Author's Pov:

"See, I am telling you once again. Just read and understand the formulas, theorems and other things I have marked. Those are actually important and-"

"And don't take tension. Everything will be fine. Maths is easy if you understand the question practically rather than theoretically. If you don't understand anything, you can even can me in the middle of the night, I'll explain it to you. I know that Haeun. You are telling me this for I don't know how many times", Joshua said.

Haeun smiled and nodded. "Don't worry. You will not get C this time, I am sure". Joshua took his helmet, "Anyways, bye".

Soonyoung smiled, "Bye". This time, Haeun didn't hesitate to wave back.

Soonyoung and Haeun walked back home.

Joshua reached his home just to see his father and mother waiting for him. He understood this was something serious.

"Let's have a talk, Joshua", his father said. Joshua gulped sitting infront of them, fidgeting his fingers.

His father looked at him, "I got to know that you have test tomorrow. Today was history, I know you are going to do well in it but tomorrow is maths, you subject in which you have always got less marks. I don't care about what you do but remember music is not going to fill your stomach. It is not going to help you. I have heard you spent most of your time in practicing along with your band but focus on your studies. Don't forget the promise you gave us".

Joshua looked down and nodded, "Yes". His father stared at him, "I have an image to keep. I don't want to hear people saying that Mr. Hong, one of the richest industrialist's son plays guitar in an unknown band".

Joshua again nodded, "I understand. I'll get the marks you want". His father smiled, "Now go and study". Joshua stood up looking at his mother.

He went back to his room and found his guitar missing. He ran out, "Where is my guitar?". His father looked at him, "I have kept it somewhere so you don't get distracted until your exams are over. Once your exams are over, you'll get it back".

Joshua stood infront of him, "I want my guitar, now. I'll focus on my studies but please I want it".

"I said no", his father's voice was stern. The guitar meant a lot to him. Joshua fiercely stared at his father, "I want my guitar back in my room. I'll give you two options, either bring back the guitar or I'll break the promise I made to you".

His father burned with anger seeing his son talking back. "How dare you talk back like that? I am your father". Joshua gritting his teeth said, "I want my guitar or I am not studying".

His mother came forward, "I think we should give his guitar back. Just believe me". His father looked at his mother before turning back to Joshua. He called two of his servant whispering something.

After the servants went, his mother spoke, "I have asked the servant's to keep your back at its place but I want another promise. If you don't do well in this test then you are never going to touch that guitar again. You will no more be that part of your band".

Joshua looked at his mother in disbelief. But he had no other option other than agreeing. With a defeated soul, he agreed to the conditions kept by his mother. His father smiled, "Remember the promise". Joshua nodded before going back to his own room.

He looked at the servant's keeping his guitar on its place. Again he was alone, he wasn't lying when he said he felt lonely in his own house.

"Dear, we are going out. Another business party. The dinner is already done. You can have it but get back to studies, soon. Remember the promises", his mother said. Without hearing anything she went.

After freshening up, he opened his books. As Haeun told him to do, he did everything. "Sir, here is your dinner", one of the servant came. Joshua thanked him before going back to studies.

After few hours, he was trying to solve a sum but the answer he was getting was wrong. "Should I call her?", he whispered looking at time. It was past midnight. "What if she is sleeping right now".

Joshua took his phone, messaging her. Waiting for her reply, he kept checking his phone every 5 minutes. His eyes landed on his guitar as he was reminded of the scene happened few hours ago.

"Should I call her? It's been half and hour since I messaged her". Just then his phone rang. He quickly took his phone, it was Haeun.

"Hey! You need help with maths?"

"Yes. Uh, I am trying to solve a sum but I am getting wrong answer. I don't know where I am going wrong"

Haeun’s laughter danced across the line. “Alright, let’s tackle this together. What’s the problem?”

Joshua hesitated, then read out the question. As he spoke, he imagined her sitting on the other end of the call, brow furrowed in concentration, fingers tapping against the edge of her own desk.

“Okay,” Haeun said after a moment. “Let’s break it down step by step. Remember the quadratic formula? It’s like a secret weapon for solving these types of equations.”

Joshua nodded, even though she couldn’t see him. “Yeah, I remember.”

“Good,” Haeun said. “Now, let’s isolate the variable. Start by rearranging the terms.”

As she guided him through the steps, Joshua felt a strange mix of frustration and gratitude. Frustration because he noticed the small silly mistakes he did and gratitude because Haeun was patient, unwavering in her determination to help him.

They worked through the problem, dissecting it like a delicate puzzle. Joshua scribbled notes in the margins of his textbook, his mind racing to keep up with Haeun’s explanations.

“Okay,” she said at last. “Plug in the values and calculate. You’ve got this.”

Joshua took a deep breath, his fingers trembling as he punched the numbers into his calculator. The seconds stretched into eternity as he waited for the result.

And then it appeared on the screen: the correct answer. Relief washed over him, and he couldn’t help but smile.

“Thank you,” he whispered into the phone. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

Haeun’s laughter tinkled again. “Well, you’d probably be drowning in a sea of math problems,” she teased, "You always do something wrong whenever the Quadratic formula is involved. I don't know what problem you have with my favorite formula".

Joshua laughed, seeing himself in the mirror, he stopped. "But are you still studying?", Haeun asked. Joshua again nodded.

"Hello? Can you hear me?", Haeun said thinking he couldn't hear her. "Ah, yes", Joshua's said slightly hitting his head on pillow.

"It is already late, Joshua. I think you should sleep", Haeun said her voice filled with worry. "Ah, yes", Joshua said closing his book.

"You know, you sound tired. Take rest", Haeun said. Joshua hummed getting up to keep his books his aside.

As he was about to sleep on his between his mother came. "Appa is coming, just act like you are studying for few minutes once he is goes you can go back to sleep. Keep that phone aside".

Haeun, on the other side frowned hearing this. 'Why does he need to act?', Haeun thought. "Y-Yes", she heard Joshua. "I am sorry but I think you should tell your mother that you are tired", Haeun said out her thoughts aloud.

Joshua looked at his mother who was looking if his father is coming back. "He is here", His mother whispered keeping his books infront of him.

"Are you still studying?", his father asked. Joshua opened a random page on his text book and a pen. He nodded.

Haeun heard everything but as she was about the end the call, Joshua said, "I am sorry for that. My father is a strict about studies. Don't tell this to anyone".

Haeun hummed, "Is he gone?". Joshua again nodded thinking she could see him. "Hello?", Haeun said looking at her phone.

"Ah, yes", Joshua said, "Wait a minute. I'll latch the door". Haeun hummed, "Make sure you get proper sleep".

Joshua smiled, "Yeah".

"Were you sleeping?", he asked laying down. "Not actually. I tried to sleep but I couldn't. I had coffee just few hours ago. So maybe because of that I couldn't sleep. I thought about listening to songs, thinking it will help so I took my phone to see your message. I immediately understood that you needed some help. So I called you. But today's paper was so so so easy for me. I wish the finals go same. Before test make sure to revise formulas once. You always do some mistake in Quadratic formula. I don't want that to happened again. It is my favorite formula after all", Haeun continued to talk, "I feels like I am talking to my son who is giving his first exam. Don't worry. It will be okay"

She waited for Joshua's response. "Hello?"

No reply.

Haeun looked at her phone thinking the call might have been disconnected but it wasn't. She again said hello. But there was no response.

"Hell- oh", she stopped hearing his snores. "He was so tired that he dozed off within few minutes", she whispered hanging up the call.