Chapter Text
It’s a Sunday, the day Mark first goes to the underground.
He’s standing beside his cousin on the subway, unable to keep still. Jeno’s dark hair is damp, falling into his face, barely covering his black eye. Despite the bruise, he still earns admiring looks from the girls (and a few boys, Mark notes), who trail their eyes over his jaw and the hint of muscles beneath his leather jacket. Jeno isn’t paying them much attention – instead, he’s staring ahead with a barely there smirk. He’d been excited to bring Mark to the underground. He had talked his cousin’s head off about it for weeks before Mark finally gave in.
At first, he had been cautious.
Mark knew his cousin to be a good person, overall. Jeno did well at the university, he was polite and kind to everyone he met, and Mark had fun when they were together. But then his cousin began to show up with bruises, a newfound smoking habit, and a certain… aggressive air about him that made Mark both worried and confused by the sudden nature of his cousin’s change. But, bruises and nicotine addiction aside, somehow Jeno was still the same, despite his new habits. He still remained at the top of his classes, he still smiled politely whenever Mark’s mother would invite him over for dinner, and he still let Mark win the basketball game at the arcade out of pity.
But it was still difficult to ignore the way he pulled out cigarettes without warning and then there was the fact that the once patient, sweet Lee Jeno, had become extremely easy to set off. The thing that set him off the most, or rather, the person that stirred up this rather unpleasant side of his cousin was his friend that he only referred to as “Nana”, and he did so with such fond carefulness and an almost delirious smile that it made Mark wonder just how much of an influence this “Nana” had over his cousin.
He soon found out that Jeno liked Nana, so much that he got upset when he got too close with other people. Mark has had plenty of nights where he’s crawled out of bed and opened his room door to find a dejected Jeno standing there, bruised and sometimes bloody, ready to rant about how yet another boy has asked Nana out and, jealous and upset, Jeno had ended up fighting them. It was a continuous cycle that left Mark confused and worried for his cousin until one night, they came back to their dorm drunk, stumbling into Mark’s room.
The two boys had collapsed on his bed, lying beside each other in content, drunken silence until Jeno had hiccupped and slurred out a quiet, “Hyung?”
Slowly, Mark had looked over at his cousin to find the other boy staring up at the ceiling with low, tired eyes.
“I like him so much, it scares me sometimes.” The confession had been quiet, even in the silence of Mark’s room.
And Mark himself already knew that his cousin had been thinking of the one person he always thought about when he wasn’t concerning himself with school or being the best person that he could be to those around him. That night, Jeno had cried and Mark had done his best to console him (which mostly meant a few awkward pats on the back and telling horribly corny jokes until Jeno finally laughed, face flushed as he told Mark that he was embarrassing). But that night, Mark also wondered what it was like, to like someone so much that it hurt. He’s not sure if he wants to find out.
He’s never really had anyone special in his life, now that he thinks about it. It’s always just been normal – it’s always just been Mark.
In middle school, he hung out with his few friends that only included a few more people in high school, but mostly everyone liked him. He lived in a normal suburban neighborhood where his parents treated him well, and his neighbors adored him. When college rolled around, not much had changed. Mark decided to study biology, and to his relief, a year later, his cousin Jeno got accepted to into the universities’ kinesiology program. They became roommates and college got a bit less lonely for Mark. But now, Jeno has been spending less time at the dorm and more time at places that he refused to tell Mark about – at least, until today.
Now, after dragging Mark away from his research paper and treating him to lunch, he had informed the older boy with his eye-crinkling smile that he was taking him to meet Nana.
Mark immediately stopped worrying about the research paper waiting for him back at the dorm. He also felt a bit nervous. Though he knew Jeno wanted him to meet this Nana to get at least one family member’s approval of the boy, for Mark, it felt as if it were the other way around. What if this Nana person disliked him? Mark glances at his cousin then. Surely, Jeno wouldn’t pick some crush over him?
But then, Mark thinks of the night Jeno had cried and how many times before that his cousin had come to him, frustrated about his feelings for this person, and he realizes that it’s much more than a crush. Despite his worries, Mark is actually relieved to finally meet Jeno’s boy… friend. At least one mystery would be solved. Jeno’s bruises, new smoking habit, and aggressive behavior would have to wait, for now. Mark studies his cousin’s calm, indifferent profile and he feels compelled to say something.
