uneven ground || lee mark

chapter 17

after ellie and mark's reconciliation, time seemed to pretty much slip from their fingers.

now that things finally stopped going downhill with the girl, mark felt at ease; a big weight had been lifted off his shoulders.

sure, you couldn't quite say they were friends yet, the two fourth years were far too closed off to just reward anyone with that label, but they were making steady improvements, currently comfortable in the "acquaintance-zone".

"see you on monday!" mark called out to her, walking away from the girl's dorm building. two weeks had passed, and their private practices had started to become less awkward. it was now routine for them to walk back together.

or more like, for mark to walk ellie to her hall and then proceed to go home by himself.

"yeah, see you then!"

the door closed behind her, and then she was alone.
ellie let out a deep breath. spending time with mark was exhausting, although she did grow to find it at least little less horrible than she used to.

she had just recently started being nice to him -- mainly out of guilt and haeun's pushing comments -- and it sure was tiring.

even her bandmates had now started to take note of ellie's change in behavior. they definitely hadn't ever seen that side of her. it wasn't that she was particularly rude to them. if anything, you could say that she got along with all of them very well, but it was clear that ellie was not one to openly show and demonstrate affection.

and for not having known mark for long, ellie sure was being incredibly cordial.

she had started enjoying the little closed practices more than the rehearsals with the whole band. because lately, they had not managed to go a single one of them without the members annoying the shit out of ellie.

it all started when she was handing out the folders of sheet music, and because -- coincidentally -- mark's had been the first on the pile, she obviously handed him his first.

and suddenly, her usually nonchalant bandmates erupted in a choir of outraged complaints.

"the favouritism!" minjun had gasped, an accusing finger pointed at mark.

"he's been here for about a week and she likes him more than she likes me." yejun, although he was just there to watch them and give feedback, commented, shaking his head.

even dahye joined. "wow ellie, way to betray us -- favouring the newbie."

resisting the urge to whack all of them on the head with the folders, she did what she always did in those situations; play deaf.

but to her dismay, it didn't stop there.

that same day, ellie had been explaining something to mark while the others were taking a break. the group was lying on the sofas, curiously peeking over to the pair that was coversing on the other side of the room.

"look at you prioritising his needs over group bonding again!" minjun was once again the one to start the discussion, but this time, ellie was not about to let it slide.

"yeah, because you guys were to lazy to take help him out and made him my student."

"aw... look at mark though, poor boy's blushing." dahye giggled, and mark's eyes widened.

if his cheeks hadn't already been red before, now they definitely were. he hadn't been very bothered by the previous comments, as they had mostly been directed towards ellie. besides, the other members kept sending him reassuring smiles, as if telling him that the problem was not with him and that they just liked getting a reaction from the grumpy ravenette.