Haechan had survived the first week without too much trouble. People were starting to consider him a part of the 'Mean Girls' and he was pretty proud of it. It made him feel better about himself, as if he belonged somewhere. To top it off he had made some pretty good new friends. Chenle was a nice person to talk to and he found himself enjoying the boy's company a lot. 

There was, however, something bothering him in all of this. Well, two things actually. First of all it was that guy who had a locker next to him: Mark. He seemed to be pretty popular at school and Haechan did feel kind of attracted to him in a weird way. Every single time they spoke, Haechan wanted to talk even more. He wanted to stay around this guy, but had to contain himself to not seem desperate. Second of all it was his former best friend: Jeno. He was on the football team now and he was making quite a name for himself. Haechan saw his face everywhere. And all the girls appeared to be swooning over him for some reason. Their friendship was in the past, but it did feel like Jeno was holding a very serious grudge. Something new to deal with later on, he shrugged. 

"Are we going for cheerleading practice after school?" Chenle asked Ten. Ten nodded while staring off in the distance. He had been acting weird for a few days now, no one really knew why. But Haechan didn't really care. All he did care about was seeing Mark working out on the field. Which is practically what he always did when he had to practice for cheerleading. Well that and showing off his moves in the hopes of attracting some attention from Mark. So far it hadn't worked at all. He needed a new plan. Haechan did see Mark every single day at their lockers, but it never got any further than that. It's like Mark didn't want to have anything to do with him for some reason. Maybe it was Jeno's fault? Who knows... 

"Maaaaark!" Yuta yelled out at the boy who wasn't paying attention, again. "Are you ever going to work with us here?" 

"Sorry, I was... distracted..." Mark said while trying not to focus on Haechan doing booty drops on the side of the field. It kept attracting his attention, while he was trying to focus on the ball. Why did he have to keep on doing that? Wasn't it enough that Mark kept on staring at him during every single lunch break? And their locker talks were very awkward because Mark just didn't know how to act. It was weird. Mark was weird. 

It had been a week since they'd met and all Mark wanted to do was actually talk to the boy. He seemed like someone who had lots to say and Mark was willing to listen to all of it. But for some reason Mark kept on acting cold towards the boy. All the while he knew how much Haechan was trying to get his attention. It had been a little bit too obvious. But why didn't Mark make a move to begin with? He didn't know either. It was like his body and brain were not corresponding at all. It all felt a little off. 

Also, Jeno had been telling Mark a bit about Haechan. Whose name apparently used to be Donghyuck? Mark shook his head in confusion. There was nothing clear about this boy except for the fact that he was craving for Mark's attention. Why? Mark didn't know that either. But he was willing to give him a little of that while he tossed the ball to the side of the field. This meant getting close to Haechan and having to talk to him. 

Haechan, meanwhile, saw the ball coming his way and tried catching it. In the end he hurt himself by catching in the wrong way. Mark was also to blame because he threw it too hard. There he was, crying like a little kid at the side of the field while clutching his hurt hand. Mark rushed over even quicker to assess the situation. He felt like it was all his fault and he should be able to do something. But he couldn't. Instead he picked up the boy and started carrying him to the infirmary. Haechan gasped when he was picked up. Didn't see that one coming at all. 

"What are you doing?" He said with a lot of sass while being carried like a little baby. 

"I'm taking you to the infirmary. It was my fault you tried catching that ball..." Mark felt so guilty about it all. If only he hadn't throw that to give the boy some attention. Now he was in pain and Mark was too. He hated hurting people. 

"My hand was hurt, not my leg... I can still walk..." Haechan remarked and Mark stopped. He was right. Why was Mark even carrying him in the first place. What had possessed him to scoop the boy up and carry him?

"You're right..." Mark said and put the boy down gently. "But I will still accompany you to the infirmary." Haechan already missed the warmth and proximity of Mark. He walked a little closer to him just to feel a little of that again. 

"Thanks for taking me", Haechan said, trying not to cry from the pain in his hand. He felt like something was broken and it felt horrible. But it did land him one-on-one time with his crush, so it wasn't all that bad.

Mark stopped talking, he didn't actually know how to talk to someone like Haechan. Mark wasn't really a big talker to begin with. He just liked listening and was distracted easily. But still, Haechan didn't talk either. It became more awkward with every passing second and step towards the infirmary. 

"Are you okay?" Mark asked for the first time since Haechan had been hurt. 

"I'll live... I do think I heard something snap earlier. I hope it's not broken, that would be a complete distaster", Haechan mumbled and Mark smiled a little. Haechan did put up a strong front for other people, but he seemed to be softer than most thought. It was as if he was lowering his walls and Mark liked that idea. 

"I hope it's not too bad", Mark replied and walked a little closer too. He couldn't help himself for some reason. It was the attraction Haechan had towards him that made him want to be close, but not too close. 

"It's all your fault for throwing that ball like that. Why would you throw it our way? There was no one in MILES" Haechan started his rant. This was the way he always acted around people and somehow he slipped into that pattern again. 

"Maybe I wanted to talk to you..." Mark said in a very silent voice. 

"You talk to me every single day at our lockers", Haechan rolled his eyes at the other boy while they walked into the infirmary. 

"Well, I don't know what I was thinking, but at least I got to talk to you?" Mark joked. Haechan stopped walking. 

"If you want to ask me out, just say so..." He joked while walking over to the nurse. Mark didn't say anything because they started to examine Haechan. For some reason he was concerned about the wellbeing of this boy as well as the question he had asked earlier. He didn't know how to respond. Did Haechan ask him out? Or did he want Mark to ask him out? It was confusing to say the least.

"It's a sprained wrist... You can't use it for at least a week", the nurse informed them. 

"But I need to at least write..." Haechan complained like a little kid. 

"Find someone to lend notes from because you won't be able to write at all", the nurse was firm while she put a bandage on the wrist. She wrapped it in tightly and then left the two boys to write down what had happened. 

"How am I ever going to survive this?" Haechan whined at Mark. Mark smiled as he got an idea. 

"What if I help you out this week? To make it up to you for hurting your wrist?" Mark suggested. Haechan did quite like the idea of Mark being around all week. It would give them lots of opportunities to talk and just be together. 

"That doesn't sound too bad..." Haechan tried to say without too much effort. 

"Consider me your helper!" Mark said with a smile. "And maybe when your hand is healed we can go on that date you proposed." 

Haechan's jaw dropped while Mark let out a laugh. It was nice seeing this boy flustered like that. He wanted to see more of it and hoped that would happen during the following week.