Tear

~4~

"Hey bestie," Rina poked her cheek. "You excited for your first marketing small class today?"

Ae Ra shrugged. "I guess. I hope this class is more interesting. No offense, but I keep accidentally falling asleep in Professor Lee's class. But what's worse is that basically everyone in there knows me. I've embarrassed myself twice in the past week. How bad is that?"

Rina shrieked as she scrolled past something on her phone. "Ae Ra, are you trying to become a celebrity? You're all over the university's bulletin again!" She showed her a picture of her walking past that prima donna Taehyung.

"I could care less," Ae Ra smiled. "He doesn't bother me. Alright, I have to get going, or I'll be late for class. See you later, bestie!" She ran down the hallways until she found the smaller room where her marketing class would be. There was only one seat left, and she quickly sat down unaware that she had surrounded herself with the most popular boys in the school.

The teacher quickly introduced herself as Mrs. Choi and talked a little about her background in marketing. Ae Ra tried her hardest to keep her eyes open. She was just about to succumb to the drowsiness that weighed her eyelids down when she felt someone nudge her. That's when the situation hit her. Sitting in front of her was Jungkook with Jimin and Namjoon flanking her sides. Ae Ra slowly turned around, her breath hitching as she found herself face-to-face with him.

"Now please introduce yourselves to the students around you for a few minutes," Mrs. Choi instructed.

Ae Ra discerned four intense pairs of eyes on her, and she felt herself sliding down her chair.

"Is that a habit of yours?" Taehyung asked, poking her back.

Ae Ra quickly straightened herself out. "Look, I'm sorry about the other day. I was in a hurry to get to class."

Taehyung shrugged coldly. "Don't care."

"Don't mind him. He's always like that," Jungkook shifted her attention to him. He had fluffy hair that Ae Ra was sure he maintained better than her own. His lips curled into a bunny-like smile, and she immediately felt better. "I'm Jeon Jungkook."

Jimin coughed. "I'm Park Jimin, 3rd year business major."

"So, you're Hwang Ae Ra? I mean, we all sorta know you from the... incidents. I'm Kim Namjoon. If you ever need any help with anything, let me know."

He seems nice Ae Ra thought. "Oh, um, thanks. I'll keep that in mind."

She turned around, ready for Taehyung's introduction, but he just stared back at her blankly.

"Um, I guess you did introduce yourself the other day," Ae Ra noted before quickly turning around.

Taehyung sighed. Normally, he would say something sarcastic back. But he really wasn't feeling it, especially after what his mom had told him. He slammed a fist on the desk, and the students around him jumped in surprise.

"Dude, what's wrong?" Hoseok asked. None of the other guys had ever seen Tae lose his cool. He had always been a laid back rich boy without a care in the world.

"It's nothing," Taehyung murmured. As soon as class ended, he sprinted to his car in the parking lot and drove home. Last night's conversation was racing through his mind. He had to see his cousin. Only Baekhyun would know what to do.

He swerved his car into the garage and raced to the living room. Baekhyun was lounging on one of the sofas with his headphones in while he checked the stock market on his smart tablet.

"Whoa, aren't you supposed to be at university? Why are you back so early?" Baekhyun noticed the serious look on his face and put his tablet down on the coffee table. "Tae?"

Taehyung cursed under his breath. "I knew this day was coming, but I didn't know it would be so soon."

"Can you just tell me what's wrong?" Baekhyun asked calmly.

Taehyung remembered how his mother would chase him around with a video recorder, trying to capture the priceless smile on his face.

He would fly his red airplane around the house and into the yard and around the garden. He remembered the day he threw his plane into the air, watching the wind help it take flight. Out of nowhere, a hand had snatched it up, crushing it into a ball of aluminum in one swift movement.

"You need to study the book I gave you on conversion optimization. You don't have time for this! You weren't born to play, Kim Taehyung. You think you're like everyone else? Throw those thoughts away right now, you hear me?! One day, you'll have to man up and inherit the company that my father and I have put our blood, sweat, and tears into. You can't simply throw it away because you want to play."

"Taehyung, you're starting to scare me," Baekhyun whimpered. "What's going on?"

The boy was about to reply when one of the butlers rolled in a few of his suitcases. "The Madame has already looked into a place and wants you out by tonight."

Baekhyun's face was taken over by shock and horror. "Madame Kim is kicking you out?! She can't do that! There's other ways to learn about the real world. You won't survive out there."

"That's exactly why she's throwing me out there. Because she thinks I can't survive. I mean, she's not wrong, but I don't understand why I have to take over the company. Why can't you do it? You clearly know more about it than I do. You look at the stock market in your free time and arrange meetings and whatnot. I can't do that."

Baekhyun laughed. "Tae, this isn't the end of the world. I know you feel overwhelmed, but you'll be fine. You've got your whole family backing you. If you're ready to do this, we'll be more than ready to help you."

The younger sighed, letting his shoulders droop in defeat. "Mom won't be happy if she sees me when she gets home. I should probably leave now."

"I'll help you set everything up. It's the least I can do for you before you're on your own."

The house wasn't terribly big. And it terrified him that it was a joint house, which was basically two houses connected by a wall and a door. He hoped he could move in quietly and keep a low profile. If people found out that the great heir Kim Taehyung was kicked out of his house, he wouldn't be able to set foot in his university ever again. He could trust Baekhyun to keep his secret.

"Okay, let's start setting up your stuff," Baekhyun grinned while rolling up his sleeves.

Taehyung reluctantly pushed up his own and began unpacking. His part of the house was almost the size of his bedroom back home. There was no treadmill and no 60-inch flat screen TV. But most terrifying of all, there was no tub in the bathroom.

"Baekhyun, how am I supposed to take my bubble baths???!!!" Taehyung sobbed, frightened by his reality.

"You take bubble baths?"

Taehyung nodded. "Once a week, preferably on Sunday." He sighed. "You really think I can survive out here?"

Baekhyun laughed. "Come on, you'll be fine. You need to learn about the real world and your customers in order to make products to help them, right? This is all part of the experience... but maybe you should try making friends with the family next door. I know you don't want anyone to know you're here, but if something goes terribly wrong, I'm sure they would help you."

"Pft, forget it. I'm better off alone." Taehyung looked around and took in the view. It wasn't much, but he'd have to make it work somehow.