smile ✔️

Chapter 3

Looking down at the child's theory pages, you were half ready to throw it in a ditch. Today was Monday, one of the busiest days of the week for you, but you got off early since your last two students were sick. You glanced back at your paper and bit your pen's cap. Almost everything was wrong as the child mixed up bass clef and treble clef. Gulping down the last bit of coffee you have, you look at the clock for the local coffee shop you've been in since you got off early at 6:30.

8:49.

The coffee shop was open until 10, so that was no problem, but you needed to go home and eat another package of ramen like every other day. Rummaging to get all your stuff, you're abruptly interrupted.

"Y/N?" a voice says.

"Hoseok!" you say, shocked a bit, spilling all the papers out of your folder. "Shit!"

"Hey, I'll help," he said kneeling down grabbing the papers.

"Thank you," you said. Once all the papers were grabbed off the floor, you both stood up. You stuffed all the stuff in your folder and set everything on the table.

"You seemed stressed," he said. He was cut off by your rumbling stomach. He laughed a bit. "And hungry," he said.

"Starving, actually. I haven't eaten dinner," you admitted. "I was just about to get a refill and another cup. I'm going to need a lot to get through all these theory papers," you said.

"You haven't eaten dinner either?" he asked.

"Yeah, theory papers are important. If I assign too many, I have to grade as much as I assign," you say, sighing a bit.

"You'll need food instead of coffee. Why don't you take an hour break, and get dinner with me?" he said. "I was just going to skip and eat a pastry, but now you gave me an excuse to eat," he said.

You almost started blushing.

"No, it's okay," you started.

"I insist," he said.

"Alright then," you said, smiling. You gave your coffee mug to the barista. Hoseok waited for you to drop your stuff in your car. You locked the car, and both of you started walking down to a local restaurant.

You entered, and Hoseok asked for a table for two. The hostess, seated the both of you, handed you menus and informed the waitress would be here in a bit. You both nodded, and you looked through the menu.

The waitress came, and you ordered a Caesar salad and an iced tea, while Hoseok ordered a sandwich and a sprite. You both gave the menu cards and started a conversation.

"Is work stressing you out?" he asked.

"I guess. But, if I quit, I'll lose my whole existence. It's the one thing I love to do. Music my passion," you said.

"I get it. However, you shouldn't stress. Stressing is never good," he said. He was interrupted by the waitress who served drinks. She hurried out, giving a quick bow.

"I know, I'm always scolded by my friends for it. I just don't know. I want to have a life like my friends, but I want to teach like how I am now," you said. You sighed.

"Just don't stress. You'll get through it. Jimin says you've been doing it for two years. I feel like you'll be just fine," he said, smiling.

"Thanks, Hoseok. You're a lot more helpful than my friends. They're always nagging me on socializing," you informed him. He laughed.

"I just listen. I just want everyone to be happy," he said.

"That's a good way of thinking," you said.