mark entered alice's apartment, spotting chenle engaged in conversation with jisung. he opted for a spot across the room, not wanting to interrupt their discussion, whatever they were talking about.
usually not one for petty behavior, mark found himself feeling a tad more petty than haechan at that moment, which was saying something.
without any delay, alice sprang into action, beckoning mark towards her room before he could even settle down. meanwhile, jisung casually engaged chenle in conversation, subtly ensuring his attention was diverted, allowing alice to smoothly lead mark into the adjoining room.
"what am i doing in here?" mark asked, slightly curious but also excited. he knew that when a pretty girl leads you into her bedroom, you should always go along with it.
"i have a surprise for you," alice simply stated, taking his hand into his and leading the clueless man to her closet. "wait here."
right away, she ran to where chenle was and grabbed his arm.
"where are you taking me?" he asked, going along with her.
alice smiled to herself, looking slightly creepy. "i have a surprise for you," she repeated in the same tone she told mark.
she took his hand in the same way she took mark's and led him to the closet.
here was the tricky part. she had to be quick with pushing chenle in and locking the door before he could get a chance to come back out. and pushing a dude who was five foot ten as a girl who was only five foot two was difficult.
so she enlisted the help of her good friend jisung.
"oh shit, wassup man," chenle said as he saw jisung pop up behind alice.
"yeah, you're gonna hate me so much afterward," jisung replied.
"because of what?" chenle innocently asked, not noticing how alice's hand was tightly gripped onto the doorknob.
"this."
as soon as alice opened the door, jisung pushed chenle inside with no effort and alice quickly slammed the door back shut, successfully locking it.
"hell yeah!" jisung yelled, high-fiving alice.
"you two are not coming back out until you figure shit out!" alice shouted through the door.
mark and chenle whined from inside, earning them a giggle from alice. "you have an hour. good luck!"
chenle was dying to know why mark had been avoiding him like the plague and so he demanded, "why have you been avoiding me like the plague?"
mark huffed and crossed his arms. "i think you know."
"dude, if you keep this attitude up with alice when you guys start dating, she's not gonna have it," the younger boy lectured. "everyone knows that the key to a good relationship is communication. and we've had a great relationship since we were twelve. so spill."
"fine!" mark exclaimed, throwing his arms in the air. "you know i like alice and you've been trying to become close to her! even though you know! you're one of my best friends and i'm hurt! i see you sitting weirdly close to her whenever we get together and i see how you look at her!"
chenle rarely got furious, and never towards mark. he viewed mark like he looked at an older brother and right now, mark was acting like a selfish little brother.
"what, like a friend?" chenle spat back. "i'm trying to become close to her because we're majoring in the same field! we have nearly all of the same classes! she's my age! you introduced us to her and we instantly clicked. it's obvious she's not just here to waste our time. she's a special friend. and i thought you were too. before you blame me for some stuff like this. i can't believe that you don't trust me!"
mark was silent. the last person he'd thought of to be angry at him was chenle. but seeing as how raw chenle's voice sounded, how red his face had gotten, and how tears were threatening to fall from his face, he knew the boy was being genuine.
he was right, mark really was blaming him for bullshit, and he couldn't be more sorry.
he turned towards a wall and started to lightly bang his head on it, mumbling, "i. am. the. shittiest. fucking. friend. and. a. horrible. human."
seeing regret flow into mark's face, chenle quickly pulled mark away from the wall. "okay just because i'm slightly angry at you doesn't mean i hate you. you're going to get a headache."
"i'm sorry man."
chenle smiled. "honestly, it's fine. i kind of understand your mentality. you haven't liked a girl this much at all and it's playing with your head and heart. but you have to understand that all of us support you guys and literally everyone want you to date her. it's obvious that you like her."
mark exaggerated a pout and pulled chenle in for a hug. "thank you. i love you dude."
"i love you too."
after separating, the two looked at each other awkwardly.
"now what the fuck do we do for fifty minutes?"
-
"should we check on them?" lizzie's voice sliced through the heavy silence like a keen blade. "it's been an hour already."
the atmosphere crackled with tension as alice, her words laced with urgency, nodded in agreement, "do you think they made up?"
renjun, his expression a canvas of contemplation, considered the possibility. "probably. mark isn't known for holding onto grudges for long."
