pointed teeth || iz*one

20

Wonyoung was the first to get up. They'd all slept in haphazard positions, collapsing onto each other in all manner.

"Kwangbae," she whispered, crawling over Minju, "it's six o'clock- get going! You might reach late!"

Monday.

Hyewon jolted awake, rubbed the sleep from her eyes, and shook Sakura awake. She buttoned her school shirt quickly and slipped an arm through her blazer before tapping Eunbi to let her know they had to go now.

Sakura got ready in record time and kissed Chaeyeon's forehead.

Hyewon was already slowly driving up the hill as Sakura ran up to the car and dived into the back seat.

...

Sakura shied her gaze away from Miyun. She was on her phone, like most of the students, except she was the only one alone. Seunmi and Jiwoo were with another group of girls.

"Good morning," Jaeyeong yawned lazily, sitting leaned back in his chair. He had his phone in his hand. As the girls pulled their chairs up to his desk, he tucked it in his pocket.

"Any news on Daeman?" Sakura asked urgently, leaning forward.

"He's doing good. Actually, I was just talking to him," the boy said. "Wanna?"

He tapped on a small camera icon. Daeman picked up almost immediately.

"Hey, Sakura-ssi wants to check up on you," Jaeyeong chuckled. He handed his phone to Sakura.

Daeman looked good, hair neat and in a white and blue hospital-issued shirt. The edges of a patch peeked through the neckline.

"Are you doing okay?" he asked.

"Daeman!" Hyewon exclaimed, snatching the phone. "When are you getting out?"

"Uh... next week, Monday... yea, next week, Monday. In time for the trip too!"

Sakura sunk a little. "Oh."

"Don't worry, I won't let myself get hit with anything this time," he said. "Promise!"

Suddenly, the phone was snatched from Hyewon's hand.

"Shh! Daeman-ah we've gotta go, teacher's in," Jaeyeong hissed. Daeman clucked his tongue before Jaeyeong ended the call and stuffed the phone into his bag.

"Good morning, class," the teacher said plainly. It wasn't Professor Kim.

The substitute was a woman in her early twenties, with dark hair in a bun and a navy blue blouse and loose, comfortable pants.

Sakura slapped her hand over Hyewon's mouth before a syllable of word could escape it.

The woman uncapped a blue marker and scrawled down letters on the whiteboard.

권 선생님

"Professor Kim is out sick today," she said crisply. "I'll be substitute for today. I'll allow phones and books, but keep the noise down."

Ms Kwon - Eunbi - shot Sakura and Hyewon a look before walking out of the class.

Sakura stood up as casually as she could and followed Hyewon out.

"How did you even get the job?" Hyewon whispered.

"Just because I got it doesn't mean I know how I did it," Eunbi said. She scratched her nape. "I just scratched my way in because, well, Miyun. I thought she might try again."

Sakura flung her arms over Eunbi and hugged her. "Thanks," she muttered.

"Now get back into class before they suspect something fishy," Eunbi said, before heading back in.