Intricate: The Beginning of Us| MARKNOMINHYUCK(bxbxbxb)

10: The next day

Jaemin

I had thought that what happened on Friday was a dream. I had convinced myself over the weekend that it was indeed a dream.

However, when Monday reached and Donghyuck gave me a friendly wave during lunch with an equally friendly smile I figured that it wasn't my dreamland playing tricks. I had to awkwardly wave back slowly as my cheeks, without a doubt, became red. I stayed so stuck in my place that Renjun had to pull me to the lunch table with the help of the kid he tutors.

When we got to our seats, Chenle minded his own business by simply beginning to eat his food silently, once in a while smiling at his phone like a fool while my best friend gave me a warning, suspicious gaze before he had begun to eat as well.

We had a conversation with topics varying and I just thanked the oldest of us three that he didn't bring anything from Friday up. Not the fact that I looked like shit and not the fact that I had invited a stranger to ditch school with us. At least that's what he should have thought, that me and Donghyuck are complete strangers.

"Hey," a voice says bringing me back from my daydreams and thoughts. I look up from the paper I was basically burning holes in to see my math class's TA aka Mark Lee.

I smile, "Hey," I greet back, my heart speeding up.

"You... weren't here Friday," he states with a small smile and I couldn't help but overthink that simple sentence. It sounded extremely thoughtful and worried.

"I wasn't," I confirm. "Just wasn't feeling my best," I say with a tight-lipped smile as I divert my gaze down to my worksheet.

"Cool," is all he says. I could tell that he wants to ask why and it left me wondering why he even wants to know.

The fact that he knows that we aren't close and it would kind of be stepping a line warms my heart and just reminds me of why I fell for him. Besides his visuals, his caring nature was something that I noticed which instantly drew me in and came to immediately love and admire.

"Now, do you need any help?" He asks, raising an expecting eyebrow which I saw after turning my head up.

I glance at the paper before back at him. I stare at him for a couple of seconds as I scan his expectant face. I nod, "Actually, I do. What do I do with x here?"

He began to explain everything in detail and while I multitasked from watching his side profile to looking down at my worksheet I found myself confident in this lesson.

The next day, it went the same during the last period with Mark mostly by my side asking questions and answering mine. Every time Donghyuck and I saw each other in the halls we would wave at each other and sometimes even stop to have a conversation.

The next day was the same. And the next. And the next. And the next until it had been a month since we properly met. And while I found this sudden change out of nowhere, I came to enjoy every single second of it.

Mark-Hyung and I laughed together during math class, getting some stares every now and then, especially when the class was quiet and we were the only ones snickering in the back. Meanwhile, every day at the cafe Donghyuck and I would talk before ordering my usual order and after receiving it as well.

The Canadian boy, a nickname I've become fond of to annoy the hell out of the other, and I exit the classroom as we converse about some new restaurant down the street. Just as I was about to have the courage to ask him out to eat one day, there was screaming down the hallway which made us immediately divert our gazes to it.

"Ugh, come one Lee Jeno!" A feminine shriek came and when I saw the female's face it was red in anger and probably embarrassment. "You will not dump me without a reason!" She whines.

Gosh, she should be embarrassed now after those high-pitched screams. I grimaced. 

I glance at Mark-Hyung who simply shrugs before we decide on turning the other way, taking a different exit outside.

I couldn't hear any of Jeno's parts in the argument but I sure hope that they still end up broken up by the end of the day. I kind of feel bad for thinking that way but it's school-wide known that Shin Yoon-hi sleeps with anyone and that she is literally a bitch. That's not even a rumor, she goes around bragging about who she sleeps with every time it happens while the guy is backing it up, bragging as well. Objectively speaking, she is pretty even for a 1000% gay guy but her personality brings her down to the negatives. I really do hope that she hasn't slept with Jeno. Gosh, I hadn't even thought about that. But if he did, it isn't my business. 

I've heard that they've been in an unstable relationship for the past month and it seems that Jeno has finally had enough. Is it so bad that I'm glad about it?

I hear a snicker and I turn to my right. "Your facial expression has changed 10 times since we walked away," the Canadian says.

"Right, sorry, I got caught up in my thoughts," I tell him as my ears become hot in embarrassment.

"It's alright. Um, I just wanted to ask," he takes a pause. "If you wanted to hang out tomorrow? Visit that new restaurant that recently opened?" He asks and I can sense the hesitation in his voice.

I take no second thought to nod excitedly, "I'd love to," I tell him with a wide smile.

I stop walking as he does. "I'll take you home," he says, beckoning his head over to a black Hyundai. I open my mouth to retort with a no but I get no chance as he says, "I'm not taking a no," he sing-songs as he opens the door to the passenger seat with a cheeky smile tugged upon his beautiful lips.

I smile, shaking my head slightly as I step in. He goes to the other side, getting in seconds after. As he turns the engine on, I catch sight of something or rather someone meters away. Jeno. His hands were inside his pockets, his hood was on, and there was a frown on his face as he takes heavy stomps.

I shake my head and tune in on what Mark was saying with a smile, putting my whole attention on him while the other stays at the back of my mind.