"hello everyone! today we are back with a dreamy group that showcases their friendship and youth. when you watch their stage performances or music videos, you can't help but smile. welcome, nct dream!" the weekly idol host announced. the dreamies entered the scene being as chaotic yet natural as ever. 

   "2, 3," mark called. "to the world, this is nct. hello, we're nct dream," everyone said, taking a bow. the hosts cheered and clapped while welcoming them each by shaking their hands. "you guys can easily come to see me at the company, what brings you here today?" eunhyuck said, following the script.

   donghyuck took it upon himself to answer the question. "we're here to promote our new song," he said bluntly. he felt satisfied as a few of the members and the hosts laughed. "well tell us about you song," kwanghee instructed. they had played rock paper scissors before they left the dorm to decided who would introduce the song. since jisung ended up losing, he began speaking.

   jisung explained it without sounding awkward, which was quite the accomplishment for him. "well... that sounds very nice. i'm sure you're song will top the charts and you'll take home many wins," kwanghee praised. "shall we take a look at the dance?" eunhyuck suggested and the dreamies prepared to dance. 

   the music started and they danced the dance as hard as they did in the practice room, if not harder since they had an audience. when the dance finished, they were handed fans and water bottles. everyone cooled down and got touch ups before the camera started recording again. 

   "action!" the camera director called. "wow," the hosts clapped. "that was an amazing performance," eunhyuck commented, the members thanking them for their compliments. after they finished talking about the dance, eunhyuck spoke up again. "take a seat, please," eunhyuck said.

   the seven boys took a seat and straightened out their clothes. a few staff members carried in boards with their profiles on them. donghyuck remembered writing them about a week ago when it was announced that they would be going on weekly idol to promote their new song. 

   "it's been a while and the dream members just keep growing. i think it's time we look at the self written profiles again," kwanghee read the script but kept the atmosphere light and friendly. the members agreed and clapped. "let's start with the eldest and leader; mark," eunhyuck said.

   they went through the profile, talking about the different things that mark wrote. they got stuck on when mark wrote about how he played the guitar a lot. they asked him about what kind of songs he played and if he played by himself or played and sang with the members. that specific question caught donghyuck's attention as he unintentionally lifted his head up and met mark's waiting gaze.

   he quickly looked down, hoping that mark wouldn't say anything about how often they ended up busking or just singing together. mark seemed to get the message as he answered vaguely, "i think i sing a lot with all of the members."

   "haechan looked up as soon as we brought it up. is there something you'd like to say?" kwanghee asked. donghyuck mentally cursed, he hadn't meant to be so obvious about it. he knew that everything he was about to say was just going to be edited slightly for sound effects and he didn't want to lie to nctzens, so he decided to stick to the truth.

   "mark hyung and i often sing together. he usually plays the guitar and i sing, or sometimes we sing together," donghyuck answered. he looked at mark for confirmation and he nodded in agreement. "you two seem very close," eunhyuck noted. before mark or donghyuck had a chance to speak, jeno spoke.

   "they've known eachother ever since mark became a trainee," jeno said. "did you two become friends as soon as you met then?" eunhyuck asked. mark and donghyuck looked at eachother before laughing awkwardly. "what does that mean?" eunhyuck looked at the two. donghyuck raised an eyebrow at mark for approval.

   the corner of mark's lips went upwards as he nodded once again. "they don't even need to speak, they have their own language," kwanghee joked, the others laughing. once everyone stopped, donghyuck began explaining the true story that only certain dedicated fans knew.

   "mark hyung once told me that he hated me so much that he almost left sm," he laughed a soulless laugh. everyone else began laughing too. "wait, wait, let me explain," mark said. "go ahead," eunhyuck pushed.

   "when i first joined, donghyuck already had friends and i became friends with them too. it was mostly donghyuck, jeno, jaemin, and jisung. when i joined, i didn't know much about korea and donghyuck-ie told me a lot about it which was nice. but...," mark trailed off. "there's always a but," eunhyuck laughed. 

   "but... he would pick on me a lot and my trainee days were really tough thanks to him. there were good and fun times too, but he made things really hard for me," mark finished. "was it just mark that haechan picked on?" kwanghee asked. "he picked on all of us, but we could really tell that he gave mark hyung a hard time," jaemin explained.

   donghyuck sat silently, hoping that the attention would get off of him as he was feeling slightly embarrassed at his past childish self. "even after debut, they were like that," chenle added. "can you give us an example?" eunhyuck asked.

