Chapter Text
With his position in the office and the entire industry, Mark Lee always seemed to be towering over everyone around him. Donghyuck included. Seeing Mark at work always felt like he was on a high pedestal he could never reach.
But Mark never abuses his power, is always respectful to those he works with - although he can be a hothead at times - and makes Donghyuck proud every single day with how seamless he does it.
Along the way, Donghyuck also noticed how lonely it can get up there. He saw how those jealous of his position tried to pull him down with careless words that slowly dimmed the shine in Mark’s eyes. Saw how it made the young executive build up walls around him that took so long to break through. How they made a 20-year-old feel the worst of imposter syndrome in a field he was actually good at.
Mark wasn’t even at an executive level yet when Donghyuck first came in. But the secretary could already feel the pressure that this young man’s father placed on his frail back.
Donghyuck will never forget the first time he saw his boss take a step down from his pedestal.
It was around his first year and Donghyuck was standing hesitantly by the older’s desk. He had just got off a call with his dad and was staring blankly at the night cityscape outside the window. Donghyuck wasn’t even sure if Mark still remembered he was there.
Before he could think about giving the young man some space, Mark finally spoke.
“Are we friends, Secretary Lee?”
Donghyuck almost choked at the unexpected question but quickly recovered, “Do you want to be my friend, Mr. Lee?”
Mark wasn’t even looking at him, dull eyes still following the lights outside, “I think I really need a friend right now.”
Donghyuck chewed worriedly on his bottom lip before he finally made a decision. He carefully dropped the signed contracts he was holding on the side of Mark’s desk and turned around to start pulling on the sofa chair at the corner of the room.
“What in the hell are you doing, Secretary Lee?” Mark asked from behind him.
When it didn’t sound like he was genuinely angry, Donghyuck continued to pull the heavy furniture to the front of Mark’s desk. When he succeeded, he huffed out loud and crashed on the chair.
He gave his boss a wide grin and an answer, “Being your friend.”
Mark’s arched brows crumpled in the middle, “I’m confused.”
“I get that a lot,” Donghyuck waved a flippant before crossing his legs and settling back on his seat. “So, my dear friend, won’t you tell me - your friend - if there’s anything bothering you?”
Mark stared at him as if he went mad for a minute until he too settled back on his fancy chair, “Nothing’s bothering me.”
“Ah ah,” Donghyuck raised a wiggling finger. “Friends don’t lie to each other. Try again.”
“You know I could fire you for this.”
“I don’t think you can fire friends, old pal.”
Starting to get that the secretary will not leave him alone until he said it aloud, Mark sighed and rubbed his entire face before he spoke, “It’s this job. I don’t think I’m cut out for it like I thought. Like everyone thought.”
Donghyuck stayed silent to let the older continue, but his fingers curled up on his pants.
“Maybe my father was right,” Mark murmured. “I will never do anything right.”
“It’s awful that you think that,” said Donghyuck, filter completely off now.
Mark looked up at him with wide wet eyes resembling a lot like a child being scolded, “Sorry?”
“I think you’re the best at what you do,” Donghyuck said truthfully. When Mark still looked like he was swallowing his words, the secretary reached over and held the elder’s hand, “As your friend, I am incredibly proud of you, Mark.”
For the first time that day, Donghyuck finally saw his uptight boss smile a boyish grin that showed his age.
For the first time that day, Lee Donghyuck admitted to himself that he was deeply, terribly in love with Mark Lee.
Here at Donghyuck’s apartment, Mark Lee looked small. Human. An actual 27-year-old. Eyebags prominent. A pimple here and there scattered along with his moles. His hair going up in their natural little curls. Black round specs that had grades higher than Donghyuck’s glasses. Donghyuck’s university sweater a tad bit too small over his broad shoulders that the sleeves were just above his wrists. And he bet no one in the office would believe the great Vice President Mark Lee wears sweats every night that he leaves a few pairs at Donghyuck’s apartment.
Said person just walked out of Donghyuck’s bathroom and smiled sheepishly at him as if this was the first time he’s been here.
Donghyuck loved him like this. He loved it the most that he was the only one who got to see this version of Mark.
“I love you,” Donghyuck declared, straight out of his thoughts.
Used to his boyfriend’s random outbursts of words, Mark just wrinkled his nose and smirked, “Me too, I do. But I really wish you would wipe your bathroom floor. It’s always wet for some reason.”
Donghyuck threw one metal chopstick at the young executive who dodged it with a loud cackle.
“Pretty rude for someone I’m making ramyun for.”
Mark walked up to the younger at the small kitchen - really more just three counters with a stove, a microwave, and a sink - and stood beside him to place his chin on Donghyuck’s shoulder.
“I hope I’m the only guy who you would cook ramyun.”
Donghyuck rolled his eyes and bumped his hip against Mark’s, “Actually I cook ramyun for all my potential male lovers who come over in the middle of the night.”
Mark snorted, “Pretty sure the only potential male lover who visits here other than me is Kim Jungwoo.”
“Jaehyun goes with him sometimes.”
“I think you’re going to have to duel Kim to the death if you plan to date Jung.”
