WTF?! | kang taehyun

11: coach kim

[WEDNESDAY]

"Um, I can explain..." Y/N trailed off.
"For what? Do you understand what you've done?" a man in a red track suit with dark hair replied.
"Coach Kim, I'm sorry, but it was all I could do," Y/N fell to her knees.
"This is disgusting, I can't believe this..." Coach Kim rested his hands on his hips. Taehyun was watching from in between them.
"...Is what another teacher is gonna say when they find that nasty raccoon," Coach Kim chuckled a bit. Suddenly the air in the room changed from mad teacher and sad student to laughing friends.
"Wait, what?!" Taehyun said.
"Is he smelly?" Y/N asked as she lifted Scarf in the air and sniffed him.
"Y-Yes, did you not know?!" Taehyun then turned to Y/N.
"Well, I'm with him so much, I just kinda get used to his scent," she smiled at the raccoon.
"I'm surprised he's so docile, and awake," Coach Kim took a closer look at Scarf. It was lunch period again, and Y/N and Taehyun were making their round visit to Scarf. Coach Kim, being their club advisor, thought it was strange that Y/N and Taehyun kept disappearing during lunch. People in clubs usually retreat to their club rooms during lunch time, but not just two members. So, he found them, babying a raccoon, to his surprise.
"He started waking up around this time because that's when I check up on him first," Y/N used a baby voice at the raccoon.
"Y/N," Coach Kim sighed.
"Yes, sir?" she responded.
"How long have you been bringing the raccoon to school?" he asked.
"Today is day three," she said.
"Mhm, okay, well," he looked at Scarf.
"Give that thing a bath, a collar, maybe even a leash," Coach Kim told her.
"And if anyone finds him and asks if I know about it...?" he raised an eyebrow.
"Coach Kim? Why would Coach Kim know about this? If he did my ass would be grass I'm telling you," Y/N began acting out what she would say if she was caught.
"Hey, cursing," Coach Kim raised a finger.
"My bad," she said. Taehyun could only keep his thoughts to himself.
"Now get out of here," he motioned for them to leave.

~~~

Taehyun followed Y/N down the hall.
"Where to now?" Taehyun asked.
"The student council room," she said as they stopped in front of the door.
"Why? I thought we needed to go wash Scarf," Taehyun said.
"Well we've got to get the stuff to wash him first," she smiled.
"Right," he replied. Does this school even have the stuff to wash a raccoon? he wondered. Y/N slid open the door. Immediately three heads turned to the open door.
"Park Jisung~," Y/N cheerfully trotted in.
"What do you need Y/N?" Minji said as she held her phone up for a selfie.
"It's Y/N!" NingNing got up out of her chair.
"And Kang Taehyun," she smiled.
"Where's the prez?" Taehyun asked.
"I'm sure she's getting tortured by Renjun somewhere right now," Minji sighed.
"Those two seem close," Taehyun said.
"Ever since he saw her cry, he's made sure to drag it out as much as he can," Minji chuckled.
"Blackmail, huh," Taehyun said.
"Anyways, you here for Jisung?" NingNing asked.
"Yup!" Y/N began marching over to Jisung.
"H-Huh?!" Jisung looked at them awkwardly.
"I came to ask for a favor," Y/N placed her hands on her hips.
"F-For what?" he replied. Y/N and Taehyun stood over Park Jisung who was sitting in his chair.
"Do you have any dog or baby shampoo?" Y/N asked. Why would he have any? Taehyun raised an eyebrow. Jisung stood up.
"Uh..." he walked to the back closet of the room.
"Y/N, what is asking this kid for dog shampoo gonna do-..." Taehyun was cut off by his own surprise. Jisung opened the closet door to reveal an entire stockpile of items. Categorized with bins, shelves, and labels, courtesy of Kim Minji.
"What the fu...what, are you an extreme couponer?" Taehyun asked.
"His mom is," Y/N grinned.
"Baby shampoo...baby shampoo..." Jisung scanned the selection. His eyes traced each row of the closet. It was like he was suddenly in his element.
"E-Even so, I doubt they would have baby shampoo, this is school-," Taehyun was cut off.
"Found some!" Jisung bent down, reaching the bottom shelf.
"Well I'll be damned," Taehyun said.
"It was for when we ran out of rabbit cleaner," Jisung turned around smiling. It was the first time he had smiled at them.
"Oh right the rabbits," Taehyun said as Y/N took the shampoo. The school had a pen of rabbits that the student council took care of ever since the "animal club" disbanded.
"Thank you! Thank you!" Y/N picked up Jisung's hand and high-fives his to hers.
"Just make sure to return it," Jisung then went back inside his shell and returned to his awkward quiet self.

