Karma ━━ Jake Sim

𝟭𝟮 ͏͏͏͏͏͏ ͏͏͏͏͏͏ ͏͏͏͏͏͏⠀Tough Crowd

"I don't know," She shrugs, a gesture of faux nonchalance, "Felt like it."

He chuckles, "That's not an answer."

They reach the main doors, and Sujin pushes them open with a roll of her eyes.

"Mind your own business, Sim."

★

͏͏͏͏͏͏ ͏͏͏͏͏͏ ͏͏͏͏͏͏⠀⠀ An hour later, Jake is still waiting outside the Headmistress' office.

He'd watched Sujin slip through the door; heard through the walls the heated argument that's been taking place inside ever since. First, it was Headmistress Jeong's sharp, thorny reprimanding. Next, her daughter's higher-pitched whines of protest. And then Sujin's distinctively fiery backtalk. The three were repeating in a never ending cycle, and at one point Jake had started to wonder whether he'd still be here when the sun goes down. And maybe even when it rises the following day.

He keeps his eyes trained on his sneakers, absentmindedly tracing patterns on the hardwood floor as he waits for the time to pass. It's significantly quieter now, at least, as only the Headmistress' muffled voice can be heard.

He wonders whether she's taken Chaeyoung's side, like the girl had told him he should have.

He also wonders whether he really should have at all.

"Who am I kidding?" He mumbles to himself with a shake of the head, "Of course she's taking Chaeyoung's side."

When the door to the office finally swings open after another few minutes, Jake is met with the distasted glares of all three women.

"Uh..." He lifts a hand in some form of a wave, not quite sure of what else to do in this situation, "Hey."

Chaeyoung shoulders past him without so much as a 'See you later!'.

Okay, ouch.

Sujin is equally infuriated by whatever had just taken place inside; only it's harder to tell, seeing as Jake is starting to think her face is just permanently set in a scowl. Similarly, she stomps away in the opposite direction.

Tough crowd.

The Headmistress lets out a heavy sigh.

"Thank you for staying back, Jake."

He smiles, "My pleasure."

Quite the opposite, actually; but Jake's always been one hell of a people-pleaser.

"Come in," She gestures inside her office with an unreadable expression, "Do you have a moment to talk?"

"Oh." His brows furrow in mild confusion - What do I have to do with any of this? - but he obliges nevertheless, "Yeah. Um- Okay."

"Perfect."

As Jake settles himself into a seat, his mind begins to swarm with what he could possibly be in here for. The Headmistress situates herself across him, arms neatly folded over her lap.

"Don't worry, you're not in trouble."

He breathes out an audible sigh of relief.

"I just wanted to discuss the situation with you," Headmistress Jeong starts, retrieving a pen and a pad of paper from one of her many drawers, "I take it you were there when the fight broke out?"

"Yeah..." Jake replies cautiously, "I don't know too much about the details, though. Everyone heard screaming and Sunghoon, Jay and I just rushed over there as fast as we could to diffuse the tension."