🥤
———
Jisung and Chenle had their hands over their mouths, both completely shocked by the sudden revelation.
"No." Chenle gasped, a hand over his mouth.
"Yep." Haneul pressed her mouth into a line. This was the first time she told anyone, but it probably wasn't a good idea for them to be the first people she told. She doesn't mind Jisung knowing, he barely knows her anyways. But Chenle on the other hand...Haneul cringed at the mistake she may have just made.
"Wah." Was all Jisung said.
"Chenle if you tell anyone I will make sure you go bald." Haneul warned worriedly, her index finger hovering over Chenle's face, giving him the perfect view of her soulmate tattoo.
"Of course I won't tell anyone." He assured, holding her finger in place so that he can examine it better. "You have so little trust in me."
"Remember when we were planning a surprise party for you. But since I acted like I didn't care about you you told Ryu I had a crush on him."
"I was like seven." Chenle said as he put his arms hands up in defense. "I genuinely believed you."
"What do you expect from daughter of award winning actress Baek Eun-Jung." Haneul mocked the way the article described her, flipping her hair as Chenle let out a small chuckle.
"How is she by the way?" He asked, eyeing her knowingly.
"My mother?" Asked Haneul as Chenle nodded. "I dunno, alive I think." She shrugged not wanting to get into it too much.
"Your mum is Baek Eun-Jung?" Jisung asked, amazed. "And she's alive?!"
"I'm not one hundred percent sure." She replied. "But yeah she never actually died, that was just a popularised conspiracy."
"Mandela effect." Jisung's eyes widened, looking as if he was thinking hard. This kid was an interesting one too, one Haneul wouldn't mind getting to know.
"Uh...anyways, are you and Winwin hyung going out?" Chenle asked, turning away from Jisung who was busy in his own world.
"Nope." She shook her head. "I don't really think about it, I'm busy trying to get him to actually want to talk to me."
"Has that been successful?" It took Haneul a while to think about it, they bump into each other a lot, and each time they do a conversation will arise. Though he acts as if he doesn't want to sometimes, he talks to her.
"Actually, it has." She realised. "I don't think it'll happen though."
"Do you like him?" Chenle asked the question she had never had to think about. She thought soulmates were made to love each other, which is why she knew even before she met Winwin that she was going to love him no matter what.
Do I actually like him?
"We're soulmates." Was all she said.
"I'm glad, he needs someone. And so do you." Chenle smiled. "It's good that he was with you last night too."
"Yeah, it was." She smiled back at the thought. Chenle took a look at the analog clock on the wall before nudging at Jisung slightly. "We should go." He said to Jisung who nodded, finishing up his drink.
"I guess I'll see you tomorrow." Haneul said.
"Don't worry I'll act as natural as possible." He assured, giving her an 'OK' sign with his hands.
🏘
———
"Han I'm about to kill you, prepare to die...unless someone can save you." Chenle announced. Haneul rolled her eyes as she began shooting at Chenle's character.
"Ugh just kill her, why are you taking so long?" Winwin asked Chenle who clicked his tongue at the comment as Haneul couldn't help but let out a laugh, successfully killing off Chenle's character.
"Hey!"
"You were asking for it." Yangyang laughed as he joined Haneul's character. "Don't worry I'll be here if he tries to--." He said before dying at Winwin's bullet. "Never mind."
Haneul began running in the opposite direction to Winwin, all she needs to do complete her mission before she wins the game, killing Winwin is not her priority.
"Why are neither of you killing each other?" Renjun asked as he looked over Winwin's phone. "There's literally two of you, the game will end once one of you kill the other."
"I don't know where he is." Haneul used as an excuse. It was true, she had just learned how to play this game and she has no way to navigate the others.
"There's a map." Yangyang pointed to it on her screen, showing Winwin's green icon on the map.
"Ah I see." She mumbled. She wanted to continue her mission, but the way Yangyang was breathing down her neck made her change her mind. She didn't want to accept defeat, knowing she'll die if she gets with a 5 meter radius of his character. She glanced up at Winwin who returned an innocent grin. She looked down at her phone to find his already character behind her.
"Ack--." She quickly ran away from him, hiding behind a crate.
"You could have just killed her." Renjun shook his head. Winwin's character stood over the crate but Haneul quickly pressed shoot out of panic, killing him.
"Wait what?" Winwin stared at his screen in disbelief. "You actually killed me."
"Is that not the point of the game?" She asked, grabbing a mini muffin she had baked the night before and stuffing it into her mouth. "Mini muffin?" She held up the plate to the boys, who happily grabbed some.
"Who won that game?" Lucas asked as he joined them at the table, finishing up their game on the console. The others grabbing a mini muffin as the room began to fill with separate conversations.
"Haneul." Yangyang said proudly. "How 'bout you guys?"
"Ten, strangely." Xiaojun replied, earning an offended look from the guy.
"Hey Haneul," Rushi wrapped an arm around Haneul, who got a good breath of her lemon scented shampoo. "The guys are having an online concert next Thursday and the girls and I were planning to meet up and watch it together. Just to support the boys...also some of us are dead broke."
"The girls?" Haneul asked, having no idea who she could be referring to.
"Ah the nct soulmates." Rushi answered as Haneul furrowed her brows, turning to Chenle in fear that he might have told her. Chenle shook his head aggressively. She started regretting what she told him even more as she looked back at Rushi.
