Today, Two Years Ago

True Burden

No One's POV

The last lesson has just ended and today is the last day of school for this week. Everyone starts packing their things up before walking out of the classroom excitedly, obviously cannot wait for the weekend.

As soon as the classroom is empty and noone's there, Sungjin locks the door, loosens his grip and makes his way to the teacher's room, where he put all his belongings. Placing his stuff onto his desk, he takes a seat and begins correcting some papers. A few seconds later, his gaze shifts to the cup that's on the corner of his desk and grabs it, a warm aroma of hot coffee greets his nostrils before he starts sipping it. He then returns his gaze to the papers and continues correcting it.

"You're not going back?"

"Later. Need to finish these first," Sungjin responds to Mr. Kim, one of the teachers whom he's close to. His eyes still glued to the paper he's correcting until his brows knit together as he tries to understand one answer his student wrote.

It's just too difficult to understand and nothing makes sense at all. Then, he flips the paper back to the front to see the name of the owner.

Kim Hyeju.

A sigh escapes as soon as he reads the name and he can't help but to bury his face on his palm, eyes closed in disbelief. He had teach her the same subject over and over but the results still disappointing. He even leaked some questions during their extra class.

"Hey, can you help me with something?" Mr. Kim speaks again as he's ready to leave the teacher's room. "I'm in hurry and need to catch up the bus."

Sungjin's expression back to normal and turns his swivel chair around to look at him. "Yeah, what is it?"

"Thank you. Can you give that dark blue folder on my desk to one of my students, Kim Hyeju? She was absent for the whole day without any prior notice. I was planning to go to her place but something unexpected came up," he explains. Mr. Kim is Hyeju's homeroom teacher.

"Give it to her tomorrow, then?"

"I'm busy too tomorrow and the folder contains the assignments she needs to be done before Monday. She's the only one who hasn't done it yet."

Kim Hyeju, seriously. He looks hesitate for a moment but in the end he replies, "Okay. I will." Sungjin nods.

"Thank you! I'll text you her address and contact." He smiles slightly before leaving the room.

...

Three in the afternoon and instead of driving to his location, Sungjin is on his way Hyeju's house. He didn't even realize that she was absent today because...she skips class a bunch. He shakes his head slowly at how careless she is. He then turns the steering wheel and parks his black Pajero in front of her house.

Getting out of the car, he grabs the folder and closes the door after.

In all honesty, he sometimes doesn't really understand her at all. Other students obey his words easily but Hyeju, she seems like she's always in her own world. He actually doesn't mind about that that much but it'd better if she's more open to everyone or at least to the teachers. He just wants to help, as a teacher.

Tightening the grip on the folder, his free hand starts knocking against the door lightly and patiently waits.

No respond.

He knocks again but still no different and it has been two minutes. Without waiting anymore, he takes out his phone and starts dialing the number Mr. Kim texted him.