Supernerd! MARK

24 | almost, but still not there yet

"So?" Mr. Seo asks expectantly, waiting for Mark to say something.

Mark nods his head, tearing the mask away from his face. "Feels good. Thank you, sir."

Mr. Seo's lab is large enough for Mark to give his new suit a trial run, which is what he had been doing for the past ten minutes. I could only afford to stand there in awe (not really sure about Haechan, though) as I watch Mark swing by and fly around the high ceilings. I don't think I could ever get tired of watching him, honestly.

"I'm still looking at a new technology for your webs, so stick to the current version for now."

"I'm working on mine," Mark answers as he ruffles his messy hair. The talk about webs brings me back to the first time I spent the night at Mark's, when I had caught sight of what I now know is his web recipe, and not some random note for his science club.

Huh. Looks like all the clues that lead to Mark being the Spider-Man is hidden in plain sight. I'm just not sure if I'm the one who's been blind to them, or if it's him who's just careless.

"Ah, Yena, I have something for you too."

Mr. Seo's voice snaps me out of my reverie, and he soon returns with something in his hand.

I instantly take it, the pen-like object cool against my skin as I let my fingers roam the material.

"Oh, Yena, be care-"

Mr. Seo's words are cut short when a string of electrifying blue shoots out from the pen, only narrowing missing Haechan by a hair.

I let out a gasp, stumbling backwards as I let go of it, letting out a shaky breath as I see it roll on the linoleum floor.

"I'm starting to think you guys don't want me here," Haechan whispers, his eyes wide as saucers.

Mr. Seo clears his throat. "I was going to say, be careful, but I guess you already learnt that the hard way."

"Sorry," I mumble as soon as I recover from my shock. "Just- what is that?"

"Just something of a switch knife, but more elevated," he says casually as he picks up the weapon from the floor, letting it balance between his index finger and thumb. "It's made with the same technology I used for Mark's taser webs. Just, in a more compact version."

Mr. Seo picks up the pen before aiming the pen towards the empty space in front of him, clicking on the clip on its side. Similarly, it shoots out an electric web before disappearing into thin air.

"It also doubles as a pocket knife, a crowbar, a tracker— anything you can think of, really. Just know which buttons to press." He flicks the pen before handing it towards me. "It's yours."

"I..."

"If you don't want it, I'll take it." Haechan reaches out to grab the gun from Mr. Seo's hand, but the scientist only pulls it away from his reach.

"Computer guys don't get weapons. This right here, is for the lady," he tuts, but Haechan only sticks his tongue out at him childishly.

"A weapon?" Mark emerges from behind us, now back in his civilian clothes. His eyes are calculative as he stares at it. "What for?"

"A safety precaution, kid. Like I said, Neo Seoul is after her— after us. One can never be too over-prepared."

Mr. Seo's words make me gulp, and once again I am reminded that I am in fact living in danger. From Mark's eyes, I can see that he's not exactly on board with Mr. Seo's words, which is why I immediately grab it from his hand before Mark could say anything else. "Thank you, sir. I'll use it well— only if I have to, of course."