Chapter 18

“Ah, this kid, Yeon-woo, is completely wasted. President! Yeon-woo didn’t cause any trouble, did he?”

“Hahaha. What trouble? He was so polite and well-mannered. He’s quite a character, really! Take him home safely.”

Manager Jin-hyung’s face turned pale the moment he entered the restaurant. Yeon-woo was passed out, completely drunk, even though he had filming scheduled for tomorrow.

“I’ll take Yeon-woo with me and make sure he’s fine!”

Bowing deeply, Jin-hyung hoisted Yeon-woo onto his back. He glanced at the University President, Seong-tae, who was red-faced from drinking, and Tae-oh, who stood nearby, looking completely unaffected.

“By the way, could you tell me who Yeon-woo’s advisor is?”

Both the University President and the Philosophy Department Head turned their gaze toward Tae-oh. Jin-hyung’s face showed a moment of surprise as he took in the strikingly handsome young professor, but he quickly bowed politely.

“Please take good care of Yeon-woo. He told me today that he doesn’t want to be misunderstood as someone who got in through special admission. He said he’ll attend every class and work hard to do his best.”

“…”

Though Jin-hyung exaggerated a bit, his face was filled with pride. After all, he had practically raised Yeon-woo since his trainee days. 

People often called Yeon-woo spoiled or arrogant because of his success at a young age, but Jin-hyung only felt pity for him. He knew better than anyone how hard Yeon-woo had worked to get to where he was today.

“Attending school diligently is a student’s basic responsibility.”

“P-Pardon?”

“Attendance is also a fundamental duty of students. But simply attending doesn’t mean you’re putting in effort.”

“Ah…”

“In my class, four absences result in an F. Make sure you understand that.”

“Yes…”

Overwhelmed by Tae-oh’s stern and lofty demeanor, Jin-hyung replied in a small voice. Tae-oh seemed like the type to be extremely strict and by-the-book. Jin-hyung couldn’t help but think that Yeon-woo was in for a hard time with this professor.

“Well, you’re a bit rigid, aren’t you? Manager, Professor Ma has always been meticulous like this. Please understand. Now, take the kid home quickly.”

Seong-tae, trying to mediate the situation, chuckled and ushered Jin-hyung out. Shortly after, Jin-hyung laid Yeon-woo in a large van, bowed one last time, and left.

“Still as inflexible as ever. Tsk.”

Watching this unfold, the University President clicked his tongue in disapproval.

“Oh, come on, President. It’s not the first time seeing Professor Ma act like this. By the way, President, how about karaoke for the second round?”

“I’ll head back to the university. Please get home safely

With a slight bow, Tae-oh walked off into the distance. Left alone with the University President, Seong-tae began to sweat nervously. The President, glaring at Tae-oh’s retreating figure, scoffed.

“A guy like that, who can’t even make proper use of what he has? What a complete waste of talent.”

***

“Ugh, what time is it now?”

Seol-rin stretched her arms wide. It was already close to 10 PM.

She had been struggling with the Philosophy Department’s banner for the upcoming entrance ceremony. From the design to the wording, there were countless details that required her attention.

“I’ll leave the rest to tomorrow’s me.”

Quickly finishing up her preparations to leave, Seol-rin stepped out of the department office. As she passed by Professor Ma Tae-oh’s research lab, her steps came to a halt.

“The lights are off for once. No late night today?”

She felt a mix of slight disappointment and relief. Recently, Tae-oh had been working overtime far too often, and she had been worried about him.

“Sigh.”

Letting out a deep breath, Seol-rin glanced down at her wrist. Having just returned from the infirmary, a large bandage covered her arm. The incident with Tae-oh came to mind.

“He suddenly grabbed my wrist…”

Startled in the moment, she had shoved him away. At the time, she had been so flustered that she acted without thinking, worried he might hear her racing heartbeat. In hindsight, though, it seemed rude.

“Honestly, Professor Ma Tae-oh might just be a saint.”

She had wronged him countless times, made numerous impolite remarks, and yet she still hadn’t been fired. It was a wonder even to her.

“Well, I haven’t shown any signs that I like him, so…”

The only reason she hadn’t been dismissed, she thought, was because she hadn’t revealed her feelings. Though she had unknowingly developed a fondness for him, she resolved to keep it hidden.

“Huh…?”

Just as she was about to leave the campus gates, she noticed a tall man staggering toward her from a distance.

“Professor?”

By the time the man reached her, he was standing right in front of her. It was Tae-oh. The overwhelming smell of alcohol filled the air around him.

“Professor, did you drink?”

“…Our assistant.”

“…!”

Without another word, Tae-oh rested his head on Seol-rin’s shoulder.

“Professor! Are you okay?”

Struggling to support the large man, Seol-rin somehow managed to bring him back to his research lab. With a click, the lights flickered on, illuminating the room.

Sweat beaded on Seol-rin’s forehead. Without a moment to catch her breath, she heaved Tae-oh onto the sofa.

“Professor, please sit here on the sofa… Oh no!”

