Heartbroken Desires

The Past

"That's it for the lecture. I want your assignments complete by tomorrow, "Irene announced from the center podium of the lecture hall.

Some students lightly groaned some packed their stuff, hurrying to leave, and some sat there lazily, not having enough energy to stand up. Irene picked up her book and walked out of the lecture hall as her heels clicked against the floor.

Tucking a hair strand behind her ear, Irene walked through the hallway full of students and towards the staff's office. She was pretty much tired and her throat was hurting a little because of lecturing all day long.

However, she knew what she was getting into when she decided to become a Behavioral Science professor at Korea's most prestigious university. 

As she stepped through the door of the staff's office, a loud cheer invaded her tired mind and she winced slightly at the noise. Not again.

Irene looked up and saw all the professors crowding around one of the professor's desks. She made her way towards her desk and sat in the chair. Keeping her book aside, she drank up the water from her bottle and gaped at the group.

What is happening there?

Just as these thoughts came into her mind, one of the professors turned around and saw Irene looking at them. He smiled at her and waved, shouting, "Hey, Irene! Come over!"

Irene returned him a tight-lipped smile and stood up as she patted down her pants, pulling on the lapel of her blazer. She elegantly made her way through the rows of desks and stopped behind the crowd.

"What happened?" she asked as the group turned around and parted away for Irene to join them.

She looked down and saw the English professor sitting in her chair, excitedly smiling at her.

"Yujun?" 

"Irene! Yujun's boyfriend proposed to her yesterday night!" Seojun, the Architecture professor, announced.

The crowd cheered again as they clapped along. Irene stared at Yujun with a blank face and was startled when Yujun grabbed her hand, showing her a toothy smile.

"He is so perfect, Irene!" Yujun said, and Irene gave her an awkward smile, nodding simultaneously.

I thought so too.

"That's why she was smiling so much all day. How did you meet him though?" One of them asked.

Yujun smiled as she gestured for everyone to sit. They all got their chairs and one of them gave Irene a chair too.

"Thank you, "she sat down, right in front of Yujun, feeling a little uneasy at the choice of topic.

"We met in a cafe a few years back. He was working there and I went there for a coffee break, "Yujun started as a few of them leaned forward in interest.

"Just as our eyes met, I felt my heart racing. He was handsome and I was too single. So, I decided to talk to him. He was interested too and we decided to go on a date that following week."

"Ooh!" the professors teased her as Yujun blushed slightly.

Irene couldn't help but cringe inwardly at the scene. She pasted a fake smile and clapped lowly with the crowd. 

"How about you, Seojun? Have you found someone yet?" Eunwoo, the business professor, asked.

Seojun scratched the back of his neck and he shook his head in denial, saying, "I haven't. But, how about you, dude? Have you decided to propose to your girlfriend?"

The crowd laughed at the retort and Eunwoo blushed, replying, "I'm thinking about that... But, enough about me! How about you, Irene? Do you have someone who we don't know about?"