FOURTH HOUR.

Mark was able to successfully obtain the lion stuffed toy that his date has been eyeing on. Donghyuck has never felt so flattered in his entire life that someone is making an effort to actually get what he wants. Actually, even if Donghyuck knew that Mark had a keen eye when it comes to shooting, he still could not shake the fact that the latter bothered to get him the stuffed toy. Donghyuck had already insisted that there was no need to do so— yet, Mark wanted to.

Donghyuck felt different just because of the fact that Mark wanted to get him the stuffed toy.

It's as if he couldn't breathe because of this warm feeling.

"I can't believe that a plain lion stuffed toy is able to make you smile like you won the lottery." Mark said as he stared at the guy beside him with that (adorable) grin on his face.

Hugging the stuffed toy tight, Donghyuck also embraced the tingly feeling inside his stomach. "It's not merely because of the stuffed toy."

"Hm? You don't like it then?" Asking that, Mark had his brow raised. "I could have sworn you were jumping when I gave it to you."

"I never said I don't like it." Donghyuck looked at him with the sun hitting his face and highlighting the redness of his cheeks. "It's just that, aside from the plush, you're also making me happy."

Mark had to look away to hide that stupid grin. He never knew it was this rewarding to just give a simple stuffed toy to someone. "You're exaggerating it. It's just a toy."

"It's special because you gave it to me." Giving a tight squeeze to the simple toy, Donghyuck felt the content of receiving it. It's not always that gifts are given to him.

"Then it's fair to say about this bracelet then." Mark said as he lifted an arm out to show the band that was wrapped perfectly around his wrist.

After their business in getting the lion stuffed toy, they decided to stroll around the theme park to pass time. It was at the last minute of their third hour that they found a booth that sells DIY bracelets. It grabbed their attention, mostly Donghyuck's. He wanted to repay the plush that Mark made an effort to get for him.

Who was Mark to say no? A DIY bracelet? How fucking cute.

Mark honestly found it sweet. He didn't know why. This simple bracelet was just cheap and can be made anywhere. Not to mention, Mark had received a lot of gifts more valuable than this kind of bracelet from people who admired him. This wasn't even made out of gold nor silver. It was just a plain, bohemian-style, black string bracelet. But for some reason, Mark found himself being drawn to it.

Was it because of Donghyuck's name written on it by accident because the person behind the booth thought it would be him wearing it?

Or was it special because it's Donghyuck, himself, who gave it to him?

Whatever it is, this was all it took for Mark to completely forgive and forget the fact that his previous date was ruined by this specific person he is with right now.

In fact, Mark saw that as destiny doing its job to lead him to Donghyuck.

Would it be too cliché to think that they might be meant for one another? "Probably."

Donghyuck hummed in a questioning manner, thinking that his date was talking to him about something. "Probably what?"

Shaking his head, Mark would like to keep his thoughts for himself for the meantime. He didn't want to ruin their day just because he caught feelings. "Where do you want to go next?"

"I'm not quite sure." Tapping his chin, Donghyuck began to ponder. "I've been interested in cakes lately."

"Like wanting to bake... Or eat?" Mark asked.

"Both?" Donghyuck chuckled. "I also want to bake."

What a coincidence! Mark held the male's hand to guide him as they would walk to where he had in mind. "I have a friend who owns a bakery."

"Is it with Johnny's group?" Donghyuck questioned. He only knew about that circle.

Well, technically it's that guy's boyfriend. "A friend's boyfriend." Mark told him.

Donghyuck didn't bother asking more about it and decided to go along with the other one's plan. "We won't be disturbing their business, right?"

"I'm pretty sure he won't mind." Mark said with excited steps.

The sight made Donghyuck admire him while being dragged. "Well, as long as we get to bring Mork with us."

"Mork?" Mark paused from his tracks and let out a giggle.

"You're the one who got it for me. I'll name it after you." Donghyuck explained, holding onto Mork tightly with his other free hand.

"Whatever you say, Sunshine." So fucking cute. Mark was crumbling.

Donghyuck was clinging to Mark as he heard that nickname more than a dozen of times already. It never fails to make his heart beat fast and make the butterflies inside his stomach react to it. It sounds so perfect whenever Mark calls him that. It was as if it's made for Mark to call him Sunshine.

Was it only the nickname that's flustering him?

Or was it Mark himself that's making him feel things?

It doesn't matter. What's important right now is the moment they're having right now and how much they are enjoying their date so far. Another thing about the pair is being caught by a group of three who were walking on the sidewalk, seemingly on their way back to the booth.

"Will you look at that." Doyoung stated with a popsicle inside his mouth.

Jungwoo, holding on to his boyfriend's arm, followed to where the male was pointing, cooing at the sight right after. "Seems like they made up."

