2 Chapter 2 - Crossing Paths

It was only two-thirty in the afternoon but Jin Ae felt like she already had a long day today. She had been waiting for a bus for not too long now when a black car stopped in front of her. The window of the car opened and revealed Jun Ho's handsome face.

"Daegu-ssi," he said. A smooth and soft baritone voice he had was something one can recognize easily.

"Ah really! You sure hold a grudge," she rolled her eyes.

"Hop in."

She was taken aback by his invitation but instantly refused. They had a pretty peculiar meeting, and not a good one, so she did not want anything to do with him. Also, something about him made her nervous.

"I'm not doing you any favor, I'm heading to Daegu too," he said with a hint of temper.

He stated it in a way that was removed from any personal intention. Sounding like he was doing it out of courtesy, almost forced, which irritated her more.

"Actually, I'm going somewhere el-"

He suddenly unlocked the passenger door of his car and opened the door impatiently, startling her.

"You still have a class right? Get in," he said dismissively.

She glanced around for a bus to save her from this ordeal but there was none, she set aside her pride and accepted his offer. They sat in silence since she got inside the car, she thought they would never talk until they reached Daegu High School when he suddenly broke the silence.

"What're you thinking back there?"

She was puzzled by the question and glanced at him. He glanced at her and then back to the road.

"I mean... When I called you in the lecture," he clarified.

"I just answered your question. I really thought you were asking the name of my school."

He glanced at her one more time and into the road looking unconvinced.

"It's true. I am just used to people asking the school where I teach. You know, when a man seems interested in you, he'd ask about your job. I'm quite popular, you know!" she said proudly.

He coughed amused and shook his head.

"Wouldn't a man ask for the home address instead?" he said, smirking.

"Just be thankful I didn't give my home address a while ago, okay!" she said with an annoyed expression.bBut her reply only made Jun Ho laugh.

"Ah, you're funny!" he said in between his teeth.

Jin Ae glanced at him annoyingly and voiced her thoughts out loud, "Why are we taking so long?"

Jun Ho drove all the way to Dae Gu with a smile on his face, much to her irritation.

* * *

As a gesture of gratitude he supposed, Jin Ae led Jun Ho to the principal's office. He let her guide him although he knew where the office was. He could have closed the distance between them but he held himself back. He wanted to use the moment to observe her longer.

She was just below his chin to be exact but with her two inches heels, she looked taller. Her body grew from youthful to a completely grown woman. As for her face, she still had the same serious face that changed drastically whenever she showed her emotions- sad, happy, excited, angry, and confused. Eyes that disappeared whenever she smiled and laughed.

"Here it is," Jin Ae said.

He wanted to see it again.

"Hyun Jun Ho-ssi?"

He blinked abruptly and immediately removed his gaze from her. He did not notice that they were already in front of the principal's office. His throat was dry and he could only bow to her as thanks which she returned with a confused bow as well. She turned around and walked ahead. He was about to open the door when he suddenly had the need to look at her again.

"Son Jin Ae."

Jin Ae stopped and turned around to face him. A question on her face. She was ten steps away but it felt like she was a thousand miles unreachable to him.

'What was on her mind?'

'Her thoughts?'

Jun Ho couldn't voice these questions. He just smiled, nodded, and finally went inside the office. Her brows narrowed curiously.

"Didn't he just call me by my name?" she murmured to herself.

* * *

"I have received your request letter. I was actually hesitant in allowing you to use our school for your research but weighing the fact that you're a well-known writer, I guess it will be our privilege to be a part of your project."

The principal of the school was about his retirement age if Jun Ho wasn't mistaken. His hair was all white but his aura exudes authority which one could gain through long experience. He wondered where the previous principal was now.

"I wondered why you chose our school rather than high schools in Seoul. But when I found out that you studied here once, all my doubts disappeared. I think it's nice to have you here."

Jun Ho thanked him, bowing his head in respect. It had been ten years since he set foot here in Dae Gu. Though he had only studied here in the first semester of his last year in high school, only the memories here represented his high school memoirs. It was his best memory. And will be.

