Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It all started with the post-Christmas sales.

Being absolutely honest, Mark cannot say he is a fan of the hustle and bustle that comes attached to the month of December like a terribly wrapped present. And before this year, Mark cannot even wrap his mind around how anyone could genuinely find thrill in the act of jostling past hollering customers in futile attempts to find a golden deal.

Mark is well aware of the fact that if he somehow is swindled into going shopping, he might just end up being wheeled out of the selected store on a stretcher, arms reaching towards the sky wearily as pained groans slip past his lips.

For that reason alone, Mark follows through a perfect fool-proof plan to survive the hectic holiday shopping season.

He lovingly refers to the plan he created as the Mark Lee Method, or the MLM, for short. His best friend Lee Jeno never fails to tell him that his method is really not special enough to have its own name. He disregards those comments though, because Jeno is a serial week before Christmas shopper, so in Mark’s book he does not get a valid opinion.

1. His Mark Lee Method goes a little something like this:
   Starting in September, Mark begins to save 100 dollars a month from his paycheck for gifts. 100 dollars is salvageable, as he can go without purchasing the banana milk he adores in bulk. For the sake of Christmas gifts, he even sacrifices the several slices of watermelon he buys at the fresh fruit market near the college daily; which really is costing him a fortune, since the fruit is not in season. 
2. Buy his mom and father gifts first
3. With the leftover money, buy all his friends gifts with the help of 80% off total purchase sales that occur towards the end of November

Since the first year of initiation in his sophomore year of high school, his method has never failed him. He considers himself a plotting genius, a true master of the art of holiday shopping. He always delivers the coolest gifts to his friends, and Mark planned for this year to be no exception!

However, Mark should have anticipated that it‘d be hard to top last year’s incredible gift giving season. From getting his best friend Lee Jeno the latest GUNDAM figurine and new guitar picks from off his wish list, to buying his big brothers Johnny Suh, the ominous Ten, and Jung Jaehyun chic smelling cologne, to even buying one of Mark’s oldest friends—and Jeno’s boyfriend—Na Jaemin the Ryan plush he‘d been begging for, it‘d been a pretty good year for Mark.

He’d been on track for this year to be better than the previous one, even beginning to save in August instead of September and adding prospective gift ideas to his CHRISTMAS 2018 folder on his laptop. By the end of November he already has every gift for all his friends planned out.

He’d been convinced he’d be invincible yet again—until everything derailed in December during the weeks leading up to winter break.

In all the buildup to the holidays, Mark admits he may have slacked on preparing for final exams. Which, in hindsight, should have been a red flag considering Mark is usually stellar studying wise. When he considers it, the collapse truly began the days before finals when he review period started.

Genuinely believing he knew most of what he needed to pass, Mark passed on any extra help that had offered to him. However, a chillingly horrifying reality dawned upon him late one night as he skimmed through his textbooks—none of the information that he learned throughout the past few months retained fresh in his mind.

Stressed and utterly clueless, Mark sobbed in realization that he had only a few days to learn three month’s worth of material for his exams and write two lengthy papers for the classes that required them.

It took a few long nights and a lot of pestering Jeno and Jaemin to bring him cola cans and piping hot cup-ramen from the campus convenience store at all hours of the night, but he’d passed his exams.

Mark had felt an unbelievable amount of relief, until lounging and scrolling through his Instagram feed and being bombarded by Christmas ads made him remember that the holiday was only a week away. That was an issue since he had not purchased anything for anyone aside from his parents.

That hadn’t been acceptable since he knew for a fact that both Jeno and Jaemin had bought him gifts, while his older friends like absolutely had gotten him at least something minuscule. The sudden realization was like a sudden wave of dejavu, as if he was reliving his nightmare from the week before. Said terror only increased tenfold when he leafed through his Christmas folder, only to realize that all the gifts he had set aside to buy for his friends were either sold out or would arrive after Christmas.

His dorm-mates probably thought he was seriously going through it, yelling at his laptop screen and pacing anxiously across his dorm-room.

That night particularly had been one full of scheming ways to explain this year’s unexpected failure in the Mark Lee Method. Of course, simply admitting to his friends that unforeseen circumstances had popped up and gifts would be exchanged a week late had not occurred to him. There was no such thing as losing for Mark Lee, especially not when admitting defeat would give ammunition for his friends to aim at him, and the MLM.

At 1 AM, when he‘d been halfway through a spicy chicken cup-ramen, an entirely flawless idea hit him: he‘d feign a moderate illness—perhaps a 24 hour stomach virus—and coop himself up in his dorm until the morning after Christmas when he’d go shopping.

It‘d been the most flawless plan he’s concocted all year! What could go wrong?

All of this snowballs into how Mark ends up at the mall on December 26th, hood shielding his face inconspicuously as he ducked through several stores. He’d been waiting by the doors before the mall opened, just so that he’d be one of the first to enter. The crowd is mostly full of either older grandmas with shiny new purses slung across their shoulders, middle aged mothers with arms stacked high with bags of items to return, or the occasional group of wide-eyed teens with crisp dollar bills to spend.

Then there is Mark Lee in his all black ensemble, maintaining the lowest of profiles as he evades the after-Christmas rush. Shopping, surprisingly enough, goes well. He snags good deals on new cologne sets for Johnny, Ten, and Jaehyun, a fully loaded Starbucks gift card and fluffy pink sweater for Jaemin, and assorted gifts for Jeno who he could not resist on splurging on.

The shopping experience Mark used to swear against takes an interesting turn when he decides that it’d be a good idea to perhaps take a visit to one of the stores he frequently buys clothes at. As he makes the sharp corner to enter the store, he figures it cannot hurt to buy himself a sweater or two!

After all, it’d been a tough few weeks and Mark thinks he deserves the comfy gray hoodie fashionably clinging onto the mannequin in the storefront. As he meanders through the store, searching for the hoodie in the window, he wonders who puts together the store’s trendy display. It is more spectacularly eye catching than usual, and Mark cannot deny that it is the sole reason he enters the store. While he does not initially locate the hoodie, he finds something else much more worth while.

Or rather, someone else.

Folding a stack of the hoodies that Mark is looking for is one of the store’s employees. However, this is not just any employee. This boy is perhaps one of the most breathtaking people Mark has seen in his entire 20 years of existence. His allure is recognizable and powerful, even from across the room.

His hair is a deep shade of brown, maybe what some would classify as chestnut. He cannot be any taller than Mark himself, but perhaps the pointed black patent leather booties with a mini platform that fashionably hugs his feet might give a good inch or two on him. His aforementioned heeled shoes are accompanied by his perfectly styled outfit of black ripped jeans and a cropped off white cable knit sweater with a faux high neck for flavor.

Mark is instantly taken aback by just how stunned he is by this boy, and turmoil is all he knows in his mind at this point. He has no qualms on the front of talking to people, usually being the type of person to hit things off with strangers instantly due to his friendly demeanor. Maybe it’s the goosebumps that prickle his skin, but he feels that circumstance is absolutely different.

This is not just another student at school or the convenience store worker he’d stricken up a friendship with after being such a frequent customer. This is perhaps the cutest boy he‘s ever seen, and Mark does not really trust himself with going over to strike up a conversation. Knowing himself, he might just make an absolute fool of himself in front of the angelic worker. Enough so that security might have to physically drag him out to take one of those cheap mall mug shots that’d permit him from entering the store ever again.

And in that case, he will not be able to see this cute boy nor go through with the future purchases he plans on making. Both will be nulled indefinitely. So, he decides to do what any shy college age boy would do in this situation.

He flags down another worker that is not the adorable one in the white sweater, and makes a quick inquiry about the product.

“I was wondering if you were selling any of the sweaters that you guys have on the mannequin in the window? I couldn’t find the same one, and I really would like to buy it.” Lie, Mark knows exactly where the stack of hoodies are located.

He wonders if the untruthfulness of his statement is that blatant, because the employee glares at him with a perfectly arched eyebrow. If he catches on to Mark’s deceit, he feigns ignorance and attempts to help him in the best way he possibly could. “Sir, those hoodies are actually brand new stock, and a worker is folding them just over there.” The worker gestures to where sweater boy is, sure as day, making his way through the stack of hoodies. “I’m sure he’ll be able to help you a little better with finding the correct size and color that you’d like.”

Mark chuckles nervously, raking his ingenious author’s mind for any possible excuse. He fiddles the sleeves of his shirt. “Well, he looks really busy, I don’t think I could go over there.” Yeah, that’s a good excuse. Go, Mark Lee, keep talking! “Maybe you can go over there, and get the sweater for me? I’m a men’s medium and I’ll take it any color that you have, I’m not picky..”

The worker frowns in pity, placing his hands on his hips. “Actually, sir, I’m really busy with stock. But I swear, the worker over there is super kind and patient, and he’ll help you to the best of his abilities. Actually..” He looks just past Mark, moving his lithe hands to cup them just around his mouth. “Hey! Hey Hyuck! You have a customer here who needs your help, can I send him over?”

Mark’s absolutely mortified, his body as tense as humanly able. He is too scared to look over at the boy, so he continues to stand stationary with his back towards him, eyes focused on the store’s plywood flooring.

“Hmm? Yeah, send him over! I’m just folding, so I’m not that busy.” comes the reply, floating to Mark’s ears from all the way across the room.

“See? He’s super cool, he’ll help you find the sweater. So, so sorry I couldn’t have been more of a help,” The worker, who Mark now notices is named Renjun, hands him a basket for his items with a sickly sweet smile. “Remember, your entire purchase is 25% off if your total is over 75 dollars! Happy shopping!”

Now it is just Mark idling in the center of the store, swinging his tiny shopping basket. Unsure of what to do next he glances up at the lights suspending from the ceilings, kicks the soles of his sneakers against the floor, then finally combs his fingers through his strands.

He feels like his heart might actually burst through his chest but nevertheless his body wills him forward, and he trudges towards the stack of new hoodies.

As Mark draws closer he realizes that while folding sweater boy seems to be entirely engrossed in the upbeat tune that flows from the store’s speakers. He doesn’t even hear Mark coming, never mind the barely audible excuse me’s that barely poke through the noise.

He’s beyond embarrassed at this point, preparing himself to have to lean forward and tap the boy’s shoulder. The only thing that stops him is the melodious hum that continuously rolls past the boy’s lips. The sound is high yet possesses a quality sweet enough to induce a soothing wave through Mark’s body. For that brief moment his nerves seem to dissolve, and he takes that opportunity to grab the boy’s attention. Though, he can’t help but feel almost like he’s doing a disservice to the entire world by causing him to stop humming.

“I’m so sorry, have you been waiting long?”

And sweater boy finally pivots to give him his undivided focus, and Mark cannot help but find himself in even more awe at the employee face to face.

The dim white light from above cascades in the most heavenly of ways into his face, casting a sheen upon his face. Mellow illumination elucidates his features in a way Mark’s fallible eyes could never have noticed from afar. He is all soft, yet razor edged in the same instance; from the subtle cut of his jawline, to the dip just before his perfectly proportioned nose, down to the birthmarks that took residence and decorates his skin. His wide, darkly eyelined brown eyes intently stare into Mark’s as he waits for a response. He definitely does not want to stand here and gape, but every new curve of his face is a cause of distraction. Especially the glazed shimmer that coats the boy’s eyelids and sparkles from the faux beams.

“No it hasn’t been too long. I need.. a hoodie?” Mark’s words tumble out disastrously, sounding utterly awkward as his index finger points to the hoodie that had been the beginning of this entire ordeal. “The one on the mannequin, I really liked the way it was styled.”

Sweater boy lets out a perfectly pleased giggle. “I actually styled the mannequin earlier this week for the big Christmas rush. You’re not the only customer who has asked for that exact hoodie, actually. But, we just got the new stock,” He pats the diminishing pile of fabric next to him. “so you‘re lucky that you came today.”

He is incapable of forming a full sentence in reply, so he nods. Mark’s eyes distractedly floats to the name tag tacked onto his shirt, taking note that sweater’s boy name is Donghyuck.

Donghyuck is preoccupied for one second as he finishing folding one of the sweaters that leans on the top of the pile. However, after, he places both hands on his hips and surveys Mark with a pure sense of fascination. “What happened? Cat got your tongue?” Donghyuck teases, enforcing a bright red blush to sink to the surface of Mark’s cheeks; he internally sighs, hoping it isn’t too noticeable.

Then again, who is he kidding, his skin is light enough for his strawberry colored cheeks to be visible from at least a mile away. When Mark doesn’t reply again, Donghyuck laughs. “Tough crowd this morning, huh? That’s cute. Anyway, you look like a medium, since a small might cling too much? Let me get you the black hoodie in a medium.”

With Mark’s muteness, Donghyuck busies himself with rummaging through the folded hoodies to find the perfect one. When he does, a victorious grin pops up to his lips as he holds it out to Mark. “Here you go, one black medium hoodie. Is that all you’ll be needing today, or can I help you with anything else?”

Mark accepts it gratefully, cradling the soft material to his chest for the slightest moment before storing it away in his shopping basket. He‘s absolutely helpless in Donghyuck’s presence, and probably appears as clueless as he thinks he does. He doesn’t think he’s game to loiter around and attempt further to strike up conversation with this adorable boy, since he could barely answer his simple questions. Taking this all into consideration, he mumbles a 'thank you’ to Donghyuck before scurrying off to the cash register.

The worker from earlier happens to be who rings his purchase up. As Mark retrieves his money from his wallet, Renjun is observing him with a sly look in his eyes. One that is obvious enough for Mark to not even have to glance up to know that eyes are on him. It’s not extremely uncomfortable, per say, but it adds to Mark’s list of reasons to go back to his dorm and take a nap—or two. Two naps sound really good right now.

“Your total comes out to 27.95.” He announces. And once Mark gives the money, Renjun presses a button and the receipts begin to churn out from the machine in a matter of seconds. He hands Mark the long record of purchase, coupons that could be used for his next visit, and his two dollars in change. “Thank you, and have a nice day!”

Mark snatches his bag and practically jets towards the door. It’d take another few weeks to gather up the courage to enter the store again, let alone even walk past it. Curse sweater boy and his angelic good looks.

“Hyuck, that customer,” Renjun whistles lowly, sauntering over to his best friend and fellow coworker. He now has the luxury to, with Mark nowhere in sight the store is empty due to how early it is. It’s the day after Christmas, it’d surely pick up later—for now, the two savor the quiet. “he likes you.”

“You think?” Donghyuck sounds the slightest bit hopeful, and amusement glimmers in his eyes. “I’m glad you noticed it too, I wasn’t sure if I was looking into or not because he’s kind of cute.”

“You were able to tell he was cute even with the hoodie and the cap on?” Renjun shakes his head. “Incredible.”

Donghyuck shrugs. “What can I say, when I see someone cute, I know. It’s like I have a fucking radar or something, I’m like the FBI.” He jokes, but glances wistfully towards the door. He isn’t lying when he said he found the boy cute, despite the lack of words produced on his part of the conversation. Nevertheless, he is Hyuck’s type to a tee. “You think he’ll come back?”

“I’d pay money on it!” Renjun replies with a very sure nod, heading back to his station when he notices a customer or two peek into the store.

Donghyuck grins. “You’re on!”

It’s the day after the day after Christmas—the 27th—when Mark calls his friends so that they could gather and exchange. With plans to meet up with Jeno and Jaemin later that day, he is currently cozied up in Johnny’s dorm alongside Jaehyun and Ten.

They make snide comments about how vibrant he looks despite having a supposed stomach eating bug that rendered him bedridden. Mark laughs it off, attributing his resolved health to ginger ale, pepto bismol, rest, and a mini hiatus on the spicy chicken cup-ramen. He suspects that his friends have more than an inkling that he had not come down with any sort of illness at all, but they don’t press the topic.

“As long as we’re together!” Johnny cheers, with one of those wide fatherly smiles that he reserves solely for Mark.

“You’re right!” Jaehyun agrees from where he is seated, holding a thumbs up. “It feels like Christmas now that we’re all together.” He sighs dramatically. “Christmas..”

Ten rolls his eyes as the moderate level of sap in the conversation. “Get over it, Christmas was two days ago. Now, let’s do gifts, I’m tired of the thought of delaying this any further.”

They begin the Christmas gift giving from starting with the eldest and making their way to the youngest. That means Johnny is first in dealing gifts, which he seems to take a shine to, his smile only broadening as he passes out his boxes. They continue that way and it trickles from Johnny, to Ten, to Jaehyun, and finally to Mark.

His friends always have impeccable taste in buying items that they seem to think Mark will like, and they do not fail this year. Among other assorted gifts, Mark was given a brand new pair of headphones from Jaehyun, some writing supplies (like notebooks, since he runs out often) from Johnny, and a collection of hoodies hand picked by Ten. Everything is perfect, really, until he pulls one of the sweaters over his thin shirt to see how it falls onto his figure.

Everything happens in slow motion, really.

Ten gasps.

Johnny and Jaehyun are wide eyed.

Mark glances down in disbelief.

“I got the wrong size!” Ten whispers, horrified, the palm of his hand covering the expanse of his gaping mouth. “Mark, I must have put the wrong size in my cart, I’m so sorry. I think I asked for a gift receipt!” Ten takes it upon himself to pry the open gift box from Mark’s hands, rummaging through the layered tissue paper until the thin receipt was retrieved from under the flap. “Here! The gift receipt, we can go return it.”

Temporarily forgetting the younger boy, Johnny, Jaehyun, and Ten excitedly chat about heading over to the mall. Though he has no real choice about tagging along anyway, Mark is fine with the idea of going to the mall to return it for a different size.

He’s so carefree that he even manages to give Johnny a hand in straightening up the dorm that had exploded into a colorful mess of wrapping paper and semi-destroyed gift boxes before they leave.

It is only when Mark clicks his seat belt into the slot in the back of Johnny’s car— because, come on, safety first—that he makes a realization that causes his eyes to well up in a nervous sweat, and his cheeks to pale. He’s on the way to the mall where only yesterday he made an absolute fool of himself. The perfectly caramelized cherry on top is that the item he has to return is from the same store that adorable sweater boy works at.

Mark isn’t going to freak out.

He is convinced of it, allowing himself to be distracted by how the suspended clouds looked completely like perfectly plush balls of cotton. But then Mark recalls how Donghyuck’s white sweater appeared just as soft, and he spirals into a downward crisis in the backseat of Johnny’s car. Ten, seated just beside him, breathes out a cross sigh. He tries to avoid Mark’s inane fidgeting, but realizes said behavior is very much distracting him from completing the level of Candy Crush he is on. Frustrated before even addressing Mark’s issue, Ten places the phone onto the space that separates the two and turns towards the younger boy.

