"it's here." donghyuck stated in a monotone voice as the car he was seated in pulled out in front of his apartment building.

the super m manager parked the car on the pavement before turning around and looking at donghyuck who was seated on the backseat next to mark. lucas had been asked to stay behind at sm entertainment for a while, meaning he couldn't accompany donghyuck back home. and as much as mark knew donghyuck may not want to have anything to do with him at the moment, he couldn't prevent himself from joining him in this awkward car ride.

"let's go over the rules one last time." the manager stated, looking at donghyuck who was sulking on the backseat of the car. "you have my number and must message me every single time to leave your house. try not to leave it on your own, because you never know who could follow you. call me to pick you up whenever you want to get to the super m dorm. also, you have lucas' number, you two can talk as you please and organise dates the way you'd like. we suggest at least once a week, but we'll be organising some on our side. and if you've ever approached by someone with a camera or a mic, never use violence and always be polite. understood?"

"yes." donghyuck mumbled. he felt like he had heard these rules ten times already since it had been announced that he would be dating lucas.

after his breakdown in meeting room 100, donghyuck had been requested to wipe his tears and go to the shooting room where he was dressed and put makeup on for a photoshoot.

they took pictures of him, and then couple pictures of him and lucas, both of them fakely smiling as if everything was alright and if they were the happiest couple on the planet. but once again it was nothing but lies...

"i'll text you everything, and i'll call whenever something important that you should know comes up."the manager continued. "please, always keep your phone on with the ringtone."

"can i go now?" donghyuck asked, looking at his apartment building.

"sure. goodbye, donghyuck. see you around."

the boy didn't even tell goodbye to the super m manager as he stepped out of the car, slamming the door shut rather violently. mark was quick to get out of the car as well after warning his manager.

the idol jogged until he reached donghyuck who was about to enter the building.

"what are you doing here?" donghyuck asked, opening the door and slipping inside.

"making sure you make it home safely." mark replied, entering the building as well.

"i'm safe, you can go." donghyuck declared, crossing the corridor and walking up the stairs to reach his apartment.

"donghyuck..."

"what now?!" the fanboy abruptly turned around, facing mark and allowing the idol to notice the fresh tears that were forming into his eyes.

mark bit his bottom lip, looking carefully at donghyuck's pained features. he didn't deserve any of this...

"i'm so sorry..." mark voiced out before pulling donghyuck in a hug, making the tanned male break down in tears once again.

"w-why does this happen to me...?" donghyuck asked, his voice being muffled because his head was buried against mark's neck. "i-i... i just want a normal life..."

"i know, donghyuck..." mark's hand caressed donghyuck's nape while his other arm pressed the boy tightly against him.

"i-i shouldn't h-have accepted your number..." donghyuck sniffled. "i-i shouldn't have t-texted you..."

mark sighed, knowing very well that this was the commencement of this mess. none of this would have ever happened if mark hadn't been selfish and if he hadn't wanted donghyuck to himself. but well... now it had happened, and they couldn't go back.

donghyuck cried in mark's arms in the middle of the corridor for a while.

actually, after a few minutes, they had moved to the staircase where they had sat down, mark directly on the stairs, and donghyuck facing mark, on his lap, so that he could keep hugging the idol while letting it all out.

mark stayed immobile, holding donghyuck tight while attempting to console him until he couldn't hear cried anymore. donghyuck had eventually passed out of exhaustion; he had cried a whole lot today, and this had been very tiring for him.

mark wanted to bring donghyuck back to his house, but he had no clue where his apartment could be. and he didn't feel like waking up the tanned beauty in his arms, because he needed to rest.

seeing donghyuck's phone in the back pocket of his jeans, mark pulled the device out, hoping he would be able to get more information about his address here.

however, before he could open the phone, it rang – not out loud, because donghyuck had muted the phone – the caller being registered under the name 'nana<3'.

the idol knew it was bad to use someone else's phone without their consent, but he didn't really have much choice now. so, he picked up the call.

