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1.
Renjun always thought Mark and Donghyuck were awfully close for friends and when they walked into school holding hands with Donghyuck beaming like the sun something clicked in his mind. They were dating. Of course. That explained the way they looked at each other like they hung the stars.
It was cute to see them being affectionate now that Renjun knew they were dating. Before it had been confusing him, never having thought that they might be more than friends. Donghyuck was naturally affectionate but even more so with Mark. And even though Mark rejected him in public settings he let himself be smothered in private ones, sometimes even being the one initiating it.
As Renjun was speed walking through the halls of the school, trying to get to his locker in time before the bell rang without running he caught a glimpse of Mark pulling Donghyuck into a room. Renjun raised his eyebrows but continued walking. He probably didn’t want to know whatever the hell they were doing in there. At least they had the decency to not make out in front of everyone’s eyes.
When Mark sat down next to Renjun in their biology class Renjun nudged him with his foot, trying to get his attention. Mark turned his head to look at him and smiled his little inquiring smile. Renjun leaned forward and so did Mark.
“Why didn’t you tell me you guys were dating?” Renjun asked and Mark furrowed his eyebrows and tilted his head, his telltale of being confused. How cute.
“What are you talking about?”
Now it was Renjun’s turn to be confused. Did Mark have memory loss and forgot he was dating Donghyuck in the few minutes he didn’t see him?
“What do you mean ‘What are you talking about’? You and Hyuck of course,” Renjun retorted and Mark recoiled, a blush spreading on his face. He cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck. Was Renjun not supposed to know they were dating?
“Um,” Mark began, eyes cast downwards, “me and Hyuck aren’t dating. I really have no idea what you are talking about.”
At that Renjun’s eyebrows shot up and he was left gaping at Mark. Donghyuck and he weren’t dating?
“Then why did you come to school holding hands today with Donghyuck grinning like the Cheshire cat?”
It seemed impossible yet Mark blushed even harder before he answered in a very very quiet voice, “We made a bet and I lost so he made me hold his hand.”
Renjun was disappointed.
2.
Johnny was studying his brother and Donghyuck intently. They were snuggled up together on the couch like they usually were when watching a movie but something was different now. Johnny couldn’t exactly put his finger on it and it bothered him. What was so different now?
Donghyuck took Mark’s hand and hid his face away in the crook of his neck as some girl threw a knife to kill a businessman. Johnny had lost sight of the plot, instead opting to figure out Mark and Donghyuck.
When Donghyuck turned to look at the screen again his lips brushed Mark’s neck and Mark glanced down at Donghyuck briefly before pressing a quick barely-there kiss to his temple. So that’s what it was.
They were even more comfortable with each other than usually. Mark didn’t just give kisses to anyone. Johnny supposed it was time for the two to finally get their shit together. He sat back and looked back at the screen again. Now the girl was getting knifed.
Mark and Donghyuck fell asleep halfway through the third movie. It looked cute how they were all snuggled up and leaning into each other. Mark’s head was comfortably rested against Donghyuck’s, whereas Donghyuck’s own head was lying on Mark’s shoulder. Johnny would let them sleep but sitting like that was definitely not good for their necks so he got up from his seat in the armchair and trotted over to gently wake Mark.
His brother blinked open his eyes and rubbed at them before looking up at Johnny all cutely confused.
“What is it?” he asked and looked around before his gaze fell on Donghyuck and he patted his head.
“You guys can’t sleep like this. Go to bed Mark, you’ll hurt tomorrow if you don’t,” Johnny whispered back and extended his hand to help Mark up. “I’ll help you carry your boyfriend upstairs.”
Next to him Mark froze in the middle of gently prying the blankets off of Donghyuck. Johnny turned to look at him with an inquiring look. Was he not supposed to know they were dating?
Mark mumbled something under his breath as he blushed, though it was hard to tell in the light of the TV. He shook his head and looked at Johnny.
“Why do you think he’s my boyfriend? Do we really treat each other that differently?”
Johnny raised an eyebrow and looked back and forth between Mark and Donghyuck before answering, “You gave him a kiss on the head.”
Mark blushed even more, apparent even in the bad lighting. He ducked his head and bundled up the blankets in his arms.
“Well,” Mark cleared his throat. “Can’t I be affectionate with my best friend?”
Johnny shrugged, still trying to make his brother being more affectionate out of the blue make more sense.
“I guess you can.”
They left it at that and Johnny helped Mark carry Donghyuck upstairs, though it was essentially just Johnny giving Donghyuck a piggyback ride. When Mark and Donghyuck were all bundled up and at peace in bed Johnny bid Mark a good night and closed the door to his room behind him.
How could he have read the atmosphere wrong?
3.
Jaemin had always thought Mark and Donghyuck would make a nice couple. They were cute together, their bickering and bantering balancing out their overly sweet affectionate moments. So when he saw Mark pressing Donghyuck against the big-ass tree on the schoolyard he was over the moon. Finally that tension of them having crushes on each other but doing nothing about it would dissolve.
