Head Down

◤thirty five◢

Mark should've known his plan would be foiled. Does anything Mark do ever go as planned? He isn't surprised anymore, can't find himself to be.

Instead, he's sighing as Donghyuck is pulling him by the wrist, not imagining that this would be how their first encounter in a while would go.

"Act like my boyfriend." Donghyuck instructs, and Mark is unable to gage at the emotion used in his sentence.

He winces before answering.

"Is that the smartest thing to do?" He grumbles. "I don't wanna act like your boyfriend, I wanna be your boyfriend," he reasons.

"Oh my God," Donghyuck hisses, whirring his head around just to glare at Mark. "Shut up, would you? You couldn't even have been poetic about it?" He chastises, willing the heat to crawl away from his cheeks.

But Mark already sees the flush appearing.

"Oh sorry, let me rephrase," he starts, clearing his throat. He continues before Donghyuck can tell him to shut up again. "Dearest sunshine, I dream of the day I can yell that you're mine, without a care to the world. Better?"

"Shut up," Donghyuck hisses instead of an answer. "Get your head out of your ass, Admirer. Keep dreaming of the day."

"Oh so you're gonna act like you didn't fall for me twice? As Mark Lee and as your admirer? Is that what we're doing now?" The older boys scoffs, clearly unimpressed by the younger's defence. 

"So you wanna have this conversation now?" Donghyuck asks, stopping them in front of the principal's office. Mark didn't even realize when they made it here, but he can't help but think about the scene they caused to all the students and staff they passed by on their way here. He internally cringes, but decides to answer Donghyuck's question before anything else.

"I mean, I was planning on it anyways—"

"Donghyuck?"

Both Mark and Donghyuck look up from where they were staring at each other, finding Youngho looming over them, with his office door open.

But Donghyuck expected that. That's why he brought Mark here anyways.

What he wasn't expected, however, was to see Taeil inside Youngho's office.

"Oh?" He questions out loud, grabbing Mark's hand this time as he walks them both into the office, without waiting for permission. "Taeil?"

Taeil's face pales once he takes in Donghyuck's presence, obviously not expecting to see him while he was in the principal's office. His mouth parches, and he can't make out a single word.

"I know this isn't scandalous, so stop making it seem so," Donghyuck ends up scoffing after a few seconds of silence. Youngho had come back into his office within those seconds, door closing behind him as he makes his way to stand behind his desk. "But do tell, why are you two in here? Alone at that?"

"Maybe I should wait outside." Mark blurts, sensing the impending awkward atmosphere. "Donghyuck, we can talk after—"

"No," the younger refuses sharply. "You're not going anymore, s'long as I'm holding onto your hand. Don't act like you don't already know every detail anyways."

Mark gulps, feeling extremely exposed now that everyone in the room knows that he's quite knowledgeable in whatever their problems were. He's rather embarrassed.

"What is it that you wanted to originally talk about Donghyuck?" Youngho asks instead, steering the topic of conversation. However, Donghyuck is smarter than that.

"Nice try," he says dryly. "Why is Taeil in here?"

"It's Mr. Moon to you—"

"It's Taeil to me," Donghyuck interferes, as he always does whenever someone corrects how he addresses Taeil. "Or Papa, but I wouldn't wanna make your uncomfortable." He unnecessarily adds, smiling pettily.

"Donghyuck." Youngho grits out. "Behave yourself."

"Answer my question," he repeats, tone bored as he stares at the two adults in the room. "Why are you and Taeil in here alone? What were you guys talking about?"

Taeil opens his mouth to answer, but Youngho beats him to it.

"I promise I'll tell you," he starts, before throwing an apprehensive glance towards Mark and Donghyuck's joined hands. "But tell me what you first wanted to say when you showed up outside my office."

"Mark's my boyfriend." He answers in a bored tone.

"Well—" Mark tries to intervene, but Donghyuck doesn't let him.

"You were butt hurt about me going to Taeil about my boy problems, but I only went to him before you because you hate Mark," he explains. "Your turn."

"Taeil is signing transfer papers."

Even though he didn't want it to, Donghyuck's face falls.

Mark feels his gut twist.

"The hell did you just say?" Donghyuck ends up muttering after a couple beats of silence.

"Tone, Donghyuck—"

"Transfer papers?" Donghyuck repeats, voice recognizably raising in volume.

"Donghyuck, calm down," Taeil says this time, keeping his voice level.

"Where do you think you're going?" Is what the younger ends up asking Taeil, walking closer until they were nearly chest to chest. As a result, Mark is also dragged to Taeil. "You can't leave."

"Sunshine," Mark says lowly, not even noticing the nickname slipping from his lips until after. "Take a breath."

Donghyuck's eyes flicker over to Mark for a split second before he's back looking at Taeil, but he is visibly calmer.

"Where are you going?" He ends up asking again, this time more rationally.

"I got an offer at Seoul National University," Taeil explains. "Calculus professor."

Donghyuck chokes.

"Seoul?" He shrieks, clearly displeased with the location of the offering. "Are you out of your mind? You're not going to Seoul."

"Donghyuck, that isn't your decision," Youngho pipes in, frowning at the scenario unfolding in front of him.

"I am not talking to you," Donghyuck grits out at Youngho. "Go back to your papers."

Mark winces at the younger's words.

"You can't leave Taeil, not for a second time," Donghyuck pleads, clearly trying to convince the older male. "Seoul is too far away."

"Oh baby," Taeil sighs, resolve crumbling as he takes in Donghyuck's desperate eyes. He doesn't really care about Youngho's presence in the room anymore, not when he has a distressed Donghyuck in front of him to take care of. "It's a really good offer." He tries softly, sending Donghyuck a small smile. "I accepted already."

"Well tell them you decline," Donghyuck argues, but the fight is visibly leaving him, as he isn't as powered as earlier. "You can't go. Dad can raise your pay here, just don't—" Donghyuck's voice cracks as he tries to finish his sentence. "Don't leave me."

Mark's heart shatters at Donghyuck's words, and Youngho's heart stings with jealousy.

"I'm so sorry Donghyuck," Taeil apologizes, tone extremely soft. "But I think you and I spending some time apart will give us both the space we need. The space we never got."

Donghyuck lets out a whimper at the elder's words, vision blurring by the second.

"Papa." He calls, hand finally slipping out of Mark's, taking two steps forward and hugging Taeil like his life depended on it.

Despite Donghyuck not holding his hand anymore, Mark can't bring himself to leave.