Chapter 11

The tap of her pencil was the only sound in the quiet study room. She was concentrating hard not to be seen that she was actually stealing glances towards him. Minho who was unaware that Hyerin was not really concentrating on her work was still seriously putting on all his attention to Hyerin workbook questions. He was trying to make the explanation of the work to Hyerin in such a way that she would not be confused by it. It was their tutoring session as usual on their weekdays after school.

The tutoring session was done due to Mr. and Mrs. Kim who wanted to make sure Hyerin would not fall into the footsteps of her two “dependable” brothers, who never passed the average grade in their studies. Since Hyerin was naturally a person who likes to read and quite a studious person, Mr. and Mrs. Kim found it as a chance for them to make sure she could do very well in school in terms of academic. They wanted Hyerin to be their child prodigy since they wanted Hyerin to be a very educated young lady.

What a better way to make sure that Hyerin have a proper boost to her education than a tutor who could pay attention to only teach her and pay attention to her alone? So Mr. and Mrs. Kim came up with the idea to have Hyerin be tutored every weekday after school. They initially wanted to ask Jinki to help Hyerin by being her tutor but Jonghyun who found out about it rejected the idea. He said that it would surely be another burden to Jinki since he was already busy with Mr. Lee who was already training him to lead the Blue Dragon and The Pack.

Kibum then had the idea of having Minho as the tutor instead of Jinki since Minho wouldn’t be as busy as Jinki and he was the next person who was good in his study among the six of them after Jinki. Mr. and Mrs. Kim agreed to take Minho as the tutor for Hyerin. Thus begins the days of Hyerin being tutored by Minho.
Hyerin lifted her eyes from her workbook again to steal a glance at Minho when Minho suddenly lifted his head from a copy of Hyerin’s workbook. The sudden motion startled her that her pencil slipped from her hand. The pencil dropped on top of Hyerin’s workbook. Minho looked at the pencil and calmly took it. He handed the pencil to Hyerin.

“You’re quite jittery today Hyerin. You are usually concentrating hard on your work. But today, your mind seems to be somewhere else. Do you have a problem in school perhaps?” Minho asked, concerned with Hyerin’s unusual behaviour that day.

Hyerin was surprised that Minho actually took notice that there was something off with her. She quickly thought of some excuse so that Minho wouldn’t know the true cause of her lack of attention towards her study.

“Emm, yeah oppa. Ehem, I.. I have a little problem at school.” Hyerin tried to sound serious. Taking the excuse that Minho was assuming, even though she had no trouble whatsoever in school at all.

“Cheongmalyo? What is it that was troubling you Hyerin? Is it the homework or maybe some guys were pestering you again?” He said with a somewhat hard voice at the end of the sentence.

“Ah, aniya Minho oppa. There were no guys that were pestering me at all. How can there be when the last time there was one, Jonghyun oppa and Kibum oppa practically dragged him and punched him into oblivion? There were no guys that were brave enough to even be near me again.” Sighed Hyerin. “I wondered if I would ever be able to find someone as my future partner.” Hyerin mumbled softly while resuming her tapping of the pencil.

Upon hearing Hyerin’s mumbled statement, Minho unconsciously tensed up from it. His gripped on the copied workbook hardened. 

Why would I care if Hyerin was looking for a boyfriend? Well, of course I care. I wouldn’t want her to hook up with a low life guys which are as many as the fish in the sea. Yeah, I am very concerned about it just as Jonghyun hyung and Kibum are concerned about the guys that wanted to be friend with Hyerin. It’s just like an oppa concern for his dongsaeng. Yeah, that’s it. Thought Minho.

“So,” Minho said and cleared his throat, “You actually have someone in mind for your future partner that you were mumbling?” Minho finished his sentence.

Hyerin looked at Minho, her tapping of the pencil stopped. 

Ah, I’m dead. Did Minho oppa hear me say that? Argh, how am I supposed to say that I am actually beginning to see him in a different light than before? It would be so awkward. Why did my mouth needs to say those things in front of him? Hyerin thought while unconsciously bringing her hand to . 

If I am to say that I have someone in mind in school or anywhere at all, I know that Jonghyun oppa and Kibum oppa somehow will know about it, and I would be in trouble. I still couldn’t forget how they took care of the guy who was trying to have a go at me. I mean, suit him right to want to force me to have a date with him when I clearly didn’t want to. But still, I wouldn’t want to make those two brothers of mine lift a hand.