“What is wrong? Why..” Ten surveys Mark benevolently, eyes flickering up after a second or two. He wags his index finger at him. “Why are you acting like this? What’s going on?”

Ten is not at all modest in his speaking style, so Jaehyun takes the initiative from the front seat to kindly ask if Mark is having a crisis. Mark does not get to even consider an answer before Johnny groans begrudgingly, taking the slightest glance at him from his rear view mirror before focusing back on the road. “A crisis? No, not in the back of my car! Come on, Mark, we’re on the highway, I can’t even pull over!”

“Nothing’s wrong.” Yes, something is.

“You know, lying isn’t the best of traits, Mark Lee? You could develop so many other annoying, awful traits, but lying..” Ten tsks, shaking his head in disdain. “Lying isn’t good. Now, come on, tell Ten what’s wrong.” Ten is familiar with all the tiniest ways to make Mark cave.

That is how he ends up recounting the entire story for his friends. He should not be surprised when Ten laughs at him, shoving his shoulder in the most playful manner. “You have a crush? Is that what this is? Oh, Mark Lee!”

Mark flushes, protesting that it is not a crush. Just because he is absolutely blown away and rendered speechless by the beauty of a mall employee does not mean that he has feelings for him. “He is just really pretty, and wears really soft sweaters and.. eyeliner. That’s all.”

Ten is unbelieving. His eyes are squinted as he leans in Mark’s direction, the seat belt stretching across his chest further. His look is questioning, similar to Renjun, the alternative mall worker. It’s all intimidation in the most restrained of ways. “Then why are you so nervous if it isn’t a crush?” There’s a valid point. Ten leans back in his seat, barely appeased but having the air as if he was. “You know, I was going to go in and surprise you with a different hoodie, but knowing this changes things. I want you to go in and exchange it yourself.”

“No!” Mark gasps.

“Markie, if it makes you feel any better, he might not even be there?” Johnny, Mark’s voice of reason, points out before adding, “But do not get too worked up. Not in the backseat of my car.”

Mark glowers the rest of the ride, folding his arms over his chest indignantly. He takes his own silence and uses it to intelligently factor the all probabilities of Donghyuck working. Of course, there’s a rare chance that he is working two days in a row at approximately the same time. He has never seen him prior to yesterday and Mark is a pretty frequent customer, so perhaps Donghyuck is a new part-timer? That lowers the odds of him being there today. He shimmies his shoulders then, all nerves out the window.

And if he is there, what does Mark have to be afraid of? Nothing. He is Mark Lee, English extraordinaire. He uses words for a living, bends and applies them beautifully. He crafts sentences with artistry, using his vast vocabulary in the most vibrant ways possible. This time he’ll use sentences to convey his feelings in oppose to standing and staring.

The saying goes something along the lines of there is no way lightning could strike twice. And that can absolutely apply here; there is no way Mark can repeat the catastrophic happenings from the day past.

Mark believes that, from unbuckling his seat belt to strutting into the mall with a confident sort of swag. He even shrugs off Jaehyun’s feather light whisper in his ear, asking if Mark wanted him to go into the store with him. “For moral support, y’know?”

“It’s okay, Jae. I’ll be fine.” Mark tells him, squeezing the taller boy’s shoulder in thanks. It is supposed to assure the older boy that he is fine, but it only causes Jaehyun to feel more disconcerted if anything. His eyes wearily drag over Mark’s figure, backing away with a hint of hesitance in his muscles. He is not at all convinced that Mark would be okay, but he eventually heads off in the direction of Ten and Johnny. He calls out to text him if Mark needs him, and that he is going to convince Ten and Johnny to buy him cinnamon buns because he’d forgotten his wallet.

“Get me one!” is the last thing Mark says before he pushes past the doors to enter the store.

Inside it is significantly dimmer than it had been yesterday, the smoky grey hues giving off a stronger and more seductive aura. He wonders if perhaps the lamps were broken, or if the lights were purposely like this. His thoughts lead him to remember that he had not put on his contacts today, and the darkness is making seeing more complicated than usual. He’s clutching the bag with the hoodie to his chest as he teeters through the store.

His small shuffles were akin to those of a baby’s first, and he is sure his cautious steps look silly. That is okay to Mark though, because he’s halfway to the front of the store and there is no adorable boy folding stock in sight. He concludes that this is a small step for the world, and a giant step for Mark Lee.

That is, until he realizes who was manning the cash register. With a beaming smile that could not be more opposite than the lights in the store he is employed at is Donghyuck. No crop top today, but he looks as stylish as the day past with a baby pink turtleneck hidden underneath an oversized off patterned sweater. Mark frowns. The odd geometry of the item, with the multicolored lines and assorted shapes, would look terrible on just about anyone. Except Donghyuck.

The walk to the head of the store shouldn’t have taken him less then a few seconds, but his legs suddenly feel a little heavy. Was it hot in here? Or is the polyester fabric of his sweater causing an unanticipated allergic reaction? Maybe he should text Jaehyun.

Yes. Definitely should text him. He reaches for his phone in his pocket, that is apparently stuck deep enough for him to have to struggle in an attempt to find it. As his trouble with his phone ensues, Mark does not realize that he accidentally stumbled into the line.

“Next customer.. Next customer..”

It takes a few more calls for Mark to finally glance up. Donghyuck is staring directly at him, an overtly irritated glint hidden in his eyes. With nobody else in front of him, his lips are parted in astonishment and he points at his chest. If Mark needed any more clarification that he is the next customer, Donghyuck’s exasperated nod is the ringing bell. He cannot believe how fast he runs up to the cash register. A track level worthy time, for sure. “Hi. I’m sorry, I was trying to take my phone out of my pocket to text my friend for him to uh, buy me a cinnamon bun. And I didn’t mean to get in line yet but I guess I did by accident, and I made you call me a dozen times. I’m sorry!”

Lightning had struck twice, that saying is absolutely not genuine, Mark thinks. Luck is not on his side this time, in fact it could not be more against him. Instead of not speaking enough, now his words are flowing involuntarily from his lips. The object of Mark’s nerves seems to find his flustered behavior quite amusing. With no other customers, Donghyuck leans against the counter coquettishly, the muted light irradiating his pretty brown eyes. He’s wearing shimmery eye shadow again, and it makes Mark’s heart nervously prance around in his chest.

“Breathe,” Donghyuck tells him lightheartedly, all traces of irritation gone. He parts his perfectly glossed lips into an ‘o’, raising his hands and leveling them as he reminds Mark how to maintain a steady ‘inhale to exhale ratio’. Mark isn’t sure if that was even a thing, but he follows suit as if it is anyways. Donghyuck grins, and points to the plastic bag pressed against Mark’s jacket. “I see you have a bag, did you need to return something?”

Mark nods vehemently, placing it in between he and Donghyuck. The employee takes no hesitation in retrieving the item from the bag, inspecting it carefully as Mark begins to explain. “My friend bought this for me as a gift but got the wrong size. I was hoping to see if I could get it in.. My size?”

“You’re a medium, right?” Donghyuck asks, not even glancing up from where he inputs the return into the system. Mark nods. “Okay. I’ll be right back, so wait here.” He takes the sweater, bag, and receipt to the back room.

Unknowing to Mark, Renjun is rechecking stock and humming an infectious girl group tune to pass the time in the back. He’s surprised as Donghyuck walks in, pausing his music and placing the box with the newest merchandise down onto the nearest table. “Aren’t you on floor, why are you back here?”

Donghyuck holds up the sweater the customer brought in to return, his eyes already flickering around to the various shirts, hoodies, and sweats folded in bunches and strewn across the room. “I have a return, someone wanted this in a different size. Do we have this in a medium? I don’t remember placing it out, but I wanted to check in the back?”

Renjun makes grabby hands for the item, and Hyuck throws it towards him gently. The older boy immediately searches through what he’s already sorted, seeing if there is a match. Hyuck leans against the shelves. “Guess who made the return?”

“Who?” Renjun asks, noncommittally.

“The cute boy from yesterday.” The response is instantaneous.

Renjun’s eyes are wide as he glances back at Donghyuck. “No way, shut up! He really came back so soon? It’s barely been 24 hours! That’s crazy—ah! Ah, here we go.” Renjun straightens the medium sized sweater out, exchanging it for the smaller sized one. “Go give this to lover boy, I guess.”

Donghyuck places the hoodie back into the bag, hunching over the table slightly with a neon green marker in hand. He’s scribbling something energetically onto a receipt, finishing within seconds and popping the cap back on. Donghyuck’s aura is secretive, and Renjun knows the boy only gets like this when he is truly up to no good.

“What are you doing, Hyuck?” Renjun asks suspiciously. He begins to make his way over, but Donghyuck recoils the slip of paper with celerity.

He shoves the receipt back into the bag, along with the newly exchanged hoodie. He ties the handles into a neat bow before his hand reaches for the door handle. “Thanks Renjun, this means a bunch! Mwah, thank you, but,” He has one foot out the door, but still manages to sing-song, “you still owe me from the bet. I want my fancy dinner, Huang Renjun!”

Mark is waiting patiently by the register for Donghyuck to return. When he does, Mark offers him a warm smile.

“I was able to find you the same one.” Donghyuck hands the bag back to Mark. “Is this all I could help you with?”

(Mark wants to scoff, what else can Donghyuck help him with—unless he wants to give him his number.)

While standing waiting for Mark’s response, Donghyuck’s shrugs on his own jacket, rocking back and forth on his heels. Mark wonders if maybe he is going on break.

He nods, slowly. “Yeah, I don’t think I need anything else.” He pauses. “Thank you..”

And Donghyuck smiles at him, and it’s such a beautiful sight. Mark’s chest fills with warmth, and he hopes he remembers this insignificant but stunning moment forever.

“Wear this hoodie well, alright? Make sure to come back and tell me if you like it.” His tone is casual, friendly. “The color will look really really good with your hair and skin tone. Hunter green really compliments you, I’d recommend buying more in that color. Just a little helpful tip.”

Mark is bashfully laughing, covering his mouth with the palm of his hand as he nods vigorously. “I’ll m-make sure of it. I’ll come back and tell you.” He holds one hand up. “Promise.”

“I’ll hold you to it. If not, I’m overcharging your purchase next time.” It’s a playful jab.

“Okay.. Okay deal.” Mark continuously nods, and perhaps his own bright smile is overkill. A small line is forming then, and to not take any more of Donghyuck’s time, he begins backing away. “I’ll remember to come back soon.”

He walks out of the store feeling better than when he’d entered. There’s a certain pep in his step as he seeks out Jaehyun, Johnny, and Ten. Unsurprisingly, he finds them crowded at a table directly in front of the Cinnabon. He sits, placing his hoodie bag in the nearest free chair.
“Hi.” Mark breathes out, smiling.

“Oh, you talked to him, huh? You’re so obvious.” Ten punches his shoulder, taking a lengthy sip from his vanilla milkshake.

“It went well, then?” says Jaehyun, smiling his charming dimpled smile smile.

“Yeah, actually,” Mark cuts off a small piece of the cinnamon bun from the center of the table. He does not want to have too much, since it is way too sugary for his taste buds, but this is a celebration in Mark’s mind. “First, I was just talking a lot. But then told me green looks nice against my skin, and that I’d have to come back and tell him how I like the hoodies.”

“Ah, young love.” coos Johnny, ruffling Mark’s hair from over the table. Mark preens, leaning into the soft touch. “Proud of you, Markie.”

“Did you at least exchange numbers?” Ten prods.

Mark gapes. He cannot even believe how he forgot to ask such a crucial question. With the way the conversation is going, light and airy, perhaps they could have exchanged numbers and it wouldn’t have been weird—right? “Okay well.. you told him your name, at least? What’s his name?”

Mark stares at the table intently. “His name is Donghyuck,” He rubs the back of his neck and chews on his cheek. “You know.. I don’t think I introduced myself?”
“Mark, that’s the first thing you do when you talk to someone new! I thought I raised you better.” Johnny chastises. “For the amount of times I’ve heard you say ‘what’s up, it’s your boy, Mark Lee’ I would have assumed that would’ve been the first thing you’d say.”

“But Johnny!” Mark whines. It’s the genre of whine that’s produced when one knows that they’re wrong but protests anyway. He should have told Donghyuck his name, but how awkward would it be if he goes back in just to introduce himself? “He was so cute that I couldn’t say that, it would’ve been embarrassing!”

“You’re embarrassing, Mark Lee! It adds to your charm, you’re the case where it just makes you cuter.” Ten takes one of the assorted knives on the table to cut a large slice of bun and pass it to Mark. “You look miserable, I can see it in your eyes. Eat your trouble away. Take the cinnamon bun.”

Mark accepts it willingly and proceeds to dip it into some spare icing that drips from the side of the box. He stuffs the cinnamon bun in his mouth, icing covering the curves of his lips. Woe is Mark Lee.

Among many things, Mark Lee is a liar.

And not an intentional one, of course not. He tells Donghyuck that he’d be back soon to review the hoodies, but it is going to be almost a month since he’d last been to the store. He has not even spared a single thought of going to the mall.

Getting back into the swing of things post Christmas break is never easy, and Mark has been throwing himself into his studies. He swears that he wouldn’t have a repeat of December’s final situation, and strives to study even harder than before.

Overstudying leaves little room for things that are not taking more than 5 steps out of his pillow fort, eating anything that is not the non spicy chicken cup-ramen, texting back, and going to the mall.

Those surrounded by Mark decide he needs an intervention.

Which is how Mark Lee ends up in his dorm room surrounded by Lee Jeno and Na Jaemin. The three are gathered in a triangle on the room floor. Mark is wrapped up in his pajamas and a blanket, Jaemin is sipping his oddly dark coffee through a neon green straw, and a rare glasses wearing-Jeno is holding a textbook. “So, why are we adjourned here today?” asks Jeno, overly formal that it makes Mark giggle.

Both Jeno and Jaemin glare at Mark expectantly. Though the question is directed generally, Mark obviously is supposed to answer.

Mark rubs his eyes. “An.. intervention?”

Jeno continues. “And why are we having an intervention?”

“Mark’s! Over! Studying! Habits!” chimes Jaemin, pumping his fist in the air with every chanted word.

“I’m not over studying. Just because I’ve locked myself in my dorm room and read my textbook twice times over does not mean I’m over studying.” It does, but Mark will not admit that. “It’s called effort.”

Mumbling under his breath, Jeno holds the textbook up to his face and eyes whatever is on the page he is opened up to. From his place across from Jeno, Mark squints to see what the cover of the book says. In black bold letters read the title ‘INTERVENTIONS FOR DUMMIES’.

Oh.

“Effort does not mean not showering and only eating cup-ramen.” Jeno points out, and Mark begins to protest. He will not argue over the only eating cup ramen, but Mark will protect the fact that he does practice daily hygiene habits. He swears he smells like the Cherry Blossom body lotion that Yuta’s bought him, because he applies it after every bath.

“He does shower, he smells like cherry blossoms.” Jaemin gasps at the delightful aroma that radiates from Mark’s skin. Jaemin’s lips are curled into an 'o'. “That’s a really nice scent, actually, I’d use that. Mark, where is that from—”

Jeno forces a cough. “Discussing Mark’s lotion is not on the intervention agenda.” Mark pretends to not see Jaemin wink at Jeno. "When did you last eat a meal that wasn’t factory processed noodles, Mark Lee?”

“I don’t know..” He taps his fingertips against his jaw as he ponders the question. He cannot not recall exactly, but he does remember eating dinner with Jeno and Jaemin a week or two ago, so he offers that.

The fact that the last meal Mark had is Jaemin’s own cooking from a week ago sets Jaemin off. “That’s ridiculous! We are going out, right now.”

Jaemin pushes himself off the floor to head towards Mark’s closet. On the way, he nearly trips over a bag. Not ever letting a negative situation affect him, Jaemin shakes it off and instead, bends down to survey the bag. “I might have almost died because of this bag, but what’s this?”

Mark identifies it as the bag with the sweater Ten gifted him for Christmas. Jaemin takes it out, and both he and Jeno agree that this is a perfectly suitable sweater to go out in. Satisfied, they throw the bag towards Mark, who at this point is standing idly. The sweater gets to him safe, but in the process of the bag flying across the room the receipts drift to the floor. Mark picks them up, ready to throw them into his tiny garbage tin.

Until his eyes catch sight of sprawled green numbers on the back on one of the slips. Curiously, he turns each over until he uncovers the one with the bright writing on the back. It is apparently a phone number with a cute smiley face just underneath it. Mark knows exactly what this is. “Nooooooooooooooo.”

“What happened, Mark?” Jeno peeks over at what caused Mark to go so still. To Jeno, it is just a series of number written with a too bright marker—but to Mark it is a revelation.

“You guys remember the cute sweater boy I told you about?” Both his friends nod. “I think this is his number!”

The three exchange looks of shock just before releasing gleeful shrieks and jumping around the room exuberantly. Mark unplugs his phone and wastes no time in texting the number, hoping his assumption is correct.

He cannot believe that this extremely cute boy wanted to talk to him enough to hide his number on a receipt. It‘d been a game to see if Mark would solve the puzzle and find the number. It’d taken him a while, but he’d done it.

[12:55 PM] from Mark: hello, i found this number on the back on a receipt? uh is this the boy from the mall?
[12:57 PM] from Unknown: is this the cute boy who held up the line?
[12:57 PM] from Mark: cuteness is subjective……… but i did hold up the line
[12:58 PM] from Unknown: what took you so long to text :( i was starting to think you just didn’t like me
[12:59 PM] from Mark: i didn’t see the number until i took the receipt out :( i’m sorry

While he waits for a response, he saves the phone number.

[1:02 PM] from Donghyuck: you SHOULD BE, my ego was wounded for a little bit
[1:02 PM] from Donghyuck: hmmmm you should make it up to me. you know, just to be fair because i was in terrible pain after i never got a text
[1:03 PM] from Mark: and how can i make it up to you???
[1:04 PM] from Donghyuck: there’s a bunch of things i can think of….. but let’s start off with letting me take you for coffee. or cinnamon buns, i remember you said you liked those? :~)

“Boys! I have a date!”

[1:05 PM] from Mark: i think that’s a fair trade! when do you wanna meet?
[1:06 PM] from Donghyuck: well….. how fast can you get to the mall?
[1:06 PM] from Donghyuck: because i’m ABOUT to go on break!
[1:07 PM] from Mark: …….on my way

Jeno and Jaemin are staring at Mark in anticipation. When Mark finally glances up, he flings his phone towards the bed and sheds the blanket off his body victoriously. “To the mall!”

