BACKSTAGE | NCT Mark Lee

5 - Same Place, Different Circumstances

Mark's POV

As the night began to wind down and the energy in the bar started to mellow, I found myself watching over the group. The others were clearly feeling the effects of the night's drinks—Junny, Minho, Jisoo, Hyunwoo, and Lexie were all well past tipsy, their laughter a little too loud, their words a bit slurred.

Seeing Lexie again after all this time stirred something deep within me, but I pushed those thoughts aside as the drinks kept coming and the laughter got louder.

I've always been able to handle my alcohol pretty well, so while everyone around me was getting progressively drunk, I was still clear-headed.

I watched as Junny tried and failed to make a toast, his glass tipping precariously and spilling onto the table. He laughed it off, slurring something about Lexie being the best DJ ever, and the others chimed in with their own drunken cheers. I couldn't help but smile at how ridiculous they all looked.

Jisoo suddenly jumped up and started singing, completely off-key, while Minho and Hyunwoo joined in, their voices blending into a cacophony of slurred notes. Lexie was laughing so hard she could barely breathe, her eyes sparkling with mirth as she leaned into Junny for support.

Taeyong, tipsy but trying to maintain some semblance of cool, nudged me with a grin. "Hey, Mark, you... you gotta admit, we're a fun bunch, right?"

"Yeah, you guys are something else," I replied, my gaze drifting back to Lexie. She looked so happy, so carefree, and I couldn't help but feel a twinge of something—nostalgia, maybe? Or something more? It had been years since we last saw each other, but here we were, back in the same place, in completely different circumstances.

I took another sip from my glass, I saw Lexie, sitting across from me, was in high spirits, giggling at something Minho had just said. She was clearly drunk, and though it was amusing to see her like this, I couldn't help but feel a bit protective. She was trying to keep up with the others, but it was obvious she was done for the night.

Suddenly, she leaned back, her head resting on the back of the booth, and let out a loud laugh. "I think... I might be too drunk to drive," she admitted, her words slurring slightly.

I glanced at Johnny, who caught my eye. Without needing to say much, I knew he'd understand.

"Don't worry Lex, I got you covered. Just tell your address later," Johnny said.

"Johnny, can you do me a favor?" I asked, keeping my voice low.

He looked at me, curious. "Sure, what's up?"

I hesitated for a moment, glancing at Lexie. "Lexie's car is parked outside, can you drive us to my mom's place"

Johnny raised an eyebrow but nodded. "Is she the one you're-"

"Yes," I said, cutting Johnny off before he could finish his question.

Johnny's eyes widened slightly as he connected the dots. "Oh, I see. Yeah, sure, I'll drive you guys. No problem."

He looked over at Lexie with newfound interest, his expression softening.

I gave Johnny a grateful nod. "Thanks. I appreciate it. Let's get going before things get any crazier around here."

I felt a wave of relief wash over me. I didn't want to explain why it was so important to me, and luckily, Johnny didn't push. He just did what he always did—helped out when it mattered.

As we made our way out of the bar, Jaehyun took the keys to Johnny's car, corralling Taeyong, Junny, Minho, Jisoo, and Hyunwoo into the backseat, all of them in various stages of drunkenness. Meanwhile, I gently guided Lexie toward Johnny's car. She leaned on me for support, still giggling at something, but there was a softness in her eyes when she looked up at me—a quiet trust that made my chest tighten.