☆.°•---- Let's go, Jeju Island! (2) ----•°.☆
"···What is going on?"
Because of the gloves, I wiped the sweat that had formed on my forehead with my wrist.
It's hot. It's too hot.
I thought I'd be supervising students or doing some other chores when I came to the tangerine farm, but the owner of the farm, who had put hats over my chins to block the sunlight on Teacher Jeonghan and me as we gaped at the vast farm, suggested that we pick tangerines together and let us go out into the trees. I ended up experiencing tangerines all by myself... Still, I was confident that I would set an example as a teacher, so I diligently picked tangerines.
This is the result of sweat. At first, I started the tangerine picking show with considerable passion, but I picked up speed thanks to the cheers of the children who flew in. However, the sunlight was especially merciless to me, who had the ambition to pick tangerines in a place that students rarely came up to because it was annoying. Teacher Jeong-han burst out laughing as I half-melted and eventually resolved to act normal and not show off. The very weak (looking child) who had been seeking shade forced a smile at Teacher Jeong-han. Yoon Jeong-han didn't see it that way, but the way he looked at me melting was incredibly annoying.
Takkong-
" ouch! "
"It was weak."
"Huh...??? "
He widens his eyes as if he feels wronged after I lightly hit him with a single slap. A teacher should be a role model, what would the students think? People like shade (of course). Looking to the side, I try my best to smile mischievously, and Teacher Jeonghan snickers and turns his head away, as if defeated. But...
"Oh, that's annoying."
The tangerine hanging from the very top was bothering me. The ladder I'd placed in the car I'd just stepped down from was gone... The others were all in use. I looked around and found a ladder tucked away in a corner. I hurried over to it and dragged it back down the tree, dragging it along, though it looked a bit worn on the outside. I must've come this far before I knew it, because there weren't even any children around.
"Uh uh..."
I think I'll reach it if I just do a little more. I was stretching my arms out hard, but then I got dizzy and was about to go down.
(Pokak-)
" ······???????? "
Pokkak..?
I looked down and saw that the very bottom of the ladder was broken. Startled, I hurried down, but the ladder, which was quite high up, began to sway.
"Teacher Yeoju···!!"
This is Teacher Jeonghan...
At the last moment, the face I saw was so handsome. What kind of satisfying ending is this? As a teacher with many dreams and hopes, I waved my arms and screamed, “Ah ...
Startled, I screamed along with him, and Teacher Jeonghan raised his arm towards me. The broken ladder must have been struggling to support my already heavy weight, and now he's swinging his arm too.
Pogak-
Finally, unable to hold out any longer, the ladder collapsed with a loud crash. And when I opened my eyes,
" ···??? "
" uh··· "
...I settled into Jeonghan's arms. As I was falling, I flailed my arms even more violently, as if I was grabbing something. Then, just as he was reaching out, I closed my eyes tightly and hugged him, as if he were my lifeline.
" ······. "
I squeezed my eyes shut, and a few more seconds passed. The sunlight still shone warmly on us, accompanied by the deep chirping of insects. Teacher Jeonghan's scent suddenly came close. As I fell toward him, he, too, embraced me in a daze. So now my feet weren't on the ground, and we were holding each other tightly. Huh? Realizing reality, I said,
"Aaaaahh ...
I was startled and immediately jumped away from him, apologizing over and over again.
"Uh... it's okay, just... calm down..."
"I'm so sorry!!!!"
Finally, as I bowed at a 90-degree angle to apologize, he gently grabbed my shoulder and brought me back to my original height. He bent his knees slightly, and our eyes met.
" stop. "
" ..Sorry... "
"It's bleeding."
I must have brushed against a piece of the ladder. Only then did I notice my bleeding leg, and I could feel the pain of my flesh being torn.
" ···ouch. "
"Does it hurt a lot?"
" are you okay, "
"There's a lot of blood. Can I take a look for a moment?"
My clothes were torn, and my knees were bleeding more than I expected. It felt like walking would hurt. Teacher Jeonghan took off his outerwear and tied up my legs.
"Picked up."
" uh···? "
"Hurry up and get on board, Teacher Yeoju."
"No, I can walk,"
"Quickly."
I was startled when he knelt right in front of me and showed his back, so I waved my hand.
"It's not far from here now, where there are people. Hurry up and get on me."
"···Then just a moment... Excuse me."
As I carefully put him on my back, he immediately stands up and starts walking quickly towards the farm entrance.
