What if...? || Markhyuck

-32-

[october 2020]

[donghyuck]

My mother's friendship with Mrs. Lee was quite unusual and I didn't fully understand what it was based on. They only stayed together for a very long time, killing their free time in silence. Later, Minhyung's mother told some things and stories, finding a faithful listener in her new friend. In the end, however, this form of pseudo-communication was not enough. Recently, my mother told me that Ms. Lee recognized learning sign language as her priority this month because it can no longer be that only she 's the one who speaks.

Both ladies liked each other very much, completely unaware of what was happening between their sons. Mark's mother even didn't know what was happening in his life at all, also the level of this woman's unconsciousness went beyond any scale. At times she seemed even indifferent, as if the casual assurances that he was alive were sufficient. As if she didn't need to contact him and care about what he does with his life. They were a really strange family.

I watched them from the kitchen window as they arranged Halloween decorations in front of Minhyung's house. Last year I did it with Jeno but this time we didn't get the opportunity for such a meeting. The boy hasn't given any sign of life since his departure. I suspected that we would see each other again at Christmas, if we somehow come across each other by accident. When Mrs. Lee put the last pumpkin in front of the house, I knew ours would be next. I started chewing the sandwich faster because garden work was always followed by a break for a well-deserved coffee and a cake, which I didn't want to be a participant in.

I jumped up when I heard the sound of my phone. I looked at the screen with fear. I have already considered the possibility that Minhyung will finally call me. I didn't know whether to answer or try to ignore. I stated that it would depend on the circumstances and the time when such a call would take place. I decided to make a hot decision.

It wasn't Mark, however, who called me. Someone who I would not have suspected in my life called, given the circumstances of the parting.

"Yup" I said uncertainly, a little in Stevenish way, however I was really shocked.

"Hi Hyuckie," Steh's warm voice greeted me. "What's up?"

"Hm, well... okay," I said, not knowing what to say to him. It didn't make sense to describe your whole life. "Something happened?" I asked, suspecting that he hadn't called for no apparent reason to gossip about the good old days.

"Kind of..." he murmured with obvious embarrassment. "You know, Kevin broke his arm a week ago. Quite a serious matter. "

"Oh," I said, giving rise to a long silence on the line. What was I supposed to say to him now? I'm sorry ? Why did he tell me that? I sighed heavily, resting the back of my head against the cupboard with plates. "How is he?"

"Poorly" he replied with palpable concern. "You know, we're on tour, it's also hard to find a replacement at will."

"Sure it is," I admitted honestly. I felt sorry for them and even if it was weird that he called me to complain, I tried to understand it. Maybe he didn't have anyone more suited to the situation at hand. "Will you cancel the show now or are you still looking for someone stubbornly?"

"You know... we're looking," he muttered uncertainly. "Hyuckie?" he finally asked and I realized why he had called. I closed my eyes, praying that he would not say the words he intended to say. "There's a request from the band, you know..."

"I know," I said, ending his agony on the other side of the phone. I was going to bet that he had lost the phone in stone, paper, scissors.

"God, you don't even know how stupid I feel to ask you that," he groaned in real embarrassment.