CHAPTER 17

Chapter 17: The Unspoken Spark

The evening ended far too quickly. After we finished dinner, I  cleaned up the dishes while Professor JM sat on the couch, casually scrolling through his phone. We’d talked about everything and nothing—college life, travel, food—but there was an unspoken tension between us, something I could sense but couldn’t quite put into words. It wasn’t uncomfortable, though. It was more like a spark, a quiet pull that neither of us was quite ready to acknowledge, but that lingered in the air nonetheless.

As I dried the last plate, I glanced over at him. “I’m glad you enjoyed the meal,” I said, breaking the silence. “It’s nice to have someone to share it with.”

He looked up, his gaze softening. “It was really good, Junno. You’ve got a talent in the kitchen.”

I felt a warmth spread through me, a mix of pride and something else—something deeper that I couldn’t quite place. “Thanks, Professor. I’m glad you liked it.”

He smiled, the kind of smile that reached his eyes and made my heart skip a beat. “Call me JM, please. No need for the formalities, especially after tonight.”

I nodded, my chest tightening a little. “Alright, JM.”

He stood up, walking toward the door. “Well, I should probably get going. It’s getting late, and I don’t want to keep you up too long.”

I walked him to the door, and as he reached for the handle, he paused. “Junno… I really enjoyed tonight. More than I expected, actually.”

I smiled, trying to ignore the way my heart was racing. “Me too. I’m glad you came over.”

For a moment, there was a silence, but it wasn’t awkward. It felt like there was something more we could say, something we both were thinking but neither of us dared to voice. The unspoken spark was still there, lingering between us, quiet but undeniable.

“Maybe we could do this again sometime?” he asked, his voice a little more hesitant now, as though he wasn’t sure if he should ask.

“Yeah, I’d like that,” I said, meeting his gaze. “Definitely.”

With a final smile, he opened the door, but before stepping out, he turned back to look at me. “Take care, Junno. I’ll see you at school tomorrow.”

“Goodnight, JM,” I said, feeling my heart flutter as I watched him walk away.

The door clicked shut behind me, and I stood there for a moment, letting the quiet of the apartment settle around me. My mind was racing, a mix of excitement and confusion swirling inside me. What was happening between us? Was this just a passing connection, a fleeting moment between teacher and student? Or was there something more?

I walked back to the couch and sat down, the room suddenly feeling much emptier without his presence. The night had been perfect in a way I didn’t know how to describe—comforting, fun, and filled with an undeniable connection. But now, as I sat there alone, I realized how much I wanted to see him again.

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The next day at school, things felt different. I hadn’t expected the connection from last night to affect me so much, but it did. When I walked into the lecture hall, my eyes immediately found Professor JM, who was setting up at the front of the room. He looked up and caught my gaze, giving me a small but knowing smile.

It made my stomach flutter. I quickly looked away, trying to focus on finding my seat, but my mind kept drifting back to the dinner we’d shared, the way he looked at me with that soft smile, the unspoken things that lingered in the air between us.

The class started, and I tried to pay attention, but my thoughts kept wandering. I wasn’t sure what this was, what was happening between us, but I couldn’t deny that I was drawn to him. I had never felt this way before, and it was both exciting and terrifying all at once.

At the end of the lecture, when everyone was packing up to leave, Professor JM walked toward me, his steps purposeful.

“Junno,” he said quietly, stopping in front of me. “I’ve been thinking about last night, and I just wanted to thank you again for the dinner. It was… really special.”

I felt a blush creeping up my neck, my heart racing at his words. “It was nothing, really. I’m just glad you liked it.”

He chuckled softly. “Well, you’ve definitely set the bar high for anyone else who might cook for me in the future.”

I couldn’t help but laugh, feeling a little embarrassed but also pleased by his words. “I’m sure there are plenty of people who cook better than me.”

“Maybe,” he said, his voice lowering slightly, “but none of them would’ve made me feel the way you did last night.”

The words hung in the air between us, charged with meaning. I looked up at him, meeting his gaze. There was no mistaking it now—there was something between us, something real, something we could no longer ignore.

“Professor… I mean, JM…” I started, unsure of how to continue.

He took a small step closer, his tone gentle. “Junno, I know this might be confusing. But I don’t want to ignore it anymore. There’s something between us, and I think we should talk about it.”

I nodded, feeling a rush of emotions—excitement, fear, and a strange sense of relief. It wasn’t just in my head. He felt it too.

“Maybe after class?” I suggested, my voice quiet. “We could talk?”

He smiled, the warmth in his eyes making my heart skip a beat. “I’d like that.”

As the room cleared out and I stood there, I felt like I was on the brink of something new. Something I wasn’t sure how to navigate, but something I was more than willing to explore.