Work Text:
“Standby,” the director said clearly in everyone’s earpieces. Mark fixed his tie for the last time. “In 3, 2, 1. Roll.”
"Good evening, Korea! I'm Mark Lee and welcome to NCT Evening News. We're here to bring you the latest updates and stories that matter most to you. It's Wednesday, February 28, 2024, and here are the headlines making news tonight." Mark started, voice stable as ever.
Park Jisung, Mark’s partner in the NCT News, proceeded to read the night’s headline. The news program ran smoothly like always, with Na Jaemin, the sweet weathercaster, just finished delivering the weather for every major city in the country.
“For the last entertainment news for tonight,” Mark started. “Singer Lee Haechan was officially announced as the Global Brand Ambassador for fashion house Celine.” Pictures of the singer flashed through the screen as the anchor continued.
“This announcement signifies a significant step for both Lee Haechan's career and Celine's commitment to embracing diverse talent. With his charm and style, Lee Haechan is set to bring a fresh perspective to Celine's renowned aesthetic.” The screen was panned back to Mark who visibly gulped.
“Fans are buzzing with anticipation for the collaborations to come, as this partnership promises to blend the worlds of music and fashion in innovative ways. Stay tuned for more updates on Lee Haechan's journey as the face of Celine.” The screen was back to a video of behind-the-scenes of the singer’s photoshoot for Celine.
“Mr. Lee?” Mark heard through his earpiece. Mark has been staring into nothing with a blushing face and exceptionally red ears after the videos of Lee Haechan were aired. Thankfully, Jisung acted quickly and read the prompter to read tonight’s news closing notes.
“And that wraps up tonight's edition of NCT Evening News. Once again, I’m Park Jisung.” Jisung calmly stated with a professional smile on his face.
Mark who has now gained his composure back continued. “I’m Mark Lee, thank you for joining us tonight. Have a great evening, and we'll see you again tomorrow. Good evening."
The news program’s outro was now playing on national television and their microphones were already cut off. “Mark, what happened? Are you alright?” The director asked and the anchor could see Jaemin behind the director with a wide grin on his face.
“Yeah, I’m sorry. I don’t know what happened either,” Mark explained. “Thank you for saving me there Jisung,” Mark softly muttered.
“No problem, hyung.” The younger answered and removed his earpiece.
“Anyways, good work today. Thank you. Please return the earpieces and mics to the staff,” The director said and turned his back to the two anchors and talked to the producers.
Jaemin leaned closer to Mark and loosened the older’s necktie, still with a playful smile on his face. “Too mesmerized by Lee Haechan? Hyung I know his manager, do you want me to talk to him so you can meet your idol personally?”
Jisung laughed at what Jaemin had said and shook his head. “Shut up Jaemin,” Mark answered and playfully pushed the younger away.
“Hyung, Jaemin hyung has a point though. You're blushing while reading the news about Lee Haechan.” Jisung added. “I think you should accept the opportunity Jaemin hyung is offering.”
“Markie, this is not the first time you're blushing on national TV while covering Haechan news.” The weatherman continued teasing the older.
“I am not blushing,” Mark defended himself.
“Yes, you are!” Jaemin and Jisung responded in unison.
Mark didn’t know how he managed to escape from his two friends' teasing. He was now in his more comfortable clothing and driving himself home. He opened the radio and was welcomed with Haechan’s song from his latest album, and was immediately reminded of what Jaemin said about him, always blushing whenever he was presenting news about Haechan.
But the thing is, Mark Lee, since he was chosen as one of the evening news anchors after being a field reporter for years, had always been the one assigned to deliver the news about the famous solo artist.
Lee Haechan released an album? Be sure that Mark will be presenting that at NCT Evening News.
Lee Haechan will hold his fan meeting? Worry not ‘cause Mark Lee will provide you with details about that.
Lee Haechan announced his concert? Expect Mark Lee to give tips about everything from ticket selling to the concert’s dress code.
