HAECHAN

Donghyuck is part of a theater club that's holding a music show and somehow, he got the role of the director handed to him. Everyone seems to love him endlessly. A boyfriend and two tiny admirers follow him everywhere he goes and even his best friend's boyfriend likes him. I truly feel bad for Jaemin and think Jeno is an . However, I laugh at the situation because Donghyuck is like a Mary Sue of his own story, a character that almost has no flaw and everyone loves. Everything seems to go in his favor. Well, I'm here to certainly mess things up now.

"Wow, you do look like Donghyuck," Chenle, one of the admirer, said to me as I mind my own business in the rows of seats in the theater. Donghyuck got to do his job for the talent show so I have to wait for him. "But there's a dark vibe about you that makes it seems like you're an evil twin."

"I am the evil twin," I smirk. "Donghyuck's peaceful life will be shaken up by me until he grows out of his fantasy."

Chenle stares at me in shock until I laugh and push him away. He seems to have taken the comment as a joke. As he runs to Donghyuck, I observe the scene. Jaemin seems to be very awkward every since I arrive. It's like he's afraid of me or me spilling his secret.

"Ok, thank you for auditioning," Donghyuck thanks another student. It's a dozen of spoil brats auditioning because they think they can sing. Their parents probably let them have singing lessons and that gave them the idea that they can sing. 

By the 7th students, I got tire of voice cracks and flat notes so I got up. While the group of girls could get on the stage, I grab Donghyuck's backpack and search for his folder full of songs he wrote. One thing I will give to Donghyuck is he can write music, even if it's only when he has a muse. I just happen to stumble on the folder when I move in. Once the girls leave the stage, I grab Donghyuck's microphone and got on stage. There's still a lot of students left for the audition, along with Jaemin, Mark, Jeno, and the club.

"Haechan, what are you doing?" Donghyuck yells at me as he looks at the rows of students that are waiting for their turn. 

"You are too nice to stop the bad audition halfway through so I'm helping you," I gave the music sheets to the band behind me. "Alright listen up, a lot of you guys don't know the basic of music and think you can sing anything. The audition from this point forward will be this song that Donghyuck wrote. I will show you what it'll sound like and you either copy me or sing it better so you don't embarrass yourself onstage."

The music starts and overpowers the whispering. The upbeat mid-tempo music should be easy to follow. I groove a bit to the music as I spot Jaemin. "By the way, this is for Jaemin."

Crying will not help you, love

Tear won't bring you happiness

Don't be sad, love

Don't be mad, love

Affection will come when he misses you.

Just know we still have each other

Even after all the bitterness

Don't hold on to it

Just forget about it

Just forget about the nonsense love

Oh love is the ocean, wide as hell

Love is a veil, thin as hell

And we are the ship, cruising endlessly

If we don't have each other tomorrow

If you taste bitterness tomorrow

Don't be sad, love

Don't be mad, love

Just know love is good as gone

https://youtu.be/ii_V3osnBdk

After my performance, I handed the mic back to Donghyuck. Some of the students seem to get an idea of how good they are compared to me and left. A handful is still hopeful that they'll be able to mimic me. As the audition continues, the quality got back. The handful that's still here can sing like they are in a choir at least or have some passion for music. They sang my piece then Donghyuck asks them to sing what they want to counteract the sudden change I forced on the audition.

I didn't want to be there anymore so I left the theater room. Hopefully, there will be a vending machine in this school that has ice cream or something cold. Luckily for me, I just have to walk for a bit until I see a soda vending machine but what I found already make me forget about my thirst. Jeno and Jaemin sat next to the machine with soda in their hand.

"What's up, guy?" I pop up near them. Both of them are nervous around me but for a different reason. "Any recommendation for me?"

"The tropical Sprite is pretty good," Jeno answers timidly.

"Thanks," I purposely wink at him, which cause him to look away. The wait for my drink to drop was long and quiet. The clanking echoes through the hall. "So Jaemin, do you want to talk about your problem?"

"Shut up," Jaemin suddenly got in my face. "Don't cause unnecessary trouble."

"Yes, boss," I smirk. "But prolonging it will make it worse."

"I'll deal with my problem. I do not need your so-called help."

"What problem?" Jeno speaks up.

"It's nothing, Jeno," Jaemin struggles to smile at Jeno. I roll my eyes at the two of them. "Haechan is just putting his nose where it doesn't belong."

I rub my nose as he said that and shrug. The pair left hand-in-hand and I smirk as Jaemin looks back with regretful eyes. He knows what I said is true but it'll take him a while to admit it. 

Maybe I am nosey. I get no benefit out of this situation, yet I still try to "help" Jaemin. Maybe it's because of my mischevious nature. Donghyuck did tell me to behave but that only goes for his boy toy. Speaking of his boy toy, Mark exit the bathroom as I turn around to go back to the theater room. My mischevious side wants to come out and play now.

I clear my throat and put on my best impression. "Markie!"

