MatchMakers
Title: MatchMaker
Chapter: 11/13
Pairings: EunHae, KiHae, SiHae, SiChul, KiHan
Side Pairings: KangTeuk, KyuWook, YeMin
Rating: PG-16
Summary: They were known as the school MatchMakers; if you wanted a steady relationship with someone you’d love forever, they were the three to go see. But the MatchMakers can’t find someone for themselves! When a new student transfers in, will their situation change for the better... Or worse?
A/N: A short chapter, but I wanted to get this up.
It was a full hour later when DongHae finally left. HyukJae insisted on walking him home, saying that if he let DongHae go by himself, he’d worry if he was run over by a car. Hae was thankful for the company though; he wasn’t too sure if he’d make it home safe himself. He couldn’t concentrate on what was going on around him, staggering a little as he walked. Too much had happened for him to really understand it all.
He had told HyukJae everything. His crush on SiWon and the confession, which he knew would be rejected but hurt anyways. Then the surprise of KiBum liking him, and the fact that he just put KiBum in the same pain he was in from SiWon. But he hadn’t been expecting a kiss. HyukJae was quiet through his explanation, asking questions here and there when he felt DongHae was being too vague. They sat there for a long while, HyukJae finally pulling the boy onto his lap to try and calm him a little, but that only made the tears come faster. He had a soggy patch on his shirt now, but assured DongHae he really didn’t mind.
They were silent through the walk back, the only sound crickets chirping, cars passing by and the occasional sniff from DongHae. Seeing the state the boy was in, HyukJae had taken him out through the back door rather than force him to pass through the crowd and possible be cornered by their friends who would want to know why the usually happy and excited boy was so sad. Especially right after their first performance. It was amazing how fast the mood could change for some.
Bringing him right to the door of the apartment he lived in, HyukJae looked at DongHae and bit his lower lip. Then he gave him another hug, which DongHae slowly returned. He was still in a state of shock.
“Please cheer up,” HyukJae said. “Things will get better, okay? You just weren’t meant to be with either of them. I’ll be by your side the whole way, alright?” He brushed away the boys tears with one thumb as DongHae nodded. “Call me if something happens, and I’ll come right over.”
DongHae opened his apartment door, trying to smile. But it came out wavery. “Thank you Hyukkie…” He said softly. HyukJae nodded, then hesitated slightly. Then he reached out with one hand, brushing away DongHae’s bangs and leaning over to kiss him awkwardly on the forehead. “Get some sleep Hae. See you in school tomorrow.” HyukJae turned away and left, hiding his red face from the boy.
DongHae stood there for a moment, blinking. Then a soft sigh left his lips and he went into his apartment, locking the door. He barely had the energy to do anything, falling into his bed right away and blacking out.
*****
He got up to go to school early the next day. DongHae knew no one else would be there around that time; that was why he went To get a chance to compose himself so he wouldn’t break down in tears the second he saw KiBum or SiWon. To apologise to KiBum properly, he needed to be able to hold in his tears. He knew he’d only make the other feel worse if he cried, and that was the last thing he wanted. KiBum must have been in so much pain because of him… Why did he even come here? He was just hurting people… Hurting the people he cared most about.
He walked to school rather than take the city bus. It was just an extra ten minutes, and the fresh air was calming. He could do this. SiWon had said he wouldn’t lose his friendship through confessing. That was a relief, now that his head was clear enough to think about it properly. It would be awkward, but he’d get over it. He had to. And KiBum… He had said that he knew DongHae would react the way he did. So apologizing shouldn’t be too hard… Right?
He arrived outside the school finally, looking around the campus. There were a few students milling around, but none he recognized. Taking a deep breath, he walked through the grounds towards the building. A few people sitting under a tree nearby looked at him with an expression he didn’t understand, and when he returned the gaze they quickly looked away. He group of guys gave him a wide berth as he entered the building. What was going on? Maybe they hadn’t liked the performance after all? But they’d cheered so loudly last night…
Maybe he’d messed up? They might have just been cheering for everyone else. Had he made a fool of himself without knowing it? Wouldn’t someone have told him? He bit his lower lip, looking down at the ground and trying not to be paranoid.