“How’s your eye?” He winces as soon as it leaves his mouth, but Jeno just glance at him and snorts out a laugh.
“I actually forgot about it.” He admits, rubbing the back of his neck before shrugging, “I guess I’m just so used to it by now.”
And why is that, Mark wants to ask, but the question dies down in his throat. Instead, he nods and tries not to be a bit grossed out by how the purple around the younger’s eye is turning that sickly yellowish color.
“Won’t it freak your friend out?” He asks, to which Jeno snorts, both at Mark referring to Nana as his friend and at the question itself.
“No.” He answers casually before he smirks in amusement, adding quietly in a way that Mark is probably not meant to hear, “He probably has one of his own.”
Mark frowns, unsure as to why Jeno’s boy…friend would have a black eye as well. Was he a violent person? Mark’s frown deepens. What if his cousin had gotten his newfound aggression from this Nana person? Suddenly, Mark felt a bit protective. Maybe Nana was a bad influence on Jeno… but there was only one way to find out.
“This is our stop.” Jeno announces suddenly as the they pull to a stop that Mark doesn’t recognize.
When the doors open, Mark is quick to grab his cousin’s hand as people begin to file out onto the platform. Jeno smiles, polite enough not to point out how the roles have reversed for them, and how Mark now looks like the younger cousin in need of protection as he clings to Jeno. They step out into the platform and almost immediately, Jeno leads them to the left, away from the train and the crowd. Mark frowns in confusion, but he doesn’t question it until he realizes they’re headed towards the tunnels.
“Uh Jeno-“ He starts but his cousin is quick to give him an assuring smile.
“Just trust me, hyung.” He says, all sweet, polite, and trusting – all Jeno, so that Mark can only fall silent and do as asked.
Jeno leads him to the edge of the platform where he looks at Mark, who’s face flushes when he realizes he’s still clinging to his cousin. He removes his hand from the younger, watching with slight worry as Jeno hesitates before jumping down into the tunnel. He looks back expectantly at Mark then as if to say it’s your turn. Mark has never imagined himself jumping from a subway platform, but for some odd reason, he’s grabbing the edge and jumping down before he realizes it. Jeno greets him with a warm smile at the bottom, grabbing his hand and leading him into the tunnel.
It’s dark and Mark’s heart is racing because a train could come at any moment and catch them both by surprise. But Jeno doesn’t seem to be worried at all. He leads the way with confidence, walking through the darkness with ease when suddenly, he turns at a juncture Mark has to squint to see. It’s another tunnel, much smaller and even darker than the main one. Jeno bends his head a bit so that he can fit, and Mark does the same. He holds tightly to Jeno’s hand as his cousin leads them through the small tunnel. It’s several minutes before Mark begins to see the faintest hint of light ahead. He felt a bit relieved, being in the cramped tunnel was starting to feel suffocating. They make it to the end of the tunnel where Mark lets go of his cousin’s hand just before they step out.
The first breath of fresh air is only a brief relief to Mark before he finally takes in their surroundings. They’re in a city, that much is obvious, with it’s crowded traffic and tall buildings. But the buildings were old and falling apart, a group of taxi drivers were fighting in the middle of the street and as they did, beggars stole from their cars, the walkways were filled with trash that blew in the wind, and the sky was a washed out murky gray slate that gave the place an ominous feeling.
“Is this where Nana lives?” Mark can’t help but ask. He winces when he realizes how classist he sounds but he can’t help it. Jeno nods enthusiastically
“And my other friends,” He adds, to which Mark is left to wonder what he means. He hadn’t mentioned any other friends, but before he can question his cousin, Jeno holds out his arms and declares with a warm smile, “Welcome to Seochu Underground, hyung.”
“Seochu Underground,” Mark repeats quietly under his breath. He takes in the city once more and wonders how he’s never heard of it – the city underground.
But then, Jeno is grabbing his hand and pulling him along. Mark tries to ignore the fighting taxi drivers, the looters who almost knock them over trying to get away with the driver’s things, and the fact that they practically have to play hopscotch to avoid all of the trash on the ground. Jeno leads him around several corners and across a few streets before they finally stop in front of an old, gray building that Mark looks at wearily.
