Mark twirled a lock of Donghyuck's hair between his fingers absently while the younger leaned back into his lap.

They had spent most of the day just lazing about and watching tv while they talked.

After a while, they settled into a comfortable silence and Mark was content.

"Donghyuck?"

"Hmm?"

"What do you have planned for tomorrow? It's New Year's Eve"

Mark looked down when he felt Donghyuck's head tilt back and searched those beautiful eyes that were staring up at him questioningly.

"I don't know. What do you have planned?"

Mark could hear the hesitation in Donghyuck's voice and it made him bite his lip in guilt before he responded, "Johnny and Jaehyun are coming over"

He could feel Donghyuck tense up and watched as the boy turned his head away while a soft "oh" escaped his lips.

"I'm sorry. It's a tradition. You know how much I want to spend it with you. Even if I told them not to come, Jaehyun would show up unannounced"

Donghyuck brought his arm up and Mark closed his eyes as Donghyuck's hand caressed his cheek reassuringly,

"It's okay, I understand. Plus, I think Jeno invited us to a party at his house"

Mark went back to fiddling with a lock of Donghyuck's hair and sighed quietly. He was worried that Donghyuck would get mad at him, but he realized that, once again, Donghyuck had his mature moments.

Mark knew that quiet "oh" was disappointment, but there wasn't much he could do about it.

"Can we get some food? I feel like my stomach is going to eat itself"

Mark chuckled, "We just ate"

"That was two hours ago and it was a light snack. So, let's get some food. I mean, unless I can have you for dinner?"

Mark gasped as Donghyuck grasped the back of his neck and brought Mark's lips to his own. When Donghyuck let him pull away, Mark flicked him in the nose,

"You're a little shit. Let's go get some food"

Mark watched Donghyuck rub his nose while pouting and pushed him off the couch playfully. They slipped on their shoes, grabbed their jackets, and headed out of the apartment to find some food before Mark had to drop Donghyuck off.

~

Renjun showed up around seven the next night to pick Serim and Donghyuck up. His grandfather let him borrow the car once again with the promise that Renjun wouldn't drive if it got too late. 

Donghyuck sat in the backseat and texted Mark as they headed towards Jeno's house.

Donghyuck: hey, we're heading to Jeno's place now.

Mark: Okay, be careful. Don't get in any fights

Donghyuck: I'll try, depends on that bastard. what are you doing?

Mark: Trying to remember why I have friends. I'm being subjected to greasy Mexican food and a bunch of B movies.

Donghyuck: lol sounds like fun

Mark: Loads

Donghyuck slid his phone in his pocket and looked out the window. He was jealous. He was jealous that he wasn't the one spending New Year's Eve with Mark.

Even though it was irrational, he wanted to monopolize all of Mark's time. Donghyuck knew in his head that Mark had other people in his life and he couldn't just make Mark forgo a tradition between him and his friends, just because Donghyuck was being selfish.

Donghyuck knew all of this, especially the fact that one of those friends was Donghyuck's principle.

It was imperative that their relationship be hidden until Donghyuck was, at least, nineteen. Despite knowing all of this, Donghyuck couldn't help but be disappointed.

When they finally arrived, Donghyuck trailed behind as Renjun and Serim approached the front door. He watched Jeno greet Serim before giving a broad smile to Renjun, who in turn blushed.

Jeno didn't even wait for Donghyuck to get to the front door before leading Renjun in with an arm wrapped around his waist.

Donghyuck took deep breath and entered the house, which was housing a fairly large crowd already.

~

Renjun could feel his face turning red as Jeno smiled at him after greeting Serim. It was so different to have someone actually excited to see him and so happy for his presence. It was different, but it was refreshing.

Sure, Donghyuck and Serim cared for him and liked to be around him, but they were childhood friends. It was a given. However, Jeno was someone who had no obligation to even interact with Renjun, yet here he is with a smile and a gentle touch.

Renjun had been floating on cloud nine for the past couple of weeks. Jeno would take him out on dates on the weekends and hangout with him after school.

Despite his social status in school and his normal demeanor, Jeno was surprisingly sweet and thoughtful. Renjun was sure that he was the only one who got to witness this side of Jeno and it made him happy beyond belief.

Jeno's voice brought Renjun out of his thoughts,

"What's wrong with Donghyuck? He seems to be in a bad mood"

Renjun sighed and looked back at Donghyuck briefly,

"I don't know. He has been really quiet since I picked him up. He keeps staring at his phone and sighing"

Jeno rose an eyebrow and glanced at Donghyuck again, "Sounds like he's got a crush. Sure as hell isn't a girl"

Renjun jabbed Jeno in the side, which got him an apology, and pressed his lips together in thought.

'Donghyuck has been leaving his apartment a lot lately. Not to mention, he's always on his phone. But who could he be talking to? I haven't seen him with anyone else besides me and Serim. Maybe I'll ask him about it later.'

Renjun shrugged his shoulders once again and looked at Jeno,

"Who knows. Just try not to pick a fight with him, okay?"

