Always With You | BTS (Kids)

70

Jin slumped over his desk, groaning. The yearly report cards were given out, and he wasn't exactly very satisfied with what he had achieved.

He had eight subjects, and scored a B for five of them. It wasn't really that horrible. He had two A+ grades, and that was for Acting, the other for Singing. But he had one F-grade, too. Jin sighed. His head hurt.

"You may leave." The teacher said after the final bell went off, signalling the end of science class. She turned to Jin's direction. "Lee Seokjin, please stay behind."

Jin quietly took his time to pack his things while his friends took their leave one by one. It was time for lunch break. He was hungry a few minutes also. The thought of meeting the teacher now made him feel sick.

"Miss, you wanted to see me?" Jin asked, hugging his books close to his chest as he walked up to the teacher, as if those books gave him some comfort.

The teacher smiled. "Yes, I did." She pulled out her copy of the class's science grades. "You have seen your grade, haven't you?"

"...yes I have." Jin was tempted to say no, but he knew better than to lie his way out of this one.

"What do you think of it?"

Jin smoothed out the report card which he had unconsciously crushed into his pocket.

Science: 4 points out of 100.

How do I think of it? "It's...bad." He answered.

The teacher followed Jin's eyes and saw him staring at his grades. His hands were shivering a little. "Well, it is indeed rather concerning." She said, softening her tone. After all, Jin wasn't a bad student. Apart from his grades, he was pretty good-looking and extremely well-mannered. She liked him as a student. He was polite and respectful and helpful. She couldn't bring herself forth to yell at a boy who have never caused her any problems.

"I know you don't like science, but you still need it for your high school entrance exams." The teacher emphasised.

Jin looked up, his eyes droopy. "But if I want to go to the arts high school, I wouldn't need science, would I?"

"I'm afraid you still do. You can't just specialise in one area. All schools want to develop their kids into all-rounders." The teacher said. "You are the top boy in the arts and music department. That's really impressive! But it's not enough being top in arts and music. You have to be good in your science, too."

Jin sighed. He was tired. He was drained. He didn't particularly hate science. He liked it, to some extent. It was interesting learning about plants, people and cells. He liked watching colour changes in his chemistry experiments. But why study science, when he never passed the exam anyway? Why bother?

He was sick of it.

Sick of being the last. Tired of being left behind.

"Seokjin? Do you need help with science? I could tutor you after class this afternoon." The teacher offered.

Jin paled.

"N-no, miss. I don't need tutoring. I can't." He said shakily. He pulled out a timetable from his bag. "I am in the school play. There's rehearsals everyday after school. I can't stay for tutoring."

"You do know that you have to repeat the school year, if you don't pass your science, don't you?" The teacher asked softly.

But Jin only bowed and said, "I do. But I really need this place in the play." Then, he took off.

*******

Jin dashed to the auditorium. It was already filled. He quickly ran to the last empty seat and claimed it for himself. Otherwise, he'd be standing for the next two hours.