Drag Me To Hell ✦ Markhyuck

09 - I'd never leave you

The two boys don't stop running, even after they reach the front yard. They only cease once they reach the middle of the deserted road, far from the dangers of Mark's house.

"C'mon, maybe we can go to Taeyong and Jaehyun's apartment and see if it's safe there," Mark suggests as he starts off towards the road. He starts off down the road, but after a few seconds of walking, he realizes Donghyuck isn't following. Mark looks, finding the younger standing frozen in place with a mile long stare.

"Aren't you coming?" Mark inquires, but the boy does not answer. He tilts his head slightly at the lack of a response and casually approaches him. "Hey...are you okay?"

Donghyuck lets out a shaky breath.

"I..." he mumbles, "I don't know if we can die here, but...I was going to let that thing kill me...I...I'd given up."

Mark frowns deeply at his words. He peers sorrowfully into the boy's eyes as he slowly steps even closer to him.

"Oh, Hyuck," he breathes as he reaches out and embraces him in a hug, "You're safe now."

Donghyuck's heart does a somersault in his chest, but he ignores it as best he can as he tries to go on.

"I thought you'd left me," he whispers as he shuts his eyes and takes in the warm feeling of being wrapped in Mark's arms, "I felt I deserved to die...that there was no reason for me to fight to live."

The older boy seems to squeeze him a little tighter at these words, and this small action fills Donghyuck's heart with a strong sense of content and overwhelming love.

"I'd never leave you," Mark insists, "And I don't ever want to hear you say you deserve to die. You d-don't."

Mark's voice cracks slightly, causing Donghyuck to pull back to see why he'd done so. A single tear falls from Mark's eye as he gazes back at him. He was clearly affected by what he had said, and it physically pains Donghyuck to see.

"Don't you ever say that," Mark says once more in a hushed tone, brushing a piece of hair out of Donghyuck's face and tucking it behind his ear. Donghyuck's heart flutters at the gesture, and he can't help but hate how such a simple, mindless act can make him so weak.

At that moment, Donghyuck swears he sees Mark's eyes flicker down to his lips. Due to the brevity of the moment, he can't help but doubt his own eyes. Mark couldn't possibly have done that, nor would he have done it on purpose if he had. But it appears that the space between them is slowly diminishing bit by bit. The thought of it causes Donghyuck's heart to skip a few beats. Sadly, the happiness is instantly replaced by self-hatred, doubt, and regret.

No, surely he just means to pull him in for a hug again.

But why so slow and hesitant?

Donghyuck determines that relying on the idea that Mark means to hug him again was a risk he didn't want to take. Whether Mark was about to act impulsively without a clear head or Donghyuck was overthinking things, he needed to shut down whatever was happening before both of them regret it.

"We should keep going," he blurts out, "The faster we find a safe haven, the better."

"Oh...uh...yeah. Of course," Mark mumbles as he drops his arms and takes a step back from Donghyuck. Though he doesn't voice it, the lack of touch makes Donghyuck feel as if he's missing something. He enjoyed the feeling of security that came with being close to Mark, and after nearly being choked to death, safety was all he wanted. Even if the person he found purchase in was Mark.

The two continue on their way down the desolate street. Not a peep is spoken from either party, and although Donghyuck wishes Mark would say something, he wasn't about to strike up a conversation himself to end the eerie silence.

"Mark," a voice calls out almost on cue with Donghyuck's thoughts. His brow furrows instantly at it. It sounds breathy and almost like a gust of wind.

"Mark," it repeats softly.

"Who is that?" Mark inquires as he surveys the area for any sign of the source of the voice.

"I...I don't know," Donghyuck responds in a murmur.

"Mark, over here," the voice continues with a light, playful giggle. It's then that Donghyuck realizes he's extremely tense and on edge. He didn't know why, but he was. Every muscle seemed to be stiff and ready to act in response to whatever was calling Mark.

"There!" Mark blurts out as he points towards the entrance to a cemetery.

There stands a girl in a small red dress at the opening of a large black gate on the other side of the street. She beckons Mark with fluid motions, and Donghyuck feels his stomach sink. Mark begins walking towards her, but Donghyuck stops him, taking his wrist into a death grip.

"Don't go. Something's not right about this," he warns the boy.

"It's fine," Mark murmurs in a sort of dazed state without removing his eyes from the girl, "It's just Yoojung."

He tears himself away from Donghyuck and continues his zombie-like walk towards the beautiful girl in the cemetery. Donghyuck instinctively follows behind, not wanting to risk getting separated again. The closer they get, the more Donghyuck begins to notice a faint red illumination radiating from her. It's not much, but it's just enough to make her appear ethereal: though it's not in a way which Donghyuck finds angelic or good. As they approach her, Donghyuck takes note of how her eyes glow a vibrant green.

In that moment, Donghyuck is convinced that she was some sort of demonic entity.

"Mark, wait!" Donghyuck squeaks in fear, but his attempt at warning him is blatantly ignored, yet again. The older takes Yoojung's extended hand, and he enters past the cemetery gates to join her. Donghyuck tries to rush inside as well, but before he can even reach the entrance, the gates slam violently shut in front of him with a deafening clash that forces him to cover his hands over his ears.

"Mark! Mark!" Donghyuck yells as he jumps at the bars of the gate as he starts aggressively shaking them. Yoojung grins wickedly at Donghyuck before giggling in a sort of triumphant manner. She turns to Mark and places her delicate hand under his chin.

"Stop it!" Donghyuck cries, "No!"

Despite this, Yoojung ignores him and leans in to Mark, placing a soft kiss on his lips. Donghyuck feels his chest constrict at the sight but forces himself to keep it together. Yoojung shoots Donghyuck one last grin before she twirls around. She continues leading Mark by the hand down the winding path while Donghyuck continues to violently shake the gate. He knew something awful was bound to happen if he didn't get to Mark.

He needed to find another way in. And fast.