Lisa was scheduled to go for tutoring on Sunday mornings. Because Eunha attended school during the day, Lisa would go tutor her during the week at night if she had something she didn’t understand or needed to prepare for an impromptu quiz.
In total, she had come six or seven times already. The more she got to know Eunha, the more she liked her.
“Sister-sister-!”
Lisa had just entered the house, changing her shoes in the entrance hall, when she heard a familiar, full of vitality, pleasant young voice.
Eunha’s home was very large. They lived on the top floor on a multi-story duplex. Eunha was wearing pink casual clothes, leaning over the second floor railing waving at her, her arm swinging back and forth quickly.
Eunha would usually welcome her like this, but she looked extra impatient today, “Sister, you’ve finally arrived. Come up quickly, quickly!”
Lisa laughed as she went up the stairs, “I’m coming, I’m coming.”
Eunha hurriedly pulled her into her room, shutting her door mysteriously and secretly, before sitting at her desk, “Sister!”
“What’s wrong?”
“I think….” Eunha seemed to be holding something in. Her voice that came next was much tinier, “I think a boy likes me.”
“……” Lisa didn’t know what to say for a moment.
She looked at the young girl in front of her. At her youthful and small face, pointy chin, and almond eyes that were slightly quirked. She looked well-behaved and pure when she didn’t smile, and like a small fox when smiling.
It would be strange if no one liked a girl like her.
“Sister, I’m telling you, he isn’t like other boys….” Eunha lowered her voice, her expression still mysterious.
Lisa was very cooperative: “Why is he unlike other boys?”
“It’s like…. When I was in middle school, I liked boys who were serious, who looked handsome wearing their school uniforms and were good students. I thought that type of guy was most attractive.”
“And then…. this boy was actually my neighbor before I moved and looked after me. He’s a year older than me, and now I’m attending his high school. He….”
“He what?”
Eunha thought about it, then suddenly showed that very exaggerated fangirling expression: “He’s so handsome!!!!!”
Lisa: “……”
“You don’t even know! Almost all of the posts that are trending on our campus forum are related to him! When he lived across the street from me, I thought he was the kind of older brother who talked very little but was quite gentle.”
After saying that, Eunha turned starry-eyed in seconds: “I didn’t expect this ahhh! He’s actually our school’s number one master! Our number one brother! Our gang leader! The most awesome at fighting the universe!!!”
“…….”
“What’s with your expression, sister? I’m telling the truth! If you don’t believe me, I’ll show you-“
“I think…..” Lisa hesitantly said, “Did you flip your words around?”
“Hmm?”
“Are you sure….. That you don’t like him?”
After Lisa spoke, the cheeks of the young girl in front of her quickly reddened, “What are you saying, sister!”
“Let’s hurry up and study! Study!” She turned around and dragged her backpack over to the table and picked up the pile of books, “Um, I don’t understand this. Can you explain it to me?”
Lisa: “…….”
In the end, she laughed, didn’t ask further questions, and began to explain the topic where her finger was pointing.
***
Apart from that time on Saturday, Jungkook went to Lisa’s grandpa’s house once more on Tuesday night. After the second acupuncture session, the headache that had tormented him for a week had improved significantly.
Except, drinking Chinese medicine turned out to be the hardest thing.
For French on Wednesday, he went to the library before class to print the PowerPoint. When he arrived at the classroom, Lisa still arrived earlier than him.
The two have not seen each other since that day when they had a quick meal at a porridge restaurant. He wanted to talk with her on WeChat several times, but he gave up every time because he couldn’t come up with a topic.
Finally….
He could see her again.
When Jungkook sat next to her, she was talking on the phone.
He took a glance. She was on WeChat and should be sending voice message.
“…… Mhm, mhm. Okay, no problem. Go, then. Do you have a classmate to accompany you?”
“You have to pay attention to your safety, ah. Take care on the road.”
“Okay, see you the day after tomorrow.”
“……”
The little girl’s voice was sweet and soft. She rarely seemed to speak to him in this tone.
She seemed to have a good relationship with the person on the line….?
He watched as Lisa swiped away from WeChat. She turned her head and was stunned for a moment when she saw him, then quickly returned to normal and greeted as usual, “Good morning, senior!”
“…… Morning.”
She didn’t speak again.
After a while, Jungkook really couldn’t resist and turned his head to ask her: “Did you just…. send a voice message?”
“Hmm?” Lisa thought for a moment before responding, “Yep, yep.”
There was still some time before class and it wasn’t a big deal anyway. She explained without thinking much: “It’s the student that I’m tutoring. We had originally planned tutoring for tonight but they said last minute they had to go to the city’s basketball game, and told me they had to reschedule.”
Moreover, listening to Eunha’s tone, she guessed that the boy she had mentioned last time would also be playing in the game.
Thinking of Eunha’s infatuated appearance last time, she couldn’t help but smile.
“Senior, is something wrong?”
“…… Mm, nothing. Just…. asking.”
Forty minutes after class started, it was breaktime.
These past forty minutes, Jungkook’s mind has been continuously replaying her words.
Basketball. It should be a boy.
A high school boy. That she tutored.
She asked if there was anyone with them.
And that they should pay attention to their safety and be careful on the way.
Her tone…. was also too….
Jungkook felt that he replayed it too many times in his head and a buzzing sound began to drone in his ears.
His tongue pressed against his upper jaw, and his left hand firmly pinched the bridge of his nose.
“Lisa Manoban.”
Hearing a familiar voice, Lisa immediately turned around, “Senior, what’s wrong?”
Jungkook looked at her fixedly, “You….”
He uttered a word, and then stopped.
Lisa was puzzled, “I?”
“Lisa.” He called her name again, “I can text fast.”
“……?” Hm? Text?
“I’ll teach you how to text, okay?”
“………? “
He suddenly lifted one hand and brushed back his hair. His expression was a little unnatural, and he averted his eyes.
“You….”
“Don’t send voice messages to other people.”
~~~
(Author (s) - Cherry Wine/车厘酒)