A Lesson Learnt
Fiction CollectionGazing dreamily at the moving figure in front of the classroom, Kevin unconsciously let out a small sigh, admiring the black haired male.
"Kevin?"
Kevin only woke up from his daydreaming when his name was called repeatedly. "Huh?"
"Were you listening in class?" The teacher asked.
"Yeah, yeah I was." Kevin lied, although not very convincingly.
Ignoring the hesitation and uncertainness in Kevin's tone, the teacher continued asking, "So do you want to answer my question?"
Question? What question? A panic-stricken Kevin thought to himself, expression showing a complete blank. Luckily for him, the teacher repeated the said question. "What literature device did the poet use to convey the strong feelings of negativity in the poem?"
Kevin paused for a moment to think of an answer but nothing came to mind. "Uhm... imagery?"
Judging from the sniggers eliciting from the class, he guessed his answer was wrong.
"It's alliteration." The teacher corrected, smiling warmly at him even.
Kevin flashed a quick smile, before sinking back into his seat.
Minutes later, the school bell rang and the class excitedly packed their bags and filed out of the classroom. All, except Kevin who walked to the teacher with small and awkward steps.
"Mr Kim?" He called out softly, tugging the hem of his own shirt.
The older male looked up from his laptop and smiled, "Yes, Kevin?"
"Uhm... I was thinking... if you could give me extra help or something." Kevin stuttered shyly, before adding on. "Since my literature is so awful."
Mr Kim thought for it for a while before agreeing to it. Face brightening up instantly, Kevin thanked him profusely and skipped out of class.
Mr Kim raised his brows before letting out a small laugh at Kevin's strange behaviour.
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Saturday soon came and the two met punctually at a local library.
"Mr Kim, I.."
"It's not school curriculum now, you don't have to be so formal. Just call me Kibum." Kibum interrupted.
"Oh, okay. Kibum," Kevin tested out the new way of addressing him awkwardly. Taking out a piece of paper, he placed it in front of Kibum. "I don't get the poet's message."
Patiently, Kibum explained every detail, pointing out key points and noting the literature devices used. Though listening attentively, Kevin couldn't help but sneak peeks at Kibum occasionally, admiring how he looked so good when concentrating like that.
"Oh, it's already 10pm. I guess I should let you go now." Kibum said after checking his watch.
Nodding, Kevin packed his belongings and stood up from his seat. "Thank you for the help, Kibum."
As Kevin walked away, a sudden grip on his wrist pulled him back. "Wait, it's late, let me drive you home."
"No, it's okay, I'm fine." Kevin refused politely, a rosy pink shade washing over his cheeks.
Ignoring Kevin's refusal, Kibum dragged him to the library's carpark anyway. "I don't want anything to happen to my students."
The car ride has been less awkward than expected, with Kibum starting the conversations and Kevin responding to them enthusiastically. Soon, Kevin felt comfortable enough talking to Kibum, as though the two were just friends and not a student-teacher relationship.
Arriving at Kevin's house, Kevin thanked Kibum for the ride, getting out the car. Kevin had to take deep breaths to calm his wildly palpitating heart and burning cheeks.
How could his first crush be his teacher?
Every Saturday had been the same for the next few weeks, with both of them meeting up at the library and Kibum fetching him home afterwards. Their relationship had definitely gotten closer, and Kevin wondered if it was enough to break through the barrier of their statuses.
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"Good job, Kevin." A voice sudden said, causing Kevin to look up from his textbook.
Kibum placed a piece of paper on Kevin's desk, smiling, before walking away to start the day's lesson.
Picking up the piece of paper, joy overwhelmed Kevin as he saw an 'A' written in red at the top right hand corner of his exam script. Directing his vision to Kibum, he smiled brightly at him, eyes naturally forming crescents.
After class, Kevin hopped to the teacher's table. "Mr Kim, are you free this Saturday?"
"Your next exam is 3 months away, I don't think you need that much practice now." Kibum replied, shutting his laptop's lid.
"I know. I wanted to ask you out for dinner. You know, for helping me get an A and all." Kevin looked at him expectantly, worried he would refuse.
"Sure." Kibum's reply was almost immediate, and Kevin couldn't hide his joy when he jumped up and down on the spot.
"See you on Saturday then!" He beamed, running out of the class.
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Kevin regretted staying back in school one Tuesday, because then he wouldn't have to witness what he hoped he never saw.
Kevin dropped his books to the ground when he saw a couple lip-locking in the school's carpark. Not just any couple, but the man the girl was passionately kissing was his teacher.
