lost in japan | markhyuck

-1-

"Do we really have to go?" Mark groaned, stretching his arms above his head as Jaemin set down a cup of coffee near his bed with a loud clang. "If we miss this today, it's going to be another two years until we get another opportunity like this," Jaemin reminded him as he bounded out of the room, a quick shout reminding the older to take a shower following almost immediately after. Reluctantly, he rose from his bed, muttering a dramatic goodbye to his pillows.

Mark's feelings were mixed. It's not that he was against attending the convention, he loved watching figure skating competitions and seeing the ever amazing Lee Donghyuck in person was a blessing, but he didn't want to risk embarrassing himself in front of such a talented man.

What if he fell on his ass again? What if Donghyuck saw, and laughed at him? What if someone took a video of it?

He'd never live it down.

Jaemin had somehow talked him into taking one of the tickets, reassuring him that he wouldn't necessarily have to participate in the actual skating segment. Mark didn't completely believe him, but he wanted to be a little optimistic and chose to ignore his gut feeling that something would go incredibly wrong.

He now sat in the backseat of Jeno's car, the couple in front of him humming along to random songs that played on the radio. However much he wanted to hate the convention, he was burning up with the desire to finally meet Donghyuck in person. He was worth the nervousness.

"Mackerel," Jaemin swiveled his head over to meet the man's eyes. "We can still drive back if you really don't want to go, you know?" His tone was so comforting, Mark almost regretted reasoning against going in the first place. But he didn't want to be a party pooper anymore.

"I'm alright, we can go."

Jeno's smile was visible in the rearview mirror as they drove in silence to the convention. Not really silence, considering Mark was tapping on his thighs nonstop to distract himself from his audible heartbeat.

Before he knew it, they were parking in the crowded lots of the convention hall and the trio could hear excited screeches and shrieks from their distant space in the parking lot. As Mark closed the door of the car carefully and looked around, he noticed the crowd of news reporters pushing and shoving to bombard a blue-haired man with questions. Mark assumed they were questions, as they were leaning closer and closer to the man as if expecting a response. The man was slowly backing away, obviously wanting to disappear from the attention.

Jeno and Jaemin had long walked off to get snacks for the three of them, with the promise that they would be back in ten minutes. Mark scanned his own outfit. Black sweatpants, blue hoodie, black beanie, black glasses. He could easily pass for someone's manager. And so, Mark Lee Minhyung decided to be the hero of the day, and briskly walked over to the overwhelmed man who was clearly suffering with the crowd.

Mark didn't know where he got all the confidence from. Maybe it was because he was helping a stranger, or maybe because the thrill of it all put his fear of ice-skating away for now. Upon reaching the thick ring of reporters, he pushed through them, muttering apologies, and made his way to the man in front. He still couldn't see his face clearly and couldn't tell who he was, but he could see his wrist in the bright flashes of light coming from the many cameras that now surrounded them and so, he grabbed his arm and placed himself in front of the man, shielding both of their faces as he pulled him inside the building. "We need to go now, sorry, please put your cameras away! Sorry, please move, thank you!"

"I'm not kidnapping you, don't worry," He whispered in the man's ear as he turned and dragged him away. Mark thought they would stop once they reached the entrance of the building, but the man must've heard the voices of the paparazzi even in the building, as he now dragged Mark instead further down the hallway until they reached a shiny black door. Pushing it open, the man slipped in and pulled the latter in as well, slamming the door shut behind them. Mark leaned against the door as he and the stranger panted heavily, trying to catch their breaths after running such a distance.

"You're a fucking lifesaver, thank you so much!"

That voice. Mark recognized it, he could put a name to it, but couldn't recall it at that moment. "You looked incredibly overwhelmed, like you were going to cry any minute, I'd be a monster if I didn't drag you away from there," Mark chuckled as he took off his beanie, ruffling his hair.

"I'm surprised you're not yelling for my autograph already, do you not know who I am?"

He spoke again.

"Why would I do that? Who even are you-" Mark slowly opened his eyes but the moment he got the slightest glimpse of the man panting with his mouth agape, his sweat soaked hair lying across his forehead, he instantly snapped them open.

Lee Donghyuck looked amazing in person, sprawled out on the floor beside him.