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Haechan sat on the passenger seat comfortably and began skimming through his friend's messages on the group chat.
Mark, sitting in the driver's seat, raised his brow and tried to catch the latter's attention.
He failed, though.
"Haechieeeee," he called with a tone of clinginess.
Haechan just hummed, trying to ask why Mark's calling him weirdly, still focused on reading the messages.
"Haechaaan," he called once again, pouting.
"Why, Maki?" Kunot ang noo ni Haechan nang bumaling ito kay Mark na kasalukuyang mukhang pinagsakluban ng langit at lupa.
"What are you busy looking at?" He asked as he pinched Haechan's cheeks.
"My friends were messaging me a lot last night, do you have any idea why?" Mark fixed his seat from his position at pinaandar ang sasakyan. He tried so hard not to smile as he remembered what happened last night.
" Chenle~" Haechan called his best friend with a tune.
" Oh?"
" I really like Mark, like super and a lot!!!" Haechan pouted as he giggled.
Obviously, he's drunk. Chenle just laughed and sipped from his cup. He's drunk, but he was very aware of how his best friend really got it bad for Mark. Well, he doesn't need to worry. He's Mark Lee. Looking at Haechan, he just laughed at his state.
"Do guard your heart, but I doubt you will be needing to, because I know he will do it for you." He thought.
" Hmm? E kung sinasabi mo ba naman 'yan kay Mark?"
"Huh? I still can't tell him. Masyadong mabilis, natatakot ako na baka kung gaano kabilis ay ganoon din kabilis mawala." Umiling iling pa si Haechan.
" Anong mabilis? He's been courting you for eight months, Haech. Hindi na 'yon mabilis."
"But I like him so much, Chenle. What if one day, he wakes up and feels that he doesn't love me anymore?"
"Dumb Haechan," he thought, once again.
Kailan pa ba naging ganito katanga ang bestfriend niya? However, he can't blame him. Haechan probably cares about Mark too much and he doesn't want to rush things between them. "Do you like Mark?"
" A lot! I really really like him a lot," he's drunk too, but Chenle smiled. "How about you tell him that?"
A car stopped in front of his house, probably Mark's. Siguro ay nandito na siya para sunduin si Haechan. He just called him fifteen minutes earlier. Kumaway si Chenle mula sa balcony at agad naman silang nakita ni Mark.
He asked for permission to go inside and Chenle nodded.
"Is he drunk?" Mark asked while approaching them closer.
"Nevermind, he is."
" Thank you for taking care of him, Chenle." Mark handed Chenle a can of cold coffee.
" Hydrate yourself before sleeping so it wouldn't feel too empty if you vomit tomorrow."
"Salamat, paki-ingatan na lang si Haechan, ah?" Mark nodded and carried Haechan in a piggyback. Both of them looked too cute, Chenle thought.
"Chenle, where are we going, why is the floor moving?" Natawa naman si Chenle, para bang mawawala ang pagkalasing niya dahil sa kaniyang kaibigan.
" Lagot ka, gumagalaw talaga." Even Mark laughed at Haechan's face. Takot na takot itong hinigpitan ang hawak sa hoodie ni Mark at pilit isiniksik ang ulo sa likod nito.
"Huh? The floor is really moving, Chenle, why are you still standing?" Takang tanong ni Haechan at napatakip pa sa bibig.
"Oh my gosh, pati ikaw, you're moving." Chenle laughed once again and shook his head as he went near Mark and Haechan.
"Hindi ako gumagalaw, imbento ka, Lee Haechan."
"Hindi ako imbento, I even told you that I like Mark so much! I can't even afford to admit that to myself kanina, tapos I told you agad after figuring it out." Nanlaki parehas ang mata nila ni Mark sa pinagsasabi ni Haechan.
"See? Hindi!"
" Haecha—" Chenle was cut off by Haechan sniffing Mark's nape.
" Huh? Why does the wall smell like Mark?" Haechan sniffed once again.