"oh my god, you finally answered! donghyuck! is everything alright?! where are you?!"  a boy's voice yelled on the other side of the line.

"h-huh... i'm sorry, i'm mark..."

"mark?! why do you have donghyuck's phone?! where is he?!" the boy screamed, scolding mark.

"well... i'm with donghyuck, he's asleep." mark explained, glancing down at the beautiful male on his lap.

"asleep? what the hell did you do to him you psycho?!"

"he was just tired. we're... huh... in his apartment building, in the staircase." mark stated. "but... i don't know where he lives so... yeah, can you help me with that?"

mark was surprised when he heard a beep before he finished his sentence, signalling that the other boy had hung up. however, before mark could question this further, the door of the staircase was slammed open, revealing a worried boy who gasped when he caught a glimpse of mark and donghyuck passed out clinging onto him.

"oh my god!" he exclaimed. "i-i... i hadn't realised t-that 'mark' was in fact 'mark lee'..."

"h-huh... yeah..." mark smiled shyly at the boy.

"jaemin! where are you going?!" another voice exclaimed from the corridor the boy facing mark – that the idol had identified as jaemin – had appeared.

"shh! donghyuck's there." jaemin replied.

a second boy appeared by jaemin's side, his eyes widening as well when he realised who was sitting there.

"i-is... is that m-mark lee from super m...?" he asked.

"well... yes." mark nodded. "huh... i think donghyuck should rest..."

the two boys looked at the boy into mark's arms.

"oh, yes, of course." jaemin nodded. "please follow us. is he too heavy? do you want us to carry him?"

"no, it's fine." mark replied, standing up with ease and slipping one of his hands under donghyuck's thigh to hold him up.

mark followed the two boys across the corridor and then inside a cosy apartment where he was quite surprised to see five other boys staring at him with their mouths agape.

"j-jaemin...?" one of them spoke, never looking away from mark. "w-who's this?"

"huh... guys, that's... mark, from super m." jaemin smiled at his friends.

"oh my fucking god..." another let out, making mark smile shyly.

"h-huh, sorry jaemin, where can i lay him down?" mark whispered to jaemin as he felt donghyuck whining in his arms.

"oh, yes, his bedroom, follow me."

jaemin lead mark to donghyuck's bedroom, opening the door for him to enter and place donghyuck on his bed.

mark stopped walking for a second when he arrived in donghyuck's room, his cheeks tinting red at the view of the walls. they were covered of posters and photocards – both official and unofficial – of super m and its members. however, it was clear as day that lucas was his favourite because of the giant poster of him that was taped to the wall right in front of his bed.

"yeah... he's... kind of a big fan...?" jaemin chuckled, seeing mark staring at the walls of donghyuck's room.

"he told me but... i didn't imagine it was at that point..." mark replied.

"trust me, you guys are the only thing he talks about." jaemin assured, making mark smile unconsciously.

the idol then approached donghyuck's bed, leaning over it to lay donghyuck down on it. it took him quite a while to detangle donghyuck's arms from around his neck, because the boy was very clingy and didn't seem to want to let go mark.

once donghyuck was lying on his bed, mark smiled at him before turning around and exiting the room with jaemin.

"thank you, huh... i'm going to go now." mark stated as donghyuck's bedroom door was closed shut.

"i know that donghyuck isn't actually lucas' boyfriend." jaemin spoke, making mark stop in his tracks.

"what?"

"i know that the rumours aren't true and that they're not dating." jaemin explained, his expression getting more serious and less smiley. "and i know that he doesn't want to date lucas, and that he's disappointed in what he discovered about idols' life, and the dating part, mostly."

mark gulped, sensing that jaemin wasn't as friendly as he had been just a minute before. "w-why are you telling me this?"

"you guys used to make him so happy." jaemin continued, now frowning. "but now, you're making him depressed. he has been crying non-stop for the past week and just when he was starting to get better, a new dating rumour appears in which he's involved."

"i-i..."

