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The thing is, Mark had literally stated in his perfectly neat hangul in the dorm application form that he wants a single room instead of a shared one with a roommate, or two. He didn’t go through the hell that was college entrance exams and apply to this prestigious ass university for him to be treated like this. Okay, fine. So maybe Mark is being a little bit dramatic, but the thing that irks him even more is the fact that Donghyuck said that he only ticked the ‘no preference’ box regarding the question about dorm only to get a fucking single room. The world is not on Mark’s side. To be honest, Mark would also see the bright side if Donghyuck would just stop gloating about it. But it’s Donghyuck, so of course he’s laughing.
“Waaaaah, it’s really unbelievable how little luck you have, Mark hyung!” Donghyuck exclaims for the fourth time (Mark has been counting) since they got assigned to their dorm rooms this morning.
“Shut up, brat. You just got lucky this time. I will so apply for a single room again next year.” The thing about this prestigious ass school is the fact that they can only change rooms once the year is over, so Mark would not even waste his breath begging to change rooms to that grumpy woman in the assignment office. Mark is starting to regret spending so much money on college. He should just drop out and become an idol.
“Sure,” Donghyuck snorts unattractively that has Mark wrinkling his nose in disgust, “for the rest of the year, I will bask in my own privacy while you wallow in your double room!”
Donghyuck clearly likes to rub salt in the wound.
“All you will do in this room is probably stink it up with your spunk. At least, I have my own bathroom while you have to share those showers with other people,” Mark replies, not willing to give up as he watches Donghyuck unpack his books on his table with the organisers he bought from home, absentmindedly thinking about his own side of the dorm room that is scattered with his boxes that still hasn’t been unpacked since he left his dorm to whine to Donghyuck.
“Yeah? At least I don’t have to jack off quietly in my bathroom while my roommate is out in the room, hyung. I’d rather shower with other people than that. Hell, I might even get to bring home a girl!” Donghyuck points out brightly as he moves on to his other boxes. Touché.
“Actually,” Donghyuck starts, looking at Mark invading his bed with his limbs everywhere, “why are you even here? Go unpack, you room hoarder! You haven’t even met your roommate.”
“I plan for it to stay that way,” Mark counters, crinkling his nose in disgust, getting even more comfortable in Donghyuck’s bed, “he’s probably some sloppy ass guys who brings people home while I’m there. Wait, if I get sexiled, would you let me stay here?” Mark stood up abruptly in realisation, “you would, right?!”
“First of all, you’re being super dramatic and annoying considering you haven’t even met him,” Donghyuck replies, rolling his eyes as he looks at Mark’s scarred face before he points at Mark with the slippers that are on his hands, “what college movies have you even been watching, God, Mark. Second of all, of course I would, but I doubt you would even get sexiled because you’re just being a dramatic and annoying ass guy who is invading the privacy of my humble abode!”
“Look who’s being dramatic now,” Mark mutters as he heads for the door, stomping just to annoy Donghyuck, but probably even annoying Donghyuck’s neighbour down the floor.
“I heard that!” Donghyuck exclaims, voice muffled since his head is practically in a box, seemingly looking for something. Good, Mark hopes it’s lost so that Donghyuck can cry a fucking river and suffocate or some shit.
Mark finds himself trudging back to his own dorm room after slamming softly the door of Donghyuck’s (single, sobs) dorm room which is literally just another building next to Donghyuck’s own dorm complex, dreading going into his room and finding someone sloppy, annoying, and probably brings people to their dorm while Mark in the room, and worse, probably gets him sexiled.
Which is why it comes as a surprise when Mark tries to unlock his supposedly empty dorm room to find that it is, in fact, already unlocked. Mark’s hands start to get clammy and he worries on his bottom lip, mussing his styled soft pink hair that he dyed from the dare he was asked to do when he turned legal, after lots and lots of alcohol for the first time. Another surprise comes when Mark opens the dorm room to find, in fact, a quite handsome young man who is already looking at him, a bright, sunny smile adorning his handsome features, his eyes turning into crescent.
“Hi, you must be my roommate. I’m Lee Jeno. First year. It’s nice to meet you,” roommate introduces himself, even including a polite bow which has Mark automatically bowing as well at the doorstep.
“Ah, right, I’m Lee Minhyung. Most people call me Mark, though,” he replies after stepping inside and taking off his shoes, bowing again, “first year too. I hope you don’t mind me taking the side near the window.”
Lee Jeno hums in acknowledgement, shooting him an easy smile as he sits down on his bed where his luggage is opened, “nah, it’s cool.”
Mark starts to move towards his boxes, and pulls out his books to put in his own studying table near his bed. The table is really bland now. With the wood colour and quite spacious room, he can put quite a lot of textbooks and even study there. In fact, with maybe a cactus, the whole study table aesthetics would be complete along with his (quote from Donghyuck) nerdy engineering books. Mark takes a quick glance at his roommate who is focused in putting his clothes in his side of closet, neatly putting them in a hanger, and folding the stuffs that he doesn’t hang. Perhaps his roommate isn’t so bad at all, he looks quite neat, judging by his appearance consisting of a nicely fit jeans, a plain black tee, and Mark can even see his plaids hanging on his bed’s post.
“So what’s your major?” Jeno asks conversationally.
“Engineering,” he replies brightly.
“Ah,” his roommate looks slightly amazed, nodding his head appreciatively at Mark, “you must be quite smart.”
“I’m,” Mark pauses to collect his thoughts and takes out his clothes, “okaaaaaaay, ish. What’s your major?”
“Education! Wanna become an English teacher,” he replies, equally as bright and suddenly sheepish, “not as cool as your major though.”
“Nah, your major is pretty cool. Mine is sort of nerdy, even my best friend says so,” Mark replies. Jeno shoots him a smile again, a wide and genuine smile with his straight pearly whites, and Mark wonders briefly how someone can even look so annoyingly good looking.
