JOURNEY || JinKook ☑️

FOURTEEN - CURIOUS

"It's your fault! You should have not rejected the tutorial services. Look what happened!" Jungkook snarled at me. Looking at his face, it looks like he wanted to bite.

"Why are you blaming me? I'm doing the right thing. I cannot tutor him. I am his teacher. I don't want to get suspended or worse, lose my job." I tried to make him understand. But being a close-minded man that he is, what do I need to expect?

He walks back and forth, his hand inside his pocket while the other massaging the bridge of his nose. I know he's angry, but he's trying so hard to be civil. I can't believe he has manners too?

Finally, he stops and looks at me as if he came up with a solution. I'm crossing my fingers that it's not a crazy idea. "Listen to me, Seokjin..."

"Jin." Only my mom calls me Seokjin when she's angry.

"My son likes you, Jin. You will not tutor him inside the school. This is a private job for you. And when I say private, this will be highly confidential.

I hate to say this and I hate talking about this, but Soobin is not just a son of an ordinary man. That would mean, no one, as in no single person in that damn school should know that you're working for me and that he is the son of mine. I hope I made myself clear with that.

I can protect you. I can protect your job. I can even give you a better job and a salary."

"But Mr. Jeon, as much as I..."

"Jin, please. I hate imploring things. I don't trust just anyone. You can ask Jimin about this and he can tell you that I don't give my trust to someone I don't know especially about my son. So please, accept this."

The please word got me. I can't believe that this arrogant will beg for my service.

"Keys." I showed him a give-hand.

"What?"

"I said keys. Soobin's bedroom key."

Jungkook turned his back away from me and he went inside a room. I'm not sure if that's his bedroom. While he's looking for the keys, I knocked on Soobin's door.

"Binnie! Can you open the door for Teacher Jinnie?" I called out. I pressed my ear against the door to listen if he said something but all I can hear are faint sobs. "Binnie? Teacher Jinnie will enter your bedroom, okay?"

Jungkook gives me the key. I opened the door. Soobin is on his bed, hiding under the blanket. I walk to the side of his bed and sit on the edge.

This is the first time I am able to handle a student in this situation. I believe this is too personal. I never meddle with family issues. As a teacher, I can only advise parents about the effects of their issues on their children, especially in school. But to personally overstep, I haven't done that. Just now.

"Soobin, I'm sorry about what you heard earlier. Please know that it's not true that I don't like you.".

"You don't like me! You don't want to be my tutor!" He said from under the blanket.

My heart hurts. Children have a special place in my heart. I don't like a child telling me that I don't like them. Because I really do. I vow to take care of them, to be with them, to be patient with them and to understand them, but most of all, to teach them only the good things. Soobin just made me feel that I failed.

"Binnie, it's not true. You just misunderstood. If you will listen to me then maybe you will understand what I mean." I want him to know that a teacher cannot tutor his own student. And that's the truth, something that his father doesn't want to understand.

"Soobin, Teacher Jinnie will be your tutor starting Monday." Jungkook interrupts. I widen my eyes on him. I haven't agreed with his conditions yet.

"Mister --"

He raises his palm, instructing me to shut up. His brow raised on me. "He will tutor you then will play with you while you wait for me from the office,"

Soobin sits down almost in an instant after hearing his father's lies. He looks at me, removes the blanket from his body and crawls towards where I am sitting.

"Is that true Teacher Jinnie?"

"Soo--"

"Yes, Soobin." Jungkook cuts me out for the nth time and I think I'm going to blow up anytime. "He will even cook dinner for you. You like that, right?"

Soobin did not smile. He stared at me as if waiting for confirmation. What bothers me the most is his eyes. They are searching for love and comfort. His eyes bear sadness and loneliness. How can I say no to him? How can I reject this little boy?

"Teacher Jinnie? Is that true?" He asked when he got no response from me. And his small voice is too painful to hear.

"Yes, Binnie. It's true." I gave in. I don't even know if I did that the right thing. I came here because I noticed that Soobin is a lonely boy. How can I go home when I made him even more unhappy?

Soobin jumps and hugs me. He wraps his little arms on my neck. He even giggles and he keeps on saying thank you. Thank you for liking me and it almost made me cry.

"I cooked appa's spaghetti to celebrate. You like that, right Soobin?" Jungkook said earning a frantic nod from Soobin. His smile is so precious and pure.

"I want Teacher Jinnie to taste appa's spaghetti." He said. He jumped from the bed and pulled me out of his bedroom. Guiding me to the dining room.

I am amazed of how spacious Jungkook's dining room is. The dining table is good for ten people. I now realize, how lonely this home is.

Jungkook places the spaghetti with loads of meatballs and cheese on top. This must be really rich and by the smell of it, I know it would taste amazing. We wash our hands before taking our seats

I put the bowl near Soobin's plate and he waits for me to scoop pasta for him. "Binnie, get the serving spoon and scoop the spaghetti that you can eat. You can add more later."

"He can finish two servings," Jungkook said as if telling me to just put spaghetti on his son's plate.

"Come on Soobin. You can do it." I look at Soobin who is still very hesitant to try but after a while, he kneels on the chair and scoops from the bowl. There are strands falling on the table and sauce splattering on his clothes. Soobin looks at Jungkook, worried. I smiled at him and put some more meatballs on his plate."It's okay, we can clean it later."

The whole meal is a bit quiet. It's obvious that Jungkook is as reserved as his son. I'm right, Soobin is lacking communication with his father. Perhaps, one of the reasons why he's feeling neglected.

"It's delicious right Teacher Jinnie?" Soobin asked all of a sudden.

I nod. "Super yummy!"

Soobin smiles. He stands up and runs to his bedroom and goes out with something in his hand.

"This is my appa." He points to the blonde male. The same guy I saw on one of the pictures on the side table. "This is me."

"Your appa is handsome, just like you Binnie."

Soobin likes being praised. He flashed his bunny teeth that look exactly like his father.

"Look, Uncle Taetae said appa loves carrying me. Just like here in the picture." Soobin places the frame on top of the dining table. "Grandpa told me that my appa loves me. But he needs to go to heaven. But it's okay, right? Because he's my guardian angel now."

Tears threaten to escape my eyes. How can this boy feel such things? But I'm glad that somehow, someone taught him how to sat positive and to look at the bright side of things.

"Yes. Your appa loves you." That's all I can say. If I say something more, maybe I will cry.

"How about you Teacher Jinnie. Do you have a baby like me?" That unexpected question caught me off guard. My eyes went straight to the engagement ring around my finger. The pain still feels fresh. Anger, regrets, anguish and all the negative feelings almost send me to the edge.

"Yes. I have a baby." I smiled at the curious young boy.