Today, Two Years Ago

When You Fall

"Park Sungjin, You're fired."

My eyes widen in alarm and I immediately stand up. "Miss, you can't just say something like that! What if the cigarette belongs to someone else?" I ask in a high tone. Sungjin is on the verge of losing his job and I can't just stay quiet since it's partly my fault too.

She pauses for a while, tapping lightly on her desk. "...that could be true too."

My eyes keep looking at her and judging by her face, it seems like she wants to give Sungjin another chance. However, my train of thoughts are disrupted as a smoke starts filling the not so big room.

Just as soon as my attention switches to him, there's already a cigarette stick hanging loosely from the corner of his lips. Is he insane? He's basically adding fuel to the fire. I cover my mouth with both hands and can only gawk at what he's doing. "I said it's mine. Need more proof?" Those words escape his lips so easily.

"Get out of my office! Right now!"

...

I don't get him. I don't get him at all. Why did he do such thing?

Sungjin is busy tidying up his stuff, putting it into a big box. He just got fired but his face is stock, no sadness no nothing, it's just so unreadable. He then folds up his sleeves halfway before carrying the box that contains his papers and other items. "Step aside. You're blocking the way," he says calmly and I do what he said.

"Why did you do that," I ask as I follow behind him.

"Just because."

"That's not the answer I want. You just lost your freaking job!"

"Keep your voice down, kid," he retorts, walking out of the teacher's room and this might be the last time.

"I'm not a kid and you still haven't answered my question." I keep following him.

But he just stays quiet and without realizing it, we're already outside the school building, heading to his car that's almost near the gate, it's his usual parking spot. I cross my arms in front of my chest, watching him putting the box inside his car's trunk.

He pats off imaginary dust of his hands and with a soft slam, he shuts the trunk of his car before his gaze lands on me. "Don't give me that look and go to your class."

"You're confusing as hell."

"And so are you." He makes his way to the door to open it.

I let out a small groan. "Can't you just tell me why? It's bothering me and I can't help but blame myself."

There's a brief pause in silence before Sungjin sighs softly. "I finally figured it out that teaching isn't my specialty," he says, rubbing the back of his neck. He then turns around to grab his cap from the passenger seat and brushes back his hair, tucking it under his black cap before returning his attention to me. "I've always thought about leaving this building since two weeks ago. Now that you know the reason, go to your class. The next lesson will start soon." He pats my head and slips into his car.

The moment I take a step back, he closes the door and instantly starts the engine, driving away from me.

...

We got a new maths teacher as a replacement and it's been a week since the last time I saw Sungjin. Nothing really changed, maybe that's because I'm too busy minding my own grades. In fact, everyday feels the same to me. Wake up. Take a bath. Get ready for school or treatment. That's my routine. It's so tiring and dull but do I have another choice? No.