Jeno pulls him up the stairs and into the building. They head up a set of stairs to the very top where he hesitates before knocking in some sort of pattern that Mark figures is a code. Mark gives his cousin a look that says you have a lot of explaining to do but Jeno just gives him a sheepish smile, cheeks tinged pink before the sound of locks being undone catches their attention. The door opens a crack to which Mark raises a brow.
“Oh, it’s just you.” The person on the other side says before the door is swinging open, “I thought you were the cops again.”
“Again?” Jeno frowns as he steps inside the apartment, “They’ve been coming around here?”
“Not really the cops. More so the social workers to ask why Jisung isn’t in school anymore.” The other person replies and when Mark steps inside the door closes and he’s met with the sight of a boy who’s brown hair is tucked behind his ear, a pair of specs resting on his nose. He’s wearing a red, hooded sweatshirt that’s several sizes too big and his black sweats are rolled at the ankle.
“He still won’t go back?” Jeno asks, looking somewhat concerned. The brunet boy shakes his head.
“And I can’t make him.” He says with a shrug, “But whatever. It’s not that important. Besides, what are they going to do, take us to court?”
“Yes?” Mark blurts out before he can stop himself. He couldn’t help but listen to the conversation, of course, but he hadn’t meant to let his thoughts slip out. The brunet boy gives him a look that says who the hell are you but Jeno is quick to diffuse the situation.
“Renjun, this is my cousin, Mark.” He introduces motioning to the brunet boy, “Mark, this is Renjun.”
Renjun grunts by way of greeting and Mark is not sure how to respond so he simply nods.
“You hungry?” Renjun asks, apparently a question for both Mark and Jeno.
“We ate not too long ago.” Jeno answers for them to which Renjun snorts.
“That’s too bad. I’m making spaghetti.” He tells them leading the way to the kitchen with Mark and Jeno behind him. The kitchen is bigger than the small hallway they had been cramped in. Several cereal boxes fill the top of the fridge, the counters, and even the table where Jeno seats himself at. Mark stands hesitantly in the doorway, watching as Renjun pulls the top off a pot of orange mush that Mark sincerely hopes he isn’t calling spaghetti.
“Where’s Nana?” Jeno asks, and in the brief span of meeting Renjun, Mark had forgotten what they originally came for.
“In bed,” Is Renjun’s absentminded reply as he stirs around his “spaghetti”, “He’s not feeling well. I think he hurt his back in last night’s fight.”
Mark frowns, several thoughts running through his head, but the thing that stuck out the most was Renjun’s causal mention of a fight. But before he can really think on it, Jeno is frowning and standing from the chair, disappearing from the kitchen in the blink of an eye. Mark is left with Renjun who’s too busy dumping so much pepper in the pot that it makes him cough. It’s awkward, so Mark heads into the hallway and tries to figure out where his cousin has gone.
The end of the hall presents a series of four bedrooms, three are closed so Mark takes the risk of heading to the one at the left end of the hall that’s open. He makes his way to the door and is relieved at the sight of his cousin. Jeno is on his knees beside the bed where a person is curled up in the sheets, only a head of light brown hair peeking out. Jeno pulls the covers back, gently running his hand across the figure’s back.
“Nana” Jeno says softly, “I want you to meet someone.”
The covers ruffle a bit before Mark is presented with one of the most beautiful faces he’s ever seen.
“Mark, right? I’m Jaemin, but Jeno calls me Nana.” Jaemin is smiling all teeth, warm brown eyes, and gorgeously defined facial features that helps Mark to understand why Jeno is so smitten. “It’s nice to finally meet you. Jeno talks about you a lot.”
At this, Mark raises a brow, tempted to say something cliché like I could say the same about you. But he’s too surprised – Jeno had talked about him? Perhaps he should give his cousin more credit.
“You do?” Mark smiles at his cousin but Jeno just looks bashful, face flushed a faint pink that makes Jaemin coo and pinch his cheeks. “It’s nice to meet you too, Jaemin. I guess this is where Jeno has been spending all of his time now.”
Jeno looks a bit embarrassed at his cousin’s playful jab, but Jaemin is there to save the day.