"you better talk with whoever has responsibilities in your company and tell them to state the truth, because donghyuck cannot handle another lie from the idol industry." jaemin warned. "and he hates it when he receives unwanted attention."

"about that... huh..." mark rubbed his nape in nervousness. "the company wants donghyuck and lucas to date. they will make an official announcement in the next days."

jaemin's jaw clenched as he glared at mark.

"what did donghyuck say about it?" he asked.

"he protested." mark replied. "he defended himself and said that he didn't want to do it."

"and then?" jaemin raised a brow.

"the ceo offered him money to compensate the damages, but he'll still have to fake-date lucas." mark told guiltily.

jaemin tried his best not to let his anger get the best of him. he knew everything, and he was mad. oh god, mad was an understatement...

"i hope you realise that everything is your fault." jaemin stated.

"yes..." mark nodded.

"none of this would have happened if you hadn't given a fan your number."

"i'm aware..."

"and now, who has to face the consequences of your selfish acts?" jaemin continued, crossing his arms over his chest. "an innocent boy who asked nothing but to stay happy and anonymous."

"i know..."

jaemin's anger started to overpower him. "why did you even give him your number?"

"it's just..."

"why did you decide to fuck up with him when you could have any other famous person's number?!"

"well..."

"why the hell would an idol like you give a fanboy his number?!"

"because i like him!" mark confessed before jaemin could start screaming at him again.

the boy stayed silent for a few seconds, processing the information.

"y-you... you like him?" he frowned. "what does that mean?"

"when i first saw him that day... he looked gorgeous and... and he was so pure, so perfect... and he was so sweet and kind... he embarrassed himself a few times, but i just found him so cute and i guess that i developed a crush on him." mark explained. he didn't really want to confess his feelings for anyone, but at that point, he felt like this was the only thing that could get him out of his messy situation facing donghyck's best friend. "it was love at first sight, i know it. i honestly didn't intend to fall for him, but i did. and i refused to let him disappear from my sight for ever. that's why i gave him my number."

jaemin thought for a few seconds before coughing. "well, if you really like him, you'll understand that you have to fix this mess you brought him in."

"yes, trust me, i do." mark nodded. "i want nothing but his happiness."

"i see we're on the same page. that's good." jaemin nodded. "give me your number."

"what? i-i can't..." mark's eyes widened.

"you already broke that rule once." jaemin stated. "and i'm not a fan. i just want it because you're basically inside all of this mess and i know you won't try embellishing everything like donghyuck does. and i want real and truthful information."

mark sighed, taking jaemin's phone and putting his number in before sending himself a message to save jaemin's number as well.

"i'm sorry for everything i did..." mark spoke truthfully.

"you should be." jaemin scoffed. "and you better find a solution to solve all of this."

"yes." mark nodded.

"good." jaemin coughed before smiling. "now, as you have feelings for my best friend, let me warn you very quick. you hurt him; you lose your ability to have children. understood?"

mark gulped, straightening his back immediately. "y-yes."

"perfect now. i'm sorry for keeping you back. you can go."

"s-sure." mark nodded before heading straight to the door, not forgetting to wave donghyuck's friends goodbye.

as soon as he had closed the front door, the idol rushed downstairs to the car where his manager was waiting.

"you took all of your sweet time." he stated, starting the engine as soon as mark had hopped in. "how was donghyuck? did he say something?"

"he was..." mark thought for a while searching for the perfect adjective to describe donghyuck. beautiful? pretty? gorgeous? perfect? lovely? amazing? all of these worked, but they didn't define donghyuck the best at the moment. at least in the mind of someone other than mark... "he was broken."

the manager sighed. "i had told you the 'one day with super m' program wasn't a good idea."

mark hummed, jaemin's words ringing in his ears.

he had to face the truth.

it was all mark's fault.

if mark hadn't given donghyuck his number...

if mark hadn't found himself interested in the boy...

if mark hadn't been so selfish...

nothing would have happened, and donghyuck would still have the perfect life he had.

it was all mark's fault.