Ha-ru had racked his brain on wha to do after talking to Minyoung. After paying he had called him a taxi and sent him home. And sure enough just as Minyoung suspected he spilled and told him everything he needed to know about the friends group he also found out the receptionist was his sister.
"What's up?" Mae-rin asked as she placed her plate in the sink.
As soon as he saw Mae-rin an idea popped up in his mind.
"Do you know Re-draft?"
"Who doesn't know them." She deadpanned as she placed more dishes in the sink and took the table cloth.
"You said you were looking for someone to go with since your friend ditched you."
"She didn't ditch me she just had something else planned that day." She mumbled as she started cleaning the table until she stopped midway his sentence now becoming clear to her.
She quickly approached him and held his forehead in concern.
"What is it?" He asked dodging her hand as he took a step away.
"You aren't sick?" She wondered.
"Anyway I would like to join you instead. "
Her eyes went wide at his statement.
"Who are you and what have you done to my brother?" She asked taking a step towards him but he stepped back.
"What's so surprising about it?"
"Usually you don't even want to hear their name let alone anything kpop related. "
"Well I....I changed my mind." He stuttered.
"Is it because of joowan?" She asked looking away as she continued cleaning the table. "You don't have to hide it from me Minyoung told me you met him yesterday. "
Ha-ru stayed silent.
"You guys have been friends for a long time he usually takes most of your crap so you must have done something terrible this time." She stated casually as she walked up to the sink and started cleaning the dishes.
"Fine you can have the extra ticket." She gave in.
Ha-ru smiled as he hugged from the back making her roll her eyes.
"When is it?"
"This weekend. "
"Great ....great! " He stated as he rushed back into his room.
"Since when did he start hugging people." She mumbled with a smile before shaking her head and returning to her chore.
◇◇◇◇
Three days passed and it was finally the d-day of the fanmeeting. Ha-ru checked himself once again in the mirror for the uptenth time as he fixed his clothes. He had tried to stay as casual as possible and wore a buggy grey t-shirt and tucked it in on one side. He wore blue faded buggy jeans and white sport shoes. He finished off the look with a black sling bag. He also had his hair in a halfbun revealing his earring on one ear.
"Let's go!!" Mae-rin called out to him outside his door as she knocked on it. She looked through her bag for some lipstick before starting to apply it. Just as she was applying it Ha-ru's door opened and he came out.
Mae-rin stood in shock at the person standing in front of her. She had thought he would just wear what he always does, a plain tracksuit. She didn't think he would actually pull through and dress up.
She quickly kept the lipstick in her purse as she stood in front of him.
"Do I look bad?" He asked getting self conscious at her stare.
"Did you always look this handsome?" She asked him as she tried to grab him but he dodged and started walking towards the door.
She let out a smile as she followed behind him.
She placed her purse in the back of the car her eyes still trained on him even as she pressed the ignition.
" Joowan will be happy to see you put in some effort." She stated as she started backing up the car in the driveway. "In fact he will be happy you even showed up! I can't wait to see the look on his face." She added with a cheeky smile.
She pressed a button and the gate slide back to a close before she drove towards the main highway.
"It's really not that shocking." He stated as he crossed his hands on his chest and looked away.
"Is it really not why did you go buy new clothes then?" She teased him. "Because you wanted to impress him."
"Just drive." He stated turning the music up while trying to mask his embarrassment.
A smile traced Mae-rin's lips as she tapped onto the steering wheel while singing along with the song.
After about fourty five minutes they were near their destination.
"I think you had the direction wrong?" He stated as he looked outside and saw the stadium in a distance.
"I told you they were popular. " She stated as she drove further into a smaller road and sure enough they were met with a beeline of cars and people seaking entrance.
"It's their first fanmeeting so a lot of people wanted a slot. But this isn't even a large stadium." She stated as she drove near a machine. She scanned a card and the machine gave her a wristband. She drove in to find a parking spot.
"They can't be that popular." He stated with a scoff as she parked the car.
"You underestimate them that's probably why joowan isn't speaking to you. Besides I didn't even get tickets." She stated casually as she opened her car door and got out after grabbing her purse.
"Then how are we going to get in?" He shouted just as she closed her car door. He quickly tangled with his seat belt and rushed out. He hurried towards her.
"I tried getting them when they went on sale but they sold out so fast I missed it. Luckily joowan came through no need to worry. She locked the car as they started walking towards where a large crowd had gathered beside different stalls.
"Why don't we buy some merch first." She stated as she got in line.
Ha-ru's eyes caught sight of something.
" you do that I will be right back." He stated before walking away before she could say anything.
He walked towards an ice cream truck and got two cups of ice cream along with some water and some small bites. He walked back and handed her hers. She looked at him in question but didn't say anything.
She realised she had been saying so often that he had changed and now at that moment she didn't know what else to say.
Even standing at that spot felt like a fever dream.
She didn't quite understand him he had changed so much it was so unlike him. But she liked it. She liked this side of him.
He used to always keep to himself, joowan was the social one and that way they just balanced themselves out. When Joowan learned of Ha-ru's interest in games he did research and found a group of gamers made friends with them and forced Ha-ru to join despite his protest. Although Ha-ru didn't want to admit it but he was grateful to him for doing that.
He had even stopped smoking even though joowan had told him multiple times to stop. He talked to her more often than he used to even Mrs Kim teared up when she realised this.
He was still reserved but he felt more open. He got out of his room often and hung out with her. They took walks and run together in the morning which was so unlike him. He used to be against any form of exercise and only did it as a necessity now he stated he wanted to clear his mind.
She felt closer to him. She didn't know if Joowan stopping to talk to him was the catalyst but she was happy. She was happy he changed.