#haechan ff

“babe.”

you can hear the frustration in his voice, and that pisses you even more because, how can he be frustrated?

you are.

you were furious.

he was the one who had been all careless about driving on your way to the café by speeding and doing those careless stunts with his damned bike to apparently “show off his amazing skills”, and on top of that, he was also the one who then proceeded to smile a little too unnecessarily sweetly and be a little too unnecessarily friendly to the new pretty friend of chenle, whom you guys had met on your group hangout today.

of course, those were reasons to be mad.

right?

because he was quite shameless about it too. complimenting her right in front of your face and thinking you didn’t catch him side-eyeing you every 2 seconds to see your reaction everytime he interacted with her?

you found him utterly annoying.

most of the time, it was affectionately, but today, your patience had been running short and he had pushed your buttons too far.

your boyfriend was aware of that, and he thought it quite cute, actually.

however, riding the bike as his pillion rider while being on that current speed of the bike could be quite dangerous, and he only wanted to assure your safety in that moment.

“just focus on driving, haechan. i won’t fall off”

“baby, you will.”

“oh my god,” you groan out in annoyance. he really wouldn’t stop.

“i said i won’t. you know what? look—”

his consistent “hold on to me”s eventually get on your nerves in your already sour mood, and you decide it would be best to just prove it to him;

show him that nothing will happen at all—for once—so that he can shut his pretty mouth up and get you both home quietly and hopefully, try to then make it up to you there.

and to do just that, you start trying to completely detach your body from his.

you just saw absolutely no need to hold onto him like he was pushing you to do.

you let your hands fly in the air as you shift back on your seat, away from him, to show him that he’s overreacting and you’re really not going to—

it takes about half and a quarter second for the furious wind to hit you harshly, rolling in along with the fast velocity of the bike, and you’re almost sent flying back off the vehicle.

almost.

in that panicked state of mind, you latch onto haechan’s back instantly, grabbing onto him like your life depended on it.

and it did, actually, for a second there.

your mind becomes so frenzied for a moment; you almost missed how, the moment you shifted away from him, he slowed down and one of his hands immediately flew back to reach you, in an attempt to hold you and pull you back to keep you safe and steady.

then, there’s a moment of silence.

there’s a painfully long moment of silence; only the rumbles of the engine of the bike to be heard.

you try to process what had just happened and how you just quite literally just embarrassed yourself with all the confidence you had about around 10 seconds ago, while he takes his time to calm himself down and steady himself and the bike after knowing you’re still there behind him.

the loud quietness is humiliating until he finally breaks it.

“...are you okay?” his voice comes out a little shaky as if, after the initial panic, he’s now trying to bite back a laugh, and you know he’s looking at you through the bike’s mirror again, with that stupid smirk etched onto his face.

“yes.”

this time, too, somehow, your reply is short and bitter sweet, and biker!haechan finds you absolutely adorable as you very slowly sneak your hands up his chest from the back in a tight hold, sticking closer to him, while you try your absolute best to not face him.

only for your own safety purposes, of course.

because— fine, alright. maybe he was not all that wrong when he’d instructed you. you’d tried to prove him wrong, and nature had just done you the other way around.

and frustratingly, yet once again, he thinks you don’t hear him when he stifles a laugh right in front of you.

“shut up. don’t.”

you mumble out, in poor attempt to keep up with the anger instead of the embarrassment that was swallowing you up right now.

but you’re really just pouting in the backseat and your boyfriend knows that.

you don’t know whether you want to jump off this damned bike willingly yourself now, or if you want to hide your face in his back and never show yourself again.

“mm. didn’t, angel.”

and you hate how you can hear that cocky smile on his face without having to look at him as he speaks.

dumb, dumb, and stupidly hot lee donghyuck.

you loathe him, and both of you know how true that stands.

“are you hungry? we can grab some takeout from that place you liked last time.” his voice is sweet as it always is, as he suggests.

but your mind is still a fuzzy swirl of embarrassment and irritation at him from earlier, and it ends up speaking something completely against your actual wants.

“no i’m fine.”

“baby,” he smiles softly as he glances at you once more, “is that your anger talking or you?”

“…”

“you don’t want that beef soup ramen from that place?”

“no, i don’t.”

and he just knows from your tone that you’re sulking behind him as you say this, your mind screaming something else completely.

( ★ )

“you want something to drink too?”

haechan asks exactly 17 minutes later as you both stand to order your ramen and chicken wings.

You didn’t bother to look up from your water, slowly stirring the cup in circles just to give your hands something to do. It was easier to focus on the swirling liquid than on the predictable lecture coming from across the kitchen.

“Because it is the only thing that matters,” you muttered, finally glancing up at him.

Jeno shook his head, letting out a sigh that sounded like he’d been holding it in for days. “See, that’s the problem. You don’t even let yourself breathe. You’re like this… robot. You study, you work, you plan, but you never actually live.”

You rolled your eyes, leaning back against the counter with a scoff. “I’m living just fine, thanks. I don’t need a boyfriend to validate that.”

“Yeah, but fine isn’t great,” he countered, his voice tinged with frustration. “Don’t you want more than just… surviving? More than being a robot. Have some fun for once. Mom and Dad are already asking questions about your future, and honestly, I don’t know what to tell them anymore.”

There it was—the guilt card. You clenched your jaw, your grip tightening on the cup. You hated when he brought them into it.

“Tell them I’m happy focusing on my career,” you said flatly.

Jeno’s lips twitched in irritation. “You always say that like it’s the answer to everything, but you’re a full grown adult now. When are you going to start thinking about what comes after that? It’s not just about work. It’s about connecting with people, about building a life beyond just deadlines.”

You let out a bitter laugh. “Easy for you to say, ‘Mr. Social Butterfly’. Not all of us have an endless pool of friends and a girlfriend who adores us.”

Jeno’s expression softened, but the determination in his eyes didn’t waver. “It’s not about comparing. It’s about balance, and you don’t have it.”

Silence hung heavy in the room as you stared at him, your mind racing. It wasn’t like you hadn’t thought about it before—how different you were from Jeno, how you buried yourself in work and ambitions while he seemed to glide effortlessly through life with equal parts charm and ease; but that was the thing: dating, love, relationships… they felt like unnecessary complications. You couldn’t afford complications right now.

“I don’t want to date, Jeno,” you said finally, your voice quieter but no less firm. “I’m doing fine without distractions.”

Jeno watched you for a moment, his frustration giving way to something softer. A mixture of disappointment and worry settled in his eyes, but he didn’t press further. Instead, he just shook his head again, pushing off the counter and heading for the living room.

“I just don’t want you to look back one day and realize you missed out. Everyone is growing up and moving on with their lives. Don’t you want to do the same?” he said over his shoulder.

You bit the inside of your cheek, staring into your glass cup like it held the answer to everything, but all it reflected back was the swirl of water and your own reflection as you see in your face is uncertainty.

“You know, I just don’t get you sometimes,” Jeno muttered as he sat on the couch. “You work harder than anyone I know, but it’s like you never let yourself actually live your life.”

You didn’t respond. Instead, you stared into space, your earlier irritation now mingling with something heavier—jealousy.

Your brother had always been the golden child: graduating with honors, landing a stable job right after college, and maintaining a healthy, long-term relationship with his perfect girlfriend. Even now, as you both shared an apartment, Jeno somehow made time to work out, hang out with friends, and take his girlfriend on weekly dates. He was everything your parents wanted in a child, the one they bragged about during family gatherings.

And you? You’d barely made it through college. Your GPA was nothing to write home about, and the only reason you’d graduated on time was because Karina practically dragged you across the finish line. Now, you were working as a paid intern at a company you desperately wanted to stay at full-time, but no matter how many late nights you pulled, how many extra tasks you volunteered for, it felt like you were running in place.

It was exhausting, and you were tired of hearing the same thing from your family: “Look at Jeno, he’s figured it out. Why can’t you?”

“I just don’t want to waste time,” you finally said, breaking the silence.

Jeno reappeared in the doorway, now pulling a jacket over his shoulders. “What are you wasting time on?”

You hesitated, shrugging. “Anything that doesn’t help me get ahead. That’s why I don’t care about dating. It’s just… another thing to manage.”

Jeno sighed, shaking his head, but he didn’t argue this time. “Well, Karina’s got her work cut out for her keeping you sane.”

“She’s not my therapist,” you shot back, though your tone lacked bite.

“Could’ve fooled me,” he teased, grabbing his keys. “Speaking of which, we’re supposed to meet everyone at the arcade in twenty minutes. You ready?”

You glanced down at your oversized hoodie and sweatpants. “Obviously not.”

“Get changed, then. Make it quick—Mark’s always late anyway, but Haechan will make fun of you if we’re late too.”

You huffed, dragging yourself to your room to throw on something presentable. After rummaging through your closet, you found something decently acceptable and slipped it on. Jeno was right—that was something you already knew—but it wasn’t what you wanted. Why did you have to follow Jeno’s formula for life when you wanted to create your own? Just to please your parents?

You put your hair up in a clip and sighed, watching your reflection in the mirror. The smile you’d worn before this conversation had clearly faded. All you could do was your best and hope it would be enough—but for now, skee-ball sounded better.

The flashing lights and hum of arcade machines filled the air as you and Jeno stepped inside. It was lively and chaotic, with the clinking of coins, bursts of laughter, and the occasional celebratory shout from someone winning a game. You stuffed your hands into your jacket pockets, already bracing yourself for the energy of Jeno’s friend group and looking around for Karina.

Sure enough, you spotted the guys near the basketball shooting game. Chenle was locked in a heated competition with Mark, who was flailing dramatically every time he missed a shot. Haechan, of course, was standing nearby, cheering and making exaggerated comments to throw them off their game.

“You’re late!” Chenle called out, pausing mid-shot to wave as you and Jeno approached.

