It might have sounded like a feigned, indifferent joke, but the words telling her she did not need to be an adult brought inexplicable comfort. Perhaps she had been waiting to hear something like that.
Feeling slightly wronged, she cried.
“……”
Because she had not wanted to behave this way.
Out of habit, she imitated “herself.”
Cha Eunhye had always been prone to tears.
“Teeeacheeer….”
But it was rather surprising to see her cry this hard even after growing into an adult.
“Did you not say you were the President?”
From what he had seen on television, she managed her image well. Judging by her behavior, she was embarrassed that she had cried and was deliberately whining even more like a puppy soaked in the rain. She had not changed at all from the old days.
Then the President whined,
“I don’t want to be President anymore….”
“Madam President, please preserve your dignity.”
“I don’t care. I’m quitting everything…!”
“I said only a few words. How did that lead all the way to you resigning as President?”
“Teacher, you’re so cold. How could you do this to me…? I’m completely pitiful, so hurry and comfort me warmly, softly, and kindly!”
“……”
…Even so, thirty-two years had passed. How could she have changed so little?
‘Strange. I am certain I heard she was over fifty.’
But that fact did nothing to lessen Seo Gio’s astonishment.
‘Is she not older than I am now?’
I am twenty-nine, and you are fifty-one.
He had yet to encounter Haera, so he could not say anything about her, but he had met Seohui and Haewoon. They might all possess the appearances of people in their twenties, yet even they had changed somewhat under the passage of time. Cha Eunhye’s personality, however, remained perfectly unchanged.
Though dumbfounded, his body diligently soothed his student, who had still not entirely grown up.
“There, there. Stop crying. This makes it look as though your teacher made you cry.”
“You did make me cry, Teacher…!!”
“If that happens, your parents will beat me half to death, have me arrested, and get me expelled.”
“Ah.”
For some reason, those words made Cha Eunhye stop crying abruptly and turn solemn.
“Stop.”
“Oh, yes. I see. I have a great many things I would like to say, but now I am curious, so let me ask first. What exactly am I supposed to stop?”
“Forbidden. I forbid it immediately. Every negative assumption about yourself, in every possible category, is forbidden.”
“Oh… Are there still parents attempting to take my head? Even after thirty-two years?”
“Ah, Teacher, I seriously told you to stop. It isn’t funny at all. I mean it.”
“The…