𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐥𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐞𝐞𝐤𝐞𝐫 || 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐡𝐲𝐮𝐜𝐤

Seventeen

“Oi, Mark.”

“Hmmrrpgf?”

“You have this really dumb smile on your face. Like all the time recently.”

“Mrrppff—what?” Mark replied through a mouthful of turkey drumstick.

Five pair of eyes stared down at him at his attempted to wash it all away with pumpkin juice, only to have it dribble out of his mouth because he was apparently too distracted to focus.

“You looking forward to something, buddy?” Jungwoo asked.

“What? No,” Mark tried to keep his voice straight. “W-what makes you say that?”

“You’re all jumpy lately,” Taeyong pointed out. “Like a bunny who can’t keep still.”

“Something on your mind lately, Mark?” Doyoung asked as he conservatively sipped his goblet of tea.

“I’m always like this,” Mark said as naturally as he could. He tried to steal glances at the one person who understood his predicament, but Nakamoto Yuta, true to his words, was avoiding eye contact with him and genuinely appeared as if he knew nothing.

“Whatever you say, honey,” Taeil comment, daintily slicing his chicken breast. “If OWL stress is getting to you or anything, let us know. We can try and help.”

“Speaking of which, he asked me for help the other day,” Doyoung announced suddenly. Mark gulped nervously. “He asked for my Polyjuice Potion cause he said someone told him it would be a huge part of OWLs for his year.”

Taeyong snorted. “That sounds…weird. You sure he didn’t use it to sneak into the girls’ dormitory at night?”

Jungwoo furrowed his eyebrows in deep confusion. “Why. On. Earth. Would anyone ever want to do that?”

“Taeyong, you sound like my grandfather,” Doyoung laughed lightly. “So old fashioned.”

“I didn’t do anything!” Mark said firmly, confidently.

“Calm down, we’re just teasing you,” Taeil reassured. “You’re a good boy. We know. Besides, even if you took it, Doyoung would know when he sees his vat.”

“Oh yeah…I should check on that,” Doyoung nodded.

“I gotta go,” Mark said suddenly, straightening up at once.

“Whoa, whoa what’s the hurry?” said Yuta. “Aren’t you gonna stay for dessert?”

“I’m good,” Mark replied, brushing off his ropes and straightening his tie. “I need to meet some of the Quidditch guys to discuss our plans for next game. I’ll catch up to guys later.”

“Sounds good buddy,” Taeyong grinned, patting Mark's lower back. “Try to keep your head on shoulders aight?”

Mark nodded and quickly rushed out of the dinner hall, feeling alleviated from the conversation that was somehow quickly becoming interrogative. He rushed through the corridors with nimble feet, brushing by students and running up and down stairs, focused on his destination.

Because of course, he wasn’t just making things up, he did actually have someone to meet up with.

Just, probably not who they were thinking.

Heart pounding his chest, Mark felt his steps quicken despite himself, more than eager to reach the empty classroom that was to be their first daytime meeting place.

At last he arrived, a slightly obscure, small room where rarely any classes took place, hidden away in a corridor that was barely trespassed by any. Checking that the coast was clear, Mark quickly slipped through, the anticipating smile already creeping onto his face.

To his surprise, the room was completely empty, with not a person to be seen. He glanced this way and that, but there wasn’t another shadow in sight.

Did I just get duped? Mark though incredulously.

Suddenly, he felt a pair of firm hands slip over and clasp his eyes in an extremely familiar way.

“You know. For a Quidditch player, your sense of awareness is terrible,” the reassuring, uplifting voice whispered almost right next to his ear.

Mark pulled himself free of the hands and turned to see what was definitely a sight for sore eyes. Lee Donghyuck was standing before him, looking so neat and primp with his green tie. Donghyuck was smiling brightly with a slight twinkle in his eyes as he looked up towards Mark.
Mark's breath hitched in his throat when he realized they were truly alone. What are we gonna do next?

But he didn’t have time to think, as Donghyuck suddenly looped his arms around Mark's neck, pulling him closer. Mark's eyes became half-lidded for a moment despite himself, drawn towards Donghyuck's boldness.

“Took you long enough,” Donghyuck said softly. “I hope you weren’t making me wait on purpose.”

“Of course not,” Mark replied. His hands were already running up Donghyuck's side and resting on his waist before he himself realized it. “I practically ran here.”

“Was anyone suspicious of you?”

“Not yet.” I think.