“And you’re losing,” Haechan teased, pointing at Chenle’s score with a smug grin.

Chenle glared at him but turned his attention back to you, his smile warming. “Hey! Looks like you finally decided to join us?”

“Not like I had a choice,” you replied dryly, nudging Jeno with your elbow.

“Aw, come on,” Mark chimed in, abandoning the game as Chenle claimed victory. “We’re way more fun than whatever you’d be doing at home.”

You shrugged. “Debatable.”

“Debatable?” Haechan repeated, his eyebrows shooting up. “You’re in the presence of greatness. We’ve got Chenle, the reigning basketball champ, Mark, the king of being–uh Mark, and me—your personal highlight of the night.”

You rolled your eyes but couldn’t help the small smile tugging at your lips. “Personal highlight? You mean my personal headache.”

Haechan placed a hand over his heart, feigning offense. “Your words wound me.”

Before the banter could continue, a familiar voice called out from behind you.

“There you are!” Karina waved excitedly as she emerged from the crowd, a handful of tokens jingling in her hand.

“Karina!” Relief flooded you as you met her halfway, grateful for the excuse to escape the chaos of Jeno’s friends for a moment.

“Sorry, boys, but she’s all mine now! We’ll be back when you finally decide to exchange your tickets into plushies for both of us,” Karina says with a grin as she takes your hand.

The guys groaned, all except Haechan, who smiled and looked directly at you. “Sounds like a challenge, but whatever you say.”

Even though you didn’t say anything, it almost felt like he made that promise just for you. Before you could respond, however, Karina had already dragged you to the other side of the arcade.

“You know,” she began as the two of you wandered toward a quieter corner of the place, “it’s kind of adorable how Haechan never stops teasing you.”

You groaned, rolling your eyes. “Adorable is not the word I’d use. Annoying, maybe.”

Karina raised an eyebrow, a sly smile spreading across her face. “Come on, admit it. He’s kind of cute when he does it.”

“He’s not cute,” you replied quickly, but the way your lips twitched betrayed the truth.

Karina caught it immediately, letting out a dramatic gasp. “Oh my god, you’re smiling! You like it, don’t you?”

“No,” you insisted, though the small grin lingered despite your best efforts. “I just think it’s funny how full of himself he is. That’s all.”

Karina hummed, unconvinced, but thankfully didn’t press further. Instead, she dragged you toward the skee-ball machines, determined to beat your score from your last arcade outing.

After playing a few rounds of skee-ball with Karina, you found yourself back with Jeno’s group. The familiar chaos resumed as Mark and Chenle challenged each other to yet another round of basketball, their shouts and laughter echoing through the arcade. Jeno, meanwhile, had stationed himself at the claw machine, laser-focused on grabbing a plush toy for his girlfriend.

You stood off to the side, sipping on a soda, when Haechan appeared beside you.

“Not joining in?” he asked, leaning casually against the railing.

“Not really my thing,” you admitted, gesturing to the flashing chaos around you.

“Let me guess,” he said, tilting his head with a teasing grin. “You’d rather be home working, right?”

“Maybe,” you replied, narrowing your eyes at him.

Haechan shook his head, laughing softly. “You’re too predictable, ya know.”

“Excuse me?” you shot back, crossing your arms.

“I’m just saying,” he continued, his tone softer now. “You don’t always have to be locked up in your room. It’s okay to let loose every now and then.”

His gaze lingered on you a little longer than necessary, and you suddenly felt the urge to look away. There was something unnerving about how easily he could read you, something that made you feel exposed in a way you weren’t used to.

“There’s something else bothering you—I can tell. You know you can’t hide these things from me. What’s wrong?” he asked, his tone full of concern.

You didn’t know how he managed to do that so effortlessly: reading you without you having to say a word. The friendship between you two was something Jeno wasn’t really aware of. As far as your brother knew, you and Haechan were just acquaintances, but since Jeno never really tried to pay attention to your personal life, he had no idea about the real bond you shared with his best friend.

You sighed. “Jeno had a stupid talk with me about my future and our parents. Apparently, they want me to find someone to settle down with and eventually move out.”

You shrugged, your frustration evident. “It’s stupid stuff. Jeno probably just wants me to move out so he can live with his girlfriend. I don’t understand how he can live such a perfect life, but when I’m in the middle of trying to build my own, my family would rather I focus on finding a relationship instead.”

Haechan nodded, listening intently, his expression encouraging you to continue venting. “Well,” he said carefully, “what do you think you can do to calm them down a bit? I mean, I know this isn’t the first time this conversation has come up. Jen’s just worried you’ll end up alone, and as annoying as he can be, he’s only trying to protect you. You also can’t hold him back forever.”

“But that’s the thing!” you exclaimed, throwing up your hands. “I never asked for anyone to look out for me! I can handle it myself—it’ll just take time,” you huffed, frustration bubbling up inside you.

“If only I had a boyfriend so they’d lay off and let me keep doing my own thing,” you muttered, frowning.

And just like that, something shifted in Haechan’s expression. A flicker of light flashed in his eyes, his smirk softening into something more serious.

“What if we dated?” he asked.

Your jaw dropped as Haechan’s words hung in the air. For a moment, you wondered if you’d misheard him.

“W-What?” you finally managed to say, blinking at him like he’d just suggested the most absurd thing in the world.

He shrugged, his usual smirk creeping back onto his face, though his eyes held a glimmer of something softer. “I’m serious. What if we fake dated? It would solve your problem with Jeno and your parents, and you wouldn’t have to worry about them nagging you anymore.”

You stared at him, trying to make sense of his offer, trying to find the joke. “But… why? What would you even get out of it?”

Haechan leaned against the arcade railing, crossing his arms as if he had already anticipated the question. “Think about it,” he said smoothly. “If we fake date, I’ll finally have an excuse to stop all these random girls from hitting on me. They’re relentless, you know,” he added with a dramatic sigh. “Plus, it’ll be fun messing with Jeno. Watching him freak out over us? Priceless.”

You frowned, searching his face for any sign that he was joking, but he seemed completely serious—or at least as serious as Haechan could be.

He must have noticed your hesitation because he straightened up, softening his tone. “Look, you don’t have to decide right now. Think about it and text me when you’ve made up your mind. No pressure.”

Before you could respond, a familiar voice broke through the moment.

“Hey guys!” Karina called, waving excitedly as she approached with the rest of the group. “Come on, we’re heading to the ticket counter! Time to claim our winnings!”

Mark and Chenle followed behind her, grinning as they displayed their handfuls of tickets like trophies. Jeno trailed behind, already scanning the prize wall with a competitive gleam in his eye.

Haechan gave you one last look, his usual playful smirk firmly back in place, before Karina grabbed your arm and dragged you toward the prize counter.

“Come on!” she said, practically bouncing with excitement. “You and I are picking out matching plushies, and I won’t take no for an answer.”

You let yourself get pulled into the chaos, trying to shake off the conversation you’d just had with Haechan. Even as you laughed at Mark’s dramatic attempts to win more tickets and listened to Karina gush over the prizes, your mind kept circling back to Haechan’s offer.

Fake dating him? Pretending to be in a relationship with Jeno’s best friend? It was ridiculous. It would never work… would it?

Out of the corner of your eye, you caught Haechan glancing at you as he helped Chenle argue with the clerk over how many tickets they actually needed for a giant stuffed bear. His expression was unreadable, but there was something about the way he looked at you that made your stomach flutter in a way you didn’t want to acknowledge.

As Karina handed you a small plush cat she’d picked out for you, you forced yourself to focus on the present. You’d think about Haechan’s offer later—when your heart wasn’t racing from his lingering gaze.

As you were getting ready to leave the arcade, you made your way around to say goodbye to everyone, saving Karina for last. She pulled you into a tight hug, her usual warmth and energy radiating.

“Chenle’s dropping me off, so no worries!” Karina reassured, squeezing your shoulder. “Goodnight, girl. I’ll text you when I’m home, okay? Love you!” With a bright smile, she walked alongside Chenle towards his car, chatting animatedly as they disappeared into the parking lot.

Jeno was already waiting in the car, the faint hum of the engine indicating he was warming it up while you finished your goodbyes. You made your way toward the passenger side, but just as you reached for the handle, someone called your name.

“Wait up!”

You turned, brows furrowed in confusion, only to see Haechan jogging up to you, his grin unmistakable even under the glow of the arcade lights.

“Before you go, I wanted to give you this,” he said, holding up a small keychain. It was a brown bear with a slightly open mouth, its expression as adorable as it was silly.

Your eyes widened in surprise. “Haechan… what is this?”

“It’s the only thing I could get with my tickets,” he said with a smirk. “I told you I’d take the challenge.”

You blinked at him, your face flushing as you took the keychain from his outstretched hand. The little bear felt warm in your palm, its tiny eyes staring up at you.

“I think we should name him Gomdo,” he added, his voice light but his gaze lingering on you.

Your jaw dropped slightly, caught off guard by his thoughtfulness. “Thank you, Haechan. You didn’t have to do this.”

He shrugged, his smile softening. “Maybe I wanted to.” Then, leaning in close, he brought his lips to your ear, his voice dropping to a low murmur. “Remember what we talked about. I’ll be ready to hear your answer.”

Before you could respond, he leaned back, flashing you one last smile before turning and walking away towards Mark's car, his hands casually stuffed into his pockets. You stared after him for a moment, your heart beating faster than you’d like to admit.

Feeling flustered, you tucked the little bear into your purse, its presence somehow both comforting and unnerving as you climbed into the car.

Jeno glanced at you curiously as you settled into the seat. “What was that about?”

You forced a casual chuckle, waving it off. “Oh, he just wanted to brag about how he spent his tickets.”

Jeno seemed to accept your explanation with a shrug, turning his attention back to the road as he shifted the car into gear. Meanwhile, you sat quietly, your hand brushing against your purse where Gomdo was tucked away.

