~Chapter song1: Super Junior 'Good Day for a Good Day'~
~Chapter song2: Jinsil ft Tiger JK 'Reset'~
This is it. The day of freedom. The day I graduate.
Two years have passed, and So-Hyun has painfully made her way through to graduation, a few nose bleeds and late nights here and there, but she still made it. She stood in front of her mirror and stared at herself, clad in a black fitted dress underneath her graduation gown. She patted the folds in the gown away and took a deep breath.
Staring at her reflection in the mirror she thought about her three years at University and all the experiences that had brought her to this point. She also thought about Jin-Goo who was supposed to graduate last year, she remembers how they planned to support each other at their graduation ceremony. He should have been there telling her how ugly she looked in her dress and she would pretend to be hurt, but he's not. He wasn't here, whether he was dead or alive So-Hyun didn't even know.
There were times where she would get flowers delivered on special days like her birthday or Christmas, but there was never a name on the card and she couldn't think of anyone else besides him. She wanted to be angry at him and never see him again, but she couldn't, all she just needed was for him to be safe.
If So-Hyun was to say so herself, she's grown in the past two years and through the things she experienced and the people she's met in that short time, her mind has opened to the possibilities of not shutting the world out anymore. She can't say that she's had a complete 360-degree change, but there were times she found herself doing things she wouldn't usually do, like being the first to meet up with Ga-Young and meeting new people. They weren't big things to other people, but for So-Hyun it was a moment of stepping out of her skin and she hasn't regretted it so far.
Taking a deep breath, she plastered a smile on her face at the thought of being free from the chains of assignments and late nights and stepping into her work life. She had spent her last year getting early experience within the University's psychology department, so it was only a matter of time she gets employed. Hopefully. She had been smart enough to apply for a handful of jobs straight after exam season and out of the 10 places she had applied for, 6 had called her back for an interview.
"It's a good day for a good day!" she said, trying to cheer herself up.
"Sweetie, let's go!" Her mother called from downstairs.
"Noona! You're going to be late for your last day! Typical!" Her brother, Da-Reum added.
With one last check in the mirror she grabbed her phone, bag and heels, before making her way downstairs and into the car for the ceremony.
When they got to the hall, they were just in time for the entrance speech and ceremony. Her mother and brother watched from the audience as So-Hyun nervously walked up to the podium to receive her certificate. So-Hyun walked to the other side where the other students were and stood in line for the final greetings and goodbyes.
This was it.
Like a robot she bowed and stretched her arm out to shake the hands of the important people in the room. She didn't pay much attention until a particular important person squeezed her hand a little too tightly and lifting her head to look at who she paused.
"Kim So-Hyun-ssi" Seung-Ho called, his hand now softly yet firmly holding hers.
She was caught off guard because technically she's still within school grounds and him calling her by her name like this could be dangerous, but she decided she didn't want to care anymore. She'd spent the last two years without saying a word to him, today's the day they had promised each other to meet again.
She gave a polite smile and in a low voice called his name "Yoo Seung-Ho-ssi"
Seung-Ho still in his professional mode tried not to smile too much, but his cheeks turned a slight pink in reaction to So-Hyun calling him by his name. Not Seonsaengnim, but Yoo. Seung. Ho. He wanted to hear it once more but had to move along to congratulate the other students.
So-Hyun watched as the hall quickly busied with bustling with students and their families. Some were crying, others laughing and celebrating their day of freedom. They were officially done with exams a few months ago so they had technically been 'free' for 2 months already, but there was something about graduation that made everything real.
So-Hyun stepped outside and took a slow walk through the gardens of the University stopping at the pathway that lead to the University's greenhouse. It was spring, and the blossoms were in full bloom, the sun gracefully shining on her face. She stood for some time, with both hands in her pockets thinking about what her summer was going to be like.
Ga-Young had offered for So-Hyun to join her and Ji-Soo, her boyfriend, on holiday this summer, but So-Hyun had to say no. She's smart enough to know when and when not to be a third wheel, she decided to let the love birds stay together, besides she needs to organise her time in between reading books and watching dramas. And oh yeah, her interviews if she ever gets a call back. No time for third wheeling.
"Yah, Kim So-Hyun" His deep voice called her name and So-Hyun turned around to see her ex-professor standing four-feet away from her, underneath a blossom tree, with hands in his pockets and pink petals floating around him. Picturesque indeed.
Straight out of a webtoon.
"Seung-Ho-ssi" replied with a smirk.
"So-Hyun-ah" he sung, taking a step closer towards her.
So-Hyun giggled quietly "What? Yoo Seung-Ho-ssi, why do you keep calling me?" she asked, knowing fully well why. It was something she wanted to try out, but he'll always be Seonsaengnim to her.
"Do you know how much I've missed you?" He said, getting serious but a small smile still lingering his lips.
