Catch-22, HAECHAN

02 | build-a-boy

Haechan swings open his locker, eager to wash up and head home. While he would usually stay behind for an hour or two for some extra practice, he just doesn't have it in him today to do so.

Plus, Mark has been persuading him to let him try out this new recipe he saw on Youtube Shorts a few days ago, and Haechan isn't so sure if leaving him alone behind the stove would be a good idea.

"Yeah. I just fucking up and left. Like c'mon, she's not even that pretty," a voice snickers from behind, and Haechan turns around slightly to see who it is.

A few of his team members are lounging around, but Jo Inseok sits on the bench in between the two rows of lockers, seemingly talking to anyone who bothers to listen.

"Wasn't it only a few days ago when you were bragging about how you managed to bag hot meat?" Someone else pipes in, and Haechan could feel his blood start to boil.

It doesn't take a genius to know who they're talking about. Conversations like this are unfortunately the norm in a room utilised by boys. Most are harmless and light-hearted, like the time Yangyang boasted to the entire team that he had scored a date with the pretty exchange student, only to find out later that she was Coach Nakamoto's sister.

He was assigned housekeeping duty for two whole weeks after that.

Boys will be boys— but assholes will always be assholes as well. Take Jo Inseok, for example.

If the locker room walls could talk, him together with half of the guys wouldn't even be in the team anymore.

"Until I found out she was a total bitch. It's no wonder Jeno broke up with her," he scoffs, and that's all it took for Haechan to slam his locker door shut, turning around to face the boy.

Inseok seems to be surprised with the way his eyebrows raise, and Haechan takes a few steps before stopping before him.

"You should watch your fucking mouth," he says lowly, gripping the towel hanging on his shoulder.

The other boy only stares at him momentarily before his lips break out into an amused grin.

"What? Bro, chill. You know her, don't you? It's Ko Chaerin. Everybody knows she's nothing more but a campus slut," he laughs as he turns around to look at his friends.

Haechan raises his fist, not having to think twice about punching the boy, but the pair of arms holding him back is somehow faster than him.

And he could tell Inseok hadn't seen it coming too, with the way his eyes had widened a fraction at the sudden gesture.

"The fuck is your deal?" He stands up before stepping towards Haechan challengingly, shoving his chest. Some of the other guys are quick to hold him back as well, not wanting a brawl to happen.

"Guys, let's cut it out," Mark's says sternly from behind before tugging on Haechan once more, as though trying to get him to back down.

Haechan clenches his jaw, shutting his eyes momentarily before roughly shrugging the older's arms away, not sparing the other boy a second look before stalking off to the showers.

If it wasn't for Mark coming in to play hero, Haechan is sure his fist would have landed on the asshole's face already.

"Dude, what the hell was that?" Mark follows after him, making Haechan stop in the middle of the shower room.

He turns around to face his roommate with a glare. "Why the fuck did you stop me? He fucking deserved it."

"And get you suspended from the team? I don't care if you want to pick a fight with someone, but don't do it here, dumbass. I can't keep coming to save you every time like you're some damsel in distress. Did you forget you already have one strike?"