Life Lessons [Park Jimin]

Chapter 13

Yeji

For the past week, Jungkook always came to play with Haein during tutoring, and Haein got used to having a friend. But now it's Friday and Jungkook's friends wanted to hang out with him.

So now, I'm stuck alone with a needy Haein.

"Noona, look what I drew!" Haein says, putting his drawing on top of the notebook of the person I'm tutoring.

"Haein-ah, it's beautiful. But for the millionth time, I am busy so you can't talk to me right now," I sigh.

He pouts a little and stumbles back to his desk.

Eventually the last kid at tutoring leaves and I grab my stack of assignments to grade. Honestly, I'm tempted to ask Mr. Park if I can just leave because I'm starving, but he's been so helpful lately that I want to repay the favor.

I'm grading as quickly as I can without making mistakes. It's frustrating though. Why can't people just get the right answer? Then I wouldn't have to try to understand their process to give them partial credit. It takes so long.

"Noona, can you play a game with me?" Haein asks from beside me.

"No, I'm still busy buddy," I tell him.

"Pleaseee?" he whines.

"Haein, I am trying to finish my work! Go see if Jimin-hyung can take a break," I shout and a second later my eyes widen. Haein calls him Jimin so often so I got used to his name like that, but I've been really careful to not slip up like this until now.

I look up to see Mr. Park, who is already looking at me with an upset expression.

"I'm so so sorry Mr. Park. I... It just slipped out of my mouth. I have no clue why. I'm just really hungry right now so I'm not thinking straight," I ramble out.

"It's fine-" he starts to say, but I cut him off.

"No it's not. I can see that you are mad. I really didn't mean it. I don't want you to think I don't respect you or something. I really do. You are one of the best teachers I've had," I continue, nervously.

"Yeji, I really don't care about the name. If I looked upset, it's because you snapped at Haein," he tells me, his voice laced with a hint of disappointment.

I look down at Haein whose eyes are wide and shimmering with tears, his lower lip pushed out in a pout and trembling slightly.

"Ah, baby I'm sorry," I apologize immediately, regret swirling in my stomach. I lean over and pull him into my lap.

"You just looked sad. I wanted to play a game to cheer you up," he mumbles, making me feel even worse.

"I'm sorry. I am just hungry. You know I'm not very nice when I'm hungry. But you're right. A game will make me feel better. What game do you want to play?" I ask.

His happiness trumps my hunger.

"Can we play hangman? I wanna show you a new word I learned how to spell," he says, already forgiving me.

"Okay! Mr. Park, can Haein write on the board?" I ask, knowing that it will make Haein happy.

"Of course," Mr. Park smiles softly. He hands Haein a marker and then brings over a chair for Haein to stand on so that he can reach the board.

Then to my surprise, Mr. Park sits in the desk next to me instead of going back to his own. He takes the stack of papers off of my desk and replaces them with a container.

"Eat," he tells me.

I look down at the container and realize it is the dinner he usually packs himself.