Notorious ⊷ Haechan

33 ⊷ Alias

sorry that jawline is-

also the beginning of this chapter is a little confusing so hang in there <3

⊷ 33

It was only due to a fleeting glimpse when checking the side mirror that Haechan noticed Ji-yoon staring at him. 

"What?" he asked, eyes on the road. "Why are you looking at me like that?" 

Ji-yoon narrowed her eyes at him. "Don't you have something to tell me?" she demanded.  

Haechan hesitated. He didn't react, just kept driving with focus to buy himself more time. More time to figure out what he had done - or hadn't done.  

She was so serious and gloomy all of a sudden. Maybe he forgot something?

"This feels like a trap." 

"It's not," she reassured.  

"That's exactly what someone who wanted to lure me into a trap would say." 

Perhaps he wasn't quite wrong about that, yet his reply frustrated the girl. 

"I don't think you know this, so I will tell you now." She didn't sound angry but she seemed a little sad. "But pretending like you don't know things that you are obviously aware of hurts me."

Surprised, Haechan looked at her once more. He clenched his jaw, tapped the stirring wheel. 

However, he ended up not saying anything which is why Ji-yoon continued, 
"Because it feels like you are trying to deceive me." 

It wasn't just a glimpse this time, not just a brief look. 

Haechan's head snapped to the side. His parted lips let an exhale escape that was quiet enough to get swallowed by the music in the background. 

"That's not it," he defended himself quickly. He had to look back at the road yet he wished he could have kept his eyes on her so she could have seen his sincerity. "It's really not what you think it is, Ji-yoon." 

"Then why didn't you tell me?" she asked.  

"I just thought it's one of the things you can't tell me," he explained, fast enough for Ji-yoon to realize that he was being sincere. "I didn't want you to feel like I am putting you on the spot."

"Sunshine, why would I feel that way when it's you?" 

"Well, you also insinuated that I kept it a secret because I wanted to harm you or something," he pointed out. "Which I don't understand seeing how you did the same thing with Jeno." 

"I wanted to--" She gasped. "Don't change the topic!" 

"It's the same topic, just a different part of it," he argued but didn't get a reply. 

No denying. No agreeing. 

It was just quiet and that made Haechan more nervous than he would have liked to admit. So, once again, he briefly glimpsed at her only to see her still glaring at him. 

"Are you angry?" he asked. 

"No."

He inhaled sharply. "Is this a trap?"

She playfully hit his shoulder, mindful of the fact that he was driving.
"I know I keep some secrets but you should cut me some slack too. I have been painfully honest towards you for the most part."

He had to agree. "Fair enough." He nodded. "You are right."

"Of course I am," she judged. She leaned back and looked ahead, finally starting to relax a little. "So when did you know?"