Sure, maybe they could go with a little less of PDA but Jaemin supposed they were in the honeymoon phase. So he continued on with his day as normal, school day dragging on until it was finally lunchtime and Jaemin sprinted towards the cafeteria. He sure as hell had to ask Mark and Donghyuck all about how they got together.
To Jaemin’s surprise Mark was sitting at their table all alone, none of their friends in sight. Confused Jaemin picked up his lunch and then sat down in front of Mark. Mark looked up at him and smiled, immediately starting to rant about Mrs. Kang who just hated his guts and probably wanted him to fail school. Jaemin understood him. For some reason she didn’t like him either. It was a mystery they hadn’t yet been able to solve.
When Jaemin and Mark had both almost finished their lunch but still none of their friends had shown up Jaemin poked the other boy with his plastic fork. Mark yelped and glared at Jaemin as the latter giggled.
“Do you know why no one’s here?” he asked when he calmed down and Mark nodded, leaning back in his chair.
“Yeah. Chenle and Jisung have some kind of project to work on and Renjun is helping them. Kunhang, Yangyang and Dejun are on the roof, feeding the birds. Xuxi is sick because he was a dumbass and went swimming in the pool in the middle of the night for some reason and Jeno and Donghyuck are attending a meeting with the debate team.”
Jaemin hummed and leaned back as well, scrutinizing Mark with his eyes. If he was going to ask he might as well do it now.
“What were you doing this morning?”
Mark raised his eyebrows and tilted his head, shaking it a little.
“What are you talking about?” he asked and leaned forward again, putting his arms on the table. Jaemin supposed it wouldn’t be clear what he meant considering the morning was a long one.
“With Hyuck. Why were you pressing him against that tree?”
Now both of Mark’s eyebrows shot up and his ears turned a soft shade of pink. At least he still had some kind of awareness what kind of affection was appropriate on school grounds. Mark sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose before looking Jaemin in the eyes and answering, “I was showing him that I’m stronger.”
It was silent for a bit at their table as Jaemin stared at Mark. “Excuse me?” he finally managed to squeak out and Mark sighed again.
“He was annoying me, saying I was weak so I showed him that I’m not.”
Jaemin felt like crying. He really did.
“So you’re not dating?”
Mark shook his head.
“What the fuck Mark! That’s not how you show someone you’re stronger than them. It looked like you were kissing the living daylights out of him for god’s sake! You’re lucky you’re cute or I would’ve punched you by now,” Jaemin ranted, appalled by Mark’s reasoning. That wasn’t normal.
Mark sighed again and picked up his tray before standing up.
“Why do you all assume we’re dating? I’d never have a chance anyways,” he grumbled as he walked away.
Jaemin wanted to punch him.
4.
Yukhei was lying in bed, sweating buckets and coughing occasionally. He really shouldn’t have gone swimming in the dead of night but his parents weren’t home and they were 100% of his impulse control. So now he was dying of a fever and had to care for himself anyways. When he heard the doorbell go off he groaned and moved to get up but his arms were pudding so he just lay there helplessly, listening to the doorbell ring several more times. Then his phone rang.
“Yes,” Yukhei croaked when he answered, laying his phone next to his head because he didn’t have the strength to hold it up to his ear for too long.
“Xuxi dude, open up. I have medicine and soup and all that other good stuff,” Mark chirped on the other side and something rustled. Probably the bags Mark had everything stored in. Yukhei couldn’t have asked for a better friend.
“Just come in. You know the code anyways.”
Mark chuckled and hung up. It was quiet for a little while and then Yukhei heard footsteps coming up the stairs. Mark couldn’t be quiet for shit.
“Xuxi! Guess what I have.”
Mark slid into Yukhei’s room and proudly held up two plastic bags. He showed Yukhei everything he had brought including cold medicine, cough drops, chicken soup Johnny had prepared and many other things that were supposed to help Yukhei feel better. Yukhei thanked Mark over and over again but Mark only waved dismissively and gave him the medicine before getting up to prepare the soup for him.
Yukhei closed his eyes again as he felt like dying was the favourable option every time he was sick. Next to his head Mark’s phone vibrated with an incoming message. Normally Yukhei didn’t look at other people’s phones without permission but his mind was hazy and he wasn’t thinking straight.
Yukhei grinned when he saw Mark’s wallpaper and who the message was from. About time the two got together. Mark’s wallpaper was a selfie of him and Donghyuck with Donghyuck kissing Mark’s cheek and ‘Hyuckie<3’ just asked him when he would be home. How awfully domestic.
Mark reappeared in Yukhei’s room and carefully handed him the soup after helping him sit with his back against the wall, Yukhei’s feet dangling off the bed. As Yukhei slowly started to eat Mark took his phone off the nightstand and smiled softly at it before typing something. Yukhei smiled as well. It was nice to know they both finally talked about it.
