teacup [m.t]

07 : Mark's Concerned

I continuously pressed decline on all the incoming calls that came from the girls. I declined those sent by the guys as well.

I wanted to be alone. And of course I knew that I wouldn't get any time alone if I was near them.. So I went away.

To a place, only I knew.

I got out of the car. "I'll take quite awhile." I let the driver know as I eyed the large blue house that was in front of me. He nods, understanding why.

"Take your time, Miss Jae Eun." He says, looking away. I nod, thanking him.

This wasn't the first time I had asked for him to take the route to get here, choosing to stay for awhile.

I walked towards the fence, unlocking it and entering. I looked at the garden that I used to run around on, a small smile growing on my face. I walked along the gravel path, the gravel shifting ever so slightly as I walked on it.

I took the keys out from my bag, unlocking the door and entering the house.

A tear slides down my cheek as I saw the furniture with plastic sheets over them, keeping dust away.

I went over to the shelves by the television set, looking at all the family pictures in wooden frames that were in each and every slot in the shelves.

I remembered how my Dad would take pictures of my Mother and I on his camera, printing them out and putting them into frames.

A large picture frame, stood out the most.

It was an old picture of my family. You could tell because of how the edges were torn and browning. As if it had been kept for a long time, which it was.

After my parents got divorced, I was the only one who would visit my Dad. Which made sense, I guess.

And now, the only thing keeping this house from being knocked down, was me. I pay the bills for a house that wasn't being used. It held all the memories I had in this house.

Memories that I kept ever so dearly in my heart. I remembered how my Dad stressed over the bills for a long time.

My mother, having trouble with her job didn't help. Of course, they had their own problems with each other as well.

They'd think that I was asleep during their arguments. But with all the fighting, who'd be able to stay awake?

I was just a regular eight year old.

I loved my family and wanted so much for it to be still together, to this day.

But, I didn't have control over it.

I was just an eight year old.

I fell to the ground, bringing my knees up to my chest as I cried, not being able to keep it in anymore.

I questioned why my parents couldn't work it out. They had a child. They had someone to be stable for. There was a reason for them to solve their problems.

Why couldn't they do it for me?

"Jae?" A familiar voice asks, as he steps in. I look over, seeing Mark. He looked stressed. His hair was in a mess.

His look of frustration soon melted as he sees me. Mark walks over and squats down next to me, his eyes diverting to the shelves.

He doesn't say anything, bringing me into his arms. I sniffled, closing my eyes as I struggled to stop myself from crying.

"Let's go home, Jae." He whispers calmly, patting my back. I nod. He reaches a hand down to me as he stood up. I take his hand as he helps me up.

"You're fine. You're fine." He repeats, taking my face into his hands, cupping my cheeks as he tilts my head up.

=======

"Jae!" Riley says, bringing all their attention to us as the both of us stepped into the girls' and i's dorm.

"Where have you been? We've been worried sick!" Tay says, as she stands up abruptly from the couch. "Unnie." Luna warns protectively, grabbing Tay's hand and yanking her back down.

"Are you alright? You don't seem okay." BamBam asks as he furrows his eyebrows. I looked over to him. "I will be.. I'll have to be." I said, forcing a smile.

"Stop doing that." Mark whispers, looking at me with disapproval. "It's late as well, have you eaten?" Hana asks. I shook my head.

"We'll get her food." Jisu says, dragging Jina along with her to the kitchen.

"I'm sorry I made all of you worry. You guys could've been resting.. I'm so sorry." I said as my voice breaks.

"Hey.. Hey.. We're fine. We're okay." Jinyoung says with an assuring smile. "Go sit down." Mark says, giving me a squeeze on the shoulder.

I nod, sitting down next to Jackson who looks at me.

"Hyung, where'd you find her? And how?" Jackson asks as he brings me into a comforting hug.

"Oppa, you just left out of nowhere, we thought you stormed off." Hana says.

"I called your driver. I asked him to go home because it was late and that I'd pick you up, so it didn't seem like I was upset." Mark says.

"Woah. Hyung was so concerned." Youngjae teases, the rest of the members joining in to tease him as well.