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Mark stares down to the field, his eyes following the guy wearing jersey number 06. It was just a practice soccer game, but all the players of the team played like they're in a competition. Understandable, because their goal is to win the tournament that is happening next week. If they win, it will surely get the team a spot in the finals. But what Mark doesn't understand is his eyes always end up on the same thing, Haechan's legs.
"Hello? Earth to Mark Lee?" Jeno continues to snap his fingers in front of Mark's face.
"Did you say something?" Mark said but his head did not even turn to Jeno and was still looking at Haechan and how he was held up by his teammates because he scored a goal.
The practice game ended. The opposing teams greet each other with a good game before half of them go to the lockers and others still go for some warm-ups or rest for a little bit. Coach Nakamoto talks to his players one by one until he stops by Haechan who is with Sungchan, laughing at whatever his senior said. Mark rolls his eyes because he's sure Haechan is spitting his lame puns again.
"At least try not to be seen as jealous, Mark" Jaemin said in a teasing tone and Mark just snorted.
"Me? Jealous? Of who? Sungchan? Is that a joke Jaemin?" Mark replies but his two friends beside him aren't as naive as him. They know that the older one is jealous but Mark doesn't want to admit it or he just doesn't know that he looks so painfully jealous of Sungchan, who is the new hoobae of Haechan in the soccer team.
Mark looks at Sungchan. A Jung is printed on his jersey alongside his number, 27.
"His surname is Jung? Is he related to Jaehyun hyung?"
Jaemin and Jeno shrug. They don't know if those two Jungs are related but what they do know is their friend needs to extrapolate his feelings before it eats him alive.
| 'Oh. That's why he looks familiar. Thanks, hyung'
Mark was about to put back his phone inside his pocket after he replied to Jaehyun when it vibrated, showing another message from Jaehyun.
| 'Why do you ask about Sungchan? Is my cousin causing you trouble?'
"Yes. He's fucking stealing my best friend" Mark mumbles but instead, he replied a simple 'Nothing' to their basketball captain.
Mark doesn't know what to do with the information that Sungchan is indeed related to Jaehyun, who is one of the seniors Haechan is into. Unfortunately, Jaehyun is already in a relationship with Taeyong, the student council president, so Haechan doesn't want to pursue his crush anymore. Sungchan is screaming an aura like Jaehyun's (like a Jung) and Mark is sure that it won't take a moment for Donghyuck not to fall for that.
And why does Mark bother with that? With the thought of Haechan liking Sungchan and the latter liking back Haechan? The thought is too much for Mark so he just closes his eyes, hoping he can sleep.
Mark ends up being in an ice skating rink when he doesn't even know how to skate.
Jeno forced him to hang out since it's been a long time with Mark. They all agreed to meet at the mall and the first thing his eyes caught is Haechan, wearing fitted ripped jeans and a t-shirt that hugs his shoulders. For others, the fit might look simple but for Haechan and his proportions like a model, with those clothes, he can make any path a runway.
When Haechan and Jaemin want to try the new attraction in the mall --- the ice skating rink, they both drag Jeno and Mark, and the two boys can't refuse the former two because they are just that whipped. Though Mark won't still admit he is as much whipped as Jeno when it comes to Haechan.
Before they could go inside the rink, they accidentally met Sungchan with his friends, Jisung and Chenle who were also going to try ice skating. Since Jaemin knows Jisung, they all decided to hang out together although there's a refusal sitting right in Mark's stomach. It didn't even take longer when Sungchan got Haechan's full attention and that's the thing why he wants to refuse this whole hangout with them.
Now Mark is stuck with couples (Jeno and Jaemin, Chenle and Jisung) and two flirting idiots (Haechan and Sungchan). He feels pathetic because he can't skate for his life.
Holding onto the bars at the side, Mark slowly and carefully moves. Jaemin was good at skating and so was his boyfriend Jeno. Chenle and Jisung were pretty good at it too. Haechan was unexpectedly good at skating, the younger never fails to amaze Mark from the new things he learns about him. And beside Haechan, there's Sungchan who is also great too.
