If Only Spring Would Come.

Bom glanced at the clock on the wall, frustration mounting as she turned to look at Junyoung and Hun sitting side by side.

There were about six minutes left until class started at 5 PM. She needed to finish the conversation they’d started earlier, but would Junyoung even give her a straight answer?

Bom glared at Junyoung, weighing her options. She wanted to wrap things up quickly before class began since stepping out during the lesson wasn’t an option. But trusting Junyoung to cooperate seemed like a gamble.

“Ahem!”

Bom cleared her throat loudly, signaling Junyoung to step outside. She could already imagine him spouting more nonsense, just like last time, but it was worth a shot.

“…?”

Junyoung looked up at the sound, his eyes wide with curiosity. Bom tilted her head toward the door, silently instructing him to follow her.

Click.

Once Junyoung stepped into the hallway, Bom shut the classroom door behind them. Keeping her tone calm but firm, she began to speak.

“Cha Junyoung, are you seriously going to keep this up?”

“Keep what up?”

“Why are you doing this? What’s your reason?”

Bom’s voice was tight with irritation, her teeth clenched as she demanded an answer.

“Do I really need to repeat what I said last time?” Junyoung sighed softly, his tone exasperated.

“What, that you’re here to learn art? Ugh, you and I both know that’s complete nonsense. Can’t you just be honest for once?”

Bom kept her voice low, worried their conversation might carry back into the classroom.

Junyoung didn’t reply immediately. Instead, he looked down at her, his gaze steady but oddly tender.

What is with that look? Tenderness? No way.

Bom shook her head, snapping herself out of her thoughts. That manipulative jerk couldn’t possibly be looking at me like that. Don’t fool yourself, Choi Bom. Snap out of it!

“Fine, I’ll tell you,” Junyoung finally said, his voice calm. “But there’s a condition.”

“A condition? What is it?”

“Have dinner with me. I’ll explain everything while we eat.”

Of course, Bom thought bitterly, suppressing the urge to throttle him. How could she have expected anything serious from this guy?

“Do you think I’m crazy? Why on earth would I have dinner with you?”

“Guess you’re not that curious, then. Forget it,” Junyoung said with a shrug, his nonchalance only fueling her frustration.

“You little—!”

Bom’s temper flared, her fists trembling with barely contained anger. Before she could lash out, a cheerful voice interrupted them.

“Hello!”

Startled, Junyoung turned around to see Yeo Eun and Jia approaching.

Bom quickly adjusted her expression, forcing a bright smile.

“Oh, Yeo Eun and Jia! You’re here!”

With the arrival of the other students, it was time to return to the classroom. Once again, their conversation ended unresolved.

“Hi there,” Junyoung greeted the girls warmly. He crouched slightly to meet their eye level, his tone friendly.

“Do you remember me? We met during the last class.”

“Yes,” Yeo Eun replied with a nod.

“Let me see… You’re Song Yeo Eun, and you’re Shin Jia, right?”

Junyoung smiled as he accurately named each of them.

What the… How does he know their names already? Bom’s jaw dropped slightly in disbelief.

“Wow! How did you know?” Jia asked, her eyes wide with amazement.

“Hun told me,” Junyoung said with a grin.

Hun… Of course. Bom sighed, glancing at the boy visible through the glass door.

“Okay, everyone, let’s go inside. It’s time for class,” Bom said quickly, eager to stop Junyoung from chatting further with the kids. She ushered the students back into the room and shot a glare at Junyoung as he stood up.

“If you’re not going to answer my question, don’t talk to me again,” she hissed.

Bom had no intention of indulging Junyoung’s antics any further. If he wanted to play games, she’d respond by completely ignoring him. Resolving to treat him as invisible, she returned to the classroom.

“All right, everyone, please take out your sketchbooks and crayons from your cubbies,” Bom instructed.

The three kids immediately stood and moved to the back of the classroom to retrieve their supplies.

“What about me, teacher?”

Junyoung, who obviously didn’t have a cubby, sat at the table with a clueless expression.

Bom ignored him.

“Cha Junyoung is invisible. I can’t see him, I can’t hear him…” Bom silently repeated to herself like a mantra.

“Teacher! What about me?” Junyoung raised his hand, his persistence unrelenting.

“Cha Junyoung is invisible. I can’t see him, I can’t hear him…”

“Hmm…”

Junyoung sighed softly when Bom continued to ignore him. Good. Let him draw on his palm for all she cared.

Satisfied, Bom turned her attention to the kids as they returned to their seats.

“Today, we’re going to draw our favorite animals!” she announced.

Bom placed a stack of animal cards on the table and explained, “Pick the one you like best and draw it. Got it?”

The kids eagerly sifted through the cards. Yeo Eun chose a cat, Jia picked a rabbit, Hun chose a dinosaur, and Junyoung selected a dog.

“Okay, everyone, let’s get started!” Bom clapped her hands, signaling the beginning of the activity.

“Hey, Hun,” Junyoung called quietly to the boy sitting beside him.

“Yes?”

“Can I borrow a sheet from your sketchbook? I didn’t know I needed to bring supplies, so I don’t have anything.”

“Huh? That’s weird. Usually, they give you everything when you first join.”

“What? Really?”

Bom sighed deeply as their conversation drifted into her ears. This guy’s really something else.

“Hmm…”

When Bom didn’t respond, Junyoung let out a faint sigh. Good, let’s keep it this way. Let him draw on his hand or the sole of his foot for all I care.

Bom smiled in satisfaction as she watched the kids return to their seats.

“Today, we’re going to draw our favorite animals!”

Once the children were seated, Bom began her instructions.

