Work Text:
To be very honest, science fiction is one of the few last things in the list of stuffs Donghyuck is not interested in. Joining a book club is the other last few things in that very list besides reading. But joining a science fiction book club? That’s just too much and Donghyuck is insane. Heck, Donghyuck is insane.
The cause of his insanity? Mark Lee, that one Canadian student transferee he is head over heels for. (Admittedly, Donghyuck is really head over heels for him and it all started with the other male laughing.)
It happened just a week ago; Donghyuck was simply minding his own business in the library, doing some last minute algebra homework that was due in the evening later until he looked up and there he was, Mark Lee with his group of friends. The male was reading a science fiction book, something called Fahrenheit 451 according to the book cover, while looking up once in a while to join in animatedly in the conversation his group of friends were having and laughing every once and then whenever one of them had mentioned something that was funny enough for him to laugh and had sparked Mark’s interest to put his book down to hear the rest of the conversation. With each laugh Mark has slipped past his lips, Donghyuck found himself falling for the other male.
“You’re weird”, Taeyong, an older friend and a senior to Donghyuck, mentioned. Taeyong is in the same class as Donghyuck with the reasons of being placed there for ‘tutoring purposes’ to score extra credits before his graduation. (“Screw the graduating system. It doesn’t make sense but I need to graduate so I’m just gonna wing along with the system”, Taeyong complained once upon a time.)
“You’re right. I am weird”, Donghyuck agreed easily to what Taeyong had said without much complain unlike how the younger male usually has loads of them when it comes to talking with Lee Taeyong. “I am so weird that I registered myself in a science fiction book club”, Donghyuck sighed.
“No way”, Taeyong looked at younger male as if the other male had grew two pair of head overtime.
“Yes way. And the meeting is right after class. What do I do? I signed myself up for hell because I don’t even like science fiction, reading and book clubs in general but I like him so much”, Donghyuck groaned in misery to what he had signed himself up for and had slammed his head against his algebra books that are on the table.
“Well aren’t you a sucker. I don’t know, man. Good luck surviving one hour of unnecessary club activities” Taeyong grinned teasingly but gave the younger male a consoling pat as the bell rang, signalling the ending of the class.
-
“This week’s sci-fi book is called Harrison Bergeron, a dystopian sci-fi book that takes place in the year 2081. The government ‘tries’ to balance the intellectual and the not so intellectual but it all backfires because what is equality when there’s more discrimination? That will be this week’s to talk about. See you all next week!” the cheery head of the science fiction book club, Kim Doyoung, wrapped up the day with the short introduction of their book of the week before the members of the club packed their belongings to leave for the day.
“Finally”, Donghyuck muttered under his breath. The earlier hour was spent talking about Fahrenheit 415, hence why Mark had been reading the book last week in the library when Donghyuck had saw him.
“Hey Donghyuck?” Someone called out for him and as he turned he sees no one else but Mark Lee, whom already has his backpack strapped on his shoulder. Donghyuck does a double take and glanced around to make sure he was dreaming before realizing that Mark Lee had indeed called him.
“Y- Yes?” Donghyuck stuttered in reply and inwardly curses at himself for being so nervous.
“I figured since you’re new. Do you want to go over to the library with me so we can look for the book together?” Mark smiled with his offer and it made Donghyuck’s heartbeat skipped twice as fast than its usual beating.
“I’d love to! I mean, yeah- sure.” Donghyuck tried to play it cool but that only made the other male laughed, again doing injustice to Donghyuck’s poor heart that is already beating so fast.
“Well I’ll wait for you outside then”, Mark gestured the door with his thumb and a smile directed to Donghyuck before the male had walked out, and leaving Donghyuck in his still state of shock before the brunette quickly packed his bag. Curse Mark Lee and his beautiful smile and Donghyuck’s very own fidgety state of feelings right now. Donghyuck definitely won’t live to see the day after this because if his heartbeat does not slow itself back to its normal rate of beating, then Donghyuck shall be damned with a heart attack sooner or later.
-
The library was awfully quiet though not very surprising to Donghyuck because i) it was already evening whereby many would have long left the campus ground, ii) it’s the library after all and the evening shift librarian is known to be very scary if someone had made any unnecessary noise (even if it’s the typing of the computer keyboard). Donghyuck only prayed that his heartbeat isn’t loud for the other male to hear (or for the librarian to hear if he doesn’t want to get kicked out).
“I think I found the book”, Mark whispered and it broke Donghyuck from his train of unnecessary thoughts of how he might die from a heart attack in the library (and probably end up being a ghost that haunts the library and whoever reads books).
“Come again?” Donghyuck blinked, not being able to hear what the other male had said while he was still in his thoughts of being a ghost.
Mark leaned closer to whisper and Donghyuck suddenly felt the invasion of personal space as he felt his cheeks turned warmer than usual (though it’s not like he had minded the invasion of space but he was greatly disturbed and flustered by the other male’s sudden action). “I said, I found the book but there’s only one copy”, Mark repeated what he had said earlier in the whispers before the male had pulled himself back with a smile.
“Oh”, Donghyuck could only uttered that singular word. “I… I guess you could read it first then I’ll read it after you?” Donghyuck asked than suggested.
“Well, you could come over my place this weekend and we could read it together?” Mark offered a suggestion with a smile as he looked at the other male.