" thank you··· "
"No. Do your legs hurt a lot?"
"No... I'm sorry."
"What are you sorry about? Are you sure it's okay?"
"I'm fine... but it's heavy."
"It's so light. Just relax."
" ···yes. "
"······But isn't it really heavy?"
" huh. "
" really···? "
"If I ask again, you say it's heavy and put it down?"
" omg.. "
We quickly arrived at the crowded area, and a staff member ran over. Teacher Jeonghan sat me down on the bench and sat down next to me. The staff member, who seemed to be used to this kind of thing, skillfully wiped away the blood and disinfected the wound.
"Fortunately, the wound isn't as big as I thought, so I don't think you need to go to the hospital. Just put a bandage on it and walk around."
"Ah.. thank you."
"Yes, would you like to take a short rest here on the plains?"
"Is that okay?"
"Of course, please eat some tangerines too."
He left the room to go get some tangerines, and Teacher Jeonghan asked me if I was okay.
"It's okay. And thank you so much..."
"No. I bet you were very surprised."
"No... You were surprised because of me."
"I'm fine. Can I go pick tangerines?"
"Yeah, thank you."
Teacher Jeonghan left the room, telling us to be careful, and the cool scent of summer filled the room.
"Teacher Yeoju!!!!"
"Huh, huh?"
As soon as the experience was over, I looked at Seungcheol, who was running towards me in a daze.
"You said you were hurt...!"
"Oh, a little."
"Are you hurt a lot...?"
"It wasn't that bad, just something grazed my leg."
"Oh, thank goodness... I thought I was seriously hurt again."
"No way. I'm fine, teacher-"
"That's fortunate ㅠㅠㅠ"
"I have to go and take care of the students quickly."
"Okay.. be careful!!"
Ododo smiled brightly as he watched him run towards the students.
On the way back to the training center after the tangerine farm experience, I happened to ride the same bus as the teaching assistants.
"Miss Yeoju! Please sit over here."
"Oh, Assistant Professor."
"Are your legs okay?"
"Yes, I'm fine! Thank you for your concern."
"No, what is it? By the way, I hope Teacher Yeoju likes it."
" ···yes? "
"No... I think the working environment will be really good. All the teachers around you are handsome."
"Ah...haha."
I think I got it wrong.
"Isn't there something like a fling between teachers?"
"Are you in a relationship?"
"You're the only girl. I think the male teachers will be really nervous about you."
"Yeah, that's right... (answering absentmindedly)"
"Teacher Yeoju, is there anyone among the male teachers that you like?"
"Ah... All the teachers are good people."
"No, not that. You know-"
"I don't know. They're all just good colleagues."
"Isn't there a teacher who looks like a real man?"
"You're a man. You don't look like a woman-haha"
She let out a deep sigh, as if frustrated, and ended the conversation. "What a waste of face..."
By the time I returned from the farm, the sky had already turned a deep crimson. After dinner, the children were taken for a walk along the mountain path. Only their homeroom teachers followed them, while the others were enjoying their own personal time.
Time flew by, and by the time the students returned, it was already night. It was time for bed, and the students were all in bed. After lights out, we checked with the teaching assistants to make sure the students were asleep (we knew they wouldn't be sleeping anyway on our last school trip). After catching our breath, we each went to our rooms. After washing up, we lay down on our beds, which were softer than we'd expected. Knowing we wouldn't be able to sleep, we reflected on the day.
And then something flashes through my mind that I don't want to recall.
"Picked up."
I covered my flushed face with a pillow as I remembered the arms that had held me tightly and the time that had stopped.
Thump-
Heart pounding? Am I finally losing my mind? I worry that my rapid heartbeat will reach the bed next to me. I press down on the spot where my heart is, trying to calm it down. Then, my phone suddenly lights up, so I quickly cover the screen and bring it closer to check.
After a brief conversation, I put on two layers of outerwear and cautiously walked out of the room, worried about waking the teaching assistants. As I slowly walked down the dimly lit hallway, I spotted Seungcheol looking towards me from the entrance.
Teacher Seungcheol-
I walked briskly down the quiet hallway, calling out to him with a smile. He, too, chuckled and walked slowly back.
At dawn, the building was silent, without a sound. The early morning silence was cautiously broken by the sound of our two footsteps.
"Teacher Yeoju, come here!"
