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"Donghyuck? Open the door! God please... Open your goddamn door. Hyuck, I know you're inside."
Mark cannot help but shout. He is done with Donghyuck's bullshit. This time he won't let the boy fooled him again. Not after Mark saw him nearly jump from the 8th floor. Not again. He's had enough already, He won't let the younger face his trouble alone when he has already planned to give up before. If it was last week, then Mark would probably let Donghyuck assure him with his fake smile. His "I'm fine" would work perfectly. But now it would do nothing to ease Mark's worries.
"Shit, Hyuck please I just need to make sure you're okay. Then I'll leave, so please..." Mark's voice grows more desperate as he shouts again, louder this time. Anxiety already pooled around his stomach, making it hard to think straight. He needs to see Donghyuck so his anxiety won't choke him, so he knows Donghyuck hasn't gave up yet. He wants to talk to Donghyuck, though he doesn't even know what to say.
Mark shouts Donghyuck's name once again in more frustrated tone than before, wishing this time the younger would open the door and come out to see him.
"If you're not coming after this I'll call the police and ask them to drag you out." Mark knows how ridiculous he sounds but he had no choice to force Donghyuck, but before he shouts again the door creaked open suddenly, revealing Donghyuck with his swolen eyes, looking like a mess. He wears his white pajamas, hair looks messy with bangs covered his forehead.
"I'm out now. What do you want hyung?" He just stands behind the crooked door, doesn't bother to step outside and close it.
"Let's talk. It's okay if you don't allow me to come in. I'll just sit on your fence." Mark finally can relax a bit. At least he knows Donghyuck is living, even if he's not fine, at least he's here in the moment.
"Gosh, okay." They both finally sat on the flat surface of the fence , staring at the street in the small alley where donghyuck lives. It's dark and the weather doesn't help at all, but Mark has to fix this so he ignored everything.
"So, how do you feel right now?"
"Can't you see it from the way I look? Do i look fine in your eyes?" Donghyuck snaps, but his voice is barely audible. He would shout if he was fine, probably hit Mark when he's pissed like this, yet he doesn't even flinch.
"Yeah, you're right. Sorry. It was a stupid question. I should've just apologized for bothering you."
"Don't be." Mark cannot even read Donghyuck's expression. There's too much pain painted on his face and he barely able to look at Donghyuck for more than two agonizing seconds to guess how the latter feels.
"Listen Hyuck, I know I'm not good at words so I don't really know how to sugarcoat you at this moment, but If you need something else other than words I'll try to help you."
This time Mark is finally able to look Donghyuck in the eyes. He tries so hard to sound as sincere as possible. He doesn't even know how Donghyuck will react to his words. They know each other for so long yet Mark never knew shits Donghyuck has been going through. He barely knows the red haired boy who sits next to him anymore. Not after 2 years ago when Donghyuck abruptly and completely shut himself after his father ran away, leaving him and his mother with a lot of debt. Donghyuck barely wanted to talk to Mark, while Mark on the other hand was too confused to even ask what is wrong. Donghyuck has been hanging out with his new circle of friend and Mark couldn't even reach him. Until one day he found Donghyuck sitting on the rooftop of their favorite building, completely wasted for him to say details about things that happened in his life, the reason why he has been avoiding Mark and all about his sudden change. Their friendship went back to normal but things always seemed so off, like something doesn't even fit at its place. And Mark finally found out why that day, when Donghyuck almost jumps from the 8th floor.
"I don't need you to sugarcoat me hyung, that won't help." Donghyuck's words bring Mark back to earth, realizing that the other still sits next to him. The weather gets much colder as Donghyuck shifts closer to him. The younger carefully placed his head on Mark's shoulder. Mark can feel Donghyuck's hair tingling on his bare skin. It's a nice sensation. He's glad Donghyuck finds comfort in him, letting himself completely vulnerable in Mark's embrace.
Donghyuck, on the other hand, feels his head is too heavy when Mark is sitting next to him, willingly giving Donghyuck everything in order to make the younger feels less miserable. And Donghyuck appreciates it, none has ever care about him more than Mark. Somehow he feels safe leaning himself to Mark.
"Yeah, kinda guess it." Mark can only sigh. He knows, nothing could cure the younger, even if there is a cure he doubts he could find it. He, himself is more than willing to be the cure even if Donghyuck would shatter the last sanity he has. He's okay with that. But Mark is more than sure the younger wouldn't let him. Donghyuck is always so caring, he wouldn't dare to hurt even if he, himself has been hurting for much longer.
"Let's just stay like this for a moment, hyung."
Summer breeze has turned into tingly cold, yet warmth starts to linger around the air. The space around them is filled with peace, as Donghyuck closes his eyes, carefully listen to Mark's steady breath. He will be okay with Mark. If he has Mark as his nepenthe, he would do well. No storm will able to shake his branch anymore. With Mark, life feels more like life itself, not hell he's facing everyday. Donghyuck takes a long breath, he wishes after now he could only see happiness radiating his entire universe rather than the usual gloomy blue color. When he takes another breath, he feels his head starting to get heavier every time he inhales. He started to think it's better to just give up to his drowsiness. The medicine he took before will bring him peace, so he tried not to get scared of what happened. But before it drifts him further, he feels Mark is shaking his whole body. Again, worries are clearly painted on his pretty face, illuminated by the dim light. He sounds like someone who's choking and that was the last thing Donghyuck could picture inside his head before everything went black and peaceful, too peaceful he's almost scared, but now it's too late to back off, he's already give up.