“So when did you two get together and why haven’t you told me?” Yukhei asked and shoved a spoonful of soup in his mouth. Mark’s smile immediately fell as he looked up at Yukhei. Had he said something wrong?
“You think Hyuck and I are dating too?”
Yukhei didn’t know what to make of that question. It was silent for a bit, Mark and Yukhei staring at each other.
“Aren’t you?”
Mark sighed and shook his head before grumbling, “You’re the fourth one this week. What is it about you people and assuming Hyuck and I are dating?”
He threw his hands up and Yukhei felt a bit guilty just assuming something but it wasn’t like the two of them hadn’t been crushing on each other for years. Yukhei was supposed to be the oblivious one yet he noticed very early on. So he put down the soup plate on his nightstand and crossed his arms.
“You guys are obviously into each other and you don’t just have a picture of your best friend kissing you on the cheek as your wallpaper.”
Mark blushed furiously and mumbled something under his breath that Yukhei didn’t catch before looking back at his phone and furiously typing on it.
“What are you doing?”
“Getting us to have an intervention.”
5.
Mark gathered everyone in Yukhei’s living room including Yukhei who he had dragged down the stairs and bundled up in blankets on the couch. He had told every single one of his friends to come to Yukhei’s. Even Johnny. So now all of them were either sitting on the couch, keeping a save distance from Yukhei, in the arm chairs or on the floor. Mark stood in front of them and narrowed his eyes.
“Apparently some actions of mine have led some of you guys to believe that Hyuck and I are dating. I’m telling you now that we are not and while I appreciate you guys being supportive there is nothing to be supportive of.”
Mark looked at every single one of them, his gaze lastly landing on Donghyuck who was sitting basically right in front of him. So what if he’d had a crush (or more than that but Mark wasn’t ready to admit that yet) on his best friend for the last few years? He was never going to tell him. Donghyuck didn’t feel the same, how could he? There was nothing about Mark to like romantically. Donghyuck on the other hand was perfect.
Mark managed to tear his eyes away from Donghyuck and look at his friends again.
“Alright, who thought Donghyuck and I are dating?” he asked and everyone glanced around before meekly putting their hands up. Everyone including Donghyuck.
Mark pinched the bridge of his nose. What was going on? How in the hell had Donghyuck believed them to be dating? Wait, if he believed them to be dating then that meant he didn’t have anything against the idea. Mark’s head snapped up as he stared at a brightly blushing Donghyuck.
“Hyuck, what?”
Donghyuck blushed an even darker red and their friends started to giggle, even Johnny the traitor. Mark grabbed Donghyuck by the wrist and pulled him up and out of the room. They had to talk about this.
Wolf-whistles followed them all the way to the guest room.
1.
Renjun watched again as Mark and Donghyuck walked into school holding hands. They had left the ‘intervention’ yesterday early. Nobody had been sure what exactly happened but they all hoped for Mark and Donghyuck to finally get their heads out of their asses.
So when this time around it wasn’t only Donghyuck beaming but Mark as well Renjun felt lighter in a way. He was glad they finally sorted it out and weren’t going to be pining for each other anymore. Donghyuck gave Mark a kiss on the cheek as he let go of his hand before bounding towards Renjun.
“This is the second best day of my life Injunnie!”
Renjun laughed and accepted Donghyuck’s hug, squeezing him back. He’d never been as happy as this to see Donghyuck be obnoxiously happy. They continued on to their classes and Renjun reported to Yangyang and Jeno who he had his first class with.
Later he was speed walking to his locker again. Damn 10 minute breaks. When he saw Mark pull Donghyuck into a room this time he raised an eyebrow. This couldn’t be coincidence. There’s no way everything would play out exactly like it had before, there was no way.
Johnny felt like a third-wheel in his own apartment. Mark and Donghyuck were snuggled up together as always but now they shared soft kisses every so often, hands never leaving the other. It didn’t matter what kind of movie they were watching the two of them didn’t pay attention at all. God, Johnny needed to get himself a boyfriend as well.
When Mark and Donghyuck fell asleep this time Johnny huffed and got up to wake Mark and carry Donghyuck up the stairs again. At least that would never change.
Jaemin didn’t feel like crying or punching Mark anymore. Now he just wanted to die. When he had walked into school that day Mark had pressed Donghyuck against the tree again but this time Donghyuck’s hand were tangled in his hair and Jaemin could actually see their mouths slotted together. Just how did they go from dancing around each other for years to making out against a tree for everybody to see?
Jaemin made a face as he hurried towards Jeno to complain about the newly formed couple. Now they were really in the honeymoon phase.
Yukhei wasn’t sick anymore much to his friends’ joy and the teachers’ dismay. And when Mark’s phone lit up with a message from ‘My sunshine <3’ and Yukhei was looking right at a photo of Mark and Donghyuck kissing as his wallpaper he vowed to never look at Mark’s phone again without permission.