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Oolong & Maple

Summary:

Mark and Yukhei met at Toronto's University.
Since then they're together, living a simple domestic life.

Or the domestic tales of Mark, a math teacher trying to get his DMath degree, and Yukhei, a programmer that develops biomedical software.

Notes:

(See the end of the work for other works inspired by this one.)

Chapter 1: [ s m a l l h a n d s ]

Summary:

The beginning of Oolong & Maple stories.

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Yukhei and Mark met each other in ‘Introduction to Computer Science’, a shared class they had to take in their first year of college, even when they were in different majors.

They chose to sit in the same row of the classroom, and Yukhei remembers Mark giving him a judgmental look at his brand new American Eagle hoodie as he pushed his gold-framed glasses over the bridge of his nose. What he doesn’t remember though, it is when he did the pout that made Mark smile at him before they introduced each other.

Yukhei was tall, with a heavy accented English since he came from Hong Kong to study Bioinformatics in Toronto’s University (from time to time, even after all this time, Yukhei's accent surges out of nowhere and reminds Mark of when they were young).

Mark moved from Vancouver, where his family still lives, to study Mathematics (not that there wasn’t a program in Vancouver’s University, but he liked this program better).

Mark’s first impression of Yukhei was that he didn’t fit into the stereotype of a guy that made it into Bioinformatics (a selective program with limited places), but somehow it made sense. On the other hand, Yukhei thought Mark looked like the typical geek who would study Math, with his round glasses and his worn out vans matching the color of his jacket. Still, to Yukhei, he looked too innocent for his own good.

 

As their classes advanced, Yukhei and Mark started to spend more time together.

At first, they found each other from time to time in the library (Yukhei spent lots of hours in the Biology section, which absurdly enough was in front of the Math section), but then they purposefully started to visit the library to see the other, and when it couldn’t be more obvious, Mark asked Yukhei if he wanted to study with him. Yukhei played cool and accepted it.

Even when they shared some classes, there were only a few subjects that they could study together. Computer programming was something Yukhei was good at so he helped Mark with it, and Mark had a lot of patience to review the basics of algebra so Yukhei could understand differential calculus (Mark solved a few exercises with him, even when he wasn’t taking Calculus at that time).

Then, they started to see each other for non-studying purposes. Mark invited Yukhei to the cafeteria one day to share lunch together, and suddenly that became part of their routine too. Mark waited for Yukhei outside the classroom where he took Chemical Principles every Wednesday and Thursday, and Yukhei picked him up from Algebra punctually, every Friday at six p.m.

 

On one of those days, Yukhei helped Mark with his backpack as he was tying the lace of his signature red vans and he hung it on his shoulder. Then Mark started to walk as if nothing happened, and Yukhei completely forgot he had Mark’s backpack with him.

They arrived at the cafeteria and Mark ordered their usual, but then he couldn’t find his backpack. Yukhei can’t stop laughing every time he remembers their faces paling when they thought they had lost it forever, only to then realize Yukhei had it with him all the time.

But it also got stuck.

Yukhei liked to help Mark with his stuff. He was always carrying a pile of heavy books and a coffee (as soon as he got closer to Yukhei, it turned into two coffees), and he looked so tiny behind them... Yukhei thought he was being a good friend, but deep inside his mind, he hoped Mark saw him as a gentleman.

 

They kept their routine until the end of semester, when both presented their exams. Mark asked Yukhei to come with him for a coffee and the taller thought they were going to the campus cafeteria, but he was quite surprised when they left the campus.

“Where are we going?” Mark offered him an amused look as they walked together to that place, with his hands hiding in their jackets because of the cold weather (it wasn’t snowing yet, but Mark guesses it would happen soon). “Mark?”

“Be patient, man. We’re close” Yukhei didn't ask anything else, choosing to focus on the surroundings in case he wanted to come back here later.

 

Two blocks later, Mark held the door open for Yukhei. Yukhei froze in place for a second, just realizing Mark had been a gentleman to him too.

"Aren't you getting in, dude?" Mark cocked an eyebrow before Yukhei nodded and went in, followed by Mark. He liked the place, warm and cozy. Mark certainly had good taste. “The usual, right?” Mark asked as he left to the counter, not waiting for an answer while Yukhei picked a table at the corner of the place.

 

Mark walked to their table, telling the other their coffee would arrive soon. Yukhei couldn’t stop staring at him and, for the very first time in months, he took his sweet time to process the picture in front of him.

He’d been thinking about Mark for months, but pushing the thought aside in favor of focusing on his classes, but it was almost impossible, given the amount of time they spend together then.

Yukhei thought Mark looked adorable in his outfit (and any other outfit he wore, who was he kidding?), that hasn’t changed that much from the outfit he met him with, but he’s then including extra layers of clothes.

Mark took off his scarf, his puffy jacket and his gloves to be more comfortable. He hung the jacket at the back of the chair, along with the scarf and placed the gloves over the table. Yukhei couldn't take his eyes off his hands, wondering if they would fit perfectly with his.

“Hey Mark, your hands...” he commented before his brain to mouth filter worked “They’re kinda small” he smiled sheepishly, trying to calm himself.

“Really?” Mark inspected his hands, blinking confused “I guess they are”

“Look at mine" Yukhei thought this was a now or never moment "A-are they bigger?” Yukhei hesitantly offered Mark his shaking hands “Should we compa-” Mark chuckled, pressing their palms together and a second later he intertwined his fingers with Yukhei’s. The taller blushed deeply.

“If you wanted to hold my hands you could’ve just asked, dude”

Notes:

Yay! Second NCT story~
 
I know it is waaaay too early to post something for Mark's birthday, but I wanted to do a multi-chapter story.
I found this on my folder of prompts and I thought 'why not?'
I hope you all like it~

Thank you so much for reading!
Please, take care, and let's read us soon ❤️