neighbors︱𝐊𝐓𝐇 ‧ 𝐉𝐉𝐊

✽ 𝐛𝐮𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐬

◦ ◦ ⊙ ◦ ◦

Damn Mr. Jung.

It had been a particularly horrid math class, the last period that afternoon, and by the end of it, Jieun was ready to tear her hair out. If the class hadn't ended at that precise moment, she was sure she would have run to the front of the classroom and lunged at the greasy git's throat.

Soon as Class A was dismissed, Eunjae urged her to hurry up, saying she desperately wanted to check her grades in the computer lab before going home and had to nearly drag her out of the classroom by the arm.

Jieun groaned at her friend as she tried to, without success, zip her backpack along the way, resulting in several pens and folders slipping out from it in the middle of the hallway. 

"Jieun—"

"Ugh, just go ahead, okay?" she waved her hand impatiently, bending down. "I'll meet you there."

Eunjae wasted no time and was out of Jieun's sight the next blink. She rummaged through her bag, tucking her material inside and a half-finished essay from a different class. Behind her, she heard Mr. Jung talking to his students in the doorway, either to say goodbye or to scold them.

"Ah—good, I was hoping to see you again today," he called out to one passing by. "Come inside, Mr. Kim. I need to speak with you."

Jieun dropped her last item inside her bag but was slow to zip it up. When she turned back, there was no one at the doorway anymore and carefully returned her steps, peeking from the corner.

Inside stood her math teacher, not alone. He took out a folder from his briefcase and searched through the papers quickly. "Found it. Here—can you explain to me what this is?"

Taehyung chuckled awkwardly, rubbing the back of his head.

"Mr. Kim, what is going on with you? Sleeping in class, forgetting homework, and now failing on this miserable assignment?" Mr. Jung asked flatly. "There's only half of the year left for the finals and you are not showing any improvement in my class."

"I'm sorry, sir... The basketball tournament is coming up—I can barely focus."

"Yes, I understand, but grades come first. Always remember that," he sighed, putting the folder back inside the briefcase and closing it. "You need to find a way to focus on two things simultaneously or give one of them up."

Taehyung shifted on his feet, answering less confidently, "What you suggest?"

"Well... you could try sleeping more during the night and less during the day, for starters."

"I'll try my best."

"There's also the option of private lessons. If your parents allow, I can give you a list of tutors myself."