by the sidelines • haechan

twenty four

"And break time!" Haknyeon declared joyfully as he chugged down at least half of his water bottle. Just as what I was hoping for, today's training was indeed productive, even though we only spent around 2 hours here. I plopped down on the bench, lifting one leg up to stretch my aching calves. It was only after I looked up that I realised one of us was missing.

"Where's Donghyuck?" I asked aloud, looking at a sprawled Haknyeon for an answer.

"Outside. Had to take a phone call or something," he answered, his exhausted voice echoing through the hall as I nodded in response.

"Well, I need to refill my bottle, be back in a bit." I stood up as he waved a lazy hand at me, strolling out of the gym and towards the water cooler that was hidden at the end of the corridor. Just as I was opening the cap, a voice caught my attention as I found myself eavesdropping behind a wall.

"Then what do you want me to do?" The worked up voice yelled as I waited for a reply, but there was no response. Or at least, audibly. I carefully peeped out from my hiding spot to see who was talking, only to have a glimpse of Donghyuck on the phone before ducking back in. Right, that's where he went.

Part of me didn't want to be a snoop and quickly filled up my bottle, but his next sentence held me back from leaving.

"Am I really that unworthy to you?"

I leaned closer to the wall as if doing that may help me hear the other person through the phone, but all I could hear was faint buzzing and his aggrieved breaths echoing throughout the stairwell. Who is he talking to?

"Are you saying I'm training for nothing then?" He hissed, "Can't you see I'm working my ass off right now? Why are you always saying I'm not working hard enough when I'm clearly in my best shape ever?"

His voice grew louder with every word, although he still tried to hold it back as if something was restraining this. Not only that, he was using honorifics. Could he be talking to one of his parents?

Which son wouldn't want his father's acknowledgement?

Could it be... his dad?

Suddenly, it felt like I was interfering in his personal business, but I couldn't bear to pull myself away from the wall that I've been inherently glued to. Something tells me I needed to find out more about this, and staying was the most obvious way.

However, there was silence on the other end, not even any muffling sounds. Could the call have ended? It couldn't have been that fast, it sounded like it was just getting started. I peered out from my spot, spotting a back-facing Donghyuck clutching the handlebars at the bottom of the stairs, hanging his head low. Upon closer observation, I realised he wasn't just standing there. He was trembling.

"Yes, dad..." Words finally escaped his mouth as his voice cracked unstably, followed by another string of silence before he hung up. I ducked behind the wall again in utter confusion. What was all that arguing about? Was he not on good terms with his father? Although I did suspect something when Haknyeon and he were talking that day, I didn't know it was this bad.

The sound of his footsteps grew louder as I was snapped out of my suspicions. If I didn't wanna get caught eavesdropping, I should get back to the gym immediately. Taking in a breath, I took one huge step in front of the door, bumping head-on into someone's chest.

"Did your ex-coach taught you to eavesdrop as well?"

Too late.

My face flushed with both guilt and anxiousness as I met his piercing eyes, obviously still enraged by that phone conversation. I could not even think about what he might say to me, or worse, do to me, so I hastily admitted to my mistakes in hopes that he would spare me.