Mark is the one driving. Which is to be expected, especially since he is: the oldest of the three, and riding with Jeno and Jaemin. To think that the two can withstand a twenty minute ride without their incessant embracing and chit-chat is laughable. Mark, knowing this, offers to drive but only with the ultimatum that Jeno take a minute or so break from conversing with his boyfriend to check Mark's notifications for any communication from Donghyuck. And if so, to reply back.

Jaemin whines, asking why he isn’t the one in charge of the phone. Putting the key into the ignition, Mark explains that Jaemin ja too much of a romanticist. He couldn't have Na Jaemin replying back with adorable emojis and overly affable words. Jaemin considers Mark's thorough reasoning before slumping back into Jeno's side. “Touché, Mark Lee.”

The three are only halfway to the mall when Mark gets a text. Even from the driver's seat, he can hear the vibration of his phone. When the car pulls to a red light, he glances to the backseat. “Jen, I think my phone went off?"

“Did it?” Jeno surveys the phone that currently rests on his lap, appearing poised and pampered as it stays out of his immediate reach. If Mark doesn’t know any better, he'd assume the phone belongs to a prince of a distant land with the way Jeno is treating it with so much care. It takes a few taps, and some seconds later before Mark receives the update from Jeno. "You got a text from Donghyuck. He says, and I quote: 'I know we've only met twice, but I realized you never told me your name'. End quote. That was all lower case, by the way." He pauses. "What should I say back?"

The question is just random enough to Mark laugh at the absurdity. "What do you mean what should you say back?"

Jeno seems exasperated to have to explain himself. His words pass his lips slowly. "Tell me exactly what you want me to say? Like.. do I tell him Minhyung? Or.. Mark? I mean nobody calls you Minhyung except your grandparents.." Jeno is making the deductions out loud. "But maybe you want a clean slate with this boy? I don't know, I have to at least ask. Gotta be considerate, Mark Lee, I'm your best friend for a reason."

"You're weird, Jeno Lee. Why are we best friends, again?" Mark can hear Jeno's hurt whine from the backseat, yet he continues. "Tell him Mark. I don't really like people calling me Minhyung, with the exception of my grandparents, like you said."

The light turns green, and Mark temporarily forgets the case at hand. He could hear Jeno type though, and the tiny vibration that the phone makes after the message sent is enough confirmation for Mark to settle a bit.

It is a minute or two after Donghyuck's last text when Jeno makes an outburst. "Who doesn't tell someone their name? You have no right to call me weird. You're weird, why didn't you introduce yourself?" Jeno is smiling, poking what is exposed of Mark's shoulder.

"Listen! He was really cute, alright? I was really flustered, I kind of just stared the first time we met. Me even being able to talk to him right now is major character progression. Trust me, Jen."

Mark does not get any more texts from Donghyuck until the three are hunting for parking spots in the mall's underground lot. It seems that there are quite a lot of people in the mall today, and Mark remembers exactly why he tries to avoid coming here as much as possible. He reminds himself he is only here for this date as he pulls into one of the free spots Jaemin points out.

"Oh, another text!" Jeno announces, clearing his throat. "Donghyuck says, in all lower caps, again: ‘I'm waiting for you by the Cinnabon. I have about thirty minutes for break, text me if anything pops up.’ Then a heart emoji, star emoji, smiley face." Jeno nudges Jaemin, jokingly whispering "Look, Nana, he types just like you. Maybe you guys would be good friends!”

“Tell him I'll be right there.” Mark exits the car.

Jeno opens his door, cautiously peeping his head out to look at Mark. "Did you perhaps want any emojis with that text?"

Jaemin exits next, regrouping next to Mark who says, “Um, add a smiley face."

"Very good choice, sir," says Jeno, adding a smiley before sending it and handing the phone back to the rightful owner. "now, let's go see this boy you've been fawning over."

Despite their griping, Mark insists that Jeno and Jaemin have to leave as he soon as he finds Donghyuck. They seem disappointed, wanting to see the boy who has their best friend absolutely flustered. He thinks that having his two best friends there would only make him more nervous, so he shoves them in the opposite direction of the food court. He begs for them to go do couple-y things while he goes on his mini-date. “Go buy matching shirts, or something. I'll text you when we're done, it shouldn't be too long."

He's lucky to have such accepting friends, because despite how let-down they feel at not being able to meet Donghyuck, they send smiles Mark's way as they leave regardless.

Mark is relieved, and with his friends out of the way for the moment, he dashes to the food court. Donghyuck is, as promised, sitting at a table near the Cinnabon. He seems distracted, pursing his lips as he twirls a loose piece of fabric from the flannel he was wearing.

Mark should not be surprised to see that Donghyuck looks fashionable yet again, and he is not. This time the boy opts for a pair of extremely tattered light washed jeans, a neutral color belt, and a baby pink sweater with a red checkered flannel draped over his shoulders. And even from the distance he is at, Mark could see that his eyelids are lined by a bold black gel liner. And just over aforementioned black eyeliner is another line, except this one looks to be thinner and a bright pink in color?

(When he gets closer he can see that yes, that is exactly what it is, and Mark begs for his heart to calm down.)

"Hi, have you been waiting long?"

"No, not at all! I got off break like five minutes ago, I haven't really been waiting at all.” Donghyuck pats the bag in the center of the table, reaching into it only to take out a cinnamon bun box. "I know someone who works there, so I asked him to give me the hottest batch for my date and I." Oh, he used the correct grammar placement. Points for Donghyuck. "Let's dig in, I don't have too much time."

There is no better way to break the ice than to share a freshly out of the oven cinnamon bun with the object of your infatuation. After basic introductions, like where they were from (Mark is from Canada, but has been living in Seoul since high school; Donghyuck was born in Jeju, but has lived in Seoul for almost all his life) and full names (“Lee Minhyung, but nobody really calls me that. Everyone calls me Mark.” and “I’m just Lee Donghyuck. You can call me Hyuck, if you want.”) the two got to more meddling topics.

"You're a fashion student?"

Donghyuck nods proudly. Something about the way Donghyuck's eyes illuminate and his lips writhe into an ecstatic smile at the topic causes Mark to want to ask him endless questions, simply to see the elated look that paints itself upon the boy's face. “Yes, I'm in my first semester of being a fashion design major. I love it, Mark, really. There's just something so gratifying and beautiful in having the ability to illustrate something that you've been dreaming about for weeks and eventually seeing what I've drawn made into beautiful, real life pieces.” He explains, his mouth moving quickly with pure jubilee.

Donghyuck asks if he'd like to see some of his rough sketches, and Mark replies back that he'd like nothing more. Donghyuck opens a folder in his phone gallery, labelled in all uppercase letters 'SKETCHES', and slides the phone across the table to Mark.

He's astonished in the most marvelous of ways. With analyzing the first sketch, the immense talent Donghyuck contains is indisputable. Even his rough sketches are exceptional, with his vivid use of color and sharp, clean lines. There is a multitude of pieces, varying from elegant nightgowns to polished suits and just about everything else in between. Mark is not ashamed at how his lips stay parted in amazement throughout his scrolling through Donghyuck's work, and once he reverts the phone back into the boy's grip, he is not afraid to tell him so.

"You're amazing, Donghyuck. I'm not even joking.” Mark runs a coarse finger through his hair. "I'm a creative writing major, and i have no words, really."

Donghyuck giggles, taking the fork that had been lazily leaning in his palm and using it to poke at a part of the cinnamon bun. "I see you don't have words often, Mark Lee," Referring to the past incidents where Mark's silence had rang out through the store. "but, all jokes aside, thank you. That means the world." He pauses. "If you’re a creative writing major, do you have anything for me to read? Are you aspiring to be a big shot author? Like will I see 'Mark Lee's new books in bookstores' anytime soon? Or.. do you write poems, maybe?"

Mark is initially embarrassed to discuss his own craft after seeing Donghyuck's immense talent. However, writing lit a fire in Mark that is incomparable to anything else he has ever experienced. As Donghyuck feels a sense of pride envisioning his mere envisages cut and fitted into beautiful pieces of clothing, Mark feels no greater feeling than crafting stories and poems. It all swirls around in Mark's mind before he gets to putting them down, concocting verbose sentences by choosing harmonious phrases and orchestrating them into what he thinks is art. Examining what he has written after a productive day after his muse hits its zenith is the most spectacular ordeal for Mark. However, his writing is not something he goes around touting. He much did prefer to suppress his writings into the confidence of his thin black notebook or the files of his laptop.

They are not for simply anyone to witness, and to this day the only person he is even semi-comfortable with reading what he writes is Ten. He does not want to complicate the conversation, so rather than conveying his taciturn attitude towards sharing his writing, he laughs and tells Donghyuck he has nothing to offer now.

The boy pouts, but does not pry further. Rather, he leans forward. Donghyuck radiates the smell of cinnamon and vanilla, and it's purely intoxicating and oh, so sweet. Mark will not let himself get distracted though, because Donghyuck is asking him something and it’d be rude to let his mind saunter off. Even though Mark really does enjoy the thought of how Donghyuck's makeup had to have been done with a steady hand because there is an elite type of precision with the pink lines that made sense due to his artistic background. He especially cannot think about how Donghyuck has the cutest lips, that from the close proximity they are currently at, Mark could tell the other boy had laid a sheen coat of lip gloss prior to his arrival.

Breathe, Mark, breathe.

“How would you like to be a subject in my new project?”

Mark did not expect that. He tilts his head curiously, eyes wide. “What does t-that mean?”

Donghyuck's smile returns once again, and his tongue pokes just between the middle of his teeth as he laughs at Mark's confusion. "Well, it's a new month, and that means I have a new project due by the end of January. My next project is supposed to be me using one sole model and sketching them in assorted outfits. You know, if I used a girl I'd sketch her in flowy skirts and dainty blouses, or even chic and refined pantsuits. And if I used a a boy, the usual suits, jeans, pants, and skirts if I chose to do so."

“Are you saying you want to draw me in a skirt?” Mark is teasing.

He is not expecting Donghyuck's reply to be as curt and flirtatious as it is. “Only if you'll let me, Mark Lee.”

And what is Mark supposed to do? Say no? He cannot imagine a world where he’d reject this offer, and his reality is no different than his imagination. He finds himself conceding to Donghyuck's smile, and he tells the boy that he'd love to be the subject for his next project. Donghyuck is happy that Mark is willing, so happy that he smears icing all over his pink shirt. Afterwards, he's a little embarrassed, but he pushes it back as best as he could. "That's why we have outerwear," said Donghyuck, as his slim fingers buttons his flannel up with ease. "for clumsy situations like this."

Even with a last minute styling emergency, Donghyuck looks as poised and self assured as ever. Mark tells him as much, and a melodious laugh slips from Donghyuck. "I call that 'the fashion student prerogative'. We dedicate ourselves to fashion, it's only fair that fashion is kind to us, right?" Just then, an alarm sounds off from Donghyuck's phone. He frowns. "I have to go back to work."

Mark wonders if he looks as disappointed as he feels. The two genuinely hit it off from the get-go, which is extremely rare. Sure, Mark himself is amicable and loyal and well liked on campus, but even then sealing an immediate connection with someone he just got to know must be scarce. "I should probably get back to my friends, I drove them here.."

"A responsible man? I like that."

"I try, I try."

"Well, Mark Lee! I can say sharing a cinnamon bun with you was something I'd like to do again."

"So, would you rate this experience a five stars on Yelp? Because that's the deal breaker." Mark is so cheesy that he is internally kicking himself for even saying that out loud.

In one swift motion, Donghyuck surges forward and presses a chaste kiss to Mark's cheek. "I'd definitely rate it five stars.” Despite him being the one to commit to such an action, Donghyuck shyly slides his phone into his pocket and takes a step back. "I'll text you? About getting together for the project?"

Mark's giggling and feeling elated. "Yeah, yeah. Of course! Just let me know."

"Mark Lee, you're so cute!" Donghyuck shouts as he waves goodbye to Mark. "See you soon!"

"He's been smiling for so long," Jeno whispers to Jaemin, as the three of them are corralled into a diner booth hours later. "should we be worried?"

Half of Jaemin's own lips tug into a smile, and he shakes his head at Jeno's question helplessly. Aimlessly, he runs his thumb over Jeno's palm, before bringing it up to his lips to press a feathery kiss. "Worried? Not at all. This is something to rejoice about, Mark Lee has a crush."

After the date went phenomenally well, they text ceaselessly for the next few days.

However Mark does not get a request from Donghyuck to see each other until a week or so later. He is not particularly busy at about 8 that Friday night when he gets the text.

[8:31 PM] from Donghyuck: hi mark!! i know it’s KIND of late, but are you free?

[8:31 PM] from Mark: late? donghyuck, it’s 8:30…… i’m an english student i’m up until all hours of the night!

[8:32 PM] from Donghyuck: a man who rarely gets sleep… there’s a method to your madness.
[8:32 PM] from Donghyuck: anyway. i am just about to close up here, i was thinking MAYBE we could get something quick like coffee? and we can talk a little about the project?

[8:33 PM] from Mark: i’ll meet you at the mall then, we can figure out where to go from there!!

[8:34 PM] from Donghyuck: sounds perfect!

It does not take him long to reach the mall, especially since the Friday night traffic is gone with the closing of all the surrounding stores.

Mark strolls into Donghyuck’s store just at the cusp of closing time. Renjun, the same worker from the time Mark had came in after Christmas, is loitering by the door. As Mark approaches, he glares suspiciously.

Mark knows the science behind the look well. It is one that bubbles up in an employee whenever a customer thinks they have the liberty to enter minutes before the scheduled closing. Renjun seems to not mind showcasing his annoyance.

“I’m not here to shop.” Mark promises sheepishly, as if he has something to prove. He is not a rude customer, he wants that to be crystal clear. “I’m waiting for.. uh.. Donghyuck to close up.”

Renjun drops the irritation from his face. His shoulders level, and he seems to relax. “I know, I’m messing with you. Donghyuck told me you were coming.”

“Oh. Oh, okay.” Mark chuckles, shuffling on his feet from left to right. His curious eyes glance around the store. There are no other employees nor customers, and everything seems just about straightened out until tomorrow morning’s opening. “So.. Will he be out soon, or should I wait outside?”

Renjun perfectly raises an eyebrow. “Are you rushing him? Do you have a problem with waiting?”

Mark gapes, lips in an ‘o’. “—No, no, of course not!”

“Mark Lee!” Renjun somehow knows his name, and Mark wonders if Donghyuck speaks of him often. “You do get flustered very easily. I’m joking, again.” He is amused by this so it seems. Renjun strides across Mark’s path just to fix a sweater that‘d been hung awry. After doing so, he busies himself to inspect all of the stock around it. It seems to be a ploy to create informal conversation. “Donghyuck told me you’re his new muse, so to speak, for his project?”

Is this Renjun’s idea of casual discussion with a co-worker’s new interest?

“Yeah.” confirms Mark. Being described as a muse makes a feeling of pride swell up in his chest. He's spent so long being the author behind his own pieces of art that it is compelling for him to think of being thought of as an inspiration for anything. He has Donghyuck to thank for that. "He asked me, and I thought it was a pretty cool idea, so I went along with it.”

“Usually, Donghyuck asks me to help out. You have big shoes to fill.” says Renjun, and Mark thinks it is supposed to sound threatening. However, he cannot take his words seriously, because his eyes are fixated on Renjun’s shoes.

Yes, Mark is well aware of the metaphorical use in the sentence. He is a student under a major that requires him to know such devices, he is never oblivious to anything he could have learned in English class. He knows the boy did not mean the statement literally, however Renjun does seemed to have pretty small shoes.

Renjun must be able to tell what he’s thinking, and he must get this a lot, because he stomps angrily. “Make a joke about how small I am and you’re waging war, Mark Lee.”

“Well,” Mark is trying to hold back the furious laughs that were dying to escape. He really could not help himself. “I wasn’t going to make a joke about how small you are, or how small your shoes are.”

Mark thinks that if Donghyuck would not have walked in that very moment, Renjun might have launched a hanger at his head.

“You’re not being mean to my date, now are you, Renjun?” teases Donghyuck with a light grin.

Renjun is mildly exasperated, and it shows from his grumbles. “I’m leaving, close up, will you please? I’ll see you at home.” He throws a lanyard with jingling keys towards his fellow employee. “Goodnight, Hyuck. Goodnight Mark Lee.”

It's silly, but Mark only has one question, now that it is the two of them. “At home?” Mark is curious as he watches Donghyuck loop the lanyard tightly around his own wrist.

“Ah, Renjun and I are roommates since we go to the same art school. He’s in contemporary art while I’m in fashion and design.” Donghyuck explains simply. “He’s my best friend. A little rough around the edges at first, but I swear he’s the kindest and sweetest boy. He’ll warm up to you, don’t worry. He puts up that cold art student front, but I come home to him at least twice a week crying over the ending to Titanic in his Moomin pajamas.” Mark could perfectly envision the description, for some odd reason. “Anyway, you don’t mind waiting for a little, right? I have to dress the mannequins, so we can sit and chat while I do that?”

Mark is fine with that, but he cannot not lie if he says he’d been lured here partly to see Donghyuck (95%), but also partly because he is hoping to get coffee and pick up a pastry (5%).

With that still on his mind, Mark offers to run over to the food court and see if anything was open so he could purchase something for them to share. Donghyuck contemplates before telling Mark that he’d be really, really grateful if he can go get them a snack. “I’ve been working since earlier, and I haven’t had anything besides water.” frowns Hyuck.

With those words alone, Mark absolutely does not mind the jog over to the food court. He catches an older woman working the Cinnamon bun store just as she is storing the goods away. With payment already in hand, Mark begs for her to give him just one. She seems to give in to Mark’s charming and youthful smile, and boxes one of the more fresh appearing buns before handing it to him.

He returns to Donghyuck within a few minutes.

“I’m back!” Mark announces, shaking the bag containing the cinnamon bun.

Donghyuck claps gleefully before patting the chair he‘d set up for Mark just near the door. Mark sits, but Donghyuck himself is standing to be on par height wise with the mannequin. He is holding a variety of pants and sweaters.

There is something so intimate seeing Donghyuck revel in his area of expertise. Sitting here observing the boy do what he does best gives Mark another look into the boy's life in a more profound way than the two just sitting across from each other at a coffee shop. So in some way, Mark is grateful to be here and that the night is turning out like this. “What are you doing, explain to the clueless English student.”