"Donghyuck?" Mark turns around with a big smile on his face. It took a second for his brain to register my appearance before he realizes that I'm not his beloved. "Stop doing that."

"Man, you would be so easy if we are in a dark room together," I laugh.

"We'll never be," He replies with verbosity. "Are you into me or something? I'm not interested because I have Donghyuck."

"Don't flatter yourself," I roll my eyes again. "I'm straight."

The look Mark gave me is hilarious. There got to be at least one straight boy in this whole story so I volunteer as tribute. As much as I appreciate a man physique, I prefer kitty over a puppy. I left Mark in a sense of disbelief and look somewhere to be by myself. I've used up my care cup so I don't want to socialize anymore. Luckily, I manage to find a quiet spot but someone is already there with a book in her hand. Since she didn't acknowledge my intrusion, I didn't bother to speak up. I just plug in the headphone to my ear and listen to some music and zone out to the empty schoolyard. The mysterious girl and I just sat there quietly. 

A sudden notification interrupts my music jamming. Donghyuck texts me and I roll my eyes for the third time today. Apparently, he decided to go home with Mark so he told me to go home by myself. What kind of garbage is this! I verbally groan out loud from the pure bull this is. However, at the same time, the mysterious girl groans as well.

"You seems to have a y day as I am," She comments and pushes her glasses up. 

"Wanna compare?" I challenge.

"My favorite show just went down the hellhole and pulls out all the stupid cliché I hate."

"My twin brother told me to off because his boyfriend wants to hang out with him."

"You won," She smiles. It's pretty cute. "Bet, I can beat you in something else."

"Bet," I challenge her again. "I was left with my grandma went my parents decided to move to the city with my two brothers, including my twin."

"I was in foster homes up until last year when my grandparents found out my parents been dead."

"Damn, that ."

A lingering quietness echoes between us before she broke it. "Thank for not giving me those empathetic eyes."

" happens that's out of our control," I shrug. "It's our job to make the best of it and it seems like you are doing a pretty good job."

"So do you," She gathers her belonging and got up. Before he left, she turns around. "Wanna grab a coffee or something?"

"I thought you hate cliché."

"Right... What about playing with dogs at the animal shelter?"

"Only if I get to know your name."

"Jun."

"Haechan."

We went to the animal shelter nearby. Since I was still new to the city, I look out for the direction but surprisingly, it's near my house. A few blocks from the park is the animal shelter. I could smell the slight dog poop but that was overlook by the dogs getting excited over seeing Jun. She leads me to the reception desk and signs in. We left our bags in a locker and tie an apron around our waist. The people running the shelter seems to let Jun do whatever she wants, which mean she must have been here a lot. With four hands, we took the dogs for a walk around the park. If they're small, we go for about ten dogs each but if they're big, we each take five.

Our conversation revolves around dogs mostly. Jun loves the Rottweiler breed because her grandpa owns a well-behaved Rottweiler. I told her I don't have a favorite because I haven't been around a lot of dogs. The only one I knew is a neighbor's dog back at the village and I didn't even know its breed. When I describe the dog to her, Jun told me it must a Labrador breed. Apparently, she wants to study animal care in the future. 

"What about you?" She asks as she put one of the chihuahuas back in its pend. "Any plans for the future?"

"None," I reply. "My brother is studying law and my twin is gonna be a sugar baby so I probably inherit my family's restaurant."

"Hey, can I say something?"

"Sure."

"You sound like you hate your twin brother," Jun hesitates with the sausage dog she's handling as she waits for my response. "Whenever you talk about Donghyuck, it's never a good thing."

"I guess you can say I hold a huge grudge against him because he got pick over me when it comes to my parents. You can say I have an inferiority complex."

"Wow, you just admit that to a stranger."

"Well, you are very easy to talk to," I admit as I play with the Pomeranian in my lap. "I know too much about the people around me and it kinda pisses me off."

"How so?"

"My parents got too much on their hand, my older brother is broken, and my twin is an idiot."

"You always say Donghyuck is an idiot or something like that but you never said why you think that."

"Gut feeling," I put the dog down. "He falls in love too easily. His boyfriend will hurt him."

"What makes you think that?" Jun pour foods into the dog bowls and distribute them out with me.

"It's cliché but he fell in love with a high-status person, when did that ever end well in real life?"

"You gotta have faith."

"I thought you hate cliché."

"We keep coming back and hope it gets better, no matter how batter we end up before."

"I hope he doesn't get too batter up."

Suddenly, Jun straighten her back and stood up from her crouching position. "How about making a bet? I will go for Donghyuck and his boyfriend's relationship to work out well or at least, end in a positive way."

"End positively? That's impossible."

"Then, you should have no trouble agreeing," She held out her hand to shake. "Bet..."

"Bet," I challenge her and smile genuinely.

Almost a year of hiatus and I'm back. Hopefully, you didn't miss me too much. I have too many ideas for this story to leave it alone and I will try to update more often. Let me hear what you think.

BTW, thank for all of you readers for still reading this after my hiatus. It means a lot. 

FIGHTING!!!