“Ah Minho oppa, why do we have to talk about this anyway?” Hyerin asked and laughed it off. “Emm, I actually have trouble with this question.” Hyerin said while pointing to a random question in her workbook. 

Minho looked at the question that Hyerin pointed out then furrowed his eyebrows together. “You have a trouble with the question ‘How did human reproduced?’” Minho asked Hyerin innocently and with a little smile at the corner of his mouth.

Hyerin’s eyes opened wide and looked at the question that she pointed out. True enough, the question was clearly stated “How did human reproduced? Write a scientific essay on how human reproduced their off-spring.” 

Hyerin’s face went red with embarrassment. She tried to will her face to not flame up but it just didn’t work. Her fair complexion made it much more visible. She opened up to reply to Minho who was trying hard not to burst out into laughter. She took a glance at a red-faced Minho for trying to hold it in. Upon seeing him acted like that made her took a deep breath and calmed herself down.

“Well oppa, as a matter of fact I don’t think I paid close attention towards Kang seongsaenim’s explanation about how human reproduced. I mean, the process is just too vague for me to understand. I am sure that you could explain it to me much more clearly, right Minho oppa.” Hyerin said with an innocent smile towards Minho.

Now, it was Minho’s turn to open and close his mouth for the lack of speech. He didn’t expect Hyerin to turn the table to him. He was trying hard to think of something to get out from the situation when Hyerin finally burst out laughing. He was rendered speechless again at how Hyerin could easily laughed it all off. Before he could say something to Hyerin, the door of the big study room in the Red Phoenix mansion was opened by Key.

He poked his head inside and saw Hyerin was laughing out loud whereas Minho was seen to be shocked while staring at Hyerin. The scene caused Key’s curiosity to rise up.

“Well well well. What do we have here? I thought Minho was supposed to tutor you Hyerin. What is this that you two were doing? I didn’t see that you are doing your work at all.” Key said while sauntering in the vast room which was bright with the sun light shone from the outside the tall windows.

Minho glanced at Key and suddenly thought of something.

“Ah Kibum. You arrived just in the most perfect timing.” Minho said with a grin and stood up to pat Key’s back.

“I do?” Key asked. “Well, of course I do. I always arrived at the crucial time.” Key said with a somewhat pompous smile.

Hyerin’s laughter subsided when she saw Minho’s grin. She sensed that something was up with Minho which warned her to be careful. It was always like that with the rest of The Pack. She was naturally a quiet person who didn’t talk much and would prefer to be alone in a library or just stay silent when people were talking. But somehow, it was not so around the members of The Pack. They just won’t let you be as quiet as you want to be. There was always an incident that made her spoke up, just like before and apparently at that exact moment.

“Emm, did he?” Hyerin asked cautiously.

Minho glanced at Hyerin and winked at her. “Of course he did. I mean, who would be the perfect person to teach you about that subject other than your own Kibum oppa neh.” He said with a wide grin.

Hyerin who understood perfectly what Minho was trying to say stood up from her chair. “Ah, aniya. Umm, I mean I understand the question perfectly Minho oppa. You know, Kibum oppa doesn’t have to explain it to me at all.” Hyerin said with a forced smile plastered on her face.

Key looked at Minho and Hyerin questioningly. Then he waved his hand in front of him, “Now stop it you two. If this involved with Hyerin doesn’t understand a question that obviously I could explain to her well, of course I am honoured to do that. Now, where is the question?” Key asked while picking up Minho’s copy of Hyerin’s workbook and started to peruse the questions inside.

“Well, if you would kindly read question number 14, you will find it quite entertaining to explain Kibum.” Minho said and took a few steps backward from Key.

Key was seriously reading the question then his face reddened up. It was really funny to see Key getting flustered. He slowly put down the workbook on the table then faced Hyerin who was now looking anywhere but at her brother. She was totally embarrassed by the situation at hand.

Key cleared his throat loudly. “Well, what an interesting question you have there Hyerin.” He said slowly.

“Neh oppa.” Hyerin said in a small voice.

Key gulped down his saliva then cleared his throat again. “I did say I can explain it to you well. So, you see. Ehem, human reproduced by...” Key started to explain but was interrupt by a loud noise at the door.

“Yah Kibum, Hyerin, Minho ah. Come and let’s have some pizza. Jinki and I just bought it and we can eat it together.” Jonghyun shouted then entered in the room with Jinki close behind him.

