Forlorn | Markhyuck ✔️

𝐒𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧

When returning to school on Monday, Hyuck made sure his hat was snug on his head. It made him feel less insecure about the cut that isn't visible to others as Jaemin had informed him.

None the less, he made his way to school, his headphones plugged in as his head hung low. When he arrived he was lucky to avoid Lucas who seemed to be gossiping with his friends, too distracted to even notice the smaller boy walking past.

Mark, on the other hand, wasn't distracted by Lucas. He watched the bruised beauty walk past, his eyes focused on the floor as he tried to avoid Lucas desperately. Mark's heart yearned to be able to walk over and just simply give him a hug, but his mind informed him better of it.

Long after the boy had vanished through the glass doors of the school entrance, he still lingered in Mark's mind. The sadness of his appearance and the marks that continued to grow in number, scattering his golden skin. It all hurt him and he longed to be able to reach out, but his dumb mouth screwed that up. That and the thing he feared. It was all getting in his way.

As they sat through school, Mark couldn't focus on his work. The thing that really told him that the younger was not okay, was the fact that he had been wearing the hat all day, not once did he take it off, not even in class.

Most wouldn't even have questioned it. People wore hats in class all the time. But Mark knew that one of Hyuck's biggest pet peeves was when people wore hats inside. He always said 'as long as there is a roof over your head, and it's not leaking, then there is no need to add one of your own unless you are going back outside within a short period of time'.

That always made Mark laugh, especially the formality of it. Even when he tried to fight back by saying it was fashion, Hyuck would come back saying 'they have always been in fashion, but even in the 19th century, they would always take them off inside, unless they weren't planning on staying'

Mark even remembered the first time they had the conversation. Mark had gone to visit Hyuck. They had just sat down to watch a movie when Hyuck asked: "Are y-you planning on L-leaving?"

The question alone confused Mark until Hyuck pointed at the hat. He remembered how the younger crawled onto his lap and took off the hat, placing it on the bedside table before ruffling the older's hair. Mark still hasn't gotten that hat back.

×××

At the end of the period before lunch, Mark stopped Jaemin before he could leave the classroom.

"Is Hyuck alright? You didn't get back to me on Friday and Lucas didn't come back to join us for food, said he had to go home" Mark asked, worry laced in his tone.

"Yeah, he's fine. Why do you ask?" Jaemin said, already wanting out of the conversation.

"I'm serious Jaemin. I'm asking because you and I both know how against wearing hats inside he is. What happened?" Mark asked, this time more insistent on getting an answer.

"Fine, Lucas bashed his head against a brick wall and destroyed his new album. Jeno punched Lucas in the face and Renjun tripped him, so that's probably why he went home. Renjun bought Hyuck a replacement album and we went to the hospital on Saturday. He has pain meds and he should be okay, he's just a little self-conscious that people can see the cut but you can't. Is that enough information? If you're really worried just talk to him yourself" Jaemin sighed. He could tell that Mark was worried for Hyuck, he was just more focused on making sure his friend was okay and Mark was currently stopping him from doing so.

"Oh, sorry. I should have done something. Ugh, I hate myself. Sorry, I'll let you go" Mark sighed, turning before walking in the opposite direction.