Catch-22, HAECHAN

08 | are you there?

Chaerin ignores the incessant ringing of the bell as she continues munching on her oatmeal, knowing that it's probably just Jaemin who's here to pick Sera up like he does almost every morning (it's not like he doesn't know the passcode to their apartment— he does. He just likes to do it to annoy her).

"Yes, I know, and I love you too, Nana- I'm coming!" Sera calls out as she emerges from room, hopping on one foot as she attempts to put on a sock on the other, her phone balanced between her ear and shoulder.

Chaerin watches boredly as she brings another spoonful to her mouth, wondering why the hell her roommate couldn't just hang up the phone to greet her boyfriend who's already standing at the door, but then again, she wouldn't put it past the two to do something as cringey as that.

"Really, Chae, couldn't you have answered- oh? Lee Haechan?"

Chaerin chokes loudly on her milk, her sudden coughing fit causing tears to spring to her eyes. She smacks on her chest as she tries to ease her throat, and her vision eventually clears up to see two faces staring at her weirdly from the door.

"Jeez. Does the mention of my name disgust you that much?" Donghyuck says bitterly as he steps in, Sera closing the door behind him.

"What are you doing here?" Chaerin hisses as she glances at the clock abover the refrigerator. "It's eight in the morning!"

"And our first class begins in-" he pauses, glancing at his wristwatch. "An hour and a half. So chop chop, princess." Donghyuck makes himself comfortable on the stool next to her as he steals an apple slice from her bowl.

She could only afford to stare at him in horror. Never mind the fact that he had decided to randomly show at her doorstep without pre-empting her— of course, he had to do it while she's still in her pyjamas with a towel hat wrapped around her head.

Not like it matters how she presents herself to Donghyuck, but still.

The door swings open again, and this time Jaemin saunters in, his eyes instantly widening upon seeing the unlikely pair sitting side by side in the kitchen. "Oh? Lee Haechan?"

"Is my house a museum to you guys?" Chaerin grumbles as she stands up, turning around to put her empty bowl in the sink.

Mornings have always been her favourite part of the day— it's the only time where she could have some peace and quiet as she preps herself for her day ahead. She'd wake up and take a shower to freshen up before fixing herself some breakfast, and even after that there would still be some spare time for her to do whatever she wanted before having to get ready for school. She'd water the plants, read a book— hell, maybe even meditate (it helps in cooling down her temper).

Unfortunately, that's the one thing Chaerin hadn't managed to do today before the two most annoying boys she knows decided to appear in her kitchen, and she knows for sure that her mood is probably going to stay ruined for at least the first half of the day.

"At least I bothered to ring the bell," Donghyuck bites back childishly, Jaemin not saying anything as he moves towards the living room to greet his girlfriend.

Chaerin turns around after placing her bowl on the drying rack, crossing her arms. "Seriously, Donghyuck. Why are you here?"

The hockey player tilts his head. "I thought I told you yesterday that I'll see you first thing in the morning?"

"Yeah, at 4am! I didn't even see your text until, like, twenty minutes ago because I was asleep. You know, like a normal person." She shoots him a glare. "Why were you even up that late, anyways?"

"You know you could have just called me, right?" He shrugs, choosing to ignore her latter question as he stands up to raid the fridge. "You still haven't told me what it is, by the way."