On A Cloud

english speakeu

Jungkook thinks it's unfair for Chaeyoung to have bragging rights for being able to speak English well. The girl was born in New Zealand and visits Australia yearly - during which Jungkook would raid her house because she gave him the key to take care of her puppy, Snickles, and eat whatever leftover food was in the fridge. He also tried to sleep in her room a few times but decided against it because her bedsheets always smelled like her and gave him weird dreams.

"I think you miss her," Jimin had said to him when he brought it up. Jungkook nearly choked on his water laughing. "Whatever, man, but we both know you're ridiculously attached to her."

That was something he couldn't deny. He wanted to say that Chaeyoung was like his sister but that wasn't entirely true - his dreams told him otherwise. He knows Jimin has always had something of a crush on his best friend, and practically everyone in every grade who knew them made it apparent that they thought those two were meant for each other. Chaeyoung is at the top of her grade, Jimin at the top of his. They had both been part of the school's choir since Chaeyoung's freshman year, in which Jimin would text Jungkook a series of how the hell do i talk to her??? texts while he was at practice. But as the years went on, Jimin's attempts to advance their relationship grew scarce. He says it's because he doesn't want to make things awkward with Jungkook if Chaeyoung decides she likes him back.

"The hell are you talking about? Why would I care if you date her?" Jungkook scoffed.

"I know you say you don't like her but it's just... it feels weird, okay? Let's just drop it."

And that's the last conversation Jungkook remembers having with Jimin right before he graduated. They still keep in contact but he isn't sure whether Jimin still keeps in contact with Chaeyoung. He finds himself glancing over at Chaeyoung at the front of the class in the midst of his thoughts and sees that she's at it again, actively participating in the lesson. She's the sole person in the class who communicates with the teacher in full, perfect english. But to Jungkook, it all sounds like gibberish. He's never been good at english, even less so with french, but they're mandatory classes and he chose the two languages because he knew Chaeyoung's notes were his gateway to success.

"Jeon Jungkook," the nasally voice of his english teacher bursts the little thought bubble that separates him from the class.

"Yes?"

To his distaste, she asks in english "I don't know if you were paying attention, but we're summarizing the chapter that was assigned last night. Can you tell us something about the protagonist's relationship with Jane?" She speaks slowly for Jungkook to catch on, but he still doesn't pick up on a single word other than the pronouns.

He swallows hard, his eyes nervously darting to the book in front of him that he didn't bother attempting to read or translate into korean for a basic understanding because quite frankly, he didn't give a shit. His usual cocky demeanor fades because he simply doesn't know how to pull himself out of this awkward rut. Had it been history class, he would have sassed the teacher about how all history is the same - the world was at peace until America came and fucked shit up. But how would he get out of this? Make up some words that sounded english?

Just when he's about to admit defeat, out of the corner of his eye, he spots Chaeyoung holding up a piece of paper behind her back with the words (in korean, thank god): She's asking you about the romance between the main characters. Say (in english) 'He likes the colour of her eyes'.

In an instant, his characteristic smirk returns to his face as he looks up at the teacher, now leaning against the podium and a bored look on her face as she awaits his usual 'sorry, I don't know.' Then, taking a deep breath, he says, "H-He raikes th-the colour of her..." he squints at the scribbly writing on Chaeyoung's sheet and thinks the hell do you say that?, "her...ah..."