PUCKER UP ❆ LEE HAECHAN

❆ chapter twenty-nine

Haechan texted Hyerim, as promised.

He called her that night as well. They stayed on the phone as she brushed her teeth and settled into bed, and he stayed with her until she fell asleep, whispering a goodnight and hanging up quietly to avoid waking her.

But she was still confused. He hadn't confirmed that he liked her back, and she knew that his actions were probably enough to tell her but she wanted to hear it from him.

So when he texted her, asking her on a date, she jumped at the opportunity.

Wear something casual, he said. Hyerim dug around in her closet, settling for a simple white sweater and a pair of jeans, deciding that it was versatile enough for anything.

He also waited outside her dorm room, as promised, and together they walked towards the parking lot where his car sat. He opened the car door for her like he always did, buckled her in, and drove with one hand on the steering wheel, the other holding her hand in his.

Haechan took Hyerim to dinner at an upscale restaurant - nothing Nobu, something respectable but not fancy to the point where it would make her uncomfortable. He comfortably let her order whatever she wanted, and disappeared to "go to the bathroom", but paid the bill instead.

After dinner, he took her to an arcade at a nearby mall. Haechan never complained once, not when he let her win in the zombie apocalypse shooting game and she teased him about it for five minutes, not when she used up all the credits on the dance machine and he had to go purchase more, not when she made him race her in the motorbike game three times and not when she tried thirteen times to get the plushie she wanted from the claw machine. Eventually, Haechan had placed his hands on her shoulders and lightly steered her away, instead winning it for her in only two tries.

It was a perfect date, and Hyerim couldn't ask for more. She walked into her dorm with a smile on her face, and her hands clutching the cat plush he had won her.

But something still bothered her. He had never said that he liked her. Or asked her to be his girlfriend.

"Be patient," Jihee had told her exasperatedly. "You've been pushing him away for like, the past half a year. Relax."

There was no way Hyerim could relax though, when every single text and voice message and selfie that dinged on her phone from Haechan made her heart jump several beats like a skipping stone.

❆

It was officially ice hockey season, and Hyerim was ecstatic. She had never seen a game of ice hockey at the university, and she hadn't seen Haechan play in almost 2 years, so like the supportive situationship, she bundled herself and Jihee up, and they both trotted over to the university ice rink on Saturday night.

The rink was packed, naturally. Hyerim regretted not going earlier to save a seat, but the two girls had managed to nestle themselves in the middle, a solid spot where they weren't jostled around by the crowd at the front, and had a good view of the entire rink.

Hyerim's eyes darted between the players that started situating themselves on the ice, finding Haechan in the centre, as usual. Despite only being in his second year in the team, he seemed calm, cool, collected. A real ace.

His skills shone through on the ice as the game started, his nimble body weaving through the players with the puck, soon batting it to his teammate who took off towards the opposite side of the rink to score the goal. Hyerim managed to see Haechan dart out from behind a defence player of the other team and take the puck, scoring a goal for the university.

The crowd erupted at the first goal of the night and the commentators dramatically announced Haechan's name.

"And number 66, centre Lee Haechan, scores the first goal of the night on behalf of Korea University's ice hockey team!"

Hyerim could see Haechan lift up an arm in victory before skating off to continue the game.

It was a fast paced, close game, with goals whizzing out from both teams one after the other. However, Hyerim had confidence that Haechan's team would be able to win, judging from the huddle that the team quickly formed at the intermission.

While the players rested and discussed tactics, ads and funny clips from the crowd started to play on the plasma screens that hung down from the ceilings of the arena. There were games played that interacted with the crowd such as celebrity look-a-likes, and dance battles.

Then, something came up. A kiss cam.

The screen turned into a pink heart frame with the words "kiss cam" written with corny red cursive letters, and started showing random people sitting next to one another. Hyerim shrunk in her seat as the crowd erupted with laughter, trying to hide her face in her sweater so that the camera hopefully wouldn't land on her.

But the universe was not on her side tonight. She watched as the camera flashed, and displayed her covered face, along with the random guy sitting next to her in full plasma glory.

Jihee squealed loudly, hitting Hyerim's arm aggressively as the crowd cheered again.

The guy next to her laughed slightly, swivelling over to her as his friends also jeered him on, pushing him towards Hyerim roughly. She furrowed her eyebrows, looking nervously at him, then back at the screen, lowering her sweater to show more of her face.

She really didn't want to kiss him, especially with Haechan watching.

But a loud banging echoed through the arena, and her eyes drew down to the glass barrier of the rink where Haechan was standing, helmet tucked underneath one arm and the other on the glass, getting everyone's attention.

"BACK. THE FUCK. OFF."

His voice boomed through the rink, cutting through the crowd which screamed and hollered louder at his actions. The guy next to Hyerim raised his arms, as if surrendering, and the kiss cam shut off, instead displaying Haechan's pissed face as he stood at the barrier. 

"Seems like number 66 is very protective of his girlfriend. "

Hyerim wanted to shoot the commentator dead in the forehead, while the crowd whooped, whistles even being heard. Haechan only smirked at the camera, blowing a kiss before skating off.

She could feel the stares she was getting, but in all honesty, she could care less right now.

Haechan was making her the happiest girl in the world.

book is coming to an end and i am leaving for japan and china tmr night to see my family👍🏻👍🏻so im truing to finish itttttttt ok bye