𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗹𝗼𝘂𝘀; markhyuck

[𝚘𝚗𝚎]

DAY ONE: 16:27 P.M

"lee donghyuck?" the man asked with a furrowed brow while flicking through the guest list. "your name just isn't here, sir. is there anyone i can call for you?"

of course she would do this! he angrily thought as his hands tightened around the wooden edge of the reception desk and his lips formed a straight line. "no thank you. sorry about this," he quietly mumbled before pushing away from the counter and grabbing his suitcase from the ground.

the pattering of the rain on the roof made him feel even more hopeless than before.

taking a deep breath, the korean boy pushed on outside, instantly becoming soaked to the core with the heavy downpour.

"i need to buy a coat," he whispered to himself as he rushed through the streets hurriedly, as most others were too.

the one dilemma poor donghyuck was confronted with was that he had nowhere to stay, no money to spend and he was shit out of luck.

with a quivering lip and a trembling hand, he pulled out his phone and stopped dead in his tracks, his drenched hair sticking to his forehead and his t-shirt clinging to his small frame uncomfortably.

he typed in his mother's number, something he had promised to do again when he was safe and sound in his new home the next day. but here he was, on the street, with enough money to buy him a convenience store meal and no place to go.

"hey, baby!" an excited voice called from the other side of the device. the sound of her voice alone elicited a sob from the defeated boy as he dropped his suitcase and backpack on the puddle-filled path carelessly.

"mum?" he whispered, wanting nothing more than to feel the comforting and warm embrace of the older. "i-"

splash

"oh my god," an oddly familiar voice muttered in shock before bending down to grab the phone that he had accidentally knocked from donghyuck's grasp. "i'm so sorry! i wasn't watching where i was going!" he uttered out, his cheeks flushed pink with embarrassment as he examined the smashed and broken phone with a guilty expression.

another sob ripped through the air as donghyuck collapsed on the ground, his only sense of safety being torn away from him and broken. "mum!" he cried, holding his head in his hands, not caring that he was having a mental breakdown in front of someone. "what am i supposed to do now?!"

the other boy swallowed thickly, eyebrows knitted anxiously before crouching down to the other's level and taking his hands away from his face. "i'm so sorry." he was breathing heavily from previously running, and slowly the panting subsided to concern.

the upset hiccups continued to sound and the other boy realised that he had probably just broken this guy's final straw.

"hey...it's alright, i can get you a new phone," he reassured while rubbing circles into the younger's back to halt the cries.

donghyuck sniffed and wiped his nose with the back of his hand, finally lifting his head to assess both the damage done to the phone and the one who had knocked it out of his hand.

"mark!" a loud voice yelled from around the corner of one of the distant buildings. the rain pattered loudly, giving an unreadable sense of how far away the voice had really called from.

"fuck," mark muttered lowly, his heart rate spiking and grabbing ahold of donghyuck's hand as well as his luggage. he began dragging him back the way he had come from. "i'm so sorry about all of this. i'll buy you a new phone as soon as i can. or i'll get it repaired." he paused to turn his head over his shoulder, gritting his teeth as he checked if he was being tailed.

donghyuck had no energy left to fight with the stranger, and instead let the taller drag him through the unfamiliar city. he pulled back a few times in distress but ultimately sensed the desperation mark displayed. both his voice and his gentle but firm grip were urging him to be quiet and follow. "hey, where are you taking me?"

"not far," mark called through the rain. "i just can't let people see me." he was constantly looking around with nervous eyes.

the warmth of the older's hand around donghyuck calmed his racing heart and told him that everything would okay for now.

click

donghyuck threw his head up at the distinctive sound of a camera, and after glancing around with wide eyes, he finally notice a man holding up the device, aiming it directly at them...and their interlocked hands.

what the hell?