hyung | markhyuck

23

— Chapter Twenty Three —

Donghyuck opened the door, stepping inside and closing the door again. But when he turned around, his face fell. Mark was there, yes, but with a woman. Donghyuck had never seen her before but she was wearing an SM trainee shirt that gave her profession away.

They two didn't seem to have noticed Donghyuck as Mark attentively listened to her rambling about something. Donghyuck did immediately notice how close the two stood and how the trainee's forehead was glistening with sweat.

Suddenly the girl leaned closer and Mark pulled away, his eyes falling onto Donghyuck during the action. They only locked eyes for a brief second but it was enough for Donghyuck to see the shock in Mark's eyes.

That shock told him more than anything else and Donghyuck was already on his heel, turning away. His sigh was blurred with tears as he ran through the hallway and finally made his way to the men's toilet where he locked himself in a stall.

He slid down the wall, one hand before his mouth. Mark wasn't his, he definitely wasn't. That girl, or as much of her as Donghyuck had seen, was so pretty and they had both looked so content with their proximity that he was sure she had probably wanted to kiss Mark.

Donghyuck had no right to be jealous, he knew that. And still it hurt, of course it did.  Knowing that girls had it so easy with Mark, that there was nothing that stopped Mark from dating them, it hurt. Donghyuck muted his sobs, thinking of all the nights he had spent sleeping in Mark's arms, of all the afternoons spent together first playing around as trainees and then later gaming together or busking.

"Donghyuck?"

It was Mark. Of course it was Mark with his worried voice that made Donghyuck's heart shatter even more. He held his breath, trying his best to mute his sobs until Mark exited the bathroom again, probably now looking somewhere else for him.

Home. He needed to go home, right now. He could not stay in this building for a second longer before having a breakdown. Trying his best to hide his falling tears under a mask. Donghyuck sneaked out of the bathroom and almost ran through the building until he exited it.

"Donghyuck! There you are!" Mark exclaimed. Donghyuck's head whipped around, body tense and with teary eyes as he saw Mark standing by their manager's car.

"No." the younger whispered, looking down at the floor to avoid looking at Mark. The man however didn't seem to care for it. He walked towards Donghyuck and pulled down the mask he, too, was wearing. He looked stunning, even through Donghyuck's blurry sight.

"Donghyuck! Why did you run? And why are you crying?"

Mark was now a lot closer, almost right in front of him. Donghyuck hiccuped, looking to the side. He knew there was no way he could hide his state of emotional distress but that didn't stop him from avoiding to look at Mark at all costs.

"Hyuckie? What's wrong?" Mark now asked, tugging his hand under the younger's chin. Donghyuck didn't have any strength left within himself so he let Mark lift his head but still didn't look at him.

Mark had probably rolled his eyes when Donghyuck had bursted into the room. Maybe she was Mark's secret girlfriend? Maybe Mark had found someone else, someone better.

"Hyung, let me go." Donghyuck whispered, closing his eyes as all those thoughts flooded his brain. He couldn't be close to the man. Not right now, not right here.

He felt Mark pulling down his mask and he sniffled, peeking through his half-closed lids. Mark was really fucking close right now, looking down at Donghyuck with his heart eyes that only hurt the younger even more. The fact that he was now not the only person that Mark looked at with those eyes, it made him start sobbing again.