Catch-22, HAECHAN

16 | flower in a concrete garden

The event hall is decked out in pretty hues of gold and white, large silk fabrics draped across the tall ceilings shimmering in the warm ambience of the large room.

Chaerin couldn't help but to gape at the grandeur, feeling slightly out of place despite the ballgown she's wearing (maybe it's because it's thrifted, but confidence is what matters, right?).

"You alright?" Jaehyun bends down slightly to whisper into her ear, and Chaerin turns to him with a smile on her face.

"Yeah."

Jaehyun pats her hand on his arm reassuringly, guiding her towards the groups of scattered people under the giant chandelier.

She's nervous— it's her first time attending an event as luxurious as this, or any event like this for that matter, and Chaerin isn't so sure what to expect. Jaehyun had given her a run-down of what to do, and even though all she got from his mini pep talk was to basically stand there and look pretty, the last thing she wants is to come off as an unintelligent outsider who's only here for her hot date (which seriously isn't the case, but she sees how it can come off like that).

"Should we go greet my parents?" He asks, and despite the sudden wave of nervousness that rushes through her body at his question, Chaerin nods.

"Jaehyun!" Another voice calls from behind before they could continue, and Chaerin finds herself letting out a small sigh of relief at the temporary distraction. They turn around to meet a man Chaerin instantly recognises, one Jaehyun does too with the way his smile widens.

"Doie!"

Doyoung's eyes flutter to Chaerin, his lips parting with surprise. "Chaerin! Hi."

"Yeah, hi." She smiles meekly, feeling slightly awkward.

"Where's Haechan?" Jaehyun asks, and the mention of the boy she hasn't seen since her arrival causes her heart to thump nervously.

Chaerin has been trying to put off inevitably bumping into Donghyuck from her mind, telling herself that she'd cross the bridge when she gets to it. She knows that it would only be a matter of time before it happens, and she could only hope that she'd at least get some time to prepare herself before it does.

"I think he's already at the table. Come, I saved you guys a seat. Our parents are there, too."

Chaerin gulps, letting Jaehyun guide her to the banquet tables where waiters and waitresses are seen serving the guests. She wasn't expecting to see him so soon, and the added pressure of having to make a good first impression to both Jaehyun and Donghyuck's parents at the same time aren't doing much to calm down her frantic nerves.

The first person she sees upon approaching the giant circular table in the middle of the huge dining room is of course none other than Donghyuck himself, the boy seemingly unaware of her presence just yet with his gaze trained to his lap. Chaerin is surprised to see him alone, having expected the girl from the movies to be with him, but it seems that he doesn't have a date with him tonight.

For some reason, it's hard to tear her gaze away from him despite him not even facing her, and Chaerin knows it definitely has something to do with the way he looks.

Lee Donghyuck looks stunning, and Chaerin hates herself for thinking that.

The first thing she notices is the way his usually-dishevelled hair is styled up to reveal his forehead, on it's own already making him look so devastatingly handsome, and she wonders how he's able to make a black suit and tie look so ravishing despite it being such a simple combination. The only thing that's missing, however, is the usual grin she often sees on his face.