Chapter Text
Mark feels someone is shaking him awake. As his eyes try to adjust with the dimly lit surrounding, he recalls the information in his mind about his whereabouts. The last thing he remembers before falling asleep is… ting, a sound is heard and Mark’s ears registers the low voice of a woman telling dear passengers, the seatbelt light is on and the rest blurs. Right, he remembers. He’s on a plane, flying to Vancouver for business purposes.
“Good night, Mr. Lee.” A cheeky whisper brings Mark’s consciousness to full alert, because he knows damn well who the owner is. He looks down only to be greeted with a plop of soft brown hair (or whatever, at least that’s his hair color the last Mark saw him in London like… two weeks ago?). He feels the warmth of a pair of arm around his waist, the intruder is completely wrapping himself around Mark’s body. Mark silently thank the first class seat.
Mark raises his arm to look at his watch, “It’s morning in Seoul.”
“But this is not Seoul,” the brown haired replies, eyes still closed as he snuggles closer to Mark. A fond smile forms on Mark’s face, it’s as if the God above heard his silent i miss him during one of his lonely nights flying across the globes to one country to another to fulfill his duty. His hand comes up to start caressing the smaller’s hair. “It’s somewhere around Pacific Ocean.” The other continues, Mark lets out a chuckle. Still same, still stubborn as fuck.
“You didn’t tell me you would go to Canada.”
The other shrugs, “It’s not like we ever tell each other where are we going. That’ll be too much to keep up to.”
Truth.
“If I knew, we could go with one of my private jets, Donghyuck-ah.”
Donghyuck looks up to meet Mark’s eyes, “Private jets don’t impress me that much.”
“I don’t need to impress, you’re in love with me already anyways.” Mark replies without missing a beat. Donghyuck doesn’t deny it.
“It’s more fun like this.” Mark rolls his eyes, and Donghyuck is back with laying his head on Mark’s chest. “I didn’t know you were going too, I saw you when you entered the plane before. I almost went to you but there were still too many eyes.”
“Being the sons of rival companies are really the hardest job to do, isn’t it?”
“When you’re in love with each other, that’s hard.” Donghyuck answers quietly. Maybe at first, Mark will think of it as a hint of sadness, but years of being with Donghyuck knows that it’s just the sleepiness catching up on his small lover. “How long do we got until the lights are on again and we need to pretend that we don’t know each other?”
Mark and Donghyuck accidentally met around 6 years ago at some gala dinner by the Queen of some countries they didn’t quite remember the name of. Too bored because having no one to talk to at that time, they both separately sneaked out from the ballroom and first met each other at the palace fountain. Both were still in high school at that time, but in different private schools. Both were preparing to take their father’s throne at their respective companies one day. Both were still too young to know about the rivalries between the two companies.
It was kind of mess when their fathers found the both of them at the backyard together after missing for quite a long time that night, because who would’ve thought their own son will befriend the son of the enemy?
They met each other again through one of their (unexpectedly) mutual friend, with Donghyuck initiated it. He’s always been the braver one between the two, not really caring about his parents rivalry or anything. It’s a game of hide-and-seek since then. From their parents, from the media, from the paparazzis.
“Around…. 3-4 hours? Don’t worry I’ll show myself out.” Donghyuck yawns, and he’s so cute Mark can only stare at him. He wants to save every little details in his mind because he won’t know when they will meet each other again. Now that Mark thinks of it, it’s been a while since their last escapade together. The last being their summer escapade in a lovely summer home in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Ten, the owner, is a really good friend of Mark, so he knows how to keep a secret. Sometimes they do this. They go somewhere, far far away, to a resort hidden in between snow-covered mountains in Iceland. Or to a peaceful luxurious hidden ryokan in Japan.
Just to be them, just to be with each other. Mark will see to his schedules later with his secretary if he can arrange something in the near time.
“Guess,” Donghyuck suddenly says, “If I took a photo of the plane window right now from my position, do you think they’ll notice that I’m cuddling someone, more exactly, you, at the airplane?”
