The Art Teacher | Jikook ✓ | The Next Chapter

Part 16

Nam-gi

I wiggle my toes in the confines of my fuzzy socks, the feeling comforting. Yong-gi is still asleep in the bedroom while I stare at my song book, dissociating. My Batman pen sits firmly in my hand as I tap the topper against the side of my head, blinking quickly as white noise filters through my noise-canceling headphones.

My stomach rumbles, but the sensation is heavily muted, the thought of hunger not really reaching my head. I'm in the zone. It's been like this since three in the morning when I woke up and slipped out of the bedroom. I didn't want to be a bother to Yong-gi and he worked hard last night.

The tapping increases in speed and power as I fall deeper into my own thoughts.

Did I do a good job?

Was I enjoyable?

Should I have done something different?

What if I'm just good for sex?

A hand presses against my head, the pen hitting it instead.

I freeze.

Slowly, my headphones are removed. "Nam-gi, baby, how long have you been awake?"

"Three," I murmur.

"Don't hit your head. Hit the desk with your pen instead, okay?"

I nod, everything sounding underwater. Exhaling, I tap the pen against the desk and Yong-gi places my headphones back and gets comfortable next to me. His eyes focus on me, studying my expressions as I go back to writing. He is receptive to everything I ignore, standing up only to return with a bowl of blue, green, and pink Jolly Ranchers in a small bowl, all of them already peeled.

My weighted blanket is draped around my shoulders and I blink quickly, sticking a candy in my mouth like second nature, continuing my writing.

I've already written ten songs despite it only being a few hours since I woke up. I go about annotating my drafts once I finish my current song, suggesting key signatures, potential part assignments, and rating each song from a scale from 5-10. It used to be a true ten point scale, but Yong-gi told me that nothing I write is under a five.

Yong-gi.

Slowly, I realize that I taste blue raspberry and feel a sensation reminiscent of a hug on my shoulders. The faint smell of lemongrass tickles my nostrils and I exhale, removing my headphones. I turn to my boyfriend and twiddle my thumbs.

"R-Red...?"

He smiles tiredly. "Yes, Tink?"

"D-Do you love me?" I ask before looking away. "Sorry, you don't have to answer that."

"I do love you. You don't need to apologize. Ask me anything you want."

"It's okay?" I bite my lip.

Yong-gi moves my hair behind my ear. "Always."

"Did I do a good job last night?"

"You did a really good job, baby. You told me exactly what you wanted, remember. Did you like it?"

I blush and wiggle my toes, rocking back and forth in my seat. "Yeah. It felt good. Was I enjoyable?"

"The best. You're the best. I promise."

"How do you know? You haven't been with anyone else." I hug myself.

Yong-gi takes no time to think of a response. "Because when I'm with you, I don't think about anyone else and when I'm away from you, you're still at the forefront of my mind."