somnambulism ✦ mark lee {on hold}

three ★彡

"I don't get Mr. Park. Two days ago, he wanted me to look for MCs for the Art Performance. I found volunteers, but then yesterday, he changed his mind and said we don't need MCs, so I said sorry and told them there was a change of plans. But then he wants MCs again when I submitted the rundown today? Like what the fuck goes on in that man's head?" Xia ranted, roughly taking a bite of her sandwich with a frown on her face.

Yuqi snorted. "You know how he is. I feel like asking Ms. Choi would be a better idea."

With his mouth full of food, Changbin nodded and mumbled what sounded like a yeah, before diving back into his food.

'Pig,' Xia thought, rolling her eyes. Just as she was about to take another bite of the turkey sandwich her mom had packed for her, her eyes wandered to the entrance of the cafeteria, spotting her loud twin with an arm around the boy she bumped into that morning. "Oh, guess Xuxi is keeping him company."

"Xuxi is keeping who company?" Changbin asked, sipping his orange juice.

"Mark, the new guy."

Yuqi's eyes lit up in recognition. "Ah! I think I saw him in chemistry today. Pretty cute, if you ask me," she nodded affirmatively.

Xia eyed her, narrowing her eyes. "What happened to Xuxi and his so-called romantic impromptu picnic getaways?"

The other girl's cheeks flushed. "Xuxi is different, you know that, Xia."

"Oh, he was in my gym class, too," Changbin steered the topic back to Mark. "Very quiet, doesn't really talk much, but surprisingly good at badminton. Maybe he'll be in your biology class after lunch, Xia," he added.

Xia shrugged. "Maybe." She sighed, her fingers twirling the ends of her hair. "It sucks that we only have the last period together. I miss being in a class with you guys all day every day like last year."

"At least last period is music," Changbin chuckled, reaching over to ruffle Xia's hair, to which she frowned and slapped his hand away.

"Anyway," Yuqi exclaimed, standing up and brushing the nonexistent dust from her plaid skirt, "we should get going. Class starts in five."

✦

Settling herself down on her usual desk in biology, Xia placed the thick textbook down and took out her pencil case. Her movements were halted when she felt a presence beside the empty desk next to hers.

"U-Uh, is this seat taken?" It was Mark, and he was gesturing to the vacant seat. When she shook her head, he offered her a small smile and sat down, taking out his own belongings from his bag and on the table.

She startled him when she asked a question. "So Mark, why did you move in the middle of the school year?"

He rubbed the back of his neck. "I don't think I can tell you that," he softly said.

Realizing it was insensitive on her part, Xia quickly apologized and introduced herself. "I'm Xia, by the way. I just remembered I never told you my name," she laughed.

"I know," Mark's smile was back, "Xuxi told me. I've heard people say it, too. Apparently you're pretty popular here."

Xia rolled her eyes. "That's bull, everyone knows me and I know them just because I'm vice president. Hey, can you keep a secret?"

Mark nodded and shuffled closer.

"I think Jaehyun picked me as his vice just because I've known him since we were children. Oh, and because his ex was one of the candidates and he wanted to spite her," Xia whispered, as if she was telling him the nation's biggest secret.

The boy's smile widened to a grin, about to reply when the teacher strolled in and class began.

Throughout the entire two hours of class, Xia couldn't help but steal glances at the new boy, noticing how he seemed to be struggling to keep up when Mrs. Zhong was reviewing the circulatory system. When the bell rang, everyone rushed to pack up and leave class, but Xia took her time. "What's your next class?" she asked the boy who was close to done copying the notes on the board.

"Music, I think. Do you know where I should go?" he asked, looking at her as he slipped his notebook into his bag.

"You're in luck, new guy," she patted his back, "my friends and I have the same class. Come on, I'll walk with you."

The two got up and started walking to the music room, unaware of the glare burning towards the back of Mark's head.

"Oi, man! Let's go, coach is gonna shit at us if we're late!" Mingyu's scream echoed through the nearly empty hallway.

The glaring stopped.