Work Text:
The classroom was a chaotic place, to put it simply. Most students didn’t want to be there, and if they did, it was to see their friends, not to study. It’s understandable; after all, nobody enjoys spending eight hours listening to a man talk about something that most of them couldn’t care less about.
But the teachers, if they were passionate enough, earned the respect and trust of their students for various reasons. Some for being strict but fair; others for making an incredibly boring subject enjoyable.
Professor Hyeongjun was the first type. The students fell silent the moment he walked through the door and greeted them formally. At first, they were intimidated by his quieter, more distant demeanor, but within a few months, the class had grown fond of him, and he of them.
History was a favorite subject for very few. It involves memorizing, but also understanding. And who wants to understand what happened in a council meeting last century? Mr. Han could name, maybe, five students who do. Even so, he managed to keep the room quiet and focused during his lesson. Perhaps because of his precise teaching and his slow, detailed way of speaking.
But on Friday afternoons, the students weren’t really having any of that. They just wanted to go home, eager for the plans that awaited them that afternoon.
—”Could you guys tell me what you’re talking about that seems more interesting than the Great Depression of 1930?” he said calmly. He didn't raise his voice, he didn’t really need to ever. The students remained silent.
...
—”I thought so.” He went back to the blackboard. "Well. So, in the end, liberalism it’s just-"
—”Mr. Han?” One of them interrupted, raising her hand as if she were forbidden to.
But Hyeongjun loved answering questions about the subject, and with a gentle smile, he turned to look at the girl’s desk.
—”Yes, Seola?”
He ignored her seatmate’s smile and attempts not to laugh.
—”Professor... Are you and Mr. Jiseok... Uhm, close?”
Ah. Professor Kwak. Mr. Jiseok from physics, Jiseokkie. Well, close was one way to put it.
The smile remained on his lips, but his gaze went blank, completely taken aback. It wasn’t the first time he’d heard rumors. It was expected that teenagers with too much free time and free access to social media would start creating all sorts of theories just to entertain themselves. They’d been analyzing the completely normal interactions between him and the physics teacher for a while now.
Normal for him, since he’d been married to Professor Kwak for eight years.
Hyeongjun had met Jiseok at university. He lent him a pencil once, and without realizing it, he also gave him his heart. His presence, which at first was cheerful and energetic, so much so that it was sometimes overwhelming, became a habit and then a necessity. After so many years, it was still like that, but now, in addition to sharing pencils, they shared an apartment, a car, and rings.
He had been able to open up to him completely, something that rarely happened considering Hyeongjun’s introverted nature. There was nothing more comfortable than being with Jiseok. He completely surrendered to him.
He took longer than the students expected him to answer.
—”Professor Kwak is my… colleague.”
—”Aw… but professor! That doesn’t answer anything.”
He looked away and adjusted his glasses.
–”It’s inappropriate to speculate about the personal lives of teachers.” He cleared his throat and turned to continue teaching while the students shared whispers and giggles.
—
At that same time, a similar scene was unfolding in Professor Kwak’s classroom.
Professor Han’s history class was described as disciplined and formal, but also strangely close. His physics class ran on pure passion for the subject. The only thing that kept the students engaged was the professor’s natural ability to make something as tedious as formulas and numbers sound like something out of a sci-fi movie.
Engaged, for the most part. There was always a small murmur behind his voice, if he wasn’t getting out of track by sharing his own stories, which would eventually lead the whole class into conversation. That was the case today. They should have been working on a worksheet, but Professor Kwak was sitting on his desk with one leg crossed over the other, talking to his students almost as if he were one of them.
Perhaps he was too relaxed, because it wasn’t the first time his students had asked him personal questions as if it were the most normal thing in the world. Although Jiseok never did much to stop them.
—“Hey, Professor! tell us the truth. What’s going on between you and Professor Han?”
Jiseok raised his eyebrows and smiled awkwardly. He thought about what he could say to say everything without actually saying anything.
