Chapter Text
anti-tzuchan chat
[Nana
y'all we need to change the chat name
markhyuck stans
Nana
much better
^-^
okay what happened????
Mark
I'm almost equally confused
Midget #2
jaemin saw mark and hyuckchan walking into the building
Nana
holding h a n d s
Mark
Oh shoot. I didn't tell you
^-^
????????
Mark
I told Hyuck I like him
Midget 🤙
You what
Mark
We're kind of together now I think
Tragic Dumbass
your communication problems give me heart palm tree actions
Midget #2
… do you mean… heart palpitations
Nana
oh my god
Midget 🤙
This group chat is a mess.
^-^
still!!! i'm so happy for you two!
Mark
Thanks Jeno
???
uhhh what am I doing in this chat
Midget 🤙
I added Tzuyu
Nana
welcome!
Chewy
thanks?
Midget #2
jaemin put your phone away
Nana
hypocrite
wait the teacher saw
rip me
Midget #2
lmao]
Mark had, indeed, walked into school holding hands with Donghyuck that morning, but it wasn't out of the ordinary for them to be close. Jaemin just always knew things, he supposed. Him and Renjun seemed to possess the only brain cells.
Whatever reservations Donghyuck had of their relationship before instantly vanished, which should have been expected. Donghyuck was extremely all-or-nothing. When Mark saw him entering the cafeteria with that ridiculous grin on his face, he figured he had the right to be concerned. He straightened up and smiled back as he approached him. He was still cute. Adorable. Glowing and shining in the horrible lighting and Mark definitely loved him.
Donghyuck clapped his hands on Mark's shoulders, standing behind him, and proclaimed all too loudly, "My name is Lee Donghyuck, and this is my soulmate and boyfriend Mark Bang-Kim, and I love him!"
A few stray claps sounded, but mostly odd looks. Mark buried his face in his arms.
"Oh… my God," Jaemin said, a laugh frozen on his features.
"Are you trying to tell everyone in the entirety of Korea or something?" Mark complained.
Donghyuck shrugged. "Maybe."
"I'm getting diabetes," Renjun said through a mouthful of rice.
"Yeah, but it's unrelated," Jeno responded.
Renjun rolled his eyes. "Don't attack me like this."
Donghyuck poked Mark's shoulder, prompting him to sit up and uncover his face. He beamed again, and Mark couldn't help but reciprocate.
"I brought Tzuyu," Chaeyoung announced, sitting down in her usual seat and pulling said girl down beside her. She laughed.
"Hello again, everyone," Tzuyu greeted, smile wide and laughing in apparent anxiety.
"You broke up with Haechan!" Renjun mused, pointing at her.
"Donghyuck," Donghyuck correct quickly.
Mark's eyes widened at him. "Hyuck, I never said you had to drop Haechan."
He shrugged. "I want to."
"...you broke up with Donghyuck!" Jaemin reiterated.
"I did," Tzuyu confirmed, laughing and nodding.
Donghyuck clenched his heart in mock pain. "I can still feel the pain…"
"You dated for less time than Romeo and Juliet," Renjun pointed out.
"Except they were soulmates," Tzuyu pointed out.
"And somehow caused much less destruction than the two of you," Jaemin gestured.
"Leave my girlfriend alone," Chaeyoung complained, wrapping her arms around Tzuyu's shoulders protectively. Given their height difference, it was almost comical.
"Don't tell me what to do," Jaemin retorted.
"Yah-"
-
"Nervous?"
"Never," Chenle retorted.
"You're shaking," Jisung corrected, holding up Chenle's indeed trembling hand, intertwined with his own.
"Shush," Chenle said. "Where's Hyuckie?"
"Late getting ready, as per usual," Mark deduced. "And Nana is over there nagging his ear off about it, presumably."
"Where is Hyuckface?"
Renjun had picked up a lot of things from Chaeyoung, and the Hyuckface nickname was one of them. They were surprisingly close, even if it was just out a mutual amount of salt. Chaeyoung proclaimed him her best friend, since Tzuyu was her soulmate and "didn't count".
"He's getting his makeup done," Chenle answered smoothly.
"We're on soon," Renjun complained.
"It'll be fine," Mark said, reassuring himself more than anyone.
"I'm still gonna go find him," Renjun said resolutely, marching away.
"Let's just all go," Chenle said, following him and pulling Chenle along. Mark rolled his eyes and walked with them.
