DREAMLINQUENT TRILOGY #1: RENEW

14

Mark laid back on his bed with a light grunt, feeling his muscles relax against the soft mattress.

His eyes darted on his plain beige ceiling in a room surrounded by dim orange light and cool air.

His mind never left the sudden interruption awhile ago; the cause never brought back the excitement of the two, and they proceeded to be extra mindful and observant of their surroundings.

It also caused Mark to think about staying another night at the gang's mansion just to ensure the girl's safety, but to his dismay, she strongly dismissed him at the bus stop when Johnny arrived as planned.

Mark rubbed his face with muffled grumbles, then deeply exhaled. If he just had the chance to see their faces, even just peek...

Finally deciding, he reached for his phone on his nightstand and hit on Renjun's contacts.

[Mark?]

"Renjun, hey" he chewed on his lower lip as he thought about how to start.

"Umm, actually, I don't know how to say this, but..."

[But? Why did you do something dumb again?]

"This little shit." he said, clicking his tongue. "I was just wondering if you still have those, you know, programs."

[What programs?]

"Ugh, you know! Programs! Hacking?"

[Yeah, what about that?]

Mark kicked the air and rolled to his stomach, his whines muffled with his head on the pillow.

[I swear to Moomin Lee Mark if you won't say]

"Those devices you used when tracking and hacking before in the gang, do you still have them?"

[Oh]

Mark released the tensed air in his lungs, yet he grew worried again when the other line went silent. He quickly checked his screen and saw the call was still ongoing, so he cursed silently and blamed himself for the younger person's discomfort.

"Jun, I'm sorry you don't have to answer it; just please, please talk to me so I can make sure you're okay."

[Yeah, Mark, I still have it.]

Mark sighed in relief and pushed himself up against the headboard.

"I'm sorry. Tell me you're fine."

[I am]

[But why are you asking?]

"I know bringing some memories is already a huge fault, but I can't think of anything or anyone right now, and I don't think I can talk to Doyoung or Jungwoo about this either."

[Shoot]

"Do you happen to know if there are cameras present on 27th Street near the Sidemart Grove?"

[Along the way to that arcade, Hyuck mentioned it, right?]

"Right"