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Donghyuck likes things to be done right or not at all. He’s always been a “go big or go home” kinda guy, unable to understand how others go through life so lazily. Contrary to popular belief, Donghyuck isn’t lazy. He’s efficient. He makes things happen. He knows what he wants and he’s not afraid to go and get it; that is, if he’s confident he can succeed.
His tendency towards perfectionism is usually something Donghyuck takes pride in, but right now it’s kicking him in the ass. Donghyuck likes things to be done right or not at all, and at the moment “not at all” seems the most likely option. His failure is not for a lack of trying - because he’s trying so fucking hard - it’s just that Mark Lee is the single stupidest human being on this planet.
Unfortunately, Mark Lee is also the single most charming human being on the planet, and Donghyuck refuses to give up on him.
“What am I doing wrong?!” Donghyuck wails, dramatically throwing himself across his best friend Renjun’s lap. It’s late in the afternoon, and he’s just returned from yet another unsuccessful flirting attempt.
Renjun pats his head sympathetically. “I don’t know, Hyuckie,” he says. “Maybe he’s straight? I mean, this is what, the sixth time this has happened?”
Six times.
Donghyuck has tried to ask Mark Lee out six times, and failed... six times.
Six.
Times.
“Ugh,” Donghyuck whines into the fabric of Renjun’s shirt. Of course it’s possible Mark Lee is straight, but he somehow doesn’t think that’s it. He has this feeling, and Donghyuck’s gaydar is almost never wrong. “I don’t know. Maybe.”
“You just need to try again,” Renjun says. He sounds much too optimistic given the circumstances, but that’s what Donghyuck likes about Renjun. He knows exactly when to enable him and when to hold him back from doing something irreparable. Renjun has this wisdom that somehow transcends reality, and Donghyuck trusts him indefinitely. If he says to try again, then try again he will.
“Seven’s a lucky number, you know? I bet he’ll come around.”
Donghyuck closes his eyes and decides to put fate into luck’s hands.
“He fucking better.”
“Hey, Donghyuck, thanks for lending me a pencil! I swear I always forget one, haha. Gotta stop doing that.”
Mark Lee is the epitome of adorable, Donghyuck thinks, as he hands his pencil back with a goofy grin. Their fingers brush ever-so-slightly during the exchange (perhaps on purpose, perhaps not) and Donghyuck has to stop himself from sighing wistfully.
“Of course, no problem,” he says. “You know, at this point, I’d almost say you’re purposefully forgetting them as an excuse to talk to me.” He gives Mark a teasing grin, fingers tapping playfully on the desk between them.
Mark immediately blanches as Donghyuck’s flirtatious tone goes right over his head. “What? No,” he protests. His brow furrows in confusion and concern, and Donghyuck wishes he didn’t find it so fucking cute. “Why would I need an excuse to talk to you? We’re friends, aren’t we?”
Fucking Mark Lee and his stupid fucking pea brain. “Of course we’re friends,” Donghyuck backtracks, desperately willing away the blush that’s threatening to crawl up his neck and onto his cheeks. “Don’t worry, Mark. I was just teasing.”
Mark actually lets out a sigh of relief. As quickly as it had left, the goofy grin returns. Donghyuck smiles back meekly.
“Good! I don’t know what I’d do if you didn’t like me, Duckie.”
Time nearly stops then, as it does every time Mark Lee says something unbearably sweet to him (which is, unfortunately, much too often). It’s comments like these that send Donghyuck’s heart into overdrive, that set fire to whatever tiny semblance of hope he still holds in his grasp. If it weren’t for Mark Lee’s gigantic heart of gold, Donghyuck thinks he may have given up on this crush long ago. But as long as Mark keeps giving him crumbs, he’s going to keep begging for a full meal.
Seven is a lucky number, he hears Renjun’s voice echo in his head. Just do it. It can’t be any worse than when he brought his sports bros along on your movie date.
Donghyuck takes a deep breath, and plunges.
“Hey, Mark?”
Mark’s smile doesn’t falter. “Yeah, Hyuck?”
“I’ve been meaning to ask… um…” Donghyuck clears his throat. Well, here goes nothing. “Date tomorrow?”
So he only got a few of the words out. At least it’s something.
“Date?” Mark repeats, and Donghyuck thinks he might vomit. Please say yes. Please say yes. Please say ye- “It’s the 12th tomorrow.”
