nct oneshots [2020-2023]

d l t

#days like these<3

[not edited well enough] markhyuck
2022.11.16
playing: fade, jeff satur

donghyuck was beyond grateful and proud of himself to be sitting behind this stage today, wearing his graduation gown and cap. after many long study sessions and lots of stressing and crying over results he has finally made it.

growing up donghyuck was the "naturally smart kid", he was often praised for his intelligence by elders while kids his age admired him. regardless, he never saw himself as the incredibly intelligent type...he could memorize things easily and was a quick learner, but that was it. due to all the talking around him, donghyuck was pressured from a very young age to be the smartest. to always be the top student, the class president and so on. this pressure didn't have any positive effects on donghyuck growing up, if anything, it only made him grow a big fear of failure. he despised trying new things because he couldn't guarantee himself that he would become the best. there was nothing he hated more than seeing the smile on his parents' faces drop whenever asking how an exam went, because of this he became a great liar. lying about things such as grades and status to feelings and beliefs. as the "naturally" intelligent type donghyuck never learned how to properly study either, since he could manage fine with just memorization before but this didn't click in his head until much later on in his academic life.

donghyuck absolutely loved his parents. they have and will always do anything for their kids but donghyuck can't help but feel sad thinking about them. coming from relatively poor families neither one of his parents were well educated. his father is a retired construction site worker and his mum is a retired teacher who is just a stay at home wife now. donghyuck can't thank his parents enough, they gave up their routines and left their entire lives behind just to immigrate to the US to provide better lives for their kids. donghyuck's parents are the strongest people he knows and he will never take them for granted.

donghyck takes a deep breath as he looks around at his mates. their journey was definitely not easy and every day leading up to this point has been challenging. donghyuck can't help but think back to his first couple of semesters, everything was still new and stressful but thinking back, he will probably miss those days. the days were he cried over physics results as if his entire life depended on them. his parents raised a very competitive brat but he's happy he can think back and smile. he wished he had someone that could remind him that there's always a way out and that time can heal almost everything. he tries to not have many regrets in life but the thought of the stressed and overworked donghyuck never failed to make his stomach flip. he felt so sick thinking about how desperate he always is for academic validation.

"haechan-ah" donghyuck hears someone yelling, he snaps out of his thoughts and looks up seeing his friend, seungbin. "I thought you wouldn't be able to make it!" donghyuck says as his face brightens up with joy. seungbin is someone that holds a very special place in donghyucks heart. he has known seungbin for seven to eight years and he is one of the few people donghyuck always turned to whenever he needed a shoulder to cry on.

"surprise! how could I miss your graduation bro" he says which causes donghyuck's smile to grow. "I'm so happy you're here" he says as he walks into seungbin's chest giving him a, well needed and warm hug.

as the ceremony is starting to finish up, donghyuck starts looking around for a group of friends that promised him that they'll be here. donghyuck couldn't help but pout, seungbin had already left due to an emergancy and most of his classmates were just taking pictures while others were getting ready to leave. donghyuck didn't have his phone on him and even if he did have it he wouldn't have been able to take it out of his pockets because of all the bouquets he was holding. "hyuck are you coming?" donghyuck suddenly hears his mum say. he turns around and shakes his head. "I'll stay to take pictures, I'll find a ride home you guys can go on first" he says with a small smile. he watches as his parents nod before starting to take hesitant steps towards the parking lot. he waves goodbye to his brothers as he watches them disappear around the corner. donghyuck sighed in disappointment. he waited all day for his best friend to come but he still hasn't arrived and the clock is ticking...