Wala na, wala na ang tama ni Chenle dahil sa mga katangahan ng kaibigan niya.
" Really? You like Mark?" Chenle asked Haechan, trying hard not to smile at his friend.
"The wall is speaking." Haechan was silent for a few seconds before he hugged Mark tighter from the back.
"Do you know that I like Mark so much? Like, a lot." He even said the word 'lot' longer.
"Hmm? Really?"
"Why is the wall doubting me, stop doubting me!" He said and pouted.
"You know what? I just know that I like him from before, I just can't accept it because he's a childhood friend. But, I already know to myself that I do. I mean, have you seen him? He's just… it's impossible not to like him." Chenle was smiling, so was Mark.
"Why do you like him?" Chenle asked this time.
"Huh? It's really impossible not to. He takes care of me very well. He's also very considerate and consent does matter to him. He respects my space, my personal opinions. He lets me do everything I want and tells me if I do something wrong. And many more reasons to like him!" Haechan was very enthusiastic talking about Mark, but he took a pause and closed his eyes as he smiled. "Mostly, he makes me want to do better, not only for myself, but for everyone."
"Is that so?" Mark lost it. He's already smiling from ear to ear.
"Hmm." He hummed as a reply. "I hope he won't get tired waiting for me, because I'm really just taking my time to confess."
Haechan fell asleep, snoring a little.
Chenle and Mark could just laugh a bit. "Una na kami. Salamat ulit."
Mark held Haechan tighter and he felt the latter hugging him tighter from the back.
"Mark?" Chenle called him and he stopped before walking down the stairs.
"Haechan. Do take care of him. Well, I know you would but… please take care of my best friend."
"I will, Chenle. Don't worry."
A wide smile blossomed from his lips and continued maneuvering the wheel as he slipped his fingers through Haechan's hand, playing with it.
"Maki!! You know something 'no?" Ang cute.
"Hmm? Huh? Ha? Wala ah, I don't know what you're talking about." He tried to deny it as he pushed his cheeks using his tongue.
"Wala talaga, Haechie." He lost it again. Nauwi na naman siya sa kakatawa kun kaya't napahawak siya sa bibig upang pigilan ang ngiti. Mabuti na lang at red light kaya hindi umuusad ang mga sasakyan.
"Dali naaa, I won't get angry, promise."
"Lord, I'm not your strongest soldier and if you keep giving me these battles, I might see you up there soon," Mark thought.
"Okay, but you can tell me to disregard this anytime. I'm not pressuring you to tell me these things, so just tell me, hmm?" Haechan nodded and waited for Mark to speak.
Mark told him everything from the very beginning, hanggang sa parte na makasakay sila sa sasakyan. He was very careful of telling him the story because he's afraid of making him feel awkward. Haechan hid inside his hoodie. He was shy! Pulang pula ang kaniyang mukha, pati ang kaniyang mga tenga.
He hugged himself as he tried to avoid Mark's gaze. "... ayon nga, you told me that you like me a lot and cited some reasons why," pagtatapos ni Mark sa kaniyang kwento.
"Just like what I said, you can always tell me if I should disregard it. I can really wait for you no matter how long, okay? Don't even worry about it and take your own time, whenever you're ready, Haech." He held his hands.
Haechan pouted. "Did I also told you about how scared I am?" Mark nodded.
As Mark looks at Haechan. He smiled and fixed his hair. "I can wait for you for a long long long long time, so don't worry because I can never get tired of waiting for you."
He knows that Haechan wouldn't remember it, he might not even have heard it. But it was fine. Mark just wanted to tell him those words, to assure him that we won't be going anywhere.
"Always worth waiting for, Haechan."
"I really like you a lot, Maki." Haechan hugged himself tighter as he confessed.
"Hmmm?"
"I do love you, Maki. Thank you for waiting for me." Haechan smiled.
"Hush, no rush, love." Mark patted his head.
"And I do love you, Haechie."
"Thank you for everything."
"Always worth the wait, Haech."