"This much?" So-Hyun guessed, making a space between her thumb and index finger
"Ah, So-Hyun-ah, do you really not know my feelings for you?" He joked
"Hmm, then this much?" She asked now making the space a little bigger and she laughed when she saw Seung-Ho scrunch up his face in what should have been disbelief, but he just looked like a teddy bear – still, she couldn't expect that much of him to change in two years.
"This much" He said, stretching his arms out as wide as they could go, before taking a step closer towards So-Hyun and embracing her in his arms. "I missed you this much" He breathed and closed his eyes to capture this moment. Two years. They'd both waited two years for this moment, to be together, not as Seung-Ho the professor or So-Hyun the student just Yoo Seung-Ho and Kim So-Hyun, two lovers.
In each other's arms, they think about the time they had apart and how much they had changed. Perhaps being apart for some time did them good more than bad, in other's eyes they may have been going too fast at the time and so when it all came crumbling down, it came at them full force. They knew it wouldn't be easy, but at that time they only went with their emotions and they didn't think realistically/ (?) At first So-Hyun was hurt, she'd experienced her first heartbreak and she was worried that after they met again both their hearts would have changed. She'd pictured the day that they would meet in her head time and time again, but her imaginations and reality can be two different things.
"Seonsaengnim?" she called.
"Who's that? I don't see any professors around here?" He asked, looking around the quiet garden in all seriousness.
So-Hyun chuckled a little and slightly pulled back to give him a cheeky look "Seung-Ho-ssi... Better?" she asked.
"Ah, how may I help?" His dimples answering for him.
"How did you get through these two years? How were you confident that you'd still want to be with me after everything?" she asked as they slowly went to sit on a bench.
"I just trusted in our feelings for each other at the time. There probably wasn't a day I didn't think about you. Even though the time we spent together was cut off, I came to know of a girl called Kim So-Hyun. This girl, you see, isn't the type to make a promise and never see it through... I knew you'd be waiting for me just as I was waiting for you... That our hearts were longing for each other."
So-Hyun let out a small breath, she's a changed girl but her trust issues were still there. "So, you're telling me throughout this whole time you waited just for me and there weren't any other girls?" She asked, eyebrows raised, and she pursed her lips and squinted her eyes when she saw Seung-Ho flinch.
"There wasn't" he answered, a little too quickly perhaps.
"Seung-Ho-ssi, that was a very quick answer don't you think?"
"There really wasn't... I swear!" He now lifted his palm up as if he were taking an oath.
"Hmm" was how she responded. So-Hyun wouldn't blame him even if there was anyone else, she couldn't stop him, and she understood he was a man after all. She didn't mind... She really didn't. Okay no that was a lie, she disliked the thought of another woman being in his personal space, having her lips on his, the same lips that gave So-Hyun, her own first kiss. Ugh.
"Okay, I'll believe you, but if you're lying just know that the truth always comes out" she said jokingly, but it came out more seriously than she intended.
Seung-Ho gave her his signature smile and shook his head in denial.
"So, now that we're free to be us... What do you want to do?" He asked, watching as So-Hyun looked up to the sky in thought.
"Seons-" She caught her tongue, peering out of the corner of her eye to see if he noticed – he did. "I mean, Seung-Ho-ssi I thought about it so many times and one thing that I would like is for us to take things slowly this time and take our time to really get to know each other. Back then, we didn't get to be like other couples, did we? Always having to go to your house or go to places where it was dark... This time I just want it to be me and you. No worrying about what others think of us, but just two ordinary people dating. How does that sound?" She asked, eyes still watching the clouds as they slowly moved in the sky.
Seung-Ho shifted his hand so that it rested on top of hers "I like the sound of that" he replied flattering her with a warm smile.
^^^^
Stepping out of the interview room, So-Hyun was feeling confident. This was the first place to have called her back and she could say she had done well. They said they would call again for a second interview, but she didn't want to get her hopes up.
"Getting a job this soon after graduating would be a miracle" she muttered to herself. Making her way home, she quickly switched from her heels to her trainers, but not until she was far away from the company building.
Making her way home, she scolded herself for still not learning how to drive. She used to be enthusiastic about it, but after that night with Jin-Goo she couldn't even bring herself to open the books to study. Her phone buzzed, and she got a message from Seung-Ho.
Seung-Ho:
>So-Hyun-ah, should we go away for a while?
>Only for a few days though, because I still have seminars to attend
>How does it sound... Too soon?
So-Hyun genuinely thought about it and wondered if it was the right thing to do. On one hand she really wanted to spend time with him again, but on the other she was worried it wouldn't be the same as it used to be, and, on another side, she had to be careful just in case she got called for a second interview within that time.
So-Hyun:
>... Hmm, okay, let's go!
>But we'll have separate rooms, right?
