CHAPTER TWO

Chanyeol's P.O.V.

I can't quite put my finger on it but something doesn't seem right with our new teacher, Jung Taekwon-Seonsaeng. I don't pay attention in class seventy percent of the time but since the day he started being our homeroom teacher, I've been keeping my eye on him and that's where most of my focus has gone. He doesn't do anything in particular to catch the class' attention (except maybe the girls. What is it with girls and liking older men? I don't get it) but I follow where his eyes go. The way he looked at Baekhyun last month wasn't normal. It wasn't even an observant kind of stare. It was a kind of stare that was...predatory. 

"You sure you're not just overreacting a bit?" Jongdae suggests.

I brush off that idea. I am definitely not overreacting. I have a gut feeling and that feeling is always right.

"I doubt it, Yeol..."

"Am I really the only one thinking this way? Don't the others feel weird around him?"

"What are you talking about? Jung-Seonsaeng is one of the best teachers around. He's really funny. Remember the joke he made yesterday? He's hilarious!!"

Jongdae continues to laugh by himself and I continue to worry. I'm not comfortable with Jeong-Seonsaeng and I can't imagine him being the 'best teacher' the students think he is. He's hiding something. I don't know what he's hiding but I want to find out what it is. I want a way to get to know him... so I can decide for myself if I should even trust him. While Jongdae and I are just sitting on our seats, Baekhyun walks in and he waves at us. We wave back.

"Hey, Baekhyun, can you tell Chanyeol that Jung-Seonsaeng ain't a weirdo?"

"Huh? Jung-Ssaem a weirdo? Where'd you get that idea?" Baekhyun asks me as he hangs his backpack on his chair.

"It's nothing, alright?"

"Oh come on, Chanyeol-ah, you were going on and on about him being a creep and now you say it's nothing?"

What a way to keep things chill, Kim Jongdae. Baekhyun looks at me with curiosity and puts his hands on my cheeks, forcing me to look at him.

"What dirt do you have that I don't know?"

He squeezes my face and my lips purse like a fish. 

"Wet Go!"

"What did you say?"

"I shed wet go!!"

"Wet go? Speak properly first! Hahaha!"

I grab his hands and yank his arms that propels his body forward. We nearly bump our heads but not quite. Our noses just a couple of centimetes apart. It's the first time our faces have been this close. I can sense Jongdae watching us closely and probably having a laugh.

"I said... let go," I say softly.

His eyes look elsewhere and he clears his throat before telling me the same.

"You should let go."

I realize that my hands are still holding his. I quickly let go and we both sit back down on our seats. I look behind me to see that Baekhyun's clasping his hands together and looking at them. Did I hold his hands too strongly? He looks more nervous than he should be. I mean, we have done skinship a lot before. We're always playing around. Somehow this feels different? Am I overreacting again?

❅

It's been another week. Jeong-Seonsaeng hasn't done anything out of the ordinary. Jongdae's right, I'm overreacting. Maybe he was just looking at Baekhyun like anyone would. I'm sure it was nothing. Since I don't have to care about our teacher anymore, I can finally put my attention where it needs to be-- League of Legends! Since today's Friday, I'm gonna ask Baekhyun and Jongdae if they wanna go to the PC Bang with me after school.

I enter the classroom and Jongdae and Baekhyun are already sitting down on their seats. I throw my bag at Jongdae before exlcaiming

"Yeah! 2 points!"

"Yah! I'm not a basketball hoop!!!"

"Hehehe, Sorry. Hey, you guys wanna go to the PC Bang later?"

"Chanyeol-ah, have you forgotten? It's our mid-terms next week before winter break. Have you lost your mind?" Jongdae reminds me.

"! It's next week already?!"

"As always, our Chanyeol has the best memory."

it's already midterms?! Why did I forget??? My grades aren't that good. If I fail the midterms, my parents will kill me for sure. 

"Chanyeol-ah, Baekhyun and I are gonna do some extra study later. You can join us."

"Really? Extra study? I want to pass but I'm not that desperate."

"Suit yourself," Baekhyun starts, "the beautiful Lee-Seonsaeng is doing the review."

"Lee-Seonsaeng? The one with the long legs and--"

I motion my hands to make an hourglass shape. Baekhyun and Jongdae both nod and we all grin. Lee-Seonsang has the best body out of all the teachers plus we heard she's recently single so maybe we have a shot. It's my first time to say this and probably my last but I can't wait to study later!

❅

While Lee-Seonsaeng is writing on the board, all of the boys, inclusing myself, are staring at her from head to toe. Her long brown hair, tight blouse and shapely skirt following the line of her curves. Damn, she's hot. She's talking about some formula which I can't really remember at the moment. Her legs... holy . I speak for all the boys right now and say she is the hottest woman ever... okay, maybe next to Sandara Park. 

"Okay. We'll have a mock exam."

Oh no, she's turning around! All the boys who were leaning to take a better look change their posture and slouch down on their desks pretending they are writing down notes or reading their textbooks. 

"I'm gonna pass these papers. It's a fifteen question mock exam. All problem solving. If you are finished, pass them to me and you can go home."

I look at the clock on the wall and it's already half past seven in the evening. A mock exam will take maybe fifteen minutes? It was nice to look at Lee-Seonsaeng but I'm hungry and want to sleep. I'll just wing this mock exam. I doubt I'll use these equations in real life anyways. 

Time is passing. I'm calculating for answers and writing them down. While I write down answers, Lee-Seonsaeng stands up and slides opens the classroom door. I hear a man whispering to her and she looks shocked. She grabs her bag and jacket and interrupts the class.

"I'm sorry, everyone. I need to leave early. I have an emergency. Jung-Seonsaeng will take over."

