"Y-Yohan," Professor Kim mumbled as she recognized him through her foggy mind.

"What…what are you doing back here?" She sat upright trying to compose herself, swaying slightly.

"I forgot my wallet so I came back to get it," Yohan replied naturally. "How about you, it's already night."

"I must have dozed off," she slurred, squinting at her stylish watch as if the numbers wouldn't focus.

Yohan stared at her curiously for more than a few seconds, before standing to his feet.

"Okay, then. See you tomorrow."

He was just about to leave when she called out, her words thick and unsteady. "Yohan…"

She reached out as if to steady herself against the couch. "Are you leaving?"

"Yeah, I should get going," Yohan said, turning back with a hint of concern in his voice. "Are you okay, Professor?"

"I'm fine, I'm fine," she waved dismissively, though her hand moved in a wider arc than she'd probably intended. "Just… had a little wine. To unwind after grading papers." Her laugh came out breathy and unfocused.

She pushed herself up from the couch, wobbling on her heels. "Actually, could you… could you help me? I don't think I should drive like this."

Yohan hesitated, glancing toward the door, then back at her flushed face. "Do you need me to call someone? A taxi?"

"No, no…" Professor Kim shook her head too vigorously, immediately regretting it as she pressed her fingers to her temple. "I live close by. Just… walk me home? It's not far. Five minutes."

She looked at him with glassy eyes, her usual professional demeanor completely dissolved. She threw on her blazer, allowing it to slip off one shoulder, and strands of hair had escaped from her normally neat style.

"Please?" she added, her voice softer now, almost vulnerable. "I don't want to be alone right now."

Yohan considered it for just a moment, he didn't have any pressing thing to do so there was no harm in helping her out.

"Sure, let's go"

….

They walked for roughly five minutes before arriving at a duplex. By now Professor Kim was much more alert and could better manage herself.

But she hesitated to move, lingering at her doorstep.

"Do you want to come inside for a cup of coffee or tea? You helped me get home safely... it's the least I can offer."

She fumbled with her keys, dropping them once before successfully getting the door open. The night air had sobered her somewhat, but her cheeks were still flushed, and she leaned against the doorframe as she waited for his answer.

Yohan shifted his weight, clearly weighing his options. "Professor Kim, I don't know if that's—"

"Just one cup," she interrupted, her voice steadier now but carrying a hint of pleading. "And please, when we're not at school, just call me Minji." She offered a small, unguarded smile that seemed different from the composed professor he seen in class.

The porch light cast soft shadows across her face as she stood there, one hand still on the door, waiting for his decision. Inside, he could glimpse a tidy living room with warm lighting.

"I promise I'm not as drunk as I seemed back there," she added with an embarrassed laugh. "Just... tired and a bit tipsy. But I'm fine now."

"That's not what I'm worried about," Yohan replied with a sigh, "It's late so I wouldn't want to disturb your husband,"

The moment the words left his mouth, her expression shifted as if annoyed or disturbed.

"You shouldn't worry about that, I doubt he is even coming back tonight… he's probably out with his assistant or whoever the hell he's sleeping with this time,"

Yohan froze, caught completely off guard by her bitter confession. The vulnerability in her voice was raw, unfiltered—nothing like the poised professor he'd known for the past few days.

"Professor Kim, I—"

"Minji," she corrected sharply, then softened. "Sorry. I just... I'm so tired of pretending everything is fine." She laughed, but it was hollow. "Five years of marriage and this is what it's come to. Him barely coming home, me drinking alone in my office."

She pushed the door open wider, her eyes meeting his with an intensity that almost made him uncomfortable. "So please, just come in for a bit. I could really use the company of someone who isn't pretending to be something else."

Yohan hesitated in the doorway, every instinct telling him this was a bad idea. His professor, clearly still affected by alcohol, vulnerable and angry at her husband, inviting him into her home late at night—the situation was a minefield.

'or a blessing from above…' he considered before shaking his head with a sigh.

