mark flops his body on his bed as a heavy sigh fell on his lips. after he got out of the shower, exactly his father called to inform him about his leave, and is now going back to continue his vacation. their conversation went on until mark's father asked him about the launching of his new product and how the flow of the event went.

right... about the event.

he runs his fingers through his hair before rubbing his thumb across his bottom lip.

a smile unconsciously made its way to his lips as events from the office, recalled inside his head. the sight of donghyuck pulling him down for a kiss and is even the one initiating it still hasn't left his mind.

"that was... amazing." he mumbles to himself while making an eye contest with the ceiling.

he never knew donghyuck's lips will make this much impact on him. he never thought that the younger will kiss him and not the other way around, "did i annoy him too much?" he manages to joke.

the sound of his phone ringing is the only thing that made him snap out from his thoughts.

"who's calling now?" he groaned, quickly putting his glasses on and answered the call.

"mark lee!" jeno's voice rang inside the older's ears which made him instantly pull the phone back a little.

"geez..." he rubbed his ears, "what do you want?"

"hm... nothing?" jeno responded, "just wanted to know how the event went."

mark hums, "without congratulating me first?"

"okay, okay..." the younger released a small laugh, "congrats to my beloved friend for the launching of his product. i just wanted to give him everything because he really deserved it and i—"

"okay, enough." mark rolls his eyes, "it went well if that's what you wanted to hear."

jeno makes a sound as if he's offended, "that's it?!" he exclaimed, "dang, i should've gone to the event myself to see what happened."

"oh, no need to." mark sarcastically replied, "to be honest, even if it didn't go well, i'd still be happy by the end of the day." the older finished, gazing out of the window with a smile stepping back to his lips.

"and why is that?" jeno asked, now getting confused when he heard the older breathes out a chuckle on the other line.

oh only if you knew... mark thought to himself. "you don't need to know." mark replied.

"this is so not you..." the younger trails off, "and you sound very creepy right now."

"well then, i'll hang up now?" he asked even though he was not going to wait for the latter's answer, as he already ended the call.

"you kissed him?!" jaemin's voice was the only thing heard inside donghyuck's apartment as he looked at the tanned male in front of him with widen eyes.

instead of replying, donghyuck just buries his face on the couch more, as he released another whine.

donghyuck had just told, the three about what happened on the day of the event to his friends, and the three looked shocked as ever.

"i told you to get revenge on him, and you just ended up falling in love?" renjun breathes out a laugh before sipping his coffee, "i'm pretty sure that's not how the plan should go."

donghyuck lifts his head up to look at the older with a frown, "i'm not in love!?" he defended.

"you just said he was your ideal type?" jungwoo suddenly butts in. 

jungwoo's correct, donghyuck did say that. when he was telling the three how they ended up in the situation, he also mentioned how his ceo asked if sungchan was his ideal type and out of defense, he suddenly blurted out how mark was his ideal type. "but that doesn't mean i'm in love already..." donghyuck added.

"it technically, kinda is." jaemin replied as his lips curved into a smirk. "anyway, great to know you're finally making a move." he finished and was about to spring himself up from the couch when donghyuck suddenly shouts.

"but jaemin!" donghyuck cries out, pulling his hair in frustration, "how am i supposed to face him?!"

he heard renjun hum on his side, which caused him to look at the older, "maybe just don't?" the older replied, "act like you don't know him?"

"here you are again with your stupid suggestions." jungwoo told, while shavings his head.

this made donghyuck nods his head in agreement, "j-jungwoo's right!" he responded, "i'm his secretary, i can't just pretend he's a stranger to me."

"hey, hey," renjun lifts his hands in the air, acting innocent, "it's just a suggestion..."

———

when the telephone on donghyuck's table rang, it was a signal that the ceo is calling him.

this made him release a shaky sigh, pulling himself together, and with hesitant hands, he reached for the telephone to finally answer the call. "yes, mr. lee?" he started.

"i have to ask you a question," mark responded on the other line, "please, come to my office."

great. just when he thought he can go through his day acting like he doesn't know his own ceo, here's the older again, calling him to his own office. how is he going to face mark without the scenes from the event's day appearing inside his head? it's embarrassing!

and to think that he was the one who initiated the kiss doesn't help the situation at all. only if the ground can open and eat him whole, he would gladly do just that.

when donghyuck finally managed to snap out from his thoughts, he realized that he was already standing in front of the superior's office.

he knocked first and when he received a small 'come in' from the other side, he immediately twist the door handle open.

standing not too far from mark's desk, he drops his head down to give him a bow, yet after that, it seems like donghyuck has no plans of making any eye contact with the latter.

"are you free this dinner?" mark asked, his brows are now starting to meet when he noticed that his secretary is still looking down on the floor.

donghyuck let out a curse inside his head when he realized that mark's schedule for today is clear so he pretty much knows where this is leading. "unfortunately, i'm not, mr. lee." he responded.

mark's brows perked up at the latter's response. nonetheless, he nodded his head, thinking that maybe donghyuck has something to do by the end of the day.

"oh, i see." he simply said, before he shoots the younger a smile, but still, donghyuck is not looking in his eyes, "that's all i wanted to ask, but maybe next time."

donghyuck bowed for the last time before turning his head and makes his way out of the older's office.

he's lying. donghyuck is very much free for dinner. he just doesn't dare to be face to face with the older or even have a mere conversation with him. what if the older just suddenly asked why he kissed him that day? what is he going to say?

and that all happened three days ago. at this point, there's no progress has been made. donghyuck still doesn't have the courage to get closer to his ceo.

day by day, donghyuck will find a reason just to not be around mark. sometimes he even declines the times when the older asks if he's free for lunch, or dinner.

placing his phone back in his pocket, mark was about to walk straight to the elevator when two figures from the distance catches his attention.

he furrowed his brows as he tilts his head in frustration. "is that what's keeping him busy for lunch?" he mumbles under his breath, before clicking his tongue. mark just saw donghyuck and sungchan eating together in the cafeteria when the younger just told him that he has something to do that's why he declined his offer.

so to say the least, mark's not pleased one bit.

"hypothetically speaking," mouth filled with rice, donghyuck started their conversation, "what would you do if you accidentally kissed your crush?"

the question made sungchan release a chuckle, and shook his head in disbelief, "you're watching too many romance movies, haven't you?"

"sungchan, i'm serious!" the older then whines, "come on, just answer the question."

the taller looked around to think before shrugging his shoulders, "that would be very awkward if my crush doesn't like me back," he replied and looked back at his food, "but i guess i'll just tell them how i feel and jump off a cliff."

just when donghyuck thought their conversation is getting serious, his brows just furrowed at the younger last statement. "why would you jump off a cliff?!"

"i'm joking, gosh." sungchan laughed, looking at how cute donghyuck's expression is right now. "i'll just tell them how i feel. that's it."

donghyuck's leans back after hearing what the younger just said. that's not very easy for him.

"i can't do that..." he mumbles to himself as he stares into the distance, too immersed in his own thoughts. although this remains audible for the latter.

"why would you do that?" sungchan curiously asked, although he didn't dig deeper into what donghyuck said.

donghyuck pressed his lips into a thin line, not realizing that he was already voicing out his thoughts. he shook his head before releasing an awkward laugh and just got back to what he's eating. "n-nothing!"