They continue to pack in a silence that is neither comfortable nor uncomfortable for them, and Mark didn’t know how much time passed, but he just finished putting his clothes in his part of the closet when someone rushes in the room screeching Jeno’s name, startling Mark in the process. Jeno shoots him a grimace, apologising for the intruder.
“What are you doing, idiot?” Jeno grumbles half-heartedly to the person, who is currently supporting himself on Jeno’s bed post, panting heavily. Mark thinks he must have ran all the way here for him to be so tired, and not even acknowledging Mark’s existence.
“Ah, our dorm rooms are so far away from each other, how will we even see each other?” the stranger who is apparently someone Jeno knows judging by how Jeno hasn’t kicked the person out for rudely barging in. The stranger finally stops panting and looks at Jeno who is sitting on his desk, “wanna go out for dinner?”
“Hm, sure. Let me finish putting things in my bathroom first, though.”
The stranger hums to acknowledge Jeno’s reply as Jeno enters the bathroom, leaving the stranger to look around their dorm and finally (finally) looking at Mark, blinking at him in surprise, his mouth hanging open, and Mark could only blink back at him, take aback because wow, the person is good looking as hell. The person is wearing a distressed acid-washed jeans that accentuates his beautiful thighs, a white hoodie that is seemingly a size larger than his usual size, and definitely way too hot for beginning of fall, with the hint of summer still in the air.
“You must be Jeno’s roommate!” the stranger says cheerily, smiling at Mark, seemingly oblivious to Mark’s blatant checking out. He probably got used to people checking him out all the time for him to dismiss it like that. “I’m Na Jaemin, Jeno’s best friend!”
“You’re not!” Jeno calls out from the bathroom.
“Mean!” Jaemin replies loudly to the direction of the bathroom before turning back to face Mark, “what’s your name? Are you a first year, too? What’s your major?”
Mark is just about to reply when Jeno emerges from the bathroom, giving Jaemin a thump in the back, “you’re scaring him, Jaemin,” Jeno scolds softly, amused but not wanting Mark to be uncomfortable.
“Ah, it’s okay,” Mark interjects, laughing lightly at Jaemin’s small pout, “I’m Lee Minhyung, but most people call me Mark. A first year, and engineering major.”
“Oh, I’m taking engineering, too! Guess I have a friend I know, now!” Jaemin says brightly before pausing, his bottom lip bitten, suddenly in thoughts, “are you from America?”
“Nah, Canada. I was only born there though, moved here when I was six to start school here but my batch passed which is why I’m like a year older than you guys probably,” Mark replies. He always makes sure to mention his age earlier to his peers as some of them takes age hierarchy too seriously, and gets uncomfortable about the fact that they have been using informal with him all along.
“Oh, I’m sorry!” Jeno replies in alarm as he puts on his plaids, shooting Mark a sorry smile, “I didn’t know you were older! Do you want me to call you Mark hyung?”
“Nah, I’d rather you don’t,” Mark says, scratching his head sheepishly, “makes me feel old. No one really calls me hyung except my best friend.”
“Well, if you insist,” Jaemin relies, his smile and tone still bright, and Mark is seriously starting to wonder how he manages to look so impeccable and handsome without even trying. “do you want to go have dinner with us?”
“Thanks for offering but,” Mark unlocks his phone, shooting Donghyuck a quick text, standing up and stretching from his bed, “my friend probably wants us to go get dinner together.”
-
“So you’re saying you totally got the hots for your roommate’s best friend?” Donghyuck deadpans, as he pours ketchup (ew) all over his fries (double ew).
“ I do not have the hots for him. I literally just said he’s good looking,” Mark grumbles back shoving his burger in his mouth, not caring that he probably looks disgusting.
They decided to just hit up McDonald’s since neither of them are particularly keen with cafeteria food and still have some wons in their pockets. Not fancy nor healthy, but definitely fulfilling and cheap.
“Same thing, dude.”
“It’s not.”
“It is.”
“It’s not.”
“It is.”
“It’s not.”
“It is.”
“It’s not.”
“It’s not.”
“It is. Ugh, fuck you Donghyuck.”
“Gotcha,” Donghyuck grins smugly, “you’re such a dad, I can’t believe you fell for that again.”
“Shut the hell up. He’s hot, yes, okay, acknowledged. But I think he likes my roommate. He looks at my roommate like he hung the stars or some shit,” Mark replies, taking one of Donghyuck’s fries that is not coated in ketchup.
“Oooh, really? Those classic best friends turned lover kind of story, huh? I’m glad we’re not that and I’m straight as a ruler, and you’re literally the gayest person alive, hyung,” Donghycuk says, seemingly amused.
“Yeah, and as if I’m gonna fall for you.”
Donghyuck had known that Mark is gay since the last year of middle school. Mark came out to him, nervous and sweating buckets only for Donghyuck to blink at him, confused about his nervous behaviour and said that he’s cool with it, and he sort of knows since Mark has never even shown any interest in girls and he always stared at hot guys. (“I do?” “Yeah? How can you not realise?”). So talking about these things don’t really bug Donghycuk. God bless for the non-homophobic hetero friend.
“But, you know, maybe this Jaeminnie will forget about your roommate if you ask him out,” Donghyuck suggests, moving on to his chicken nuggets.
“Mmhm, and I would grow the balls to tell my mum that I’m gay, right,” Mark says sarcastically, taking Donghyuck’s fries a little bit more aggressively than he intends to.
“Gee, just a suggestion, hyung!” Donghyuck replies, pouting a little before changing the topic, “I’m way nervous for my classes, though. I suck at speed writing and the professor probably will switch the slides so damn fast, ugh…..”
-
Mark is undoubtedly a morning person. He loves waking up early before everyone else. Before in high school, he would wake up early on weekends and go on a jog at 5 a.m, enjoying the morning breeze. In college, Mark doesn’t think that anything has to even change. The university (God bless) has a gym, and Mark notes that at least the money he spent on the ridiculous college fee come with a nice privilege. The gym routine has been going on for about two weeks since the semester starts, and Mark has never felt any better in his whole 19 years of living.