“What are you planning again, Donghyuck?”
“Just something,” Donghyuck replies, “something to make the people go a bit crazy.”
“Donghyuck—“
“I just want to show off my handsome, sweet, rich, wonderful, hard working boyfriend sometimes.” Donghyuck cuts Mark’s sentence with his whining, “Is that not allowed?”
Mark sighs, admitting defeat but he smiles, “It’s not for the first time anyways.”
“Just.. be careful. I don’t want to face the risk of losing you.”
No matter how good someone is at hiding, there will always be a room for error. There are few times that the paparazzi manage to capture the two of them despite the high-security technology and personnel Mark always make sure to have whenever they are together. But for unexpected meetings, closest example like this meeting at the plane, they’re vulnerable. Anyone, be it other passengers, or the flight attendant can pass by Mark’s first class seat booth right now, looking inside and see the two heirs cuddling with each other.
Not to mention… Donghyuck’s instagram posts.
Donghyuck really means it when he says he wants to show his boyfriend off, because the amount of article that comes out this year alone is already enough to put Mark and Donghyuck’s secretaries’ minds up in a twist, searching ways to put the article down before anything blows up too big. Ranging from small blogs to up-to-date one million subscribers gossip column, you name it. Sometimes Mark wonders if he’s a businessman or a celebrity, it seems like his personal life is as interesting as those celebrities for the medias.
His posts never blatantly show the two of them, but just enough to bring out reactions. One time is just their wine glasses as they watch the sunset after one wine tasting tour in Tuscany, people are trying to figure out the one keeping Donghyuck company by scrutinizing their reflections on the wine glasses. Thank God Mark had his back on the reflection so people didn’t find out in the end. But his name is mentioned, and a group of people agrees. That’s the start of them being called the modern day Romeo and Juliet, which Donghyuck finds cute, while Mark just finds it… amusing.
While that post could get taken down in one hour record time and eventually blows over, Donghyuck really took it to the next level with his next post. It was only a short clip of the car (Mark’s) music player, playing Justin Bieber’s Purpose. It’s their song, and they were in one of their midnight drive after a long time and Mark was singing along. The thing is, he didn’t know Donghyuck was recording and his voice got into Donghyuck’s short ten seconds insta-story post (I didn’t do it intentionally! Donghyuck defended himself at that time). He was quick to delete it once he realized, but too bad there were already 15,564 users that saw the post before it got deleted. Mark was woken up by Jeno, his secretary, the next day with a scream on his ears about how his salary should be raised after he takes care of everything.
The next time they met each other was three months later, Donghyuck told Mark that his father found out about the article and called him. As expected, he was angry and almost threatened to put personal bodyguards on Donghyuck to make sure he won’t cross path with Mark ever again. After long debate, Donghyuck was succeeded at convincing his dad that the other person with him in the car was not Mark, and he was free from the threat. But because Donghyuck was still not completely sure that his father really didn’t put personal bodyguard on him, Donghyuck avoided Mark for a few months just to be safe.
After that, a lot of articles still come out from time to time. But nothing has been clear enough to link the two of them together.
“Don’t worry, I get out of it safely once. I will get out of it again safely.” Donghyuck yawns again so Mark puts his eye mask carefully around Donghyuck’s eyes and pulls up the blanket to cover the two of them. Donghyuck is about to say something but Mark beats him to it, “Sleep, you look so tired. That art exhibition tour in Asia really stresses you out, doesn’t it?”
“You know? From where?” There’s a hint of surprise on Donghyuck’s voice, like he doesn’t think Mark is keeping up with his activities.
“Of course I do. When you can’t contact your boyfriend oftenly because of the fear of being tapped, the news portal has really become your friend.”
Donghyuck chuckles, “Just hang on a bit more, remember, Markie?”
The nickname comes out, making Mark feels all giddy inside. “Just hang a bit more, until the two of them finally becomes the CEO and we can put this all behind us.”
