My Universe // Mark Lee

15

Author's Note: oMG!! We only have a few chapters left! 

"You okay?" Mark asked as he gave me some water.

Mark's new manager drove us home and Jang Mi had been asleep since the start of the car ride.

I nodded, "Everything is just...shocking. I feel like my life is one big birthday surprise gone wrong."

He laughed, "Why is that?"

"Well for starters, your strict company pretty much forced you to pretend you hated me. You lost your memory in a car accident, I got pregnant with your child, raised her without you, and then now my own best friend is in love with me," I replied, explaining the situation.

"I know. If there's anything I regret, it's what I said to you after I signed up for 'We Got Married'. If I could turn back time, I would have left the company."

"But, you love your job."

"But not as much as I love you and our daughter."

"If only life actually turned out to be that way," I sighed, burying my face in his chest as he hugged me.

"You know...I think one part of this "birthday surprise" really went right," he laughed, trying to make me smile.

"Hm?"

"That I remembered you. And all it took was for me to see you again."

"I...," I began hesitating if I should say it since it's been so long.

"I love you, baby," he smiled.

Baby. I missed that.

"I love you so much."

// One Week Later //

Mark had been staying with us at night, telling only his manager about the two of us. Jaehyun hasn't been talking to us and this was probably the longest I've gone without talking to him since high school.

It broke my heart to know that my friendship with Jaehyun wasn't the same anymore. I knew I wanted both him and Mark to be in Jang Mi's life, but with how Jaehyun feels, it was almost impossible.

"I love you, my beautiful daughter," Mark smiled, carrying Jang Mi around the house.

"I love you, appa!!" she yelled, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

It warmed my heart to see them like this. With Mark's memory back, it seemed as if almost no time had passed.

"Can I talk to you, babe?" Mark asked, putting Jang Mi down on the couch.

I nodded, "Yeah, what's up?"

"I...want to tell the press about Jang Mi," Mark said.

"Really?"

"I feel like I'd be a better father if I didn't hide her from the world. And if I lose my fans, so be it. If I lose my career, so be it. You two are my priority," he firmly said.

I shook my head, "I can't let you do that. What about everything you worked hard on up until now?"

"I will do everything to protect the both of you now. You're more important than anything, even if that means living a private life from now on."

—

A few days later, the boys had a press conference for the new album. I watched from the television.

"This is our favorite album that we've done so far, and we can't wait for you to see our future projects," Taeyong said into the mic as camera shutters clicked everywhere.

They were all wearing black suits and Jaehyun looked sadder than ever. His eyes looked sad, almost as if he was crying for days.

"I'd like to say something," Mark said into the mic. The cameras focused on him.

"W-what I'm about to say might change my career for the rest of my life, but I know I need to address it," he started as the Haechan and Doyoung, the ones next to him, gave him a pat on the shoulder.

"Four years ago, I met someone. Jaehyun introduced her to me. She was the most beautiful, smart, and kind girl that I've ever known. I failed to protect her by agreeing to do 'We Got Married' and by ruining our relationship before the accident."

The cameras clicked even more, almost overlapping with the words Mark was saying.

"Little did I know, while I was filming for the show and during the time of the accident, she was pregnant with my child."

Everyone gasped.

"And right now, I'm at a point where I know it's my responsibility to be a good partner and a father to them both. I failed to protect her once by ruining our relationship and losing her until now, but I won't let that happen anymore. 

"...I love NCT and I love my career, so I'm hoping you can all still accept me. But, if not, I will understand and do my part to stand for my family first. Thank you," he ended his statement and quickly stood up, exiting the room.

"And we're going to support, Mark!" Haechan yelled, with the other boys giggling out of joy that Mark was finally free.

The press conference ended and my phone blew up with trending tweets about this situation. Many fans were shocked, some were supportive, and some were angry.

But, I knew that this was the start of a new future. I knew how much Mark loved us and how important we were to him. All I needed to resolve was...Jaehyun.