Chapter 10

"Effort"

With his body swung over the table, his arms stretched out before him, hanging loosely over the edge, Taehyun let out a huge sigh while staring into the distance.

"What's the matter?" asked Kai as he approached the young boy who looked like he had melted and splashed across the table.

"It's all so meaningless..." sighed Taehyun, his chin resting on the table, making his face move up and down when he spoke.

"No, don't say that!" said Kai and patted Taehyun on the shoulder, "why don't you come eat with the rest of us? We can talk about whatever is bothering you." Taehyun turned his head slightly to the side and looked up where he was met by a bright smile, making him unable to decline Kai's offer.

"Fine," said Taehyun and forced his lifeless body out of the chair, whereafter he followed Kai to the Cafeteria.

When they arrived, Soobin, Beomgyu and Yeonjun had already found a table and were happily conversing while eating their food.

"Hey, there you are!" said Yeonjun when he saw the two boys approaching, "Taehyun, I heard you also handed in your career plan. Nice!"

"Ugh, don't mention it!" said Taehyun and dropped down on the chair, banging his head on the table.

"Wait, what? It was supposed to be a good thing," said Yeonjun confused, while looking around at the rest of the boys, everyone wearing the same expression as him.

"He is having a rough day, I think," said Kai quietly after leaning in closer to Yeonjun, but Taehyun heard everything and immediately looked up.

"I am not having a rough day, I am having a rough life," said Taehyun in a serious tone and the four boys looked at him, not really knowing how to respond.

"Tell us what's wrong, then," said Beomgyu after a while of silence between them, "we can't help you, if we don't know what the problem is." 

"Math!" spouted Taehyun, "because of math, I might not be able to go to Art School."

"You're going to Art School?" asked Kai immediately and by looking at the face of the rest of the boys, one could tell they all had the same question on their minds.

"Oh yeah, didn't I tell you that?" said Taehyun, "anyways, I decided to put Art School down as my first priority on my career plan. I don't know why I never thought of it before, drawing is the only thing I really enjoy. It's perfect! But... I'm failing math."

"Ah, I think I understand now," said Beomgyu, "even if you don't have to get outstanding grades in math, you still have to pass." Taehyun nodded.

"See, this is why I have given up on Universities all together," said Soobin, finally speaking up, "it's too much work."

"Well not everybody has a dad with a company they can just go work at," said Beomgyu and rolled his eyes.

"What? Taehyun's dad has a bakery," said Soobin as a comeback, but with everyone knowing how bad the business was going, they just sent Soobin a deadly stare.

"Although working with my dad would be fun, I don't think I could ever live off of it," said Taehyun and sighed, thinking about his poor father, stuck in the bakery all day with barely any customers.

"But, how does your family get by then?" asked Kai, looking confused and concerned at the same time.

"My mom earns quite a lot from her paintings and the exhibitions, my dad could never earn that same amount, at least not in one month," explained Taehyun, "at this point, I feel like the only reason my dad has the bakery, is to feel like he has a purpose in the family." A combination of chuckles and sighs were heard at the table, nobody really knowing if they should laugh or feel sad about Se Hun's pitiful situation.

"Well, then I guess there's no way around it," said Beomgyu, "you have to actually pass your math exams."

"I'm trying, I really am!" said Taehyun, "but Mr. Cho retired and they haven't been able to hire a new teacher yet, so we're stuck with Mrs. Lee, who also teaches Class C."

"So that's why she kept running out of our classroom," said Soobin and clapped his hands.

"Didn't she announce it?" asked Taehyun and Soobin shrugged his shoulders.

"I probably didn't pay attention," said Soobin and the other four boys shook their heads, not knowing what to do with their lazy friend.

"Maybe we will get a new math teacher soon," said Kai, trying to brigthen the mood a little.

"Maybe, but I'm still nervous..." said Taehyun.

"What about a tutor," said Yeonjun all of a sudden, everybody turning their attention to him, "you can ask Yoo Jin Noona, her best subject was always math, I mean, she got a Master in Mathematic Economics, so I'm sure she will be able to help you out." Taehyun suddenly envisioned himself sitting at a desk with Yoo Jin standing behind him, leaning her slender body over his shoulder as she pointed at the paper in front of him, thoroughly explaining the equation. 