“Yes! I mean, no- I mean-”, Donghyuck fumbled with his words as Mark laughed. If Donghyuck could see stars right now, he would because he felt all jelly with a possible risk of passing out soon (and with Mark laughing, it’s clearly not helping at all). “Yes?”, Donghyuck questioned than answered but the other male took out a notepad and scribbled his address on it regardless of what Donghyuck answer was.
“Here. This Saturday, 3pm?” Mark handed the scribbled paper over to Donghyuck, who more than willing held the paper safely in his palm until the other male had walked away to the counter to check the book out.
-
Saturday had arrived unexpectedly fast for Donghyuck. He had been nervous the past two weekdays, between annoying his older friend, Taeyong, about how it was Mark Lee whom had asked him out first (or more like invited him over to his house to read a science fiction book but Taeyong insisted that it was a date and Mark was just as head over heels for Donghyuck though unlike the younger male, at least Mark had seem rather lowkey. “Honestly, if I was Mark and if I had liked you, I would invite you to my house, but if it’s otherwise, the house should be off-limit”, Taeyong remarked with a yawn that followed after), to meeting the rest of Mark’s friends, Jeno and Jaemin. Both of them were all too smiley whenever Donghyuck started talking. (Donghyuck doesn’t see the little foot and arm nudging under the table though when he had decided to join Mark and his friends for lunch the day before).
“Glad you could make it!” Mark welcomed Donghyuck rather with an open arm before he invited the other male in, whom at the moment has frozen up to Mark’s action before snapping out from his state of nervousness and allowed himself to enter in, remarking how nice Mark’s living room is.
“Do you want any drink? I got orange juice in the fridge”, Mark asked as he gestured Donghyuck to his room as the other male simply nodded to whatever Mark has said. “Be right back then. Just make yourself at home”, Mark smiled before he went off to the kitchen as Donghyuck is left in Mark’s room, taking in the sight of shelves of science-fiction books that Mark has and how everything in the latter’s room was all neatly arranged and organized unlike his own where Donghyuck would just simply chuck his books and belongings to wherever there is a space for him to do so.
Mark comes back with two glasses of orange juice and some snacks for the two of them before he had sat down, pulling out the book that he had borrowed from the library days before and patting the spot next to him. Donghyuck found himself settling down as well though had struck out a conversation at first. “You must really love science fiction books a lot, don’t you?” Donghyuck asked though he knew entirely of the other male’s love for science fiction along with the passion the other male had when it comes to the genre.
“With all my heart. It’s interesting. I strive to be a science fiction author someday, actually”, Mark smiled with his words as Donghyuck could only look at the other male with admiration. They were young so thinking about the future is something still far off for something Donghyuck should be worrying about at the moment especially when his greater concerns are to keep his grades on track and to even secure a graduation in the future. He can worry about what to do later but for Mark whom had already decided in what he had wanted to do, it was certainly something Donghyuck could only wished for himself to be as decisive and sure like how the other male was.
“Anyway, shall we start reading? I read some parts already though because it’s surprisingly a short excerpt. I know you don’t really like reading and sci-” Donghyuck interrupts with eyes as wide as his eyelids could stretch, “How do you know I don’t like reading and science fiction?”
Mark flustered with his words and turned flabbergasted. “W- Well, you said that remember? When we- when we were having lunch the other day?” Mark made gestures in hope that it eliminates his nervousness of how he almost exposed himself.
“Oh”, Donghyuck blinked but smiled regardless. “Well, tell me then. About the story”, Donghyuck pointed out to the book as Mark inwardly sighs a relief before the rest of the day continued with Mark telling the story about Harrison Bergeron to Donghyuck and them sharing the book reading together.
-
“There is no form of equality because in the universe that Harrison Bergeron lives in, the prettier ones gets a hideous mask, and the stronger ones gets handicaps as well as those who are intellectual. In fact, it backfires because it’s obvious to how you know how one is prettier or stronger or smarter than another with the amount of handicaps the Law makes them wear.” Donghyuck explained in front of everyone while the rest of the members of the book club in the classroom including Mark and the head, Doyoung, nodded.
“Well remarked, Donghyuck.” Doyoung smiled, pleased with the explanation Donghyuck had given. “Well that’s it for the closure of this week’s book, Harrison Bergeron. For the following week we’ll be opening up a forum on Kurt Vonnegut’s Cat’s Cradle which explores the issues of science, technology and religion. Have a good week ahead.” Doyoung bid everyone goodbye.
“You did a good explanation of Harrison Bergeron.” Mark praised Donghyuck once the other male had packed his back while Mark waited for him. Donghyuck smiled and remarked, “All thanks to you though. I wouldn’t have understand if it weren’t for you and honestly, it opened up my eyes to science fiction. I can find myself reading more science fiction from now on. I even read Star Wars just a few days and I’m honestly hooked.” Donghyuck admitted with a smile.
“Oh really?” Mark grinned, obviously content with Donghyuck’s new found interest.
“Yes and in fact, I got something to tell you.” Donghyuck mustered his words with a shy smile that is evident to both him and Mark.
“Oh. What is it?” Mark asked with curiousity as the other pulled him close, just like how the latter did in the library last week and whispered.
“You’re the obi-wan for me.”