SLC 4

He was feeling depressed. Go Jinyoung had been Kim Jinkyung’s one sided crush during his first year of university. He ended up getting dragged to that drinking party that day because he couldn’t refuse him.

Every time Go Jinyoung saw Kim Jinkyung, he asked him to introduce a woman. For him, it was like a greeting. He was a man who had lived for more than 20 years and only chased women, he was a woman crazed bastard.

So the crush ended early. He wasn’t sad or regretful about it. It wasn’t someone he ever expected anything to happen with in the first place.

…However, his taste in men was still as depressing as ever.

Kim Jinkyung bought his textbooks and put the remaining money into his account. Then he called his parents.

– Jinkyung-ah.

“Yes, Father. Did you eat? What about Mother?”

–Don’t worry about us. Make sure you eat properly.

“Yes. Don’t worry. I eat well.”

–But why did you send money again. You need to pay tuition.

–I got a scholarship so I don’t need to pay tuition. It’s fine.”

Kim Jinkyung had been a late born only child to parents who ran an apple farm. His parents gave everything they had to their only child without hesitation. Kim Jinkyung realized early that no matter how much effort he put in, he couldn’t give his parents what they wanted most, so he showed his devotion in other ways.

He worked himself to the bone and got into a good university, and after that he handled his tuition and living expenses by himself. Tuition came from scholarships, and he saved money from tutoring and part time jobs to send to his parents. He couldn’t repay everything he had received from them, but he wanted to do everything he could.

–Thank you, Jinkyung-ah. I don’t know what blessing gave us a kid like you.

“No. Take care. I’ll hang up now.”

After the short call, Kim Jinkyung felt like he had swallowed a stone. The image of his parents smiling brightly a few days ago after receiving flowers from a stranger came to mind.

He sent all the money in his account to his parents and texted them saying he received a special scholarship. As expected, his parents replied with apologies and thanks. He knew they never used the money he sent and only saved it.

But they’d use it someday.

He slipped his phone into his pocket. His account was empty so he felt hollow, but he was a bit relieved thinking about how money would come in again once Wednesday passed.

…This is depressing too.

Kim Jinkyung walked slowly, thinking about his life that was easily bought by money.

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Before going into the study, he sniffled his shoulder and checked the smell. Ever since hearing that Mok Seongha was sensitive to scents, he had been paying attention.

“Hey.”

Kim Jinkyung flinched when he heard a voice coming from behind, and turned around. Just hearing his naturally low voice this close felt like cold metal digging into his skin.

“What are you doing?”

Before Jinkyung knew it, he was already standing behind him.

“Ah, hello. I was about to go in.”

Mok Seongha reached past him from behind and opened the door. He went in first and sat in his chair. Then he pointed with his chin at the chair across from him.

“Sit.”

“Yes.”

Kim Jinkyung sat and laid out the textbooks he prepared.

“I prepared these textbooks. If you don’t have any book in mind, I think it’ll be good to go in this order.”

Mok Seongha skimmed through the workbook and nodded.

“Then we’ll start with this one today.”
Kim Jinkyung took out another copy of the same book and handed it to him.

“Why did you buy two copies of the same book?”

“Ah, this is the one I’ll use, and this is the one you’ll use. We usually use matching books.”

He took out a pen and wrote Mok Seongha’s name on the cover. As he stared at the neat handwriting, Mok Seongha asked:

“How much was the book?”

“It’s fine. It wasn’t much.”

“If it wasn’t much, then why are you paying?”

Surprised by the interrogating tone, Kim Jinkyung reflexively raised both hands defensively and answered quickly.

“I always give the first textbook to my student as a gift!”

“Your student?”

He repeated. Should he have chosen a different word?

“Ah, I mean tutee….”

“Just say student.”

“Yes.”

He answered, already discouraged.

“Then are you my teacher?”

“A learning assistant or something like that….”

“Say teacher.”

“…Yes.”

He took out a pencil.

“Then shall we start the lesson?”

Mok Seongha nodded. Kim Jinkyung started explaining calmly.

It was unexpected, but the tutoring went smoothly. After every lesson, he received a sealed envelope without fail, and Mok Seongha diligently completed his homework. After titles were sorted out, Mok Seongha even called him teacher sometimes.

Nonetheless, Kim Jinkyung tried his hardest to get fired. After being forced into a bath once, he couldn’t even think about using cologne again, and of course he couldn’t behave rudely, make loud noises or even dare touch Mok Seongha’s stomach. He also kept his ringtone at maximum volume, but nothing came in so that plan was useless.

