CLANDESTINE

vingt - neuf

29
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love makes fool
out of all of us.

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the blinding light from all the snapping of camera made him dizzy, it came all at once as they stepped up and sat down, the ceo in the middle, donghyuck at his left and mark at his right. in the back stood their manager.

press conference.

mark never like press conference. he doesn't like the way those reporters fingers fluidly moves on the keyboard, the personal questions thrown by them, the camera snapping their every move. mark found it useless how some of the reporters would ask questions only to twist it inside their article. what's good became a bad thing. what's bad became a good thing. mark doesn't like the fact that the reporters were so desperate for money that they would write anything to attract people to read their articles, even if it meant ruining someone's image.

only minority actually asks real question and write a proper article, one that wasn't fake and exaggerating.

it's usually a press conference for their new album or a project, but now mark was in a press conference to explain himself.

mark can't rely on others now, he can't wait for others to answer the questions and just stand there while stretching a smile in front of the reporters.

it's him who need to answer everything, he would try, he didn't want the reporters to attack donghyuck. from mark's experience, donghyuck was the person that rarely talk in a press conference. donghyuck would just stood while nodding to whatever his members were saying, despite not understanding the process. mark can't say he's fine but he actually come prepared, he wouldn't let the reporters to break down his walls.

donghyuck though, was way too nervous.

he didn't know what to say. donghyuck just pray mentally that the ceo would answer for them because he surely didn't want to open his mouth to feed the reporters some stupid nonsense. donghyuck was kind of regretting not ever paying attention to his other members at how they handle this.

the questions came quickly, from every directions as the reporters were dying to hear the truth behind the 'gay couple' inside the company.

the ceo was relaxed as he answered them one by one, until one question from a particular reporter was directed to donghyuck.

the reporter looked kind of new, and young at that, his face wasn't really known in the industry but the other reporters were grateful as he asked the question. it was also the question they wanted to ask but never got the chance to say it due to the ceo avoiding as many questions as ever.

"i personally don't think that homosexuality fits our country's standards and i'm sure everyone knows that, what makes you think to date someone with the same gender and breaks the standards?"

because i love him and is brave enough to do so.

that's what donghyuck wanted to say but the answer was merely his instincts to fight back, sadly, he doesn't have the courage to do so.

following the question was exclamations from other reporters about how wrong it is to date someone with the same gender, how this kind of behavior will ruin the company, the whole south korea.

"i-i'm sorry,"

donghyuck didn't want to break down in front of the reporters, not with the ceo or mark looking at him. mark had taught him to be strong and donghyuck want to show mark that he can.

"but you can't tell me what to do."

donghyuck knew he was really digging for his own grave as he said that. he saw the sudden furious fingers working on the laptop, obviously twisting his words to some hateful, selfish remarks. donghyuck doesn't care though, if they really want the truth than he's going to give them that.

donghyuck inhaled before lifting his head and met their eyes that were glaring straight to his soul.

"i'm tired of this country's standards. it's only wrong if you're a bit different. yes, i'm also one of the people that was the opposite of the standards that koreans demand. my skin is not pale or bright like the others and my face wasn't as handsome like others but i tried. i tried to fit into this standard just for me to get accepted and i did. my fans support me and i'm thankful for that.

now that i came out as gay, i got hate again. i tried to satisfy all of you with hiding myself from the spotlight but i tried, really. i want to live in this country without being consider as weird and so does those that was in the same boat as me. i don't need you to be good at me, i just want all of you to let me and mark hyung live our life normally. we're all humans, i don't understand the point of hating on another human. that's it."

donghyuck exhaled as he finished, his hands still trembling under the table but it got better, his pupils, though wavering, was strong as he defended his opinion. the hall was suddenly quiet, the reporters having mixed expressions etched on their faces.

donghyuck glanced at the ceo and he smiled warmly at him.

the ceo than cut the conference at once as they walked out from there.

at the backstage, the manager was rolling his eyes secretly, obviously despising donghyuck more than ever but he could care less. the manager can't do any harm at him anymore, donghyuck wouldn't let him do so.

donghyuck went to the bathroom to relieve himself, washing his face before calming his breath. he was so nervous before, he doesn't know where the sudden confidence came from.

a pair of arms then snaked to his waist, mark's eyes was reflecting softly from the mirror.

donghyuck still can't say he forgive mark but when he saw the little sparks inside mark's tired eyes, donghyuck knew mark was proud of him.

you did well.

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so, i need you to vote this time. your votes would determine how the next chapter would turn out so do think properly. i won't be giving any hints on the choice so you need to rely on your intelligence.

[ to love or to be love? ]

- tantan