Mark didn't need an alarm clock to wake him up, his excitement gave him more than enough energy for the morning. However, he purposely didn't get up immediately. He already had it pinned inside his head that he shared this apartment with someone else. The last time he was being strange on a Monday morning, Jeno called him a weirdo for acting like he traveled back in time.

He wasn't wrong.

But enough with that. Mark has his priorities straight with another thing. "Fuck. I just can't stop thinking about it."

Why did Donghyuck's lips have to be soft?

Why did he have to be cute?

No, why did Donghyuck have to be the way he is? Mark can't help but be addicted to his whole being.

"Ahh! It's making me go crazy!" Wrapping himself with his duvet, Mark squealed as he was tossing his feet up and turning back and forth on his bed before stopping a moment after, facing the window which showed the sun rising. "I'm too old to be fawning over this."

Too old?

"I'm the teenage Mark Lee now!" He continued his routine of tossing and turning on his bed with the realization that he went back to being young. "Wasn't I so cool back there?"

It's official, he's crazy.

"Say it again after I kiss you." Mark mimicked how deep his voice went before letting out a scream as a reaction to his own self. "I can't believe it, I still got the rizz!"

So much for not wanting to be loud and strange in the morning. He might as well just shout to the whole neighborhood about his feelings.

And because he wasn't being discreet, and most especially quiet, someone barged inside his room. Mark was so busy being in his own bubble that he wasn't even aware of the person that was crouching right next to his bed with eyes squinting from the light, hair disheveled, and pajamas wrinkled from laying down for too long.

Not until he calmed down and had to stop tossing and turning, facing the door this time.

"Ahh, Jesus Christ, Lee Jeno!" It was then that he realized his friend being inside his room, startling Mark for suddenly appearing out of nowhere.

"Amen." Jeno was too tired to react and match his friend's energy.

Sitting up still wrapped like burrito, Mark scooted far across the edge of his bed. "What are you doing here?"

"Why are you being loud in the morning?" Jeno retorted with a question.

Mark then pointed a finger at himself. "I... I was loud?"

"I... I don't know?" Jeno mocked him before standing up with a judgmental expression, still looking like a mess in his pajamas. "If the neighbors are going to send complaints to the landlord, we are done with. We are sleeping in the streets, Mark Lee."

The said male only gave him a sheepish smile, being apologetic towards his actions.

"What got you worked up this early?" Finally asking the question, Jeno stretched his arms up in the air before continuing, "It didn't seem like you ended the day great with Ko Eun yesterday."

Mark was tired having this conversation over and over again. "Jeno, not everything about Ko Eun is about me." He had enough of the misunderstanding between them. "I don't like her that way."

That was all it took to wake Jeno up. "What do you mean you don't like her that way? You just let the whole class tease you yet you don't like her?"

"It just has to happen, okay?" It was an occurrence that Mark had no control of. He was afraid he might change something if he meddled with it. "You won't understand, but still, please try to understand."

It's too early for Jeno to use his head, he just agreed on whatever. "If you didn't like her you should have told me. Now I look stupid for pushing you towards her."

Shrugging his shoulders, Mark removed the duvet that was wrapping around him and decided to prepare for the morning now that his friend was already awake.

Well, Jeno was too awake. "So who do you like, then?" He now had the energy to pester him.

"I don't like anyone." An obvious lie, but this wasn't the right time to tell Jeno about his feelings towards this person who's making him go crazy.

Even so, Jeno wasn't going to stop until he gets the answer out from his friend's mouth. "Mark Lee, who is it?"

"I'll take a bath, Jeno!"

"I'm eating your breakfast if you don't tell me!"

"Choke on it!"

🕙

So much for having a good morning. When they arrived at the campus, they coincidentally bumped into the couple that never fails to send chills down Mark's spine. Just when things were starting to get better, it was another slap in the face to be reminded that he still has to go through a phase where his husband is, quote unquote, someone else's boyfriend. It was even hard to get mad at their relationship when Lucas is treating Donghyuck well. It would have been easier to hate if one of them is an asshole.

