❝𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙯𝙫𝙤𝙪𝙨 ❞

xxii

continuation of last chap!

"aww," renjun winced as he rubbed his knee that was scraped when he fell down the hallways because he's wearing a ripped jeans.

he endured the pain and continued running again, but now in a slower pace. he checked his wrist watch, thirty minutes before eleven pm. he's almost four hours late because he was stuck on the traffic.

his grip on the knob was tight, even when he twisted it open. his heart was pounding heavily. this is the only time he wishes he won't see mark.

please, you went home already right? renjun bit his lower lip. if mark lee is still waiting inside, he'll yeet himself out of that building and die from embarrassment. how dare he make the mark lee wait? 

he turned on the switch, but the light wasn't working. renjun confusedly tapped it a few more times but to no avail.

"hyung?" he softly said, no answer was given to him except by his echoes.

with a sigh of relief, he smiled to himself. mark already left.

before he could even turn his heel to go back, a pair of cold arms wrapped around his lithe waist.

"what took you so long..." a warm breath brushes against renjun's nape, sending shivers to his spine down to his toes.

"m-mark hyung," renjun's voice was shaking along with his hands as he placed it on top of mark's and tried to remove it.

mark hummed against renjun's skin, face buried on the crook of his neck. he intertwined his hands so renjun won't be able to make him let go.

last time. it'll be the last time mark would go this near to renjun again.

mark would let it all out tonight and leave renjun alone the next day. he won't make things hard for renjun. he just wanted to say it, at least once, confidently and full of sincerity.

maybe it was because of seeing renjun being happy with others. with jeno, who doesn't lack anything. jeno is the biggest catch.

mark got afraid that renjun would never know how he's the only person that can make him that happy.

"don't look back. don't say anything. i removed the bulb so you won't see me looking all stupid when i say things to you," mark whispered and hugged the smaller tighter.

the warmth of mark's embrace was contrasting the cold, eerie atmosphere inside the dark room.

renjun's lips were trembling as he tries to calm down. "hyung, you should've left. i'm sorry i wasn't able–"

"i told you not to say anything. give this time to me, renjun. because i don't know when will i ever get the chance to say this again," mark's voice was weak yet with countless meanings. his voice held cries and wishes he never showed anyone.

his pleas made renjun shut up. he pressed his lips together and waited for what mark had to say.

mark stood properly, but still hugging renjun. "do you know what day is it today? i'm guessing you don't because if you do, you should've at least mentioned that at one of your texts this morning. fourteenth of june, it's kiss day, renjun. many people said it's the perfect time to confess to the person you like. i'm gonna trust whoever said that," mark stated, a chuckle following at the end.

it's time for mark to let go of his stupid feelings. of his unrequited love.

he doesn't know why, but tears started pricking the corners of his eyes. "i never wanted this. i never wanted to look forward on seeing you everyday. i just wanted to do my best for my dreams. why... why do you have to add to the list of things i want to have? why do you have to be a dream i can't possibly reach? why can't i just look at you the way i look at my friends and juniors? why the fuck is your eyes and smiles so pretty? renjun... why do you have to do this to me?" one by one, as words drip of his lips, the thorns pricked on his heart started disappearing.

renjun froze. did mark lee just... confessed to him?

"i want to return to the day where you first smiled at me. i will make sure to run away from you. i will save myself from the heartaches. you don't know how much i hate this feeling. that you're right beside me all the time but i won't be able to hold you like you're mine. i hate waking up everyday, realizing that you and i won't ever be us."

hyung... what mark is saying, was exactly what's keeping renjun up all night. what mark hates, is what renjun hates too.

"let's stop right here, renjun. wait for me until i leave before looking back. i know i'm shameless and you probably hate me for disguising my feelings for you as friendship. it's the only way i know to keep you. but don't worry, you can forget whatever i said tonight. i want to thank you for everything. if i made you uncomfortable, i'm sorry. it was nice being your favourite senior, renjun."

mark slowly removed his arms around renjun, and took steps backwards.

he smiled to himself and whispered, "i love you, renjun."

nothing is not sure now. mark figured it out– he loves renjun.

was it too quick? no. it was just right. because every pace is the perfect pace when it comes to loving a person unconditionally.

and maybe that i love you also serves as a goodbye.

"what time is it?"

renjun won't let him, though.

not after all he said. there's no way renjun would just let him leave after confessing.

it's unfair. renjun has to do it too.

after all he said, renjun had to ask what time it was. mark was dumbfounded but checked his phone, nonetheless. "11:10," he said.

"it's still july fourteen, then. it's still kiss day."

"yeah, why–"

renjun, amidst the darkness, walked towards mark without hesitation and grabbed him by his collar, tiptoeing a little to meet his lips.

one. two. three. renjun counted on his head, waiting for mark to push him away.

it didn't came. instead, he felt mark's arm snaking around his waist, pulling him closer to deepen the innocent kiss.

their lips moved perfectly, not missing a beat, overshadowing the fact the none of them kissed anyone before.

renjun was the one who pulled back, lungs begging for oxygen. his hands went down from mark's collar to the hem of his shirt.

now what he did kicked in– he just kissed mark– and he would be lying if he'll say he doesn't want to do it again.

"you're my 11:11 wish, mark hyung."

mark's eyes widened at what he heard. "renjun–"

"if i have the chance to turn back time, i'd still smile at you. i'd still approach you, i'd still idolize you. because that's what lead me to this bliss, hyung. that's what lead me to liking this amazing person in front of me. this amazing, yet stupid person who wishes he never met me at all. i'm a little hurt."

the four corners of that room– their rendezvous, their safe place where all feelings could be seen without being judged– is the witness on how a new magical love story between two people against the whole world started.

"i love you too, mark hyung."

㊙️

and if u cringe, i cAN RELATE

hell its been a long time since twelve became lovey dovey🤮