The Bends » Mark Lee

Three

When Hana woke up the next morning Hoseok was already gone. A note saying he had to leave for school early was the only evidence of his disappearance. Hana smiled and quickly prepared herself a breakfast and a lunch before she got dressed and grabbed her stuff rushing to the bus station. Hana sighed when she realized how full the bus was.

And that she was stood up.

Hana held on tight to the bus when all of a sudden the driver broke really hard, causing Hana to fall onto the lap of the young man that was sitting next to her. With a squeak, Hana squeezed her eyes shut when she felt the impact of her bum on the boys' lap. „Oops." A male voice chuckled and Hana opened her eyes looking into the face of her classmate Mark Lee. „Wait." the boy said and looked at Hana closely. „If this isn't Hana Coghlan!" He immediately started speaking in English with her and smiled, Hana still sitting on his lap.

Hana almost didn't recognize her seatmate. His features were much more defined than before she had been in Ireland. He didn't have a round baby face anymore. No, he looked almost manly. She gulped.

„Mark hello." Hana greeted and tried to wiggle out of his embrace, but the Canadian boy held her close. „I didn't know you came back!" He grinned happily and Hana nodded, giving up to get off his lap. „Yeah, yesterday was my first day back at school," Hana said and Mark nodded, giving her a big smile.

Hana tried not to stare at his „new face" too much but she couldn't help herself. Mark had a nice transformation behind him.

Embarrassed Hana finally manages to wiggle out of Marks lap and stood up to talk to him properly. She fixed her skirt and her hair and held on to his seat while smiling. „Soonbok told me you had special basketball practice yesterday. That's why you weren't in class." Hana said and Mark nodded. „Yeah, we'll be having tryouts soon so Captain wants us to be fit and ready." Mark laughed, pushing a strand of his dyed brown hair out of his face. Hana laughed. „The hair colour fits you." She smiled and Mark grinned as well. „Thanks. You're the first to say that." Mark sighed and Hana nodded. „It's a nice cut as well!" Hana said and before she knew it, she was caressing Mark's short brown hair. Mark pressed his lips together, feeling the eyes of an old lady on him. „Hana?" He asked and the Irish lass blinked twice and took her hand out of Mark's hair. „I am so sorry!" She sighed and face palmed herself. „I forgot how unpolite this must seem here in Korea." She shook her head. Mark just shrugged. „It's fine." Then he pressed the ‚Stop' button and he and Hana got off at the next station.

„So how was Ireland?" Mark asked when he and Hana were on their way up to the school gates. Hana smiled. „It was okay I guess. The air was, of course, better and much fresher than in the big city. But even if I was with my family I felt lonely. It's just weird being without your friends and classmates." Hana said and Mark nodded when he saw two familiar figures waving him from the front doors of the school. Mark smiled and waved towards them. „Hana, I see you in class!" He said and rushed forward to his friends. Hana cocked an eyebrow when she saw the color of the ties of Mark's friends.

„Hoobae's?" Hana asked herself before walking to class to ask Soonbok if she knew why Mark's only friends were two underclassmen.

„Underclassmen?" Soonbok asked and took her fingers out of Yoogeun's messy hair. „Well, we all know that Mark isn't that popular in class and that he often hangs out with people from other classes but I didn't know those two kids were Hoobae's." Soonbok said and Hana nodded. „He really isn't going along with the boys in this class." Yoogeun added. „When we're having P.E he always tends to stick to himself, even if he's a fantastic team player and stuff." The eighteen-year-old lad said and Hana nodded before walking to her seat in the same time Mark entered the classroom and sat down next to her. He smiled at her before scratching his nape. „Sorry that I just left you like that. But I had some things to speak to my friends about." Mark smiled and Hana nodded. „I understand." She simply stated while taking out her Maths stuff. „Hana, if you need any help with something, feel free to ask me. I might not her the best student but I sure can help you. It surely was hard getting back to school after being treated for your asthma." Mark ranted and Hana laughed