At that moment, Tae-oh collapsed onto the sofa, pulling Seol-rin down with him. She gasped in surprise.

“Professor, this position is a bit…”

It was a very compromising situation. Unable to finish her sentence, she simply shifted her eyes, thinking she needed to get out of this awkward position as quickly as possible. Carefully, she reached out her arm.

“Mm…”

“Ah!”

But as Tae-oh stirred, Seol-rin panicked and buried her face in his chest. If he woke up now, it would be the perfect setup for a misunderstanding. Not wanting to be caught in this situation, she held her breath and stayed still, like a statue, for what felt like an eternity.

“…”

Much time had passed. Her arms and legs were starting to go numb. Her face twisted into a grimace.

‘I can’t stay like this. I need to leave before he wakes up.’

Resolving to act, Seol-rin cautiously lifted her head. Tae-oh’s face, peacefully asleep, was now just inches away from hers.

Seeing his strikingly handsome face up close—so close it was within 10 centimeters—made her heart race uncontrollably.

His baby-soft skin, the glasses perched on his nose, the long, thick eyelashes that seemed almost touchable, the sharp nose, and the chiseled jawline—it was as if he had stepped straight out of a TV screen. Seeing such a face for free felt almost criminal.

But what captivated Seol-rin the most were Tae-oh’s crimson lips.

‘How can a man’s lips look like that…? I just want to touch them once.’

Gulp. She swallowed hard. The thought of harboring such lustful feelings toward a sleeping person made her feel like trash, yet she couldn’t tear her gaze away from his lips. At the same time, a conversation she had with Mi-yeon resurfaced in her mind.

‘Imagine kissing them. If you think, ‘Yeah, I could kiss this person,’ then it means you have feelings for them, even if it’s just a little.’  

Her heart pounded like a drum. Though unintentional, she had lived a life of abstinence, like a monk, for 27 years. Now, an uncontrollable desire swelled within her, like a balloon ready to burst.

Seol-rin brought her hand close to Tae-oh’s lips. His warm breath brushed against her fingers, tickling every joint. The strange sensation made her entire body hypersensitive, as if every nerve was on edge.

He was the one who had drunk himself into a stupor, yet it was her who seemed to be losing her composure.

Just as her long index finger was about to touch Tae-oh’s lower lip—

“…?”

“…!”

Tae-oh opened his eyes and slowly called her name.

“Miss Jin Seol-rin.”

“…”

“…Assistant Jin Seol-rin.”

As he pronounced her name slowly, her finger hesitated, moving back and forth near his parted lips. With his dignified face, he gently bit down on her finger. The scene felt more provocative than any R-rated movie, and Seol-rin’s face flushed red.

“Ack!”

When Tae-oh’s tongue brushed against her finger, a strange sound escaped her lips. A jolt of electricity coursed through her body, leaving her trembling.

“P-Professor, that’s not…”

Overwhelmed by the intense sensation, she couldn’t even form a proper excuse. His cold gaze, framed by his glasses, turned toward her.

“It’s a mess…”

“Sorry? What is…?”

“Your hair, it’s a mess.”

Before she could react, Tae-oh’s large hand reached for her face. His delicate touch smoothed down her disheveled bangs. Somehow, the gesture felt so comforting that Seol-rin found herself mumbling without realizing it.

“Professor, please do it more.”

“Hm?”

“My hair… Please stroke it more.”

“…”

The once-intimidating Tae-oh gently ran his hand through her silky hair. His touch felt as warm as a mother’s. It even brought back memories of lying on her mother’s lap as a child.

Perhaps it was because she felt so at ease. Seol-rin called out to him again. Even as she said his name, her heart pounded wildly. She couldn’t recall ever feeling this nervous in her life.

“Professor Ma Tae-oh.”

“Yes, Miss Jin Seol-rin.”

“Please call me Seol-rin.”

“…Seol-rin.”

“Ah… I’m melting.”

Perhaps because of the lingering scent of alcohol in the air, it made her feel drunk too. The fragile thread of reason holding Seol-rin back snapped with an almost audible sound.

“Professor.”

“Yes, Seol-rin.”

“Can I… kiss you?”

She never imagined she could be so bold. There was no turning back now. Despite her attempts to suppress her feelings, they only seemed to grow stronger.

“…!”

Tae-oh’s other hand reached for the nape of her neck. His large hand completely cradled her small face as he slowly pulled her closer to him.

This was the first time the usually distant assistant had approached him, and he didn’t want to let the moment slip away.

Even as their lips met, Tae-oh didn’t forget to stroke her hair. The impulsive kiss made the research lab feel warmer. Their bodies pressed tightly together, and their tongues intertwined, wet and fervent. 

Tae-oh lightly bit down on her lower lip with his canine teeth, pulling her tongue as if to claim it, then pushed his own deeper into her mouth.

“Mm…”

Seol-rin, short of breath, weakly tapped his firm chest, but Tae-oh didn’t budge. Instead, he deepened the kiss, entangling them further.