teacher • kth

12: relationships

Namjoon's eyebrows rose, and he looked over at me in surprise.

"Mr. Kim?" He asked, and Mr. Kim approached us, a confused expression on his face.

"What are you two doing out here?" He asked, and I winced backwards at the smell of cigarette smoke on his pink lips.

Namjoon's hand met the small of my back, gently reminding me that he was standing behind me.

Chills ran up my spine, and I shivered noticeably, making Mr. Kim frown.

"It's cold outside, Ms. Lee." He murmured, a hand coming out to reach for my bare arm.

"I was just about to head inside." I burst out, jerking away before he could touch me.

"Good night, Mr. Kim. Good night, Namjoon." I stumbled over my own two feet as I struggled to climb up the stairs leading into my apartment building.

-

Namjoon waved Everest off, watching to make sure she got in safely before turning to Taehyung, visibly upset.

"Why were you with her?" Taehyung spoke up first, crossing his arms over his chest defensively.

"Funny you ask. I was driving her home from a party. Where there were drugs and alcohol." Namjoon frowned even more deeply, his eyebrows coming together in frustration.

"You're not doing too well at your job." He added shortly after, his tongue pressing to the inside of his cheek, growing irritated slowly with his old friend's lack of response.

"This is the second time I've had to take over your job." Namjoon continued, and Taehyung sighed loudly, nodding as his hand came up to rub his forehead.

"I know." He mumbled tiredly, and Namjoon scoffed, straightening up, making himself look even taller.

"First, she was speeding home, in front of the school that you were stationed at. And now, I'm driving her home from a party with alcohol and drugs. Did I mention that she was drunk herself?" Namjoon's voice rose to a yell, receiving a few stares from nearby pedestrians.

"I know." Taehyung repeated, shoving his hands in his pockets as he looked at his feet.

"It's in your job description to protect her. Not mine. Her parents hired you. I'm only here to take over just in case things go south, but it seems like I'm doing all the work here." Namjoon continued, making Taehyung sigh and roll his eyes.

"She's different from the other girls, Namjoon. It's hard to be around her. She makes it her goal in life to distance herself from me." Taehyung tried explaining, but Namjoon's eyes grew wide, and his frown deepened.

"You can't let that happen." Namjoon held his breath as he awaited Taehyung's answer.

"I know. I'm working on it." Taehyung replied, before shrugging Namjoon's hand off his shoulder and running inside with his hands stuffed in his pockets.

-

Taehyung shut the door behind him, his chest heaving from racing up the stairs.

His eyes involuntarily drifted to the cream folder on his coffee table.

Picking it up with shaking hands, he opened it, revealing Everest's smiling picture, her parents standing behind her, hands on her shoulders as they smiled at the camera.

"What am I getting myself into?" He murmured to himself, before closing the folder and throwing it on the couch.

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