“He’s been wanting to bring you, but I was hesitant to let him.” The brown-haired boy admits, “As you can probably tell by now, this city isn’t exactly the safest… or the most pleasant looking either.”
Mark thinks of the fighting taxi drivers, the looters, the trash filled streets, and the old, worn buildings, and he finds that he can’t disagree.
“I’ve never heard of this place.” Mark admits to which Jaemin smiles in a way that says he’s not surprised.
“Not many people have.” He says instead before he mutters, “Seochu, the forgotten city underground.”
And Mark wants to ask why the city is underground, why the streets are filled with trash, and how Jaemin and Renjun came to live there, but Jeno looks a bit desperate to change the subject.
“Junie says you hurt your back.” Jeno says, grabbing the heating pad from Jaemin’s bedside before he climbs into bed, positioning himself behind the other boy.
“Jeno” Jaemin whines when the other boy starts to lift his shirt. Jeno doesn’t realize anything is wrong until he remembers Mark’s presence in the room. He gives his cousin a sheepish smile, face flushed as he simply presses the heating pad against Jaemin’s back before lowering the other boy’s shirt. And Mark is left to really wonder about Jeno and his boy… friend. Jaemin laughs despite the awkwardness of it all before he smiles at Mark warmly, “Want to play Mario Kart?”
“Is Jeno playing?” Mark asks to which Jaemin laughs loudly, immediately understanding the question’s context and Mark likes his cousin’s boy… friend already.
“He’s awful, right?” Jaemin says to which Jeno simply whines, burying his face in the other boy’s shoulder. Mark is surprised by his cousin’s behavior but Jaemin appears to be used to it. He flashes Mark another smile, “No worries, I can get us a third person easily.”
Mark then watches as he shouts –
“Jisungie! Come play Mario Kart with us!”
There’s silence at first before someone else calls back.
“Only if I can be Bowser!”
“Okay!” Jaemin agrees, rolling his eyes in a way that makes Mark smile in amusement. The sound of footsteps catches their attention before a tall, lanky blond comes hurrying into the room, nearly running into Mark in the process. Jaemin mutters something along the lines of him being cute before he introduces them both, “Jisung, this is Mark hyung, Jeno’s cousin. Mark, this is Jisung, our youngest.”
“Do you have to say that?” Jisung complains, pouting as he seats himself at the edge of Jaemin’s bed, “I’m eighteen now.”
“You are baby.” Renjun appears in the doorway with a grin. He jumps on the bed and ruffles Jisung’s hair. Mark takes note of how his sleeves are rolled up and some of his arms are stained orange from his “spaghetti”.
“Who all is playing Mario Kart?” Jeno, who has abandoned Jaemin briefly to turn on the gaming console, asks. Jaemin raises his hand, and so does Jisung once he’s managed to remove himself from Renjun’s hold, and Renjun himself holds up his hand as well, declaring that he will be Yoshi.
“I’ll play.” Mark says before he rubs at the back of his neck awkwardly, “But it is okay if I use your bathroom first?”
“It’s at the other end of the hall, the last door on the right.” Jaemin informs him kindly before turning his attention to where Jisung and Renjun are arguing over whether Yoshi or Bowser is better and Jeno is arguing that Princess Peach is elite in her own way. Mark watches them briefly and he can’t help but to smile before he turns to leave. No wonder Jeno spent so much time here – it felt like a family.
Mark makes his way down the dark hallway, stopping at the door on the right only to realize that the one on the left was now open as well. The door was cracked but music could be heard coming from the room. Suddenly curious, Mark lingers in the middle of hall before finally, he creeps closer towards the room on the left. He decides to take one quick look then head to the bathroom. But, when he peeks in the room, what he sees has him unable to look away. The room is old, the wooden floors a dull gray and the white wallpaper, chipped and worn. But it appears that its owner attempted to modernize it with a bed with black covers messily thrown on top, a drawer with a record player on top, a few vinyl’s lining the walls (one that Mark distantly recognizes as Michael Jackson’s Bad vinyl), a television in one corner and an old desk with a laptop covered in stickers sitting atop it.
