Hallmark (Marked Series #3) | NCT Mark AU Fiction

Chapter Ten

I gulped and looked down. "I," I paused. "What's LH Corpo—"

"Cut the crap, Nami." He leans against the desk next to him and glares at me with a serious look. "I saw you come out from the building with such devastation in your face. Like something happened inside. What were you doing there? At Mark's family company?"

I pressed my lips together trying to calm my unsteady heart rate. I feel like it's about to explode any minute and I'm not liking the sound of Taeyong's voice right now. He sounded so superior and right. I feel like I'm being scolded for something I admittedly committed. "The Chairman, he," Is it okay to tell? But Taeyong saw me and there's no way I can lie about that now. I'm never good at lying after all.

"Uncle Donghyun? You've met? How? Why?"

"He said he doesn't like me," I looked up to meet Taeyong's cold eyes. "He doesn't like me for Mark." I looked away in shame, bobbing my head with a forced chuckle, as if I find it funny when it really hurts every time I think about it.

"What? He said that?"

I nodded and turned back to him. "He said he's been preparing for an arrangement wedding for him and the only way I can prevent this to happen is to win the challenge."

"What the fuck?" He almost exclaims. "Arrangement wedding? That's so f— Is that why you're so persistent in winning every challenge? So he won't arrange this engagement for Mark with another girl?"

I smiled. "I really don't have a choice, Taeyong. I know Mark won't let me go if I lost to the challenge by accepting it with my own will and that would be nice if it were the case but," I looked down. "This is a matter that his father already prepared for him and I'm sure I won't be able to do anything about it once the arrangement actually happened. It's not something he can resist since he's the only son of their family."

"You should have told this earlier so we could have helped you." He crosses his arms. "You're consistently selfless, Nami."

I sighed.

"And Mark?"

I looked back to Taeyong.

"Of course, he doesn't know."

I didn't even have to answer him for him to know the answer to his question.

"It was a part of the deal."

"The chairman isn't one to act this way." Taeyong mumbles. "Unless he had a change of heart and he's suddenly a fucking villain." He takes a deep breath. "I might not be able to keep this one long from them, you know that right?"

"Thank you."

After the talk, Taeyong promised not to tell anyone about what we just talked about and I'm grateful. Taeyong. I've always been so dependent on him for so many things and I will forever be thankful for him. When we got back inside the room, everyone looked like they were waiting for our arrival. Mark runs to me and grips my shoulder.

"What took you so long? What happened? What did you talk about?"

I faked a smile and scratched my head. "Oh, he was just asking about something that girls would like – for Taeyong's mother and you guys weren't any helpful according to him and it was super private so,"

Mark looks at me as if he knew I wasn't telling the truth but he nods and pulls me to his arms before giving a quick kiss on the forehead. "You're not going to attend that challenge. I'm ordering you as your boyfriend so please don't be stubborn and listen to me once."

But if I don't try, I got more valuable things I'll lose.

"No," Taeyong suddenly says catching everyone's attention.

"What the heck are you saying, man! My sister can't handle—"

"I know, Johnny. We were co captains. Trust me when I tell you how fucking scary it was when she fell screaming her lungs out." Taeyong rolls his eyes before sitting over to an empty chair. "Nami can't not go because people will think she's just a coward girl who won't be able to get through the simplest things."

"What are you suggesting then, Taeyong?" Jaehyun asks.

"Okay." Johnny nods hysterically. "Let's just trust ol' Taeyong here because she can save her."

"Nami will go and just lose by default. That way people will remember the courage you've spent for the battle. Besides, we're not even sure if it's a marathon type of shit so let's not encourage her into thinking that it'll be a running type. It could be cheerleading."

"Which is still bad for her?!" Johnny exclaims frantically.

"Okay, that's bad. But it could be anything. Just lose by default."

Lose by default.

"Assuming the whole challenge is composed of ten battles. If she loses, it'll only be her fourth lose. In order to win, you have to get sixty percent of the totality. She just needs to do better in the following challenges to set her back to lead the rank with our help. And don't worry," Taeyong finally pauses. "I have a plan."

The next day, Taeyong said to meet at the field at exactly four in the morning. I don't know what he's planning butt for some reason, I chose to trust him. I feel secured with the guys after all. I'm overwhelmed by the amount of support they're showering me.

"We need to physically train you so you're stronger in time for the contest."

The moment I reached the field, I was surprised when I already saw the five of them already sitting by the bleachers. They turn to me waving except Mark. He runs to me and gives a long warm embrace, I needed that. It was cold this early morning and I couldn't boil myself some water to use for bath.

"This is for not letting me pick you up."

"If I did, you would need to get up earlier than you did than when not."

"You're more important than the amount of sleep I need, princess."

"But it is important to me so,"

He laughs and brushes his warms hands over my cold frozen cheeks. "You're ice cold. You should have worn a thicker jacket. You know it gets really cold during times like this."

"Sorry."

At that, he suddenly pulls off his jacket and wraps them around me. "Keep warm. You need to stay alive until I die." He chuckles and fixes his jacket over my clenched jacket. "You better use that because I'll be enduring the coldness for you. I'll be so upset if you leave that by the bleacher."

I chuckled. "Thank you,"

When everyone arrived, the lads started training me. We did all sorts of sport that could potentially be the challenge and honestly, they weren't going too hard for me – almost as if the sport was nothing. I can't even call this training proper anymore because they were going too easy for me. Regardless, I was grateful for everyone's effort of supporting me at all cost.