The Jacket That Wouldn't Leave Her Mind

The moment she turned her head, there was her stepsister Bo-ra, her face pressed flat against the car window.

Bo-ra had one hand cupped against the glass, peering inside to scope out the car's interior.

Startled by the sudden appearance, I-eum swallowed hard.

"I should get going. Thank you for today."

She set the jacket down quickly and opened the door — cracking it just wide enough to slip out, careful not to let any rain splash in.

"Eek! Unnie?"

Sure enough, the instant she stepped out, Bo-ra hopped over and looped an arm through hers.

Raindrops clinging to the tip of Bo-ra's umbrella came pattering down onto I-eum's head.

"You look so pretty today!"

Bo-ra, who had her mother's wide eyes, now looked even more doll-like thanks to her colored contacts. They sparkled as she asked, "Whose car is that?"

The windows were tinted so dark that she apparently hadn't been able to see the driver's seat. Bo-ra never approached I-eum first at home, so coming out here like this could only mean one thing — she'd clocked the owner of the car. Even I-eum could see that Ji-hoon's car was sleek and expensive.

"You said you had a date today. Is it a boyfriend?"

Her motives were written all over her face, but I-eum didn't let it show. "It's not like that."

"Then perfect timing! We're heading out to a movie right now — come with us! Mom and Dad are already waiting at the theater."

"I'm fine. You three go enjoy it."

As she answered, I-eum quietly slipped her arm free. The rain kept drumming down on the crown of her head, cold and unrelenting.

"Aww, now I'm sad. You never hang out with us, unnie! Come on, just watch the movie with us. Everyone says it's good. You need to blow off some steam too—"

"Do you forget I'm a test-taker?"

Unable to hide her irritation any longer, I-eum ran a hand over the back of her neck. Rainwater dripping from Bo-ra's umbrella slid down her cheek and inside her collar.

"Oh…."

Bo-ra went blank for a moment. "Sorry, unnie. I wasn't thinking."

"It's fine."

"It's clearly not fine. You're mad at me, aren't you? Aren't you?"

Bo-ra trailed after her stubbornly, refusing to let go even after I-eum said it was fine.

"I-eum."

Just then, a voice that had no business being here swept her away.

Before she could even turn around, the soft jacket came fluttering down over her head. That familiar scent wrapped around her in an instant, shielding her from the freezing rain. The warmth was so enveloping her heart ached with a sharp, sweet pang.

"Looked like the rain was picking up again."

The sound of the rain and Ji-hoon's voice tangled together and clung to her eardrums. Meeting her eyes as she slowly looked up in disbelief, Ji-hoon smoothed the jacket over her shoulders. "Bring it back Monday."

"But it'll get rained on…"

"Then hurry inside, if you know."

He jerked his chin toward the apartment building. Unable to look at him properly, I-eum just gave a small nod.

Ji-hoon held her gaze quietly for a moment — and just as he was about to turn away—

"Chairman!"

It wasn't I-eum who'd called him. It was Bo-ra.

Only then, as if registering her existence, Ji-hoon tilted his head.

"You don't know me? I'm Yeon Bo-ra."

"So?"

"I shared my snacks with you in front of the school store! I bumped into you, and I gave them as an apology. Don't you remember?"

"Are you telling me you're a student at my school?"

Ji-hoon brushed the rain-soaked bangs from his forehead with an irritated motion. "Sorry to disappoint. I meet dozens of kids like you a day."

With that, he cut the conversation dead and climbed back into his car, gliding away with unhurried ease — and Bo-ra's face flushed scarlet at the sight.

But I-eum had no time to spare for her sister. She threw the jacket over her head and hurried into the building.

In the elevator, through the door of her room, the jacket stayed draped over her the whole way. She was utterly drunk on his scent.

At last, the Monday she'd been waiting for arrived.

Skipping breakfast entirely, I-eum left the house earlier than usual. The school run that always weighed on her felt as light as walking on clouds.

Before heading up to her classroom, she made her way to the Board Chairman's Office.

