☁️☁️

i told jungkook to stop the car after seeing those two at the roadside. jeon ji-hyo and kang daniel, what are they doing?

holding hands like that?

i lowered the window and looked at them suspiciously, giving side eyes.

"what are you two doing?" i asked.

"n-nothing...j-ji-hyo said something went into her eye, so i was helping her..." daniel stuttered. both of them never look at me.

"oh, really? would you like a ride home?" i internally laughed at them.

"no, it's okay..."

"no, no. we'll take you...get in..."

the car ride was silent. i looked through the rearview mirror just to see ji-hyo and daniel's blushing face.

i guess thing went well.

"do the two of you always go to school and go home together?" jungkook suddenly asked, breaking the silence.

"huh...ah...well..." ji-hyo tried to give her reason.

"we didn't for a little while, but we should be going forward." daniel cut her off.

but why...jungkook looked so...grumpy?

"kang daniel, ji-hyo is too youn-"

"jungkook. what should we eat for dinner?" i sweetly smiled at him. he shouldn't say anything about their relationship.

they've been through a lot.

"whatever you want to eat." he smiled back with burning cheeks.

"really? well, there is something that i do want to eat..."

"what is it? if there's something doo-jool's wants, i'll get it." he said, enthusiastically.

"you probably won't be able to." i teased him.

"you don't believe me? there hasn't been anything that i haven't been able to..."

"peaches. i want to eat peaches, but they're not in season yet."

"uncle jungkook, your baby's nickname is doo-jool? that's so weird." ji-hyo suddenly said.

weird?!

ji-hyo, you really stabbed me in the heart this time.

"what's wrong with doo-jool? we have no plans to change the nickname, so just let it go, jeon ji-hyo." jungkook asked, after seeing the changes on my face.

"ms. park, try to convince him to change it. it's so weird." she said.

"why? i l-like it."

"of all pretty nicknames, how could you have gone with 'doo-jool'? it's really weird. oh before i forget, is it true that the place we're going for our class trip has a swimming pool?" she asked.

the class trip?

"yeah. mr. jeong already went to scope out the place and put in a request to fill the pool with water, so we could use it." i nodded.

"wow! really?!"

"weren't you kids just grumbling about how we were going to such a lame place?"

"i didn't...the girls are super excited about going on this trip since our gym teacher is going too!" she laughed.

"gym teacher? mr. jeong?" daniel asked.

jungkook suddenly stopped the car in the middle of the road. luckily, this road is not busy with cars. what is he even thinking?

"why'd you stop all of a sudden?" i curiously asked.

"is mr. jeong the teacher i saw with you in front of the school?" jungkook asked.

why? he never been this interested about my school life before.

"yes, that's right. why do you ask?"

he turned to look at me, "so you're going on the school trip together with him?"

huh? what's wrong with that?

"yes, he's coming with us as the secondary teacher-chaperone."

i got no response from jungkook after that and he continued to drive.

"ji-hyo, do you like that gym teacher too?" i heard daniel asked ji-hyo at the back.

"mr. jeong? i guess he's pretty cool. he's athletic, tall, and good looking." ji-hyo described.

"i'm athletic too. i bet i'm also taller than he is. and that's your idea of good-looking?" he scoffed.

"i'm just saying, sheesh."

"so do you like him or not?"

"i don't not like him, but i don't like him either. besides, i don't have time to like mr. jeong. someone...asked me to look at him, so i'm busy doing that."

i silently watched both ji-hyo and daniel being all lovey-dovey at the back. their flushed faces made me smile all alone.

they're so cute. high-school romance was always something i wanted to try.

but, what is wrong with my husband's sullen face?

-

"bye!"

"thank you, bye!"

i waved at ji-hyo and daniel as soon as they got off from the car.

now it's just the two of us in the car. why didn't he say anything since earlier?

i turned to look at him, "are you mad about something, jungkook?"

"no." he plainly said, continued to drive the car.

what's up with him?

even after arriving home, he immediately got out of the car and left me alone behind. i quickened my pace and softly grabbed his arm.

"did something make you mad?" i asked.

"no." he sighed.

really?

"well, if you aren't mad, then..." i let go of his arm and walked fast forward, leaving him behind.

it took a few seconds for him to called me back, "chaeyoung, can you not go on that class trip?"

okay, so this is what has been playing in his mind since earlier.

