"Here are my notes for the lessons in senior year." Stopping by the front gate of his alma mater, Johnny passed the notes that he had left and wasn't able to throw away when he had to clean his room. He felt like it could be a big help to his friend over here.

His friend that's looking like something is bothering him big time.

"Dude, what's wrong with you?" Johnny had to ask. He was genuinely worried. "You've been acting like that since your date ended on Valentine's Day."

All Mark could muster up was the question, "Did you know?"

There was not enough context for Johnny to understand that. "Know about what?"

"Did you know that Donghyuck liked you?"

"Damn." Johnny gulped from his place out of being nervous. He may have not known that, but someone gave him an idea about it. "Looks like Doyoung was right after all."

Mark had his brows furrowed in a confused manner. "You didn't know? Even when he was obvious about it?"

"I really had no clue. Doyoung did tell me that it looked like he wanted to have me as his boyfriend that day." Johnny said with full honesty. "But I just thought he was joking about it."

"He ran away when he saw you and Ten at the bakery." Mark told him.

"Oh..." Trailing away from his sentence, Johnny was left speechless for quite some time before giving the younger one his thoughts about it. "But you know why I was never bothered by what Doyoung said? It's because of how Donghyuck looks at you."

"Me?" Tilting his head to the side, Mark only then realized. "Wait, you guys were following us?"

"We were, but we lost you guys so we decided to not bother anymore." Johnny began to explain. "We saw you again when we were making our way back to the booth and if we didn't know you, we'd think you two are in a relationship."

"Johnny, what's taking you so long—" Another one from their circle of friends arrived at the scene, seemingly making their way to their university at this hour. "Oh, Mark, how are you with your boyfriend?"

"Yuta, what boyfriend?" Mark greeted him with a question.

"That guy over there, that's your boyfriend, right?" Yuta said as he pointed a finger towards a direction where there's a pair studying together while making their way inside the building.

Mark followed where his friend was pointing and coincidentally, this so-called boyfriend of his locked gazes with him. The latter gave him a small smile to acknowledge his presence before going back to discussing a lesson to his classmate that is with him. Mark had that whipped expression on his face as he stared at the pair for quite some time before turning back to his friends that are waiting by the front gates.

"Yuta, don't say that." Johnny elbowed the friend that was standing right next to him. "I bet Mark hasn't confessed yet."

"No, but I can still call him mine, can't I? He technically is." Mark told them, accepting the term boyfriend.

"Did you ask him out?" Johnny asked, raising a brow at him.

Folding his arms across his chest, Yuta joined in pressuring their younger friend. "Did you formally agree to be official?"

To answer all that question, "No, But!" Mark had to defend himself. "I did rent him again for another four hours the day after Valentine's. We talked... And talked more."

Both the college friends stared at each other with a look of disbelief before letting out a depressing sigh. They both pitied how hopeless their friend is.

Stressing out and having to pinch the bridge of his nose, Johnny exaggerated his reaction. "Gosh, where is Doyoung when we need him here to explain this to you?"

"Renting someone if far from asking them out, Mark." Yuta argued.

"In a sense... They're the same?" Doubtful in the tone of his voice, Mark stared at them with an unsure expression. "Metaphorically?"

"We are not Shakespeare!" Johnny exclaimed.

"Be a basic dude for once and just ask him out like a normal person would." Yuta told him, equally stressed.

Bringing out the inner little brother in him, Mark began to whine and throw tantrums in his spot. "I don't know how to set the right timing for it! I actually thought it was clear that I wanted him to be mine."

"This is where misunderstanding starts." Yuta said, making a point. "You guys assume that you're together, but once one gets jealous, the other will deny and say you aren't together."

"Listen to him." Johnny nodded his head aggressively in agreement. "All of his advice always comes from being rejected."

Yuta clicked his tongue as he gave his friend a light punch on the arm. "That's foul, Dickhead."

Johnny could only laugh at his reaction, purposely teasing him. He then went back to their younger friend. "As I was saying, say the right words and make it clear to him that you two are dating."

Mark was skeptical to follow their advice and he knew better than to trust their words. These two are only good at playing around and causing trouble. Who knows if they're being serious about this one.

But a desperate problem calls for a desperate solution. Mark had no choice. "How?"

"You're lucky!" Johnny exclaimed, throwing an arm around the younger one's shoulder. "That's our forte."

