When I reach my seat in the auditorium, I notice a roll of what looks like kimbap on my table.
I pick it up suspiciously, turning it around to inspect it. Maybe someone from the previous lecture had accidentally left their breakfast here.
My phone vibrates in my pocket, and I take it out once I settle in my seat.
Mark Lee
Enjoy :)
My eyebrows knit in confusion, and I look forward to see that Mark has his body turned in my direction. He gives me a small wave and makes a small burger-eating gesture, his nose scrunching up in the process, and I don't need to second-guess who the kimbap is from.
Hwang Yena
thanks??
what's it for though
Mark Lee
I promised I'd make it up to you the other day didn't I
I frown, and I recall he's probably referring to last week when he had oh-so-nicely stood me up at Lee's. He did apologise profusely and said that he was going to make it up to me, and I see that he has chosen the way to my stomach to do so.
Mark Lee is a very bad liar, so when he told me that he had gotten a very bad case of diarrhoea after eating the 'awesome donut', I couldn't find it in me to believe him.
One, because I take offense on behalf of my boss that someone would even dare accuse him of food poisoning (Ten is very particular about food safety) and two, if Mark had really been stuck on the toilet for two hours like he had claimed, he would have returned from the back, not the front door.
As suspicious as he was being, I let it go.
Professor Qian walks in with his textbook and laptop in hand, and I flip my own book open to begin with today's lecture.
Our project that had been assigned last week won't be due in another two weeks, so I'm not too worried about it, unless Mark decides to stand me up one more time, of course. We agree to meet again today at Lee's to work on it, seriously (his words), and I find myself agreeing considering I don't have a shift to worry about today. I did ask Mark if he was sure he wants to go back to Lee's, considering the last time we went there, it didn't really end well for him, but he assured me that it was fine.
Professor Qian's lecture ends as quickly as it had begun, and as I step out of the auditorium, I see Mark leaning against the wall next to the water cooler, waiting for me.
"Hey," he greets, pushing himself off the wall as he grasps one of his bag straps.
"Hi." I raise the uneaten kimbap in hand. "Didn't have the time to eat it just now. Thanks."
Mark grinned, and we now walk side by side as we exit the wing. "I bought it from the auntie down the street near campus. It's really good."
I hum in acknowledgment. "Anyways, you know you can sit next to me, right?" I ask, finding it weird that he chose to revert back to his old seat today after Professor Qian made him sit next to me just last week.
"Oh, yeah," Mark chuckled meekly. "I just thought you were angry at me."
I narrow my eyes at him, to which he returns with an awkward smile.
"I'm not that bad," I mutter, but Mark doesn't catch it when his attention is grabbed by something— or rather, someone — else.
"Mel!" A familiar voice shouts, and I realise that it's none other than Lee Donghyuck.
"Ooh, pretty girl?" He asks as he approaches us, and I give him a small wave. "Small world! Since when are you two acquainted?"
Mark tells him that we share the same elective, and I'm silently grateful that he didn't take Donghyuck's question too literally and blurt out that I'm the girl who stole his first kiss.
"Ah." Donghyuck nods in understanding. "And where are you two lovebirds headed to?"
I burn red at his statement, while Mark merely rolls his eyes at his friend's wording.
"We're going to Lee's to study. You're not coming," Mark deadpans, causing Donghyuck to pout.
"Whyyyy, Makgeolli?" Donghyuck cries as he latches himself on to Mark, and I find myself cringing at his sudden attempt at being cute.
"Dude, stop," Mark groans, unlatching Donghyuck's arm from his. "Because you're distracting."
"Tsk," Donghyuck huffs before dropping the act. "Chill, I have hockey practice anyways. Hey, bring me home a donut though, would you?"
"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Don't you have pucks to slam, or something?"
"Always so eager to get rid of me." Donghyuck rolls his eyes before turning to me. "Seems like I won't be able to stare at your pretty face longer today, Hwang Yena. Next time, yeah?"
I feel my lips curve into a smile, though I know his shameless flirting don't really carry any weight. "I'll be waiting."
"Alllllright, that's enough. See you at home, dude," Mark says before he drags me away from our spot at the gate. I immediately turn around to see Donghyuck wave enthusiastically at me, to which I return.
