"You did what!?!?!?"
"I wasn't really thinking...It kinda just came out!" I really shouldn't have given him hope, but then again maybe it could work out. I mean I'm the cheer captain he is football captain it's meant to be...right? Hanni clearly doesn't seem to feel the same way clearly since she is pacing back and forth in the small bathroom.
"I thought you said you didn't want to go with him that you were over him?" I felt a breeze past me from her dramatically waving her hands in the air. Sometimes Hanni can be a tad bit dramatic.
"I am over him! I told you I never really loved him in that way. I just need a date and well I know him so at least it won't be that awkward like if I went with some random boy." I hop on the bathroom sink observing Hanni's dramatic pacing. Why is she so upset over this? I mean it's not like she is going with him?
"I know that it seems like the easiest option but don't you want to see who else is gonna ask you? Maybe there is a better option." She finally stops pacing and sits next to me on the sink. "I just know that he said some messed up things to you last year and that's the only time I've ever seen you cry. I just don't want you to go through that again." I wrap my arm around Hanni's shoulder and practically force her to snuggle into me. Hanni is always really concerned about my love life and she was most concerned when I was with Jake. She could tell I didn't love him and thought I was hurting myself and him by prolonging that relationship.
"I really can't see there being a better option at this point." I hop down and gather my belongings heading towards the door since I'm already late for class. "Plus I told him I needed a couple days to think about it anyway so it's not like I just said yes."
"Minji I just don't want to see you get hurt again."
"I know." I walked out the door and began my way to my last class which is math. I hate math with everything in me. I'm pretty smart, not the smartest but better than average except when it comes to math. I just will never understand it. I made my way to my seat and that was all the way in the back left. I usually sit towards the middle or front in my other classes but I sit here in order to not get called on. I also don't have any friends in this class so it makes it easier to not be noticed.
"Minji. late again. One more time and you're going to have after school detention." It's already the second time I've been late to this class this week and it's only Tuesday.
"Sorry Mrs. Yoo." I lower my head trying to hide from the stares I'm definitely receiving now if I wasn't already arriving late." I grab my notebook out of my bag getting ready to take notes when I realize I left Hanni's pen in my economics class after lunch. Jesus Christ why can't I remember anything. I bang my head on the table and just let myself lay like this in distress then I felt something being placed on my desk. A pencil. What? I looked around me and no one seemed to be looking in my direction until I looked directly beside and saw her. Kang Haerin. She quickly looked away after giving me a little nod. I had no time to thank her because Mrs. Yoo began lecturing. I looked to my side again to try and get her attention but she didn't look at me again once for the entire period. Kang Haerin is a sophomore that skipped to twelfth grade math because she was basically a genius. Her dad is probably the richest man in Korea, but you wouldn't guess that by looking at her. Not that she is ugly, she isn't. She's very pretty probably one of the prettiest girls I've ever seen. She is just really shy and doesn't really speak to anyone. As Mrs. Yoo was ending class and everyone was packing up to leave. I turned again to Haerin and tried to speak to her, but she ran out of the room.
"Miss Kim, can I talk to you for a moment." Well this definitely can't be good.
"Sure what's up?" Mrs. Yoo began angrily tapping her pen on some papers which made me even more nervous.
"Is there a reason that this is the second time this week you were late." I can't exactly tell her Hanni and I were gossiping in the bathroom over my ex boyfriend.
"I'm sorry Mrs. Yoo, I just lost track of time. I've been really busy this week." I bow my head hoping she'll let me off easy.
"See that it doesn't happen again." I nod my head as we exchange farewells and make my way for the exit. I look at my hand and notice the pencil in my hand. Ah yes Haerin I need to return her pencil now or I'll never remember. I look around the halls searching for the sophomore girl when I see her exiting the school. I'm ashamed to admit it, but I basically ran down the halls trying to reach her till I actually did and froze. She stopped walking as soon as I stepped in front of her and stood there like a loser.
"Hey uh thanks for the pencil." I tried to hand her the pencil back but she just stood there with her big eyes staring deep into mine. I looked to the side and noticed there was no one else around. I feel oddly uncomfortable right now. It was silent for a second or two longer before she finally said something.
"Keep it." Huh? Before I could say anything else she walked past me and out the door. Well at least I have a new pencil. I look closer at the pencil and realize it has a K.H engraved on it. K.H.? Kang Haerin. Now why would she have her name engraved on a pencil that seems a bit extra if I'm being completely honest.
-
"Minji the school called about you this afternoon." My family and I were having our weekly Tuesday Night dinner when my father broke the awkward silence that usually consumes our family. Of course it has to be about me.
"Dear, we said we would wait until after dinner to discuss this with her." My mother immediately drops her fork on her plate and stares down my father. I'm not surprised he disregarded his and my mothers agreement, he never really listens to her. Well now I'm super nervous about what the school could even say about me. I'm doing well in all my classes...besides math. I am a part of clubs and am one of the more active students in our student body.
