45 Chapter 45

Seok-Woo gathered his thoughts, preparing to address the unexpected arrivals, though he felt it unnecessary. Yet, as he pondered, Yerin couldn't help but mull over Seok-Woo's presence. "Why is he here? And with Hae-Jung... Is he a magnet for women?" she wondered, briefly glancing at him before dismissing the thought.

Meanwhile, Seol Hee found herself taken aback by Seok-Woo's presence once more, especially considering she had witnessed him kissing Sunhwi in public. She observed Seok-Woo and Hae-Jung, sensing there might be more to their encounter, and began concocting a melodramatic scenario in her mind involving the trio.

Before Seok-Woo could utter a word, the door swung open once again, drawing everyone's attention. While the girls seemed unsurprised by the newcomers, Seok-Woo felt out of place.

This time, it was Gyeong-Eun who entered, her confusion evident as she locked eyes with Seok-Woo, who shared her astonishment. However, their silent exchange was interrupted by Gyeong-Eun's companion.

"Oh, look who's here. Didn't expect to find you here for lunch," the companion exclaimed. Yerin chimed in, addressing her and their colleagues.

"If you were planning to come here, why didn't you suggest meeting up in the group chat?" she queried, directing her question not only at Gyeong-Eun but also at their friends.

Gyeong-Eun explained, crossing her arms, "No one suggested it, so we assumed everyone was going their separate ways," her gaze shifting back to Seok-Woo, silently questioning his presence.

However, before Seok-Woo could respond, Gyeong-Eun's companion intervened, proposing they become more active in the group chat to avoid similar situations in the future. The suggestion was met with agreement from the group.

Upon noticing Seok-Woo, the companion expressed surprise at his presence. "A new face here, and a man," she remarked teasingly, turning to Hae-Jung with a playful smirk. "Is he your new boyfriend, Hae-Jung?" she insinuated, though Hae-Jung quickly denied it, her cheeks flushing red.

"Then why are you blushing?" Gyeong-Eun's companion retorted, continuing with her playful banter. "Hooking up with a colleague? It's my first time seeing him here."

She turned her attention to Seok-Woo, adopting an authoritative tone. "Which department are you from?" she inquired, though it was merely a facade.

Before Seok-Woo could respond, Gyeong-Eun intervened, clarifying, "Soo-Yeon, don't let your imagination run wild. He's my student at the university."

Gyeong-Eun's response left Soo-Yeon bewildered. "What?" she exclaimed, her confusion deepening when Yerin chimed in, "He's also my student."

Soo-Yeon then turned her gaze to Hae-Jung, questioning whether Seok-Woo was indeed her student. Hae-Jung denied this, explaining that she was simply treating him to a meal, her cheeks tinted with a slight blush.

Soo-Yeon scrutinized Seok-Woo for a moment before sighing, "I'm the only one who doesn't know him," she lamented, feeling left out.

What she said only left Seok-Woo puzzled, wondering why Soo-Yeon seemed so upset about not knowing him.

As Seok-Woo pondered, Gyeong-Eun placed her hand on Soo-Yeon's back, urging her to sit down and order. Soo-Yeon responded by feigning tears, pleading, "Gyeong-Eun, you're as cold as ever. Can't you comfort me a little?" She looked at her with a pitiful expression.

Unmoved, Gyeong-Eun paid no heed to Soo-Yeon's antics, simply finding a seat for herself beside Seok-Woo.

Yerin and Seol Hee observed the situation and joined them at the table, aware that Soo-Yeon was not being serious. Meanwhile, Hyeyeon, unaware of Soo-Yeon's act, offered her comfort from the sidelines.

Soo-Yeon hugged Hyeyeon for comfort, catching Seok-Woo's attention. He observed their chests pressing against each other, feeling slightly awkward. Gyeong-Eun noticed this as well but chose not to confront him, simply rolling her eyes in response.

After a moment, Soo-Yeon released Hyeyeon and made her way back to her seat beside Seok-Woo, completing the group. Hyeyeon returned the menu to the table, preparing to take their orders while Yerin and Seol Hee decided on their meals. Soo-Yeon turned to Seok-Woo and asked for his name, tilting her head slightly.

"I'm Choi Seok-Woo, Professor," he replied, prompting Soo-Yeon to inquire about his year and degree program. Gyeong-Eun listened intently, despite outwardly showing little interest, finding herself unconsciously intrigued by him.

Once Yerin and Seol Hee finished ordering, Yerin handed the menu to Gyeong-Eun, who placed it in the middle for Soo-Yeon to make her selection. 

This resulted in Seok-Woo feeling squeezed between the two women, with both Gyeong-Eun and Soo-Yeon moving closer to examine the menu, secretly observing Seok-Woo's reaction.

Despite their efforts, Seok-Woo remained composed, even seeming to enjoy the closeness. He made subtle movements to savor the sensation, unnoticed by Hyeyeon and Seol Hee, who assumed they were simply taking their time choosing.

Yerin sighed inwardly as she observed the scene unfolding before her. She glanced at Seok-Woo's calm and composed demeanor, recalling the incident on the first day of class. "Oh yeah, I still owe him an apology," she thought to herself, deciding to address it after they finished eating. "I'll apologize to him after eating, so it will be done and over," she resolved as she looked at Seok-Woo.

Time passed until both Gyeong-Eun and Soo-Yeon decided on their orders. They were somewhat impressed and disappointed by Seok-Woo's lack of reaction to their advances. 

Gyeong-Eun even glanced at Seok-Woo's crotch, noticing no apparent stimulation from their closeness. "Does he just have good control over himself?" she wondered briefly before dismissing the thought.

