the week | markhyuck

II

Mark heaves a long sigh as he steps off the plane, now back home in Canada. The first thing he does is take out his phone. Putting it off of airplane mode, his phone instantly floods with notifications. But, Mark doesn't look at them. Instead, he merely switches the timezone on his phone, watching hours disappear as he goes from Korean time to Canadian time in mere seconds.

Pushing his phone back in his jacket pocket, he collects his luggage and walks out of the terminal. He jumps into the first cab he sees, directing the driver towards his old house.

"You look exhausted." The cab driver, an older man perhaps in his late forties, acknowledges as he glances as Mark through the rear-view mirror. "You come from very far?"

"Seoul." Mark answers.

"Ah." The driver nods. "What's it like out there?"

"It's nice." Mark replies, gazing out the window as Vancouver rolls past him. "Really advanced."

"I heard the Wi-Fi is super fast out there."

"5G." Mark chuckles. The cab driver whistles.

"That's the dream for you youngsters, huh? Fast internet to do whatever it is you do online."

Mark nods. The driver continues to gaze at Mark through the mirror, furrowing his eyebrows before his eyes widen slightly.

"Hey, kid." The driver speaks up. "What is it you do out there in Seoul?"

"I'm an idol."

The driver clicks his fingers, smiling. "I thought I recognised you! You're in that super big group, right? Neo Culture.. something."

"Neo Culture Technology." Mark chuckles. "NCT, yeah."

"My kids love your group." The driver says. "I've heard some of it, you guys have potential."

"Thanks." Mark blushes, as the driver turns into Mark's home street. Mark shifts in his seat as they get closer to the house, before smiling as they finally park up.

"Here we are, kid." The driver says, turning to face him. "That'll be $8.50."

"Here." Mark hands over the money. "Keep the change."

"Why, thanks." The driver smiles as he takes the money, and Mark gets out of the car. Grabbing his bag and shutting the door, Mark watches the car drive off into the distance before he walks up to his home.

Mark's home looked like any other classic suburban. It had light blue panelling on the outside, and a black tiled roof. The windows and doors were also white, and there was a cracked stone path leading up to the porch. Smiling fondly, Mark approaches the front door and knocks three times. A voice calls out from inside, and Mark is greeted by a small woman whose eyes become saucers when she lays eyes on him.

"Mark!" His mother embraces him tightly, tears brimming as she sobs happily into his shirt.

"Hey, mom."

Mark's mother pulls away for a second to call out to his father: "Ray! Get out here and see who's at the door!"

Mark grins as he hears heavy footsteps, before his father - a taller, rather stocky man - comes into view. His father gapes slightly as he can't believe his eyes, before he lets out a chuckle and walks closer to embrace his son.

"Well, look who it is." Mark's father pulls him into a big bear hug, ruffling the blonde locks with another hearty chuckle.

"What are you doing here?" His mother asks, taking Mark's bag and moving it out of the doorway. Ushering Mark inside, she shuts the door behind him.