WEDNESDAY

You purposely wake up earlier to finish your homework. It's 5 a.m. and school starts at 7. Once you are done with homework, you decided to sleep but you can't. So, something came up on your mind. You walk out from your room and enters the kitchen.

You ride a bus to school since you are already pretty tired. Chenle saw you in the bus and take a sit next to you. "Chenle, I'm going to take a nap. Wake me up if we arrived" You said and lay your head on his shoulder. Chenle just nod and take out his phone to continue playing game. As soon as the bus nearing the school, Chenle wakes you up but then he laughs, looking at you. You are clueless. Chenle took a tissue from his pocket and hand it to you. "Wipe your mouth, or you'll be embarrassed" Then he left. You quickly wipe your mouth and shriek. "It's embarrassing!!" You thought. 

You enter the class and make sure you don't make eye contact with Chenle. He laughs, knowing that you are 100% embarrassed. "How's the sleep?" Chenle teased. You pinch his thigh to cover your embarrassment.

Dareum enters the class and saw you. He stops in front of you. "Are you free after school?" He asks, making Chenle looks at both of you. "I am  until dinner time.?" You said. "Can I take you out?" Dareum said. "Eh?" You are shocked. "It's not a date, just I want to buy you a camera, since I broke it. Please, it will be very quick. I'll give you a ride on the bike." Dareum said. You nervously chuckle. "I-It's okay. I can take it to fix." You said.

"Hyeji, I've been a bastard to you, and last night  you made me realize that I pick a fight with someone that I shouldn't. You are a great friend and I think I should repay you. Let me just take you to a shop and you can choose any of the camera you like." Dareum persuaded. Chenle looks at you. "You haven't repair your camera with the money we gave?" Chenle is extremely sad now. You look at Chenle, holding his hand tight. "I can't find myself to use the money, that's why" You said, before turning back to Dareum. 

"Are you sure, this is okay?" You ask Dareum. "Of course!" Dareum beams and you nod. "Alright then." You answered and he cheered before returning to his place. Chenle scoffs. You know that he's mad but you just let him cool off. "What he meant by last night? Didn't you straight away go home after practice?" Chenle asks. You know that Dareum wants to keep last night story as a secret so you just shrugged and Chenle knows you are lying. "And what about riding a bike? Didn't your mum doesn't allow you to ride a bike? Your mother scolded me last time when she heard me asking you if you want to ride with my gege (brother) to the store." Chenle said but just to be ignored by you.

Before recess, you have texted Jaemin to meet up at the garden during recess and receives a smile emoji from him. The bell rings and you left Chenle without saying anything and head to the garden. Chenle sighs. He sees you changing every single time now. He's dissapointed as you are not the same Hyeji he knew. 

At the garden, you saw Jaemin's waiting for you while playing games on his phone. You take a sit next to him and smiles. "Did you wait long?" You ask but he shakes his head and smiles. "I will wait for you even if it's a very long time." Jaemin said which immediately makes you shy. "Gosh.. you should stop with your lines." You whispered to yourself but Jaemin heard. You take out a tupperware from the bag you bring along. 

"Here, it's my first time trying. I can't sleep this morning so I decided to do the same to repay you back" You said. You opens the tupperware and revealed kimbap and egg rolled. Jaemin chuckle. "You do like egg rolled so much aren't you?" And you nod. Jaemin tries a bite of egg rolled. He firstly smile and continue to chew it. You are curious so you tasted it. The egg rolled is very salty which makes you coughs and grab a bottle.  You drink it. Jaemin is about to take another one before you slap his hand. "It's salty! Don't eat it!" You said.

Jaemin looks at you. "This suits  my taste though" And about to take another one before you snatch the tupperware. "Stop! You are making me feel bad. It's unhealthy for you!" You said, closing the tupperware. Jaemin smiles. "At least let me try the kimbap." You take one kimbap and taste it for yourself. The kimbap is alright, so you give the other to Jaemin. 

Jaemin chew the kimbap and smiles. "Now, you find what you are good at." He pats your head. "Can I try another egg roll? It's not that bad.." Jaemin said making you shake your head. "No. It tastes bad." You said and closes the tupperware. "I just want to appreciate your effort to cook since early in the morning. It will be a waste if you just throw it." Jaemin said. " This is too salty Jaemin, I acknowledge my weakness. I can't cook." You sigh. 

Jaemin comes closer to you and give you a hug. "Maybe because you are too talented. It will be no fun if you are good at everything. You must have something that you are not good at because it will be your flaw. See the bright side. You are good at studies, good at dancing, a good photographer, a great friend, a wonderful listener and many more! Don't let a weakness makes you feel down." Jaemin your hair. You relieve a sigh. "thanks for the advice. now, you are making me shy with all the compliments." you bury your face in his shoulder. Jaemin chuckles and let himself drowns in your rose scented hair. 'I will not lose you again 'Jaemin thought.

The school ended quickly and Dareum walks with you from the outside of the classroom. You didn't even bid goodbye to Chenle like you used too.Well,you didn't talk with Chenle ever since this morning. Dareum takes you to where he parks his bike and hands you the helmet. You hesitates to ride on it and Dareum notices.

 "What's wrong? Hop on!" He said. " I.. well, my mother doesn't like me to ride a bike." You said slowly. "It's not hurt to break a rule once." Dareum said and lend you a hand. You sigh and take his hand. Just this one. You thought. You hop on his bike and he starts the engine and it roared. You hug Dareum's waist and he drives. The scenes you left with Dareum are watch by Chenle, Jeno and Jaemin. "Isn't that Hyeji? DId she just got on a bike?" Jeno said. Jaemin bailed his fist in anger and jealousy.

