Supernerd! MARK

25 | push and pull

The ride down to the lobby is short, and my eyes are quick to find Mark the moment I reach. For some reason, my mouth runs dry upon seeing him.

Unlike his usual dressed-down hoodie and jeans combo, Mark looks extra stunning today in a loose black silk shirt with the top few buttons undone, giving me a clear view of his Spider-suit inside. He wears a leather jacket as an outer layer, tying up his all-black ensemble.

Mark doesn't seem to notice me yet as he keeps his gaze on his dress shoes, kicking around a tiny pebble on the gravel. I clear my throat, and he looks up.

A moment of silence passes between us, and I'm not really sure why Mark is looking at me all flabbergasted the same way I am him. "Uh," I start. "Hi?"

At this, Mark seems to snap out of it as he shakes his head slightly. "Yena," he breathes, taking a step towards me as his eyes study my outfit. I start to feel conscious— I knew I should have stood my ground and not let Chaerin dress me so Chaerin-like.

"Do I look that bad?" I laugh awkwardly, partly to try to diffuse the sudden tension between us. "It's the red lip, isn't it? Yeah, it kinda threw me off too. Ha." I wring my fingers nervously.

"No, no! You look, uh-"

A car suddenly appears behind Mark, and the window rolls down to reveal Haechan.

"He means to say you look drop-dead gorgeous, Yena! Gosh, Mark, use words!" Haechan hollers from the driver's seat. "You can try again later. Get in!"

My lips part unwillingly at the tanned boy's bluntness, and I immediately rush to the Mercedes, not wanting to see Mark's reaction.

"I thought you drive a Toyota," is the first thing I ask him when I close the door behind me, Mark taking the seat next to me.

"I do. Mr. Seo just loaned this sweet baby to me for tonight. Anyway, are we clear on the plan?" He asks, his eyes focused on the road.

I let out a breath, letting the streetlights pass me by. The past few days had just been us preparing for this huge sting, and despite the number of times we had run through it, I still find myself feeling nervous.

I mean, who wouldn't be? I'm potentially putting myself in danger with Seoul's biggest drug-dealing gang. I don't even want to think about the possibility of me not making it out alive.

The plan, on paper, is simple— basically, get Lee Taeyong's attention, and hopefully get insider information on Neo Seoul. Since we don't know how often Neo Seoul deals at Black On Black, our best shot would have to be through the nightclub owner himself.

Yup. Just another regular day of a twenty-two year old college girl.

It was hard for us to even come to a consensus during our meetings seeing as Mark wasn't on board with literally all of them, but we had managed to come to an agreement towards the end, albeit him begrudgingly.

The car comes to a halt next to a long stretch of pavement which leads up to the nightclub, the queue formed outside apparent even from my seat in the car.

"You ready?" Haechan turns around to look at me. "Just like we practiced, okay? Remember— just be Chaerin."

"Aren't you supposed to say 'be yourself'?" I mutter.

"No offence, but you wouldn't make it out alive in there if you went as Hwang Yena."

"Dude." Mark nudges Haechan by his forehead, causing the younger to wince in pain. He looks at me. "Got your pen?"

I nod wordlessly, feeling the pen that I had strapped to my thigh tightly with a ribbon. I'm hoping I wouldn't have to use it tonight, but I do feel safer knowing I have something to defend myself with if I have to.

I carefully step out of the car with Mark right behind me, the chilliness of the night instantly causing goosebumps to rise on my skin.

"You okay?"

"Yeah," I breathe out, my eyes trained on the queue leading in to the club.

"Alright. We can't be seen together but I'll see you inside, okay?" Mark steps in front of me, blocking my vision of the club and I look up at him. "Don't worry. I won't take my eyes off you."

"He means to say he can't take his eyes off you," Haechan snickers from beside us with his window rolled down, and it is only then do I realise he's still there with us.

"Dude, fuck off. Seriously." Mark shoots the boy a glare, to which he returns with a cheeky grin before driving off.

Mark gives me a nod before he turns towards the club, but my hand instinctively reach out to his wrist, stopping him. He looks at me, confused, until he feels my fingers reach to the top of his shirt that he had left unbuttoned prior. "Can't have people seeing you like this," I mumble, and Mark gives me a small chuckle. "Okay. Let's go," I breathe, giving him a nod as I walk towards the line.

"Yena, wait." This time, Mark wraps his fingers around my wrist as he asks me to stop, and I turn around to face him.

Mark takes a deep breath. "Earlier. I wanted to say that, uh, you look really pretty today. Like, really, really pretty. I mean, you're pretty every day, but I guess I was just nervous tonight because you looked different- a good kind! Of different. But yeah. You look really good today... is what I'm trying to say."

His words come out in a jumble mess, but I still find myself blushing anyway. He doesn't know it, but it does help in making me feel a little less anxious.

"Thank you." I bite my lips, trying to suppress my smile. "You... you look really handsome, Mark."

Mark raises his eyebrows before he falls into an easy laugh, and I quickly turn away before I could embarrass myself any further.

I stare at the line determinedly, my hand feeling for my ID in my clutch. Without thinking twice, I walk towards Black On Black.

—

Mark and Yena confess to each other challenge am I right. 🙄 Don't worry, it'll come eventually ;-) How are we feeling? What's gonna happen next? 👀