Chapter 2

Surprisingly, the lesson went well, I thought I’d be super bored and super sleepy, but Eun Ri has a really unique ways to teach, which made it a little interesting. “I think it’s enough for today.” She nods her head as she finishes correcting my answers, “Here, I have some more questions for you to solve, if you don’t understand anything, feel free to ask it on our next meeting.” She puts her pencil case inside her backpack, which is the last thing to put into her backpack before she finally sets me free.

“Now I’ll go home first, Baekhyun. See you.” She stands up and heads to the exit door, but then my gut tells me that even with her walking to the exit door, I have this nagging feeling that I can’t get rid of her that fast and that easy.

And my instinct is proven right when the door opened itself without her touching it, revealing my mom with a huge plastic bag on her right arm, “Eun Ri! Thanks God you’re here! I bought dinner for the three of us!”

… Mom please…

“So Eun Ri, in a scale of 1 to ten, how bad is my Baekhyun at studying?”

… Mom, I have never felt so humiliated in my life, it sounds like she acknowledges my lack of smartness academically, and goodness, did I just see Eun Ri scoffing trough her nose? Now she’s mocking me. Great mom, great.

She lets out a small chuckle before answering, “Well, actually, Baekhyun is not bad at studying at all, I guess it’s just he’s a little bit lazier than most students, that’s why he got bad scores.”

I sigh in relief, finally something good happen to me, though it’s just a mere compliment from this fat girl I just met today.

My mom looks at me in disbelief, and I can almost read her mind, I bet she is thinking ‘Really? I don’t believe her’ or she thinks that Eun Ri said that because she felt bad to say that I’m stupid, or something along those lines. Seriously, I’m quite smart mom, stop doubting me.

“Anyway, when are you going to do your tutoring time?” My mom asked. “I think it’s better if it’s done anywhere but our place, I just remember how dangerous it is for a girl coming here alone.”

Now, it’s my time to scoff, “Seriously mom, as if someone would want to do anything to her.”

And immediately, I felt a palm hitting against my head, it must be my mom. “Sorry, Eun Ri. I didn’t remember raising him to be such an ungrateful brat.” Well thinking deeper, actually it is really rude for me to say that, though what I said earlier has some truth in them, but I shouldn’t said it like that, okay fine, mom, I will not say a word that you hit me this time.

Eun Ri laughs at my not-so-funny-joke, “It’s fine, I know he’s just joking.”

Uhm no, I’m not.

And then I see her face changing beside me, from the smiley face that indicates that she is not the slightest bit offended by my previous statement to a scary face that indicates I was literally completely utterly wrong.

“You better say yes before I throw my whole plate to your face.”

With that whisper, I nod unconsciously. Well this girl can be scary, too.

“I’m so sorry for keeping you until this late, but you’re really fun to talk with, it’s good that Baek has a good tutor like you.” Mrs. Byun complimented with a wide smile gracing her face. “Since it’s late, it’s not safe for you to go home alone, Baek, send her home safely.”

Baekhyun who was in the middle of playing with his phone pretended not hear a thing and continued with whatever he was playing with, which was nothing, he just pretended because he didn’t understand a thing about his mom and Eun Ri were talking about.

“I don’t take ‘no’ as an answer, Baek. Come on lazy , get your up and make yourself useful.” Mrs. Byun added with a louder voice. With a pursed lower lip, Baekhyun obeyed his mom’s words obediently. “Fine…”

Eun Ri laughed at the cute interaction between the son and mom, “You two are so cute.” She didn’t expect such interaction between them, especially not coming out from Baekhyun whom reputation in school obviously didn’t scream ‘obedient child’ at all. It surprised her in a good way and she was able to see a new light from the famous badass Baekhyun.

Mrs. Byun grinned and pinched Baekhyun’s cheek, “Yeah, though he looks tough and sometimes a jerk, he’s actually quite nice.” Mrs. Byun patted Baekhyun’s head with a motherly gesture that kind of warmed Eun Ri’s heart.

“Mom!” Baekhyun stepped away in embarrassment, it was clear how he was shy with the affection his mom was giving him. Eun Ri smiled inwardly at the blushing Baekhyun.

“Guess you’re right, Mrs. Byun.” Eun Ri chuckled, “Then I’ll see you next time, Mrs. Byun.”

“Eun Ri!! Song Eun Ri!!” A loud noise interrupted the calm hall, making students turned their heads at the owner of the voice, which was the boy idolized by the girls in the school, Byun Baekhyun. But sadly, the girl he needed the most to turn head didn’t react the slightest bit at his voice. Which caused him a lot of frustration. “Eun Ri!!” He tried one more time in hope that this time it would succeed.

It didn’t.

Sighing heavily, finally Baekhyun took steps to get closer to the said girl who was in her own world (read: book), “Song Eun Ri!” He yelled right beside her, good God she reacted or Baekhyun would do another scandalous thing. I’ll let that sentence with your own imagination readers.

Eun Ri jumped a little out of surprise, as cool as she was, being yelled right on your ear was still a little bit surprising. “What?” She raised an eyebrow, a little bit irritated that her time got interrupted. Baekhyun gawked at her, “Didn’t you hear me when I was calling for your name like I’m out of my mind?” He ranted, annoyed.

“No.” Eun Ri replied without a hint of guilt. Nope, not even a little. Before Baekhyun could say another ranting sentence, she quickly cut him off, “What is it?”

This girl… Baekhyun took a deep breath before spitting out what he wanted to say, “My mom invites you for dinner tonight.” If other people heard what he said without knowing their history it probably sounded really intimate, but well, no, it wasn’t anything like that. Obviously they got closer because of that tutor-student thingy, but no they didn’t develop feelings more than that (yet). But Baekhyun’s mom was a different case though, Mrs. Byun really liked Eun Ri. Well Baekhyun could understand because she was really pleasant to be around with.

Eun Ri put on a sad face, she found it fun too to converse with the Byuns, but sadly, she couldn’t because that day, her mother was having her 40th birthday and of course she didn’t want to skip her mom’s special day. “Sorry, but I can’t go today.”

“Huh? Why?” Baekhyun blinked, “That means we don’t have tutoring session tod