Chapter 33

For the past few weeks, Eunmi and Mark have been avoiding each other's presences— as if he both of them didn't exist.

One time Jaehyun asked his sister to call Mark for dinner. She knocked on his room and told him so, Mark would just reply by ignoring her or by walking past her. Eunmi would just shrug the thought off and try to pretend. Pretend that she, too, is over him.

Mark wouldn't want to admit it, but it seemed like they don't know each other anymore. As far as he could remember, she loves chocolate flavored ice cream. He saw Renjun giving her one time, but it was vanilla. She happily ate it. And he thought that she hates vanilla.

And he's starting to wonder why. Why were the two close? Why was Renjun always with Eunmi? What is he to her?

He would just sigh and continue what he was doing.

They were standing inside the same house, but their minds were somewhere else.

Mark woke up and groaned, feeling his head hurting badly. He stood up and stretched his arms, feeling satisfied every time he hears a knuckle being cracked.

He left his room and could clearly hear the loud music downstairs. The dreamies were probably at their house at this time of the day.

"What the heck is with you, Renjun-ah? It's too early and yet, you guys are here, destroying someone else's eardrum." Mark rolled his eyes at the younger who was holding a microphone.

"Good morning to you too, Mark-hyung." Jaemin laughed.

Mark is used to them like this. Every time he wakes up and sees them downstairs, he would immediately say something instead of greeting them a good morning.

"Let Renjun be, he's heartbroken." Jeno laughed.

Renjun just glared at him, "Screw you, Jeno-yah, and no, I'm not heartbroken. I'm happy!!!!!!!"

"Is it because of—"

Renjun stood up and sang the chorus part, "SHE NO LONGER NEEDS ME~"

"Why are you singing this, though?" Jisung laughed. "It doesn't sound like you."

"Oh shut up." His eyes widened when the high note was about to play. "Haechan-ah, let's get it." He laughed.

Mark just sighed and sat on one of their couches.

"They have been singing sad songs since earlier." Jaemin laughed.

"'She no longer needs me'
neol wonhal surok
nae hyeonsireun geochireojigo isseo
seonggeuphan nae gobaege
modeun ge eoryeowojilkka bwa"

"She no longer needs me"
The more I want you
My reality gets heavier I guess everything will be difficult after this hasty confession

Mark looked at his friends who were singing. The two of them were struggling to sing stably, although they were great singers— well, make that one. Haechan was doing good. And Renjun? Renjun was just having fun.

Renjun was laughing while singing, that's why he couldn't sing properly.

His friends were having fun, while the lyrics are hitting him hard.

"geureomedo naneun deo chamji mothae
jigeum neoege dallyeo gago sipeo
naui modeun sungani neoreul
wonhago isseuni..."

Nevertheless, I can't take it anymore
I wanna run to you now
Because I want you
every moment of my life...

Mark just stood up and went to the kitchen, not bothering to finish the song that the two were singing.

"Oh, Mark, you're awake." Taeyong said while placing plates on the table.

The younger just nodded and helped his brother set the table for breakfast. "Hyung why are there a lot of plates? We're just seven here. Chenle isn't even here."

"Lele is on his way, and to answer your question, Jaehyun and your girlfriend are coming over for breakfast."

"Hyung. Ex. Ex-girlfriend."

Taeyong sighed and raised his arms, as if he was surrendering. "Ex. Fine, ex." He just nodded.

"Injoon-ah!!!" Mark heard a high pitched voice entering their house, and he guesses that it was Eunmi.

"Yah, noona!!! Stay away from me!" Renjun said, trying to look disgusted.

And Mark just looked at them from the kitchen, feeling something twisting his gut.

Chenle entered the house and rushed towards the living room.

"YEOREOBUN!!" He screamed.

They all looked at Chenle, because he looked like he was about to say something important. The said guy was smiling from ear to ear, and he looked excited too.

"We're having a four day getaway at Jeju!"

***

Their getaways usually happen once or twice every year. This one was the first this year, and also the first one for Eunmi.

"Yah, Renjun-ah, finally I'm getting out of Seoul." Mark could hear Eunmi tell Renjun.

Mark just carried his bag silently, trying to focus in his own world, but fate wouldn't let him.

He sat at the back part of the bus. His chair was the one near the window, and he was seated next to his brother.

Lucky how one bus could carry them all. There were twenty four of them, and there were even a lot of spaces left.

He just looked outside and patiently waited for them to arrive at their destination.

"Did you know that Haechan used to live there?" Renjun asked Eunmi, their seats were in front of Mark's which was an unfortunate one for him.

