tuition and fees ☆ z.cl | ✔

04

Of course Mark was still talking to him, Jaehyun was his idol your freshman year. "Well, the Regionals record and one of the school records was for a relay."

"You're still freaking killing it, Y/N." Chenle interjected with a gentle elbow in your side, leaving you with a still bashful but much softer smile on your face.

"What's this?" Yuta suddenly spoke up, a mischievous grin on his face as he eyed you and Chenle. "Zhong Chenle perhaps, maybe... has a girlfriend?"

The entire mass of boys went up into an embarrassing chorus of 'oooooh's as you felt your entire face, neck, and ears become hot and surely pink. Just as you were about to try to shush them, Chenle practically spat out, "What? No!" and ripped his arm from yours. You looked at him with a sad, angry confusion as the other boys grew silent.

"We're not dating. My parents requested that Y/N come because she's gaining attention from a bunch of prestigious universities for swimming. That's it." With each word that Chenle clarified the situation with, you felt a snip at each of your heartstrings. He was obviously lying, and you didn't know why. But you did know that he was much too convincing of a liar, as you bit back your lip to keep it from quivering.

Yuta coughed awkwardly, "Ah. Well, congratulations again, Y/N."

"Thank you, Yuta." You muttered back, fingers squeezing tightly around your clutch. "My throat's a little dry, I'm going to get some water. Excuse me."

And with that, you pivoted on your heel, hurrying away from the group without another look at Chenle. If he wanted to distance himself from you as much as possible here, then you might as well help him. Was he ashamed of you? You had been so proud to introduce him as your boyfriend to your friends, of how fantastic and cute and wonderful he was. But he seemed to not want to acknowledge you even as a friend around his peers.

When you had located a drinks table, you were thankful for the labels that told you which weren't alcoholic. Choosing one that was most likely water, you chugged about half of the cool liquid in one go, needing to calm down your flaming, angry, and embarrassed skin. After finishing one, you set it on another table before grabbing another, practically trying to give yourself a brain freeze at this point. That pain would be more welcome than the twisting and aching in your chest.

It didn't work, and you were still left to feel everything.

"Hope you're not trying to get drunk on that, freshie." Jaehyun's voice came from just behind you as his hand reached over to take the glass from your hand, and you watched him sniff it. "This is water."

"I know," You rubbed your bare arms uncomfortably, eyes scanning the rest of the room at where Chenle was still in the circle of boys, not even seeming bothered. "I told you, my mouth was dry."

"Chenle's been a dumb boy who doesn't think before he speaks ever since he was little. I would know, our fathers were childhood friends." Your old teammate stated, finishing off your water before setting it back down and leaning back against the table to observe the room with you.

"Why are you telling me this? You heard him, we barely know each other."

"And as soon as you left, he started crying. Eventually, Yuta managed to head-smack it out of him: that you two are dating, and that he just fucked it up, and is so in love with you, and is afraid that he just lost you."

"He has to come to me to apologize, then."

When you looked back over to the circle again with this new information, you noticed that the friendly giggles and one of the taller men's arms around his neck were actually his shoulders stuttering as he sobbed, and a comforting yet stern reassurance. Jaehyun's 'in love with you' echoed around in your head, nearly distracting you from his next words.