Approaching his locker, he noticed a bunch of people crowded together looking at something posted on the wall. He walked around them, trying to ignore the way their eyes followed him. It was starting to give him goosebumps.
Stopping at his locker, he opened it, and a sheet of paper fell out. Someone must have shoved it inside his locker. A love note send to the wrong locker? It had happened before. YeSung told him once about a valentines day where he opened his locker to find tons of sweet-filled boxes only to find that the girl had put it in the wrong locker.
Bending down to pick up the piece of paper, he flipped it over to see what it was. His chocolate-brown eyes widened in dismay, breath catching in his throat. The paper dropped from his limp hand, fluttering to the floor.
Closing his locker, he ran to where the group of people had been looking at something on the wall. They scattered when he approached. It was there too, up on the wall for everyone to see. He looked around him, seeing the same thing further on down the wall. It was everywhere.
The tears wouldn’t stop falling.
“Hey DongHae!” ShinDong walked around the corner. “You’re here early. How was the party last-“ He stopped, seeing DongHae take off and run out of the building.
“What’s with him?” Confused, ShinDong noticed the posters up on the wall. Walking to the nearest one, his eyes widened. Oh my god. “DongHae! Yah!” He called over the boy, but he was already long gone. Cursing under his breath, he pulled out his cell and dialed HyukJae’s number.
“Yah, HyukJae! Listen I - No, I don’t care that I woke you up. No - Listen to me! Get your carcass to school right now. There’s something - It’s about DongHae, okay? Now-“
The second DongHae was mentioned, HyukJae stammered “Be there in five” and hung up.
*****
Within ten minutes, the entire group was gathered at school. Some like HyukJae, had been woken up by the phone. Others had been on their way and took the city bus to speed things up. The school was beginning to fill up with other students too. More people whispering about the posters. ShinDong had run around taking down all the ones he could find, but it was too late. The damage was done.
“Who took these?” Snarled HeeChul, ripping up one poster ShinDong had in his arms. RyeoWook and KyuHyun were in shock. SiWon rubbed his temples fighting back a headache. KiBum was palers than normal, leaning against the wall. And HyukJae had been trying to call DongHae for five minutes. None of the calls was answered.
“Who would do this to him?” SungMin whispered, picking up one poster from the ground. The three pictures stared back up at them. DongHae with SiWon’s fingers barely touching his cheek; DongHae kissing kiBum (though it had really been the other way around); DongHae sitting in HyukJae’s lap, face hidden against his shirt.
Many people had written on the posters. None of the comments were good. Calling him names, degrading, devastating. HeeChul angrily snatched the poster from SungMin and tore that one up too, dumping it in the garbage after reducing it to shreds.
“DongHae doesn’t seem to be very popular because he was talking to you three,” ShinDong noted, pointing at the three MatchMakers. HyukJae had yet to look up from his phone, sending DongHae call after call, text after text.
“And that deserved this how???” LeeTeuk asked, holding back his anger somehow. HeeChul was storming around, snapping at the people he heard talking about the disgraceful pictures. No one tried to stop him.
HyukJae looked at them. “I’m leaving,” He said, standing. “I have to find him.” And he walked out of the building. The others looked after him. “I don’t know about you guys,” KiBum said finally, straightening. “But I’ve got a photographer to catch.”
*****
DongHae barely made it to his apartment, the one sanctuary he had left. Even people on the streets were talking about it. Apparently the pictures were on the Internet too. He was a monster. Why was he here for? He shouldn’t be here. This place was too harsh for him.
His phone rang nonstop. HyukJae was trying to reach him. He couldn’t see in front of him anymore, let alone answer the phone. Hiding his face against his arms, his shoulders shook as he broke down in tears. Why was this happening? Why to him? What had he done?
It was hard to think, with his head so full of the pictures and the looks people had shot at him, and their whispers… Their whispers getting into his mind, taunting him ceaselessly…
The phone ringing broke through his thoughts again. He’d have to answer it eventually. Not even looking at the Caller ID, knowing he wouldn’t be able to make it out anyways, he flipped open the phone. “H-Hello?”
“DongHae!”
