DRIVE | J.JK

3

JUNGKOOK

"Father?"

My hands are shaking as I finally knock to the door of his study, after hesitating for more than a minute outside. There's the slight sound of papers before he tells me to come in.

When I enter the door, he doesn't even look at me.

"Tell me why you're here."

"I—" I swallow once, and then shove both my hands back inside my pockets. "Is it okay if I stopped wearing glasses anymore? If I switched to lenses—"

"That's why you're here for?" His icy voice cuts me off, and I look up in surprise. He has a scornful gaze fixed on my face, and I instantly flinch back.

"Why, Jungkook? Do you have someone you need to impress?"

"Father, no—"

"I don't want to hear it." He says sharply, and I fight back tears as he points towards the door. "I can't believe you'd waste my time like this. I'll tell the cook not to serve you dinner tonight."

The expression on his face cuts down any protests, and I nod hopelessly as I hurry to get myself out.

Then the tears come, welling softly in the corners of my eyes.

"Why are you crying?" I mumble to myself, rubbing furiously at my eyes. They're red by the time I pull away, from rubbing and pressing too hard.

But if I didn't quit wearing glasses, she'd probably keep smoking

And I didn't want that.

A full hour passes before I finally bite my lip, having made my decision. Gripping my jacket tightly in one hand, I walk out of the house quickly.

My heart's racing even though I walk in fast steps towards the nearest eye care center, my breaths erratic on my lips. I'd never done anything like this before, and it was terrifying.

Not following the rules.

"Can I get a pair of contact lenses, please?"

_________________________

The next day at school, I can't wait for my second period to end. As soon the bell rings for third, I swing my backpack over my shoulder and head for the bathroom.

Standing in front of the mirror, I take out my lens case from my backpack and blink confusedly. I didn't really know how to do this, but it couldn't be too hard, right?

Balancing a lens on top of my fingertip, I open my eye wide and try to put it in.

As soon as it touches my eye, I blink too hard and it slips out, falling back out onto my palm. When I try again, the same thing happens.

I start to grow worried when the warning bell for class rings, and I don't even have one lens in.

This was so much difficult than I thought.

Finally, when the bell rings for the beginning of class, I leave the bathroom all distraught. Both my eyes are red from blinking and tearing too much, and I ended up only putting in one lens.

And I didn't even know if I put that in right.

When I get to class, I'm surprised to see Min sitting there, at the seat next to mine. She's not outside smoking, and through my watery eyes, I can see her turn to look at me.