At the desk is a boy who’s side profile Mark takes in slowly. He’s dressed in jeans and a jean jacket, and Mark realizes, face burning slightly, that the boy isn’t wearing a shirt beneath it. He can see small hints of the boy’s bare chest with each movement of his arm as he works to do his eyeliner using a handheld mirror. His brown hair is curled slightly, and his mouth is open as he concentrates on outlining his hazy brown eyes. Mark watches as he finishes his task, admiring his makeup in the mirror.
“Does it look okay?” He asks suddenly, making Mark frown. Surely the boy hadn’t noticed him, but then he watches as the brunet smirks shifting the mirror to reveal him standing in the doorway. The boy turns in his chair then to face Mark with a smirk, “If you’re going to watch me then you could at least answer my question.”
“S-Sorry” Mark blurts out to which the boy scoffs, standing from his chair to approach Mark. Mark himself steps back, trying not to look at the boy’s bare chest or the bruises on his cheekbones that reveal themselves under the faint lighting. “I was looking for the bathroom.”
He realizes it’s a lame excuse and it doesn’t cover him watching the other boy. As if to prove his point, the other boy scoffs again, slamming his hand on the doorframe.
“Then turn around.” He says before slamming the door shut in Mark’s face.
Mark stares at the door, face flushed from embarrassment as he tries to make out what has just happened.
“Hyung?” A voice calls out and when he looks over, Jeno is approaching with Renjun behind him.
“Don’t mind Hyuck.” Renjun tells Mark, “He’s just mad that he lost to Hendery last night.”
“Did not!” Shouts the brunet boy from his room so loudly that Mark nearly jumps. In fact, he does when the door comes flying open and the boy rushes out, wrapping his arms around Renjun’s neck, “Stop spreading lies, bastard.”
“It’s not a lie, Barney.” Renjun replies, pointing to the boy’s bruised cheeks that were hinting on purple. Donghyuck curses, tightening his hold on the other boy.
“That’s Donghyuck, but we call him Hyuck.” Jeno says, motioning to the brunet that Mark had been watching, “He’s really sweet.”
In that same moment, Donghyuck slams Renjun against the wall. His rescue comes in the form of Jisung, who makes his way down the hall with Jaemin behind him. The blond grabs the back of Donghyuck’s jacket, pulling him away from Renjun enough for the Huang boy to tackle Donghyuck, the two crashing to the floor in a series of punches and kicks that makes Mark wonder why no one is making a move to break it up.
“Is this normal?” Mark tries to ask his cousin discreetly but Jaemin overhears.
“Very” Jaemin answers for him, wrapping the blanket he’s taken with him further around his shoulders before he adds with a smirk, “Except Jeno is usually down there with them,”
At the admittance, Jeno rubs the back of his neck with an embarrassed smile. Mark was surprised but things were beginning to make sense for him. Perhaps this was how Jeno got his bruises?
“Cut it out.” Donghyuck says suddenly, bucking Renjun off of him. The Huang boy goes flying off of him, back hitting the ground roughly, but he simply sits up quickly as if he’s used to it. Donghyuck sits up as well, running a hand through his hair, “You’re going to mess up my hair. I want to look good for the fight tonight.”
“Of course you do.” Renjun rolls his eyes, “It’s Yukhei’s championship match, and you want him to notice your sparkling ass on the front row.”
“What does he have to do with anything?” Donghyuck replies, finally buttoning up his jacket. He pauses in doing so, glancing at Mark, who flushes and quickly looks away when he realizes he’s been staring. Donghyuck smirks before he adds, “Can’t I just look good for myself?”
“You could but we all know that loud ass glittery eye shadow screams ‘I’m a slut for all things Wong Yukhei’.” Renjun tells him, grinning when Donghyuck kicks him.
“You would know about thirsting after men you can’t have, Renjun.” Donghyuck says with a smirk, “If given the chance, I’m sure you’d drink Jaemin and Jeno’s bath water in one go-“
At this, Renjun’s eyes widen before he tackles Donghyuck once more, the two boys continuing their wrestling match. Jaemin smirks at Donghyuck’s words while Jeno looks a bit surprised and Jisung rolls his eyes.
“Who’s Wong Yukhei?” Mark asks, the only one confused by the entire conversation. Jeno is still too shocked by Donghyuck’s words to help him but luckily, Jisung hears.
“You must not be from around here…hyung?” Jisung asks, clearly used to only speaking casually with the others.