~~~

Though it was colder out, the sun was shining down brightly. Y/N squatted by the outdoor water taps, there were six of them lined across the wall. She was using the one at the start of the wall, with Taehyun leaning against the other side of the wall.
"Every week, I think there could be no more surprises," Taehyun folded his arms as Y/N washed Scarf in a plastic pink tub, borrowed from the science room.
"What, from me? Or the school?" Y/N asked without looking up at him.
"At this point, both," he chuckled and sighed.
"You're not a very bright person are you?" she asked.
"Well dang, I thought my grades would at least showcase something," Taheyun complained.
"No, I meant like happy bright," Y/N looked up at him and pointed to her smile.
"Oh," he said.
"I'm pretty happy, just..." he trailed off.
"A pessimist?" she finished his sentence.
"Ouch, I guess, yeah," he replied. She's right, it just feels weird hearing it out loud, he thought.
"I'm just not a very hyperactive person, and I have a very...realistic way of thinking," he nodded.
"Quit splashing," Y/N said to Scarf in a serious tone.
"I'm having a much better time here though," he smiled.
"And even though sometimes my mind tells me I shouldn't be having fun in a situation, I'm still laughing on the inside," he told her.
"That makes me glad," she said as she petted Scarf's wet head.

Randomly, Taheyun was reminded of earlier when Coach Kim found him and Y/N with the raccoon.
"Hey Y/N," he turned his head to her.
"Hm?" she responded.
"Why didn't Coach Kim get us in trouble earlier?" he asked.
"Coach Kim? I don't know, he's just cool, always has been," she replied.
"Really? I wonder why, 'cause he's pretty serious with us during P.E., but when we're out of class he's really nice," Taehyun said. He had never encountered a teacher like Coach Kim.
"Especially nice to you," he said. Y/N smiled.
"He's the only teacher here that really understands me," she said.
"Oh?" he raised an eyebrow. Taehyun had always been intrigued as to why Coach Kim was so relaxed with Y/N's behavior. He was even the one who let her sell milk so she could try being in the talent show.
"I've known Coach Kim longer than any student here," she said.
"He was best friends with my dad," she smiled with her eyes. Taehyun raised an eyebrow.
"They're not friends anymore?" he asked. Y/N paused.
"Scarfy I told you not to splash!" she shook her finger in the raccoon's face. Scarf wasn't even splashing, he noticed.
"Y/N," Taehyun could tell she ignored his question on purpose. This seemed to be a habit of hers when faced with a personal question. She waited for things to get quiet.
"My dad isn't here anymore," she said. There was an awkward pause.
"O-Oh," Taehyun said. I guess I've never asked Y/N about her family, he thought.
"I'm sorry about that," he said. Though he wasn't sure whether or not that means her dad left, went to jail, or passed away, he knew not to ask any more questions. What should I say? he needed to think quickly.
"Having Scarfy around kind of makes me feel like we're parents and he's our kid," he blurted out. Y/N gasped. Why did I just say that?! he was filled with regret.
"You called him Scarfy!" she giggled. That's what you pay attention to?? he sighed. Y/N could only continue laughing.

They didn't notice it then, but the lunch period had been over for a while. After getting in trouble at the office and scolded by the student council, they returned to their classes. It wasn't all a disaster though, as Scarf the raccoon was squeaky clean and undetected.