off the ice | l.mh

chapter 4.2

The next few weeks pass by rather uneventfully after the incident, at least in comparison to the last. Police are still hot on the case of Yuna's hit-and-run perpetrator, but they struggle to find witnesses as the crime occurred so early in the morning. The local CCTV didn't even cover the area where it happened which leaves the driver ultimately still at large.

The Lee's and your other friends texted in the group chat plenty and you grew much more accustomed to having them around. Mark drives you to the hospital to visit Yuna a couple times a week and the three of you would eat lunch together in her room for a small sense of normalcy. It's a tough transition for you nonetheless- your best friend and roommate who you were used to seeing every day is now so far away - your time together reduced to a few hours a week. However, the initial shock of the situation eventually faded and the two of you have come to terms with how things are. Yuna and you agreed to not cry about it anymore until she got started on physical therapy and gave recovery her best shot. Thankfully, Ten is there with her everyday and every night so it's bearable for her.

Mark's always been sweet about your comfort zone, too, never pushing you to talk about your feelings yet at the same time, always there for you when you need him. Neither one of you brought up the almost-kisses. The first reason being, you aren't ready to remind yourself of the horrible things that happened afterwards. Actually, does there need to be another reason?

    So the days tick by and seeing Mark naturally became part of your daily routine. It's something you look forward to when you get ready in the morning. Although the realization hasn't hit, seeing him is something you that makes your day feel complete. His good heart shines more and more to you everyday as you chose to continue to accompany him to Sunday volunteering. You get to witness how Mark's eyes glow whenever he talks to the people gathered in the church. The way he treats everyone there as if they're his own family. Sincerity and maturity- that's what you find in him.

In addition to walking you to class everyday, Mark now has a special seat next to you in the front row of your economics lecture, leaving Jeno and Ten snickering behind you as they watch closely at your interactions. You eat lunch at the willow tree by the basketball court on the days you aren't visiting Yuna. After a while, you grew used to the dirty looks from the girls across the court, even daring to glare back when you meet Hillary's fiery stare. Nonetheless, you've developed a comfortable social routine with your newfound friends. All was well except for one obvious issue weighing heavily on your shoulders.

    The middle of October rolls by and you grind your way through your evening shift at Frankie's. Thankfully, it's a Tuesday, so late-night stragglers aren't much of an issue. You finish scrubbing down the kitchen counters and wipe your hands on your waitress apron. Unfortunately, it's your turn to close so you're the only one left working tonight. Your back aches from hours of waiting tables and your cheeks hurt from the wide smile you offered all of your customers, rude or not. An underrated pain. Sighing, you count your tips for the day.

    A bell chimes from the door.

    "Sorry we're closed-," you stop your words as you see the figure illuminated by the low diner lights.

    "Is it too late for me to talk with the pretty waitress?" Mark grins, unzipping and taking off his wind breaker. You roll your eyes but your smile tells him you aren't actually annoyed.

    "The pretty waitress is covered in barbeque sauce and all purpose cleaner. Proceed?"

    "Oh no, not barbeque sauce! Cancel request! Cancel Request!"

    You laugh, throwing a nickel at his dramatic display.

    "Wait, give that back to me. I need every tip I can get," you say, holding out your hand to receive the coin. Mark obediently picks it up, handing it to you as he takes a seat at the bar. You thank him, flipping through the crinkled, greasy bills from the tip jar. The creeping disappointment must have shown on your face because Mark breaks the silence.