Jaehyun was devastated. He couldn’t understand it. How on earth does he have a 96% while Lee Haechan who sleeps through most of the classes has 100%. He gripped on the paper in his hands then furiously crumpled it and shoved it into his bag. The four of them were sitting at the campus cafe after their class, waiting for Nari. 

“It’s not bad. Johnny and I scored lower.”

“I just don’t understand. Look at him!” he pointed at Haechan who had his head resting on the table, the test paper under his head and if Hyemi saw it right, he was also drooling on the paper. “How did he ace it? Did he cheat or something?” he frowned and Hyemi shook her head.

“He pretends to be an idiot but actually he’s a genius.”

“No.” Johnny cut in. “He actually is an idiot but a genius when it comes to business and math.”

“It’s in my veins. Deal with it Mr. Perfect. I’m a chaebol for a reason.” Haechan mumbled, his eyes still closed. 

“You’re a chaebol because your parents are filthy rich! It has nothing to do with your math skills.” Johnny shook his head.

“You’d drunk until you passed out on my couch, I had to borrow Taeyong’s car and drive you here since you couldn’t even walk you were so hungover, you’ve slept through your class before the pop quiz and you barely functioned throughout the day, so please tell me how you did it.” Jaehyun demanded but Haechan just snorted.

“Oh gosh. I beat you! You’re angry cuz I ing whipped your brooo!” he now rested his head on his hand as he raised his voice and started laughing, making Jaehyun even more pissed off. 

“Hey guys.” Nari waved and plopped down next to Johnny. “Oh my God, what’s with him?” she pointed at the seemingly fuming Jaehyun. 

“Haechan scored higher than him.” Johnny answered.

“He’s been sulking for the past hour.” Hyemi added and had a sip of her coffee.

“Oh.” Nari nodded. “Don’t get too worked up. Chaebol is a cocky genius.” she concluded and Haechan winked at Jaehyun, the latter rolling his eyes and downing his iced tea. 

Haechan teased Jaehyun for a while, the other growling and fighting back. Hyemi couldn’t help but chuckle at them. Jaehyun’s competitiveness was out of this world but it was kind of hot too. How his veins bulged on his neck, how his eyes shot daggers at Haechan, but at the same time he pouted like a five-year-old. His muscles tightened under his white shirt and he huffed and puffed in his seat. 

Hyemi’s smile faltered when she took notice of her thoughts. Did she really fantasized about how hot did Jaehyun look? Did her heart really skip a beat because even in his fuming glory he turned to her with the sweetest smile and asked if she wanted a cupcake? Did she actually lose her mind?

She snapped out of her thought when felt his hands on her shoulders, asking her what was wrong. She shook her head, telling him it was nothing and joined the conversation about exams and classes.

“Of course she dumped you! Look at you! You look like a baby and talk like an idiot! No normal woman wants to associate herself with you.” Nari raised her voice while walking towards the bus stop. 

“Ouch?” Haechan looked at her in disbelief. “Must you always attack me with harsh words? I’m hurt.”

“Should I use my fist then?” she raised her fist, Johnny placing a hand on hers and lowering her fist with the shake of his head.

“Are you this rude to everyone?” Haechan asked in a mocking tone, Nari glowering at him.

“No, you’re special. A special imbecile.” 

Haechan dropped his bag to the ground and turned to Hyemi. “Grab me.” he told her, Hyemi widening her eyes. “My arms, grab my arms and hold me back! Quickly, quickly!” he whined.

Hyemi shared a confused look with Jaehyun then grabbed Haechan by the arm, the male making an attempt to fight Nari. Hyemi was tired of their Tom and Jerry bickering so let Haechan’s arm go, causing him to lose his balance and bump into Nari. The girl let out a bloody scream, her hand grabbing a fist of Haechan’s hair.

“You’re embarrassing us.” Johnny stated calmly.

“Have they always been like… like this?” Jaehyun asked as they were watching how the two were fighting.

“Yeah.” Johnny and Hyemi nodded.

“Should we just ditch them?” she turned to Jaehyun.

“Watch out, there’s a…” Johnny started but it was too late. “…flower pot.” he finished his sentence, by then the two successfully fell over the flower pot.

“Aaaaaah my ankle!” Haechan screamed. 