Haechan’s words replayed in your mind, his grin lingering longer than you wanted it to.

You spent the entire night tossing and turning in your bed, unable to shut your mind off. Every time you closed your eyes, Haechan’s offer replayed in your head, his voice lingering in the quiet of your room. Since your shower, you’d been fixated on making a mental list of pros and cons, but the more you thought about it, the more tangled your thoughts became.

When the clock struck midnight and you were still wide awake, you reached for your phone, anxiety thrumming in your chest. Your thumb hovered over the screen as doubt clawed at you.

Would this really be the right choice? Would it even be worth it in the end?

You rationalized the situation for the hundredth time. By the time you eventually moved up in your career, you could always fake a breakup with Haechan. It could serve as a final point to your family—that you didn’t need a relationship or the promise of a family of your own to find happiness.

The thought of proving them wrong—of showing them that your career and personal goals mattered more than societal expectations—burned away your worries, leaving only determination.

Without realizing it, your fingers started moving on their own, tapping out a message on the screen. Haechan’s name sat at the top of the chat, glowing faintly in the dim light of your phone.

You: I’m in. We can start later today.

For a moment, silence stretched around you, broken only by the faint hum of your phone vibrating against your comforter a few minutes later.

HC: I knew you’d come around, babe. We’ll talk more details in the morning. Sleep well, my girlfriend ;)

You stared at the message, your lips twitching into a reluctant smile despite yourself. Leave it to Haechan to throw in a wink and a nickname like it was second nature.

Sliding your phone onto your nightstand, you sank back into your pillows, a strange mix of nerves and excitement settling over you. It wasn’t real—none of it would be real—but with Haechan officially as your unofficial boyfriend, it felt like you were stepping into something bigger than either of you realized.

And for the first time that night, your eyes grew heavy, the weight of the decision no longer keeping you awake.

“You’re what?!” Jeno’s voice shot up, laced with disbelief as he stared at the two of you in shock.

“I’m sorry, Jen,” you said, your voice wavering as you tried to sound as convincing as possible. “I really wanted to tell you earlier, but I needed to talk it over with Hyuck first.” You glanced at Haechan, hoping that using a part of his birth name might soften Jeno’s skepticism.

Haechan met your gaze with a confident smile before turning back to Jeno. Without missing a beat, he intertwined his fingers with yours, holding your hand firmly. “It’s real, bro. I’m sorry we didn’t say anything sooner, but we wanted to be sure before telling you. I’ve never felt a connection like this with anyone else.”

His tone was steady and sincere as he continued. “She’s beautiful, but it’s not just that. She grounds me, man. She makes me smile, even when everything feels like it’s falling apart. She’s worth everything and more.”

For a moment, you were stunned. The way he spoke—his words, his expression—was so genuine that it made your heart skip a beat. For a split second, you almost believed him.

Jeno, however, wasn’t buying it just yet. “This is so weird,” he muttered, rubbing his temples as he took in the sight of you and Haechan holding hands. “I told you to get a boyfriend, but Haechan? Seriously? Out of all people?”

“Hey, what’s that supposed to mean?” Haechan’s posture straightened, his mock offense laced with just enough humor to lighten the tension.

Jeno sighed, running a hand through his hair. “No offense, dude, but you’re the last person I’d want dating my sister. I mean, look at you two—standing there, holding hands, looking all… infatuated. It’s just—it doesn’t make sense to me.” He flopped onto the couch, his face contorted in bewilderment.

Haechan tightened his grip on your hand, his voice unwavering as he said, “Well, nothing’s going to change how I feel about her. I might be your best friend, but I promise you—I’m going to be the best, and only, boyfriend your sister will ever need.”

You took a deep breath, stepping in to support Haechan’s story. “And it’s not like we’re rushing into this, Jeno. We’ve already been on dates! Remember a few weeks ago when I left work early and told you I had a headache? That was actually because I was so nervous about a date with Hyuck that I needed extra time to get ready. Oh! And the night at the arcade! He wasn’t bragging about his tickets–he actually got me a teddy bear!”

Jeno groaned, rubbing his face with his hands. “It’s still… weird. But hey, if you’re treating her right, and if you’re both happy—who am I to judge?” He looked between the two of you, his expression still full of disbelief but softening slightly. “I guess I’ll let Mom and Dad know unless you want to do it yourselves. I just need a minute to process this…”

He stood up, shaking his head as he started to leave the room. Before walking out, he threw a glance at you and Haechan, his brows furrowing.

“You can tell them if you want,” you said, trying to sound casual. “Just make sure you tell them the most important part—we’re happy together.”

You turned to Haechan, offering him a small smile that he returned easily. For all the absurdity of this fake relationship, in that moment, it almost felt real.

Jeno shot you and Haechan one last skeptical look before heading to his room to call your parents with the news. The sound of his door locking was like a signal, and the moment it clicked, you yanked your hand out of Haechan’s grip, wiping your palm aggressively on his sleeve.

“What was that for?” he asked, feigning offense as he inspected his now slightly wrinkled sleeve.

“You have sweaty palms! At least give me a heads-up if you’re going to go completely off script!” you hissed, your voice low but sharp. “What even was all that? We practiced everything for nothing!”

Haechan leaned back, his expression unbothered. “Hey, it worked, didn’t it? He totally bought it. You’re lucky we didn’t have to pull out the photos too!”

You narrowed your eyes, his smugness only fueling your irritation. The “photos” he was referring to were ones he insisted you take during your so-called “official unofficial dates” to sell the story. At the time, you’d rolled your eyes at the idea, but Haechan had been adamant.

“What kind of relationship would we be in if we didn’t have any photos or memories together? Are you trying to get caught?” he had said during one of your early planning sessions, his tone half-joking but entirely serious.

And to your frustration, he wasn’t wrong.

“Don’t forget,” he added now, a playful smirk tugging at his lips, “those photos got you free food and drinks too. Having a girlfriend is so expensive, by the way. I should start invoicing you.”

You groaned, resisting the urge to smack his arm. “Well, luckily for you, this fake relationship has an expiration date. You won’t have to deal with me for much longer.”

Haechan rubbed the arm you’d just wiped your hand on, exaggerating the motion. “You’re the one making this hard, you know. I’m just trying to be the best fake boyfriend you’ll ever have.”

Despite yourself, a laugh slipped out, and you let out a deep breath, some of the tension from the past few weeks melting away. “In all seriousness, though,” you said, softening your tone, “I really appreciate this. I just… I need a little breathing room from them.”

Haechan’s playful expression faded, replaced by something gentler. “Hey, I get it. That’s what I’m here for, right?”

For a moment, you found yourself caught in his gaze, surprised by the sincerity in his words. Then, as if sensing the shift, he clapped his hands together and grinned. “Now, do I get a thank-you for my oscar-worthy performance, or what?”

You rolled your eyes, but you couldn’t help the small smile creeping onto your face. “Thank you, Hyuck,” you muttered begrudgingly.

“Louder for the people in the back?”

“Don’t push it.”

He smiled at you, and for a brief moment, you swore your heart did something strange—something you weren’t ready to acknowledge. You quickly brushed it off, telling yourself it was just the adrenaline of lying to your brother.

A blush crept onto your face, but you shook it away, turning your attention elsewhere. “So, what’s your plan for the rest of the day?” you asked, hoping to steer the conversation to safer ground.

Haechan shrugged casually before plopping himself down on your couch. Without a second thought, he grabbed the leftover bag of chips Jeno had abandoned earlier and began munching away, his hand already reaching for the remote.

“What kind of movie are you feeling tonight?” he asked as he scrolled through Netflix like he owned the place.

You blinked at him, baffled. “Um, why? And what are you doing?”

He glanced at you, feigning innocence. “I’m your boyfriend, aren’t I? As your boyfriend, we should actually spend more time together—to, you know, make a point. What kind of man would I be if I didn’t spend time with my girl?” He punctuated the sentence with a playful wink and puckered his lips dramatically in your direction.

“You’re impossible, you know that?” you muttered, fighting back a smile as you sat down beside him. With a quick motion, you yanked the bag of chips out of his hands and into your own. “And the answer is thriller.”

A grin tugged at the corners of his mouth as he draped his arm lazily over your shoulders, making himself more comfortable. “Good call. If you get scared, don’t hesitate to lean on me, baby. I’ll protect you.”

“Wow, just like that, you ruined the moment,” you shot back, rolling your eyes. “Now play the movie before I change my mind.”

Despite your words, you couldn’t help but feel at ease. Sitting beside him, the banter flowing so naturally, felt… comfortable. More comfortable than you had expected.

Of course, you still weren’t used to Haechan calling you pet names, but the way they rolled off his tongue with such ease made you think you could eventually get used to it—out of necessity, of course. At least, that’s what you told yourself as the movie began playing and the two of you settled in, perhaps a bit too close together.

It has been almost a week since the announcement at your place. A whole week of spending more time with Haechan than you ever thought you would.

You pouted as you walked beside him, your breath visible in the freezing air. Haechan, ever observant, noticed immediately.

“What’s with you?” he asked, tilting his head toward you.

“What’s with me is that I wanted to stay late at work to finish up some paperwork and presentations,” you huffed. “Yet here I am, being dragged out of the office to get freaking ice cream.”

“Again, what’s the problem here? Sounds more like a blessing to me,” Haechan replied with a smirk, his tone brimming with pride. “Also, don’t blame me. Jeno’s the one who called and asked me to pick you up after work. I just figured we could grab some ice cream on the way back.”

You shot him a skeptical look, squinting at him. “It’s freezing outside, and you thought ice cream was a good idea?”

“Can’t help thinking about sweet thoughts when all I think about is you,” he said with a wink, nudging your arm.

