Bound By Words | Taekook

1. Student Exchange?

T A E H Y U N G

"Hello students, I'm the associate head of 'World in a Nutshell' association."

Grudgingly I looked up from the novel I was reading. It was our free period, due to the absence of the Maths teacher. And instead of letting us be, the student exchange association leader was here like every year, choosing some student to go out of the country, and learn foreign traditions, traits or whatever. I was simply not intrested. I was more than happy to stick to my novels and live in my beautiful fantasy world.

The woman almost in her mid thirties, continued cheerfully, "As y'all know our association holds up a student exchange program every year. But due to the current circumstances, it isn't possible." That peaked my intrest. Good, no foreign students to deal with. I involuntarily huffed a sigh. Those students always act like they were somone superior. As if I cared, I have had many foreign senior, I'm glad that there were going to be none in my batch. So I finally decided to listen to what the woman standing in front of the class was saying.

"So instead the association has decided to select five students out of this batch, who will be assigned to a pen mate from various countries."

Ugh if not face to face, now we have to deal with foreigners on paper. I tightly crosses my fingers, hoping that I won't be chosen amongst those five.

"Who wants to volunteer?" Several hands shot up in the air instantly, murmurs of excitement filled the classroom. While I tried my best to bury myself under the desk.

That was the moment when the bell rang for the next class. It was our English class, I face palmed myself. The English teacher, Miss. Choi came in. This isn't going to be good.

"Oh you are choosing the student representatives," she wondered aloud. "Have you chosen Mr. Kim, he's excellent with his words." And just like that I wanted the earth to swallow me up, but reluctantly I stood up and forced a smile on my face. "That would be an honour, Miss. Choi."

The five of them, two girls and two boys besides myself were called to the music hall, since it was usually free at this hour.

"Sit down students, so we have here five countries for each of y'all to choose from, there is US, Australia, India, Japan and KSA that is Saudi Arabia. But since we didn't want y'all to bicker to choose, you are going to have to pull a draw instead." She pointed to the tray sitting on the desk, which contained five folded pieces of paper.

I wished I could get Japan, it sounded better than some snobby American. I crossed my fingers, again. And waited till each of the students had taken their pick, so that I didn't have to walk to the front.

The curly haired girl, Rosé, squealed, "Australia! I have always wanted to talk to someone overseas."

Then there was the other girl, she silently walked up to the table and returned as normally, leaving me in suspense. I just wanted someone to take off America.

One of the boys followed the same fashion, while the other happily bounced back to his seat, talking out loud, "I have always wanted to know about the Indian culture, and Taj Mahal, how I long to see it." His eyes glittered with longing.

I didn't give a shit, I didn't bother getting up from my seat, so the associate took it as her cue to open the last chit. "That leaves you Mr. Kim to-" I pulled my crossed fingers closed to my chest, scrunching my eyes. "America."

Have my crossed fingers ever worked.

"That being sorted, you will write your first letters today and submit them in the school office. It would be the school's responsibility to post them, you don't have to worry about that. You will be provided with a paper every Monday, and you will have to write to your pen mate throughout this whole academic year. Also you will have to collect culture, traditions related information, and make into a project for which you will be granted extra marks at the end of the year."

More work on top of the assignment that we already have, just what I needed.

The teacher passed the paper around, "You have to mainly just do the introduction today nothing much. Be sure to submit it in the office before the end of the day. Good luck kids, hope you enjoy this program."

And just like that she left them. The four others started discussing animatedly, what they are going to write, how they were going to complete the assignment. I wasn't interested I just wanted to dive back into my book that he had left back in the classroom.

___________

"Hey Taehyung." The curly haired girl from earlier called out. "Are you done with the letter? I was thinking we could go together and submit it."

"I totally forgot about it." I face palmed myself. The school was done for the day and the classroom were emptying. I had completely forgotten about the paper that now laid inside my Geography textbook, so that it didn't get creased.

"No worries, I'll wait till you get it done. I can help you if you need." Rosé said settling down in a seat besides him, she handed him the pen in her hand as he retrieved the paper.

"Thanks Rosé."

"You do know my name then, I have never heard you call me though."

"Everybody knows your name." I said sheepishly, wondering what to put down on the paper.

"You can start by introducing yourself," Rosé suggested.

I hummed as I began.

Hey so we are pen mates

I started lamely, but now there was no going back. I cringed when I figured out the pen I was using was a glitter pen. Fuck it.

____________

Hello sweets,
Are y'all ready for this new book, I'm really excited. Look forward to it.

Borahae 💜
Aarch.