Chapter Text
Donghyuck was known as the nerdy classmate of their class. He's wearing his favorite round glasses, his freckles were clearly shown, his silver colored braces shines when he smiles, his black bowl hair covering his forehead and his baggy clothes that looks so huge on his body. Donghyuck is the perfect definition of unattractiveness... the reason why he's being bullied by his classmates and the reason why he's invisible in Mark's eyes.
Donghyuck maybe is the smartest in the campus but despite of being praised, his world is pure of insults.
Mark is the typical heartthrob of their school. Every girls or even boys fall in love with him. Mark originally came from Canada, he grew up there until he transferred in Seoul to study when he was still an elementary sudent. Mark hated the fact that he needs to transfer when he's free back there since he can do anything he wanted unlike here in Seoul, he just need to follow orders from the elders.
Mark isn't really a bad boy type of guy. We can say that he's cool but he acts very cold to other people. He didn't talk to anyone if you're not Jeno, his best friend, or Jaemin, his best friend's boyfriend. People say that it's a miracle that Jeno became his bestfriend since the two are polar opposites. After transferring to Seoul, Mark kept his social life close. Jeno, being the nosy friend he is, tried his best to open up Mark's social life but he's too stubborn to comply.
When both Mark and Donghyuck were in fifth grade of their elementary life, they were classmates. Donghyuck instantly fell in love with the cold aura of Mark. It was one time when Donghyuck was working with his assignment in front of the basketball court when the ball was almost going to hit Donghyuck on his face. Luckily, Mark was there to spank it away from him as he walked straight, ignoring Donghyuck's consistent "Thank you's". After that, Donghyuck couldn't take his eyes away from the Canadian.
When they were in middle school, Donghyuck started to fall in love with him. He didn't intentionally follow Mark wherever he goes. He just want to be noticed but part of his brain tells him to stop since he's not to handsome or pretty at all to be noticed by him. He just continued to watch him do whatever Mark is doing. Eating, laughing with his best friend, Jeno, reading books, listening to music and even follow him going home.
Donghyuck absentmindedly reached Mark's house that he even climbed on the tree just to watch him sleep. What Donghyuck did unforgettable the most is to watch him take off his shirt and saw his white milky skin. Donghyuck drooled when he saw him naked. Literally.
People say that he could be a stalker but in Donghyuck's mind, he's just an average boy who loves to know his crush's everyday lifestyle.
Now that Donghyuck is in high school with Mark, he convinced his parents that he should have the same class with Mark. They didn't even know and understand why their son wanted this but they agreed right away. Donghyuck maybe is unattractive but he has a lot of money to do things that he wanted. He maybe is Mark's shadow now but he still wished that Mark can see him as his reflection someday.
Everynight, Donghyuck always goes to Mark's house just to stalk him. The tree that he's climbing every night grew bigger and he can easily access the branch. He never really thought that after all these years, he never stop climbing the tree. He fell twice before but that doesn't stop him to watch his crush.
Everynight, Donghyuck knew what Mark is doing. He knew every secret that Mark has. He knew that he cries most of the time, maybe missing the hometown that he grew up with. He knew that Mark loves to play Michael Jackson's songs before going to sleep. He knew that he loves wearing his cute pink pajamas at night that he refuse to wash it for five days. He knew that Mark has two toothbrushes. One is for afternoon and one is for the night.
He knew that Mark is reading some of the letters that he always left in his locker but after that, he'll just leave it on his study table then go to sleep.
Mark isn't really that oblivous on Donghyuck's stalking activities. He knew what the other boy was doing. But instead of stopping him, he just encourage him more to stalk... he never really hates the idea. In fact, he loves it more.
Every night, Mark knew that someone is watching him outside from his window. If he doesn't want to get stalked, he'll just close the window anyways but he always left it open so that Donghyuck can watch him. He read the letters that Donghyuck had sent him. Too sweet for his liking, too cheesy to handle but he admits that he felt happy.
No one ever knew these feelings that he had to the nerdy boy. Even before he spank that ball away from Donghyuck's face, he liked and adored the boy with glasses. Donghyuck is the one who is oblivous. He doesn't really know that Mark has been crushing on him since the boy helped him reach their classroom when he was still new in the campus.
Everyday that Donghyuck stalks him, Mark always hide his smile. He knew that he's handsome, that's a fact that he cannot erase. That one reason why he's cold? He never wants to interact with people most especially with flirty ones. He doesn't want Donghyuck to feel that he's unworthy.
It's their last class now and Mark was sitting on his desk when Donghyuck walked towards him. He didn't dare to look up, afraid that his classmates would bully him again.
"H-hi M-mark hyung!"
"..."
"I just want to give this to you..."
Donghyuck placed the box on Mark's table but the latter didn't respond or even take a glance on his face. Donghyuck felt so embarassed when their classmates are scooting him away saying that he's invisible from Mark's eyes. He sat back on his chair, wanting to bury himself alive from the shame he had done.
Mark on the other hand, felt bad.. so bad that he stood up from his seat and picked the box that Donghyuck had left on his table. He went straight to his locker, opened it and saw another box... a wooden one. He slowly opened it and the music started with a small figure of ballerina dancing on the music. Mark smiled and closed the music box and left it inside his locker. He went back to his seat and glanced at Donghyuck wearing his best smile. Donghyuck in fact, isn't watching but he knew that the boy is upset that he ignored him... again.
It has been three days since the last incident. Mark hasn't seen Donghyuck anywhere and he's a bit worried where his muse might be. He felt stupid and coward that he didn't even defend him from his bullies. He felt really really bad that Donghyuck ran straight to his house, ignoring Mark's presence.
Mark sighed for who knows how many times and opened the music box again. He watched the small figure dance and be mesmerized by it until he heard some gasps and murmur that he swear he heard Donghyuck's name. He closed the music box and placed it carefully on the table.
He looked up and maybe regret after seeing Donghyuck with his hair dyed red, his braces and eyeglass taken off, wearing a purple contact lense, black loose shirt and sinful black skinny jeans that can see the outline of his long legs. In short, he looks different...in a VERY good way.
He sat on his usual sitting place and opened his book, ignoring everyone's praises and comments. Mark was left dumbfounded on how ethreal Donghyuck became. He looks beautiful before but seeing him like this makes him fall in love with him more.
Mark picked the music box again and opened it. Donghyuck shot a glance on where the familiar music is but decided to ignore it.
Mark felt broken for the first time.