Donghyuck does not have to be asked twice to go straight into a detailed summary of what exactly he is doing. “Basically, my job position here is visual presentation. I know, gasp, I’m not really a cashier.” He begins to button up a formal dress shirt on the mannequin. “What I do is create small displays using on hand, in store merchandise, and these bad boys.” He smacks one of the mannequins on the shoulder. “I’m supposed to entice the customers to want to buy what’s in store, so I have to create eye catching looks in a way that communicates our brand's message.”

“Which is..?”

“Casual chic.” Donghyuck replies with ease, layering the dress shirt with a black ribbed sweater. He seems semi satisfied, but seems totally pleased after adding a charcoal overcoat. “It’s dressing in a way that isn’t too formal but also not like, hang out at my best friend’s dorm kind of comfy. It’s combining informal elements like a pair of black distressed jeans with a simple graphic tee with something more dressy, like a blazer. The clothes we sell here aren’t really things to wear a gala, but you wouldn’t wear them to go watch Netflix. Does that make sense?”

Overwhelmed by the simple amount of knowledge Donghyuck is giving him, he cannot think of any other action but to nod in understanding. “Hmm.. Well, how does doing this vary from designing your own clothing? To you, at least?”

“Well.” Donghyuck’s next mannequin is a female. He spots a burgundy bedazzled top, and immediately tugs it up and on to the display. It pairs nicely with the ripped black jeans he’d previously put on. “That’s like asking you how do you feel reading another writer’s work versus reading something you've written yourself? There’s always something different about something being your own.” And Mark definitely understands what he is implying. “Here, I have to style with what I’m already given. But when I’m at school or at home..” His voice drops an octave and he's leaning forward like he’s telling Mark the most marvelous secret. “I could let my imagination run wild.” He slides a blazer on the display. “Comparing it more to what you do, it’s like writing a prompt versus coming up with your own plot from scratch. I think that’s definitely a good comparison, don’t you think?“

“I think you should be the creative writing major, not me.” Mark jokes.

Donghyuck laughs as if that is the most ridiculous thing he has ever heard. “No, I definitely don’t have my way with words to be a writing major. I talk way too much, and only rarely does it all flow. I think being able to express yourself in a way that sounds nice is a gift, but one I am not blessed with. Perhaps you have it, Mark Lee.”

“What do you mean perhaps?”

There’s a mischievous glint in Donghyuck’s eyes. “Well you seem to get tongue tied quite often—”

“Hey! That’s just around you!” Mark points out quite absentmindedly, not realizing how the words really sound. Donghyuck picks up on the connotation of the words, even if Mark does not; however, he says nothing, opting to smile smugly to himself. “My professor says I have talent.”

Donghyuck snorts. “I bet your mom says so, too.”

“..She does.”

“Keep dreaming, Mark Lee. I will not knock your writing until I see it!" He claps his hands together. "Anyways, do you want me to tell you about the project you’ll be the star of?”

Mark nods, because of course he’d be interested to be filled in more regarding the project. All he really knows is that Donghyuck is supposed to be designing clothes with his particular measurements. Which is a fine starter description, but Mark, as a writer, would care to know more—and Donghyuck is willing to comply. “The goal is for me to sketch and sow successfully together a few outfits to create a spread. Except my teacher wanted us to use actual models with real proportions, rather than mannequins, to demonstrate various body types. Not everyone is going to be six feet tall with a 24-inch waist. So I’ll sketch an outfit or two then fit it to your own measurements.”

“That sounds like a lot of work.” Mark comments. It does sound like a pretty heavy workload compared to the several poems Mark has to analyze or the fiction he’d have to read and write critiques on. Donghyuck is creating outfits with only his hands, cloth, and imagination; that is more work on one project that some people could ever dream of doing.

“It is..” Donghyuck admits, chewing on his bottom lip. “But if I’m being honest, since I last saw you and asked if you’ve wanted to do it, I’ve already sketched some outfits for you in mind. I’d just need your measurements so I could make them is all. And maybe at most tweak the colors and tiny details.” Donghyuck just then finishes dressing his mannequins, so he lifts them directly in the store’s window. “This is a big project, if mine is good enough it could be chosen to be displayed at this big art gala. They bring successful CEOs and designers to come take a look at the work from the students. Last year, one of my friends got scouted to help on fashion week. Given, he was damn good at drawing, but he was also really handsome." Donghyuck offers a wistful look at the clothes, his fingertips running across the cool fabric of a merino wool cotton cardigan. "I’d like to follow in his footsteps.”

“Then we have to get started!” Mark is convinced, raising his fist in the air. “When do you want me to come over to get measured and all?”

Donghyuck takes a second or two to think, weighing options in his head. Tomorrow—Saturday—is too soon for him, with some prototype sketches needing to be done for one of his Monday classes. He hadn’t started on them at all, so homework comes first when he has weeks for the project. Truthfully, Sunday is the day he and Renjun planned on relaxing, so that is out too. Sadly, the rest of the week he is busy with work and class.

“How’s next Saturday? You can come to my dorm, and I should have everything setup then. It shouldn’t take too long, I just need to measure you then I’ll get started on stitching and all.”

“I’ll be there! You can count on it, Donghyuck.” Mark means it. He genuinely is excited for Donghyuck to execute this. He only hopes that he can help in whatever way to ensure that it is the best project to showcase Donghyuck’s immense skill. “Now that you’re done, come here and share this cinnamon bun with me. It will not eat itself.” He holds out a fork in Hyuck’s direction, waving it around teasingly.

Donghyuck grins, pulling up a chair.

It is completely sunny outside when Mark goes to meet Donghyuck just over a week later; so sunny, that he is suspicious at just how beautiful the day is. The sky is a perfectly clear cerulean blue, fluffy strips of clouds pacing around the bright beams of sunshine that strike the pavement.

Mark is convinced that this fair weather meant this is going to be a good day; or at least that is what he prefers to think as he makes his way to Donghyuck’s third floor dormitory. However, when he knocks on the door, what he does not expect is for Renjun to be the one to answer it.

Renjun, with an entertained glint in his eyes, leans against the door frame. He looks entirely comfortable with his over sized brown brioche knit sweater, thin specs, and tan paperboy cap. He appears as the poster child for what Mark assumes an art student might look like, right down to the charcoal smears on his wrist and sketchbook tucked underneath his arm. He grins and greets him with a, Hi, Mark."

"Hi, Renjun.." Against his better judgement, Mark peers inside the dorm. “Is Donghyuck here? He told me to come by at around this time, but.."

Renjun appears the slightest bit offended, and Mark wonders if his words were outrageous and abhorrent enough to cause this reaction from Renjun. "What, does me opening the door mean he isn't here? I live here too, you know. I can open the door if we have a guest."

Again, Mark wriggles to take a tiny peek into the dorm, however he couldn't see much with Renjun blocking his view. From what he can see though, the dormitory seems vacant aside from Renjun's presence. "So is he here?"

"Well.. No," Renjun opens the door wider, stepping to the side to allow Mark entrance. Jacket in hand, Mark shuffles into the dormitory. "I was just making a point. Donghyuck went out, something about needing extra fabric? He left thirty minutes or so ago, so he really should be back any moment now. Sit." He gestures to a bean bag, where Mark takes a seat.

The dorm is cozy, and is exactly as Mark envisioned a shared dorm between Renjun and Donghyuck to be decorated. It is painfully obvious that they divide the spaces between their beds, but overlap with a common ground in the middle. Renjun's portion of the room is in a minimalistic style, nothing hung up on the wall beside his bed aside from a frame. Sketchbooks are neatly arranged on his desk, though one is lazily thrown on his bed, hiding amongst the beige throw blanket.

Donghyuck's side is more vibrant. His walls are adorned with Polaroids of him with friends, messy cover tears from fashion magazines along and various spreads from Vogue and GQ taped beside rough sketches with Donghyuck's very own signature in the right hand corner. It is so distinctly Donghyuck that it makes Mark smile in the most ditzy of ways.

With a knack for leaning against things, Renjun's body is slanted across his own desk. "If you're done examining the whole room..” Renjun catches Mark’s attention. "I was asked to be a good host. So, I'll ask you this only once: do you want something to drink? Hyuck and I haven't gone food shopping, so unfortunately I cannot offer you any snacks, but if you want something to drink.. I could perhaps provide."

Mark is grateful for the offer. "What do you have?"

Renjun walks over to the outrageously tiny fridge, his hand firm on the handle as he opens it to peek inside. It takes all the self-control in Mark to not compare Renjun to the size of the mini-fridge out loud. “Hm.. Cola, ginger ale, both regular and sparkling water, and those fake Starbucks coffee drinks.”

Oh, sparkling water sounds nice! He hasn’t had the refreshing bubbly water in quite awhile. "Can I have some sparkling water?"

What Mark does not expect is the curt answer that comes from Renjun's lips. "No."

Mark figures that he should have said please, so he repeats the question except with the addition of 'please'. However, Renjun is adamant, and says no once again. Mark in disbelief. "Then why'd you offer it?"

He purses his lips. "Dozens of reasons. First the sparkling water is mine and it's expensive. Second, I offered it, but that does not mean I have to give it to you because you asked. And third, this is my dorm. If you paid my room and board, maybe you could have some sparkling water. Now," Renjun's already taking out a bottle of regular water—which pales in comparison to the thought of sparkling—and it seems like Mark does not have a choice. "I will be offering you some regular water.”

Mark moves to accept the ice cold water that is being offered to him. However, before handing it over completely, Renjun makes an unnecessary amount of eye-contact with Mark. “Show me that you're worth the $30.00 water, Mark Lee." The statement is ominous and leaves much to the imagination, and Renjun returns to his humble desk with the sketchbook from off the bed. "I'm going to work on something for class. So, you need something..” He considers, unsure what to say as he waves his hands with nonchalance. Between he and Donghyuck, Renjun must not be a fan of doing the hosting—or perhaps, he just doesn’t like Mark. “Ask?” A pause. “I guess?"

He gets to work, and only the faint hum from the TV that Renjun has playing in the background gives off any real sound. Renjun is intent on working and not breaking concentration and with no real opening for conversation, Mark sits in silence. He shoots Donghyuck a text.

[3:56 PM] from Mark: WHERE ARE YOU, RENJUN HATES ME

It is the funniest coincidence. Just as he pressed the send button, the door opens. In walks Donghyuck, in one hand his bag of new fabric, and in the other his phone. Hyuck’s eyes dart to Renjun, who looks considerably not threatening with his tiny hat, pouted lips, and charcoal pencil marks all over his sleeves. This causes him to glance back at Mark. "What did Renjun do to make you think he hates you?" is the first thing Donghyuck says when entering.

At the mention of his name Renjun sits up at a dangerously slow pace, turning around in his chair solely to narrow his eyes at Mark. "Tattle tailing? I knew you weren't worth the water." He’s tsking in judgement as he stuffs his sketchbook and pencils into the nearest tote bag. "I'm going down to the studio, Xuxi and Sicheng want to work on our group project. I'll be back in a little bit.” He pushes past Hyuck and Mark with a sickly sweet smile. "Have fun, love birds. But not too much fun, I just cleaned and vacuumed." He is halfway out the door, but pauses like he remembers something crucial. "Use coasters if you're drinking on the desks, by the way." He then shuts the door on his way out.

"Why do you think he hates you?" Not receiving an answer earlier, Donghyuck asks again. He drops his bags onto the area by his bed before taking a seat beside Mark.

"He didn't share his water with me, because I wasn't worth $30.00."

Donghyuck snorts, before beginning to clarify. "On a good day, Renjun doesn't even share his water with me, so that’s no indication that he hates you. Whether or not he hates you besides that though, I can't tell you." Mark whines and Donghyuck reaches out to ruffle his hair. "If it's any consolation, and it should be, I don't hate you. I think that's what's important, don't you?"

Mark feels a little giddy at Donghyuck’s words. "That's true, that is important."

Donghyuck giggles, and it’s a beautiful sound. “Nice to know you agree with me. Now, come here and let me show you the sketches I had in mind of the outfits I want to make." He pats the seat next to him on the bed, and Mark teeters over as asked.

Hyuck’s sketchbooks are already spread across the bed—Mark is silly to have not noticed—and he watches Donghyuck reach for one with '2019-20' on the front. His fascination only hits a new peak when his eyes scan over the pages Donghyuck passes. It is only a few weeks into the New Year, and Donghyuck already has pages upon pages of sketches and doodles. His mind continues to be blown as Donghyuck seems to at last find the page he wants. He sets the journal in-between the two of them, and explains. “I want to try a theme that I haven't ever done before, so I'm going with something I'd like to call 'punk chic', and I'm limiting the color scheme to only burgundy, black, and white."
Donghyuck then begins to prattle, but Mark finds if incredibly endearing. "I wanna try doing all of the looks with hoods, because I've never done those before and you seem to really like them. We did a case study on how to make hoods early in the year in one of my classes, so I really want to try.. What do you think?”

What else can Mark really say aside from how amazing he finds every one of the concepts, because that’s the truth. I love them. I really like this one.” He points out the third look Donghyuck had sketched. “If you can pull these off, these are going to be the coolest outfits ever. I give you props for going out of the box, especially when this is such a big project."

Donghyuck has a look of acceptance and admiration in his eyes as he too observes the sketches. "None of the fashion greats became who they are without going out on a whim at least once.” He says, timidly. This must be something he has been pondering for a while, as these thoughts do not appear to be materialized from thin air. "I have to try new things to discover what I'm good at, right? I can't be good at this with only limiting myself."

Mark squeezes Donghyuck's thigh, an action to alleviate some of the obvious stress Donghyuck is balancing on his shoulders; to let him know that Mark is there to support him. Their newfound friendship is thick even with not much trial yet, and Mark is sure that he'd want to back up Donghyuck on whatever he can. Whether it be work, or school, or just personal trials—he wants to help, and he hopes his action can convey that much if his words fail to. “This is going to be so great, because you’re already so great. Don't worry, alright?" Wanting to move this along, so that Donghyuck does not dwell on the looming possibility of not completing his project correctly, he hops off the bed. "Look, I wore a thin t-shirt, just like you said. I'm all ready, so bring on your measuring tape!”

Donghyuck's positive attitude allows him to go to with the flow Mark is establishing. So, he follows Mark's lead, moving off the bed so he can reach for the neon green tape measure lying on his desk. "Okay, Mark Lee. Stand in front of me.” Donghyuck directs him and Mark complies with ease. "First, I'm going to measure your head." And Mark thinks he's joking, but Donghyuck really does measure just around his forehead, notating it on a sticky-note. "Next, your neck.” Mark looks weary as Donghyuck moves the tape to loop the base of his neck. Donghyuck takes note of this, amused as he says, “I won't choke you, promise." (Of course, he doesn't.)

Everything is fine just until Donghyuck has to measure Mark's chest. "Raise your arms a little, will you?” Hyuck whispers, biting his lip in utter concentration. Mark’s does without hesitation, but then Donghyuck is so so close as he reaches around to wrap the tape around his chest. Mark is fidgeting at their proximity, and he wonders if his shaking is enough for Donghyuck to notice—if he does he says nothing, simply moving the slightest bit lower.

He has to kneel in front to get an accurate measurement of Mark’s waist and hips, and the older boy is blushing furiously as Donghyuck’s hands hold him in place. He is trying to not to be immature about this, but Mark is just so ticklish, and he can’t help but writhe and hold back giggles. Donghyuck still appears as focused as ever, and Mark finds himself glancing down slightly. His eyebrows were stitched together as he held Mark's hip with one hand, and the pencil that he wrote the measurements down with the other. His lips are pursed adorably, and his eyes are serious with a wholly centered fire with finishing the task at hand. Mark has to look away, his heart is pumping and his mind is wondering with thoughts all about the endearing Lee Donghyuck. That slight movement seemed to be the one he gets called out for. “Mark,” Donghyuck glares from his position on his knees, now sitting on the balls of his heels. “How can I get an exact measurement if you keep moving?” Mark apologizes for interrupting, but Donghyuck shrugs it off and says he was done anyway. He is sighing dolefully as he places the tape measure back into the drawer. “You know, you’re so cute, Mark.”

“Huh?” It is Mark’s fault for sounding so completely oblivious, because he has assumed that Donghyuck at least thinks that much of him. Regardless, he finds the stunned words coming out nevertheless. "You think I’m cute?”

Donghyuck stares incredulously, in disbelief that Mark is even asking this, really. Mark has been firsthand in receiving the brunt of Donghyuck’s flirtation techniques, seeing the way he so casually had scribbled his number on a receipt in hopes Mark might text. With this knowledge he still has the boldness to ask Donghyuck if he finds him cute? “If you have to ask me, then maybe I’m not making it obvious enough.” He does not sound angry, but there is a certain sort of melancholy and irritation laced with his tone that makes Mark frown. "Forget I said it, hm?"

The words are dismissive in the way that Mark is not sure how to prod the subject without possibly upsetting him.

“Anyway, that's pretty much all I needed from you for now." Donghyuck is indirectly telling him to go, just not with those exact words. "I'm going to get working. Can I text you when everything is done?"

"Yeah, of course.” Mark bashfully kicks his foot against the floor, intently watching Donghyuck turn his back towards him take his seat as his desk. He immediately rolls some of the fabric that he had bought earlier, quiet. Does he let himself out, or..? “Donghyuck?" He hums in a way that signals for Mark to go on. “Can I text you.. aside from the project? I don't want this to be the only thing that links us."

The request is childish but with the slight tension that Mark thinks hangs in the air, it feels slightly necessary. Donghyuck looks back then to look at Mark—to really look at him. He examines every sharp bend and dip of the boy's face, and Mark is embarrassed to be under such scrutiny; especially from Lee Donghyuck, who only seconds ago had made him flustered enough to continuously twist with just simple touches.

No person has ever had such a power over Mark before, and the experience is entirely foreign. After seconds, Donghyuck realizes he is staring too long and diverts his glance to the wall beside Mark. His eyes eventually roll back to the boy after taking a fresh view of something that was not Mark Lee. This time though, he is the one who appears unnerved. "If you didn't get it before,” Donghyuck says each word with extreme caution, annunciating with purpose. "I'd really like that. Really."

Self-conscious about every interaction that had happened up to this point, Mark sheepishly promises to text him before he takes his final leave. Walking through the empty corridors, and all driving the way back to his own campus, Mark can only think about how adorable Donghyuck's face is when flushed a cardinal red.

While Donghyuck creates his masterful vermilion and black clothing creations, he and Mark do not see each other at all. But, just because they do not see each other in the flesh does not mean that the communication is gone.

On the contrary, they text frequently throughout the days. So much that Mark's friends can identify the exact times he is texting Donghyuck, because his fond smile is a complete giveaway. He discovers so much about Donghyuck and with every conversation they have, Mark is convinced that the blossoming feeling in his heart for the boy is growing and growing.

