Catch-22, HAECHAN

10 | Lee freaking Haechan!

"Go."

"I can't." Arin bites her lip as she turns to face Haechan with worry. "You know what, maybe coming here wasn't a good idea-"

"Hyung!" Haechan doesn't wait for the girl to finish when he sees Jungwoo leave the counter, a basket of cleaning supplies in his hand.

The girl next to him hisses, but he pays her no mind as he waves for the older boy to come.

"Hey, guys." Jungwoo is wide-eyed, as though surprised to see the pair. Still, he offers them a kind smile. "Enjoyed the movie?"

"It was alright." Haechan shrugs. It wasn't a lie— it was mediocre at best, but that was probably because he had his attention on the couple in front of him for most of the time.

Don't get him wrong— he wasn't trying to be a creep or anything like that. Chaerin had wanted to prove to him that going to the movies for a first date wasn't a bad idea, but he honestly couldn't care less about that. What he did care about, however, was his theory about her not being the least bit interested in the guy she's with.

Her body language alone was enough to prove him right, which was why the moment she left the theatre halfway through the movie, he had bolted after her.

Sure, it did end up with him landing a slap on his cheek for interrupting her bathroom break, but Haechan still stands by his words, because there's no way Chaerin would like a guy like...that.

One, with the way her face had curled up in disgust when he offered to share the bucket of popcorn, Haechan knew that was already one strike down for the boy. Second, it was obvious that Hanbin wasn't a horror fan by any means— it seemed as though he had taken Haechan's advice too literally and jumped at the first opportunity to impress Chaerin by making it seem that they shared an interest. The girl probably wouldn't even have minded the fact that he didn't like horror movies— the fact that he had lied, however; that was strike two.

He didn't manage to catch Chaerin before she left, mostly because Arin had all but dragged him out of the theatre to the front counter the second the movie ended to fulfill his end of the deal.

And now, he's wishing for the girl to just get to it already so that he could at least take out his phone to drop Chaerin a text.

"I didn't know you guys were going out," Jungwoo chuckles nervously, and Haechan suppresses a groan at how long these two are taking to admit that they like each other.

"We're-"

"I like you!" Arin suddenly blurts, and Haechan turns to her with surprise. While he had been wanting her to get those exact words out, her approach had still managed to catch him off-guard. It reminded him of when Yena and Mark first got together, and Haechan wonders if this is just how lame people confess to each other.

Jungwoo's eyes widen but he doesn't say anything, prompting Arin to continue. "I had to resort to going out with Lee Freaking Haechan to get your attention and even that didn't work! If you don't like me just say it right now so I know, alright? I'll stop trying to pursue you-"

"Arin, I like you too," Jungwoo exhales, clearly still shocked at the girl's sudden outburst, and his confession halts her rambling.

"Seems like my work here is done." Haechan smacks his lips as he places his hands on each of their shoulders, giving the two an approving nod.

He takes his phone out from his back pocket as he leaves the cinema, whistling a tune to himself as he walks to his car. He considers leaving Chaerin a text, but isn't so sure if he wants to risk interrupting her date (if they are still together, that is). The texts he had left her a few hours ago about wanting some gummy bears are still left unanswered (unsurprisingly), the Read: 8.07pm at the bottom of the screen staring back at him instead. Haechan halts in his tracks, his fingers dancing above his screen as he contemplates his decision, before eventually exiting the app and locking his phone.