Love in the Halls [Lee Donghyuck]

Chapter 62: Spring Festival Part 3

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MARK POV:

The festival buzzed with excitement, the air thick with the mingling scents of cotton candy, fried foods, and the energy of a hundred different conversations happening all at once. Mark walked beside Narae, soaking it all in. The bright colors of the booths, the vibrant streamers fluttering in the breeze, the shouts and laughter from students—it was all a little overwhelming, but in a good way. Normally, he'd be thrilled to be here, but today felt different.

He glanced at Narae, who was walking next to him, her face illuminated by the sunlight filtering through the trees. She looked beautiful, and the way the light with her skin made her seem almost ethereal. Mark should have been content, happy even, that they were here together. But there was an uneasy feeling in his chest that he couldn't shake.

"Are you having fun?" he asked, trying to sound casual as they weaved through a group of students.

Narae nodded, offering him a small smile. "Yeah, it's nice. The weather's perfect." Her tone was polite, but her eyes were wandering, scanning the crowd as if looking for something—or someone.

Mark wanted to believe she was just taking in the festival, like everyone else. They stopped at a ring toss game, one of those simple carnival games that never seemed to lose their appeal. Mark grinned at her and picked up a few rings, aiming at the bright bottles lined up on the counter. He threw the first one, missing by a good few inches, and heard Narae chuckle softly beside him.

"You're really bad at this," she teased, and for a moment, Mark felt a flicker of relief. This was good. Light-hearted. Easy.

"Hey, give me a break," he laughed, picking up another ring. "I'm just warming up."

He missed again, and Narae's soft laughter filled the air. It was a sound he usually loved, but today it felt distant, almost hollow. He managed to land the third ring on a bottle, earning a polite cheer from the booth attendant, but when he looked back at Narae, she was already glancing around, her attention elsewhere.

Mark couldn't help but feel a pang of disappointment. Was he not enough to hold her attention today? He handed her the stuffed animal prize he won—a small bear—and she thanked him, but her eyes were already wandering again. They moved on to the next booth, and then the next, but Mark couldn't shake the feeling that Narae's mind was somewhere else.

"Hey, want to grab some food?" Mark suggested, hoping to regain her focus. "There's that fried chicken stand you liked last time."

"Sure," Narae said, and they made their way over. Mark bought them each a box of chicken, trying to recreate the moment they shared at the restaurant a few weeks ago. As they found a place to sit, he handed her a piece, their fingers brushing for a brief second. He hoped she'd look at him then, that there'd be a moment of connection, but she was too busy taking a bite.

"Narae, you okay?" Mark asked after a few moments of silence. Her eyes were still scanning the festival grounds, even as she ate.

"Hm? Oh, yeah," she replied quickly. "Just... there's a lot going on, you know?"

Mark forced a smile. "Yeah, I guess so."

They ate in silence for a few minutes, the noise of the festival filling in the gaps between them. Mark tried to think of things to say, ways to bring back her focus, but everything felt forced. He pointed out different booths, suggested activities, and tried to engage her with stories from his classes, but Narae's responses were mostly nods and one-word answers.