NEIGHBOR: MARK LEE

30 | after years

SOHEE

it's 10:37 am, and i feel so fresh.

my black, shiny hair were flowing down my back like a waterfall. i had a neat white turtleneck, that i combined with a simple, cute, brown-ish dress. and lastly, white simple shoes to complete my perfect outfit date.

yes date. a date with mark lee.

you have no idea how hyped i am right now, i am truly excited to finally go out which i can call "date" with mark. also it's been a million years ago since i had a date, with yukhei. it was a blast, but i can assure you this one with mark would go pretty good and well just like last time.

ring, ring, ring.

i looked down at my phone, and dragged my eyes away from the mirror.

watermelon (mark) is calling you.

i smiled happily, and grabbed the phone, pressing the green button. there i was greeted by a soothing voice.

"sohee! hope you're not ready yet." his voice was shakey.

i furrowed my eyebrows. "i am, is everything alright?" i asked worriedly, i hope nothing bad would happened on our first ever date.

"it's okay baby, nothing's wrong. i just went to a store to buy you something. actually i am on my way there, and i don't want you to wait so long." he explained.

"hmm, ah don't worry mark i'm not impatient. it's fine." i said, mark let out a relief sigh.

"okay, then i will be there not so soon." i could feel him frowning from the other side.

we told each other "goodbye" as he hung up. i excitedly walked out of my house, stood beside my mailbox and patiently waited for mark.

i still can't believe mark, mark is so talented, sweet, amazing, and warmhearted person. sometimes i just don't think i deserve him, but i am lucky to have him.

i sighed happily, tip-toeing while my hands were both folded in front of my lap. i was looking around the neighborhood, this neighborhood has been a big part of my life. it's quiet, and peaceful, it has a lot of amazing memories but some sad and upsetting memories too.

"sohee..." a voice spoke.

i smiled happily.

at first i thought it belonged to mark, but mark's voice wasn't that......deep.

i slowly turned my face to the right side, and couldn't believe my own eyes. i could feel my legs trembling, and so did my hands. my head was stiff, and my lips were shaking.

was i hallucinating? at first i could hear voices, now i'm hallucinating? this can't be real.

i stood still, didn't spoke a word out which made the boy in front of me tilt his head from confusion.

"sohee it's me, lucas?"

his voice was soft like always, deep yet soothing on its own way. his eyes were big, bright and healthy. i remember getting lost in there every time i laid mine on his. his plumped, tinted red lips looked always kissable. his hair, it was now blonde, soft blonde hair. i remember it used to only be black, or brown. but his face was the same, right after he left me heartbroken.

"oh- i mean yukhei..." his eyes were furrowed down, he seemed hurt. "don't you remember me? please do, you're such an important person to me."

i let out a quick exhale, more likely like a soft scoff, and felt how my eyes were burning.

"important person?" i asked. "important person huh?" i repeated.

"then why'd you left me yukhei? why did you left me, heartbroken and alone. you have no idea how lonely i felt, when both my two bests friends left me all by myself! i felt so lost, and didn't knew where to go." tears welled from deep inside and coursed down my cheeks.

great, i am crying. i can't let him see me like this. maybe he can, he'll see how much i suffered when he was gone.

"you just left me, like kun did. you promised never to leave me when we were there in front of his coffin. but what did you do? yes, you left me, the exact opposite of your promise."

"what did i do wrong yukhei? am i enough for you? are you too good for me yukhei?!" i screamed out of pain, i sense the neighborhood looking out of their windows because of the sound of a dying whale.

yukhei stood stiff, his eyes filled with pain and regret. he could totally see me, having a breakdown of pain because of him.

"tell me yukhei, i need answers or else i will go crazy!" i begged, grabbing his arm and squeezed it, it helped me not crumble down the ground.

without any hesitation, i pulled yukhei to a tight and desperate hug. i buried my face on his chest, and hug him tighter when i felt how tears flowed down like waterfalls.

i cried loudly, sobbed like a small kid who just fell on the ground. "yukhei, i- i really missed you. please never leave me a-again. i really want you to stay in my life, please. i just really want my best friend back." i hiccuped between my words, making it difficult for me to speak.

yukhei hugged me back, placing his chin on top of my head, stroking my hair for support.

"it's okay sohee..... i promise you i can explain everything. let's just go in-" yukhei got cut off, by a familiar voice.

"lucas.....s-sohee?"

at that point, me and yukhei broke the hug and turned around to see who arrived.

my eyes laid on mark.

"m-mark." i hiccuped.

mark circled his palm on my wrist, pulled me closer and made sure i was safe around his arm. "what are you doing here?" mark asked yukhei, who stood looking down at him.

i sighed, burying my face on mark's chest.

also the fact that mark knew who yukhei was. do they know each other?

"i came to see sohee, what are you doing here mark?" yukhei's voice spoke, making me focus on him.

what is happening. why do they know each other, and how?

mark left yukhei's question unanswered, and glared at the taller boy few centimeters away from us.

"mark, i know sohee's a wonderful and beautiful girl, but don't do this." yukhei's voice was filled with anger, and he sounded like he was worried.

those sentence, made mark's so upset and i could feel his heart broke into pieces. "lucas- i...i am not that person anymore, you gotta believe me." mark's voice started to sound itchy, and his eyes were glowing because of his tears.

seconds of silence walked passed, mark sighed and turned his back to yukhei. "l-let's go sohee." he grabbed my hands tightly, and dragged me away from yukhei.

i walked, but my head was turned around to face yukhei. yukhei looked so worried, and panicked.

"escape." he mouthed.

note: do some of y'all see this a bit familiar? maybe if you read some of my other books you could, lol ;)