Pretty Like Poetry | TAEJUN

"You don't even seem to need my help." Taehyun raised an eyebrow, leaning over slightly to look at Yeonjun's messy notes.

Yeonjun kept his eyes on his notebook, hiding a slight smile. "I realized where I messed up here; it's really Chemistry I need help with..." he mumbled, though he wasn't sure if it was true. Maybe needing help was just another excuse to get closer to Taehyun.

He bit down on his lip, debating the moral line he walked every time he used someone. Hurting people to protect others was a choice he'd made time and time again, even if it never got any easier. Somehow, his guilt only grew, pushing against his resolve to shield those he cared about, while letting others bear the weight of his choices. And now he was here, taking the same path with Taehyun.

Taehyun frowned at Yeonjun's book, mouthing the upside-down words of his messy handwriting. "Then why are we doing English?"

"So you can check if I'm right," Yeonjun replied, his voice coming out more distant than he intended. He had to keep things simple, keep the cracks of his facade from revealing through his voice. Too many people had been hurt for him to start letting his guard down now. He couldn't afford to.

"Oh... okay." Taehyun said, his tone faltering slightly at Yeonjun's sudden shortness.

Noticing the shift, Yeonjun looked up and raised an eyebrow, lips pressing together as he bit the inside of his cheek. He hadn't meant to come off so distant, but it was hard to focus on anything other than keeping his act together. The weight of his thoughts—of guilt and choices he kept making—threatened to creep into his voice.

Biting the inside of his cheek, he steadied himself, gauging how to pull Taehyun back from that awkward edge. He took a breath, forcing a casual tone. "How was your day?" he asked, voice light but careful, hoping a simple question would smooth things over.

Taehyun's brows relaxed slightly, though a hint of wariness lingered. "The first half was fine, but the last class..." he pouted, thinking back to the day's irritation.

"Oh, shoot. You had Mr. Anderson, didn't you?" Yeonjun nodded, instantly understanding Taehyun's misery. Mr. Anderson—aka one of the world's most horrid teachers.

"He threatened to keep us all back for half an hour over a lost pen lid," Taehyun muttered, rolling his eyes.

"Seriously?" Yeonjun's eyebrows shot up, genuine surprise breaking through his careful demeanor.

"Get this..." Taehyun paused, cracking open a can of soda Yeonjun had brought for them earlier. He took a sip, feeling the fizz prickle at his throat before taking a breath. "The whole time, it was on his desk."

Yeonjun shook his head in disbelief. "That's ridiculous! He's ridiculous!"

"I know, right?" Taehyun laughed, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "He's still a good teacher, though." It was Yeonjun's turn to nod in reluctant agreement.

"Honestly, I wish he wasn't. Maybe then he'd get fired, and we'd end up with someone who didn't breathe down our necks every class."

Taehyun snorted, looking down at his blank page, feeling his irritation toward Yeonjun waver. For a moment, he'd almost forgotten his dislike for him. But as soon as that thought crossed his mind, his resolve tightened again, and the flicker of warmth dissipated.

After a brief pause, Taehyun tapped his pen against the page. "Since you're still writing that practice essay, I'll jot down some points that helped me keep my A+. You can use it to remember what you need. Then I can read over what you've got so far."

Yeonjun nodded quickly, unfolding his arms and returning his focus to his book, determined to seem engaged.

A few minutes later, Yeonjun looked up. "That poetry book you recommended? I've been reading it—it's good so far." He smiled, glancing back down at his notes.

Taehyun's expression softened. "Yeah? It's one of my favorites."

"I used to read it a lot, especially when I felt down. I'd go on walks, take it with me, and somehow, it'd make everything seem better—like it connected me to the world." He paused, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "I had this spot at Phacelia Field Park...that place was beautiful."

Realizing how much he'd shared, Taehyun quickly looked back down at his notes, embarrassed at his openness. Sure, he liked talking to people, but with Yeonjun, caution was always necessary.

Yeonjun watched him with a gentle smile, oblivious to Taehyun's inner hesitation. "Sounds like you really love that place. I could tell from the way you lit up talking about it."

"I did," Taehyun replied, shrugging as he tried to sound indifferent. "Don't go now, though. Too far to walk, and I don't drive." He turned back to his page. "Maybe I'll go again someday."

Yeonjun gave a nod, looking thoughtful, then turned his book around and pushed it toward Taehyun.

"You're done?" Taehyun asked, slightly exasperated to see that Yeonjun had written four full pages for him to read.

After skimming the pages, Taehyun spoke up. "It's good, but I've noted some parts you should expand on or pose a contrasting point to show you can argue both ways."

Yeonjun's eyes flickered with appreciation as he watched Taehyun scan his pages, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Thanks," he said, leaning back with a stretch. "Guess I got a bit carried away."

Taehyun chuckled, tapping his pen on the table. "A bit?" He shook his head, but there was a hint of warmth in his eyes. "You really don't do things halfway, huh?"

Yeonjun shrugged, a smirk playing on his lips. "Hey, if I'm gonna try, might as well go all out." He paused, glancing at Taehyun's notes. "But this... it's really helpful. I mean, it's kind of a miracle you're putting up with me and my jumbled flow of ideas."

Taehyun rolled his eyes but couldn't fully hide his smile. "Just try not to write a whole novel next time. Although, I might actually read it all if it's under a hundred pages."

They both laughed, easing into a lighter rhythm, and for a moment, the tension between them dissolved.

Yeonjun's fingers danced over the pages of his book as he glanced up at Taehyun, who was lost in thought. "You really do have a way with words," Taehyun said, a hint of admiration in his tone. "It's impressive."

Yeonjun shrugged, trying to brush off the compliment, but a faint smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. "Just trying to keep up, you know?" He closed his notebook, a sense of finality settling in.

"No, but honestly, you're already so good, I don't know why you needed my help. You might just outshine me." Taehyun laughed.

"Don't get too cocky," Yeonjun teased, his eyes narrowing playfully as he regarded Taehyun from across the table. "Next time, you're going to have to help me figure out chemistry, or I might not survive."

"Deal," Taehyun replied, a light laugh escaping him. The tension from earlier had eased, replaced by a comfortable ease that was pleasantly unexpected between them.

With a final glance at his closed books, Taehyun stood up, the weight of the day slowly lifting. "I'll see you tomorrow then, Yeonjun."

"Yeah, see you!" Yeonjun waved as Taehyun headed for the door.

Once Taehyun was gone, Yeonjun felt a mixture of relief and lingering worry. He allowed himself a moment of quiet before his father knocked and stepped in.

"You know, you could easily be smarter than him..." his father said, arms folded, a serious tone creeping into his voice. Yeonjun felt his mood dip at the comparison.

"It's not a competition, Dad," he sighed, resting one hand on the stair railing, wishing his father would just back off.

"Of course, it is!" His father responded with a humorless chuckle. "Life's all competition. Don't fall behind."

Yeonjun mumbled to himself as he headed up the stairs, "Right... better to be miserable and barely meet anyone's expectations than just be satisfied with trying."

His father's voice echoed after him. "Don't be like that, Yeonjun. What you're saying is ridiculous. Grow up."

"Nice talk, Dad." Yeonjun's door shut, not with a slam but firm enough to signal his irritation.