Insouciant | Mark Lee

5~ Unwanted guests

~THIRD PERSON POV

Aera and Mark were startled by the noise they heard downstairs.

"Did you expect anyone to come and visit you today?" Mark asked her while whispering. Aera nodded and said, "No one. My friends always text me before dropping by and my mom is out of the country right now so there's no one I'm expecting." " Okay. don't worry. Stay here and don't get out of the room unless I call you," Mark instructed her and she just nodded.

Mark carefully stepped out of the room and went downstairs. He was welcomed by three men waiting for him. "Finally we get to see the famous Mark Lee," one of the man said with an evil smirk on his face. Mark scoffed at his comment and replied, "Wanna be lucky enough to get punched by me?" The man's smirk dropped  and got replaced by anger.  He indicated the men with him to attack.

The four of them started fighting. It was 3 v/s 1. The men were lacking as Mark easily fought against those three. Two men were down only one was remaining and Mark was left without any scratches.

Aera waited and waited but her patience only started to simmer. She decided to go down. Quietly poking out her head from her room, she scanned the surroundings. She heard some thuds from downstairs. Aera quickened her pace and went down where she came across two men lying unconscious on the floor.

"Didn't know you got yourself a girl there, Lee," the man said. Mark furrowed his brows and followed the man's eyes. He saw Aera standing there. "Aera, what the hell, I told you to stay in your room," Mark said while turning around to Aera. The man saw this as a chance and attacked Mark from the back. He got Mark into a headlock. She saw this and screamed at the top of her lungs. She decided to help Mark, but how? That's when it struck her, she'll just kick the man on his crotch. "Yes, I'll do it." She gathered courage and started heading towards the man. She closed her eyes and kicked him.

By the time, Mark got out of his grip and twisted the man's neck till he blacked out. Mark was panting when he felt a huge impact on his crotch. He sat down due to the pain. Aera opened her eyes and realized what happened. She gasped and immediately sat down next to Mark. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry. I just wanted to help so I thought about kicking the man instead I ended up kicking you. I'm so sorry again. Is your babymaker okay?"Aera apologized and asked him with concern. Mark was about to answer when the doorbell rang. He immediately got up and dragged the men to the bathroom and got out. He signaled Aera to open the door.

Aera opened the door and it was her neighbor Mrs. Belsmores. She was a kind lady who was in her 60s. Aera remembers going at her neighbors when she was a kid. She opened the door wide. "Oh hello Mrs. Belsmores. How are you doing? Is everything alright?" Aera questioned her neighbor politely on her sudden arrival. "Hello dear, Is everything alright? I heard you screaming so I  came to check on you." Mrs. Belsmores started looking inside the house when her eyes landed on Mark. Aera started thinking about a reason to give when an idea crossed her mind. Aera started walking and stood beside Mark. He looked at her and furrowed his brows. Aera gave him a very sweet smile and intertwined their hands together. Mark stood there confused looking at Aera and thinking what's going on.

"Mrs. Belsmore, my boyfriend and I were watching a horror movie which resulted with me screaming." Aera said and looked at Mark. She gave him a Please go with it look. Mark chuckled awkwardly and replied, "Ah, yes... no need to worry."

"Ah, young love! You reminded me of the time when I was young," the elderly chuckled and reminisced. As she stepped out of the door, she looked back at the youngsters who were still holding hands. "Don't forget to use protection!" Mrs.Belsmore exclaimed and left. Mark and Aera were flabbergasted by the elderly's comment. They both turned in a slight shade of pink.

Soon realization washed over them as their glance went on to their intertwined hands. Mark immediately retracted his hands took a few steps backwards. Aera realized it too and took a few steps back too. She pouted a bit because of the lack of warmth she felt. Mark on the other hand was cursing himself for liking the feeling of warmth.

They stood there awkwardly. Mark decided to break the silence. He cleared his throat and said, "You're not my girlfriend so don't flatter yourself with the fake scenario." Aera scoffed in disbelief and shot back, "You're not my type anyway." Dismissing this topic, Aera questioned Mark, "So  what are you gonna do with them?" pointing towards the unconscious men lying on her bathroom floor. "I'm taking them with me, I'll just make a quick call." Mark said and left the bathroom. He came back in the living room and called Jaehyun, "Jaehyun hyung, I need your help." "Mark where are you? And what happened?" Jaehyun question him. "I caught some more men of Black Seprents. There's three of them. I need you to pick me up." Mark replied. "Woah woah okay, tell me the address I'll pick you up." "Hyung, it's yesterday's address." "Okay. I'm on my way." They ended their conversation.

While Mark was on the phone call, Aera noticed his bruised knuckles. She went to her room and grabbed the first aid kit.

She came back in the living room and noticed Mark ending the call. "Mark, come here," she called him. He came and stood in front of her, "What?" "Sit down," she told him to settle on the sofa. She took his hand in hers and examined his bruised. Taking the disinfectant from the first aid kit, she applied it on his bruise. Mark hissed as he felt a burning sensation. Aera immediately apologized, "sorry, I'll be careful" and continued treating his wounds. This whole time, Mark's eyes followed Aera's every movement like a hawk. How she was being gentle with him, how her tongue sticks out while concentrating, how she winced when he hissed in pain. He never had someone to take care of him like this after his mother, who unfortunately passed away when he was 10. He was under his father's care but that only resulted in endless nights of abuse. Mark left his home when he was 14 and eventually ended up joining Neo City's largest mafia gang, NCT.

Aera's actions reminded him of his mother. His face softened after looking at Aera but immediately shook his head and thought to himself, Don't let your guard down Mark. On the other Aera was striving hard to hide her blush from Mark. There was something about him which intrigued her. Something that told her that she can be vulnerable around him, he'll be there for her. She shook the thought from her head and wrapped the bandage around his knuckles. She lifted her head and came face to face to Mark.

Their faces were just inches away. Aera's breath hitched at the sudden eye contact. His eyes weren't leaving hers. They were at their most vulnerable point right now. Both of them flinched and separated as the doorbell rang. Aera hastily stood up and said, "I'll get it."

She opened the door and saw a very handsome man at her doorstep. She kept staring at him. Mark came from behind and said, "Stop drooling and get aside." She was caught off guard, "w-what, I'm not drooling," she defended herself. "Where are they?"Jaehyun asked Mark and he replied, "Inside the bathroom."

They loaded the men in the van. Mark went inside the house and stood in front. He asked for her phone, "Here is my number. Call me if you feel anything suspicious," he stated. "Okay," she replied. "I'll leave then," Mark said and left the house.

Aera went back to her room and lied down on the bed. She took out her phone and stared at the recently added contact. A smile crept up on her face as she read the contact, "Mark Lee."

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A/N: I'm so happy right now. The one and only Mark Lee is now on Instagram. I'm a happy Markzen :)