Teacher, Please Behave Yourself

[Please check out my next second-chance romance! The blurb is at the bottom.]

[Blurb] Awkward photographer who dishes it out but can't take it × flirtatious private tutor | Younger woman

After getting drunk, Ji Qu had a wild one-night stand with her longtime nemesis, someone she had never been able to stand.

Unexpectedly, a few days later, the two ran into each other at a blind date.

Liang Qian was perfectly calm, her eyes warm and bright. "Our blind date set us up at the same place, then didn't show up."

Ji Qu laughed in disbelief. After a few seconds, she couldn't help asking, "Why are you here on a blind date?"

Liang Qian retorted, "What makes you think you have the right to ask me?"

When they met again, Liang Qian had become a private tutor to Ji Qu's younger sister.

Ji Qu's mother cheerfully brought their hands together. "Liang Qian has graciously agreed to tutor your sister this time. You two should have a proper catch-up, and stop squabbling like you used to."

Graciously agreed? What a sacrifice.

Ji Qu pulled her hand away and forced a polite smile. "Hello, Ms. Liang. Long time no see."

"Long time no see."

As her mother lavishly praised Liang Qian, Ji Qu thought dryly to herself: Mom, she's my ex-girlfriend.

The fact that they had dated was the biggest secret between Ji Qu and her nemesis.

The lesson ended. The house was empty.

Ji Qu and Liang Qian kissed passionately. Only when their breath mingled did Ji Qu speak. "Is this part of your lesson, too? What trick are you trying to pull now?"

Liang Qian wiped her lips. Her expression was unreadable, but she wasn't flustered in the least.

"No tricks. The student's parent made a request, and I didn't want to turn it down."

After all, you were the one who started it, weren't you?

Ji Qu lowered her eyes, about to retort, but Liang Qian stopped her with a gasp. "You're so curious... I'll start thinking you've fallen in love with me again."

What a silver tongue.

Ji Qu immediately fell silent.

Her sister was admitted to the next school, and her parents went abroad on vacation. There was no longer any need for a tutor in their enormous house.

Liang Qian looked at the luggage piled by the door, her face cold. "You're kicking me out, aren't you?"

The words struck a sore spot. Ji Qu deliberately kept her voice flat. "Do I need to keep a liar by my side?"

She hadn't actually meant to kick Liang Qian out, but she had been misunderstood. She sighed inwardly, knowing there was far too little trust between them.

Liang Qian knew she'd misspoken. She could only find another way to please Ji Qu, and in the course of their exchange, she realized they couldn't be apart.

They were still destined to be entangled.

She couldn't suppress her love, but neither could she bear the torment of their past.

Ji Qu warned Liang Qian, torn between tenderness and pain: Don't lie to me again.

If not for that one lie, none of the absurd things between them would have happened.

The lie was despicable, yet it had bound them together.

Liang Qian lowered her eyes and swore this would be the last time she said it this way. "I promise I won't lie to you. Let's treat each other as we'd want to be treated."

Ji Qu believed her again.

In return, she was willing to give Liang Qian her whole, honest self.

* Both have only ever been with each other

* They grew up together and have a bit of an age gap

Coming soon: [My Ex Will Follow Me to the Ends of the Earth]

[Blurb]

* Second-chance romance | Gentle and secretly passionate × proud and direct

At an auction exhibition, Ji Chan lost out on an item she loved.

A woman had been determined to compete with her, paying several times the asking price to win the piece.

Ji Chan smiled it off and was about to leave the venue when someone stopped her.

The person offered her the woman's business card with a beaming smile.

"This is my boss's card. I hope you'll accept it. Also, if you really like that piece, we can give it to you."

Ji Chan took a look. The name You Mansui was clearly printed on it.

"No need, thanks." She tossed the card into the trash, thinking the other woman was deliberately provoking her.

She had bought the piece only to give it away. Was she showing off her wealth?

Just as Ji Chan turned to leave, the woman behind the scenes finally came out. She looked incredulous. "Ji Chan, do you really hate me that much?"

Ji Chan stopped and turned around with a smile. "Mansui, long time no see."

She hadn't expected to run into her ex here, either.

As a childhood friend of the same age, Ji Chan had looked after You Mansui for fifteen years.

For the first eight, they were childhood friends and close companions.

From the beginning of the eighth year, Ji Chan and You Mansui became intimately involved, in body and in heart.

Ji Chan had always been exceptionally gentle and caring toward the frail and sickly.

Their family discovered their relationship while they were exploring each other's secrets.

The lights came on. Instead of the scolding they had expected, they heard a condescending lecture. "Ji Chan, you did something wrong. That means you should treat Mansui even better from now on."

Ji Chan bowed her head and apologized softly. She knew Uncle and Auntie would never blame Mansui.

She was always the one who got blamed.

At twenty-seven, after nine years together, Ji Chan decided to end things.

Before boarding, she said softly to You Mansui, "Mansui, forget me. I want to live for myself for once, too. I'm exhausted."

She was leaving, throwing away their unbalanced relationship, the one that was always under scrutiny. She could no longer be a shadow, unaware of everything.

After leaving the auction exhibition, Ji Chan was forced to be alone with You Mansui.

You Mansui, full of hurt and helplessness, asked if they could begin a new relationship.

"You want to get back together?" Ji Chan asked.

"What else? When you said we were breaking up, I never agreed." You Mansui said it as if it were obvious. "You've been away from me for over a year. I miss you so much."

Ji Chan smiled and answered calmly, "All right, then. President You, please get me the stars in the sky."

"When you do, we'll get back together. How does that sound?"

* Gentle, restrained, and reserved × attentive, proud, and outgoing

* A bittersweet tone with a little sparring, and a happy ending

* They have only ever been with each other! First love.

Theme: Love should be open and honest