Chapter 1

“Just be careful with Professor SexMa.”

“What? Who?”

At Mi-yeon’s words, her university classmate Seol-rin frowned. She wondered if Mi-yeon was making some kind of inappropriate joke, but Mi-yeon’s expression was far too serious for that.

“I’m talking about Professor Mateo from the Philosophy Department, who you’ll be working with. His nickname is SexMa.”

“Why…? Is he some kind of disgusting pervert?”

“No.”

Shaking her head vigorously, Mi-yeon stuck out her tongue in a rather seductive manner. It was the kind of ridiculous gesture that might make anyone burst out laughing, but Seol-rin’s expression only hardened further.

After three grueling years of job hunting that felt like hell on earth, she had finally landed a position as a teaching assistant in the Philosophy Department at Korea University. Normally, teaching assistants were graduate students, but for some reason, this semester, there hadn’t been any applicants, so the department had decided to hire a recent graduate instead.

Apparently, the professor was so notoriously difficult that no teaching assistant had lasted more than a month under him. In the end, with no graduate students applying, the position had fallen to Seol-rin, a recent graduate. Adding to this, Mi-yeon, who worked as the team leader of the Academic Affairs Student Team, had strongly recommended her for the role, knowing better than anyone how much Seol-rin was struggling with unemployment.

For at least the one-year contract period, she wouldn’t have to worry about being broke, or so she thought. But now, out of nowhere, Mi-yeon was warning her to be careful of the professor. The image of a pot-bellied perverted professor flashed through Seol-rin’s mind, making her shudder.

“Ugh, why does he have such a nickname? Tell me quickly. You’re creeping me out.”

“It’s because he’s ridiculously sexy. Sexy Mateo, shortened to SexMa.”

“What? Ridiculously sexy? Pfft.”

Seol-rin scoffed. Her tense expression, which had been stiff with worry about the possibility of a perverted professor, finally began to relax.

However, unlike the relieved Seol-rin, Mi-yeon’s face remained deadly serious.

“This isn’t something to laugh about, okay? Because of that damned sexiness, teaching assistants have been dropping like flies every month.”

“Huh? What do you mean? What does being sexy have to do with assistants getting fired?”

“Oh, don’t even get me started. Every single assistant ends up falling head over heels for SexMa and confessing their feelings. It’s chaos. But the professor absolutely hates it when people can’t separate their personal feelings from work. That’s why they all get axed.”

Mi-yeon started recounting stories of the numerous teaching assistants who had worked under Professor Mateo. There was one who confessed their love on their very first day, another who got caught secretly taking photos of him, and even one who followed him all the way to his home.

The common thread among them? They all fell for Professor Mateo. With a face full of disbelief, Seol-rin asked again. If he was so insistent on keeping personal and professional matters separate, why didn’t he just hire male assistants from the start?

“Why doesn’t he just hire male assistants, then?”

“Do you think he hasn’t tried?”

“Don’t tell me…”

“Bingo! Regardless of age, gender, or nationality! Everyone who works closely with SexMa ends up losing their mind.”

“What does he look like for that to happen?”

By this point, Seol-rin was extremely curious about the face of this so-called “Sexy Professor Mateo.” She tried to imagine him by mentally combining the faces of various handsome male celebrities. She even pictured a vampire-like figure from foreign movies.

Just as she was lost in thought, Mi-yeon suddenly grabbed her hand tightly. With a face that seemed utterly fed up, she said:

“Anyway, you’re our last hope. You’re not interested in men, right? That’s why you’ve been single for 27 years. Right?”

“Are you mocking me right now?”

“Aw, don’t take it so seriously. Anyway, please, just survive this year. I’m terrified of having to post another job listing for this position.”

“Alright… I mean, how bad could it be?”

“I’m counting on you, seriously. Oh, and don’t forget to print out your resume and cover letter to give to the professor when you start. I’ve already emailed them to him.”

As she patted Seol-rin’s shoulder, Mi-yeon didn’t forget to give her one last piece of advice.

“Jin Seol-rin, you have to remember! Don’t fall for Professor SexMa! If you do, you’ll be fired immediately!”

“Getting fired… would be a disaster.”

Her savings, which had dwindled little by little during her job-hunting period, were now completely gone. She still had student loans to pay off and interest that was piling up even as she stood there. Clenching her fists tightly, Seol-rin’s expression turned resolute.

“Having a crush on someone is a luxury for those who have the time and money for it.”

“Wow. That’s why you’re my friend. A true quote machine.”

Mi-yeon gave her a thumbs-up, showing her admiration. Feeling triumphant, Seol-rin nodded confidently.

“Don’t worry. There’s no way I’m falling for Professor SexMa.”

***

It was Seol-rin’s first day at work.  

Being mid-January, the world outside was blanketed in snow. Crunch, crunch. The sound of her footsteps breaking through the snow was oddly satisfying. Although the biting wind had turned the tip of her nose bright red, she couldn’t help but hum a tune.

“Finally, I get to experience what it’s like to go to work.”

Although she had failed to land a job and had returned to her alma mater, being a teaching assistant was still a respectable position with full benefits. The thought of shedding her status as a jobless graduate and becoming a proper member of society made her steps feel incredibly light.

‘Jin Seol-rin, you have to remember! Don’t fall for Professor SexMa! If you do, you’ll be fired immediately!’

Recalling Mi-yeon’s stern warning, Seol-rin shook her head. Having a crush on someone was a luxury, she thought, for people who had the time and emotional space for it. With neither financial nor emotional stability, she believed she had nothing to worry about.

“Let’s see, Professor Mateo’s office is… Room 404. Even the room number seems ominous.”