On the bright side, at least Mark and Donghyuck exchanged smiles upon meeting. It was enough to know that his presence was appreciated.

Mark actually thought it'll be another one time thing for them. Nothing much really happened after the kiss, aside from the both of them being flustered about it. After treating the wound, the nurse came in time to talk to Donghyuck about his injury before dismissing the two. Mark escorted him back to the field but had made himself clear that he didn't want the latter to join practice. Though, things got awkward when he went back to Ko Eun. Out of decency, he explained the situation to her and told her about Donghyuck being injured just for the sake of keeping their conversation alive.

But Jeno was right when he said that they didn't end the day great. Mark could tell from the girl's mood that she was preoccupied with her thoughts, but he didn't bother asking.

It was never going to work out anyway.

"Mark!" A hand being slammed on his desk made the said male flinch from his seat. It was just Jeno being his annoying self. "How many times do I have to remind you not to go after someone else's boyfriend?"

It took Mark some time to be confused about what on earth his friend is talking about before looking down to his notebook and seeing that he was writing a name over and over again while getting lost in his thoughts just a while ago.

"You better sleep with one eye open, Jeno." Mark threatened. "You're going to wake up with your mouth stapled."

Bringing his chair closer to the other, Jeno stared straight into his friend's eyes. "Bestie, I'm going to hold your hand while I say this."

"Jeno!" Mark found it more of an obstacle to handle his friend than handling his relationship. It completely went out of his mind about how irritating this friend of his is. He completely grew up to a mature man that Mark forgot how troublesome his friend is during his teenage years.

"I'm being serious! He has a boyfriend, Mark Lee." Even if Jeno did have a point and he was only concerned about the situation, but this is a different kind of Mark that he's talking to. "If you don't like Ko Eun, okay, let's forget about it. You don't have to be this desperate to find someone else."

Clicking his tongue, Mark sank to his chair. "I'm not desperate."

"Listen, it's okay. You're going to grow up single, and so what?" Jeno did hold his hand, showing him how dedicated he was in giving comfort. "I'm going to get married and you can live with me, hmm? You can stick with me forever if that's what you want."

The statement sounded so absurd that Mark couldn't help but flick his friend's forehead really hard.

"Ahh! That hurt!" Jeno began to whine.

While the two were quarreling on their seats, someone from rows ahead stood up and made his way towards them with a compilation of papers in hand. The student was nearing towards them and that's when the two only noticed. Jeno was quick to sit properly and took whatever book he could first grab. He even had time to fix his hair. Though, the red mark on his forehead was still evident.

Mark showed an expression of disbelief when he saw how his friend became obedient all of a sudden before clearing his throat and entertaining the person who's now standing right across from him. "Renjun, may I help you?"

"Mark, I was supposed to pass this later, but something came up and I need to go home early." Handing him over the papers, the Chinese transfer student gave him his most adorable smile. "Can you drop by the office later?"

Without any complaint, Mark took it with a nod. "I'll make sure to do so."

"Thank you!" Renjun was about to leave, but someone in his peripheral view caught his attention. "Jeno?"

Screaming, crying, and banging his head internally, Jeno managed to stay calm on the outside. "What is it?"

Renjun let out a playful laugh upon taking the male's book and turned it around before placing it back on the desk. "Your book is upside down."

That embarrassment caused Mark to throw his head back and look away as not to be caught making a face of holding in his laugh. With Renjun leaving the two alone, they sat there with one dying of laughter while the other was already chanting prayers from above to take him.

And matching his friend's level of annoyance, "Bestie, let me hold your hand while I say this." Mark mocked him, still letting out an uncontrollable laugh.

"Fuck off, Mark." Jeno groaned upon tasting his own medicine. He then stood up, "I'm buying a drink."

Mark tailed from behind. "I'm sticking with you forever, Jeno!"

They still had a few more minutes left before the next period starts, they have time to go stop by the vending machine at the end of the hallway. These looked like they exchanged souls, with Mark being annoying and Jeno begging to leave him alone. The two blended within the crowded hallways with students running back and forth just to get to their class.

