High School Daze

Jealousy

Inhaling deeply, she silently exhaled, feeling a wave of discomfort wash over her.

What is this bothersome feeling? She thought, her face assuming a slight frown as she grew increasingly unhappy.

Watching as his childhood friend assumed a very conflicted expression on her face, Hyun Bin patiently offered to explain again with a small smile on his face.

"Umm..was that too fast? Should I repeat it? Regarding this, Areum was saying-"

"So, you're very close to Areum now?"

Those words just came tumbling out, as Yejin stood up from her sitting position.

Genuinely perplexed, the basketball team captain looked up at his friend quizzically.

"..wait a minute, where did this assumption come from?"

Huffing, the Students' Council president said, "Areum this, Areum that...clearly, you are close friends with her!"

"Well, I mean, she's really smart and not at all selfish when it comes to teaching fellow classmates. So of course, we are good friends! But not exactly 'close friends' like us...you know?"

Somehow, that struck a raw nerve. Yejin's tone took on an accusatory, dejected note which she did not quite realize.

"Of course you can't be! But she's so pretty and you're obviously very happy to have her teach you biology!"

Dumbfounded in the face of Yejin's uncharacteristic outburst, Hyun Bin walked straight onto the landmine, making the wrong move of attempting to explain himself further.

"I mean, in all fairness, Areum is a pretty girl. But it doesn't mean anything more-"

"Ahhhh. See? You've said it yourself. And there was that American teacher! Don't think I didn't notice the way you looked at her!"

"What American teacher..?"

"The young American teacher! Sam Davenport!" Yejin practically shouted, wearing a hurt, accusatory expression on her face. "You're always like that, Bin, you see some beautiful girl and the next thing I know, you're all giggly and smiley around them."

What is going on? Hyun Bin thought. What is Yejin driving at?

First she's acting weird over his biology discussion session with Areum, and now she's bringing that hot American teacher who came on cultural exchange at their school into the conversation?

"But that was a year ago! And Sam has already gone back to the US."

"What Sam? It's Ms. Davenport to you!"

"But Sam said to call her Sam-" Hyun Bin replied, his face wearing a mixture of helplessness and confusion.

"And you did? Just because she said it's okay?"

Ahhhhh.

It was as if a lightbulb had turned itself on in his head.

Narrowing his eyes at his childhood friend, Hyun Bin said, "Wait a minute."

"What?"

"...why does it bother you so much, that I am in the same study group with Areum? Why are you so angry over Sam and I being on friendly terms..?"

It was Yejin's turn to be at a loss for words.

Mouth parting and closing, as she struggled to find a fitting explanation, she was flabbergasted at hearing Hyun Bin's next sentence.

"...Yejin. you're jealous, aren't you?"

Caught by surprise, before mounting embarrassment and realization sank in, the Students' Council president haphazardly packed her notes.

"No. Not in the least!" She said, casting a hurtful, annoyed expression at Hyun Bin.

With those words, she marched off with flaming cheeks, leaving the basketball team captain sitting by himself at the table, wearing the goofiest smile on his face.