Chapter 7

"Haetbit araero
So what, we hot, we young
Geokjeonghaji ma
So what, we hot, we young
Oneulmankeumeun freeeee
HERE WE GOOOOO!!!
Hands up in the airㅡ"

"Haejin-ah can you stop?

She stopped singing and looked at Jisung sternly. "It's your song, why are you making me stop? Shouldn't you be thankful because I'm supporting you?"

"No. You're annoying."

"Yah! I'm not. YOU are."

And they bicker.

It's always been like this and the members are already used to it. Maknae fight.

It's a normal thing to do. It also became a daily schedule. A day won't be a day if they don't fight. Not a serious fight though.

"There they go again~" Renjun singsongs as they stare at the two who are bickering at the living room.

Yesterday, they fought about which flavor of ice cream tastes better. Strawberry or vanilla. The other day, they fought about Red Velvet's best track. "One of these nights" or "Russian Roulette"

And now, they're fighting over We Young.

"Can you two stop fighting even just for a day?" Mark said.

"Jisung-ah, she's right. It's our song." Jeno said.

"Anyways, Mark-hyung, Haechan-hyung, why are you here again?" Chenle asked.

"Because we're also dream members." Haechan retorts.

"I'm here because I'm checking my sister. AND I'm also a co-member. Also, a dream member to be exact." Mark said.

"I'm here because I don't wanna be left at 127's dorm alone," Haechan said.

***

"So, how's my sister doing?" Mark asked the boys, well except for Chenle and Jisung because they went out with Haejin.

The two made up earlier. It's not like it's a serious fight though, and it's a normal thing that always happens.

"Haejin? She's nice. She organizes things well. She's a little quiet if she and Jisung aren't fighting." Renjun said.

"Hyung, is she always that quiet?" Jeno asked.

"Quiet? No, she isn't quiet. Unless if she isn't comfortable with the people around her..."

"Does that mean she's uncomfortable with us?" Jeno asked.

"No, that's impossible. It's been months since she arrived here. Plus, we already told her to feel comfortable here." Renjun answered.

"She is comfortable with you guys. Why do you think she'll sing 'We Young' here like a crazy person even knowing that the singers of the song are watching her?" Mark said.

The members looked at each other. "Right.."

"Something's not right but I don't know what it is..." Mark said.

A deep silence ensued.

"I'll talk to her later."

Mark stood up and went to the living room. He sat on the couch and texted his sister.

To: 내 여동생 해진♡ (my little sister Haejin♡)
We'll talk later.

****

"Wait hold up. My phone vibrated. Jisung-ah, can you hold my ice cream for a bit?"

"Yeah sure."

Haejin fishes her phone out of her pocket to see the message she received.

From: 마크

We'll talk later.

Okay, what now?

She shrugged and Jisung gave her ice cream back.

"Thanks."

Jisung nodded.

"Who was that?" Chenle asked.

"Mark."

"What did he say?"

Haejin shrugged.

They're at a park right now. It's safe to roam around without disguises because it's still early. They're apparently the only ones there.

****

"What do you want?"

"They told me that you're quiet."

"I'm always quiet. What are you talking about?"

Mark sat down, "You aren't usually quiet."

"I'm just... disappointed with something..." Haejin whispered but Mark heard it clearly. Lie.

Mark sighed, "Disappointed about? Jae-"

"It's not even about him!" Haejin said and stomped her foot.

"Then what?"

"I'm not supposed to tell you this but I've been scolded a couple of times during training because I wasn't good enough unlike the other members," she sighed. "They said that I'm Mark Lee's sister but I'm not good at anything unlike you."

She looked away, "I was supposed to keep this all to myself but I guess your members are indeed something else."

Mark looked at his sister whose breathing became unstable because of her rambling. He never knew that she was keeping all of these emotions inside, and it surprised him when she finally spoke up. He was not sure how he would talk to her, now that he knew that they were being compared.

He knows that Haejin hates it when she's being compared to someone else, even if she's the better one.

He walked closer and sat beside her. He hesitantly put his arm around his sister's shoulder, but he still did it.

"I... honestly don't know what to say," Mark started. "But you know, just prove them wrong. I know that you can be better than me, and I mean it." He said.

"You can't start from the beginning and expect yourself to be good at everything," he sighed. "It takes time and effort, and it's fine, as long as you have your goal straight in front of you."

Haejin didn't respond.

"Don't feel too bad, it's okay to feel that way. Just make sure that you smile the moment you wake up tomorrow." He smiled. 

She looked at him and smiled, "Thank you."

***

Haechan was walking around Dream's dorm when he heard someone yelling inside Haejin and Mark's room. Mark stays in Haejin's room every time he sleeps at Dream's dorm. But sometimes, he sleeps in his own room.

"I'm not supposed to tell you this but I've been scolded a couple of times during training because I wasn't good enough unlike the other members," He heard Haejin say.

Haechan gasped. Is Haejin yelling at Mark-hyung? Why though?

"Haechan-hyung???"

Haechan turned his head towards the person who called him. He put his index finger in front of his lips, signaling that person to keep quiet.

He approached that person, leaving Mark and Haejin's conversation behind. He heard enough.

"Haechan-hyung? What was that about?" Chenle asked.

"Go to your room, I'll call Renjun and Jeno." Haechan said.

Chenle doesn't need to be told twice, he obeyed his hyung and went to his and Jisung's room.

"What is it, Haechan?" Jeno asked.

"You had to disturb my sleep. Make sure that this is important." Renjun said while yawning.

"I overheard Haejin and Mark-hyung's conversation." Haechan started.

Jisung snorted, "You're an eavesdropper now?"

Haechan rolled his eyes, "Do you want to know it or not?"

"Fine, we're all listening," Jisung answered.

"I think the reason why Haejin's quiet sometimes is because of training? Well, that's what I heard..." Haechan said.

"Huh, what do you mean?"  Renjun asked.

The tanned male sighed, "I guess they're comparing Haejin to Mark-hyung in terms of skills?"

"That's unreasonable," Chenle said. "Haejin's been training for only a couple of months, to be compared to her brother who had debuted for quite a while? That's... unfair."

Haechan snapped his fingers as he remembered something, "The other day, I also overheard Mark-hyung and Haejin talking about Jaemin."

"Jaemin-hyung isn't even here," Jisung said.

"I know!"

"Continue," Renjun said.

"I think Mark-hyung is teasing Haejin about something," Haechan said. "No way... does she like Jaemin?"

They all looked at each other.

"What did Haejin say?" Jeno asked.

"I don't know. That was all I heard. Chenle called me to the kitchen." Haechan said, rolling his eyes to Chenle.

"So... is this a clue?" Jeno asked.

"Clue? What do you mean clue?" Renjun asked.

"That Jaemin is the one Haejin likes?" Jeno answered.

Haechan shrugged. "We'll never know."

Silence ensued.

"For now, let us pretend that we know nothing, okay?" Haechan pleaded.

The members nodded.