Hyemi and Jaehyun rushed to them, Johnny slowly following after. Haechan was yelping in pain, his eyes shut close while Nari stood up and dusted herself off. 

“Haechan-ah!” Hyemi knelt beside him. “You okay? Can you stand up?”

He made an attempt but fell back on his . “It hurts!”

“Oh my God! What should we do? Should we take him to the hospital?” she turned to Jaehyun with a worried expression.

“Such a drama queen.” Nari rolled her eyes and kicked his side. “Yah! Stop acting!”

“I’m not acting! ing hurts, stop bothering me you crazy witch!” he cry-shouted. 

“Call a taxi and we take him to the hospital.” Jaehyun suggested, Hyemi nodding and taking her phone out of her bag. 

Jaehyun leaned down and lifted Haechan in a bridal style with ease, the younger male letting out a surprised gasp. 

“Omo! Jeffrey!” he hugged his neck. 

“Come on baby boy, let’s take you to the hospital.” he purred with a dimpled smile. 

Johnny let out a chuckle, Nari rolling her eyes again while Hyemi felt her cheeks burning upon hearing that low, teasing voice of Jaehyun. 

Haechan gazed at Jaehyun with awe. “Jeffrey, you making me really bicurious here. Can you call me baby boy again?” he grinned innocently. 

Jaehyun shook his head and started walking with Haechan in his arms, the people around giving them suspicious looks, few of them grinning and whispering to each other. Hyemi watched in awe how carefully and easily was he walking with Haechan in his arms. His arms. She knew Jaehyun was strong but seeing him carrying Haechan like he was light as a feather hit different. It made him even more attractive. And that low baby boy, geez. She shook her head and flinched, burying the thoughts deep in the back of her mind and turned to Johnny, telling him they would take Haechan to the hospital to check his ankle and they would see each other at home. She didn’t miss to glare at Nari.

“You took it too far this time.” she chided, the other girl letting out a snort.

“Yah! I’m in pain too, okay? I fell down too!” 

“Then let’s take you home.” Johnny grinned and s his arms around the girl’s body, throwing her onto his shoulder. 

“Yah Chicago! You lost your mind? What the ?” she shrieked and wailed her arms.

Johnny firmly held her and smiled at Hyemi. “See you at home. Message me if Haechan is injured for real.”

“Put me down!” the girl on his shoulder cried out, continuously slapping his back.

“And I punish this brat.” he winked at Hyemi and smacked Nari’s .

“How dare you!” she gritted her teeth. 

Hyemi felt uneasy as soon as they entered the hospital. That familiar scent of disinfect, the bright white walls and the neon lights triggered her sensations. She was trailing behind Jaehyun, who still carried Haechan. 

“Wait here.” Jaehyun told the younger male after putting him down on a bench. He went to the reception desk to check him in.

“You can wait outside.” Haechan murmured to Hyemi who was fidgeting her hands, shifting her weight from one leg to another and biting her lips nervously. 

“I’m fine.” 

“You don’t look fine. Just wait outside.”

“Okay you can go in that room.” Jaehyun came back shortly and pointed at a door. 

Haechan gave him an incredulous look. “Help me out a little?”

Jaehyun rolled his eyes but pulled him up, the other leaning onto him. “I’ll be back in a minute.” he said to Hyemi and dragged Haechan away.

The girl sat down, though a sudden rush of overwhelming panic clouded her mind. The clock on the wall… It was ticking nonstop, as a clock should do but… It was so loud even though time seemed to pass slowly while she waited for Jaehyun. She felt her heartbeat fastening and her breathing became rapid. Her thoughts were racing and she felt disoriented. She didn’t know if she was hearing the beeping sounds of machines or it was just her mind playing tricks on her. 

She heaved a sigh and closed her eyes for a minute however that just intensified the sounds around her. The beeping of machines, the ticking of that damn clock, the voices of people and even the led lamp was buzzing so damn loudly. Her hands were sweaty and her lips trembled. She has to get out of here. She has to leave. She wanted to stand up but her legs got wobbly and she felt nauseous. 

“Hyemi.”

She covered her ears and leaned on her knees, her eyes closed and teeth gritting.

“Hyemi.”

She heard someone was calling her name but it seemed distant. Suffocated. She felt suffocated despite very clearly she was breathing rapidly.

