mark is right.
donghyuck only played with mark's feelings the moment he didn't make his intentions and motives clear. not just because mark saw him with sungchan but because his kisses, hugs, or skinship towards him, confused the older. donghyuck clung onto mark like a bee on a flower.
he also could've confessed to mark how he felt from the very beginning, but he can't seem to put his thoughts into words.
he lets his acts confess his feelings to mark rather than telling him directly.
donghyuck understands mark's frustration and he deserves every bit of consequences for his actions.
it's been days since he last saw mark, meaning he hasn't been at work for days too. solely because he's not ready to face mark yet. who knows, maybe mark doesn't even want to see his face anymore.
he no longer wants to bother mark with his skinship so it won't seem like he's only feeding him hope. he'll give him space. as much space as mark wants, as long as he wants. until he's okay with seeing donghyuck in front of him.
"i'll give him space," donghyuck said to himself, "that's what he deserves."
he nods his head with every word he says as he looks down on the white envelope and paper on his hands.
----
walking to the workers' office area, mark's eyes remained at his secretary's table.
mark's brows met each other in confusion as he clicked his tongue. he noticed that the only person left in this area is johnny as everyone is probably out for lunch break. "johnny?" he calls out the taller's name.
the taller immediately averts his gaze away from his screen and saw the ceo standing just outside their office area. he lifts himself from his chair to give him a small bow before saying, "yes, mr. lee?"
"come to my office for a second." he said, trying to avoid the stares.
the latter nodded, dropping whatever he was doing to follow the superior to his office.
once they got in, mark walked directly to his table while the taller stood in the middle of his office to wait for what he was about to say.
"where's donghyuck?" mark plainly asks.
"perhaps he is still calling in sick for today, mr. lee..." johnny responded, although he seem unsure of what he said.
a sigh fell on mark's lips as he brushed his fingers through his hair. he still hasn't seen the younger ever since that specific night. he heard donghyuck went to work for a few days because he was in a meeting but he excused himself for that day. and the next thing he saw is a collection of notes on his table that donghyuck did in the meeting.
"he's been calling sick for almost a week already." mark muttered as he clicked his tongue yet johnny can still hear the disappointment in his tone.
and it's probably because of mark. the older admits that he did lash out at the younger and didn't give him time to explain. all he felt at that time was frustration and anger, he didn't think about what donghyuck is feeling.
"mr. lee, have you noticed anything?" the older suddenly questioned.
this made mark frown at the question, "noticed what?"
"donghyuck's things aren't on his desk anymore." he simply told.
the superior's brows furrowed. "what do you mean?"
"nothing is left on donghyuck's table, except for the monitor and things that belong in the company." johnny finishes. he took a step for mark to take a glance through his secretary's office.
mark didn't hesitate to scurry out of his office while johnny tailed behind him. this time, he walked closer to his secretary's table.
johnny's right, nothing is left here anymore. everything looks empty and tidied up.
he brushed his fingers through his hair as he released a frustrated sigh. is this what he got after the rejection? he thought to himself. he had no idea when did donghyuck do all this.
"thank you for telling me." mark sternly told johnny while trying to compose himself. he left the taller and went back to his office. the only thing on his mind right now is to call donghyuck and ask him about this.
but just as he was about to grab his phone on his table, he heard loud footsteps from outside his office that made halted his movements. with furrowed brows, he turned around, and at the same time, someone barged into his office with security tailing behind.
"what's going o—mina?!" mark exclaimed, as he saw the latter trying to free herself from the security's grip.
mina attempts to free his arm from the grip, "don't touch me!"
"mr. lee, i tried stopping her the moment i saw her on this floor," the security told, "but she was forcing herself into your office."
"get off me!" she exclaims, as she tries to free herself from his grip.
mark just simply nodded his head as a response before averting his gaze back on mina. "i can handle this." he told, and he took this as a cue to exit the superior's office. "now, what do you want?"
"about my dad—the moon company." mina started.
the ceo exhaled heavily as started pacing back on his desk. the same old topic again, he thought to himself as he started doing what he was supposed to do.
