—

"mark, why don't you take donghyuck up to your room to play video games?" mark's mom suggested.

"o-oh yeah! fun.." mark agreed. he felt himself getting all tense for some reason. "follow me, uh, donghyuck?"

the tanned male nodded.

his eyes were still drawn to the gaming device.

mark quickly clutched his 3ds close to his chest and led donghyuck up the stairs, inviting him into his room.

"you can sit on my bed if you like." he offered, straightening out the blanket that he had left rumpled after crawling out of his bed a few minutes ago.

donghyuck snickered, but then apologized after doing so.

"why are you apologizing?" mark asked, very confused.

"uhh- it's nothing!" donghyuck said, a hint of nervousness evident in his voice.

"was it because i said that you could sit on my bed?" mark quizzed, a smirk forming on his lips.

donghyuck's eyes went wide. "yeah. how did you know?"

"looks like i finally found someone as unholy as i am." the older giggled.

donghyuck laughed. "yup."

the tension between the two lessened after that, and the younger had started to feel somewhat comfortable.

mark tended for his pokemon in the game, feeding them and all that stuff.

"you like pokemon?" donghyuck asked.

"yeah. what about you?"

"i.. never had one of those."

"hm? what do you mean?"

donghyuck shyly gestured towards the 3ds. "that thingy."

"oh! a 3ds?"

"yeah."

mark nodded. so that's why he kept looking at it.

maybe i should let him have a go.

"do you wanna try and play?"

"can i?"

"mhm."

mark felt his heart rate increase when donghyuck smiled. the smile was too cute, and it was brighter than the sun itself.

he handed over his 3ds and watched as the younger tried to operate it's controls.

"how do i scroll?"

"use the joystick right there."

"oh! cool."

mark found it absolutely adorable that donghyuck had no knowledge whatsoever about video games. he liked having someone to teach, it was like having a sibling.

"c-can i take a look at the game store thingy?" donghyuck asked hesitantly.

"of course!"

the canadian seemed to be under some sort of spell, because his usual sheepish grin hadn't gone away.

donghyuck came across a game called animal crossing, and his eyes lit up after seeing how cute it looked.

"oooh! this one looks adorable." he gushed.

mark leaned over and took a look at it, and then took a look at donghyuck.

the younger boy acted as if he had just seen an angel, when in reality, he was the one who looked like one, to mark.

"do you want me to get it for you?"

donghyuck paused. "are you crazy? it costs twenty dollars."

"i'll buy it for you."

"really?"

"yeah, why not?"

before the tanned male could say anything, mark snatched the ds out of his hands and entered his password to buy it.

he handed it back to donghyuck, who was currently confounded.

"thank you, mark."

"no problem."

donghyuck stared at mark with fond eyes, and it made the older flustered.

"just play the game already!" mark coughed, turning the other boy's head towards the gaming device.

"hehe, okay."

—

mark and donghyuck were having a serious conversation about animal crossing as the latter played the game.

"seriously? furniture?" the older laughed. "that game is lame."

"it is NOT lame!" donghyuck huffed. "i like this game!"

"it's boring, what's so interesting about this to you?"

"ah, mark. you're too narrow sighted to see the endless possibilities of my sunflower town."

"tell me what's so great about animal crossing, then."

"well,"

donghyuck chatted avidly about the game, startling mark a little. he had only been playing for an hour yet talked as if he had played the game for years.

"and then you get to visit other towns and see what different players have been up to-"

"alright, enough." mark yawned. "you'll make me fall asleep if you keep going on like this."

"hmph. fine." donghyuck pouted.

"you two seem to be getting along nicely." said a female voice from the crack in the door.

donghyuck looked up. "mooom."

"what? can't i check up on my little sunshine?"

mark choked. "sunshine-"

"shut it, mark." the younger hissed.

"you two are already so close!" mrs. lee exclaimed, squealing for an unknown reason. "i'm glad that my baby hyuckie already made a friend."

she grinned at mark fondly, earning a small smile from him back.

"can you get out, mom?" donghyuck asked politely, still coming off as irritated.

"fine. but i originally came here to tell you that dinner is ready, so come downstairs."

"okay." mark said. he gave her a thumbs up. "we'll be down there in a minute."

mrs. lee nodded and made her way back down to the kitchen.

"sorry for that.." donghyuck mumbled. "my mom is kinda embarrassing."

"really? i think your mom is awesome!"

"pfft. she's always up in my business, that's not awesome."

"it is. my parents are always working and sleeping, they rarely ever have time for me." mark shrugged.

"is that why you play your 3ds so much?"

"kinda. it's also fun but yeah that's mainly why, haha. truth is that there's really no other kids my age in the neighborhood, i don't have anybody i can relate to, you know?"

"you have me." donghyuck giggled, looking up from the screen.

mark laughed. "yep. now i have you."

—

how are you guys liking the book so far? i hope it isn't too bad sksks

don't forget to vote ✨

> jane