THE TRANSFER STUDENT

Competition, Pt. 2

"What?!" Taehyung's eyes widened. "If not what?"

"If not... she'll still be expelled from school."

"What?!" Taehyung's mouth fell open. "You didn't say that earlier!"

"She doesn't need to know," Jungkook said nonchalantly.

"What?" Taehyung exclaimed. "Of course she needs to know! This is regarding her whole future! What if we can't find the culprit-"

"Then we just have to."

"But-"

"Do you have no confidence in yourself?"

Taehyung flinched. "I do, but... it's too big of a risk. Who made these terms? The principal herself?"

"No," Jungkook pursed his lips. "I did."

Taehyung raised his eyebrows. "How can you do that? This is so risky - if Jieun gets expelled, how will you take responsibility?"

"That's why, I told her if I don't find evidence then, I'll leave the school as well."

Taehyung's jaws dropped. He stared at Jungkook in silence, as if he was staring at a madman. Well, he probably thought Jungkook was one at that point.

"You like Jieun, don't you?" Taehyung finally said.

For the first time, Jungkook turned to look at Taehyung in surprise. He was expecting "you're crazy" or "you madman" or something of that sorts... just not what Taehyung had said. "What makes you say that?"

"You've never done that for anyone," Taehyung laughed. "So... you like her, don't you?"

Jungkook didn't answer. He looked away.

Taehyung pursed his lips.

The silence was deafening.

"How about you?" Jungkook asked, finally breaking the silence.

"Huh?"

"You like Jieun, too. Don't you?"

~

"So... which one of them is it?"

Jieun returned back home after calming herself down, only to see her mom and dad standing at the door, smirking non-stop at Jieun.

"Huh?" Jieun squeezed her way through the door, between her parents, taking a seat on the sofa in the living room. "What are you talking about?"

"You know what we're talking about..." Jieun's mom said with a grin as she took a seat on Jieun's left.

Jieun's dad took a seat to her right, still smirking. "Which one's the boy you like."

"What?!" Jieun laughed. "What are you talking about? I told you both of them were my close friends."

"Ha!" Her mom laughed sarcastically. "Nice try, Lee Jieun. But I've known you for close to 18 years. I can tell when you like a guy."

Jieun frowned cynically. "Since when have I ever liked a guy?"

Her mom thought for a while, then laughed. "Okay, never. But still, I can tell when my daughter likes a guy, okay?"

Jieun was amused. "So which of them do I like then?"

Jieun's mom frowned. "That, I don't know. But I do know it's one of them."

"That's ridiculous."

"Don't deny it," her dad said, raising his eyebrows. "Your mom told me about how you talked to a guy on the phone and couldn't stop smiling..."

"Mom!"

"Oops."

"...and I also witnessed Taehyung hugging you that time and you guys having a heart to heart downstairs." Her dad finished. "So... is it Taehyung?"

"No, dad!"

"It's Jungkook then," her mom said with a smile. "I knew it. He's a wonderful child, just a little bit on the reserved side. But really cute."

"Mom-"

"But Taehyung's cute as well..." her dad continued before she could even interrupt. "I mean, both are great but if I were to pick one to be my son-in-law, I'd say Taehyung. He seems really reliable. Oh, and that face of his-"

"What are you talking about?" Jieun's mom flared up. "Jungkook's so much sweeter. Did you see the way he looked at our daughter during dinner? And those eyes of his- They speak a thousand-"

"What!" Jieun's dad spat back. "Did you see the way Taehyung put food into our daughter's bowl earlier? He even knows what food she likes, like isn't that the sweetest thing any guy can ever-"

"Then why didn't you do it for me, huh?" Jieun's mom retorted, red in the face. "If you think it's sweet, why didn't you do it for me, Mr Lee?"

"Well-"

"Okay, enough!" Jieun laughed, pushing apart the two of them who were about to start shouting into each other's face. "What are you two even doing? Let's stop this and go to sleep."

Jieun stood up, but her parents pulled her back down.

"Not till you tell us which of them is the one you like, missy."

"You're already almost 18, it's time for you to start dating."

Jieun laughed. "You guys are abnormal. Other parents want their child to focus on their studies and you're asking me to get a boyfriend right now?"

"It's because you're different, Jieun." Jieun's dad looked at her seriously. "You went through a lot. We want you to find someone who can bring you happiness."

"And right now, there are two very amazing choices right before your eyes," Jieun's mom added, touching Jieun's head lightly. "Regardless of who you pick, know that dad and mom just want you to be happy."

Jieun pursed her lips. What did she do to deserve such wonderful parents? "I understand, mom... and dad. And thank you."

"Please update us if there's any progress."

"Dad!"

"You know you can tell us anything, right?"

No, she couldn't. "Yes, mom."

"We love you, Jieun."

"I... I love you both too."