In the end, the worst unpleasant behavior he could manage was giving him chocolate. Every time, Mok Seongha threw it back saying he didn’t eat it.

That day too, while choosing chocolate at the convenience store before tutoring, he suddenly wondered if he even needed to buy chocolate.

If I just continued teaching quietly like this…

“I’m crazy.”

He shook his head. How could he forget the scene he saw that day?

He remembered the large beast approaching him in the pond. The glossy black fur, the sharp teeth, and the blood red mouth.

Goosebumps rose over his whole body. He hurried and grabbed the biggest chocolate bar. He shoved it into his bag and left the store, and as he walked, a drop of water suddenly fell on his head.

“Huh…”

The moment he lifted his head to check, the rain became heavier. Kim Jinkyung hugged his bag to his chest so the books and printed sheets inside wouldn’t get wet and ran. Going back to the convenience store to buy an umbrella wasn’t far enough to justify it. He arrived at the front gate not long after, shook the water off his clothes, and pressed the bell.

He heard the intercom activate. Since the door usually opened as soon as they confirmed his face, he silently brushed off the rain. But even after some time passed, he didn’t hear the door open.

Did he forget to press the button properly?

He rang the bell again. The intercom turned on.

“I’m sorry. I’ll open the door now.”

Secretary Kang’s strangely urgent voice came through, then the door unlocked. Jinkyung ran across the garden.

He suddenly remembered a clause from the contract he signed on the first day.

‘If it rains, the tutoring will be canceled regardless of the time – but the pay is still given.’

Why did they add that clause? They even added the disadvantage of still having to pay his fee…

…No way.

“You’re here. Come quickly.”

“Ah, yes. Um….”

Secretary Kang ran to the entrance, something he had never done before, and grabbed his wrist.

“Did you take your medicine?”

“What medicine?”

“You said you have allergies. Here.”
Secretary Kang shoved a small pill into his mouth and handed him a bottle of water.

“Wait a second!”

“Swallow.”

Jinkyung swallowed the pill for now.

“Um, I need to ask something….”

“It’s too late.”

Secretary Kang’s clothes were covered in fur and completely torn. Jinkyung quickly grabbed him.

“No, wait. We agreed to cancel lessons on rainy days. That clause….”

“That clause was removed.”

It was true. That absolutely disadvantageous clause for the student had been deleted since that day.

“Then, don’t tell me that means….”

“Yes. He’s here.”

Secretary Kang opened the study door. Jinkyung’s eyes widened.

As expected, that huge thing was there.

“…Can he understand speech?” He asked with a trembling voice.

“Yes. Think of it as the same person but with fur.”

“Do-Do-Does he bite?

“He doesn’t. As long as you don’t provoke him.”

“What?”

“Then, have a good lesson.”

Secretary Kang pushed Jinkyung inside and closed the door. He heard it lock right after. Jinkyung grabbed the door handle with both hands and repeatedly twisted it, but it wasn’t any use.

These heartless people locked him in with a giant beast. Behind him, something hit the floor with a loud thunk. Jinkyung slowly, very slowly, turned his head.

A black panther was sprawled on the sofa, hitting it with his tail in displeasure.

“Ah, hello… long time… no, the second time meeting you.”

Jinkyung had no idea what he was even saying. What he saw that day in the pond wasn’t an illusion or a hallucination from drugs.

It had been real. A giant black panther was sitting in Mok Seongha’s place, swaying his thick tail and staring at Jinkyung.

“Um, can we… do today’s lesson…?”

It seemed he turned into a panther on rainy days. That must be why the special clause existed before Jinkyung learned the truth.

The panther lifted his tail and tapped the floor. It looked like permission. Jinkyung carefully pulled out a chair and sat. The panther lazily climbed onto the chair across from him.

Jinkyung was terrified enough for all the hair on his body to stand up, but he managed to endure it.

I can’t see anything, I can’t see it. Not the sharp teeth, not the claws between the fur, not the blood red mouth, nothing.

“Then, um, did you finish the homework from last week?”

The panther pushed the printed sheet on the table toward him with his front paw. It was a huge paw. Jinkyung deliberately looked away.

It’s a big cat. Not cute, scary, pitch black, and huge, but still a big cat watching the lesson.

While reciting mental mantras to comfort himself, he graded the homework. The number of wrong answers had decreased compared to before, but it was still far from enough.

