A Bond Not Meant To Be - Markhyuck

Chapter 2 - The Question

The next day, Haechan found himself standing outside the school gates, nervously fidgeting with the strap of his backpack. Mark was waiting for him, as always, leaning casually against the wall with that easy smile on his face. Seeing Mark always made Haechan's heart flutter, but today, there was a knot of anxiety twisting in his stomach.

"Hey, Haechan!" Mark greeted, his smile lighting up his whole face. "You ready for class?"

Haechan tried to smile back, but his nerves were getting the better of him. "Yeah, but um... can we talk? Before we go in?"

Mark raised an eyebrow, noticing the unusual tension in Haechan's voice. "Sure, what's up?"

Haechan took a deep breath, his heart pounding in his chest. This was it. There was no going back now.

"Mark... have you ever thought about who your mate might be?" Haechan asked, his voice soft, barely above a whisper.

Mark blinked, caught off guard by the question. "Uh... not really. I guess I figure it'll happen when it happens, you know? It's not something I worry about too much."

Haechan bit his lip, feeling a sharp pang of disappointment. But he had to press on. "What if... what if I was your mate?"

For a brief moment, Mark's face froze, and then, to Haechan's horror, he laughed. It wasn't a cruel laugh, but it was awkward, unsure. "Haechan, come on. You're like... you're like a brother to me. Besides, if I had to guess, maybe Jungwoo would be my mate. He's my best friend. We've been close for ages."

The words hit Haechan like a physical blow. Brother? Best friend? That wasn't what he wanted to hear. His vision blurred as his heart shattered inside his chest, but he forced himself to smile, pretending like everything was okay.

"But... what if I was?" Haechan asked again, his voice barely audible.

Mark's expression softened, and he sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Haechan, if you were my mate... I'd reject it."

The world seemed to tilt around Haechan, the ground slipping out from under him. He had expected rejection, but hearing it out loud, spoken so casually by the one person he thought he was meant to be with, was more painful than anything he had ever imagined.

"Right," Haechan muttered, his voice hollow. "Yeah, I get it. Of course."

But Mark didn't get it. He didn't realize what he had just done.