<December 2022>
"What do you mean by Eunhye is dating Felix?!" Mark exclaimed from behind me. "I thought she is dating me? Wait we're not official yet, I mean wasn't she supposed to date me? When did this Felix guy enter the picture?"
Mark.. You're completely missing the point..
I turned to Gaeun, "I'm assuming they plan to use me and Felix to cover another couple that dispatch was going to announce?" I asked.
Both Taeyong and Gaeun nodded, "Your guess is right, the company's asking you to go to the meeting room right now. Apparently Felix is already there as well." Gaeun told me with worry in her eyes.
I nodded at them, but before I could walk out Mark stopped me by pulling my arm. "No." he commanded.
"Mark what are you saying? I have to g-"
"I said no, Eunhye. Don't make me repeat it." Mark commanded me again with a much darker tone.
I pulled my hand off his, "I have to, Mark. We're both still under our contract, if they are asking me to do it then I have to."
Mark started to get more emotional, "Then what about me?! I understand your dating ban which is why I forced myself not to find you, even when I desperately need to see you! I waited almost a fucking whole year. I didn't wait that long just for you to date someone else, Eunhye!" Mark yelled angrily.
"Do you know how much my eyes desperately search for you all the time there's a chance? How hard I fought myself to not see you? Only to notice that you're too busy with something else, that you rarely pay attention to me. And now you're just planning to leave without even thinking twice to not comfort me that you're only in love with me. What kind of person wouldn't feel hurt hearing the person they love will have to date someone else? Do you even love me..? Why does it seem like I'm the only one in love here..?" Mark's voice started to crack, eyes looking down.
I noticed that Taeyong and Gaeun left during the middle of Mark's yelling to give us privacy. So I decided to hug Mark tight, with guiltiness in my chest.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." I apologized to him, wiping his tears that were threatening to fall out of his eyes.
"I didn't mean to make you feel like that, I'm sorry for not showing how much I love you. I love you so much, please trust me on that." I said softly, feeling that I also want to cry. From how much I love this man in front of me.
"I'm sorry if I don't show it as often as you do, trust me my eyes are always on you secretly. You are always in my mind too. I love you, I love you so so much, Mark Lee." I whispered to him and kissed his nose.
Mark placed his hands on both of my cheeks, "I love you too, so so much." he giggled, finally calming down a bit.
I smiled at him and pecked his lips, "Do you want to do something crazy?"
Mark looked at me in confusion.
***
"Eunhye-ssi? Sit here, beside Felix-ssi." the CEO instructed me. I bowed slightly at everyone in the meeting and went to sit next to Felix.
"We're gathered here to discuss about your fake dating as you guys might have heard from your leaders. Apparently Dispatch wanted to either expose Twice Tzuyu's dating life or NCT Jaehyun's dating life." the SM's CEO started.
Jaehyun? You mean they were planning to expose Jaehyun and Haewon again?
"You might know, Eunhye-ssi. But the last time Jung Jaehyun and his girlfriend got exposed, SM stocks plummeted down due to fans boycotting. We don't want that to happen again. As for Chou Tzuyu's case, JYPE doesn't want to take the risk of fans boycotting as well since Chou Tzuyu has a huge fanbase." the CEO, Mr.Kim, continued.
"And so we decided to work together and offer you both to Dispatch, Lee Felix from Stray Kids, the sweet boy with deep voice and Min Eunhye, the ice princess maknae from Secret Garden."
Shit, I didn't know I was covering for Haewon.
Please let the plan work, because if we fail Haewon might have to suffer again.
"We'll announce this during the 1st of January as usual. So we need you both to go on a date before that and have Dispatch follow you so that they have proof to put during the news announcement." Mr. Kim informed us.
Guess it's now or never...
"I understood what you were saying and why are we going to do it, sir. But I'm sorry but I have to refuse this fake dating." I stood up to the CEO.
The staffs in the meeting gasped at how 'crazy' I am for rejecting the instructions of the company.
Mr. Kim smiled at me, "Normally I would be angry at those who oppose the company's orders. But I know how hard you work and how obedient you usually are to the company, Min Eunhye. Now tell me, what is your proposal?" he asked me.