He explained the incorrect problems and wrote the same type of question on a practice sheet, then handed it over.

“Please try this again….”

The panther stared quietly at him.

“…haha. I guess you can’t solve the problem.”

It was a paw that obviously couldn’t hold a pencil. But the panther ignored that and picked up the pen in his mouth, trying to bring it to his paw. It was impossible to begin with. Each time the pen rolled off near his paw, Jinkyung flinched.

When the panther growled, seemingly irritated, Jinkyung quickly bent forward.

“I’ll pick it up for you….”

That was when it happened. Annoyed beyond measure, the panther swung his paw on impulse, and Jinkyung’s hand passed right through the space in front of it. It happened in an instant. The sharp claw tore his skin. Blood splattered on the textbook.

Jinkyung covered the back of his hand with his other hand. The panther’s eyes widened. Jinkyung had never raised an animal, but he understood what that expression meant.

The panther was startled.

“It’s fine.”

He quickly stood up. The panther immediately grabbed his clothing with his mouth.

“….!”

Jinkyung froze in shock. The panther immediately let go, as if he had something he wanted to say.

“I know it was an accident. I reached out suddenly so it happened.”

The panther remained silent. Of course he couldn’t speak.

“I’ll disinfect it and come right back. Wait here.”

Forcing a smile, Jinkyung stepped out. Secretary Kang, with a shred of conscience left, was waiting outside.

“I’ll get the first aid kit.”

Once Secretary Kang disappeared, Jinkyung collapsed on the spot and screamed internally. He wanted to cry. He was terrified. He wanted to run away.

He couldn’t teach a panther. He had teeth and claws, how was he supposed to do this? Having just one of them was already bad, but the panther had both, how was he supposed to teach that?

“Teacher.”

Secretary Kang’s voice came from above him. Jinkyung held out his injured hand without lifting his head. Secretary Kang disinfected the wound and wrapped it in a bandage without asking anything.

“What is that?”

When he saw the syringe in Secretary Kang’s hand, Kim Jinkyung flinched and asked:

“It’s a tetanus shot. You don’t need a rabies shot. Young master doesn’t wander outside.”

“You’re giving the shot yourself?”

“Then would you like to give it yourself?”

“No, that’s not what I meant….”

Before he could argue, Secretary Kang already stuck the needle into Jinkyung’s arm.

“Ugh.”

“All right, it’s done. Press it with your other hand for 2 minutes.”

Tears welled up in Jinkyung’s eyes. He really wanted to cry.

“It’s not serious enough to need a hospital, but do you want to go?”

It was an annoying question. Jinkyung shook his head.

“If you can’t teach today, you can go as is. I’ll still pay your lesson fee.”

It was tempting, but he couldn’t bring himself to take advantage of that. Jinkyung stood up.

“No. I can do it. It’s just a scratch.”

“All right then.”

Secretary Kang didn’t offer twice. Cold hearted man.

Jinkyung walked back to the study door. He took a breath. His heart pounded, but he tried his best to keep a calm expression as he opened the door.

“……!”

A mass of black fur was right in front of the door, and Jinkyung yelped and stumbled back. The panther was standing close enough that his nose almost touched the door.

“Why are you here….”

The panther glanced at his hand, then returned to his place.

…Was he waiting here because he was worried?

He looked at the panther. Their eyes met. When the panther bared his teeth, Jinkyung rushed to his seat in a panic.

“Then I’ll continue the lesson. Since solving problems will be difficult today, I’ll explain the ones you got wrong and move forward in the material.”

The panther’s tail tapped the chair. Jinkyung slowly resumed the lesson. Fortunately, the panther remained seated in the same spot without moving until the end.

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“Then that’s all for today. For homework… we’ll skip it for now. I’ll focus on concepts.”

The panther tapped the floor and the chair twice with his tail.

“You can do homework?”

One tap.

“You can… all right. Then I’ll give it to you.”

Jinkyung took out the printed sheets he prepared. Then the chocolate he bought earlier fell out of his bag. He quickly picked it up and shoved it back inside. The panther tilted his head in confusion.

“Ahaha.”

Jinkyung awkwardly laughed.

He knew the panther wasn’t an ordinary animal, but there was a small chance he might try to eat the chocolate. He couldn’t do something that despicable to an animal.

“Then I’ll go now. Make sure you do your homework.”

The panther watched quietly as Jinkyung fled from the room.