Donghyuck tightened his jacket around his shoulders and hugged himself in an effort to utilize more of his own body heat. He shivered as a gust of wind blew, scattering the dried leaves around him and messing up his hair. The air around him was chilly, and he had been waiting on the bench on the school campus for 15 minutes already. Donghyuck checked his watch for the upteenth time, wondering if Jeno was standing him up. He had received a call the previous day from said boy, asking to meet him after his class in the university campus. Donghyuck had gladly obliged, wanting nothing else but to clear the air between them, but he couldn’t help but feel the hurt and anxiety tugging his heart at the thought of the boy.

Just as Donghyuck was about to give up and leave, he heard a shuffle of footsteps behind him. He whipped around, and caught sight of Jeno, wrapped in a hooded jacket walking towards him, with a careful smile on his face. In an instant, Donghyuck’s memories of the prior incident rushed to his mind, making him feel the hurt all over again. But this time, he held back his emotions. He was sure that even Mark had gotten slightly worn out from comforting him everytime he broke down at the thought of Jeno.

“Hi,” said the raven-haired boy breathlessly. Donghyuck had not responded, instead, fixing his eyes at a point somewhere above Jeno’s head. He wasn’t sure he could look at him in the eye at that moment.

“Shall we sit down?” slowly, carefully, Jeno held Donghyuck by the arm and led him onto the bench. Donghyuck withdrew his arm, and looked at him expectantly. Jeno drew a deep breath and dropped his gaze onto his lap.

“I’m sorry Donghyuck. I really, really am. I shouldn’t have acted as rashly as I did. Jaehyun reckons I was way too impulsive as well,” he let out and reached for one of Donghyuck’s cold hands. When the boy did not resist, he slipped his fingers through the other’s and held it tight.

“I was irrationally jealous and I’m sorry. I should have trusted that you wouldn’t do a thing like that to me. Jae talked to Johnny, his classmate, and he told me the whole debacle is true, that you with that dude was none of your doing.”

"I’m really, really sorry, Hyuckie. Can we be okay again?”

***

The diner was bustling, with the air thick with conversation and laughter during the busy lunch hours. Donghyuck settled into a booth, soaking in the warmth of the place and the smell of food wafting in the air. Jeno, sitting opposite him, smiled at him and took his hands again.

“I always go here after classes. Let me order what’s good, I’m sure you’ll love it here,” he said with his signature eye-smile, and Donghyuck felt all the iciness melt away. He was caving in.

“By the way, you’re welcome to visit my place if you don’t feel comfortable around that guy,” he added, his expression darkening a little.

“I like it there. Though, I still don’t get why I can’t stay with you,” Donghyuck said petulantly. Jeno looked visibly uncomfortable at the subject and shifted in his seat.

“The time’s just not right, Hyuck. We have exams soon and we need all the space we’ve got, which is not much,” he stammered, then busying himself with the menu.

“Suit yourself. I’ll have to stay with Mark then, whether you like it or not,” Donghyuck said nonchalantly, resting his chin on his hand.

***

Donghyuck was laying in the armchair, a small fire crackling beside him in the fireplace, filling the silence in the apartment. Donghyuck had returned to their shared apartment that night, only to be met with disappointment in finding that Mark was not there. He found himself getting a little too accustomed and comfortable with the latter’s presence. He shook his head to rid himself of any dangerous thoughts involving Mark and diverted his attention to the frames on the mantel. He smiled to himself, recognising Mark in one of his family pictures.

It was photographed when Mark was still a child, presumably at Disneyland with his family, inferred by the two huge Mickey Mouse ears on his little head and the ice cream he was clutching. Surrounding him was an older boy who had the same gleeful smile and holding them, were a kindly looking couple hugging their sons in their arms. The photo struck a chord in Donghyuck, as he was hit by a surge of longing for his own family back in Jeju Island. He hastily put the frame back on the mantel.

Ding! Dong!

The sudden ring of the doorbell startled Donghyuck, causing him to almost drop the frame. He hurriedly opened the door, expecting Mark, but was greeted by someone else.

Johnny was standing at his doorway, holding a very visibly unstable Mark, whose head was resting on his shoulder. Johnny was barely holding his fidgety body up as Mark kept muttering unintelligible words under his breath. Johnny shook his head at him and greeted Donghyuck grimly.

“Johnny, what on earth is wrong with him?”

“Wasted. Dead drunk. Took too many shots at a bar saying he was ‘confused and stressed’ about something. I couldn’t catch what he was saying,” Johnny explained as he rid himself of Mark’s limp body onto Donghyuck.

Donghyuck caught Mark in his arms, while the latter promptly