Bad Teacher || PJM

Ch4: Jimin Is Drunk

"May I get a gym membership?"

Eunbi's mother looks up from her plate, pursing her lips to a thin line. She stares at her daughter silently for a few seconds, gaze blank before she speaks.

"Why?"

Eunbi gulps. "I, uhh, I'm not really happy with my weight. Maybe some exercise will help. Especially that I'm not in the volleyball club anymore, I hardly exercise at all."

Eunbi holds her breath, taking in the empty look in her mother's eyes. Her father stays silent at the head of the dining table, avoiding eye contact at all by looking down at his food. Her little brother goes stiff, sensing the tension in the air as his eyes go back and forth between his sister and mother.

"Waste of time," Her mother spits, "You need all the time possible to study for your college entrance exams and going to the gym will only distract you."

"A healthy mind in a healthy body," Eunbi replies, "If anything, I think it will be help me study. Please, mom. I'm not fit at all."

"No."

"Butㅡ"

"But?" Her mother raises an eyebrow.

Eunbi closes her mouth, glancing at her father to see a reaction from him, but he keeps his eyes anywhere but in hers.

"I'm sorry," She says, "I'm done with dinner. May I leave the table?"

"Sure."

Eunbi stands up, taking her plate with her and washing it in the kitchen. Once she's done she heads to her bedroom, closing the door before sitting on the bed. She looks down at her thighs that she hates so much, her stomach rolls, her chubby arms. She stares at a mirror and all she sees and hears is fat and ugly. A body she can't help but be ashamed of.

The door creaks open, revealing her mother in her pencil skirt and tight bun.

"You should start studying."

"I will," Eunbi replies, heading to her desk and grabbing her books.

"Make me proud," Her mother says with a hint of a smile, "I know you will. You're my smart little girl."

Eunbi forces a smile. "I'll do the best I can."

She keeps the smile on until her mother leaves and shuts the door, and Eunbi's smile falls as she picks up her study schedule.

〰️🌫〰️

"Mr.Park!"

Jimin stops in the school's hallway, cursing under his breath at the voice of a student calling his name. He plasters a smile on his face and slowly turns around to the girl.

Eunbi clears her throat. "I'm the head of the maths club and since we should be under the supervision of a teacher, could you please join?"

"Mr.Kim suggested you personally," She adds.

Jimin sighs. "No can do."

"But Mr.Kim insists."

"You're talking about Seokjin, right?" He asks.

Eunbi nods.

"Go and tell him to kiss my ass."

Eunbi pauses. "I'm afraid I can't."

"And I'm afraid I can't supervise your maths club or whatever, I got so much work to do."

And with that, he turns around and leaves. Jimin doesn't have any work to do, it was just a lame excuse that he thinks might work. In fact, the "work" he has got to do is drink all night and whine to Hoseok about the fact that his mother hasn't called him once ever since his dad kicked him out. And he knows Hoseok would suggest that he calls his mother himself. And Jimin would whine again about how he never had to do it, so why should he?

It's almost like a revised script; he's been having the same conversation with Hoseok over and over again for the past few days. His friend's words never change, neither do his, so there's really no point in arguing, but Jimin couldn't help but whine, whine, whine.

The second best thing he's good at: whining. The first being mathematics, though he never admits it. And the third, which his father likes to call "the only thing his useless ass can do" is spend money like there's no tomorrow.

Unfortunately, it is the only thing that he can not do right now for he has no money. Oh how the turn tables.

〰️🌫〰️

"Just call, Jimin," Hoseok repeats for the nth time, "You won't lose anything. Swallow your pride and do it, brat."

Jimin puts his glass of whiskey on the coffee table, grabbing his mobile and dialing his mother's number. He knows he would have never done it if he was sober, so maybe now is the time to do some things he might regret later on.

It rings once, twice, thriceㅡ

"Jiminie?"

"Mom," Jimin mumbles, "Why didn't you call?"

Hoseok smiles, taking the almost empty whiskey bottle from beside Jimin to put it away.

"What's with your voice, sweetie? Are you drunk? Ah, no wonder it's your first time calling me first."

"When am I coming back?" Jimin slurs, resting his head on the coffee table. "I'm tired. Hoseok's apartment is small and shittyㅡ"

"Hey!"

"ㅡAnd teachers don't get paid well, mom. They don't even get paid at all. That amount, I could spend it in one night on drinks with my friends."

"Baby," His mother pauses for a second, "Your dad is still mad. He'll get really mad at me if he knows I'm talking to you right now. He only wants the best for you, Jiminie. Just listen to him and work with him, okay?"

"No~" Jimin whines, his cheek pressed against the table making Hoseok chuckle. "It's boring. You sit at an office and do boring stuff with papers and do boring stuff."

"You said boring stuff twice."

"Shut up, Hoseok."

"Honey, there's nothing I can do. Your dad won't listen to me. Just come back and tell him you'll do as he says."

"Never!" Jimin protests. "He never lets me do anything I want! He doesn't like anything I do!"

"That's because you never really do anything significant," Hoseok mutters under his breath.

"If you don't shut up I'll kick you out!"

"This is my apartment."

Jimin blinks. "Mom, Hoseok wants to kick me out."

"No, baby, you threatened to kick him out."

"Whose side are you on?"

"Your dad's coming, I have to go. Goodnight, darling."

The call ends, and Jimin stays silent, staring blankly with a hazy mind and uncoordinated thoughts. He looks at Hoseok who's giggling to himself as he watches Jimin in amusement.

"Will you really kick me out?" Jimin asks softly.

"You're really entertaining when you're drunk," Hoseok chuckles, "C'mon, let's get you to bed."

〰️🌫〰️

A/N: You're beautiful the way you are, no one has the right to tell you you're not.