"Taehyun? Are you there?" Taehyun awoke from his daydream and looked at the 4 sets of eyes that were staring back at him.

"Ah, sorry, I guess I zoned out for a minute," said Taehyun and laughed nervously, before quickly moving on, "but would Yoo Jin Noona really agree to it? Being my tutor, I mean."

"We will persuade her somehow," said Yeonjun, as if it was the easiest task in the world, "besides, this will give her something to spend her time doing while she's unemployed."

"Did her last job interview not go too well?" asked Taehyun and Yeonjun shook his head.

"Don't even think about mentioning it when you meet her," said Yeonjun, "she will rip your eyes out!"

"Taehyun, Yeonjun's sister sounds scary," said Kai while leaning in closer to Taehyun, "are you sure you want her to teach you?" Taehyun just laughed and sent Kai a reassuring smile.

"Yeonjun is definitely over-exaggerating," said Taehyun and then turned to Yeonjun, "alright then, I will ask her this afternoon."

***

Yeonjun and Taehyun both stood outside of Yoo Jin's room, Taehyun waiting for Yeonjun to ask for permission to enter, but instead he turned around and looked directly at Taehyun.

"Just so you understand, Noona has been acting really strange since her last job interview," explained Yeonjun, "just... don't mention anything about jobs or interviews, or job interviews."

"Alright, I get it, you've said all this already," said Taehyun, who in fact was more nervous that Yeonjun would say something stupid or upsetting, rather than himself doing it.

Yeonjun nodded and then knocked on the door, calling out to his sister. He quickly got a response, telling him to enter and both of them did.

As they entered, Yeonjun's long speeches about remaining calm was immediately thrown out of the window, both boys widening their eyes when they looked around in the small bedroom.

On the wall to their left, where Yoo Jin's bed was standing, hundreds of small yellow post-it cards were stuck, not even in an organised way. It looked more like someone had thrown them onto the wall and left them there.

Next to the collage of yellow post-it's, a large calendar filled the rest of the wall, with appointments scribbled down all over it.

"Wow, Noona, what's going on here?" asked Yeonjun, his eyes still widened as he looked at his sister, "did a block of post-its throw up on your wall?"

"I'm done!" answered Yoo Jin, without even commenting on the last part of Yeonjun's sentence, "that was the last time I will ever be late for an appointment, forget an appointment or misunderstand the date and time for an appointment."

"Hm... I see..." said Yeonjun as he was slowly starting to understand what all the insanity was about, "but how is the calendar and post-it's going to make up for your poor sense of directions?"

"Well," said Yoo Jin and stuck another post-it on the wall, "from now on, I will make sure to take the trip the day before my appointment, so I know the way."

"I'm scared you will just forget it overnight." After Yeonjun finished his sentence, Yoo Jin turned around and looked at him with bloodshot eyes and took in a deep breath before saying in a loud and frustrated manner:

"Alright, then tell me what to do. I am trying my best here." Yeonjun once again widened his eyes and gulped, feeling a sense of guilt spread through his body. Taehyun just stared at the scene from the background, keeping his mouth shut.

"You're right, I'm sorry," said Yeonjun quickly and Yoo Jin seemed to calm down a little by those words, "besides, we didn't come here to annoy you, we actually have kind of an request for you." Yoo Jin put down the things she was holding in her hands and crossed her arms while looking at her brother and then at Taehyun afterwards.

"I am guessing this request has something to do with magic boy, am I right?" asked Yoo Jin and watched Taehyun's face turn all flustered, getting an immediate confirmation.

"You are right," said Yeonjun, "Taehyun, why don't you ask her?"

"Ah... yes..." said Taehyun in a nervous voice, slowly walking further into the room, "so... the thing is... I wanted to ask you... if you could please tutor me in math." Yoo Jin opened her mouth as if she was about to say something, only to close it again, furrowing her brows in confusion.