For examples, he learns that when Donghyuck was younger he had these dreams to be a famous ballad singer, or that his favorite artist in the entire world was Michael Jackson. He even learns facts of less importance, such as Donghyuck’s dislike for anything candied except chocolate or strawberry lollipops.

Despite all this, It takes Mark another month to admit to his friends that he has a crush.

"We know this, Mark. It was so obvious it was easy even for me to guess!” Jeno pokes fun at Mark one night when he and Jaemin are over Mark's dorm. The three of them are nestled up on the couch with an expansive blanket covering their figures as they watch dramas and snack on popcorn. "And listen, it took me years to figure out Jaemin liked me. And then another few month to actually ask him out. So take it from the your fellow oblivious best friend, considering you talk to each other an unhealthy and irregular amount, I'm sure he likes you as much as you like him too."

"You're probably right, Jen." Mark sighs as he focuses back on the characters on the drama. Sometimes, it looks so easy for the leads to come together. Sure, they go through unnatural trials before they can admit to their feelings, but once their evil family members get caught from trying to run the lead over, dating falls like the next logical step. He does not want for something to unfortunate to happen for he and Donghyuck to acknowledge their feelings.

"Not being biased, but my boyfriend's right.” Jaemin inputs his opinion. "You just need to tell him you like him, Mark."

"I don't know how." Mark complains, pinching the bridge of his nose.

Jeno nudges Mark, finding that laughable. "Our English major doesn't know how to use his words?"

Jaemin stuffs a handful of popcorn into his mouth. ”Why don't you write him a letter?" He puts the suggestion forward in consideration noncommittally, more interested in watching the story on the TV unfold rather than Mark's failing love life. Understandable, Mark thinks that he cannot really blame him. However even without his undivided attention, Jaemin’s idea is amazing.

"I think I'll do that!" In a spur of sudden confidence and assurance in his abilities, Mark proclaims, “I'll tell him I like him with a love letter! He'll love that.” He can pour everything onto the paper and sealing his feelings. That way there is no way of Mark fumbling over his words or saying the wrong thing. It‘d only be half a page with at most 1,000 words.

He is a creative writing major, how bad can it go?

So, he waits for the drama's last episode to play out and the popcorn supply to run low; that’s when Jaemin and Jeno leave.

As the clock strikes midnight, he takes advantage of his newly emptied dorm. To do this task his perfection he sits comfortably at his desk, taking out two pieces of loose leaf. One for a rough draft, and another for the final—he figures that he should not need any more than that.

However, while writing Donghyuck's letter, Mark develops a case of writer's block. The symptoms started off mild, and he think he may have the weapons to overcome it. First, he cannot come up with the right words, then he begins to write lousy, crumbly sentences. It even escalates to being driven mad at the lack of creativity, squinting at the 0 Words box and watching it stare back mockingly.

Soon, it is 2 AM and Mark has discarded at least three additional sheets of paper. Each contains worse and worse explanations of his affection for Donghyuck, versions he’d never even consider giving to him. This is silly, Mark he has a certain way with words; maybe not all the time in person, but he has never had problems with jotting them on paper. This is supposed to be his expertise, and he is failing miserably.

His phone buzzes next to him.

[2:20 AM] from Donghyuck: hey markie mark... you up?

His heart flips.

[2:21 AM] from Mark: hyuck! it's late.. why are YOU up?

[2:21 AM] from Donghyuck: can ask you the same question.

[2:22 AM] from Mark: ....perhaps. what's up? is something wrong? :(

[2:23 AM] from Donghyuck: no..
[2:23 AM] from Donghyuck: was just thinking about you, and kind of wanted to talk to you.. was going to call you, but it's late and that might bother you

[2:23 AM] from Mark: you want to call me? go ahead!

[2:24 AM] from Donghyuck: no. you should be SLEEPING.

[2:24 AM] from Mark: then, if you get a call from ME would you reject?

[2:27 AM] from Donghyuck: find out..

Mark takes a poor glance at the crumpled paper balls around him. He wants to momentarily forget his lapse of quality writing, so he taps the call button by Donghyuck's name. It is rather late, and Mark does not think that Hyuck will pick up anymore; the four dial tones certainly do assure that his assumption is correct. He is ready to just about hang up and take this as a sign to go to bed, until a sleepy voice plays over his phone’s speaker.

"I didn't think you'd call.." Donghyuck's voice is raspy, thick with how weathered down he must be so late. If Mark knows he should hang up and insist that Donghyuck go to bed in that very instant. It’s selfish and foolish of him but Mark wants to hear Donghyuck's lethargic drawl, or his half-baked thoughts that do not fully process in the factory of his mind before dribbling past his lips. He wants that so bad, so he does not hang up.

"I didn't think you'd pick up." Mark retorts. His heart skips a beat.. one.. two.. "Why are you up?"

"I told you!” Donghyuck laughs, light and airy. "I was thinking about you. Come on, pay attention now Mark."

One.. two.. three. "You can't seriously think I believe that you stayed up until practically 3 AM thinking about me." Mark did not think that he could be the cause of someone losing precious sleep. That his existence mattered so much for thoughts about him to run around a person's mind exhaustively.

Donghyuck sounds completely serious. "Why not..?" He's quiet, and so is Mark. "Fine. It wasn't all just you, but the last most of it was. Some of it was about finishing the patches on the leather jacket.”

Aha, he knew it. At this point of the night, Mark is tired of attempting to write this love letter. He pushes his desk chair in, laying down on top of his mattress. He cradles his phone just by his neck as he gazes up at the ceiling. "Oh yeah?" He's talking slowly, like he would to a tiny child just beginning to understand complex sentences. However when sleep is fogging one's brain, sometimes simple conversation is what it craves. "How'd it go? Did you finish?"

"I did! It looks really clean, and I'm really happy with it." Donghyuck can, and even over the phone Mark could hear how perfectly pleased he sounds. "I really think this is at a level enough for my professor to enter in the showcase."

"I'm sure he’ll choose you for it, Hyuck. I don't know anyone more talented than you."

"Don't flatter me too much, I might just fall for you if you say things like that.” It's a half meant threat. It is something a person says when they are already considerably too far gone for someone else, warning them weakly that they might just fall in love; well knowing that was already the case. "But, now that I've mentioned it. I was wondering if you'd be my date to the showcase? Regardless of if I get my work shown or not I am invited, and since it’s a fancy gala type party, I get a plus one. Everyone mingles and there's really good little h'ordeuvres and champagne! Please tell me you'll come, Mark. I don't think I want anyone to go with me if it isn't you."

Those exact words tug on Mark's heart strings. "A date, Lee Donghyuck? Does this mean you like me, perhaps?" The boldness of the 2:30 AM moon affects Mark Lee.

Donghyuck seems to never be swayed by Mark's occasional courageous words. He is confident, and it is something that Mark admired about him. "Depends," Donghyuck's tone is flirtatious, but what matters is that he does not openly deny the question. Although it does not matter, Mark already knows Hyuck’s answer regardless. They’re both just skirting around their feelings at his point. "Will you come with me to the showcase?"

"I wouldn't have you going by yourself, or with anyone that isn't me.. So.. Yes." As if he'd say no.

His response is brief and rushed. He moves to end the conversation at the speed of light, like Mark might just change his mind if Donghyuck waits a second more. “You will? Good! Goodnight Mark!”

Donghyuck hangs up and leaves Mark to staring at the phone screen, stunned. He really did not have the energy to call again or shoot Donghyuck a text asking just why exactly he thinks it is cool to hang up on him at 3 AM—with lots of sad face emojis, for emphasis, of course. However, he doesn't, but instead falls asleep clutching his phone with a goofy and sleepy smile on his lips.

[3:34 PM] from Donghyuck: MARK! THE PROFESSOR TOLD ME MY SKETCHES ARE GOING TO BE ENTERED INTO THE SHOWCASE!!!!!!!

[3:35 pm] from Mark: HYUCK! CONGRATULATIONS!!

Mark is not surprised—he knew Donghyuck could do it.

Mark is nervous on the night of the gala. He is not the one in the spot of pressure, yet he feels unnecessarily tense regardless. To relieve some of the stress, Jeno and Ten volunteer to aid Mark in getting made up. It‘s a formal event and a dressy outfit is not only encouraged, but recommended.

Mark decides to go simple as he is not usually the type to go all out on the frontier of fashion—the complete opposite Donghyuck, funnily enough. With black fitted slacks, a white dress shirt, and a freshly steamed black blazer draped over his shoulders, he feels he fills the quota to be Donghyuck’s date to a tee.

As Ten adds some gel to his hair, Mark wonders how Donghyuck is feeling. They’d spoken the night before, and he’d obviously been feeling a bit skittish. The moonlight had beamed onto Mark’s windowsill, as his phone had been messily tucked in the crook between his ear and shoulder. They chatted aimlessly about bunches of topics, but Donghyuck’s feelings regarding the gala had been a focal point.

“This was all I wanted.. Yet I’m so nervous, Mark..” Donghyuck had admitted to him, his voice quiet and pensive. It’d been such a rare side of Donghyuck that Mark hadn’t seen much over the months that they‘d known each other. Of course, Mark had reassured him that everything would go well—because he genuinely does believe that.

Donghyuck is art, and so are his beautiful sketches. Although he is only halfway through his first year, tonight is in a big deal in him potentially receiving future internship offers. Donghyuck’s reminded him often that in a business such as fashion, events like this are extremely important; no matter the level of experience, as long as the work is of quality, one can be considered.

“You look so nice, Mark. You clean up well.” Jeno comments.

Even Mark is inclined to agree, surveying himself in the mirror thoroughly. Ten did an amazing job with fixing his hair, however the highlight of his look for the night might just be the addition of the faintest gold shimmer to the base of Mark’s lids. Even if it‘d been Mark’s request that came directly from his mouth, Ten had been shocked but followed Mark’s wishes nevertheless.

“Mark Lee, if you were taller you could have been a model.” Ten sighs wistfully. The beautician turns around towards Mark. “Now if this Donghyuck not doesn’t fall in love with you when you look like this,“ He gestures to Mark, in his sleek outfit and glimmering eyelids. “His mind is on vacation.” Ten turns to Jeno for additional encouragement. “Don’t you think, Jen?”

Jeno nods duly, offering Mark an enthusiastic thumbs up. “Mark Lee is the number one handsome boy! I support you my best friend, go get yourself that boyfriend!”

“Yes, we are all tired of you smiling and giggling at your phone but not actually dating this boy. It’s been months.” Ten groans as begins to pack his items up. Which reminds Mark that he has to go soon—or now, actually. “Tell us how it goes, okay Mark?”

“I’ll walk you guys out, I should leave now anyway.” Mark grabs his overcoat, and heads out of the dorm ahead of Ten and Jeno.

Once in the slight chill, he revels in the softness and warmth of the coat. It is one that Donghyuck insisted on getting for Mark a week or two ago. Mark had argued with him, feeling bad that Donghyuck was spending any sort of money on him. Donghyuck had bashfully told him not to sweat it, and to think of it as a thank you gift for helping with the project. (Plus it did not hurt that Donghyuck had both a 60% off coupon and his 25% employee discount! Donghyuck said it was such a steal and he would’ve been crazy to not get it for him.)

After Mark graciously thanks his friends for their help, he immediately hops into his car to drive to the address Donghyuck gave him for the restaurant the gala is being held at. He‘s supposed to meet up with both Donghyuck and Renjun in fifteen or so minutes.

Mark initially anticipates that the drive would be longer and that he may have to call Donghyuck to tell him he’ll be later than expected, but it ends up significantly shorter than he thinks so he makes it just in time. As he waits for the valet to park his car, his phone buzzed with the promise of a text message. It’s from Donghyuck, and he knows that without even retrieving his phone from his pocket—Hyuck has insisted on giving himself a cute ringer on his phone, and of course Mark couldn’t deny him that!

[6:46 PM] from Donghyuck: are you here? KIND of freaking out.. renjun is talking with his professor anddon’t wannabotherhim

The rest of the texts sound as frantic and jumbled, and with a furrowed brow, Mark responds back quickly.

[6:46 PM] from Mark: hyuck where are you? i just got here.

[6:47 PM] from Donghyuck: bathroom on the first floor

Mark does not think he’s even run so fast. The venue is absolutely stunning, all impeccably polished marble and golden handrails. Guests chat amongst each other, cordial smiles upon their lips as they balance thin champagne flutes in the grasps if their willowy hands. He does not have the time to stop and admire, though. It sounds like Donghyuck needs him, and he will not delay giving aid to him.

After finding the bathroom Donghyuck mentioned in his texts, Mark knocks on the bathroom door.

Cue the sniffles and the nervous shuffling from inside. "Occupied!”

“It’s me, Hyuck.”

As though Hyuck already prepared himself for the prospective knocked being Mark, the door opens instantaneously. His arm is tugged on harshly, tumbling into the bathroom. Hyuck locks the door, and Mark breaths out a gentle sigh at the sight that the boy is okay—at least on the surface, if not inside.

Donghyuck looks extremely handsome tonight with his crisp dress white shirt and a black leather jacket to balance off the formality of the outfit. Thick and dark eyeliner paired with a shimmery shadow make his beautiful brown eyes pop; however, as he wipes at his eyes with hand towels, his sharp makeup look is smudging away. It causes Mark’s stomach to lurch.

“Hyuck..” Mark has no hesitance at all in moving towards Hyuck, who is slouched over the bathroom’s chair. He does not have a care in the world regarding the fact that he’d taken twenty minutes to iron these pants straight, shown in the way he drops to his knees to kneel beside Donghyuck. “What’s wrong?”

“My professor showed some of the big shots who are here some of my art and designs beforehand.” He can barely speak, too busy in wiping the hot tears that spill from his eyes with the palm of his hand. Even if his makeup is ruined, he is careful to not stain his pale white shirt. He is smiling now, nervous. “They loved it, Mark. A lot of them already are interested in hiring me for internships next year. They said I‘m too young for anything concrete now, but they wouldn’t mind having me tag along to a show or two to see everything behind the scenes, or shadow a day at the atelier.”

He is still crying for reasons unknown to Mark, and as Hyuck is reaching up to lush away a tear or before they escape to roll down his cheeks, one of Mark’s hands carefully takes ahold of his wrist.

Mark runs the pads of his thumbs across the rims of Hyuck’s eyes, wiping the tears that way. He releases Hyuck’s wrist to caress the side of his cheek instead. “Why are you crying then?” Mark is quietly chuckling, cautious to not do so in the way that might make Hyuck feel bad; he’s just so intrigued that this is such good news, yet he seems entirely devastated about it. “This is a good thing, isn’t it?”

“This is going to sound so silly but like, it all caught up to me at once. This is really happening, Mark. I actually have a shot at making my dreams a reality. I’m happy, but nervous, and so so overwhelmed. It’s just a lot at once, Mark, but I’ve dreamt of this for so long.”

Mark swells with happiness. “I’m so proud of you, Hyuck. Don’t cry, okay? You can only go up from here. You’ll get even better and then next year you’ll snag an amazing internshig! Eventually, you’ll be a designer-stylist extraordinaire and I’ll be glad to say I spent time calming you down in a really pretty bathroom.”

Donghyuck lets out a genuine laugh at his words, giving Mark a halfhearted smile when his tears subside. “Thank you Mark, really. I just needed someone with me now, to bring me down to earth a little.” He’s quiet. “I’m sure I look so messy now, I have to fix my makeup and..” He glances around, shakily pointing towards the tiny Balenciaga pouch that is right beside Mark on the tiled floor. “Could you pass that?”

Mark reaches and lays it in his lap. Hyuck begins rifling through it as he searches for what he needs, but Mark notices his hands are still trembling. What he’d been looking for is his eyeshadow palette, and he breathes a sigh in relief as he takes it out. Hyuck is about to open it himself when Mark offers shyly, “I’ll do it for you.. If you want.”

Hyuck raises his eyebrow curiously, in total disbelief at the proposal Mark is bestowing upon him. “Mark Lee, you want to do my makeup? What is this sudden change?” His fingers tap the side of Mark’s head teasingly, surveying the boy playfully. “Is that you, Mark Lee? Are you really there?“

Scoffing, Mark snatches the palette from Hyuck’s grasp. This effectively shushes him, and Hyuck watches Mark with intrigue as he removes the appliqué brush. He is positive he‘a watched Ten do Jaemin and Jeno’s makeup for their dance showcases enough times to at least decently reapply Donghyuck’s makeup. The bright side is that he isn’t starting with a fresh canvas; all he has to do is match the correct shades and fill in where Donghyuck’s tears washed away the dark shimmer. No problem for Mark. He thinks.

He’s sure he looks a little silly, fumbling with the brush as he dips it in at least two different shades before finally deciding on the one he thinks will blend in with the colors already on Hyuck’s lids. After watching Mark stumble with choosing the correct shadow, Hyuck has the audacity to giggle at him before pointing out the one he actually used. Mark waves it off. “Oh! I knew that. I swear!” He proclaims, leaning in slightly to dab the brush with the eyeshadow across the lids.

It’s obvious that Mark is too focused on not messing up to notice their proximity, because he’d usually be flustered being so close to Donghyuck. It is silent as he works, and Mark can feel Hyuck’s gaze on him intently but he’s too busy to comment on that or anything else.

“You have eyeshadow on, Mark Lee.” Hyuck makes the observation quietly, admiring the way the bright light reflects off the shimmer on Mark's eyelids.

That causes Mark to falter, and it’s hard to swallows now as the air between the two boys growing thick. ”And what do you think?” He asks this expecting and hoping for Donghyuck to praise him, but still feels shy when the boy admits it.

“You look nice.. It’s pretty, I like the way it looks on you. You’re pretty.”

“I thought you would, that’s why I did it..” Mark admits.

He finishes quick after, shutting the palette and placing it safely back inside Hyuck’s makeup bag. Just as he is about to zipper it close, his eyes hook on a tiny tube of clear lip balm. He takes it out and uncaps it, not noticing that Donghyuck is blushing furiously as he realizes what Mark is about to do. “Your lips, dear Hyuck, are a little chapped.”

Sure, Mark understands what taking out the lipgloss implies, however when his gaze actually has to drop to Donghyuck’s lips he realizes what he must do now and it makes him nervous. His shaky fingers aid him glide the glossy balm across his lips softly. Mark thinks this is a terrible idea, really. Hyuck’s lips are perfectly shaped, plump, and so pink—he’s ashamed at the thought, but Mark dares to wonders how Donghyuck would feel if they kissed. He practically drops the lip balm at the thought.