While Mark is a morning person, Jeno is undoubtedly not. Jeno catch him one morning while he was on his way to the bathroom at 6 a.m, Mark just got back from working out. Jeno asks where he went only to wrinkle his nose in distaste when Mark answered gym. “Never thought I would see another species like Jaemin,” Jeno says groggily from the bathroom.
“Oh, what do you mean by that?” Mark says, lighting up a little at the mention of Jaemin’s name. He has seen Jaemin quite a lot in the engineering building since that time he barged into their dorm room since they share the same major. They even share one lecture together. Mark can rightfully assure that Jaemin looks good every time he sees him and it makes Mark swoon every time, only to berate himself since he knows Jaemin is into someone else.
“Jaemin is totally into exercise like you, hyung,” Jeno says fondly, his voice muffled since it’s filled with toothpaste. He still insists on calling Mark with hyung despite Mark saying that he doesn’t want to be called that. “He likes running more though, so he usually runs around the campus every morning rather than going to the gym.”
Interesting fact. Mark needs to remember that.
-
Mark definitely didn’t change up his routine just to see more of Jaemin. If someone (particularly Donghyuck) asks him why he decided to change up his gym routine to running, he would say that he just needs a change of environment! That’s always good, right? But if Mark is being honest, he just wants to see Jaemin more. Don’t blame him.
“Oh, Minhyung!” did he mention that Jaemin calls him Minhyung? Swoons.
Plan, Success.
“Oh, Jaemin!” Mark exclaims in fake surprise, schooling his perfected surprised expression, turning around to the voice calling him to come face to face with Jaemin in his sweat pants and sports hoodie, sweat dribbling down his face in little beads, looking good without even trying and it makes Mark’s toes curl. “You’re running?”
“Yeah, I do! I didn’t know you do it, too!” Jaemin replies, and they both start to jog at the same pace, side by side, the morning breeze hitting their face comfortably.
“I actually usually go to the gym, but decided that I want a change today,” Mark replies quietly, his heart pounding from running for 30 minutes, but also from nervousness and fear of getting caught by his white lie.
“Ah, that’s nice. We should do this together more often. I always try to bring Jeno every morning, but he would rather die than run with me,” Jaemin counters, his breath heavy from his nose.
“Tell me about it,” Mark pants out, “I’ve been begging Donghyuck to run with me since high school but he always flats out refuse me.”
“That sounds like someone I know,” Jaemin chuckles.
They continue to run around the campus for another 30 minutes until they stop at the convenience store at the campus, catching their breaths silently as they come to a halt. Jaemin breaks the silence.
“Do you want to get breakfast together? I know a really good breakfast café near our campus and our class doesn’t start for another two hours?”
God bless Na Jaemin.
“Sure.”
A new routine is born. Every Monday and Thursday, Mark and Jaemin would run for an hour around the campus, they would go get breakfast at either a café or just cafeteria when they’re broke, they go to their respective dorms to shower and get ready for class, and then they’re in their 8 a.m lecture. People who say that Monday sucks obviously doesn’t have a crush.
-
“So you run with Jaeminnie now? That has got to be the gayest thing ever,” Donghyuck says, amused as he sips on his banana milk.
“At least I get to spend some time with him. Whatever, really.”
“You’re getting really soft, hyung!”
They’re having dinner at the cafeteria like they usually do every night since with having different majors from Donghyuck, he barely even crosses path with him, so they settle on an unspoken agreement that they have to have dinner together every night. Sometimes they are even joined with Jeno and Jaemin, having introduced them to each other about three weeks into the semester, or sometimes Renjun, a guy that Donghyuck introduced to him that he knew from his classes. But tonight it’s just them since the three are nowhere to be seen, and thus, the Jaemin torture begins.
“You know, I think you should really ask him out. Jeno is literally as straight as a board. I don’t think he is into Jaemin that way,” Donghyuck points out, his mouth full of rice and other things that is served for dinner.
“Don’t talk when you eat, idiot,” Mark scolds exasperatedly, “and you’ve been saying that ever since I met him. I really think he’s into Jeno, though. I don’t wanna ruin it.”
“Who’s into Jeno?” A voice interjects. Mark and Donghyuck look at each other in alarm before they turn to look at the newcomer. Renjun.
“Ah, fuck, you scared us, dude!” Donghyuck groans, putting his hand over his left chest, rubbing it. “We thought it was someone else!”
“Sorry,” Renjun says sheepishly, rubbing his head, sliding into the seat next to Donghyuck with his own meal, “for real, who’s really into Jeno? Is it someone I know? Is it Jaemin?”
“Oh, you notice it too!” Mark exclaims, pointing his finger at Renjun in surprise.
“Yeah, it’s sort of really obvious, though,” Renjun answers, grimacing as he swallows his food, “I feel bad for Jaemin.”
“Right? Doesn’t Jeno look super straight?” Donghyuck interjects.
“Yeah! I heard he got a girlfriend recently as well! I wonder how Jaemin feels,” Renjun replies, nodding sympathetically.
“Wait, what, really? He got a girlfriend?” Mark asks, his senses tingling. If Jeno got a girlfriend, wouldn’t Jaemin, his best friend, be the first to know? Mark knows enough from stories from Jaemin that Jeno barely dates in high school except for a few dates with a few girls who confessed to him out of pity. He must be pretty upset to find out that Jeno got himself a girlfriend. A real one instead of those flimsy sympathetic dates. Mark wonders worriedly how Jaemin is fending?
“Mmmhm. Heard it from Yerim. His girlfriend’s name is Hina, I think?” renjun replies, continuing to shove food in his mouth while Mark takes out his phone, shooting Jaemin a quick text.
FROM: MINHYUNG
[6:28 pm] Where are you n jeno rn???
