(a/n: chittaphonnn)

   a week had passed since mark and donghyuck first became roomates. although they weren't as awkward as they were a week ago, it was still obvious that there was something coming between them. donghyuck sighed and put in some earbuds, allowing music to flow through to his ears.

   he got off of his bed and left the dorm room. he knew he wasn't supposed to walk anywhere alone, but he didn't want to bother anyone. he felt as if someone was watching him but shrugged it off since it was most likely just because he wasn't used to being out alone. he walked to the 127 dorms and knocked on the door of a hyung who he had been missing. 

   "come in," the voice called. he pushed the door open and grinned when the figure was sitting on the bed with their back to him. donghyuck took slow steps forward and wrapped his arms around there frame. "haechanie wattayo," he said cutely.

   the once sitting turned around in surprise. "haechan?" jaehyun asked with a shocked expression on his face. "the one and only," donghyuck smiled. "what are you doing here? i thought you guys were really busy with your comeback in only three days," jaehyun spoke. donghyuck took a seat on his twin sized bed that was across from jaehyun's. "we get today off since we'll be practicing extra hard the next two days. we have to film the dance videos tomorrow and check out the pop up store," he listed the things on his fingers. "oh yeah, we also have to a variety show type thing and we have an interview with jaejae the day after that."

   jaehyun nodded in understanding. comeback season was always stressful and tiring, but the thought of czennies always made it better.  

   "if you only have today off, why'd you come to see me?" jaehyun asked. he and donghyuck were never the type to just hang out and chill. even though they were friends as well as members, they were roommates by force and not by choice. 

   donghyuck blushed with a smile. "i was hoping to talk to you for some advice," he mumbled sheepishly. when he looked up, he was met with jaehyun's stare. "this isn't about mark, is it?" he asked. donghyuck sighed, "i can't stop thinking about him."

   jaehyun ruffled his hair before looking donghyuck straight in the eye, "i know you guys aren't really on good terms right now." "how did you know?" donghyuck was genuinely surprised. he had never told jaehyun about the tension that he and mark had.

   "mark told johnny hyung and johnny hyung told me when we went out to get coffee this morning," jaehyun explained. "oh," donghyuck got butterflies as he imagined mark staying awake late in the night think about him just and donghyuck was. he shook his head to clear it of foolish thoughts. mark will never like you like that, he reminded himself. 

   before donghyuck could start daydreaming about mark, jaehyun cleared his throat to get his attention. "anyways," donghyuck snapped his head to his direction, "what i wanted to tell you is that you shouldn't be wasting your free day worrying or thinking about mark. hang out with taeil hyung or something and have fun."

   donghyuck knew that jaehyun was probably right, but he still wanted to protest. jaehyun looked at him sternly and donghyuck looked down with a defeated sigh. "fine, i'll go see what taeil hyung is up to," he headeed to the door.

   "haechan-ah," jaehyun said, causing donghyuck to pause in his tracks. "if it makes you feel any better, i'll talk to mark and see if i can help your situation without giving myself away," jaehyun said.

   donghyuck turned back to smile at jaehyun. "thanks hyung," he beamed before leaving. on his way out, he ran into doyoung who was walking alongside taeyong and taeil. "oh hey haechan. what are you up to?" taeyong asked.

   "i was actually looking for taeil hyung," he said giving the older a big hug.

   taeil let donghyuck hug him without pushing the younger away. "you can have him then. see you later," doyoung waved, walking off with taeyong. 

   "what's up?" taeil asked once the two were left alone. "can i not just want to see my favorite hyung?" donghyuck said in a whiny voice. taeil looked at him blankly and donghyuck sighed. "are you busy today?" taeil shook his head. "i only had morning schedules today."

   donghyuck patted his shoulder, "let's go out and get lunch." taeil looked like he wanted to protest, but after seeing how tired the younger seemed, he gave in. "okay, where do you want to go?"

   the brunette cheered and the two began discussing where to go. after about ten minutes, they let their managers know that they were going out and one of them went with them to eat. they walked since it was only a few minutes away from their dorm building. 

   when they arrived, they got a seat in the far back to avoid being spotted by fans or paparazzi that may appear. as they waited for their food to arrive after ordering, donghyuck's manager's phone rang and made a surprised face at the number. "hello?" his manager answered. "yeah... he's here... we're eating...i'll ask...," he spoke to the other person on the line. their call ended shortly after and donghyuck was curious as to who it was.

   "mark and johnny are coming over in a little bit," he said. "why does mark have your phone number?" donghyuck was surprised. it was strange that mark had called donghyuck's manager but he decided to not look into it that much.

