What if...? || Markhyuck

-47-

[january 2021]

[hunter]

When I heard from Steven that today I was to spend the whole day with Haechan and Mark in the same car, I was hoping it was joke. But he never joked with me, so I simply had to accept that after a week of this terrible situation in front of Mark's apartment, I would have to look him in the face and not burn up with shame. Today I was supposed to focus on observing what their usual field work looks like. But I sensed that the main reason was Steven's willingness to get me out of the basement. We weren't comfortable together. Haechan always held the conversation. He made jokes and thought up topics for little talks so that we wouldn't be awkwardly silent.

I walked upstairs to the parking lot. I saw them right away in the double pack as they went everywhere together. I could see Mark in private only in office, in the corridors on the way somewhere or completely naked in his apartment, when I was bringing documents in the middle of the night... Oh my god, what a shame... I looked up at the cloudy sky, hoping it would snow or rain heavily. Haechan apparently didn't go out into the field during heavy rainfall. I didn't know why. For such a gray and bland person, he had many secrets.

The men were talking about something while smoking cigarettes. Brunet was leaning back against the driver's door and Mark standing right in front of him - much closer than he should in my opinion. Haechan was smiling and I didn't think they were talking about work either. I was a bit afraid to enter into their private chat but also afraid of being late, so I started walking towards them anyway. I heard Mark first and his calm voice made my heart beat faster.

"I never thought about it," he said. "It's always been the stimulus-response principle. I saw something beautiful, I drew it," said with a shrug.

"Something beautiful, you say?" Haechan laughed charmingly, looking at Mark as if he was some chick in the club to become one-night stand. When brunet saw me, his expression returned to normal. "Hello" was the first to say. Even though he was generally reserved about me, I never felt the dislike. He was always just nice.

"Hey," I replied, glancing discreetly at Mark. But Lee was already looking towards me icily.

"Six minutes late," he only muttered as stomped cigarette to the ground. Apparently, the greetings fell outside the scope of his vocabulary. Man passed me slowly on the way to the passenger seat, leaving behind nothing but pure terror. I glanced at watch in panic but before I could check the time, Haechan's warm, sun-kissed hand appeared on my wrist.

"Mark always expects everyone to be at his call ten minutes earlier," explained calmly, seeing my terrified expression. "You're on time, Hunter," he assured me, nodding at the car. "Get in the back," boy commanded without rushing, letting me know that if I was late they wouldn't be here anymore. "How's your mood today, sir?" brunet asked, starting the engine.

"Strong 3 out of 10" Mark muttered, leafing through the solid calendar..

"Wow," Haechan whistled loudly leaving the parking lot. "Such a good mood must evidently be celebrated with good music," he said seriously, turning on the radio.

"Don't make fun of me" Mark looked at him in disbelief, and the boy just started laughing. After that, it was quiet for a long time.

Not much was happening from the driving perspective. Haechan only came out of the car for a cigarette and put on a mask as we approached the point where Mark was getting out to get things done. He didn't look at the documents that the black-haired brought; he also didn't ask for anything. Lee stopped by two lockers, saw someone for a coffee, where he spent two hours under the watchful eye of his driver, also visited a shooting range outside the city and three hours later returned to the car with a navy blue briefcase. It might seem as if he got everything needed smoothly and without problems.