CLANDESTINE

dix

10
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and if we're being honest,
i never let em' know too much.

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donghyuck was known to tease a lot.

the other boys were aware of that fact. donghyuck was mischievous, sometimes irksome, always creative with his playful ideas as a trickster but it was never bothersome for them. sure, donghyuck had a naughty demeanor and all but they knew he's doing that to made them happy.

at times, it backfired.

donghyuck always thought his teasing was never off-limits. he knew what he's doing and what he's saying. but as it passed, the boys, those who were used to it, already caught up to his teasing. they wasn't as dumb and they could perfectly saw the real meaning that lies behind those words.

well, most of the time, donghyuck teased because he was hiding something. he's doing it because he doesn't want others to see what he's feeling in the inside. donghyuck was naturally a funny guy, but he was kind of transparent to the other boys.

especially the younger ones.

jaemin, one of those that were in the same age as donghyuck, can totally interpret literally everything of donghyuck's little actions. whether it was the way he talk, the way he move or just the way he's being around them. that's why, any changes were obvious to jaemin.

jaemin saw how donghyuck went from happy to real moody, then cry all of a sudden.

at the moment, the dream's dorm was quiet, unlike usual.

it's very unusual for the dorm to be that silentious. they were barely any movements, hushed, faint shuffling steps were the only things that can be heard. it's not even night, just late evening. but the dorm was dark, light can't even make ways to come inside the dorm.

renjun sighed. he had been playing his phone for so many hours. he wasn't complaining about that, he loved laying down on his bed and got lost to the device at his hand. the thing is, he was not enjoying it. chenle was laying beside him, having his time in his own world with earphones on.

jeno was alone in his room after donghyuck went to left to jaemin's and jisung's shared room. jeno also, lost in the same device. despite not feeling anything, he continued on scrolling through his social media accounts. jeno read one by one the stories of people's life, other's opinions of an issue, the music they were enjoying, the food they took picture of.

yet, in his bed, jeno was feeling lonely.

in another room, jaemin, jisung and donghyuck were there.

donghyuck had half of his body leaning against the headboard, jisung's head on his lap, jaemin laying on his stomach. it was the same in the room, too still and quiet.

the difference was, they weren't playing phone. just spacing out, their mind bringing them away from reality to whenever it wanted.

jisung had his arms over his eyes, covering what seems like dried tears that came out strangely before.

jaemin's heart was thumping so loud he can heard it on his ears, his hands shaking.

donghyuck's eyes were blank and empty, soulless even as all emotions that had crashed him before already left.

jeno had his attention at literally everywhere, his mind all over the places.

chenle that wasn't listening to any songs, even though he had earphones on, was just silencing other noises from the outer world.

renjun was mindlessly swiping the phone's screen, sighing here and there at times.

all of the boys were so lost.

it was only the first week since mark left from the group and they were already like this. sure, it's not like he left, as in left completely, yet it still hurt the younger boys who had their past life mostly spent with the older boy. it can't be help, it's the decision of the company and they had nothing to do than to accept it.

they knew, it was hurting mark the same. they saw him bursting out in tears at the bathroom, the night before he had to left, and the way he sat down in the living room, his shoulder trembling which they supposed from how he was stopping himself from crying.

donghyuck badly wanted to call him, say how much he misses him and his kisses but mark's phone was held down by their manager. it's a wonder, why does his phone got taken away because as much as they knew, the company had make it clear that they didn't care if they were using their phone.

when donghyuck asked johnny, he can sensed how the older boy was hiding something, from the way the words flew out way too smoothly from his lips, yet donghyuck can notice the little shake over the other side of the phone.

donghyuck sighed, he just hoped mark was fine.

now, he need to focus on comforting one another and get them back on track, just like before. it's hard, but they'll be fine.

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y'all this got so sad wtf

i felt like the last chapter wasn't enough so here am i, again

- tantan