"Your principal said that you've been late to math two times already this week and that you are underperforming in that class. Now you know that's unacceptable. We pay for you to go to the most prestigious school in the country. I expect you to show us and your teachers some respect by performing well. How are you supposed to get into an Ivy league if you can't even show up to class on time?" I let out a big sigh as I moved around the food on my plate trying to look anywhere but my parents.
"I'm sorry I'll work harder. It won't happen again I promise." I heard Hyein snicker next to me so I kick her foot under the table. She squeals and retaliates by nudging me with her elbow. This will be her one day. Just wait your turn little sister just you wait.
"You're right it won't because if you are late one more time we are going to send you to boarding school in Europe for the remainder of your senior year." What?!?!? He can't be serious right now. Boarding school? Isn't that a little bit extreme?
"No I'm sorry really I swear it won't happen again I'll do whatever you want me to do just don't send me away!" Hyein suddenly becomes quiet and my mother ushers her and herself out of the dining room leaving my very angry father with me.
"I know it won't happen again. To raise your grade in math you'll be getting a tutor." My eyes widened. I've never had a tutor before. I've never needed one.
"Okay fine I'll go to the tutoring center after school tomorrow before Cheer to request for one."
"That won't be necessary. I already have you a tutor that I've arranged with your school." How has this all happened within the two hours that I've been home? God he works fast.
"Who?"
"Kang Haerin. She is apparently in your class and excels in math so she should be satisfactory." Kang Haerin?? What a coincidence. "She already agreed this morning and you'll be meeting on Tuesdays and Thursdays after school since you don't have practice on those days. She also will be here on some Saturday's if needed." She agreed this morning? Why didn't she say anything to me in math then?
"Okay whatever I'll do it. I'll pull up my grade I promise." God I've heard her speak once and it was two words these study sessions are going to be so awkward.
-
"HAHAHAAHHA please tell me you're joking!" Of course Hanni has to make a huge deal about this.
"It's not a big deal, I just have to get tutored a few days a week until I pull up my math grade." Hanni continues to giggle as she pulls her books out of her locker along with a pencil to give to me. "Why?"
"You always forget a pencil so I'm just already preparing for the inevitability of you asking for one during class." I roll my eyes at the shorter girl as we begin walking to class.
"I actually don't need it, I already have one." Hanni stops in her tracks and gives me a funny look. I give her a smug look and drag her to our first class.
"Who are you and what have you done with Minji? The Minji I know would never remember to bring a pencil or be persuaded into getting tutored, especially by Kang Haerin."
"Actually Haerin was the one that gave me this pencil yesterday during math. Also what's wrong with Haerin? She's smart." Hanni raises her eyebrow at me as she lays her books on her desk.
"Nothing is wrong with her, it's just I don't think I've ever seen her speak before or really hang out with anyone. Honestly I'm kinda shocked she gave you a pencil." I nod in agreement but then again we are seniors and she is a sophomore so I rarely see her anyway besides when we are in class and the occasional passing in the hallway.
"Funnily enough I didn't even ask, she just gave me one and when I tried to give it back she just told me to keep it."
"Wow she actually spoke real words to you?"
"What the hell Hanni of course she did it would be really weird if she didn't when I was speaking to her." I scoff and turn my attention to the board since the teacher was beginning class.
-
It's finally my last period of the day, math. Maybe I should just not go then I won't have to talk to Haerin about her tutoring me. Honestly it's really embarrassing to be tutored by someone younger it makes me feel stupid. Haerin doesn't seem like the type to make fun of me over that...I mean she could. I actually know nothing about her. She could be really rude. No. She can't be she gave me a pencil yesterday and let me keep it. A rude person wouldn't have done that...would they? I arrive at class and realize I am five minutes early and the only people in there are a random boy at the front and of course Kang Haerin at her usual seat. I make my way towards the younger girl and take my seat next to her. I try to spare a glance at her but she is just writing something in her notebook.
"Hey excuse me?" I try to get her attention but she doesn't even flinch and doesn't even spare a glance at me. Well. This is so awkward. I know she heard me say it. I said it fairly loudly and it's not like there are many people in this room to make it loud. She continues to scribble stuff down in her notebook without paying me any mind. I tap her shoulder and she pulls out an airpod. Oh. "Sorry to bother you but apparently you are supposed to tutor me."
"Yeah." There is a long pause after that. She put her airpods back in and continued to write whatever she was writing. That's it? Nothing else, she has nothing else to say? I tap her again trying to get her attention.
"When did you want to meet?" I try to give her a little smile to encourage her to speak a bit more so this can be even counted as a conversation. She looks down at the notebook she has been engrossed in instead of paying attention to me. Literally what could be so interesting about the notebook that it can't wait two minutes.
"Meet me after class in the library."
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