FOR THE FUTURE ⋮ nohyuck/markhyuck/markhyuckno

Chapter Thirteen

They paid for each of their food, but Jeno added a bit to buy what Noram ate too. The couple stayed behind as it took Donghyuck time to wear his jacket and wrap an expensive scarf if he didn't want to lose it.

So, as he was busy with his scarf, Donghyuck saw Mark and Noram waiting for them outside, staring at them through the glass. The brunette waved at them, but Noram didn't see that. They just stood there straight and stared at something Donghyuck believed had to be the furniture of the restaurant, or at least the kitchen. But as he and Jeno finally got out and passed by that place, Donghyuck noticed that the glass was tinted, and all they could see were their reflections.

Was Mark checking if he and Noram looked similar?

They returned to the car and, following Donghyuck's orders, drove back to the woods. He explained that Future Donghyuck must've been coming to the portal a lot as it was the time he waited for responses.

"What if we find nothing?" Jeno asked.

"Then we have to return later this day."

The way to the portal was calmer than before as Donghyuck kept Noram in place, preventing him from running and forcing another running competition. Just like that, they not only breathed fresh air but could also enjoy the walk.

"You had a dance class today?" Jeno asked behind Donghyuck.

"Yeah," the boy looked over his shoulder. "If you're asking this because of my ankle, you don't have to worry. I'm fine. I even had to run today."

"I'm glad," Jeno smiled. "You're not really a person who gets hurt a lot. So whenever you do, I'm really worried."

Slowly, but at least not risking Donghyuck's life for running a second time that day, they returned to the portal. The brunette noticed a letter right away, and, letting go of the kid's hands, he crouched to pick it up.

Just as he stood up and unfolded it, ready to read t, he felt how one by one Jeno and Mark drew closer to him. Freaking out, he put the letter down and turned at them, raising his eyebrow.

"It's confidential information," he said, looking at one, then another. "You can't read that."

"Why? We already know everything," Jeno disagreed, shaking his head. "If you keep receiving instructions without us knowing, this won't be good."

There was truth in Jeno's words, but Donghyuck knew he started this mission alone. They weren't present, and probably wouldn't even be if Noram hadn't blurted everything out. But now that he did, Mark and Jeno were part of this, too, and they had to know what was going on.

"Fine," Donghyuck fetched a sigh. "But you can read it only after me."

Turning his back to the portal and facing the guys, Donghyuck read the letter. As expected, Future Donghyuck was surprised by how everything turned out to be. He expressed his disbelief in Noram's behavior as he "taught him not to say anything to people no other than the younger papa" but admitted that maybe it was a good choice that brought them all together.

Then, Donghyuck's eyes got down to the paragraph where Future Donghyuck replied to findings―Mark's songs and his feelings. Now that was a bit shocking as he forgot he wrote this, and the thought that he agreed to let them read this made him sweat. Looking up at the guys, who curiously analyzed his expressions, he smiled awkwardly and tore that part off.

"Here, take this," he gave them the other, the one that would deal no damage to their current relationship.

"What about the rest?" Jeno asked in confusion.

"That part is very personal," Donghyuck said. "About birth," he added, confidently. "You don't need to know that."

Jeno and Mark both read the letter that had nothing interesting, but Donghyuck... He got some juicy stuff! Future Donghyuck opened up that he had a hunch that something like this happened in Mark's head. After a few months from the time they all lived right now, Future Donghyuck claimed that both Jeno and Mark texted him, but only the senior wrote very weird stuff. But then Donghyuck had already shut himself down, stopped going to lectures, and thought about dropping out. After a few more weeks, he left the dorm, and on his way to nowhere―as he didn't know where to go―he met Mark.