“Hyemi!”

It was more firm this time and she felt a hand grabbing her shoulders, jerking her up. It was Jaehyun. Thank God it was Jaehyun, she thought. He was worried. His eyes widened as he cupped her face, wiping her tears. 

She gazed at him, wanting to call his name but the words got stuck in and she could only let out a raspy sound. 

“It’s okay. I’m here. I’m here with you.” he caressed her cheek and tried to reassure her. “I’m here.” he repeated in a low, soothing voice, tucking her hair behind her ear. 

And it worked. She calmed down. 

“Thank you.” she muttered and grasped his arm to find support in the closeness of his body. She needed reassurance. She needed to know that he really was with her. That she wasn’t alone. That he didn’t leave her. “Thank you Jaehyun.” 

“The guardians of Lee Haechan please come to the front desk!” a nurse yelled.

Jaehyun wiped Hyemi’s remaining tears and flashed a smile.

“He’s a mentally capable adult, why does he need a guardian?” he raised an eyebrow and Hyemi coughed out a chuckle. 

The nurse repeated herself while the two stood up, going to the front desk. Jaehyun greeted the nurse and before he could ask why Haechan needed guardians, the nurse furrowed her eyebrows.

“Are you Lee Haechan’s guardians?”

“Erm…” Jaehyun shared a side glance with Hyemi.

The nurse looked at the paper in her hand, then back at the two. “He told me his parents were here and both had pink hair. Aren’t you too young to have an adult child?”

Jaehyun stifled a laugh while Hyemi looked at the nurse in shock.

“What did that jerk say?” she snapped angrily. 

“You sure he hasn’t hit his head instead of his ankle?” Jaehyun asked.

“You know what?” the nurse massaged her temples and closed her eyes for a moment. “I’m halfway through my twelve hour shift and I don’t have the energy to argue. I just need a signature and you have to pay the bill.”

“That little bastard.” Hyemi gritted her teeth and upon noticing Haechan, walking towards them, seemingly fully recovered, she couldn’t help but snap at him. “Yah! Why do we have to pay your bill?”

“But mooooom!” he had the audacity to whine. “Who else should pay my bill if not my parents?”

“Lee Haechan, you’re playing with your life right now.”

“Please Pinku!” 

“What about your black card? You’re the chaebol, not me.”

Haechan trotted closer and grabbed Hyemi’s arm. “I can’t! My parents mustn’t know I was admitted to the hospital. They would freaking freak out.”

“Technically saying,” Jaehyun cut in. “You weren’t admitted.”

“Aish! Whatever! Just one of you pay the bill and I’ll pay you back. Come on!”

Hyemi heaved a sigh then pressed her lips into a thin line, fishing out her purse, and her card. “Here you go.” she forced a smile and the nurse thanked her with the same fake smile.

“Come on Jeffrey, treat your son to an ice cream.” Haechan draped his arm around Jaehyun’s neck and peeked back at Hyemi while sauntering out of the hospital. The girl was huffing and puffing, cursing under her breath as she typed on her phone, probably complaining to Johnny. Haechan’s smile grew wider. His plan was a success, distracting the girl from her surroundings.

The day after, Haechan and Nari were chilling at their flat, well not exactly Haechan’s, after their classes. Fortunately, Haechan wasn’t injured in the flower pot incident and had been just making a bigger fuss than needed. He eventually made up with Nari too and continued their usual lovely bickering. They needed conflict like oxygen. 

Nari was doing the dishes while Haechan was browsing through his phone, pondering what to eat. He stood up and walked beside the girl, seemingly limping even though he was perfectly fine.

“Did you eat already?”

“Yeah.” she nodded, Haechan letting out an exaggerated gasp.

“Without me? You knew I was coming over and you ate without me? How could you?”

“Sorry?” she raised an eyebrow. “I was hungry and I thought you’d eaten at campus. You should have called. What do you want then? My treat.”

“Loyalty.” he snorted as he went back to the table. “I want ing loyalty, Park.”

The girl rolled her eyes. “Drama queen.” she sat across him and fished out her phone.

Haechan theatrically threw himself on a chair and complained about the girl’s lack of enthusiasm when it comes to him. Nari shut his voice out as she scrolled down Instagram. When Jaehyun’s new picture appeared she let out a whimper.

