around you | nct

45

matchmaking

shotaro
hey guys! 😊

jun
hi sho 🤍

jisung
hi taro

jaemin
omg hi shotaro!!! 🥰

yangyang
what do i do to get a warm welcome like this

jisung
idk
be shotaro?

shotaro
how have u guys been!!

jun
nonstop looking for haechan

jaemin
you know
i never thought you of all people would care this much about hyuck

jun
okay 😒
whatever that's supposed to mean

jeno
it means he thinks you don't care about hyuck

chenle
jeno's alive?

sungchan
jeno??

jisung
chan, you like jeno or something?
why do u always talk when he appears

doyoung
don't we all like jeno

jun
what the fuck

yangyang
okay when was he added to this group chat

jeno
how long have u been in here, hyung...

doyoung
i added myself
from ur phone
but that's not important
did you guys say you've been LOOKING? for haechan???

mark
uhm so about that!
i've actually located hyuck

jun
wait really

hendery
are you lying for doyoung's sake or are we being fr right now?

sungchan
where did you find him?

doyoung
can we go back to the part where hyuck was MISSING and none of you told us

xiaojun
moving on
where tf is he

mark
well
that's the thing
i don't think that's all that important
i talked to him and he's coming home tomorrow

jaemin
what do you mean it's not important?

jisung
yeah WHERE WAS HE

shotaro
was he like...
on the streets?

jun
hyuck would never
and why is he coming back tomorrow?

chenle
yeah why can't he come today??

mark
GUYS RELAX
STOP ASKING SO MANY QUESTIONS

_

"are you sure you're good to take the bus by yourself?" joon hesitated, giving the girl a pointed look.

"yes, i'm fine," aeyong insisted, shooing him out of the door. "now go."

the boy gave her one last look before disappearing out of yoonmi's apartment. aeyong then turned to look at mark who was tying his sneakers on.

"if you're not home by 1 pm tomorrow, i'm coming back to get you myself." he threatened hyuck as he rose from the ground.

"i'll make sure he does," yoonmi hummed with a grin and hyuck sighed.

aeyong moved to unlock the door, giving her friend one last wave before stepping out into the hall, mark following closely behind her.

"god is watching you guys," mark stopped to whisper, wagging a finger at them. "don't do anything you'll regret."

hyuck shoved him out of the door, crinkling his nose in embarrassment as yoonmi gaped at mark in horror.

once outside the door with aeyong, the two awkwardly looked around.

"well, it was nice meeting you," aeyong smiled, holding a hand out to the boy.

mark blinked down at her hand for a moment before opening his mouth. "i was going to walk you to the bus stop. if that's okay?" he asked politely and aeyong felt her cheeks flush.

"oh. thank you."

the two made their way into the elevator and out of the apartment in complete silence, save for mark offering to carry her bag and her shyly declining.

once outside, mark suddenly paused, causing the girl to stop as well.

"your shoelace," the boy trailed awkwardly, "it's untied."

"oh!"

"i got it," he offered, suddenly kneeling down before the girl could decline. her jaw dropped open as he gingerly pulled her laces tight before double knotting them for her. "is this okay?" he asked, looking up at her once he was done.

with her still open mouth, the girl gave him a slight nod. satisfied, he rose from the ground, dusting off his pants. "should we go?"

still a bit flushed from his gesture, aeyong once again nodded her head in silence and they set off.

_

"i already told you, i'm not watching any horror movies." hyuck complained from the couch.

he watched as yoonmi scurried around the kitchen, preparing their snacks.

"well, we have to pick now! you have to go home soon, remember?"

"yeah, i know." he groaned, throwing his head back in annoyance at the thought of his mark-appointed curfew.

his head quickly snapped up at the sound of a loud ping. realizing the noise had come from yoonmi's phone, he quickly flipped her annoyingly pink case over to see who had messaged her.

jeno
yoon
can we talk? there's something i really need to say to you.

hyuck looked down at the message that showed up on her screen. for a moment the boy considered deleting it. with a heavy sigh, he set it down. "you've got a message," he informed yoonmi, intently watching her reaction.

"who is it?" she called, trying to balance the bowl of popcorn, two glasses and a bottle of soda.

"your ex boyfriend," hyuck answered, a hint of bitterness seeping through his tone.

"what?" yoonmi gasped, the bowl slipping out of her grip and dropping to the ground.