Life Lessons [Park Jimin]

Chapter 21

Jimin

I rest my head on my desk, trying to calm down. I can't believe Jungkook thinks I'm the reason Yeji cried. How can he be so blind to not know how she feels for him? They spend so much time together. He's her best friend. I'm her teacher and I still noticed.

It bothered me that she likes him even when I thought that he reciprocated her feelings. She needs someone more mature and stable in her life. Now that I know he has zero regard for her emotions, it pisses me off. Why is she wasting her energy on this kid?

I was sort of relieved when she found out that he's still sleeping around. Of course I didn't want her to see it with her own eyes, but I thought at least now she would move on.

Apparently not though, since she's letting him comfort her in the hall.

I let out a long groan. I know I shouldn't care. I keep trying to remind myself that I shouldn't get involved in my students' personal lives. But she's my friend too and I hate seeing her hurt.

I saw the pain in her eyes when she walked in on them. I saw the way her lip trembled. I felt the way her body shook as she cried in my arms.

She's been through too much already. She doesn't have parents around to give her advice and tell her to stay away from boys like Jungkook. She doesn't have a mom to comfort her or a dad to threaten to beat up the boys that make her cry. And she can't even just curl up in bed all day if she's heartbroken because she has a kid depending on her. She can't handle being played with by a boy.

And I feel some responsibility as the main adult figure in her life. I know it's probably overstepping, but I don't care. She may be capable when it comes to managing money and raising Haein, but when it comes to relationships she is clearly naive and inexperienced. But I don't know what I am supposed to do. 

I look down at the smeared make up on my shirt. I should probably try to fix this before other kids question it too.

I walk back towards the door and open it, peeking out to make sure they are gone.

They aren't.

He's hugging her, and she's letting him. In fact, she seems to be enjoying it based on the way her hands are clutching tightly to the back of his shirt.

I bite my lip and quietly close the door again. If I get involved right now, I might not be able to control my tongue in front of Jungkook and I don't want to embarrass Yeji.

I press my ear to the door, waiting for them to leave. It's stupid that a teacher has to avoid his students, but whatever.

A few seconds later, I hear Jungkook say that they are going to be late and then their footsteps as they walk away.

I wait another minute to be safe and then step out. I walk into one of the bathrooms. I unbutton my shirt and take it off so that it's easier to rinse.

To my relief, Yeji must not use waterproof makeup so it washes out pretty quickly with soap and hot water. However, now my shirt is soaked and the school hand dryers are the weakest machines I've ever used. After a few minutes, I give up and accept the fact that my shirt most likely won't be fully dry by the time class starts.

I head back to the classroom and decide to go over my lecture notes before class. Just because my mind is a little scattered doesn't mean I can afford to give a crappy lecture. If I don't teach things well, it just makes things harder for Yeji during tutoring and that's the last thing that I want right now.

*****

I look up from my papers when I hear my kids start to return. To my irritation, Jungkook walks in with his arm around Yeji's shoulders. She's laughing lightly about something he said.