heartbreaker | nct dream

32

before lessons started, the clueless group of friends undeniably did not forget to ask jaemin what haeyoung had bought for him. of course, everyone but mark asked him. haechan and jisung sensed that something was wrong but didn't question it, though mark would usually be the most enthusiastic about things like this.

"what did haeyoung get for you?" jeno asked first, being the supportive friend he is.

"what are you guys talking about?" jaemin asked the six that surrounded him, clueless.

"don't act like you don't know, it was your 100th day anniversary with haeyoung yesterday!" jisung playfully nudged him.

"...oh, right." jaemin smiled awkwardly.

"so what did she give you? and what did you get her?" chenle questioned him.

"she didn't give me anything though. i gave her... uhh, i gave her a necklace." jaemin lied through his teeth.

"as if. you gave her a heartbreak." mark mumbled under his breath while clenching his fists, trying his best to hold in his anger.

"mark, did you say something?" renjun noticed and asked.

"huh? no, i didn't."

remaining on the same topic for a few more minutes, the bell rang finally rang. to mark, it felt like years went by. mark was the first to leave, it was the first time he left without bidding the others goodbye. haechan exchanged glances with jisung. there's definitely something wrong between mark and jaemin.

whether it was during lessons or during their break in the cafeteria, haechan could feel a heavy tention between jaemin and mark. he noticed how mark kept shooting jaemin daggers, even when he barely does anything.

haechan was curious to find out what happened between the both of them, which is why he's currently dragging mark to the back of the school.

"what's up with the two of you?" haechan glared at mark, hands on his hips.

"who?"

"don't play dumb with me, mark lee. what's up with you and jaemin?" haechan glowered. it was mark's first time seeing haechan so serious and intimidating.

"nothing." mark replied bluntly.

"bullshit. i sense something between the both of you." haechan spat.

"why does that concern you?" mark frowned.

"i see you shooting daggers at jaemin when he barely does anything. the both of you are my friends, i should at least know why you're acting this way."

"didn't do anything? he-" mark stopped himself, not wanting to spill anything. he respected haeyoung's privacy and he didn't want to expose it without her permission.

"it's hard to explain." mark reasoned. "i think you should visit haeyoung after school, haeyoung isn't doing very well." mark changed the topic, trying to signal that it was about haeyoung.

mark left haechan alone at the back of the school, walking back into class for the next lesson with a frown on his face.

___

like what mark had suggested, haechan found himself standing in front of haeyoung's house with chicken soup in his hands. "what am i even doing here with chicken soup? i'm never like this," haechan spoke to himself.

like usual, jungwoo was the one who opened the door. "haechan? why are you here?"

"i want to see how haeyoung is doing. is that against the rules?" haechan remarked sassily.

"ah, sure. she's in her room, she might still be sleeping though," jungwoo told haechan.

"i'll just wake her up." haechan said ignorantly. haechan made his way up and barged into her room without knocking.

"haeyoung i bought chicken soup for you, you should be grateful-" haechan paused, seeing a figure sleeping on the bed. of course, it was none other than haeyoung.

"you're really still sleeping? it's already 3pm," haechan set the soup on her bedside table and pulled the blanket away her. "wake up, lazyass."

"stop," haeyoung groaned, rubbing her eyes.

"good afternoon to you too, haeyoung." haechan rolled his eyes.

"oh- haechan?"

"yes, it is i. i bought you chicken soup because you're sick, be grateful." haechan grinned.

"oh..."

"you seem disappointed to see me." haechan faked a cry, seemingly hurt.

"i'm just tired," haeyoung got off the bed and made her way into the bathroom.

"you know, mark kept glaring at jaemin today." haechan informed her while she was brushing her teeth.

"really? did anything else happen today?" haeyoung asked after she finished brushing her teeth.

"well, we asked jaemin what he got for you and vice versa. he said that you didn't give him anything, how rude. but the fact that he bought you a necklace is so sweet!" haechan squealed.

haeyoung didn't utter anything. but on the inside, she was arguing with herself. 'he deserves to know what happened. he is my other best friend after all,' haeyoung told herself.

"actually, i'm not sick." haeyoung looked at him dead in the eye.

"you're scaring me," haechan tried laughing away the stress he was suddenly feeling.

the atmosphere dropped and only the trickling of the tap water could be heard. "on the day of our anniversary, he cheated on me. i saw him kissing hyora."

haechan could only keep quiet. he felt like the worst friend ever. while she was silently crying and breaking apart on the inside, there he was, having fun and joking around with his friends, haeyoung herself included. he now understood why mark was so infuriated with jaemin.

"i'm so sorry..." haechan whispered.

"it hurts, but i'm fine. i'm used to it, you know?" haeyoung chuckled, holding in her tears.

"i know you're not," haechan engulfed the damaged female, rubbing her back comfortingly.

"i wasn't supposed to cry today," haeyoung told him, rubbing away the tears that unknowingly fell from her left eye.

"it's okay to cry though, i cry too. everyone cries." haechan comforted, continuing to rub her back. "but you shouldn't waste your precious tears on someone like him," he added on.

"thank you haechannie." haeyoung gave him a small smile.

"you know what? let's go."  haechan said out of the blue and grabbed haeyoung's small hands, forcefully pulling her out of the room.

"what? go where?" haeyoung bewildered while haechan continued dragging haeyoung behind him.

"mall. you need to clear your mind and stop thinking about that ungrateful brat for today. i don't want to see you crying because of him anymore." haechan stated as he did not go over to haeyoung's house just to see her mourn over someone undeserving.

"but the soup-"

"you can heat it up later."