Busy

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Busy

 

 

“Love? I’m sorry but I’m too preoccupied to think of that...”

 

I sat at the school’s cafeteria as I watch the hanging television. There is that one popular drama airing on tv, “It’s Okay that’s Love”. Everyone in the room was so focused on watching the drama; some girls at the table beside mine were even squealing because of what they called chemistry between the two actors.

 

“I wish I had that kind of love story...” I heard the girl say from the other table.

 

“Totally, the guy is too handsome!” Her friend said.

 

“I like Kwang Soo oppa’s character. He’s cute!” The brunette girl said.

 

I looked at the TV briefly and sipped my coffee as I started to read my morning newspaper and took a bite of my toast. While the world is too busy thinking about love, here I am thinking about how I can earn enough money for me to survive everyday. As I hear another squeal from the distant table, I felt someone patting my shoulders.

 

“Taeyeon, the dean is looking for you.” It was Lee Sunny, my first crush and my best friend.

 

She was my best friend ever since I was in highschool and now I am already in college. When I was in high school I was just like everyone, a hopeless romantic love-sick fool. I almost confessed my feelings for Sunny on her 15th birthday but that’s the moment Sunny told me a secret, a secret that she already has that special someone, a girl named Choi Sooyoung.  What’s worse is that my father lost his job and told me he might not be able to send me to college. I was a year late on entering college, and actually I spent that one year working my out just to have enough money for college.

 

Since that day, I stopped thinking about love and I started thinking about surviving. Currently, my older sister has graduated and already found a job. She advised me to stop working and told me she would finance my studies but I refused. What if she’s just like my father who just told me that he can’t take care anymore of me one day? I don’t want to experience that feeling again. Being so dependent to someone else. I know my sister will get married someday and when that day comes, she will not be able to take care of me anymore. I learned to be independent. I’m a working student. I study in the morning and work by off till night in a restaurant. Sometimes, my manager will offer me to sing every Sunday so that I’ll have extra income. I also teach how to play guitar and other musical instruments at some students at school when I have free time and that also became my source of income. I thank God for my mother teaching me those skills before she left my father in my elementary years.

 

I went to the dean as Sunny told me to. I opened the door and the dean looked at me with her disappointed face.

 

“Sit down Miss Kim.”

 

I obeyed the old woman.

 

“I called you in to notify you that your grades are failing...”

 

I waited for her to speak again.

 

“I know I was the one who agreed that you can work and study at the same time but I think for now, you should stop working and focus on your academic performance Miss Kim.” the dean advised.

 

“But you know that's the only source of income I have Ma'am. If I stop working I won’t be able to pay for my tuition fee, my rent and it wouldn't be able to suffice my needs here in the city.” I said.

 

“If you want to stay working then you should keep your academic performance balanced too...”

 

“Okay, ma'am. I promise to work hard.”

 

“I'll be requiring you to be tutored in your subjects for MWF so that I can monitor if you really are complying with my recommendation. You know I admire your guts Miss Kim. You're young, beautiful and independent but aren't you forcing yourself too much? You know your sister came here last week, she said she'll be paying for your tuition fee but you rejected it again...”

 

“I feel like I can pay for it and I don't want to be a burden.”

 

“She's your sister Taeyeon-ah...let her fulfill her responsibilities and take care of you.”

 

“I'll see what I can do ma'am.” I said.

 

I was about to go but the dean called my attention again.

 

“Oh Taeyeon?”

 

“Yes ma'am?”

 

The dean hand me a piece of paper.

 

“It's Friday, your tutoring will start today.” the dean said.

 

I read what's written on the paper,  “3pm, library-circular section 2nd flr. Tiffany Hwang.”

 

 

•••••

 

Friday

 

After my class ended, I immediately went to the library. I was 15 minutes late because my professor gave us a late quiz. I was annoyed because a busy person like me is always precise and on time and I still do not know who my tutor will be and what Tiffany Hwang looks like. I bet she's one of those old woman professors but anyway I couldn't really care so much. I arrived at the library and looked around for a certain Hwang.

 

“Hey, are you Kim Taeyeon?” A girl with a light brown curly hair said to me.

 

“Yes.”

 

“Hello, my name is Tiffany Hwang. I'll be your tutor for the whole semester.” the young girl gave her eye smile to me and shook my hand.

 

“Kim Taeyeon.”

 

I never thought that Tiffany Hwang will look like this; young, beautiful and she looks friendly too.

 

“I suppose you are a student mentor?” I asked her as we made our way on our seat to start our lesson.

 

“Yes, I’ve done tutoring for three years now,” she smiled at me and opened her book.

 

I just nodded.

 

She then started teaching me Physics. I started to get bored in the first ten minutes but I still tried to listen in order to improve my grades. It's not that I don't like Physics, it's just that I found it less interesting as compared to History. She gave me an exercise sheet and I answered it. It's not so hard but I answered it as fast as I could to make it on my 5pm shift. While answering it, I noticed that she was staring at me. I feel kind of bothered about it so I asked her.

