#para coffee notes
it takes a while for her to get her drink, busy morning and all, but she manages to get her drink without having to confront a barista. it’s not like she was going to unleash her usual
kingqueen kang wrath on them. as a minimum wage employee herself, she knew the struggleof customers blaming everything on her. she takes a sip and there’s no issue with her drink, so she makes her way to the strange boy’s table and takes the chair across from him as her seat. as she puts her drink and workbook down on the table, she opens her bag and grabs her pencil pouch before closing it and putting it behind her chair, the straps holding onto the chair by hanging on them. “who are you, by the way?” she asks. “you never introduced yourself. kinda wanna know who you are if you’re going to tutor me.” she could’ve been a little more polite when asking for his name, but she doesn’t notice it being toorude, so she goes with it.
As he mentally prepares himself for his “student,” Jaemin reminisces about high school. It hasn’t been that long since he was in it but it still feels like ages ago. He barely can remember what math class he took in grade 10. Regardless, it isn’t the classes that he remembers; it’s the people. Falling into a clique was seamless for Jaemin, due to his innate desire to please and be the center of attention. His boisterous personality definitely brought the other loud-mouthed kids to his social circle but Jaemin was and still is a competitive nerd. With parents that are both in the medical field, he had to work hard and get the best grades, no matter the cost. This certainly led to some rivalries and enemies. Luckily, none of those enemies from high school have come forward yet to seek their revenge.
Popping out of his thought bubble, Jaemin sits up straighter and turns his attention to the younger girl. While she takes out her things, Jaemin scans her over. With her clear skin, round face, and perfect hair, a pang hits his chest. Is this really what high schoolers look like nowadays? They look like babies! Such a cute baby face but then suddenly… a sharp personality. Jaemin at first thinks his “student” is being rude to her old “teacher,” but then reminisces once again to his high school days. He tried to appease everyone, even if they were weird, to benefit himself. Somehow, this girl’s honest, brash remarks are more respectable than his secretly selfish flattery from back then. Either way, this girl is an intimidating high schooler!
“I’m Na Jaemin,” he casually responds, brushing off the informality from the other. He thinks about extending his hand for a handshake, but then decides not to. Being relatable is what’s going to get this student on her good side, right? “I’m a Computer Science major at SKKU. I’ve been there for about two years now, which is crazy. Feels like just yesterday I was in your shoes!” Hoping to get a little information to work with, he quizzes the girl. “What about you? What’s your name? Tell me about yourself.” That last request is always the worst so he revises his request. “Or better yet, tell me what you want to do after high school. Do you know yet?” Whatever this girl answers, he already knows she’s going to be a beast at it. Confidence like hers takes people to far places. Hopefully he can at least be a stepping stone to get there.
so when a boy immediately comes up to her to ask if she wanted tutoring, she was a little startled. it’s not often that a stranger just goes up to you automatically when you’re on your way to get your “brain fuel”. most of the time, people wouldn’t even careto see who goes into starbucks. this guy is either a huge weirdo or he’s just bored out of his mind, which she can understand. plus, the idea of free tutoring wasn’t too bad. “i mean, i guess,” she answers, hoping he takes that as an instant yes. “but can i get my drink first? i don’t really focus if i don’t have coffee in my system.”
Jaemin can’t help but be slightly taken aback when the young high schooler even acknowledges him talking to her. The girl obviously thinks he’s strange but luckily agrees to his free tutoring. She had a good point though; he should’ve approached her after she got her coffee. Well, he’ll save that for the next time. With wide eyes, he nods his head rapidly. “Yes, for sure! Sorry! Go ahead!” He says quickly from a combination of nerves and anxiousness. “I’ll be over here.” After the awkward exchange, he lets out a sigh of relief and slumps down into his seat. That was more stressful than it should’ve been. Why do younger people always feel more intimidating when you’re older?
It’s been awhile since Jaemin’s taken the CSAT, so he quickly Googles the content of the exam. His eyes dart between the girl and his computer screen. Every section is optional but Jaemin took all of them except for the Second Foreign Language/Chinese Characters and Classics. English was more than enough for him, in his mind. The first section is the National Language, which is composed of Speech/Writing, Grammar, Reading, and Literature. From what he remembers, the hardest part for him was the Literature part. It’s frustrating being tested on literature because it can be subjective. That’s why the second section, Mathematics, is probably the section Jaemin can help with the most. He took the Ga portion, due to his pre-determined fate of being a STEM major.
While he rapidly reviews the contents of each section, he begins to wonder what the young girl is planning for after high school. Based on the giant workbook weighing down her bag, she must be planning on at least applying to universities. Which university? What major? Those are questions that many students ask themselves, though Jaemin was an exception because of his parents’ expectations. Before he knows it, he notices that the girl’s coffee order is ready. He quickly closes all his tabs, save for some reference material, and puts down his “FREE TUTORING” sign.
