Supernerd! MARK

23 | Lee Haechan the computer guy

Night falls, and I am greeted by my last customer of the day— Lee Haechan.

"Hey," he greets casually as he stalks towards the counter, a bag hanging from his right shoulder with a laptop tucked between his arm and his side.

I narrow my eyes at him wordlessly, to which he catches.

"What?"

"Hey," I mock him. "I haven't had a proper conversation with you since the day you left me at the science lab. I'm sure you could afford to say more than just a hey."

"Well, I freaked." Haechan shrugs. "So, what's your role?"

Before I could ask him what he meant, Mark groans. "There is no role, Haechan. Besides, that whole computer guy thing was all you."

"That title was the least you could've given me after everything I've done for you." The younger shoots Mark a glare as he settles on the stool next to him. "So, what's the plan?"

"We go to Seo Industries." Mark puts down his pencil, flipping his book shut. "To see if my suit is done. And no, don't worry, I won't be using it today," Mark turns to me to cut me off before I could even say anything, as though knowing I was going to oppose his words. "Then, I guess we just work it out from there."

"Boring," Haechan fakes a yawn, and Mark nudges him.

"Did you bring what I told you to?"

"Yeah, yeah," he mutters mindlessly before putting his bag on the counter, unzipping it to take out a thick fabric.

"Here." Mark throws it to me, to which I barely catch. "Put it on. I can't risk you getting seen by anyone."

I almost blush at his thoughtfulness, but I know that the risk of being put in danger is very real. I put the hoodie on wordlessly, Mark's scent immediately infiltrating my nostrils.

"C'mon." Mark slings his bag over his shoulder, and soon the three of us are out headed towards Seo Industries.

I have no idea how to get there from Moon's, and while I had expected for us to be taking the subway, Mark hails down a cab.

"Hey," Haechan whispers from beside me a few minutes into the ride, the three of us squashed in the back seat of the taxi with me in the middle.

"What?" I turn to look at him weirdly, wondering why he's whispering.

"Uh... how's Chaerin?"

Before I could answer, Mark scoffs. "I can hear you, you know."

"Yeah, whatever. At least I'm brave enough to admit that I actually like her," Haechan argues childishly, and for a moment I wonder what he means by that.

Does Mark like someone?

"Shut up," Mark mutters, rolling his eyes before turning back to the window. Haechan nudges me, forcing me to look back at him.

I clear my throat. "She's fine. We made up— thank you, by the way. For being there for her. And for covering for me too, though it didn't really work," I mumble the latter part of my sentence.

Haechan waves a hand mindlessly, telling me that it's fine.

"So, you finally admit, huh?" I ask after a few moments of silence. "You like her."

"Well, yeah. It's not like you didn't already know," Haechan says flatly as he stares out of the window, but I'm adamant to know more.

"Did you tell her?"

"Hm."

"Haechan, c'mon," I poke his arm, and he finally looks at me.

"I don't know if you noticed, but the girl hates my guts. Telling her would only be a recipe for disaster." He rolls his eyes, and for the first time Lee Haechan isn't actually joking around.