Love in the Halls [Lee Donghyuck]

Chapter 28: Weekend Confessions

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The sound of laughter and conversation filled the air, echoing off the walls of Mark's living room. Haechan, Mark, Jaemin, and Chenle were sprawled out on the floor, half-empty soda cans and snack wrappers scattered around them. The room had the comfortable chaos that only came from long-term friendships—clothes thrown over chairs, gaming consoles tangled in cables, and posters peeling off the walls. It was the perfect setting for a laid-back Saturday, the kind Haechan usually loved. But today, something was different.

"Hey, pass me the chips," Jaemin called out, his arm outstretched. Chenle tossed the bag over without looking, eyes still fixed on the game they were playing. Haechan, sitting with his back against the couch, tried to focus on the screen in front of him, but his mind kept drifting. He hadn't meant to bring Narae up again; he'd been careful to avoid the subject lately. Yet, here he was, the knot in his chest tightening every time someone even hinted at her name.

"So, what's up with you and Narae?" Mark asked casually, breaking the silence that had settled among them. The question hung in the air, a heavy pause that made Haechan's grip on his controller tighten. He had known this was coming—his friends weren't the type to let things slide, especially when it was clear something was bothering him.

Haechan shrugged, trying to play it off. "Nothing. Why would there be anything?"

Mark raised an eyebrow. "Come on, man. We're not blind. You've been off your game ever since school started back up. You can't seriously expect us to believe nothing's going on."

Jaemin smirked, nudging Haechan's leg with his foot. "Yeah, spill it. Did you guys fight or something?"

Haechan ran a hand through his hair, sighing. "No, we talked about this last time already. She just randomly stopped talking to me."

The frustration was evident in his voice, the way it edged into every word. It wasn't like him to get worked up over someone, especially not to the point where it started affecting his mood. But with Narae, everything felt different. It had felt different ever since the weeks leading up to winter break when they'd actually started to get along. For once, Haechan hadn't felt the need to put on a show or make everything a joke. Being around Narae had felt comfortable, real, and he missed that feeling more than he cared to admit.

Mark leaned back, crossing his arms. "And how does that make you feel?"

Haechan shot him a glare. "What are you, my therapist?"

Mark shrugged, unbothered by the sharpness in Haechan's tone. "Just trying to help, dude. You've been weird lately. I'm worried about you."

Haechan stared at the paused screen, his reflection staring back at him from the TV. "I don't know, man. I just—ever since before winter break, I started liking her. It wasn't just a casual thing, like 'she's cool' or 'she's fun to talk to.' I really really started to like her, you know? But, honestly, I never thought we could be anything more than friends. I was okay with that. I figured if I could at least be her friend, it'd be enough, you know? I mean, I never really saw us dating or anything. It's just... now it feels like I don't even know her anymore. Like, I'm back to square one, and I can't figure out where I went wrong or how things changed so suddenly."

Chenle , who had been quiet up until now, spoke up. "Maybe she's going through something. You know how people get sometimes. It's not always about you."

Haechan knew Jeno was right, but it didn't make the situation any easier. "I get that, but it still sucks. I can't help but feel like I did something wrong, like I messed up somehow. And now, every time I see her, she just looks... closed off. Like she's putting up walls just to keep me out."

"Have you tried talking to her about it?" Jaemin asked, popping another chip into his mouth.

"Yeah, but she's so distant now. I feel like if I push too much, I'll just make things worse. I don't want to scare her off completely," Haechan admitted.

Mark gave him a reassuring pat on the back. "Maybe give it some time. People don't always open up right away. Just keep being yourself. If she likes you, she'll come around."

Haechan nodded, though the frustration still lingered in his chest. Time was something he could handle—he was patient, after all. But that didn't mean he liked feeling helpless, especially not when it came to someone as intriguing as Narae. He'd wait, sure, but he couldn't promise he wouldn't be thinking about her the whole time.

As the conversation shifted back to the game, Haechan couldn't help but glance out the window. The sun was setting, casting long shadows across the room. He let out a slow breath, trying to ease the tension in his shoulders. Maybe Mark was right. Maybe time would change things. Until then, he'd keep doing what he did best: staying confident, keeping things light, and hoping that eventually, Narae would see that he wasn't going anywhere.

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