“Mark Lee.” Hyuck shakily breathes out. “If you’re putting lip balm on me to not kiss it off, then..” His tone and words are threatening, Hyuck’s own eyes focused on the curve of Mark’s lips. The air increasingly thickens.

Is it hot in the room? Mark thinks so.

“Do you want me to?” He is staring intently at him, head cocked slightly and eyes blown wide with curiosity. He is so completely captivated by how beautiful Donghyuck is—his beauty nevera fails to amaze Mark. A blush is brought to his cheeks as Hyuck taps the side of Mark’s neck to bring him back from his trip. The illumination of the golden lamp’s pure light pour into Donghyuck’s brown eyes, and they now golden pools of honey as they gaze into Mark’s.

“You really are oblivious, aren’t you? I’ve waited for this since you came into the store bumbling and asking me for a hoodie in your size.” Donghyuck confesses hastily, his fingers curling around Mark’s neck. “If I have to spell it out: Mark, please, please kiss me.”

Mark draws their faces closer together without wasting another precious second. They already waited months, after all. They’re leaning close, their collarbones just barely touching as their lips mold together. Even at first, the fact that this kiss is happening causes Mark‘s head to swirl incessantly. Hyuck’s lips taste like the tangy citrus lip balm applied earlier, and it is absolutely addicting. They pull away, as this is no real time or place for something like this. However, both of them and the tension that previously lingered are are sufficiently placated afterwards. Donghyuck now seems calm and content, while Mark is grinning madly in the most silly way.

Mark’s heart is pounding enough to hear it in his ears and feel it throughout his body. His breathing is a little unsteady, however there are words in his mind that must be said. “O-Okay, I feel like I should tell you, that I really really like you Donghyuck—“

Donghyuck presses his finger to Mark’s lips. “Let my heart take a break after that. Tell me this later, please? Tell me all about how much you like me because I’m crazy for you, Mark Lee.”

Mark's waited this long to confess his feelings—so true, what’s an hour longer?

The gala goes fabulously, if Mark has anything to say about it! He has a absolute blast sticking by Donghyuck’s side and being introduced to such influential artists in the Seoul style scene. Additionally, he gets exposed to different pieces of art throughout the night and not just from the fashion world. From Renjun’s one stroke flower painting that‘d been chosen to be displayed to beautiful marble sculptures that‘d been crafted to absolute perfection—he is happy to see all of it, since it’s such a different world from his that is crafted by words and literary elements.

It may be biased of him but most of all he enjoys seeing Donghyuck’s displayed creations, so masterly stitched and designed. Mark thinks he would be able to pick out which submissions are Donghyuck’s from a mile away; perhaps that is because he’s seen so much his works so many times prior, or maybe it is just his incredible intuition.

At one point of the night, Donghyuck is whisked away from him by a pretty young student in a velvet cocktail dress, citing that one of the stylists want to discuss the accomplished patchwork on the leather jacket Donghyuck made. Hyuck hastily apologizes to Mark for leaving him, but the elder assures him that he’ll be fine—this is good for him, anyway, receiving the opportunity to talk about his designs! Mark’s happy to see it.

Plus, he doesn’t mind having the time to himself to analyze the other pieces with a bubbly champagne flute in hand. He's admiring a beautifully done oil painting when he hears his name being called from the opposite direction.

“Mark Lee!”

He turns, surprised to see a waving and striding Renjun.

“Hi, Renjun!”

Over the course of many months and many meetings, Renjun warmed up to him. He had to adjust after seeing Mark so many times. It would’ve been hard to continue to act so blasé towards Mark after seeing how happy he made his best friend. Donghyuck’s priceless smile when talking about Mark is enough to make Renjun’s walls crumble. Now, the two even considered each other friends! So much so that Renjun recently gifted him a coveted bottle of sparkling, which Donghyuck whined about incredulously. When reflecting on that moment, Mark thinks of themself as victorious.

Conversation flows easily between the two, none of it at all forced any longer. Mark is entirely grateful for that, considering he does see Renjun an awful lot. “Are you having a good time? Thank you for being here, Hyuck was really happy that you decided to come!”

“I am! I love seeing all of this art, it’s something I’m not too accustomed to but I do like it. Congratulations on your painting being showcased, by the way. You’re so, so talented.”

Renjun tsks. “So uncultured, Mark Lee. Don’t worry though, Hyuck and I will change that. And thank you! I worked hard on this, I’m really glad with the turnout.”

Mark is ready to reply until an arms coils around his shoulder. Who else can it be but Donghyuck, of course. “Hello, my dear best friend!” His grin is magnificent. “I’m going to take Mark for a little, if that’s okay with you?”

Renjun flashes a thumbs up. “Fine by me! Xuxi is here, I was planning on going to talk to him anyway.” Mark has inside information that Wong Yukhei, or Xuxi as he is affectionally called, is Renjun’s kind-of-boyfriend. They are together but not in an official way—kind of like him and Donghyuck, really. Renjun is convinced that they’ll make it certain with a label soon, and with the way Mark has seen Yukhei gaze (down) at Renjun he believes it. “See you guys later!”

With the approval, Donghyuck is grabbing at Mark’s wrists and whisking him out onto a balcony. “All of these designers were asking me how I did the patching in the leather jacket. I showed them my process journal, and they’re going to have me over in a few weeks for a mini masterclass. They want me to me teach it to beginner students,” Hyuck is stroking Mark’s palm. “All I could think about was you, though. Tell me everything you wanted to say earlier.”

Mark’s eyes avert to the fumbled shirt buttons on Donghyuck's jacket. He manages to cover his nerves by releasing a pretentious scoff. “Lee Donghyuck, do you think I can confess on command—”

He looks up to see the opposite boy's response, only to be met with a pouting Lee Donghyuck. Hyuck's perfectly glossed lips are jutted out just enough for him to feel his heart race, as the sight is more adorable than anything Mark has ever seen before. ”Okay, yeah, maybe I can. You know, I wrote you a letter for this reason—well, actually, several—but I found that writing about you is so hard."

It is the truth that Mark knows too well. His feelings for Donghyuck are so vivid and lively, dancing right out of his heart with a mind of their own. Caging such evocative, animated feelings is perhaps one of the hardest things Mark has ever attempted—he was silly to even think to try. "Keeping my feelings about you restricted to paper doesn’t match you. You’re so full of life so confining how I felt would not have been be right.” His breaths are shallow, and he’s so nervous. Sure, the mutual feelings had been sealed with the kiss earlier, but this is Mark's first official confession for Donghyuck. “I’ve liked you since I saw you that day after Christmas, with your white sweater and shimmery eyeshadow. I‘d never seen an angel in person, but once my eyes laid upon you, I was convinced they exist. If you couldn't tell.. I like you, a lot Lee Donghyuck.”

With the muffled noises produced from Donghyuck, Mark assumes he is laughing. Odd reaction, sure, but who is Mark to judge? However, it’s a bit dark so when he peers closer he finds that yes, Donghyuck is definitely amused but also.. crying? “W-What? Why are you crying?“

Just then, Donghyuck is cupping Mark’s flushed cheeks. Now he's really laughing, and it's beautiful to see his beaming smile under the pale reflection of the suspended moon. “Because I like you so much, that's why. From your awkward rambling and your concentrated face when you’re writing.. Everything. And this whole night has been absolutely amazing, and you being here by my side makes it all better.” Donghyuck's gaze only momentarily flickers to Mark's lips, and it is enough of an indication to read his next actions. He leans in, but—

“Wait!” They both freeze in their places. “Lee Donghyuck, would it be funny of me to say that,” Mark is beaming even before he says it, the classic sign that an extremely unfunny joke is about to be executed. He is even pausing for dramatic effect, attempting to stifle his own giggles. By this alone, Donghyuck can simply tell he is about to say something cheesy. He mentally braces himself. “you’re just my style?”

Donghyuck gasps in disbelief that Mark really did just say that. This is the boy he has crushed on for months now. Mark Lee, who does his makeup for him and wipes his tears away valiantly, stumbles over his words when Hyuck wears pretty makeup, and tells bad puns when all Donghyuck wants to do was kiss him. It’s premature to say, but in every sense of the word, Donghyuck is in love. “You loser.” Wanting to forget the disastrous joke, Donghyuck leans in to attempt to kiss him again—however, something blatantly stumps him, and he cannot seem to go through with anything until he receives a clarification. His eyes flutter from Mark's lips, then back up. He huffs in frustration before asking, “Just curious.. How long have you waited to say that?”

“Ever since I found out you were a design student, actually. So I guess you could say that this has been in the stitches for a while.”

Donghyuck outwardly groans a bit too loudly. But, who cares, he has had enough of Mark’s silliness, so he effectively shuts him up by sealing his lips with a kiss.

Chapter Text

“Hey, Renjun, what’d you get your boyfriend for the holidays?” Donghyuck is balancing his laptop on his lap, lazily scrolling through yet another website search.

The topic of conversation is random, and Renjun decides to not contribute to Donghyuck and his odd questions, knowing exactly where this may go. “Yukhei and Mark are two very different people, Donghyuck. If you’re hoping for advice on my behalf, I’d honestly suggest you seek elsewhere.”

“How much are they different? Let’s see,” Donghyuck places his laptop to the side hastily. He begins to tick the qualities off the tips of his fingers. “They’re both born in 99’, they’re both—”

“—Yukhei’s over 6 feet, Mark is 5..—”

Before Renjun can finish his sentence, Donghyuck fists the nearest decorative throw pillow and catapults it in his direction carelessly. Renjun, with the effortless ease he somehow manages to always have, dodges the pillow, laughing maniacally at Donghyuck’s poor effort.

“Don’t be an asshole!” Donghyuck’s whining now, flailing around in the comfort of his duvet. He kicks the blanket to the floor, to which Renjun spares an uninterested glance. “Help me here, seriously.”

Renjun is holding a charcoal pencil loosely within his grasp, gripping his sketchbook with his free hand. He seems utterly focused, but finds the time to reply to Donghyuck’s cry for help. “The fact that it’s the week before Christmas and you still haven’t bought Mark anything yet while he’s probably been hiding your gifts for months now is extremely telling.”

Donghyuck, understanding the underlying meaning of these words, gasps. “Are you calling me a bad boyfriend?”

“That,” Renjun points out, “is not what I said.” He waves his hand with indifference. “Now if that’s what you can take from that, then technically you said it, not me.”

“I already know he got my gift, he bought it in June! Two weeks after my own birthday he had parts of my Christmas gifts bought already.”

“Mark wouldn’t tell you that, so how do you know?”

“Johnny!” confesses Donghyuck, revealing his intimate source. “Why Mark chose him to go shopping with is beyond me, especially when considering he knows Johnny can’t keep a secret to save his life. It wasn’t hard to get the truth out of him, he told me Mark’s hiding my gifts at his dorm.”

“That should only make you feel worse, Hyuck. He bought everything way in advance, but you’re still scrambling.” Renjun tsks, tapping the end of his pencil against the paper. “Pathetic.”

“Well, help me out then, Mr. ‘I’m such a good boyfriend’! I already asked you; what’d you get Yukhei?”

“I’m not at liberty to disclose that information to you, in case you decide to pull something funny and tell him what I got.” Renjun shrugs. At some point, he discards his sketchbook to the side in favor of sitting up to give his attention to his best friend. From across the room Hyuck can see an intricate, but unfinished, drawing etched onto the ivory paper. He does not receive the chance to ask Renjun if it’s simply recreational drawing since classes are over, or.. “Why is getting something for Mark so hard? Get him a sweater or two from your store, a messenger bag, maybe a laptop desk.. Or, or, you can go to a kiosk and get his name engraved on a mug with a book or something. He’s an author, this should be child’s play, Hyuck.”

“Those are all such predictable gifts, though. It’s so hard because I want to get him something he’ll never expect, but something he deserves and will adore at the same time.” Donghyuck is venting in the form of a complaint. “I just don’t know what to get him that’ll make him so happy. And it’s not that I don’t pay attention to what he likes, I know everything from hoodies to sneakers to the very particular notebook brand he uses.”

It’s hard to get Lee Donghyuck down, but truthfully, seeing the emboldened blue zero hover over his shopping cart on Mark's favorite website sure gives his good mood a run for his money. Because not being able to find a single item for his boyfriend not only bruises his ego, but causes his stomach to feel entirely hollow. He just wants to return all the love Mark’s given him for almost a year now. How great of a boyfriend is he if cannot even do this?

This is what people who are not Donghyuck would call a crisis.

“Renjun,” Donghyuck whines, “I’m going through a crisis!”

“Then, I suppose you’ll need a Christmas crisis intervention,” Renjun suggests, before hastily adding, “I will not be the one to help with said intervention, but you should find someone to do that.”

“So, why are we here?”

Donghyuck never would have assumed that this giftervention (gift intervention) would be set in a fluorescent colored BaskinRobbins surrounded by six of his boyfriend’s closest friends.

“I need your help with getting Mark a Christmas gift.” And, as expected, he receives the cries of fury and confusion because how he hasn’t bought Mark anything yet?! “I know, I know, it’s bad. I have a little less than a week and I need to give him an amazing gift, something extraordinary! So, I called you all here to ask if he’d mentioned anything he really wanted to any of you.”

“When we went shopping a few weeks ago, he did not even say one thing he wanted! Not even when I asked him. All he said was that he’d get back to me once he thought of what he needed!” Yuta complains. He and Mark have been spending an awful amount of time together as of late, and Donghyuck is disappointed to hear that he hadn’t mentioned anything to him.

Jaehyun, who is swirling his creamy green tea flavored delicacy around with a hot pink spoon, adds, “I feel like we always just have to observe what Mark likes, and hopes he likes what we give him since he’s never crazy specific about what he wants.”

“That’s the thing though, I need a specific idea. I could think of a hundred tiny things I can get him, but I want something that he’s going to be knocked out of the park with!” Donghyuck picks at the strongly scented mango ice cream, spooning it into his mouth with no regard to the fact that it is dribbling down the side of his lip. He is frustrated, and ice cream stains are the least of his worries. He slams his cup down. “And really, he’s mentioned nothing? Not to any of you?” His eyes flicker between the two groups; Jaemin and Jeno, the friends Mark has had the longest, and Jaehyun, Ten, Johnny, and Yuta, the upperclassmen who have graciously kept Mark under their wings ever since he’d been a transfer years ago. They are all offering Donghyuck pitiful glances, knowing they are unable to aid him completely in his gift search. Except for Johnny, who Donghyuck can so obviously see is avoiding his gaze, fixating his eyes on the honey ribboned swirls in his ice cream.

Bullseye!

“Johnny Suh!” Donghyuck points him out, and Johnny glances up, startled. “You are hiding something from me! What did Mark tell you that you’re not telling me in my desperate time of need?”

“He was kind of just geeking out about it in excitement..” Johnny, disappointed that he’d been found out, shaves a piece of almond brittle that sits at the top of his dessert before shoveling into his mouth a spoonful worthy of inducing a brain freeze. He decides to spill everything in one go. “There’s this monthly gift box service that he’d been looking into, and it comes with a bunch of varied writing relating objects. Like, notebooks, stationery, coffee mugs with cheesy author quotes.. The company ships from the U.S. but the EMS was crazy expensive, so he said he was going to pass on it.”

It’s one of those oddly general gifts Donghyuck had been hoping to avoid, however if Mark expressed interest in wanting it, he figures that perhaps it’s an option worth exploring.

“Hyuck, I really think if you can’t get anything mind blowing because of the time crunch, Mark will be really happy with anything you get him.” Jeno, usually Mark’s voice of reason, slices through Donghyuck’s trickling thoughts. “Not to throw him under the bus, but he talks about you all the time. Just get him something nice that you think will be useful for the new year, and that should be fine.”

Donghyuck resists the urge to snicker. Of course Jeno can deal such advice; he’s dating Jaemin, and the two contain a different relationship dynamic than he and Mark do. Jaemin and Jeno have known and pined over each other for Christmases at a time now, so for them, gifts may not matter as much. However, this is Mark and Donghyuck’s first Christmas as a couple and, hoping to be together for a while, he wants to make the first one meaningful.

He settles, slumping back in his seat after Johnny so graciously offered him a lead. It is something, he supposes he cannot be ungrateful. Mark’s friends offer other vague ideas for gifts, such as expensive earbuds, or some apparel from the boutique Donghyuck is currently employed by. Although it’ll be a last resort, the latter idea isn’t terrible. Mark is often enthusiastic in wearing clothing picks from Donghyuck, so if everything falls through..

Donghyuck’s phone vibrates and illuminates with a notification. Spoonful of mango deliciousness melting in his mouth, he leans forward to take a peek.

[8:36 PM] from mark lee: Just finished my last essay of the semester!! So. I think we should celebrate!!
[8:37 PM] from mark lee: You + me + ice cream = your dorm in 20 minutes :)

Donghyuck offers a wistful glance at his dessert that now seems to be staring back at him with judgement.

[8:39 PM] from hyuck: sounds like a plan baaaaby! see u then.
[8:40 PM] from hyuck: get me mango btw.

“Boyfriend duty calls!” Donghyuck announces, pushing himself away from the table as he stands. He slides his cup of ice cream to the center of the table. “If anyone cares for the rest, consider it my treat for coming out to help me. Thanks, everyone!”

Donghyuck first thinks to inquire about the author gift box. That makes sense to him since being a writer is one of the aspects Mark cares about in his life. So when he’s on his thirty minute break at the boutique, he cracks open his laptop as soon as he’s a respectable distance away from the store front. Johnny, the lovable giant he is, had been oh so kind to direct Donghyuck to the website of the exact box Mark wants, and specify which one.

Before he scrolls through the website, he refers to Johnny’s texts from the previous day.

[wednesday, 6:54 PM] from johnny bear: last he told me he wanted the ultimate author box :)

“Ultimate author box..” Donghyuck mumbles to himself as he searches through the box assortments. He finds it, at last, at the end of the page since it’s the most expensive. For Donghyuck this holiday season, money is no issue when it comes to Mark; he’s set aside enough specifically to buy something nice for him. So, the fact that this box is in stock and available to be delivered makes Donghyuck believe he might be able to pull off a Christmas miracle. He’s relieved, and quickly adds it to the cart. He takes a moment to retrieve his debit card, prepared to enter it into the payment method tab when..—“What’s this?”

A dialogue box pops in the center of the page, disallowing him from making any additional changes. Just out of the sheer disbelief he has from the message, he mumbles the words under his breath, hoping the meaning might alter drastically. “‘The item you have chosen has been purchased by another customer, and unfortunately is no longer available’? ‘Please choose another item’?” Donghyuck gasps incredulously, frantically clicking all over the page in frustration. “No way! They’re lying to me, they have to be!”

