Ephemera

twenty seven

Chapter 27

"He did what?! He resigned?!"

The younger boy flinched, but bowed his head afterwards. Yeri apologized for shouting and the latter just nodded.

"When did he resigned?" Yeri asked.

"Mark-sunbaenim resigned this morning, Yeri-sunbaenim..." The guy bowed.

Yeri sighed and thanked him, rushing towards somewhere, leaving her unnies behind.

She rushed towards the garden— the place where he usually go. Well, not only him, but her, too.

She quickly scanned the place and found no traces of Mark. He wasn't by the fountain, nor on the bench wherein he usually sleeps— Mark wasn't there, and Yeri was panicking because they have no idea about what's up.

She dialed Taeyong's number and it started to rang.

Calling... Taeyong-oppa

It rang a few times and she ran towards their classroom to see if he was there.

But he wasn't.

"Hello? Yeri-yah?"

"Taeyong-oppa!" She shouted, almost crying.

"Why the hell are you shouting?!"

"O-Oppa, where are you? Where are all of you?! The guys?!" She yelled.

"Kim Yerim what the heck are you up to? Why are you shouting?!" Taeyong shouted back.

She sat on a bench and pulled her hair in annoyance, "Where's that binch?" She sighed, but she was still furious.

"Mark? He isn't with us. Why?"

"Just tell me where you guys are." She said, standing up.

"At the cafeteria." Taeyong replied.

***

"What?!" Taeyong slammed the table hard, causing the people at the cafeteria to look at them, but he couldn't give two craps about it at the moment.

Everyone was shocked when they heard the news from Yeri. Mark resigned from being Murev's president. It sounded impossible. Mark loves music. He would never resign just because he didn't feel like being the president anymore.

Taeyong suddenly remembered the time when Mark begged them to vote for him at the club elections. He even made them send flyers that had his face on it.

Some of them even presented a mini performance at some classes just to secure Mark's place at the top, because he was leading from the very beginning.

Now, he resigned? What a joke.

Taeyong immediately dialed his brother's number, but he wasn't picking up. They were certain that something happened, but the younger didn't want to talk about it.

"He isn't picking up." He said, facing their friends.

"Hyuck?" Jaehyun asked, looking at Donghyuck for a while. The younger just shrugged and shook his head.

"Mark-hyung isn't responding to any of my calls and texts." He sighed.

"Have you checked the garden? The roof top? The music room— or anywhere he could possibly be? I mean, he couldn't just disappear like that?!" Irene asked, starting to panic.

"I already checked the garden earlier, unnie." Yeri said. "He wasn't in his usual spot."

"There were no people at the rooftop earlier, noona." Doyoung said.

"The band was rehearsing earlier when I came to the music room, noona." Taeil answered. "The drummer said Mark withdrew from the upcoming performance."

"What the actual fuck is happening with that guy?!" Taeyong asked, gritting his teeth. He was now furious at his brother who was being impulsive.

He tried to call his brother once again, but Mark wasn't picking up.

They were all furious, right now. Repeatedly asking the same question: What was his problem? Why would he hide it from them? Why would he stop doing the thing he likes the most?

"He resigned and withdrew from the group?! I understand that he misses Eunmi but heck, was that even necessary?!" He said, groaning.

He tried to call his brother again, but still got the same response from the cellphone operators.

He threw his phone in annoyance, but luckily, Yuta caught it. "Hyung?! Why would you throw your own phone?!"

The older just glared and snatched his phone from Yuta.

He turned towards Taeil who was drinking water, "Taeil-hyung, did they say that he withdrew permanently?" He asked.

The latter shrugged. "I forgot to ask." He said, closing the bottle.

Taeyong's phone vibrated and his eyes were quick to look at the sender's name. Minhyungie✨

Hyung, I'm at home. Why are ya'll calling me?

He didn't wasted a second and immediately went to the parking lot. He entered his car and started the engine without thinking twice. He didn't even bother to make an excuse letter for his teacher.

He slammed on the gas and the speed of the car went faster than usual. This was the first time that he drove that fast. He didn't care about the penalties that police might give him. He was more worried about his brother.

He slammed on the breaks when he arrived at their house.

He opened the gates and immediately entered their house. He couldn't hear any loud music playing. Not unlike before, Mark used to play music in full volume, as if the walls would break because of the volume.

He usually plays the songs he make. He even asked Taeyong if he could sing with Jaehyun and Taeil for Timeless, but he just shook his head, saying that his voice doesn't match the melody of the song.

Shaking of his thoughts, Taeyong immediately rushed upstairs, hoping to see Mark in his music room.

He turned right and he saw his brother: His back facing him, while standing outside his music room. It looked like he was doing something with the doorknob.

Taeyong's eyes widened when he saw a lock hanging on the door. Mark doesn't usually locks his music room.

"Minhyung!" He called.

The mentioned turned around, his face void of any emotion. "Oh, hyung?" He raised a brow. "What the heck happened to you?"

Taeyong immediately held on to the younger's collar, "What the fuck were you thinking, Mark? Why the hell would you resign without telling us?! What, are you that close minded to resign just because of  that?!" He rolled his eyes.

Mark wasn't even scared even if this was the first time he saw this brother like this. "Put me down." He sighed, and started to walk away. Not bothering to answer his brother's question.

"Mark!"

The younger stopped on his tracks.

"I'm no longer interested in music." He said, leaving his brother dumbfounded.

— tbc.
Finding Eunmi