RIBS, NCT DREAM

EIGHT

warning: homophobia, mentions of religion (?)

MARK GREW UP BEING A GOLDEN CHILD. He was talented in just about everything. He played the guitar, had exceptional grades, and was the basketball star. Mark had everything a high schooler could ask for.

Except one certain thing. A girlfriend.

Mark knew there were girls at his school who would die to date him. For some reason, he just wasn't interested. People at school said he was the "forbidden fruit", always rejecting people and known for being single. His parents would always ask him, "Mark, is there a girl you're interested in?" and he would have no answer but "No."

Maybe that's why he decided to go on dates with Yeri. He wanted the school and his parents to shut up.

Yeri was a nice girl, don't get him wrong. She is kind, funny, smart, but she was just a friend.

How would he date Yeri knowing he didn't get those stupid butterflies around her? Knowing he didn't always look forward to their dates?

━━━━━━━━━━━━

Mark vividly remembers a moment in middle school. It was in the boys locker room, during his 7th period gym class.

The little boys were yelling and all Mark saw was a circle around a guy who was in his math class, named Josh.

"Hey, guys, cut it out," Mark yelled.

"Come on Mark," one of the boys laughed, "He's gay. He's a creep and tried to look at Hunter while he was changing."

"N-no, I didn't!" Josh stuttered.

"Cut it out. Now." Mark glared. He put his hands towards the boy on the floor and pulled him onto his feet.

"Aw, is Mark trying to be the good guy? Are you gay too? Are you a creep too?"

"No, I'm a decent human being, unlike you all," Mark rolled his eyes.

"How would your parents feel knowing you helped a gay kid out? The Bible doesn't allow for gays." Hunter snickered.

"That's a problem between me and my parents, so you should shut the hell up."

That night, his parents got a phone call from the school, and they gave him a speech about how homosexual people go to hell.

He never got involved with gay people since.

It was announced the next day that Josh moved schools.

Mark felt a tinge of sadness in his chest.