Your face immediately heated, and you turned your head sharply to hide your blush. “You’re irritating, and you don’t need to flirt with me when Jeno isn’t around, it’s not necessary,” you muttered, but your voice lacked the bite you intended.

Haechan laughed, the sound warm and teasing. “Oh, but it is, you’re so easy to make blush. It’s cute.”

“Yeah, whatever,” you responded, rolling your eyes, though your heart raced at his words.

The two of you stepped into the small corner ice cream shop, its warmth a welcome contrast to the bitter cold outside. You had no intention of actually enjoying yourself, but the cozy atmosphere and the way Haechan seemed genuinely excited made it harder to stay annoyed.

He leaned casually against the counter, studying the menu like it was the most important decision of his life. “Cookies and cream, right?”

You blinked, “how’d you know?”

He shrugged, flashing you a playful grin. “I pay attention. You’re predictable, remember?”

“Predictable?” you echoed, crossing your arms.

He nodded confidently. “Cookies and cream ice cream, oversized hoodies, snarky attitude—you’re like a walking checklist.”

You opened your mouth to retort but stopped when you noticed his smug grin. He wanted you to argue. If there’s anything he enjoyed just as much as making you blush, it was definitely getting under your skin. Instead, you huffed, turning your attention to the menu.

Minutes later, you sat by the window with your cone, the soft glow of the shop’s lights reflecting off the glass. Haechan plopped down across from you, licking his strawberry ice cream with a ridiculous amount of enthusiasm.

“You look ridiculous,” you said, unable to hide your grin.

“Yet, here you are, enjoying my company,” he shot back.

You rolled your eyes, but you couldn’t deny it—he had a point.

As the conversation drifted to lighter topics, you found yourself laughing more than you’d expected. Haechan had a way of making even the simplest stories entertaining, his animated expressions and dramatic gestures drawing you in, distracting you of the outside world.

It wasn’t just his humor. It was the way his eyes crinkled when he smiled, the way his voice softened when he teased you gently. There was a warmth to him, a genuine charm that you hadn’t fully noticed before.

Your gaze lingered on him for a moment too long, and when he caught you staring, his smirk widened.

“See something you like?” he asked, leaning forward slightly.

Your face burned, and you quickly looked down at your ice cream. “In your dreams.”

“Every night,” he quipped, his tone teasing but his gaze steady.

You forced a laugh, but your heart wasn’t cooperating. It thudded against your chest, each beat reminding you of a truth you didn’t want to face.

Don’t fall for it. You can’t.

The cold air nipped at your skin as you eventually walked side by side down the quiet streets. Despite the chill, the warmth in your chest hadn’t faded. It was unsettling.

Haechan’s hands were shoved into his jacket pockets, his steps light and unhurried. “You’ve been quiet. What are you thinking about? Is it because of my incredibly good looks?”

You snorted, shaking your head, “don’t flatter yourself.”

He stopped abruptly, turning to face you with an exaggerated gasp. “You are thinking about me!”

“Am not!” you protested, but the heat rising to your cheeks betrayed you.

“Liar,” he teased, stepping closer. “You’re thinking about how irresistible I am. Admit it.”

You glared at him, your lips twitching despite your best efforts. “You’re delusional.”

“You’re avoiding the question.”

When you finally reached your apartment, you turned to thank him, but the words caught in your throat when you saw the way he was looking at you.

Haechan’s teasing demeanor had melted away, replaced by something softer, genuine. His dark eyes locked on yours, and the playful smirk that usually graced his lips was absent. His soft eyes grazed you up and down with something much more than just friendship.

Your breath hitched as he stepped closer, his gaze flickering to your lips for just a moment before returning to your eyes.

For a split second, you thought he might kiss you, and the realization sent a rush of panic through you. Before either of you could move, the door behind you swung open.

Jeno stood there, keys in hand, his expression caught somewhere between annoyance and amusement.

“Well,” he said, glancing between the two of you, “this is awkward.”

You stepped back quickly, clearing your throat. “Jeno, we were just—”

“Save it,” Jeno interrupted, smirking. “I gotta say, though, you two are starting to convince me. The way you look at each other? Pretty obvious.”

“Obvious?” you echoed, your voice slightly higher than intended.

“Yeah, obvious,” Jeno said, stepping past you. “Anyway, I’m heading out to the gym with Jaemin. Don’t do anything stupid while I’m gone.” He shot Haechan a pointed look before walking down the hallway.

Haechan grinned, leaning casually against the doorframe. “Told you we’re convincing.”

“Shut up,” you muttered, stepping inside quickly.

That night, as you lay in bed, you couldn’t stop replaying the moment at the door. The way Haechan looked at you, the way he leaned in—it was all too much.

You pressed a pillow to your face, groaning, but then your phone buzzed with a text from him:

HC: Sweet dreams, pretty girl <3

You felt your heart betray you again, skipping a beat. You push all of this down, swearing to yourself to lock this feeling away and forget about it.

But Donghyuck caught up to her. There wasn’t much room to escape on a bus filled with 40 other students anyway.

He clicked his tongue, pulling his bag over his shoulder. ‘You should appreciate the free advice, princess. You clearly need it.’

Haewon bit her tongue, deciding to swallow the protest at the nickname he had just used for her and settle for a roll of her eyes instead. She found an empty seat a few rows from the end and settled down on the window side only to sigh immediately as Donghyuck plopped down beside her.

‘Can’t you sit anywhere else?’ she complained, shoving him out to the aisle.

Donghyuck barely caught himself before bumping into another student.

‘Tch tch, where are your manners?’ He pulled himself up and dusted his jacket, slumping down next to her again.

‘What do you want?’ she asked, knowing the answer was to annoy her.

But Donghyuck went quiet.

Haewon looked up at him, curious when she received no reply. But all Donghyuck did was stare at her, his signature devil-may-care smirk plastered on his face and for a moment she could swear that she saw his eyes glint.

‘What?’

He narrowed his eyes at her, slightly amused. ‘Did you really forget what day it is today?’

Haewon knew what day it was. It was a Saturday. They were sitting on a bus that was going to take them away from the city to the mountains for their Photography Club field trip. It was the beginning of their mid-semester break and… and…

She rummaged through her mind trying to find the meaning behind Donghyuck’s mischievous smirk that was only growing wider by the second.

And then, like a bolt of lightning, the memory shot to the front of her mind, her eyes widening at the realization. Suddenly, it all made sense– his grin, his tone, the way Donghyuck was clinging to her today and why he was acting so smug since morning. She was sure now that the glint she saw in his eyes earlier was very much real.

Haewon gulped the rising anxiety, shocked at how quickly it took form inside her.

‘So, you remember,’ he said, tilting his head to the side, his tone haughty and amused in equal measure.

She wanted to curse at herself for forgetting the day but her desire to slap the smirk off Donghyuck’s face took precedence making her curse at him instead.

‘I am so hurt,’ he said, rounding his lips into a fake pout enough to rile her up and Haewon had to stop herself from rolling her eyes for the nth time today.

‘What are you planning to do?’ she asked, hating how hoarse her voice sounded.

‘Hm…’ He leaned back in his seat, crossing his hands behind his head and sighed as if reminiscing a fond memory. ‘Just a little fun thing for you.’

Haewon raised an eyebrow. ‘For me or for you?’

‘For you,’ he insisted. ‘Oh, don’t be so scared.’ He nudged her arm.

‘Please,’ she scoffed, hoping her voice wouldn’t betray her this time. ‘The last prank you pulled on me was so pathetic.’

The smile on his face dropped. He ran his fingers through his hair, his tongue poking the inside of his cheek. It was quite unoriginal to hide the keys to her locker for a day but he wasn’t going to admit that here.

‘Don’t worry, I came prepared this time.’

‘Fine.’ She shrugged. ‘Bring it on, then.’

‘Oh, careful with it,’ he said, the smirk returning to his face. ‘You will land yourself in trouble this time, princess.’

‘Go die, will you?’

‘Classy,’ he remarked and got up from the seat, pulling his bag up his shoulder. ‘See you later.’ He winked.

Renjun found Haewon a minute later. Mark, the President of the Photography club, had just finished taking the attendance and they were waiting for the bus driver.

‘Damn, what got you so worked up this early in the morning?’ Renjun asked.

Haewon was seething, a permanent frown on her face. ‘What do you think?’ She crossed her arms and made space for him beside her.

Depositing his bag in the overhead compartment, he sat himself down once the bus started to move.

‘The field trip hasn’t even started yet and you both are fighting already,’ he pointed out.

‘Is it my fault that he is so annoying?’

Renjun shook his head, exhausted. Being Haewon’s best friend wasn’t easy. Not that he didn’t like spending time with her, but there was only so much rant one could hear about a supposed ‘enemy’ before wanting to pull their hair off.

‘Seriously, when will you both end this prank war?’ he asked.

‘He started it!’

‘It’s been two years, Haewon…’

Had it really been that long, she wondered. Haewon could clearly recall the day she joined the Photography Club. It was Renjun who had introduced her to Mark, who was the Vice-President at the time. She had showed her photographs to him and the next day Mark had given her the form to the club.

But she took her time.

The club was infamous for its all-boys members and more so notorious for how the seniors treated the girls who wanted to join. It wasn’t until her junior year, after Mark’s several reassurances and Renjun’s insistence that she joined the club. Even then, she kept to herself, talking to no one except Renjun until she visited the common room one evening after her classes and ran into Donghyuck.

He was too loud— that was the first thing she had noticed about him. He liked attention, that was the second thing she had realized.

Sprawled in the middle of the common room with his photographs on display, he was inviting everyone to take a look, irritated by anyone who didn’t take an interest in them. Donghyuck even had the seniors lining up to see his latest collection.

