Y’all, prepare yourselves

3: 40 pm

Jaemin and Jeno were walking side by side toward the bus stop. They were walking pretty close to each other, closer then you’d expect two people who titled themselves as “just friends”. But that’s how they’ve been for almost as long as they could remember. Constantly pinning for the other and denying any feelings. Jaemin firmly believed Jeno was just too nice with everyone and Jeno believe Jaemin was just naturally touchy and friendly with other people. Sadly, both boys didn’t think they were anything special to the other. So they would continue to brush the back of their hand against the others, continue to sneak little glances at each other, bump shoulders, and exchange small smiles, but neither would make the move to actually hold hands, or go further in their relationship, despite both really wanting it. 

As they approached the bus stop, Jaemin spotted a small brown haired girl with cat like eyes. 

“Hina!” Jaemin waved. Jeno smiled at her direction.

“You’re going to the company today?” Jaemin asked.

“Yup, I’ve got to work hard so we can catch up to you boys and debut too.” She smiled.

A few moments passed before the bus arrived and the three teenagers got on. The bus was least to say crowded, but it was expected seeing most schools were just dismissed and students were making their way home.

They found a spot in the middle of the bus, but there was only two seats. Of course being gentlemen, Jaemin and Jeno gave one of the seats to Hina and debated who should sit in the other seat.

“Come on just take the seat Jeno, you fell earlier,” said Jaemin.

“And I told you I’m fine, not bruises or anything.” Jeno argued back “You’ve been complaining about you back lately, you should sit.”

It continued on like this for a minute or two.

“Alright how about, both of you sit down and I’ll stand since neither of you can’t decide” Hina spoke up from her seat, all while looking at something on her phone.  “Besides I haven’t been feeling hurt or injured in these past few days unlike you two.”

The two boys looked at each other, silently debating if they should take her offer. She had a point there. However they both kind of feel bad for making her give up her seat, which they had offered her first, just because of their small argument. As the bus sounded like it was about to start moving again, a sudden cry was heard causing everyone on the bus to look out the windows.

“Wait!”

Hina, Jaemin and Jeno all looked out the window and were met with the wild Mark racing after the moving bus.

“What on earth is that?!” some random guy on the bus said, referring to Mark.

It was quite a sight to see. The older boy was running faster than any of them have ever seen him before. It looked almost like a scene from a romance movie where the male lead would chase after the train his sweetheart was on. He had taken his sweater vest off and was holding it over his shoulder, his tie and hair was blowing against the wind as he ran. He was like a Disney prince or something… expect instead of trying to get his lover back, Mark was out here trying to attack his.

The bus driver seemed to be ignoring Mark till he actually caught up to the doors of the bus and started banging on them, still jogging after it. Eventually the bus driver let him in seeing that the Mark was obviously not going to stop.

The trio’s argument was long forgotten to observe their Mark hyung. The image of the desperate prince was long forgotten the moment Mark got on the bus and stood in the front near the doors. He was quite a mess once you got a good look at him. His hair was sticking up in odd angles from the running and from the pulling he did in class. The arrangement of his uniform lost its charm once he stood still. Instead it was quite unkempt and disorderly. Taking notice of his shirt, it was unevenly done as the buttons were paired with the wrong hole, there were creases in his pants and top, and his tie was loose and hanging off his neck awkwardly. But worst of all was his face. On most days Mark’s face was consider quite handsome, but oh no, not today. Not with those red eyes, eye bags and scowl.

Seems like everyone in the bus got the feeling Mark was a crazy man too. The people around him started to distance themselves in fear of what he could do. Mark was radiating a bad aura.

The blond boy’s eyes scanned the bus, as if looking for someone. For a split second there was a flash of disappointment in his eyes, but only for a second before it returned to its previous dead stare. His eyes then lit up a bit when met with the eyes of Jaemin and Jeno.

Jaemin and Jeno flinched the moment they caught eyes with Mark. All of a sudden, Hina’s offer was no longer a difficult decision. They took the two seats and placed Hina in front of them to hide from their Hyung. Hina turned her back to Mark after giving a questioning look between the two seating boys and their elder friend.  

