Effect: The Next Generation [✔️]

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Two more days had passed, and it finally came to an hour before the big anniversary party.

During those two days, barely anyone notices Mark's odd behavior. The only ones to notice were Nora, Minkyu, Xinrei, and Renjun.

The first time they confronted him about his odd behavior, Mark simply said that he was tired from fighting. The second time, he changed his response to him being anxious about the party.

Nora and Renjun brushed it off, since Mark does get anxious about things like that. However, Xinrei and Minkyu still weren't buying it.

Jonah and his team listened in and watched everything that happened in their home, taking notes on every little thing. They heard everything about the party, and proceeded to plan their attack afterwards.

It wasn't until a couple hours before the party that Donghyuck became worried about Mark. He could tell that something was off about him, but he tried to ignore it for his sake.

But it soon came to the point where it was unbearable for him to ignore it any longer. He finds Mark getting ready in the bathroom, casually fixing his hair as his gaze is fixated into the mirror.

Donghyuck then comes to notice two things he didn't notice before. He first noticed the earring that he somehow failed to notice before. He then locks eyes with Mark's in the mirror, and notices something completely off.

His eyes in the mirror were green, and resembled those of a snake. But when Mark turned to look at him, his eyes were their normal brown.

"What's wrong Hyuck?"

Mark questioned him.

"O-Oh, nothing. I'm fine. But, are you alright??"

"I'm fine. I'm just-"

"Anxious about the party?"

"..."

Mark didn't have a response after Donghyuck finished his excuse for him.

"I'm worried about you hyung. We all are. You haven't been the same since you came back from your mission. Why won't you just tell us what's wrong...?"

Donghyuck pouted.

For a split second, Mark had escaped the earring's control and he became sad. Seeing Donghyuck upset was enough to snap him out of it, even if only for a split second.

But even when he fell back under the earring's control, he stepped away from the mirror and suddenly gave Donghyuck a hug.

"I'm sorry Hyuck. I didn't mean to make you all worry. I especially didn't want to make you worry. I'm just tired of all of this fighting. We still have no idea who these guys are, and every time we back them into a corner, they always escape our grasp. It's just so exhausting, you know?"

"...Yeah. I know exactly what you mean..."

Donghyuck immediately hugged him back, feeling comforted while being in Mark's warm embrace.

"Tell you what. I was going to wait to give you this later, but I guess now's as good a time as ever"

Mark let go of him and reached into his pocket, pulling out the earring that The Boss gave him.

"I got these earrings for us to match. One for you, and one for me"

"Oh hyung... You shouldn't have..."

Donghyuck was very flattered, instantly caught off guard.

"It's really no problem at all. Here. I'll put it in for you"