I Became an Unknown Professor at the Academy

“You did well.”

After the shift change, Baek Hana left the control room with Baek Woo-jin.

As soon as she stepped into the corridor, Baek Hana released her aura to check if anyone else was around. When she confirmed that no one was there,

Plop.

Baek Hana leaned her head against Baek Woo-jin’s arm.

“I’m sleepy.”
“Go to sleep quickly.”
“…”

Baek Hana narrowed her eyes and glared at Baek Woo-jin’s indifferent response.

They had been patrolling the deepest parts of the academy, where even moonlight didn’t reach, and the unused old buildings since midnight.

It was a task they had to do, so couldn’t he at least pat her head once, even if he didn’t praise her?

Baek Woo-jin didn’t even glance her way, so Baek Hana slowed down and took a small leap to cling to his back.

“Baek Hana.”
“I don’t know. I’m going to sleep.”

Baek Hana snuggled into his broad, comfortable back.

She quickly wrapped her arms around his neck and hid her face in his shoulder.

The faint scent of his body made her smile.

“It’s outside…”
“You can make sure no one sees us.”

Baek Hana whispered softly into Baek Woo-jin’s ear.

“And today is Sunday.”

This meant that the number of times she could act spoiled had been reset.

Haa…

Baek Woo-jin, who had been hesitating, finally responded after a short sigh. His hand carefully folded her skirt, supporting her hips.

“When will you grow up?”
“Legally, I’m an adult.”

Baek Hana hummed a tune as she swung her legs back and forth.

‘You used to carry me often.’

Memories of being carried in his arms when they visited the temple, and Claire struggling to hold back her laughter, came to mind.

She had said they looked like a kangaroo and her baby, it was cute.

At that time, she was much smaller, and since she was always sleepy, he always carried her. So it made sense that she would say that.

“Woo-jin.”
“What is it?”

Baek Woo-jin’s tone changed slightly, but others wouldn’t have noticed.

Baek Hana hugged him tighter and giggled.

“Can you give me a piggyback ride later?”
“…”

There was no response.

“Go to sleep.”

After a long pause, Baek Woo-jin finally responded, and Baek Hana laughed silently.

.

.

.

-Beep… Beep… Beep…

The fairy’s breathing was so small and cute.

Claire, wearing a fluffy pajama, watched the fairy sleeping soundly in the basket, her face hidden in the fluff.

-Beep.

Claire turned away from the sleeping fairy’s face, which she had been watching with a soft smile, as her smartwatch alarm went off.

AM 07:10

It had been ten minutes since the shift change.

The distance from the main building to here was about fifteen minutes.

Claire hadn’t received any emails, so she stood in front of the entrance after passing through the corridor.

AM 07:15

Exactly ten minutes later,

Click.

The front door opened, and Claire could see the person she had been waiting for.

But unlike usual, he wasn’t alone.

“Have you returned?”
“Yes.”

Claire smiled faintly at the sight of Baek Hana sleeping on Baek Woo-jin’s back.

“Let me take her.”
“I’ll ask you to…”
“Yes.”

Claire carefully took Baek Hana into her arms and carried her to her bedroom, making sure she didn’t wake up.

“Hmm…”
“Hmm…”

As soon as she was laid on the bed, Baek Hana turned and hugged Claire. Claire smiled despite her troubled expression.

Pat, pat.

Since this wasn’t the first time, Claire slowly patted Baek Hana’s back.

“Hmm…”

After repeating this a few times, Baek Hana moved her lips and separated from Claire.

Claire, now free again, carefully undid Baek Hana’s uniform jacket. This would be enough for her to sleep comfortably.

“…”

Claire covered Baek Hana with a blanket and was about to leave when she knelt down in front of the bed and looked at Baek Hana’s sleeping face.

‘…You’ve grown up so much.’

Their first meeting was in an underground auction house.

It probably wasn’t a good first impression.

The child was much smaller than her peers and couldn’t reach Claire’s thighs even when she stood on her toes.

Now, that child had grown taller than Claire without even standing on her toes.

Her white hair, which was always messy, was now smooth.

Swish.

Claire gently brushed Baek Hana’s bangs out of her face.

The touch of her fingers on Baek Hana’s skin felt like fresh snow.

Her eyes, which looked naughty even as a child, still looked the same now that she had grown up.

Her cheeks, which used to be chubby and soft, were no longer so.

Her small mouth, which always chewed on sweets, still did.

‘I…’

Claire’s hand gently caressed Baek Hana’s cheek.

‘…I want Hana to stay a child for a little longer.’

