𝐁𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐨𝐚𝐝 | 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘬

09: New Friends.

"Hey, why are you crying?" Mark rubbed Kazuha's arms when their bodies separated from the warm hug.

"It was hard seeing you being treated like this."

Mark smiled fondly. He faught the urge of wiping her tears as he thought it might've been too much too soon, but he couldn't. He gently wiped her cheeks while smiling sweetly.

The girl was surprised at the loving gesture and immediately calmed down her crying. "You don't deserve this."

Mark shook his head. "It's ok. Let's get back to others."

Kazuha nodded and followed the boy. Mark bowed and apologized to everyone present in the bar until they got to their table. Evryone looked at him concerned and had lack of words. Jaemin was the only one who just smiled to his best friend reassuringly. Mark bowed to his new friends too and was met with bunch of waving, telling him that he had nothing to apologize for.

Jaemin patted his back as soon as he sat back down. "You ok?"

Mark nodded and turned to others. "I'm really sorry, guys. I had no idea she was going to find me or even cause such scene."

"Don't apologize for someone's behavior. Come on, let's drink." Doyoung raised his shot glass and clinked it with the boy's.

Kazuha wiped her blushed cheeks again. Eunhee noticed and looked at her friend with a worried face. She didn't have to say anything for Kazuha to understand what she wanted to ask her so she shook her head left and right, letting the girl know she was fine. Eunhee smiled and observed her some longer. She saw the way she was looking at Mark, who was putting on a fake smile. She noticed how worried the girl still was and how much she had to care for him since the situation made her cry so easily when she rarely cried. Doyoung snapped her back to reality when he nudged her arm, wanting to cheer with her too.

The group of friends had few more drinks and few more joyful moments. Mark appreciated how much they tried to make him feel better and understood. He glanced at each of them with specific look in his eyes. When his eyes fixated on Kazuha, he couldn't take his eyes off her. He liked to see her smile a lot more rather than cry. He enjoyed hearing her high pitched laugh and seeing her swaying from laughing too much, that's why he always tried to make sure she didn't fall off the chair. He smiled to himself without even knowing, until Jaemin pointed it out.

"You keep smiling while looking at her."

"What?"

The owner of the prettiest smile pointed at Kazuha sloppily as he was already the drunkest of them all.

"No I'm not."

Jaemin furrowed his eyebrows and yelled out "yes, you are!"

Mark covered his best friend's mouth which made Jaemin laugh from underneath his hand, trying to bite or lick it so Mark takes it away. He giggled when his plan worked and he sighed before he spoke loudly again. "I want to be in love too!"

Kazuha, Doyoung and Eunhee all looked at the two best friends and chuckled. The oldest out of them all laughed his ass off as Kazuha and Eunhee looked at the two curiously. Jaemin suddenly pointed at the girl with one hand and at Mark with the other. He waved his fingers together, suggesting the two together.

Kazuha glanced at Mark who looked at her too. He nervously chuckled and turned to his best friend to shut him up again while the girl's cheeks began to burn a little bit as she tried to hide her smile.

"I think we should get going. Some of us has had enough." Mark pointed at Jaemin who felt betrayed to have his friend think he's done having fun. Mark grabbed the boy and wrapped his arm around his shoulder as they walked out of the bar. The others followed and they stood outside for awhile.

"Fuck, I forgot I drove here." Mark sighed as he noticed his car outside.

"Well, you can't drive. I'll order us all a taxi." Kazuha smiled to Mark and they all waited for their ride.

drunk Jaem is so cute 🤭