FROM: JAEMIN
[6:28 pm] im in dorm rn but jeno is out with his gf or whtever
FROM: MINHYUNG
[6:29 pm] You aren’t coming to cafeteria to eat?
FROM: JAEMIN
[6:29 pm] nah
[6:30 pm] not hungry
FROM: MINHYUNG
[6:34 pm] Coming over in 10 with food
FROM: JAEMIN
[6:35 pm] :-)
-
At 6:46 pm, a knock come on Jaemin’s dorm room. Jaemin trudges to the door groggily, unlocking his door to let Mark in. No matter how horrible he is feeling right now, he really has no right to leave his friend outside knocking like an idiot.
“Hey,” Jaemin greeted, a forced and exhausted smile adorning his features that Mark could only return.
“Brought food from the cafeteria only, though. They’re serving bulgogi tonight so it’s not too bad,” Mark says, waving the plastic the cafeteria lady packed as he enters the dorm, “I had to mention your name and say that you’re sick to actually get this here, you know? How can the cafeteria lady like you so much, huh?”
“Mmmhm, thank you Minhyung-ah,” Jaemin says gently, sitting on the floor, taking the plastic bag offered to him and using his bed as a makeshift table. He begins to eat, and Mark settles his eyes on Jaemin, just watching him until Jaemin eventually sighs.
“Who told you?” Jaemin mumbles, stuffing himself despite saying earlier over text that he wasn’t hungry.
“Which one? That you like Jeno? Or that Jeno got a girlfriend?” Mark asks, finally turning his eyes away from Jaemin, settling himself properly on Jaemin’s bed, folding his legs together so that he would be comfy.
“Both,” Jaemin snorts, looking up from his food to look at Mark exasperatedly, but Mark can see a hint of sadness in it.
“Well, the crush was already obvious to me since that time you barged in our dorm, to be honest,” Mark bites his bottom lip in concentration, “but Renjun was the one who told me and Donghyuck about Jeno getting a girlfriend.”
“I must be super obvious with my crush, huh?” Jaemin asks, but not really seeking for an answer, “it’s a wonder that Jeno still hasn’t noticed.” He continues to pick on his food, and Mark can only watch him. Jaemin suddenly stops eating to stare at Mark. Mark holds eye contact, waiting for Jaemin to say something.
“I liked him only since the last year of high school, though. Or maybe way before, but I noticed in my last year,” Jaemi takes a deep breath, still looking at Mark, “I’ll get over him. I know I will. I just wanna mope for a while, though.”
“Okay, you brat. Mope all you want. I’ll be here to watch over you,” Mark counters, a teasing smile on his face, and Jaemin finally breaks out into a his huge, genuine smile and Mark can physically feel the warmth flooding his chest as Jaemin continues to look at him, “eat your food. We’re going to the cinemas after this.”
“Yes, Mark hyung….”
“That’s so weird. Those are literally the two names you don’t call me. Don’t be weird.”
“I just wanna try to be like Donghyuck!”
“Yeah, I never bring Donghyuck to the movies. Guess we’re not going.”
“Mean, mean! I’m joking, okay!”
“I know, Jaeminnie.”
If Jaemin is wondering how can Jeno not notice Jaemin’s huge crush on him, Mark is wondering how can Jaemin not notice the affections he has for Jaemin despite it being so clear. Jeno is clearly not the only oblivious one here. No wonder they’re so close. Birds of the same feather flock together, indeed.
-
“Minhyung-ah, wake up!”
“Ngh….”
“Minhyuuuuuuuuuuuuung,” Jaemin continues to whine, bouncing on Mark’s bed just to annoy him further, “come on, I wanna go have breakfast with you!”
Mark would’ve totally suggested for him to go with Jeno if not for the recent drama between the two that Jeno isn’t even aware of. But it’s Saturday and Mark decided to spend his Friday last night until 3 a.m doing his assignment that is due on Monday instead of taking up Donghyuck’s offer to go to a party or even to go to a PC Bang, thus he decides that he would skip on his usual routine and just sleep in more. But any God out there is obvious not on his side. Nor is Jaemin.
“Stop it, I wanna sleep. I literally stayed up until 3, Jaemin-ah,” Mark says pityingly, looking at the dressed and groomed Jaemin on his bed groggily, “don’t you pity your lovely hyung?”
Jaemin looks like he is considering it before he shakes his head, an evil smile adorning his handsome features, “Nope! I expected you to be at the gym earlier, you know! I even ran there, but you weren’t. How are you going to repay your precious dongsaeng’s running time?”
“Don’t be a dick, Jaemin,” Mark grumbles under his breath, getting up to go to the bathroom to freshen up.
“Wear something warm, Minhyung-ah! The weather is getting really cold!” Jaemin says cheerily, plopping down on Mark’s bed, taking out his phone from his back pocket before tapping on it, probably playing a game or texting someone. Mark subtly glances at Jeno’s bed right before he enters the bathroom, surprised to see it made and no sign of Jeno in it nor anywhere in the room. Must be with his girlfriend.
-
Which is how Mark finds himself walking at 8 a.m on a Saturday (which is a pretty reasonable time for Mark if he didn’t get 5 hours of sleep) to go to a breakfast café they’re frequent at with Jaemin by his side, a skip in the way he walks, looking happy and content, Mark couldn’t help but feel a little unruly. It has only been a week since that time in Jaemin’s dorm. Mark doesn’t know if Jaemin is just trying to hide his sadness or is truly happy.
“You seem happy,” Mark notes as they walk to the breakfast café, their hands softly brushing against each other along with the morning breeze.
“Well, I am,” Jaemin hums contentedly and flashes a cheeky smile to Mark, “I am with my favourite hyung after all!”
“Me? Your favourite hyung? We’re barely a year apart, Jaemin-ah,” Mark mused, the café they’re going coming to view, making them walk a little faster, eager to get rid of the cold.