Lee Haechan sold out the said concert? Bet your money that Mark Lee will congratulate the singer with a wide smile on national TV.
After driving for almost an hour, Mark finally parked his car and entered his home. He was welcomed by the lavender scent from the air fresher sitting at his coffee table. He put his work bag on the sky-blue couch and sat next to it.
Mark unbuttoned the first three buttons of his polo and grabbed his phone from his bag. He checked his notifications and it's just some messages from Jaemin and some emails from the producer of NCT News regarding articles he submitted in the morning.
He turned off his phone and decided to take a quick shower. While chilling in the bathroom, with his mint scent shampoo still in his hair, the memory of the newsroom flashed in Mark’s mind. ‘You’re so stupid, Mark!’ He thought to himself, still can’t believe that he spaced out in the middle of the program just because he thinks Lee Haechan looked so good in the blue shorts he wore in the photoshoot with Celine.
Feeling more pathetic, Mark quickly finished his shower and changed into a plain black shirt and gray sweatpants. He was drying his hair when his phone rang. He checked the name flashing on the screen and rolled his eyes. He picked up the phone and curtly answered. “What is it this time Jaemin?”
“Hyung, still mad?” Jaemin responded, the playfulness in his voice didn’t escape through Mark’s ear even through the phone’s speaker. “I am not mad. Why did you call though?”
The younger’s loud laugh echoed in Mark’s silent apartment. “You know what, just check Twitter hyung.” Mark’s forehead creased in confusion. “What’s happening? What’s so funny Jaem?”
“That’s for you to find out hyung, bye.” Jaemin ended the call not even giving Mark the chance to say goodbye. With curiosity killing him, the news anchor ignored his grumbling stomach and opened the app his friend mentioned and there it was, his name trending number one.
He immediately clicked on his name and several tweets popped up.
@luvhaech
this news dude is so cute blushing and all on national tv after seeing haechan’s beauty
@sunflowerlee
MARK LEE IS SO ME WHEN I SEE HAECHAN’S LEGS
@heyychan
guys this is not even the first time that Mark blushed on the news because of Haechan skskdj
Mark scrolled down through his phone, and with each second passed he could feel his ears getting hotter, and the notification sound from his friends' group chat wasn’t helping. Jaemin and Jisung are probably making fun of him right now.
new(s)guys
Jaeminie (8:47 PM)
Mark hyung’s trending again
Jisungie (8:48 PM)
when was the last time it happened?
Jaeminie (8:50 PM)
when Haechan sold out his first concert
Jisungie (8:52 PM)
ahh, the time when mark hyung looks like he’s gonna cry because he’s so proud
Makeu (8:54 PM)
shut up guys, it’s sooo embarrassing
Jaeminie (8:55 PM)
Hyung there’s nothing wrong with being a fan
Jisungie (8:57 PM)
heol! this is the first time i’m reading a one-sided dating news
Makeu (8:58 PM)
WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?
Jisungie (9:00 PM)
hyung, there’s a news article about you and haechan-ssi
Makeu (9:01 PM)
WHAT? SEND IT TO ME
Jaeminie (9:02 PM)
OMG! Hyung, I think you’re famous now. You’re like an idol or an actor right now
Jisungie (9:03 PM)
naver.com/news/News-Anchor-Mark-Lee-dating-Lee-Haechan
Still awkwardly standing in the middle of his kitchen, Mark immediately clicked the link and was so nervous while the news was loading that he could feel as if his heart was going out of his chest.
News Anchor Mark Lee's Adoration for Idol Lee Haechan Sparks Netizen Speculation!
Mark read the headline written in bold letters and the written article about him. It feels weird. Mark studied journalism in college. He got lucky and became a field reporter for one of the biggest TV stations in the country. His hard work paid off and became a news anchor.
Mark was so used to writing and reading news articles. He was so used to criticizing poorly written news articles. He even taught News Writing and Feature Writing at Seoul National University for one year. So it was really weird for him to read news articles written about him.
He immediately scrolled to the comments section, to see people's reactions about this.