‘Do you like it that much?’ was the first thing he spoke to her. Haewon hadn’t realized she had been staring at a picture that was tucked away in a corner. She was also the only one who had stopped in front of it. The picture wasn’t anything extraordinary. The camera angle was basic and the scenery was plain— a lake between a thick cover of forest. But what had caught her attention was a boy standing right at the edge of the lake. He was dressed in all white; his hair was messy and his clothes were too loose for him.

‘It’s the only picture with someone in it,’ she said, still looking at the photograph.

She heard Donghyuck chuckle beside her. ‘It’s also the only picture nobody has noticed.’

She looked up at him. He was already looking at her, his eyes focused on her face.

‘I did,’ she said.

Donghyuck was silent for a moment. He wanted to say something, she could tell. The words were right there on his lips but he smiled instead and nodded.

‘You did,’ he agreed.

Haewon never figured out why Donghyuck did what he did next.

A week after that encounter, she had received an email from the college administration regarding her ‘community work credits.’ Haewon had apparently signed up to volunteer at the cafeteria’s kitchen for a month, more specifically for the onion chopping duty.

She had tried explaining to them several times that she had never signed up for such a thing and that there had been a mistake. But the duty was already assigned and withdrawing wasn’t an option, not without a disciplinary action against her.

So, Haewon had to turn up to college at 6 am every day for a month and chop barrels full of onions till her eyes were red and her nose had turned pink. She did get her credits but at the cost of smelling like onions for a month.

It was not until her last day that she had learned who had actually signed her up for the duty. She had overheard the seniors from the photography club congratulate Donghyuck for pulling a successful prank on the new girl. Haewon had never felt so angry and humiliated.

‘It’s a tradition of the club,’ he had told her, when she had confronted him.

Haewon wasn’t sure if she was waiting for an apology or an explanation other than ‘it was a tradition’, but she was sure of one thing— she wanted revenge.

For the next month, she left cut up pieces of onions in Donghyuck’s locker, bag, desk, and practically anything of his that she could get her hands on.

Donghyuck could have left it there. A prank for a prank and call it even. But he was not one to sit silent, specially not when she had managed to replace his mouth freshener with onion juice.

And that’s how it began, a never-ending prank war.

‘Why don’t you tell him to stop?’ she replied to Renjun.

He wanted to remind her that Donghyuck wasn’t particularly the kind to listen to other people but she knew that already. So, instead, he reminded her of a simple solution.

‘You can just end it,’ he said. ‘Let his prank be the last one.’

‘And admit defeat? Seriously, whose side are you really on?’

Renjun could already feel an incoming throbbing in his head. He shut his eyes and pressed two fingers between his eyebrows.

‘Do you have a headache?’

‘Not yet,’ he sighed and turned to her. But her attention had already been stolen away. He followed her eyes to find her gaze on Donghyuck sitting at the front of the bus.

‘You know…’ Renjun started, a knowing smile on his face, ‘sometimes, people who have trouble expressing their true emotions resort to other means to convey them.’

‘What?’

‘Well… you both spend an awful lot of time together,’ he said, crossing his arms. ‘And the rest, staring at each other.’

This definitely caught Haewon’s attention. ‘Who are you talking about?’

‘The one you have been staring at.’

Renjun was crazy. He had gone insane, she thought.

‘You are absolutely mental,’ Haewon spat, a little too loudly, her voice a pitch higher than usual.

He shrugged and leaned back in his seat, satisfied at the reaction he got from her.

‘I have to keep an eye on him,’ she protested, unable to bring her voice down to her normal pitch.

‘Right…’ he said, grinning proudly. ‘What about yesterday then?’

‘What about yesterday?’

‘In the library.’

‘You saw that?’

Renjun had to control himself from laughing.

It wasn’t that Haewon hadn’t caught herself staring at Donghyuck before but it was because he was everywhere she went. How could she not look when she would run into him at every turn.

‘He was checking out the book I wanted.’

‘Mhm…’ Renjun closed his eyes again. ‘I didn’t know you were changing your major to Math.’

‘It was a math book?’ she whispered to herself. All she could recall was how small the book looked in his hands. The way his long fingers tapped along the edges as he pulled himself to get another book from the top shelf. How he had to fold the sleeves of his shirt up to his elbows after it got hot inside. Was it even hot inside?

‘No!’ She shook herself awake from the memory. ‘I do not like Lee Donghyuck!’ she said more to herself than to Renjun, who was no longer listening to her rambling.

‘I am not…’ she mumbled and dragged her gaze back to Donghyuck only to catch him already staring at her. The moment their eyes met, he winked at her, a smirk spreading on his lips. Usually, she would have rolled her eyes, but Haewon kept staring, studying his face, wondering why a frown had suddenly appeared on his forehead. He looked concerned for a moment. He jerked his chin up at her but she shook her head, making him scoff and turn away.

Renjun’s words had scared her. Haewon couldn’t sit still for the rest of the journey. She tried reading the book she had brought with her, tried listening to the playlist she had made for the ride, even tried falling asleep like Renjun had but she couldn’t shake Donghyuck out of her mind.

She replayed all their conversations in her head like a movie reel, going over every word they had spoken to each other, every prank they played on each other in the last two years, surprised at how vividly she remembered every memory related to him.

Was Renjun right?

And what if he was? What then? What was she supposed to do? Tell the guy who she swore was her enemy that she likes him?

She could imagine Donghyuck laughing at her. But what terrified her wasn’t the thought of his mockery or his teasing, but the smile that she felt forming on her lips imagining him telling her that he liked her too.

‘What got you blushing?’ Donghyuck asked, creeping up behind her.

Haewon was standing at the edge of the pier, staring at the lake in front of her. They had reached two hours ago, and while the others were surveying the place for getting the best shots, she found herself stationary in front of the lake.

She hadn’t realized that she was blushing. But apparently this is what she did now— blush whenever she thought of Donghyuck.

‘Are you wondering why I haven’t done anything yet?’ he asked.

‘Hm?’ She looked up at him.

‘The prank,’ he reminded her, then paused and narrowed his eyes. ‘Seriously, what are you thinking about?’

‘Nothing,’ she said, pulling herself out of her thoughts. ‘And no, I wasn’t wondering about that. I don’t keep thinking about you, just so you know.’

There it was, the twinkle in his eyes, followed by his smirk and the slight jerk he gave to his chin whenever he wanted to emphasize how proud he was of himself.

‘Lies,’ he said, leaning forward, his arms behind his back. ‘I know you think about me.’

For the first time, Haewon was silent. She had no answer. Donghyuck was so close to her, she could feel his breath on her face.

‘You have moles,’ she said, the words falling out of her mouth on their own. ‘On your cheek.’ Her eyes dazed yet focused on them. How had she never noticed before, and now that she had, her fingers twitched, suddenly wanting to touch them.

But Donghyuck snapped his fingers in front of her face. ‘What’s the matter with you today?’

‘Just an observation,’ she said, quickly turning away from him.

‘The sunset is beautiful, isn’t it?’ he said, breaking the momentary silence.

‘You are here for making small talk?’

‘Just an observation.’ He shrugged innocently.

‘Oh, shut up.’ She rolled her eyes at him.

‘The lake is getting darker too,’ he remarked.

‘Another observation?’

He nodded. ‘I have swum in a river after dark once,’ he began.

‘Okay, and?’ She crossed her arms over her chest, ready to hear another nonsensical thing come out of his mouth.

But Donghyuck’s grin widened, a hint of mischief creeping up in his eyes. ‘It’s terrifying,’ he told her. ‘You can’t see a thing and even a few feet seem like kilometres.’

Haewon froze. Her arms felt heavy and her legs felt stuck in place. She was suddenly too aware of the wooden pier beneath her feet, where it ended and how close she was standing to the edge. This was it. His prank. This was what he had intended to do.

‘Donghyuck, I can’t—’

But before she could even complete, he pushed her into the lake.

The water hit Haewon like a brick, and the last thing she saw was Donghyuck laughing, clapping his hands on the pier before darkness engulfed her. The sound of the splash rang through her ears. For a single, horrible moment she thought that her ear drums would burst and then there was complete silence.

Her hands flailed about her, trying to grab onto something, anything as the water pulled her in. She came up with the initial inertia of the fall but as her legs gave out below her, trying to mimic a swimmer, she realized how futile the attempt really was. She could not see, could not breathe. Her arms were not trained and her body could not float. The sun that appeared just within her reach moments ago, seemed far beyond her as it sunk below the horizon and all that was left around her was darkness.

She swallowed mouthfuls of water with every attempt to come up to the surface, unable to tell which way was up anymore. Her body swayed with the ripples she had created around her and after she had gulped enough water, she stopped struggling. Haewon sunk to the depths as the lake carried her to it and suddenly, she realized how weightless she really was, how easy it was to drown as she allowed the water to swallow her.

On the surface, Donghyuck had stopped laughing. All the jabs had died on his tongue when a minute had passed and Haewon had still not come up to the surface.

He lowered his camera and realized how dark it had really gotten. Panic rose inside him like bile that made his throat feel raw. He tried to gulp but the air refused to enter him. His clammy hands trembled and he felt his face getting warmer and colder at the same time.

‘What’s going on?’ Renjun came up behind him along with Mark, who wanted to set up his camera at the pier.

‘I—’ Donghyuck was lost, unable to comprehend his words. It was just a prank, he told himself. Just a prank, he repeated.

‘Donghyuck…’ Renjun placed a hand on his back, worried.

‘Haewon…’ Donghyuck mumbled and the expression on Renjun’s face was enough to tell him what Haewon had wanted to say before he had pushed her into the water.

Donghyuck, I can’t… swim.

Suddenly, all panic drained out of his body replaced with adrenaline. He removed his jacket and jumped into the lake, dropping his phone and camera into the water with him.

Renjun had gathered a crowd, the students running up to the pier in panic.

