shy | markhyuck

02

renjun stared at the screen of his phone, a sinister smile growing on his face as he reread the chat with mark lee from his literary arts class. he glanced over at the boy sitting across him at the lunch table before sending his final reply to mark lee.

"donghyuck," he called the boy and he looked up from his soup. "is there anyone you found yourself attracted to in this school?"

"why?"

"because i'm curious. why else would i ask?"

donghyuck stared at renjun suspiciously and pressed his lips into a thin line, trying to recall— or at least look like he was. "maybe there's someone in mind." he answers quietly. should he tell renjun about the cute boy with glasses named mark?

renjun perked up. "who?"

perhaps not so soon.

the other boy shrugged. "someone."

"yeah," renjun sighed in exasperation. "but what's his name?"

"whose name?" another voice whom they recognised to belong to jaemin, spoke out of nowhere which greatly alarmed donghyuck.

"hyuck's new crush!" renjun grinned.

"it's not a crush if i don't know him personally!" donghyuck's ears were starting to turn warm from embarrassment and he just wants to dig a hole and hide in it forever.

jaemin let out an over-exaggerated gasp before plopping down next to renjun. "it's about damn time you're interested in someone!" yeah, he shouldn't tell them just yet about the cute boy with the glasses and weird laugh who has been occupying his mind for awhile now.

as much as donghyuck loves them to death, jaemin and renjun aren't exactly the best people to turn to if you have something as embarrassing as a cru–no, an eyecandy–to hide. jaemin, renjun and donghyuck has been the closest and best-est of friends since middle school when donghyuck insulted jaemin's haircut and renjun wanted to fight donghyuck in the school supply closet.

he rolled his eyes at jaemin's comment and grumbled. "it's not my fault everyone's ugly..."

at the corner of his eyes, renjun notices a familiar mop of dark hair and round metal rimmed glasses that were reflecting off light, walking towards their direction. a wide cheshire smile spread across his face as he shifted his gaze back to donghyuck and jaemin who looked like they were about to argue over something dumb again. mark was approaching closer and closer without realising and renjun was ecstatic.

jaemin and donghyuck still would not stop bickering.

"hey! what's up mark?" renjun greets the older male, his voice dripping with tease and mark's eyes widened when he saw a certain pretty boy with him.

jaemin and donghyuck immediately stopped, and so did the latter's heart upon hearing his name. a faint blush slowly creeping on his face.

"renjun, hey." mark smiled.

"who's this, junnie?" jaemin eyed the stranger up and down while donghyuck have an internal mental breakdown.

"he's mark lee from my literary arts class. we only recently started talking, right mark?"

mark only nodded nervously and laughed.

"these two are my friends," renjun nudges jaemin and kicked donghyuck under the table for him to finally look up. "this one next to me is jaemin and the other one is donghyuck."

when renjun officially introduced donghyuck, he raised his eyebrows up and down teasingly at mark. fortunately jaemin and donghyuck hadn't notice it, or even the blood rushing up towards mark's ears.

"pleasure to meet you jaemin," mark briefly met eyes with him to acknowledge him and shifted his gaze to donghyuck to do the same, but he was having a little trouble–the younger boy was just too beautiful. "donghyuck."

there was something about the way mark says his name that made his heart race. he nodded in response, his lips curving up into a shy smile. he hopes he isn't acting obvious, or else he would never hear the end of it from renjun and jaemin.

the grin on renjun's face grew bigger as an idea popped up in his head. "mark, are you alone? why don't you join us for lunch?"

donghyuck felt his face burn. part of him wishes mark would say yes so that he could stare at him and appreciate his existence up close longer while the other wants him to reject renjun's offer because he'll be damned. he wouldn't know how he'll behave and he wants to make the best first impression of himself.

meanwhile, mark became flustered and renjun was enjoying every second of it. they were literally acquaintances just 30 minutes ago before mark texted. "n-no it's alright! my friend is waiting for me actually, thanks for offering though. maybe i'll join you guys next time."

renjun sighed. "well that can't be helped... alright." jaemin notices the disappointment in his face and he makes a note to pester him about it in privacy.

"i'll see you guys around." mark smiled and walked off to look for his friend.

donghyuck's shoulders finally relaxed and he started slouching again. it was a bad habit but he just couldn't help it–which explains why jaemin is now taller than he is when just a year ago he was the tallest of the trio.

"what the heck was that?" jaemin blurts out when mark disappeared among the crowd.

-

mark's heart was thumping heavily against his chest as his fingers trembled beneath his tray after that encounter. he would be lying if he said it wasn't painful at all to stand there and feel like a fool because he did not know how to react to renjun's spontaneity. he wishes he wasn't born awkward, if only he was more like his outgoing friends, johnny, yang yang or even yukhei.

he sighed. on the bright side, at least donghyuck acknowledges his existence and that is all that matters most, right?

suddenly, he felt a buzz in his pocket.

from: renjun (freshman)
you better keep your word about sitting with us next time!!! cos i think donghyuck may be interested idk. don't keep your hopes up tho, and YOU'RE WELCOME!

warmth crept up his cheeks again, except this time, it came with a deeper shade of pink. is renjun for real? the possibility of a beautiful boy like donghyuck being friends with a geek like mark? mark was beyond grateful for renjun because he knows that he would never make the first move to talk to a personification of an angel. a smile unknowingly made its way to his lips as he stared at his phone and typed a reply:

thanks renjun :) i'll try my best