Chapter Text
It was pitch-black outside again. After some weeks of dating, they realised that going out at night was their little thing and that perhaps they would have nothing to say to each other in the daylight. Way of speaking. Indeed, the night unfolds feelings, and they often spent hours indulging each other while the city slept. Over two months, they became indispensable to each other, and perhaps neither of them could remember their lives before they met. Despite their distinct personalities and totally different outlooks, they agreed on one thing; their meeting was more than a coincidence.
It was a trick of the universe, perhaps.. The whole soulmate thing or something.
The passenger window was only slightly open, yet the wind blew through the student's brown locks as she sang in a gentle voice to the music that was playing. The city lights flashed by, producing a spectacle of colours that danced on the dashboard, the steering wheel and the peaceful face of the driver. It was past eleven o'clock, and the other drivers were becoming increasingly scarce on the streets of Seoul as if they possessed the city. And they did own it.
"What time do you want to be home?" asked Chaewon, glancing briefly at the brunette.
"Whatever," she shrugged, obviously comfortable and relaxed here. "Whatever you say."
"What time does your exam start?" Indeed, the next day was the last day of semester exams for Minjoo, the Japanese one. She had taken advantage of her long lunch break of the day to do some intense revision and free up the evening to go out with the young teacher. Once again, she was hooked and totally addicted to Chaewon's presence.
Minjoo backed away from the window to plant a swift kiss on the teacher's cheek, "Ten. It's okay, I told you."
"Love resembles misty dream," Chaewon then sang, in rhythm with the low volume music that matched their peaceful breathing. That was the point of the date, by the way. To purely wander the streets at a slow pace, listening to music, pausing every now and then to kiss like crazy, enjoying the fresh air and the quietness of the night. A little road trip, in a way. "Bombaram Cheoreom."
A smile crept across Minjoo's lips, and she couldn't help but place her hand on the back of the driver's neck, stroking the skin and hair there tenderly. She saw a smile of ease light up Chaewon's face and her heartbeat a little faster. She was no longer in control of her feelings.
"Can I put Baby on?" the brunette asked, pointing to the car's display board, connected via Bluetooth to the driver's phone, who nodded.
Minjoo grabbed the phone and let Chaewon unlock it with her fingertip, enabling the device to open to Spotify. They already had a shared playlist of all the songs they'd listened to together during those hours driving through silent Seoul streets at night. The Rose's title started, and she only took a brief look at the teacher's Instagram before she put the phone down on its stand and started singing the lyrics she knew by heart.
A restaurant projected its red and blue neon lights onto the two young women's faces as the car drove along the avenue. And as luck would have it, Minjoo's eyes fell on Chaewon, and she found her beautiful with the red glow dancing on her caramel skin, softened by the gloom outside and the light from the scoreboard. She kissed her cheek again.
They sang the chorus in one voice, closing their eyes, smiling like idiots, imagining a whole crowd of screaming fans. Minjoo imagined strumming an electric guitar with her free hand, flicking her hair around, enjoying the time of her life. And maybe it was indeed the first time she'd felt this good in years, there in the car of this young teacher she'd only known for two months.
They stopped at a red light, and Chaewon took the opportunity to grab the younger girl's jaw between her fingers and kiss her with all her might before driving off. It was certain now; Minjoo had never been happier.
And the night they spent together in Chaewon's flat only confirmed that. More than happy, they were truly fulfilled together.
-
"Shit," Chaewon scoffed in a hoarse morning voice, rubbing her eyes while stretching her back a bit. "I wanted to wait before bringing you here."
"I didn't have time to see anything but the doodle next to the door..." reassured Minjoo. She stretched as well, raising her hands in the air, not holding back a tiny yawn and a groan of ease as her muscles relaxed.
"Hey, it's a gift from a kid," the teacher grumbled.
Minjoo straightened up a bit, reaching over Chaewon's body to grab the water bottle on the bedside table and take several sips. After placing it back down, she dropped onto the teacher's chest. Chaewon groaned again, however stroking the brown curls that tickled her chin. They stayed like that until the phone alarm started ringing again —it had nothing to do with Yuri's horrible wake-ups—forcing them to stop cuddling like teenagers.
"Fuck," the student fell back onto the bed just after getting up, pressing against her lower abdomen with a grimace. "You didn’t go soft."