“I’m from Seoul.” Mark informs him, watching as Jisung winces.
“Don’t tell anyone else that.” He says to which Mark frowns. But before he can question the younger, Jisung is tugging at Jeno’s leg, asking, “Is he coming to the fight with us?”
“What fight?” Mark asks to which Jisung looks at Jeno and shakes his head.
Jaemin decides to take over then, he grabs the back of Jisung’s shirt and ushers him along, all the while directing a fighting Renjun and Donghyuck towards his room, glancing back at Jeno with a look that says now’s the time to tell him everything before the room door closes behind them. Mark turns to his cousin then with a look that demands answers.
“Ah hyung…” Jeno starts awkwardly, smiling bashfully, “I guess I should tell you what’s been going on.”
“I’d love to finally hear all about it, Jeno.” Mark’s response is sarcastic at best, but he can’t help it. He hates being out of the loop.
“Sorry, I’ve been wanting to tell you, I just didn’t know how. Like Nana said, I’ve been wanting you to come but he thought this side of town might turn you off since it’s so different from ours. Anyway, I finally convinced him to let me bring you. I wanted you to meet him and come with us to tonight’s fight.” Jeno explains quickly and before Mark can ask about the fight, he continues, “You see, Seochu is known for being underground, but it’s best known for its fighting ring – Seochu Underground. They host fights between different fighters each night, and sometimes groups. You have to buy a ticket to get in and you can also bet on the fighters. Whoever wins, gets all of the money. The more you win, the more bets you get and vice versa. It’s how they make a living here – Donghyuck, Nana, and even Jisung now. It’s how everyone makes a living in Seochu…even me.”
“Even you?” Mark frowns, “Jeno-“
“I know. I shouldn’t be fighting.” Jeno cuts him off, “But I don’t do it for me. I do it to help pay for the apartment. It’s extra cash for them and it really helps. This year, we were able to get Jisung a cake for his birthday when we couldn’t even afford one last year.”
Mark finds himself silenced by not only his cousin’s words but the sincerity in Jeno’s voice and eyes as he speaks of what Mark believes is a second family to him. Their family wasn’t wealthy, but Jeno had a good life in Seoul – they had a decent home, his parents had nice jobs, and Jeno went to university with much of his education already paid for. He didn’t need to fight in an underground ring to make a living. But as he had said, he wasn’t doing it for himself. Mark realizes that the boys he’s met today mean more to his cousin than he probably realizes, and while he should feel betrayed that Jeno has been living an entirely different life behind his back, he finds that he’s more curious than anything.
“I was wondering where these kept coming from.” Mark says, motioning to Jeno’s black eye before he raises a brow, “And the cigarettes?”
“Oh, I kind of picked that up on my own.” Jeno rubs at the back of his neck, “Nana is always nagging at me to quit, but it helps with the stress.”
Mark would rather hear his cousin promise to quit, but he’ll work on that later. For now, he needs more answers.
“How often do you all fight?” Is his next question.
“Every other Friday, for me.” Jeno informs him, “ Renjun doesn’t fight. He handles the apartment – managing our money, buying groceries, cooking, and he used to teach Jisung before he turned old enough to teach himself. Jisung turned eighteen last week. He had his first fight that same night and won. Nana doesn’t fight often because he gets injured easily. Actually, I want to eventually make enough myself so that he doesn’t have to do it anymore. And Donghyuck has just entered the championships – he’s the best, really.”
“Championships?” Mark repeats with a surprised look, “He’s that good?”
Jeno nods enthusiastically.
“He doesn’t look like much of a fighter, but he’s the best.” He informs his cousin, “He’s also a good friend. He makes each night in Seochu worth it – they all do.”
Even in the dark hallway, Mark can see the emotion in his cousin’s eyes as he talks about his friends and he thinks its kind of funny how Jeno had been fighting underground and having dinner with his second family while Mark sat in his biology lectures, wondering if his roommate would be home when he got there. But it all makes sense now, and Mark is ready to see even more.
“How much is a championship ticket?” He asks to which Jeno’s eyes widen (a small part of him was expecting his cousin to scold him and demand they leave) before he breaks out into a smile.
