Be My Teacher || K.SJ

F I F T Y F I V E

Hoseok and I finish our coffees and head out towards his car.

It felt a little awkward at first, but that tension soon vanished after a few minutes, luckily. I was worried this would ruin our friendship. Hoseok is one of the only people I've met since moving here that I truly felt a connection with, as well as Taehyung and Josie, and of course Jin. Losing him as my friend would have been awful.

But he's so full of sunshine. He doesn't let negativity pull him down. He stays in the light and moves on, always positive. I love that about him.

As we laugh and joke in the car, I feel my phone vibrate from inside my bag. I immediately stop what I'm doing and scramble to pull it out. My heart almost explodes at what I see on my screen.

Sexy Asshole: Can you come meet me at my house?

My fingers tremble, I turn my body so Hoseok can't see the screen.

Willow: When?

Sexy Asshole: Now?

Fuck.

Willow: I'm just on my way home now. I'll be about 30 minutes.

He replies almost instantly.

Sexy Asshole: You've been out?

I scoff quietly and lock my phone, putting it back in my bag. Not the time for jealousy, Jin.

Hoseok pulls up outside my house. I turn to him and give him a warm smile.

"Thank you for today, I really enjoyed it." I say genuinely.

"Me too, we need to hang out more." He chuckles.

I nod my head with a smile. We both say our goodbyes and I get out, closing the car door behind me. He waves before pulling off, and I get my phone out of my bag.

Sexy Asshole: Do you want me to come pick you up?

It would be easier than getting a bus I guess...

Willow: Ok. Usual spot."

I walk to the convenience store and Jin arrives quickly. My heart pounds in my chest, my palms beginning to sweat. This will be the first time we've seen each other since I walked out that morning.

I open the door and quickly get in, shutting it behind me. I don't look up, I don't say a word, I just buckle my seat belt and then look down at my hands in my lap.

I can hear Jin taking hesitant breaths, like he wants to say something. But he doesn't. Instead he puts the car into gear and drives off.

The whole car ride was awkward. It was silent, the tension was thick. It was uncomfortable. I couldn't bring myself to look at him even once, not even his thighs spread out in the seat, my favorite part.

We pull up into his driveway and we both get out. He walks ahead of me and I keep some distance behind him, waiting for him to unlock the door.

God this is driving me crazy. My social anxiety is through the roof because of the tension and I don't know what to do with myself.

Do I say something first? Or do I wait for him to say something?

Fuck it.

"Why did you want to meet?" I blurt out, stood near the couch.

He turns and looks at me, our eyes meet for the first time. My heart pangs in my chest, and I swallow loudly.

He looks broken. Like a shell of himself. I barely recognize him. He looks the same physically, but at the same time, he doesn't.

"I wanted to talk to you about... You know... The situation." He says, moving towards the couch.

"Okay..." I say quietly, sitting down as he does.

He sighs, running his hand through his hair.

"Willow." He begins, looking down at the floor.

"Hwasa has very powerful connections. I've done nothing for the last three days but try to find a solution to fix this..." He trails off, inhaling a deep breath.

"But I believe there's only one solution." He says, his tone low and full of regret.

"And that is?" I ask.

"I have to agree to her terms."

He falls back against the couch, placing both hands against his forehead, pushing his hair back in exacerbation. 

"I have to marry her." He finally says.

"What?" I almost yell. What the fuck?"

"It's the only way I can think of." He sighs, sitting back up and turning to look at me.

"Jin... No!" I raise my voice. "Do you not think that she will still expose me? Us? Do you not think she can and will still ruin both of our lives? She's psychotic!" I yell frantically, my eyes stinging as tears begin to swell, my heart racing and pounding against my chest.

"I know, I know all of this, but what else can I do? I have nothing on her, and even if I did, her dad can easily erase it, or blackmail me too. It's a lose lose situation, Willow."

My eyes dart panickingly. 

"No. No! I told you I will fix this. Let me do it. Don't marry her, Jin!"

He quickly jolts forward and grabs my hands, stopping me from grabbing my phone. I look at him, the pain in his eyes is like a bullet going through my heart. His eyes reflect with unfallen tears.

"You told me you loved me." I choke, unable to hold it back any longer.

"I do. I do love you. More than anything. More than I've ever loved anything else. I'm doing this to protect you." He says, his voice hitching at the last word.

"But..." I trail off, a sob escaping from my chest. He grips my hands tighter.

"But I don't want to lose you."

The tears finally fall from his eyes. His face contorts in pain, and deep sobs burst out of his mouth. I can't hold my own back anymore, and we both cry. He lets go of my hands and pulls me by my shoulders, slamming me into his chest and wrapping his arms tightly around me. 

His chest rises and falls violently against me as he cries.

We stay like this for a while, letting it all out into each others arms. Allowing the vulnerability and emotion to hold us both. He sniffs, sighing, and he pulls back, holding onto both sides of my shoulders, looking me deep in my eyes.

"I can't lose you either, Willow." He whispers.

"You're right, I can't marry her. I needed you here and this moment to realize I was thinking like a fool. Like I was defeated." His voice is stern and determined. "I promised you I will fix this."

"I have an idea." He hisses.