New Feeling | NCT Mark Lee

Chapter 4: After

Tia:

We were standing around for too long so one of the security guards made us leave the venue. Once we exited, I took out my phone to check for notifications.

*text message: Chaewon*

Her text message read:

"TIA HeLP. Jeffrey texted me back... I looked at what I texted him last night and I... I am so disturbed with myself. I TEXTED HIM 'we ned to talk. Do you wantt these goodies or noT' and he responded with 'haha are you okay Chaewon?' I have shamed myself to no return D,: oh and btw I took like no useful photos of us last night but here's this blurry picture I accidentally took of those three guys sitting next to us since yanno. You said they looked cute n stuff"

Maybe I shouldn't have encouraged her to text him last night, but wow. That text exchange was absolute comedy gold. I nose exhaled and texted her back:

"Girl I am so sorry I let you send that without checking it first HAHA. I mean it's not THAT bad? Maybe he found it funny. But uh. Whatever the situation, it's nothing you can't get out of. It'll be okay!! Explain the situation you were in. Yanno, how you got too drunk. And if he seems to be receiving it well, try using this to ease into the feelings convo. Whatever happens, I am here for you!!"

I pressed send and scrolled back up to look at the photo Chaewon sent me. My heart started racing again as I went to the photo expecting to see Mark with two other members. *select* And there it is. A photo of Mark, Johnny, and Jaehyun sitting right next to our table. A blurry photo, but it's still clear enough to identify them. For confirmation, I held the photo to Claire and Angie. "Please tell me I'm not hallucinating and tell me that these people are the people I'm thinking about".

Claire:

"Are you serious Tia? That is 100% Jaehyun, Johnny, and MARK. The guy who wrote THAT message on your album and is there in THAT picture where you were LAST NIGHT"

Angie:

"Yeah I agree.  I could recognize Johnny from hundreds of miles away. That's Jaehyun, Johnny, and Mark. That confirms it! Mark was there, and according to your story, he was talking about Chaewon's phone because he took your photo for you. Wouldn't be surprised if he was the one who paid for your food too"

Claire:

"Ooooo you have an admirerrrrrr", Claire teased as she twiddled her fingers in front of her pursed lips.

Angie:

"Not just any admirerrrrr. THE admirerrr. The best admirer that you, Tia, could ask for. Why? Because your admirer is MARK LEE. The guy you've only seen through your phone screen, but you absolutely INSIST is better than any other guy you've met in real life"

Tia:

Hearing them say what I've been thinking out loud was making the situation feel too real. I admit, I've had quite a few thoughts every now and then that would sound something like, "omg what if Mark and I fall in love <333" when I initially became a fan. Though if I had to analyze it, those thoughts were most likely created to fulfill my sense of loneliness and social void. Never once did I ever think that the "what ifs" would actually have a single chance of happening at all. 

"So.. what should I do? Well, I mean, even if I wanted to do something, what could I do?"

Claire:

"Oh yeah, you're right. Not like you can just text him"

Angie:

"Wow this is so suspenseful. I love it"

Tia: