burnt memories | markhyuck

nine

the black ballpoint was twirling around the tanned male's fingers as he was deep in thought. since the last encounter with lucas, he was bothered by the fact that his best friend seemed to know something about his patient.

haechan asked lucas about it but the latter avoided his questions and always changed the topic. haechan gave up as lucas excused himself right after they finished their meals. lucas might be trying to deny the tanned male's endless attempt for him to open up or reveal what he knew but haechan sensed lucas did know at least a thing about mark.

a knock on the door brought haechan back to the real world. there stood taeil with his hands shoved in his pockets, looking at haechan with a small smile.

"had a rough day?" taeil asked as he took a seat across haechan.

haechan returned the smile and put down the pen. "nah. just thinking about... stuff."

"that's good. how's mark?"

"he's doing great. he talks more these days and i don't lie when i say he seems like the happiest person in the world," haechan chuckled as he recalled how contented mark looked, how his eyes disappeared into thin lines and his nose scrunched when he laughed and oh, that melodious sound almost got haechan's heart fluttering.

"what a relief. i'm glad you're here haechan or else mark will still be in his own world. i'm still amazed though how he still thinks you're his boyfriend," taeil said.

"talking about his boyfriend, it's stated on his file that he doesn't really exist but why do i have the feeling that donghyuck is real?" haechan asked.

after the days he had spent with mark, it did feel like donghyuck was a real person. however, it confused haechan that the way mark mesmerized his features saying that he missed his doe eyes, button nose, heart-shaped lips, and tanned skin. did donghyuck really resemble him?

"right? i'm actually thinking the same thing like, how can he create someone in his head after the accident happened and even gave him the name? unless he did like someone with the name donghyuck but can't confess his feeling that it stresses him out and leads him to become delusional," taeil shrugged as he leaned against the chair.

haechan chewed on his lower lip, thinking about taeil's point. it made sense. donghyuck might be real and mark wasn't hallucinating. but if the theory is true, where is donghyuck now? is he someone that plays a bigger part in mark's life? is he really mark's boyfriend?

"hyung, do you actually know anything about mark?" haechan asked in a quiet voice that earned him a questioning look from the latter. "i mean, anything that isn't written on his file?"

taeil scratched his chin. "okay, if i tell you this you must keep it a secret, do you understand?" haechan nodded quickly as he eager to hear what taeil had to say. "mark and doyoung know each other before he's admitted here. they're from the same orphanage."

haechan was taken aback by the information. he knew that mark was an orphan and lived at the orphanage as was stated on his profile but it was shocking that doyoung was the same too.

"how did you know?" haechan asked.

"the first time mark was brought in here, i was with doyoung handling his case. i still remember how shocked doyoung was when he found out about mark. he said something about mark being the kid he met at the orphanage that they grew up at. mark also recognized him and they seemed close because mark kept calling him 'hyung' and told him about this donghyuck guy. i could see the sadness in doyoung's eyes whenever he talked with mark and he once said to me that he'll help mark to get out of here. however, after a month mark stayed in here, doyoung seemed to lose hope. he said that mark is indeed sick and need guidance. mark started to act aggressive and said doyoung was a liar. i think something isn't right between them and whenever i tried to ask doyoung what happened, he always shut me out or said it was nothing and told me that mark just can't accept that he will be trapped in here until he recovers," taeil sighed.

"wow..." haechan breathed out. he couldn't comment on anything about what actually happened. he was just stunned.

"and i know, doyoung is hiding something and until today, i still can't figure it out. i believe that mark isn't really mentally sick at first but something is holding him in here and i hate to say this, it seems like he'll live in here for the rest of his life," taeil muttered.

"did you mean... there's a foul play here?" haechan gulped nervously because if it was true then this asylum was actually fucked up.

"that's what i want to know too. and haechan, remember one thing, don't trust everything what doyoung said, alright?" taeil firmly said.

just when haechan's curiosity reached its peak, several knocks on the door stopped his words from coming out of his mouth.

doyoung appeared behind the door with a neutral expression as his eyes shifted from haechan to taeil and back to haechan. "am i interrupting something?" doyoung asked with a cheeky smile.

taeil pushed the chair and stood up. "you don't. we were just discussing mark's improvement. right, haechan?"

haechan looked at taeil, nodding his head and chuckled awkwardly. "yes hyung, taeil hyung was right."

"since when are you interested to know about mark?" doyoung cocked a brow at taeil.

"i wasn't. haechan just needs some help," taeil replied.

"if you need help about mark, just tell me, haechan," doyoung informed, eyeing the latter.

haechan cleared his throat, fidgeting his fingers like a child that was being scolded. "alright, hyung."

"i have to go now. haechan, remember what i told you just now. be careful," taeil shot him a look.

haechan just smiled and watched taeil walked out of the room. doyoung didn't know what taeil was referring to decided to take a seat.

"be careful of what?" doyoung asked.

"eh? uh... ah! be careful of the weather... uhm, he said it'll be raining heavily so he told me to drive slowly later," haechan made up an excuse, hoping the latter didn't ask him any more question.

doyoung remained silent. he wasn't a person who's easily fooled. right from the moment, he saw taeil in the room with the tanned male, he knew something was up.

"did taeil tell you something unusual?" doyoung questioned.

"u-unusual? pfft, no he didn't," haechan lied, faking a laugh.

doyoung didn't want to force him. he let it slide this time. "haechan," he called out.

haechan snapped up his head and looked at the latter with wide eyes. "yeah?"

"you can't trust anyone here. no matter how close you have gotten with them," doyoung spoke.

haechan was utterly confused. is this some kind of joke?! haechan internally screamed. taking a deep breath, he replied a small okay. his mind just filled with a lot of things today and he just couldn't wait to have a break.

💉💉💉

|to be continued|

so another short chapter ;-; 

btw thank you for the 1k read byuls! i love you ♡♡♡