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It was the end of the semester and Kim Dokja was stressed. He was currently hunkered down in his office, grading his literature class’s final essay exam.
His fountain pen glided across a student’s paper, marking them down for inconsistencies and weak arguments. He sighed as he dropped the essay into a pile on the ground. The ever increasing pile was full of grades he had to enter by tomorrow night.
Kim Dokja removed his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose. He vowed that next year, he wouldn’t procrastinate grading.
Another lie.
He really should’ve started grading these damned things last night, but he was distracted. The newest chapter of his favorite webnovel “Three Ways to Survive the Apocalypse” had a triple chapter update and there was no way he was going to miss that. Kim Dokja spent an hour reading the chapters, followed by another few hours of spamming the author with comments on a dedicated forum.
By the time he finally went to bed, it was the crack of dawn. Kim Dokja blissfully passed out, not realizing that he would be forced to spend the rest of the day in his office, pouring over papers.
Armed with two thermoses full of coffee, Kim Dokja isolated himself in his tiny office.
The only sounds that filled the room were the scratches of his pen and numerous groans. How did this student completely mess up their conclusion? How could this student forget their thesis in the opening paragraph? Why did this essay not have a name on it?
“This is a top tier university for goodness sake,” grumbled Kim Dokja as he set the nameless essay aside. “Be responsible.”
He already guessed that he was going to receive some angry emails from students. Kim Dokja thought he left the customer service lifestyle, but here he was, getting yelled at for unfair grading or missed points.
Foul mood deepening, Kim Dokja started on another student’s essay. He took a deep breath, mentally preparing himself for another mind-numbing essay. However when he read the name on the top left corner, his expression immediately lightened up.
“Yoo Joonghyuk,” Kim Dokja smiled as he began reading the introduction, “What kind of story will you tell me today?”
Kim Dokja didn’t usually play favorites, but when it came to Yoo Joonghyuk, he did. Yoo Joonghyuk was one of the university’s top scholars, scoring perfect grades throughout his academic career. The man had impeccable insight, illustrating his views with eloquent words and prose.
Kim Dokja wasn’t quite sure why Yoo Joonghyuk enrolled in his literature class when he was an engineering major. He initially assumed it was for a throwaway elective since Yoo Joonghyuk was graduating this semester. However…
Perhaps Yoo Joonghyuk was serious about literature?
During Kim Dokja’s lectures, he could feel Yoo Joonghyuk’s focused stare on him when he wrote on the blackboard. Also, Yoo Joonghyuk usually sat in the front and always raised his hand when Kim Dokja asked questions to the class. He even went out of his way to attend Kim Dokja’s office hours, asking for the professor to critique his homework before turning them in. Strangely, no other student would come except for Yoo Joonghyuk.
Yoo Joonghyuk was truly a role model student. Kim Dokja would definitely miss him. Who else would he talk to about his favorite webnovels and foods?
Kim Dokja smiled as he gave Yoo Joonghyuk a perfect grade. He doodled a smiley face next to the 100% and added the essay to the paper pile. Needing a break, Kim Dokja stood up and stretched his back. He glanced at the remaining pile of essays and sighed.
He thought that all nighters were for students. He didn’t think that he’d have to do one as a professor.
Kim Dokja’s head snapped up at the sound of a knock on his door. A tall shadow obscured the white frosted pane of his door.
And along with the shadow came a familiar voice.
“Professor Kim?”
Kim Dokja’s eyes widened and he hurried to organize the pile of essays at his feet. He didn’t expect any students to come visit after the final exam took place, let alone Yoo Joonghyuk out of all people.
“Wait just a moment! I’ll be there shortly. Ack!”
Kim Dokja winced as he accidentally knocked over his thermos, spilling its remaining contents on some of the graded papers.
“Shit,” Kim Dokja hissed as he went down on his knees to mop up the spill with some napkins. The papers began to soak up the stale coffee and turn soggy. Black ink began to bleed and run, staining Kim Dokja’s hands and other papers.
“Professor?” Yoo Joonghyuk’s muffled voice became louder. “I heard a loud sound. Are you alright? ”
“I-It’s nothing!” Kim Dokja scrambled to clean faster, but in the process, he knocked over a stack of books he failed to file away. “Shit.”
The doorknob turned. “I’m coming in!”
“No—!”
Yoo Joonghyuk barged into the office, his eyes frenzied with worry. His head bobbed up and down, searching the office until his eyes landed on Kim Dokja, who was down on his knees, face flushed with embarrassment.
“Hello there Yoo Joonghyuk,” Kim Dokja laughed nervously, backing up into the wall behind him, “You seem to have caught me in an awkward situation.”
Awkward indeed. Kim Dokja didn’t know why he said it out loud. He chuckled and was about to stand up when Yoo Joonghyuk moved forward, towering above him. Kim Dokja gulped.
Yoo Joonghyuk went down on one knee and stared down at Kim Dokja. “Professor, what would have happened if someone walked in here?”