Mark is getting tired so he just leans onto the wall at the side, glaring at Haechan and Sungchan doing silly things on top of the ice. Maybe, just a little bit, Mark wants to consider his feelings for Haechan. Maybe, he's thinking about the possibility of him liking his friend.
When Haechan turned around to see Mark, the older went back on trying to skate although he can't even move an inch because of the thought of falling on his butt, which is very embarrassing if you ask Mark. Haechan stifles a laugh. Knowing Mark, he would do everything to be good at something he can't. It ignites his competitive self. Haechan bids goodbye to Sungchan who just shoots a smile as a reply then proceeds to go beside Mark, offering a hand to hold.
"Hold my hand"
Mark cranes his neck and sees Donghyuck, his two hands are offered to him. Mark's brain must be on a short circuit and didn't understand what Haechan said so the latter took the matter on his hand and held Mark's freezing hand. It was a full contrast to Donghyuck's warm hands, and now it reminds him that one time Mark mentioned his hands get cold fast.
Haechan pulls Mark, but the older one is too stiff to move.
"Trust me, Mark. Move your feet."
Mark looks Haechan in the eye. His big doe eyes are full of unnamed emotions and his seagull eyebrows are furrowed (which is cute, Donghyuck thinks).
"What if I fall, Haechan?" Mark's hold on his hand tightens but Haechan just replies with a twinkling smile.
"Then I'll catch you, Mark"
Mark's breath hitched when he saw Donghyuck tackled onto the ground by his opponent. It was now the day of the soccer tournament and Jaemin also shouted when he saw his best friend hissing (probably because of pain) while standing up after being tackled. Their opponents for this soccer game are being more physical and the referee is a trash for keeping blind about it.
That definitely hurt. Mark thinks as his mind also supplies the image of small wounds on Haechan's arms and legs. He's on the basketball team and Mark knows the feeling of having that kind of opponent. He might have experienced all sorts of getting physical in a game but not in the field where Haechan is currently dominating.
"I swear if the referee continues to be blind, I'll go down there and raise a warning to the other team myself" Jaemin rants and Jeno caresses his hand to ease his boyfriend.
"Easy there babe, you know you can't do that" Jeno said and right after that, Haechan slipped because of one of the player's legs from the opposite team. It was obvious that they're targeting Haechan to all physical propaganda since he is the team's ace.
Jeno and Jaemin were shocked but they were more surprised when Mark stood up and was about to go down from the bleachers. "Hey Mark, where are you going?"
"Stopping the game or getting the referee out of there since he's useless. That should have a warning!"
To Jeno's relief, he had grabbed Mark before he could go through what's he's planning. " That. You would not do that. And here I thought Jaemin would be the most outraged here" Jeno managed to get Mark back on his seat again and throw Jaemin a knowing look as he sighs.
If Mark only knew his feelings for Haechan is much deeper than he thought.
There was an after-party, the team still managed to score a goal through Sungchan who was greatly assisted by Haechan and won the tournament. All students are invited so Jeno, Jaemin and Mark don't see the harm of attending it. The house hosting the party was already crowded when the three of them arrived. Mark doesn't even know whose house is this and the only thing he wants to know is where Haechan is. He wants to see his best friend, check on him and congratulate or reward him for whatever he wants.
"Did you see Haechan?" Mark asks Jisung when he saw him getting down from the staircase.
"Oh I think I saw him at the balcony on the second floor earlier"
"Thanks" Mark shoots a smile and proceeds to climb the stairs and go straight to where the balcony is.
The lights are dimmer on the second floor rather than the first where the makeshift dance floor lies. Mark strides delightfully in hopes to see Haechan but the next thing he sees, it makes his stomach upside down.
From where he stands, Haechan looks like having a great time kissing Sungchan.
Shocked, Mark quickly went back to the first floor. The EDM song that permeates the whole house is just like white noise in Mark's head. But he knows something is aching inside him, what he's not sure if it's his head or his heart.