“… J… JungHoon hyung…?”
Chapter: 11/13
Pairings: EunHae, KiHae, SiHae, SiChul, KiHan
Side Pairings: KangTeuk, KyuWook, YeMin
Rating: PG-16
Summary: They were known as the school MatchMakers; if you wanted a steady relationship with someone you’d love forever, they were the three to go see. But the MatchMakers can’t find someone for themselves! When a new student transfers in, will their situation change for the better... Or worse?
A/N: A short chapter, but I wanted to get this up.
It was a full hour later when DongHae finally left. HyukJae insisted on walking him home, saying that if he let DongHae go by himself, he’d worry if he was run over by a car. Hae was thankful for the company though; he wasn’t too sure if he’d make it home safe himself. He couldn’t concentrate on what was going on around him, staggering a little as he walked. Too much had happened for him to really understand it all.
He had told HyukJae everything. His crush on SiWon and the confession, which he knew would be rejected but hurt anyways. Then the surprise of KiBum liking him, and the fact that he just put KiBum in the same pain he was in from SiWon. But he hadn’t been expecting a kiss. HyukJae was quiet through his explanation, asking questions here and there when he felt DongHae was being too vague. They sat there for a long while, HyukJae finally pulling the boy onto his lap to try and calm him a little, but that only made the tears come faster. He had a soggy patch on his shirt now, but assured DongHae he really didn’t mind.
They were silent through the walk back, the only sound crickets chirping, cars passing by and the occasional sniff from DongHae. Seeing the state the boy was in, HyukJae had taken him out through the back door rather than force him to pass through the crowd and possible be cornered by their friends who would want to know why the usually happy and excited boy was so sad. Especially right after their first performance. It was amazing how fast the mood could change for some.
Bringing him right to the door of the apartment he lived in, HyukJae looked at DongHae and bit his lower lip. Then he gave him another hug, which DongHae slowly returned. He was still in a state of shock.
“Please cheer up,” HyukJae said. “Things will get better, okay? You just weren’t meant to be with either of them. I’ll be by your side the whole way, alright?” He brushed away the boys tears with one thumb as DongHae nodded. “Call me if something happens, and I’ll come right over.”
DongHae opened his apartment door, trying to smile. But it came out wavery. “Thank you Hyukkie…” He said softly. HyukJae nodded, then hesitated slightly. Then he reached out with one hand, brushing away DongHae’s bangs and leaning over to kiss him awkwardly on the forehead. “Get some sleep Hae. See you in school tomorrow.” HyukJae turned away and left, hiding his red face from the boy.
DongHae stood there for a moment, blinking. Then a soft sigh left his lips and he went into his apartment, locking the door. He barely had the energy to do anything, falling into his bed right away and blacking out.
*****
He got up to go to school early the next day. DongHae knew no one else would be there around that time; that was why he went To get a chance to compose himself so he wouldn’t break down in tears the second he saw KiBum or SiWon. To apologise to KiBum properly, he needed to be able to hold in his tears. He knew he’d only make the other feel worse if he cried, and that was the last thing he wanted. KiBum must have been in so much pain because of him… Why did he even come here? He was just hurting people… Hurting the people he cared most about.
He walked to school rather than take the city bus. It was just an extra ten minutes, and the fresh air was calming. He could do this. SiWon had said he wouldn’t lose his friendship through confessing. That was a relief, now that his head was clear enough to think about it properly. It would be awkward, but he’d get over it. He had to. And KiBum… He had said that he knew DongHae would react the way he did. So apologizing shouldn’t be too hard… Right?
He arrived outside the school finally, looking around the campus. There were a few students milling around, but none he recognized. Taking a deep breath, he walked through the grounds towards the building. A few people sitting under a tree nearby looked at him with an expression he didn’t understand, and when he returned the gaze they quickly looked away. He group of guys gave him a wide berth as he entered the building. What was going on? Maybe they hadn’t liked the performance after all? But they’d cheered so loudly last night…
Maybe he’d messed up? They might have just been cheering for everyone else. Had he made a fool of himself without knowing it? Wouldn’t someone have told him? He bit his lower lip, looking down at the ground and trying not to be paranoid.
