NCT 127 was in North America for their first tour outside of Asia.
Also they had a comeback with Superhuman.
Mark and Haechan had finally talked about their feelings.
But they still weren't together.
Since Mark was still scared, something Haechan could understand, they decided to approach it slowly. Step by step. But for Mark it was more like babysteps. He really needed his time to be the perfect boyfriend for Haechan.
So they weren't official yet but sometimes, when no one was looking, they both would steal kisses from each other.
Sometimes, while they were watching a movie with all the 127 or Dream members and Mark sat next to Haechan under a blanket, the older even dared to be brave enough to hold Haechan's hand.
Haechan thought it was cute.
He could wait as long as necessary, when he would finally get Mark in the end.
Because the wait would be worth it.
Would be worth of what he would get.
Pure love. From the boy, he probably was in love with since they were kids.
Haechan would always blush, when Mark whispered in his ear how good he looked or when the older pretended to be really tired during a dance practice break, so he could lean on the tanned boy.
All in all, they maybe weren't together officially but they were happy.
They had each other just without a label.
And in the beginning that was fine.
But as time passed Haechan wanted more.
The shooting for the "Superhuman" MV began.
There was a little scene, during Mark and Johnny's rap, where their faces came really close.
It took them some time to shoot it because Mark was gay panicking most of the time.
Haechan watched them but he was far from being jealous.
Instead he laughed almost all the time because the two were just too cute, especially Mark and his gay panicking.
Haechan mostly didn't felt jealous over others because he trusted Mark that he was the only one the older wanted.
Maybe they weren't together but Mark was showing him that everyday.
But sadly the same thing couldn't be said about Mark.
Mark is not a jealous type in general. But the fact that they weren't together officially was making him feel insecure.
Mark knew it was his own fault. He was the one, who still wanted to wait but his feelings didn't really care about that.
He became slightly more possessive. Everytime he saw Haechan being touchy with someone else, something completely normal for Haechan, Mark felt really uncomfortable deep inside.
But he didn't want to forbid Haechan to be close to others. Mark wasn't a guy like that. He knew that Haechan got his energy from being with others and Mark would never stop him from that. But it still hurt from time to time.
So Mark simply asked Haechan, if he could do it less in front of him. Not stopping in general, just not doing it in front of Mark's eyes all the time.
And of course Haechan could only agree, since he never wanted Mark to be upset or sad because of that.
It was another concert day.
Haechan was getting ready in his hotel room to go to the final practice in a few minutes.
He was sharing a room with Doyoung, who already left.
Just as he tied his shoelaces, there was a knock on his door.
"Haechanie, are you ready?", he heard Mark's morning voice, indicating that Mark also didn't wake up long ago.
"Yes, give me just one more minute", Haechan called back and grabbed his backpack and jacket. A big smile was on his face because Mark was picking him up. Again.
Mark started to do this more often. Walking with Haechan to practice or walking him back to his room after dinner.
And Haechan loved every single second, he got to spend with Mark.
Mark stopped pushing him away and instead did the complete opposite: pulling him closer. Much closer.
Haechan opened the door and on the other side waited an already smiling Mark.
"Hey, cutie", Mark whispered. He didn't know where the confidence to say this came from but the blush on Haechan's cheeks was definitely worth it.
But Haechan felt like a teasing brat again and also wanted to get a little revenge for this. So he looked around the hallway, seeing that no one was there, before he quickly kissed Mark's cheek.
No the older was blushing and Haechan giggled.
But then Mark's eyes turned dark and Haechan knew it was his cue to run.
So he did exactly that.
He closed the door in one second and in the next one he was already running to the staircase.
Sure, they were in one of the highest floors of the building but using the elevator would mean his death.
Haechan was running so quickly that he almost flew over the steps but all he cared for was saving his life because he could hear Mark being really close behind him.
The staircase was filled with laughter of the two young boys and Haechan almost cried of exhaustion and too much laughing.
Because of the tears in his eyes he could barely see anything and then in one second to the other his heart almost stopped beating.
Haechan tripped with his leg, which had only recently healed.
There were only two thoughts in his mind at that moment. His leg would probably get injured again and since he was about to fall, it could happen that he also hurt something else really badly and then maybe he couldn't be part of the concerts again. And that all just because he was so stupid and-
But he didn't fall.
His face never touched the ground
but instead a sturdy chest.
When Haechan's doe eyes slowly looked up, he was met with concerned ones.
Mark had catched him just in time.
"Are you alright?", the older one asked with arms wrapped tightly around Haechan.
Haechan could only nod, slowly.
"Y-yes." Haechan gulped. "Thank you."
Mark was about to say something cheesy like "careful or you will fall for me" but instead he got lost in Haechan's eyes and no words left his lips.
Mark was so immersed in the younger's eyes that he subconsciously leaned forward.
He was about to kiss Haechan.
But then he remembered that they were in a public staircase.
So Mark cleared his throat and thus also Haechan was brought back to realization about his surroundings.
And then Haechan immediately turned into brat mode again.
"Oh, Hyung", he whispered seductively. "Have you just become my hero?", he wiggled his eyebrows.
Mark immediately blushed and took a step back, his arms around Haechan dropping.
Haechan was still smirking, so Mark only said "Shut up" and laughed embarrassed.
"Mhh", Haechan hummed. "I like that. Mark-Hyung my hero."
Mark only shook his head in disbelief and continued to walk down the stairs with quick steps.
"Wait", Haechan shouted and started to run after him again.
"Careful", Mark immediately scolded, when he saw Haechan running down the stairs again.
Mark waited and after a few seconds Haechan caught up with the older.
"We don't want you to go into hiatus again.", Mark whispered.
And then even quiter, so that Haechan wasn't able to hear it: "I can't bear to miss you again."
It was April Fool's Day and Mark and Haechan got the great idea to fool their fans, saying they would do a Vlive together.
But in the end the fans got so sad, because it was only a joke, that the two boys had some empathy and decided to do a live together the next day.
The live consisted of a lot of flirting and laughing and the fans were happy to see the two together again.
Haechan teased Mark with saying that he was the older's soulmate and even talked about the whole friendship and Hyung thing. Since the younger knew now the truth it was even funnier to see Mark explain it.
All in all it was an enjoyful live and the fans were satisfied (at least the fans, who didn't miss them the second the live ended).
But something bothered Haechan after the camera was turned off.
Mark decided to stay a little bit longer and watch a movie with Haechan.
When the movie ended Haechan was almost asleep in Mark's arms, so Mark carefully tried to get up and go back to his own room.
"Hyung?", Haechan asked sleepily.
"Yes?", Mark sat back on the bed, while Haechan was also sitting up.
"I- during our live earlier I realized something."
"Yeah? What is it?", Mark asked softly, while brushing a strand of hair behind Haechan's ear, which had fallen in his eyes before.
"You know, I can call you my best friend. My soulmate", Haechan teasingly leaned forward to whisper the next words "my hero."
Mark gulped nervously but also had to stop himself from bopping Haechan's nose, since the younger just looked too cute, when he was sleepy.
"But you know what I can't call you? One thing that is missing.", Haechan said softly into the silence.
When Mark didn't answered, Haechan sighed. "Boyfriend."
Mark looked away for a second, before his eyes were being captured by the younger one's again but he still stayed silent.
"Mark, don't you think it is time? To be finally together as a couple?"
A/n: I am so so sorry that I've been gone for so long. I started my first semester in university and suddenly I didn't have time for anything else. Now I have a break for almost two months, so I hopefully can update more often again.
Really sorry that you had to wait so long but hopefully you like the new chapter. <3 Thanks for still being here and reading this story.