[1] markhyuck | instagram

eleven

MARK

"So... how was the date?"

Mark looked at Renjun over his workbook which was propped up on his desk, tired, "do you really wanna know?"

The other shrugs nonchalantly, "not really, you've just seemed a bit off ever since so I'm curious as to what went down"

Mark draws his gaze away from Renjun for a second, looking down at his phone which was hidden by his textbook, his Instagram open.

Donghyuck was busy working on his perfume ad in England and so the two haven't talked properly for a couple of days- Donghyuck said it was down to the bad reception out in the countryside, but Mark had a feeling it was something more.

Their last conversation was full of this weird kinda tension and Mark wasn't sure why, but it had put him on edge.

He didn't update Donghyuck any further on his date, purely because it just didn't feel right. But having been ignored for almost a week, Mark is kinda wishing that he would've just sent one last text before Donghyuck got on that plane, even if it was just another 'have a safe flight'.

"My head is kinda a mess at the minute, that's all"

Renjun hums, "Is this to do with Mina... or that model guy you've been stalking on social media for the last hour of our study session?"

"I wasn't stalking him!" Mark defends, his face heating up and Renjun smirks in triumph as he smugly puts his highlighter down, a knowing look on his face.

"So it is about him"

"It's about both of them I guess" Mark locks his phone and puts his book down, "Donghyuck's right... I've spent a lot of time thinking and I have been giving Mina mixed signals.."

Renjun mutters something of an agreement before turning back to his friend, "wanna talk about it?"

Mark shrugs, "I don't even know what to say... I feel like with Mina everyone expects so much from me, from us... Renjun, I opened her car door, I complemented her outfit, I held her hand, I kissed her cheek, I bought her a milkshake..." a sigh escapes his lips as he rubs his hands over his face, "but it just didn't feel right, it just felt like we were two friends hanging out... especially when I look over and I see Jeno and Sihyeon and they're just.."

Mark watches Renjun's face as it falls, catching the other whilst his guard was down, "I'm sorry" Mark whispers, realising the weight of his words, but all Renjun does is dismissively wave his hand

"Don't be, I don't want you to feel like you have to be walking on eggshells around me everytime you mention his name"

Mark furrows his eyebrows, reaching over the table to hold Renjun's hand in his own, "But it hurts you"

"And I'll get over it" neither Mark nor Renjun speak for a moment, stunned by the latter's sharp tone, that is until Renjun inhales deeply, "Jeno is happy with her, there's nothing more to it"

Mark couldn't imagine dealing with unrequited love quite like Renjun, he admires him, so so much for being so strong, whereas Mark has a tendency to let his feelings overwhelm him. Quite like now.

"So you've told me about Mina... and I assume you're going to talk to her about all this.." Mark nods his head, "So then what about this Donghyuck guy?"

"Honestly... I don't know" Renjun gives him a look, sort of a what do you mean you don't know? look, which prompts the older to continue

"It's only been a week since we talked but it feels like eternity, and I think that's because I made things awkward... but I don't really know what I've done... I just want to fix it so we can get back to normal, but I don't even know what normal is...I just miss talking to him, like he's genuinely so incredibly funny and his wit is arguably my favourite thing about him- he just... he always knows just what to say, and with every little thing I learn about him I just fall deep-... he's gorgeous... as well... if being incredibly funny wasn't enough.. he looks like he's been blessed by the sun gods or something.."

Mark gently lowers his head onto the table, avoiding his highlighters and flashcards decorating the surface. However after a moment, when he lifts his head back up back up again, Renjun doesn't recognise the look in his eyes, "Junnie... how did you know that you liked Jeno?"

Renjun's eyes go wide, as he frantically looks around the room, praying that no one was close enough to hear what they were talking about, "Mark-"

"Please" the Canadian sounded so broken, his voice so weak, "Please Jun, I just need to know"

Mark already knew, he already knew how he felt about Donghyuck, from the moment they had started talking his heart had been set on the model. He just couldn't admit it, not to Jeno, his best friend, not to Renjun, probably the only person who could relate to him, and not to himself, who was so scared of the intensity of what he felt... he felt something.. something strong and warm and good towards Donghyuck.

But that didn't matter.

He didn't know what he'd done, but Donghyuck certainly didn't feel the same way.

Of course he didn't, Donghyuck had travelled the world, had experienced so much, probably had standards set so high that no ordinary music major from Canada could ever meet them.

It was useless.

"Renjun.. I don't know what to do.."

Standing up from his seat, Renjun moves round the table, wrapping his arm around Mark and pulling the shaking boy into his side.

He keeps whispering that they'll get through this, that everything will find a way to work itself out.. but Mark just wants Donghyuck, he wants something he obviously can't have, and he has no idea what to do.

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Notes-
thank you guys so much for 1k! 👏🏻
also by the time you're reading this I should've moved into my uni flat- things are gonna be really hectic but because I've kinda already finished the story it shouldn't be too hard to keep regular updates coming your way ☺️