Donghyuck feels the Earth open up beneath him and swallow him whole. He forces a smile onto his face and throws a “thanks” in Mark’s direction before hastily gathering his things. He’s up and out of his seat in record time, spouting excuses about his next class as he waves goodbye to both his crush and the last shred of his dignity.
“No problem,” Mark calls after him, looking a little confused but otherwise no worse for wear.
Luck is a bitch.
“I swear to god, Renjun, I’m going to kill him.”
It’s his only option at this point: Mark Lee won’t date him and so he has to die. Donghyuck hopes Renjun is ready to change his name and move across the world with him, because they’re going to need to go into hiding after the dark deed is done. Donghyuck doesn’t want to kill Mark, of course he doesn’t, but he’s seen too much. No one embarrasses Lee Donghyuck seven times and lives to tell the tale, no matter how cute their smile is.
“Stop being a dramatic little bitch,” Renjun rolls his eyes. “I can practically hear your thoughts from here.”
Donghyuck thinks it is perfectly within his rights to be a dramatic little bitch about this, thank you very much. He flicks Renjun on the forehead and expertly dodges the hand that lashes out in retaliation. He may be in distress, but he’s still got the reflexes of a cat. “Stop eavesdropping on my thoughts, then,” he spits. “What am I supposed to do, Injunnie? It’s like he’s never heard of flirting in his life.”
“Maybe you need to stop flirting, then,” Renjun shrugs. Donghyuck looks at him like he’s grown two heads, and Renjun rolls his eyes again. “I don’t mean give up. I mean stop trying to be all coy. Just tell him straight up that you like him, romantically, and wanna kiss him on the mouth and stuff. There’s no way even Mark Lee could misunderstand that.”
Donghyuck considers this for a moment. He knows his best friend is right, as he usually is, but something about being so direct makes his insides churn uncomfortably. He could hardly get out a full sentence last time; how is he supposed to confess his feelings coherently without literally dying?
“Do it, coward. Watching you isn’t even funny anymore, now it’s just sad.”
Sad.
Donghyuck is known for being many things, but sad isn’t one of them.
Well, here goes round eight.
Renjun is right. This is borderline pathetic, and it needs to end.
And so Donghyuck decides he’s done playing around. The next time he sees Mark, he marches right up to him and jabs him hard in the chest.
“Hey, you,” he says, lifting his chin up in an attempt to portray dominance.
Mark stares at him like a deer in the headlights. “Hey? Me?”
“Yes, you,” he jabs again, and Mark stumbles backwards slightly. Donghyuck barrels on forward before he can change his mind: “Would you like to kiss me?”
Mark Lee’s eyes are wide and the tips of his ears are red, and Donghyuck knows he understands this time. He can see the shock and recognition clearly written on his face. He braces himself for the final rejection (because really, if this doesn’t work, he may as well give up for real) and waits for an answer.
“I…” Mark splutters, and Donghyuck can already feel his heart deflating. But then Mark continues, and he’s not entirely sure what to feel. “Okay.”
Donghyuck blinks. “Okay…?”
“Yeah. Okay.” Mark is shy now, staring at the ground and scratching at the back of his neck, and Donghyuck nearly croons. “I’d love to kiss you.”
“Holy shit,” Donghyuck blurts, and he can’t help it - he starts to laugh. Mark looks up at him, confused and embarrassed, but he’s too far gone to care. “I can’t believe that’s all it took. After everything I’ve tried… and you…” he takes a big, deep breath between shudders of laughter, clutching his chest. “You’re serious?”
He’s never seen Mark Lee’s face this red, and boy, is it adorable. “Uh… yes? Why, are you not? I’m sorry, if this is a joke it’s not a very funny one…”
“No, no!” Donghyuck reaches out and holds onto Mark’s arm, partially to steady himself and partially to comfort Mark. “It’s not a joke. I really want to kiss you. I just can’t believe you feel the same. I think I’m in shock.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah.”
The two boys stare at each other, blushing and blinking and laughing. Donghyuck is over the moon as he steps forward and places the smallest kiss to Mark’s mouth, shy and sweet. Mark trails after him when he pulls away and Donghyuck feels his heart squeeze.
“Wait,” Mark says later, as they’re walking hand in hand across campus. “What did you mean, after everything you’ve tried?”
Donghyuck suppresses a laugh. Mark Lee really is the stupidest motherfucker on Earth. “You’re so lucky you’re cute, Markie,” he says, reaching up to pinch his cheek.
Mark blushes, but the confusion is clear on his face.
“Huh?”