start somewhere; markhyuck ✓

twelve

and summer starts

wednesday, july 3rd, 12:45 pm. jaemin's house.

"you see if i knew that you guys dating meant you'd act like this i wouldn't have been happy," donghyuck grumbles watching the two be in their own worlds.

"honestly," chenle adds, "can you two stop it."

jaemin and jeno had told the rest of the group after graduation day. donghyuck couldn't be more proud.

donghyuck also learns that they've been "hanging out" for nearly a year.

_________

donghyuck learns that mark plays football in the summer too and that mark is good at it too.

another reason why mark has 4000 admirers. donghyuck is ashamed to admit he's a part of that 4000. mark and donghyuck still haven't really cleared up their misunderstandings and it's slowly killing donghyuck.

donghyuck knocks on mark's door at 7 pm one night. mark lets him in.

mark and donghyuck don't talk about their feelings. they end up making out on the couch for an hour and a half. it's been weeks since they've last done this and donghyuck's mind goes blank.

they move together as one, they are pushing and pulling against each other to create a balance. donghyuck forgets everything he's ever known. all he knows is his name and mark's name.

"i think i'm really in love with you."

"i love you too, keep going."

donghyuck is barely aware of his surroundings until he hears

"mark, what the fuck?"

the two jump off of each other at lightning speed. donghyuck turns to face the voice. it was one of mark's teammates. mark's face goes pale.

"i can explain," mark stutters, "it was just, i uh, wait-"

"i thought i could trust you, mark," his teammate almost laughs, donghyuck is so scared, "i didn't know my own captain was a fag."

donghyuck is quiet. there's nothing to say. once the teammate had stormed out donghyuck turns to mark once he faces him it's game over.

"get out."

donghyuck understands mark's sentiment, scurrying to throw his sweater back on and run out of the house.

the teammate ended up telling the whole football team about it. donghyuck is more scared of what will happen to mark that anyone else.

donghyuck is alone again. all alone and it eats him away.

the week passes slowly. the first week of summer gone like that. hyuck hadn't left his house much to his mother's surprise. she urged him to go grocery shopping with her or go on a bike ride always greeted with the same "no."

renjun has tried messaging him, calling him and even getting jaemin to call for him. no avail. donghyuck was off the grid.

he just feels stupid. donghyuck knew he couldn't keep this secret up forever but once it crashed he feels stupid for ever thinking it would work.

all the music donghyuck listens to sounds the same. all the tv shows are the same. it's so boring.

it's times like these when donghyuck is happy he doesn't have mark's number. he'd be too embarrassed to answer a call. mark's busy with football anyways.

another week goes by, two weeks of summer gone. donghyuck is still all alone. he sees that his friends are hanging out without him and donghyuck imagines what his friends are saying to each other.

"hyuck is a liar! he lied to all of our faces," renjun yells, the other four listening intently, "we should really stop being friends with him, i don't think i can trust him anymore! he's disgusting!"

(that's not at all what he said. renjun said donghyuck needed space. renjun is a good friend.)

at the beginning of the third week alone donghyuck texts renjun.

_________

RENJUN <3

donghyuck: i'm sorry
donghyuck: ice cream and talk?

renjun: see you soon :)