She deliberated before sending the last message because she didn't want to seem like she didn't trust him, but that wasn't it. Part of her knows that it's been 2 years and the emotions they once had might come flooding in and she doesn't know what she might do.
She let out a small laugh at the change in roles, it's not like she was going to eat him or anything. You're not going to eat him So-Hyun-ah.
Seung-Ho:
>Great! Of course, don't worry.
>Thank you, So-Hyun-ah... for waiting for me.
^^^^
Luckily, So-Hyun had gotten the call for her second interview, so she had time to schedule it after her trip with Seung-Ho. She was half nervous and half excited. She shuddered at the thought of actually having to do adult things now, shaking her thoughts away she directed herself towards Seung-Ho who was driving with his sunglasses on. The sunroof was open, and the music was blaring.
He must have felt her eyes on him, because he turned to look at her and gave her a smirk. "What? Why do you keep looking at me?"
Because you're handsome.
She cleared her throat "Ah, err I was looking at the brand of your glasses..." She really doesn't want to act this shy around him, but she can't help it. She feels like the same girl that was shy when he first told her that he liked her two years ago, but she doesn't want that anymore.
She doesn't want him to see her as his student anymore.
"I lied. I was thinking about how great you look in those glasses" So-Hyun-ah, what was that?!
Seung-Ho let out a small laugh and looked at her again "You're the one that looks beautiful" eyes now turning back to the road and good thing he did otherwise he'd see So-Hyun blush.
"We're here!" He announced, breaking her from her thoughts.
"Already?" She asked surprised at the short drive. They had flown all the way to Jeju Island and Seung-Ho had driven them from the airport to another one of his cabins. He called it a 'vacation home' but it didn't make any difference to So-Hyun. She was really going to have to get used to this rich thing.
She stepped out and took in her surroundings. This was her second time here, she was young when she last went and didn't remember much about it. The air was clean, and she could almost smell the salt from the crisp blue sea. Seung-Ho's cabin was built on a higher level so there they had to climb a set of stairs to get to there.
His home was protected by a white gait taller than So-Hyun and the doors made a squeaky sound when he opened it. Must be old. Stepping inside the cabin, she couldn't help but compare it with his other one which unlike this one was all wood. This cabin however had a modern feel to it, with almost everything being marble, decked with black and white interior. She liked it.
"So, what's the first thing we do?" She asked, ready to explore.
"Well, I want to take you around the market nearby to pick out fresh groceries whilst holding your hand..." He said, voice all seriousness, but his face shy as he scratched the nape of his neck. Ah and he's gone she thought. The professor has officially left the building.
She pulled his free hand and entwined laced their hands together, pulling him towards the door "Let's go" she urged, giving him a wide-eyed smile.
So-Hyun had come to the realisation that there was a certain freedom in not being student and professor anymore. She could walk around with Seung-Ho and have dinner without having to have a separate room or go out of town. Walking hand in hand with him made her think of the days that they were together, and she realised that she really did miss him and all of this. She didn't know whether her heart would still react to him the way that it used to, but it did as if it remembered him and only wanted to beat for him. Silly? She knows.
After buying ingredients they looked around the market some more and went back to his place to store the food. They decided to go the beach out front and have some late-night snacks.
Two hot dogs and a candy-floss later, they were sat by the sea, the waves pushing and pulling away from them.
"So-Hyun-ah, you know that being with you like this makes me happy right?" He spoke, shuffling a little closer to her.
"How happy?" She asked, eyes playful. There had been this tension between them the whole evening, not bad tension though. It was the good type of tension where they both knew that they had something to say to each other.
"Really, really happy" He replied, moving a little closer.
"Hmm, I don't think you're happy enough..." she teased, her mouth now lifted into a smirk.
Seung-Ho, who knew exactly what she was trying to do shifted even closer so that they were less than a centimetre apart and said, "How about now?"
"I don't think so- "So-Hyun turned to see Seung-Ho right next to her, the warmth from his body tickling her bare arms.
"Seonsaengnim..." she called, her doe eyes staring into his piercing ones.
"Who's that?" He asked, his eyes not wavering.
She really needs to throw that habit away.
"Seung-Ho-ssi... I... I've really missed you"
"How much?" He teased, throwing her words back at her.
"This much" she said, scooting herself so that she closed the remaining distance between them.
"Me too" He breathed, slowly pulling her head so that it rested on his shoulders.
So-Hyun wanted to enjoy this moment, because she knew the time where they would have to have that conversation about his family and her mother and every other complicated thing that they might have to face was soon to come. The partly changed So-Hyun decided to let things go the way they should, she's decided to not worry about the future too much because she doesn't know what it holds.
The past can't be changed and happiness isn't something you postpone for the future, but something you make now So-Hyun-ah. Let's try and be happy this time.
Thank you for reading.