The sun beamed through the curtains softly caressing Haechan’s cheek announcing that a new day has come. Haechan scrunched his nose up lazily opening his eyes. He blinked a few times, a small yawn escaping his mouth. His eyes got teary so he shut them tight, opening them again waiting for his vision to get clearer. Once it did, his brows furrowed looking at the empty sheets next to him. Memories of the night before appeared unannounced in Haechan’s brain and the boy removed his blanket in a swift move sitting on the bed looking around the room. 

He didn’t know what he was looking for exactly. A trace of Mark maybe? Something that proves that Mark was actually there last night. Something that explains the shallowness on his lips. What Haechan was looking for the most was hope. A side of him was hoping that what happened before the sun found its way to the sky was not a dream, and the other side of him was thinking that if what happened was in fact real, then he hopes that the consequences are not too harsh for him to handle. He truly hoped that Mark didn’t really run away with a heart full of regrets.

“Hey,” the familiar voice interrupted his train of thoughts, and Haechan’s brain found peace again when the train halted. He didn’t realize that his brain was getting too noisy that his ears started to hurt as well. 

“Are you ok?” Mark asked placing a plate he came in with on the desk, approaching the boy who finally looked at him with despair. Mark always thought that bed hair Haechan was a sight to enjoy. His hair was poking in all directions, each and every strand of hair is having its own show, very inviting for Mark to watch. 

Mark smiled at the beautiful mess, putting some of his hair down with a gentle brush of his finger as he sat in front of him on the bed.

“I thought you left,” Haechan breathed out, his voice sounding low and sleepy. Mark’s heart squeezed at the words that he just heard. Haechan looked so worried, genuinely worried. He had just woken up and for certain reasons, it seemed like he woke up from his worst nightmares. 

“Oh no,” Mark whispered when a tear escaped the younger boy’s eye. “Look! I’m right here, Hyuck.” Mark made sure he kept his voice as low as the boy’s, talking at the same pace because it seemed to Mark that Haechan’s world was running very slow right now that it was hard for the boy to process things properly. “Why would I leave you, Hyuck?” Mark asked grabbing Haechan’s face with both of his hands to place a soft kiss on his forehead. 

“You know, I’ve been trying to stop you from crying but,” Mark started looking at the tears that kept running down Haechan’s face, “I think it’s better if I just let you let it all out, hum?” Mark smiled at his friend who sniffled nodding his head in response. 

The boy had a lot bottled up and it was only wise of Mark to think that he should give him a chance to empty his glass. If they wanted to start fresh, they needed Haechan’s heart to feel more at ease. “C’mere!” Mark breathed out pulling Haechan into his arms. The younger one buried his face in the crook of his neck as he sobbed his pain away. 

“It’s gonna be fine!” Mark said, his hand going up and down the boy’s spine giving him the right amount of comfort he needed. “You will be fine, Hyuck.” Marked added planting a small kiss in the back of his hair. “It must’ve been tough for you, little boy” Mark smiled thinking that Haechan would’ve normally hit him in the face with the closest pillow when he uses that nickname. Instead, Haechan had his fingers busy wrapping into small fists around Mark’s shirt as his chest was shaking from choking on his own breath. 

It felt like his feelings were having a marathon rushing out of his body in a form of endless sobs. But, the more they broke out the more he felt better. “I am never leaving you, Hyuck,” Mark whispered in his ear. “What is happening between us is beautiful to me,” he continued to whisper nuzzling his nose in Haechan’s hair to plant more kisses there. 

“I grew up with you, you were the one and only to me since we were kids,” Mark smiled at all the memories from his childhood. “I don’t know when nor how you got me all hooked like this, but it’s truly the best thing that ever happened to me,” Mark confessed his fingers brushing lightly on the back of Haechan’s hair. 

“Friends, best friend or more. I am all ready for it and I have no plans to run away from you.” Mark continued to whisper “The simplest reason being the fact that we share the same feelings for each other, don’t we?” Mark asked and the boy sniffled in his arms, breath landing very warm on Mark’s neck that was getting soaked by the time. He nodded, his hair tickling Mark’s skin who chuckled lightly. 

“I need you to stop thinking weird of yourself, we’re on the same boat and if something ever happens, I would never let you drown by yourself.” Mark finished placing his chin on Haechan’s head as his hands continued to give small taps to his back.

Between the two of them, Mark was handling the whole situation better than the younger one was. After all, Haechan wasn’t the only one who carried the heaviness of keeping his feelings as a secret for years. Mark was doing the exact same but with a twist. The boy had more control over his emotions. Both thought there could never be a day where they can sit down and talk about what made each one of them fall in love with the other. When did it happen and how. The fact that a small incident had brought them to this point is making both of them feel overwhelmed, happy but also hurt at the unfairness of the situation. 

They made a perfect match since they were kids. Haechan being the little monster he is, can never leave a place without a trail of troubles behind him. Mark being the protective best friend he is, it was always his duty to clean behind Haechan making sure that both have fun but stay safe in the process. Mark was the elder and he always felt like he was very much obliged to take care of his mischief-maker. They kept themselves on track and they loved how they grew up together to end up at that present moment they were in on Haechan’s bed.

Mark felt Haechan’s grip relax on his shirt. “Whenever you’re ready, Hyuck,” Mark said softly leaning his cheek on the boy’s head. A minute or two passed before that Haechan pulled away swallowing down the lump that occupied his throat since the morning. He wiped his tears away on the back of his sleeves. Mark looked at how soft his friend looked and he also felt bad that he had to start his morning in such a terrible way. 

“Feeling better?” Mark asked tilting his head to the side trying to catch Haechan’s eyes. “This is embarrassing, why do I keep crying” Haechan mumbled which made Mark laugh. “You can’t undo it thought” Mark shrugged. “Where did you go anyway?” Haechan asked sniffling. “It’s one in the afternoon sleepyhead, you looked like you were in a deep sleep so I didn’t want to wake you up, and” Mark paused pointing at the plate he brought with him when he first entered the room. “I thought I’d make us something to eat in the meantime.” Mark grinned.

Haechan stretched his neck peeking onto the plate, raising his eyebrows at what was on it. “You murdered my poor eggs,” Haechan whined, legs down running to the plates. “They were sitting peacefully in the fridge, what have they done to you?” Haechan gasped being the dramatic boy he is as Mark rolled his eyes at him shaking his head from side to side not sure what he was expecting from preparing breakfast to Haechan. 

The eggs pretty much looked like soldiers that have been through a tough war and died with pride at the end. Small pieces of bacon sat on the side and to complete the look, burnt slices of bread were thrown on the other side. Cooking was not on the list of skills Mark had. 

"For God's sake, Haechan." Mark pursed his lips together scrunching his nose up making