My Baker's Dozen

3

Joshua's POV

"So, did you practice anything from yesterday?" I asked the American in front of me, and he shook his head while propping his feet up on the table in front of us. I don't even think he brought a pencil. We were in a conference room that the school allowed us to use for his tutoring sessions that I was supposed to be teaching. For some reason I was chosen to teach this transfer student Korean since I just happen to know English fluently. But he never tries, or cares, and I can't handle it anymore.

"When are we ending today?" He asked me, and I had to refrain from speaking everything on my mind. But I also had to keep from accidently thinking too hard, or Hansol would hear my thoughts. I didn't need people worrying about me. The patch of red skin on my left wrist started to itch again, but I just pulled my sleeve down further to hide it. Something I had gotten used to.

"We can end when we get through another lesson." I answered as calmly as I could, and the guy next to me groaned.

"Why are you teaching me anyways?" He asked, and I took a deep breath. Every single time he keeps questioning my English abilities and trying to test my limits. Which he finds enjoyable since he can't find them.

"I'm teaching you because I was told to, and I'm one of two people in this school who are fluent in English." This sparked his interest, and he put his feet down to look at me more clearly.

"Who is the other?" He questioned, and I sighed.

"My twin." He scoffed and leaned back in his seat.

"And does he just happen to know English too?" The boy asked, this time more mockingly, and I clenched my teeth. Gosh, just let me teach you so I can go home.

"Yeah, and my little brothers know Chinese." I muttered, and he scoffed again.

"You're faking."

"And you refuse to learn." I countered, and I could see the boy was noticing the change in tone with my words. Now I could see him getting more interested in what I was saying.

"You can leave if you want. No one is making you stay." He motioned towards the door, and I started gathering my things to his surprise.

"I've tried teaching you. I've tried helping you. But if you don't want to learn, and you want to struggle to learn this language on your own, go ahead. I'm done." I turned toward the door with my backpack, but the boy had one more thing to say.

"You're too goodie two shoes to quit. As soon as a teacher mentions this, you'll come running back. Or do you not know what that phrase means since you're faking this whole English thing?" I whipped my head around, fire burning in my eyes and my fists clenched by my side.

"At least I have people who care about me, and a future ahead of me." The boy got up from his seat and got so close to my face I could smell his breath.

"Say that to my face you fake." He said it between clenched teeth, and it took everything in my being to not recoil.

"Oh so you need hearing aids now?" I asked, sarcasm laid thick. He swung at me with his chunky fist, but I caught it with my left hand. I felt my sleeve fall down, and I didn't think anything of it until he smirked to himself. He retreated his hand and walked out of the room, not even bothering to push in his chair.

As soon as I heard the door shut behind me, I collapsed onto the ground with hot tears brimming my eyes. I tried to keep myself together, but there was too much inside of me. The comments, the taunting, the strange patch of red, scaly skin on my wrist that won't go away, and too much to keep track of at home with all of my school work.

I can't take it anymore.

Josh? What's wrong?

Shoot. Hansol wasn't supposed to hear me. I took a deep breath and wiped the tears off of my face, slowly getting to my feet in the process.

Joshua?

I'm fine. I'm coming home early today.

Why? What's going on?

Nothing. The kid just didn't want to learn today.

I grabbed all of my things and made my way out of the conference room to try and find my brothers. I looked at the time and realized it was going to be another twenty minutes before their activities finished up. I sat down in one of the chairs in the foyer since I knew they gathered here, and I took out my homework so I was being at least somewhat productive.

...

"Hyung? What are you doing out so early?" Jihoon asked me while sitting down next to me, and I put my papers back into my backpack.

"We finished up early." I tried to make myself sound like normal, but I couldn't tell if I was doing a good job of masking everything inside of me.

"I know there's something else you're not saying, but I won't push." He whispered gently while laying his head on my shoulder and closing his eyes.

"Thanks, Jihoon." He mummed in reply, but I could tell he was tired, so I let him be in peace. Not that the others allowed that though.

"Joshua hyung!" Dk yelled from across the foyer, and Jihoon instantly groaned before sitting up.

"What are you doing out this early?" Minghao asked, but at least he was quieter.

"We finished up early today and I wanted to walk home with you guys." I answered, and I recoiled as soon as I said it with a short tone.

"What happened hyung?" Seungkwan asked, and I closed my eyes momentarily to try and keep my bearings, but it only made me more frustrated as I remembered everything that happened.

"Nothing happened." I muttered in between clenched teeth, and my brothers that were standing took a step back.

"Sorry." I mumbled while getting up and walking towards the door, pausing for a second for everyone else to follow me out the door so we could go home.

I just want this day to be over.