Chapter Text
Knowing not to poke more at the lion, Donghyuck trails slowly behind him like a kicked puppy. Too soon, they reach the dorms where Taeyong and managernim are standing at the bottom of the stairs to the doors of the apartment building. Upon seeing them, Taeyong and managernim start to walk towards them and when they are at a reasonable distance away, Mark stops and does a 90 degree bow, which surprises them all.
“I am so sorry for the irresponsible actions I’ve shown today. I take full responsibility for Donghyuck and I and will receive any punishment fit for the action. We shouldn’t have gone out by ourselves and we should’ve notified someone of our leaving. In not doing so, we worried you all. I sincerely apologize.”
Donghyuck continues to look over at Mark in shock by both his words and his stance. He’s snapped out of it when Taeyong suddenly steps forward to bring Mark up.
“Come on now, up you go. Yes you worried us all and I’m glad you recognized that but no need for that, seriously. Come on.” Taeyong manages to bring Mark to an upright position which springs Donghyuck into action.
“It wasn’t just him hyung, I’m sorry too. I was the one who came up with the idea to leave without telling anyone. It was for a prank. I am more to blame than Mark is. Please don’t punish him, punish me instead.” Donghyuck in turn does a 90 degree bow just like Mark did towards Taeyong and managernim, again causing surprise looks around as he wasn’t usually one to do so.
“Aigoo, what is going on with you two? Come on, up you go Donghyuck. It’s okay! Is this part of the prank?” Taeyong teases to lighten the somber mood that he can feel between the two.
“Aigoo, you two. Just remember next time to let someone know okay? Even if it’s for a prank. You had us worried! Anything could’ve happened to you two. But since it’s your first time doing this, we won’t do anything, right hyung?” Taeyong looks to their manager, who shakes his head in response.
“Come on, let’s go inside okay? No more apologizing, you guys are okay and that’s the most important thing.”
Mark is unsurprisingly quiet on their way up to the 10th floor dorms. Donghyuck, taking into account his hyung’s mood, also remains quiet on their way up with Taeyong exchanging concerned looks between the both of them and their manager.
Upon reaching their floor, they step in to see that all the members had gathered in the living room around the TV.
“Oh look, it’s the troublemakers,” Yuta jokes from his position, noticing them come in.
“Did dad scold you yet?” Jungwoo deviously chimes in, causing Doyoung to roll his eyes. Jaehyun remained quiet as he focused on the member that was uncharacteristically quiet throughout the exchange. Once Mark stepped foot into the room, he surprised everyone once again by doing a 90 degree bow towards his members.
“I’m so sorry for pulling that stunt and will never do it again, I promise. Sorry for worrying you all.”
“Aishh, I told you to stop doing that, Mark!” Taeyong worriedly tugs on Mark to pull him back up once again.
“Yeah, stop it hyung!” Donghyuck exclaims. “It was my fault anyways! Stop blaming yourself, why aren’t you blaming me?!” Mark remains silent as the other members could only look at the two in shock and confusement over what was going on.
“May I be excused to my room, hyung?” Mark quietly speaks up after a pregnant pause, refusing to address Donghyuck but instead looking at Taeyong instead. Donghyuck throws his hands up in the air in frustration, anger taking over as he marches right up to Mark.
“Yah, I’m talking to YOU,” Johnny quickly gets up to get in between them as Taeyong lightly pushes Donghyuck back, keeping a careful eye on Mark though he remains indifferent. Jaehyun stands up too, cautious as the other members freeze from the sudden confrontation.
“Donghyuck!”
“Hyung! I take full responsibility! It was my idea, all of my fault!”
“Okay, okay Donghyuck, I believe you,” Taeyong mediates, trying to calm the youngest down.
“Well why doesn’t he?! Mark hyung, blame me! It was my fault right?! It's all my fault!”
“Hyuck, stop it!” Mark finally snaps, looking at him fiercely. “I’m the hyung, I should’ve known better!” Johnny’s eyes widened at that familiar statement, understanding coming to him in bits. “Hyung takes responsibility so STOP IT,” Mark ends off, heaving a bit from relieving that pressure off his chest. Donghyuck stares at Mark, dumbfoundingly and wide-eyed at the exclamation. Taeyong’s realization comes in late and he takes a step towards Mark, sadness coloring his expression.