@leehcsf
we can’t really blame him tho, heachan’s pretty
@fullsunlee
I wonder what haechan thought about this. does he even know this mark guy?
@kimjdds
If he can’t hide his emotions while reporting then he shouldn’t have been an anchor
@goodpersonhc
they would look cute tho
@sunnyhaech
Now I want mark to interview haechan so I can see him simp more
The last comment made Mark smile a little, thinking about having a one-on-one interview with the singer. He would gather the things most people are curious about and ask the younger about them. He also thought of bringing Haechan a sunflower and tulips as a thank-you for the interview. Mark was so consumed by the idea that he forgot about the negative opinions people had about him and how he works.
He read some comments again and now, all Mark could think about was how could he apologized to the idol for the mess he dragged him into. “Should I message him?”
Mark had a staring contest with his phone for another two minutes, contemplating his choices, and maybe his life decisions. “Ahh!” Mark shouted in frustration and pulled his hair out.
The news anchor continued to overthink that he didn’t notice the sound of the front door opening and closing quietly.
“Hyung what happened? I heard your shout outside.” Honey-like voice laced with concern filled Mark’s red ears. “Are you okay?”
Mark looked at the source of the voice and visibly relaxed. “Baby,” The news anchor whined, eliciting a sweet laughter from the man in front of him. “Done with work?”
Mark heard a melodic hum as an answer and watched the latter walk closer to him. “I also heard some news on my way home.”
“Don’t tease me.”
“Hey Mr. Mark Lee, I heard that you have a crush on me. How true is that?” Donghyuck playfully muttered.
Mark placed his phone on the kitchen counter and moved closer to the younger, but stopped right in front of Donghyuck and opened his arms wide. The younger one cooed at the action of his lover and hugged him tightly. “So, do you have a crush on me?” Donghyuck questioned with a stupid grin on his pretty face.
Mark closed his eyes and began to swing their body, dancing to the non-existent slow music only the two of them could hear. “Yes, I do have a big fat crush on you.”
“You’re so cute hyung,” Donghyuck answered, arms now in Mark’s nape while the news anchor’s hand was now resting on his waist pulling him closer every second. “You literally malfunctioned on national TV just because you saw my legs.”
Mark stopped swaying their body and looked intently at his lover’s eyes. “You know how much I love your legs.”
Donghyuck rolled his eyes and initiated to start the abruptly stopped slow dance. “I know, you’re obsessed with it, babe. But you can’t put marks on them now, it’s summer so I want to wear shorts.”
Mark grabbed the idol’s right hand and made him spin around. “More reason to put marks on them then, so only I can see your legs.”
“You’re crazy, baby,” Donghyuck said and hugged the older, still swaying their body from left to right slowly in the middle of their living room.
“Only for you though,” Mark whispered in the younger’s ears.
Minutes passed with the two of them just enjoying each other’s presence and dancing to the united beat of their hearts before Donghyuck broke the silence.
“Hyung, let’s sit, my feet hurt,” Donghyuck complained.
“Okay,” Mark let go of the younger and bent down to carry Donghyuck in his arms in a bridal way. The younger was so shocked that he didn’t get to suppress the squeal he let out.
“Marr!” Haechan exclaimed as Mark crossed the five steps between them and their couch. Mark sat Haechan down and kneeled in front of the younger.
“Your feet hurt?” The older repeated and gently held Donghyuck's feet and started massaging them. The gesture touched the idol’s heart and he cupped his boyfriend’s face in his hands and kissed the older on his lips.
“I love you,” Donghyuck whispered after detaching their lips.
Mark smiled and shyly responded, while still massaging the younger’s slightly swollen feet. “I love you too.”
“And actually, I wanted to say sorry,” Mark added, hands now going higher on his boyfriend’s legs.
Donghyuck tilted his head out of confusion. “Sorry? For what?”
“For dragging your name in a dating issue?” Mark asked unsure. “Can you even call it a dating issue when it's just me being down bad for you?”