They fall into silence after that, and the regular movement of Donghyuck’s back is a sign that he already fell asleep. Mark has the intention to stay awake and just watch Donghyuck before he has to go again, but his eyes betray him fast. Not long after, he follows after Donghyuck to the dream land.
When he wakes up the next time, it is bright inside the plane. The space beside him is already empty, his blanket is tucked to his body as if there was nobody sleeping beside him at the first place. Mark tries to soothe the little pinch he feels on his chest as he raises his body to a sitting position, before calling the flight attendant to order his breakfast.
Jeno falls into step next to him when he finally gets out of the plane, one hand on his cabin carrier (a matching one he got with Donghyuck). “Hey,” the secretary greets, the sleep lines are still evident on his face. “I think I saw Donghyuck passed by my seat just before. Do you know about this?”
“Huh?” Mark tries to school his best ‘confused’ face.
Jeno groans, and Mark cringes because he knows he’s just never good at acting. “Of course you do.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Mark shrugs and continues his way to the immigration area. He catches a glimpse of Donghyuck at the foreigner line with his secretary, Renjun. Their eyes meet right after Mark is done with his passport, he sends the other a small smile before disappearing in the crowd.
A piece of tissue Donghyuck’s left for him on his airplane seat table is safely tucked inside his coat pocket, a little not is scribbled with a kiss-mark next to it.
‘Till we meet again. Xo.’
——
Mark closes the car door softly, imaginarily patting himself on the back for getting to the right place safely. It’s been a while since he drives himself around in another country beside Korea. He’s thankful his phone doesn’t die on him when he needs GPS the most. He leans back to see the building in front of him. If he’s not wrong, the last show time ended half an hour ago.
Donghyuck has the habit to stay around for an hour (sometimes more) after the art exhibition he holds ends. He likes to walk around alone, looking at paintings, statues in the silence. Busy with his own mind.
At first, Mark can’t understand this habit of his lover. Because what’s the difference between looking at those arts alone and with other people?
But then again, Mark can spend hours staring at Donghyuck when they are together. For Mark, Donghyuck himself is the state-of-art with a beauty no other can offer.
No one can be seen when Mark steps inside the exhibition hall, but Mark just knows Donghyuck is still there. He knows the other too much to be wrong, so he just follows the path of the show. After a few turns, he finally finds Donghyuck. It’s three weeks after their unexpected meeting on the plane to Vancouver, and now Donghyuck has his hair dyed to black. He is wrapped in long light brown coat, his hair is styled down, bangs a bit too long it’s started to get too close to his eyes.
He’s so into the painting in front of him that he doesn’t realize Mark’s presence.
Mark lets him, he also wants to stare at Donghyuck himself.
It’s Donghyuck who breaks the silence first, as usual. “I’m always quite impressed on how do you know about my whereabouts.” He doesn’t look at Mark, but a smile has made its way to his face.
“When you have money, you can pay for everything I guess.”
“That sounds pretty cocky to me, to be honest.”
“At least I’m doing it to search for my boyfriend, not to buy illegal weapons or drugs.” Mark is now behind Donghyuck, circling his arms around the other’s waist from behind.
Donghyuck naturally leans back, fitting into Mark’s body just like puzzle piece. “The sound of you with guns. That’s hot.”
Mark only laughs, because Donghyuck fully know that Mark can’t even kill a cockroach so don’t even think of him ever holding a gun. “Are you done for the day?” Mark asks, which is replied by Donghyuck’s nod. “You?”
“Cleared up my schedules until the new year comes because I want to spend it here, in New York,” Mark takes a deep breath, “with you.”
“What makes you think that I’ll say yes to that, hmm?” Donghyuck turns around to face Mark and puts one of his palm on Mark’s cheeks, slightly cold from the outside air before.
“I might have paid Renjun for clearing up your schedule like mine—“
“Renjun usually doesn’t agree that easily.”