“Well, yeah! I mean, there’s Doyoung hyung back in high school. Even Taeyong hyung. Or, Johnny hyung,” Jaemin looks so deep in thought as they walk to a table that even Mark has to laugh.
“So I’m not your favourite hyung, then?” Mark teases, sitting down on his chair, Jaemin sitting on the chair across him.
“Well, you are a favourite of mine. Just don’t let Doyoung hyung hear that. He will murder me,” Jaemin teases back. Mark couldn’t help but feel like they’re somehow very witty (flirty, his mind helpfully supplies) today.
“You know, I think I am getting over him,” Jaemin starts after they rattle of their order to the waitress, “I’ve barely seen him these past weeks since he’s always with his girlfriend. He texts me quite a few times too, but I always say I’m busy since I don’t think I’m ready to talk to him.”
Mark only hums in acknowledgement, putting his elbows on the table, supporting his head on his hands as he looks at Jaemin, “why?”
“I haven’t really met his girlfriend,” Jaemin says sheepishly, busying himself with the maple sauce on the table, “Jeno would probably want to introduce us to each other probably. I either would have to third wheel sooner or later, though.”
“You can always come to me or Donghyuck when you feel left out with them, though. I know Jeno isn’t exactly perceptive when you feel uncomfortable,” Mark offers.
“Thanks,” Jaemin replies softly, shooting him a grateful smile.
“You know, I’m curious. How did you and Jeno meet?” Mark asks as their food arrives.
“Well,” Jaemin muses, plopping a sausage in his mouth, chewing as he thinks, “Jeno and I met in like first year of high school. We were in the same class, and in the volleyball club. It’s hard to not get close to him when you’re around each other all the time, you know?”
“Oh, I know,” Mark snickers, rolling his eyes, “Donghyuck and I literally knew each other since Donghyuck was born. We live in like the same neighbourhood and our parents are practically best friends. They even sent us to the same school throughout kindergarten, elementary, middle, and high school. Trust me, it’s hard to not get close.”
“Oh, I’ve been meaning to ask,” Jaemin leans in, seemingly serious that even Mark has to stop eating to look at Jaemin properly, “are you and Donghyuck together?”
What.
“God, no!” Mark chokes out loudly, attracting the attention of other patrons in the café that has him bowing slightly, coughing along the process, “we’re literally just best friends. I can’t even imagine dating Donghyuck. Ugh. Ew. Nope.”
“Really?” Jaemin leans back, puzzled, still looking at Mark with the same inquiring expression. “Not even like my situation? One in love, the other horribly straight?”
“Yeah, well, Donghyuck is horribly straight. But even me, 100% gay, is not in love with Donghyuck. That’s just. Ugh. Ew. Jaemin, what the hell?” Mark’s coughs finally stops and he shoots Jaemin and incredulous look.
“I’m just making sure,” he defends himself, “maybe someone shares my fate of unrequited love,” he continues dramatically before brightening up, “wait, you’re gay?”
“Uh, yeah?” Mark replies, seemingly confused before he face palms, “Oh yeah, right. I didn’t really tell you, huh? But, yeah, I am. You’re not homophobic or anything right?”
“Minhyung,” Jaemin scoffs, clearly offended, “I was literally in love with my own straight and clearly a guy best friend. Of course I’m not offended. I’m Bisexual, though.”
“I’m just making sure!” Mark replies teasingly, shooting Jaemin a teasing smile which has Jaemin rolling his eyes fondly, “gotta make sure your fangirls have the rights to be in love with you too, huh?”
“Wait, fangirls. How did you know? I’m pretty sure I haven’t told you that, though?” Jaemin asks, looking truly surprised.
“I was just joking, I didn’t know it was real,” Mark says weakly, “do you really have fangirls?”
“Well, not fangirls. Just people who give their confession letters back in school,” Mark wonders briefly how famous Jaemin was in school, “I’ve only got one since starting here, though. Jeno literally got so many confessions back then, you have no idea, Minhyung. I think he even got a few here.”
“Damn, you’re famous, huh?” Mark asks, seemingly dazed. He knows Jeno gets the love letters since Jaemin has let that slip before, but it never really crosses his mind that Jaemin would get some too. It makes something in him pang at the fact that he is not the only one thirsting over Jaemin. Duh.
“Not really,” Jaemin replies, sipping on his hot tea, “what about you, Minhyung? You probably got a few too, huh?”
“Not really. No one has ever given me anything.”
“That’s surprising. You’re good looking, Minhyungie,” Jaemin says cheekily, the soft vapour of his hot tea covering his face, and Mark tries hard to hide his pounding heart, knowing fully well that the tip of his ears are probably red. Like they usually are when he is flustered.
God fucking damn it. Na Jaemin has no idea how much impact he has on Lee Minhyung.
-
“I want a nickname!” Jaemin says suddenly on their weekly Thursday morning run as they run side by side.
“What?” Mark wheezes out, thinking that he heard wrong because such thoughts don’t really come at 6 in the morning.
“Yeah, you heard me, Minhyungie! I want a nickname,”Jaemin starts to jog ahead and starts to run backwards, in an attempt to make eye contact with Mark while running, “you have Mark as your nickname! I want one too!”
“Mark is literally my real name, Jaemin-ah,” Mark pants out, trying to keep his breath constant, “and don’t run like that. You’ll trip over something.”
“Well, what does your name in your ID says?” Jaemin asks swiftly, ignoring Mark’s scolding, continuing to run the same way.
“Lee Minhyung.”
“So Mark is a nickname, then?”
“No, it’s my English name.”
“So, a nickname?”
“It’s my Eng- ugh, why do I even bother? Whatever. Nickname, real name, whatever,” Mark huffs out exasperatedly.
“Right, make up a nickname for me, Minhyung-ah!” Jaemin chirps, shooting him a smirk, knwing that he won, stopping his odd backwards run to continue run side by side with Mark.