I looked over to the meeting room's door, "Come in." I spoke in a loud voice to signal the person who's going to help me.
"Lee Mark from NCT?" the staffs questioned.
Aka my lover.
"Good afternoon, sir and staff members." Mark polite greeted them, bowing slightly.
Mr. Kim nodded at him, "The golden boy from NCT, may I ask what are you doing here?" he asked.
Mark walked to my side before looking at the CEO, "I heard that the company's trying to cover Jaehyun hyung's dating life, and we don't mind that. But instead of making the news about Felix-ssi and Eunhye-ssi, ask Dispatch to announce that Mark Lee of NCT and Min Eunhye from Secret Garden are dating each other." he said.
Gasps and whispers could be heard throughout the meeting room.
"What do you both mean by that? Are you saying that the both of you are in a relationship?" Mr. Kim asked to make sure.
I shook my head, "I followed the rules of my contract, we're not dating each other. However, I am committed to Mark-ssi as in when the 1 year dating ban ends, Mark-ssi would be my boyfriend." I told the CEO.
Mark then decided to continue strengthening our offer, "It's fair from us right? We didn't date hence she didn't break her contract. I think this would be a better idea since what we have is real so the news would be genuine as well. If word spills out that both SM and JYPE is faking a relationship, both companies' credibility will go down in fans' eyes." he explained.
I nodded at his words, "I'm sure Felix-ssi would prefer not to be involved in this right?" I turned to the Stray Kids member.
Felix nodded at me, "Sorry, sir. With all due respect if it was possible for me to not do this, I prefer not to as I am also dating a non-celebrity." he explained.
Mr. Kim stared at us and sighed, "I can't really reject the offer, especially it's coming from the golden boy from NCT and the obedient girl from Secret Garden. Are you okay with this, Mr. Lee?" he asked the JYP CEO beside him, who nodded back at him.
"Alright then, it's decided. Instead of announcing Stray Kids Felix is dating Secret Garden Eunhye, we will be announcing that NCT Mark is dating Secret Garden Eunhye. Please arrange a date with Dispatch for them to follow you both on your date. The meeting's going on a break, Felix-ssi, Eunhye-ssi and Mark-ssi, you are dismissed." Mr. Kim announced.
The three of us left the meeting room, as soon as we got out I ran to Mark and hugged him.
"We're here.. we're actually here now..." I whispered to him. Mark tightened his arms on my waist, "We can finally be together.." he whispered back.
Felix suddenly let out a loud cough, causing us to back out from each other. We totally forgot he was here due to how happy we were.
"Thankyou for saving me, Mark sunbaenim, Eunhye-ssi." Felix thanked us and bowed.
I gave him my eye smile, "You're welcome, Felix sunbaenim. Congratulations on your relationship."
"Ah, thankyou so much." Felix blushed. "Congratulations on your relationship as well, I'll be taking my leave now." he bowed again to us before leaving.
Mark grabbed my hand and smiled, "Now I can do this openly." he smiled brightly with stars in his eyes.
"I still can't believe this is happening though, we don't need to hide in the dark anymore." I sighed out happily.
"Well we still need to keep our display of affection and dates on the low, but other than that at least I don't have to ask Haechan to be our middleman anymore." Mark laughed, causing me to laugh as well.
"God, I was so nervous to the point my horniness just disappeared out of the blue." Mark broke the silence as soon as we step into the elevator.
I shook my head at him, "Thank god then, I don't think I can deal with that right now. I didn't expect you to be that bold when I first met you though. You couldn't even stop apologizing when your lips accidentally touch my neck when we were practicing for the debut evaluation."
"That was before, I mean now that I'm comfortable with you it is really hard to control myself. I mean what did you expect from the person who wrote whiplash and drippin'?" he asked.
I shuddered, "Let's not go that far yet, I don't really want to talk about your kinks at this stage of our relationship." I playfully nudged his chest.
Mark laughed, "Of course, baby. Anything for you." he said before pulling me into his embrace.
