Chapter Text
Lee Donghyuck has been asking his mom to move to a different neighbourhood ever since he started high school. Why? Because it’s the worst. Especially to Donghyuck who dislikes walking. So here is the actual reason why he despises their neighbourhood with a passion:
First, their house is located at the far end of their neighbourhood. This is why he never invites his friends over. He knows they’ll just get tired and would never think of going back again to his house.
Second, before you can actually get to their house, you’ll have to pass through a downhill and an uphill first. This is how he started to dislike walking. The downhill is fine, sure. But the uphill? He never gets to the top without panting and sweating halfway.
Third, it takes too much of his time. When Donghyuck was in 7th grade, he started going to cram schools. Donghyuck is a big grade conscious that he had to beg his mom to put him to a Math, English and Korean language cram school. Because of this, Donghyuck gets home really late and the uphill and downhill that he had to go through makes him more tired. He honestly had invested more time in walking than sleeping. In the first year of doing all that, he was able to endure the tiredness. Donghyuck actually thought he would get better grades if he gets more time to study and to sleep the reason why his mom started driving him to and picking him up from school.
Lastly, he never had a chance to see the good looking guys that his classmates were always talking about. When he introduced himself to the class in 9th grade, he instantly became a celebrity after he uttered the name of the neighbourhood he’s living in. Apparently, almost all of the “heartthrobs” in their school also lives there. However, the fame didn’t last long when he told his classmates he’s not close, didn’t even know they existed, with any of those guys they were talking about because he rarely leaves the house. Donghyuck’s mom has been driving him to school since 8th grade and when his mother is busy, he’d just hitch a ride with his childhood friend, Na Jaemin, whose mom also drives him to school. He's gay but he's stuck with Renjun, his long-time crush, because he’s too lazy to walk around and look for the cute guys who live in the neighbourhood. Tragic.
But tonight is different.
Lee Donghyuck is walking in the middle of the night to go to the convenience store to buy a fucking toothbrush. His dumb ass dropped his in the toilet bowl this morning. He decided to call his mom and ask her to buy him a toothbrush and to his luck, his mother said she won’t be back until tomorrow afternoon. And to think that he also couldn’t find a spare after looking through all the cupboards in the bathroom and in the kitchen. Great. Since he was too lazy, it took him hours to decide if he should go out or just live with a bad breath forever.
Donghyuck haven’t brushed his teeth the whole day and it was a Sunday which means he has school the next day and there’s no way in hell that he would go to school without brushing his teeth. That’s disgusting. And what would Renjun say if he smells it? Just thinking about it makes Donghyuck want to scream and hide in his room for a thousand years. He can wait until next morning but Donghyuck never wakes up early. Much more if the only reason to wake up early is to walk and buy a toothbrush.
Donghyuck thought he wouldn’t have a problem with walking if their neighbourhood didn’t have a complicated (not really complicated but it is for Donghyuck) and tiring road.
In a hoodie and sweatpants, Donghyuck walks in their quiet neighbourhood. The streets are lit with the streetlights which make the said boy a little less scared. Distant barks of dogs and quiet chatter are heard from his neighbours’ houses. Donghyuck grew up in this neighbourhood. He used to love running around with Jaemin when they were kids. Donghyuck never complained about the roads then. He actually loved the thrill whenever he goes down on that downhill with his bike and the struggle that he feels in the uphill. Donghyuck loved all that. Obviously, it all changed.
Donghyuck thought of texting Jaemin and ask him if he could go to the convenience store and buy him a toothbrush but the latter haven't been replying to his texts since the previous day. Donghyuck thought that maybe Jaemin got his phone confiscated by his mom again because of his grades. Jaemin, unlike his bestfriend, never cared for his grades but his mom obviously does. He studies, sure. He's happy when he gets a good grade and when it's not, he's fine with it. Grades don’t define who i am, Hyuck-ah, Jaemin told him when he once offered to tutor him in math.
Donghyuck jumped at the sudden bark of a dog from a house he just passed by. Geez.
Donghyuck was scared to walk alone before because there were no streetlights but ever since their town leader changed, their neighbourhood became pretty nice than before. Except the roads, Donghyuck thought. And he wouldn’t really get that scared because their neighbourhood is a safe place. The crime rate is literally 0%.
At this moment, Donghyuck is unaware to the person walking behind him. The said person has been following Donghyuck a second after the latter started walking uphill. The unknown man approached the brunette quietly.
