Letters and Roses: Taegyu

24

(UNEDITED)
"Explain" Mr.Kim orders.

Taehyun was sitting in front of him with his arms crossed. The boy didn't say anything and just kept his head low.

"Taehyun..."

Taehyun finally picks up his head, his face still stern as always. The boy looks at the teacher his face softening a bit, "nothing" the student replies his voice having no tone in it.

"Taehyun, there has to be a reason," Mr.Kim says resting his hands on the desk in front of him. The boy doesn't reply and instead plays with his fingers picking at the skin. "You aren't like this Taehyun, you aren't a violent student. There must have been something that triggered it" The teacher continues.

"Heeseung is your frien-"

"He is not my friend...not anymore" Taehyun interrupts unfolding his arms and looking up at the adult in front of him. "and why is that?" Mr.Kim asks trying to at least get something out of the boy. "Are we done? I find this conversation unnecessary" Taehyun comments ready to leave the room and get out of this place. The worse punishment the teacher could give him would be a suspension but he didn't mind since his father wasn't home most of the time and wouldn't find out.

"Taehyun, I could always make that personal call to your father and coach" The older man says. Now that was where Taehyun could get in trouble, in a suspension they don't even call parents about their children but a personal call is even worse. Taehyun bites the inside of his cheek before sitting up straight and sighing, "he hurt-...he hurt one of my friends," Taehyun says finally letting out.

"What friend?" The teacher asks his eyebrows raising due to the concern of the hurt student. "He doesn't want to be known, but it's been happening for some time already. I didn't do anything at first because Heeseung was my friend" Taehyun explains placing his hands on the desk.

"But something finally got to me and that happened" The student adds his eyes lingering everywhere except the adult that was in front of him.

Mr.Kim felt the urge to ask who that friend was but it was obvious Taehyun wasn't planning to tell him anytime soon. The teacher lets out a heavy sigh and leans back on his leather chair before sitting up quickly again and pointing his finger towards the younger boy. "I will let you off this time as a defense behavior but promise me no more fighting," The middle-aged man says, Taehyun replies with a nod.

Taehyun gets up from the seat and grabs his backpack ready to leave before the teacher calls his name stopping him in his tracks. "Assure me that you will take care of that friend from now on okay? I don't want more problems" Mr.Kim warns crossing his arms. The younger boy nods his head and exits the room, he probably didn't want to stay here any longer so he decided to skip his next class.

Taehyun walked down the hallway until he reached a specific empty classroom. The boy walked up towards a desk and looked down at the words written down on the wood. It was like someone was stabbing him with a pocket knife for every ugly word that appeared on the desk. The athlete felt his heart sink as he quickly took out the large eraser from his pocket rubbing it against the words.

He made sure to erase every word off the desk and wipe it off with a wet wipe just to make sure everything was gone. After finishing he admired his work and left the classroom walking out of school and down the sidewalk. The day felt clear and sunny but supposedly it was supposed to start raining later in the day. The sidewalk was calm and quiet since most kids were at school and their parents were sleeping in or off to work.

The boy passes by some small stores his eyes landing on his destination, he walks in feeling the familiar cold air and peppermint scent. Taehyun makes sure to say hello to the older woman that stood behind the counter arranging the register. The younger boy walks ahead roaming around the store trying to find what he was looking for. He finally found the petroleum jelly and nonstick bandages placing them in his basket and turning his body walking to the other side of the store to find some drinks.