"Isn't that like an nct soulmate only event?"
"Well we include girlfriends sometimes, besides you're super cool I'm sure they wouldn't mind." Rushi told, giving her a reassuring pat on the shoulder.
"Girlfriend?" Haneul cocked her head. The room seemed to slowly quiet down, their conversation slowly taking over the room as they looked over at Haneul.
"Aren't you and Yangyang a thing?" Rushi asked as she pointed between Haneul and Yangyang. Haneul thought it was quite clear they weren't dating, that she wasn't dating anyone at all.
"Rushi." Kun sighed.
"I must have said something wrong." Rushi noticed.
"No it's fine." Haneul smiled. "Were just friends." She couldn't find a way to say it without hurting his feelings, she hoped she didn't.
"Yeah she has a boyfriend." Yangyang points out. Haneul tried to suppress the urge to argue against him. The fact that he thinks she has a boyfreind isn't what bothers her. It's that he thinks she's dating the guy who brought her so much pain.
"She does?!" Chenle exclaimed, looking at Haneul with a questioning look. She simply shook her head at him.
"You guys wanna play another round?" Winwin asked, holding up his phone. But no one seemed to look in his direction . They were all either too busy eating or too focused on the small drama that was unfolding.
"Yeah you remember that rich guy from last night?" Xiaojun asked Chenle.
"They were all rich." Chenle said. A murmur of agreement coming from those around him.
"We're out of ice cream." Winwin stood up. "I could do a quick run to the store?" He suggested.
"Get those Tteokbokki packet things while you're at it." Lucas asked, munching on popcorn as if he was watching a movie. He rolled his eyes, looking over at Haneul who was obviously trying her best to act like it didn't bother her. But Winwin knew.
"Like the extremely rich one, the tall mullet guy. He probably owned that building or something." Yangyang commented spitefully.
"He's the heir to that one company." Ten added. With a sigh Winwin pulled out his phone, sending Haneul a text knowing it'll be random if he said it out loud.
Do you wanna come with me?
A reply came almost instantly.
Yes. Please.
"I actually need to go buy some girly things, I'll come with." Haneul announced, as she jumped up. Winwin gave her a nod before walking to the front door, Haneul's footsteps following lazily behind him.
"You mean Ryu?" Chenle asked as Haneul halted, looking over her shoulder at the group. She wanted to tell them she wasn't dating him, that she would rather die than willingly date him. She didn't want them to think of her as someone who values money. She liked these people, she wanted to be liked by them too. She bit down on her lip worriedly, she didn't want the two worlds to mix. But she sensed that she was too late to do anything about it.
Haneul hadn't realised how long she had stood there before she felt a warm hand grab onto her significantly cold one. Sending vibrations up her spine as she turned to Winwin who gently lead her to the door. She watched him, trying to read his constant blank face.
"Why are you always there when I need you?" She asked as they made it out of the dorm, away from the loud chatter and cramped atmosphere. The outside was a total contrast, silent and cold. The soft winter breeze tickling their ears as Haneul tightened her grip on Winwin's hand.
"You don't need me." Winwin commented, staring at the hands that swung by their side. Being needed isn't a concept Winwin is used to, he had never been the main character of anyone's life. He doubts Haneul actually needed him. Winwin felt as if he's never done anything to help her. He would simply rephrase her question as; 'why are you always there when I need help?' She needed someone to be there for her, but she must think that person is him just because he was there.
"I do." She stopped, trying to look him in the eye so that he understood. But he had avoided it. Something he's quite good at doing, however he found it difficult this time. His eyes wondered anywhere but her eyes out of fear. He's scared that if he locked eyes with her he'd see that she's right. And that she needs him.
"You're getting confused." He said simply, his hand letting go of hers as it found its way in his pocket, trying to save the limited amount of warmth she had brought him.
"Tell me that while looking at me."
Underneath the streetlight they stood. Shining on them as if they were the only people in the world. The cold they felt at the start became insignificant as Haneul took another step closer to him.
"Haneul." Winwin gulped. "You're getting attached." He said right before looking down at her, her face locked in an empty expression.
"So I guess we can't even be friends huh?" She scoffed, an expression he isn't used to seeing her use towards him. She wasn't showing any emotion, which scared him even more.
"It's not like that, I just--"
"It's fine, I know." She gave him a forced smile which she made obvious. "Tell the others I have cramps or something. I want to leave." She said as she pulled out her car keys.
"You're not mad right?" It was a stupid question to ask, she was obviously pissed off, or annoyed at least.
"No. You've warned me about this." She replied steely. "I don't get mad that easily."
"You can get mad at me. I don't mind you arguing with me." He was being forward, he realised that Haneul is the type of person to say it as it is. He wanted her to tell him she wasn't attached. The light above them flickered slightly as the emotion in her eyes. He caught a glimpse of sadness.
"There's nothing to argue about." Haneul said surely "You're right." She admitted as Winwin stared at her speechlessly. He swallowed the nervous lump in his throat as he blinked. He thought it would scare him, knowing that he now has someone who wanted to be with him. That it would be a nuisance to his life, but somehow he wasn't disappointed when Haneul has said it. He was simply worried about what the future may decide to throw at them.
"Don't be busy next Friday." Haneul told. "I want to get this shit over with."
gross chapter but i'm excited for the next ones :)
have a good day everyone!! 💕