They spent the rest of the ride trying to avoid Mark. He kept looking at them and they didn’t want to be associated with the insane boy in the bus.

“Hina protect us!”

Hina, sensing her friend’s discomfort, would turn around every now and then to give her signature glare at Mark. It was the kind she would give to people that made them feel guilty even if there was nothing to be guilty about. However it didn’t seem to faze Mark too much. He would just continue to look in the group’s direction, shaking a little like a Chihuahua, with his dead stare.

Jaemin was fidgeting. He was a bit annoyed at Mark. He was sympathetic toward him during lunch because he knew how much his chewing gum meant to him but after he pushed Jeno down he’s had a feeling of distaste toward Mark’s crazy antics.

Okay calm down Na Jaemin. It’s not right to think about Mark hyung like that. Remember when he bought you that nice beanie? That was nice of him!

Jaemin just hoped that Mark and Donghyuck’s fight won’t get in the way of their practice. He was so preoccupied fighting his negativity with happy thoughts, he didn’t notice Jeno staring at him the entire time.

Hina, getting tired of Jeno’s heart eyes at Jaemin, glanced at Mark again. He looked back at the trio’s general direction.

She raised an eyebrow at him. He raised one back to her. Was he challenging her or something?

Hina then raised both eyebrows. Mark did the same. As jittery as Mark was with the motive to murder his own boyfriend, he was confused…what kind of game was Hina playing with him on the bus right now?

Hina crossed her arms to show her dominance in this stare off. But Mark just retaliated by crossing his arms too.

Approaching 106-16 Cheongdam-dong

At the sound of the automatic voice, Mark practically leaped in front of the doors, little game with Hina forgotten, and tried to rip them open before it could open itself.

“Open the goddamn door man!” he screamed at the bus driver.

“Sir please be patient and wait till the bus has fully stopped”

Mark chose to ignore the driver, partly because he was still salty about having to chase the bus, and continued to claw at the door.

Once the bus made a complete stop and opened its doors, Mark dashed out of there and ran straight through the doors of the SM building. Jaemin, Jeno and Hina, made sure to keep their distance and waited a while before following him in.

~.*.~

When Mark stepped foot into the company he looked around but caught no sight of Donghyuck. Mark’s brain was working in overdrive. The moment he processes that Donghyuck was not in the lobby, he ran around the perimeter of the first floor hallways, all while checking every nook and canny for his chewing gum thief.

When he was approaching the last hallway Mark caught sight of Taeyong, Jaehyun and Johnny. It is a well-known fact that Mark is extremely close with his hyungs. They were like his real brothers. He can always rely on them for advice and guidance. So on first instinct, Mark ran toward them.

“HYUNGS!”

The three older boys looked toward the sudden familiar shout. It seems they, just moments before, were reading something their manager, who was standing a little bit away with another staff worker, had given them. 

Jaehyun gave Mark a questioning look at his appearance. Taeyong looked confused and really worried, he’s never seen Mark look so distressed. Meanwhile Johnny looked like he wanted to laugh at the sight presented to him.

“Umm… what’s up Mark?” asked Jaehyun.

“Have any of you seen the snake!?”

“…What? Who?” Taeyong asked carefully.

DONGHYUCK!”

“Woah there Mark, what did he d-“

“Oh my god! Have you seen him or not?!” Mark was losing patients.

“Hey! That’s not way to talk to your hy-”

“I saw him take the elevator to the third floor a few minutes ago” Johnny, finally spoke up, providing the only useful piece of information to Mark.

“Wait so what…happened?” Taeyong called, his voice fading near the end. He wore the face of a concerned parent. Mark didn’t hear him. The three boys watched as he made a beeline to the elevators.

~.*.~

Waiting for the elevators is agonizing. Mark had watched the numbers count down three times from the very top floor only to make a stop and then go back up two. Mark just had enough of it and decided to use the stairs.

Despite constant warning from adults not to do so, Mark climbed the stairs two at a time. He was so peeved he could hear the sound of blood pumping through his body.  Couldn’t the younger just behave for a day, he knows Mark has been really tired from working all the damn time. Honestly who does Donghyuck think h