"You're welcome," the teacher hopped to the bathroom, not forgetting to leave the door open.
The room was dim with black and marbled tiles, but the light was bright enough, though subdued, allowing them to put on a little make-up, both wrapped in a towel, wet hair dripping down their warm skin. And they both giggled as they applied their lip gloss as if the student hadn't spent her entire shower glued to the cold, soaking wall.
"Does this sweat suit this lady's likings?" quipped Chaewon, presenting a simple cardigan to the brunette, who was brushing her hair, sitting comfortably on the bed.
"I take back what I said about your clothes," Minjoo stammered, accepting the beige cardigan and straight jeans the teacher had pulled out of the basket of clean laundry ready to be stored. "You have style. Lowkey."
"Thanks for finally admitting it," Chaewon proudly cocked an eyebrow, taking advantage of facing her dressing to put on her bra and choose a simple white tee-shirt, which she quickly put on.
They finished getting ready and left the flat in a hurry, running down the stairs thinking this way would be quicker than the lift —they couldn't have known that the old neighbour from the sixth floor would be there with two trolleys and her poodle—. Eventually, they had time to stop at a Starbucks before Chaewon quickly dropped Minjoo off in front of the university entrance, ending her journey at the kindergarten.
-
As if the universe and chance were on her side, with almost phenomenal luck, Ahn Yujin was at her tutoring session, Jisoo in a meeting and Taehyeong in Daegu for the evening. Put differently, someone had to pick up Minjeong from school. What a drag! Did that mean she'd see Chaewon again? Ah, how annoying! She was already looking forward to going back to the classroom where she had met the one she was delightfully dating today.
Minjoo was in such a hurry that she left Yuri, Jiung and the others with an apology, rushing out of the bar as soon as Jisoo's message reached her. She jumped on the first subway to Seocho, using the windows' reflection to quickly arrange her hair after being held in a ponytail all day during exams. And besides, she was finally done with those mid-terms, which meant she would have more free time again.
There were many parents in front of the school entrance, but Minjoo had no trouble making her way through them to go upstairs. She smelled freshly of perfume again and was getting increasingly impatient to see the teacher in the same way she had seen her there for the first time. Without the deer onesie, of course. So impatient that she couldn't hold back the gummy smile on her lips as she entered the grey and lilac-walled corridor that led straight to Minjeong's classroom.
Jackets hung on the coat rack outside, underneath more or less applied drawings of names, hair, eyes, mouth and feet. Oh, self-portraits, Minjoo figured after some time. When she heard the teacher's polite laugh, her heart began pounding in her chest. Chaewon was even more beautiful than she had been this morning, and her surprised smile made Minjoo's cheeks burn in excitement. As if the mother she was talking to had disappeared completely, Chaewon's gaze never left the student leaning against the doorframe, patiently waiting for her time.
"Bless you again, Teacher," the youthful and stocky woman bowed several times, shaking her son's hand as he did so. Chaewon looked embarrassed and prompted them to straighten up as she handed over the papers that would allow Jaejin to be in the same class as his cousin next year. "Thank you for all you do. Thank you, thank you! Goodbye!"
Just like on the second day, Minjoo watched the son and mother walk away down the hallway, arms crossed, before turning her head back to the teacher who, just like on the second day, was already observing her with glowing, interested eyes.
"Hey, hey."
"Kim Minjoo," Chaewon replied in a low voice, her eyes going up and down the brunette's body. She jokingly wiggled her eyebrows. "That's a surprise? Do you need anything?"
"You on top of me," the brunette taunted back, still leaning against the doorframe. Tasting her own medicine, Minjoo hiccuped in surprise as her back hit the grey wall. She had time to see Chaewon glance at the hallway before she literally threw herself on her lips. Minjoo loved kissing the teacher. She absolutely did. It was always gentle but intense enough to set every cell in her body on fire. As it was stealthy, their lips parted with a sound Chaewon covered with a cough. Minjoo giggled a little more as the teacher returned to her classroom, her cheeks flushed, surprised by her bold move in her workplace. Maybe she was starting to fall in love.
"And my niece!" she smiled a little more, returning to her original position against the doorframe, lungs contracting and heart racing. She cocked an eyebrow, unable to help but be amused by the situation.
