I promise you || ITZY X NCT FF

Part 8 (he confessed)

"So what's up?" I ask Jaemin who looks like he is in his thoughts. "I uh- just wanted say.. g-good job! You did great out there!" He managed to say with an awkward smile. "Thank you, you did an excellent job as well!" I said smiling back at him. "Well, I gotta go so see you around?" He said and I just nod and gave him a wave before he left. Well that was awkward.. I just decide to brush it off and I walked back to the dorm with the other girls.
It's the next day and I get a text from Mark.
Mark: are you free?
Ryujin: yeah, why what's up?
Mark: let's meet up at Seoulicious Café! There aren't that many people at the café and I got something important to tell you.
Ryujin: sure, I'll be there soon!
Mark: alright great, see you then!
I quickly get dressed and I walk over to the café he was talking about.
I arrived at the café to see Mark waving at me. I give him a smile before I walk over to him and sit down on the chair in front of him. "I already ordered for you, strawberry smoothie right?" Mark said with a smile pointing at the smoothie in front of me. "How did you know that I always order a strawberry smoothie?" I said before taking a sip of my smoothie. "I've seen you drink that for a while now so I assumed that that's what you wanted." He said. I quietly nod before I ask him "so, what do you want to tell me?" He awkwardly smiles while sipping his ice americano. "Well.. actually I-" he looks up at me before he continued to say "like you.. I like you Ryujin.." I look at him in shock. What did he just tell me? Mark likes me? "I'm sorry Mark.. you're the sweetest guy I've met and I couldn't survive this lifestyle without you but I only see you as a friend.." I said and he gives me a nod. "I expected that.. it's Jaemin isn't it?" He asked and I give him a confused look. Why would I like my best friend? "What are you talking about? Why would I like Jaemin?" I asked and he shrugs. "I don't know. When I say you guys on the stage together, I figured that something sparked at your performance so I assumed you guys had something." He said while stirring his coffee. "And that song, it was about him right?" He asked. I hesitantly but quietly nod at him and he gives me a nod back. "But I still want to be friends with you! Let's just continue our friendship like we used to." I said giving him a smile and he smiles back at me. "Okay, let's continue to be friends." He said brightly but I knew that he was disappointed.

After that incident, Mark and I were surprisingly getting closer and closer as time goes by. Nothing awkward yet romantic was going on between us which makes me kind of relieved. Mark is an important friend in my life and I can't lose him too. One day Yuna and I were at the cafeteria to buy something to drink. I then was about to drop my strawberry milk until Mark catches it. "Here you go." He said with a smile and I give him a relieved smile before I thanked him. "So how are you guys doing?" Yuna asked him. "We are debuting in about a month from now so that's kind of exciting!" Jisung said with a smile while standing beside Mark. Are they debuting soon? So that means Jaemin will be fulfilling his own promise to himself. The thought of it made me smile even more and I guess everyone noticed. "Excited to see me on the stage huh?" Mark said jokingly. I look up at him awkwardly but I didn't want to ruin the good atmosphere so I just said "yeah, I can't wait to see you all perform!" Jaemin then walks in and we looked at each other for a good second until he just kept walking. Wait what is wrong with him? Did I do something wrong? Later that day I got outside the practice room to get something to drink from the vending machine. I pressed the button and I then grabbed my ice tea. When I turned around I see Jaemin and Mark arguing in a room near where I was standing. I was about to walk away since it really wasn't my business until I heard my name in their conversation.
"Just leave her alone. You can't mess with Ryujin." Jaemin said. "Mess with her? Dude I love her and who is always avoiding her even though she wants to get close to him huh? You. So stop with the act Jaemin. You like her don't you?" Mark said trying to make him confess. My eyes widens.. I was standing there patiently waiting for Jaemin to answer Mark's question until I hear Yuna call my name. "Ryujin unnie!! Let's go practice again!" She yelled and I quickly run back to the practice room. I hope they didn't hear or see me spying on them cause that would be really embarrassing. But Mark's question still lingered in my head.. "Do you like her?" What if he does like me? What would I do if my best friend of 10 years likes me suddenly. My heart starts beating extremely fast and I can't seem to get enough sleep. Jeez, Jaemin why do you have to be so complicated? If only I knew what got through your head then I wouldn't have such a hard time right now. Since I couldn't get enough sleep I decided to walk around the building until I saw Jaemin sitting on a bench petting a homeless cat. He had never change. He is always so caring, not only towards humans but towards animals as well.. What if I am falling for you Jaemin? What if I want to be with you forever but you can't remember me like I remember you.. He then looks up at me and my body froze.