"I don't think that's a good idea," he said carefully. "You're upset, and tomorrow you might regret—"

"Regret what? Having a cup of coffee with my assistant who was kind enough to walk me home?" Her voice carried an edge now. "Or are you assuming I have other intentions?"

The question hung in the air between them.

There was once a time when Yohan would have jumped on an opportunity like this, but now that he was no more desperate he could better control himself.

Back when he just returned to the past and was still a virgin, he would have considered something like this a chance of a lifetime, but now taking advantage of a woman that was clearly influenced by alcohol didn't just seem fair.

Still, there was no harm in coming in for a cup of coffee, so he complied.

"Alright, I can stay for a few minutes," he said as he stepped inside.

Professor Kim—Minji—seemed to relax at his acceptance, closing the door behind them. Her home was tastefully decorated, with modern furniture and framed photographs lining the walls. Yohan noticed several wedding photos, though he politely averted his gaze.

"Make yourself comfortable," she said, gesturing to the living room couch as she kicked off her heels with a sigh of relief. "I'll prepare something."

She disappeared into the kitchen, and Yohan could hear the sounds of cabinets opening and the coffee maker starting up. He sat down awkwardly, taking in his surroundings. The house felt empty despite its warm decoration—lived in but somehow lonely.

A few minutes later, she returned with two steaming mugs, having also removed her blazer. She sat down on the opposite end of the couch, tucking her legs beneath her in a way that seemed more casual than he'd ever seen her.

"Thank you," she said quietly, wrapping her hands around her mug. "For not leaving… I just didn't feel like being alone."

Yohan could hear the sincerity and sadness in her voice. At this moment she was nothing like the stern and ruthless professor he had first met, instead she just looked lost.

"I understand," he replied softly.

They sat in comfortable silence for a moment, the only sound the quiet hum of the heating system and the occasional clink of ceramic as they sipped their coffee.

"You know," Minji began, staring into her mug, "I used to think I had it all figured out. Good career, stable marriage, respect in my field." She laughed bitterly. "But somewhere along the way, everything became... hollow. We stopped talking. Stopped caring. Now we're just two strangers sharing a mortgage."

Yohan listened, unsure what to say. This kind of vulnerability from someone he'd only known for a few days felt surreal.

"I'm sorry," she continued, glancing up at him with tired eyes. "You probably don't want to hear about your professor's failing marriage. You're what, twenty-three? Twenty-four? You shouldn't have to deal with this."

"Twenty" Yohan confirmed. "And it's okay. Sometimes it helps to talk to someone outside the situation."

"You're just twenty?" Her brows went up slightly, before he smiled faintly. "Wise beyond your years, aren't you?"

She paused, studying him more carefully. "You're different from the other students, you know. Not just at dancing, you seem more... mature… and focused. The kids I teach are always so loud but you are quiet…"

Yohan responded with a smile.

'That's because this is my second time experiencing my twenties, it's hard to get excited even with everything going on,' he thought to himself.

"I guess I just have different priorities," he said aloud instead. "I've learned not to waste time on things that don't matter."

Minji tilted her head, intrigued. "That's an unusual perspective for someone your age. Most students are still figuring out what matters at all." She took another sip of coffee, her eyes never leaving his face. "What made you so... settled?"

Yohan considered his words carefully. He couldn't exactly tell her the truth—that he'd lived through failure, regret, and missed opportunities once already, that he'd been given an impossible second chance to fix his mistakes.

"Let's just say I learned some hard lessons early," he replied, keeping it vague. "Made me grow up faster than I wanted to."

She nodded slowly, as if she understood more than he was saying. "You lost your parents?"

"How did you know?" Yohan wondered.

"That's a common trait for people like us," she replied almost proudly, with a hint of nostalgic sadness "I also lost both my parents when I was younger,"

"Oh," his tone dipped, "I thought you were some kind of psychic,"

"Psychic," She giggled a little, "Things like that aren't real,"

"Don't be so sure," Yohan responded lightly with a chuckle, "with the amount of crazy things out there anything might just be possible,"

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