   "hmm... i don't know much about what happened, but mark hyung and haechan hyung used to share a room but mark made doyoung hyung from nct 127 switch with him because they wouldn't get along," jisung supplied them with information.

   donghyuck and mark laughed awkwardly again. "what happened there?" kwanghee asked. "we argued so much, the hyungs and i got annoyed," mark said. "why do you say it as if i was completely in the wrong?" donghyuck defended himself.  everyone laughed once more while donghyuck pouted. "there's a reason why haechan is the only one who calls mark 'hyung'," jeno showed his signature smile.

   "why doesn't anyone else call him hyung?" kwanghee asked. "they all used to speak formally to me and call me hyung, but eventually they all started to talk down to me," mark laughed a halpless laugh.

   "haechan only calls mark, hyung, because he gets in trouble with him most," renjun mentioned. "mark doesn't get angry often, but when he does, it's usually because of haechan hyung," chenle added. "i see," the hosts said. "i see you guys have a very close relationship. does anyone call you donghyuck aside from mark?" eunhyuck asked. "oh, i didn't even realize i called him that," mark chuckled.

   donghyuck shook his head, "mark hyung is the only one." eunhyuck and kwanghee looked at eachother, "i see you guys happen to have a very strong friendship." 

yep, a friendship. nothing more, nothing less.

   despite his sad feelings, he pushed them away and smiled brightly. they continued the rest of mark's profile before moving on to the next person. it went like so until donghyuck's turn. "it says here that you like your members best when they buy you things," kwanghee read. 

   donghyuck laughed, redness tinting his cheeks, he didn't think about the consequences as he wrote it down, he had been completely in the moment. "i meant it more like when the members take me out to eat or eat with me in general," donghyuck clarified.

   "what's the last meal that a member bought you, it doesn't have to be among nct dream," kwanghee questioned. donghyuck thought about it quickly before answering. "it was a couple of days ago when i went out to each with taeil hyung, johnny hyung, mark hyung, and my manger."

   donghyuck thought back on what had happened that day. a sasaeng had inappropriately touched him and mark had told him that the consequences of going after the sasaeng would be worth it if it was for him. just thinking about it again gave him butterflies. 

   "did you all pay your own portion?" eunhyuck asked. "no, we played rock paper scissors and johnny hyung lost," he smiled at the memory. "i can only imagine the bill was expensive, but it all comes down on the menu. what did you eat?" kwanghee asked. 

donghyuck beamed, "we had steak."

   "wow, that's how a real celebrity dines," eunhyuck joked. "what's the last thing that a member bought you?" donghyuck furrowed his brows. he wasn't quite sure. he thought about it longer before realizing that it was the teddy bear drom mark. "mark hyung bought me a teddy bear," he blished slightly.

   out of the corner of his eyes, he watched jeno shoot mark a questionable look. mark shrugged and turned back to back the front. some how, donghyuck felt exposed as he had mentioned the teddy bear that was such a precious item to him.

   "that's right," mark said as if to refresh donghyuck's memory on the emotional conversation they had when he gifted it to the brunette. 

   "you were there for me when i cried, you were there for me when i was scared in the late night, you knew all of my secrets. ...you," mark pushed his index finger into donghyuck's chest gently, causing the younger to giggle softly,

"you became my teddy bear."

   donghyuck tried to ignore the burning pain in his chest while the interview comtimued. "mark bought you a teddy bear?" a few of the members asked. "seems like a lot of your members are upset that they didn't get one," they directed to mark. mark laughed awkwardly, "sorry." 

   the interview continued as they neared the end of donghyuck's profile. "it says here that you're very good at acrostic poems and aegyo," eunhyuck said. donghyuck giggled softly. "i am," he said bodly. they immediately tested his skill in acrostic poem's, stunned by the result. "he really is an ace," kwanghee showed a toothy smile.

   "should we see your aegyo to close up this segment before we move on to the games?" eunhyuck called. before he could process what he was doing, donghyuck stood up. "let's have you do 'oppaya', kwanghee suggested 

   donghyuck gave it his best aegyo, complety obvious to the fact that mark was secretly dying on the inside at how cute donghyuk was. 

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word count: 1727

sorry for the weird ending. i'm super sleep deprived and wrote this whole chapter with, like, one eye open.

✎ ---- dreaminghyuck⤾