Arriving at the central building where the professors’ offices were located, Seol-rin headed toward Professor Mateo’s office. Once she reached the fourth floor, the long hallway stretched out before her, and at the very end, she spotted Room 404. Even the nameplate reading “Mateo” exuded a neat and tidy vibe.

“Phew.”

Standing in front of the door, she felt a bit nervous and took a deep breath to calm herself. Just as she was about to knock, she heard a woman’s sobbing voice coming from inside the office.

“Hic… Professor.”

Frozen in place, Seol-rin wondered what on earth was going on. Soon, amidst the sobbing, the woman’s voice became clearer.

“Professor, I’ve truly fallen in love with you… I don’t need anything else. Just let me stay by your side. Please? I feel like I’m going to die without you. No, I will die without you. I mean it—I really will!”

“…!!”

Seol-rin’s jaw dropped wide open. She had no idea what kind of situation was unfolding inside the professor’s office. Frozen in place, unable to do anything, she just stood there dumbly as a man’s deep, resonant voice came from within. Instinctively, she realized that this must be the voice of the infamous “Professor SexMa”.

“Are you done talking, Assistant Gu Yu-na? Or rather, you’re no longer an assistant, are you? Since you’ve been fired?”

Unlike Mateo’s calm tone, the woman’s sobbing grew louder and louder. Mateo spoke again, his voice devoid of any emotion.

“Ms. Gu Yu-na, if you’re done talking, then please leave.”

“W-what? Professor, didn’t you hear me? I said I’m going to die! I’m really going to die!”

Gulp. Seol-rin swallowed hard. Soon, Mateo’s cold voice pierced her ears.

“If you can die, then go ahead and do it right here in front of me.”

“Professor…!”

“Don’t use your life as a bargaining chip, Ms. Gu Yu-na. There’s nothing more pathetic than that.”

“Wow.”

A gasp of admiration escaped Seol-rin’s lips. This professor was truly no joke. She couldn’t help but feel a strange sense of awe.

One of the types of people Seol-rin admired most was someone like him—someone who said whatever they wanted without caring about others’ opinions or reputations. People like that were like fizzy soda to her. Ever since she was young, she had been overly conscious of others’ opinions, and she couldn’t help but envy those who weren’t.

“Ahh!!”

At that moment, the office door suddenly swung open with a loud bang. Startled, Seol-rin let out a scream and stumbled backward. Standing in the doorway was a woman with a tear-streaked face, glaring daggers at her, as if blaming her for taking her place.

“What’s this? Were you eavesdropping on our conversation just now?”

“Oh, oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to eavesdrop. I’m the new assistant.”

“Oh, so you’re my replacement?”

“Well, yes, but…”

“You think you’ll be different, don’t you? Look at me. This is your future. Just wait and see—you won’t last a month before you’re fired.”

“What?”

What a horrible thing to say, Seol-rin thought. She wanted to snap back, ‘Do you even know how much loan repayment I have due this month?’ but the woman’s menacing expression made her swallow her words.

Scratching her cheek awkwardly out of embarrassment, she watched as the woman stormed off. The sound of her clicking heels grew fainter and fainter. As Seol-rin glanced around, she realized that the office door was still open.

She was still dumbfounded by what had just happened, but she decided she needed to introduce herself to Professor Mateo. Gathering her courage, she raised her voice.

“Ah, hello, Professor. I’m Jin Seol-rin, the new teaching assistant for the Philosophy Department. May I come in?”

But there was no response from inside. Tilting her head in confusion, she suddenly noticed a shadow fall across her pale face. Mateo had silently stepped out and was now towering over her with an imposing expression.

“…!!”

He was wearing thick, horn-rimmed glasses. They were the kind of glasses designed to make someone look stern and reserved, but somehow, they only amplified his overwhelming sensuality. He didn’t look older than his early thirties, which was also surprising. 

So this is why they call him the Sexy Professor Mateo! 

Seol-rin couldn’t help but marvel inwardly.

“Jin Seol-rin?”

She was practically drooling, lost in her thoughts, when Mateo’s icy voice snapped her out of it. His tone was so cold it seemed capable of freezing someone solid.

“Ah, y-yes.”

As she scrambled to regain her composure, the sharp gleam in Mateo’s eyes behind his thick glasses made her shiver.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Mateo.”

His face, however, was anything but welcoming. Despite her confusion, Seol-rin bowed deeply, bending at a perfect 90-degree angle.

“Oh, yes. I look forward to working with you, Professor.”

As she bowed, Mateo suddenly extended his hand. It was a pianist’s hand—white and slender. Even his hands are beautiful, she thought as she eagerly shook his hand.

‘He even offered his hand first. Maybe he’s not as difficult as people say.’

But that was a grave misunderstanding. The moment she grabbed his hand, Mateo’s expression turned icy and twisted into a scowl.

“What… are you doing?”

“Huh? Oh, I’m shaking your hand…”

“Where’s your resume?”

“Oh! M-my resume!!”

Realizing her mistake, Seol-rin let go of his hand in a panic. She hurriedly rummaged through her backpack to pull out her documents, but her hand slipped, and her resume spilled onto the floor. White sheets of paper scattered everywhere.

“Ah! I’m so sorry. I’ll pick them up right away. Just a moment.”

“Leave them on my desk and wait.”

Without another word, Mateo turned and walked away, leaving her behind. The twitching of his eyebrows seemed to reflect his irritation.

As Mateo disappeared down the hall, a deep sigh escaped Seol-rin’s lips.

“Haa… I’m doomed.”

She couldn’t shake the ominous feeling that she might get fired on her very first day.