Don't be near Mark/ Markhyuck

Part 33

You might hate me for this chapter 🥰

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Donghyuk is once again at Jeno's house, telling him about his week in New York, talking about what he did and showing pictures. Donghyuck looks happy in many of the photos, and in many he poses with Chenle, as Jisung doesn't like being photographed.

Johnny has also returned for the weekend and is looking at the various photos that the youngest took. Mark occasionally stops by to look at the pictures, but he seems very busy and is constantly receiving calls.

Johnny and Jeno exchange glances when they hear Mark say certain words. But they try not to pay attention to him, seeing how happy Donghyuck seems to be showing them his trip.

"If someone had told me one day that I would be happy to visit the United state, I would never have believed it," Donghyuck laughs.

The two are surprised by his words, but it's not that surprising considering the war and the fact that North Korea lost territory to America in the past.

"Did you learn about the past world wars in Korea?" Jeno asks timidly.

"No," Donghyuck replies. "I just knew that America was a competitor and that we had beaten them, but we also learned that America threatened to attack us again."

Donghyuk seems thoughtful, as if trying to remember that time.

"Just because of that war, we weren't well-placed in the country," Donghyuck says. "The better your family had done heroic acts by helping during the war, the better you were placed, but we were at the bottom because my grandparents had helped America."

"That must have been tough to be ranked low," Johnny says.

"Not really, we were just a little more monitored, but you know, life down there wasn't that horrible either," Donghyuck finally says. "It wasn't easy every day, like everywhere, but with my family we were happy, we had our habits, and there were plenty of things to do."

Johnny and Jeno remain doubtful. How could he have liked being locked up and lied to all his life? How could he have had a good time while being afraid all the time of being arrested?

"I love my country," Donghyuck finally says. "I don't want to say anything bad about it. I didn't live well because we were poor, but in all countries of the world, you don't live well if you're poor."

"That's true," Jeno says. "But didn't it bother you not being able to know what happened outside your country ? Living in fear?"

"I didn't know that there really was an 'outside'. I knew that there was America and another Korea, but I was taught my whole life to hate them, so no, I didn't want to leave. I was thinking that my country did the best for me to make me someone good" 

Donghyuk pauses before continuing.

" We leaved because I was about to be sent to prison," Donghyuck said. "There were no laws about homosexuality because we just didn't know about the concept, as no one talked about it. The idea didn't even come up, but I felt like I was doing something forbidden when I was with my ex-boyfriend."

"So, how did you start questioning it? " Johnny asked.

"I spent a lot of time with another guy," Donghyuck said. "And I don't know, one day it just happened, and we kissed. When I told my parents and my brother, they were skeptical and didn't understand. But I didn't understand either why I was like that. We tought for a time that I was sick but as time past nothing change so they just accept it"

Jeno and Johnny were surprised to hear Donghyuck talk so openly about his past life. It was the second time he had mentioned it to them. So, they listened attentively. They quickly noticed that Donghyuck seemed sad when talking about the other guy.