"Minjeong, your aunt is here! You can gather your things!" Chaewon ignored the student's smug attitude and accompanied a small boy back by the hand while smiling politely at the man who came to pick him up. Minjoo felt him in her back, and it amused her to see how, despite his presence, the teacher's attention kept going back to her. "Hello, how are you?"
"I'm doing well, and you, teacher?" The man looked jovial, and his cheerful voice already announced the continuation of the discussion. "By the way, teacher, have you got a minute?"
"Here? Now?" Chaewon's eyes slightly narrowed, and Minjoo couldn't help but throw a bitter look over her shoulder. She wasn't habitually this possessive, but although this man looked very amiable, he just interrupted this moment with her girlfriend. Oh. Her girlfriend? Her girlfriend. "Sure, I'm listening."
"It's about the school trip planned for the end of the year, you know?" he started explaining with big gestures, not stopping to talk about allergies and endless treatments. While what he was saying was certainly profoundly interesting and preoccupying, Minjoo couldn't hold back a growing grin each time she noticed the teacher's gaze drift from the man to her. And it was even funnier when Chaewon had to suppress a smile as she nodded her head, perfectly faking that she focused on the father's words. "Also, Taehyuck is lactose intolerant. And gluten intolerant..."
"He is?" Chaewon lifted an eyebrow and discreetly pinched the student's waist when the latter giggled with less and less discretion. Cautiously, Chaewon took a step closer, slipping her fingers around Minjoo's belt. At least that way, she wouldn't have to see the brunette mimicking the man's expression. And that way, at least, she could concentrate on what Taehyuck's father was actually saying.
"This is why I wanted to know if it was possible to serve high-protein or soy menus during the trip?" the man asked, not noticing the proximity between the teacher and the young woman slumped against the doorframe. Fortunately, moreover, a new chuckle shook Minjoo's shoulders. "Steaks, for example?"
"Of cou-oh-rse!" This time, the two women had no choice but to move away from each other. A tiny hand had just removed the one holding the student's belt. Minjeong stood there, yellow backpack on her back, her gaze darting back and forth between her aunt and her teacher. "Minjeong!"
"Oh!" the man laughed heartily, bowing and gently grabbing his son by the shoulder. "Well, I'll send you an email. We'll get going. Good evening!"
"Good evening to you too!" Chaewon took the opportunity to take a few steps back, still under the confused gaze of her little student who had taken refuge against Minjoo's leg.
"You wanted to steal my aunt, teacher?" the child asked innocently, cutely frowning, miming defending the brunette who was standing over her. For once, it was Minjoo who had the most crimson cheeks.
Minjoo thought of a billion answers at once, agonising over the idea of having to explain something still uncertain and complicated to her niece. Really, she considered all the evasive answers and the ones that would deny whatever was going on between them, but what the hell? As an act of great revenge, it was Chaewon's turn to have fun with the situation.
"No," she said, slowly letting her gaze shift from Minjeong to her aunt, a sneer coming to her lips. "But if I wanted her all to myself? Would you let me?"
Little Minjeong finally beamed, amused by her teacher's joke. She looked up at her aunt, not realising that she was literally scolding Chaewon with her eyes. For her age, Minjeong was very intelligent and keen-witted. But sometimes, children miss things only adults could understand, so she just nodded cheerfully with her missing teeth. "I have to ask mom first."
"No! No, no," suddenly interrupted Minjoo, planting her palm over the little girl's mouth, who gasped in surprise. She knew her cheeks had turned three shades of purple, and her ears were burning, especially as several voices echoed from the hallway. "No, it's fine. Jeongie, let's go home, right?"
"Okay," the poor innocent girl shrugged her shoulders heavily because of her lovely canvas backpack. Again she could not imagine that just this morning, her aunt had woken up in her teacher's bed and that they would certainly meet again tonight, dancing in the night illuminated by the light of the street lamps. "Bye-bye, teacher!"
"Bye, Minjeong," Chaewon smiled at her as she waved her hand, then gave a simple wink to Minjoo, responding to her silent 'see you'.
