Chapter Text

Jay Park Jongseong
The Professor
Dark academia aesthetic
27 Years

Yang Jung Won
The baker
Soft cottagecore aesthetic
21 Years
1953
The professor, a man of sharp intellect and unwavering principles, recently moved to teach at a local high school in a new place.
He is always immaculately dressed in a black or gray three-piece suit, sometimes brown, beige, or even a subtle jungle green.
Once in a while, he puts on gloves and a hat; his presence is so captivating, yet he feels quite distant.
When he secured the teaching position, the seniors at the new school viewed him as arrogant, but in truth, he was simply a man of quiet strength determined to secure his future after losing his previous job.
***
One quiet Sunday afternoon, he took a stroll through the small town, observing its slow rhythm and how people moved. Drawn by the scent of freshly baked bread as he passed by a pavement, he spotted a small Café on the other side of the road. He crossed the not-so-busy road and stepped into the small bakery, intending only to buy something simple before heading home.
As the professor stepped inside, the warm scent of fresh bread enveloped him. But it's not just the aroma that catches his attention; it's the smooth, velvety voice of Andy Williams floating through the small radio behind the counter as "Moon River" plays along.
His entrance seems not to have captured the baker, who hums absentmindedly along behind the open wall kitchen, as he kneads dough. So the professor decides to push the door wider with a bit of force, making the bell above the door jingle, and the young man, dusted in flour, looks up with a bright, welcoming smile when he notices the professor.
"Oh! Welcome in" He says, patting his flour-covered hands on a small hand towel tucked on his apron's waist as he stepped out of the kitchen and into the other side.
The professor walked towards the counter with a warm, soft smile on his face.
"Well now, you're a face I haven't seen before. New to town?". The boy asked his brows rising in question.
The Professor paused, looking down at the boy who was leaning on the counter, his two hands gripping the marbled countertop on either side.
"You could say that." He said, clearing his throat, then glanced at the radio.
("Two drifters off to see the world....") the song played softly.
A slight smirk appeared on his features, making the baker assume his guess. He looked at where the man was looking, and he grinned slightly. "Oh? I didn't take you for a man who listens to love songs."
"I don't. But it seems to be following me." The professor averted his eyes from the radio, and both exchanged warm smiles as their eyes locked. The professor sighs, then extends to take a seat at a table near the counter.
"Anyway, welcome again. You chose just the right place for good bread. Unless you don't eat bread, in which case, I'd have to question your taste in food." The baker squinted his eyes playfully.
He seems to be quite the talkative one, something the professor has picked up, maybe it's just good customer service?
The professor then huffs a small, barely-there chuckle at that remark."I do eat bread. And I assume you're the one responsible for the smell luring people in?"
"Guilty. You see, my secret is... just flour, water, and a little bit of love." The boy grins as he counts his fingers on the ingredients, his bright smile overpowering the guest in the shop, but also, there's a glint of exhaustion in his eyes. The professor notices this, but he says nothing and smiles back at the chatty boy.
A casual conversation picks up between them, the boy asking about his work.
The professor hesitated but eventually answered what he could, unused to such casual familiarity. Songs continued playing on the radio, then after a while, the professor finally ordered the bread he wanted of which it was a pack of six freshly made sesame buns.
He took his brown bag of buns and turned to leave, but before he could fully step out, he turned, and their eyes met just for a second; that lingering eye contact sparked something unspoken passing between them.