Truth and Accuracy | K.TH

3

On Wednesday I asked Taehyun for a story. It's Friday, and my time is running out before I have to submit an article to Jiwoo. I had a feeling this might happen, so I already wrote the article about him vandalizing the principal's car.

During lunch hour, I printed a copy of the story and brought it to the basketball courts where Taehyun and his friends normally hung out.

I walked angrily towards their seats on the bleachers and slammed the paper onto one of the benches.

"If I don't get something by the end of the day, this is going out in the newspaper." I said, turning immediately and storming back into the school.

I went into the bathroom and splashed some water on my face, calming myself down. I adjusted my hair and left the bathroom, ready to face the rest of the day.

But as I stepped foot into the hallway again, a worried Huening Kai was waiting for me, the story I had written in his hands.

"Jia, what is this?" He asked innocently.

"Don't you know about my deal with Taehyun?" I asked.

"No? He said he took care of everything." He replied.

I sighed and put a hand on his shoulder. "I told him that I wouldn't print the story about you if he could find me a different one by the end of the week. It's Friday, and I have yet to hear from him."

"How much more time does he have?" He questioned.

"End of the day." I answered.

He nodded sullenly. "Why don't you write about the music program shutting down?"

"That's not the kind of thing people want to read about these days. Plus everybody knows about that already." I shrugged.

"Then what do people want to read about?"

"Something... with more color? I don't know, something entertaining."

His expression suddenly turned very serious. "Don't worry, Jia. We'll get you a story."

And with that the abnormally tall boy ran away.

-

I stood outside the school doors, giving them the benefit of the doubt. I tapped my foot impatiently and glanced at my watch. It was nearing 5:00 and I hadn't heard a word from any of them.

The large hand on my watch struck the 12, marking 5:00. I decided that they had had enough time to come find me, and sighed as I left for home. Come Monday, I supposed I would have to give Jiwoo the story on them.

-

I viewed the weekend as me time. Time when I didn't have to worry about pleasing anyone. For this reason, I intended to spend all of Saturday home; until the peaceful silence was interrupted by harsh knocking on my front door.

"Jia, can you get that?" My mom called from her home office.

"Yup." I jumped up from my bed for the first time that day.

My hair was still a mess and I was wearing my pajamas. But nevertheless, I answered the door and low and behold, Taehyun stood outside my door.

"God, it's noon already. Did you just get up?" He criticized me, eyeing me from head to toe.

"No." I lied. My arms instinctively came to hug my shoulders as I squirmed under his scrutinizing stare. "What're you doing here? And how did you get my address?"

"Do you know how hard it is to get the address of someone I don't even know the name of?" He exclaimed, rolling his eyes.

"Lee Jia." I responded, still blocking the doorway.

"Well I know that now." He sighed. "Are you gonna let me in or what?"

"Oh, right." I moved aside and allowed for him to enter, taking a seat on our coach. He looked around with a blank expression. I couldn't tell if he hated or loved it.

"Your house is nice. Very homey." He said shortly.

"Jia? Who was it?" My mom called.

"Just my friend!" I yelled in response. I took a seat across from Taehyun and my hands fidgeted by attempting to comb out my hair. "Do you want to explain why you're here? And don't bother asking me not to print the story, I've already made up my mind."

"No it's not that." He said. "I've got a story for you."

"Well then you should've come to me yesterday." I shrugged.

"I tried, but you weren't in your club room and I didn't feel like looking anywhere else."

"Sounds like a lot of effort." I said sarcastically.

"But your friend, Jisoo, or whatever, said she knew you and looked up your address. So I figured I'd stop by and deliver the good news to you myself." He explained.

"So?"

"So, nothing's happened yet, but a little birdie told me that someone's got illegal fireworks, and they're planning to set them off tonight."

"Is this someone a person of interest to the general public?" I asked.

"Maybe not the general public, but he does have a sizable female following at our school."

I sighed. "If you're telling another lie about this poor Eunwoo boy, I swear I'll—"

"It's not a lie! But be careful, some people think he'll end up in juvie by the end of the night." Taehyun warned me.

"The cops are involved? Then there's no way I'm going alone. You're coming with me." I demanded.

"What help would I be?"

"I dunno, but if they think that I'm somehow involved then I don't want to be there alone."

"How very honorable of you." He said sarcastically. "But fine, we'll go get whatever you need and we'll be out before we get into any trouble. How's that sound?"

"Great! When and where?"

"I'll come back here at 10:30 tonight." He said, getting up and putting his shoes back on. "And please, for the love of god, run a comb through your hair before then."

I glared at him as I held the door open for him to leave, watching as he drove away. He could be a real jerk sometimes.