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After knowing that he would be teaming up with Yuta and Mark, Donghyuck was over the moon. The three of them decided to go to Shinjuku, a city twenty minutes away from the hotel they were currently staying at.
Donghyuck was excited for two reasons: First, he knew that teaming up with Yuta meant that their day would be hassle-free since the Japanese member knew the ins and outs of Shinjuku. He did not have to worry about getting lost or whatsoever and it was also a plus that his Yuta hyung spoke the language of the people. And another reason was that he would be able to spend some time with Mark. Lately, the latter was spending all of his time with either Yuta or Jungwoo which somewhat saddened Donghyuck though he would never ever admit it. He just really missed his best friend (despite spending so much time together with the Dreamies) and this might be his chance to hang out with the older member.
The first van with Jungwoo and Jaehyun left first as they were planning to tour a district one hour away from their accommodation. Traveling with Jungwoo and Jaehyun seemed fun too, Donghyuck thought, but he couldn’t wait to tour Shinjuku with his own team.
The second van, however, containing Doyoung and Taeyong followed the first van but headed West instead of East. Now, that was a combination of members that was hilarious and worrisome at the same time. Although the two were best friends, his Doyoung hyung and Taeyong hyung tended to have polar opposite preferences which resulted in them butting heads with one another more often time than not. Watching their playful fights would be fun though, Donghyuck realized.
“Here’s our van! Let’s go, maknaes,” Yuta happily said as the older member skipped from the hotel lobby straight to the van. Mark instantly followed the Japanese member and before he could hail the transportation, he waved his farewell to Johnny who had opted to skip out on the tour in favor of resting for their upcoming show.
“See you later, Johnny hyung,” he giggled and watched as the oldest two members waved at him.
“Take lots of pictures, okay? And bring some gifts for me,” Johnny smiled.
“Will do, Johnny hyung.”
***
Donghyuck was kind of hoping he could sit beside Mark in the van but since the latter immediately sat at the back beside Yuta, he had no choice but to take the seat in front of them beside one of the two cameramen they were with. Yuta and Mark quickly fell into a smooth conversation and unfortunately for him, it was something that he couldn’t relate to. Donghyuck inwardly sighed.
YuMark shippers would have a feast once again.
Thankfully for him, it was only a twenty-minute ride and the three instantly fell into steps, enjoying the beauty and liveliness of Shinjuku City. It was like a routine at this point. Yuta would point at something and briefly explain what it was and then he and Mark would happily nod their heads.
The three of them went first to a small photo booth which they accidentally stumbled upon. They soon realized that the booth could only take two people at a time and after a match of rock-paper-scissors, Donghyuck found himself alone inside the booth after Yuta and Mark had their turn. It was okay though. He had fun posing on his own and the booth also offered a variety of designs and stickers which he also had fun browsing through.
They then proceeded to walk past Shinjuku Station and went straight inside a ramen house that he had recommended to the two members. Luckily, Donghyuck seemed to have hit a jackpot as the ramen house offered lots of choices which instantly got the approval of both Yuta and Mark. Their praises made him incredibly happy. It was the least he could do after all.
“Where are we going next, Yuta hyung?” Mark asked and Donghyuck looked at the member in question.
“We will now go to Omoide Yokocho,” his Yuta hyung answered and Donghyuck watched as Mark’s face lit up.
“You mean the Memory Lane you kept on talking about, hyung?” the rapper asked and he realized that the conversation yet again was heading toward something he couldn’t quite relate to.
“Yep!”
They were about to head towards the main street when Donghyuck caught a glimpse of a particular store right beside the ramen house.
“Yuta hyung, Mark hyung, can you wait for me here? I will just check that booth over there. I think they sell that corn snack that Taeyong hyung liked.”
The two nodded their heads.
“Bring a selfie camera with you, Haechan-ah, or Wonjun hyung,” Mark suggested and he politely declined. Donghyuck knew that a selfie camera would be too troublesome to carry and bringing one cameraman was even more so. He knew their cameramen were starting to get worn out as they had no choice but to follow three idols holding a heavy camera.