Approaching his locker, he noticed a bunch of people crowded together looking at something posted on the wall. He walked around them, trying to ignore the way their eyes followed him. It was starting to give him goosebumps.
Stopping at his locker, he opened it, and a sheet of paper fell out. Someone must have shoved it inside his locker. A love note send to the wrong locker? It had happened before. YeSung told him once about a valentines day where he opened his locker to find tons of sweet-filled boxes only to find that the girl had put it in the wrong locker.
Bending down to pick up the piece of paper, he flipped it over to see what it was. His chocolate-brown eyes widened in dismay, breath catching in his throat. The paper dropped from his limp hand, fluttering to the floor.
Closing his locker, he ran to where the group of people had been looking at something on the wall. They scattered when he approached. It was there too, up on the wall for everyone to see. He looked around him, seeing the same thing further on down the wall. It was everywhere.
The tears wouldn’t stop falling.
“Hey DongHae!” ShinDong walked around the corner. “You’re here early. How was the party last-“ He stopped, seeing DongHae take off and run out of the building.
“What’s with him?” Confused, ShinDong noticed the posters up on the wall. Walking to the nearest one, his eyes widened. Oh my god. “DongHae! Yah!” He called over the boy, but he was already long gone. Cursing under his breath, he pulled out his cell and dialed HyukJae’s number.
“Yah, HyukJae! Listen I - No, I don’t care that I woke you up. No - Listen to me! Get your carcass to school right now. There’s something - It’s about DongHae, okay? Now-“
The second DongHae was mentioned, HyukJae stammered “Be there in five” and hung up.
*****
Within ten minutes, the entire group was gathered at school. Some like HyukJae, had been woken up by the phone. Others had been on their way and took the city bus to speed things up. The school was beginning to fill up with other students too. More people whispering about the posters. ShinDong had run around taking down all the ones he could find, but it was too late. The damage was done.
“Who took these?” Snarled HeeChul, ripping up one poster ShinDong had in his arms. RyeoWook and KyuHyun were in shock. SiWon rubbed his temples fighting back a headache. KiBum was palers than normal, leaning against the wall. And HyukJae had been trying to call DongHae for five minutes. None of the calls was answered.
“Who would do this to him?” SungMin whispered, picking up one poster from the ground. The three pictures stared back up at them. DongHae with SiWon’s fingers barely touching his cheek; DongHae kissing kiBum (though it had really been the other way around); DongHae sitting in HyukJae’s lap, face hidden against his shirt.
Many people had written on the posters. None of the comments were good. Calling him names, degrading, devastating. HeeChul angrily snatched the poster from SungMin and tore that one up too, dumping it in the garbage after reducing it to shreds.
“DongHae doesn’t seem to be very popular because he was talking to you three,” ShinDong noted, pointing at the three MatchMakers. HyukJae had yet to look up from his phone, sending DongHae call after call, text after text.
“And that deserved this how???” LeeTeuk asked, holding back his anger somehow. HeeChul was storming around, snapping at the people he heard talking about the disgraceful pictures. No one tried to stop him.
HyukJae looked at them. “I’m leaving,” He said, standing. “I have to find him.” And he walked out of the building. The others looked after him. “I don’t know about you guys,” KiBum said finally, straightening. “But I’ve got a photographer to catch.”
*****
DongHae barely made it to his apartment, the one sanctuary he had left. Even people on the streets were talking about it. Apparently the pictures were on the Internet too. He was a monster. Why was he here for? He shouldn’t be here. This place was too harsh for him.
His phone rang nonstop. HyukJae was trying to reach him. He couldn’t see in front of him anymore, let alone answer the phone. Hiding his face against his arms, his shoulders shook as he broke down in tears. Why was this happening? Why to him? What had he done?
It was hard to think, with his head so full of the pictures and the looks people had shot at him, and their whispers… Their whispers getting into his mind, taunting him ceaselessly…
The phone ringing broke through his thoughts again. He’d have to answer it eventually. Not even looking at the Caller ID, knowing he wouldn’t be able to make it out anyways, he flipped open the phone. “H-Hello?”
“DongHae!”
“… J… JungHoon hyung…?”