-
Since the last time, the two girls had been spending more and more time at the young teacher's house. Not that Chaewon felt more comfortable at her place, she loved going to Minjoo's flat and getting a lot of gossip from Yuri. It was more the student who liked to go to her girlfriend's after dropping Minjeong off at her mother's house. It was quieter in the apartment on the edge of Gangnam than in the dorm, and she felt closer to Chaewon that way. Like a koala clinging to its tree, she was always on the other's side.
And that delighted the older girl.
Her previous serious relationship lasted from the time she was seventeen until she was twenty, and the habit of living with someone had disappeared when the only girls who passed her door always left the morning after. Inviting Minjoo to spend a few days there was very meaningful to Chaewon, and perhaps this gesture sealed their union a little more. Indeed, it was a relatively implicit proof of commitment, but one with significant consequences. During those four days, they discovered life together.
Minjoo arrived on Thursday evening, exhausted, head full of criminal law. Chaewon was waiting for her and had prepared her father's special recipe for beef in broth, inspired by a Parisian restaurant where they had stopped to eat during a trip. She had left kindergarten as soon as possible to have time to clean her comfortable apartment, changed the sheets, set a pretty table and, most importantly, let her meat marinate enough to make it juicy and moist. That evening, they ate like lovers, grinning at each other on the stools of the kitchen island. Then they sat on the sofa to watch a film chosen by the younger one, cuddling tenderly.
On Friday morning, the student had to leave the place earlier to attend a Japanese lecture. She quietly got prepared, leaving a few kisses on the teacher's warm, sleeping cheeks, who only woke up a few minutes later, joining her for breakfast. The day passed with an exhilarating slowness for the two young women used to spending more and more time together, and talking in messages was no longer enough. They called during the morning break and met at a Macdo to eat together. In the evening, Chaewon picked up Minjoo at the subway station, and they made a mess on the couch before rushing to eat and going to bed early.
Finally, on Saturday, they went to a contemporary art exhibition in Seoul, and for once, they ate at an elegant restaurant, which Minjoo paid for after insistence. In the evening, they did it on the kitchen island. Hence, as a matter of principle, they ate on the coffee table, spending the rest of the night binge-watching a historical drama.
Since those four days, Minjoo knew by heart the residence gate’s code. La Signora building, entrance code 0597A, and soon four months into their relationship. Four months of sheer happiness, of nightly walks and deep discussions about justice, carefree living and the phrase "enjoy your youth." For them, enjoying their youth began to take on a new meaning as they did it together. So one night, they realised that it had been weeks since they had allowed themselves to get drunk, and decided to buy a lot of alcohol and drink until Minjoo threw up in Chaewon's toilet while the older was holding her hair.
The next day, the younger girl slept until three o'clock, and when she woke up, there was a meal waiting for her on the kitchen island with a note mocking her lack of resistance to alcohol and informing her which box contained the aspirin tablets. Then, when Chaewon returned, after being forced to take a shower in her own home, she threw herself on the student's tired body lying on the couch. They were watching Descendants of the Sun this time. However, Chaewon wanted to go to bed, and Minjoo still wanted to watch TV. One started class at 2 pm, the other had to be at kindergarten by 8 am, and the schedules didn't match up.
"Why don't you watch something else," Chaewon lifted her eyebrows in surprise at her girlfriend's stubbornness, standing against the living room door frame with her arms crossed.
"No. I started this. I want to finish it," the student retorted, standing her ground, one hand clutching the remote.
"We started this," Chaewon corrected, now frowning.
Minjoo didn't look away, and her headache was pounding so hard in her temples that Chaewon's voice was becoming painful. "I'm the one who wanted to watch it."
"So?" replied the teacher. "We're watching it together, aren't we?"
"Well, yeah, but," the young woman hesitated a brief second, then the other's insistent gaze made her continue. "But you always go to bed early and... yeah."
"Are you serious?" Chaewon had nothing else to answer. "Sorry to have a job."
"No, but...It's not that Chae..." sighed Minjoo as she pulled a grey pillow over her legs, only wearing a pair of mini shorts. It was still warm in the teacher's flat. "Like, it wouldn't cost you anything to stay until the end of the episode, right?"
"You slept all day, and I worked," the tension between the two rose and was almost palpable. On the odd occasion, they'd engage in little arguments like that, but one would always drag herself into the other's arms, and a hug would forgive everything. However, neither Chaewon nor Minjoo flinched, and worse, their eyes barely met this time. "It's not that deep. I'm just asking you to not watch the end so we can watch it together tomorrow."