“No, it’s okay,” Donghyuck answered. “It will only take a minute.”
“Suit yourself.”
It did not take that long for Donghyuck to explore the small booth and after purchasing some snacks for himself and the members, Donghyuck happily skipped back to the place where he last saw his members but Yuta and Mark nor the two cameramen were there. He quickly scanned the place looking for the two NCT members but he could not find them. Sensing that something was not quite right, he immediately put on a mask, a cap, and a hoodie in fear of a barrage of fans noticing him. Thankfully, the people were too busy walking and running around the station to notice him and his dilemma.
“Look for a crowd. Look for a crowd,” Donghyuck kept on chanting to himself as he decided to roam the station. Unlike the stations in Korea, Shinjuku Station was amazingly big and full of people. His heart started to beat abnormally and his hands were beginning to feel clammy but Donghyuck was okay. He convinced himself that he was okay.
The hyungs must have forgotten to wait for me. It’s okay. I can look for them instead.
Despite walking and walking around the area, Donghyuck could not help but go back to the ramen house where he last saw the two members. He thought that maybe Yuta and Mark went back there to get him, but to no avail, he still could not find his hyungs.
He also started to browse Google Maps and locate the place that Yuta had mentioned but he could not even remember the name. It also did not help that his phone battery was quickly draining. At that point, Donghyuck wanted to bang his head against the nearest concrete wall. He had also tried looking at the physical map at the entrance of the station but he could not read what it was saying. There were no English or Korean translations.
Donghyuck lost track of time as he walked and looked for his members. It could only be five minutes but he was sure he was searching for almost an hour now. Exhaustion and fatigue started to catch up on him as he sat down on an empty bench. His phone was at 5% and his energy was below that. Suddenly, he realized how big and foreign the place was and his eyes started to water. If only he could properly speak their language then maybe he already found his way back to the hotel but he could not. He was a lost cause.
What should I do?
With the last bit of his strength, he turned on his phone and dialed someone’s number. His hands were shaking as he waited for the call to connect and he felt as if the world was closing in on him.
“Please pick up. Please pick it up. Please pick up…” Donghyuck let out a few tears which were quickly absorbed by his face mask as his knees trembled.
[“Hello?]
A familiar voice was heard and Donghyuck almost burst into tears.
“Hyung…”
[“Hello? Hyuckie? What’s up? Are you guys having fun?”]
Donghyuck bit his lips. “Hyung, can you…” He choked up quite loudly and he knew that the other heard him.
[“Huh? I can’t hear you properly, Donghyuck-ah. Are you okay? What’s wrong?”] There was a hint of concern and worry in the voice of his hyung and all Donghyuck wanted to do at that moment was to curl up in his hyung’s strong arms.
“Hyung, can you come to pick me up? Johnny hyung, please pick me up. I’m scared and I don’t know what to do.”
[“What?! Where are you, Donghyuck? Where are Yuta and Mark?”]
“I…” Donghyuck bit his inner cheek. “I don’t know, hyung. I lost them and I don’t know how to go back. I can’t find them any… anywhere and this place is so big and scary. My phone is dying and I’m so scared to ask anyone. Please pick me up, Johnny hyung. Please. I am currently in Shinjuku Station but it’s so big and–”
[“Okay, okay, I got it, Hyuckie. Don’t go anywhere, okay? Or you know what? I am looking at Google Maps right now and there’s a Starbucks near the entrance of the station. Can you go there for me, hmm? I will be there as soon as possible. Don’t be scared, you hear me? You are strong. I will be there.]
“Thank you… Thank you, hyung. Please be fast.”
[“I will.”]
***
“Sleep well, our Donghyuckie,” Johnny whispered as he turned off the lamp near the bed. It took him quite a while to calm the frantic maknae but with an assurance that he was safe and that he would be okay, Donghyuck closed his eyes and slept. He quietly left the room as he waited for the rest of the members to come back from their tour.
To say that Johnny was mad would be the greatest understatement of the year. He was more than livid. He had trusted Yuta and Mark that they would take care of their youngest member but instead, he had to come and pick up a scared Donghyuck in a place foreign to the latter. His heart ached terribly as the youngest member instantly ran up to him and hugged him as if his life depended on it. And Johnny knew that Taeyong and Doyoung would also be beyond furious.