 

“Is there something on my face?” I asked as she continued to stare at me.

 

“Say Taeyeon, are you a magnet?” she asked.

 

I looked at her, confused.

 

“Uhm, is there something wrong?” I asked.

 

“My eyes...I'm so attracted that I can't take my eyes off you,” she told me as she grinned widely and kept on staring at me.

 

I almost chuckled because of her lame joke but I kept my face straight and just continued to answer the exercise as fast as I could for me to make it on time to my job. After I handed her the exercise sheet, I fixed my things as she continued to gawk on me.

 

“What's the lesson for Monday?” I asked.

 

“Chemistry,” she said.

 

“Oh.”

 

“I supposed you're good in chemistry Taeyeon-ah?” she asked.

 

“Hmmm... compared to Physics, I am.” I said

 

“I knew it. The first time I saw you, I already felt the connection between the both of us,” she said sweetly.

 

I just smiled awkwardly and bid my goodbye.

 

“I have to go now, have work at 5pm. See you on Monday!” I said.

 

“Oh, I can't wait anymore for Monday!” she said playfully.

 

She's a funny girl, like for real but I have no time to laugh at her jokes as I am already running late for my work.

 

•••••

 

Monday

 

I was counting the money I earned this week. My salary is kind of short for me this week. I guess I'll be eating instant noodles everyday.

 

“Ah, Taengoo-yah. Be strong!” I cheered for myself.

 

I went to school to attend my usual classes. Literature, History and Humanities. Among these three, Literature is my favorite. It's so nice to read plays, especially tragedies and angsty plot novels. I like it, it represents the reality of life and not some sugar coated fluff that makes you hope for nothing but a love fool ending. Anyway, my class is over so I went on the library to meet with my weird, eyeless tutor.

 

“Hi!” I greeted her and as I expected, she's looking at me from head to toe again. She's always doing that. Gawking. Though, I'm already too tired to tell her to stop staring at me like that so I just ignored her look and sat on the chair in front of her.

 

She started her lesson on the Elements Table. I already memorized some of this so I'm okay with this. She gave me an exercise sheet and I answered it.

 

“Tell me Taeyeon, are you full of Beryllium, Gold and Titanium?” she said as she put her hands on her chin and stared at me again.

 

“Huh?”

 

“Cause you are Be-Au-Ti-Full...” she said at me and I ignored her as I did before and hurried to answer the sheet for I have to teach some student a guitar lesson later at 4:30pm.

 

I answered the exercise and gave it to her afterwards. She looked at it before looking at me. She put my paper on the table and pointed at Sodium.

 

“Taeyeon, you are like this Sodium...” she said.

 

“Me?”

 

“You're sodium fine and beautiful...” she said to me and I just sighed and started to fix my things again.

 

“What's for Wednesday?” I asked.

 

“Geography,” she answered.

 

I nodded and prepared to leave but she called me.

 

“Taeyeon, I got my ION You...” she winked at me.

 

“Yeah...See you on Wednesday!” I said politely.

 

•••••

 

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UndefinedCharacter
16 streak #1
Chapter 52: Ang Ganda! Sobrang meaningful ng story! 🥹
I like the way how you tackle a sensitive topic like this. No judgements. Understanding and acceptance ...🥹
This is my favorite line "Who knew that her dreams could wake her life up".
Lastly, I like the song Almost, it fits their love story (when they haven't found each other yet!).
UndefinedCharacter
16 streak #2
Chapter 50: That chant sure doesn't work. Not even a bit. 😁
Her reaction is so funny, waking up like that, with that someone... 🤣
Having a glimpse of the future, and have something to look forward to... I like that...
UndefinedCharacter
16 streak #3
Chapter 15: One thing leads to another. If only things were easy...
I do hop that "someday" happens...🥹
This is a very nice story.... although sad, but really good. ☺️
UndefinedCharacter
16 streak #4
Chapter 49: That was cute! 😁
UndefinedCharacter
16 streak #5
Chapter 48: Sometimes, the one who needs the counseling is the best on giving it... 😅
I hope they could help each other and remember their past... 😁
UndefinedCharacter
16 streak #6
Chapter 46: Aaaaaaaaahhhhhh!
You two!!!!!!
🤯
UndefinedCharacter
16 streak #7
Chapter 45: Why are realization and regrets always at the end? 😢
I want to be happy and magical too...
Anyway... what happened to Taeyang?😅
UndefinedCharacter
16 streak #8
Chapter 44: It's heartbreaking...
You really shouldn't judge a book by its cover...
UndefinedCharacter
16 streak #9
Chapter 43: Hahahaha!
They just can't be without the other! 🤣
UndefinedCharacter
16 streak #10
Chapter 42: It's hard to find someone with the same humor, good for both of them! 😁