45 minutes passed as I planned out a mind map for our Humanities project while Taehyung was still asleep on the desk beside me. It felt like I was the one doing detention.
"Yah, Kim Taehyung," I said and kicked the leg of his desk to wake him up. His head was still resting on the desk. I kicked the desk again.
He didn't budge.
I came close and shook his shoulder. "V-yah? Taehyung? Kim Taehyung?" I called.
"...what..." He softly responded. Phew.
"Oh good thing you answered I thought you died," I said.
I thought he was gonna have a comeback at me but he remained in his position. Is this kid really sick?
"Yah, sit up straight," I said and made him lean back on his chair. He looked tired. I put my hand on his forehead and it was really hot.
"Ay, you're having a fever!" I exclaimed.
"I know, it will go away," He said.
I awkwardly stared at him. Should I bring him to the doctor? Or should I tell Mrs Jung? Wait, no. She'll question me and will suspect me for caring too much about him.
"A-Are you, um, o-okay?" I asked.
He didn't reply, and I became a little worried.
"I'll go call Mrs Jung," I said and got up when I felt a hand grabbed my wrist.
"Don't," he said, "I only have 15 minutes left."
He sounded so weak. I decided to just sit beside him and waited.
15 minutes then passed rather slowly when the door opened.
"Oh? Hyejin you're here too?" Mrs Jung said.
"Well, I'm supposed to discuss some school work but apparently Taehyung's sick now," I explained.
"Then he shall start doing my homework or the next time he's sick he shall rest in the detention class again. Anyways, you're dismissed," she said and left.
I stood up and turned to Taehyung. "You can walk home by yourself right?"
He just leaned in his chair and just sat like a little boy wanting to fall asleep.
"Piggyback me home," he said and put out two of his hands towards me.
"Yah! Are you crazy?!" I yelled.
He pouted and whined.
"Piggyback, piggyback, piggyback..." He murmured with his eyes only half opened.
In the end, I went out of the detention class, but with that heavy kid on my back. I almost fell down the staircase while having him on my back and trying to get down to the first level.
I walked out of the school and people started staring at me and Taehyung, thinking how weird it is that a girl is carrying a boy on her back.
"Where do I g-go," I said as I dragged my feet and bearing his heavy weight.
"Straight..." he whispered and was falling asleep.
"HOW CAN YOU FALL ASLEEP WHILE IM STRUGGLING TO GET YOU HOME?!" I yelled at him but he shushed me. I sighed and went on walking.
It was 10 minutes since the walk and I wanted to give up carrying him. But seeing him being so ill I didn't drop him halfway. Luckily I had been training my arm muscles with all that standing-outside-class-with-arms-up punishment.
I looked up and I realised we were heading to the area where the big houses were.
"Are you sure we're heading to the right place?" I asked.
He lifted his chin from my shoulder and looked up. "Yeah, keep walking," he said and continued sleeping with his head on my shoulder. My arms and legs were really getting tired. I sighed and continued walking.
I walked past the big houses when suddenly he told me to stop. I stood still infront of a big beautiful house that had a white roof and a Maserati parked right infront of the house.
"What? I can drop you here?" I asked.
"No, bring me closer to the gate."
I was puzzled but I did as he told and he put his thumb on the biometrics machine that was by the gate and he keyed in numbers. The gate opened.
"Wait what? You live here?" I asked.
"Shut up and get me in," he said.
We entered and I was awed by the classy design of his house. The interior was splendid. It was big and spacious.
I plopped him down on a sofa at the living room while I still looked around the house feeling so amazed. "You really live here? This is your house?"
"Why? You thought so lowly of me huh," He said and rested on the sofa.
I sat on the sofa opposite him.
"You live here alone?" I asked.
"With my parents, but they're on business trips too often and it feels like I live alone but I see them like, once a month?" He explained.
"ONCE A MONTH?!" I exclaimed.
"Yeah, now go get me a glass of water," he said and shut his eyes to sleep.
I sighed and tried to find the kitchen. It was again, a beautiful place with marbled counters and white cabinets. I love the colour.
I went back to the living room with a glass of water, but Taehyung wasn't there. Confused, I looked around and I decided to go up to the second level where the rooms were.
"Taehyung?" I called.
I walked past the first door and then the other and then the third door was slightly opened. I peeped inside the room and I saw him there, lying on his bed, with his sleeveless top and pants on.
I gulped as I stared at his biceps. Should I come in?
He was blankly staring at his wall when suddenly he noticed me peeping at his door. Startled, I dropped the glass of water.
Shit shit shit.
I gasped. "S-sorry!" I apologised immediately and quickly picked up the broken glass pieces.
"Yah! Aisshh this kid..." Taehyung came towards me. "What are you doing?"
"IdroppedtheglassofwaterIwillcleanitupmyselfnow," I said quickly and carried the glass pieces down to the kitchen. I was dumb because I didn't notice there was a bin in his room but instead I went all the way down to throw the pieces into the kitchen trashcan.
I went to grab a cleaning cloth when suddenly Taehyung blocked my way out of the kitchen.
"I'll clean up okay! I'm sorry! I'll pay for the broken glass too!" I desperately begged.
Taehyung didn't say anything but instead he grabbed my wrist. "Your hand's bleeding," he said and looked at it.
I only then realised the cut made from the broken glass after he pointed it out. I washed the cut and cleaned off the blood. "I'll go clean it up now," I said and rushed upstairs.
After I was done I came back down and he was still in the kitchen, gulping down some water.
I awkwardly put the cleaning cloth away and wanted to run off, out of the house because I know it will be awkward after this.
"Yah, Lee Hyejin," he called.
Crap.
I stopped just infront of the kitchen and turned back to look at him. "Um, yeah?"
"Your hand's still bleeding," He said.
"Nononono it's okay I'll go home and cover it up," I said.
"Shut up," He said and grabbed my hand, dragging me to a room. He made me sat on a chair while he opened a drawer with a medical kit in it.
He kneeled infront of me. "Hand," he said and I put out my hand that was cut. He carefully bandaged it, I was kind of touched by his rare kindness. However, I was still awed because of his biceps. Hmpfh.
"Now who's the sick person here," he said, "troublesome kid Lee Hyejin."
"Yahyah, don't nag at me," I said and rolled my eyes.
When he was done, he kept back the kit in the drawer. "Uh, I can go home now?" I asked.
"Nope, piggyback me to bed," he said.
"Yah! How am I suppose to do that when I have a cut on my hand," I complained.
"Whatever yeah you may go," he said.
He sent me to the door. "I'll come tomorrow to discuss about the project alright," I said.
"Whateverrr..." He said.
I stepped out and turned back. "...and um, you, get well soon."
He slightly smiled and nodded. The door closed and I went home.