Cooked // NCT Groupchat

-41-

A/n: this chapter hits different. Also, posting early so I don't forget.

"See that wasn't that bad.... Except for that time you tripped and spilled a pitcher of cold water over Taemin." Mark replied with a playful smile while his hands were stuffed in his pockets. It had been a little less than half an hour since the rest of SuperM had finished their food and said goodbye to Rosa. Except for Mark, that is.

The boy had actually offered to walk her home on this late night, and she had happily agreed. However, she didn't know that he would be recalling all the embarrassing things she did during their meal. "Don't remind me!" The girl replied as she turned bright red, attempting to use her hands to cover up her embarrassed hue.

"What about when Ten read what you said about Baekhyun from that one time in the group chat?" Mark replied, his smile only growing wider as the girl shoved him. He didn't move that much but it got her point across.

"I was trying to be cool and collected at the beginning but after that, I became a bumbling mess." The girl sighed as she looked up at the crescent moon.

"Yeah and you were pulling it off for a second there." Mark replied before receiving another shove from Rosa, which he cheekily laughed off.

"If you are going to keep teasing me for your amusement than next time I'll walk home alone. Better yet, Lucas... no he'd probably be worse." Rosa spoke before she recalled the argument her two friends had.

After hearing Mark's offer to walk Rosa home, Lucas said he would do it (since Mark hung back with Rosa, last time for game night), however, Mark refused. The two went back and forth for a good minute, as the rest looked on in amusement until Mark took Rosa's hand, yelled "I asked first!", and ran towards the girl's apartment with her in tow.

"Hey! That isn't funny!" Mark exclaimed after hearing her not so stubble remark. The girl cracked a smile his way before, once again, looking ahead.

Rosa clasped her hands together. She tried to remember the warmth she felt when Mark started running off with her. She tried to remember the way she could hear heartbeat over the boisterous laughter that left her smiling lips. She wanted remember every detail  of that moment, yet she didn't know why.

"And it's not that I want to embarrass you." She heard the boy reply. His voice was barely a whisper. It could have been easily carried away by one of the night's strong winds, however, Rosa heard it.

"Is that so?" She asked as she looked to that they had made it to her apartment building. He didn't answer so the girl leaned her back against the brick wall. Sure she was tired, but she wouldn't let him leave it at that.

Mark looked at the ground muttering something that she couldn't understand. Her eyebrow quirked at his amusing actions. It almost reminded her of a child who was being scolded. "What was that?" She asked biting her lip to keep her cheeky grin suppressed.

He muttered once again.

"Hm?"

He spoke again, not daring to look at her nor changing his volume hoping she would just let it go.

"Oh come on Mark, if you aren't going to speak up then you are going to have to get closer." She playfully replied standing staring and reaching to tug on the pocket of his hoodie.

"Hey-"

"Ouch"

She realized that she might have pulled a little too hard once her back hit the wall with a thud. She squeezed her eyes closed as if trying to shy away from the mild pain coming from the back of her head. However, after she understood that it wouldn't help in anyway, she sighed and looked up.

There stood Mark. His face was only a few centimeters away from hers as his elbows were leaning against the wall on either side of her head.

The two started to immediately turn red from the proximity. However, their eyes were fixated on each other's in that strange yet oddly sweet moment.

"Its because you're cute when you blush." His soft whisper rang through her ears as loudly as  a battle cry. Her head was dizzy and her heart was pounding. However, before she could say anything or even react, the boy had placed a soft kiss on her cheek and her heart caught a glimpse of a strange, foreign, feeling.

"Good night Rosa."

The girl turned as bright as a blooming red rose and she watched as he walked off. She stood still in her spot. Rosa was confused yet something was telling her, what she felt, what she was thinking, what she was so damn mesmerized by, she found it.

It was her first glimpse of warmth.