TIME: Mark Tuan edition

Chapter 3

"So are you all set?" my dad asks him clapping a hand on his shoulder as we are waiting for his flight.

"Yeah. I double checked before I left. If anything, my parents can mail them to me," Mark replies picking at his food.

"Make sure to go big," his brother Joey tells him. They laugh as Mark nods.

"Make sure to call, okay?" His mom tells him rubbing his shoulders.

"I will mom. Don't worry," he reassured her smiling up to her putting a hand over hers. "I'll be sure to update you guys as much as possible. Don't worry."

"Yah! Bring me something back from Korea while you're there and come to visit," our friend, Jessica yells at him making the solemn environment joyful as we all laugh at her insensitivity.

"Don't worry. I will. I'll bring something for everyone after I debut. I promise," he says smiling at everyone.

"How come you aren't saying anything, Christine?" His mom asks me outloud bringing the attention to me.

"Huh? Oh, I've spent the whole day with him," I tell them.

"Yeah but you're you. You've got to have something to say," our other friend Andrew points out. I shrug.

"I've already talked to him and everything," I try and explain.

"Okay, so basically she means they'll say their real goodbye later when it's just the two of them," Joey teases.

"YAH!" We yell at him. Mark and I smirk at each other and then look at Joey.

"Told you. They even reacted the same," Joey continues to tease.

"I'm going to miss you guys always being together," his sister Tammy pouts looking at the two of us.

"I know! Christy, you can come over and hang out in his room as much as you want," His other sister Grace half jokes.

"Yah! What do you guys think of me! I'm not going to be like that. My life doesn't revolve around him," I tell them frustrated with the teasing.

"Well..." Mark implies. I roll up the foil wrapper from my food and threw it at his face.

"MARK!" I shout.

"See? You're even shouting my name," he continues while everyone laughs at my irritation.

"I'm going to the restroom," I mumble to my mom who's next to me laughing along.

"Okay, hun," she tells me patting my back as I stand up and leave the group.

"Aww is little Chrisy annoyed?" Jessica jokes as I pass by. I just flip her hair onto her face and continue walking. "YAH!"

I chuckle to myself and continue towards the exit. Feeling the cool air nip at my skin I get the chills but smile breathing in fresh air.

"Make sure to wash my shirt," Mark calls out from behind me. I don't turn around and just watch the busy street in front of me and the lights shining from the cars on the freeway. I had forgot I'm still wearing his shirt and left my clothes in the back of his car. I've grown to enjoy wearing this shirt.

"I will. And then I'll spray it with your cologne and wear it over and over again," I tell him once he's beside me.

"You better not ruin or lose it. Wear it whenever you miss me," he tells me. I don't say anything and he doesn't either for a while.

"You know we were all joking back there, right?" He checks with me breaking the silence and I nod.

"I know. But it also made me realize that it's somewhat true. I mean what's going to become of me after you leave? You have somewhere to go and a place to be. I'm going to be a junior in high school who doesn't know what or who she wants to be. As my hope and my dream, be successful and be honest with yourself," I finally take a glance at him and he looks back.