" huh? "
"I found something that looked really good earlier. Do you want to walk around for a bit?"
He and I walked side by side through the pale dawn. The air still felt a little chilly.
As we walked, we found ourselves walking in sync. We laughed at each other's overlapping footsteps, and we arrived at...
" wow. "
The riverbank is still filled with a hazy sky.
"Where am I...?"
I stared blankly at the boundary between water and sky. The faint ripples of water rippling in the gentle breeze were fascinating.
"I saw it on my way back from the farm earlier. It's pretty."
" pretty.. "
He smiled transparently, his face reflecting the color of water.
"There's a bench here too."
Teacher Seungcheol sat down first and tapped the seat next to him. I smiled and took my seat, and the spectacular view of the lecture filled my vision. Even the wall behind me made it the perfect setting for a secret rendezvous. The tickling sensation of their brushing shoulders made me laugh again.
" ···. "
I stared at him for a moment, who was quietly smiling, and he turned his head and looked at me.
"···When will I ever see a place like this again?"
"Yeah, I just happened to see it."
"It's nice to see you. It's a dawn feeling-"
" right. "
After that brief reply, no more words were exchanged between us. Silence descended, and that silence wasn't awkward. It was enough not to talk, that strange sufficiency brought a smile to my lips.
Dawn is a truly special time. It brings to mind all sorts of thoughts, and it beautifies the past. The paths we've walked are always a memory at dawn.
"Teacher."
" huh. "
"Aren't you sleepy?"
"I'm not very sleepy yet."
"Hmm..."
I nodded at his words that I wasn't sleepy and stared at the horizon again.
A gentle breeze brushed my nose. And then,
"Etch-"
Teacher Seungcheol sneezed. Now that I look at him, his clothes... he's wearing long sleeves and long pants, but they're made of thin material and he's not wearing anything else. I'm freezing.
The dawn air is cold. Perhaps the small tingling sensations within that chill bring a sense of warmth. I stared at him intently, then took off a layer of my outerwear.
" ···? "
I put my clothes on Seungcheol's shoulders as he looked at me in bewilderment.
"No, I'm fine."
"Just stay there. The air is cold."
" ···thank you. "
I stared at the edge of the river for a long time. Dawn was beginning to break.
" ······. "
I glanced to the side and saw a light welling up in Seungcheol's eyes. I secretly watched his large eyes fill up, one by one, and then turned my head back to the rising sun.
The sun, slowly pushing aside the clouds, half-peeked out. The sky was tinged with crimson, and occasionally, insects chirped. It was beautiful. Truly beautiful. Perhaps it had been so long since I'd seen the dawn, but the still-slightly-cold sunlight, equally illuminating the world, brought a few tears to my eyes.
Seeing me like that, Teacher Seungcheol smiled broadly, his teeth unseen. As we grew closer, we locked eyes. And simultaneously, we smiled faintly.
"Teacher Seungcheol."
"I'm sleepy······"
The hazy voice wasn't a lie. I closed my eyes, slowly closing them, and savored the sound of insects. It was a time when everything seemed alive and breathing.
The sun had already fully emerged, casting a crimson glow over the world. And before I knew it, I leaned my head against his shoulder and fell into a deep, restful sleep.
BEHIND 🍊
Hmm... I guess that ladder is not very trustworthy.
The female lead hadn't heard, but Jeonghan, leaving a message to wait, quickly ran to find the nearby staff. Frustrated by the lack of a single person after a while, he ran a hand over his head when he encountered the farm owner, who smiled kindly.
"What's wrong?"
"Can I use the white ladder... the one with blue sides and a slightly worn look? It was lying in the corner."
"Um... Ah! You shouldn't use that. It's broken, and I forgot to clean it up when the students came..."
" thank you. "
Jeonghan turned back the way he had come and walked briskly again. What caught his eye was the female protagonist already teetering on the ladder.
"Teacher Yeoju···!!"
Jeonghan called her name far more urgently than Yeoju had anticipated. He unconsciously stretched out his arms and held her tightly as she fell. He realized they were embracing each other, but even then, half-aware, he stood there, at a loss for how to react. Sunlight shone down on them, and as Yeoju repeatedly apologized to him, Jeonghan's only worry was whether his rapid heartbeat had reached him.
(If you feel like the heroine's lines are the same as those of other characters... you're sharp.)
The serialization may be delayed a little bit.. I think so. Please understand ㅠㅠ🥺