She knocked, heart fluttering — no answer. She tried the handle, but the door wouldn't budge; he apparently hadn't come in yet.

"I got here way too early…."

She'd been so giddy it hadn't even occurred to her to think about when Ji-hoon actually arrived at work.

Chang-shin hadn't said a word when they crossed paths at home over the weekend. He must have heard everything that happened at the restaurant, yet he'd offered her neither a single word of rebuke nor even a hint of one.

Had Ji-hoon truly kept her tucked behind his back, out of sight? The thought was impossible to dismiss.

I-eum looked down at Ji-hoon's jacket, treasured on her arm.

She hadn't managed to focus on studying all weekend. Her gaze had been stolen all day long by the jacket hanging on her wall.

She'd even tried it on, secretly. But it was far too big in the shoulders and the sleeves — she'd looked like a small child drowning in her father's clothes. It was the moment she truly grasped, viscerally, just how big Ji-hoon was.

"What are you doing?"

How much time had passed? The voice she'd been waiting for came from behind her.

As I-eum turned, her face bloomed into a wide, bright smile. "Teacher!"

Like a puppy waiting for its owner. Not that Ji-hoon's expression was anything but lukewarm in return.

"Why would I be your teacher?"

"This — the jacket you lent me. I couldn't wash it. I had to sneak it out of the house…"

"Thank you for not washing it."

Had she cleaned it, he'd have had to throw it out — the bothersome thing — and have a new one made.

As he unlocked the door and stepped into the Board Chairman's Office, I-eum trailed right in after him as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"Why are you coming in?"

"Huh?"

"Go. To your classroom."

Perhaps his dismissive tone was too cold, but a girl this clumsy with her emotions, this quick to charge headlong at him, needed to be kept firmly in check.

"There's still plenty of time, though?"

Yet I-eum, entirely undented, wandered around his office at will before plopping herself down onto the couch without even being asked.

"Wow, this is stiff. The couches in the teachers' office are stiff too. They must've bought them in bulk. But there isn't a single plant in here?"

And I need one because?

Ji-hoon lifted his head to fire back something crooked — and swallowed his retort whole.

"Aren't you leaving?"

Instead, he fixed her with a hard look of warning.

"I told you, there's time. What am I supposed to do up there early?"

"Is that any way for a student to talk?"

"Tch. Like I'd do it if I didn't want to."

That immature brat ran her mouth without the faintest idea how her words might land.

"I like smelling you in this room, is what I mean."

"Enough. Out."

"No."

"The only answer you're allowed to give me is 'yes.'"

Only then did I-eum stick out her lips in a pout — but she still showed no sign of leaving, going so far as to lean back against the couch cushions.

Unable to watch such shamelessness a second longer, Ji-hoon let out a sharp sigh and rose from his seat.

If she wouldn't leave on her own, he'd have to make her leave himself.

He strode over, took hold of I-eum's arm, and hauled her to her feet.

"Ahh, what are you doing!"

"Keep it up and I'm reporting you to the police for trespassing."

"I'll be quiet! I won't say a word—!"

But as Ji-hoon yanked her up, I-eum's foot caught on the table leg.

The instant she sensed the danger and opened her mouth to scream, a strong arm seized her around the waist and pulled her in.

Thump.

"Ah…."

I-eum couldn't move. His scent hit her from mere inches away, and her heart felt like it was being pickled whole.

"I-I'm going!"

Face burning, she finally bolted from the Board Chairman's Office.

Only after she'd vanished did Ji-hoon sink onto the couch with a sigh of relief. All that commotion, just to get one jacket back.

Then he felt something digging into him beneath his hip, and cast an idle glance down — the jacket pocket was bulging. He slipped a hand inside and drew out a stick of candy. Folded around it was a single sticky note.

Such pure, age-appropriate sincerity that a chuckle escaped Ji-hoon's lips — just as a knock sounded at the door.

Min-jae poked his head in. "Executive Director. Um… your old teacher, Yeon Chang-shin, is here to see you…?"

He'd barely registered the surprise of the unexpected visitor when the earnest plea followed.

"Marry my daughter."