dicey ↬ nomin

Ch.12

Donghyuck nervously smelt his wrists, making sure he didn't smell bad, and he he continuously adjusted his denim jacket whilst waiting outside Mark's house. He had rung the doorbell and was just waiting for his friend to come out. He had known Mark since their first year of high school and had told him about his living situation, afraid that the secret would change their dynamic.

They just had this ability to finish each other's sentences so well that it was like they were psychic.

Donghyuck couldn't remember the last time he had a fight with the boy and he didn't want that to ever happen. Everything he did was done to preserve what they had. He didn't want to jeopardise anything so he always made sure to filter himself and keep his mean side under locks. Besides, he could be mean when he got home whenever he liked.

Finally Mark opened the door, face red from hurrying to get his stuff ready. "Sorry, Hyuck. You know me and my time management."

"That's alright. Let's go," he linked their arms and Mark took the lead to bring them to the pizza place. It was six o'clock at night so there were a few stars out and a lilac coloured sky to paint them on.

With their arms linked, Mark let his mind wander. "Yesterday you said you lived on the same street as Jeno, Chenle and that other guy. I thought you lived in a children's home..."

Donghyuck nodded and looked up at the stars. "I do...and so do they. Listen, Jeno doesn't want everyone at school to know that he's an orphan, but he is. Chenle and Jaewoo are too."

Mark's eyes widened, completely surprised that the guarded popular boy Lee Jeno was without a family. He felt...more human to Mark, now that he knew. "And Chenle..."

"And Chenle," he confirmed sadly. "But don't tell anyone. They're my brothers and I feel terrible betraying them." He didn't feel that it was his place to spread gossip about his brothers, especially when one of them was sensitive about it.

Mark wouldn't have told anyone anyway, but he was prepared to lock the secret away if Hyuck told him to. He looked at the boy looking at the stars and smiled. "You're so cool."

"Wha?" Donghyuck squinted his eyes at Mark in confusion. "My name and 'cool' don't really mingle, dude, but whatevs."

"No, I just meant that you seem to handle your situation well. I've never seen you cry."

The boy smiled faintly and looked down, a bit embarrassed. "I do cry. I'm human, after all."

Mark tightened their linked arms and breathed out a puff of warm air, watching the cloud it made when it hit the cool night temperature. Even though purple light was spread for them to see clearly, the street lights were lit just in case it got dark fast. The lights were flickering and fizzing, but neither noticed as they walked in silence. "You know, I chose the pizza place for a reason."

Donghyuck looked at him sceptically and leaned away. "Sounds sketchy."

"It isn't, it's just a bit surprising. You'll know what I mean when we get there."

And so they arrived outside the pizza place with their arms still linked and looked up at the faded neon sign. Even though it looked like a hub for drugs and dealers, gambling and alcohol, Mark had a very safe aura that soothed Donghyuck into trusting the building. "Are we going in?" He caught Mark's gaze and looked from his face to the door.

"We shall." And they went in only to be met with a really nice atmosphere and a large number of families sitting at round tables and candlelit dinners. It was completely different from the inside and actually looked quite fancy. There were a number of waiters and waitresses mulling around to take orders.

"You're right: this is surprising."

"Oh no Hyuck, this wasn't the surprise. Look over there," he pointed to a table occupied by a family of five, where a certain pink haired boy was taking their order. He was wearing the uniform with a little hat on top, making Donghyuck stifle a laugh.

"Jaemin?" He smirked and looked from the boy to Mark.

Just then, Jaemin turned from the table with a big rehearsed grin on his face, just like all the other members of the staff, and locked eyes with the two boys standing in the doorway. His face turned the brightest shade of red that either of them had ever seen and he legged it into the back kitchen to pass the order to the chefs. "This is going to be fun, right?" Mark chuckled and nudged his friend's shoulder to point at a free table. "Let's sit there."

"Aye aye."

Taking their seat, none other than Jaemin was given a hard push towards their table by another staff member, his heels digging into the floor as he was steered and left to wait his friends. He was muttering under his breath when he stood in front of them, taking out his notepad. "What can I get you?"

"How about some insight?" Donghyuck smirked.

Jaemin scowled and kicked the leg of their table. "Food. I meant food. And Mark, I thought I could trust you. And now you've brought your friend to see me in my darkest hour."

"You're such a priss, man. Donghyuck won't tell anyone, right?"

He shook his head and smiled slyly at Jaemin, particularly at the little boat shaped hat on his head. "I'm surprised."

"Well look all you want because you won't be seeing this again," he gestured to his uniform and sighed. "Seriously though, it's super embarrassing. Don't tell Jeno if you know what's good for you."

"What is the deal with you two anyway? I don't really understand your relationship," Mark asked as he laced his fingers and leaned on his elbows.

"We're in the same boat, my friend. But I'm pretty sure we're...getting along now? I mean, we've agreed to disagree and we'll try not to fight. That doesn't mean I won't try to make him fight me and lose the bet though."

Donghyuck and Mark were lost at the "agree to disagree" part and just nodded their heads along as though they knew what the hell the bet was. "If you've decided to do something, then Jeno's probably already a step ahead of you," the light brown haired boy mentioned. "He's more than likely already decided to coax you into losing the bet."

Jaemin pondered on the thought and shrugged. "I'll believe it when I see it."

"Don't say I didn't warn you. Hawaiian." The two boys looked at Donghyuck questioningly but he just gave them a raised eyebrow. "You asked what you could get for us and I want Hawaiian pizza."

"I'll have pepperoni then," Mark said and watched as Jaemin's face contorted.

"My friends are heathens. The inferno pizza here is out of this world."