Lee Donghyuck.
Of all students that I have to teach, this one's the worst. He's been tutored by many teachers, even the best professors (as what I've been told) and still, he's not getting better. He's nowhere near half of being better.
"You failed this again?" I huff. "We already went over this for six times!"
"I'm not in the mood for your naggings." He lifted his palms while focusing his sight on his phone.
Fucking rude? Totally! But I'm used to this already.
"I'm not nagging." I sigh. "I just want to know why you still don't get anything right when we already—"
"Lee Donghyuck!" His mother barged in with a grit on her voice. She's obviously mad. "You failed, again?"
Donghyuck had the audacity to laugh despite his mother literally scolding him. He never showed fear when it comes to his mom and I'm a witness to that.
I've been teaching him for two months already and never, ever did he listen to me nor his mom. I'm just lucky that I'm not being kicked out from this job because of him being so stubborn.
"Your father knows this Donghyuck…"
"Where is he then?" He laughed in disbelief. "You know I've never had him by my side and now that I'm failing he suddenly knows me? I should fail—"
"Lee Donghyuck! Is that how you talk to your mom?"
Oh, god.
His father is here, whom I never met since I started working for them. He just barged in as if there's no door in between the hallway and Donghyuck's room. He was enraged and it was obvious from him.
Donghyuck on the other hand, looks very shocked. His hands fell on top of his mouth when he gasped loudly.
"What the actual fuck? You're here?"
"I am." His father snorted. "Because your mother told me you're not doing better at school. We gave you everything that you want and yet you're still failing. We gave you bunch of tutors and yet you learned nothing!"
"Oh…" He laughed, tears brimming at the side of his eyes but he is quick to show off a cold face. "You're here to scold me for low grades, you haven't even greeted me a hello."
Yes, I noticed that. But I'm in no position to interfere with them. So I had to excuse myself and walk as silent as I can to wait for them to finish so I can start another session with Donghyuck.
This boy is so… well, I hate to say this but he's really… dumb.
He looks very occupied every single session (which is every Monday and Friday for us) He looks bothered and most of the time, blank. He's quick to answer but I don't know where he got the right answers from when he can't bring it to school.
Aside from that, he looks very empty. Almost dead looking. Not ever did I see him smile nor give off an emotion. If there is, most probably it's anger. He always is grumpy and angry.
"Mark?"
"Yes ma'am?" I looked over her shoulders to see if Donghyuck's still there and he is. "I'm really sorry for my son, he's just so…"
"It's okay Ma'am, really. He'll probably learn somehow, someday in… some ways."
"Is this the tutor you've been telling me about?" His husband barged in the conversation and gave me a smile. "Please don't give up on our Donghyuck. He's smart, I just don't know what got into him…"
He is? That's a very good joke, sir. I almost snort loudly. Besides, I'm almost close to retiring this job.
"Actually… I just went here for a business trip—"
I can see the reasons clearly why Donghyuck is a bit distant to them. I never saw them stay in this house for more than an hour nor talk to Donghyuck all of the time. They're always absent.
But then, who am I to judge? They're doing this for Donghyuck, anyway.
"And we'll be out for a month."
"Month sir, you say?" I gasp. "Then who's here for Donghyuck?"
"He'll be fine." His father chuckled. "He hates people, anyway."
O-okay? That's quite not convincing. There are always danger that will await for everyone and Donghyuck is not an exception to that. Why would they leave Donghyuck alone?
"By the way, here's your pay for this month."
I grabbed it by two hands politely before putting it on my bag. I know that it's too much by just the thickness of it but it's just rude to count it in front of them. In fact, not just rude but embarassing as well.
"Thank you."
"No… We, thank you Mark. No one has ever lasted two months with Donghyuck and I'm glad you did. Please… stay for a long time for our son…"
Should I just tell them that I want to resign?
No.
"Will do, Ma'am…" I pasted on a kind-fake smile because truth be said, I'm not very much willing to last in here for a week.
"We have to go…" She said before she was grabbed by her husband in a gentle manner. Once they're out of sight, I immediately groan and got the hang of my hair.
"Shit!"
"Go…"
I flinch. "What the—"
"You're free to leave. They're not around anymore." Donghyuck coldly said. His heavy footsteps served as our background audio. In a minute I had his body close to mine already.
"What are you waiting for? Go!"
"We still have a session Donghyuck, get up and prepare your books."
"How much is that?" He looked over my bag. "Should I pay bigger amount then?"
He just thew bunch of money in front of my face with a fake laugh and what he did burned my heart in anger. I was suffocated with it.
"I'm getting paid to be your tutor, so get over there… and we still start the lessons!" I hissed with a click of my tongue.
"Oh, come on, stop faking it!" He groaned. "I know you're so eager to leave me, already."
"I am." I huff and massage my burning temples. "But I don't want to leave when you haven't learned anything from me."
He groaned and kicked the air. "Just leave!"
"Get up!"
"How can I make you leave?" His eyebrows twitch. He may look scary and intimidating but not for me.
