Sunshine | Markhyuck

11: Mark Lee is not a good wingman

Mark removed himself from his bed after checking the time. Stretching his side, he walked over to his blinds. As he pulled the string, instead of being met with the darkness, Mark's lips turned up into a smile as he was greeted by Haechan on the other side of his own window, waving back at him.

Mark's skin burned slightly as he made eye contact with the younger, but it was bearable. He sat down on the carpet of his room, flicking his phone on and opening his messages. This happened occasionally, maybe once or twice a week, instead of being curled in his bed responding by text, both boys would sit at their respective windows and call one another.

Mark pressed the call, looking up to watch Haechan smile down at his phone for a moment before swiping the green button.

"Hi hyung," Haechan waved through his window.

Mark giggled, "hi...Hae-Haechannie." He cursed at himself as he stuttered out the younger's name. Despite it being quite a while that they have spoken, Mark still felt a slight fear in Haechan's presence. Only slightly, enough to make him tense up and look around in fear of the smaller boy if his condition flared, even if he was outside in the sun. He felt guilty, and hoped that one day he wouldn't flinch at the name anymore, but until then, there was a pressure pushing down uncomfortably on his soul.

Haechan giggled, swaying from side to side as he spoke, "how was your day, hyung?"

"Eh it was okay," Mark rubbed the nape of his neck, "your friend is a pain though."

The boy through the windows cocked his head, Mark internally cooing at how sweet he looked "what do you mean?"

The elder sighed, "Yangyang and his endless blabbering," he breathed out a chuckle, "seriously, doesn't that kid ever follow rules."

Haechan laughed, shaking his head, "what did he do this time? Set something on fire again?"

Mark rolled his eyes with a smile, "as if I wouldn't tackle him out the window if I saw matches."

Haechan giggled, putting his phone on the floor and leaning his chin on the windowsill. Mark caught himself before he sighed almost dreamily at the younger. What the hell he was doing or thinking at this point was beyond him.

"Nah he just sat near me in social studies, as if there isn't a specific rule against it," he shook his head.

Haechan smiled, "ah, well to be fair, if I didn't cause you pain every damn time I was too close, I would do the same just to sit near you." Mark watched as the boy's cheeks flushed pink as he spoke, Mark's face mirroring his.

"Fuck, no, he can't, please no."

Mark exhaled, "so how is Jisung?"

"Hm?" Haechan looked up, slightly startled by the question, "oh he's good, he was with us while we debating about tabasco sauce."

"Tabasco sauce?"

"Yangyang-"

"Nope nevermind forget I asked," Mark held his hand up, palm facing forward.

As the red hed laughed, Mark watched in awe at how his eyes crinkled a little, his face going a bit red. Mark unconsciously raised his arm to his chest, brushing his thumb over the centre as he smiled at him laughing. Whatever this weird mushy feeling was, Mark kinda liked it, but also remembered everything associated with the feeling. Humiliation, rejection, general awkwardness and now a new thing of never going to happen for physical reasons.

At least he could admire Haechan's unattainable beauty from afar.

Something suddenly clicked within Mark's head, making him sit up without him knowing, "I think you'd look good with Jisung."

Haechan moved his head back in confusion, "sorry?"

Mark shrugged, "just a thought, don't worry."

"You think I'd look good with Jisung? Like dating?" Mark watched the some of the light fade within Haechan's eyes, although it may have been a reflection.

"Yeah."

"...oh."

Mark swallowed awkwardly. Even though his voice only came through the speaker of the phone, it still hurt hearing the slight brokenness of his voice.

"Yangyang can't be right, Haechannie, I'm sorry."

"It was just a suggestion, don't take it seriously," the older boy spoke dismissively.

Haechan rolled his shoulders back, "eh it's okay, you're just being a good friend, seeing who would treat me right. I appreciate that."

Mark sighed in relief, "yeah, I just want what's best for you."

Haechan blushed yet again, picking up his phone and standing up. "Thank you, hyung," he said as he flicked his bedroom light off and turning his bedside lamp on.

Mark blinked, his eyes adjusting to the new light coming from the house, and some of the itchiness fading from his skin, now just an uncomfortable buzz through his flesh.

In a moment of remembrance, Mark looked down at his skin, cursing yet again at the sight of his scratched up arms. He should honestly just wear gloves at this point. Should invest.

"Hm," Haechan stretched before sitting back down on the floor, "maybe I should be with Yangyang."

Mark scrunched up his face, "oh god no."

Haechan snorted, "ah, what's wrong with that, hm?"

"I deal with you separately, I can't deal with both of you together, it would be like annoying cubed."

Haechan pouted, "heyyyyyyy, I'm not that annoying."

Mark giggled, smiling a bit, "Yeah, you're not."

"Though I can be a bit but like I'm no- OH MY GOD HYUNG YOU HAVE A GUITAR WHY HAVE I NEVER REALISED!?"

Mark looked back at his esteemed black acoustic hanging on his wall, "yeah I do."

"Can you play?" as if his voice didn't scream excitement enough, Haechan looked like he was about to bounce off the wall.

Mark nodded, "of course, why would I have one if I couldn't?"

"I dunno, aesthetic?"

Mark got up, going to take his guitar off the wall, "yeah, I guess some people are weird like that."

"Chenle is weird like that I think."

"It's fine, he's rich, he can afford to be like that," Mark said, sitting back down with the instrument in his lap, "plus he can play piano."

"Ooo that's cool," Haechan beamed, Mark wincing slightly as the burning suddenly worsened.

Haechan's face dropped, "oh, can't smile too big then?"

Mark frowned, "I guess so." Now that definitely upsetted him, because something that got him through his weeks was Haechan's bright smiles, the ones that would come only in his large doses of excitement and happiness that Mark gladly contributed to. He had been doing well at hiding the pain for the past few weeks now, but now he was caught, having to now suffer the consequences of complete devastation of never seeing Haechan's hyperactive smiles.

Haechan picked at his sleeves, "why did you never tell me, I don't want to hurt you more, hyung."

Mark shrugged as he strummed the guitar, "I dunno...guess I didn't want to."

Both boys sat in a warm silence as Mark played, Haechan watching with a soft heart as Mark played 'Blackbird', smiling as Mark quietly sang along.

As he finished, Haechan clapped through the speaker, "you're really talented, hyung."

Mark bit down a smile, his cheeks gradually gaining a deep red colour, "thank you, Haechannie."

"...you didn't hesitate."

"Hm?" Mark looked up from the strings only for Haechan to shake his head.

"Don't worry, just keep playing."

And so he did.