"Alcohol?" Mark turns his head to see who it is and he finds Renjun, the famous transferee holding a cup, offering it to him.
"It looks like you need one" Renjun adds and Mark thinks he's right so he grabs the cup and immediately zeroes out the liquid in it.
Mark feels hazy but a little bit soothing now. The constricting pain inside him lessens as the effect of alcohol strikes. He's originally kinda lightweight and the alcohol was just so strong Mark can't name it. A side of his mind reminds him he shouldn't be drinking a lot since there's no Jeno and Jaemin who will pick up his drunk ass, but the other side tells him to get shitfaced and not to worry about anything because he deserves it after what he saw at the balcony earlier.
Mark didn't know how many cups he had received and refilled only to be drunk by him. Someone even flirted with him but he flatly turned them down and proceeded to slump his head on the kitchen island and nap. When he woke up, he was not in the kitchen but in a soft bed under a warm blanket. His head is pounding but he notes that the darkness outside that is seen from the window indicates that it must have been only a few minutes or hours since he passed out.
His eyes travel to the unfamiliar room and he assumes that the party is not over since there is still faint music coming from downstairs. It was a click from the bathroom that made Mark jolt and look for the kind person who let him nap comfortably in a room.
"Haechan..." It was Haechan, standing in front of him with brand new clothes and wet hair. Nonetheless, the younger one still looks good.
But right after that moment, Mark suddenly remembers Haechan kissing Sungchan and grunts.
"Mark, are you okay?" Haechan immediately surged forward to check on his friend. Mark looks like he drank half of the drinks of the whole party and Haechan doesn't know why Mark drank like that because knowing him, Mark doesn't drink beyond his control.
Haechan quickly noticed the way Mark flinched when he touched him. He did nothing wrong, in fact, it was Mark who spilled his guts on Haechan, and luckily, Chenle, the host of the party, is kind enough to lend him clothes and let him have a quick shower.
"Is your head hurting? Did... Did I do something wrong?" Haechan asked and Mark answered with silence.
Alcohol must have been still running on Mark's when he suddenly grabbed Haechan in his arms and wrapped himself into him. He nuzzles his face on the younger's neck, the apricot scent playing in his head.
"I miss you. You did well, Haechanie" Haechan smiled when he heard those words and was about to pull out to see Mark's face but Mark didn't let him.
"And I'm an idiot for realizing this late but I like you Haechan. I fall for you even though you like someone else" Mark can feel Haechan stiffness after he blurted out those words.
"W-what? I like someone else? And who is that someone, Mark?"
"Sungchan. I saw you kissing---"
"Since when did we kiss?" This time Haechan is now facing Mark who can't directly look at him. If this would be another scenario, Haechan would think that Mark is cute (well he is really cute), pouting and looking like a kicked puppy.
"A-at the balcony earlier"
"Sungchan is just a friend. And we will never gonna kiss. He was just whispering something to me since the music was so loud" Haechan explains and Mark was now looking at him. The younger hopes Mark can see the sincerity in his eyes.
After digesting all of it, Mark gapes and let a small "Oh "
It was just all misunderstandings, Mark might have not double-checked if Haechan and Sungchan were really kissing that time since his mind immediately supplied it and the anger and sadness ate him quickly. Now realizing that he confessed to Haechan like this --- drunk, head aching, hair is in a disheveled mess --- he blushes from his cheeks up to the tip of his ears.
"Uhh.. what I said earlier..."
"That you fell for me?" Haechan cocks his eyebrows and Mark can't help but let out a groan from being embarrassed. Mark feels he is now getting sober.
"Y-yeah.. about that.. uh..."
"Remember what I said when we were in the ice skating rink?" Mark knows his mind isn't capable right now to remember things as his head is still throbbing from alcohol. So he just looked at Haechan, his beautiful, pretty, wonderful Haechan.
"That when you fall, I'll be there to catch you, Mark"