thirty-six.

                                    

                                          
donghyuck's face was immediately slapped by the sunlight that is making its way through the window. he tries to find something that can block his face from the sun and his hands happen to land on his thick duvet. pulling it up, he covers his whole body with it. just when he was about to fall asleep again, his alarm clock rings which donghyuck adds another groan, swiftly turning it off.
                          
finally having the peace he wanted, he plops his body back on the comfort of his bed, and at the same time, his eyes opened and a familiar white ceiling greeted his eyes.


                          
wasn't he in the woods? laying down on the rocky ground, and leaves are supposed to be surrounding him? why is he suddenly wearing comfortable pajamas and socks?
                          
and that's when it hit him.




                          
"mark..."
                          
donghyuck jolted up on his bed, while donghyuck kept saying the name over and over again as he looked around with a frown on his face. why was he here? 
                          
panic then started to dominate him before he jumps on his bed, grabbing a random hoodie placed on one of his chairs as he dashes out of his room. 
                          
wearing the cloth as quickly as he can, he runs downstairs with a frown still painted on his face.






                          
"oh?" chenle made a question sound, looking at his older brother standing at the end of the stairs, "mom! hyung is awake now!" the younger shouted.
                          
in an instant, their mom walks out of the kitchen and searched for the tanned male, "you woke up so late," she comments, "why aren't you still dressed, are you not going to the library?"
                          
as she waits for his son's answer, she can't help but raise a brow, confused as to why donghyuck is just standing there looking like he just saw a ghost. she walks closer to her son, and runs a hand through his head, "are you okay? did you saw a ghost or somethi—"
                          
she didn't even get to finish her sentence when donghyuck walked towards his mother like a flash, engulfing her into a hug as he started crying—sobbing rather, on her shoulder. 
                          
chenle looks over to donghyuck, dumbfounded. he makes eye contact with his mom and looked at her, lifting his brows up but her mother just looked at him, confused too.


                          
"mom, i miss you..." donghyuck muffles as his face is buried on his mother's shoulder, "i miss you s-so much."
                          
she pulls away for a second to take a clearer view of donghyuck's face and to wipe his tears too, "everything's okay now..." she smiles, still wiping the tears that are overflowing down on the tanned male's cheeks, "you're here in our house now, see?" she told, looking around the house and so is donghyuck.
                          
this only made donghyuck broke down more. he misses this house too much—he can't even look at it without having a tear escape his eyes.




                          
but something's missing for donghyuck—rather someone...
                          
she ruffles his son's fluffy hair when he heard his sniffles are fading away, "are you looking for mark?" 
                          
the question made donghyuck freeze on his spot, pulling away from the hug as he looks at his mom with a frown.
                          
she nods while running a hand through his hair, "go now, he's in his apartment."


                          
without thinking twice, donghyuck harshly wipes his tears with his hoodie paws, putting his shoes on as fast as possible, and make his way out of their house.
                          
looking at his older brother with wide eyes, he chases the older with his shout, "hyung! do you even know where he lives?!"
                          
no.