Supernerd! MARK

21 | three-way street

Mr. Seo's chauffeur had dropped us off at Mark's apartment, and Mark himself had insisted for me to stay over at his for the night. I agree, too tired to argue with him otherwise. Besides, I know coming home with my scars and wounds still apparent would only be a recipe for a disaster.

In the car, Mark had explained how Haechan had come up with an excuse to Chaerin to cover for me, though I imagine she still wouldn't be all too pleased at the fact that I haven't been home for three days straight. Lee Haechan can come up with excuses all he wants, but at the end of the day, Chaerin still knows me best. There is no way I would willingly stay out of the house for a day, let alone three.

So I'm not looking forward to that.

"Guys?" Haechan greets when he opens the door, though his eyes are wide in shock.

Mark ignores him, merely dragging me past the boy to lead me straight to his room. I haven't seen Haechan since the day he left me to deal with Mark's double identity, and if it weren't for my still-aching body, I would've chased him around the house for making me go through all that alone.

"Guys, I don't think-" Haechan starts from behind us, and he doesn't need to complete his sentence for me to find out why he's so on edge.

Chaerin sits at their breakfast counter, a steaming mug before her as she stares at it blankly. I halt, tugging Mark's hand for him to do the same.

My roommate looks up, her eyes still blank as she stares at me.

Uh oh. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that she's mad— really mad, and I may have a hunch why.

I immediately let go of Mark's hand. Chaerin opens her mouth to speak, presumably to chew my ear off about my whereabouts, but her gaze soon lands on the side of my face before travelling down to my still-bandaged hands. I haven't seen a mirror since I woke up in Mr. Seo's house, but it's a given that I probably look like shit.

"What happened to you?" She whispers, her voice wavering as she stumbles towards me. She glances at Mark, eyes roaming his own wounds before falling back to me. "Chae, I'm okay-"

"You're not okay!" She yells. "You go missing for three days only to turn up like you just came back from the dead! How is this okay?" Chaerin looks at me with pleading eyes. "The first night, I knew you were with Mark after work— fine. But the days after that?! I had to resort to asking Lee Fucking Donghyuck where you were only for him to come up with some bullshit excuse that you're here, which I know is not true because, what, you expect me to believe you're hooking up with Mark Lee? You're not like that, Yena!"

"Chae-" I interrupt her.

"In the end, I come over, and you're not even here! Where the hell have you been?" She finishes off her rant, and I take it as a sign to continue.

"Chae, I'm sorry, okay? I... I got into a little trouble. Mark sent me to the hospital, that's it."

"Lie," she spits, turning around so she wouldn't have to face me. "What trouble would get you so beaten and bruised? What, are you Spider-Man, or something? Is that it?" She taunts Mark, and upon seeing the defeated glance he sends me, I know that he's about to say something he shouldn't.

"Chaerin, stop," I plead. My heart burns with guilt, and I can now see where Mark is coming from about having to keep a secret but still unable to avoid hurting the people he cares about. "We had a run-in with some gangs, alright? The police took care of it, Mark and I are fine."

"I don't know what's up with you lately, Yena. You know how worried Sera and I get especially after what happened— the least you could is to not run away and actually inform us when you're in danger!"