It was then Jeno noticed someone that made him get that mischievous grin back on his face.

"Jen—" Not being able to finish calling him, Mark got surprised when his friend pushed him with force. "The hell, dude?!"

Mark bumped into someone because of that action, but he had to prioritize cursing at his friend first. Clicking his tongue, he crouched down and picked up the books that fell which was caused by him. He uttered dozens of apologies and explained to the student that it was not his fault why they bumped to each other.

"It's okay, Mark."

The familiar voice stopped Mark from picking up the last book. He raised his head up to see the most beautiful person he had ever seen in this entire universe. He was in awe, he was starstrucked at the beauty. Everything is an exaggeration by how he imagined some drama level of background music, wind blowing towards their direction, and time slowing down for them.

"I'm sorry about that, Donghyuck." Jeno faked an awkward chuckle, holding to his friend's shoulder and bringing him to stand up. "My friend here is crazy."

Not acknowledging the guy's presence, Mark shrugged his shoulders aggressively to remove the hands that were holding on to it. "No... No, I wanted to bump into you."

He is indeed crazy, Jeno couldn't exaggerate it more. He once more tried to get his attention by shaking his arm. "Snap out of it—"

Swiftly pulling his arm away, Mark unknowingly pushed the male a little bit too hard just to get him out of the picture between him and the love of his life.

That made Donghyuck burst out laughing. "Hey, that's mean."

Mark had selective hearing and all he heard was the latter's laugh. "I meant it... when I said I wanted to bump into you."

A sigh was heard coming from the shorter male. Carrying his books from one arm, Donghyuck lifted the other hand to fix the guy's collar. He also leaned close to whisper, "Mark, don't be too obvious, hm?"

And while the two were having their moment, Jeno, at the same time, might have stumbled back when his friend pushed him away. He would have probably fallen to the ground if it weren't for another student making their way to his direction with a different purpose.

"Donghyuck! Hurry, we need to pass our... Hey!"

But unlike Mark, who was blinded by his feelings, there was no way that Jeno would use the same statement as he did. "Blame that Asshole over there! He pushed me and—" Well, that's the mindset he had before knowing who he collided with. "Jaemin?"

Irritation was evident on the said male's face, not caring if this was the same person that he found hot during their first meeting. "Can't you watch your way?"

Jeno had no clue if it was a get back from how rude he acted the first time they met, but he does know that this person took his breath by just standing there with his forehead wrinkling in frustration and lips frowning in rage. "You're pretty."

Well, that took Jaemin aback. "What?"

"Pretty grumpy! Come on, Jaemin." Donghyuck had to quickly pull his friend away as soon as he noticed the two of them taking all the time in the world in looking into each other's eyes. "We need to pass our papers."

With a nervous laugh to get out of the situation, Donghyuck quickly left while dragging the male with him, immediately disappearing from their sights with hopes that these two would forget any memory they have with each other. He was worried that this would cause too much change in the timeline and he did plan to talk this out with Mark at some point. However, that kind of conversation will have to wait since he has a lot on his plate right now.

Like studying for an upcoming exam, for example, since his old ass already forgot about the lessons he had during high school.

Mark, on the other hand, only had his priorities straight and that was to win Donghyuck back. Maybe not as soon as possible, which he had to be patient about, but he would take this second chance to get him, to fix them, and to have a life with him.

"What's wrong with you?" Mark asked at his friend who looked constipated from holding his breath in.

An exaggeration, but Jeno just stood there in trance. "My heart is beating so fast."

"Okay." It seemed like a normal occurrence for Mark. His friend did almost fall down a while ago, maybe it was an adrenaline rush.

"I just saw Jaemin."

Raising his brow, Mark was wondering where this conversation was going. "Okay?"

"I also feel this way whenever I see Renjun."

It was then he realized what was going to happen. He internally face-palmed at how stupid he was for not getting it immediately. Now, Mark needed to gaslight his friend that it isn't his feelings acting up.

"Come on, it's just diabetes." Mark told him, throwing an arm over the male's shoulders.
It's not their time yet.

— to be continued