Donghyuck shouted her name above the surface but it was pitch black now and the flashlights that the others held up did nothing. He dived deeper into the lake, his fingers reaching out for her. Her hair, her shirt, her arm, anything. But it was of no use.

He reached the depth and felt the soil beneath his feet but Haewon was nowhere. He wanted to cry, to thrash, to yell out her name but the water swallowed his screams. The darkness pressed heavy on him, heavier than the water itself. Even he couldn’t find his way around the lake and he had pushed her into this terrible nightmare.

Where is she? How long had it been?

Forgetting to come up for breath, Donghyuck found himself floating in his own delirium now. Time shifted, working slower as he let the water take over him.

He was drowning but he didn’t know how to stop it anymore.

Haewon, he repeated like a chant in his mind, praying for a miracle he knew he didn’t deserve.

Is this what she felt? Did she call out my name when the depths called to her?

The water made his eyes hurt so he shut them, not that it mattered anyway— the darkness did not differentiate this far below.

But just as he was about to give up, not on her but on himself, he felt someone grab him by his collar and pull. The weight returned first and he felt his limbs heavier than usual, the water scraping against them as he was being dragged out of his own death.

With a gasp, he breathed his first breath as he broke the surface and felt all his senses return to him at once.

‘H-Haewon…’ Donghyuck spit out a mouthful of water, his voice barely a rasp. All he could see were bright lights flashing in his face as he felt two men carry him to the pier. It was not until his back met the wooden surface, that he realized that they were first responders.

‘N-No.’ He tried pushing them aside as the men held him down to check his vitals. ‘Where— Haewon…’ He choked out more water from his nose.

‘Haewon…’ Donghyuck looked about himself, trying to spot her in the crowd. ‘The girl—’ he asked the men, but they weren’t listening to him.

‘Raise his neck,’ one of the EMTs was shouting orders at the others around, while fixing an oxygen mask around Donghyuck’s mouth. ‘Wipe his face.’

Donghyuck hadn’t realized that he was crying. There were tears streaming down his face but no sound other than her name on his lips. Gathering whatever strength remained in him, he pulled himself up and pushed away the blanket the EMT was trying to wrap around his body.

‘Haewon,’ he cried out, vomiting out more water as he stumbled through the crowd without direction, his own clothes dragging him down, till someone yanked him forward by the arm and he fell to his knees.

The crowd parted for him and the sight froze him.

At the edge of the pier, lay Haewon, wrapped in a thick blanket, unresponsive. An EMT was giving her mouth-to-mouth resuscitation while another was administering CPR on her.

‘Rub her feet!’ one of them shouted between breaths and Renjun leaped to action, pulling her shoes off and rubbing the soles of her feet.

‘We have to get her to the hospital,’ the other one yelled.

It had been 5 minutes and Haewon hadn’t woken up.

Donghyuck had to crawl on his arms to reach her. Her face was pale as though she had been bled dry and her arms were a luminescent white, glistening like porcelain under the flashlights.

‘H–Haewon.’ He tapped her cheek but shuddered when his fingers met her ice-cold skin.

‘Get away from her!’ Renjun rasped and the voice cut through Donghyuck’s body like a blade sawing him in half. His throat choked itself and he felt himself submerged under water again, the noises drowning out as he felt a weight press on him.

He looked down at his hands, shivering under his own gaze.

‘I—’ He shook his head, unsure what he wanted to say and to whom. There were fresh tears in his eyes, burning his cheeks on their way down.

Then suddenly, they were taking her away. The EMTs laid her out on the stretcher in front of him and were carrying her away from the pier. Donghyuck followed only to realize a moment later that the EMTs were there for him too.

‘Let me…’ He fell unconscious, his body giving up on him.

Donghyuck woke up in a hospital bed, his eyes blinking wide open the moment he realized where he was. There was an IV drip attached to his arm and a thick blanket covering him.

Mark was beside him the moment he stirred.

‘How are you feeling?’ Mark asked but quickly realized that he wasn’t going to get an answer from Donghyuck. He did not try to reason nor stop him when Donghyuck pulled the drip out of his arm and jumped out of bed. Instead, he showed him the way to Haewon’s ward.

Down the long, deserted corridor was Renjun, sitting with his head between his palms. At the sound of the hurried footsteps, he looked up.

‘Renjun, no!’ Mark had to throw himself in front of Donghyuck as Renjun charged at him.

‘You—’ Renjun’s face was red in a matter of seconds and despite Mark’s pleas, he held Donghyuck by the collar, ready to punch him.

‘Not here.’ Mark held him back. ‘Not in the hospital, please.’

Had it not been for Mark, Renjun would have bashed Donghyuck’s head against the wall. It wasn’t like Donghyuck was fighting back anyway. He had his head bowed the entire time, ready to take whatever punishment.

Renjun shoved him aside. ‘You better stay away from her now!’ he warned before walking away.

Donghyuck picked himself up and staggered towards the ward but his feet stopped him right at the door. He had no intention of going in, not anymore. Slowly, pushing away the gnawing guilt and fear, he peered his head to peek inside the ward through the small glass window in the door.

In the middle of the room was Haewon, still unconscious. Her mouth was intubated for oxygen while a nurse was monitoring her pulse. There was a defibrator on the side and another nurse preparing a machine Donghyuck couldn’t recognize.

‘They are going to shift her to the ventilator,’ he heard Renjun tell Mark behind him.

‘It’s only for one night,’ Mark appeased. ‘To give her lungs a rest.’

There was a pause and he heard a scuffle behind him. He didn’t have to turn around to know that Mark had held Renjun back again.

All Donghyuck did, all he could do was watch. He stood by the little window to her ward and watched her, mute, his chest rising and falling in the same rhythm as hers. There were a thousand thoughts running through his head yet all he could hear was a ringing silence in his ears.

An hour passed or two, he couldn’t tell anymore, when he felt a hand press against his shoulder. Mark was saying something to him and he knew he had to respond but he couldn’t understand the words.

The sun had come up outside when Donghyuck agreed to move, giving way to the doctor.

‘Are you a relative?’ The doctor asked him but words escaped him.

He shook his head.

‘Are you alright?’ was the next thing the doctor asked. Donghyuck’s eyes had sunk into their sockets and his face was ashen white.

‘He is the other drowning patient, doctor,’ the nurse chimed in.

‘Check his pulse,’ the doctor ordered, ‘and administer him an IV.’

‘H-Haewon?’ Donghyuck managed to mumble out, pointing at her ward.

‘She is under sedation,’ the doctor informed him. ‘She will wake up in a few hours.’

Donghyuck nodded and stepped out of the way for the doctor. The door closed on him and a nurse came up behind him to escort him to his own ward but he did not budge, not even an inch. He could hear Mark mutter something to the nurse as he watched them take Haewon off the ventilator.

‘Donghyuck?’

He felt someone shake his shoulders and turned around to see Mark, who had been calling his name for the last minute.

Mark paused before speaking, a sigh escaping him. ‘You need rest. You don’t look well.’

Donghyuck blinked at him, annoyed that Mark had tried to take his attention away from Haewon.

‘Donghyuck?’ He tried again. ‘Are you listening to me?’

Just then, the door to the ward slid open and a nurse peeked her head out. ‘She’s awake,’ she informed them.

Renjun immediately rushed past them to the ward.

Mark waited and held the door open for Donghyuck but he stood frozen in place, his legs refusing to move. He looked down at his feet and shook his head.

‘Hey…’ Mark whispered, leaning down to his eyes level.

But Donghyuck turned his back to him, silent. He did not turn around till he heard Mark step inside and close the door shut.

Haewon was awake, talking. Renjun was sitting next to her bed, his hands holding hers. Mark was talking to the doctor, and the nurse was checking her vitals. When she laughed at something Renjun had whispered to her, Donghyuck felt his own lips curve into a smile.

Then, her eyes fell on him and Donghyuck suddenly felt himself transported to the bottom of that lake again, drowning. Shame rose inside him, hot and suffocating. He felt embarrassed, undeserving to be even standing there but he couldn’t look away. A tear rolled down his cheek and he knew she could see it but he just couldn’t look away, not yet.

_

That was three months ago and the last time that Donghyuck had looked at Haewon.

He had disappeared from her life.

Haewon wasn’t sure what she had expected from him, but his silence was not it. The doctors kept her in the hospital for another week to treat her for pneumonia. She had Mark and Renjun by her side throughout the treatment but she never saw Donghyuck peek his head through the door again.

She wanted to ask Renjun about him. But his silence made her angry, and then, worried. On the day of her discharge, she mentioned his name and saw Renjun visibly stiffen.

‘He is gone,’ Renjun told her. ‘He got himself discharged the day you woke up.’

‘Is he alright?’ she asked, not knowing what else to say.

‘I haven’t spoken to him if that’s what you want to know.’ Renjun was being cruel but Donghyuck had almost killed his best friend and he couldn’t get past that.

A week later, Haewon returned to college only to learn that Donghyuck had withdrawn his name from the Photography club. He stopped showing up to their shared classes; started eating his lunch elsewhere. His locker had been emptied and all his photographs from the common room were gone. She knew he was around, but Haewon never ran into Donghyuck again.

The Photography Club Exhibition had to be cancelled and Mark had to deal with the Student Council because of the accident during the field trip. Haewon had wished that Mark would allow her to attend the meetings. She was sure Donghyuck was there but Mark had insisted on keeping her away from the trouble.

She had considered calling him, several times. But what would she have said? Donghyuck wasn’t particularly a friend. He was… what was he to her? The only time she had texted him was four months ago and it was to lure him into the Dean’s office for a prank.

She didn’t want him to apologize. All she wanted was him… around.

The first time Haewon saw Donghyuck again was on the day of their first final year exam. He came in late and left early. His eyes were swollen and his face seemed dull. He had lost weight.