She leaves the room and here comes Jung-Seonsaeng. A lot of us groan in disappointment as we were hoping Lee-Seonsaeng would stay for the entire mock exam. But the girls in the class are smiling and giggling, happy to see Jung-Seonsaeng in the room.

"Hi, everyone. Please continue your exam."

"Ssaem, why did Lee-Seonsaeng leave?" asks one of our classmates.

"Her grandmother was hospitalized just now. The hospital contacted our school knowing she works here."

I can hear some students gasp and whisper. 

"Hey hey hey, quiet down. You're taking a mock exam. Please continue."

We do as told and continue our exam. I'm writing the answers to problem 8 and I look up to see Jung-Seonsaeng seated and again looking at the students like he is scanning the room. I'm seated at the very back with Jongdae seated next to me and Baekhyun in the other column that's nearest Jongdae. I'm at the very corner of the room so I'm able to see the entire class. I notice Jung-Seonsaeng locking his eyes at one of the students. I follow the direction of where he's staring and it's... Baekhyun? Oh no. It's the eerie feeling all over again. Why does he always stare at him? 

"Park Chanyeol."

I hear my name being called out. Some students raise their heads and turn to look at me. Even Baekhyun. 

"Yes, sir?"

"Are you done?"

"No..."

"Then stop staring into space and finish your exam."

"Yes..."

Jongdae beside me is trying to hold his laugh. I nudge him with my elbow before finishing up the exam. I can hear chairs squeeking and students standing and walking to submit their papers to the front. It's nerve-wracking to hear a student one after another finish before you. You feel like you're not doing well. As if the students before you are superior in intelligence. you guys.

Minutes later, I'm at the last question. I'm still calculating for an answer and we're just a handful of students left. Jongdae finished earlier than we did so he's waiting for us. I'm writing and writing and another student stands up. . I know there's no time limit but this is goddamn stressful. 

I'm able to write my answer and circle it and I grab my things and stand up. It's apparently just me and Baekhyun left and he's still writing something. I walk up to Jung-Seonsaeng to submit my paper. 

"Good work. Get home safe," Jung-Seonsaeng says to me.

I look back at Baekhyun and he seems to be having a hard time. 

"Don't worry about him. Just go home."

"Eh? I'm not worried, Ssaem."

"Haha, alright. If you're not worried, what are you standing here for?"

He's...right. Why am I still standing here? I'll just meet up with Jongdae outside at the hallway and wait for Baekhyun. I see Jongdae near the staircase and jog to him. 

"Yo, how'd you do?" Jongdae asks.

"I think... I'll have no chance getting in KAIST^[1]."

"It's not like they'll accept you anyways."

"Why you little--"

I grab Jongdae by the neck and give him a noogie on the top of his head. I press my knuckles on his scalp until he begs for mercy and exclaims for his release. I let go of him and we share a hearty laugh until we finally see Baekhyun and Jung-Seonsaeng emerge from the classroom doors. Baekhyun has his bag strap over his shoulder and a bunch of papers in his hands. He and Jung-Seonsaeng are chatting and walking toward our direction.

"What are you two still doing here? Ah... you must be waiting for your friend?"

"Yes, sir," we answer to him in unison.

"Too bad you'll need to wait. Because Baekhyun is the last to answer the test, he has to help me grade them. So you two can run along."

Jongdae bows in respect to our teacher before saying his goodbye and turning around walk down the stairs. As he walks down the steps, he turns to wave bye to Baekhyun. This traitor.

"How about you, Park Chanyeol? Don't you wanna go home?"

"Sir, maybe you can give Baekhyun this one time and let him go home? We  haven't eaten dinner yet."

"Don't worry. I'll feed him ramyun^[2]. Would you like some, too?"

"Uhh..."

Before answering him, my phone vibrates. I take out my phone from my jacket pocket and it's my mom!

"Your mom's calling. I think you should go."

Jung-Seonsaeng tilts his head slightly to signal Baekhyun to follow him. Our teacher, with his hands in his pockets, walks to the teacher's lounge at the other end of the hall where the freshmen classrooms are located. 

"Chanyeol-ah, let's meet up tomorrow? Let's buy our tickets to the Girls Generation concert!"

"Okay!" 

We greet each other goodbye before I pick up my mom's call. She's asking me multiple questions 'Where are you?' 'It's late. Are you at the PC bang?' 'Are you listening to me?'. I want to answer her but she's not giving me opportunity to reply. While she's babbling over the phone, I look over my shoulder to see Baekhyun and Jung-Seonsaeng happily chatting.

Is it normal for a best friend to feel... jealous?

Good God, what's happening to me?

AUTHOR'S NOTES

Welcome again to another chapter of "The Way It Was" ^_^ I added a poster made by ShiMatoki from BANGTANED graphics shop. The link is in the foreword~ Okay. Next chapter will be in Baekhyun's P.O.V and will continue where this chapter cuts off. Just an FYI for everyone.

Legit question. Is it considered rated M if a high school student uses a lot of profanity? Haha. I'm asking cuz it will increase more...I think. I'm being prepared. 

PS: There might be times I spell "Jung" as "Jeong".. technically, they are both correct but because people spell it differently, I also mix up my spelling too. Jung Taekwon is the name of their teacher. Jeong can also be used. But for consistency, I'll only use "Jung". Please let me know if I accidentally put "Jeong" instead. I'll probably overlook it in the future. Hehe

Thank you for your interest in my fic :) Comments, Upvotes, Subscribe! Whatever you do will make me happy either way XD 

KOREAN VOCABULARY / TRANSLATIONS :

[1] KAIST = Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology located in Daejeon, South Korea (2 hours away from Seoul where our protagonists are staying)

[2] Ramyun = Instant Noodles