“No worries, I’ve got you covered!” A voice exclaims before Renjun, who had apparently been eavesdropping with the others, comes rushing out of Jaemin’s room, holding up a ticket, “It’s Hyuck’s but he doesn’t need it. He gets in free for being a part of the championships.”
Mark accepts the ticket from Renjun, staring at the small slip of paper filled with pictures of fighters that he doesn’t recognize.
“Speaking of championships, let’s go. I want to get good seats.” Donghyuck announces, leading the way towards the front door with an eager looking Jisung and a tired but excited looking Jaemin behind him.
“What he really means is he wants to be front row so he can drool over Xuxi-“ Renjun teases, flinching when Donghyuck turns to him angrily.
“Now, now kids, no more fighting.” Jaemin steps in between the two, placing his hands on Donghyuck’s shoulders to guide him towards the front door, “We need to get there early if we want to get good seats for Mark’s first fight.”
Donghyuck promises that he’s going to beat Renjun’s ass when they get back (which is putting it lightly, Mark thinks), Jisung is begging Jeno to buy him popcorn when they get there, and Mark watches them go before he shakes his head, smiles, and follows.
_______________________
Seochu’s Underground fighting ring is huge.
It’s the biggest building in the entire city, hovering over the old, worn city in its stature. The line to see the match is wrapped around the corner, but Donghyuck confidently leads them inside ahead of it. People shout and call out in excitement at the sight of the brunet boy. But Donghyuck merely offers them a smile in response, not wanting to draw too much attention to himself since it wasn’t his night. As Renjun had said, Donghyuck is let in for free with a congratulations and a wide smile from the ticket master, while the others show their tickets. Mark is the last to present his ticket. The ticket master glances at him, his outfit, and the designer labels on some of the tags, and makes a comment about “surfacers” before letting them through.
Though the others swear they’ve arrived early, the place is already packed. People are shouting and yelling, passing money between their sweaty palms. Vendors are rushing around with greasy hot dogs, fries, and buckets of popcorn, which Jeno makes sure to stop and buy for Jisung, who claims he’s his favorite hyung (only to receive a claim from Donghyuck that he said the same thing last week when he bought him fries at the last match). The stadium seats are just as packed with people chatting eagerly about the match. Mark looks at the screen overhead where pictures of the opponents could be seen. The first is of a tan boy that Mark found to be rather good looking. In the picture, he’s smiling in a way that doesn’t scream underground fighter to Mark and beneath his grinning face is the name “Wong Yukhei”.
His opponent is a pale boy with dark hair who’s name Mark doesn’t get the chance to read before Jeno is grabbing his hand and dragging him after the others. Donghyuck leads them to the very front row where they receive a warm reception. People clap Donghyuck on the back, congratulating him for entering the championships and Mark watches as the confident boy from before is reduced to shy smiles and faint grins. Jisung plops down in a chair, stuffing popcorn in his mouth and pouting when Renjun, who sits beside him, shoves his hand in the bag as well. Jeno makes a makeshift pillow out of his jacket for Jaemin, who sits down and leans back against it with a content smile. Mark sits down next to his cousin, watching as Donghyuck approaches a brunet man standing beside the ring, wearing a button down and a nervous smile.
“Hyung!” Donghyuck greets with a smile, “How many bets has Xuxi gotten tonight?”
“Enough to get him out of this God forsaken city.” The brunet tells Donghyuck before finally informing him, “Five thousand,”
“Now that’s what I call championship money!” Renjun exclaims, Jaemin wiping the butter from around his mouth, only for his efforts to prove useless when Renjun shoves another handful in his mouth.
“That’s Kun, Yukhei’s manager.” Jeno informs Mark, nodding at the brunet man Donghyuck was speaking with, “He handles Yukhei’s bets, makes sure his health is good, and keeps him focused on his matches. You know, the typical managerial things.”
“Do you have a manager?” Mark asks, glancing at his cousin.
“We have the same manager.” Jaemin speaks up, “But Doyoung hyung doesn’t come unless it’s our matches.”
“He says it smells too much of sweat and desperation.” Jisung adds with a smirk before holding up his bag of food, “And popcorn”
“Is that a good idea?” Mark wonders, looking at his cousin, “Shouldn’t he be helping you scope out the competition?”
