"You're not going to ditch me now, huh?" Mark asked Haechan. The bus was gliding through the highway, they were half an hour away from Seoul. It was Sunday morning, a week after their trip to Incheon.
"What makes you think of that?" Haechan retorted.
"I haven't started uni yet, and you're busy with your classes and your friend. I just like to be with you but it's impossible." Mark admitted. He wasn't sheepish about it, he wanted Haechan to know that he liked the guy's presence around.
"Of course I won't. You're free to call me a douchebag if I somehow does."
Mark snorted. "We'll see later, then."
They arrived in Seoul at ten in the morning, and they crashed in some random Japanese restaurant near the terminal. Haechan finally paid for this one, he insisted to.
Udon and okonomiyaki for breakfast.
While they were eating, Mark thought about their cheese ring proposal the night before. It was spontaneous, but Mark didn't see why it was such a bad idea. Haechan was a good person, and Mark thought it wouldn't be bad if they get married one day. Even though Mark wasn't sure that his parents would accept it, Mark knew he could find a job and make a living for both of them. If he couldn't find it here in South Korea, he would go back to Canada. Mark had friends there, they still chatted on Facebook once in awhile.
When they were finished, Mark hailed a taxi for them to go to Haechan's dorm. They stayed in the building's lobby for awhile, Mark was too lazy to go back home.
"Mark, they must have been looking for you." Haechan pushed him away when Mark tried to hug him.
"But I don't want to go home." Mark pouted. "You're very warm. You're my home."
"Mark..."
"At least let me hug you for awhile." Mark succeeded at pulling Haechan into a hug. They stayed in a hugging position for a few seconds before Haechan squirmed away.
"The security guard is staring." Haechan cleared his throat. "You have your hug, now off you go."
Mark ruffled Haechan's hair. "Do you want to go out with me?"
"Huh?"
"I'm asking you out on a date, Hyuckie."
Haechan stood still, he nervously chuckled. "Go home, Mark."
"Well, are you free later tonight? I'm feeling like taking Jisung, Jeno, and Jaemin to that steak restaurant near Seoul Station."
Haechan would like to have some alone time by himself, but he missed the boys too.
"Fine. I'll be there."
"Nah, I'll pick you up at six. Be ready!"
Haechan watched as Mark jogged away from the lobby. He sighed. Slowly he walked to the elevator inside and headed to his room. Yukhei was out, he had texted Haechan that he got a date with Renjun. Being left alone, Haechan's mind drifted back to the past six days.
They didn't do anything major, they slacked around in their guesthouse and only went out to get some food or go to the mall for entertainment. They didn't talk about what had happened, nor what they would do next. It was just one of those times where you don't care about anything else, you just want to live in the present. Savouring every precious second before it becomes a distant memory.
Haechan couldn't help but turned red when he remembered the cheese ring proposal. He threw himself on his bed and buried himself underneath the duvet.
Eleven years had passed. Yet, Lee Minhyung was still able to start a hurricane in Donghyuck's heart.
×××
Mark whistled the tune of Hey Jude as he walked into his house. He parked his Mustang in the driveway instead of the carport. He saw the Porsche inside the carport, so Mark wasn't surprised when his mother came to the porch.
"Where have you been?" She asked rather calmly. Mark didn't know if she was furious, her mother was one of the most unpredictable people he'd ever known.
"I went to Incheon with one of my friends." Hey, it's true. He wasn't lying to his mother because Haechan was his friend. And they went to Incheon.
"Who is..." Mrs. Lee took her phone from her pocket and glanced at the screen. "...Choi Haechan?"
"Where did you meet him?"
"On a train. He sat next to me and we talked." Not a complete lie, either. "How did you know—"
"You bought bus tickets with your card. I can see it from my phone, you know." His mother shrugged. "How come I've never heard of Haechan?"
"Well, he wasn't from my high school." Mark walked up to the porch and got inside the house, his mother followed him right behind.
"His name is... Choi?"
Mark could hear some kind of uneasiness, dripping in his mother's voice. Mark remembered that she used to be friends with Mrs. Choi, but they hadn't talked in a while... since his grandpa died.
"Yeah... Why?" Mark looked back at his mother before he went upstairs.
Mrs. Lee was fidgeting with the hem of her shirt. She couldn't look straight into Mark's eyes. She shifted her weight from one foot to another. She didn't look calm at all.
"No, just wondering... Does he have, I don't know, a brother or a cousin? Choi... Siwon?"
Mark did remember Choi Siwon as Mrs. Choi's son he had never met before.
"I guess I've heard that name. Why?" Mark retorted. His mother was shaking, Mark sure she would collapse if she wasn't leaning against the stair railing.
"Nothing... Well, next time you decided to have an adventure, please pick up our calls. We are worried, you know."
Mark nodded. "Sure, Ma. By the way, I'm heading out again tonight."
"Oh? With who?"
Well, that's the first time you ask, Mark thought to himself.
"I don't know? Haechan, probably."
His mother just nodded and sent him upstairs. Mark jogged to his room, opened the door, and immediately threw himself to the bed. The guesthouse's futons were nice, but he loved his bed.
When Mark was going to charge his phone, his mother knocked on the door. Mark let her in.
"While you were away, your father and I had taken care of your visa and everything you need to go."
Mark frowned. "I'm not leaving anytime soon, right?"
"Mark, darling. You have to go there to take care of your student ID and dorm."
"Oh, I forgot. When's the flight?"
"I got an affordable one tomorrow night."
Tidal Wave is coming to an end guys, there are only 7 chapters left 'ㅅ' I don't think I can publish the sequel on January because of how packed my schedule is. I'll try to publish it on March or April after I'm done with all of the exams, okay? Sorry to keep u waiting guys ㅜ_ㅜ
The good news is, I'm going to publish a new fic. A bunch of NCT Dream one-shots based on some of Ed Sheeran's songs. It's called "Universe" and it'll be out next Wednesday, on December 12th 2018. I hope you guys enjoy it too because I've made teasers and 4 stories already today ㅋㅋㅋ
Here's a sneak peak of one of my fave part (i haven't edited it but ok):
AHH IM NERVOUS BUT EXCITED AT THE SAME TIME