“—and I sent both him and Jeno to a cruise to the Bahamas. He said yes in 0.0001 second.”
“That traitor.”
“Come on, they also need break from us who gave them nothing but headache for the past year. Let them rest, so when they get back we can give them more headaches.”
Donghyuck nods to himself, “Well, I guess I don’t have any other choice but to say yes then.”
Snow starts to fall when they step out from the sliding glass door of one of the tallest building in the area, the streets are filled with happy smiles to welcome the falling snow. It won’t be a complete winter without the snow in the Big Apple.
Another thing about snow that makes Mark happy is that he has a reason to get as close as possible to Donghyuck, which always radiates warmth 24/7 in any season. Maybe that’s the perks of being born as the summer child. They stop by to grab some coffees from the little stall along the street, one cup for each of them. He laces their free hands and puts their joined hands inside his coat pocket, sharing the heat.
The streets are getting more crowded as the time passes, filled with people in neat clothes wanting to get home as soon as possible after work. Mark leads Donghyuck to get inside Central Park. There are less people there because of the cold, people prefers to stay at home other than taking a walk at the park.
“How was your day today?” Mark asks.
“It was nice. The closing for the art exhibition was wonderful. Everyone was happy. I was happy. Well, I am happy. Even that new artist Yoonoh is also doing great, I’m happy with his growth.”
“You are with him a lot lately.” Mark can’t help the bitterness in his voice. He has spent hours in his office trying to calm down the rage every time he reads an article about Donghyuck and Yoonoh. Yoonoh is a new artist under Donghyuck’s art gallery, and Donghyuck is just trying to help Yoonoh launches himself to the art world. But, Mark just can’t help to envy! This Yoonoh guy can be with his boyfriend more than Mark!
“You were praising him a lot on your latest interview.”
“Well… his paintings are wonderful, he’s nice, he’s handso—“
“Donghyuck!” Mark stops his steps, stomping his feet on the ground like a child throwing tantrums. This brings Donghyuck into a fit of laugh, teasing mark like this is one of his favorite thing to do. Making Mark jealous to see his reaction is always fun to him. But, of course, he knows not to go too far if he doesn’t want to wake up the ‘lion’ inside Mark (but really, Mark is as harmful as a lion cub).
Donghyuck feels his body shaking violently with the intensity of his laugh until he has to hold on Mark to keep him steady. While, the one who is laughed at is staying silent. Donghyuck lands a kiss on Mark’s pouting lips, “God, how many times do I have to tell you that you’re my one and only boyfriend? I won’t put up with you for years if I don’t love you with all my heart.”
“You better not talk about other guy like that again!”
“That depends…”
“Donghyuck!!” Mark whines loudly before he gets to catch Donghyuck who is still laughing as he runs away. Mark wishes he has a camera with him right now to be able to capture the moment. Donghyuck, in the middle of Central Park that’s starting to get covered by white snow, it feels like they’re inside a magical giant crystal snowball. His black hair is bouncing with his movement, and his bright smile is just a cherry on top.
Without them realizing, they’ve walked from one side of the park to the other side which ends up right in front of the big iconic christmas tree at Rockefeller Center. The blinking lights are even more beautiful when they are seen through their reflections on Donghyuck’s eyes, that can’t seem to move away from the tree the moment they get there.
“Donghyuck,”
“Yes?” Donghyuck looks back to Mark and for the umpteenth time that day, Mark falls in love all over again. Donghyuck’s cheeks are starting to redden because of the cold, even Mark can notices his lips that’s are starting to tremble. “I had fun today.”
Even though I have to stand the cold, even though I have to scarfed down tasteless coffee, even though we only stand in front of the window store front without going inside to shop, even though we only walk around the park without even sitting down or having picnic or feeding the birds or swans at the lake.
“Me too. Makes me looking forward to what more you’ve prepared.” He winks at Mark.
Mark leans down to kiss Donghyuck square on his lips, “Oh, darling, I’ll make sure you won’t regret it for saying yes to my offer.”