Back to the old days

Chapter 2

Mark slams his head on the kitchen table. He keeps repeating his last conversation with Donghyuck in his head, and decides he should just stop talking, forever. Sighing, he buries his face in his head. All Mark's actions do not go missed by his older brother, Taeyong.

"Ehm, Mark? Are you okay?" Taeyong asks carefully. Mark slowly looks up. "I screwed up." He lowers his head again.

Taeyong does't need much more information to know what is going on. Every once in a while, Mark gets sulky, and 99% of those times, it is because of Donghyuck. "Mark... I don't know what exactly happened, but it couldn't be that bad. It was pro-"

"I'm sorry, but I really don't wanna talk about it." Mark knows he's exaggerating, but he just wants everything to go back to the way it was. He wants Donghyuck to sit with him at lunch. He wants Donghyuck to secretly whisper things to him whenever they are in class, and he wants Donghyuck to defend him whenever someone makes stupid comments, like he did.

He has got to make things right, but what can he do, if the other won't even talk to him without glaring? Or if the other is always around some stupid, annoying, small boy? There is no way he won't spit out something mean again, but it's just something he can't control.

Taeyong sighs. He knows Mark won't listen to him in this state. Feeling miserable is one thing, but keeping it all bottled up inside is destructive. This has been going on for way too long, so Taeyong has to set his plan in motion.

- - -

"Winwin, I need your help." Taeyong calls his boyfriend immediately after Mark leaves the kitchen. Taeyong hears Winwin sigh behind the other line. "What is it this time? I swear to god, your last plea ended up in me puking all over the place."

Taeyong knew Winwin was going to bring that up again. "I just wanted to know if the chicken was expired, I said I was sorry! But, to be fair, I never told you to eat it." Taeyong pouts, but soon remembers Winwin can't even see him.

Winwin laughs. "Alright, fine, what is it this time you need my help so desperately for?"

Taeyong rolls his eyes over Winwin's dramatic tone.

"You teach Chinese at Mark's school right?"

"Yes, why?"

"I know you usually let your students work on assignments alone, since it forces them to do the work on their own, but could you please make Mark and Donghyuck pair for a project?"

"I did not expect that. Those two seem like a random pair? I don't think I have ever seen them together, let alone talk to each other." Winwin doesn't talk about the glances the two often throw at each other, only when the other isn't looking. "I don't know whether it's going to benefit Mark's grades, if that is what this is about."

"They don't even talk? That does make me worry, but can you at least try? It would mean the world to me."

"Fine, but you better make me some good food tonight, and no chicken! I don't even think I am going to be able to look at it without puking."

A big smile erupts from Taeyong's face "Thank you! I swear you won't regret this."