Fragile | Markhyuck

4

A/N: I promise the trio aren't assholes
—

Donghyuck just kept his head against Xuxi's chest, listening to his heartbeat. There was a small knock on the bathroom door. "Johnny is here" he recognized Jaemin's voice. Xuxi helped Donghyuck up and walked him out to the living room. There Johnny stood, tall yet small at the same time. His eyes tired and bloodshot like he'd be crying, hair a mess from pushing through it, and sleeves rolled up. Donghyuck broke away from Xuxi to run at Johnny and bury himself into his older brother who caged him to his chest, setting his chin on the top of his head.
"You're back" Johnny whispered. Someone cleared their throat.
"So uh... what's going on? Haechan was fine before he fell asleep" The guy he learned to be named Jaemin said. Johnny sighed and the room filled with tension.
"I-I can explain" Donghyuck said into Johnny's chest.
"You sure Hyuck?" Johnny asked and Donghyuck nodded and pulled away wiping his face. He played with his fingers as he looked at the three faces he doesn't even know.
"W-well um... I'm not Haechan" he whispered and everyone looked even more confused. "Um well the only one I have truly met is... you Xuxi" he gestured to the tall man.
"You don't know Renjun and I?" Jaemin asked and Donghyuck shook his head.
"Sorry I'm a little disoriented, cause Haechan drank" Donghyuck said and then looked up at Johnny. "Sorry" he whispered and Johnny shook his head. Donghyuck released himself from Johnny and faced the three. He shuffled his feet. "I uh have dissociative identity disorder."
"What?" All of them said at once and Donghyuck bit his lip.
"I-I'll introduce myself then..." he took a deep breath not used to talking so much.
"I'm Lee Donghyuck, I'm 20, I love animals, blankets, and sweets" he blushed feeling embarrassed. "U-um I hate loud noises." He finished. They just looked at him, he felt like a lab rat on display. "You guys," he gestured towards them, "met Lee Haechan. He's 20, he also loves animals, but unlike me he loves partying and being around a lot of people. He uh hates school also which explains the skipping part..."
"Wait so... like... you're two different people?" Renjun asked.
"Yes" he whispered.
"Think of it like a pair of twins but they share the same body" Johnny said. They nodded slowly still trying to comprehend the situation.
"So you don't have his memories?" Jaemin asked and Donghyuck shook his head.
"N-no, maybe small bits and pieces but Haechan usually knows mine. I-I'm the personality that is out the most making me the dominant o-one" he explained further.
"We'd deeply appreciate it if you wouldn't tell anybody" Johnny said, Donghyuck could hear the protectiveness in his voice. They all nodded.
"Yeah sure man" Xuxi said.
"Thank you" Donghyuck said.
"We'll he going now" Johnny said and nodded towards all of them. Donghyuck took Johnny's hand, he was shaking from the situation feeling uncomfortable and overwhelmed. He turned towards everyone.
"S-sorry for the inconvenience" he said and faced away. They hurriedly left after that.

-

The next day at school Donghyuck was approached by Xuxi in the hallway. He was walking to his next class when someone caught up to him. "Hae-Don-" Xuxi paused and Donghyuck jumped from the sudden noise and looked up at the male who had caught up with him.
"O-oh hey Xuxi" he said.
"I have a question" Xuxi said and Donghyuck stopped on the side of the hallway to talk to Xuxi.
"Yes?"
"So like, I was wondering if there was anyway we could like... uh summon Haechan?" He said. Before Donghyuck could talk he continued "the guys and I discussed it and we saw from an American movie called 'Split' that the therapist lady can bring forward a personality by saying his name o-" he started to rant and Donghyuck could see the sparkles in his eyes, he's excited. Donghyuck cut him off.
"I-It doesn't work that way... I mean at least with me" he said and Xuxi froze and then nodded. Donghyuck didn't miss the fall in the guy's mood.
"Oh alright, uh sorry man" he said awkwardly and walked away. Donghyuck looked down at his feet. Haechan has always been better at making friends. He sighed and hurried to his next class.