"But," said Yoo Jin when she finally spoke up, "I thought you decided to go to Art School after graduating?"

"Well... yes..." stuttered Taehyun.

"Then why do you need me to tutor you in math?" asked Yoo Jin, "I am pretty sure you don't need amazing grades in that subject to get in."

"That... that is very true..." said Taehyun and could already feel his embarrassment spread in advance, "but I do still need to pass the subject."

"YOU FAILED MATH?" Yoo Jin shouted in utter shock and Taehyun nodded his head while looking at the floor.

"Oh my..." said Yoo Jin with a huge sigh, making Yeonjun suddenly take a step forward.

"But you should be able to help him, right Noona?" said Yeonjun, "I mean, if anyone should be able to help him, it's be you."

"I don't know..." said Yoo Jin and reached for the back of her head, "I really should be focusing on getting a job."

"I understand, that's completely fine," said Taehyun immediately, but Yeonjun stepped in once again.

"You can write it on the resume, you know," said Yeonjun with a smirk.

"That is true," said Yoo Jin, suddenly wearing the same smirk on her face as Yeonjun, "and I shouldn't just leave our magic boy hanging, after he came to me personally."

"Noona, it's okay, you don't have to strain yourself," said Taehyun, but Yoo Jin just shook her head.

"No, I have made up my mind," said Yoo Jin, "but you have to take this seriously, I won't go easy on you!"

"A... Alright!" said Taehyun, suddenly feeling his heart beating faster, "I promise to do my best." Yeonjun let out a silent chuckle, watching his friend's weird behavior.

"Good, then let's start tomorrow," said Yoo Jin, "you can come over after school. I have a job interview in the afternoon, but I should be back before school is over."

***

After going over the details with Yoo Jin, Taehyun said goodbye to her and Yeonjun, before cycling home. He was going much faster than usual and within a few minutes, he was at his doorstep and quickly parked his bicycle outside, before he ran inside and up to his room.

"Taehyun, is that you?" he heard his mother yell from her studio.

"Yes, I'm home," yelled Taehyun back, "I have some stuff to do, I'll come and greet you in a moment!"

The second he went inside his room, he quickly closed the door behind him, before taking out his phone and calling up the contact he had already found on his way there.

While hearing the sound of ringing echo from the phone, his heart was beating fast and impatiently.

"Hello," said the male voice on the other end of the call.

"Eric Hyung, hi!" said Taehyun and sat down on his chair, "um... are you busy?"

"Me? No, I'm just working," replied Eric and Taehyun was just about to apologize and end the call when Eric continued, "but I was actually thinking about taking a break. What's up?"

"Um... Well..." said Taehyun, still struggling to figure out if he was disturbing or not, "do you remember how you told me to create more moments where Yoo Jin Noona and I are alone together?"

"Yes," said Eric, "how is it going?"

"I asked her to tutor me in math... and she accepted," explained Taehyun, "but I don't know if it's for the better or worse."

"Hm..." said Eric, "I think we can work with that... yup... we can definitely work with that!"

"Do you really think so?" asked Taehyun, feeling more optimistic after hearing Eric's encouragement.

"Definitely, I already have some ideas," said Eric, "but let me just think them through before I throw you into the unknown. How about we talk more about it tomorrow?"

"Alright, but we have our first session tomorrow afternoon," said Taehyun.

"That's fine, we can talk in the evening," said Eric, "I'm up all night anyways."

"Then when do you sleep?"

"Sleep is for the weak," said Eric and laughed, "but really, don't worry, I will make sure you win her over!"

"Thank you Hyung," said Taehyun, "how are things with you and Chaeyeong Noona." Taehyun suddenly heard a huge sigh coming from Eric before he replied.

"Oh boy, I really messed things up."

"I... I'm sure it's not that bad." It was quiet for a short while on the line, until Eric took in a deep breath and then let out:

"Oh, it's bad alright."

Hello everyone!

I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Remember to stay warm and eat healthy and take care of yourself. Stay safe.

Also, don't forget to leave a comment down below.

Love, Annalise~