"I did tell her that her mom will get mad if she knows. Well, but it seems, she doesn't listen to me anymore" Chenle said sadly. "Did you guys fight?" Jeno asked, receiving a sad nod from Chenle.

Meanwhile, you enjoys the ride. You like how the wind feels against your skin. The speed that Dareum drives. Arriving at a mall, you hop down and smiles. "The ride never dissapoints me!" You said, making Dareum smiles. 

" I thought you'll scream because you scared with the speed I drove, but well, you turns out to enjoying it." Dareum said as he takes off your helmet and locks his bike. Both of you walk inside. He leads you to a camera shop. There's a lot of camera there and you didn't know which to pick. You take a look one by one. Very precise of the quality. A worker walks next to you. " Miss, this camera is what I recommend for you. This is the latest from Nikon and it's quality is the best"  He said. You nod and take a look at the camera. You like it very much and Dareum saw your cute expression. "May I try?" You ask the worker and he nods. You focuses your camera on Dareum and he covers his face, not liking his face being your model. 

"Dareum-ah, can I take this?" You ask him. "Of course Hyeji." He said and signalling the worker that he wants to pay. "Hey, go outside so you won't see the price of the camera." Dareum said as he take the camera from you. He walks to the cashier and you waited. Is it expensive? Aish, why didn't I ask about the price earlier.. You thought.

Dareum came out and hands you two plastic. You look at Dareum with a question look. Why two plastic? You look into both and found that Dareum bought you an insta x camera too. You gasped. "You spend so many for me!" You said. He shrugs. "The camera you pick first is too cheap, so I decided to buy a polaroid camera for you. Well, I heard it's hot item now." Dareum said as he walks,leaving you standing in the middle of the mall. Is he that rich?  You question yourself. 

"Yoo Hyeji! Come on! I want an ice cream" You heard Dareum calls you. You runs to him. " So which flavour do you like?" Dareum asks you. "I um.. I like vanilla. But let me pay for this, or you'll make me feel bad for asking you to buy an ice cream after you bought me two camera." You said and he nods. "Alright then" He said and order one vanilla for you and one chocolate for him. After getting the ice cream and you paid, both of you sit on the bench and eat the ice cream.

"Hey, thank you so much for buying this expensive things." You said making Dareum smiles, "Well, if you are thankful, let's use the polaroid camera and take a photo of both of us eating the ice cream. And I want to keep it for myself." Dareum said. You nods and take out the new pink instax. After the polaroid came out, you give the polaroid to Dareum which he keep it in his wallet. 

"Thank you very much, Nam Dareum" you said making Dareum smiles.

"Hey..can I release a bit rant about my life?" Dareum asked which you nod as you can't answer him because you are too focus on the ice cream. "When I got home yesterday, mum didn't come home. And dad left me alone in the house. He said he'll sleep at his hotel and then around 3am I heard someone come home and it turns out its my mother. She packs all her belongings and left. She notices me but didn't say anything.. what should i do?" His voice cracks. 

You bite the last cone on your hand and wipe your hand with your skirt. You pat his back. 

"It's okay, Dareum-ah. I'm sure she'll just leave for a short while to think a bit. Give them space and be an understanding son. I know you are strong enough to bare this challenge. I hope you are not bottling every emotion you have in yourself. That is why you have me here, so that I can listen to you and give you strength." You hold his hand and squeeze it. Dareum looks at you with his teary eyes and smile, whispering a slow thank you.

A little while later, he sent you back home. You bid him goodbye and thank him again. You check your phone. The NCT members wanted to meet up now. So, you just walk to NCT base straight away, not wanting to go home to change. You enter the base and look at everyone. They are gathering on the floor. Everyone looks at you and you said hi to them. You walk to your own locker and grab a training clothes. 

"I'll get change for a little while" You said and enters the bathroom. After changing, you sit in the circle between Seul Min and Jae Min.

"The competition will be held on Sunday next two weeks. " Taeyong said, which immediately made your heart shattered into pieces. Seul Min notices your odd behaviour. Everyone is cheering because the competition is nearing exceept you. "What's wrong?" Seul Min asks you which you just shook your head and gives a fake smile.

 "So, let's get our busy!" Doyoung said happily. All of you now get ready to practice again. The choreography are already done, just need to be a little bit more sharp and Ten has been helping all of you to get the right timing and movements. During the 5 minute break, Jaemin comes to you. 

"Why were you still in your school uniform just now?" Jaemin asks you. You your lips. Gosh, you can't probably tell him that you have go out with Dareum, he'll surely get the wrong idea. 

"I um, went to the library to get a few books." You lied, which is obvious because Jaemin knew you are lying, but he just nodded. His heart shattered in pieces as he know that you are lying now. Chenle's right, you are not like yourself nowadays. 

You walk to your bag and take out the piggy bank and you replace it back to its original place.  Jaehyun saw what you were doing and walks nearer to you. "Did you fix your camera?" Jaehyun asks. Which you just nod, "But I use my money because I'll feel bad to use the club's money" You lied again but you tried to cover with a smile. Jaemin looks at you. How can she be so bad at lying? Jaemin thought. For a second, Jaemin felt very annoyed with you but he tried to erase the feelings from himself.

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THANKS FOR READING!