long story short || Mark Lee x reader (nct)

Chapter 1

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 29 2016

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Click, clack, click, clack.

The sound of my mary janes on the sidewalk taunts me as I make my way through the parking lot of my dormitory. Today was move-in day. My first day in my new dorm, the day before the first of college.

"What are you waiting for? Come on! You should be more excited!" My brother, Namjoon, advises me.

I roll my eyes at the comment. "The only thing I'm excited for right now is being able to get away from you for once." I mark.

What I just said was far from the truth - I have never been this far away from the nest, and I rather disagree with the idea of leaving my family.

I rush into the front doors of the building, stepping onto the cold, dark, marble floors, shimmering with gold. This building was more than a dormitory. It was also one of the top apartment resorts the university could give to top students like I was.

I marvel at my way across the room while my brother checks me in. Observing through the warm lighting. The building is decorated with the finest of things, filled with the smartest of students.

I feel out of place. Although I deserve to be there as any of the other students did, right here, now, I'm just another girl. Another sister, waiting for her brother, carrying boxes of my things and art supplies for my studies.

"Y/n, let's go!" Namjoon calls out to me, dangling my room keys.

"I'm coming, I'm coming. Jeez," I whisper-shout, speeding up my pace.

I look around once more, inside the building I will be staying at for the next few weeks - months - years. Inside was an open space, a pool, a garden, all sorts of overwhelming, fancy facilities. The experience was both exhilarating and nerve-wracking.

Click, clack, click, clack.

"..And here we are" Namjoon announces as he passes me the keys. I take a deep breath before unlocking the wooden door, the numbers '21' shining against the light as the entrance swivels open.

I take my space in with a joyful gasp. Being greeted with a rather smallish living room joined kitchen. 2 couches sat in front of the tv, with a relatively small dining table and kitchen appliances placed not far from it.

"Well.. it's...-"

"Exciting! I love it! Really!" I yelp, cutting my brother off as I take off my shoes. Feeling the fabric of the sofa, soft, against my hands. The floor, cold, even against my white socks.

"Think you can make it here?" Namjoons voice echoes from the other room.

I walk to the opened door, standing by the frame as I gaze upon my bedroom. Namjoon already had a few of my things shipped and moved in to make our jobs easier. All we had to do now was move boxes and boxes of my things.

"I think I can manage," I state.

I glide the curtains with my hands, revealing a glass patio door that leads to open space. From there, I'm able to see a beautiful pool, as well as the eating hall, far across.

I turn back to my brother. Namjoon was now setting my things on the only desk in the room, organizing them how he thinks I would like them.

I sneak upon him with a hug from behind. "Don't be sad, Joon, Oppa. I'll visit, no matter how used I get to the luxury life." I say before laughing at my end statement. "Cross my heart."

Growing up in the Kim household, after the death of our mom and relatives - and never knowing who our dad was - it was mostly just him and me. He and I. Well, him, me, and Minho. Our other superstar brother (Who apparently couldn't come today to move his little sister in).

I'll be more than understanding if he's upset. I'm upset too, of course, but I'm holding myself from tearing up in front of him. I mean, he'll understand. I know he will. He always has been understanding. But this moment is already as sad as it is.

Namjoon releases himself from my grip, turning around and holding my wrists in his hands. He gives me a warm smile, "I know you will, kiddo. I'd give you a week before you start calling me in the middle of the night, whining about how homesick you are." He says with playfulness in his tone.

"I can already hear it. 'Oppa, pick me up. I don't wanna be here anym- Ow!" He shouts in pain as I cut off his mocking with a kick in the leg. It's not like he was wrong or anything, though. I'd give myself less than a week.

"Yah! Keep talking, and it won't just be your leg!" I, jokingly, threaten him. Namjoon replies with a laugh, "Okay, I deserved that. But please, no more"

I give him a lively grin in return as I go back to taking out my belongings. The task was going to take us until nighttime, most likely. And that's not even including the boxes that haven't arrived yet.

My brother and I put on some music to fill the dread as we work, switching from each of our preferences, one song at a time.

'And it was, enchanted to meet yo-'

'Angel baby, angel-'

'Devils roll the dice, angel's roll their eyes-'

'Heatwaves been freaking me ou-'

'You were drivin' the getaway ca-'

'Say goodnight and go-'

'Crestfallen on the landing, champagne-'

'What's it like in New York c-'

'I bet you think about m-'

The moon rose soon enough, reflecting its light through the curtains of my newly decorated room. It isn't much, but seeing all of my favorite things on the wall; pictures, memories, paintings, polaroids. It's more than enough to make me happy.

'ad astra per aspera' the words hung proudly from my walls.

"Done at last! Pretty! Is it not?" I ask my brother with wide eyes. He walks over to where I am standing, "The prettiest" He complements our job well done, giving me a high-five in the process.

"Now, what do you say we meet up with the others and get ourselves some food," He asks, looking down at me with a smile.

I grab my coat, as well as my bag. "Alright, let's go," I tell him. I look back at my space one last time before turning off the lights and heading out the door. The place now filled with my stuff, the place I'll be spending my time most, the place I'll hang out with my new friends, soon enough.

...click, clack.

The door locks. Namjoon offers me his arm, and I hang on to it tightly as we walk off.

'to the stars through difficulties.'

-end of chapter 1