BACKSTAGE | NCT Mark Lee

1 - Homecoming Surprises

March 2022
Vancouver, Canada

I stood on the porch, waiting for someone to answer the phone. My patience was wearing thin. "Mattie, pick up the phone," I muttered, trying once more. After several tries without a response, I decided to ring the doorbell.

The door opened, revealing Mrs. Lee, who looked shocked and delighted.

"Surprise!" I greeted with excitement, holding up the pasalubongs I had brought from the Philippines. "Woori eommoni, na wass-eo."

"Lexie! Oh, sweetie!" Mrs. Lee exclaimed, pulling me into a warm hug. "When did you get back?"

"Just last night po," I replied, stepping inside and placing the pasalubongs on the counter.

"Why so many?" Mrs. Lee asked, eyeing the assortment of gifts.

"It might be a while before my next batch," I sighed. "I'm staying here for good."

I noticed a worried look on Mrs. Lee's face. She knew how successful I had been in the Philippines, and now that I decided to leave it all behind and come back home to Vancouver, she seemed eager to talk about it. Before she could say anything, I quickly changed the subject.

"Is Mattie oppa home?" I asked, trying to steer the conversation away from my abrupt return.

Mrs. Lee noticed my reluctance to discuss it and smiled sweetly at me. "He is," she answered. "Though he came home late from work."

"Still, I'm gonna wake him up then," I said, excited at the thought of annoying him.

"Matthew Lee!" I shouted, mimicking Mrs. Lee's tone when she gets mad at him. Mrs. Lee just laughed as I barged into his room with a mission to wake him up.

"Matthewwwwww," I called, shaking him. "Wake up!"

He groaned and turned away from me. I wasn't going to give up that easily.

"Hyungnimmmmm ireonaaaa," I insisted, trying a different approach.

When that didn't work, I decided to go all out. "Oppaaaa, Mattie oppa," I called cutely, knowing how much it annoyed him when I acted cute.

Sighing, with my thin patience, I yanked his blanket off and shouted right into his ear. "Matthew Michael Lee! Wake up!"

Matthew stirred, his eyes fluttering open. "What the hell!" He looked shocked, as if he was still caught in a dream. Then, his expression shifted to one of surprise, his eyes widening as he processed the situation. Finally, a big grin spread across his face, lighting up his features.

"Lexie?" he said, his voice a mix of disbelief and joy. "You're really here?"

He sat up quickly, swinging his arm, strangling me. "You bratty girl, when did you arrive? You didn't leave a notice ahead, I could have picked you up at the airport."

I laughed at his reaction, his joy filling the room. "I wanted to surprise all of you," I said, playfully poking his side. "And judging by all of your reactions, I succeeded."

Matthew chuckled, his earlier annoyance completely gone. He sighed, the sleepiness still lingering in his eyes. "You sure did. It's so good to see you."

"How about I make us breakfast?" I suggested, feeling a sudden surge of energy. "It's the least I can do for waking you up so early."

"Sure, but only if you make your famous pancakes," Matthew replied with a sleepy grin, rubbing his eyes.

We headed to the kitchen, where I started gathering ingredients. As I mixed the batter, Matthew leaned against the counter, watching me with a curious expression.

"So, why the sudden return?" he asked, trying to sound casual.

I hesitated for a moment, focusing on pouring the batter into the pan. "I just needed a change," I said, not ready to dive into the full story.

Matthew seemed to sense my reluctance and changed the subject. "Did you know we are moving back to South Korea?"

I looked up, shocked. "Like for good?"

"Yeah," he confirmed, reaching for a piece of fruit. "We're leaving in a week. And mom mentioned something about needing help with renovating their old house over there."

As if on cue, Mrs. Lee entered the kitchen, her presence commanding attention. Her warm smile softened the seriousness in her eyes as she approached us.

"Lexie, dear," she began warmly, her voice tinged with both hope and a hint of hesitation, "I know this is so sudden and we should've informed you ahead, but I was hoping you might consider helping us renovate our old house in South Korea, like if you could lead the entire project. With your talent and expertise, we can have the assurance of very good outcome."

"But-" I paused, feeling the weight of her words. The idea of undertaking such a project both excited and intimidated me. Just the mention of South Korea sent a shiver down my spine as if it were signaling something yet to happen.

Matthew glanced at me, his expression encouraging. "We really appreciate it, Lex," he added, his voice gentle yet persuasive. "And who knows? Maybe it's exactly what you need right now."

I looked between Mrs. Lee and Matthew, seeing the earnestness in their eyes. Their trust in me was undeniable, and deep down, I knew I couldn't refuse their request.

"I... I guess I can consider it," I finally said, my voice steady despite the swirl of emotions within me. "I guess this might be my last very project before I shift focus."

Mrs. Lee's smile widened, relieved yet grateful. "Thank you so much, dear," she said warmly, reaching out to squeeze my hand.

"I guess I can follow a week after you all leave," I replied thoughtfully, stirring the pancake batter. "I'll have to prepare the design beforehand and reach out to our UAP organization for some Filipino consultants in South Korea that we can partner with throughout the project. It'll make it easier for me to work there."

"And Mattie," I added, looking over at Matthew. "It would be better if you could send me the as-built plan of the house - only if you have."

Mrs. Lee nodded approvingly, her smile reflecting reassurance. "That sounds like a solid plan, sweetie."

Feeling buoyed by Mrs. Lee's confidence, I continued mixing the pancake batter, thoughts already racing ahead to the detailed plans and arrangements needed for the upcoming project and realized that saying yes to Mrs. Lee's request meant more than just overseeing a renovation project. It signified a profound shift, a turning point towards a new chapter in my life—one ripe with potential for personal growth, unexpected discoveries, and the possibility of finally finding where I truly belonged in a world that felt both reassuringly familiar and tantalizingly unknown.