Chapter 4: What's Your Opinion

"Hanbin, your teacher called me." The second Grandpa said those words, I knew that he knew. "Apparently she thinks a tutor would help you."
I groaned, but before I could even attempt to defend myself, he raised his voice a little louder. "Am I really asking that much of you, Hanbin? Maybe I am, but is it so wrong that I want more for you?" More for me? That's the phrase he would use in place of just saying the truth. 'It scares me how much of your father I see in you.' That's what he wanted to say, I don't need to hear the words in order to feel them. That's why I never understand when people say that words hurt, it's really what's left unsaid that hurts the most. 

"I've been studying." Is that the only thing I can think of to say? 

Grandpa sighed, calming himself by clasping and unclasping his hands on top of the table. "I was speaking with Chloe...I was wondering how you've been getting along with Inez?" The sudden change of topic caused my eyebrows to furrow. 

"How am I getting along with her?" I asked, thinking back to when I talked to her at school earlier and she barely even responded. "I think we get along just fine." I bit back the small smirk I could feel threatening to break through---I'm not naive enough to think he's really moved off of the subject of my failing grade. 

"I hear Inez got an A+ on the English test." I understood where this was going immediately. "Her mom said she would be more than happy to tutor you, to which I said you would gladly accept the help." I watched as he stood up from his chair, briefly pausing before leaning over and patting my shoulder. "Let's do better, Hanbin." He said before walking out of the kitchen. 

​​Surprisingly, I didn't feel the normal amount of dread I usually do when we talk about school. There was even a bit of excitement inside of me...it's odd.

~~~~

I ran to catch the elevator door before it shut fully, perking up when I recognized the girl standing inside. It gave me a flashback to the first day of school, which was already more than two weeks ago. "My timing remainsle," I smirk, walking into the elevator. 

Inez scowled, "Are you scared of being alone or something?" 

"Only if I'm with my thoughts." I joked, but instead of laughing she just gave me a funny look. "I'm kidding." I put both my hands up, palms facing out, in defense. 

The elevator made a small beep as it reached the first floor. She walked with confidence in the direction of the bus stop, and I just followed her lead. "I hear you're going to be tutoring me in English." 

She nods, "That is the rumor." She says it so casually that I'm completely shocked when she suddenly turns to the side, looking up at me. The first thing I notice is how close she is to me, if she were a few inches taller her eyes would be literal inches from mine. The second thing is very similar, but this isn't the first time I've noticed it; her eyes are beautiful, like the kind of beautiful that it hurts to look away from. "I take my education very seriously, Hanbin." She said slowly, staring up at me with hard eyes, "If helping you hurts my grade, I won't hesitate to back out of this arrangement. Remember, I'