"hyung, you really won't touch your bubble tea?" chenle asked donghyuck, who was seated across him.

they were at the mall, trying to lift donghyuck's spirit. the tanned male was even the one who told them to go outside, yet he wasn't uttering a single thing.

"hyung, what made you that upset?" jisung asked.

the latter just paid no attention and went back to his phone and scrolled through his instagram feed. renjun sighed and snatched his phone, causing him to glare at the older.

"what the fuck, hyung?" he rolled his eyes and tried to get his phone back. renjun raised his hands higher and gave the phone to jeno.

haechan just rolled his eyes and sat back down.

"seriously, hyuck? this is what's bothering you?" jeno raised a brow when he saw the picture mark posted about two hours ago.

jaemin sighed and sat beside him. "hyuck, taeyong-hyung was the one who said it, right? it's just work. no strings attached."

"then if it's work, why the fuck won't he tell it to me?" donghyuck rolled his eyes.

"are you even dating? are you his boyfriend or something? why would he tell you? i mean, is he even obliged to do so?" renjun said, making everyone look at him.

"ge." chenle said in a warning voice.

"hyung." jisung said.

renjun glared at the two, "don't stop me. hyuck has to wake up from this."

donghyuck just leaned his head on the table and thought of what renjun said. he was right.

everything that the older said was right.

he doesn't even know why he's jealous when clearly, he doesn't have the right to.

it just hurts because they clearly said their 'i love you's and yet it feels like it doesn't even mean a thing.

"donghyuck—" jeno was cut off when the said male lifted his head up.

"ya'll are right..." donghyuck sighed. "i don't even know why i'm like this when clearly, i don't have the right to... we're not dating and those i love you's don't mean a thing..."

"hyuck, it's not—"

"no, jaemin-ah... hyung's right..." he gave them a forced smile. "i'll... i-i'll talk to him later to clear things up..." he stood up.

"let's go?" he said.

the rest gave each other worried glances. well, except for renjun who was looking away.