Taehyung's POV
My deskmate's name is Jeon Jungkook. He is an extremely hateful person. Why do I hate him? This is because grandpa promised me that if I become the top scorer in class, he will bring me to Disneyland. I want to go to Disneyland! But I am not the class's top scorer. Jungkook is the one who is. The teacher praised Jungkook at the parent-teacher conference. Daddy told me to take a good look at Jungkook and then look at myself. I wish that teacher would not praise Jungkook. This is because he is too hateful.
......
Taehyung saw that the feedback his essay received was a string of ellipsis. He did not understand what Teacher Jin wanted to express.
Anyway, he had already clearly expressed what he wanted to.
Teacher Jin summoned him to the office during the break-in between lessons and started telling him about certain principles. The general gist was that one should hold fraternal love for one's schoolmate, self-reflect more to understand the cause of their troubles in studies, look forward to becoming the class's top scorer as long as an effort is placed... etc.
Taehyung nodded his tiny head. This action had a tempo akin to pounding garlic and looked exceptionally charming.
Teacher Jin then praised Taehyung. "This time, your essay did not have any wrongly written characters or misused words. The punctuation usage was all correct as well. You did well in this aspect. Keep it up."
Taehyung was very happy. "Thanks, teacher. Teacher, I had Jungkook edit the essay for me. I will ask him to edit it again the next time!"
"Cough... That's not what I meant." Teacher Jin felt slightly speechless. "Taehyung, look, Jungkook only wrote about your good points in his essay and said that he liked having a deskmate like you."
Taehyung's tiny brain was filled with glee. "Would he dare to badmouth me?!"
Teacher Jin helplessly held her forehead. She quietly pondered to what extent had Jungkook that poor child been bullied too...
She could only repeat her earlier words and once again try to educate Taehyung on the principles of life.
After Teacher Jin's lecture, Taehyung returned to class to see his good deskmate being surrounded by a few people.
Jungkook always obtained full marks on his exams without exception no matter how major or minor the exam was. When coupled with his good looks, this made the teachers like him very much. The students in class all followed this trend. After lessons, there was always someone coming up to speak with Taehyung. This guy was almost becoming a mini-celebrity.
"Jungkook, help me to sharpen a pencil." Taehyung started commanding him before even being seated.
Jungkook replied with a faint "oh" and took out a mechanical sharpener to sharpen a pencil for his.
Might as well. Jungkook sharpened two pencils for himself.
While he was rummaging through his pencil case, Taehyung's sharp eyes spotted a pack of stickers in it. He asked despite already knowing the answer, "What are those?"
"Stickers."
"Rubbish, I know those are stickers. What kind of stickers?"
"Happy Star stickers."
Taehyung beckoned him with his finger. "Lemme see."
Jungkook pretended he heard nothing and continued sharpening the pencils. Pencil shavings emerged from the mechanical sharpener with every turn. The layer of shavings on the table was akin to the dried leaves covering the ground in autumn. He carefully gathered them into a pile.
Seeing his indifference, Taehyung shamelessly stretched out an arm to take the stickers. He carefully examined them and felt that they were pretty nice. As a result, he asked, "I'll stick them for you?"
"Whatever."
Without hesitation, Taehyung tore open the pack of stickers and stuck them on his pencil case and bag.
At an angle that Taehyung wouldn't see, Jungkook rolled his eyes.
......
After school, as the form teacher, Teacher Jin needed to make sure that every student was safely picked up by their parent before she could get off work.
Jungkook was the last child left. Teacher Jin was standing with him at the school gates to wait for his parent.
It was September and the weather has already become cooler. Jungkook was wearing a blue and white long-sleeved school uniform. Basked in the warm evening glow of the setting sun, he curiously gazed at the pedestrians passing by. His tiny face was fair and delicate, with clean looking and exquisitely formed features. Looking at his face, Teacher Jin wondered just how many girls this child would be a disaster to in the future. May Buddha bless them.
Seeming to sense Teacher Jin's gaze, Jungkook raised his head to look at her.
Teacher Jin gave a light cough before remembering Jungkook's tyrant of a deskmate. This invoked a sudden sense of sympathy in her. She gently said, "Jungkook."