By lunch time Donghyuck was lost in thought. He got to his table and sat next to Johnny. "You ok Hyuckie?" Taeyong asked and Donghyuck looked up and smiled politely.
"Uh yeah, sorry just tired" he said with a small laugh.
"Awe, what time did you go to bed?" Taeil asked.
"I was just tossing and turning all night" he scratched his nape. It wasn't a lie, he was tossing and turning all night, except it was because of a nightmare.
"Oh hey Mark!" Someone said and Donghyuck looked up to see Jaemin. Mark smiled and high-fived the guy.
"What's up man" Mark said back. Donghyuck watched as Jaemin looked over at him and he looked away feeling shy.
"Hey Donghyuck" Jaemin smiled and Donghyuck looked back at him and returned it.
"H-hey Jaemin" he said back.
"You know each other?" Mark asked and the two nodded.
"We sk-" Jaemin started.
"We met during classes y-yesterday" Donghyuck said and Jaemin nodded.
"We were wondering if you wanted to join us at our table Donghyuck" Jaemin said and Donghyuck bit his lip. They might have questions.
"Um... sure I guess" he said.
"No invite for me?" Mark joked and Jaemin laughed as Donghyuck picked up his lunch.
"We have some private matters to discuss" Jaemin said and took Donghyuck's hand causing the shorter to blush but hold on. "I promise I'll give him back before lunch ends!" Jaemin smiled at everyone and the nodded a bit confused but let them go, Johnny looked reluctant but waved them off. Jaemin led Donghyuck to their table, gently holding the older's hand and moving the pad of his thumb across his knuckles. "Sorry, I noticed yesterday you seemed to calm down when Johnny held your hand" Jaemin said and Donghyuck nodded.
"I-it's okay."
Soon they arrived and sat down, Jaemin letting go of him.
"Hey Hyuck" Renjun said.
"Hi" he said hesitantly.
"We've been thinking, what if we found a way to summon Haechan? Have you tried?" Jaemin asked this time looking excited. Donghyuck bit his lip and shook his head.
"N-no but-" he started.
"We wanna invite him to a party" Renjun said and then took a drink of his water. Donghyuck raised his brows.
"We promise we would have invited you but you said you don't like crowds and loud noises" Jaemin clarified and Donghyuck nodded slowly.
"Okay, but uh... you can't just force a personality out" he whispered and started bouncing his leg.
"Have you tried?" Xuxi asked. Donghyuck looked away but shook his head no.
"I-I can write the date down on the calendar in my room" he said and looked at all of them. He heard Renjun sigh, even if he did try to cover it with a fake yawn. Donghyuck felt judged and unliked. He isn't welcomed here unless he's Haechan. They must think he's dumb.
"You said you haven't tried though" Jaemin said softly.
"Well yeah, b-" Donghyuck started again.
"Lee Haechan" Xuxi said and Donghyuck frowned at him.
"I said it doesn't work that way" he said once more. Jaemin looked around before he grabbed a small bottle from his jacket.
"What about drinking alcohol? I heard familiar things can bring another out." Donghyuck sighed.
"I don't like alcohol..." he whispered.
"Try it? Please?" Renjun said looking hopeful. Donghyuck played with the ends of his sleeves. He loved making others happy, he should do it.
"O-okay" he said and they all smiled. He hesitantly took the bottle, it felt so wrong to hold it. He unscrewed the cap and brought it towards himself and took a sip cringing at the taste of the luke-warm drink. He set it down.
"Haechan?" Xuxi questioned leaning forward.
"I-I told you it wouldn't work" he said.
"Bigger drink maybe?" Jaemin asked and offered the bottle once more. Donghyuck forced himself not to cry as he took a bigger drink of it and set the bottle aside. He wiped his mouth. No Haechan. No slipping. He coughed a few times and Jaemin patted his back.
"Well?" Renjun asked and Donghyuck shook his head. "What about a loud noise? I heard that can trigger a reaction" Renjun continued. Donghyuck felt himself tremble but he suppressed it by squeezing his hands together.
"I hate loud noises" he said back.
"We know but we really need to talk to H-" Jaemin started but suddenly there was a loud noise. Xuxi dropped a large chemistry book right on the ground and some chatter died down. Donghyuck quickly covered his ears feeling them become fuzzy. Doors slamming. It sounds like doors slamming. He heard some voices from behind his hands but couldn't focus. Doors slamming. Doors slamming. Doors slamming. A dresser falling. A dresser falling. He started to shake violently.
"Haechan?" He felt his hand ripped away from his ear, Jaemin's voice making it's way through.
"G-get away from me" he whispered and quickly stood up leaving his lunch and ripping himself away from the group. They looked confused but then concern when they saw the first tear run down his face. He walked away not wanting to make a scene by running. Doors slamming. Doors slamming. Doors slamming. A dark closet. A dark closet. A dark closet. The images kept flashing as he continued towards his original table feeling tears roll down his cheeks. He made it close but he quickly went another way to go to the bathrooms. He locked himself in a stall and started to take deep breaths as he cradled his head in his hands. The bathroom door opened.
"Hyuckie are you in here?" Taeil.
"H-Hyung, I c-can't breathe" there's a weight pressing on his chest, crushing him.
"Come out, which stall are you in?" Taeil asked, his frantic footsteps coming towards his stall. He unlocked the stall with shaky hands and stumbled out and into Taeil's arms. He dragged Taeil down to the floor with him as he shook violently, pressing his head to his chest to hear his heartbeat.
"Shh shh Hyuck I got you, I saw you walking to the bathroom and you looked upset" Taeil explained holding Donghyuck and running his fingers through his brown hair.
"I-I thought I could handle it alone" he was trying to breathe normally but couldn't.
"What happened?" Taeil said holding Donghyuck's head to his chest.
"It... the sound" he whispered.
"The book?" Taeil asked.
"X-Xuxi dropped the book and-" he was hit with the sound again in his mind. Then the picture of a door slamming. He started to shake again.
"Hey hey focus on me okay?" Taeil said, "should I get Johnny? He had to go class early but I'm sure he wou-" he started but Donghyuck shook his head.
"I can't bother him, I shouldn't be bothering y-you" he cried.
"You're not bothering me" Taeil said and patted his back. The bathroom door opened.
"Woah uh what's happening? Wait shit, Haechan are you okay?" The one and only Mark Lee walked over and crouched down.
"I-I'll be okay, we should go to class" he slowly got up, Taeil helping him. "T-thanks" Donghyuck whispered and wiped his eyes. The older males watched as he splashed his fave with cold water and patted it dry and left. He walked out and went back to Xuxi's table and grabbed his lunch without saying a word to them.
"Wait Hyuck we're s-" Jaemin started.
"Don't you ever talk to me again, I don't know you. You only know Haechan" he said softly and walked away.