It didn’t take long for the entrance door of their lodging to open and Johnny recognized Yuta’s and Mark’s voices in an instant. As expected, the two members entered the living room but before Johnny could give that two hell for what just happened, the door opened again revealing Jungwoo and Jaehyun who were both holding paper bags.
“Oh? You just got here too?” Jungwoo removed his shoes and flashed all of them a smile.
“Where is Donghyuck? You three went together, right?” Jaehyun asked as he took the empty seat beside Johnny. “Hey, hyung. Did you rest well?”
“About that–” Mark rubbed the back of his nape.
“We played a prank on Donghyuckie,” Yuta laughed as he interjected. “We left him at the station and strolled by ourselves. I was hoping the camera could catch his reaction but he didn’t have a camera with him. We don’t know where he is now but I’m sure he will be fine.”
“Maybe we should have gone back to him, Yuta hyung,” Mark said and the Japanese member shrugged.
Johnny clenched his fists in silence. A prank? Was he hearing this right?
“Wait wait wait!” Jungwoo stood up. “So, you mean Donghyuck is still out there? Somewhere in the station?”
“Well, I don’t know…”
“Yah!” Johnny called for Mark’s and Yuta’s attention. Everyone stopped what they were doing as they probably noticed how cold and distant his voice and tone were.
“Donghyuck is peacefully sleeping in my room after the two of you left him behind. A prank huh?” He laughed emptily. “The kid was beyond terrified. He cried his heart out when I picked him up at Shinjuku Station. He was shaking so badly that we begged him to sleep and rest. What were you thinking huh?”
“Hyung, calm down…” Jaehyun reached for his arm but he shrugged it off as his gaze never left the two members.
“What the fuck is wrong with you two? I know you are taking this whatever YuMark shit and I don’t fucking care what you two do but don’t you think leaving that poor kid alone is pushing it too far?”
Yuta stood up. “It was just a harmless prank, Johnny. It’s for the viewers. Calm down.”
“A prank?” He scoffed. “Well, that harmless prank of yours left Donghyuck scared and traumatized. I know we’ve been here in Japan countless times already but this is still a foreign and new place for Donghyuck. Getting lost in a foreign country? Would you find it fun? And for the viewers? You two want to make the viewers happy to the extent of your member’s welfare? You have no freakin’ idea how my heart broke when I answered his call. He sounded so lost and scared. Donghyuck should not sound like that. He is a happy person.”
“Johnny hyung…”
“Shut up, Mark. Heck! I wasn’t even worried this morning because Donghyuck had the two of you and I know you will take care of him well. Maybe I should have worried after all. Do you guys know what Donghyuck told me earlier? He told me that he was so worried that you two would look for him and not find him. He was so worried about the two of you that he wanted me to call you and tell you that he was okay. You never answered my calls though. I guess you two were having a blast out there, huh? Poor Donghyuckie. What would he feel if we told him it was a prank? A goddamn prank. I hope you two had fun at least because Donghyuck for sure didn’t.”
Johnny watched as Mark and Yuta couldn’t find it in themselves to speak. They were looking at the floor while Jungwoo and Jaehyun looked mortified by what they just heard.
“What’s going to happen now, Johnny hyung?” Jaehyun was the one who asked the question.
“We will keep the teams for tomorrow, but I will bring Donghyuck with me. I can’t have him be left alone in a foreign country again, can we?” Johnny straightforwardly answered directing his question to Yuta and Mark.
“We can also take Donghyuck with us, Johnny hyung,” Jungwoo said but Johnny shook his head.
“No, it’s okay, Jungwoo-yah. I am sure I won’t be at peace unless I know Donghyuck is okay and is having fun. The poor kid deserves some fun after what these two had pulled.”
Silence enveloped the room as Mark began to tear up. Johnny slightly felt bad for the kid but he was in the wrong this time and what Mark and Yuta had pulled was not something that could be considered harmless.