"i beg to differ," haechan murmured, downing the last of his drink. his tone held a faint echo of unresolved history. "that one summer..."
alice's mind buzzed with questions, yet she quelled her curiosity, focusing on the silent discord between mark and chenle, her every thought tethered to their unseen resolve.
carefully nudging the closet door ajar, alice was met not only with the sight of scattered cards, but a scene that painted an unexpected portrait of intimacy. the cards lay haphazardly across the floor, creating a mosaic of colors amidst the dimly lit space. yet, her attention was swiftly captured by mark, his features softened in slumber as he leaned against the wall. chenle lay nestled beside him, head resting on mark's shoulder, their entwined forms a testament to an unspoken harmony amidst the scattered chaos.
the cramped confines held an unexpected serenity, a fragile tranquility that whispered of a bond beyond words. alice's heart swelled, caught between surprise and a tender realization, as she witnessed this unguarded moment between the two men, a scene where vulnerability and trust painted a portrait more vivid than any card-strewn floor.
after capturing the moment with a swift click of her phone's camera, Alice lightly ruffled chenle's hair, eliciting a swift stir from him, while she pressed her hands against mark's cheeks, attempting to rouse him gently.
"wake up, you guys," she cooed, her voice carrying a soft urgency.
chenle sprang awake with an energetic bounce, but mark, still ensnared in the daze of sleep, held onto alice's hand, pulling her down as chenle scrambled up.
he knew his cue.
"get your ass over here," mark mumbled, his words blurred by drowsiness. "chenle, lock the door on the way out."
chenle's evil smile hinted at a mischievous delight as he closed the door behind him, uttering a playful, "karma, bitch."
"mark, what are we doing?" alice inquired, her tone soft and accommodating.
"napping. What else?" mark's response held a tinge of exhaustion, his weariness palpable.
understanding his need for rest, alice acquiesced silently. all mark craved was slumber, and she respected that.
he draped an arm around her waist, seeking solace in her presence, leaning heavily on her shoulder. she made a conscious effort not to shift, allowing mark the sanctuary of sleep.
an hour trickled by, her phone's screen an endless scroll of distraction. peering over at mark, she realized he remained in the embrace of sleep.
"dude, my shoulder hurts," she quietly lamented, her discomfort surfacing. despite this, she placed a tender kiss atop his head, a gesture of affection, before reclining her head in an attempt to find solace in the moment.
might as well steal some rest too.
-
"how long does it take for them to fuck?" jiwoo asked. "oh, uno out bitches."
everyone groaned in frustration. they'd been playing uno and other games for an hour and a half and jiwoo had won most of the matches. they were waiting for some sort of action from mark and alice but there was no sign of anything.
"i'm going and checking," declared lizzie suddenly, her voice cutting through the jovial chatter. her abrupt rise from the comfortable couch sent a hush through the group.
jaemin, ever the cautious one, voiced his concern, "but what if they're being unusually quiet?"
haechan waved off his worry with a confident shake of his head. "nah, mark isn't the silent type, and alice? she's anything but."
with determined steps, lizzie crossed the room, her curiosity piqued. as she swung open the creaking closet door, she was met not with the expected bustle but with a surprising sight—mark and alice, nestled among blankets and pillows, fast asleep in each other's embrace.
the sudden exclamation that erupted from lizzie echoed through the room, a mixture of disbelief and frustration, "we've been waiting for you two for ages, and you're sound asleep?!"
startled, mark and alice jolted upright, exchanging a bewildered glance before turning their gaze towards lizzie, who stood at the closet door, hands firmly planted on her hips, a portrait of incredulity.
"ugh, seriously, i can't stay mad at you two," lizzie sighed dramatically, rolling her eyes in mock annoyance. with a playful shake of her head, she spun on her heels, departing the closet-turned-nap haven and leaving the bewildered pair to their solitude once more.
the room filled once again with the sounds of laughter and good-natured teasing, the unexpected interlude adding a touch of sweetness to the already lively gathering.