THE BLEEDING HEARTS PROGRAM

FIRST TUTORIAL

There was no money in doing things one was passionate about as a career.

Raphael's chaotic upbringing just taught him that an uneventful life was also a blessing. That is the only thing he wanted.
...

"Why can't you just give me the address and I catch an Uber or something?"

"Mr Park is not in the habit of giving out addresses randomly. Just get in, kid."

When Raphael got a text from an anonymous number that his ride was here, he didn't expect a Range Rover.

It felt sketchy to him.

Plus, he saw the occasional action movie.

This was straight out of a plot where someone got kidnapped. He wasn't trying to reenact anything. "I signed the NDA and everything- you haven't even given me anyone's name! Why would I try and leak an address? I don't know anyone involved- I don't even know your name!"

"Are you getting in or not," one of the burly men asked rolling his eyes. The kid was more dramatic than he expected. "I can't believe he's paying this one just to play pretend tutor."

"Payment," Raphael asked imitating Soulja Boy with his Drake moment, "This is a volunteer program?"

"Did you read the contract properly? Consider yourself lucky that you're getting-"

"Uncle, what are we waiting for," Raphael smiled brightly gently shutting the door. "I would cause terrible impression if I was late for my first day at work."

Raphael had found out a very long time ago that the secret to a comfortable life was money. So even if this was classic scene in a kidnapping plot, Raphael would rather die getting to the bag.

Baddie, baddie shot-
...

Raphael looked at the scenery watching as they got deeper into the rich side of town.

Compounds and long driveways. Houses that were clearly competing with one another in terms of architecture design. And lots of plants. Just trees and tall hedges everywhere. Oh... and the gates.

Rich people love an over the top gate.

Raphael knew he was in an affluent Boston area.

The car started pulling up into a long driveway. Raphael whistled looking at the modern mansion. The house stood out... because it was really cool.

Raphael struggled to describe it but, he could tell someone spent a long time making this house.

As a mechanical engineering student he wasn't the most seasoned when it came to design but, he found himself wanting to appreciate more of the house. He wanted to deconstruct it and piece it together. Appreciate it in terms of parts-

"This way Mr Matias," a bodyguard spoke up opening the car door. "If you just-"

"You're the tutor," a woman cheered immediately with a bright smile. Her oversized sweater made her look like a college student. Her smile was so contagious, Raphael couldn't help but return it.

He didn't discriminate against older women.

"I'm sorry June, I was watching from the window and- I know I'm not supposed to," she apologised towards the bodyguard. "I just got way too excited."

"It's okay ma'am but, just have someone from the security team open the door next time."

"I'm Nair Park," the woman introduced, extending her hand for a handshake. Raphael returned the gesture introducing himself too.

"My husband has a good relationship with the dean and then I heard about the program- I thought this would be really good for my son. He doesn't-"

"Did you open the door again without security baby- oh, and this is?"

Jaehyun hated that Nair kept doing that.

He paid a security team to open doors - that's the least they could do. But now that they lived in a house instead of a penthouse, Nair just found enjoyment in waiting by the window for people. Even at times ordering random things from Amazon just to have unnecessarily long conversations with the delivery people.

She was an odd person.

His odd person.

"I'm Raphael. Nice to meet you sir. I'm with the Bleeding Hearts program."

"You have time to do this despite being a third year student," Jaehyun asked curiously.

He thought the dean would have sent a random first year. He wouldn't have cared. If he wanted his son to learn anything, he would have hired an industry professional.

"The dean wanted the best and I fit the description," Raphael answered smoothly.

Jaehyun knew when someone was feeding him bullshit.

In actuality, Jaehyun knew Raphael was promised a recommendation letter and how much he was paying him to be there... Jaehyun suspected Raphael would have killed for this opportunity if it wasn't offered to him.

"My son is going to be so excited," Nair beamed clapping her hands. "Come this way."
...

"This is pretty cool Mrs Park."

The outdoor area was huge and well decorated. Plus the plant looked healthy- the smell of grass wasn't overwhelming.

"We designed it like this to be a comforting space for Junya."

"Junya?"

"Junya is- oh Junya! It's your tutor!"

Raphael watched curiously as a young man stood up from the covered patio area. He had a book in his hands.

Even if it was only Autumn, the afternoon air was still crisp... Raphael wondered why someone would want to read outside despite that.

"Mom... I told you it wasn't- you're wasting his time," Junya muttered shyly looking towards the boy before focusing on his mother. "What would I need a tutor for?"

He just wasn't used to strangers. Especially strangers around his age range. He felt a bit intimidated by Raphael who seemed to be staring intently at him.

"Raphael doesn't mind," Nair answered quickly. "He- there's the program-"

"You're helping me out," Raphael interrupted stretching out his hand for a handshake which Junya returned. He didn't know how much Junya knew but being introduced as a volunteer for a loners would make it awkward.

If Junya didn't know the truth then there was no reason to tell him.

"Tutoring you is going to count as extra credit - I want to stand out in job applications. It's hard nowadays and having good grades doesn't cut it."

Nair was secretly thankful.

She didn't have the heart to tell her son she thought he needed a friend- or that her and Jaehyun went as far as to practically beg the dean to find a friend for him after they had promised not to do it anymore.

She just couldn't stand seeing her son waste away by himself anymore.

"I'm g-glad to help," Junya stuttered out a bit more reassured.

Now that Junya was smiling, something was even clearer to Raphael.

"When you smile, you're even prettier."