Lesson Learned || Vkook

Chapter 5 - Fire

In English Class on Friday, Mr Lyang asks me about my tutor. 'Has the lesson helped already?'

Even if I wanted to (which I didn't), I couldn't exactly say no. He had gone through all this trouble to arrange a tutor for me, and it was his nephew. Surely I couldn't say that the lesson hadn't helped.

'Yeah! He was really nice and helped me a lot. I'm sure he will be able to help me get my grades up!' I told him enthusiastically. To be honest, I've forgotten most of what we learned that night, which I'm totally bummed about, but I know that I knew the stuff that night, so I hope he can help me remember it again tonight.

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I step onto the pavement and hear the school bus drive off behind me. The next song starts playing and, because I see no one else around me, I start singing again. I can't help but hope that that guy turns up again, but I don't expect it. Still, I don't close my eyes on my way home this time, keeping close watch if I see a familiar coat. And I keep looking out for him, even when the door to our apartment has already closed behind me.

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'So I got some great news to tell you!' My eyes shift from my plate of rice with chicken to my mom. Dinner had been relatively quite, but I enjoyed the silence. School had been hectic enough. Still, the enthusiastic tone of my mom's voice made me curious.

'I'm going to take evening classes, so that I can finally get a job as children's councillor!' She squeals out with a huge smile on her face. I can't help but smile with her. I drop my chopsticks on my plate and walk towards her to give her a hug.

'That's great, mom! You deserve that!' Ever since she started her job as receptionist at a children's counselling office, she wanted to be the one to help the children who came in with their parents to get their life back in order. But she never had the proper degrees to be able to do the job. She deserves this, after all that she's been through.

'I know that it's expensive, so we'll have to live carefully for the next couple of months. So I wanted to ask your permission before I actually take the classes. I don't want you to feel uncomfortable and since I'll be gone for some evenings a week, I don't want you to get the feeling that I'm not there for you or that you feel lonely. So please give your honest opinion. The only thing I want is for you to be happy.' She looks at me with the most motherly look on her face I have ever seen, but inside I only feel like a burden to her. All the costs she spends on me she could use herself. I'm only weighting her down in life. It's a good thing that she'll take those classes, then she doesn't have to be around me for that long or take care of me. I only bother her, adding nothing to her life whatsoever.

'I didn't lie when I said that you deserve it mom, I am so happy for you and I want you to take these classes. Please do.' I hug her again and she hugs me back. This can be her own big step in her life.

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'Aah Jungkook, we were expecting you, come in!' An excited voice sounds through the intercom, whilst the gates open in front of me. With my notepad and pens in my backpack, I'm ready for lesson two.

I'm still amazed by the size of the house and the luxury that it projects, but knowing who lives in it, makes me feel more at ease and less alien in this environment.

When I reach the front door, I discover that it's already open. Inside I am greeted by a smiling Ms. Rhee who takes my coat, which protected me from the small amount of snow that had started to fall.