-ˏˋ LUV U ˎˊ-

xxiv

donghyuck focus

➶

17:28 || 5:28 p.m.

"mark~!"

the wave of five boys shouted mark's name as they poured into the café.

donghyuck could feel himself shrinking in his seat.

"guys!" mark cheered back, getting up to greet them all with the classic bro-hug as they walked over to their table.

"hey hyuck!" chenle said with a smile, realizing donghyuck did indeed, exist.

"this is donghyuck, guys." mark exclaimed, a big smile on his face.

the tanner boy gave a small wave to everybody, which in returned they all waved back.

mark slid next to donghyuck immediately after their greetings, as both watched mark's friends situate themselves.

the eldest laced his hand with his boyfriend underneath the table, sending comfort towards him.

donghyuck messed with mark's fingers as they all made conversation, except for him.

he stayed silent, since nobody was actually having a conversation with him.

the boys seemed to notice his quietness, and gave him weird looks, though they were just curious as to why the boy didn't speak.

"is he mute or something?"

a boy with a rather bright smile donghyuck had seen earlier and jet black hair whispered the question to mark, and was a little too loud about it.

mark looked at him in confusion as he shook his head no immediately.

there was an incredibly awkward silence after that, and all eyes seemed to be on donghyuck.

said boy was panicking on the inside, although knowing mark's friends were good and fun people, he couldn't help but want to throw up his nerves.

"e-excuse me." donghyuck quickly stuttered, getting up and sprinting to the bathroom that was right near their table.

he ran into a stall and slammed it shut, dropping his head near the toilet as the nauseous feeling took over his body.

he didn't want to throw up. not now, and not ever again.

he didn't think something as simple as meeting new people could trigger him to throw up.

but the urge overtook him, and the little to no contents in his stomach were thrown up.

donghyuck felt weak. weak and embarrassed.

he was glad that the bathroom was empty though, so nobody could hear the retching noises he was making.

well, at least until a familiar worried voice and the sound of knocking on his stall made him realize he wasn't alone anymore.

the sounds of donghyuck throwing up in the bathroom were enough to make mark almost cry on the spot.

he knew jeno had asked the wrong thing, and fairly, way too loudly since everybody heard him.

as the eldest ran after his lover, as he shot jeno a dirty glare.

"donghyuck. donghyuck, baby please open up."

the only thing he got in return when he found donghyuck's stall was a few sniffles.

nothing irritated mark more than not getting an answer or reply back when he worried as fuck, especially when it comes to the people he loves.

which were very, very few might i add.

trying his best to keep himself calm and have patience, mark kept repeating his lover's name and telling him to open the stall door.

just as he was about to lose his cool and start getting angry, the stall door opened ever so slowly.

mark found donghyuck standing weakly with huge tears rolling down his face, and trying to look like nothing happened.

the older immediately wrapped his arms around his boyfriend, hands moving up towards the nape of his neck softly.

"i-i'm sorry. i thought could do it but-" donghyuck was cut off by mark hushing and picking him up so he was no longer holding himself up.

mark set his boyfriend on one of the sinks in the bathroom, helping him rinse his mouth out and clean him up delicately.

"i'm really, really sorry mark." donghyuck mumbled, sad at the fact he probably ruined mark's meet-up with his friends.

"stop apologizing. you did nothing wrong." mark said, stopping what he was doing to look donghyuck in the eyes.

said boy could only give a small nod, messing with his fingers as it was obvious he felt really guilty.

of course mark was upset at the fact that his boyfriend had thrown up, but it was going to be something he was simply going to get used to because bulimia doesn't go away overnight.

it's a process.

mark hugged his boyfriend delicately, hands traveling down to his waist.

the younger moved his own hands towards mark's hair, caressing his brown locks with nothing but admiration and affection.

the pair pulled away at the same time, mark letting donghyuck down and back on his feet before the exited the bathroom.

"let's just go back home, yeah?" mark suggested, having donghyuck nod his head with guilt.

"i'm sorry. i-i didn't mean to ruin your day." the younger muttered, only to have mark hug his waist tightly.

"stop apologizing, will you? i told you baby; it's okay." the older said, a cute smile on his face as approached his table with his arms still hooked around donghyuck's waist.

"we're heading home." the eldest told his friends bluntly, who awkwardly nodded and bid their goodbyes to both of the boys, though mark was still slightly irritated with jeno.

as the two walked home, mark kept his arms around donghyuck, looking as if he was protecting him from any and every little thing.

mark knew his friends were just curious people and meant no harm, but they just haven't been around a person like donghyuck, and don't know how he feels.

he figured if he just talked a little bit about his boyfriend to his friends alone, they'd get the gist about donghyuck.

because he was in all ways, both good and bad, different.

and it was exactly what mark loved in him.

--
thank you for the read!
cuida't, áltura. 🥀