Mid Summer

fourteen,

"Play nice."

"I'm not a dog."

"But you can be a bitch."

"Shut the entire fuck up."

Mark sighs, stops walking and looks at Donghyuck expectantly.

The younger all but scoffs.

"Stop looking at me like that," Donghyuck hisses, snapping his eyes away from his boyfriend.

Mark sighs.

"Babe," he calls, letting his strict demeanour fall and walks closer to Donghyuck. "You're tense." He puts his hands on the younger's shoulders, not surprised when they tense.

Donghyuck grumbles low in his throat, but doesn't make a move to get away. Instead, he looks at the ground.

"Donghyuck, what's wrong?" Mark asks, suddenly starting to get slightly concerned.

Donghyuck doesn't look up for a few seconds, but when he does he's cupping Mark's cheeks and getting onto his tippy toes to kiss the elder male.

Mark is taken aback, Donghyuck isn't really a fan of PDA, unless it was at school.

When the younger pulls away, his nose is still touching Mark's, while he's looking at the elder with desperate eyes.

"You love me," Donghyuck says, and in the back of his head, he knows how selfish he's gonna sound, and how unfair this was. "Don't forget that."

Mark is baffled, completely speechless, because although he has seen Donghyuck become possessive before, this was a whole new level.

Before Mark can open his mouth to say anything though, Donghyuck grabs his hand and leads them to the restaurant, the both of them immediately going to sit at the bar, where Youngho was always standing behind the counter. The two of them have time to kill anyways, they're half an hour early.

"What're you two doing here today? Looking all fancy like that," Youngho asks, flicking the collar of Mark's navy blue button up.

"Lee Jeno," Donghyuck grumbles, sadly plopping down onto the bar seat.

Youngho and Taeil know all about Mark and Donghyuck's soulmate struggles, the four of them normally talk about it over free milkshakes.

"He's in Jeju?"

Mark hums, affirmative, before taking a seat himself and explaining.

"It's his boyfriend's birthday today and they're coming here for dinner." He says. "His boyfriend either is or isn't the third name on my body."

Now it's Youngho's turn to hum, understanding. He thinks the kids have it tough, but he knows they're sensible enough to work through it on their own.

"Good luck I guess," he shrugs, proceeding to look at Donghyuck. "Play nice."

Donghyuck wants to cuss at his hyung, but then he decides against it and bites his tongue to keep himself under control.

Youngho turns to tend to some customers who were actually at the bar to drink, leaving Mark and Donghyuck to have small talk while waiting for Jeno and Jaemin to arrive.

Meanwhile, Jeno and Jaemin were back at their hotel room, the former waiting for the latter to finish getting dressed for their dinner. Jeno told him to go fancy. He wants Donghyuck and Mark to have a good first impression.

When Jeno feels the butterflies in his stomach fluttering bit too violently, he's reminded of how bad this could go.

He knows that Mark would no doubt be the nicest about it, would have no problem trying to get to know Jaemin. Donghyuck would be a piece of work, Jeno knows that he'd be a bit reluctant at first. However, he knows that Jaemin was the real... Well he doesn't want to say issue, but Jaemin would be the most stubborn.

He decides that he'll ease Jaemin into the fact that they were gonna meet Donghyuck and Mark while they were on their way to Lilac, since it was only a ten minute walk.

Plus, Jaemin wouldn't really turn back at that point.

When the younger exists the bathroom, looking so cute in his white button up tucked into his black slacks, Jeno feels a smile immediately taking over his lips. Jaemin has his makeup on, along with piercings in his ears.

"You look so pretty Nana," Jeno compliments, and the mentioned male blushes a tad before pocketing his cellphone.

"Thanks Nono. You look handsome."

After complimenting each other and gathering all their things, Jeno holds the hotel door open for Jaemin, and the younger laughs before heading out.

Once they're out and about, with Jeno leading them of course, Jaemin laces their fingers together, swinging them back and forth.

"Thanks for today Jeno hyung. You're the best," he admits, a seemingly permanent smile on his lips.

The smile Jeno gives back is halfhearted.

"Don't thank me yet." He says quietly. But Jaemin hears, and furrows his brows in confusion.

"Why?"

Jeno sighs shakily, looking anywhere but his boyfriend. It was kind of ridiculous how nervous he was to be honest, he just didn't want to get his ass whooped.

"IaskedMarkandDonghyucktocomehavedinnerwithus."

Jaemin knew Jeno well, which is why he understood what Jeno said the first time.

He opens and closes his mouth, having stopped walking, while trying to think about something to say.

He wasn't particularly... Mad, but he was, once again, frustrated that Jeno hadn't told him.

"Honesty," Jaemin finally settles on sighing. Jeno looks at him sadly, and Jaemin then feels guilty.

In the back of his mind, he knows Jeno didn't tell him because he'd most probably flip and reject the idea again and again. But since Jeno told him now, he doesn't really have a choice.

Jeno took him out today, made sure he had the best day of his life, and is now taking him to dinner.

Jaemin wouldn't let Mark and Donghyuck ruin everything Jeno has done for him.

He kind of thinks it's like blackmail, but he understands why Jeno did it, which is why he's not as mad.

It's just... Honesty.

"Jaemin I'm sorry. But this is what's best," Jeno pleads, and Jaemin knows that. Deep down, he knows that. He just doesn't want to admit it.

"I know," he says quietly, putting a smile back on his face and urging Jeno to walk. "It's just... You love me. Don't forget that."

When they both reach the restaurant, Jaemin has to take a deep calming breath and has to remind himself to act rationally.

He'll just treat them like new friends.

When they walk into the restaurant, it's cooler than it is outside.

"I see your boys," Youngho says, nudging his head in Jeno's direction.

When the two others turn around simultaneously to find Jeno, they see Taeil serving them and leading them to a table. For four.

"Wish me luck," Donghyuck sighs, jumping off of his barstool.

"Lord knows he'll need it," Mark adds quietly.