𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐮𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 | sim jaeyun

3

chapter three ;; the diary

Sunlight filtered through the classroom windows, casting a warm golden glow over the students bent over their desks. Jake, sitting near the back, found his eyes drifting now and then to the front where Inah sat in which her focus was completely on the lecture. The light seemed to dance around her, making her look even more captivating.

Despite his efforts to focus, his eyes kept drifting back to her. A stern expression creased his face as he pondered how their first tutoring session would occur for later.

Why her? Jake thought, frustration bubbling within him. Of all people, why did it have to be Inah?

The bell rang, signaling the end of the class. Jake's friends gathered around him as they left the classroom.

Heeseung smirked, nudging him with an elbow. "Ready for your first tutoring session?"

Jake rolled his eyes, trying to hide his irritation. "It's just a tutoring session. No big deal," he muttered, shoving his hands into his pockets.

Sunoo, carrying his books under one arm, chimed in with a grin. "Come on, Hyung. You and Inah? This is going to be interesting."

"Interesting?" Jake shot back with his sarcastic voice. "Try annoying. I don't need some know-it-all breathing down my neck."

Jungwon, leaning casually against the locker, chuckled. "Well, she's the smartest in our class. Might do you some good to pay attention for once."

Jake's jaw tightened but he kept his cool. "I'll get through it. Just one more thing to deal with."

The group moved down the hallway, weaving through the throngs of students. Sunghoon glanced at Jake, his teasing tone softening slightly. "Seriously though, man. Maybe it won't be so bad. You might actually learn something."

Jake sighed heavily as a response, not entirely convinced with his expression. He still felt a knot of dread at the thought of spending more time with Inah.

They reached the library doors as Sunoo patted Jake on the back. "Good luck, Hyung. Don't let her scare you."

Jake smirked, trying to muster some bravado. "She's the one who should be scared."

The others laughed and dispersed, leaving Jake standing alone at the entrance to the library. He took a deep breath, squared his shoulders, and pushed open the door as he stepped into the quiet, scholarly atmosphere.

Seeing Inah already seated and surrounded by books, Jake's annoyance flared up again. He approached the table, ready to face whatever this session and Inah had in store. The library's quiet atmosphere felt oppressive as he pulled out a chair and slumped into it, his irritation still simmering just beneath the surface.

Inah looked up, offering a polite smile. "Hi, Jake. Ready to get started?"

Jake forced a nod, his eyes scanning the stacks of papers and books in front of her. "Yeah, whatever. Let's just get this over with," he grumbled.

Inah's expression remained calm as she slid a worksheet towards him. "We'll start with some basic concepts to make sure we're on the same page. Here, try this one."

Jake glanced at the worksheet, the numbers and symbols blurring together. He sighed, grabbing a pen. "Fine."

For the next few minutes, the only sound was the scratching of Jake's pen and the rustling paper. Inah watched him work, her demeanor was patient and encouraging.

"That's close," she said gently, pointing to a mistake. "You just need to remember the order of operations here. Wait a sec." She stood up from her seat to transfer beside Jake.