Donghyuck was about to check the time on his phone when he felt a hand on his shoulder. “Dude, what the fuck?” He shouted while holding his phone tight in his right hand. Thank god he didn’t throw his phone from the shock. It’s Donghyuck’s second phone this year and his mom won’t buy him another one if he breaks it again.
There is a man, almost as tall as he is, standing in front him. Donghyuck cannot see his face clearly because he got a hood over his head and a mask.
“Uh, do I know you?” Nice. This is a perfect example of a question when you meet a potential killer. The stranger took off his mask and pulled off his hood. Is he going to rob and kill me? Is that why he’s confidently showing off his cute face? Forgive Donghyuck for saying that but the potential “killer” is indeed cute.
“Please don’t kill me.” He started to get nervous. This man was obviously not from their neighbourhood. He’s just too cute. Or does this guy belong to those “heartthrobs” that his classmates were talking about? But he haven’t seen or heard about him at school before. Guess the first crime in their neighbourhood will happen tonight. What a plot twist. Donghyuck started rambling. “I mean, I’m nice. I’m a nice person. I always give Jaemin and Renjun the beans from my lunch because they love it and I absolutely hate it. And I’m smart. I’m always at the top of my class. Also, I’m the only person my mom has. What would my mom feel when she gets home tomorrow and find out that his beloved son is dead? Please don’t kill me. I don’t deserve to die.” He finished, his chest going up and down from saying all that in just one breath.
The raven haired man was looking at him with a slight amusement in his eyes. The said man scratched the back of his head and handed him a handkerchief. “Don’t worry, I’m not a killer.” He chuckled. “You dropped this.” It took Donghyuck approximately 30 seconds before looking at the handkerchief (He was too busy staring at the cute guy in front of him).
“Oh, um, uh it’s not mine? I don’t remember getting a handkerchief before going out.” Donghyuck stuttered. Donghyuck, usually a confident bitch, stuttered. Unbelievable.
“Yeah? I saw it drop when you pulled out your phone from your hoodie’s pocket earlier.”
“You’ve been following me this whole time?” Donghyuck looked at the cute guy in front of him suspiciously. Is he a stalker? A guy like this is stalking me? Impossible. Donghyuck thought.
Mark, the cute guy, noticed the suspicion that is slowly clouding the brunette’s eyes. “No, I’m not a stalker.” He said immediately. “Bro, you need to stop jumping into conclusions. You accused me of being a killer literally 3 minutes ago.” Mark slightly frowned at him.
Donghyuck grabbed the handkerchief from Mark’s hand and stopped looking at him. He felt a bit bad so he apologized. “Sorry, but you can’t really blame me. You scared the hell out of me earlier.” He nudged the raven’s shoulder.
Donghyuck started walking and Mark soon followed.
“Are you going somewhere?” Donghyuck asked.
Mark was walking with his head down. “I’m actually on my way home.” He glanced at Donghyuck whose eyes were on the road ahead of them. To Mark’s surprise, the brunette quickly looked at the raven when he heard what he said.
“Home? You’re from here?” Donghyuck asked.
Mark nodded. “You sound…..surprised?” He said, unsure of the expression that Donghyuck is showing him right now.
“Are you from my school? Are you one of those ‘heartthrobs’ my classmates were talking about?” Donghyuck asked still sporting that surprised look on his face.
Mark was weirded out by the sudden interest that Donghyuck was giving him. “Uh, I go to Hankook University. Do you go there too? And also as far I know, I’m not in a group called Heartthrobs.” Mark answered.
“So you’re a college student.” A sudden realization hit Donghyuck. “That makes you older than me, oh my god, I’m so sorry for being so disrespectful earlier, hyung.” He bowed to the older guy.
Mark chuckled. “How old are you?” He asked.
“I’m 18.” Donghyuck answered formally.
“Well, I’m 19. I’m not that old so drop the formality.” Mark patted the younger’s head who is still bowing in front of him.
Donghyuck straightened his back and caught Mark by surprised to his sudden change of attitude. “Thank God.” He sighed in relief. “It would be so awkward talking formally to a guy who actually looks younger than me.” And that is a fact. Mark has a baby face.
//
“Well, this is my stop.” Mark suddenly said, after a long moment of silence (Donghyuck wanted to talk to the cute guy so bad but he couldn’t think of any topic), when they got to the Lee’s residence.
“You’re related to Taeyong-hyung?” For the nth time tonight, Donghyuck is once again surprised.
“He’s my cousin.” Mark answered.
