❝ hyung. hyung, wake up. it's raining. ❞
mark was given harsh nudges by donghyuck in the attempt to wake him up, causing him to groan in pain at the impact. he didn't even know how he fell asleep at four in the afternoon.
donghyuck quickly led mark to the balcony, where the other five boys were staring at the sunset in awe. there was a slight drizzle of rain tinting the bright yellow and orange with white and blue. as mark joined them, he noticed jisung shuffle his way towards him and pointing towards the sun.
" it's beautiful, hyung. "
mark wanted to nod, it really was, but usually there would be a satisfied smile on one's face when they talk about something amazing. there were no such traces on jisung's face at all.
" did you get enough sleep last night? you look tired, jisung. "
jisung responded with a stiff nod, and averted his attention back to the sun. the smallest of droplets of splashed on jisung's skin, but he didn't seem to mind.
though, with his head hung low, it was hard to differ whether they were mere raindrops or his actual tears.
" is something wrong, jisung? "
but jisung stayed silent. drops of water continued to splatter on his skin, some landing on the ground, and it was even stranger how nobody else seemed to notice. and just when the sun set, when the other five boys said their goodnights in advance, jisung wrapped his arms around mark and cried his heart out.
mark didn't mind at all. instead, his arms engulfed his figure and gently patted on his back.
" h-hyung, i— "
actual sobs and sniffles could be heard from jisung, on the contrary to the other day when he was dead silent. it was what made mark trust that it was really jisung he was holding on to.
" i want to go h-home... "
and this time, mark knew exactly what he was talking about. from the gum the caretaker gave, to the flashbacks and forbidden memories of them and their families. it was all real, or at least, it seemed real.
all jeno had been freaking out about, all jisung had been whining about going home. the caretaker had a plan, and mark was his main bait.
though he was smart enough to not fall into his trap, jisung and jeno were already too far gone. the caretaker gave a different type of gum, one that could make you picture unimaginable things; being back with their family, them betraying each other. things that could make them lose their minds.
it was all too real; jisung and jeno fell into it perfectly. and after eating the gum, mark finally understood.
and so he held jisung in his firm arms, lightly stroking his hair and shushed the poor boy.
" it's okay, jisung. everything will be okay. "
