It all started with an argument. An argument that refused to calm itself and settle into a forgotten sour memory. A lot of people hold grudges for the sake of their reputation, but that was never the case with you and your boyfriend. Until now, when Mark would not see past the ridiculous argument.
"What's the matter with you?" you asked, shifting away from a stiff Mark who had been ignoring you all night. He shrugged, lifting his eyebrows slightly in response. "Because you sure are acting like a child when it comes to manning up and addressing the problem."
"Look who's talking," he growled, looking at you for the first time that night. Your heart sank at the cold harsh look replacing his warm loving dark eyes.
"Mark Lee can you please stop beating around the bush and just tell me what is wrong?" you pleaded, shrinking back into the couch.
You had flown in from America to visit Mark for two weeks. You were staying in one of the spare beds in the same room with Yuta, Jungwoo, and Johnny at the dorm. It took a lot of persuading, but the manager let you stay, but not in the same room with Mark.
"Don't act like you're innocent, Y/n," Mark snapped, getting up from the couch with a huff. "I know what you've been doing."
"Well since you are so furious, why don't you tell me what it is that I've been doing?" you constantly began pestering him with countless questions to bring you out of the dark. You didn't notice the door to the dorm opening and the rest of NCT 127 walking in on the scene.
"You are the biggest whore I have ever met!" Mark shouted, leaning down to spit every word into your face. Your heart broke at that moment. You had been nothing but faithful to Mark since the start of your relationship.
"Mark!" Johnny called out in disbelief. Mark didn't even pay attention to the fact that they were standing there as he grabbed his keys, took the empty glass cup that was sitting on the coffee table, and threw it at the wall behind him. It shattered with a loud crash, sending glass everywhere. Your shaking sobs burst from your chest as Mark cursed you and then threw a picture frame near your head.
"That is enough!" Taeyong screamed, grabbing Mark by his arm and dragging him away from you. Taeil, Johnny, Yuta, and Jaehyun quickly rushed over to you as your sobs got louder.
"Let go!" Mark shouted, trying to jerk away from Taeyong. But this behavior was not going to go unnoticed to Taeyong.
"Get out of this dorm!" Taeyong boomed, scaring all of the other members as he shoved Mark out. "Until you aren't a threat and you've chosen not to be destructive, you can come back."
Without another word between the two, Mark left. Johnny sat down where Mark had previously sat and pulled you into him in a protective hug. Yuta, who was stilling to your right, rubbed gentle circles into your back as your hands were held by Taeil, who was sitting on the coffee table. Jaehyun was kneeling at your feet, resting a hand on your knee.
"What, in all that is holy, happened?" Taeyong sighed drastically, sitting down next to Taeil.
"Give her a minute," Johnny spoke softly. The room was silent except for the sound of a broom sweeping up glass and the footsteps of Win Win and Jungwoo cleaning up around the glass. Haechan took a seat on the arm of the couch across from the one you were occupying, giving you a pitiful look while Doyoung stood behind him, with a furious look on his face.
"I don't know," you sniffed, pulling back slightly from Johnny who still made sure you were alright. "He had been ignoring me all night and so I asked him what was wrong and he kept avoiding the question until he blew up. I don't even know what I did wrong."
"Have you cheated?" Taeyong bluntly asked, getting right down to the bottom. You shook your head violently.
"I haven't even hung out with any guy except for--"
"Except for?" Taeyong pressed, leaning forward in his seat. You shook your head as your thoughts dismissed themselves.
"No. Mark was there when we went to that party," you said more to yourself.
What had you done that put Mark so over the edge that he treated you like a sewer rat? Had he gotten bored with you and decided to come up with a false reason to dump you? No. Mark was too mature to think of something like that.
"I think we should keep her away from him until we find out what the problem is," Johnny suggested, pulling away from you. Taeyong nodded slowly, staring down at the floor in his own world. Maybe you should go back home early.
"Well, let's head to bed and leave the door unlocked for Mark. I think we can decide what to do in the morning after we sleep." Yuta spoke after ten minutes of silence. The glass had been cleaned up and the picture frame was thrown away a long while ago, leaving Jungwoo and Win Win to sit on the couch Haechan was on.
Yuta got up first and made his way into the kitchen before going to his room. Everyone else followed Yuta and made an effort to wind down for the night. Taeil, who still had a hold of your hands, pulled you up gently and hugged you tenderly in his arms before taking you to the room Yuta had entered. He left you with a smile and a squeeze of your hands.
You were unbelievably thankful for the rest of Nct when it came to the comfort that you weren't receiving from Mark. They never got in the way unless it was necessary. Maybe that is what Mark was so irritated about.