“Why do you want one?” Mark asks, instead of complying.
“Well, I was thinking about you last night,” heart stop fluttering, it isn’t that deep, “and I just suddenly realised that I really don’t have any nicknames! I mean people call me Jaeminnie, but that’s it! I want a nickname!” Jaemin exclaims. Mark hates how Jaemin is always barely out of breath while running, being able to talk almost normally while running. He must be quite fit.
“Minnie?”
“No, cheesy. Wouldn’t that mean that I’m a mouse? I hate mouses.”
“Jae?”
“Jaehyun hyung gets called that! I don’t want to sound like a poser.”
“Min?”
“Minhyung-ah, that’s literally just my name you mentioned.”
“No fun?”*
“Not funny, Minhyungie. That’s mean! And I’m pretty fun, okay?”
“Well, I have no ideas, okay?” Mark huffs as they stop in their usual stopping point which is their school’s convenience store, “you should probably ask Haechan to make up one. He makes up really good and horrible ones. It’s hit or miss with him.”
“Haechan?” Jaemin pants out, “who’s that?”
“Oh,” Mark blinks, wiping the sweat on his forehead, “that’s Donghyuck’s nickname.”
“See, even Donghyuck has a nickname,” Jaemin replies, tapping the lock on the convenience store and charging immediately to the cold water section when it opens, Mark following after. Mark watches Jaemin taking a bottled water, opening it after waving the bottled water to the cashier worker who knows the two of them since they’ve been going here for a while after they finish their weekly run, and drinking a mouthful of water before handing it to Mark which Mark accepts gratefully, gulping down a big mouthful as well.
“I want you to make me up a nickname, though. Not Donghyuck,” Jaemin says after Mark is done, not wanting to give up.
Mark thinks as Jaemin grabs a couple of his finished necessities for his dorm. Na Jaemin. Na Jaemin. Since Jaemin didn’t agree with the other given nicknames he made up, he clearly has to make another ones until Jaemin is satisfied. Na Jaemin. Jaemin. Jae. Na Jaem. Min. Jaem. In. Na……na?
“Oh, Jaemin-ah, hyung made a good one!” Mark exclaims, approaching Jaemin who is in the deodorant section, which reminds Mark that his is running out too. “Nana!”
“Huh?” Jaemin turns from the deodorants to look at him, his nose crinkling in distaste, “Nana… isn’t that a girl’s name, Minhyungie?”
“Well, if you’re not gonna take it, then don’t have it!” Mark mutters, folding his arms, looking at Jaemin in fake annoyance that has Jaemin fixing his expression to one with bright smile.
“Okay, okay! I’ll take it! I’m Nana from now on!”
That is how Jaemin safely obtains the nickname Nana, reserved only for Mark. It makes Jaemin and Mark a little uncomfortable when someone uses that name other than Mark to call Jaemin that after they hear Mark calling him that. Jaemin quickly interjecting that it is a private nickname and that person shouldn’t use it. Mark would be lying if he says that his chest isn’t filled with warmth when Jaemin says that.
(“Gaaaaaaaaaaaay,” Donghyuck groans out when Mark first called Jaemin that in front of him, Renjun nodding his head in agreement at Donghyuck’s statement. Mark can only kick him from under the table, blushing as Jaemin approaches along with Jeno. Not just gay, also a little bit infatuated.)
-
Their first exam week come, and go. The two weeks approaching exam week has Mark all cooped up in his room, studying all the modules that will come out in his exams. When he’s not in his room studying, he would either be in the library where no one would distract him, in the gym, out running with Jaemin, in the cafeteria where he just shoves food in his mouth while his left hand holds his notes. His friends, more or less, are in the same disarray state. Exam week is the fucking worst.
“I wanna die,” Donghyuck announces on the eve of their exam week, where they’re all cooped up in Mark and Jeno’s room. Mark is currently on his desk, furiously highlighting something, while Jaemin is in Mark’s bed his textbooks sprawled out on the bed with him laying on his chest comfortably, looking at the verge of falling asleep, clearly tired after being in the same spot for 5 hours. Jeno is currently on his own desk, reading something, the bags under his eyes are so prominent and dark that it makes him look extra tired. While Donghyuck, Renjun, and Hina are on the floor, making the best out of the wooden tile, their textbooks and notes are sprawled all over the place. Choruses of “same” rung through the dorm. All of them are clearly tired out of their minds despite it being their first semester and all of them only being first years. But college seriously takes a toll on someone’s life.
“Minhyung-ah, let’s take a break,” Jaemin drawls out at him going over to Mark as he stretches, “I wanna get some snacks from the common room.”
“Mmmhm,” Mark hums absentmindedly, continuing to read his notes.
“Minhyuuuuuuuuuuuuung.”
“Mmmhm, Nana. Wait for a sec.”
“Jaemin-ah, let me go with you,” Jeno says from his desk, stretching his body after a long time sitting on the his chair, “I could use a break myself.”
“You’re treating me,” Jaemin says lowly as they exit the dorm. The dorm complex is oddly silent that evening. Even the sports field where the uni’s sports teams usually practice at the evening are only filled with few people exercising. Since exams are approaching, people are obviously taking these seriously.
When they approach the common room, it is filled with quite a few of students but thankfully, none are at the vending machine so Jeno quickly puts in his money and picks out drinks and snacks from it. Jeno glances at Jaemin who is silently observing the state of the students in the common room before handing him his drink by putting the cold drink on his cheek. They exit the stuffy common room to the hallway where the sports field can be viewed. They both reach a silent agreement that they’re going to be there for a while.
“You know,” Jeno begins, “I know that you used to like me.” Jeno waits for any signs of dramatic outrage, or insane denial that he is prepared for only to find himself surprised that Jaemin only tenses slightly over the fences before relaxing his shoulders.
“How did you know? Did anyone tell you?” Jaemin drawls out dryly, his voice hints at his tiredness.