"Why are you so eager to send me off? I'm going to quit but not just yet…"
Maybe after this session.
I kicked the money on the floor to pull him up. He was squirming and groaning, even kicking me but I was able to grab him.
"Shit!"
"Stop cursing," I roll my eyes. "Open your book."
"Mark…"
"It's Hyung for you…"
"Oh, shut up!" He huffed. "Just… go."
"Page 404, Law—"
"Hyung!"
"W-What?" I gasp.
"Please… I want to… be alone for a while. Please, just… We can finish this tomorrow."
He looks somehow, helpless.
I gulp thickly. My palms were pasted on his shoulders as I gauge his face. His face is slowly turning into a frown, his lips twitched, his eyes widened and his nose started to get red.
"Are you crying?"
He pushed me away harshly and turned around. At the same time I saw him dry off something from his cheeks using his palms.
He is crying.
"What's wrong?"
"N-Nothing—"
"Then sit here and let's start— You know what? Fine! I'm leaving." I surrender because there's just no way I can tame this lion. Sending a resignation letter is way much easier.
"This will be the last session we'll have, class dismissed—" He suddenly sobbed, making me gasp and stop talking.
"O-okay…"
"You're crying!" I furrow my eyebrows and turn him back again.
I wasn't shocked to see tears flowing from his eyes to his cheeks but I was shocked when I realized that he's probably crying because he's sad. I never knew he has emotions.
"I'm not." He chuckled fakely. "Lee Donghyuck doesn't cry."
And yet his eyes are watering.
"I'm not sad. I'm not crying. I'm… I'm…" Then he loudly cried and sobbed over and over.
"Donghyuck, why are you crying?" I asked impatiently, tugging away his hands from his face.
"Maku Hyung…"
I roll my eyes. "It's Mark, but—"
I was taken aback when suddenly, I felt an arm around my waist and his head on my chest. Almost instantly, my shirt became wet and I'm sure it's from his tears.
"What are you doing?"
"No? I can't?" He trails off.
"I just don't know why you're doing this." I honestly said.
He stayed silent, or more like stayed sobbing while wiping off his snot in my shirt.
Disgusting? Yes.
But I don't know why I can't push him away.
Maybe it's because he looks really sad. It may have something to do with how his parents treated him earlier.
My hands were automatically pasted on his hair, threading and rubbing on it to give off warmth.
It's the least I can do to comfort a crying kid. Only then I realized, that I really don't hate this kid for who he is. Rather, I hate dumbness and illiteracy.
And besides, Donghyuck is still human. He's cold and blank usually but when it comes to his parents, he becomes weak and fragile. It's just coincidence that I'm the one left in their house after that conversation between them.
"You okay now?" I whisper when I don't hear him cry and sob anymore. However, his hands were still gripping tightly on my waist, somehow giving off the warning that he doesn't want to let me go just yet.
I cupped his cheeks and lift his head up and I wish I didn't do that because my stomach flipped.
"You look handsome upclose." He bluntly said but what he just mentioned made my blood run to my face. "You want to eat ice cream? My treat."
📚
"What do you want?"
"I'm good with vanilla. You?"
"Strawberries." He says. He, then, payed the cashier and motioned for me to come sit.
"Hyuck?"
"What?" He sassed, making me frown and pinch his ears. "Aw!"
"How many times do I have to tell you to call me hyung?"
"You told me? I don't remember having any conversation with you."
"Brat!"
"I know."
"Here's your order." The lady just put it down and walked away.
"Isn't she pretty?"
I choked and averted my gaze on the table. "She is."
I mean… there are lots of pretty ladies everywhere and I just can't deny that.
"Are you interested in her?"
"Why don't you just go eat your ice cream? It's already melting."
"Did I ask?"
Oh, god. This brat, really.
"Why were you crying?" I asked casually while scooping an ice cream and to my delight, Donghyuck chose a good ice cream house.
"I did?" He asked, looking shocked and as if he really didn't cried. "That's odd. I never cried once in my life."
"Even on the day that you were born?" I laughed.
"Yes. Not once."
"That's odd. I remember you hugging me and crying to me—"
"You fucker!"
"What?" I gasp, especially when he hit my head with his palms. "That hurts!"
"I didn't ask." He scoffed and rolled his eyes. "But since, you made mention about it then… don't tell my mom and dad about it."
"Which one? When you threw paper bills on me? When you refused to listen another lecture? Or when you asked me out for an ice cream when you knew I'm not supposed to do this."
He sighed. "When I cried."
"Huh?"
"Don't tell them that I cried."
"So you finally admit?" I chuckle but his sad face were emphasized instead of his bratty self. I immediately stopped chuckling.
"Why, then?"
"You don't need to know." He huffed and got up before throwing the cup of ice cream away. "This will be our last meeting, right?"
"Yes."
"Then goodbye."
"Y-Yeah, bye… See you around."
"I'm hoping not."
♡︎ my books are FICTIONAL. they don't depict who the idols are in real life.
♡︎ my books has minimal ERRORS. check them for me.
♡︎ my books contains vulgar words and scenes with violence and sex. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.