"Weren't they about to slice each other's throat just hours ago?" Johnny butted in, comparing the pair to how they were acting during the first minutes of their date.

"We didn't have to worry after all." Jungwoo said, taking his eyes away from the pair who were walking opposite from their direction.

"Let's leave them alone." Doyoung agreed, now biting the stick from the popsicle he finished. "We aren't even worrying about where and what the fuck Taeyong and Jaehyun might be doing right now."

"You guys are going back to the booth to clean things up, right?" Turning around, Johnny wanted to help at least by buying snacks for them. "I'll catch up."

"And where are you going, Mister?" Jungwoo asked in a sassy note.

Johnny laughed at how he had already expected his friends to doubt him. But this time around, he would really catch up after. "I'll ask my boyfriend to bake for you guys. I'll bring them to the booth after!"

"Ten!"

Looking up from the counter after his name being called, a smile made its way to his lips to greet the pair back.

Well, he only knew one person from the pair. "Hey, Mark... And company?"

Not finding him familiar, Donghyuck raised a hand to wave and greet out of decency.

Ten smiled at how shy and adorable the boy was. "Hello, I'm Ten."

"Donghyuck." He introduced himself while still clinging to his date.

Mark let the two talk for a while as he scanned his eyes at the desserts behind the glass counter, remembering why they were there in the first place. "Ten, are you busy?"

"Not really. Just customers here and there, but my parents just asked me to watch over the shop." Ten told him, getting keys from the counter upon guessing what these two are here for.

"Great!" Mark then lifted his hand up, alongside his date's as they were still interlocked. "If it's alright, can we borrow the kitchen to bake?"

"Way ahead of you, Mark." Ten said with a laugh, guiding the two to walk behind the counter. He now began to fumble the keys on the door knob.

While the other one was busy, Donghyuck decided to talk to his date while waiting. He had a pout on his lips as he was worried. "I really don't know how to bake. I just thought it would be a nice idea since I'm craving for a cake."

"I also don't know a thing or two about baking or cooking, Sunshine." Mark reassured him by squeezing his hand tight. "Let's learn together."

"I just hope it'll be edible after." Donghyuck cracked a joke to lighten up the mood.

"Let's burn the kitchen together!" Mark exclaimed.

It got Ten concerned as he was the one his parents entrusted the bakery for the meantime to. Luckily, it was just a joke. Well, Ten hoped it was just a joke. He prayed to the heavens that it is.

Being able to open the door to the kitchen, he turned around to the two to interrogate them first. "So, how long have you two been together?"

🌈

"Hey, careful." Donghyuck leaned down from the table as he watched his date place down the second layer of the cake. "Slowly..."

"Lean closer and you'll have your face fall flat on the cake." Mark warned him, handling the pressure on both the younger one's head on his shoulder and the pressure from the responsibility of putting the layer of the care.

Donghyuck pouted his lips when Mark kept on nudging him by his shoulder.

"Sunshine!" Mark whined, not being able to focus.

"Just do your thing! I want to watch." Stubborn and not wanting to stay away from him, Donghyuck wrapped his arms around his date's waist and stuck behind his back. "I'm not doing anything to distract you."

Your whole being is the distraction. Mark wanted to say that out loud, but he still had the right mind to not let his feelings get the best of him.

This moment was too perfect. Mark didn't want to ruin it.

Mark decided to let him be and do his part in making their cake. Donghyuck was able to watch from behind, unknowingly having his arms snake around his date's waist while he was also focused on their cake. They weren't completely given the task to make the cake from scratch. Ten was there to help them mix the ingredients and set the timer to bake. However, they were left there alone the moment their only job was to put the layers together.

The two of them were having a hard time doing so. Thoughts of dropping the layer and messing up the cake keep on bothering them. However, despite the uneasy feeling of finishing their task, they were glad that they're able to have this experience. They were having fun nonetheless.

Squinting his eyes, Mark had his tongue out to put his full focus on placing the came down. He didn't bother minding the warm breath on his neck, the arms wrapped around his waist, and the guy behind him being too dangerously close.

"Holy fuck." Mark cursed under his breath, looking at the younger one behind him with a smile of victory. "Sunshine!"

"Love, we did it!" Donghyuck jumped along, holding on to the male's hands and cheered with him.

It was only a few moments after then did they realize how they were celebrating when they finished the cake.

Love.

Even Donghyuck didn't expect to say that. He never knew that it would roll out from his tongue. The fact that it sounded so casual.

As if he was meant to call Mark that.

"Ehem." Clearing his throat and fixing his glasses for the sake of looking busy, Donghyuck decided to take back what he said a while ago. "Sorry, I got carried away. I got influenced by you calling me names."

