twenty-three.

                                    

                                          
after meeting up at the place, they immediately order their meal, eagerly want to fill their empty stomach. "i don't know about you guys," renjun started, mouth filled with food, "but this is the best amusement park i've been—especially the rides."  
                          
"but we didn't even go on any rides." jeno quickly adds and was soon met by a foot kicking his legs from under the table. he looked down to who's foot that came from, eyes crawling up towards jaemin. "why?"
                          
"you're ruining the plan." renjun whispers beside him, nudging his sides.
                          
it's true though. this whole day, they've been following the two soulmates and observing what they're doing. call them creepy or anything but for them, they're just supporting mark.
                          
finally getting the memo, jeno's mouth formed an 'o', quickly trying to find a way to not make it obvious, "i-i mean... we didn't go on the rides that i-i want." he manages to reason out, congratulating himself afterward.
                          
donghyuck wasn't even paying attention—thankfully—too busy munching on his food. 
                          


                          
"how about you guys?" jaemin asked, catching both mark and donghyuck's attention. "did you enjoy it?" he asked specifically for the two, but his eyes are darted on the older, giving him a teasing smile.
                          
"yeah, yes i did." mark cheered. spending his day with donghyuck, all thanks to jaemin for deciding to separate their ways. 
                          
all their eyes then went on donghyuck, ears perked up, excitedly waiting for his answer.
                          


                          
donghyuck felt all the eyes are on him, so he looks up from his food, only to give them a small nod. "i did." he simply answered, all of them releasing a sigh of satisfaction.
                          
"but," donghyuck quickly adds, and once again, their eyes went towards the tanned male, "mark forced me to those rides that are too high, and i don't like that." donghyuck complains with a pout.
                          


                          
"you can ride me instead." mark mumbles, but it's still audible for everyone to hear—except for donghyuck.
                          
"you said something?" the younger asked, looking innocently at the older.
                          
mark quickly denies, rapidly shaking his head, "m-me? i said something—no i didn't. totally didn't said anything."
                          


                          


                          


                          
meanwhile, the three looked at mark with a teasing look, jaemin secretly nudging his arm, "i heard that." he whispers. after donghyuck innocently complaining, a pout still visible on his lips, mark still manages to pull a line like this.
                          


                          
feeling that donghyuck will ask more about the older said, renjun finds a way to change the subject, "but at least mark got you that," the older looks at the large lion plushie that is sitting next to donghyuck, which he specifically got a chair for it. "right?"
                          
looking at where the older is staring, he blushed a deep red, he tries to hide but even if he did, they already saw it anyway. 
                          


                          
"of course he did enjoy it." he winks at the younger before taking a bite of his food. in an instant, mark cried out, quickly spitting the food from his mouth, "fuck! it's spicy! it's spicy!" he chants.
                          
the three panicked, looking around the table to look for water. donghyuck eyes widened but soon fades away, as his eyes landed to something, clearly far away from water.
                          
grabbing the vinegar that is conveniently placed just at the end of the table, as everyone is busy panicking, he poured the vinegar into an empty glass. "here!"
                          
mark took the cup, too busy to process whatever is given to him, and drank it without hesitations. to think that he finally gulped down the water, he spat the vinegar out of his mouth, eyes furrowed as he scanned the whole table. 
                          


                          
"haechan?!" mark cried out as he looked at the younger who's having laughing while clutching his stomach as if he's watching a comedy show. "what was the for?"
                          
all of their eyes landed on donghyuck, who's still not done laughing his ass off. "that's what you get for forcing me into those rides." donghyuck laughs, wiping his invisible tears.
                          
mark finally saw a glass of water, swiftly drinking, trying to wash the taste of the spiciness and the stink of the vinegar. finally coming to his senses, "i hate you." 
                          
"are you sure?" donghyuck teased, sticking his tongue out like a kid.
                          
meanwhile jaemin, renjun and jeno just watched the two arguing like a kid. shaking their heads, "i don't understand these two sometimes." the three said in chorus.


                          


                          


                          


                          


                          


                          
-----
                          


                          


                          


                          


                          


                          
they've all decided to just drop the two by the bus stop since mark and donghyuck doesn't want to expose more about their address. "thank you jaemin, for today." said donghyuck, through the car window.
                          
"of course, just for you." the younger shoots donghyuck a smile, and sneakily peaked over to mark that is standing behind the tanned male. he gave mark a teasing smile, without letting him speak, "you're welcome, mark." 
                          
mark should give the younger a proper thank you someday.
                          


                          


                          
he waved goodbye to the three and then they parted ways. the soulmates made their way towards their house by foot. "i'm still upset with you giving me vinegar instead of water." mark looked down to donghyuck, giving him a pout.
                          
"and i'm still upset with you for forcing me to go in those high rides." donghyuck fought, mocking mark's pout.
                          
"that's why we're in an amusement park, haechan!" mark explains, doing all sorts of things with his hands, "of course i'll bring you with me on those rides."
                          
the older does have point here, but he's not letting mark win in this argument. "still..." he looks around, thinking of what can he reason out, "i don't like high places." 
                          


                          
yes, that's his reason. he wins this argument now, donghyuck thought. mentally congratulating himself.
                          


                          
"well... there's something else you can ride." mark said to himself, hoping that the younger didn't hear it nor won't ask any questions.
                          
raising his brows, "what ride?"


                          
with his head still looking down, feet kicking some rocks mark mindlessly whispered again to himself, "me." after realizing what he just said, he instantly looked up with his widened eyes "i-i mean—"
                          
"you're so annoying." donghyuck cut him off from whatever he's going to reason out. he walked faster, away from the older, in an attempt to hide his blushing cheeks.
                          
"wait for me!" mark begs, trying to catch up with the younger's phase.
                          


                          


                          
donghyuck only walked faster, because once mark saw his red cheeks then the older's going to see him more—and that's the thing he hates the most, "no, go away."
                          
"we literally live in the same house, haechan."