“You’re right,” Donghyuck let out an exaggerated sigh. “Tragic story. Prince never gets the prettiest boy in the land.”
Mark actually laughs at this, “I don’t know about that.”
Donghyuck gave the elder a confused look, “What do you mean?”
The young man rose from Donghyuck’s shoulder so that they were face to face, noses brushing against each other, “I think I have the prettiest boy in the land right here.”
The heat that goes up Donghyuck’s face is no longer from the steaming pot and he hid his reddening face with an obnoxious snort, “Don’t be gross, we’re about to eat!”
*
When they’ve emptied two bowls of instant noodles - and one slice of cake that Donghyuck forgot was in his fridge until Mark found it - the two got ready to settle down on the secretary’s bed. Only because there wasn’t enough space around to put a couch so you could only really sit on the bed.
Donghyuck thought the day was a success. He finally resigned and he didn’t even have to tell Mark about it. He thought he got away for the day.
That was until Mark finished brushing his teeth and stepped out of the bathroom to ask, “So when were you going to tell me you quit?”
Donghyuck dropped his phone on his face which he groaned in pain. He sat up quickly and the only thing he could come up with was, “How’d you find out?”
“Johnny told me.”
Donghyuck winced internally because he didn’t even think about that. Suh Johnny, aside from being Mark’s childhood best friend, is also their company’s HR Executive. He was an idiot. “He did?”
“It’s his job after all,” Mark shrugged. He was still refusing to look over at the younger but he finally sat down at the end of his twin-sized bed. “What I want to know… is why you didn’t tell me?”
Donghyuck swallowed the big lump forming in his throat and scooted closer to the young man on his bed, “I was going to. But things just got so hectic with the gala and–”
“Do you think I care more about a gala than my own boyfriend?”
“I know you take your job seriously and don’t take shit for anything and it’s one of the things I love about you,” said Donghyuck, fighting back the wetness in his eyes. “This is exactly why I didn’t want to tell you. I don’t want this to turn into some big argument. I don’t want to have to fight with you so I can do what I want to do. That’s not us.”
“Good to know you at least thought about us.”
“Stop that. I told you I don’t want to fight. I just…” Donghyuck roughly rubbed his eyes and was no longer surprised to have tears brushed away as well. “I’m just so tired.”
He felt Mark pull his hands away from his face by the wrists and Donghyuck let out an embarrassing hiccup when the executive placed a soft kiss on his now blotchy cheek.
When he tried to pull away, Donghyuck shook his head and let their foreheads gently rest against each other. Mark then wrapped his arms around his waist so Donghyuck could spread his legs so that he was half sitting on the older’s lap. Donghyuck’s hands reached out to clutch onto the front of the older’s dress shirt, rumpling it further. His eyes were closed but he felt every press of lips Mark made on his face.
“I’m sorry, sunshine,” whispered Mark.
Donghyuck whined at the nickname. The young man barely called him that but he knew just how much Donghyuck loved it. Every time Mark started calling him anything other than ‘Mr Lee or ‘Secretary Lee, Donghyuck was reassured that this was real. He didn’t just make up their story in his mind.
“I was just so used to always seeing you at work,” said Mark, rubbing small circles on Donghyuck’s hipbone. “Getting to see your face everyday at the office gives me so much relief that I can’t explain. So I’m sorry that it never crossed my mind how you probably want to leave at some point. I didn’t think about how you might eventually end up hate working there.”
“I don’t hate working with you, Mel,” murmured Donghyuck because it was the truth.
“But you’re tired now.”
Donghyuck nodded, “So tired.”
“Okay,” Mark said flatly and it made Donghyuck smile. It was how the young executive would act once he’s made a final decision on a contract. “That’s all you had to say.”
“Thank you for understanding.”
“Thank you for explaining everything to me.”
“Pleasure doing business with you, Mr Lee.”
Mark pinched his side which made Donghyuck squeal in laughter, “I’m going to miss you.”
Donghyuck felt warmth in his chest from how honest the other’s words were. He leaned forward to press their foreheads together again, “You never know… you might fall in love with your next secretary, too.”
When Mark reached over to try and headbutt him, Donghyuck was scrambling off the bed laughing too loud for that time of the night.
*
“Stop that,” whined Donghyuck trying to pull Mark away from his sink by his waist. “I didn’t bring you home just so you could wash my dishes!”
“Then you should wash them in the first place.”
The secretary eventually gave up and loosely wrapped his arms around Mark in a back hug. He rested his chin on the Vice President’s broad shoulder to look over his pale hands placing his plates under running water.
“I love you.”
Mark didn’t look away from scrubbing a bowl but Donghyuck saw his favorite dimple reappear.
“Love you more.”
Comfortable silence filled the small one-room apartment. The clock hanging above the sink showed that it was nearing 2am. Donghyuck sleepily watched Mark wipe clean a mug. He would have probably fallen asleep slumped against Mark’s back until he suddenly called, “Donghyuck?”
Said boy hummed in reply, eyes already closed.
“Will you marry me?”
Donghyuck slowly opened his eyes and was met with the sight of Mark’s right ear shining bright pink. He smiled and pressed it against the Vice President’s earlobe, whispering his three-lettered word answer.