Claire wanted to preserve her innocence, happiness, and joy forever, just as she was now.

Growing up meant seeing things you didn’t want to see, experiencing things you didn’t want to experience, and becoming a person who could take responsibility for your actions.

That’s why.

‘…It’s okay for Hana to grow up a little later.’

Baek Hana had spent her childhood, a time when she should have been loved and cherished by her parents, in a narrow cage, deprived of freedom and abused.

Claire sincerely wanted Baek Hana to make up for the time she had lost.

Squeak.

“Hmm?”

Claire was about to get up when she felt her sleeve being tugged. She looked down and met the pretty blue eyes of Baek Hana, who had woken up and was looking up at her sleepily.

“I must have woken you. I’m sorry.”
“Hmm…”

Baek Hana shook her head slightly at Claire’s apology and tugged on her sleeve a little harder.

“Hana?”
“Stay with me until I fall asleep.”
“I understand.”

It was an unexpected request, but Claire smiled and sat back down.

Baek Hana smiled back at Claire, who was looking at her, and then gently took Claire’s hand instead of her sleeve.

“I… I had a dream of when I was little… and you were there too…”
“Hmm…”

Baek Hana closed her eyes and turned towards Claire, mumbling.

“But… I can’t remember it very well…”

Claire gently stroked Baek Hana’s hand, which was holding hers, and whispered softly.

“Then, let’s talk about the day we first met, one by one.”
“Hmm.”

Claire smiled at Baek Hana’s half-asleep voice, which was slowly sinking into slumber.

“We first met at an underground auction, didn’t we?”
“Hmm.”
“And then we saw each other at the temple the next day.”

Baek Hana, peeking out from Baek Woo-jin’s coat, dozing off.

Such a cute and lovely sight.

Claire still regrets not capturing that moment in a photo or video.

“I changed Yeseol’s clothes and went to the department store.”
“Baek… Ha… Jeom…”

Claire lowered her voice a little more as Baek Hana’s response became more like sleep-talking.

“You rode on the professor’s neck and pointed at everything you saw, asking questions.”
“…”

No more answers came.

Snore… Snore…

Claire watched Baek Hana’s peaceful face as she slept and carefully got up.

Squeak.

Claire carefully removed her fingers from Baek Hana’s fist and then leaned down.

Smooch.

Claire kissed Baek Hana’s forehead with a little bit of her power and whispered.

“You worked hard.”

Baek Hana’s lips curled up slightly as she slept, and Claire quietly left Baek Hana’s room.

She followed the scent of instant coffee in the hallway and headed towards the kitchen.

Claire sat in her usual spot, holding a black teacup and looking at her smartphone.

“It took a long time.”

But unlike the past, he was a kind person who spoke to her first.

“I talked about some past events.”
“I see.”

His gaze, which had been on her, returned to his smartphone.

Recently, he had been making her uncomfortable with his mischievous actions, but today, he didn’t approach her.

Claire relaxed and leaned her head on Baek Woo-jin’s shoulder, hiding her face from his view.

“The past…”

Baek Woo-jin turned his smartphone over and placed it on the table.

“Which past are you talking about?”
“That’s…Ah, that, the professor…”

Claire couldn’t help but be surprised by his natural gesture of pulling her close.

“Answer.”
“Ah, that… I talked about the first time I met Hana…”
“That’s not a good memory.”
“And the department store…”
“The department store.”

As his hand, which had been getting mischievous, paused, Claire quickly continued.

“It’s the day Hana first went to the department store… the day she asked so many questions…”

Baek Hana, who never tired of asking questions, bombarding Claire with them.

-Woo-jin, are we beggars…?

“Pfft…”

Claire couldn’t help but laugh at the sudden memory.

“You seem to be enjoying yourself.”
“Ah, that, it’s… hmm…”

His hand firmly holding her waist.

His face getting closer.

The scent of him getting stronger.

Claire closed her eyes.

Hmmm…

Her smartwatch on her wrist started ringing loudly.

“…”
“…”

Their breaths mingling in the close distance.

Baek Woo-jin slowly leaned back, moving away from her.

Claire looked at his retreating lips and then checked her wrist when she felt his hand on her waist.

[Yesol: The items from Le Colleang have arrived]

[Yesol: As you instructed, I will deliver them right away.]

After reading all the emails, Claire looked at the hot gaze directed at her face and twiddled her fingers, moving her lips.

“Yesol is going to bring the auction items… now…”
“Okay.”

Baek Woo-jin’s gaze returned to his smartphone.

However, Claire didn’t regain her freedom until Yesol arrived.