Mark truly never realised how much he had missed Donghyuck until he was standing at the door of the art room that was closest to the vending machine.

He knew that Jeno and Renjun were in the room, but he couldn’t take his eyes off Lee Donghyuck – they had simply betrayed him and stayed glued to the younger tanned male.

“Hyung…” He heard Jeno say in awe and finally let his eyes slide over to one of his best friends who had tear streaks that looked worse than the ones he had earlier. Slowly, Mark gulped and stepped into the room, taking notice of Renjun who was hiccupping and furiously wiping his eyes on Jeno’s shirt.

“It’s okay, it’ll be okay,” he whispered, holding out his arms and carefully draping them over the crying boys, making sure to hold them tight. “We’ll get through this together,” he continued, looking up and locking eyes with Donghyuck who had been silent since he had stepped into the room. “All of us. Together.”

“But Soeun…” Mark looked down to see Renjun who, while hiccupping, was staring up at him with such sadness. “She-”

“Was forced to do it. She’s just a victim, just like we are,” he responded calmly, keeping his gaze steady as Renjun nodded and then proceeded to bury his face in Jeno’s shirt once more.

“Hyung, Koeun-noona…how could she?” Jeno asked, another tear escaping his eye as he blinked. Mark heard Donghyuck’s chair scraping against the floor of the room and footsteps padding outside of the room.

“I don’t know, Jeno,” he answered honestly, earning a nod from Jeno who looked in the direction of the open door.

“You should go after him, hyung,” the younger said, his eyes blinking rapidly to hold back tears as Renjun clung tighter to him. “He’s waited long enough.” When Mark opened his mouth to say something, he was met with Jeno shaking his head and looking in the direction of the open door again.

Sighing dramatically, he got up and went into the corridor, spotting Donghyuck at the end of the hallway, leaning against the wall nearest to him and avoiding eyes with students who were walking in the main hall.

The walk to him was too short and too long at the same time, Mark’s nerves reaching a new peak as he stopped in front of the younger – just like he had done the day of the announcement.

“Uh…hey,” he greeted, coughing awkwardly to clear his throat afterwards. “I…um…I’m sorry, I really am…I shouldn’t have-”

“For the record, you’re dumb, oblivious and care too much for your own good,” Donghyuck interrupted him, leaving Mark to stare at the other with his mouth open. “You can be selfish, you can be heartless, and you can be incredibly frustrating, you know that?”

“I…no, I didn’t know…” he let out in awe, automatically feeling bad since Donghyuck seemed like he had suffered a great deal when Mark had given him the cold shoulder. “I’m-”

“God, why are you so annoying?” Mark opened his mouth to apologise once more but wasn’t given the chance for chocolate brown hair was suddenly filling his mouth and hands were grasping the back of his shirt. “I know it’s stupid because we don’t really know each other but…I missed you, Mark Lee.”

He couldn’t help but hold the boy currently clinging onto his chest closer, sighing slightly as he did so.

“I missed you too, Lee Donghyuck. Or rather, Haechan.”

Mark relished the moment he was in, stealing Donghyuck’s warmth and reveling in the younger’s giggles that did nothing but lift his mood.

It was a moment that he had never thought would become true when he first saw the boy sing all those months ago.

“Mark-oppa?” A female voice brought him out of his stupor, causing him and Donghyuck to both find Hina standing a few steps away from them. “Oh, thank the ing heavens you two are safe.”

“She cares about me?” He heard Donghyuck question and snorted, pinching the other’s cheek since Hina cared about almost everyone – even if she didn’t show it.

“Of course, she cares,” he replied, sighing and turning towards Hina with a tight smile. “Hina, what’s up?”

“I…just looking for someone…um…” She looked around before biting her lip and giving them a small smile. “You two go back to whatever yo