The car’s atmosphere was tense and incredibly silent. Mr. Kim sitting on the left side of the car looked over to me. I felt his occasional glances. But I chose to ignore them. I didn’t want to talk about the phone call. It would just ruin my day even more. But of course, Mr. Kim couldn’t let it slide..

“What was the phone call about? You seem really angry. Or… upset.” He murmured quietly, while looking out the rainy window. 

“It’s my mother. Nagging as usual. And… setting me up with some guy again.” I said quietly. I’m pretty sure Mr. Kim heard everything I said. No sense into lying now, right? “It’s not the first time, and definitely not the last unless they really like him that much. Next thing you know, they set up a date for the wedding. I’ll just weasel out of it. It isn’t the first time they set a date for my wedding.” I kept quiet after Jaehyoon looked at the mirror over to me. I ignored his guilt on his face, and looked out the window.

“Well. I definitely can’t relate.” Mr. Kim laughed, and then started coughing. Worried, my hands fiddled with my bag until I grabbed onto the water bottle. I reached out the bottle to him without looking at him and whispered:

“Here. You should drink a lot of water. For your throat. You still have a very bad fever. I don’t even know why you’re still going to work. Make sure to not overwork yourse—“

“You’d make a good wife though.” He suddenly said. Jaehyoon started coughing out of shock, and I stared at him as if he was some ghost. I felt my cheeks burn. That was… unexpected. He looked at my shocked expression, and quickly said: “I—mean. Look. You’re taking care of me. Any guy would kill for that. I’m 21 years old, and I could barely take care of myself.”

I started to laugh and giggle. My teacher just stared back in confusion.

“Did I say something funny?” He asked, puzzled. I shook my head and replied:

“You’re the first person to say that. I can barely take care of myself as well. I mean, look at me. I have butlers, maids…chauffeurs. They usually do these things for me. Honestly, without them, I’d probably be a lost puppy. I wish… I wasn’t that way though. But I guess it’s the way I’ve been raised. Brought up by protective parents. Never let out freely. Only for school or extracurricular activities. I could never go out with friends. If someone could be able to take care of themselves, it would be you. I’m sure you live alone. You have a job. And I’m pretty sure you go out drinking with friends. You have a life. I don’t. I’m stuck in… in a cage. I can’t go out without being… judged. And like my parents say… the company can’t be shamed. Meaning, I can’t risk being disapproved by the public. Hence, the lessons my parents put me through to be a lady, and the large amount of rules.” I sighed, and apologized. “Sorry. I’m talking too much.”

“No. Don’t be. I get to understand you a bit more. I mean, you tried so hard to conform. Now, I know why.” Mr. Kim smiled warmly. I couldn’t help but smile as well.

“Well. You’re the first person I really told about this. I haven’t even told J.R. So… consider yourself lucky.” I smirked.

“Well. I’m your teacher and partially your guardian specifically for gym class. So, no worries.”

Right. You’re my teacher. I smiled sadly.

“Miss Hyun?” My teacher studied my expression. I shook my head and just faked a bright smile.

“We’re here.” Jaehyoon muttered.

We both snuck out of the car. Before I ran off to class, I felt the familiar strong grip on my arm. I looked at Mr. Kim who was looking back at me seriously. “W-what is it, sir? We better go, or else others will get the wrong idea.”

“Tell J.R.” He ordered.

“Pardon?”

“He’s a good friend of yours, yes?” I nodded and waited for him to continue. “Let him know. The more he knows about you, the more he knows how to protect you from others. Besides, he’ll appreciate the openness. You will not only give him more reason to protect you, but more reason for him to care for you. Let him know. Don’t be afraid to talk to him, even though he may have a higher status or whatever he is. He cares. You’ll be able to run to him whenever you’re upset. He’ll know. Don’t waste it. He wants to know how to protect you.”

I felt his grip loosen, and soon another soft smile appeared on his face. “Don’t be too harsh on that date of your tomorrow, Miss Hyun. Maybe, you might like him.” I just laughed and nodded. Mr. Kim and I just stood in front of each other in silence. I couldn’t move. Or at least, maybe I didn’t want to.

“Mr. Kim.”

“Yeah?”

“What’s your story?”

“What? I’m just some plain gym teacher, that’s all.” He laughed.

“There are days, where I would see you in the gym…boxing. But you weren’t just practicing, were you?” I watched Mr. Kim look away. Before Mr. Kim could walk away, I continued. “You were… angry. You weren’t practising. You were fighting. Something. You just used that punching bag to let something o—“

“I was just practising, Miss Hyun. We better head in the school. It’s starting to rain hard.” Mr. Kim started to walk, and then halted. He was waiting for me to follow. But I didn’t. I continued what I was saying earlier.

“Mr. Kim. I want to know your story.”

“There’s no story, Miss Hyun.” He repeated, this time a bit more aggressive. “That’s enough.” His fists clenched, and his face had pain written all over it. Not physical. Emotional.

Thump. Da-thump.

“I want to know.” I whispered. Teacher looked the opposite way, and I knew he was frustrated. I know I was being too much… but… it must be the rain. I wasn’t thinking straight. Before we both knew it, the rain was pouring hard on both of us. “I want to know your story, Mr. Kim.” I repeated. “I want to learn how to protect you.”

Mr. Kim looked back, speechless.

“I want to have a reason to protect you.” I repeated. “You’ve protected me. How can I protect you if I don’t understand you?” I stepped closer and wasn’t sure if I was crying or it was just the rain. I don’t know or understand what I was feeling. I felt gratitude to what he has done to me. I guess the phone call this morning just added more to my frustration and to my emotions. I whispered to myself quietly for myself to hear: “I want to know how I could care for you...” I looked up and knew he heard. My cheeks flustered with a bright shade of pink.

“Sorry.” I apologized. “I don’t know what came over me.” I ran my fingers through my hair. “Anyways, I’ll see you tomorrow in gym cl-class. B-bye!” I ran passed the speechless teacher, while covering my head from the rain.

I’m so embarrassed…