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His eyes are closed when he feels the brush gently swipe across his features, the foundation layering on top of his tan skin.
They’re preparing to film a performance video for 127’s newest title track, and Donghyuck sits comfortably in the chair of the dressing room along with his other members. His hair is already done, and he’s wearing the tight outfit the stylists had handed him. The only thing remaining is his makeup.
He feels the makeup artist hovering in front of his face as she dabs the beauty blender under his eyes repeatedly.
“Such a pity we have to cover those pretty moles,” the woman mumbles.
Donghyuck’s eyebrows furrow, and when he opens his eyes he’s greeted by a small smirk lining her lips. He swallows, choosing to ignore the feeling settling in his chest. She continues to put product on his skin, and Donghyuck has to avert his eyes to keep them from lingering on the face that’s so close to his.
He looks to his right where Johnny is seated in the chair next to his. The other is getting his makeup done, like he is, but Johnny is simply busying himself with his phone. Most of the members are, he realizes, and he suddenly feels out of place.
He goes to reach in his pocket when the woman makes another comment, “Wah, your skin tone, really— It’s no wonder they call you Full Sun.”
Donghyuck looks at her, abandoning the attempt to get his phone. He allows a small smirk to reach the corner of his lips, “You know my stage name?”
She scoffs, as if the question is ludicrous, “Of course. I know everyone’s.”
“But don’t worry,” she says with a cheeky smile, bringing a finger up to boop his nose, “Yours caught my eye first.”
He laughs, a little caught off guard at the sudden skin contact, and he hopes he’s imagining it when he realizes his cheeks are heating up.
“Well, how could you not?” he says instead, putting up his confident front. “I’m the only one with a name like that.”
“Exactly,” she coos, “that’s what makes you special.”
It takes him a millisecond longer to reply than it normally would, as he’s unable to keep his heart rate from rising. He hates it. That’s not how this is supposed to go.
“Just that?” he challenges, hopefully distracting from the tint of red likely covering his cheeks. “What about my unique voice? My tan skin? My irresistible personality?”
She leans on the chair, almost draping her head over his shoulder. They make eye contact through the mirror, and the smile remains on her face. “All that too, of course~ It’s hard to just pick one good thing about you.”
“It’s alright,” he says coyly, “You can list them all. We have time.”
She hits him on the shoulder, a laugh accompanying it. Shaking her head with a lingering grin, she turns back to the makeup palette in order to continue her work, and it’s then that Donghyuck realizes they’re being stared at— by the other artists and his members.
His eyes meet Johnny’s, who looks at him as if he’s grown a second head. Donghyuck sags a little into his seat at the scrutiny.
“Do you think that’s appropriate?” one of the older makeup artists reprimands, and the other woman’s shoulders quickly sag in shame.
“Ah, you’re right. That was so unprofessional of me—“
Donghyuck cuts her off, diverting his attention to the artist that had spoken up. “Aren’t we allowed to have a conversation? We’re all adults here.”
To his surprise, instead of getting scolded by the stern woman, Mark is the one who voices his distaste.
“Yeah, but… you don’t have to do it in front of everyone.”
Donghyuck just blankly stares at him, perplexed when the others decide to join in.
“Do you even count as an adult?”
“That was… something.”
“Honestly, Hyuck. What’s gotten into you?”
“I don’t think I’ve ever even seen you talk to a girl for more than five seconds.”
“Where did innocent Haechannie go?”
“Someone get me bleach for my eyes.”
Donghyuck is completely speechless —a rarity for him— and he can’t help the scoff that leaves his mouth. He stares ahead of him, not making eye contact with any of the others, and the makeup artists resume their work in icy silence.
It’s only until after the shoot that anyone tries to talk to him. Mark, of all people, apprehensively approaches him.
“Look, Donghyuck—“
“I don’t want to hear it.”
He knows he’s being petty —in fact, he considers himself to be the king of pettiness— but he honestly does not want to give Mark the time of day.
He looks at him with those puppy eyes, and for a second Donghyuck thinks maybe he’ll retreat, let him be. He’s mistaken.
“You’re right. You have every right to flirt, be social… do your thing. Just, why her all of a sudden?”
Donghyuck blinks. That’s not what he was expecting.
“Huh?”
Mark’s eyes land on the floor, “I don’t know. It’s just so out of nowhere, you know? You play around and stuff with us all the time, but never, like, full-on?”
Donghyuck gives him a blank stare.
“I’m not following.”
Mark lets out a small, frustrated sigh. “I just— What makes her so special? You’re never like that.”