Minjoo didn't answer anything and pressed the play button on the remote. Knowing she was wrong, she squeezed the cushion a little tighter between her fingers, her gaze focused on the TV screen where the drama was resuming on an action scene. Right now, only her pride and ego spoke, leading to more things they couldn’t control.
"Okay, go ahead. Go ahead and watch your episode," Chaewon's voice had never been so scathing towards Minjoo, and it surprised the latter, who frowned a little more, her gaze not daring to leave the screen for a second. She adored Chaewon, no doubt about it. She adored her perhaps so much that spending time away from her bothered her more than she wanted. Minjoo would never admit it out loud that night, but in reality, she'd just missed Chaewon so much during the day and the days before that seeing her slip away within minutes of having her back had pissed her off. Sure, the hangover had something to do with it too. All those overwhelming feelings were getting the better of her. "And keep ignoring me, yeah. Keep acting like a five-year-old."
"Have a good night," Minjoo finally blurted out reluctantly, in a dilemma against her own pride. She was torn between begging her to stay awake with her and somehow getting back at her for things Chaewon had no control over, like her fatigue and academic meetings.
It would’ve been a matter of seconds for the student to take one step forward, apologising to avoid taking two steps back in their relationship. And it seemed incredibly long that evening, with an irritated and offended Chaewon and a stubborn and saddened Minjoo. Unfortunately, for both, the teacher took three steps back towards her bedroom with a fake laugh of annoyance. "Fucking kid. Go reflect or something because you need it sometimes."
Minjoo didn't answer and didn't flinch as the door slammed shut. She waited for the tears of frustration to appear to gather her things scattered around the living room and kitchen before she left in turn, jumping on the first subway heading to campus.
-
"Five minutes to go," Chaewon announced loudly after peeking at her phone with a mechanical gesture. Still no message from Minjoo. All the children looked up from their playful games to listen to their teacher. "Finish what you have started. For those who have finished, you can start tidying up."
The class stirred a little, and Chaewon glanced at her phone again before sighing profoundly. She didn't know if she was more frustrated with the situation, pissed off at Minjoo, or pissed off at herself. A little bit of everything, in a way. She was vexed and a little confused. During four months of dating, they never ignored each other for more than a couple of hours. It felt odd not to see her, not even see a text from her on her screen every time she pulled it out discreetly in class. Secondly, she was obviously disappointed in Minjoo's behaviour, finding her a little too selfish. Was it genuinely her fault that she was better at drinking and had work obligations? Despite what some parents may say, being a teacher is a very demanding job, and Chaewon could not help but be diligent and dedicated to it. Dating or not.
But despite that, principally, she was mad at herself for expressing things the way she did. It sounded too close to gaslighting when she knew Minjoo was sensitive about it. Assuredly, she should have communicated differently and cleared the air more maturely. After all, this wasn't the first time Minjoo had "criticised" her for spending less time with her, even though the other times were habitually in bed while cuddling. For her words, Chaewon was in the wrong, of course. However, her pride could not cope with it. It wasn't just the episode thing, but rather the feeling of being misunderstood. Minjoo was still a student, and although her schedule was already exhausting, she couldn't put herself in Chaewon's shoes on this one.
"And...that's it for today, friends!'' She stopped thinking about her personal problems and clapped her hands. Her whole class immediately began tidying up, well helped by their classmates who had gotten a head start. The weather was rather gloomy, and the string lights on the ceiling produced a gentle light contrasting with the grey sky outside. The reading corner was in order, and all the Kaplas were in their boxes. Then the bell tingled, and several parents flooded in at the door.
Chaewon couldn't help but expect Minjoo to come. She actually had no idea on how she would react, but a part of her begged the student to make the first move. She knew it was best to avoid blaming the other, but she equally knew the importance of putting things in order. Her pride remained radical. She would never have spoken like that if Minjoo had been more understanding and mature. Anyway, students and parents. Minjeong had just left with Yujin.