“No one told me. I just knew. Renjun just confirmed it to me when he asked how you reacted to me getting together with Hina,” Jeno replies softly, turning away from Jaemin to face the sports field.
“Are you freaked out or something?” Jaemin asks, not even waiting for a reply as he continues, “I don’t like you anymore. If that’s what you’re worried about. Hina is nice. I’m okay, really.”
“I know you don’t, idiot. I was just really worried that you… I don’t know broke down or something. I know you didn’t tell me because I’m annoyingly straight or something. I just wish you wouldn’t think that I think you’re weird and all.”
“You don’t think I’m weird?”
“No-I-of course I don’t, you idiot,” Jeno breaks off, taking a deep breath, “I think you’re the bestest friend in the world and I would still insist that we would be friends even after you tell me that you like me, okay? I’m not a dick, Jaemin.”
“I know you’re not a dick, Jeno,” Jaemin chuckles, “but I don’t think liking boys is really appreciated in high school, you know?”
Jeno barks out a laugh, “who gives a damn about what people think?”
“You know, I did almost have a break down. But Minhyung stopped it before it happened,” Jaemin says lightly.
“You and Mark seem to be close,” Jeno replies, knocking his elbows with Jaemin’s bony ones, “you like him, Jaeminnie?”
“Yeah,” Jaemin breathes out before turning to smirk at Jeno, “sorry I got over you that fast.”
“Tsk,” Jeno flicks Jaemin’s forehead lightly, “idiot. I’m happy you found someone you like.” They both could only share a smile before turning back to the sports field and sipping on their own drinks.
“Hey, you guys are taking long!” Mark says, seemingly just bounded down the stairs, his eyebrows knitted together in a frown as he takes a look at the two, looking suspicious to the point that Jeno has to hide his grin.
“Sorry! We were just talking!” Jaemin says, shooting Mark a reassuring grin, taking Mark’s hand and dragging him to the common room, “do you want a drink? I’ll buy you something!”
Jeno could only smile as he watches Jaemin dragging Mark to the common room, who looks pretty confused as he shoots Jeno a quick raise of his eyebrows quickly exclaiming that Hina is calling for him before his face disappears into the common room. He really hopes that the two get together.
-
The thing is, everyone among their group of friends quite obviously know that Jaemin and Mark harbour quite obvious feelings for each other. Hell, it’s not that they’re saying that the two are being annoyingly mopey about their feelings, but; The Two Are Being Annoyingly Mopey About Their Feelings. Donghyuck who gets to hear from both sides are truthfully and blatantly speaking sick of it. Exhibit one comes in the form of Jaemin stalking to Donghyuck’s room, a ridiculous pout that Donghyuck has become immune to on his lips.
“Donghyuck,” Jaemin drawls out slowly, “why doesn’t Minnhyung like me?”
Oh, boy. There he goes again.
“Be honest with me, what am I missing?! I’m good looking enough to turn a few heads. I get good grades. I don’t smoke. I even exercise. Where did I go wrong, Haechaaaaaaaaaaaan?”
“Ugh, shut up, Jaemin,” Donghyuck groans from his bed, his laptop perched on his knees, playing season 2 of Haikyuu!! Because duh, best season and anime alive. He just wants to marathon Haikyuu!! in peace after going through exam week and a hell of a party last night. Why must Jaemin, the early bird, disturb his humble abode at 7:27 a.m? “Why aren’t you with Mark hyung? Don’t you guys usually go running and have breakfast or whatever?”
“He gets really cranky when he doesn’t get enough sleep after drinking. And we only run together on Monday and Thursday. God, Donghyuck, you’re such a fake, how can you not know?” Jaemin accuses. Patience is truly virtue. He spots Donghyuck’s screen playing Haikyuu!! and scoots over his bed, laying comfortably next to Donghyuck without waiting for an invite. Donghyuck grudgingly makes space for Jaemin. Jaemin clearly considers after finding out that he and Donghyuck share the same dorm complex that he can waltz in Donghyuck’s dorm anytime he wants, Ugh.
“Why do you think he doesn’t like me?”
Donghyuck wonders why he isn’t getting paid for having to deal with such troublesome friends? Can he at least get a girlfriend in return?
-
The second exhibit comes a few days after in the form of Mark showing up for their lunch date (they have accustomed with calling it that now) at a new restaurant near campus with a pout on his lips. With that look, Donghyuck immediately knows that this lunch is going to be full of complaints about Jaemin or if it’s Mark’s point of view Nana. He loves his friends, really. But God, really?
“What’s wrong, now?” Donghyuck sighs after ordering their food, noting tiredly that Mark still has that small pout on his lips.
“Do you think I should ask Jaemin out?”
“Hyung, I’ve literally been telling you that since the first time you guys met each other. I don’t see how today’s answers should be any different from the first, or the second, or the third,” Donghyuck replies dryly. Really, it would be easy to just flat out tell Mark that Jaemin himself has been whining about him to Donghyuck for over two weeks now, but matchmaking doesn’t work that way!
“Give me a good reason!” Mark counters childishly, and it becomes clear to Donghyuck that this is probably Mark’s first time having such a huge liking to someone and he has a right to be scared. Donghyuck takes a deep breath.
“Hyung, if you guys realise just how much married stuff you guys do, you would be surprised. You guys literally go out for movies all the time, before you say anything, you even pay for each other! Friends split bills, you guys don’t! Well, sometimes friends do, but you guys do it every time! Hell, you guys even run together. Oh, and even better! Your gross nickname for Jaeminnie, ugh. I get goosies every time I hear you call him that,” Donghyuck exclaims before continuing, “what I’m saying is, I really think you should just ask him out for real and get together or some shit. Hell, you don’t see the way you guys look at each other. It’s annoying and filled with infatuation, okay?”
Mark looks to be deep in thought, carefully considering Donghyuck’s reply before nodding slowly, shooting Donghyuck a grateful smile. Thank the fucking God. That ridiculous pout is gone.