   "yeah... that is kind of weird," taeil nodded in agreement. donghyuck's manager shrugged, "he's had my number for a while. he said he wanted to be able to reach or find you whenever he needed to," he directed towards donghyuck. "oh," donghyuck was taken aback and felt his cheeks heating up. "are you blushing?" taeil asked in disbelief. donghyuck really wasn't the type to turn red.

   he shook his head and covered his face with his hands. "look, the refreshments are here," he put the focus on the waitress. indeed, it worked as donghyuck's manager and taeil got lost in a deep conversation. 

   the bell at the door chimed, and inside walked mark and johnny. mark was wearing blue jeans and a plain dark blue hoodie with his round rimmed glasses on. the lazy day and casual look was secretly donghyuck's weakness. well... that and mark in a suit and tie.

   "hey," mark and johnny greeted, each of them shaking hands or getting fistbumps. mark and johnny slid in the booth with donghyuck's manager, mark being directly in front of the brunette. donghyuck took sips of his drink to keep himself busy so that he wouldn't have to join in on the conversation.

   luckily for him, johnny was super talkative and easy going, the conversation sailed smoothly with donghyuck nodding or agreeing every now and then. before long, the food arrived. after hearing that mark and johnny would be joining them, they went ahead and ordered a few more dishes. "nice picks," johnny picked up his chopsticks, preparing to eat.

   everyone began to eat while donghyuck picked around with the food. "donghyuck, you okay?" mark asked quietly so that the others who were in a deep conversation didn't hear. he nodded mindlessly and force himself to eat so that mark wouldn't worry.

   after eating, donghyuck's manager said that it was time to leave and they collected their things to go. they played rock paper scissors to see who would pay, and to no one's surprise, johnny lost.

   once the bill was paid, they walked out of the restaurant and only walked for a minute or so before they heard people following behind them. "shit," donghyuck heard mark curse next to him. a group of fangirls were following them with their cameras up and recording. as much as donghyuck loved nctzens, sasaengs and stalkers were something that he really didn't appreciate.

   the group started walking faster as donghyuck's manager was speaking on the phone, warning some of the other staff that they had sasaengs. the sasaengs behind them suddenly swarmed then and withing seconds, they were surrounded.

   donghyuck felt claustrophic while the distance between them and the sasaengs was basically non-existent. "haechan oppa! can you look at me!?" multiple people called out to him and the others, his clothes were pulled at and he tried to escape from their grip.

   "everyone please step away!" donghyuck's manager announced to the crowd. it was no use. his heart almost stopped when he felt someone touch his clothed and covered groin. his chest moved up and down quickly as air failed to reach his lungs. a lump formed in donghyuck's throat as hot tears threatened to fall. "you okay?" mark asked in his ear. his arm wrapped around his waist, pulling donghyuck to his chest and gaurding him from the sasaengs. donghyuck shook his head, gripping onto mark shirt. "your manager called for back up. it'll be okay, i promise," he assured donghyuck.

   "please stop," mark ordered to the fans who were still trying to pull at their clothes. he removed their hands without hurting them and held onto donghyuck even tighter. "everyone back away!" staff showed up, making their way through the crowd to reach the idols in the middle.

   with a bit of pushing and forcefully getting through the people, everyone was safely evacuated and seated in a van. donghyuck calmed his breathing and put a hand to his chest to feel his heart rate. his heart was racing in his rib cage. "haechan-ah," mark looked at donghyuck who wore a broken expression.

   donghyuck slowly looked up at him, not able to resist crying any longer. mark was surprise but pulled him into a hug, tears wetting his clothes but he didn't mind. "god, haechan did something happen?" donghyuck nodded, crying even more.

   mark waited patiently for donghyuck to elaborate without pressuring him into speaking about it. "s-someone...," his voice trailed off as he sniffled, "someone touched me." mark's blood boiled as his spoke again, "where?" he gritted out. donghyuck flushed and pointed down towards his lap, "there."

   mark's hands turned to fists. "that's sexual assault," he spat furiously. donghyuck grabbed onto mark's hands when he looked like he was about to leave the car. "what are you doing?" donghyuck asked.

   "that person shouldn't have touched you like that. i'm going to find them," he tried to remove donghyuck's hands. "and do what?" donghyuck kept his grip firm. "there's nothing you can do about it, we're idols. you'll get in a scandal," donghyuck tried to knock some sense into mark.

   "it would be worth it," mark mumbled. "what did you say?" donghyuck asked, sure his ears had heard wrong. mark looked him straight in the eye and spoke confidently. his next words, sending donghyuck butterflies.

"as long as it was for you, it would be worth it."

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word count: 1842

markhyuck singing teddy bear in the beatbox photo shoot uncut was like a dream cometrue

✎ ---- dreaminghyuck⤾