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

Chapter 8

SUNDAY, MARCH 6 2016

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"Yo, Mark! Did you ever finish that song you showed me last week?"

Mark doesn't reply to his Hyung. He has not finished the song. How can he? Every melody he hears is always overthrown by the one constantly playing in his mind. The song he heard that one night he struggled to sleep. The song he has no idea who it belongs to.

"Mark, are you there?" Taeyong tries snapping him out of his thoughts.

"Huh? Right- No, I haven't. Sorry, Hyung." Mark replies shortly. His mind comes back to the practice room at SM, where they are all currently gathered. He stares at himself in the big mirror wall, running his hands through his jet-black hair.

Taeyong gives him a concerned look, "Well, have you got the new dance moves down?" He sits down next to where his friend sat on the floor.

Jaemin watches as the two group members conversate on the ground. He thins his lips into a line. Mark had told him about his troubling thoughts, and he can see right through him right now. How he's been out of it today. Distracted, dazed.

Jaemin feels awfully bad. He knows the girl in his story. The girl who has been stirring a cloud in his friend's mind. The girl who he has to respect her wishes.

'But just look at him...' Jaemin argues. It is a moral dilemma he wants no part of. But before he can overthink any further, Mark walks over to him.

"Hey, Jae. I heard tonight's the Seoul Open Music night. Wanna come with?"

Jaemin looks up at his friend, "You're going...?"

"Well, yeah," Mark answers him. "So, are you coming with me or not?"

Jaemin looks at him as if all his problems are now solved, "...Why not," He smiles. 'I technically didn't invite him. He invited himself. I'm sure Y/n will cut me some slack.' He considers, thinking that he's discovered a non-existent loophole.

MEANWHILE, AT A LOCAL BOOK-STORE

"Hey, Y/n. Ready to go?" Taehyung walks through the store entrance, here to pick me up.

"Yup. Just let me finish up my shift first." I reply to him, taking off my name tag.

Once I've informed the manager of my leave, Taehyung and I head out. He waits for me as I walk into the Mall women's bathroom to change out of my work-appropriate clothes into my festival-appropriate clothes.

After freshening up my makeup, I lift the sweater I'm wearing over my head before tossing it onto the floor of the bathroom stall.

I change into a dark violet cardigan that hugs my body tightly and button it up. I switch my pair of jeans for a plain black skirt and my sneakers for black doc mart shoes.

(A/n: quoting Jeniffer's body: "This is my rock outfit.")

Taehyung gets up from where he was leaning against the wall, "Finally."

I roll my eyes as I take the bag I had him watch over while I was getting ready. "How do I look?" I say, twirling around.

"Like you took an hour to get ready." He replies, walking off.

"Yah!" I exclaim as I try to catch up. We make our way to the event.

07.34 PM, the big clock reveals. Taehyung and I are in an area of the festival, leaning against the silver railing that separated stone and water.

Usually, the stars are barely visible due to the pollution in Seoul. But something about tonight made them glisten against the lake.

I tie my hair up into a bun. We were waiting for Jaemin to meet up with us.

I fan myself with my hands, feeling the heat of the crowd tonight. I've underestimated the number of people who would show up.

Age groups of all kinds are lining up against the stage. A man with a violin bows to everyone, finishing up his performance.

My hand clutches my chest tightly as the crowd applauses. I begin rubbing my fingers together, 'Where the hell is Jaemin?'

I turn to my side, expecting Taehyung, but I am only met with no other than Park Sun-ho. The host of tonight's event.

My heart speeds up by a million beats. 'Two... Three... Five...' I try recalling how many people have performed on stage. I gasp, 'How could I be so-'

"Won't you look at the time, folks!" The crowd cheers. "It's time to choose one lucky person to get up on stage and serenade us all! Beside me right now is this lovely young girl in a purple cardigan..."

Every part of me freezes. Once again, am I in the cold waters I've been trying so hard to avoid. I look around the spinning world in front of me. It takes a while before I finally catch Jaemin's eye.

He is far, far away from where I am.

"I can't do this." I mouth to him.

Jaemin look's at his distressed friend from the mass as the host begins to lead her to the stage.

He turns to Mark on his side, staring gloomily at the waters, before adverting his eyes back to the stage.

"You have to." He mouths to me before cheering along with the crowd.

'The crowd. The hundreds of people. In front of me. Oh god.'

I think of his words. I'm already on stage next to the band as they ask me what song I'll be singing. I'm already gripping the mic in my hand. I'm already in front of the audience I've always dreamt of having. He's right. I have to do this.

'This is an opportunity. This is my opportunity.' God, I hate it when he's right.

I grip my mic tighter and give them the song I have in mind. 'All I have to do is start singing.'

And the crowd cheers as I do.

"Nuguleul wihae nugunga,"

Jaemin feels a hand on his shoulder and turns to the person beside him, who reveals wide eyes.

Mark darts at Jaemin before turning his head towards the stage again.

The song rings a familiar voice in his ears, a voice that stung like the ocean water.

He feels how the night froze from the very first note. How his chest heats up with every word sung.

It was a voice one can hardly forget. A voice he would recognize anywhere.

He stares at the girl on stage. How parts of her hair fell against her cheeks, and how tears stained them. How she sings with the stars, the moon, the night, mesmerizing the crowd with her siren's call.

"...gogaeleul deul-eo balabon geugos-e iss-eulge."

I open my eyes to the sea of people bursting in applause. Hand to my heart, I dash off the stage. "What a performance! Give it up for Y/n Kim, everyone!" Sun-ho cheers.

I hug my arms as I run through the crowd. Running towards anywhere I can rest my pulse. Running towards anywhere I can process tonight.

And before I can get any further, a hand pulls on my arm.

I turn and look at the man gripping my wrist. His eyes, the way they're staring at me. As if my heart is exploding on the spot. As if the tears I've been crying were glittering, shining against the festival lights.

"Mark!" I hear Jaemin call out, hands to his knees, panting as he's been chasing the man in front of me.

-end of chapter 8

(A/n: Merry Christmas to those celebrating! I, personally, chose to spend my day perfecting this chapter like a sociopath because I have nothing better to do. Anyways, have a nice day yall. P.S the song Y/n sang is Love Poem by IU.)