Love Contract / Mark Lee

Chapter 32

Mark ran upstairs to answer his phone.

"Hello?"

"Mark it's me" A feminine voice said on the other line.

"Alice, why are you calling me from a different number?"

"That's not what's important. I called you because I don't want to keep it in anymore, Mark."

"Keep what in?"

"Mark,  I miss you every day." he sighed.

"I miss you too."

" I can't sleep one more night without thinking; If Haechan and Areum can be together, why can't you and I be together?" He paused slightly.

"Alice... I do want to be with you, I do. I just-"

"I know you're scared. But Mark I can't live without you, I can't be myself and be happy, knowing that you are not with me."

Mark felt his heart break a bit. He didn't want to be the reason for her sadness. His feelings for Areum weren't as clear as his feelings for Alice, yet he was still hesitant.

"Well what do you want me to do about it?"

"Maybe we could... try something?" She asked. Mark hesitated.

"Mark, I love you. And I don't want us to give up without trying."

"Alice-

~~~

Mark walked downstairs to find Areum sitting on the couch, staring at the empty TV screen. She sighed, concentrating on the intricate details on the bottle of beer.

"What was your phone call about?" She asked him. He sat down next to her.

"I heard a guy's voice in here? What happened?" He asked. She shook her head.

"I asked you first" She said. He sighed.

"I'm just overwhelmed, I guess." He said. She handed him a beer.

"You wanna play a game? We both tell each other about our horrible phone calls. Whoever had the least complicated phone call, has to order food." She said. He shrugged.

"Fine! I'll go first. Alice called. She wants us to try again at our relationship." He said. As soon as those words had left his lips, she felt her heart sink. But she had to keep her cool. Areum furrowed her eyebrows.

"A-and how is that... how is that a bad thing?" She asked. He shrugged.

"I don't know if I can handle the secret relationship. But i just miss us together, you know?" He said, playing with his rings. She scoffed.

"Well I guess you're the one paying." She said. He threw his hand over her shoulders on the couch.

"And how are you so sure about that?"

"Haechan flew a 12 hour flight to come see me..."

"What? Did the dumb ass get horny or something?" He joked. She looked up at him.

" He broke up with me." 

Silence. For two minutes. She chuckled before picking up the bottle again. She looked up at Mark.

"Like I said, I guess you're paying." She said. Mark shifted his body to face her.

" You want to talk ab-"

"We don't have to do that sentimental shit where I start crying and hugging you while I talk about how much I loved him." She said. She chugged the rest of the bottle before standing up.