"-you coward, Lee Donghyuck! You absolute… oh, hi, Renjun."
They all filtered into the dressing room, definitely cramped into the small space. Jaemin had clearly been berating Donghyuck for something or other as he fixed his hair.
"What… is going on," Mark asked.
"Don't worry about it," Donghyuck announced, face clearly reddened by more than the warm and unventilated space. He stood and turned around, and Mark felt like he was blinded.
His eyes were so glittery with gold, and Mark knew his makeup matched, but Donghyuck was… angelic, almost. He became aware of his sudden inability to breathe when Jeno nudged him with his elbow in the ribs.
"Hi," Mark struggled out.
"Let's all go and… go!" Chenle cheered, carefully shoving everyone out of the dressing room as Mark stood, staring at Donghyuck, jaw on the floor and pupils blown wide.
"Hi," Donghyuck returned, smiling, and Mark was impressed he didn't faint or do something equally stupid.
Mark breathed out a quiet, light laugh, and Donghyuck returned it.
"You look beautiful," Mark finally mustered. "All the time. But right now, more so. I. Yeah."
"You, too. You're really pretty."
"What, that doesn't hurt to admit?" Mark joked.
"Never."
Mark beamed. He stepped a bit closer to Donghyuck to hold his hands.
"I love you," Donghyuck muttered.
He hadn't said it. Ever. Mark said he loved Donghyuck months ago on accident, and maybe he whispered it on Christmas while Donghyuck was in a candy-induced coma, but they'd never exchanged it. Especially starting with Donghyuck. Mark met his warm, shining eyes, and smiled. "I love you, too."
There was a harsh pounding on the door. "Yah, lovebirds, we have to go!" Jaemin shrieked.
Donghyuck leaned forward quickly, pressing his glossed lips against Mark's cheek briefly. Mark didn't wipe off the strange, sticky substance, enjoying how the contact warmed his skin. He followed Donghyuck out of the dressing room.
"You have lip gloss on your face," Jeno pointed out, holding Mark into place by his shoulder and wiping it away with his sleeve. "Alright, let's go!"
They ran, full of adrenaline, back towards the stage. The previous performers were already exiting through the opposite side, making Mark thankful for their timing but anxious for the performance to come.
"Let's go," Mark whispered, just to all of them, right before they rushed out.
The performance was just like he had hoped. Mark almost tripped over his own feet when Donghyuck smiled at him, and he watched Chenle's hat dramatically exit stage left for reasons he couldn't be bothered to contemplate, but it went well, and the applause gave him a buzz almost as intense as the feeling of Donghyuck's hand in his own.
They paraded off stage, immediately collapsing into a haphazard hug, a mess of limbs and laughter and sweat.
"Chenle, what happened your hat?" Jeno muttered, laughing.
"Jaemin threw it!"
Donghyuck giggled, squirming, almost sending all of them sprawling onto the floor.
Slowly, they filtered out, gathering their things and exchanging final congratulatory hugs. Mark spoke to the other members of their dance class who performed, but he had performed nearly last, so the crowds were sparse both backstage and in the audience.
When Mark finally said goodbye to Jisung and Chenle outside that auditorium, he became painfully aware of the lack of warmth at his side. He made his way backstage through the side door and looked out at the empty stage.
Empty, that is, except for Donghyuck, still in his costume but his makeup definitely faded and smudged, staring out at the dark and empty audience as he sat on the edge and swung his legs absentmindedly.
Mark wordlessly sat beside him.
"Hi."
Donghyuck grinned and placed his hand over Mark's. "Hi."
"You said you loved me."
"Well, it's because I meant it."
Mark smiled as Donghyuck leaned over to place his head on his shoulder. Mark turned to kiss his forehead.
"You okay?" he asked.
Donghyuck sighed happily. "Of course. You're here."
"Other than that."
"I'm just tired. It's been a lot."
Mark chuckled. "You're right about that."
"You're… really… the love of my life."
The sudden sincerity made Mark's heart jump. "You're mine, too."
"Thank you."
"For what?"
"For forgiving me. It's been a rough sixteen years for us both."
"You're only fifteen, Hyuck."
"Life was hard before I was born," he joked, laughing breathily.
"I know what you mean, though. And thanks for letting me be here with you."
"Anytime. Always. Forever."
The rest of the lights in the auditorium, one by one, turned off, leaving them in darkness with nothing but each other.
Donghyuck sighed. "How are we gonna get out?"