Hyerin’s eyes opened even wider than before. She was really panicking with two more of The Pack members were there. It could turn out really embarrassing for all of them. 

Please let the subject drop. Please let the subject drop. Argh. Everything backfired to me. This is unfair. How could Minho oppa do this to me? I am stupid to even think of him as someone that I might be interested with. I grew up with these boys all my life. It’s impossible to have that kind of feeling towards any of them. Except my two oppa deul of course. I love them to the end as my beloved brothers. Argh! This is the end for me. I wouldn’t be able to face them anymore.

Key looked at Jonghyun with relief washed over him. He could pass the responsibility to the eldest to do the explaining to Hyerin.

“Ah Jonghyun hyung. I have never been happier to see you in this room. Today of all days, you finally manage to do something right.” Key said with a wide smile on his face. 

“Why thank you Kibum ah. But from your attitude I know you have something on your sleeves. What is it this time?” Jonghyun said cautiously. He understood Key too well to fall into his trap. Though he fell to Key’s trap more than anyone in The Pack had been.

“Nothing. Why would you say that anyway. Don’t you want to help Hyerin in her education hyung?” Key said with mock seriousness that was lost to Jonghyun. When it came to Hyerin everything was serious for Jonghyun.

“Hyerin? She has problems in her studies? That’s what Minho for in tutoring her right. Why couldn’t he do it?” Jonghyun said a bit puzzled by the situation.

For once, Jonghyun had said something that was logical to them.

“*Majayo. Why couldn’t you explain it Minho?” Key said while looking at Minho.

“Well isn’t it more appropriate for the two of you as the brother to tell that to your own sister?” Minho countered back.

“What is it that both of you couldn’t do it anyway?” Jonghyun asked while putting the pizza box on top of the study table and took Hyerin’s workbook.

“Oppa, you don’t have to..” Hyerin tried to take back her book, but Jonghyun just turned his back on her and went to Key.

“Which question is it?” Jonghyun asked.

“Here you go.” Key said while pointing the question to Jonghyun with a smirked.

Jinki who was curious at what was the question that made the two guys reluctant to explain to Hyerin, read the questions with Jonghyun.

After a few seconds, both Jonghyun and Jinki looked at each other and begin to the book back and forth to each other. Neither one wanted to do it. After a while of the little play of the two eldest of The Pack, Hyerin finally couldn’t take it anymore and stomped up to Jonghyun and Jinki. 

She grabbed her book from them and said, “Stop it already. I know how human reproduced their offspring okay. You would need a male and a female to have at the right day out of the menstruation cycle of the female in order for the to penetrate into the fertile ovum. That is how you explain it scientifically, as the question asked.” 

Everybody was stunned into silence at Hyerin’s bold statement of her scientific explanation of two people of the opposite having ual that led up to the human production inadvertently. Minho just stood at the back with a fist on his mouth to stop himself from laughing out loud. The scene was just priceless. To have the opportunity to see the Kim brothers and Jinki in that awkward situation was something to be treasured.

“If you would excuse me gentlemen, I believe my session with Minho oppa has just finished. Enjoy your pizza. I would be going back to my room.” Hyerin said with her head held high. It was one of the things that she learnt from her two brothers. No matter how the situation might be, held your head high with confidence even if you did not feel so. With that said and done, she bowed to her oppa deul and walked out of the room; leaving the three people stood rooted to their place while Minho just eyed her from the corner of his eyes and a smile on his lips.


***


To be contined...


A/N:
*Majayo = Right/Correct/True

Annyeong readers...
It's really had been 2 months since my last update. Things have settled a bit and I am able to update again. Though I may not be able to update very frequently but I think I can update at least twice a month. 
First of all let me greet you guys. HAPPY NEW YEAR 2012. I can't believe that another has past by. It seems that time really past by very fast neh. It just seems like not long before that I started GB.
I hope each and everyone of you have an enjoyable Christmas and New Year celebration no matter how busy you get.
Thank you so much for your support! 
In this chapter update, it’s Minho and Hyerin highlights. How was it? Do you find it interesting? Hehe. What an awkward question to have landed in for all of them right. I hope that you find in amusing for this chapter and enjoy it.
By the way, I have posted a one shot fic. If you guys are interested what's the one shot about, feel free to read it. Wish. Just click on it and you will be directed to the fic. 

Love,
onewjjang