Episode 8

I was waiting for the jeep when it suddenly started to rain. Great, of course. I hadn’t brought an umbrella because I checked the weather earlier, and it was supposed to be sunny today. Well, joke’s on me—I’m not really the type to check the weather.

I quickly looked around, hoping for some sort of shelter, but there was none in sight. I cursed under my breath, feeling the rain soak through my shirt. “Of course, this would happen to me today,” I muttered.

The rain was getting worse with each passing moment, and the frustration was building up inside me. I cursed under my breath, wondering how long this downpour would last.

Suddenly, a car stopped right in front of me. Wait, the car looks familiar. When the window rolled down, I realized it was Professor Sungit. Of course, the car was familiar—it was the one that scratched mine, which is why I’m commuting today.

I blinked in surprise as she looked at me, her expression as serious as ever. “What are you doing out here in the rain?” she asked, clearly not expecting to see me.

I was taken aback, completely caught off guard. Professor Sungit? Here? Now?

“I... uh... I wasn’t really expecting the rain,” I stammered, my voice trailing off. “I didn’t bring an umbrella, so now I’m just... you know, getting soaked.” I chuckled awkwardly, trying to lighten the mood, though the situation wasn’t exactly funny.

She gave me a long look, as if considering something for a moment. Then, with a sigh, she motioned toward the passenger seat. “Get in. You’ll catch a cold out here.”

I froze for a moment. Did she really just offer me a ride? This was... unexpected, to say the least.

"Huh?" I asked, surprised by her offer.

Professor Sungit looked at me, clearly waiting for me to get in. "What? You don’t want a ride? I thought you'd appreciate not getting drenched."

I paused for a moment, trying to process the situation. It was unexpected, especially coming from her, but the rain wasn’t letting up, and I really didn’t want to stay outside any longer.

“Uh… I mean, sure. Thanks,” I said, finally getting in.

She didn’t say anything else as I buckled up, but the drive was oddly quiet. The only sounds were the rain hitting the windows and the hum of the engine. I couldn’t help but wonder why she’d offered me a ride. Was it just because of the rain? Or was there something else?

"Is this your usual route?" I asked, trying to break the silence.

She glanced at me for a brief second before answering, "I live nearby. It's no trouble."

I nodded, but the silence felt a bit awkward. I couldn’t quite figure out what was going on in her head, and honestly, I was a little too nervous to ask.

The rain continued to pour down outside, creating a steady rhythm on the windows. The awkward silence between me and Professor Sungit was deafening, and I couldn't help but steal glances at her, wondering what she was thinking. Was she wondering why she’d offered me a ride in the first place? Or was she just lost in thought?

I fidgeted with my hands, trying to find something to say, but the words seemed stuck in my throat. It was so weird seeing her outside of class, in a completely different environment.

The car slowed down as we approached a stoplight, and the silence grew even more tense. Part of me wanted to ask her something, anything, just to break the awkwardness, but I wasn’t sure what to say.

"Are you always this quiet?" Professor Sungit suddenly spoke, breaking the silence.

I was surprised when she suddenly spoke. Wow, so she actually initiate conversations too huh.

I blinked, not sure how to respond to that. Was she joking? I glanced at her, but her expression was unreadable as usual.

"Uh, I guess," I said, unsure whether I was supposed to laugh or not. "I mean, it's just... I don’t know, I didn’t expect you to say much either, honestly."

She raised an eyebrow but didn’t say anything more. For a moment, the car was quiet again, but it didn’t feel as awkward this time.

“Guess you’re not all business, huh?” I added, trying to lighten the mood.

She smirked a little. "I’m more than just what you see in class."

I couldn’t help but smile. "Well, I’m glad to know that."

We continued the drive in relative silence, but it no longer felt as heavy. There was an unspoken understanding between us now, and the tension that had been there before seemed to have faded away. It was strange, seeing Professor Sungit like this—almost… human.

As we neared my dorm, I noticed she was slowing down, preparing to stop. I glanced at her and noticed the corner of her lips twitch slightly, almost as if she was trying to smile, though it never quite reached her eyes.

“Here we are,” she said, her voice softer than usual. “Don’t stand out in the rain again next time, alright?”

I nodded quickly, feeling an odd sense of gratitude. “Thanks, Professor. For the ride… and for not leaving me out there.”

She gave a brief nod, her gaze flicking to me for a moment before she focused on the road again. “Take care of yourself.”

“I will,” I said, reaching for the door handle. Before I stepped out, I hesitated and glanced at her again. “You know, I didn’t expect this... But thanks. Really.”

She didn’t respond right away, but I thought I saw a brief flash of something—maybe it was acknowledgment or maybe just a flicker of something more human than I’d ever seen in her before. It was hard to say.

“Just… be careful,” she said quietly, her eyes still on the road.

I smiled, feeling a bit more at ease. “See you around, Professor.”

I stepped out of the car, the rain now light enough that I didn’t feel like I was drowning. I watched as she drove off, her car disappearing into the distance. As I walked toward the dorm, I couldn’t help but replay the moments from the car ride in my head. Maybe there was more to her than I thought. Maybe we weren’t so different after all.

I just had to keep reminding myself that I still needed to keep my distance. No need to overanalyze things. But it was hard not to, especially after the glimpse of a side of her I’d never expected to see.

:))

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***