The students might have bad grades or ask the same question a thousand times, but apparently, what they were actually good at was sticking their noses where they shouldn’t.
He let out a small chuckle.
Well, he expected that they would ask. The students had already noticed some things. They were small and almost irrelevant, but once they accumulated, it was suspicious.
First, they always arrived at the same time and together. But maybe they lived nearby or were just equally punctual. Sometimes they would stop by each other’s classroom to drop off or pick something up and leave without saying much.
The suspicions began when they started using the same coffee mugs. Gray, medium-sized, and with a navy blue lid. They escalated when Kwak came to school one day with a red nose and sneezing, and then in the afternoon he was wearing the big black scarf that Professor Hyeongjun always wore. Coincidentally, he had worn it in the morning but not anymore afterwards. And they became unbearable when Jiseok entered Han's classroom without knocking while the students were working on their textbook.
°•.
—“You left this at home.” he said, placing a small bag on his desk.
—“Thank you.” Hyeongjun replied. The students didn't see it because the desk concealed the touch of their hands, but they saw his shoulders move. Then Jiseok left without saying much more.
Since then, they wanted to ask questions. Now Jiseok had to respond before too much time passed and they assumed too much from the silence.
—“Ohh… I don't know. “ He said in a tone just as conspiratorial as the students's . “...I can't say much.”
—“Nooo!”
—“Please, Professor!”
He laughed and looked at the ceiling, pretending to be thoughtful. He liked to tease them a little.
—“Well, he's my… colleague.” He thought again. “He's very good at his job. I like him a lot.”
Seeing his students' persistence, he let out a sigh of mock annoyance.
—“Okayyy… I guess Hyeongjun is very important to me. If you finish the exercises before the doorbell rings, maybe I’ll give you another ambiguous answer.”
They didn’t finish.
—
Later that same day, both teachers arrived at their apartment while the sun was down, closing the door behind them with a heavy sigh. They hung their coats and bags on the coat rack and loosened each other’s ties.
Jiseok rolled his shoulders.
—“You have no idea what they asked me today.”
—“Hm?” Hyeongjun asked, heading to the kitchen as the other followed. He lit the stove under a pot that had been sitting there since dinner yesterday. He quickly tied his hair back and started stirring. Meanwhile, Jiseok rested his head on his shoulder and wrapped his arms around his waist.
—“They asked me about you.” His voice was softer because of their closeness. Hyeongjun could hear the smile on his lips and felt his cheeks flush.
—”Oh, yeah?” he murmured shyly.
—"Yep." he said, letting out a chuckle.
The taller man lowered his free hand to take Hyeongjun's hands on his stomach.
—"I told them you're very important to me."
His voice was sweet and almost playful, fully aware of the reaction he would get from Hyeongjun. Hyeongjun nodded slowly, his gaze fixed on his food.
—”...You're going to get us in trouble.” he managed to answer.
—”Nah, I don't think so.” He pouted at the hollow of his neck. The gesture was innocent, and because of it, Hyeongjun's cheeks only reddened. "I was very vague with my answer."
—”Hmph.” he groaned. “Okay. I believe you.” His thumbs ran gently along the back of Jiseok's hands. “...My student asked me too.”
—”Really?!” His smile was wide. “Tell me! What did you say?" He asked enthusiastically.
—”That we are colleagues.”
The shorter man chuckled.
—”Oh, you’re so mean.” He whined.
—”It’s just… work ethics. I guess.” He replied. “I don’t even think what went through their minds to conclude we are a couple. I’m very professional.”
—”Yeah. Sure.” Jiseok said, although his tone made it clear he wasn’t convinced at all. “So very professional. Professor Han.” He said playfully.
Hyeongjun’s head turned to him suddenly. His cheeks and his overall face were bright red to the tips of his ears. He frowned and his eyes were droopy with shame. The nickname, coming from Jiseok's pink, kissable lips, was something he would only hear in very specific moments going on in their bedroom.
—”W-What did I say about you calling me Professor Han when we are home?!”
—”Hehe. Sorry”