Love in the Halls [Lee Donghyuck]

Chapter 88: You Got Me Confused

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The evening settled into a strange kind of quiet after Narae's vulnerable moment with Haechan. She remained tucked away in her room, letting the distant hum of conversation between her mother and Haechan fill the silence. The thought of facing him again sent an unwelcome heat rushing to her cheeks, so she opted to stay hidden—at least until her mom would inevitably force her out.

From the living room, she could hear her mother's voice—cheerful, animated, and way too curious for Narae's liking. "Are you okay, sweetheart? What brings you here at this hour?"

Narae cringed as she imagined the scene. Of course her mom would act like this. She pressed her ear against her bedroom door, trying to catch Haechan's response. His voice, amused but a bit sheepish, drifted through.

"I'm fine, Mrs. Bang. I just needed to check on Narae." His voice held that familiar charm, but Narae could practically feel the hint of embarrassment through the wall.

Her mom continued, undeterred. "Oh, was I interrupting something between you two? You know, I can give you some space if you need it," she said with a light laugh, clearly enjoying herself.

Narae groaned under her breath. Mom, please.

"N-no, nothing like that," Haechan replied, and Narae could hear the smile in his voice. "I just wanted to make sure she was okay."

"Well, that's very kind of you," her mom gushed. "But, Haechan—oh wait, should I call you Donghyuck? I'm sorry, what should I call you, dear?"

There was a pause, and Narae could only imagine the playful glint in his eyes as he answered. "You can call me Donghyuck, Mrs. Bang."

Her mom's voice lit up again, as if she'd struck gold. "Donghyuck! That's a lovely name. You know, I've been thinking—you must be tired. Why don't you stay the night? We have an extra room. I can even make you some food. How about it?"

Narae's eyes widened as she sat up straight. Stay the night?! Her mom was really pulling all the stops now.

Haechan chuckled, the sound muffled through the walls, but Narae could still catch the slight embarrassment in his tone. "I wouldn't want to impose."

"Nonsense!" Her mom exclaimed. "It's no trouble at all. I'll cook you a nice meal and get the room ready for you."

Haechan didn't say anything immediately, and Narae could just picture his awkward smile. She was sure he found the whole thing amusing, maybe even a little endearing, but she also knew he was slightly mortified by the sudden attention.

Deciding she couldn't hide forever, Narae slumped back into her bed, burying her face into her pillow. She wasn't ready to face them—not yet. She squeezed her eyes shut, hoping to block out the embarrassment when her mom's voice pierced the air again.

From her room, Narae could faintly hear the murmur of conversation drifting through the hallway. At first, she didn't pay much attention, assuming Haechan would be gone soon. But then the clinking of dishes and her mother's lively voice caught her ear. It didn't take long for Narae to realize that her mom had somehow convinced him to stay.

She sighed, half-expecting this. Of course, her mom would offer him food, and knowing Haechan, the promise of leftover kimchi jjigae was too tempting to pass up. He must have been sitting at the table now, quietly enjoying the meal while her mom rambled on about who-knows-what. The thought of it made her want to hide under her blankets, especially knowing how much her mom could talk once she got started.

As the minutes ticked by, Narae strained to hear snippets of their conversation. It wasn't clear what they were talking about, but she caught her mom's voice rising and falling in that familiar excited tone, asking him about school, his friends, and if he was getting enough sleep. She heard Haechan's soft responses, too quiet to make out completely, but the warmth in his voice was unmistakable. He was being polite, as always, but Narae could imagine the slight embarrassment in his expression—he never did well under too much doting attention.