RENEW [DREAMLINQUENT TRILOGY #1]

22

"Yes"

"No"

"No buts"

"But—" yet a pair of lips quickly shut her up, and she was then greeted with a genuine smile.

"I told you... no buts." he lightly chuckled, but then smirked a moment later.

"Unless..." he trailed and teasingly moved closer, "you want a kiss."

"I'll shout rape."

Mark can only laugh and raise his hands in surrender, then bend back, his hands now on the ground, supporting his weight.

The sky is getting prettier every minute. There's no doubt that you won't ever get sick of Hangang Park. Mark would advertise it for hours if he needed to.

But did it become prettier because he's with someone else?

Someone... he could rely on?

Someone... he would call it his?

"You know..." he started, and the girl just hummed, "This is one of my bucket lists."

"What is?"

"Chilling on the nightscape... with someone you knew you could be with for life? Someone... really and officially destined to be with me?"

Hana curiously watched him as he raised his right arm, gazing at both the black linings of his wrist and the silver stars above.

"It's beautiful. Why didn't I notice it before?"

"Because you're probably just walking in here, ranting about how I hurt you."

Mark chuckled and craned his head to her, surprised as she's already looking with a smile.

"You... you're right... but wrong either," he flicked her forehead which she yelled. "I'm worried about my soulmate. Like, how the fuck would they hurt themselves every day? I can barely count the days where I feel perfectly fine."

"Didn't it cross your mind? Like your soulmate is possibly on an abused roof, or they're just troublemakers, or even criminals? Like they're in an illegal group or something?"

"Hmmm it did. But the first one," he sighed, "I wish I could know where you are. What caused your pain? Is your family physically abusing you? But I know the feeling of being beaten up and being pierced by a bullet."

Hana's eyes widened. "But you still didn't look for me?"

"I did silly. But how would I have a trace? There's none. This system is actually dumb. Like, how the fuck would you know your soulmate without an inch of a hint?"

"Just go with the flow."

"Destiny destiny will always find a way," they accidentally chorused, causing them to look shocked.

"Taeyong is always telling me that." Hana beamed.

"I got it from Hyuck." Mark replied, and they both laughed.

Then they stopped in silence, just gazing at the new stars that showed up while embracing the chilly night air.

"I think I really like you, Hana," the male suddenly blurt out. "I think I'm really ready to spend my remaining years with you."

"Gosh, stop it. You sound like an old romantic."

"Oh, do I need to make it sound cool?"

Mark cleared his throat and faced her, placing a hand on her shoulder while staring deep into her eyes.

"Be with me."

"Well n–"

"That's not even a question," he darkly said and grinned. "And you're going to accept it without a choice."

Hana just responded with a chuckle and nodded, staring back at him with the same tension.

"I think I really like you too, Mark."