“Mark,”
“Please excuse me,” Mark interrupts, roughly wiping his eyes before heading towards his room to presumably lock himself in. He wasn’t able to get far however before someone grabs ahold of his arm.
“Mark, wait.” It is with his self-restraint and doing his best to keep it respectful that he doesn’t immediately rip his arm out of the grip.
“Mark, look at me.”
Mark resolutely shakes his head as he keeps his gaze down to the floor, already feeling a mist slightly cover his eyes.
“Please let me go hyung, please.”
The hand holding onto his arm tightens a bit before loosening and releasing Mark from their grip. Too late to feel relieved and make a break for it, Mark feels hands cup his face, firmly bringing his face up. Startled by the abrupt unexpected movement, Mark’s eyes meet the guilty and concerned look of his Johnny hyung.
“Hey kiddo. I’m so sorry for what I said over the phone. I took it too far, that wasn’t fair for me to say and blame without hearing the full reason. It wasn’t your full responsibility and I’m sorry for implying you should’ve known better.”
Shrugging, not wanting Johnny to blame himself, he replies quietly back with, “It’s true though.”
“Wa- no it is not, Mark.” Taeyong is the one who speaks up and movement could be heard behind him before Taeyong enters the eyesight of Mark.
“Being a leader and a hyung has its own responsibilities yes and we take on burdens when we have to but not when it comes to situations like this. Donghyuck admits he takes part in the blame. Yes, you’re the hyung but you are not to be fully blamed. I don’t want you to ever feel like you have to take full blame and shoulder full responsibility over something like this, okay Mark?”
“Exactly what Tae said. I’m so sorry Mark, I really didn’t mean to say it like that, I hope you can forgive me.” Johnny continues, dropping his hands from Mark’s face to rest lightly on his shoulders, squeezing them in apology. Doyoung narrows his eyes as he fully takes in Johnny’s remark as the other members also start looking over disapprovingly at him, causing him to spring one of his hands up.
“Hey, I’m sorry, truly! I was just really worried and you know when that happens, I get angry and irrational and say stuff I don’t always mean!”
“Though that is no excuse,” Taeyong interjects, scolding the elder a bit. He looked like he had more to say but for the sake of the younger in front of him, he reigns it in, deciding to settle it with just a disappointed glance.
“We’ll talk more about that later.” Johnny nods his head sheepishly. Shaking his head, Doyoung turns back to Mark, giving him a gentle smile of reassurement.
“Hey, we’re all allowed to have fun once in a while, right? Maybe just let one of us know next time?”
A moment of silence came before Taeyong snorted. “It was a prank Do. They couldn’t tell us if they were pranking us.”
Doyoung looked blankly at Taeyong for a moment, processing that.
“A… what?”
Mark had to smile a little bit with Doyoung’s reaction to that while the other members slowly showed signs of understanding why Mark and Donghyuck had left.
Donghyuck, sensing a shift in the mood, sided up cautiously next to Mark, and admitted, “ Yeah, I got bored and roped Mark hyung into playing a prank on you guys with me, which is why we left.”
Doyoung looked at him, deadpanned.
“What kind of a prank…”
Jaehyun tries to cover up a slight laugh and Jungwoo doesn’t even bother hiding his while Yuta lets out a smirk of amusement. Johnny, finally getting the bigger picture, turns to look even more guilty at Mark.
“Mark-“
Though the words you should’ve known better doesn’t disappear from his mind, Mark knows how guilty his hyung is feeling and knows he’s coming from a place of love and care.
“It’s okay hyung. Really.”
Johnny sighs, pulling Mark into a tight hug, which Mark slowly relaxes in.
“No, it’s really not. And I wish you would stop allowing that for yourself,” Johnny murmurs into the top of Mark’s head. Mark’s throat tightens a bit.
“I’m going to do better, be better. I’m so sorry for the words I spoke to you, there are absolutely no excuses for it. You have not disappointed me, only worried me incredibly, and I should have never said it like that. You couldn’t have known better because how could you, if you have someone like me who’s supposed to be guiding you, not be a better role model. I should’ve known better. You have nothing to be blamed for, Mark. You’re doing so well just being you.”
Mark’s breath stutters as he buries himself more into Johnny’s shoulder, the words easing slightly the burdens in his mind that had tried to take root.
A small kiss is placed on his head as Johnny reassures Mark.
“I’m so sorry again, Marky. You mean so much to me and I’m so sorry for hurting you. I promise to do better. I promise.”