flipped :: markhyuck

11 | the sun's tan [i]

'eleven

haechan appeared at mark's door at the exact same time the next week - ten on the dot - with an item behind his back.

"is this what we're doing now instead of selling library books?" mark joked as he stepped outside his door, staring at haechan as he laughed.

"you decide," he shrugged, before showing mark his book. "so i made another story... did you read last week's one?"

mark paused, before smiling tightly. "yeah. it was so good!"

"ah, no need to exaggerate," the younger mumbled, embarrassed. "anyway, i just write these to pass time, and i don't have much to do with them, so... here you go."

mark smiled in appreciation as he took the book. "thanks. i'll check it out."

"good," haechan replied with a short nod. "uh... i best be getting back home. see you at school."

"you too," mark called out, watching him walk across his lawn before stepping back inside his house with a smile.

♔

mark was walking home from school when he saw an unexpected sight.

his grandpa was smiling.

but what was even more strange was where and why; he was accompanied by haechan in their garden. outside.

he walked over to the two, subconsciously grabbing onto his bag strap as he looked at the younger boy's tanned skin. haechan could not have been there for long—school ended only an hour ago—but he seemed to always turn dark easily in the sun, an insecurity of his which mark never understood. he thought he looked better when he was tanned.

"grandpa," mark cleared his throat as the two looked up at him, "what are you doing in the garden with hyuck?"

haechan had to suppress a smile. mark had never called him 'hyuck' before, but in such a voice, it was music to his red ears.

"we're gardening," the older man replied blatantly. "look at haechan's garden - it's marvellous! we should do the same to ours, and haechan offered to help."

"did you really?" mark asked, turning to the boy who nodded.

"of course."

"are you sure?" mark, for some reason, didn't want haechan working in his garden. he didn't want to feel any more in debt to him.

"let him be," his grandpa interrupted with a hiss. "fine, i called him over to help me garden. happy?"

mark pursed his lips. "haechan, if you want to go home, you can."

"your grandpa isn't evil, you know," he retorted. "i'm enjoying helping him."

"but you've tanned."

it was the disappearance of haechan's smile that made mark realise he said the wrong thing.

"doesn't look too great, does it?" haechan's self-esteem hit rock bottom, even as the latter shook his head in panic.

"no, that's not what i meant - i think it's cool," he tried recovering his words, and haechan smiled faintly.

"thanks... actually, maybe i will go home," he responded, looking at mark's grandpa. "will you be able to finish the hedge yourself?"

"i'll manage, but you go off now," he received a reply and nodded. he hesitantly glanced at mark with a small smile before walking off the lawn and across the road to his home. mark stood awkwardly with his quiet grandpa.

"just go inside," his elder told him, and without a word, mark complied. he stepped into his house and slammed the door shut.