"Tsk, so you're the pretty girl he keeps talking about. Keep giving out free donuts and you'll have people like Lee Haechan bothering you to no end."
"Haechan? I thought his name was Donghyuck," I mutter, ignoring his previous comment as I let Mark drag me through the streets.
"Yeah, they're the same person. He doesn't like it when people call him by his real name though, so we call him Haechan," Mark explains absentmindedly before stopping, turning around to face me. "Also, why are you changing the topic? Stop giving Lee Haechan free donuts."
"It's because of Lee Haechan that I've gained another customer to Lee's, and that is you. It's a marketing strategy," I defend myself.
"My ass," Mark mutters, and I don't mention how ironic it is for him to say that considering he had suffered from bad diarrhoea (or so he claims) only last week.
We arrive at Lee's, and it is only then do I realise that Mark still has his grip around my wrist. He doesn't seem to notice, however, only letting me go once we reach our spot at the corner of the shop.
I see Sungchan sitting behind the counter bored out of his mind, only perking up when he sees me with Mark. Really? He mouths, and I give him a warning glare.
"Iced chocolate?" Mark asks before I could say anything, and I nod, surprised that he remembers my order from the last time we came here.
He disappears for a while to give our orders to Sungchan, and I find myself looking out of the window to catch the scenery outside.
It's the perfect weather to be out under the sun, I think to myself, but alas, duty calls.
It only takes a while before our food and drink is sent to our table by my colleague, and I suddenly remember the roll of kimbap that Mark had gotten me in the morning. I take it out, unwrapping it to reveal six pre-cut slices. I put it in the middle of our table before we start working.
Mark is surprising easy to work with, and we find ourselves whizzing through our assignment in the few hours that we have.
When the sun begins to set, Mark starts to get restless, so I decide to pack up, telling him we can continue the rest in class next week.
"Hey, don't forget to get Haechan his donut," I remind him and Mark only rolls his eyes as he finishes his own donut.
I don't ask why he's eating the same one again after his whole alleged diarrhoea fiasco a week ago, though I am kind of curious as to what excuse he would give me this time if I were to ask.
Despite the attitude, Mark stalks to the counter before we leave to get not only one, but a box of six donuts to go, and as much as I am itching to say something, I let it go.
"Which way are you going?" Mark asks when we exit the store, him swinging the donut box in his hand.
"Left." I gesture. "My bus stop is down the street."
Mark hums. "I'll walk you."
"You really don't have to," I mutter, but Mark ignores me as he walks straight ahead, not even bothering to wait for me to catch up.
I finally match his pace and we walk side by side in silence. The streets are rather busy even at this time of night in the city that never sleeps, but despite my hatred for people and crowds, I find the hustle and bustle quite calming.
We walk past the department store with the giant screen that would lead me to my bus stop, and I realise that it's showing an encore of the news earlier today, which I had missed. I'm not surprised to know that it is once again covering a story on Spider-Man, and I find myself stopping and tilting my head upwards to catch a glance of what's going on.
"Have you ever seen him in real life?" Mark asks from beside me, and for a moment I forgot that he was even there to begin with.
I shake my head. "Never. My roommate Chaerin did, though. She's a huge fan."
"Is she the girl I bumped into?" Mark asks, and I nod. "Huge fan? Really?"
I turn to look at Mark, who has his gaze on the big screen. "Hard to believe, right?"
He shrugs before turning to look at me. "What do you think of him?"
I pause to think, only to realise I don't really have an answer. "I don't know. I haven't really thought about it. He keeps us safe, I guess."
At this, Mark laughs, and I stare at his face.
The bright lights from the screen illuminates his features clearly that it's so easy to make out how genuine he looks. At this, my heart stutters, and I force myself to look away.
"Anyways, let's go. You'll miss your bus," he reminds, and I nod.
The remaining walk to the bus stop is quiet once again, though it's a comfortable one. I realise that that's how most of my walks with Mark go, the both of us not really seeing the need to talk to fill the silence.
He sits quietly next to me at the bus stop, swinging his legs back and forth while we wait for the bus. When it arrives, he's quick to stand up to bid me goodbye, and it is only after my bus drives off does he finally walk away.