Her own anger surprised her that day. He knew she was sitting in the same class. Her eager eyes were set on him, following his every movement, yet he never looked up to find her, not once. Two years, two fucking years they had known each other and not once did he bother to speak to her.

Perhaps it was her fault, Haewon thought, to assume that she had a place in Donghyuck’s life.

The exams got over and their results were out. They were going to graduate from college.

It was the eve of their convocation, and Haewon was sitting on the couch of an unknown house between people she wished weren’t there and sipping on whiskey she couldn’t swallow.

Renjun was dancing in the distance, occasionally singing farewell songs with his friends. He had tried to call her to the dance floor at every song change.

‘Are you going to sit there the entire night?’ he yelled at her. ‘It’s our farewell party!’

‘I am not feeling too well,’ she lied and slipped away from the loud music, setting her glass aside. Her head was throbbing from the beat anyway and the number of drunk people increasing by the second.

She finally found some quiet on the second floor of the house but the moment she turned down the hallway, Haewon froze.

It was dark and she could barely see two feet ahead of her but she could recognize Donghyuck’s silhouette even with her eyes closed.

Haewon couldn’t tell how long they stood facing each other in silence. Donghyuck was the first to move, walking into the light. For some unexpected reason, she wished he would have his usual smirk on his fae, the smug grin that had made her roll her eyes a hundred times in the past. But Donghyuck looked tired. Somehow, the three months had aged him and she felt strange in his presence.

‘Haewon,’ he whispered in greeting but his voice echoed in her ears as though it had travelled the length of an ocean to reach her.

‘Keeping well?’ she asked, her own voice strange to her.

He shrugged.

‘How was your result?’ She could see the effort it took him to reply.

‘It was alright,’ he said, sighing immediately after.

Haewon nodded, not knowing what to say or do with herself. Donghyuck was finally looking at her but they were not the same eyes that she had perfected to read. They had been in each other’s presence for more than five minutes and he had not tried to annoy her, not try to irritate her nor make her curse. There were no sarcastic remarks on his lips and no mischievous twinkle behind his eyes.

He stood in front of her like a wretched mirror, and Haewon couldn’t tell if she was hoping to find him or spot her own reflection in him.

‘Do—'

‘I am leaving,’ he cut her off, stepping closer. ‘Tomorrow morning… I am leaving for US to continue my study.’

Suddenly, the music wasn’t too loud and the noise was barely a whisper in her ears. She stared at him, silent, and he did not shy away from her gaze this time.

‘You are leaving?’ she asked.

He nodded his head. ‘I won’t come back,’ he said and paused.

‘You won’t stay for the convocation?’

Unexpectedly, Donghyuck scoffed, but he looked defeated, hurt somehow. He pulled his gaze down to the floor. ‘No, I won’t stay for the convocation.’

‘Right…’

‘I have to go,’ he said but did not move.

‘Of course, packing?’

‘Packing,’ he echoed and did not wait to hear her goodbye or say his own. He walked past her, leaving her in the hallway.

Haewon waited till she heard him climb down the steps then walked down the hallway and found her way to the roof. The cold air relaxed her senses and she sat herself down on the ledge, her feet dangling off the side.

She turned around when she heard the door open. It was Mark and strangely she was grateful that it was only him.

‘Beer?’ he asked, raising the two pints in his hands. He sat beside her on the ledge and passed one of the bottles to her.

‘Not a huge fan of beer,’ she said, but took the pint from his hand.

‘Try this one,’ Mark urged her. His own bottle was half empty and he took another sip. ‘Don’t like dancing?’

‘The music is too loud,’ she made an excuse.

‘It is,’ he agreed.

‘Sorry for the exhibition by the way,’ she said. ‘I know you were looking forward to it.’

But Mark waved a hand at her. ‘Don’t worry about it. It wasn’t your fault.’

Haewon wanted to disagree. The cancellation was a result of a prank war that she was as much a part of as Donghyuck was. But she nodded nonetheless, taking a sip of the beer.

‘So, what are your plans after college?’ he sighed, leaning back on his palms.

‘Uh… I don’t know,’ she replied. ‘I have been just trying to…’

‘…stay alive?’

This made her laugh. ‘Right. Just trying to stay alive these days.’

‘Donghyuck has it figured out,’ she mumbled after a pause.

Mark raised an eyebrow.

‘He is leaving for US,’ she told him. ‘Tomorrow.’

‘Ah,’ he exclaimed. ‘I heard. Pretty impressive, don’t you think?’

Haewon feigned a smile. Mark was watching her closely. ‘It is. I am happy for him.’

‘Are you?’

The question hung in the air and Haewon stared at it, speechless. ‘I don’t know what you mean,’ she said and Mark let it go.

The wind caught her hair and Haewon found herself chugging the pint. It was much easier to gulp after the whiskey she had been sipping since evening.

‘Did he ever tell you?’ Mark asked once she had set the empty bottle between them. He smiled upon seeing her confused eyes. ‘Really? He never told you?’ he asked, shaking his head at the realization.

‘What are you talking about?’

He downed his own bottle before turning to her. ‘Do you remember how it started?’ he asked her. ‘The pranks between you two.’

Of course, she remembered. She remembered it like it was just yesterday.

‘He had signed me up for cutting onion!’ Haewon yelled, groaning at the memory. ‘I smelled like onions for a whole month. A whole month!’ Her voice had returned with fervour. ‘I did what I had to— take revenge. I left pieces of onion in his locker for the next month. It was hilarious. You should have seen how annoyed he got every time. But he could have left it at that. Call it even. But you know how he is. So stubborn. So annoying.’ She groaned again and folded her arms across her chest.

Mark sighed, his grin more amused than earlier. ‘Didn’t you ever wonder why Donghyuck did what he did?’

Haewon had wondered that before. In fact, she had spent countless hours wondering just about that.

‘It was a club tradition?’ she ventured. ‘That’s what he told me. Besides, it’s because he is… him. He is Donghyuck. He plays pranks on people, right?’

‘That’s true,’ Mark replied. ‘But have you ever seen him play a prank on anybody else in the last two years?’

‘Uh—’ Haewon was ready to argue and was certain that an instance would just come to her lips. But she couldn’t recall any. She stared at him, blankly. Mark was right. Donghyuck had not played a single prank on anyone except her since the start of their prank war.

‘When you joined the club,’ Mark began, ‘the seniors had a bet on making you cry.’

‘What?’

‘It was a tradition among them. We all went through the hazing. They did not stop till they made us freshmen cry. Yes,’ he added, seeing Haewon’s incredulous expression. ‘I was made to clean every leaf on the campus ground. I was exhausted by the end of the day and cried by nightfall. Donghyuck was smart. He faked his tears in the first minute of cleaning the toilets and they let him off the hook.’

‘Renjun never told me,’ she said.

‘He joined later, like you, and was spared because of his father,’ Mark told her. ‘I’m sure he doesn’t know about it either, or the extent of it. But then you joined. Donghyuck knew what was going to happen. I still remember that day. He had stormed into the club committee meeting. I had never seen him that serious.

‘The deal was to make you cry. The seniors wouldn’t have backed down unless they saw tears in your eyes. He convinced them that he would take care of it and made them promise not to meddle if he succeeded. That’s why he signed you up for cutting onions in the kitchen.

A memory surged forward in Haewon’s mind— Donghyuck had visited the kitchen every day for the first week of her duty with the seniors lingering behind him.

She tumbled the memory in her head, trying to recall a certain detail.

‘You cried eight days into it,’ Mark helped her.

And suddenly all the pieces fit together. It was a Monday and it was raining. The humidity had rendered the ventilation useless in the kitchen. The smell was unbearable and nothing helped, not the open windows, nor the scarf she had wrapped around her mouth and nose. That was the day. She had tears in her eyes from cutting up onions.

Donghyuck did not visit the kitchen again nor did she see any of the seniors around. She had cried. His part of the deal had been completed, saving her from who knows what the seniors were planning for her.

Her thoughts took her back to the first time she had met him, to the photograph tucked away in the corner of the common room, to the boy in that picture. That was the Donghyuck she had met and that was the same Donghyuck that she had known for the last two years too.

Haewon spent the night stuck in time on the roof. Somewhere in the middle, Mark had left and Renjun had found her, though he did not stay, not for long at least. The sky had started to change colours behind her, the light of the sun pushing its way to her. She closed her eyes to feel its warmth, a slow smile spreading across her face when its first ray touched her. She turned around, suddenly grateful at how easily she could hold the sun in her eyes.

It was time. She had to start getting ready for her convocation in an hour. But instead of taking the bus back to her dorm, she hailed a cab to the airport.

‘Can you drive a little faster?’ Haewon urged the cab driver, her fingers fidgeting over Donghyuck’s contact in her phone. She had called him seven times already but he had his phone turned off. ‘How much longer?’ she asked, groaning seeing the time.

There was only flight leaving for US that day and it was leaving in thirty minutes.

‘Almost there, madam,’ the driver told her, which did little to calm her down.

Haewon hurried out of the cab the moment it stopped, paying more cash than the bill. She waded through the sea of people, searching for an empty gate and settling on the least crowded one. It didn’t matter anyway because she sneaked past the queue amidst the curses from the people lined up. An elderly couple eventually relented and let her cut.

‘Thank you.’ She bowed to them and presented the dummy ticket she had bought in the cab earlier to the security officer.

She was in. But this was the easy part. Haewon glanced at the clock. She had about fifteen minutes to make it to Donghyuck before his flight. Her desperate eyes raked the area, frantically trying to locate the security check but gasped seeing the longest line she had ever witnessed. All the counter were full with queues looping around each other.

There was no way she could make it to him in time if she waited her turn. There was only one option— make a run for it.

Without thinking, she sprinted across the airport lobby to the checkpoint and jumped over the first barricade, picking up pace as she heard the alarms go off behind her.