"Teacher Jin, what is it?"
"Taehyung, he... if he bullies you, you can tell me. Don't be afraid."
Jungkook tilted his tiny head, gazed at Teacher Jin, and asked, "Teacher Jin, why am I deskmates with Taehyung?"
Teacher Jin was slightly flustered. "Eh..."
Being stared at by a pair of discerning and clear-looking eyes, Teacher Jin felt a little guilty.
She was silent but Jungkook had already answered this question for her. "It's because Taehyung's dad is the school principal, isn't it?"
Teacher Jin lamented slightly. Kids nowadays are indeed not simple-minded. With such astute young minds, how do all teachers continue carrying out their duty of hoodwinking them...
Jungkook had guessed correctly. In a single class, there will always be a scarcity of students with excellent grades. Jungkook was both smart and obedient. Principal Kim was hoping that his son would be positively influenced by this outstanding child after spending time with him.
With Jungkook's one question, Teacher Jin's eyes flickered. She placed one hand on his shoulders and asked something that has been worrying her, "Jungkook, tell me honestly, has Taehyung ever hit you?"
Jungkook shook his head. "No."
"Has he ever scolded you? Said anything means?"
"No."
Teacher Jin secretly sighed relief and consoled him, "I've already criticized Taehyung. Should anyone bully you in the future, don't forget to let me know."
Jungkook did not wish to offend Taehyung. To be exact, the entire class did not wish to offend him.
Primary school students possess uncomplicated but acute perspectives: the principal manages the teachers while the teachers manage the students. In other words, as students, they are never able to disregard the might of the principal.
This naturally meant that they are not able to disregard the might of the principal's son as well.
......
Jungkook's mother drove a champagne-colored minivan. She stopped the car in front of the school gates. From its exterior to its color, the car was pretty eye-catching.
With her light makeup, business attire, and heels, Mrs. Jeon looked quite young. She held Jungkook's hands and apologized to Teacher Jin, "So sorry. I got delayed by some things. I apologize for troubling you."
"No problem." Teacher Jin waved her hands. She smiled and asked, "What kind of supplementary classes has Jungkook been taking these days?"
"On your advice, I've withdrawn him from all academic-related remedial lessons. He's learning the cello now and picking it up well." Mrs. Jeon gave a soft smile. When discussing their children, parents will always have a sense of tenderness and pride.
"Not taking up anything sports-related? There are quite a few boys learning swimming, taekwondo, and even fencing."
Mrs. Jeon was a bit depressed. "He doesn't like to exercise. After attending the swimming class once, he refused to go again. Other sports didn't interest him either."
The two adults did not converse for too long as Jungkook had to rush to his cello class.
In the car, Mrs. Jeon asked Jungkook, "How was today?"
Jungkook pondered for a while and gave a noncommittal reply, "Still alright."
Mrs. Jeon looked over to see her son's eyebrows slightly furrowed, looking as if something was weighing heavily on his mind. She chuckled and asked, "What's up with you?"
Jungkook was embarrassed to tell her that he was being bullied in school. He was silent for a while before softly replying, "My deskmate is too stupid."
"You can't say that of a classmate," Mrs. Jeon corrected him, "Kind-heartedness is the most important human trait. Complaining about classmates because they are stupid is extremely narrow-minded, do you understand?"
Jungkook felt wronged but still had to agree that he had erred, "Understood."
"Is your deskmate for this school term still Taehyung?"
"Mmh."
Mrs. Jeon laughed, "Taehyung is very adorable though!"
Jungkook's face tightened. "Not adorable at all."
Mrs. Jeon thought, silly child.
She did not want to continue the conversation with her son and turned on the radio broadcast.
The radio was tuned into the traffic station which was currently broadcasting a song dedication. With his husky voice, the radio DJ read, "A listener "Spinach" with the mobile phone number ending in 4591 wants to dedicate a song to his childhood sweetheart..."
Jungkook asked his mother, "What does childhood sweetheart mean?"
"Childhood sweethearts refers to people who grew up together. For example, just like you and Taehyung."
"Oh. Not a good phrase."
"......"
Author's Bonus Content
Q: What has become of the person who bullied you when you were young?
Top Comment: He's now my husband.