What did I say about the next update not taking forever? Here it is!

Chapter 5, or, the venue changes but the amount of fluffiness is still through the roof. Ugh, love.

And make it into a routine, he did. But on the fourth day, a Friday morning — thank god it’s Friday, alright — Donghae’s about half done with his essay when’s he hit by a of genius. 

The past three days, they’ve been continuously interrupted by the same swarm of girls (or not, ‘cause to be fair Donghae doesn’t really make it a point to memorise their faces. They’re not Hyukjae.) every time they had lunch. And it’s worse because it’s clear they’ve established a routine, so people know just exactly what time they’d arrive and leave. Yesterday, it’s almost like an entire lecture hall worth of students showed up just to watch them eat. 

At this point Donghae is a bit curious because like, do these girls think they’re two bros lunching together everyday because they’re bros, or can they tell that they’re like kind of — or obviously — into each other? He hopes it’s obvious. Though it probably isn’t, judging by how they never seem to leave them alone anyway.

It’s not like they have the time nor money to go elsewhere, so neither of them complained about it. But obviously it gets on their nerves, because it’s like trying to go on a date but end up being seated at a 10-seater with strangers you do not know nor care about. 

Maybe they could eat elsewhere. Obviously they’ll still have to get food from the canteen, but there are plenty of places they could eat that’s not the canteen. Like for example, the bleachers. Donghae’s not suggesting this for any selfish reasons okay, he’s just saying this because he’s a footballer and he spends a disgusting amount of time at the football field, and it’s not like he’d want to have a picnic there under the scorching afternoon sun.

Though he isn’t opposed to it, if Hyukjae wants to.

But anyway. The bleachers.

He tells this to Hyukjae by pretending to get recommendations on the cookie selection, and Hyukjae’s answering grin kind of sends Donghae’s head spinning.

He goes back to his table and spends the next few hours struggling with another coursework. At least he’s halfway there to 1 o’clock.

—

The girls are there when they step foot into the canteen. How are some people so persistent? Donghae instantaneously feels bad for all the Kpop idols who have to put up with this constantly. 

They rush to get Chinese takeout as fast as they could, though Donghae did have to take a selfie with a few girls here and there while they waited for their order.

“You think they’re not going to follow us there?” Hyukjae leans in to ask as Donghae is forced to smile for another photo. 

“We could leave by another exit,” Donghae suggests, eyeing an exit to the left that’s somewhat obscured by a stall with food so notorious barely anyone frequents it. 

“I don’t think we’re even going to make it there,” Hyukjae responds, the pout in his voice obvious. Surely everyone would notice them heading for the exit.

“I could piggyback you out of here,” Donghae says, serious. “I can run very fast.”

It earns an eyeroll from Hyukjae, and Donghae realises he must be so incredibly whipped to have found that adorable. 

“What, you don’t think I can?” Donghae continues, raising a questioning brow.

The fondness in Hyukjae’s eyes is unmistakeable and all Donghae can think of is oh my god, I still can’t believe he likes me too. 

Donghae’s too busy watching Hyukjae to realise a football was being thrown his way by one of the male fans that have also started to gather. Great. Now more and more people are involved in this.

He turns, only to find the ball barely an arm’s length away from his face and thinks this is a horribly embarrassing way to die — not to mention in front of your crush too — and that his coach would have been so disappointed at his slow reflexes. 

Fortunately for him, Hyukjae had seen it coming. In hindsight, whenever Donghae looks back on this incident, he’d think to himself: wow, and Hyukjae’s even blessed by Apollo with the gift of prophecy? This man can do everything and anything…

(Hyukjae’s just a bit more observant, is all. But obviously Donghae would think he’s perfect.)

The ball whirs past his head and knocks over a chair that was unfortunately in the flying ball’s path at the dining area behind them. Wow. That is actually quite a throw. And Donghae was supposed to have caught that? With his face??

“Are you okay?” Hyukjae asks, the concern in his eyes evident.

Donghae nods dumbly. Was that even a fan?

Despite what has just unfolded, the commotion around them only got louder. It’s almost like no one else noticed how Donghae had nearly been taken out by the object responsible for his fame. That, or they noticed but decided that getting a selfie with them was more pressing. 

Hyukjae clears his throat, though it doesn’t do much to quieten the crowd. He does it again, and this time it seems to have gained their attention.

“I don’t think it’s very nice what all of you here are doing. I mean, it was a little flattering at first and we do appreciate it very much, but I feel like it has gone overboard.”

The room is silent for a moment, then Hyukjae speaks again.

“Look, Donghae and I are just trying to grab lunch here. We would appreciate if you could leave us alone.”

Pockets of murmuring ensue following this, and Donghae doesn’t really know what he should do. Though Hyukjae merely verbalised whatever he himself had also been thinking all this while (and in such an eloquent way as well, my god), Donghae has never actually told his fans off. Maybe that was part of the reason why they kept coming after him time and again. 

But he is saved from having to respond