"what? of course, i have to go." i turned around, facing him.

"but long car rides aren't good for you..."

huh?

"you were there when the doctor told us that the pregnancy is safe now."

"but still, you're pregnant. you shouldn't have to go."

but, why?

"what about my kids?" i asked. they were already so happy after this trip was announced. why would i cancel it just because i was pregnant?

"there are other teachers that can take over for you though. if i put a word with principal kang..."

here he goes again.

"jungkook. don't talk about my work like it's meaningless and easy." i furrowed.

i clearly can see how shocked he was by my statement.

"why would you say that? you know that's not what i meant." he exclaimed.

"if you're worried about doo-jool, don't be. i'm being careful."

"i know that. i know...but do you really have to go?" he sighed once again.

"yes." i am confident in my decision.

"your students are high schoolers. it shouldn't matter who takes them on their school trip." jungkook said, not looking at me.

"i know that, but i'm their homeroom teacher. i don't want to leave my kids in the hands of someone else. you seemed fine with it when i mentioned the trip earlier, so what changed all of a sudden? i want to make good memories with my students since it could be my last..." i softly said before he cut me off.

"it's not just your students who are going, that's the problem."

huh?

"what do you mean by that?" i asked.

jungkook walked past by me and said, "forget it. let's stop talking about it. just do what you want."

"i've already told you that i'm going." and i'm not going to change my mind.

what's wrong with him?

i thought he wanted me to be respected as a teacher.

-

☁️☁️

i looked at my wife poking the meal in front of her. she doesn't eat as much as usual. i know how foodie she is.

"you should eat some rice too." i told her.

"i'll eat what i want to eat." she coldly said.

she's giving a silent treatment because of what happened at the basement.

i didn't mean to make her mad.

should i just apologise?

but...

maybe i should just tell her it's that gym teacher i'm concerned about.

mr. jeong, the man who confessed his feelings for chaeyoung.

i gritted my teeth.

chaeyoung and i haven't even gone on a trip together yet, but for her to go on one first with the gym teacher? i can't let that happen.

i slammed the chopstick on the table, making chaeyoung flinced.

she looked at me annoyingly, and copied my action, made me even more confused.

she stood up from her seat, "i'm done eating."

that night, we slept separately. not in a separate room.

no cuddle before sleep. no sweet goodnight talk.

it's like there's a clear barrier between us.

why doesn't she understand where i'm coming from?

does chaeyoung care about her students more than me?

i'm so disappointed.

-

☁️☁️

that night was a hell for me.

why did he get more mad?

aren't i the one who should be upset right now?

i don't understand.

we didn't speak with each other for two days. two days until the class trip.

and right now, i just watched jungkook took out my luggage from the car booth.

so awkward.

if we say our goodbyes like this...we won't get to see each other for two nights and three days.

i followed him to the school gate from behind.

he stopped and turned around, wanting to say something before i go.

"have a..." he sighed and looked at the other side. he must have be really upset with me.

i clasped his hand in mine.

i can't let him go like this.

the tears already pooled in my eyes.

"i'll see you in..." my voice stuck. i felt like crying.

jungkook sighed and immediately caged me in a warm, tight hug.

"chaeyoung. i'm sorry i got mad..." he said.

"jungkook. me too...i'm sorry too..." i replied.

"i was just being selfish. this isn't your fault." he loosened the hug.

"what?" i asked.

"forget it. you should go before i weaken and ask you to stay. have a safe trip."

"are we all right now? did we just make up?" i looked at him in the eyes.

"was that even a fight? i'll wait for you. don't worry and come back safely."

"i will."

he softly brushed my hair, "i love you. no matter what happens in the future, i want you to remember that it's because i'm greedy for you. all right?"

"pardon?"

"it's getting late. i should go. i'll call you."

he immediately left for work.

what did he mean by that?

-

i looked at the person in front of me, emotionless.

"ms. park, smile! awww, come one! smile, please! chairman jeon would be sad to see you like this. come on! you should smile for the camera this time. you look so pretty! where should i take a picture of you next?" jisoo has been taking my pictures with her phone the whole ever since we arrived an hour ago.

could this be what he meant about being selfish?