annyeong | im jaebum

2회

I went straight to the computer as soon as I got home to check if the grades for the test had been posted. If I got a 95 or higher then my grade would move up to a D plus. I felt my body tense in anticipation.

My eyes scrolled down the page until I saw it.

Chapter 7 Test

I held my breath and peeked at the number below it with one eye.

61%

My jaw dropped. I failed. My head fell into my hands. The end of the first semester was just around the corner and if my grade didn't go up fast then I would be in huge trouble.

"Dinner!" Called my dad.

"Ugshshfhh." I whined to myself., shaking my shoulders. I couldn't face them now.

"Erica." My Dad repeated in his warning voice.

"Coming!" I replied, fleeing my room.

Dinners with my family normally went like this: my mom complaining about work while continuously pouring herself a glass of wine, my older brother boasting about his grades, and my dad nagging me about mine while I just sat there and eating awkwardly.

"..So I raised my hand and said, 'No, Professor Seth, it's DNA Helicase, not DNA Polymerase.'" Jacob went on.

My parents laughed at this as if it was the funniest thing in the world.

Jacob beamed in pride.

"Hey, Erica." Interrupted my Dad, "How did your Korean test go today?"

I shoved another mouthful of pasta into my mouth and nodded, hoping not to be questioned further.

"Erica," He was using his you-better-give-me-an-answer voice.

"It went fine."

"That's good to hear." He smiled.

I picked up my fork, about to collect more pasta when the inevitable came.

"What did you get on it?"

I ran over what to say in my head. I didn't want to lie to him, but he would surely see my grade at some point. If I were to lie now, I would so be dead.  The truth was the way to go.

"Um.. a 61 percent." I mumbled.

His fork dropped onto the table, making a noise that echoed through the kitchen walls.

"What did you just say?"

I didn't respond.

"How could you get a sixty one percent on a foreign language class? You're great with languages!"

Sure I am.

"Look at your brother," Continued my Dad, gesturing towards Jacob. "he passed five years of Korean without getting a single grade under a ninety percent."

My brother smirked.

"-But look at you, already getting Fs if your second year! Have we taught you nothing? Do you not respect us? Is this your sick form of teenage rebellion?"

With each word that came out of his mouth, I felt myself becoming more and more fed up. I wanted to flip the table and scream that it was all their fault.

That's when Jacob butted in. "Dad, cut her some slack. It's unfair to compare us. Especially when there's not even a comparison."

I wanted to scream. I looked in my Mom's direction for comfort but she was just downing more wine.

That was it. I was completely done with the situation. I got up with no words and ran to my room.

I expected to hear someone call for me, but there was just silence.

I slammed the door with all of my might and locked it so no one could come in. Feeling completely defeated, I crumbled down to the floor and started to cry.