Both Gyeong-Eun and Soo-Yeon placed their orders, and Hyeyeon noted them down. Soo-Yeon then suggested taking some shots of alcohol, but her proposal was met with unanimous disapproval.

"No!" Every girl, except for Hyeyeon, protested. Even an elderly waitress slapped Soo-Yeon on the back, causing her to wince in pain.

"You crazy girl! Did you forget that you're still working?" the elderly waitress scolded Soo-Yeon harshly for her irresponsibility.

"I don't know why you suggested something so foolish without thinking much. You're just putting us all in trouble," Gyeong-Eun admonished Soo-Yeon as she winced from the blow.

Yerin nodded in agreement and added, "You almost got fired from your job when you came back to class intoxicated. If it weren't for Gyeong-Eun covering for you, you would be out of here by now." She recalled the incident where Soo-Yeon was drunk.

Soo-Yeon had no excuses to offer, as both of them were right. Seok-Woo also concurred with the girls' sentiments, not wanting to attend school in such a state.

Soo-Yeon winced in pain, comforting herself as Hyeyeon took their orders to the kitchen. With the orders underway, the girls began chatting.

"How's work, girls?" Yerin initiated the conversation, resting her head on her hand supported by her arm on the table. Soo-Yeon was the first to respond.

"Not much has changed, to be frank," Soo-Yeon replied, cleaning her glasses before continuing. She then turned to Gyeong-Eun and asked, "How about you, Gyeong-Eun? Do students fear you now?" Soo-Yeon smirked, earning a side-eye from Gyeong-Eun.

Gyeong-Eun answered, closing her eyes, "Same as yours, and as for the students... I simply enforce my authority in class. It's their choice to attend or not." She added, "Your statement is an exaggeration," but her view of Soo-Yeon was obstructed by Seok-Woo's presence.

"Is that so..." Soo-Yeon said, her gaze shifting to Seok-Woo. She then draped her arm over his head.

"Then let me ask this young man here how he really feels," Soo-Yeon said, attempting to pull Seok-Woo to her side, but he remained steadfast, too strong to be moved.

Now all eyes were on Seok-Woo as he scanned the expectant faces. He sighed inwardly, feeling once again thrust into the spotlight.

Addressing Gyeong-Eun, he said, "The Professor is telling the truth. In my experience, although she may appear strict and cold, she genuinely cares for her students." He glanced at Gyeong-Eun and added, "She also rewards students who perform well in her class," offering a light smile.

This revelation cast Gyeong-Eun in a new light for the girls. Their attention swiftly turned towards her, but she simply closed her eyes and reclined in her chair.

No one could discern her true feelings, but inwardly, she cursed Seok-Woo for exposing her, especially regarding the student rewards.

"Wow, are you sure about that? It's hard to say if she's like that or not. But I'll take your word for it," Soo-Yeon remarked to Seok-Woo.

However, Yerin was more intrigued by Seok-Woo's mention of rewards. "Do you really reward your students, Gyeong-Eun?" she inquired, prompting a swift response.

"That's just a baseless rumor; no one in my class has received such a thing from me," Gyeong-Eun asserted firmly. As she spoke, Seok-Woo took a sip of water, catching her glance briefly before she looked away.

Afterward, they turned their attention to Hae-Jung, who had been quietly listening to their conversation.

Sensing their gaze on her, Hae-Jung was about to speak when Soo-Yeon interjected with a teasing question, "How about you? Have you found your ideal boyfriend?"

The question caused Hae-Jung to blush in response. Yerin and Seol Hee looked at her puzzled, unaware of the context. However, Gyeong-Eun filled them in, explaining, "It's related to the time we all drank together. She confessed her ideal type of man to us. Let's just say her expectations are unrealistic."

Hae-Jung covered her face in embarrassment, her cheeks flushing red. Soo-Yeon chuckled softly, recalling the incident.

Collecting herself, Hae-Jung took a deep breath. "Well, it's certainly unrealistic, but there's someone who comes close to meeting all the requirements," she admitted in her mind, briefly glancing at Seok-Woo, who noticed but wondered what it meant.

As they resumed chatting, Hyeyeon brought their ordered meals to the table. With so much food, she moved cautiously to prevent any mishaps.

Seok-Woo watched her closely, instinctively ready to act if needed. His intuition proved correct when Hyeyeon's movements became unsteady, struggling under the weight of the tray.

The girls watched in concern, but Seok-Woo reacted swiftly, steadying the tray before any food spilled.

Hyeyeon let go of the tray and knelt down. Seok-Woo breathed a sigh of relief as he realized nothing had happened to the food, but then he felt something against his crotch.

Startled, he looked down and saw Hyeyeon's face accidentally near his crotch. "What are the odds of this happening?" he thought to himself.

Stepping back to create space between them, he turned to the table and placed the tray containing their meal.

When he looked back at Hyeyeon, he noticed her flushed face. Kneeling to her level, he asked, "Are you okay, Hyeyeon?" She didn't respond verbally but met his gaze.

They locked eyes for a moment before Hyeyeon finally spoke. "Y-Yes, I'm fine." Seok-Woo nodded and stood up, extending his hand towards her.

However, Hyeyeon abruptly stood up and walked back to the kitchen without taking his hand.

Seok-Woo watched as the door closed behind Hyeyeon. Turning back to the table, he observed the various reactions of the others.

Soo-Yeon was amused, Seol Hee covered her mouth in surprise, Yerin raised her brow, and Gyeong-Eun remained unfazed.

Sighing to himself, Seok-Woo realized that things had become awkward between him and Hyeyeon due to the unfortunate incident.