Love in the Halls [Lee Donghyuck]

Chapter 8: The Breaking Point

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As the deadline for the science project inched closer, Narae felt the mounting pressure of the task. Each day, she was confronted with the reality of her unbalanced partnership with Haechan. He had become a ghost in their project meetings, a constant source of frustration as she toiled away alone.

On a crisp Wednesday afternoon, Narae found herself in the school library, surrounded by piles of research papers and scattered notes. The sunlight filtered through the large windows, casting a warm glow over her work, but her mood was anything but warm. She was deep into a report about the different planetary atmospheres when she heard the familiar, rhythmic clacking of Haechan's footsteps.

He entered the library with his usual casual stride, his attention fixed on his phone. He barely noticed Narae as he made his way to a nearby table, where he plopped down and began scrolling through a game on his screen. Narae's frustration bubbled over as she watched him, her pen tapping impatiently on the desk.

"Hey, Haechan," she said, trying to keep her voice steady despite the irritation simmering beneath her calm exterior. "Could you at least pretend to care about this project?"

Haechan looked up, seemingly startled by her tone. He shrugged, still glued to his phone. "I'm here, aren't I? I'll help in a bit."

Narae sighed deeply. "We don't have time for 'a bit.' The project's due next week. I need you to actually contribute."

Haechan glanced at her, a mix of guilt and annoyance flashing across his face. "Alright, alright. Just give me a minute."

Narae watched him in disbelief. She had hoped that confronting him would spark some sense of urgency, but instead, he seemed to brush off her concerns with casual indifference. Her frustration only deepened as she turned back to her notes, her focus slipping as her thoughts swirled with anger and disappointment.

After what felt like hours, Haechan finally put his phone away and shuffled through the pile of research Narae had compiled. He half-heartedly skimmed through the documents, occasionally glancing at Narae. She, on the other hand, was in full-on research mode, feverishly working to finalize the details of their model.

Their next session was even less productive. Haechan arrived late, his energy focused on chatting with Mark and Chenle. When he did settle into his chair, his attention was split between the project and his phone, which buzzed incessantly with notifications.

Narae's patience wore thin as she tried to explain the importance of the solar system's structure. "Haechan, we need to cover the orbits of the planets and their relative sizes. This is crucial for our presentation."

Haechan responded with a noncommittal nod. "Yeah, yeah. I'll get to it."

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Narae's frustration flared as she cornered Haechan by the school computers. He was predictably engrossed in a game, barely aware of her presence until she forcefully called his name.

"Haechan," Narae's voice was firm, a mix of frustration and disappointment lacing her words. "You can't just keep slacking off like this! We've worked too hard—I've worked too hard—for you to not even try."

Haechan looked up, blinking at her with a mix of surprise and irritation. "I told you, I don't get science," he mumbled, leaning back in his chair as if to dismiss her concerns. "What's the point of trying if I'm not going to understand it anyway?"

Narae's expression softened briefly before hardening again. "It's not about whether or not you understand everything right away, Haechan. It's about putting in the effort. You haven't even tried. I've been doing all the work, and it's not fair. This is supposed to be a a group project."