“There are animal cards here. Pick one you like and draw it. Got it?”

Bom spread the prepared animal cards across the table, and the kids eagerly sifted through them. Yeo Eun picked a cat, Jia chose a rabbit, Hun grabbed a dinosaur, and Junyoung picked a dog.

“Alright, if everyone’s chosen, let’s get started!”

With a clap of her hands, Bom signaled the beginning of the activity. The kids opened their sketchbooks and crayons, ready to begin.

“Hey, Hun.”

Junyoung, still sitting idly with just a card, quietly called out to Hun.

“Yes?”

“Can I borrow a sheet from your sketchbook? I didn’t know I needed to bring supplies, so I don’t have anything.”

“Huh? That’s weird. Usually, they give you everything when you first join.”

“What? Really?”

Bom massaged her temples as their conversation drifted into her ears. Unbelievable.

Yangji Art Academy didn’t require students to bring their own materials. The tuition covered all supplies, so the academy provided everything needed for each class. While the tuition was slightly higher than other schools that didn’t include material costs, parents appreciated the convenience—especially busy ones.

“Teacher, why didn’t Junyoung Uncle get a sketchbook?” Hun asked innocently, his wide eyes filled with curiosity.

Great. Just what I needed—Hun coming to his rescue again.

“Uh, well…”

Before Bom could answer, Junyoung jumped in, sensing an opportunity.

“Oh, so they’re supposed to provide everything?”

Though he addressed Hun, it was clear the comment was aimed at Bom.

This is bad. Really bad.

“Yeah, my mom said it’s included in the tuition.”

“Wow, Hun, you’re so smart!” Junyoung said in an exaggerated tone, laughing as he turned to Bom.

“So, what do you think, teacher?”

Bom clenched her fists instinctively. Infuriating. Absolutely infuriating.

“Haha… the teacher just forgot, Hun,” Bom said with a forced laugh, not wanting to show her frustration in front of the kids.

She turned to her desk at the side of the classroom to grab a sketchbook and crayons for Junyoung. While she could have gone to the supply room for new ones, she decided Junyoung didn’t deserve anything pristine. Used ones would suffice.

As Bom silently plotted her petty revenge, Yeo Eun’s clear voice rang out.

“Hun, why do you call him Uncle?”

Bom nearly burst out laughing. It felt like Yeo Eun had landed the perfect blow on her behalf, washing away some of her earlier irritation.

“Uh… Uncle? Can’t you just call me ‘Uncle,’ too? Hun agreed to call me that,” Junyoung stammered, clearly flustered.

“An uncle is your dad’s brother,” Yeo Eun said matter-of-factly. Bom cheered internally. That’s my Yeo Eun! You’re amazing!

“Uh… that’s true, but since we’re in the same class, doesn’t ‘Uncle’ sound friendlier than ‘Mister’?”

Pathetic, Cha Junyoung. Are you really trying to win an argument with a nine-year-old?

“Still, that’s not how it works,” Yeo Eun replied firmly, leaving Junyoung visibly deflated.

“Alright, alright. I won’t push it if you don’t like it. What about you, Jia? What do you want to call me?”

Junyoung shifted his attention to Jia, desperate for a win.

“Um…”

Jia hesitated, clearly unsure. Junyoung, with a pleading expression, silently mouthed the word Uncle repeatedly.

Wow. How low will he stoop?

“U-Uncle?”

After a moment of thought, Jia reluctantly agreed.

Of course, Jia’s too sweet for her own good, Bom thought with a shake of her head as she resumed searching through her desk.

“Alright, everyone, focus on your drawings now!” Bom said, returning to the table. She placed a used sketchbook and some crayons in front of Junyoung with a firm thud.

“Thank you,” Junyoung said, grinning like a kid who’d just won a prize.

Bom ignored him, silently repeating her mantra. Cha Junyoung is invisible. I can’t see him. I can’t hear him.

“Ugh…”

Stepping out of the academy after class, Bom let out a weary sigh. Reflecting on the day’s events made her head throb.

Despite her clear warning to leave her alone, Junyoung had spent the entire class calling out to her with endless “Teacher, teacher!” interruptions. Though she ignored him, each time he called her name, it felt like her energy was being drained. Could she really keep up with this?

After class, Bom had gone to Eunju to complain again, but it had been useless.

“Just so you know, don’t lose your temper with Junyoung in front of the kids, okay? Like it or not, he’s officially registered. Keep personal feelings out of it. Got it?”

Keep personal feelings out of it, my foot. Bom resolved not to lose her temper in front of the kids but fully intended to keep ignoring and subtly alienating Junyoung. She didn’t care if it cost her the job; treating him like everyone else was out of the question.

Taking a deep breath of the cool autumn air to soothe her nerves, Bom started heading home. But then—

“You’re late,” came a familiar voice.

“…!”

Bom whipped her head toward the source, spotting Junyoung standing a few steps away.

Why is he still here?

“Why are you still here? What do you want?”

“I waited for you. I’ll walk you home,” Junyoung said as he approached her.

“What?”

“You didn’t want dinner, so I figured I’d at least walk you home.”

The audacity of his words left Bom speechless.

“Why would you walk me home? Don’t say something so ridiculous and just leave!”

Bom tried to brush past him, but Junyoung grabbed her wrist.

“I’ll give you an answer,” he said.

“…!”

Bom froze and turned to face him. Was he serious this time?

She looked up at him with a mix of apprehension and anticipation, while Junyoung gazed down at her, his expression surprisingly sincere.

For a moment, they just stared at each other, the world around them fading into the background.

“Bom!”

A voice broke the tension—Dongwook’s voice, calling out from a distance.