“Why does it matter—Huh?!”
Yoo Joonghyuk held Kim Dokja’s chin, forcing him to stare at Yoo Joonghyuk’s heated eyes. Kim Dokja found himself drowning in Yoo Joonghyuk’s handsome face, temporarily forgetting his current dilemma. He was afraid to even blink, let alone breathe.
“Professor.” Yoo Joonghyuk’s smooth voice enraptured the fallen professor.
“Yes?” Kim Dokja stammered out. His heart felt like a jackhammer, ready to break out of his chest.
“You cannot let anyone else see you like this.” Yoo Joonghyuk’s expression darkened as his hand lightly glided against Kim Dokja’s cheek, hovering around the man’s pulse point. Kim Dokja’s breath stilled as he tried to anticipate Yoo Joonghyuk’s next move.
“O-Okay.”
Yoo Joonghyuk smiled and offered a hand out to Kim Dokja, who stared at it dumbfounded. It took him a few more seconds to register the hand and he finally accepted it. Yoo Joonghyuk helped Kim Dokja up, nodding approvingly after seeing that Kim Dokja wasn’t injured.
“I was worried for a moment,” explained Yoo Joonghyuk, “I thought you hurt yourself.”
“You’re too sweet Joonghyuk,” Kim Dokja let out a small laugh, “I just dropped some things. I’m quite clumsy.”
“I see,” Yoo Joonghyuk let out a hum, “You need to take care of yourself more.”
“Huh? Should my student really be soliciting life advice to his professor?”
“I’m sorry professor.” Yoo Joonghyuk didn’t look apologetic at all. “Have you finished grading my paper yet? I made sure to touch upon the points you brought up during our last office visit.”
“Ah yes!” Kim Dokja fumbled over to his desk to fetch the freshly graded essay. “You passed with flying colors. Congratulations!”
A smirk emerged on Yoo Joonghyuk’s face. “Thank you Professor Kim. Since I passed your class, I suppose this means I’m no longer your student.”
“Well, technically I haven’t entered your final grade yet.” Kim Dokja’s eyes wandered to the coffee stained papers that laid on the ground. “I got distracted with this mess.”
“Ignore it.” Yoo Joonghyuk huffed. “I have something serious to discuss.”
Kim Dokja saw that Yoo Joonghyuk began to let out a series of deep breaths, making him concerned for his (former?) student’s wellbeing. Yoo Joonghyuk’s whole being was tense.
“Are you okay? Are you hyperventilating or something? Do you need the nurse?”
Yoo Joonghyuk surged forward, caging Kim Dokja against the wall. Kim Dokja couldn’t help but admire the ripple of muscles on Yoo Joonghyuk’s arms. He swore Yoo Joonghyuk flexed once he noticed Kim Dokja’s stare.
“No you fool,” Yoo Joonghyuk growled out, “I’m trying to compose myself.”
To Kim Dokja, Yoo Joonghyuk was currently the opposite of composed.
“Joonghyuk?” Kim Dokja’s nervousness from earlier returned, “What’s going on?”
“I—just…” Yoo Joonghyuk let out a strained sigh, “Professor—no, Kim Dokja!”
Kim Dokja blushed at the mention of his full name.
“Have dinner with me.”
Kim Dokja blinked. “Dinner?”
“Yes. Dinner.” Yoo Joonghyuk edged deeper into Kim Dokja’s field of vision.
“...Sure?”
The next thing Kim Dokja knew, Yoo Joonghyuk was a distance away, picking up the scattered papers on the ground. The change in behavior was so drastic that Kim Dokja thought he was dreaming.
“Huh? Why are you picking those papers up? They’re not yours.”
Yoo Joonghyuk looked at Kim Dokja as if he was stupid. He presented a stack of papers to Kim Dokja. “The sooner you grade these papers, the sooner we can go back to my place and have dinner.”
Yoo Joonghyuk’s place?! For a first date?! Kim Dokja swallowed a gasp down at the implications.
“Gotcha.”
Since when was his (former) student so bold? The Yoo Joonghyuk during office hours was much more docile compared to this one.
But maybe…Kim Dokja liked this assertiveness.
When Yoo Joonghyuk found his dear Professor Kim Dokja on the ground in such a compromised position, it took all of his being to hold himself back.
Kim Dokja’s face was flushed red and his eyes were starry as he looked up at Yoo Joonghyuk, blurting out apology after apology, excuse after excuse.
Yoo Joonghyuk wanted nothing more than to pounce on his dear Professor. He would've done unspeakable things to that man.
He reluctantly held himself back. Yoo Joonghyuk wanted nothing more than to smother his professor with his love and devotion, but it was too early to claim his prey. He was doing so well too, making sure his professor relaxed his guard around him after all of those office hour visits.
Yoo Joonghyuk licked his lips at the thought.
Soon, Kim Dokja would become his.