Intricate: The Beginning of Us| MARKNOMINHYUCK(bxbxbxb)

22: A funny scenario

Donghyuck

"We're leaving Donghyuck!" I hear my mother scream making me instantly sigh.

I don't wanna go. I really, really don't want to go. This time, I' not saying it out of pettiness but I really wasn't feeling well. 

I look at myself in the mirror. I don't know if it's just me but I think I look horrible. My eye bags were longer than usual and if you looked close enough, you could see the redness in my eyes. The more I ran my hands through my hair, the more it got messed up. I just knew the universe was against me. 

I scoff, giving up. I grab my jacket and walk downstairs where my parents were fumbling with their clothes. "Ready, honey?" My mom questions with that sweet smile of hers. Sometimes, I wished I could hate her but she was amazing the 50 percent of the time she was home, and the other percent well... there was not much to say.

I give her a tight-lipped smile. "I'm ready," I respond, checking my pockets for my phone.

My father, who was beside her, frowns. "You look tired, buddy. You okay?"

I was about to say the truth but then I closed my mouth. I didn't want to worry them. "I'm okay," I reply.

"You should sleep early today, as soon as we get home," mom says, already walking towards the door.

"Yeah, I'll do that," I mumble, trailing behind them. 

We walk outside and to our car. I smile at Mr. Ong, our driver, who bowed at us with a smile. Dad takes the keys from him, giving him a pat on the back before saying goodbye. I got in the back seat while dad took the driver's seat and mom the one next to his, logically.

"Jenny said they'll be serving seafood today," Mom spoke with a smile, Jenny was Jeno's mother.

"That's great. You like seafood, right?" Dad asks me, looking through the rear window.

I give him a grin. "Right."

I turn my head to look outside as soon as he got his response. I wasn't in the mood for being around other people, talking to them was out of the question. 

I wish that Mark and I wouldn't have spoken yesterday. I was feeling rejected and let me just tell you, it feels like shit. I had thought that I would be okay once it happens, that I would quickly move on and we could continue being friends as normal but I can't. Every time I look at him the feeling of rejection comes back and I almost cry on the spot. It sucks, in simpler words.

I've had crushed before, I've confessed to said people but nothing was like this. I was able to brush it off the previous times. Why had been rejected, or more like friend-zoned, by Mark Lee hurt this much?

"Honey, we're here." 

I nod at my mother's words, unbuckling my seatbelt before walking out and following them to the entrance. Mom knocks on the door while dad stands beside her, their hands intertwined and I just stood behind. I watched their hands. The way dad would rub circles with his thumb onto her hand, the way she would give it a squeeze every once in a while. I wanted that. I craved that. Knowing that I wouldn't have it with the one I've been crushing hard on for the last five months hurt more than it should. 

My thoughts got disturbed by the sound of the door opening, light coming from inside now embracing the space around up. "Come in, come in," Mrs. Lee says hurriedly, a wide smile on her face as she motions us in.

Mom and dad hugged her in greeting while she gave me a wave with a grin. I tried my best to smile back. I think she bought it. 

"Joon and Jeno are already at the table. Should we head there?"

"Of course," dad replies with a polite nod and smile.

I trail behind, quietly. When we got there, I only gave Mr. Lee a smile and did my best to be unnoticed when I ignored Jeno. It's not like he attempted to say hello to me either. 

Dinner began and as usual, the adults kept conversations going while I looked at my food. I didn't have an appetite, I wasn't really in the mood. So, I kept silent the whole time and used my utensils to move the food around.

When the time came, a maid took my plate before Jeno and I were dismissed to go either to the garden or his room. I was surprised when I noticed that he was leading me outside through the back door rather than up the stairs. I was kind of grateful, I needed the fresh air. Even if he didn't know that, even if he did it for himself, I was still grateful.

Outside, there was a small playground which consisted of a swing set and some slides which we used often when we were young. There were also some picnic tables, a pool, an outside bathroom, a bench near the pool, and a place to do a barbecue. 

I head to the bench. The pool was empty since winter was approaching but it was still spotless. Honestly, I kinda wished I could go into a pool right now and swim to the bottom of it and stay there for a while until my lungs allowed me. When underwater, you don't really think. The only thing filling your mind is breathing. That's what I needed right now, to only focus on breathing and nothing else. 

I felt the opposite side of the bench being occupied. I glanced at Jeno and when I saw his eyes were already on me I looked down at my lap. He was looking at me so intently it was making me nervous.

"Okay, what's your deal?" I snap, looking up at him with a glare.

"Nothing," he answers nonchalantly, bluntly looking at me in the eyes.

I blush. I clear my throat, looking down. "Then stop looking at me," I mumble.

"There's something up with you," he states, not a question, a statement.

"You don't know me."

"You know that's not true," he scoffs. 

The statement made my heart raise, he's right. "I'm heartbroken. Happy?"

"Why?"

"You know why," I tell him, looking at him with a glare. My eyes were becoming teary just at the thought of it. "Mark likes someone else and he friend-zoned me!" I exclaim. "He's such an idiot," I mumble. "He said it so innocently too. He has no idea and I... I'm suffering." It was then that I noticed I was crying and no matter how much I wiped my tears, they wouldn't stop flowing.

"I told you Mark Lee is an idiot. I've always known it," he says.

I would have flinched when I felt his arms around me but I needed the comfort and I was so drunk on my emotions that I just nuzzled my head into his chest. I didn't have the control to insult him or tease him or push him away, maybe I wasn't sane when I thought about how secured and comforted I felt in this position. 

He ran his hand through my back and I couldn't hold back anymore, I started full-on sobbing, thinking about Mark, Jaemin. And who was there for me? Jeno. 

Such a funny scenario.