Should Be You | Jikook ✔️

Chapter 3

The next morning, the school was buzzing with the usual sounds of children chattering and teachers preparing for the day ahead. Jimin sat in the teachers' lounge, cradling a warm cup of coffee in his hands. He wasn’t a morning person, but the bitter taste of the brew always managed to jolt him awake. As he sipped quietly, his thoughts drifted back to the previous day, replaying the moment when Ahrin’s aunt had rushed to pick her up, the worry etched deep into her face.

He’d been thinking about Ahrin a lot since then. The little girl was such a bright spot in his class, always eager to learn, always ready with a smile. He couldn’t help but feel a special bond with her. In many ways, Ahrin reminded him of a daughter he never had—a sweet, innocent soul who looked up to him with wide, trusting eyes. The thought made him smile softly, though the feeling was tinged with a certain sadness.

His phone vibrated on the table, interrupting his thoughts. Setting his coffee aside, Jimin picked up his phone and saw a new message notification from an unfamiliar number. He unlocked his phone and opened the message, his heart suddenly heavy with apprehension.

Good morning, Mr. Park. This is Ahrin’s aunt, Raeli. Ahrin’s parents passed away last night due to the accident. We are all devastated, and Ahrin is taking it very hard. She won’t be attending school for a while. I thought you should know, as she’s very fond of you. Thank you for everything you’ve done for her.

Jimin’s breath caught in his throat as he read the words, his heart sinking like a stone. He reread the message, hoping he had somehow misunderstood, but the words remained the same, cold and unchanging. Ahrin’s parents… is gone. The reality of it hit him like a wave, the sorrow overwhelming.

For a moment, he simply sat there, staring blankly at the screen as the words swam in front of his eyes. Ahrin… the cheerful little girl who brought so much joy to his class, who had just shown him her pet ladybug, Dotty, yesterday—she had lost both her parents in one cruel stroke of fate. Jimin couldn’t begin to imagine the pain she must be feeling, the confusion, the fear. She was only a child, and now her world had been shattered.

A tear slipped down Jimin’s cheek, unbidden, as he thought about Ahrin’s sweet face, her bubbly laughter that always brightened his day. The idea of her enduring such unimaginable grief was almost too much to bear. She was like a daughter to him, and the thought of her suffering, of her being alone in this dark time, tore at his heart.

He wiped at his eyes, trying to collect himself. He had to be strong—for Ahrin, if not for anyone else. But it was hard, so hard to push past the sorrow that weighed on him. He felt an overwhelming urge to be there for her, to hold her and tell her that everything would be alright, even though he knew it wouldn’t be, not really. How could it be? She had lost the two most important people in her life.

Jimin took a deep breath, his hands trembling slightly as he set his phone down on the table. He had to figure out what he could do to help, how he could support Ahrin through this devastating loss. Maybe he could visit her, bring her something to comfort her, or just be there to listen if she wanted to talk. He knew he couldn’t replace her parents, but he could try to ease her pain, even if only a little.

The door to the teachers' lounge opened, and another teacher walked in, but Jimin barely noticed. His thoughts were consumed with Ahrin and the terrible news he had just received. He picked up his coffee again, though it had gone cold, and took a sip, more out of habit than anything else. The bitterness was no longer comforting; it only added to the heaviness in his chest.

Jimin stared into his cup, his mind racing. How could he help Ahrin cope with such a profound loss? What could he possibly say to her? He felt so powerless in the face of this tragedy. The pain in his heart was sharp, and he wished more than anything that he could take away Ahrin’s suffering, that he could shield her from the harsh realities of the world.