𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗱'𝗲̂𝘁𝗿𝗲; mark | jeno | chenle

vingt-cinq

As Mark opened his eyes, it was no longer Chenle that had his lips pressed against his, no longer Chenle that was playing with the ends of his hair at the base of his neck, but Jeno.

As usual, they stood in his empty classroom. Actually, the teacher couldn't quite remember when the last class he taught had even occurred, each and every moment all swimming into each other to create this abysmal space of lost memories and forgotten promises.

He didn't want to pull away. He didn't want his boyfriend to step back as he did, for fear that he'd disappear with all his other important thoughts. Jeno's eyes scanned the expanse of his form, noting Mark's solemn eyes, worn complexion and expression as well as disheveled clothes.

"Mark?" He murmured, cupping his cheeks and tilting his head from side to side to inspect the damage. "Are you okay? You've been spacing out."

"H-Have I?" The older croaked hoarsely before shaking off and rubbing his face. "I'm sorry, Jen. I was....I was somewhere else."

"I could tell. That's why I kissed you," he scoffed before guiding the male to sit down to one of the desks. "I was just telling you that there's an away match coming up. I'm sort of nervous about leaving you and Jaemin alone here for two days."

"I'll be fine," Mark waved his hand dismissively without truly acknowledging what he was hearing. "I'm a grown adult, and that brat is just a cocky teenager."

"He's a cocky teenager with proof of our illegal relationship, or has that slipped your mind too?"

The ravenette groaned and laced his hands together on the table to lay his cheek against them. The new position sent a rush of blood to his brain, reminding him that he had a plan to enact. "Oh yeah..."

"Hm?"

"Jen, when's my birthday?"

"August second, nineteen ninety-nine. Why?"

Woah, that was fast. I mean, it could still be my imagination, but it felt more legit than something my sub-conscience could concoct, he thought rather hopefully. Though then again, his sub-conscience was clearly capable of more than anyone else's, thus creating a dilemma.

"Mark, I really don't know what's wrong with you anymore," Jeno sighed dejectedly before grabbing a chair and pulling it around to sit on the other side of the other's desk. "I used to accept those silly excuses you gave me, but they're growing thin, don't you think? When will I get the truth out of you?"

Oh? He wants the truth? I'll give him the truth. "I'm trapped between a reality and a dream. I can't discern which is real and which is fake, but I'm trying. I haven't slept properly in months, possibly a year for all I know. I love you so much, but I also love my patient in the hospital. Both worlds are leaking into each other and I feel like I'm dying twenty-four seven."

He waited patiently for each sentence to register with his lover's brain, the cogs almost visibly turning yet not creating the clockwork Mark wanted.

"I lost you at the sleep part..."

"Yeah. I thought as much," the teacher yawned before laying his head down again. "It's okay, Love. Some problems are best solved by one's own self, and this is one of them. I'll figure it out."

"But...But that was a load of bullshit, wasn't it? Half of that didn't even make sense, so how am I supposed to even try to help you? That was a joke right?"

"Do you still love me?" Mark perked up to view him seriously. "Do you still trust me?"

Jeno fidgeted with his fingers nervously before giving a curt nod and relenting with the questions. "Mhm. I do."

"Good. That's all I need from you, okay?" The older extended his hand to press it against the other's cheek and graze his thumb over the cheekbone. "As long as you wait for me, I'll come back. I don't know when the real me will return, but he will. For you."

"Promise?"

"Cross my heart." Regardless of how real you are, my feelings are as genuine as they get.

The ravenette retracted his hand and smiled warmly. He felt like a mug of coffee to keep himself alive for at least an hour, not wanting to fall asleep again for fear of waking up in the other alternate universe, or whatever it was.

"Aaaw, look at you lovesick kids," a snide and bitter voice sounded from the classroom doorway. The couple snapped their attention to the source, and Jeno shot up out of his seat at the sight of Na Jaemin.

"You-"

"Oh wait, not both of you are kids though, are you?" Jaemin continued teasingly. "One of you is a bit past that stage, ey?"

Mark seethed from his seat, pursing his lips to refrain from spewing a string of profanities that he'd regret. "What do you want?"

"Last I checked, I have music class next," the blonde hummed causally while checking his watch. "In seven minutes, to be precise. Have you planned a lesson, or another trip to the nurse?"

Jeno slammed his hands down on the wooden surface, leaning over and growling. "I'd love to show you what a stapler can really do, Jackass. So why don't you shut your trap, or I'll seal it for you!"

"Oh no, I'm so fucking terrified, Mr. Allstar. What will you risk to get me out of the way? Hm? You have too much to lose." He pulled out his phone with the image of Mark and Jeno kissing on it. "There are a hundred and one things I could do with this. Consider yourselves lucky that I haven't made up my mind."

"What would you get out of it?" Mark posed quietly, eyes downcast as he couldn't bring himself to look at the shameful picture. "So I'd be fired, Jeno would lose his scholarship and we'd be separated. How does any of that benefit you? We haven't done anything to hurt you...."

"Well, not physically. But you did just hit the nail on the head," Jaemin smiled deviously. "You'd be separated. Nothing dampens my mood more than your sick and irritating relationship. I want it ended, and you know why."

"You're a fucking hypocrite!" Jeno interjected.

"And you're a naïve idiot!" The younger snapped.

Mark whined at the noise levels, accidentally dropping his hand from propping his head up and landing down against the desk with a heavy 'thud'.

It knocked him out again.

The very incident sent him spiraling through the depths of his own mind.

When would this nightmare end?

• • •

-lily