Donghyuck keeps his eyes on him for several seconds, pulling up his shoulders in exasperation. “I don’t know what you want me to say. She’s cute?”
Mark’s lips form a thin line. He nods before swallowing, “Got it. Sorry for, uh…”
“Acting weird?” Donghyuck fills in.
Mark gives him an awkward smile, “Yeah.”
And that’s that.
It isn’t brought up for the remainder of their schedule. Donghyuck manages to let it go —mostly— and he’s back to joking around and being his regular self with his members. They’re in the van, on their way back to the dorms, when the topic arises again. It’s unfortunate, because Donghyuck was just getting ready to close his eyes for a bit.
“Haechannie.”
He scrunches his eyes up further, “Hm?
“We’re sorry for the way we reacted earlier.”
It’s Taeyong’s voice, and it sounds like it’s genuinely something that’s been weighing on his mind.
Donghyuck just waves him off. He’s too tired to deal with this, and it’s water under the bridge, at this point, anyway. “It’s fine, hyung.”
“No, it’s not. We’re supposed to be the mature ones here, but the way we treated you was childish.”
Before Donghyuck gets to protest, another voice joins in— Jaehyun.
“It feels like just yesterday that you and the Dreamies were the irresponsible teenagers we had to take care of.”
“I was never irresponsible,” Donghyuck mutters after inevitably having opened his eyes. All eight members are turned towards him with varying degrees of interest.
Johnny joins in, voice gentle as ever. “Sometimes it’s hard to believe you’re all grown up now.” He ruffles his hair with the last words, since he is, again, sitting right beside him.
“Why is Mark excluded from this?” Donghyuck can’t help but protest. He’s the maknae, but Mark is only a year older than him. Not even.
“He’s been an adult ever since he was like, fifteen,” Jungwoo says from the chair in front of him.
“He’d also never be caught dead doing something like this,” Johnny points out.
Donghyuck furrows his eyebrows, opening his mouth to argue.
Doyoung is quicker than him, though. “Even you make him flustered— imagine someone he’s actually interested in!”
Mark is opening and closing his mouth like a gaping fish from the front passenger seat. He stammers, “Why am I being attacked?”
Donghyuck bursts out laughing, and he has to stick out his tongue to Mark for good measure. Once his laughter has dissipated, Taeyong is speaking again in his steady voice.
“As hard as it is to believe,” he starts, “you are an adult, and we have to accept that. You can associate with whoever you like.”
“But,” Yuta interjects, “please spare us next time, okay?”
Donghyuck snorts, “Fine.”
“But for the record,” he adds, shifting positions, “I never needed your permission”
“Woah,” Johnny exclaims, putting a hand on his chest mockingly, “does Haechan have a secret girlfriend?”
“No,” Donghyuck relents with a pout, “but I could’ve! And I will. Watch me.”
Jungwoo turns to him, “That kind of defeats the purpose of ‘secret,’ Haechannie.”
“Whatever.” He huffs before adding, “I still have a better chance than all of you combined,” just to push their buttons.
It’s not long until a chorus of disagreements fills the air of the ten-seater, and Donghyuck can’t help but relish in the chaos he created.
He does not end up keeping his promise to Yuta, and he thinks he has every right. They deserve it.
Next time he’s in a makeup chair —or with any woman for that matter— he purposely raises his voice, calling everyone’s attention to his obnoxious flirting, and they can’t do a single thing about it. He doesn’t miss the way Mark always pretends to not see or hear anything that’s happening, and he decides then that his victims won’t just be limited to makeup artists. Making Mark flustered is one of his new hobbies now, and the other members don’t even attempt to hide their amusement.
“I’m asking the stylists to put you in a crop-top.”
It stops Mark dead in his tracks, and he can hear Jaehyun trying to hold his laughter from behind him.
“What? ”
“Yeah,” Donghyuck shrugs nonchalantly, “you don’t have those abs for nothing. They deserve to be shown to the world. And me.”
“Get a room!” Johnny yells despite the small space.
Donghyuck looks behind him and up at the giant pleadingly, “Will you pay?”
“If it shuts you up.”
“Mm,” he drags out, pretending to ponder, “I think that’ll do the opposite, actually.”
It takes Johnny a second to process, before he’s groaning in disgust, “Oh, god.”
It makes Donghyuck giggle mischievously.
“I miss baby Haechan,” Johnny complains. “What do I have to do to get him back?”
“Build a time machine,” Donghyuck deadpans.
Johnny sighs exaggeratedly, “I think I just might.”
Donghyuck is an adult, a grown-up, a person of his own, and he will go to hell and back to let everyone within a ten-meter radius know.