Until the small girl came running back at full speed, narrowly hitting a man. Minjeong's gaze seemed lost as she unfolded a crumpled piece of paper with difficulty, turning it over in all directions before handing it to her teacher. Well, that brought back some memories. However, instead of leaving so quickly, Minjeong waited there with her big candid eyes and little pigtails.
Chaewon greeted a parent and made sure no one else was there to read the note, which brought an uncontrollable smile to her face. She could scarcely contain it.
hi are you still mad at me?
yes maybe idk no come here
-a kid that is sorry:(
Minjeong was still waiting, so Chaewon bit her lip and rushed to her desk to circle her answers, adding a little <3, touched by the attention. Damn, this is why she liked the student so much. And it was a good thing Minjeong couldn't read yet.
yes maybe idk no come here
The little girl dashed down the corridor, stopping once just in time to avoid colliding with a woman picking up her child.
-
The school was quiet again. The last children had left for Day'Care to spend the rest of the afternoon and early evening waiting for their parents stuck at work. Given the peace, Chaewon tidied up her belongings scattered on the desk while humming the children's song she sang with her pupils in the morning. Every minute she would glance at her phone and then at the clock, no sign of her. She was impatient, yes, and even caught her heart missing two beats of anticipation when the door to her classroom opened on Seokjin and not her girlfriend.
And a bit after, conveniently, someone knocked on the door. Chaewon's breath snatched in her chest, perhaps from apprehension, perhaps from unmentionable excitement. Rather slowly, she made her way to the door. All the air in her lungs knotted in her throat at the sight of Minjoo. Shit, she hadn't expected it to have such an effect on her. For all that, it was only an argument, and it only lasted three days without seeing her.
"Are you for real crying?" she finally asked with an involuntary smile.
"No. I'm not," Minjoo denied as she hastily wiped her eyes with the back of her sleeve, a cry escaping her lips with a nervously embarrassed laugh.
That was all it took for Chaewon to immediately wrap her arms around the student's neck, tightening her embrace, laughing just as nervously as Minjoo tried to sniff without getting it all over the young teacher's hair. As might be expected, they couldn't go that long without talking to each other; it was downright impossible, and having her after sooo long in her arms gave Chaewon incredible energy that made her want to twirl the student around the classroom.
"Yes, you are," Chaewon insisted then, tenderly running her fingers through the hair on the back of her girlfriend's neck.
"But," Minjoo swallowed a cry as she laid her forehead on the older girl's shoulder, squeezing her waist with all her might. She was chuckling too. "But you know damn well I easily cry."
Oh yes, to be emotional, she was. Whether it was a happy or sad ending, every movie they watched would bring a tear to her eye. Sometimes she even cried while reading, and it happened to music too. Therefore Chaewon happily giggled again, holding her tightly, swaying their bodies.
-
"Are you sure I locked the door?" Chaewon backed away for a second. Minjoo's head tilted to the side as her fingers held the teacher between her legs by her waistband. It was dark in the room with the shutters down and a few papers crumpled under the student's thighs as she sat on the desk.
The brunette nodded, eyes closed as Chaewon began kissing her neck again. She stroked her thighs, going higher and higher, with more and more pressure and desire, as if to make sure she was really there. Not just a part of her imagination because she missed her presence too much.
It was to make it up to her; the student had said as she unbuttoned the first two buttons of her lovely shirt, revealing black lace that the professor eyed, biting her lip before rushing her against the desk, then onto it.
Not unexpectedly, Chaewon accepted her girlfriend's excuses. There weren't many people in the school at this hour anyway. How could she even resist it? Professionalism and the boundary between private and professional life had been left far behind the door when she nimbly unbuttoned the last buttons with one hand, letting her other hand grip the warm waist she loved so much. It wasn't the first time they would do it on a table. In fact, the kitchen island was a frequent spot, but on her classroom desk, it was a lifetime premiere. And terribly exciting. Hence, she paused for a second to admire the body belonging to her. But Minjoo was impatient, and she got tugged by the waistband again, chuckling in surprise as the student exaggeratedly licked her neck.
Regrettably, someone knocked on the door. The teacher rapidly put her shirt back on, while the student rushed to a cupboard, then opened it to her colleague Seokjin, who was surprised to see her so red. He left with his numbered boxes of cars, and the two young women laughed out loud when Minjoo tripped over some Kaplas on her way out of the hiding, awfully falling on her butt.