Yuta followed, joining them with a mischievous grin. "We definitely are the best people to talk about that!"

No, they aren't.

In fact, they probably are the worst.

🌈

Renjun was the last one to arrive at the cafeteria along with his boyfriend, Lucas, who waited for him outside his room just so they could walk together. Upon arriving at the cafeteria and towards their usual table, he slammed his books down with frustration. He was having a hard time maintaining his studies as he's been feeling tired as time passes by. As if he was burnt out from always having the same routine of studying and studying all over again.

However, the mental pressure Renjun is feeling lately went away upon seeing his other friend sipping his tea.

Where did Chenle even get to buy tea at the cafeteria?

"What's wrong with you?" Renjun asked, sitting next to his boyfriend who's jotting down their order for lunch.

Chenle placed the cup of tea down and turned to his friend who arrived at the cafeteria last. "This is corruption!"

Jisung heaved a tired sigh as he decided to let his boyfriend do whatever he wanted to do, and let him assume whatever he wanted to think. He has been explaining for the nth time about Mark's and Donghyuck's situation and his boyfriend still doesn't get a thing or two about it. Or rather, he refuses to listen to him.

"Where's the justice?!" Jaemin involved himself in their conversation as he was also drinking tea alongside his other friend. "Mark keeps on renting Donghyuck."

"But he doesn't pay a single penny!" Chenle exclaimed with pure frustration. It seems like he's serious about his agenda for the day. "This is business we are talking about."

Together with Jisung, Jeno also let his boyfriend act out whatever role play they decided to do. He was also tired of explaining. Anyway, it's just a harmless antic that these two are going on about.

"Where did you buy tea? I also want to join." Lucas asked, interested in what they were on.

"No, you are not joining them." Renjun stopped his boyfriend from also spreading gossip around. He then let out a sigh of disbelief upon realizing what his friends were bothered about. "You two take it too seriously. Mark is not literally renting him."

"Le, sit down." Jisung held his boyfriend's wrist to prevent him from causing a riot inside the cafeteria.

"This is a serious matter, of course we should take this seriously!" Jaemin, too, wanted to flip the tables and cause a commotion, but he had Jeno to stop him but getting himself reprimanded.

"Donghyuck." Renjun turned to the subject of their topic who's eating his lunch quietly and enjoying his view of his friends losing their shit. "You don't happen to think like Chenle and Jaemin, do you?"

Donghyuck was only finding entertainment in confusing his friends, but he knew the humor behind Mark always renting him out. "I'm not dumb"

"Okay, Shakespeare Lee." Jaemin rolled his eyes at how that statement offended him.

"Whatever, Mister Einstein." Composing down on his seat, Chenle also had the same look as his other partner in crime.

To defend his boyfriend at least this much, Jisung wanted to make a point. "But Mark hasn't asked you out officially."

Jeno also agreed, knowing that it was the point his boyfriend also tried to make. "I guess renting is equivalent to hanging out."

Because that's how it should actually mean. Donghyuck didn't know why his friends are making a big deal about something that only he and Mark understands. It's not like he was also in a hurry to get into a relationship immediately after finding a potential other half.

"Are you not confused about what you two are?" Lucas asked, being able to get the tea after begging Chenle about it.

"Well... We're getting there." Donghyuck simply answered.

"How hard is it to just... normally ask you out?" Once more, Lucas asked while sipping his tea.

Their eyes then darted towards the male who's now being in the spotlight. Donghyuck didn't expect being interrogated like this on a random lunch break.

"We are together." Donghyuck paused for a moment before giving them an unsure grin. "Metaphorically."

"That's it." Chenle threw his hands up in a defeated manner.

"Books ate him." Jaemin commented, judging his friend's outlook on life.

Donghyuck laughed at his friends' reaction, not taking it personally as he knew well that everyone has their own preferences in their relationship. What works for him and Mark might not work for others, and that's just how life is.

He just hopes that Mark sees it the same way.

Speaking of him, Donghyuck hasn't seen the latter ever since he caught him this morning by the front gates talking to his friends. Donghyuck was a little bit worried as to where he could be during this hour.

"Hey, isn't that Johnny?"

Donghyuck snapped his head up to where his friends were pointing at, noticing a familiar face getting inside the cafeteria. As much as he wanted to ask why the guy had so much time in his hands to be visiting his previous school, Donghyuck was more worried as to why Johnny looked in distress.

