this practice happened on 220423. 2 days after mark commented the 🥺 and yuta replied ❤ on his high & low reveal ig post. they are clearly on good terms, maybe even more loved up than normal.
there is clear tension in this moment and i believe that is so because yuta had an agenda. it's clear in the way he executes the entire thing and his reaction after. let's use the actual video as it is better quality and we can see the full frame and members' reactions.
youtube
the moment starts at 3:34. it's oddly cut, as yuta already has his hand reached out to mark, the members aren't in position yet properly, the focus seems to be on yuta and mark (doing their joint gimme gimme choreo part + hi5). look at the members before anything has even happened: jaehyun smirking and smiling to himself, doyoung acting like he doesn't see it, and haechan watching yuta with a "here he goes doing something he shouldn't again" look.
yuta reaches his hand out first. keep in mind, at this part in the choreo, yumark are only meant to hi5 each other, but yuta was absolutely adamant that he would hold hands with mark. look at mark's reaction, he then offers his hand for their hi5 but yuta doesn't do it, instead he reaches back to take mark's hand himself to hold. he at this point wants mark to know that isn't good enough, he wants to actually hold hands. he wants mark to give his hand to him.
when mark does offer his hand for the hi5, as always, yuta is focussed on mark's reactions and reading his body language (in this context, not really out of his usual enjoyment but to see if it's ok)
he then understands mark is aware and in the moment so he affirms to himself he will hold hands.
mark offered his hand and then takes it back quickly because he's focussed on the dance instructor who is speaking to him but he's also aware of what yuta is trying to do. mark doesn't want to "mess up" in front of the instructor but yuta doesn't care. as always, he wants what he wants and he'll get his way.
3:36 is great evidence of this, yuta reaches his hand out again, and even though mark is speaking and focussed on the instructor, he immediately puts his hand out again, to which this time yuta puts two fingers on his palm, by which time mark pulls away again as his attention is still divided between the instructor and yuta.
by this point yuta's probably had enough and realises that mark isn't so easily go to give him his hand, not until yuta himself reaches for it and holds it by which time mark finally has his entire attention and responds accordingly by holding hands properly.
mark is still focussed on the teacher but his hand automatically holds yuta's as soon as he feels yuta's hand on his wrist. the sequence is very intimate:
notice how through this entire exchange, mark's focus remains on the instructor but his body tenses as he's nervous to do this in front of the teacher but he doesn't let go and continues to do the choreography while they still holds hands. he enjoys it.
yuta's agenda in the first place?
it's seems very obvious and apparent to me, especially after listening to his recent radio shows and how he speaks about romance and love. he says he is envious of couples in public, he also wants to hold hands with someone in public and confess (tell them he loves them in that environment as normal couples would), etc etc
watching this entire interaction and how serious and determined he was to hold hands with mark, it adds up. what's the big deal? well, this became a public place because of the dance instructor. the members have seen them behave like this plenty of times but not usually when the attention is actually on them and they are being watched by an outsider. right from the moment the attention on them, the members became uneasy, watch doyoung and jaehyun (who can't keep the knowing smile away). i would screenshot their reactions etc but suddenly tumblr only allows 10 pics per post (ha since when?!). this would also explain mark's nervousness and hesitance but it has always been yuta as the confident one in their relationship, to make such a bold move in a public place. this is an affirmation, a test for him. how does it feel to be a normal couple in a public place- the dance instructor has no idea about their status and that's what yuta enjoys. watch the challenge on his face when they finally hold hands and do the choreo in front of everyone like that. they are in front of a mirror, the members and yuta and mark themselves can see what they're doing. everyone is thinking- what are they doing, how can we practice with this odd behaviour, and mark starts to loosen his hand as they almost finish their part together in the centre. yuta remains proud, not letting go easily. he is also a little nervous, given by the serious look on his face, which but he's determined.
as i've always said, yuta would shout on the rooftops about their relationship if he could. this is why he envies couples in public.
when they are broken apart by doyoung and johnny (who need to do their part next), both yuta and mark smile because doyoung did it dramatically as if "to break them up". mark's reaction is an abrupt laugh, because yes, to everyone else it looks like exactly what it is.
warning/s: profanity, consumption of alcohol, tiny bit of angst @nct-writers
[12:29 AM]
jaehyun is drunk – you can tell by the redness of his ears and the way he slurs his words. his stubbornness is also clearly amplified when he’d arrived on your doorstep moments earlier and refused to come in. instead, he chooses to stand on the sidewalk, staring into the dark and empty street with you.
“i love you so much, baby,” he whispers, reaching out to touch your face. your body warms at his words, but you’re taken aback when he pulls away and suddenly shouts into the dead of the night, “i fucking love you!”
“jaehyun, shh!” you reprimand, grabbing his hands that he had dramatically thrown into the air to emphasise his declaration. “you’ll wake the neighbours up.”
jaehyun looks down at his hands clasped in yours and smiles sorrowfully. “i don’t care,” he mumbles. “you don’t love me anymore.”
with that, his eyes turn glossy with tears and your heart breaks at the sight.
“hey, what are you talking about?” you ask softly, caressing his cheek which pains you even further when you realise he’s started crying. jaehyun leans into your touch, closing his eyes and savouring the comfort that he may never get to feel again. when he doesn’t answer, you take his hands into yours. “jaehyun, what’s wrong?”
his mournful smile is back again. “taeyong said you’re leaving me. i’m sorry if i did anything wrong, i love y–”
the sound of your ringtone slices through the night and you rush to answer the call and put it on speaker.
“hello?”
taeyong’s frantic voice cracks through the phone. “is jaehyun with you?”
“no, i’m not,” jaehyun replies foolishly before you could speak.
“oh thank god,” taeyong’s relief is clear as he rambles on, “listen, y/n, jaehyun’s been drinking and–and johnny gave me this stupid dare to tell him that you were going to break up with him, so i did it and i left him for a split second and he was already gone, i’m–”
“taeyong, you idiot,” you snarl, “i’ll deal with you tomorrow.”
when you kill the call, you look up to see a glimmer of hope that flits across jaehyun’s expression.
“so you don’t want to break up with me?” he asks meekly.
“of course not, babe, i love you too much!” you wrap your arms around jaehyun in a hug, and you immediately feel him melt into your embrace as all of his worries fade away. “come on, let’s get you sobered up and into bed.”