Mid Summer

fifty two,

"Continue the song."

Smiling fondly at the boy between his arms, Mark puts his head on top of the younger's, looking at the wall and singing the next line.

"Buy all of the things I never had."

Major nostalgia hits Mark as he sings those lines, sending him five years back into the eighth grade. Back when Mark was pinning, completely and utterly whipped for Donghyuck, the latter needed a talent show partner but no one could rap, sing and play the guitar.

But Mark could.

Mark remembers feeling like the luckiest boy on earth because he was the one who got to stay in the music rooms with Donghyuck after school for an extra hour every Tuesday and Thursday to practice their performance.

And as he thinks about where he is now, yeah, he was pretty fucking lucky.

"I wanna be on the cover of Forbes magazine." Donghyuck mumbles, slotting his legs between Mark's. "Smiling next to Oprah and the Queen." Donghyuck's arms also find their way around the elder torso. He hums the melody for the next line, so Mark takes it upon himself to sing them.

"Oh every time I close my eyes," he starts, running a hand down the younger's back, feeling each divot of his spine. "I see my name in shining lights."

"A different city every night..." Donghyuck's voice hitches at the end of that line. "I swear the world better prepare." Donghyuck's already broken english sounded even more broken. "F-For when I'm a billionaire."

Moving back a little, Mark's sees that Donghyuck's cheeks are slightly red, and that his eyes are shiny with wet, unshed tears.

Before Mark could say anything, Donghyuck is already opening his mouth.

"That duet," Donghyuck starts with a soft smile, small smile picking at his lips. Mark just stares down at the boy, listening intently. "I fell in love with you after that duet."

And Mark knows that Donghyuck is using the term love loosely. No matter what, whenever he was asked, Donghyuck will always tell people that he fell in love with Mark in the eighth grade. Never mind that he didn't understand what love was at that age and that he truly did fall in love with Mark two years later, because Donghyuck likes to believe the first you ever feel love is the first time you should really count love.

"And you caught me back then. When I fell for you," Donghyuck continues, one tear slipping out of his eye. Mark raised a hand to wipe it away. "How did Renjun feel when no one was there to catch him?" He whispers.

"Why couldn't I catch him?"

Mark doesn't say anything, he just guides Donghyuck's head back under his chin.

Jeno already told Mark about Renjun coming over last night. But Donghyuck didn't tell anyone about what happened.

"He looked so sad," Donghyuck cries, a little this time, making Mark press his lips into a thin line and hold him tighter. "Hyung he seemed to miserable." And maybe it sounds horrible to say, but Renjun looked so sad in Donghyuck's eyes, he looked so broken and helpless and Donghyuck just doesn't know how to feel about himself anymore.

"He finally told you..." Mark mumbles, not meaning for Donghyuck to hear it.

But of course.

Donghyuck hears it.

And he pulls a bit away.

"You knew?" He gasps quietly, having Mark sigh again.

Of course he knew.

Anyone who spent three minutes with both Donghyuck and Renjun would know.

Even Jeno knew.

Heck, Jaemin knew.

"I've known for a really long time, sunshine," Mark answers, pulling Donghyuck closer again, placing him back into his original position.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Donghyuck sniffs.

"Wasn't my secret to tell," the elder says sincerely. He truly never did tell Donghyuck about any of his assumptions or suspicions because they really weren't for Mark to share. It wasn't fair if he did, Renjun would only spill if he was ready.

"But you were my boyfriend—"

Mark cuts the younger off.

"And Renjun was your best friend. Why would you want to hear it from someone else before hearing it from him?"

Donghyuck knows Mark has a point, Donghyuck wouldn't really have liked it if he found out Renjun liked him through someone else. Even if it was Mark.

But Donghyuck doesn't want to think about it anymore.

"Sing the song," he simply requests.

Mark continues running a hand down Donghyuck's back, smiling a bit sadly.

Donghyuck doesn't seem to be handling this too well.

"Yeah I would have a show like Oprah..."