-
The thing is, feeling super nervous to the point of throwing up is sort of inevitable when you’re about to confess your feelings to someone. Maybe Mark thinks that if nerves, just, eh, maybe don’t exist? He would feel a lot more confident asking Jaemin out. Does that make sense? He is now in front of Jaemin’s door with a small bouquet of red roses that he rashly bought after his lunch date with Donghyuck, worrying on his bottom lip, practically chewing on it as he tries to build the courage to knock on the mother fucking do- The door opens to reveal a confused Jaemin, with his bag and laptop in his hands, Mark hurriedly hides the bouquet, behind his back. Welp, abort mission. Abort mission. Fuck confessions. He would just let Donghyuck suffer for the rest of his life hearing him whine about Jaemin. Yep. Better.
“Minhyungie?”
“Naaaaaanaaaaaaa,” Mark barks out an awkward laugh, the hold on the bouquet tightening. He silently prays that the roses are still okay because despite the fact that this confession might not work, he could keep the flowers and put it on a bottle on his desk or something. It would look pretty with his engineering books.
“Minhyungie,” Jaemin repeats, more slowly this time. His eyes flick towards Mark’s hands that are hidden behind his back, and his eyebrows arch attractively, “what’s that, Minhyung?”
“What?” Mark replies in alarm, cursing his body fro not being big enough to hide the flowers.
“Behind your back. The thing you’re hiding from me?”
“Ah, aren’t you late for your class, Nana?” Mark hopes he is so he can leave him alone to wallow in self pity. God.
“I’m not. My lecture starts at 3:30. I’m just planning to go to the library before I head to class,” Jaemin explains and Mark curses his lucky stars. It’s only 2 right now.
“Ah, well , let’s go then!” Mark says brightly, ushering Jaemin to go first, in which Jaemin grudgingly does so. They are walking down the hallway to the stairs in silent, Mark thinking that Jaemin must’ve forgotten about the bouquet when Jaemin suddenly leaps to Mark’s back and takes the flowers out of Mark’s grasps, making them stop in the middle of the hallway.
“Aha, I knew it was a flower!” Jaemin crows victoriously, taking a deep whiff of the flowers before fixing his eyes on Mark, a confident and adoring glint in his eyes, “what is this for, Mark?”
The cat (or more accurately bouquet) is already out of the bag, so might as well say it.
“Look,” Mark takes a deep breath, turning his head from the ground to properly look at Jaemin, “I know I’m probably fucking obvious, but I’m just going to say it. I really like you a lot and I want to do those things we already do as something non-platonic and I would really like it you want to be my boyfriend, and those flowers are for you, I guess,” Mark scrunches his nose at Jaemin’s nonplussed expression, “at least say something, Nana.”
“I,” Jaemin lets out a giggle (a fucking giggle, swoons), “I’ve literally been complaining a lot to Donghyuck about you being oblivious about my feelings I’m pretty sure he was sick of it,” Jaemin lets out an airy laugh and steps closer to Mark, taking his shirt, pulling him closer, making their noses touch. “Do you have any fucking idea how much I just like you? Of course I’d be your boyfriend,” he whispers, his pleasant breath hitting him sweetly.
Jaemin gives a quick and sweet kiss to Mark’s lips before pulling away, their foreheads still touching, “I really still need to go to the library. But I can arrange a date on Friday.”
“Sounds good,” Mark whispers, planting another kiss on Jaemin’s lips.
Donghyuck is probably be screeching in happiness.
-
“Mark,” Jaemin tests out.
“Don’t say that,” Mark immediately scolds, looking up from his books to look at Jaemin over his glasses, “it’s weird when you don’t call me Minhyung.”
“I feel the same way when you don’t call me Nana,” Jaemin retorts, booping Mark’s nose that has him scrunching it out of habit.
They’re both in the secluded part in the library so they are quite free to do a lot more touching than they would with a lot of people. It’s not that they’re embarrasses of their relationship, per say. It’s more that people would stare when they hold hands when they go out and it makes them extra cautious with hugging, and kissing. They’re not quite comfortable with the stares.
“You know, I really, really like you in glasses,” Jaemin suddenly says after staring at Mark for a couple of minutes as he rests his head on the table a soft smile adorning his face, “you look super smart and cute.”
“When am I not super smart and cute?” Mark asks, looking at Jaemin pointedly and squeezing their intertwined hands.
“What do you like about me?”
“Hm,” Mark suddenly stops writing and looks at Jaemin properly, “first of all,” he points at Jaemin’s eyes, gently caressing the lids, making Jaemin shut his eyes softly, “I like your eyes a lot, it honestly looks like they sparkle when you talk about things you like. Second of all,” Mark moves the fingers that are caressing Jaemin’s eyelids to his nose, playfully pinching the tip of it that elicits a whine from Jaemin, “your nose is pretty, too. Your nose bridge is really annoyingly pretty. You don’t even have any blackheads, you’re so annoying! Third of all,” the finger on his nose moves to softly rub at Jaemin’s lips. Mark leans in quickly to press a kiss to his lips that has Jaemin laughing quietly, looking at Mark in adoration, “your lips are pretty kissable, I guess.”
“You guess?” Jaemin barks a laugh that earns him several shushes. He leans in towards Mark’s neck, where his lovely cologne is the strongest, inhaling his scent before pressing small kiss to his neck, continuing to rest his head there, “I like your everything.”
“How annoying,” Mark points out as he rubs out something on his notes, “I haven’t even finished listing out my favourites and you’re just going to summarise it?”
“I’ll do it at my dorm later. I wanna watch this movie that just came out, though,” Jaemin breathes out, amused at Mark’s antics. It isn’t often that Jaemin manages to dig out a few compliments out of Mark, “I like you a lot, Minhyung-ah.”
“I know,” Mark hums, planting a small kiss on Jaemin’s head, “I like you too.”