Kibum.
Mr Kim Kibum.
Unable to contain the lump forming at his throat and the tears welling up in his eyes, he turned around, running in the opposite direction, not caring if anyone in the school caught him like this. Tears freely cascaded down his cheeks as he ran out of the school, catching his breath while leaning against an empty bus stop nearby.
To think he stood a chance with Kibum when he accepted his dinner date offer. Blame it on his stupidity, blame it on his naiveness for mistaking Kibum's kindness as liking.
What was he thinking?
Kibum was his teacher, and they were both guys. What could happen between them? Maybe if he wasn't so hopeful in the beginning, he wouldn't fall this hard now. The higher you hope, the harder you fall and Kevin's fall broke all his bones and unfortunately, kept his heart beating, which served as a constant reminder of his pain with every pump.
If only he had watched on, then he wouldn't had missed Kibum pushing the other female away a second later.
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"Can anybody tell me what's the poet's tone in this stanza?" Kibum looked around the class. Getting no reply from the quiet classroom, he called, "Kevin?"
The class turned around to look at where Kevin supposedly sat only to find the seat empty.
Kevin is not in school today? Kibum thought, but quickly dimissed it and continued with his lesson.
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To Kibum's relief, Kevin was present in school the next day. However, the sight of Kevin's head being attached to his table disturbed him greatly.
"Kevin." His strict tone caused the atmosphere in the classroom to thicken all of a sudden.
His words had no effect on Kevin though, who was still fast asleep on his desk. Only when Kevin's table mate tapped him repeatedly, did he awoke from his slumber. Ruffling his hair, Kevin glanced around with his half-lidded eyes, unaware of the current situation.
"Does my lesson bore you?" Kibum asked sternly, folding his arms.
Stretching his body, Kevin muttered under his breath, "Maybe."
"What did you say?"
"Nothing." Kevin replied, "Continue with your lesson, Mr Kim."
"Stay back later, we need to have a talk." Kibum instructed, resuming his lesson.
At the end of the lesson, Kevin hurriedly grabbed his bag, making an escape through the back door. The last thing he wanted to do was to talk to Ki- Mr Kim.
Seeing Kevin leave the classroom, Kibum shouted his name as he walked towards Kevin. To his dismay, Kevin already disappeared into the crowd of students flooding the hallways. He let out a sigh, returning to the teacher's table.
A week passed and Kibum sighed in disappointment when he scanned through the classroom. Kevin was absent today. Again. He hadn't seen a trace of that boy for days now and it puzzled him.
Where did he go? Kibum thought frustratedly.
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Inhaling slowly, Kevin took another puff of his cigarette, watching a white cloud form before him as he slowly exhaled. Before he could take another puff, his cigarette was roughly snatched away from behind.
Tossing the unfinished cigarette to the ground, Kibum gave him a dead panned look. Despite it being at night, Kevin saw it crystal clear.
"What?" Kevin's stared back into Kibum eyes, unafraid and distant.
"Why are you doing this?" Kibum took a step closer while Kevin stood still in his spot.
"And why do you care?" Though seeming like a retort, he secretly wanted an answer to this.
However, Kibum's answer bit his heart, stinging it tremendously. "Your parents are worried about you. I'm your teacher, I have the responsibility to-"
"So you came just because of my parents?" Kevin let out a dry laugh, "How about you? Are you worried? Do you care?"
The sudden question caused Kibum to pause, unable to give an immediate reply. "I-"
Shaking his head, Kevin laughed bitterly as he blinked back the tears threatening to fall. "It's okay, you have other students to worry about. What makes me so special?"
With slow steps, Kevin retreated slowly, before turning back, walking away in the other direction. He bit his lower lip as hard as he could, wanting the pain on his lips to overshadow the pain in his heart.
A strong force held his shoulder, spinning him around as he felt a pair of lips attaching onto his. Tightly circling his arms around Kevin's waist, Kibum pulled him closer, tongue darting into Kevin's mouth.
Slowly closing his initially widely opened eyes, Kevin's arms found their way to Kibum's neck, wrapping around it as he eagerly returned the kiss.
Their fervent kiss stopped abruptly when Kevin pushed Kibum's shoulder, pulling away. Looking into Kibum's eyes, he tried to search for an answer as to what the kiss meant.
"If only you weren't my student. Then I wouldn't have keep my feelings for you to myself." He whispered, answering the unsaid question.
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Note: Crappily written but whatever. Happy New Year everyone~
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