then again, ends mean new beginnings ; nct markhyuck

8/?

The two men were minding their own businesses as they made their way through the streets of Seoul to Donghyuck's apartment. They were silently admiring the sky as the sun was setting—shades of orange and yellow and dots of purple and pink painting the heavens like a canvas never to be perfectly mimicked by anyone.

The silence between them wasn't heavy at all. In fact, it was rather comforting. Donghyuck missed walking around with him like this.

Not totally, of course. There was still this tension hanging in the air, and it remained unexplainable. No, not unexplainable—They could definitely explain it, but they decided to leave it aside, thinking it was a unrequited thought.

There was a missing link between them, they both knew it, but they didn't know what it was or how to fix it.

Mark figured that maybe a step to fixing it was holding Hyuck's hand.

At first, it was shy and subtle. Hesitation was etched on Mark's face. He kept stealing glances of his hand—the hand that he used to hold in his own five years ago without thinking twice. It used to be always so warm and he always went to it whenever he feels cold, as if it was his personal heater.

Donghyuck was a literal ball of sunshine—or maybe the sun itself—and Mark basically lived off his light.

Of course, that was before. Donghyuck still shone as bright as ever, but Mark didn't think he deserved having any of his light. He had hurt him, after all.

It was just quite frustrating to see how Donghyuck didn't seem like it.

He bit his lip.

Could it be that he... already moved on?

Lucky him.

As Mark was drowning in his sea of thoughts, Donghyuck noticed how Mark's hand seemed to be closer than usual to his own.

He smiled for a bit. His heart raced a little faster.

Was he trying to hold his hand? That's cute.

Suddenly, a feeling of doubt replaced the warmth in his heart. A voice nagged in the back of his head, saying You're overthinking this.

As he looked at his hand once again, he noticed a small difference of color on one of his fingers. Scrunching his eyebrows in confusion and concern, Donghyuck took Mark's hand in his without thinking twice (or thinking at all), then looked closer.

A tiny light purple bruise was placed on the older's ring finger, looking like an actual ring.

"What's this?" He asked immediately, looking at Mark as if he was demanding for an answer as soon as possible.

Mark looked back at him, stunned. It took him a second to realize the situation. He smiled at him. "It's just a tiny bruise. You don't have to worry too much about it."

"I didn't say I was worried," Donghyuck mumbled, trying to cover the fact he actually was. "You didn't answer my question."

"It's just from a ring. Chill."

"But you don't wear any rings. Not always, at least."

Mark's gaze softened. His aura turned cold as he averted his eyes from the younger.

Donghyuck looked at Mark like he was trying to find the answer written on his face. Suddenly, his heart went blank after a realization.

No. It can't be.

Did it come from—

"An engagement ring?" Donghyuck blurted out, immediately wishing he didn't open his mouth.

"Mark hyung, you're—" His voice cracked, but he kept talking. He had to know. "You're engaged?"

Mark remained silent. The longer the silence stretched, the faster fresh pain spread across Donghyuck's chest. He should have known. No, he already knew, but he was foolish to not listen to his instincts.

Donghyuck let their hands fall back down to their sides. He wanted to let go of his hand, but he couldn't make himself do it.

The moment he was able to hold him back...was technically gone, because he was no longer truly there in the first place.

He was about to let go of Mark's hand reluctantly, but he felt the other's hand tighten his hold.

Mark looked at Donghyuck, an unreadable expression of mixed emotions on his face.

"Was."

Donghyuck stared at Mark, not sure what to say or feel.

He was engaged. Was.

He felt...rather relieved for a reason he could explain but would rather stay silent about. At the same time, he felt bad, because he was secretly happy for something that Mark was probably sorrowful about.

"Ah," was all Donghyuck said in reaction, letting go of his hand. "I'm...um, sorry."

Mark looked down at Donghyuck's hand like he was a bit offended by the gesture—Donghyuck noticed, or maybe he was just seeing things.

The older shook his head, straight-faced. "It's fine. It's not like you knew anyway."

Silence built up between the two of them. This time, it was actually suffocating.

"Uh," Donghyuck stammered, biting his lip. "Wh...What happened? Who were they?"

Mark kept looking ahead as he walked with Donghyuck, face as solemn as it could be, like he was trying to shield himself from showing any emotion.

"Someone who deserved someone else," he said briefly. "It didn't feel like my heart was in Canada."

Donghyuck nodded, though he didn't understand. He just didn't want to press the topic further.

He didn't feel relieved anymore, more of just feeling bad for his hyung. He wanted to stop walking and just pull him into a tight hug, hoping to at least help him put the pieces of his heart back together.

The question is was Mark's heart broken by his engagement break off in the first place? Or was it broken way before then?