"Good night." your voice came out soft and sleepy as you felt your eyelids fall shut after a good fifteen minutes of crying silently.
"Night." deep murmurs replied before you drifted into sleep.
The covers pulled back gently from your frame as a hand was placed on the top of your spine. You turned at the gentle shaking, hoping it was Mark. When you opened your eyes, however, it wasn't Mark. It was Haechan and Doyoung.
"Y/n," Haechan began, ducking under the bunk bed to sit down at your hip. "Mark hasn't come home yet and I think it may be a good idea for you to go ahead and go back home. We don't want you to go, but we are afraid he's going to hurt you when he's blinded by anger."
You sighed sadly, wanting to try and talk to Mark before you leave, but they were right. He might try to hurt you like he did last night. "Okay." you sighed.
After a short morning of gathering your things, you had just finished handing your last bag to the driver, so that he could place it in the trunk. Your body turned to the number of boys waiting to bid you goodbye. Lucas, Ten, Kun, and Chenle all came to say goodbye after you guys spent the day yesterday walking around town during Nct 127's practice hours.
"Text the group when you get there," Johnny said, pulling you into a hug. You returned the hug before giving everyone else a hug. Each member was different when it came to hugs. Some squeezed you until you couldn't breathe (*cough* Lucas *cough*). Others would give you a tender hug and some would give a light squeeze. Of course, when you turned to Chenle to give him a hug he had the biggest pout you had ever seen on the happy star everyone called him.
"Oh Mochi," you sighed, calling him by the nickname you had given him and feeling guilty for leaving him so soon. "Come visit me."
"Haechan and I will sort Mark out for you," he promised, displaying one of his wide famous smiles for you. You nodded, knowing that it wasn't just going to be Haechan and Chenle that were going to sort Mark out.
"Bye." you sighed sadly at everyone before Doyoung got in with you in the van.
You felt your heart ache as soon as you had left Doyoung with a final hug and went to board your plane. The airport was crowded and so was your plane and it was still hectic while switching flights and entering into new cities. It took a full twenty-four hours for you to get back home with the continuous silent fall of your tears the entire way.
You had planned to come home after your parents returned from Italy, but you had only been in Korea for four and a half days it would at least be a week and a half before they came back.
The sound of your collie trotting in to greet you made a smile appear on your face. Your hand brushed over the dog's fur in a gentle hello and whistled at the collie to follow you to your room where you were going to drop off your things. The collie joyfully followed you into your room and into the kitchen while you put on some water to boil.
Mark hadn't texted you since the fight, but you had texted him a small 'I love you' right when you landed in L.A.
"What?" you asked the collie who was dancing at your feet and barking occasionally.
You pushed off the counter to reach down and pet the dog, but the collie moved away and ran to the front door. Your eyebrows furrowed at the dog's action and followed the pawing at the door. You stared down at the dog who continued to paw and whine at the door. You cautiously turned your hand around the doorknob and pulled the door open slightly. A figure was standing with their back facing the door, head down. The porch light was flipped on and the figure glanced behind their shoulder to look at you.
"Mark?"
Mark's lips crashed into yours as the door opened wider. He pushed you inside, closing off the cold air that had engulfed the both of you. Your body was gently pressed against the closed door as Mark kissed your lips softly. He was a completely different person compared to the other night and you couldn't help yourself feeling overwhelmed with the emotions that had taken a hold of you for the last few days. The tears mindless rolled down your cheeks until Mark could taste them in the kiss. He pulled away, resting his forehead against yours.
"Please don't cry," Mark begged. "Please don't let my selfish anger hurt you. I can't bear to see you cry."
"Mark," you sobbed, finally looking into his eyes. You could see that you were tearing Mark apart and his eyes were filled with never-ending guilt. "Mark, please explain."
"Oh baby," Mark cooed, reaching up to wipe your tears, but stopping midway. "What am I doing? I don't even deserve you after I did that to you the other night."
"No. No don't explain, I forgive you. Just come here." you demanded, gripping him by his jacket and pulling him back to your lips in a tender kiss.
You wouldn't be letting him go. Never again would you let him leave even if it broke every bone in your body to keep him here with you. The warmth of his lips and the almost distinguishable bond between the both of you broke and healed every flaw that took place over the last few days and made you that much closer to Mark.
You pulled away though at the question that had popped into your head. "Mark who chewed you out?"
He chuckled slightly and whispered, "They all did, but mostly Chenle."
You giggled at the thought and captured his lips once more in a slow passionate kiss as you faintly heard the sound of the kettle on the kitchen started to whistle loudly.
