that one stained shirt | mark lee ✓

quiz lunch

It's been four days since I last talked to Mark.

Well, if even sending a message about me being home was considered talking. He responded a couple of hours later with a thumbs up and a regular red heart. To be honest, it struck something in me, mostly curiosity and excitement. Not fearing to jump straight into it was an interesting feature.

I have an official fake boyfriend.

But since then, my phone has been dry. Sarah got busy with her stuff, mostly her job, where a chance of promotion messed with their team, as everyone wanted to be the boss's favorite. Of course, she wanted it too and I was so happy to encourage her into it. I just felt a bit lonely.

I stared at the black screen. Maybe it was my turn to text Mark.

Thinking back to the practice room, he seemed so natural about this whole thing. I recalled the touches and a smile crept onto my lips. He must have known what he was doing. Was he good with women? To be clear, he was a sight to see. I could understand why fans loved him so much.

But relationships aren't all about sexual stuff, are they?

Maybe we should get to know each other better. To make things stable and believable.

I slid into the messages and watched as his name stared right back at me.

My heartbeat grew a bit faster.

You're not texting a man, he's just your business partner.

It just has been so long since I invited a man out.

I fiddled with my fingers over the keyboard, trying to come up with the right first words. What greeting sounded appropriate for a new relationship?

Hi! Hey! Hello! Annyeong!~

I almost threw up at the last one.

"Whatever. I'll just go for it," I whispered to myself and started to type out aggressively.

Jessica Suh: Hey, sorry for bothering you, I just wondered if you wanted to go out sometime? To get to know each other better?

I just read it once and pressed 'send' before thinking about it anymore. He was surely still at work, so I had hours and hours to contemplate with myself.

But then my phone chimed.

Mark Lee: Hey, don't worry, we'll have a lunch break later today. Wanna come here and we can order or you wanna go out?

Mark replied. Fast. And was agreeing to my offer.

Jessica Suh: I'd rather go out.

Mark Lee: Yeah, that's fine. Know a good place?

Jessica Suh: Idk, have you ever had a good ttaekbokki around?

Mark Lee: I have, actually. Me and the boys go there often.

Jessica Suh: Great. Send me the address and I'll be there.

Mark Lee: Okay. See you at three xx

Jessica Suh: See ya

Mark Lee sent you a location.

I didn't open the place for a good two minutes.

Instead, I stared at the two kisses at the end of his message and thought over and over about how dedicated he was to his work. I have never met anyone like him before.

☆

We met in front of the restaurant at three sharp. It wasn't far from my apartment, so I decided to walk. For the first time this spring, I took my favorite dress out of the closet. The deep navy blue suited me just fine and I knew that Sarah, as she was the one picking it out for me, would proudly agree. Mark, on the other hand, looked exactly how I imagined him to. A pair of loose pants, a white T-shirt, and a cap on his head. He smiled when he registered my figure, and I waved in response.