upstaged || markhyuck

43: replacement.

mark was getting used to the fact that he and donghyuck were slowly but surely becoming a thing now.

sure, it was very low-key but donghyuck still reached for his hand when they were alone and snuck kisses on the cheek or occasionally on the lips.

it was thursday morning and mark was carrying his copy of the script which was now covered in little doodles and notes on the dance moves that he had been helping donghyuck with, as well as his backstage management notes.

"hey, mark, everyone's gathered for some reason," donghyuck said, practically popping out of nowhere and grabbing mark's hand.

"o-oh, okay," he said, clutching his script as donghyuck pulled him through the wings and onstage.

"what happened, bitches?" donghyuck questioned, earning the attention of the entire cast.

mr byun was the only teacher there, and looked pale. he exchanged a glance with taeil before clearing his throat.

"chani has been in an... accident-"

"what?" sanha exclaimed.

"where is he?"

"is he okay?"

"is he hurt badly?"

mr byun raised a hand. "babes, he's okay. his bike was hit by a car this morning but he's only broken his leg."

"oh, thank god," sanha breathed.

"can we visit him in the hospital?" chenle piped up.

"did he go home already?" daehwi asked, rubbing at his dark circles.

"he's still at the local hospital," mr byun explained. "i suppose you can visit him after school if he hasn't been discharged yet. but we have a bigger problem."

"what?" xiyeon asked, getting more concerned.

"chani's my understudy!" donghyuck said.

"exactly, babes," said mr byun. "we've still got chenle and jeongin for the main group dances, and daehwi-" he said, looking to the honey-haired boy, "you can learn the choreography and lines that chani used to do as his minor chorus character."

"yes, sir," daehwi said, a little overwhelmed as he suddenly got promoted.

"but we still need an understudy for chen's character," mr byun muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"no one knows the choreography, or the lines," sanha pointed out.

"no one can learn it that fast, the show's right after the winter break," said yehana.

"we should still have an understudy, just in case donghyuck-hyung can't perform," chenle added worriedly.

"we need a solution," said the drama teacher.

"mark can do it," donghyuck blurted.

"what?" nancy said. "but he doesn't know anything.

"leave my hyung alone, bitch," he snapped. "mr byun. mark can be my understudy."

"but you're a backstage manager-"

"he knows all the dances, and probably all the lines too from putting the cues on the script," donghyuck insisted. "i've seen him dance, and he can sing, too!"

"i can't really sing-"

"good, i was starting to feel faint," said mr byun, fanning himself. "donghyuck, you know the role inside out so i trust your judgement. mark, if you could do some extra practice with donghyuck just to make sure you'd be able to cover a night if he couldn't perform."

"yes, sir," mark said, trying not to sound reluctant.

donghyuck threw him a grin and it was all mark could do not to smile back at the boy.

"okay, that's all for now, babes," he said. "don't be late for class. girls rehearsal after school for the slumber party scene, and song! have a good day."

the cast began to disperse, still talking to each other about what happened to chani. mark shook his head in disbelief and wandered backstage, his gaze scanning the mics and various other equipment. this is what he knew. he hoped to god that donghyuck would be able to perform.

"hey," donghyuck said cheekily, grabbing mark in a back hug, "you don't have to worry, hyung. i'll perform as chen every night, even if i die and have to come back to life."

"okay," mark said quietly. "hey! i wasn't worrying!" he twisted around in donghyuck's arms, coming face to face with him.

"i think you were," donghyuck said innocently, touching his nose to mark's. "this is how eskimos kiss."

"you are ridiculous-"

donghyuck cut him off by tilting his head and pecking mark's lips.

"you were saying?"

"get off," he huffed. "i need to get to class."

"i thought you have a free period, mark," chittaphon piped up, finding donghyuck with his arms around the boy in question. "could you help me for a little bit?" he beamed at mark, and there was no way he could refuse that perfect thai smile.

"okay, i'll help you now," mark answered, leaving donghyuck to nearly collapse in hysterics before he ran off.

"you seem close with donghyuck now," chittaphon remarked.

mark glanced at him. "you seem close with taeyong-hyung now," he responded.

chittaphon looked at him and burst out laughing. "touche. you must love him a lot."

"he's basically my older brother," mark said, taking the box from chittaphon and heading towards the stage.

"no, i meant donghyuck," the older said innocently.

mark nearly tripped over. "what?" he spluttered.

"i'm kidding," he laughed.

"i... shut up, hyung," mark grumbled as chittaphon kept laughing.

mark shook his head an finished the little jobs chittaphon had for him.

"how's the studying going?" he asked mark before as he turned to go.

mark groaned. "it's okay. i'm not going to fail anything, i think."

"that's the spirit! you and donghyuck should hang out with taeyong and me sometime," he suggested.

"oh, that would be fun," the younger replied with a smile.

"you know, on a double date," chittaphon added, grinning.

"hyung- will you stop it already?" mark utteted, crossing his arms.

"nah, it's too fun," chittaphon said. "i can practically hear taeyong giggling."

"can you not talk to him about me-"

"he's the one that brings you up, mark! you're like a mini him, i swear," the thai man chuckled. "he loves you a lot."

"i love him, too," mark said grudgingly. "stop being all soppy, hyung. i'm going to study."

"have fun," chittaphon called after him. "you know you love him!"

mark kept running.

it was true, though. he did love donghyuck. but it was just too early to say that yet.

____________________________

thank you for 19k i'm sobbing akshshsksl

ily all 💚

not sure if there will be an update tomorrow as i am on a plane from tomorrow evening through to the following evening and will lack wifi, even if i end up writing the next chapter

expect a chapter in the next couple of days tho!!

taellipses out x