Chapter 29

Donghae's POV

Donghae's worried. Maybe he shouldn't have listened to that conversation yesterday because now he feels like he has this burden to tell Haneul. He doesn't want her to get hurt.

"Yah, Lee Donghae!" Eunhyuk interrupted his thoughts.

"Huh? Did you say something?"

"You're zoning out again." He sighed. "Anyway, let me copy your Physics homework."

Donghae rummaged for the paper in his bag and handed it to Eunhyuk absent-mindedly.

"You really have some serious problem. You'll really let me copy this? You've always refused to before." Eunhyuk sounded incredulous.

He pinched the area between his eyes. "I'm just.. bothered with something."

"You can tell me about it."

He glanced sideways at his friend. At the same time, he caught sight of Haneul who just entered the classroom with Kyuhyun following behind her.

"Is this about the two of them?" Eunhyuk guessed as he followed his line of vision.

"Sort of." He muttered.

"You don't have to force yourself to move on. Or you can just steal Neullie away." Eunhyuk nonchalantly said, but Donghae knew he was just joking with the last part.

"Yeah.. maybe I can steal her back. Though I think there's no need to do that.." He said in a soft voice.

Eunhyuk rounded his eyes. "Are you serious?"

"I was just kidding." He answered. But to be honest, it was just half a joke.

Eunhyuk shook his head. "You're really not okay. You've never joked before with a straight face."

His eyes met with Kyuhyun. His eyes wore no expression but he knew his bestfriend was reminding him of their talk last night. Donghae nodded once. Yeah, he'll just leave things as they are. For now.

"Yah, oppa. I'm getting jealous." He was surprised to see Haneul already beside him.

"Huh?"

"I saw you and Kyunnie staring at each other. I also saw you two go inside Kyunnie's house yesterday. Am I supposed to be doubtful of your genders now?" Haneul acted scared.

"N-no! It's not like that!" He protested.

She stifled a laugh. "I was just kidding, oppa. Really, your reaction is so funny."

He sighed inwardly. But he knew it was too soon because Haneul asked something again.

"So, what did you two talk about last night? Kyunnie won't tell me. He said it's boys' talk."

"Yeah, it's boys' talk so I can't tell you."

She pouted. "No fair! We're bestfriends. You should let me in."

"I really can't tell you."

Haneul's playful expression became wary. "Is this something I have to be worried about?"

He got alarmed. He's not really good at keeping secrets. "No, of course not. Don't think too much about it." He denied.

Haneul eyed him suspiciously. "I know when you're lying, oppa."

"Haneul." They heard Kyuhyun call her. "I'll go buy some food. Come with me."

"Oh, okay. I'm hungry, too. Later, oppa." She excused herself and rushed to Kyuhyun.

He gave Kyuhyun a grateful look before they went out. He'll just let Kyuhyun handle Haneul's nosiness.

"It hurts, huh?" Donghae heard a voice behind him. He turned his head to see Dara sitting behind him.

He furrowed his brows. This is the first time Dara spoke first to him. Or was she talking to someone else?

"Are you talking to me?" He asked carefully.

Dara frowned. "Who else here is stuck between his unrequited love for his bestfriend and their friendship?"

"You don't have to rub it in."

She shrugged. "Well, I have to thank you for not interfering with them. Those two are made for each other. If you ever make a move on Neullie again, I'll send you back to Mokpo."

A nerve on his head pulsed. "You really don't like me, do you?"

"I just didn't like you getting in their way. But now that everything's alright.. I guess you're tolerable."

He cocked an eyebrow. Tolerable? Not to sound conceited or anything but he was used to everyone, especially girls, liking him, whether romantically or not. And just being tolerable was a blow to his ego.

"Well, just be good, Lee Donghae." She tapped his shoulder and walked away.

"Interesting." Donghae found himself say.

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Haneul's POV

Haneul sneaked in quietly to Kyuhyun's room that morning. It was still 6am so she wasn't surprised to see him still under the covers.

She placed the cupcakes that she promised to make him yesterday on his bedside table. The regional competition is going to be held tomorrow so they have some early and rigorous training.

She put a note beside the cupcakes telling him that she would be in the training area the whole day so he won't be able to see her. She wanted to tell him personally but she doesn't want to disturb his sleep.

"I'm going to win the race, Kyunnie." Haneul whispered near his face then placed a kiss on his forehead. She was about to go but she got startled when she felt a hand yanking her arm forcefully, causing her to fall in the bed beside him.

"Where are you going?" Kyuhyun murmured groggily. He pulled her closer and wrapped an arm around her stomach.

"I have early practice so I won't be able to see you later. I have to go now, Kyunnie."

He held her tighter. "Skip practice."

She rolled her eyes. "You know that I can't."

He finally opened his eyes and stared into hers. "Then kiss me first so I'll let you go."

"You have morning breath." She said though she can't really smell anything foul.

"I gargle before sleeping. Unlike you."

She smacked his chest. "I do not have morning breath!"

"Then kiss me to wake me up."

She gave him a quick peck on the lips. "I'll go now." She tried to stand up but he won't let her go.

"Not enough. I'm still sleepy."

She pressed her lips against his for a few seconds. "Alright now?"

He shook his head lightly. "Another one."

"You're tricking me into this." She said grudgingly before pressing her lips again. But as she was about to pull away, he grabbed her head and moved his lips against hers, kissing her lightly. Ah really, this guy..

After about a few minutes, he finally pulled away. "You're going to be late."

She sat up abruptly. "And whose fault do you think is that?!"

He smirked. "Yours. You seduced me into it."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "You kissing monster." She stood up and straightened her shirt and her hair. "Enjoy the cupcakes, Kyunnie."

"Go win that gold medal and go to the Nationals."

"Yes." Haneul gave him a grateful smile.

"And stay away from that Kang Maru."

She chuckled. "Alright."

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The first day of the Regional competition finally came. Haneul was doing some warming up exercises. Her race was going to be next. She was already nervous. She had been the Regional champion on the 50m sprints for two straight years now so there's also that pressure. She took deep breaths.

"Neullie!" Haneul heard her friends calling her from the audience area. She waved at them and smiled. She roamed her eyes and saw Kyuhyun. He wore her favorite smile again and her spirits soared.

"Get into your positions now!" The participants were being called now.

She went to her position and assessed the distance in front of her. She was in good condition so she had confidence.

The contestants got into position. But before that, she glanced at her friends and Kyuhyun again. She will make them proud of her. She focused on her race now.

When the signal went off, she blasted off. She didn't think of anything else but reaching that 50m mark. She disregarded anything else and just focused her mind on getting there as soon as she can.

It was all a blur until she found herself pass the mark. She stopped slowly and saw that she got to it first. Her friends cheered and she knew that she had won.

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"You're going to the Nationals again, Neullie!" Sulli exclaimed when she got inside their tent.

"Congratulations!" Her clubmates cheered and congratulated her. She was really happy.

"I'm proud of you, Haneul. Now, go win the Nationals!" Her coach said to her.

"Of course!"

"Neullie! You've done great! Congratulations!" She saw her friends come inside.

"Thank you so much!" She ran to them and thanked each one of them. She scanned the area and found Kyuhyun, just standing near the