all the stars | nct dream

t w e n t y - t w o

You see, sometimes Donghyuck still wondered how he had managed to develop a crush on Mark of all people. Mark was just a very cute idiot. Donghyuck didn't understand why his heart and brain found the other so likeable.

Except maybe the way he laughed, or the way he always got so nervous while speaking to Donghyuck, or the way he loved everything watermelon.

The way his voice became softer around Donghyuck, gently listening to his troubles and just holding him while letting him know he was there.

So maybe Mark Lee wasn't exactly an idiot.

Donghyuck had never confessed to anyone in his entire life. He barely had any friends, let alone confess. He was almost sure that everyone at school hated him, after all, he had always isolated himself off from everyone else for fear that he would eventually open up to them about his troubles. Then they would think he's weak and Donghyuck's world would come crashing down.

Mark was different though. Mark had taught him that it was okay to open up to others. Bottling up his own anger, failures, and emotions would only create a larger flame inside of him, which was what would eventually cause him to break.

Every single time Mark had offered to talk or just to hang out, Donghyuck began to think differently about his own actions. After a week of trying and failing to get Donghyuck out of his own icy world, his classmates had decided to give up and just leave him alone.

Mark kept trying, and that's what made him different.

"Get yourself together Donghyuck," the boy whispered to himself, "it's just Mark."

Mark, the person who he was most scared of losing, his brain supplied.

Walking over to where Mark was sitting on a bench by the side of the shop felt like a walk of doom. The only thing keeping him going were Renjun's words of encouragement. (kind of?)

What if Mark rejected him? Or abandoned him? Or told him he wasn't worth it?

No. Mark wasn't like that.

"Donghyuck!"

Said boy looked up and met Mark's eyes. He waved once and picked up his pace towards the other.

"Hi," he said, much quieter than he had intended to.

"I like the new look," Mark said, nodding towards the new outfit and hair.

"thanks."

"Do you want to sit?" Mark offered, smiling.

Donghyuck complied and sat down next to the boy, nervously playing with his own fingers.

"What are you doing here?"

Donghyuck shrugged. "I, uh, was going on a walk," he said, not wanting to mention the fact that Renjun was here with them and very likely watching from behind his ice cream.

"That's nice," Mark commented. "Do you want some ice cream?" he asked, holding up his cup.

Donghyuck shook his head, feeling a slight blush rise to his cheeks. "I'm okay."

Mark shrugged and went back to eating his own ice cream. Donghyuck looked down, trying to take subtle glaces at the other boy every once in a while. Mark didn't try to make conversation and neither did Donghyuck.

Minutes passed in comfortable silence. At least it was comfortable for Mark, Donghyuck was still thinking about how to say what he wanted to say.

"Mark?"

The boy looked up. "Yeah?"

"I need to... tell you something," Donghyuck finally said, "just please don't freak out or anything–"