His charming words have to be the way to aiding this situation, so Donghyuck decides the only solution is to start a conversation with a customer service representative. It’s very handy that they have the option available, Hyuck thinks as he opens the chat box.

Chat started
You are now connected to Chat Support Agent Doyoung

(Agent) Doyoung: Hello, thank you for contacting chat support! My name is Doyoung, what can I help you with?
(Customer) Donghyuck: Hi Doyoung, I was interested in buying the ultimate author box as a gift for my boyfriend.
(Agent) Doyoung: That's an excellent choice!
(Customer) Donghyuck: Yeah, he has wonderful taste. Obviously. Anyway, it was in my cart, but when I got to the payment step, it said somebody else already purchased it and it’s sold out.
(Agent) Doyoung: We usually recommend for our customers to load their payment information before for easy checkout, especially during peak holiday season.
(Agent) Doyoung: Unfortunately, there is nothing I can do if it’s sold out. You’d have to wait until we restock.
(Customer) Donghyuck: Which would be when, exactly?
(Agent) Doyoung: January 2nd.
(Customer) Donghyuck: What I supposed to do now, then?? My boyfriend really wanted this box :(
(Agent) Doyoung: Maybe you shouldn’t have waited until the week before Christmas when we sell out :(
(Customer) Donghyuck: ..Are you joking and mocking me chat support agent Doyoung?
(Agent) Doyoung: The joke writes itself if you’re venting to a chat support agent AND not quick enough in purchasing a gift.
(Agent) Doyoung: To really put the support in my chat support agent title, may I recommend Amazon?

Donghyuck, in frustration, shuts his laptop and tucks it underneath his shoulder—he does not even give chat agent Doyoung the courtesy to say thank you before exiting the chat! Despite having minutes to spare, he quite literally stomps back to the boutique. The evident is apparent in everything from the anger produced in the way his heels clatter against the floor, to his furrowed eyebrows.

Without this plan, he’s back to square one.

Or.. is he?

With so much time to spare, he decides to stroll up and down the aisles of the boutique that currently is his employer. He thinks it was Jaehyun who’d offered the idea of buying Mark apparel, and Ten the one who encouraged it. Of course he did, thinks Donghyuck, Ten is his assistant manager!

Oddly enough, despite working these very aisles several days a week, he is not able to find anything particularly inspiring. In other words, nothing is calling out to him. Perhaps it’s because he’s being picky enough as it is, so to combat his own dismissive opinion, Hyuck calls out for Ten to aid him in his search. “Hey, Ten!”

Ten appears from behind a rack of sweaters. “Hyuck?” He takes a confused glance at his watch before looking back up. “Didn't you go on break like 15 minutes ago? Why are you here?”

Donghyuck waves a hand dismissively, sighing wistfully. “Long story,” He says, not considering his online encounter with chat agent Doyoung worthy of a thorough explanation. “Do we have anything cool and fresh in a size medium?”

”’Cool and fresh’? In a medium?” Ten has to give him a once over before realizing Hyuck is not asking regarding anything for himself personally. Grinning, Ten’s tongue peeks out slightly in the way it does when he is teasing Hyuck. ”Oh, I see! You’re asking for Mark, aren’t you?”

“Yeah, I was gonna buy him that author box but it’s out of stock. So, I was hoping to maybe get him some nice sweaters. My idea is this,” Donghyuck begins to vividly paint his pitch to Ten. “I want sweaters that can be called ‘author chic’. Like, sweaters that if he spontaneously wanted to release a novel, he can wear them to go take some really quality author headshots.”

“That is.. oddly specific.”

Hyuck shrugs. “I have a lot of time on my hands to consider my boyfriend’s closet.”

“Well, I don’t think we have anything in store that matches your high criteria, Hyuck. It’s the holidays and we sold out of mediums fast. I can try and order some things you may like from the warehouse, but I can’t assure you they’ll be in by Christmas.” Ten informs him, and Donghyuck deflates yet again. “Sorry, Hyuck. But I’ll try my best, alright? I’ll go order things right now!” Ten disappears into the back, store laptop in hand.

Donghyuck is grateful for Ten’s efforts, really. However, he is so frustrated with both himself and this situation at this point that he wonders if his and Renjun’s dorm is empty, because he’d really like to scream into a pillow right about now.

So, Donghyuck realizes he spent an awful amount of time fantasizing about the perfect gift when he really did not have the time to. He has to forfeit his idea of purchasing Mark the most flawless gift to at least get him something of value. Ten is his knight in shining armor, having used his perks from being the vice manager of the better performing locations in the city to expedite shipping of Donghyuck’s orders. Sure, it might’ve been a little costly, since cashmere sweaters are not cheap, but at least he has something in his possession that Mark can use. That, in addition to some packets of Mark’s favorite notebook brand that Donghyuck’s ordered, should be enough for now.

Donghyuck swears to do better for Mark’s birthday in August. He’ll rent a whole island, or name a thousand constellations after him! (Although, Donghyuck thinks they’ll never compare to the beauty that is the happiness in Mark’s glittering eyes.) So, he settles for the cashmere and the bound notebooks.

It’s a few days before the holiday gathering where they’ll be exchanging gifts, and Renjun and Donghyuck are in their dorm, swapping ideas for snacks and drinks. It’s the first joint celebration with both of Mark’s friends Jeno and Jaemin, Donghyuck, Renjun, and his boyfriend Xuxi. It’s not a big celebration, but rather a small gathering of companionship that shouldn’t take too much time to plan. However, they somehow get extremely sidetracked.

“Donghyuck, I don’t understand how me choosing to biting into a string cheese determines that I’m evil. I don’t understand how they do these quizzes,” Renjun grumbles, eyebrows furrowed as he stares at his laptop, puzzled. He scoffs, “Me preferring crackers over cookies makes me a bad person? Alright, sure, Buzzfeed!”

“Why are you taking quizzes to determine if you’re evil or not? We already know you’re a perfectly darling angel, Renjun!” Donghyuck’s grinning. “Don’t hook me into this whole quiz thing, I’m trying to be productive here! I’m checking for the shipping confirmation for the notebooks I ordered Mark.”

“Oh,” Renjun hums noncommittally, and Donghyuck can hear the faint clicking sounds from his laptop. “they should be coming in soon, right?”

“Yeah.” Donghyuck nor Renjun continue the conversation, and he scrolls through his email as he searches for anything from the website he’d bought the notebooks from. However, he sees nothing but emails from various companies with silly promotions, or outdated pleas from college recruiters whose lists he forgot to unsubscribe to reaching out with formally vague subject lines like ‘I need to ask you something, Donghyuck..’ He is just about to exit the tab when a message from a sender he has been anticipating for months but forgot about due to the holiday season catches his eye: ‘Congratulations, Donghyuck!’ Heart pumping vigorously in his chest, Hyuck clicks open the email.

When the showcase earlier in the year had gone so fabulously well, many of the influencers and stylists alike who’d attended encouraged Hyuck to apply to different internships for the upcoming year. Taking their advice, he’d searched for many internships. Some were located in nearby Seoul or Tokyo, but others were stationed in different countries—continents, even! With cities like Paris, New York, Milan, the sky's the limit for Donghyuck. Before he’d applied seriously to any, he’d discussed the options with those most important people in his life: his family, Mark, and Renjun. Renjun and his family were both avid supporters of Milan and Tokyo, while Mark shyly opposed the decisions, being quite a big fan of New York and Paris.

They say to not mix business with pleasure, but Donghyuck would be lying if he didn’t prioritize entrance for the New York internship because of Mark’s pull towards. Obviously, Donghyuck has an incredibly strong head on his shoulders, and maintains that he did not base his application on the sole fact that New York is so much closer to Canada than Paris or Milan. That is only important because if Mark decides to accompany him for a few weeks, as they planned, he’d be able to visit his family.

Regardless of everyone’s opinions, the internship in Paris is secretly the one he wishes for the most. He’s sure the adoration for Paris was evident on his face when he discussed it with everyone a few months ago. He has this mirage like notion of Paris, and learning about his craft from some of the most credible names in the business sounds like an opportunity that could only further his potential career. Similarly, he has his own reasons to pull towards New York as well. He’s incredibly sure that the urban center of the tri-state will mold to him, and he thinks that he’ll be able to thrive in New York with his upbeat disposition and no nonsense attitude.

Which is good, because as this email states, he got into the New York internship.

..And the Paris one.

“Renjun.”

“One minute, Hyuck,” says Renjun. “I’m just about done with this quiz that’s going to tell me what planet I am. I’m really going for Mars.”

“Renjun!” There’s an urgency in Donghyuck’s tone that makes Renjun look up from his screen instantaneously. “I got in.” He does not have to say anything more, those words are vague enough for Renjun to know exactly what Hyuck is mentioning.

“Hyuck! This is amazing!” Renjun chucks his MacBook to the side—a bit too carelessly if you ask Hyuck, but this isn’t the time to discuss Renjun’s odd habit of discarding his items—before rushing over to sit beside Donghyuck on his bed. “Why don’t you look happy? This is all you’ve been talking about for months now, I thought you’d be ecstatic!”

He is, really, he’s also just very conflicted which makes it difficult to be as excited as he hoped for. He explains this much to Renjun as best as he possibly can.

“So, you’re happy you got into both Paris and New York, but you’re also upset because you’re unsure which to pick?” Renjun clarifies, and Donghyuck nods. “Well, that’s easy. You liked the Paris internship the best, anyone who even saw you talk about it for a minute knows that.”

It should be that simple, but it isn’t. “But, I liked the New York one as well! Enough that I think I’d be happy there in the summer if I ended up going there.” Renjun’s silence causes Donghyuck to groan, and he massages his temples with the tips of his index fingers. “He and I made plans about this. We’d talked me getting in to the New York internship and him coming along with me for the summer. We’d drive up to see his family on my free days, and on other days we’d just tour the city.” He’s faintly smiling at the thought of spending the summer under the New York sun doing the things he loves with the boy he cares for the most.

“Hyuck, you need to consider your options thoroughly. Do you want New York because it’ll be good for your career, or because it’ll be good for your relationship? Mark will wait, regardless of what you choose. You know that.”

Donghyuck shuts his laptop and shoves it underneath a throw blanket. He wants no part in thinking about this any longer, nor does he care to continue scrolling through his email. “I have to see Mark tomorrow, what am I going to do?” He covers himself with a pillow. “Renjun, I want to just sleep this off and not make any rash decisions now.”

“You have time, Hyuckie. You don’t have to say anything tomorrow.” Renjun’s tender hand pats Donghyuck’s head softly. He abruptly stands up. “I’ll make you some tea, then you can take a nap.”

In hindsight, maybe Donghyuck should not have left his dorm room door open. When Mark stops by, as he said he would, Donghyuck feels incredibly vulnerable in the position he’s found in; on the floor, wrangling the box of cashmere sweaters in wrapping paper that he’d picked up at a nearby store.

Not to mention the blatant fact that he hasn’t mentioned the entire internship dilemma to Mark yet. He just wants to spend genuine time with his boyfriend before he decides anything.

“Hey, Hyuckie! I brought you some snacks..” Donghyuck can recognize the way Mark swings the door open, because it’s not at all with the same force that Yukhei or Renjun usually has. The way the pet name escapes Mark is melodic to Donghyuck’s ears, and if he was not doing a very important task right now, he’d give all his attention to his considerate boyfriend—and then make fun of Mark for calling him Hyuckie, even if he secretly adores the way it slips off his lips. However, right now is not the time.

Donghyuck does not mean to startle Mark, really. However, as soon as Hyuck hears his voice, an instinctively shrill scream breaks free and echoes throughout the room, carrying into the hallway where Mark currently stands with barely one foot in the dorm. Scared and confused out of his mind between the yell and the loud thump that came with Hyuck throwing his body over the gift to conceal its discovery from his boyfriend, Mark stumbles out the door, the thin convenience store bag of snacks sliding out of his grip. Donghyuck, wide-eyed, throws a blanket over the gift before scrambling to his feet, seeking out his boyfriend. Unsurprisingly, he finds him directly outside the door, kneeling as he gathers the snacks that’d collapsed to the floor.

“Mark, are you okay? I didn’t mean to scare you!”

“I think I should be asking you that, you screamed as soon as I opened the door! What’s up with that?” Mark grumbles, eyebrows furrowed and lips pouted as he peers up at Donghyuck. “What were you doing that me opening the door caught you off-guard?”

“Nothing.” Donghyuck says it a bit too quickly, but Mark is smart. He picks up on that instantly, eyeing him with an unusual amount of suspicion.

“You’re lying.” Mark concludes.

“No I’m not.” Donghyuck retorts.

“Then,” Mark, now having collected all of the delicious belongings he’d purchased, stands to his feet. He folds his arms over his chest, a sort of pompous aura lingering around his stature as he gestures widely to the half-opened dorm door. “show me what you were doing, if it’s really nothing.”

Donghyuck scoffs. “I do not have to do anything of the sort, Mark Lee! It is practically 2020 and we’ve been dating for almost a year now, don’t you trust me?”

And, even with the odd turn of the conversation, Mark has the audacity to offer Hyuck a childish grin. He wags his fingers in Donghyuck’s face, saying, “You’re getting defensive, which you only do when you’re up to something. I know you, baby, like the palm of my hand. But, you’re right; I trust you wholeheartedly and completely, so consider the conversation dropped.”

Donghyuck breathes heavily, sighing in relief. “Thank you.”

Mark hums, and nods. “Now, I brought us a bunch of snacks, I was hoping we could maybe just watch a movie? I don’t have any finals or anything, so all I have is a bunch of free time that I was hoping,” Mark reaches out for Donghyuck’s hand, expertly entwining theirs together. “I could spend with my adoring boyfriend.” He’s grinning ear to ear. “What do you think?”

Donghyuck can never really say no to Mark, especially when he’s looking at him with that infectiously boyish smile of his. Even though he’d set aside this time to take a page from Mark’s Christmas method and prep for gift-giving season by wrapping, stuffing, and tying beautiful scarlet ribbons upon boxes, Hyuck thinks he can indulge Mark for now.

He figures that he’ll just finish the preparation after Mark leaves; Hyuck does not expect for this visit to be terribly wrong, so he anticipates having time to spare. So, Hyuck invites him back in—of course, only after having stuffed Mark’s gift underneath the bed.

But, hours later, they are still cooped up in Donghyuck’s dorm. Open snack bags litter the expanse couch where Mark and Donghyuck are curled together, their attention span barely focused on the movie they’d put on. Donghyuck gets up, at some point, maybe to grab the two a bottle of water from the mini-fridge; maybe not, he does not quite remember, always feeling the slightest bit hazy after Mark’s held him close to his chest.

“I really like this lipgloss.” Mark makes the comment in passing, complementing the sheen pink gloss that adorns Donghyuck’s lips. It’s new, and Donghyuck had recently purchased it completely on impulse.

“I’m glad.” Donghyuck showcases the gloss even more by flashing Mark a dazzling smile, sauntering back over to where his boyfriend is lazily sprawled upon the couch. Mark’s gazing upon Donghyuck’s standing figure in both expectation and anticipation; so what else can Hyuck do but deliver. It is the holidays and after all, isn’t showing gratitude one of the key factors to the season? After placing two water bottles on the floor, he takes a seat beside Mark, his nimble fingers sliding into his pocket to retrieve the tube of gloss he’d applied early. Hyuck twists at the cap to draw out the wand, shifting on the couch so that he’s kneeling towards Mark. “How would you feel if I put some on you?”

There’s a gleam in Mark’s eyes, and his eyes flicker to examine the shimmery pink gloss in the tube. Over the last year of their relationship, Mark has been subject to many experimentations with makeup, stimulated on Hyuck’s behalf. The mere thoughts of Mark’s eyelids being covered in glitter green eyeshadow or a faint yellow blush spread across the apples of his cheeks makes Donghyuck’s heart race quick enough to break an Olympic worthy record. And although Mark was initially adamant that he much preferred to admire the way the makeup looks upon his boyfriend’s face, he eventually became open to allowing to test certain things on him. So when Donghyuck asks now, Mark nods in intrigue. “Let’s do it.”

Donghyuck giggles, dipping the wand in the gloss a few times before leaning in to Mark. Hyuck’s pressed up against Mark’s side, his eyes focused on swiping the gloss across the curves of Mark’s lips. “It looks so pretty on you.” Donghyuck marvels, taking a second to appreciate his simple handiwork and how it shines on Mark. The shade isn’t overbearing at all; rather it’s subtle against Mark’s color, and pairs quite prettily with the plain white shirt that clings to his chest. “Mark Lee, you’re the prettiest person in the world.” He whispers, quietly, and his breath ghosts against Mark’s collarbones; and it's just enough to drive him wild.

“C’mere.” Mark reaches out for Donghyuck, his hands gripping his waist enough to drag him over towards him. Hyuck’s eyes twinkle, and he takes the initiative to seat himself comfortably on Mark’s lap. The pads of Hyuck’s fingers tiptoe all over, from the crook of Mark’s neck, to gliding the soft pads against the slight curve of his jawline. Mark’s eyes flutter closed, but he doesn’t allow himself to revel in the feeling. “I can’t be the prettiest when I’m so very sure that’s you, Hyuckie.” His gaze drops to Donghyuck’s lips, where the shine has dulled significantly. He grabs the tube of gloss, taking no haste in adding more to Hyuck’s lips carefully. He’s not at all a pro, though, and when the wand goes astray and a track of gloss is swabbed just under Hyuck’s lip, Mark’s thumb swipes to fix it. In response, his boyfriend’s breath hitches. “Pretty, pretty, pretty.” Mark’s hands press flat against Donghyuck’s back, making the boy shift forward enough so Mark can plant an open mouthed kiss against the base of his neck.

“Mark, you’re going to get lip gloss all over me.” It’s a low whine but hardly a protest, and Hyuck even tilts his head to one side, his pupils blown as he observes Mark leave a trail of butterfly light kisses against the side of his neck. The gloss leaves lip shaped marks everywhere that Mark’s lips go, from Hyuck’s jaw to all over his neck.

“That’s the point, Hyuckie.” Mark whispers, eyeing the pretty pale pink shapes that shimmer against Donghyuck’s skin. Mark’s fingers trail to the back of Hyuck’s neck, and he leans up to press a kiss to his lips; however, Hyuck stops Mark before he can.

“This is so wasteful,” chuckles Donghyuck, pressing his forehead against Mark’s. “using my brand new lip gloss and then just kissing it off.” His words contradict his actions, though, as his fingers firmly takes hold of Mark’s jaw before he leans in. “You’re so lucky I think you’re worth wasting every single drop of that gloss.”

