Supernova

4: What I Owe to You

TW: Extreme anxiety, panic attack-like occurrence

He overestimates how his pencil curves. I can tell that he's done it a couple of times, too, as his desk has eraser dust all over it. A groan leaves his lips as he erases the lines, and my eye twitches when the arch becomes too sharp yet again.

After making sure that the teacher is focused on his computer screen, I tear off a piece of paper from my notebook. Even though I'm supposed to not like art anymore, it can't hurt if I help out somebody else.

Try to not make the lines so hard, it makes it easier to erase later. Also, mark up the approximate shape with some dots so you avoid the V.

I tug at the sleeve of his uniform. He peeks over his shoulder and toward the front of class before acknowledging me, examining my expression with caution. My other hand offers the note, and Taehyung takes it without further question.

Two or three seconds after he reads it, he flashes me a smile, and I keep my eye on his drawing as he follows my advice. It makes the ear so much more round and correct to look at, completing the little bunny-character that he's being working on. He finishes it off by writing 'To Jungkook' underneath.

"Teacher Geum?" a girl in the front asks, her voice a weak whisper. Our teacher, a 40-something man with thinning hair, gives her a telling glare. She raises her hand, and he nods, getting up to assist her.

Her voice is too low for me to make out the question, but I momentarily worry about the note on Taehyung's desk. The clenching in my chest grows bigger when he straightens up, looking around the room.

"Everyone," he begins, "ironically enough, miss Kim here needs a refresher of how to spell the word 'intelligence'. Would anyone care to help her out?"

My eyes narrow at his tone. Teacher Geum, despite being 'one of the best teachers Haruman High has to offer', has a distinct type of behavior only his students get to see. He acts kind, like he's your best friend - and then he strikes. Nobody asks for help unless it's absolutely necessary.

Not a single person speaks up at his request. I would have, had I understood what word he said. Even though he's an English teacher, his pronounciation of the language is so poor even I can't make out single words right away.

His gaze sweeps over the class, and I hold my breath. For a second, it lingers on me, but quickly moves on to Taehyung. I hope that it'll pass on to somebody else, but it stays. Dark eyes dig into him as a malicious smirk forms on Teacher Geum's face.

"Kim Taehyung, you know this, right?"

Silence.

Say something, dude, I think.

Taehyung looks at his desk. "I don't kn-"

"You don't know? Come on, Taehyung, you're not this dumb." His smirk widens until he laughs. "Try a little harder." What is he doing? Why aren't any of you people speaking up? Of course, I look to Jimin, but he seems to be as paralyzed as Taehyung.

The entire room is holding its breath, waiting for the next move. I bite into my cheek as Taehyung clenches his fists, the panicked stare turning glossy. Only I can see it, but I know that Teacher Geum knows how uncomfortable Taehyung is. His neck is bent, making the defeat dangerously obvious.

"Why are you laughing at him? He obviously doesn't know, so just ask someone else." I realize a few moments later that it's me speaking, although it doesn't feel that way. The anger in Teacher Geum's eyes is making me forget everything as I'm thinking it.

"How dare you, Hwang Sora?" My body goes limp at my name. I close my mouth, but I can't look away. I see his mouth move, jaw snapping up and down as he begins to yell, and none of it registers for more than a second.