And now, starting today, he will be closest to the place that carved a significant place in his heart and... to someone he had shared his high school memories with most. Did the heavens just grant his prayers?

After his meeting with the principal, he was sent to the faculty room. He noticed that it didn't change at all, only the people. It seemed that local teachers were still under the spell of the city dreams, he saw some old teachers but not those he had before. Even Jin Ae becoming a teacher hadn't even crossed his mind. Being stubborn and tough, proud and full of confidence, he thought she'd be a prosecutor or a lawyer.

"Teachers, we have a visitor from Seoul. He is a lecturer at Cambridge University and will be conducting his new research here in our school."

The teachers clapped their hands in joy for the privilege of choosing their school. Miss Oh was small and stout. She looked older than her actual age but she was only two years older than him.

"This is Teacher Han, she is the 3rd year Section A adviser. She attended your lecture this morning."

"Ah yes, how can I forget."

Jun Ho smiled at her and Seo Ah smiled in return.

"Hey! Teacher Son, faster!"

Jun Ho turned to look at the door and saw Jin Ae. She had just dismissed her class.

"What now?" Jin Ae complained then her eyes met his.

"Hyun Jun Ho-ssi, this is Teacher Son, she is the adviser of 3rd year Section E."

Jun Ho smiled at Jin Ae. Jin Ae thought he did it smugly.

"He is-"

"I know already," Jin Ae raised her hand to stop Miss Oh impatiently. The other teachers looked at them curiously while Jun Ho chuckled at her cheekiness.

"Yes, of course! Teacher Son attended my lecture a while ago as well so she already knows me. She and Teacher Han."

Jun Ho looked at Seo Ah for a second then to Jin Ae, where his eyes lingered more. Miss Oh was surprised for a moment and exclaimed:

"Ah yeah! I almost forgot that Teacher Son attended too. How was it?" Miss Oh asked, glancing at Seo Ah then at Jin Ae alternately. Jin Ae was about to speak when Jun Ho answered instead.

"They were really active," he said, then his eyes returned at Ye Jin.

"...and Teacher Son hitched a ride with me from Seoul to here."

Jin Ae glared at Jun Ho and he smiled at her teasingly.

'Aishh! Why did he have to mention that!'

Hearing that, Seo Ah sighed, regretting the missed opportunity.

"Whoah! That's nice. Then I guess, since you already know each other, I'll assign Teacher Son to you. If you need any help you can approach her."

Internally, Miss Oh was very happy to place the responsibility of taking care of the visitor to Jin Ae. She felt burdened enough that a research study was going to take place in their school and what's more, to look after the person who will conduct it. Jin Ae sensed Miss Oh's true intention and was so displeased.

"I'm too busy," she refused.

"I don't think so," Miss Oh said.

"Whatever!" Jin Ae snapped and walked straight to her table.

Miss Oh looked for an empty table that Jun Ho could use temporarily. Unfortunately for Jin Ae, it was the table at her back. It only means that they would be sharing the same bookshelf, charging outlets, and side coffee table.

"Aish, really! This is my cubicle!"

"This is the only empty table, Teacher Son. Please?" Miss Oh said in a low voice. She couldn’t afford to look like an evil superior in front of the visitor.

Jun Ho sat comfortably and looked so pleased. He rolled his chair back to her and said:

"Don't worry. I'm used to doing my work alone... And I can't think of anything you could help me with anyway," he said.

"Oh! What a relief!" Jin Ae exclaimed sarcastically and he could only chuckle from that.

Hours passed and it was already five in the afternoon. Jin Ae fixed her table eagerly, she was known to leave on the dot. She grabbed her bag which was already prepared fifteen minutes before and stood up. She said farewell to her colleagues and was about to leave when she remembered Jun Ho, she glanced at him and saw that he was still busy stacking his things up. She pouted and left.

Jun Ho looked behind a second to catch a glimpse of her leaving, then he heard someone say:

"Aigoo, how did she become a teacher? She couldn't even stay a minute in her seat after school hours?"