"Since you're here, help me hang this up," Chaewon ordered, taking out the paper discs she had made a few months ago when they were still on the talking stage. The decorations were finished now, laminated, cut and perforated. They just had to suspend them up for the decoration to be complete.
Having a more long-legged girlfriend came in handy when hanging things from the ceiling. Habitually, Chaewon would have taken the stepladder from the ground floor and bore it with difficulty to her classroom. Minjoo only needed to stand on a chair and maybe tiptoe a bit. They made a good pair, to say the least, a pretty exceptional team. Chaewon prepared the transparent string, and Minjoo grabbed it to pin it to the ceiling.
"Here's your niece's," Chaewon grinned as she looked closely at the little Kim's. Not because she was one of her favourites nor blood related to her girl, but Chaewon quite enjoyed the coloured flowers on the paper disk. "Oh, and does she still not know about us? I thought you let a few things slip."
"Good thing she can't read yet," Minjoo joked as she grabbed the string, perched on her chair, wearing Chaewon's sweatshirt, her shirt balled up in her tote bag as she didn't bother putting it back on. "And she finds it funny we wear the same clothes."
"Yeah, I thought the same," a chuckle shook the teacher's shoulders as she prepared Kim Jeongseon's ornament. It had lots of aeroplanes and islands drawn on it, and it looked illuminated with fairy lights. "Because her aunt is a compulsive stealer."
Minjoo made big eyes, then chuckled heartily. The ceiling was filling up nicely, so they kept moving around to make sure they scattered as many discs as possible. After a few minutes of chatting about everything and anything, Minjoo's tone changed slightly, "Chae?"
"Hm?"
"I'm going to my parents' this weekend," silence followed, and the student looked down at her wide-eyed girlfriend. She let go of the string with one hand and quickly caressed her cheek. "Nothing to do with last time."
"Cool then," shrugged Chaewon. She took a slight step back to observe the progress of the decorations, then was surprised once again to notice Minjoo wasn't pinning the one she was holding. "What's up?"
"The ceiling," the student giggled at her own awful joke, making the older roll her eyes. But then she regained her seriousness a bit, nervously lifting an eyebrow. "Do you want to come with me?"
"What?"
"Come with me." Chaewon almost dropped all the handmade decorations as the request was so unexpected. They discussed very little about it, deciding to wait as long as possible before taking that step for several reasons; until the approaching end of the year, Chaewon was still Minjeong's teacher, which broke the ultimate rule of the boundary between personal and professional. Moreover, Minjoo had not experienced a serious relationship since that girl in high school, and her parents until now had a bitter taste for it, believing a man would never have treated her that way. And lately, they wanted to make sure their relationship was stable. Solid enough to make it this official.
Apparently, it was to Minjoo.
"You, I, your parents?" Chaewon blurted out, heart pounding as loudly as the first time she saw the brunette in that subway station. Crazily fast, almost like it couldn't be true.
Minjoo was still standing on the chair, beaming as she took advantage of her height, tenderly caressing the flustered teacher's hair. She knew her invitation required much thought and that her girlfriend couldn't give an answer on the spot without thinking of the consequences. Even less Kim Chaewon. She would take three hours before each decision, from a place to eat to a road to take. "It's not an obligation, babe."
"No, no, it's not," Chaewon nervously chuckled. "It's... does that mean you trust us enough?"
"With all my heart." With a small jump, Minjoo stepped down from the chair to hold the brunette's hands. Chaewon accepted it heartedly, shaken by the impromptu invitation, committing much more than a weekend away from Seoul. "It doesn't have to be now, though. Next week? Or next month, or—"
"Whenever you want," Chaewon interrupted, pulling the college student closer to her. She wrapped her arms around her waist, a goofy smile on her lips that Minjoo reciprocated. "Oh my God, I'm going to meet your parents!"
"I can't wait to see Minjeong's face..." the brunette giggled, squeezing the teacher's neck a little tighter, rocking them back and forth slightly. Chaewon's laugh vibrated against her heart, and Minjoo kissed her warm skin many times before going back to her task. They laughed a lot more when the teacher said she couldn't wait to meet her fucking kid's family, though it earned her a slap on the shoulder.
They couldn't wait for the weekend to come, indeed.