My Delinquent Teacher: BOOK 3 || Jeon Jungkook [COMPLETED]

Chapter 19

"Today's lesson was the absolute worst." Taeho ignored me and continued typing on his laptop. "Were you trying to get back at me for skipping class?", I continued. Taeho continued to ignore me and I grew impatient. What's with this guy, I thought.

"Maybe make class fun so I won't be tempted to skip it.", I said attempting to taunt him. Taeho's face twitched but his eyes were still glued to his laptop screen. I leaned my crutch and the edge of his desk and stepped out so he could see me. "My foot's feeling a lot better.", I said, changing the subject.

Taeho suddenly slid his chair back and stood up. "Glad its healing.", he finally said. Taeho avoided eye contact and headed to the large whiteboard on the adjacent wall. He grabbed the small eraser and wiped the remnants of the marker stains. "...After all my attempts, you finally say something?", I asked.

I watched as Taeho continued wiping the already clean board. With the rough and fast motion of his hand, I could tell something was wrong. "Are you really that mad I skipped class?", I asked. "Or did something happen?" He paused and looked over his shoulder. "...Why is everyone suddenly so observant of me?", he asked.

He placed the eraser back in its spot and finally looked me in the eyes. "...Something was brought to my attention recently.", he said. "And I'm not quite sure how to deal with it. That's all." He stared at me so intently I shifted in discomfort. "...So. Are you going to tell me what those things are or continue to act like a douche?", I asked, breaking the silence.

Taeho shook his head. "I'll do the latter.", he said with zero emotion. He continued "cleaning" the room and I had enough with the passive aggressive attitude. "Is everything alright?", I asked. "Did I do something to you?" Taeho met my eyes and shook his head. "Of course not.", he replied.
"Then why are you treating me like this? I thought we were friends?"
"Well... we're not."
"Excuse me?"
"I apologize if you thought we were close."
"Bullshit. I came in here crying and you helped me. I needed someone to lean on and you helped me. I wanted advice and a mentor, and you helped me."

Taeho clenched his jaw. "Because I'm a teacher. It's my job. And you are just a student." His words were calm but the emphasis in his words stung. He cleared his throat and we finally broke eye contact. "Miss Lee, its nice to have you back.", he said. "...But please treat my like any of your other professors and I'll do the same."

———

A week passed and Taeho went back to his old teaching style. Stern, rigid, and wanted nothing to do with me. I couldn't understand why he suddenly turned into a jerk until a journalism major came running up to me one day. "Somin! Can I get a quick interview with you.", asked a woman with a short pixie cut. I glanced over at a man gripping an industrial video camera tightly.

"...For what exactly?", I asked looking at the camera's lens. The reporter pulled out a notebook with a long list of questions and began reading them one by one. "Rumor has it you're one of the students involved in the professor scandal.", she said.
"I'm sorry... the what?"
"It's alleged that a few of the young male professors have gotten involved with some of the students. This includes Professor Sun, Professor Go, and Professor Im."
"Professor Im? He's involved?"

She looked at the camera man with a confused expression. "Yeah... with you.", she said. I stepped back and furiously shook my head. "No. NO. That's completely false.", I said. The reporter slowly nodded and wrote something down. She then flipped her notebook and suddenly pointed a recorder at me. "So... your apartment... Building 102 Unit 300, correct?"

I didn't know why she suddenly asked but I nodded my head anyways. She suddenly grinned and I felt uneasy. "So some students say they caught Professor Im leaving one of the apartments rooms in the student section. This was said to be Building 102 Unit 300." Shit, I thought. "Did Professor Im leave your apartment. Yes or no?"

I put my hand over the camera lens, and glared at the reporter. "All of this is nonsense. If a teacher were to leave a student's apartment, can't it be for other reasons besides intimacy?"
"And what would those other reasons be, Somin?"

She pointed the recorder at me again and turned to walk away. "Wait!", she called out. "Are you also involved with Professor Sun? Professor Go? Or is it only Professor Im?" I walked further and her voice finally faded.

I spotted the quad and sat on one of the benches. I felt a tap on my shoulder a man I've never seen before stood with a notepad. Oh boy, I thought. "Hi, could I get a quick interview?", he asked. I took a deep breath before losing my head. "NO. You can't fish for answers and manipulate my words about the Professor scandal. Why? Because IM NOT PART OF IT."

He raised an eyebrow. "I-I was just gonna ask about your thoughts on the new gym equipment.", he stuttered. "...Student Council is going around taking surveys..." I looked around and there wasn't a cameraman or hand held recorder in sight. Guilt immediately fell over me. "I'm so sorry. It's been a weird day...", I said bowing. "...Excuse me."
I walked past him and decided to head to my "safe space". Granted, no the best idea with rumors circling around but Taeho's room was where I felt comfortable.

We NEED to talk, I thought.