RIBS, NCT DREAM

NINE

MARK HAS BEEN TEXTING DONGHYUCK FOR ABOUT A WEEK NOW. He liked the company of the younger. Donghyuck was funny and always knew how to make him laugh.

Not to mention, he was pretty. It isn't gay of Mark to say this, because it's just a fact. Donghyuck is pretty.

"Hey man," A guy on the basketball team, Lucas, said, making Mark look up from his phone.

"Hey Lucas, what'd you need?"

"Just wondering what the hell you're doing on your phone. Why are you smiling like a maniac?"

"Texting a friend."

Lucas wiggled his eyebrows, "Are they just a friend? Or something more?"

"Dude, shut up. You know I'm seeing Yeri."

"Ah, yes, Yeri." Lucas sighed, "If I'm being honest, you two are cute and all, but I don't see you being a couple."

"Hey man, what the hell?"

"Call it an intuitive feeling,"

"O-kay..."

"Bye dude," Lucas patted Mark's shoulder and walked to his locker.

Left in the locker room was Mark, and the rest of the team minus Jeno, who missed the practice. He remembered what Jeno said, about some people on the team being rude, and went to the middle of the room.

"Hey guys," He loudly said, and most of the team stopped what they were doing to look at him. "I heard a couple of you talking shit about Jeno behind his back. I just wanted to say, it isn't cool of you to do that. You know that our captain, Taeyong, would not appreciate you being homophobic as fuck. So keep your shit to yourselves before I go telling him the shit you say and get you kicked off the team."

To be honest, Mark wasn't even sure Taeyong had the power to kick people off the team, but he didn't care. He needed to make his point.

"Everyone clear?"

A chorus of "Yes" responded.

"Good."

Mark left the locker room.

━━━━━━━━━━━━

Mark was meeting Yeri for a date after school. They went to a nearby cafe to get some work done and to also just talk.

"Hey Mark," Yeri said, wanting his attention to get help from her math homework.

When Mark didn't respond, she looked up from her work to see him smiling at his phone.

"Yo, dumbo," Yeri threw her straw wrapper at him, and successfully got his attention.

"What's up," Mark looked up from his phone.

"You're smiling at your phone like a maniac. I'm starting to think you're a part of the dark web or something."

"Yeri, there was something very wrong with your sentence that I don't even want to comment on."

"So I'll just assume I'm right."

Mark scoffed.

"What are you doing on your phone anyways? Didn't anyone tell you it's rude to be on your phone during a date?"

"Texting a friend. This isn't even an official date, it's just us doing homework."

"What's your definition of an official date then? Remember, we're broke high school kids. We can't afford a damn expensive restaurant date or something."

"Alright, alright."

"Who's the friend you're texting? Taeyong? Jaehyun?"

"You don't know him I think, his name's Donghyuck."

"Oh, isn't he the dude that dresses like a girl?"

"Yeah, why?" Mark felt oddly defensive when Yeri said that, like he needed to defend Donghyuck.

"Nothing, just wondering where he shops. I really liked his outfit for the party last Friday."

"Oh," For an unknown reason, Mark felt lighter once realizing Yeri wasn't going to bash on Donghyuck.

"Who would've thought? The most progressive dude in our school being friends with the most conservative..."

"I am not conservative!" Mark argued.

"Whatever you believe baby."

Mark rolled his eyes. He looked back to his phone while Yeri went back to doing work.

━━━━━━━━━━━━

IMESSAGE: DONGHYUCK

mark:
Hey sorry for leaving u on read
But I disagree, watermelon is
THE best fruit. You cannot change
my mind

donghyuck:
im just going to ignore ur opinion.
why'd it take u so long to respond
am i that boring !!!!!!!!

mark:
No!! I'm out with Yeri right now.

donghyuck:
Oh
well get off ur phone!!!
pay attention to ur lady

mark:
She is not my lady

donghyuck:
but u want her to be

mark:
Maybe. Maybe not.

donghyuck:
omg what tea!!!!!!
tell me!!!! u don't like her???
omg

mark:
We are not close enough for me
to spill tea with you.

donghyuck:
OMFG MARK LEE USING
SLANG AROUND ME
THIS IS REVOLUTIONARY

mark:
Literally shut up.

donghyuck:
kidding!!
but hey seriously im here
if u need to talk
i won't say a word

mark:
Okay.
I love Yeri, to death.
She's been a really good
friend ever since we were kids.
I just don't think I like her in that way.
She doesn't make me feel like those
cringe romance movies. No butterflies,
no nothing! At this point, I'm just
going out with her because people
love the idea of us together and my
parents finally shut up about me
dating someone. I want to end things
with her because she doesn't deserve to
be dragged on, but I don't know.

donghyuck:
oh wow... i didn't know this was
that serious...
do you think she likes u romantically??

mark:
Honestly, I have no clue. We act
the way we always have, just friends.
All we've done is hold hands and hug.
We haven't even kissed yet!

donghyuck:
wow... not even a little smooch...

mark:
No!!

donghyuck:
i think u should stop things...
ur being selfish. ur using her for
ur own reasons and if
she does like u romantically,
she definitely doesn't deserve
to be used by u.

mark:
Okay. Thanks Hyuck.
I'll try to do it soon.

donghyuck:
anytime markie!!!!

mark:
I'm letting u go this time since
you helped me.

donghyuck:
u know u love it!!!!!