"lee donghyuck."

donghyuk knew there was a problem when he came back home and his father was not inside his office.

and he knew it was a big one when his mother called him by his whole name.

"hello..." the teenager whispered, closing the front door.

"where do you come from, young man?" donghyuck's father asked, standing up to stand next to his wife.

"huh... school." donghyuck lied.

he had been staying at mark's and johnny's all day, first sleeping, then smoking, then watching tv, then smoking, then playing games, then smoking again.

yeah, they had smoked a lot.

donghyuck's two parents furrowed their brows at the same time, making donghyuck wonder if they knew something.

"don't try lying to us, donghyuck." his father said.

"the school called us to tell you were missing." his mother added.

donghyuck cursed inside his head.

he was in high school.

were teachers still calling your parents when you missed a day without warning.

apparently yes.

"well..."

"where have you been?" donghyuck's mother asked.

"outside." donghyuck replied.

"where?"

donghyuck didn't answer right away.

he didn't really know how to turn the situation like.

could he tell them he had been smoking all day at his boyfriend's?

obviously, no.

he needed a lie, but a not-so-different-from-reality lie, because donghyuck didn't know how to lie much.

"i was with my boyfriend." he said.

simple, efficient, true.

but not complete.

a white lie.

the perfect kind of lies in those situations.

"i don't agree with this, donghyuck." his father told, crossing his arms on his chest.

"with my boyfriend?"

"with the fact that you miss school to stay with him." he clarified.

donghyuck's body relaxed at the thought of his parents not minding the fact he had a boyfriend.

he wasn't ready to argue with his parents for having someone special.

"doesn't he have school too?" his mother asked.

"he does..." donghyuck replied. "but we wanted to stay together for the whole day."

donghyuck's parents exchanged a glanced and sighed, both approaching their son to pat his shoulder.

"we're happy that you have a boyfriend, sweetie. that's really good." his mother started.

"but we don't want that to prevent you advancing in life." his father completed.

"yeah, you can't skip school for that. if you want to spend days with your boyfriend, you can invite him over in the weekend or things like that." she added. "do not sacrifice school for your love life. those are two important matters that you have to balance."

donghyuck felt a bit bad at the idea of having lied to his parents, and them knowing it.

but at the same time, he was happy that they accepted his relationship, and that they didn't scold him too much for having missed a day of school.

after all, he was the top student.

missing one day of school wouldn't kill him.

"i'm sorry, mommy and daddy..." donghyuck said. "i just... wanted to be with him."

"it's okay, hyuck. there's no problem about that." his father replied.

"but keep in mind that school is as important as your lover if you want to have a bright future." his mother added.

donghyuck nodded, smiling at his two parents before promising he wouldn't do that ever again – which he actually doubted.

"come on, i want a hug now." donghyuck's mother said.

and so, she pulled her husband and her son closer, the three persons embracing each other lovingly.

until some scent made donghyuck's father frown.

"why does it smell like cigarettes?" he asked, pulling out from the hug.

"oh, you're right..." his wife noted.

both adults looked at their son who was fidgeting with his fingers.

"why do you smell of cigarettes, donghyuck?" his father asked. "does your boyfriend smoke?"

donghyuck knew that he would never be able to tell his parents that he had fallen into the addiction as well.

but maybe, if he told them that mark did smoke it would be okay for them?

"yeah..." donghyuck nodded.

donghyuck's parents looked at each other another time, his mother cupping his cheeks right after.

"be careful, sweetheart. once you fall into that world, there's no coming back... and that can lead you to very dangerous situations..."