markhyuck ✧ gemini

Thirteen

Soon after the cafe incident, Donghyuck became more "acquainted" with Renjun. Donghyuck, who had once ignored Renjun, was now "okay" with Renjun accompanying him at lunch. He still was not to used to anyone but Mark sitting there, but he guessed it was better to sit with Renjun than nobody, as Ae-young was clearly trying to part Mark and Donghyuck.

"Ma- Renjun, if you're only sitting here because you're pitying me, you can leave."

Renjun ate the last bit of soup in his bowl, he rested his head on his palm,"Donghyuck, do you always think so negatively?"

Donghyuck perked his head up, replying with a mumbled,"Huh?"

Renjun faintly smiled to himself, moving his hand up and ruffling Donghyuck's hair,"I'm just saying, not everything is bad in this world."

Renjun pulled his hand back down and drank the rest of his boxed milk.
Donghyuck brushed down the hair that Renjun had just ruffled,"His hand feels different from Mark's."
The footsteps that trailed up to Donghyuck were inaudible, the sound being overlapped with the chatter of students.

"Donghyuck," the usual comforting voice that called out to Donghyuck.
Donghyuck turned around, looking up at Mark. Mark tightly clenched the edge of his steel tray, sitting down beside Donghyuck.
Mark turned to Donghyuck, quietly fixing parts of his hair, afterwards turning back around he half-heartedly smiled at Renjun.

Mark looked at Renjun while picking at his food with his chopsticks,"So, you're Donghyuck's friend? You were the other person at the cafe, right?"

"Friends?" Renjun looked at Donghyuck before looking back at Mark,"I guess you could say. And yes, I was the other person at the cafe."

Mark adjusted his posture and rested his head on his folded hands,"So it your fault Donghyuck was crying?"

Donghyuck attempted to intervene,"Mark-" resulting in Mark cutting his speech off.

"Was it, Renjun?" Mark's voice grew louder and slightly aggressive.

Renjun looking slightly taken aback, replied,"No, Mark, I wasn't."

Mark suddenly stood up and looked down at Renjun, he leaned over towards Renjun. Donghyuck, who assumed Mark would try to hit Renjun, stood up and tightened his arms around Mark's waist.

"Mark, Renjun didn't do anything. Calm down, please."

Mark, whose mood had obviously dropped, stormed out of the cafeteria.
Donghyuck followed quickly after him.

Mark was already halfway down the hall when Donghyuck had followed behind. His posture was obviously tense and frustrated, seeming on edge.

Donghyuck's hand were placed in front of his waist as he helplessly watched his best friend walk away,"Mark..."
Donghyuck turned around as another body had passed his, which was Renjun's, leaving the cafeteria and heading down the opposite hall.
Donghyuck tugged on Renjun's shoulder, making him turn at an angle toward him.
Donghyuck gazed upon Renjun, both of them unsure of what to say.

"I'll buy you ice cream after school." Donghyuck's hands roughly twirled around eachother.

Renjun placed his hand on top of Donghyuck's moving ones and smiling at the boy,"Okay."

~~~~

Donghyuck picked up his phone which was laying beside him on his bed. Going to his messaging app and texting Mark.

Are you okay? You were acting weird today.

Donghyuck waited for a reply, which usually came fairly quickly, but never received one.
Donghyuck began to grow worried at Mark's unusual behaviour, not in the mood to wait longer, he left his house and walked to Mark's.

About to knock on the front door, he suddenly stopped as Ae-young's backpack was seen through the glass side window. Donghyuck pulled his hand back into his pocket, lowering his head, he walked off before bumping into someone.

Donghyuck looked up at the person,"I'm sor- Mark?"

Mark looked down into Donghyuck's eyes,"Oh, what are you doing here?"

"You weren't replying to my message and you were acting weird at school. I thought something might have been wrong with you."

Mark smiled with half of his mouth,"I'm okay. You didn't have to walk over here in the cold. You're gonna catch a cold."

Donghyuck dug his hands deeper into his hoodie pocket,"I'll be fine. I need to head back right now anyways."

The sky seemed to darken quickly, almost immediately after it began to drizzle. Instead of allowing Donghyuck to leave, Mark forced Donghyuck to stay not wanting him to walk in the rain.

The pair walked through the front door, removing their shoes and Donghyuck eyeing Ae-young's backpack on the floor.

"Is Ae-young here?"

"No, she was but had to leave because of her schedule."

Donghyuck went over and sat on one of the stool chairs near the counter,"Her 'schedule', huh."

Mark poured two glasses of water, sliding one over to Donghyuck who was looking at the now heavily pouring rain. Mark went to the food cabnit and grabbed a bag of saltine potato chips, afterwards pouring a small amount into a plastic bowl and leaving it in between him and Donghyuck. Mark picked a chip, holding the ends of it between his thumb and pointer finger, and snapping it in half,"I'm sorry for causing a scene at lunch today. I thought Renjun was the reason you were crying that day and it got me angry thinking he hurt you."

Donghyuck was about to answer, only to be interrupted by the sound of the front door being opened and shut. The boys turned their heads to see Ae-young walk in, which Donghyuck immediately became uncomfortable.

"Oh, hi, Donghyuck." Ae-young bounced slightly with her steps as she walked towards the granite counter.

Donghyuck took a sip of his water,"Hi, Ae-young," then turning to Mark,"I have to go now."
Donghyuck grabbed his bookbag and headed for the door, only to be stopped by the tug of someone's arm.
Donghyuck screamed as the tug faintly reminded him of the man from the school. Turning around to see it was only Mark's hand on him and Ae-young with a satisfied smirk behind Mark. Donghyuck loosed Mark's grip, pulled away and headed out the front door. Mark followed quickly, not giving Ae-young an opportunity to stop him as she wished.

"Donghyuck, what the hell is up with you lately? You're saying I'm acting weird but you're acting the same. You won't even talk to me about any of it."

"I never talk to you about it because there is nothing to talk about. I'm perfectly normal, okay? There's nothing wrong with me."

Donghyuck clutched the strap of his bookbag and began walking away, leaving Mark standing there. Ae-young walked outside, moving to Mark and placing her hands on his shoulders. She brushed her lips against his neck and pushed her body against Mark's back. Ae-young looked up at Mark, then looked at the sidewalk which Donghyuck was walking away from. Her lips formed a curved smile as she sharply exhaled.

~~~~