Mark crossed his arms with a brow raised, questioning why he was put to blame. "It's suddenly my fault then?"

"I never said it was! It's just that..." Donghyuck bit his lower lip upon not finding a way out of this situation. He just kept on playing with his fingers in hopes for an idea to pop out.

Not making a big deal out of it, Mark decided to lift up the mood. He saw a bowl of frosting that they were yet supposed to use and dipped a finger in there to get a portion of it. With a smirk on his face, Mark had a mischievous plan to wipe it onto Donghyuck's face.

"Hey!" Donghyuck shouted when the frosting was smeared on the tip of his nose.

Mark laughed as he pointed a finger at him. However, he was not let off easily when his date snatched a bag of frosting and smeared a lot onto his cheeks, catching him off guard. "Lee Donghyuck!"

Somehow, hearing his government name sounded wrong. He got used to the nickname. Nonetheless, he knew it was because of their playful moment and it was nothing serious to be worried about.

"Sunshine!" That's more like it. Mark took a step forward as a threat. "Come here."

Donghyuck had already thought ahead and began to run at a fast pace. "Catch me if you can!"

"Get back here!" Mark immediately followed, trying to catch him.

"Bleh! Too slow!" Donghyuck teased.

Having to run out of the kitchen out of adrenaline rush, Donghyuck had to pause from his tracks when he thought of closing the door and locking Mark inside. However, the older one surprised him as he came out of the room rather quickly than expected.

It caused Donghyuck to let out a shriek. "Ahh!"

"You like it messy?" Hugging him tightly, Mark glued their cheeks together so as to smudge the frosting to the other one. "I'll give you a mess!"

"Mark, no!" Donghyuck yelped before a laugh came out of his mouth right after. "It's going to stain my glasses!"

"You started this!" Giving extra torture, Mark's fingers traveled to the male's waist and gave him a tickle.

"No! Hey!" Donghyuck was being a laughing mess with all that's going on. "Mark, stop!"

As he was trying to push Mark away, his eyes darted towards the counter to see if someone was catching them in this situation. Maybe ask for help also because he was dying of laughter.

To his disappointment, Donghyuck was the one who caught a pair doing an act.

"Sunshine?" Mark stopped as he noticed the latter having his attention elsewhere. It didn't take him long to follow where he was looking at with a pained expression.

It was Johnny giving Ten, his boyfriend, a kiss on the lips before leaving while carrying paper bags full of treats and desserts that he promised to bring to his friends at the booth.

For Mark, it wasn't such a surprising sight to see. He knew about the two being a couple. He also did state a while ago that this is his friend's boyfriend's bakery. But for Donghyuck, it was a different story. He was heartbroken, but it would be an exaggeration to say that his world stopped when he saw the two. Nonetheless, he felt a prick on his heart upon having to witness the sight of the two kissing.

Mark may be slow sometimes to read the room, but he was quick to guess that all this time the person that Donghyuck was meant to rent as a date was apparently Johnny.

Did it hurt? Yes.

But compared to Mark, Donghyuck seemed like he had it worse. He had to gently push his date away and move a step back with his head lowered.

"Sunsh—"

Mark wasn't able to check up on him when Donghyuck had to cut him off, and cut their moment. "Will you look at that? Four hours is over."

Snapped his head towards the clock by the front door, Mark had his eyes widened. He wasn't keeping track of time and even if he was, he completely forgot about being rented to be a boyfriend.

Everything they were doing felt so genuine, it felt real.

For Mark, that is.

"Are you leaving?" He asked, seeing that the latter took napkins from the counter and wiped his cheeks and nose with it.

"Donghyuck?" The person managing the bakery approached the two, sensing something odd between them. "Are you guys done with the cake?"

Forcing out a smile, a bitter one, Donghyuck gathered all the courage he had to look at the person who he never knew was the lover of who he liked ever since. "I'll leave it to Mark. We have already finished most of it."

"But we still need to—" Once again, Mark wasn't able to finish his sentence.

"You can take it home. I'm not hungry for it anymore." Donghyuck was more desperate to leave the place. "If you will excuse me."

"Wait, Donghyuck!" Mark called out.

It stopped him by the front door, the said male turning around to give him one last look. "Happy Valentine's, Mark."

With that, Mark could only watch him leave the shop with heavy steps. He had the urge to run after him and have him cry to his embrace. He wanted the latter to rant and just let his feelings out. Mark wanted to be the one to listen to how hurt he is.

But he couldn't move. His feet was glued to the ground.

Mark, too, had something to process inside his head.

He just didn't know what to begin thinking. Should it be how it's Johnny that Donghyuck liked?

Or should it be how four hours ended in just a blink of an eye?

— to be continued