"We'll be alright, always will be. I love you." Mark whispered to my ear.
"I love you too, Mark. Thankyou for trusting me for the past year." I whispered back to him as we sealed our relationship with a kiss.
Let's see if he'll ask me out officially later on, haha.
***
???'S P.O.V
I stared at Mark and Eunhye who came back from the meeting room, who are now surrounded by the other NCT and Secret Garden members.
Even in this timeline, they're together again.
I smiled, happy that Eunhye got her happy ending again this time. I finally arrived at a timeline where I got to see her again, and unexpectedly Mark is here with her as well.
I can finally feel my guilt slowly fading away, seeing how happy they are now with big smiles on their faces.
My phone suddenly rang out of the blue, so I decided to excuse myself to the corner. The others just nodded as they continued talking to the new couple.
"Hey, how are you? It's been awhile." the person from the other line greeted me.
"Yeah it really has been awhile. I've been good, especially since I get to keep an eye on her this close again." I answered back.
".. You really should let go of your guilt, you've been searching for her in so many timelines. You deserve to be happy as well." 'she' from the other line said.
"I'm slowly going there. Did you know that in this timeline, Mark and Eunhye are together again?" I asked her.
"Wait, really?! They really are meant to be, I can't believe the moment she got reincarnated to this timeline, she got to meet him again and even became his lover again!" she squealed.
I chuckled, "I know right? Seeing her this happy, I think I'm ready to let go of my guilt." I smiled sadly.
"That's good to hear, you deserve to be happy as well. If I'm not mistaken, if you know Mark, who is a NCT member now, in this timeline. That means you know the other members too right? You already met him again?" she asked.
I looked over to the crowd right now, "Yeah... I see him a lot recently, but it's a bit sad that I can only pretend I don't know him before and only interact when necessary."
"Who knows that you guys are also meant to be in this timeline, just like Mark and Eunhye." she comforted me.
I shook my head, "I don't think that works for me and him, you yourself know that only works for Mark and Eunhye. After all they are the
Moiraia Erastes."
THE END (or is it?)
***
Is the story ending too abruptly? Don't worry there are bonus chapters ahead to close this book better. But for now this is the 'end' of full written chapters. The bonus chapters would be shorter compared to the 24 chapters until now. I plan to have like around 10 bonus chapters but we'll see?
So until then I won't make any goodbye messages yet, since like it's not the official ending to this book yet just an ending to the main chapters. So please still stay tuned as there will still be more fluffy chapters in the future;) (and maybe a Markhye family chapter cough cough)
Are you curious about the last scene? I hinted a lot here for my new book. Yes that's correct, while updating the bonus chapters, I'm going to proudly announce my new book along with the prologue and introductions :
Moiraia Erastes!
If you find it hard to spell it, basically it means Fated Lovers in Greek. For those who have noticed or maybe thought about it, this book will be about the past life of Mark and Eunhye (or is it really their past life?).
The new book will be more of a fantasy slice of life genre with some mysteries here and there as you get more into the book. Moiraia Erastes or Fated Lovers can be a so called prequel to this book or a standalone if you prefer since the new book and Trust doesn't have any connections (there will be some but like it'll still be enough to be a standalone book).
If you noticed from the cover and the last scene in this chapter, Moiraia Erastes or Fated Lovers would also be darker (it won't be like THAT dark as in violence and drugs or something like that) compared to any of my current books. There will be more angst (I always promise a happy ending though) and mysteries in it.
Also the book has some supernatural powers in it so if you're not into things like those and prefer only slice of life like Trust, the book might be not for you.
But if you're still curious on like why did Mark and Eunhye fall in love so fast, how their chemistry got this strong in such a short time, the last scene in this book and maybe some unanswered questions here, it'll definitely be answered in that book!
Anyways if you still want to see more of Markhye or if you're curious about the new book, please go check it out in my profile as it will really make me happy since I'm very excited about the plot of Moiraia Erastes/Fated Lovers and I'm super proud of it!
Thank you once again to those who has supported me in this book, your comments has always made me happy. See you in the bonus chapters!
Sincerely,
Silent-Leaf