Donghyuck laughed that beautiful laugh, the unrestrained laugh that somehow Mark mastered the ability to elicit from the younger.
For the second time, Donghyuck trapped his boyfriend’s face in his hand. “Hyung, you’re so cute, do you want me to choke you with kisses?” The younger exclaimed and proceeded to kiss Mark multiple times all around his face.
“Hyuck,” Mark stated as he got away from the younger’s grasp. “Stop it.” Mark stood up from his kneeling position and sat next to his lover. He put his arms behind Donghyuck’s back and played with his hair. “Did your agency say something? Should I talk with my company to ask for help for those articles to be put down?”
“Babe, you don’t have to do that, in fact, I should be the one worried about you. People are saying mean things about you. Discrediting your skills, talent, and hard work, just because of a small mistake you make on live TV.” Donghyuck explained and caressed the anchor’s other hands on his lap. “Actually, I think I should be thanking you.”
Mark’s eyes grew bigger from what he heard and Donghyuck couldn’t help but bite his lips to stop himself from smiling. “Thank me?”
Donghyuck hummed as an answer. “The general public, even non-fans are checking my music out because I’m that singer that always makes the handsome news anchor lose his composure on TV.”
Mark rolled his eyes but pulled the younger closer to a hug. “Stop teasing me.”
“Actually, Jeno wanted to enter the house after driving me home just so he could tease you, but I stopped him because I knew you would be so embarrassed," Donghyuck responded. "I did good right?"
Mark nodded. "Then, I deserve a reward,” Donghyuck said, voiced airy, then bit his lips, and the air around them suddenly became hotter.
Mark looked at Donghyuck and smirked before crashing his lips into the younger’s inviting one. Mark didn’t waste any second and deepened the kiss by pulling Donghyuck by his nape. Mark had always been a bottom lip kisser, to the point that the idol would be scolded by Renjun, his make-up artist, for his obviously swollen lips.
The anchor bit Donghyuck’s lips which made the singer let out a high-pitched moan, and he used that time to explore his boyfriend’s mouth, tongue playing with each other. Mark’s other hand was now gripping Donghyuck’s waist as he slowly guided the younger to lie on their sofa with him on top.
Donghyuck’s hands were now on the older’s hair as he lightly pulled them to release the extreme pleasure he felt just from kissing his lover. Mark's lips were now making their way to the younger’s jaw and settled on his neck. The singer’s swollen lips weren't the only thing that Renjun scolded him for, but also the numerous hickeys on his neck and collarbones too.
Mark loved leaving his name on his boyfriend's skin, even if the younger would pout at him after for putting them in places that were so obvious. Even if he had to say sorry and coax the younger for hours. The older just can’t stop himself from marking the younger’s neck, especially the beautiful moles that he finds sexy, to the point that sometimes Donghyuck’s fans wonder why Haechan’s neck moles were missing, due to the amount of concealer Renjun had to use to cover the red marks.
Mark traced a kiss on Donghyuck’s mole from his cheek to his neck before sucking on his collarbone. “Baby, I still have a schedule tomorrow, don’t put too many marks,” The younger pleaded with a quivering voice. Mark detached himself from his boyfriend slightly to admire the hickey he just left.
“Sorry baby,” The reporter muttered, not really sounding apologetic, which made the younger roll his eyes. “But hey, it's below your collarbone so it can be hidden by clothes, so Renjun would not be so stressed.”
Mark sat properly and pulled Donghyuck into a sitting position. “You have a schedule tomorrow?”
Donghyuck nodded excitedly. “It's a secret for now, but it's a variety show and I would shoot it in Busan, but it’ll be fast though. I’ll come home at night.” Donghyuck’s eyes are twinkling with happiness and passion that Mark couldn’t help but admire.
“I’m so proud of you. I admire how you didn’t give up on your dream. Now, people love you so much.” The news anchor stated still dazed after listening to his boyfriend ramble about his work and music.