“There is no competition.” Donghyuck, who’s returned to them, says before Jeno can reply. He doesn’t even bother to sit down. Instead he stands, the stadium lights reflected in his warm brown eyes as he adds, “It’s just you and the ring.”
There is no mention of an opponent or the need to win. But before Mark can question it, a loud blaring sound echoes in the stadium, signaling that the fight is about to begin. Mark turns his attention to the ring just as the boy he recognizes as Yukhei steps into the ring. The crowd goes wild. Jisung nearly chokes on his popcorn trying to cheer, Renjun reminds Mark of the girls from high school with the way he blushes, cheering loudly while fanning his face, Jaemin smirks in amusement at Renjun, and Jeno looks very proud of Yukhei. Donghyuck is the only silent one, oddly enough. He’s watching the ring with an intensity that Mark isn’t expecting from him, almost as if he’s the one with his championship nomination on the line tonight.
“Come on Xuxi” He watches Donghyuck murmur, mouth twitching into a smile when Yukhei flashes a smile just before the match starts.
Yukhei’s opponent is in the ring now and Mark watches in anticipation as the match begins. The ref blows the whistle and that’s all it takes for Yukhei’s opponent to come flying at him. Unfortunately, Yukhei goes down with ease. Mark notices the bandages wrapped around Yukhei’s abdomen and he realizes that the boy is already injured, but none of that seems to matter because his opponent punches him with an intensity that makes Mark flinch in the audience. He feels as if he nearly blinks and Yukhei is a bloody mess. And Donghyuck looks pissed.
“What the hell-“ He grits out before his anger gets the best of him and he’s yelling at Yukhei, “Hey asshole, you didn’t get nominated for the championships to lose! Get up and kick his ass already!”
And it works.
Mark watches as something seems to register in Yukhei’s mind and he quickly gains the upper hold, rolling on top of his opponent and landing a series of punches that nearly knock the boy unconscious, if not for the ref scrambling into the ring to pry him off the boy. He holds up Yukhei’s arm to declare him the winner and Mark takes in his bloody, grinning face and tries to imagine his cousin in the same position every other Friday. On the stage, Kun has rushed up and is wiping Yukhei’s grinning face with a towel. The opponent’s manager is hovering as medical staff try to keep the boy conscious. And the stadium goes wild.
Jisung is alternating between shoving mouthfuls of popcorn in his mouth and letting Renjun tug on his sleeve, rambling about Yukhei’s victory. Jaemin looks impressed, exchanging quiet words with Jeno, who’s more concerned with making sure the makeshift jacket pillow is comfortable for him. The loudest person is Donghyuck. He’s made his way to his seat finally, only to stand on top of it and rile up their side of the crowd. Mark watches him with a smile before looking around the stadium once more. Those who have bet on Yukhei are excitedly speaking on their fighter while those who have lost wear bitter expressions but look impressed, nonetheless. Mark is so busy watching his surroundings that when he looks over, he’s surprised to find the other half of the stadium headed towards them.
“Did you have to go and piss off half of the fucking stadium?” Renjun complains, tugging on Donghyuck’s jacket sleeve. He’s standing on his chair by now, Jisung is standing as well, still helping himself to popcorn as if a group of angry men aren’t closing in on them, Jaemin is standing, looking rather used to the turn of events, and Jeno grabs Mark’s hand to get him to stand in his chair as well. Mark blinks. They were surrounded by angry faces.
“It’s not my fault if they want to get their asses kicked.” Donghyuck shrugs with a smirk before he calls to Jeno, “Can your cousin fight?”
“No-“ Jeno starts to reply with a frown but it’s already too late.
Someone reaches for Donghyuck’s leg and pulls him into the crowd and the others follow. Jisung throws his popcorn at his attacker, Renjun is already slapping at the hands reaching for him, and Jaemin climbs on his attackers back. Jeno tries to reach for Mark but he’s swallowed up in the crowd of fighting men and Mark can only watch as he feels himself be dragged to ground before a punch knocks his breath away. Usually, Mark went home on Sundays, he went to church and had dinner with his parents afterwards, and then he spent the rest of his night catching up on homework.
But that night, Mark Lee spent his first Sunday in Seochu Underground getting beat to a bloody pulp, courtesy of his new headache – Lee Donghyuck.