double, double, toil and trouble

Chapter 16

Donghyuck doesn't know for how long he watches them, their lips moving softly in sync before they reluctantly break away. It could've been a mere minute, but Donghyuck felt like a new day had begun.

He felt his skin tingle as if it were under the high afternoon sun, and when the flaming red and orange hues of the sunset were tainted by the shadowed hands of the midnight sky, Donghyuck felt his own heart fall victim to the darkness, growing lonely and cold.

Still in shock, Donghyuck doesn't know what to feel. Everything is just numb. There's no anger, no sadness, just a hollowing silence of betrayal that leaves him feeling numb.

He doesn't look to the other boy- he can't bring himself to tear his eyes away from Mark. However, once Mark reaches out for the boy's jumper, pulling him closer once again, Donghyuck feels the painful shattering of his heart as each splinter wedges itself inside his soul. He feels like he's being ripped apart from the inside, every second more unbearable than the last, and still, he can't look away.

He holds his gaze... he holds his gaze on Mark.

The only person he'd ever given control of his heart to, the only person who could hold it in their very hands, was currently crushing it so carelessly, and Donghyuck felt like he couldn't breathe.

He bit his lip harshly as he felt the bitter sting of tears threaten to overwhelm him.

He tasted the salt before he realised he was crying, tear tracks staining his cheeks, and yet Donghyuck made no move to wipe them.

Instead, with a tight grip on his wand and his knuckles turning white, Donghyuck chokes back a sob as he rises his wand up, pointing directly at the two bodies gripping hold of one another.

He doesn't know what to say. He doesn't know if he should curse them. But when his tears keep falling, when they show no signs of stopping, Donghyuck can't help but let out a cry as his chest aches. With one hand gripping his shirt and the other on his wand, Donghyuck grits his teeth before he lets himself fall apart.

"Aguamenti!"

In an instant, a powerful water beam is projected from the tip of his wand and Mark and the other boy are blasted apart from one another, falling to the floor as the conjured wave silences any forms of protest or shocked exclamations.

The water show is over in a matter of minutes, and Donghyuck watches as Mark pulls himself up to his knees, spluttering and coughing as he tries to catch his breath. It's only then that he looks up, noticing Donghyuck's presence in the room.

And Donghyuck wishes that he felt better after performing the spell, he wishes that he could take his revenge and walk away... but when he sees Mark looking back at him, drenched and with wide eyes, Donghyuck feels like he's been subjected to a dementor's kiss. He feels the last memory of happiness and warmth and hope leave his body as Mark stares back at him blankly, no guilt or regret evidenced on his face.

It's then that Donghyuck can bring himself to run away.

With his vision blurry, Donghyuck stumbles from the Hospital Wing, his ears ringing, his chest heaving as he runs like hell as far and as fast as he can. He doesn't know where to go. The thought of hiding in his dorms crosses his mind for a second before he realises that the dinner is probably going to be over soon and he doesn't know how he could possibly face his friends in such a state.

With his mind too jumbled to think up another location, Donghyuck just runs, letting his feet take him to where they wish, finding no objections as long as he wouldn't be discovered by anyone.

It's not until he gets to the foot of the Astronomy Tower that he hesitates, looking up at the stone steps as his bottom lip wobbles.

This was his and Mark's spot.