An officer whistled to alert the others as she whizzed past the line and broke through the automatic doors, ducking just in time to avoid the baton that the inspector had swung at her head.

‘Stop right there!’ She heard him yell.

But Haewon didn’t have the time to look back.

‘Move!’ she shrieked at the people, who leaped out of her way.

Jumping over the sea of security tape stands, she reached the front and squeezed herself through the gap between two body scanners, shoving a security personnel in the process and almost injuring a passenger.

‘I am sorry,’ she yelled out but came to a sudden halt just a few metres away. Across the lounge were at least twenty uniformed men with their batons in their hands.

‘Don’t move!’ she heard the officers shout behind her.

She squeezed the side of her stomach to ease the stabbing pain and looked up at the board, catching her breath for a moment. Gate no. 27, she read. It was on the other side, past the wall of officers, who had slowly begun to close in on her from all directions.

‘Get to the ground!’ An officer slowly stepped forward.

Unexpectedly, Haewon grinned. She had to hand it to them on how quickly they gathered forces, how swift they were to surround her. But unfortunately for them, she knew exactly how to get out of this situation. In fact, she even had practice.

A year ago, Mark had arranged a gallery visit for the photography club. At the end of the evening, Donghyuck had come up to her with a painting in his hand.

‘This is for you,’ he had said, tossing the portrait to her.

‘What is this?’ she had asked.

‘I got it from the back room.’

‘The back room?’

She had held it out, turning it over in her hands only to realize it was the centre piece that had been slated for auction starting at 90 million won.

‘Oh?’ Donghyuck had slapped a hand to his face, theatrically, feigning innocence. ‘Should I not have told the security that I saw a girl with your description carrying it out?’

‘You what?!’

She had to run down the street for thirteen blocks with the security chasing after her even after she had hurled the painting back at them.

Haewon closed her eyes and breathed in deeply. It is just like that time, she told herself, making sure to curse Donghyuck.

‘Put your hands behind your head,’ the officer ordered, approaching her with a gun in his hand.

But Haewon shot her eyes open and let out a guttural scream, flailing her arms around her and reaching into her pocket mimicking the motion of pulling out a weapon.

‘Everyone down!’ the officer yelled immediately and she jumped over them as they flung themselves to the floor.

Laughing, Haewon ran away, her hair flying behind her. There were sirens going off in the distance and caddies chasing after her yet all she could hear was Donghyuck’s laughter in her ears imagining how he would react after she tells him what she did.

25, 26… Gate no. 27, she spotted.

But the moment she reached the gate, the smile on her face disappeared. It was empty, not a soul in sight except a lady at the counter. The gasp caught in her throat and she shook her head, checking the number again.

Gate no. 27, she confirmed, confusion pricking at her.

‘The flight to the US…’ Haewon stumbled to the counter.

‘Flight 78291?’ the lady asked in her perfect voice. ‘I’m sorry but you missed it, ma’am.’

Blood drained out of her face, her knees close to buckling. She nodded quickly, trying to regain control of herself but it was taking everything in her to not cry right there at the counter.

The lady was offering alternatives, connecting flights and reservations but all Haewon did was thank her.

The airport security finally caught up to her. She did not protest, nor struggle as the officers handcuffed her wrists behind her back. They detained her in the holding cell at the airport before she was transferred to the local police station in the evening, where she was questioned and searched thoroughly.

Renjun had to leave the convocation to bail her out and it was past midnight before she was allowed to leave but not without a hefty fine and a warning.

She followed him back to his car, grateful that he had kept his thoughts and his scolding to himself. It was going come, she knew that much but not tonight.

He drove her back to her dorm, offering to stay the night but Haewon could not take any more favours from him.

‘I’ll be fine,’ she told him, her eyes half drooping. ‘Thank you.’

‘Go on in,’ he said. ‘Get some sleep, alright?’

She dragged herself to the staircase and climbed the steps one at a time till she reached the third floor. Donghyuck was gone. Sure, she could call him, message him but he was gone. What a fucking day, she sighed to herself but her mind was still alert, pulling her to their last conversation, to a particular moment after he had told her that he was leaving. The pause after his words, his expectant eyes and the defeated look hearing her reply.

Should she have said something then, she tried to reason. Was that the chance Donghyuck had given her, testing her heart.

She shook the feeling away, too tired to form coherent thoughts anymore but the moment she turned the corner, her feet suddenly stilled as her eyes landed on the door to her apartment.

Under the flickering light bulb, curled up on the floor beside three suitcases, was Donghyuck.

Haewon scoffed at the sight of him sleeping peacefully against her door. And she had every right to be angry too. Annoyed, irritated, wanting to kick him in the shins before cursing at him and maybe pushing him away. She had been awake for more than 24 hours, had missed her convocations, was almost shot and had started her own criminal record, and there he was, sleeping like a baby.

But Haewon found herself smiling and wasn’t surprised.

Hearing her footsteps, Donghyuck stirred, quickly rising to his feet. He stared at her and she waited. His lip quivered and he gulped, stalking forward, a frown on his forehead.

‘Why didn’t you ask me to stay?’ he cried out. A tear rolled down his cheek and in the light Haewon could see that he hadn’t slept the night too.

‘You were never going to see me again.’ His voice was hoarse, each word grating his throat. ‘And you were fine with that?!’

She wanted to laugh at his accusation and perhaps she did too because Donghyuck fumbled, his expression growing incredulous.

‘Is this funny to you?’ he rasped. ‘After everything we have been through—’

‘Ugh,’ Haewon groaned and closed the distance between them, slapping him on his shoulder.

He stumbled backwards, almost tripping over the suitcases. ‘What was that for?’

‘Who do you think you are, huh?’ she yelled, smacking him in the chest this time.

‘Ow, that hurt!’

‘Good, it should,’ she gritted out. ‘You deserve it.’

‘Wh— what did I do?’

She scoffed in disbelief. ‘I’ll tell you what you did!’ she spat, her finger pointed right at him. ‘First you push me into the lake, almost killing me, then disappear from my life like nothing happened.’ She pushed him again, hitting the same spot. ‘I don’t see you for three months. Three fucking months, and when you do see me, you tell me that you’re leaving forever. Then, I have to learn from Mark out of all people about your deal with the seniors two years ago?’

Donghyuck bowed his head at this but caught her wrist just in time before receiving another shove. ‘Haewon…’

‘Don’t you dare ‘Haewon’ me. Why is your phone off, huh? I called you so many times!’

‘I—’ He was scrambling for words.

‘You what?!’

‘I—you called me?’ There they were again, his expectant eyes.

‘Oh, I did more than just call you, Lee Donghyuck,’ she groaned again, struggling in his grip but he held her close. ‘You wanted to leave, right? Leave. Go.’ She pushed him. ‘Leave. Why are you here?’

Her arms were hitting his chest, his shoulder, anything they could grab onto but Donghyuck was stronger and Haewon was exhausted.

‘Haewon…’ he almost had to yell out, trying to placate her and finally as her body gave out and she broke down crying, he pressed her to his chest, engulfing her in his arms.

‘I’m sorry,’ he whispered, tightening his grip around her. ‘I am sorry.’

‘How could you?!’ She gave one last fight before melting into him.

‘I know… I am sorry.’ He soothed her back for her, swallowing back his own tears. Slowly, he pulled away, holding her face in his hands. ‘I was… I don’t know… I wasn’t thinking. I thought I had lost you, Haewon. You don’t know… I couldn’t bear to look at you after what I had done,’ he choked out, wiping the tears from her cheeks.

‘I thought I had lost you too,’ she whispered back, pressing her forehead against his.

Donghyuck let her cry, his own tears mixing with hers.

‘Do you still want to leave?’ she asked, her fingers still clutching his shirt.

It was his turn to laugh. He pulled away, shaking his head and when he saw her smile, he leaned down to press his lips to hers.

He knew it was wrong. You were supposed to be like an older sister. A guide almost. He couldn't even look you in the eyes properly. You brushed it off as him just being awkward about the whole situation. But Johnny could see right through Haechan. The way he tried catching a glimpse of your tits when you wore low cut shirts or the way his eyes would be stuck on your ass. Or in rare cases when he got hard from a little hug.

He felt bad for Haechan. But he couldn't let him have you... Not for now at least. So he put on a little show for him. After all. That's what brothers are for. Looking out for each other.

So Johnny intentionally started fucking you at the dorms more. Just so Haechan could hear your pretty moans. The way you chanted Johnny's name. He started being more touchy with you in the dorms. Especially in front of Haechan. Having his hands on your waist all the time. Or even boldly groping your tits letting haechan watch the way your nipple hardened at his touch.

Haechan knew that Johnny knew. He was confused at first but it was obvious since Johnny would make direct eye contact with him while he was doing so. He wanted to tell him to stop. But the surprised look on your face, or even simply hearing your little gasps and whimpers was enough for Haechan.

"He's a perverted man yn. Not a hormonal boy." Johnny corrected as you rolled your eyes. "and it's fun seeing him so embarrassed."

It took you the longest time to figure out what was going on. "Babe that's so cruel. He's just a... Hormonal boy. Let him be."

"You seem to have a real soft spot for him."

"Poor Haechannie."

"Well... He's just. So cute... Annoying at times? Duh. But it's like... How can you not like Haechan."

Johnny wondered for a while. "Maybe you should let him have some of his fantasies come true." He said with such a straight face you almost dropped your phone on your face. Johnny smirked crawling above you.

"Am I?" He asked grabbing both of you wrists pinning them above your head. "Let him have a little fun with his favourite noona. Of course if only you want to, that is."

"You're kidding right?"

"What kind of hyung would I be if I don't even help out my younger bandmate? Besides. I wouldn't mind seeing my girlfriend getting pleased. Hey, maybe I can teach Haechan a thing or two. I'm sure he won't mind."

"Are you being for real?"

Let's just say Haechan did NOT mind.