Eunmi's eyes widened, "Jinjja?"

"Yeah, he used to live there when he was little." Renjun laughed.

***

It was already night time, and they decided to put up a campfire, since they were near the beach.

Taeil, Johnny, Taeyong and Yuta were setting up the fire. Jaehyun, Winwin, Jungwoo and Lucas were gathering wood. Haechan, Jaemin and Kun were preparing their food. The girls and the others were resting because they told them so.

Mark stared at the two in front of him who were too close for his liking, but what can he do? Nothing.

He sighed and went back to his room.

***

They gathered around the fire, enjoying the warmth it gave them.

"The older ones could drink, and the young ones couldn't." Taeyong said.

"The young ones include the 00 liners, Chenle and Jisung." Jaehyun said which made Jeno say 'aww' "Oh, and Yeri and Eunmi too. You aren't allowed to drink." He said.

"What the actual heck that's so unfair!" Eunmi said stomping her foot.

"Yah, stop it noona! You're making my marshmallow sandy." Renjun rolled his eyes.

And Mark wanted to puke so badly.

"Let's play truth or dare!" Doyoung said, putting a bottle in the middle.

"Too lame, but okay." Irene laughed.

"If one doesn't want to answer or to do the dare, you have to drink." Wendy said competitively.

Jungwoo spun the bottle and the first victim was Haechan.

"If you were a girl, who among us would you date?" They laughed at Jungwoo's question.

Haechan scoffed, as if it was an obvious question. "Is that even a question." He stood up and pointed at Mark like he was Michael Jackson. "Mark-hyung." He laughed.

Mark put on a disgusted face, "You and your antics, Donghyuck."

Haechan went to the middle and spun the bottle. It hit Taeyong.

"Hyungieee~" Haechan said, and Taeyong laughed at the younger's reaction. "Who among us is the most handsome?"

"Yah what about us girls?" Yeri said.

"Shh, we'll get to you guys later." Haechan said, and Yeri rolled her eyes.

"To me, Jaehyun is the most handsome." Taeyong answered which all made them scream as if they just win something.

The game went on, and some of them were already tipsy. Eunmi just watched them since the bottle never stopped pointing her.

"Oh, Mark-hyung!!" Chenle clapped his hands once when the bottle stopped at Mark.

"Yah, mwoya~" He whined.

"Truth or dare?" Chenle asked.

"Truth." Mark was cautious, he didn't want to do silly dares.

Chenle's eyes traveled around and it stopped at Eunmi's direction. She had a hunch that the question was about the two of them.

"Is there a chance that you and Eun-noona would date again?"

Eunmi's eyes widened at Chenle's question. She looked down and avoided everyone else's eyes.

Mark took a shot glass and drank the liquor in a gulp.

Eunmi's heart sank, but she was expecting that.

She stood up, and everyone looked at her. She took a bow, "I'll just walk around. I hope you don't mind."

She wore her slippers and ran away from their mini-campsite.

Once she could no longer see the flame of their campfire, she sat on the sandy ground and hugged her knees, hearing only her sobs and the waves that were hitting the shore.

"I... shouldn't expect anymore..." She laughed bitterly while wiping her tears away.

She looked at the stars and suddenly remembered the day before she left. They were stargazing, and he sang a song. She wanted to return to that moment and never let go. She never should have left.

"Yah." Wendy sat beside her. "Here." She handed her a handkerchief.

"U-Unnie.." She immediately hugged the older and sobbed.

Wendy sighed, forgetting about the handkerchief. She hugged the younger back and patted her back. "I knew you weren't okay. That's why I followed you."

Eunmi pulled away and wiped her tears, "I-It still hurts, unnie. It hurts.." She said while pointing at her chest.

"You know, it will never stop hurting until you accept everything..." Wendy said.

Suddenly, Eunmi's phone rang.

"Eun-ah, we might need you here..."

"H-Huh? Taeyong-oppa wae?"

"Hello? Eunmi!" Jaehyun snatched the phone from Taeyong. "Mark's in total rage. He's drunk and he's looking for his baby..."

"W-What?"

Jaehyun looked at Mark who was throwing everything he sees. "Eunmi, we need you here..."

"I am on my way, oppa..."

—tbc.
Song: No Longer (NCT 127)
So how are you guys in cracking the second quote? Congratulations to WayV! I'm kinda disappointed at Winwin's lines though... his lines were still "bust it bust it" same with the Korean and English version of Regular. Imm still proud of them, though! Especially the new three, Yangyang, Xiaojun and Hendery!!

Finally, Kun!! He finally had a legit debut!! I'm so proud of him aaaaa