“Ah, how handsome.”

“Who?”

“Jeffrey.”

“Date him then.” he shrugged.

“No, I want him with Hyemi, and actually I have a plan.” she perked up. 

“Shut up.” 

“I think she likes him. She’s spending way too much time with him.”

“Erm… She can’t help it? They basically have the same schedule?” Haechan reasoned. 

The girl acted like she didn’t even hear what he was saying. “So, about my plan…”

He stood up and went to the living room. If anything, one thing was sure, do not trust Park Nari’s plans, ever. He didn’t want to hear it.

“No, Haechan.” Nari pushed herself up and followed him. “Hear me out.” she started and blabbered about her genius idea. 

After keeping a close eye on Hyemi and Jaehyun Nari had the ridiculous idea that Jaehyun was the perfect man for Hyemi to fall in love again and Nari’s not afraid to take action, dragging Hyemi out of her comfort zone. Haechan hated it though. He thought she needed more time and they shouldn’t play with the fire.

He shut his eyes and massaged the bridge of his nose. “This is so stupid Nari.”

“He’s the perfect guy! He stopped her ing panic attack! This is huge!”

“Don’t intervene.” he said firmly, reaching for the remote. “I shouldn’t have told you.” he sighed while the tv.

Sure, Hyemi had asked him not to tell Johnny and he managed that part, but she hadn’t said anything about telling Nari, right? And Nari was right, this was huge news. Like really huge. Jaehyun managed to stop her panic attack at school and at the hospital. 2 out of 2.

“We can make it work, they just need a little push.” she motioned the little push with her hands. “It’s a genius idea.”

“No, as usual, it’s a very very very bad idea.” he shook his head.

“Oh come on! When have I ever had a bad idea?”

He stood up, rushed in Johnny’s room then came back with a paper and a pen. He sat on the floor, placing the stationery on the table and started writing. Nari furrowed her eyebrows. 

“What are you doing?”

“Making a list.” he answered curtly.

“What list?”

He put down the pen for a moment just so he can openly scowl at Nari. “A list about the bad ideas that have ever left your mouth. Do you want it in chronological or alphabetical order?”

“Shut up!” she groaned and plunked herself down the couch.

The front door swung open, Johnny waltzing in the apartment. After dropping his bag on the floor and kicking off his shoes he stopped abruptly and his eyes fell on his two friends. “Okay, I can smell your bull from here. What it is now?”

“Nari wants to be a wingman for Hyemi and Jaehyun.” 

Johnny closed the front door and walked to the kitchen area from where he had a clear sight at the living room. “Hm. Can work, I guess.”

“Oh Chicago, come on!” Haechan threw up his hands. “You’re supposed to be the sane one in our friendship! The responsible one! Johnny oppa protecting the girls!”

“She has to move on Haechan! We’re her friends we have to help her!” Nari pressed.

“Yeah, as a friend you have to be there for her, cry with her, and be an emotional support for her. You don’t have to push her down a cliff.” the younger growled and threw the pen at the girl.

“It’s been two years already! She’s making progress finally, and I’m sure Jaehyun can help her. Why are you so against it? Are you in love with her or what?” she threw back the pen but he successfully caught it.

He turned chili red and set his eyes on Johnny. “Are you sure I cannot hit a woman?”

“You can’t.” Johnny nodded.

He turned back to face Nari. “Hyemi was the first person who’s ever showed sincere kindness towards me. I love her as a friend and I will damn sure protect her.”

“I thought I was the first!” Johnny shot him an offended glance.

“No, it was Hyemi so she has a special place in my heart but I’m not in love with her. I just don’t want last year’s incident to happen again. She’s not ready so cut the bull.”

Nari let out a snort. “That guy was lame, Jaehyun’s different. Pull your head out of your so you can see it too.”

Haechan tilted his head towards Johnny. “What if I just punch her a little?”

“No.” he said as he opened the cabinet to get a treat for Tofu who was trying to seduce him with very loud purrs at his legs. He scratched the cat’s ears then gave him the treat.

“How’d you know if Jaehyun likes her or not?”

“It’s so ing obvious, like have you seen the way he looks at her like she’s the most precious little thing in the world?”

“You’re delusional.”

“You also said the two seem to click.”

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