A sharp, resounding slap echoed through the room, silencing everyone. All eyes turned towards Ava, who stood with her head down, her hand still stinging from the impact. Jeon Jungkook, her professor, was too shocked to speak, his gaze fixed on her bowed head.
“Ava…” whispered Alice, her voice breaking the silence.
Slowly, Ava lifted her head, locking eyes with Jeon. Her gaze burned with a mix of anger and unshed tears, emotions swirling beneath the surface. Without another word, she returned to her desk, packed her things, and walked out of the classroom, her footsteps echoing in the tense stillness.
As she left, one thought pulsed in her mind: Hate… Meeting you, I finally understand what it truly means. Hate. Every synonym, every ounce of venom behind that word… is you, my professor. Or should I say, my dearest enemy, my twisted alibi? Whatever you are to me, know this: you won’t escape unscathed… Mr. Pro Max.
Back in the classroom, Jeon’s commanding voice broke the tension. “Everyone, take your seats.” The students hurriedly obeyed, but he suddenly called, “Illy. Where are you going?”
“To my desk, Professor,” Illy stammered, surprised.
“Didn’t you hear me? The guilty must be punished.”
“But Professor, I’m not guilty. You saw it yourself!”
“Then, Alice—come here,” Jeon commanded.
Alice hesitated but came forward. “Yes, Professor?”
“Slap her,” he ordered, his tone cold.
“What?” Alice’s voice shook with disbelief.
“Why is it difficult for you to follow a simple instruction?” he challenged, his voice steady and unyielding.
Alice swallowed hard, then looked at Illy, memories of past insults from her flashing in her mind. With reluctance, she slapped Illy.
“Didn’t you hear Ava’s slap? I want to hear it.” Jeon’s eyes glinted.
Alice raised her hand again and delivered a harder slap, the sound reverberating through the room.
“Enough,” Jeon said coldly. “Remember, students—before you dig a ditch for someone else, ensure it’s not deep enough for you to fall into. Class dismissed.” With that, he strode out.
As the door closed, Illy’s friends rushed to her side. “Are you okay? That wasn’t fair,” one of them whispered.
Illy pressed a hand to her stinging cheek. “It’s not the professor’s fault—it’s that… Ava. She’s the reason I’m constantly humiliated. But this isn’t over. She’ll regret this.”
Meanwhile, Ava was outside, sitting on the ground, tears slipping down her face. She muttered to herself, “Why… Why is my life turning into such a mess? As if it wasn’t bad enough already, now there’s Mr. Jeon to add to it. All of this… for nothing but a misunderstanding. My cheek still hurts.”
She felt a comforting pair of arms around her. Alice had come to find her.
“Ava, why did you slap yourself?” Alice asked, hurt.
Ava took her friend’s hand. “Because you and Camellie are the only people I can rely on, the only ones who make me feel at home,” she said, her voice trembling.
Alice gave her a tight hug. “You’re making me emotional, you fool! Now, come here.”
Just then, Camellie joined them. “Oh, hugging without me, huh?”
They laughed, pulling her in for a group embrace. The air around them felt lighter, filled with a sense of love and loyalty.
“We never hide anything from each other, okay?” Camellie said, looking at them both seriously.
“Promise,” Ava and Alice said in unison.
They headed back to class, feeling a bit better. But in the staff room, Jeon Jungkook sat alone, replaying the events in his mind. A smirk tugged at his lips. “You’re getting more intriguing by the day, Miss Ava,” he murmured.
The next class began with Professor Eun Woo, the math professor. As he greeted the students with his usual bright smile, he posed a challenging question, one he’d covered in the previous lesson:
“If (x-a)² + (y-b)² = c², with c > 0, can anyone prove that 1 + [(dy/dx)²]⅔ = d²y/dx²?”
A silence fell over the class until Camellie confidently answered, “The answer is -c.”
Professor Eun Woo looked at her, impressed. “That’s correct, Miss…”
“Camellie,” Alice interjected, smiling.
“Miss Camellie. Well done! You solved that quickly.”
Alice grinned, teasing her friend, “She’s a math wizard, Professor.”
Eun Woo chuckled, “It’s rare to see someone so passionate about math. Keep up the good work.”
As he turned to leave, Camellie found herself watching him, a warmth spreading through her.
“He’s gone now,” Alice teased.
Camellie rolled her eyes. “Oh, shut up. At least I don’t struggle in math like you two!”
They laughed, but Ava’s gaze shifted toward Illy, who was watching her with a murderous glare. Ignoring her, Ava muttered, “This is just the beginning.”
After school, Ava walked home, feeling a strange unease. She couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was following her. She turned, seeing nothing but shadows.
Once home, she threw her bag in the corner and sank into her bed, taking a deep breath. “Maybe I’m imagining things…”
But as she recalled the day’s events, a determined look came into her eyes. “Get comfortable for tonight, Professor Jeon, because starting tomorrow… things will be different.”
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