This is a double update! :) If you haven't already read Chapter 9, do a U-turn and read that first! ^^

After the match, Haechan went home to shower and change. He put some ointment on his ankle, then hitched a ride from one of the senior players and met up with the rest of the team at the cafe. Mark wasn't there at first, and Haechan hadn't realized he was glad until half an hour later when the waitress brought him to their table.

"Look who decided to show up!" Chenle smirked, tilting his chair back against the wall as Mark stood awkwardly in front of their table. His hair still looked wet from his shower.

"Sorry, I had to drop my brother off at a friend's house."

A friend's house?  Haechan raised an eyebrow. As far as he knew, he and Hana were the only "friends" who lived in the area. He gave Mark a look but the boy turned away, a gesture so obvious that Haechan felt a flash of annoyance. What was that?

"Sit here," Renjun said, patting at the spot beside him. "I saved it for you."

Mark glanced at the spot, then glanced at Haechan, who was sitting across the table, and a squeamish sort of smile came onto his face. "Er… alright."

What is up with this guy? Haechan gave him a brief glare but Mark had already engaged himself in busy conversation with Renjun and was completely ignoring him. Irked, Haechan joined into a conversation on his other side, pretending Mark didn't exist for the rest of the night.

The next day, Mark sat in a corner away from his usual spot in English. In response, Haechan picked the spot at the front with Areum, and the rest of the week continued like that. He ate lunch with the girls for two days before he couldn't stand seeing Mark getting spoon-fed by Hana, at which point he joined Jisung's grade ten friends. But then he found them annoyingly immature, even more so than Jisung, and more often than not he'd end up sitting outside the socials classroom.

"You're here again? What's wrong with you?" Jeno would often say when he arrived to class five minutes before lunch break ended.

"Oh, you know, getting some peace and quiet." Haechan would make up different excuses every time. "Being around girls really stresses your patience, you know?"

Jeno laughed. "Yeah, I would know."

At which point Haechan realized he was talking about Hana and changed the subject. "The last district game is tomorrow, huh."

"Yeah, that game shouldn't be hard." Jeno gave him a look. "You going to be playing tomorrow, Captain?"

"My foot's fine now." Haechan confirmed. "It told you guys, it wasn't a bad sprain."

"Not until you ran back onto the field," Jeno chuckled. "I've got to give it to you, that was quite a heroic move. You and Mark play well together."

Haechan grimaced. "Yeah." I hope that's still true.

Tuesday, Haechan woke up sluggish and exhausted from a nightmare that he couldn't remember. Then Haneul threw another tantrum and he had to carry her to school, making him five minutes late for his own class. He dragged his feet to the office to get a late-slip, feeling half-asleep as he pushed against the door. It opened just as he put his weight on his arms and he tripped forward, bumping into someone.

"Sorry – oh."

Haechan froze as he recognized the voice. He stared at the black fabric in front of him for a while, and then Mark brushed him aside gently.

"I'll tell Mrs. Park you're coming." Mark's voice said vaguely, avoiding his gaze as he left the office and headed down the hall.

Pissed and tired, Haechan grabbed his late slip and stomped into the English classroom, delivering it to Mrs. Park's desk. Mark had sat back in his old spot, and Hana had moved back a seat to be next to him. Frowning, Haechan found the farthest seat possible and slammed his books on the table, ignoring the looks that everybody shot him.

What did I do wrong? Haechan sighed glumly, burying his head in his arms and praying with all his might that there wouldn't be an in-class essay.

Calculus was the only other class he had with Hana. Normally she sat with Areum in the front, while Haechan hung at the back with Jeno and Renjun, but today as Haechan walked through the door, he found Hana sitting in his spot.

"Hey," He said in mock anger as he took the desk beside her. "You took my throne, princess."

Hana giggled and took out her books. "Sorry Haechan, but I felt like sitting next to you today."

"Ah." Haechan felt his smile fade a little and struggled to play dumb. "Good, I feel like slacking off today."

"Is that all I'm good for?" Hana said indignantly, punching him in the shoulder.

"Ow," Haechan winced, chuckling as he shied away from Hana's second attempt to hit him. "Well, no, while you're at it you can give me a massage."

"Actually Haechan," Hana sighed. "I wanted to talk to you."

"Uh-oh." Haechan sat up, feigning a horrified expression. "You're moving to Canada?"

"No, stupid!" Hana laughed, but it quickly faded and she glanced away. "I wanted to say thanks… I mean, for keeping your distance from Mark."

Haechan sat back in his chair, struggling to keep his cool as the teacher walked in five minutes late and set his cup of Starbucks coffee down, looking around for a minute like he forgotten what his lesson was. "Well, I didn't really have to try." He said indifferently. "You're just too pretty, Mark's busy giving all his attention to you."

He hadn't meant to sound bitter, but he certainly felt