teacher • kth

8: speed tickets

"I'm so sorry." I murmured, absolutely terrified.

My hands shook violently on the wheel, and tears accumulated in my eyes, threatening to spill out at any given second.

"Are-are you crying?" The officer's voice asked, and I looked up from my lap.

He looked strangely familiar.

His dark eyebrows came together, his obsidian eyes crinkling as he tried not to smile.

"Okay, okay, look. I'll let you off with a warning. Just, please, stop crying." The officer said, feeling distressed at the sight of me sobbing behind the wheel.

I nodded, lifting a hand and wiping my eyes pathetically, sniffling loudly as I did so.

The corner of his lip curled up, and he cleared his throat before tearing a paper off his notepad, handing me a written warning.

I took it with shaking hands, my lip trembling.

A large, sterling ring covered his middle finger, letters engraved into it that I couldn't make out due to the tears blurring my vision. 

He gave me a disapproving look, before walking back to his patrol car.

-

Jungkook paced the living room impatiently, slightly freaking out over the fact that Everest was due home half and hour ago.

Her dinner was cold, abandoned on the kitchen table.

The familiar beeping of a passcode being entered sounded throughout the painfully silent apartment, and Jungkook sprinted to the front door, his foot catching on the risen frame of the front deck.

Wincing in pain, he held his foot in one hand, opening the door for her with the other.

"Wha- oh, hey Jungkook." I mumbled, walking past a flustered Jungkook as I entered the apartment.

I kicked off my school shoes, my feet aching as they flattened against the cold, hardwood floor.

The patter of Jungkook's footsteps followed after me, and I stopped, turning around to face him.

"Can I help you?" I joked, ignoring the sudden look of dramatic betrayal on Jungkook's face.

"Where have you been?" He wheezed out, still in pain from his dangerous encounter with the door frame.

"School." I absentmindedly replied, throwing my things onto the couch, and walking into the kitchen.

"I knew that." He squeaked, following me.

I poked at the cold pasta sitting on the plate in the dining room.

"For me?" I asked, looking up at Jungkook, and he nodded, smiling sweetly at me past the pain.

"Thanks." I smiled back, picking up the plate and walking back to the kitchen, throwing it into the microwave.

The pain had begun to subside, and Jungkook was now able to form coherent sentences.

"It would have tasted a lot better if you'd gotten home the time you promised." He said snootily, taking out an ice pack from the freezer.

"I know, I'm sorry. I got pulled over on my way home." I admitted, shyly, taking the food out of the microwave, opening it right before the crazy loud, and annoying, beeping began.

Jungkook snickered, but quickly stopped when I turned to glare at him.

Clearing his throat innocently, he pretended like he cared.

"Did you get a ticket?" He asked, and I shook my head, shoveling the pasta into my mouth.

It was still hot, steam rising rapidly from the bowl, but I could care less.

It scalded my tongue, but I paid no mind, chewing it quickly.

I was starving.

"Oh, yeah! I forgot to tell you, but I have a friend coming over tonight. I'm helping him study." He said, and I nodded.

"You better not make a mess." I warned, and Jungkook nodded absentmindedly, before bouncing off into his room.

"I'm gonna take a shower. Let him in if he gets here before I'm out." He called out, and before I could refuse, the sound of running water filled the quiet apartment.

I looked around, in search of something to do to pass the time.

I head was still pounding from crying so much earlier, so use of technology was out of question.

So I resorted to some light cleaning.

Taking my used dishes to the sink, I washed them quickly, wiping the stains away with a soapy sponge, and rinsing them off before placing them on the drying rack.

-

I was finishing up a small load of laundry when the doorbell rang, and as Jungkook had predicted, he was still in the shower.

"Coming!" I called out, starting the dryer before dusting myself off, rushing towards the door.

I was still in my school uniform, having forgotten to change.

I pulled my skirt down as I opened the door for Jungkook's friend, fixing the hem, before looking up into a pair of obsidian eyes.

My eyes trailed down, and I noticed the familiar bulging biceps, and the large veiny hands.

The same sterling ring sat on the middle finger of his right hand.

"Officer, I-I swear, I kept the speed limit on my way home." I stuttered, nervously.

He looked confused, before stepping out of the apartment and checking the address number.

He stepped back in, looking even more confused than before, tripping on Jungkook's sneakers on his way back in.

His arm shot out to catch himself, hitting the umbrella holder, which toppled over helplessly, umbrellas scattering the floor.

A particularly wily umbrella spun and hit his toe, and he jumped up in pain.

Unfortunately, he was too tall, and his head hit the low lighting, sending it swaying midair.

He stopped jumping around, turning to stabilize the lighting fixtures, but he ended up tripping over his own feet and falling face first into my neatly organized supply cabinet.

He stood up, supporting himself with the help of a nearby stool we used to put on shoes.

The leg of it broke off as soon as he put pressure on it, and he toppled over again, falling onto the ground with a final "thump".

Jungkook entered the front deck, confused by the loud racket which was justified once he saw who it was.

"Oh, hyung, you're here already!" He smiled cheerfully, ruffling his damp hair, before helping his friend off the floor.

"Noona, this is my best friend, Kim Namjoon."