“But I haven’t seen you before. Not even once. I always come over to hang out with Taeyong-hyung.” Taeyong has always been a great hyung to Donghyuck. The former used to babysit Jaemin and Donghyuck when they were kids. When they got older, they would sometimes hang out at Taeyong’s house because he loves cooking for the younger kids. Donghyuck is the one who often comes over though because Taeyong is not only a great cook, but also a great musician. He would always help Donghyuck whenever the younger is having trouble with his music.
“Taeyong was the one who comes over our house in Seoul. But now that I’m a bit older, I decided that I should be the one who’s coming over now.” Mark shrugged.
“So, you’re not really from here?” Mark nodded. “I knew it. I would have exerted a little effort to walk if I heard a cute guy like you lives here.” He whispered the last part. Donghyuck is a confident gay but not that confident.
“What was that?”
“Nothing. You should go now, hyung. It’s getting late and I still have somewhere to be.” Donghyuck just realized that he is indeed going somewhere when he said that.
“Goodnight, then.”
“Goodnight, hyung.” He waved at the older guy and started taking the path to the convenience store.
Donghyuck finally arrived at the convenience store and guess who he saw when he entered? The Great Na Jaemin. The said guy had his back on Donghyuck, too busy checking the ingredients of the product he was holding. Donghyuck stomped his way towards his bestfriend.
Donghyuck tapped Jaemin’s shoulder and said, "You couldn’t even text me to say that you're in the convenience store?" Jaemin turned to him.
"Well, hello to you too my dear friend and why would i do that?” He raised an eyebrow at Donghyuck then went back on reading the ingredients of a yogurt drink. “Just because I’m your bestfriend, doesn’t mean I need to tell you my whereabouts." He said, still scanning the calories percentage in the yogurt drink he was holding.
"You're so annoying." He rolled his eyes at Jaemin and left him to look for a toothbrush.
Jaemin followed him to aisle where the toiletries are. “Why are you wearing my hoodie?” He asked his bestfriend.
Donghyuck glanced at the hoodie that he was wearing and looked at his bestfriend. “This is yours?” He asked, pointing at what he was wearing. Jaemin always sleepover to his house and vice versa so their clothes often get mixed up.
“Yes, you fool. Yours is the black and yellow one and that red and black is mine.” He explained, reminding Donghyuck of the couple hoodie that they bought last summer.
“Oh.” was the only thing Donghyuck could say. He started looking for the toothbrush when Jaemin decided to ask something again.
“By the way, could you check if there’s a handkerchief in the pockets? It’s my lucky hanky and I lost it last week. Though, I’m not sure if I lost it at your house or Renjun’s.”
Donghyuck showed him the handkerchief that he dropped earlier. “This one?”
“Yes!” Jaemin grabbed it. “I’ve been looking for you.” He said to his handkerchief.
Wow. That explains the situation that happened earlier that night, then. Donghyuck was sure he didn’t bring anything with him when he went out aside from his phone and wallet. If that cute guy didn’t see it, what would have happened to Jaemin?
Deep inside Donghyuck, he’s actually thankful for Jaemin. If the latter really did tell the former his whereabouts, Donghyuck wouldn’t even bother leaving his house. He could just ask Jaemin to buy him a toothbrush and bring it to his house. If that happened, he wouldn’t have seen that cute guy (as he likes to call him) in all his glory.
For once in his life, Jaemin actually did his job as Donghyuck's bestfriend and that is introducing (sort of) a potential boyfriend to him.
Thank you, Na Jaemin.
Donghyuck went home with Jaemin after they bought what they needed (Jaemin ended up buying a wheat bread because it was the only food that wouldn’t affect his diet that much.). Donghyuck found it odd that his bestfriend went out late at night just to buy a wheat bread so he decided to ask him about it. Well, I was starving. I ate salad the whole day. This diet is killing me. His bestfriend whined. Donghyuck told him that he should have a proper meal and that the guy doesn’t actually need to go on a diet. You’re like the sexiest guy in our grade, Nana, Donghyuck said that made his bestfriend blush.
Once Donghyuck got home, he received text messages from Jaemin.
hey bff u should use that toothbrush u bought immediately
(22:45)
its a miracle i didnt die from smelling ur breath earlier
(22:45)
im guessing you had a bbq party on your own all by yourself
(22:46)
the smell of garlic was so strong hyuckie
(22:46)
so you decided to reply to my texts now?!?!?!
(22:47)
It hit Donghyuck.
Bad breath.
He talked to the cute guy with that breath.
How could he forget?
And how could he be such a fool to not ask him for his name?
Perhaps I’m booboo the fool.
Ugh.