𝗿𝘂𝗹𝗲𝘀; nct dream

six

Chapter 6: Fading Hope

"Has anyone seen Jisung?" Mark quizzically mumbled, noticing the absence of the young pinkette.

He and Chenle, who were yet to arrive, left an off sensation among the group of friends who were eating their disgusting breakfast.

The eldest of the five present had been in a staring contest with the bowl of porridge, or sad excuse of food, for roughly ten minutes. He ultimately decided to throw it out, knowing that the nurses would shove food down his throat later on anyway.

Donghyuck frowned at the action, muttering cusses about Mark's impossible attitude.

"No actually. I'm sure he and Chenle are together though. I mean, they are stuck to each other at the hip." Renjun swallowed a spoonful of food after his statement, catching eyes with Jaemin who was sitting opposite him.

The others nodded, settling on the second eldest's opinion, knowing that Renjun was always correct. He was having yet another 'up' much to the others' delight.

After a short period of silence fell over the group, Donghyuck stood up, eyeing Mark who was seated to his left before storming off, leaving the other four in silent shock.

"Hyuckie?" The ravenette called out, glancing back at the trio who wore the same concerned expression.

"Go after him why don't you?" Renjun pushed, making the clueless eldest sigh in realisation before stumbling in the direction of the younger's room.

His palms began to sweat profusely as he knocked tentatively in the wooden surface of the younger adolescent's door.

"Go away Mark!" A muffled voice croaked from inside.

The sound of his sob ridden voice made Mark's heart clench. Had he seriously caused this? What had he even done?

"Hyuckie. Please let me in?" He questioned, forehead resting against the door, each nook and cranny being felt by his index finger that drew patterns into it.

"No Mark. You never fucking learn!" The younger seemed so distraught, voice holding the raw emotion of sadness and fear.

It was fear for Mark's health. Donghyuck was growing increasingly more concerned about the weight loss, and the ravenette's ignorance was enough to make him explode with rage.

Mark pushed his body against the door, sighing happily when it opened with no difficulty or obstacles.

He walked in to the sight of Donghyuck curled in a ball on the single bed, knees up to his chest as he buried his face in them, hiding his tearful face.

"Hyuck. What did I do wrong?" The ravenette repeated, feeling hopeless for not understanding the younger's unusual attitude.

"You're here for a reason Mark Lee. You're sick, really really sick. Either you," Donghyuck started, uncoiling from his vunrable position to poke the taller's chest, "do what it takes to get better, or I'll stop eating."

Mark frowned, both options feeling equally as bad as each other.

All he had to do was look okay for Donghyuck, then deal with the aftermath later, right?

Well this posed as a problem as the week went on.

Donghyuck, who had become impressed by Mark's regular meals, would happily eat while while others would watch in wonder, finding it quite the sight.

Mark, on the other hand, had only become progressively worse over that time span.

What had started as severe anorexia grew to become bulimia too. He couldn't stomach the taste, sensation or thought of food entering his body.

His mirror would lie to him, telling him what he had grown up hearing.

He just had to keep hiding it from Hyuck after all.

Night had fallen, and the soft howling of the enraged wind whistled through the nearly bare trees as winter rapidly approached.

Mark lay with his blanket cocooning his freezing body, the cold air nipping at his toes that peeped out the other end.

Dinner had past only two hours ago. This resulted in the ravenette emptying the contents of his stomach into the toilet after a 'cheerful' meal.

Renjun had sadly been in quite the mood, ruining the improvement of 'ups', but no one could blame him since Jaemin had been called to comfort Jeno more and more often, a hint of jealousy boiling in the brunette's body.

Mark found himself awkward from the amount of sexual tension that had risen over the short span of a week, and had excused himself from the table, claiming to be tired before retreating to his room.

Donghyuck had followed him, weary of his activities once out of sight. But he had been tricked by what could be described as one of the best actors ever.

The younger had been convinced that all Mark needed was some well deserved rest, and that left the ravenette alone....on the bathroom floor in tears.

It was all quite the sad cycle, one that Mark wished he could break from, but had found that too challenging to proceed with.

So here, wrapped in the thin excuse of a blanket, Mark let his thoughts win over.

And God knew that Mark was going to have one hella tough night ahead.