𝐁𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐌 ➳ 𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐊𝐇𝐘𝐔𝐂𝐊 ✓

十八 ; Shí bā

Mark completely hid his face today, he wore a mask and a hoodie. He stared at the ground as he walked, not wanting anyone to see him.

He quietly entered his classroom and took his seat, immediately resting his head on the table again.

Renjun was concerned for sure. He wanted to talk to him about the event yesterday but seeing Mark enter at such a quiet way, he knew that they were back at the start again.

"Hey, Mark?" Jeno called out, patting the male's shoulder.

Mark simply nodded without a word.

Donghyuck noticed it from the corner of the classroom. He tried to stop himself but he couldn't, he didn't want to.

Yet, he found himself walking forwards him.

"Mark, what's wrong?" He asked, trying to keep himself calm because he was frustrated at the male's behaviour.

Mark didn't reply, he sat there.

Donghyuck rolled his eyes, resting his hands on his hips. "If you don't tell me what's wrong then I have to keep worrying about you!"

Mark didn't respond either which only got to Donghyuck's nerves. Renjun obviously noticed his growing anger, "Do—"

Mark stood up from his seat, still not facing his friends at all.

"Please don't," Renjun begged to the gods that Donghyuck's anger wouldn't run wild.

But it did.

Donghyuck pulled Mark back by the shoulder roughly. He ripped the mask off his face, "What's wrong wi—"

He paused, staring at the bruises on Mark's face. A wave of guilt crashed upon him, smacking some sense into him.

"Mark.." Donghyuck lifted his hands, wanting to cup his cheek.

Mark snatched the mask in Donghyuck's hands. "I don't need your help!" He put on the mask and stormed out of the room.

"Did he get into a fight?" Donghyuck asked himself, the image of Mark's injured face not leaving his mind.

"You didn't know?" Jaemin asked,

The rest tilted their heads. "What happened?" Renjun asked, wondering why he didn't know his best friend got into a fight.

"It happened a little after lunch time. He was fighting with our senior. You know that bully?" Jaemin replied, not responding well to his friends staring at him oddly.

Donghyuck knew exactly who it was.

He got even more puzzled. He had no idea if Mark hated him or not. He had no idea why he was doing this, it was annoying the younger.

Donghyuck wanted to look for Mark but he was held back by Renjun. "Let him be for the time being.."

Donghyuck wished he could rebel against Renjun but he couldn't. He frowned, worried about Mark.

——————

"What are we going to do?" Jisung asked with an arm over Chenle's shoulder.

"I don't know. I haven't seen him all day," Renjun frowned, looking over at Mark's empty seat.

"Mark has changed a lot ever since.." Chenle trailed off, trying to remember the day it all began.

"Wasn't it the day after me and Donghyuck talked?" Renjun asked,

"Right!" Chenle agreed, nodding his head. Jisung smiled at how adorable the older one was,

"Cutie," Jisung whispered into Chenle's ear which had caused him to turn as bright as a beet.

"S-Stop it.." He smiles shyly, pushing Jisung away. Jaemin raised a brow at how lovey the two were acting, he would've pointed it out if Donghyuck hadn't interrupted him.

"Does anyone recall anything happening that day?" Donghyuck asked worriedly,

"I think.. I might know something.." Jeno softly spoke up, raising his hand as if he was in a classroom.

"What is it?" Donghyuck shot up from his seat due to the shock and questioned Jeno without another thought,

"I was on my way to class when I saw him running down the stairs in tears. He said that he was an idiot and he couldn't believe he thought someone loved him," Jeno replied,

"And you didn't bother telling us this?" Renjun asked, almost mad at Jeno for not doing so.

"I tried to! But I couldn't.." Jeno replied, muttering the last few words of his sentence.

"Do you think Mark was jealous?" Donghyuck asked, looking at Renjun was in deep thought.

Discussion began to fill the table. Everyone had their own take on the situation but Renjun only remained silent,

"Jeno!" He stood up from his seat, staring at the male in the eye.

"Y-Yeah?" Jeno stuttered, still quite surprised at Renjun's sudden yell.

"You said he ran down the stairs, where did the stairs lead to?" Renjun asked,

"The rooftop..?" Jeno replied, uncertain if that's what Renjun wanted to hear.

"Donghyuck, oh my god!" Renjun exclaimed while being lowered by Jaemin onto his seat.

"What?" Donghyuck asked, not knowing what Renjun was going on about.

"He heard your confession!" Renjun replied, for sure he knew that he was correct.

"Confession?!" The friends yelled in unison, not aware of the event that took place.

"No, no! He didn't confess to me! He was practicing how to confess to Mark with me!" Renjun denied quickly before his friends could jump into conclusions.

Donghyuck sat there, thinking about what Renjun had said.

Mark kept associating them together and as Jeno said, he thought that Donghyuck didn't love him.

"I literally kissed him how can he think I not love him?!" Donghyuck sighed, packing up his belongings.

"You what?!" The group yelled in unison again. At this rate, they were the rowdiest table in the cafeteria.

Donghyuck facepalmed, "What on Earth was he thinking?!" He asked himself, ready to fight Mark for thinking in such a way.

Donghyuck stood up from his seat and pulled his phone out. "Where are you going?" Jisung asked,

"I'm going to find Mark!" Donghyuck replied, texting Mark about his whereabouts.