What a mess

Chapter 5 - Math = Trouble

".... Park Chanyeol, exercise 26. And then for the last... Lee Jieun, exercise 27." Mr. Choi, our math teacher ordered. Everyone mentioned started to slowly drag them selves towards the board. If your name was called, you couldn't just deny the teacher's order to not to copy the said homework on the board in front of the class.

See, that was the way he checked if they were correct or not, so all the students could get the right answers down. Useful, but also dooming as the rest of the year depended on that time you had to go there and do it. If even once you couldn't solve something, boom, you're near detention.

I sighed as I heard my name being called. I didn't like going to the board, because then everyone could see my faults. I didn't know why though, maybe because people actually thought I was the brightest nerd or something.

I was about to reluctantly get up, when I felt Jackson fingers poking my sides. I wasn't sure if he just tried to annoy me, or was it because he had knowingly given me the wrong answers to that one specific exercise. He had done so couple times before, so I was highly going to that option. But I had no time to stand there and wonder since some of the other students had already finished doing their short parts.

"Jackson, stop!" I whispered to him quickly and stood up.

I had already taken couple steps, when Jackson tried to stop me by grabbing my hand. I just yanked my hand off his and continued moving, only slightly annoyed by his weird behavior. I had no time to argue with him now.

Wait... Exercise 27? I wondered and started to search for it through my notebook. I couldn't recall what kind of equation would it be, which was weird since I remembered every other homework we got and what Jackson taught me or/and I copied from him. I started to panic when I couldn't find it anywhere. I didn't have it? Hadn't I done it at all? What was I supposed to do then?

Before I managed to completely fall in depression, I felt someone placing a paper to my clenched hand. I jumped slightly from the shock and turned around warily, only to see Mark smiling one of his heavenly smiles.

I quickly checked the note he gave me and relief washed over me. I could clearly see the number 27 written on the corner of it. I lifted my gaze from the paper and flashed an grateful smile to him. He seemed to be surprised by something, because he blinked couple of times and stared at me blankly until turning his head to another direction.

Oh well, I had the exercise now and I was off the list of bad students. Our teacher Choi Siwon was kind of a picky person that had his favorites. If there was a time you didn't do your homework, he would set his hawk eyes to you, and you only. Unless there were more of those forgetful students, then them too. And besides, Mark Tuan, THE Mark Tuan helped me out! It was unbelievable enough that I hadn't done all of my homework, but add that as well!

I hold in a small giggle and walked towards the board with a lot lighter mind. I was about to start writing, but in the end, I couldn't. I furrowed my brow and tried to figure out WHAT THE HELL WAS WRITTEN on that messy piece of paper. Sure, it was THE Mark's paper that he personally handed me, and I was extremely thrilled about it.

His handwriting, however, was like some 5-year old's drawing of a human. I should know, I was five once. I didn't know what was going on. Usually when he had to to do this, his handwriting was so elegant and nice, so lovable. Well, I guess nobody's perfect, right? But that didn't erase the fact I couldn't understand a thing.

"Lee Jieun, do have a problem?" Mr. Choi suddenly asked and I tensed up by his icy tone. What should I do? I couldn't just blurt out I hadn't done it. I sighed and tried to analyze the art in my hands again. Hmm... That could be an x, or then an y. Wait, was it about derivating? If so, I could just put some random numbers and derivate it. Or not... Argh! What did Jackson teach me again?