"I'm so proud of you too, babe. You are not only famous for blushing because of me, you're like the nation's favorite news anchor." Donghyuck smiled widely. "I kept reading things like, they are just watching the news just to see you. People are also talking about the different documentaries you dedicate your passion and time to."
Mark turned his gaze away from his boyfriend to hide his blush, but his red ears were giving him away. "Hyung, did you know that a lot of kids nowadays want to be a reporter and news anchor because of you?"
"Stop flattering me," Mark pleaded and Donghyuck giggled.
Mark took a deep breath and stared back at his boyfriend. "But did you know who I'm most proud of right now?"
Donghyuck shook his head with a pout on his lips. "I'm so proud of Jeno, for keeping his mouth shut and not accidentally spilling our relationship to Jaemin." Mark continued and in an instant, the pout on the younger's lips was gone. "Jaemin kept teasing me that he knows your manager and he can ask Jeno so I can meet you." With that, Donghyuck laughed loudly.
"We should give Jeno a gift, hyung," Donghyuck responded, eyes crinkling due to his smile.
"I think we should," Mark agreed and was accompanied by the sound of his grumbling stomach.
Donghyuck chuckled before his face became all serious. “Hyung, you didn’t eat?” He asked as if the furrow of his eyebrows made him intimidating.
Mark raised both of his arms as if surrendering. “I did before the broadcast. You?”
“I did, Jeno brought me Egg Fried Rice and Kimchi-Jjigae,” The younger stated as he stood from his position and walked toward their kitchen’s direction.
Mark chased his boyfriend with his stare. “Where are you going?” Mark asked, dragging the last syllable of his question.
Donghyuck bent down to reach for a pot from their kitchen cabinet. “I’m cooking you ramen, hyung.” The night goes on with the two of them sharing the noodles, rewatching Donghyuck’s favorite movie. Maybe they also made out a little in front of their bathroom mirror before and after doing their skincare together.
Mark was now wearing a black polo shirt and a baggy jean he currently enjoys wearing these days. He was now in Chenle’s office, the assignment editor emailed him this morning about wanting to talk to him in his office instead of just sending him topics and issues to cover.
Apparently, overthinking while driving was a developing habit of his; as he was actually overthinking the whole drive to work if he was gonna be removed as one of the main news anchors and will be a field reporter again after his repeated mistake of getting flustered over his boyfriend on the evening news program.
Chenle entered his office with two cups of coffee. “Did you wait long?”
Mark shook his head and took the coffee the younger offered. “Why did you want to meet me? I still don’t have an assignment for this week. Am I getting fired?” Mark rambled and Chenle laughed.
“No hyung,” Chenle gave him a teasing smile, and Mark immediately felt nervous. “In fact, I’m here to give you good news.”
Mark didn’t trust the younger’s grin so he didn’t feel relieved hearing it was good news. “Spill it.”
“Dream Entertainment approached us this morning. I’m sure you know who is the most famous artist of Dream Ent. right now?” Chenle said while wiggling his eyebrows.
“Oh no!’ The anchor thought and the blood drained from his face. “Are they gonna sue me? For damaging Lee Haechan’s reputation?” Mark questioned and Chenle couldn’t help but roll his eyes.
“Hyung, how is Dream Ent. suing you a good news?” Chenle retorted, sass exploding.
Mark sighed. Adding to his peace of mind was the fact that Donghyuck didn’t say anything about a lawsuit to him this morning after Jeno picked him up for his schedule.
Mark gazed at Chenle, confusion written all over his face. “Then what? Do they want me to apologize to Lee Haechan at later’s broadcast?”
The younger sighed, getting exhausted from this conversation. “Damn, they are giving you the chance to have an exclusive interview with Haechan!” Chenle explained, voice going higher with every word.
“What?”
“You have a chance to interview your crush!”
With that, Mark heard his phone notification. “Excuse me,” he said after glancing at Chenle for a split second.
He opened the notification and was greeted with a message from Donghyuck.
Baby ♥ (1:36 PM)
Hyung have you heard the news? You’re gonna interview me. I’m so excited.