“If you’re going to be drinking anything,” The night has barely started, and Renjun is already handing out warnings. “put the drinks on the coasters!” His thin fingers are waving the brown cork coasters in the air with a fiery passion, letting everyone in the room know that he means it.

As Renjun’s roommate, Donghyuck is already quite aware of the entire coaster dilemma, as he is the reason it originated. Hyuck once accidentally placed an iced cold glass of chocolate milk on a piece of paper he thought was scrap; however, it ended up being a sketch of Renjun’s, who threw a fit afterwards. Thus, the coaster solution was born. And without fail, one person always asks Renjun why the coasters are so important, and he goes on quite the tangent. Donghyuck usually ends up being teased for being careless but tonight, he’s already had a few glasses of cider in him prior, so he believes he’s ready for it.

However, the criticism never comes because Renjun never initiates it. Donghyuck is not seeking it out, really, but he takes a quick glance at Renjun just to observe his best friend’s actions. He notices then that Xuxi is stroking the side of Renjun’s neck as he speaks to him, which obviously soothes Renjun’s need to make fun of Donghyuck. There are ridiculously silly smiles on both of their lips, and they look
like the perfect portrait of a happy couple. Perhaps the matching sweaters Xuxi coerced Renjun into wearing with him is a factor in that, though.

He looks away with a faint smile upon his face. Donghyuck’s happy for Renjun, seeing his best friend so elated is an irreplaceable feeling.

Another couple, Jeno and Jaemin, are huddled close in a corner as they exchange words. They’re sipping what is either grape juice or wine, Hyuck cannot tell, and sharing a plate of snacks. Compared to Renjun and Xuxi who are fresh into their relationship—the honeymoon stage, so to speak—Jeno and Jaemin are entirely domesticated and settled with one another. It’s odd for a relationship this young to appear so committed, but Jeno and Jaemin somehow do it.

This makes him stand to consider; compared to these two couples, how do Donghyuck and Mark measure up? They’re not in the honeymoon stage any longer, yet it may be a bit of a stretch to call them a fully settled couple. However, one thing outshines it all; they’re otherworldly happy together. Dare Donghyuck say it, he’s as smitten with Mark Lee now as he was when they met over a year ago. He wonders if their relationship will be able to weather Donghyuck leaving. He almost believes it without a doubt, but there is always a small what if that creeps into his mind..

It’s as if Mark can feel that Donghyuck is thinking of him, because a feather light touch grazes his back before an arm coils around his shoulder. Even without looking, Donghyuck knows it’s Mark just by the way he pulls him into his side. “Hey, sorry I’m late!” He whispers, and Donghyuck reassures him with a fleeting kiss on the cheek. “Did I miss anything?”

“Nothing much. Although the highlight you did miss was that Renjun did not call me out about the coasters.”

“It’s a Christmas miracle!” Mark laughs.

“But hey, now that you’re here..” Donghyuck begins, speaking so low that Mark almost doesn’t hear him. That’s incredibly out of character for him, and probably the biggest indicator that something is wrong. “We need to talk..”

“Of course, Hyuckie!” Mark is always so pliable, so open towards him. He’s sipping his apple cider with a smile, then asks, “What’d you wanna talk about?”

Donghyuck is feeling a little hesitant as he mutters his reply. “I think it’d be better if we did this at your dorm..”

Now, Mark is perplexed at this idea, because there's rarely any subject between the two that cannot be broached in public. What's worse is that Hyuck sounds awfully serious, and that makes Mark the slightest bit jittery. Regardless, he nods and squeezes Donghyuck’s hand. “Yeah.. That’s fine.” Hyuck can feel his heart contract at the confusion in his voice, and he wonders how Mark will take the news. “We can go to my dorm in a bit since Xiaojun is with family for the holidays.” He presses a fleeting kiss to Donghyuck’s cheek, turning his attention towards Xuxi, who was enthusiastically telling the group a story.

Leaving, however, isn’t as easy as Mark and Donghyuck assume.

“You’re seriously leaving?” Jaemin asks the couple when they announce their departure. The scene is comical; Jaemin is spread out on the couch, his legs draped over Jeno’s lap as his hands pick from a popcorn bowl. “Guys, we didn’t even break out the board games yet! It’s barely 9:00!”

“Yeah, but Hyuckie and I need to talk about something. It’s really last minute, we’re sorry.” Mark apologizes sheepishly, a faint blush rising upon the apples of his cheeks. “We’ll come back tomorrow morning for breakfast, don’t worry, I promise.” Only because the holiday is so important to Mark, Jeno, and Jaemin always did breakfast with him on Christmas morning. Now that he is with Donghyuck, they again decided to combine their friend groups to continue a sacred tradition.

“Alright, as long as you’re promising..” Jeno murmurs, his fingers absentmindedly fiddling with the loose material of Jaemin’s pants. “Text when you get home to let us know you both got back to the dorms safe.”

“Yes please!” Renjun says, pointing in Jeno’s direction with an agreeable nod. “If you don’t, that just leaves us one thing to do: go over to your dorms. I don’t think you want that. We will camp out on your floor, Mark.” He glances over at his boyfriend. “Won’t we, Xuxi?”

“Yeah!” Xuxi choruses, an adorable smile on his lips. “I have a sleeping bag and everything.”

Renjun’s eyes lazily flicker to a fidgeting Donghyuck, and offers him the faintest smile of encouragement. Renjun is the only person at this point who is aware of two crucial things: one, of his internship news to begin with, and two, that today is the day Hyuck tells Mark.

“Yes, yes, we’ll text you.” Donghyuck’s words are dismissive, and his hands push on the small of Mark’s back. They head towards the door. “Goodnight, everyone!”

“You promise everything’s okay?”

Mark’s asked this about a hundred times from the time they left the dorm. Hyuck’s odd silence is seeming to finally get to Mark, hence the considerable amount of questioning. Now, as Mark is unlocking the door, he turns to ask Donghyuck again.

“Inside.” is all Donghyuck says to a distressed Mark, who pockets the keys after he fumbles with the lock.

The slamming of the door is confirmation enough that Donghyuck has to outright discuss this with Mark now, and that there is no room for delay. Mark is antsy enough, with his lips curled into a pout and his hands fiddling with the sleeves of his hoodie. Donghyuck, from across the room, sighs lowly; he wants to put Mark out of the misery that is the anxiety that comes with your partner saying the line “we need to talk”. So, he sheds his jacket, throws it off somewhere to the corner, and regroups with an awaiting Mark by his bed.

The issue is not if Mark will understand. Donghyuck knows that Mark will support him throughout his pursuit of a career in fashion, he’s made that explicitly clear over the last year. What Donghyuck is afraid of is the consequences that going away for a few months can do on their relationship. Generally speaking, Donghyuck and Mark are a strong couple. They’ve made it through the fall and winter of silly misunderstandings and odd fights at midnight, and reaped the benefits of sweet love in the spring and happiness in the summer.

But, they’ve never really been apart for too long since they began dating last year. The longest they’ve spent apart that Donghyuck can recall was when Mark, Jeno, and Jaemin went on a three day ski retreat with Yuta, Johnny, and Jaehyun in February. Thinking back, even then, Mark and Donghyuck were incessantly texting about how they missed each other. If three days and a few hours away was unbearable, how are they going to last months being continents apart?

What if the distance severs their relationship, and they stay together, but it isn’t the same when Hyuck returns? Or, even worse, Mark finds a wildly attractive author while Donghyuck is away sketching in Paris, and he realizes he’d rather spend his life word sparring than learning about fashion theory? Donghyuck almost cries at such a thought, it’s such a nightmare.

Mark knows that Donghyuck will spill his feelings now that he is the comfort and safety of Mark’s own dorm walls, as he so oddly requested earlier. He opens his mouth to speak, but instead Mark blurts out, “If you’re going to break up with me, I really wished you hadn’t done it on Christmas. I think this is a really sucky day to do something like this, but if you must..” Mark’s palms slap the surface of his chest. “Just hit me with the ‘it’s not you, it’s me’ and get it over with.”

Donghyuck’s eyes widen immensely. “Break up with you? Mark, is that what you think this is? I would never..” He’s flabbergasted that Mark Lee is so silly that he thinks Donghyuck would actually want to break up with him. “Why would you think that!”

Mark’s eyes glimmer sadly as he gazes upon Donghyuck’s confused face. “Well, you suddenly said you wanted to speak to me alone. Why would you say ‘we need to talk?’ Don’t you know that has such a negative, prelude to break up connotation? And.. And you were super quiet! Like, when is Lee Donghyuck ever quiet around me specifically? Never, unless you’re angry.” He breathes a sigh of relief. “But now that I know you’re not, I’m sure you and I can weather anything else, so!”

Donghyuck breathes out shakily, ready to broach the subject. “You know the internships I applied for?”

“..Mhm..?”

“I got accepted into the New York internship and the Paris one.”

In Donghyuck’s nightmare, this is the moment where the relationship shatters; Mark’s face would drop, and Hyuck’s stomach would lurch as the two awkwardly shuffle through their plans for the future—or lack of one.

But, nightmares are not reality.

And Mark, instead, is jumping for joy.

“Are you serious? Oh my God! Holy shit, Hyuck, this is what you’ve been waiting for! Look, look, see I told you that you’d get into these internships, I told you not to worry!” Mark is leaning over, enveloping Donghyuck in the safe confines of his arms. “I’m so proud of you, Hyuckie.” He whispers.

The words tug harshly on Donghyuck's heart strings. “You are?”

“Of course!” Mark leans back, reaching out for Donghyuck’s hands. Generally, Mark isn’t this touchy, so Donghyuck knows he’s genuinely happy when he gets all excited like this. “Why were you nervous to tell me?”

“Well,” Hyuck is running his fingertips over Mark’s palm, his lips forming a pout for how ridiculous his explanation is about to sound. “I knew we talked about going to New York together if I got in, but I really think I want to go to the one in Paris. And I was just nervous that maybe..” He sighs. “Maybe the time away would make you realize that you don’t like me as much as you thought, and that it’d be the end of our relationship.”

The dumbfounded look on Mark’s face only makes Donghyuck feel even more foolish, and out of instinct he buries his head on Mark’s shoulder. The fleecy wool of the hoodie rubs against his cheek, and it’s comforting to him; as is the soft laugh that reverberates from Mark’s chest. “Hyuck.. You thinking that us being a continent apart would make me do anything but miss you like crazy is the silliest thing. I’m here to support you, and if going to Paris is what’s going to make you happy, then..” Mark is rubbing the nape of Donghyuck’s neck. “Then I’m all for it. I’m going to be happy too. I will miss you though, not sure what I’m going to do for the summer without my daily dose of Vitamin D. This might just be the most dreary summer ever.”

“Go outside.” Hyuck snorts, nuzzling his head against Mark’s shoulder.

“Please,” Mark rolls his eyes. “the sun in the sky has nothing on you. Sure, one can make me feel all warm on the outside, but consider this, Donghyuck—”

Donghyuck sighs, knowing his boyfriend is about to say something so cheesy that it’ll be incredibly endearing. “—No, considerations, Mark.”

“I think yes Mark, instead.” He clears his throat, restarting his sentence. “The sun can make me feel all warm on the outside, but can the sun make me feel all warm on the inside?”

Donghyuck deadpans. “You know, maybe being on a different continent for a little bit is a good idea.”

And the laugh Donghyuck lets out as Mark jokingly tackles him is one full of happiness. A laugh that seemed impossible a few hours ago, when Donghyuck had been unjustifiably anxious over telling his incredibly supportive boyfriend something.

Later, after the two had settled in, Mark makes an inquiry. "This whole internship thing.. Is this why you've been all jittery lately?"

"Actually, no!" Donghyuck says. This is the truth, as the internship issue had not even been on Hyuck's radar until days ago. The main cause of his overwrought behavior in the recent weeks leading up to the Christmas holiday was because of his indecisiveness in purchasing Mark a gift. However, he almost let it slip his mind that he intends to give Mark his gift tonight rather than tomorrow morning. It's silly, but he wants the first gift that Mark receives this holiday season to be from him. So, he breaks from Mark's loose hold to rush towards his jacket, where he stashed the gift. They'd been snuggled together on the couch for at least an hour now, and Mark whines from the loss of heat and begs for Hyuck to return back. "I was worried about getting you the best present."

Mark rolls his eyes with the manner of a premature teenager. "I told you not to worry about that! I'd be happy with just about anything you give me." 

Donghyuck wags his finger in Mark's direction. "See, that's exactly what I thought you'd say! Even Jeno said you'd say that."  

"You asked Jeno for advice on what to get me for Christmas?" Mark's amused. 

"He's your best friend, of course I did!" says Donghyuck. "Well, actually, I asked a whole bunch of your friends. We all met up at BaskinRobbins when you were working on your final paper." 

"You met up with my friends to eat ice cream where I worked my ass off on a paper? I think this is betrayal." Mark scoffs. "Wait," He pauses. "the day I was working on my final paper, I brought you BaskinRobbins when I finished. Was that the same day?" There's no time for Donghyuck to answer, because Mark adds another layer of questions. "If it was the same day, does that mean you ate ice cream twice? Your stomach.." 

"I mean, my stomach did hurt a little bit after." Donghyuck waves his hands vivaciously as Mark pouts. "But, but, both you and mango BaskinRobbins are some of my favorite things on Earth, so it didn't bother me."

"Donghyuck," Mark sighs. "You didn't have to go through all this.." 

“But I did.” Donghyuck protests. “Mark, you mean so much to me, and you’re always so supportive through everything. I want to give you things you like, things that’ll make you happy, because that’s what you deserve.” He smooths his hands over the wrapping paper on the boxes, before handing them to Mark. "It's not much. I went through a lot of hoops to get you something you really, really wanted but then by the time I tried to purchase what I had in mind it sold out, and then there was this really unhelpful chat assistant.." Donghyuck shakes his head to rid himself of the memory. "Anyway, open it." 

When Mark opens the box, he is more enthused than Donghyuck expected him to be. How excited can one get over a cashmere sweater, and a pack of notebooks? They aren't the most engaging gifts, so Donghyuck assumed he'd receive a thankful response, but not one as cheery as what Mark is giving him. He raves over how soft the sweater is, and how he'd never been able to afford one for himself. "This is a great gift, why would you think otherwise!" Mark tsks. "And, it falls right in your ally. You got me something for my wardrobe." He holds up the notebooks, and says, "These too. They're always useful for when I'm in class. These are practical things I'll get good use out of, and I couldn't ask for anything more, Hyuckie. So, really, thank you. I think I'll wear this sweater tomorrow." 

The hilarity of the situation makes Donghyuck slump into Mark's lap. All this time he'd overexerted himself and his Naver search engine to hunt for the perfect gift for Mark, when he should have listened to what everyone had told him initially, and what he'd been hearing all his life; the thought is truly what matters, not how much is spent or how seemingly perfect the item is. It's the fact that Donghyuck cared enough to take so much time to make Mark happy. With Donghyuck's head cradled carefully in his lap, Mark's fingers stroke the side of his boyfriend's head. The action itself is actually a bit harsh and kind of messy, but Mark is trying to be sappy and create a moment, so Donghyuck ignores that Mark is practically giving him an intensive head massage. His eyes flutter shut. "I'm happy you like the gift, Mark." 

"I'm glad that you're glad that I'm glad that I like your gift." Mark smiles proudly. 

"You said glad too many times in that sentence, I ought to take the gift back." 

"No take-backs!" Mark pushes the box far out of Donghyuck's grasp, in case he is serious. (He's not.) "Sorry to not be a rule breaker, but you're getting your gifts tomorrow like everyone else, Hyuckie." 

"That's boring." Donghyuck sticks his tongue out jokingly, bearing his teeth a bit with a wide smile. "But, I'm okay with it. We can exchange after I tell everyone I'm going to Paris, I guess." 

"Yeah." says Mark, humming lowly. "I wonder how everyone'll take it." 

“So, everyone, I’ll be going to Paris in the summer.”

The sudden announcement brings gasps from all in the room who had not been informed beforehand of such news; which, in short, is every single person minus his best friend Renjun and boyfriend Mark, who knowingly glance at each other. On the opposite sides of the spectrum, Jaemin and Xuxi are both babbling and swinging their arms in disbelief, while Jeno is offering Donghyuck a blank stare in surprise. 

It’s Christmas day, and Mark and Donghyuck are gathered for a celebratory breakfast along with Jeno, Jaemin, Renjun, and Xuxi. They invited the rest of Mark’s friends, but since the dorm does not have enough space to fit so many tall men—which really is just Johnny, and Donghyuck supposes Jaehyun as well—they all plan to meet a bit later. For now, Donghyuck tells this group first.

Which makes sense to him, especially because he’s become quite close to Jeno and Jaemin over the last few months, with them being the same age and all. Donghyuck and Renjun hang out with Jeno and Jaemin often now, which maybe would bother Mark if he hadn’t taken such a liking to Xuxi; oddly enough, the two bond in a way that makes their interactions seem downright comical while also oddly adorable.

“Paris, Hyuck?” Jeno asks, masking his surprise by sipping from his glass of juice. “You know, something about that fits you really well. I think you’re going to have an amazing time!”

“Although, Mark might die.” Jaemin comments noncommittally, too busy using a large serving spoon to scoop large amounts of freshly made rice onto everyone’s plate. “Everything now is ‘Donghyuck this’, ‘Donghyuck that’, so with you gone for almost three months.. You’ll come back and Mark’ll be bedridden from devastation.”

“Nana, I think you can’t talk, actually. You cried when Jeno went on a two day retreat for Model UN last year.” Mark points out.

Jaemin shrugs, not at all embarrassed. “No shame in my game! Sue me instead, loverboy.”

“He FaceTimed me so he could sleep that night. Not going to lie, it was really cute.” Jeno recalls the memory fondly.

Mark laughs especially hard, and Jaemin takes offense. “Don’t laugh, Mark! Me last year is only a fraction of what you’ll be this summer. Get ready to adjust to pixelated FaceTimes and sleepy late night calls because of time zone differences. This will be your reality, while I’m at the dorm cuddling with my boyfriend as we watch that European baking show on Netflix.”

“And I’m totally prepared for it.” smiles Mark, gripping Donghyuck’s hand tightly underneath the table. “If Hyuck is happy, then I’m happy and excited too.”

Xuxi exclaims at the overload of sweetness, flailing around in his seat. “This is so cute, man! Mark and Hyuck," Xuxi pauses for dramatic effect, and leaves the entire table staring at him in waiting. "don’t let the ocean drown your love!"