╰┈➤ ❝ chapter three ❞

the recording has now started after a few rehearsals, some of the students are now getting excited about the new band of neo university. but some of them are still hating mark and there's haechan who's nonstop protecting him.

"thank you, mark." the producer said.

mark took a bow and made his way out of the recording room, which made him see the tanned male who's busy peeling the seeds.

"did you really wait for me?" mark asked.

"oh, hi makgeolli." he giggled. "you want?" he asked.

"i'm fine." mark said and looked away, he didn't even know what was haechan eating.

"by the way, the reason why i am here is because mama wants to meet you!" and he jumped from his seat.

"what?" mark frowned.

"my mama wants to meet you," haechan said. "and it's her birthday today, didn't you know that i ditched her party just to pick you up?" he pouted.

"is it my fault then?" his eyebrow raised.

"i wasn't saying anything," haechan said as he put his lips into a thin line.

mark rolled his eyes and got his backpack. he was actually the last one who had not done a recording yet. that's why he was surprised to see haechan here.

and turns out because haechan was going to invite him on his mama's birthday.

"why would she want to meet me?" mark asked as they were now walking down the hallway.

"well, i was talking about you nonstop." he giggled. "she got curious, that's why she made me invite you," he added.

"why would you always talk about me though?" his eyebrow raised.

"oh my god, mark lee. i was protecting you at all costs, isn't that enough to let you know that i have a crush on you?!" haechan said, sounding disappointed.

"it's love," mark said. "protecting me is not about the attraction anymore," he added.

"okay, if that's what you said." haechan nodded and continued eating.

mark waits for a couple seconds to see if haechan is going to deny it but turns out he didn't, he was really busy peeling off those seeds he was eating.

"chan, stop eating that fucking seeds." mark said. "let's get some real food instead." he hissed.

"there's a lot of food in the house though! let's just go in my home sweet home." haechan said, giggling.

"fine," mark said and handed the extra helmet to him.

"i'm going to... sit here?" haechan asked curiously.

"as if you sit on the ground." mark said and rolled his eyes.

"i would prefer that instead of riding a motorcycle," haechan said. "melt, i'm scared..."

and that made mark's heart jump again, he was already getting annoyed by it. haechan really has some effect on him and mark didn't know why because as far as he knows, he hates this guy.

he let out a sigh and calmed himself down, even though haechan is still a scaredy cat on his side, he needs to go through with it.

"hold my hand and carefully sit on my back." mark said.

but when he looked at him, he saw that the helmet on haechan's head wasn't fixed yet.

"wait, come here." he stopped.

"i won't fall right?" haechan asked, being too occupied, what would happen if he rode the motorcycle, that's why he didn't realize how mark fixing his helmet was.

"what a baby..." mark mumbled. "let's go." he said.

haechan successfully sat down on his back, mark knows that haechan didn't know where to hold that's why he pulled his arm and wrapped those on his waist.

mark finally started to drive and there he felt haechan tighten the arm on his waist, but also make sure that mark could still breathe.

"you smell good." haechan said and let out a giggle.

"you know that i can just push you down, right?" mark asked, slowly speeding up.

haechan just giggled and tried to look around, he was still scared but he felt safe when he hugged mark. it feels like he has nothing to worry about as long as he is with him.

"you lived here?" he asked.

they are now arrived at haechan's house, mark can even saw his childhood friend inside together with his boyfriend, jaemin. the people inside is not that a lot but he can still heard loud noises from them.

"hm-mm," he nodded as he stood obediently since mark removed the helmet on his head.

"where are your parents?" mark asked softly.

"i don't have one," he smiled. "i only have my grandma."

"i'm sorry," he immediately apologized.

"it's okay," he giggled. "i'm more happy because you came with me."

"yeah, just to make you stop eating those fucking seeds." and he rolled his eyes.

"it's delicious though!" he argued, and they are now making their way inside the house.

"delicious my ass," he hissed. "what if those things grew inside your stomach?" he rolled his eyes.

haechan looked at him and burst out a laugh afterwards, mark just rolled his eyes and ignored the tanned male. haechan didn't actually stop laughing even though they had already arrived inside the house.

he even saw how jeno smirked at him, well, this actually might be the first time he went into someone's party. because you know, mark hates being in public. and note that he was the son of the mayor.

he even wondered why haechan didn't know that he was mayor lee's son, but inside him wanted it so much. he even remembers that he used to wish that he would meet someone that didn't know him because of his family.

that someone will know him just being mark lee.

and that someone might be haechan.

"mama! my crush is here!" haechan wrapped his arm to his.

mark just let him be, haechan dragged him to the kitchen and there they saw the old woman who's preparing new dishes. mark just found her familiar and feels like he already saw her somewhere.

"mama, this is mark lee." haechan introduced giggly.

and mark couldn't help not to look at haechan, how can this guy be effortlessly cute?

and the grandma in front of them couldn't help not to smile, mark might get carried away by looking at haechan because the grandma literally witnessed how mark looked at haechan.

it was full of love and adoration.

"hi, mark. i'm haechanie grandma." she introduced, which made mark bring back to his senses.

"nice to meet you—"

"mama," she finishes it off. "call me mama, okay?" she smiled.

mark smiled at it and nodded, he even heard haechan's giggles beside him and his small jump.

"mama." mark smiled.

"go now, haech. leave mark with me." she said, motioning for him to leave.

"mama, if you're going to ask him to leave me for one million, i just want you to know that we cannot—"

but haechan immediately ran away when his grandma got the plate and acted like she was going to throw it to him. mark can't even help not to chuckle, it feels like he can't hold this anymore.

he knows he will explode someday.

"that kid..." and she shook her head. "but my grandson is kind, smart and caring. take a seat, mark." she smiled.

"i'm okay, mama. do you want me to help?" mark asked politely.

"ah, no." she shook her head. "take a seat, mark." she said seriously.

mark followed her obediently, he suddenly remembered her grandma who already passed away five years ago. mark also grew up with his grandparents, but yeah, they also need to rest, but forever.

"he did not corner you to go here, didn't he?" she asked calmly.

"uh, no." mark shook his head and smiled.

"that's good to hear," she giggled. "i just really want to meet you because this is the first time i have seen my grandson being interested in someone. he was talking nonstop about you, how he protected you, how you guys sang together." she continued.

mark suddenly listened to her attentively, he didn't know but he always got interested when it came to haechan. he also didn't know how long he would always ask himself why he didn't know those things.

is he falling in love? he didn't know, it was too early if ever he is. but it was possible though, right?

"so, mark. if you don't like him or you're not interested in boys, kindly tell him already, okay?" she said calmly. "i love my grandson, he's the one i only have. please, don't hurt him and give him hope.”