My mom went on and decided for me again. She has already enrolled me in the cram school, with or without my approval. With that, I'm supposed to study from the moment I wake up until the time I sleep, the interval gap between the two will be five hours... It makes me doubt that she's trying to get back the formative years I spent sleeping in the hospital. Instead, she's probably wanting to send me back to the hospital at this rate.
Unlike the infamy I had at school, my popularity at the cram school's different. Here, I'm their golden ticket to the headmaster's favor.
"So that's it for our lesson today, any questions?" The Chemistry teacher asked as she closed her materials. "If there's a part you couldn't understand, feel free to show me."
"I didn't listen," I slyly responded. I saw her veins popping out of her head but she was still trying her best to cover it up with her business smile. To infuriate her more, I asked, "Can we go back from the beginning?"
She took a deep breath, opened her book again, and started talking about chapter four. This time, she spoke slower than the last time. So I fell asleep. Kidding. Of course, I couldn't fall asleep, I bluffed and pretended I was soundly sleeping to turn her off her game. She cussed a lot when she noticed I was sleeping during her class. It was reasonable for her to do that, losing her patience was my goal after all.
It went on like that for a week. I did show up to classes like what was asked of me, but I refused to participate in anything. Until they got used to it and treated me like an extra parasite who was only there to take their time. At least, that's how it is on the outside, it doesn't mean they think it's okay on the inside though.
I also thought I was used to this cold treatment, but here comes group activity in Arts and no one wanted to pair up with me. Silly, this is only the class I know I could do better if only I have the courage to hold a pen, yet look at me now.
I was about to overdose myself in self-pity again when the Art teacher, Mrs. Yoon called for me after dismissal.
"Mr. Lee," She respectfully called me by my family name and slowly approached me as she carefully supported her growing belly. She was the only one not wearing the teacher's uniforms. I thought it was because she was pregnant and nothing fit, but it was simply because she wasn't a regular teacher yet even after teaching for three years now.
"About the activity... you can't do it by yourself- it's a group activity. How about I pair you up with your classmate who was absent today?"
"Rainier Seo?" Oh right, that bastard has been absent for a week now, otherwise, I wouldn't be this nonchalant about going to school. "Teacher Yoon, I may not look capable but I can manage this on my own, I swear."
Of course, she wouldn't believe me. She suddenly looked hurt and held onto her tummy dramatically. "Ahh. What should we do, my dear? Your mommy must have been a failure. Her students don't listen to her. Oh my, what should I do? My heart hurts..."
"Teacher, guilt-tripping me won't work."
"My tummy hurts. I'm sorry my baby. The doctor said I should avoid stress, but my student wouldn't even listen to me. I heard stress can induce genetic diseases, I'm sorry. What if you get congenital heart disease? What if you get chronic diseases or autoimmune diseases? My baby..."
She just wouldn't give up!
"Fine!" I massaged the crease between my eyebrows. How could I refuse when she was making it sound like I'm going to make her unborn baby suffer?
"I knew you'd agree!" She immediately became lively again and fished out a piece of paper in her pocket. "This is his address and contact number. While you're at it, do me a favor and force him to go to school, okay? Thank you very much, you are my child's savior! Yay!" And she left.
I crumpled that piece of paper and then dumped it in the bin. Ironically, my ego was too hurt for not being picked as a group member even though I prefer being isolated. So, despite agreeing with Mrs. Yoon earlier, I still couldn't accept it.
I went to our next classroom, and we had another quiz. Surprisingly, I knew some of the answers and managed to barely get a passing grade. It made me a little elated. So I secretly took my phone out and wanted to chat with Cig about this rare moment. But a message notification surprised me as soon as I turned it on. It was from an unregistered number... which I easily recognized because it looked the same as the number written on the piece of paper I picked up in the bin earlier.
010-123X-456X: Yo.
010-123X-456X: I heard we paired for the Arts class project!
010-123X-456X: Please take care of me. :)
I turned it off and put it in the bottom pocket of my bag, zipped tightly to nip whatever was going on in the bud. I should have known... the first tip to easily forget your crush: make sure he wasn't your classmate, and most importantly, not a seatmate! Violate that rule and you'd end up like me... grouped together with your crush, raise your delusions with every interaction you get, and end up becoming a masochist!
Well, I don't think I'm a masochist.
...yet.
