Changes - lee donghyuck, haechan

18

Despite how hard times could get for Aera as she lived away from home. She would never trade it for the world. She enjoyed living in a dorm, attending school games and performances. One thing she enjoyed more than anything was supporting her best friend in his swim meets. Yeejin snuggling beside the Canadian girl with a blanket thrown over both of them.

"How does he deal with the cold?" the older girl asked as both their eyes wandered around. Waiting anxiously and patiently for the swimmers to come out.

"You get cold easily," Aera reached over and rubbed her arm up and down the girl's arms to warm her up. Yeejin smiling at the cute gesture.

"Twenty thousand won he'll come in fourth," Yeejin said after some silence. Aera quickly turning towards the girl with her mouth wide open.

"Hey! How is that being supportive?" Yeejin rolled her eyes.

"We're here to cheer him on not put bets on how bad he'll do," at the sound of her best friend's scolding she sighed loudly. Aera sent her a strict glare before the intercom screeched loudly. Everyone around visibly wincing at the harsh pain the sound caused in their ears.

"Swimmer Jeon HyunTae. Will he continue his first-place streak?" The speaker said as he went down the line of swimmers.

"I'll take him on a date if he gets first place," Yeejin joked, Aera jokingly gaging. Both girls couldn't help but laugh. They joked around until all the competitors lined up. HyunTae stretching his arms. His eyes searched around until they landed on the pair. He winked just before putting on his goggles. Leaning down, both hands grabbing the edge of the board. When the horn was blown. The loud splashing resonated around the stadium as all the swimmers dived in.

Just then Aera's phone rang. She groaned out loud at the interruption. She was so into the race that she blindly fished for the device in her bag. Eyes shifting to look a bit before turning to the pool.

HyunTae was coming in first when a swimmer two lanes down passed him. His arms furiously moving and pumping. The phone stopped ringing. Aera was so focused on the race that she ignored the missed call. She was sitting at the edge of her seat.

"Come on," she bit her bottom lip as she saw HyunTae approaching.

"Yes!" She breathed out when she saw him take the lead. Yeejin also let a sigh of relief, her worries that her previous joke would become a reality disappearing. They had all already done one lap. The end of the pool approaching as well as the finish line.

They both shot up cheering when the tip of his fingers reached the end. Yeejin couldn't contain her excitement as she hugged her best friend.

"He really did it! I genuinely thought this was the end of the unstoppable Micheal Phelps," Aera laughed. Before she replied she saw him throw him fist in the air and tap his chest twice. Both girls copying the action as their shared winning signal.

"You knew he would,"

"He wouldn't stop ranting about how he could feel that something was stopping him from giving his all," Aera thought back to their past sleepover. The boy's evident worry about the upcoming competition. None of the girls knew much about the things that tormented the boy. He was always the cheerful mood maker that disliked speaking about his problems.

"Do you think it's his parents again?" Yeejin worriedly looked over. HyunTae was so absorbed in his victory that he didn't notice the observing glances the girls were giving him as they tried to analyze what was the root of his worries.

Aera chose not to say anything. She smiled widely when she saw him look over. He signaled for them to wait for him to shower. As Yeejin excused herself to speak on the phone with her mother. Aera took advantage and took her phone out.

Dongsookie Missed Call (1)

She stared confused at the notification. Haechan never called her much less contacted her on a weekend. With some sort of worry growing she returned the call. Tapping anxiously as the phone rang.

"Hello?" His voice was so deep and raspy. She wondered if someone else answered the phone

"Uh.. who am I speaking to?"

"Aria do you not have my number saved?" Haechan sounded utterly shocked. He sat up suddenly on the bed. The sleepiness completely warring away.

"No, you just sounded different," she couldn't help but admit the happiness that grew within her as she recognized his voice.

"Were you sleeping?"

"Yea, you didn't answer and I must've fallen asleep," he cleared his throat to clear out the raspiness. Mindlessly walking around the room as he talked.

"Sorry I was distracted," a smile appeared on his face. His mind thinking back to all the times she would zone out. He found it cute when she was distracted.

Yeejin approached her roommate.

"Where is he?" She shamelessly asked not caring about the other current phone calls.

"He's in the shower," Aera replied. She placed her hand over the phone to slightly block out her voice.

"Who's in the shower?" Haechan asked alerted.

"HyunTae," she answered truthfully. Haechan unknowingly gripped his phone harshly.

"Wait, where are you?" His mind racing with assumptions.

"I'm at a swim meet," he instantly pieced the puzzle. Thinking back to when she said HyunTae was a swimmer. He let out a breath he didn't know he was holding as he understood the boy was showering after a competition.

"So," she moved a bit away from Yeejin who was squinting her eyes in suspicion. The older girl was wondering who was the sudden caller.

"Why'd you call?" When the question registered in his mind. He froze. He had momentarily forgotten his reason for calling. Instantly feeling shy to admit the cause.

"Umm... I was calling because.. you know," his voice trialed on leaving the girl to wait for him to finish.

"Why don't you come over. I mean if you can and if you want to," he pulled the phone away and covered his eyes with his hands as he cringed.

He pulled the phone back to his ear.

"Sure. That's cool with me. I'll go after I'm done here," Haechan silently cheered. Fist pumping in the air.

"Well..uh. I'll see you then," he casually let out ignoring the loud thumping of his heart against his chest.

"Okay, byeeee," she dragged out the word before ending the call. Turning around to find Yeejin already staring at her with crossed arms.

-

"Hey, Aera, come in," Doyoung hid his confusion as he opened the door. He trailed behind her as she entered the apartment. Eyes curiously scanning around the unfamiliar place.

"Mark lives on the 10th floor. Do you need something?" His now evident confusion caused her to blush. She knew that suddenly coming in and asking for Haechan would take them all by surprise. She had stood outside for 3 minutes, hesitating to come in.

"I'm looking for Donghyuck,"

"Oh," there was an obvious surprise in his tone.

"What did he do this time? Must be serious if you came all the way here to beat him for it," he smiled his usual bunny smile. Aera could only turn a deeper shade of red and only grew shyer.

"I'm not here to beat him," she explained. Aera mentally cursed Haechan for not hearing her knock and still hiding in his room. He could be coming in to save her from all the embarrassment.

"I'm here to hang out with him," she continued.

"What?!" Doyoung's loud voice was joined by Johnny who now entered the living room down the hall. The obvious shock in both their faces as they towered over the girl.

a.n: Haechan with blond hair!1!1!1! Also, I'll try to still be consistent with my updating but I started working today and still have to worry about applying to colleges, being a senior/adulting is so stressful. Thank you for the first vote as well!!