Cooked // NCT Groupchat

-64-

A/n: Long chapter ahead!

"Come on! Everyone else is in the limo! What are you even looking for??" Ten said gripping onto Rosa's arm who was refusing to move from her vantage point in the lobby.

"Wait seriously?" Rosa asked looking at Ten who simply nodded. "Oh you should have said that earlier." She told him before following him towards the front door. Ten was a bit skeptical about how easily she decided to drop the topic she was so adamant about 30 seconds ago, however, he was too stressed about being late to say anything.

On the other hand, Rosa was wondering how Mark gave her the slip even though he was not trying to. After all, he was the person she was looking for.

Ten exited the lobby with Rosa in tow and they walked over to the large black limousine that was stopped outside. As she looked at the luxurious vehicle, Rosa thought about how to phrase what she wanted to say to Mark.

It was only 30 minutes prior when Rosa caught herself thinking about Mark and what exactly he meant to her. She was resting in the fluffy hotel bed while looking at the ceiling fan and stressing about seeing her father. However, when right before she was about to go down the dark and treacherous road that was her past, Mark's words came to mind

"It's ok to not be ok, but you aren't nothing, you aren't broken, and you aren't alone."

She thought about the warmth and happiness she felt when she was around him. Their late night "Ramen Runs" being some of her favorite moments with him. His actions lined up with his words. They weren't just pretty lies, instead she could see that he was intent on keeping his promises. It was refreshing, and something in her wanted to meet him halfway.

For most of her life, she saw a partner as a painkiller. Someone who would temporarily numb the pain. Someone she would easily get addicted to and eventually delude her self into believing that she needed them. However, from an early age she understood this and stayed away. She knew that someone would not heal her and that the only way to heal was through time and personal growth.

She didn't see him as painkiller, instead she saw him a bandaid. She saw him as someone that would support her, and keep her together while time worked it's magic, and that's what she loved about him.

Yes, Rosa loved Mark and she was determined gaze into his eyes and tell him just that. For once in her life, she did not care about the consequences.

She going to tell him after tonight.

Ten opened the door of the limo and they both got in. She took a seat between Winwin and and Lucas as she eyed the ground. All the different conversations that swirled around mixed and matched in her head as she tried not to panic about the situation at hand.

"...74"

"Eggs..."

"... HP baby..."

Eventually, the car stopped in front of a really fancy restaurant and everyone started to filed out of the car. Rosa looked up at the cursive illuminated sign "Bella Cibo" as she waited for everyone else that was in the car.

"You know it means beautiful food." Mark replied as he walked up to the girl. She turned her head to meet his gaze and a smile made its way to her lips. "Let me guess, you looked that up?"