"Where's Donghyuck?" Mark poked his head into the room, eyeing everyone who was sat by the TV. Johnny raised his hand and pointed in the general direction of their room, an uninterested expression on his face.

"Think he's doing some work in our room," Johnny answered and Mark thanked him with a tight high five on his hand, the echo making him grimace but he happily rushed over to Donghyuck's shared bedroom.

"Donghyuck?" Mark called out as he entered the room, looking around in the darkness and managed to make out the ball on the bed. "Are you asleep?"

When he got no response, Mark made a move forward, carefully peeling the blanket away from Donghyuck's face to see the younger fast asleep. He had tousled hair and his mouth was curved into a pout. Mark smiled at the sight and gently brushed his hair away from his face, almost giggling when he realised some of it was trapped in his mouth.

"Sleep well," Mark whispered before slipping out of the bedroom, a little disappointed that Donghyuck was asleep, but still happy that he was getting the rest he deserved. Mark knew what it felt like being overworked - he's been experiencing it ever since he debuted - so he would gladly give up their movie marathon for Donghyuck to get some quality sleep.

"Was he sleeping?" Johnny asked once Mark re-entered the living room. He responded with a curt nod and hurried over to the kitchen, eager to get something into his stomach. Mark searched through the cabinets and grinned when he saw the snacks he had saved with Donghyuck (they had promised to eat them together, but then again it was Donghyuck's fault for going to sleep). "Where are you going?" Johnny followed up with another question when he saw Mark walk over to the door.

"Just out," Mark dismissed Johnny's curious tone and threw over his jacket, stuffing his pockets with the snacks and then left the dorm.

"Don't worry," Taeil pat Johnny's head and gave him a smile. "He's probably going out to meet some friends."

"Yeah," Johnny nodded and then turned back to send one last glance at the door through which Mark left. "Probably."

-

Kick it played one last time before Mark called quits. He held his hand and shook it a little, gritting his teeth when he felt something move. Mark was hard working. He was also a perfectionist. He liked things to be accurate. Ever since he joined the company, Mark's main goal was to be able to make everyone have high expectations for him, and his only desire was to reach them and go beyond. Everyone wanted quality music and dancing out of him, and that's exactly what he was going to give.

A few days ago, just after kick it had been released, Mark had been practising alongside Taeyong - the two were making up for their lost hours - when he realised that he couldn't do a certain move properly (or at least his mind wasn't pleased with it). Mark did it again, and again, and again- even Taeyong was tired of the number of times they went over it. It got to the point where they had called the choreographer and asked her to come around and show them that move again.

When she arrived, a confused look on her face, she had asked Mark to perform the move. He felt embarrassment flood him as he did it - it wasn't good, and showing it to someone else made him feel a little sick. Instead of understanding Mark's concern, she shrugged her shoulders and shook her head, telling Mark that what he did was fine

It wasn't, why was she lying?

Mark ran a hand down his face, trying to forget the memory of his awkward experience and then looked at himself in the mirror. His sweat was pooled around the bottom of his neck and he could feel his arms beginning to lose energy. Maybe a snack break could help? Mark sat down against the mirror and pulled his phone out because with a snack break entertainment was necessary.

A notification popped up for a live as Mark scrolled through youtube and he tapped on it hurriedly, curious as to who it was. The screen started to load and the comments made him smile. Everyone was also so happy even though they didn't know who was doing the live. A second later Chenle's face appeared and Mark had to hold back a sound of surprise. It wasn't like Chenle to do a live, especially not without another member.

"DJ Chenle?" Mark chuckled at the title and took a bite of his snack. Chenle burst into a conversation after taking ages to fix his clothes and Mark found himself listening to it, almost as though they were talking. It had been a while since Mark had sat down and spoken to them, and their short conversations in the group chat didn't count. He was only a few minutes into the live before Mark heard his name and he froze on the spot. His mouth was wide open as he listened to Chenle talk about him.

"I'm worried Mark doesn't do anything but practice, it's too boring-" Mark stopped listening to him after his first sentence. Instead, his mind was too occupied over the fact that he noticed. He knew that Mark was too focused on practising, making sure that everything was perfect. That there were no flaws. He quickly tapped out of the live, cursing at the notification that appeared the second he did. It was Jaemin. Of course, it was.

>hyung.

Jaemin?<

>where are you right now?

why??<

>just tell me where you are

I'm out<

>out where?

At the company building<

>I'm coming there.

NO<

Don't come.<

>why? Do you not need someone with you? Do you not need some help, any company?

no<

please<

Im fine jaemin<

Leave me alone<

>Hyung you know im only trying to help you right

I know<

But i dont need anyones help<

>not even hyucks?

Mark paused at stared at the message, a sudden memory of the last time he cried in Donghyuck's arms. It didn't feel good. He felt stupid. He was the older member, the older one in the relationship, yet there he was crying and begging for Donghyuck to forgive him.

no.<

Throwing his phone to the side, Mark stood up in a hurry, realising that he had spent too much time on the floor. He knew that what he was doing may be a little concerning, but he enjoyed it. He enjoyed seeing the sharpness in all of his moves, enjoyed watching as his arms became more muscular. The feeling of improvement was great.

Mark took a deep breath, taking steady steps to the music system (did he forget to mention? His legs had also gotten stronger). But by the time Mark reached the music system, his hand barely grabbing his the system, his foot slipped and he saw the world spinning around him. Mark let out a groan as he felt his ribs getting crushed by his arm. His head hit the floor and his vision blurred for a moment.

The stinging spread and Donghyuck crossed Mark's mind and he felt a smile creep up his face. It was a good thing that Donghyuck wasn't there. He wasn't there to see how pathetic he looked, sprawled over the floor with a nasty bruise growing on his skin.

Mark's smile widened as his eyes began to close, shutting finally as the aching in his head suddenly spiked. Thank God Donghyuck wasn't there.

And then the dance room's door burst open.

-

Omg i just realised what if when the news of ot7 dream coming back happened and then the all spammed their group chat and mark could finally say "see this is why I said dont kick me out" cause he was and will always be a dreamie :D