long story short || Mark Lee x reader (nct)

Chapter 2

"There they are!" Namjoon shouts at the two entering the restaurant.

My brother and I are gathered with the rest of our tiny family. Or well, the people we consider to be family. The only ones here that are actually blood-related to us are the two who just walked in, taking their place at the table.

"Traffic." Yoongi murmurs, taking off his coat before settling it on the backrest of the red, velvet chair.

"That's why you should've let me drive, pabo." His sister, Ji-Eun, scolds before sitting down on the chair next to him. She grabs the menu and scrolls through the options. "We would've gotten here a lot faster."

Yoongi steals the menu from her hands. "I'm sure the people you would've run over agree with you." He replies, earning a laugh from everyone.

I watch as my two cousins bicker with each other, Ji-Eun trying to grab the menu back from him and playfully slapping him in the process.

Yoongi and Ji-Eun. My two very cool cousins. Well, my two only cousins. Me, them, and my other older brother Minho were always causing trouble in the small town we grew up in. Namjoon, on the other hand, rather disliked the idea of shooting seagulls with water guns.

Ji-Eun and Yoongi, their mother, passed away before they were old enough to remember. But they were lucky enough to grow up with the coolest dad we know. He was the one who took care of my brothers and me also.

He's currently still in said small town, running his business well. It's a shame he couldn't be here today. 'Afraid of flying.' he said. I miss him dearly.

"Relax, both of you. Here's another menu, Ji-Eun." Jin says, passing it to her from across the table, knocking over a salt shaker in the process.

"Thank you, Oppa" She thanks him, giving him a warm smile and glaring at her brother not long after.

The night went on with music gracing our light conversations. Family dinners like this never fail to make me smile. These were the people I deem family, blood-related or not. The people I grew up with, And the people who will continue to watch me grow and settle into young adulthood.

"How was the dorm room, Y/n? Spacious?" Jimin asks me, his seat across from mine. He was wearing the finest of clothing, with his blonde hair complementing it nicely. The icon that he is.

"Spacious... enough..." I consider, answering his question with furrowed eyebrows. "Why?" I ask.

"No reason." He tells me with an innocent smile.

Taehyung smacks his arm from beside him, "For the last time, we're not turning our dear friend's place into a laser tag area" He reproaches him before turning his gaze to me. "Unless... she lets us, of course..." He slips me a five-dollar bill.

I laugh lightly at their foolery. "First of all, no. Second of all, this bill won't even work. We're in Korea, dumbo." I say, taking the cash anyways.

"You didn't even consider it!" He accuses me. I give him a mock crying gesture, the action saying 'too bad' before turning back to my food.

Taehyung and Jimin were two of my closest friends. I met them at a dinner party just like this one.

We were all still very young. I was meeting the group for the first time, constantly fiddling with my fingers and hem of my dress in nervousness.

'You'll love them.' Namjoon would say. 'There's nothing to worry about.'

That didn't stop me from worrying, though. I must've walked in there with the most concerning face because a few minutes after my arrival, they snuck me off to an arcade in the mall to ease my tension. We played for what felt like hours before the group found us passed out on the chairs. I treasure them deeply.

Taehyung was the one going off to college with me. Same major. His room is just the next one after mine. That's one friend already made.

"I don't understand why we don't just make the laser tag area at your place, Tae," I tell him, shoving in a mouth-full of food.

Before he could answer, Namjoon taps his fork at the glass he's raising, "A toast. To Taehyung and Y/n, and their leap into young adulthood." He says as everyone cheers, clinking their glasses against whoever's closest to them.

I smile kindly at my brother before drowning my drink aggressively. Young adulthood. Pfft. I say to myself mentally, taking another chug of whatever's in my glass.

The night came to an end when the clock revealed 11 PM. I bid my goodbyes before Namjoon took Taehyung and me to our dorms.

The soft yellow lighting changes to a harsh white one as the three of us gather at my place before Taehyung goes back to his own, and Namjoon heads out for the night.

"And you're 100% sure you'll make it here tonight on your own? Cause I don't have to leave if you don't want me to." Namjoon offers me, taking his place on one of the couches beside Tae. "I'll sleep on this sofa, even. Very soft. Good choice, by the way."

I laugh at his statement before responding, "I'm 99% sure that I am 100% sure I'll be fine."

"...and the other 1%?" He questions me.

"...just the possibility of me sneaking into Tae's room instead," I say, making Taehyung roll his eyes at my statement. Even though his face shows signs of annoyance, I know that he'll welcome me to his place. That's what our friendship dynamic was like. I only hope his room is less dusty.

Namjoon gets up from his place on the couch, "Alright, then. I'll be heading out now." He ruffles my hair. "I'll pick you up from campus tomorrow so we can fill this fridge up. Wanna come, Taehyung?" He turns his head to where he is sitting.

"No thanks. Jin and J-Hope are picking me up. I have to catch up on some moves." Tae informs him, taking his room keys from the coffee table.

"If you say so." Namjoon faces me again. "We'll leave you to your troubles now." He went on. "Bye, kiddo. Good luck for tomorrow. Sleep well tonight." He wishes me before bidding goodbye and walking out the door, Taehyung following not long after

I settle my stuff on the desk before changing into my nightgown and getting into bed. The moonlight reflects onto all of me, spread out against my sheets, aching to fall asleep.

One-click, two clicks, three, four. I am under the water.

-end of chapter 2