"have i not made it clear yet?" mark replied, not showing interest in what mina is about to say, and just continued finding the younger's number in his phone. "i don't like your dad's company—"
"yes, you have made it clear that you don't like my dad's company but... it's really not about that." she is quick to say, trying to get mark to look at her. she placed his handbag on one of the couches in the room and started walking closer to the ceo's table. "i don't like you."
mark immediately look up as the statement caught him off guard but nonetheless he just nodded his head, liking what he just heard. "the feelings are mutual then."
"i'm pretty sure you're already aware about this but my dad has been trying to make some sort of arrangement with your dad by using me and i never once agreed to that idea." she explained, "so please... don't agree with that."
"best believe, me or my dad won't agree to it," the older noted, "we don't want some sort of connection from the moon company from the very start."
mina released a satisfied sigh, feeling like she finally calmed herself down after what mark just said.
"is that all you came here for?" the older snickered, "i don't need your advice because i already made my decisions before you."
"no—i mean, i was just giving you a warning." she said, as she started looking around, "my dad told me he wanted that plan to work. i'm just very scared for what he's about to do."
"yeah, yeah," mark didn't bother saying any more to this conversation. he, instead, just looked back at his phone intending to call donghyuck. he started shaking his head in disbelief before saying, "you caused a scene in my office just for this—"
he didn't get to continue whatever he's saying when he felt arms being wrapped around his side.
"thank you so much!" mina said, while she closed her eyes and hugged the ceo out of excitement, "i promise, i will do anything to stop my dad from intervening with any of your business."
mark just rolled his eyes as he tries to free his body away from here, "don't get too comfortable—"
all of a sudden, a knock was heard on the door. this made mina instantly detach her body from the older but still hasn't realized how close their bodies are.
----
with papers and an envelope in his hands, donghyuck finally went inside the lee company's building and walked straight towards the elevator.
donghyuck has been hesitating if he should do this ever since this morning, but he soon already made up his mind. after all, this is everything he owes the ceo and after this, his job is already done.
he was already on the floor faster than expected. suddenly he felt his legs go weak once he saw the familiar door. the ceo's door to be exact. he already made his mind clear yet he can still feel himself backing out.
before he even know it, his feet already dragged him in front of mark's door. with shaky hands, donghyuck knocked, and he doesn't know why he didn't wait for a response from the other side, but he instantly just opened the door.
he was expecting to see the older, drowning with lots of files, or receive a bitter stare but instead, he saw the ceo with mina standing not too far away from him.
his eyes widen. he can feel his heart beating twice as normal which made him unconsciously clench his fist.
the only thing that made him snap out of his train of thought is mark's voice. mark was also looking at the latter with widened eyes, "donghyuck?" the younger saw how mark slightly pushed mina off her to walk in front of his table, "what are you doing here?"
donghyuck looked down at the crumpled paper in his hands. "n-nothing..." he trailed his words off. "i'm just here to drop these off." he placed the papers down on the coffee table in front of him, not wanting to walk any closer towards mark.
while the older is already making his way to donghyuck. he didn't pay attention to the paper that donghyuck just place down as he was somehow glad to finally see donghyuck in front of him. lots of thoughts and questions flew inside his head.
mark was trying to catch the younger's sight but he only noticed that donghyuck's eyes seemed to be on someone else. he glanced back and realized that the younger was looking at mina.
donghyuck took a step back little by little towards the door. "that's all i came here for." he said ever so softly as he gave the older a bow, "i apologize for interrupting you."
the superior didn't get to say something as the younger was quick to walk out of the door. he just looked down to finally check what the paper and the envelope is for.
almost instantly, his heart dropped once he read what was on the paper. resignation letter.
without thinking twice, mark dropped the paper on the table as he hurried out of his office. his voice echoed through the hallways as he constantly shouts the younger's name. he thought he still had a chance to chase after the younger but he just couldn't see him anywhere.
he went in a full circle trying to look for donghyuck in the whole floor until he ended up in the front of the elevator.
there he met mina, standing just while holding an envelope. this was the envelope donghyuck gave to him together with the resignation paper.
"this was together with the paper..." mina trails off as she handed it to mark.
still confused, he then looked at what was inside the envelope. money? he quickly pulled these out and realize it is worth five hundred thousand. this was the half-million donghyuck said he was saving up...