Anxiety was slowly taking over with the thought that it might have something to do with Mark.

It's not helping that the first thing Johnny had to ask everyone was, "Has anyone seen Mark?!"

Donghyuck locked gazes with the guy that's causing a scene before the other one had to look away and continue his act.

"Mark Lee, you got me!" Johnny would glance at a specific direction from time to time. "Stop hiding!"

With the mention of the name, everyone at this table turned their heads towards Donghyuck. They knew he'd be more affected by it.

"Hey, didn't you meet up with Mark before coming here?" Renjun asked, getting worried.

"Holy shit!" With his dramatic ass, Jaemin began to cover his head with his hands. "This love story is slowly turning into a murder mystery."

"That's too much." Jisung told his friend, but was also thinking twice about it.

"But how serious is it that his friend in college has to come back here to look for him?" Jeno questioned the group.

"Fuck, I might not be able to sleep well tonight." Lucas hugged himself as he felt shivers down his spine.

"Giving out opinions will not help the situation!" Chenle exclaimed at them.

Ruffling his hair and messing it up, Renjun was stressed out that they might be involved if this was going to lead to a missing student. "Donghyuck!"

"I..." Trembling on his seat, Donghyuck wasn't in his right mind to say anything. "I don't—"

"There's a student trying to jump off the building!"

Johnny exchanged glances towards the student that barged inside the cafeteria to continue the drama. He then sneakily did a thumbs-up to give out a signal that things are now prepared and ready. Just as Johnny was about to go to a specific table, the person that he had a purpose with immediately stood up and rushed out of the cafeteria.

It took Johnny some time to think before bursting into laughter and stopping the others from following and leaving the area. He was still cracking up and had everyone look at him with a puzzled gaze.

"Don't panic everyone," Wiping the tears from his eyes, Johnny had to take deep breaths in order to stop himself from laughing. "A friend of mine is just going to confess in a... let's say, quite a stupid way."

"What the fuck, Mark Lee!"

Arriving outside the building, Donghyuck was panting and catching air as he had to run a marathon in order to get here as fast as possible. He was then greeted with a sight of a certain someone standing at the edge of the rooftop, holding the railings to support himself.

"Lee Donghyuck!" Mark saw him amongst the crowd, wanting to get excited but was at the same time worried and concerned that one wrong step and he'd actually jump off.

Behind him was Yuta crouching, using his weight to pull down the rope that's wrapped around his friend's waist. "Are you ready?"

"Nah, Dude, I think this is a bad idea." Seeing how high up they were, it snapped Mark back to reality and only realized how stupid this plan is.

Yuta could only reassure him with a nervous laugh. "Just so you know, Johnny started this."

"You agreed with him!" Mark argued.

"And you willingly went with our plan!" Yuta clapped back at him.

"Mark, get down from there!"

Mark's eyes scanned the area and found Donghyuck looking worried. He had to bite his lower lip to prevent himself from saying something to ruin the plan that they started. This was hard to back out as they have already caught a lot of attention from everyone.

"Dumbass, your script!" Yuta began to complain, feeling tired from pulling the rope to keep his friend safe.

Gulping, Mark started to say his line. "Sunshine, listen carefully!"

It was moments after that Johnny was able to catch up to the rooftop and help his other friend in pulling the rope. While doing so, Johnny had to ask. "Did he confess already?"

"Will I still be pulling if he did?" Yuta whined.

"What's my next line?!" Mark panicked, forgetting all the words he had practice before being in this situation.

"You idiot! Come down here and we can always talk about whatever problem you are facing right now!"

"Uhh..." Looking around frantically, Johnny was hoping he could find answers from the empty rooftop they were in. "Ask him out!"

"Just say whatever is on your mind!" Yuta told him, already screaming at this point.

"Donghyuck!" Mark finally began. "I have something to say!"

"Yes, go on!" Johnny encouraged, wanting to get this over with.

"Say it, hurry!" Yuta had the urge to let go of the rope and give his hands a rest. This friend of his was taking all the time in the world.

Both of them prayed to the heavens above that their friend knew what to say and end this confession on a good note.

They begged the Gods above that they won't be hearing Mark next time that he's in a relationship metaphorically.

"Lee Donghyuck, can I rent you for the rest of my life?!"

the end.