Jeno wrapped his arms around Renjun, bringing him into a hug, "I won't. I promise"

Renjun smiled and hugged Jeno back, resting his head on Jeno's chest, "Thank you"

~~~

"Maaark! Bring the wine and glasses when you get done!"

Mark finished wiping off the plates before he put them up into the cupboard and grabbed three wine glasses along with the bottle of wine Johnny had brought with him.

"Jaehyun, whose place do you think you're at? Don't think you can order me around like you do Captain America over there"

Mark smirked as Jaehyun cackled at Johnny's blush of embarrassment. That nickname has been following him since high school and Mark would never let him live it down.

He set the wine glasses down on their respective coasters and put the wine bottle down on the table before sitting back down on the couch. It was a quarter till midnight and they had the news on to watch the ball in New York City drop on tv.

"So, Mark,"

Mark groaned as he saw Jaehyun's demeanor change to the one that indicated he was brimming with curiosity.

"Johnny says you seem to be in a better mood lately. What gives? Don't hold back information from me"

Mark glared at Johnny, who just held his hands up in defense, "I can't just be in a better mood?"

Jaehyun clicked his tongue and shook his head, "No no, I've known you for far too long for that to be an acceptable reason"

Mark shrugged and sat back, resting his arms on the back of the couch before crossing his legs, "That's the only reason you're going to get"

Jaehyun furrowed his brows and began complaining to Johnny about how unfair Mark was being to which Johnny tried to reassure him that Mark has always been like that and he shouldn't have expected anything different.

Mark tuned the both of them out as he thought about the one person he wanted to be here but wasn't.

Donghyuck had been texting him off and on since leaving for Jeno's party. Mark could tell that Donghyuck was sulking a little, because he mostly complained about how much Jeno sucks and that the party was boring.

Eventually texts from Donghyuck stopped for a while and Mark could only assume that he was finally trying to have fun.

Even though Mark was happy that Donghyuck stopped sulking, it made Mark feel a little lonely.

His thoughts were interrupted by his phone buzzing in his pocket. He pulled it out and swiped the screen to unlock it.

Donghyuck: sorry I stopped texting, Jeno challenged me to an arm wrestling contest and then it turned into this competition or whatever

Mark: It's okay. Did you win?

Donghyuck: hell yeah I won. what are you doing?

Mark: Listening to incessant babbling and watching tv

Donghyuck: sounds fun, lol. are you going to watch the ball drop? Jeno's got it on this 90" tv, you should see it, it's huge.

Mark: Loads of fun, always. Yeah, we've got it on the tv right now.

Donghyuck: that's cool. i wish I could see it with you :(

Mark looked at his phone with his fingers hovering over the screen while he tried to think of a reply.

He missed Donghyuck. He craved Donghyuck's presence like the shore craves the ocean's touch as it waits for the tide.

Mark had never felt this achingly empty feeling in his chest before meeting Donghyuck. He had never thought he could crave someone so much that he felt the physical effects of being deprived of that person's presence.

Last but certainly not least, he never knew he could fall for someone so quickly and easily. Donghyuck's soul was warmth that Mark never knew he needed and he decided that he didn't ever want to be without it.

"Mark, four more minutes until midnight!"

Mark glanced at the tv and then back at his phone before typing a reply.

Mark: Go somewhere quiet.

Mark waited for Donghyuck's reply and started shaking his leg in nervousness that Donghyuck wouldn't see his text in time. A buzz of his phone caused a tightening in his chest.

Donghyuck: ok, done

Mark got up from the couch and pocketed his phone, "I'm going to the bathroom"

"Aw, you're going to miss the ball dropping!"

Mark began walking to his bedroom and called out over his shoulder, "I'd rather not shit on myself just to watch a big ball drop, gross"

He heard Jaehyun laugh and closed the door to his bedroom behind him, pulling his phone out in the process.

He went to his contacts and selected Donghyuck's name before pressing call. He listened as the phone rang, his heart pounding relentlessly against his ribs.

"Hello?"

Mark could hear the confusion in Donghyuck's voice.

"Hey,"

"Mark, is something wrong?"

"Not at all, why would there be?"

Mark listened as Jaehyun counted down in the living room. TEN, NINE, EIGHT, SEVEN...

Mark could practically hear Donghyuck's shrug as he spoke up, "I don't know. You texted me and told me to go somewhere quiet-"

"Shh, be quiet"

FOUR.

"Okay"

THREE.

"Hey, Donghyuck."

TWO.

"Hm?"

ONE.

"Happy New Year"

Mark could hear the intake of breath and the grin in Donghyuck's voice,

"Happy New Year to you too, Mark"

Yeah, this was something he could get used to. Hearing Donghyuck's voice, listening to Donghyuck's heartbeat as Mark rested his head on the boy's chest, watching him blush after teasing him for being overzealous.

Mark was being pulled into the ocean by the tide that consisted of a certain bright-eyed being and he didn't mind if he drowned.