I could have kept the status quo. But while I was trying hard not to think about the fact that I got my crush's number, the two annoying top students came up to me. With a smug smile, the snake Warren Kang and the psycho Levi Kim gave me what they called the 'lucky membership program'...
"So, Levi and I are paired for the Arts group project. We still need another member, and after careful deliberations, we wouldn't mind if you want to be grouped with us." Warren Kang laid the piece of paper on my desk for me to write my own name before they submit it to the teacher.
I looked at my golden ticket, and indeed it was more tempting to accept this offer than be stuck with my crush.
"Write your name immediately if you want to have an easy-A. And don't worry, you don't have to do anything. We can do everything by ourselves to get us equal grades in the end," Levi Kim bluntly said. This time, he stopped pretending to be a concerned kind classmate.
My past glory included winning a national painting contest during middle school. If not for the fact that I saw my art teacher and my dad have illicit affairs inside the studio, I would not have withdrawn from the art school and settled in the community high school instead. I am not a genius in arts, but I spent my entire childhood just doing that... Although, it has been a while since I last drew, hearing them say that I didn't have to do anything to get a high grade made me disgusted.
"Thanks for the charity," I wanted to add, '...you arrogant piece of shit!' However, I didn't want to lower myself to their level— which was obviously higher than mine if we're only considering our academic performances, financial capability, and mental health condition.
I busily opened my bag and reached for my phone again. After unlocking it, I showed them Rainier Seo's texts and said, "You're right, I do want to have an easy-A... that's why instead of grouping with the top 2 and 3, I paired up with the top 1."
I badly wanted to laugh like a villain as I looked at the confused look on their faces.
"I really hate my seatmate. He's so full of himself telling me that I should hire him as my tutor, but he himself doesn't seem to like studying either! What the fuck is wrong with him?" Warren read the last rant I sent Cig.
I hurriedly closed my phone. I hope they don't recognize the app interface! Shit!
"Anyway, ask Teacher Yoon! She's the one who grouped me with that fu- with the top 1! So just go away and find yourselves a new member to sustain your philanthropic urges!"
I just mumbled anything that comes to my mind.
Levi Kim chuckled, "Is that so? Then, good luck making art with that guy."
Soon enough even Warren couldn't contain his laughter as they returned to their original seats.
...
I skipped cram school and went to the address that Teacher Yoon gave me. I thought I'd be going to some fancy place, but I was dropped off by the taxi driver in this rundown apartment complex. I walked inside the narrow hallway, pales were everywhere to catch some water leaking from the ceiling. The walls were plastered with fliers and utility bills were overflowing in each mailbox attached to the doors. I went up hearing couples fighting somewhere, children crying in another room, and the sound of a vacuum cleaner in the other. Clearly, the walls were thin.
I climb until I reached the rooftop, which is very exhausting! I thought the rooftop house would be the same as the apartments below, but this house looked quite homey. There were potted plants, an outdoor hammock, and sun-drying ropes. The house also looked decent, but it didn't live up to my expectation. I mean, I thought Rainier Seo was filthy rich.
I have been suffering in that school for almost a month now. If not about school and grades, the kids there talk about rich kid problems like fashion, fancy cars, VIP parties, their family connections to celebrities or politicians, et cetera. Moreover, didn't Levi call Rainier's mother a gold digger? If she's a gold digger, why is Rainier living here? At least, his family should have given him a penthouse after digging so hard.
I always thought that the people who were studying in Rosevale were elites. I thought I was the only exception to that rule. I didn't expect the great Rainier Seo to have this situation.
knock* knock*
I was probably nervous. My heart was racing so fast. But, to be fair, I did climb that awful stairs, so maybe that was the reason too for my annoying heartbeats. "Ugh, I wish my heart just stop beating," I hopefully thought.
I was nervous about the fact that I'm going to meet Rainier again. It's been days since I last saw him, and even though I didn't want to see him, I still kept thinking about him. I know I shouldn't hope—
And the door opened while I was mentally briefing myself. Beyond the doorstep, a topless Rainier stood before me. His hair was wet and as the water dropped from his bleached hair, it flowed down to his flushed cheeks. My eyes followed the direction of that water drop. From his fresh face to that beautifully chiseled body down to the V-line and his unbuttoned denim pants.
I was pretty sure that I don't have a photographic memory, but there's no way I'd be able to forget this magnificent view!