Brrrrr-ring. School bell rings.

Students getting ready and sitting in their seats. Teacher enters class.

Teacher: Good morning.

Students: Good morning.

Teacher: I’m going to take role, so sit in your seats.

After taking attendance, Teacher Kim decides to have a small talk with his students.

Teacher: As you all know, this is your last year of high school. Therefore, you all should do your best. Your grades follow you until the day you graduate. If you guys ever need help, you have your friends to study with. Please ask questions if you ever need help. Don’t hesitate. We have about three more months left, then exams and winter break will be here. So, please keep working hard.

Students: Yes, Teacher Kim~!

Teacher: Great. Let’s get started.

Teacher Kim opens his textbook.

Teacher: Please take out your textbook and start reading from page 56 to page 60. After that, finish this worksheet that I’m going to hand out.

The teacher starts passing the worksheets to each row as the students take one and pass it down.

 

After finish reading and finishing the worksheets, the class was getting ready to go over the worksheet.

Teacher: So, does anyone want to read?

No students answered. The teacher looks around and sees Tae Hyeong and Ju Hyeok sleeping.

Teacher: Ya! AHN TAE HYEONG! LEE JU HYEOK!

They both quickly woke up, and acted like they were working on the worksheet.

Teacher: Why don’t you, Ahn Tae Hyeong, read for the class?

Taehyeong quickly looks up, pointing to himself.

Tae Hyeong: M-m-me? Haha. I can’t—

Teacher: Read!

Tae Hyeong slowly gets up from his seat holding onto his book while hundreds of eyes are on him.

Tae Hyeong: Hi. Mai—neimeu ijeu…Beu-beu-Beurandeun?...Beurah…deon? Ah, that’s right! Beurahdeon. (chuckles) Mai mahdeo ijeu ay dakteo. Swi— [Hi. My name is Brandon. My mother is doctor. She—]

Teacher cuts Tae Hyeong.

Teacher: Can you not pronounce things better? Are you not studying English often?

Tae Hyeong chuckles. He scratches his head. “I’m sorry. Haha. I’m not an English speaker, so…I can’t help it.”

Teacher: You need to study more often. Nst. You know how important English is. You’re not improving one bit. Nst, nst. Who wants to read instead?

A student named Yeon Hwa raises her hand.

Yeon Hwa: I will read.

Tae Hyeong sits back down, while Yeon Hwa stand up from her seat and reads.

 

School has ended. Deung-deung-deung-deung~

Teacher: Make sure you guys study hard! Don’t forget that you guys have an English test on Wednesday!

The students quickly pack their stuff home and put up their chairs on the desk.

 

Seonu, Ju Hyeok, and Tae Hyeong all walking together to home.

Seonu: Tae Hyeong!~ You’re so embarrassing~ Haha.

Tae Hyeong: Shut up! Just because you’re smart.

Ju Hyeok: That’s right. You’re so embarrassing. You couldn’t even read something that simple.

Tae Hyeong: You were just lucky that Teacher Kim didn’t call on you, or else you could have embarrassed yourself big time, too.

Seonu: Where’s Se Chan?

Ju Hyeok: Music practice.

Tae Hyeong: That bastard is always ditching us for music.

Seonu: Ya~ Don’t say that about our Sechan. He’s just very passionate.

 

Another Day at School

Teacher Kim enters the classroom.

Teacher: Class has started. Be quiet. I have already graded your English tests from Wednesday. As I call your name, please come get your paper.

Teacher Kim opens the folder and starts calling the students’ name.

Teacher: Kangwoo.

Teacher: Suji.

Teacher: Maru.

After Teacher Kim finishes passing out the test papers back, Taehyeong raises his hand.

Teacher: What, Taeheyong?

Taehyeong: Teacher, where’s my test?

Teacher: Who knows. Did you ditch class again?

Taeheyong: I was definitely there on that day.

Teacher: See me after class please.

 

After class ended Taehyeong stayed behind to see Teacher Kim.

Taehyeong: Why did you ask for me to stay back?

Teacher Kim pulls out Taehyeong’s test paper.

Taehyeong: Teacher Kim! How?

Teacher: You failed again! Are you not studying???

Taehyeong lowers his head. “Sorry, Teacher Kim. I really tried, but it’s too hard.”

Teacher: You really have to keep on pushing. If you don’t do well, I’m afraid you can’t graduate. You have to keep on trying.

Taehyeong: Yes, Teacher Kim. Thank you. I will make sure to study.

 

Later that day, Tae Hyeong went straight home. He normally goes to PC Bang to play games or does other things.

Mom: Oh, son! You’re home. First time.

Tae Hyeong walks pass by his mother. He goes into his bedroom and throws his book bag on the floor. He throws himself on the bed. He deeply sighs and turns and tosses. Tae Hyeong thought about what Teacher Kim said. Teacher Kim told him that if he doesn’t do well, then he cannot graduate. His English skill is very poor. Although Tae Hyeong is not the type to worry about his grades, somehow, this really bothered him. He felt like he had to do something about it.

Tae Hyeong gets up from his bed and picks up his backpack. He goes to his desk and sits down. He opens his book bag and takes out his English test that he failed on. He stared at the test and started ripping it into pieces.

 

 

Author's note: Sorry that chapter 1 is not interesting. Please continue to read the next chapter. ^^~