HESAMERICAN

5

mark expected to wait about an hour for johnny to reply, considering that he was probably eating dinner.

but in fact, it was less than an hour, more like five minutes. johnny quickly replied, and mark was shocked to say the least. he literally met this dude in less than forty-eight hours, what was happening?

johnny
i didn't expect you to text me tbh

mark
well i did hahaha

mark
aren't you supposed to
be eating dinner?

johnny
i just get my food from
my mom and eat in my
room lmao

mark
that seems v antisocial

johnny
well i gotta keep up
and play games w/
friends 

mark
don't you wanna spend
time with family?

johnny
yeah sure i guess

mark
you sound unsure of yourself

johnny
i'm not chill out dude

mark
so you're eating while
texting me?

johnny
you could say that

mark
i see

johnny
have you ate yet

mark
my parents arent home
yet so no 

johnny
damn that sucks 

mark
don't make it worse than 
it already is

johnny
you seem lonely

mark
i'm okay lmao

johnny
facetime me

mark
i cant

johnny
oh shit yeah u got
a shitty droid

mark
fuck you my  phone
is great

johnny
give me a sec

just then, johnny had called mark via instagram. mark was shocked to say the least, as he wasn't expecting him to be that persistent. should he answer it? should he decline it? but of course, he answered.

'i didn't expect you to answer.'

"i didn't want to be mean."

'you're very polite, isn't that a canadian thing?'

"okay, now you're just stereotyping me."

'i wasn't, i was asking a question markie.'

"stop calling me that."

'answer my question.'

"some candians are really nice i guess."

'thanks for the information.'

"what are you eating?"

'ram-don.'

"oh, like the one from parasite?"

'yeah, you know that movie?'

"i'm korean. of course, i know that movie."

'oh yeah i forgot you're korean.'

"ouch."

'sorry, i can be blind sighted some times.'

"ya think?"

"johnny, i need you to do the dishes." mark heard his mom say over the call in korean. "okay, i'll be down in a few." johnny said in english. "who are you talking to?" his mom asked him in korean.

"mark, our new neighbor." johnny replied, now in his native tongue. "oh! invite him for dinner friday then. i'm cooking kimchi jigae." his mom said excitedly. "yeah, sure." johnny shrugged casually.

"hey mark, i'm gonna go. i'll talk to you later." johnny said. "alright. it was nice talking." mark replied. "you too." johnny said, before they bid their goodbyes and mark had finally ended the call.

+

"so how was your first day of school mark?" his father asked in korean. "it was good. i alredy made two new friends." mark replied in english. "oh, that's great honey!" his mom said cheerfully. 

"our new neighbors are korean you know.." his dad suddenly intervened. "i know, they have a son three years older than me." mark said, as he took a bite of his food. "is he nice?" his mom asked.

"yeah i guess. apparently he plays volleyball and stuff." mark said again. "i'm happy to hear everything went well mark. did you see any pretty girls?" his father said in a very suggestive tone.

mark sighed, "dad i don't really wanna talk about this right now." his father reaised a brow, "why not? you're fifteen now mark you're allowed to talk about these things with me, i'm your father mark."

"i didn't see anyone. is that the answer you wanted?" mark said, now getting annoyed. "mark, don't use that tone with me." his father warned. "honey, let him be. it was his first day." his mom frowned.

"he's becoming a man now." his father argued. "he's fifteen for heavens' sake. let him relax and breathe." his mom spat back. she turned and looked at mark, "mark honey, go upstairs and rest sweetie."

mark nodded, as he got up and walked upstairs as the sounds of his parents arguing and bickering faded. he ran his fingers through his hair, as he went into the bathroom to get ready for bed.

+

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