#and taeyong executes to perfection | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

asthmark · 4 years

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❝ among the stars ❞ l.mk

synopsis → “Would you be willing to give me the amulet, my prince? Or will I have to rip it off you?”

word count → 6.9k

a/n → when i say i cannot believe i did this i MEAN THAT like i started this in FEBRUARY and here we are, wow! ok on a real note i’m not proofreading because, like always, it is 4 in the morning and i want to get 3 hours of sleep at the very least D: anyway i’ll rest well knowing this is done so plz enjoy!

“Do you ever get tired of looking for a treasure that could be fake for all we know? ‘Cause I sure do.”

“Quiet.”

You slouch down in your seat. “So mean, captain.”

Taeyong turns to glare at you, hoping it’ll get rid of the smirk on your face. “This mission is hard enough on its own, your commentary doesn’t make it any easier.”

You roll your eyes. “Would you rather we just sit here in complete silence ‘til we find the… gem or jewel or whatever it is?”

“It’s an amulet,” Taeyong corrects. “And yes, definitely.”

“Would you two knock it off?” says Jaehyun from the passenger’s seat.

“I say let them go at it,” Yuta murmurs, staring out the window, into the vast galaxy.

Jaehyun raises a brow. “Is watching your teammates argue amusing to you?”

Yuta shrugs. ‘We’re in the middle of space, what else is going to entertain me?”

You see Taeyong's grip on the steering wheel tighten. He was serious about this mission. His team? Not so much. The only person who seemed to back him up on everything was Jaehyun but that was given seeing how he was his second in command.

“Yuta.” Jaehyun's tone could rival a disappointed mother’s. “Could you at least try and be a little professional?”

The redhead scoffs. “There's nothing professional about this team. We’re a bunch of criminals.”

That was true. You all had bounties over your heads, a consequence for having committed countless crimes all over the galaxy. Taeyong was probably the one that was most serious about what he did, always doing things with vigor and determination, no matter how illegal it was. Jaehyun was the same way although he was a little more detail-oriented, focusing on little things rather than the big picture. He always polished Taeyong’s plans to perfection. They made a great duo and, in fact, for a while it had just been the two of them. Then they realized they needed a team to be able to execute their ambitious plans.

That’s where the rest of you came in.

They had told you they found Johnny first. That was no surprise. He was tall and muscular, impossible to miss. If Taeyong and Jaehyun were the brains, he was definitely the brawn. When they had first met, Johnny was doing nothing but getting in fights. He was always the bigger man, he always won. It seemed to give him a rush, defeating his opponent with ease. Taeyong and Jaehyun stroked his ego to no end, telling him he would be a perfect addition to the team they were forming. The praise was enough to convince him to join.

They found Yuta second but you were never told the full story. From what you had gathered, he had attempted to pickpocket Taeyong. You had no idea how that would've led to him joining the team but you found it incredibly hilarious. You assumed your relentless teasing was the reason why Taeyong wouldn’t tell you about it but it didn’t matter to you; everytime Yuta references it, you still laugh.

Lastly, there was you.

Meeting the boys was probably the most memorable thing that had happened to you. You still remember how Taeyong had wordlessly walked into the gas station—where you were working at the time—and held you at gunpoint with his face shielded only by a black ski mask. Before he could even demand you give him all the cash in the register, a dark blue haired male had rushed in. You can still remember the sequence of events like it was yesterday.

“Taeyong, what do you think you’re doing?”

“I thought I told you to stay on the ship, Jaehyun! And where’s your mask?”

Jaehyun ignores the second question. “I thought we had agreed to always form a plan before we steal something!”

Their argument is cut short by the bell on the door ringing as a tall, brunette male and a shorter bleach-blonde enter. You catch the way Taeyong sighs, “you have got to be kidding me” under his breath.

“Hey, Taeyong? Yuta and I were wondering if you could buy us some snacks.”

“Johnny and I have been on our best behavior so you owe us.”

“Jesus Christ.” Taeyong pinches the bridge of his nose over the fabric of the mask. “This is you on your best behavior? Interrupting my robbery for some snacks? The plan was I come in here, get the money, and you all thank me for being a good leader!”

“No wonder you need my help making plans, they're so unrealistic,” Jaehyun mutters.

Taeyong shoots him a glare. “Look, we’re running low on fuel, we barely even made it here. I thought if I acted fast I could just get the money and we'd be on our way.”

“Let’s just try that corner store a couple galaxies over. The guy behind the cash register is young. You think that kid will really say no to us?”

“That’s low.”

“Hasn't stopped us before.”

“I’m with Johnny. It'll be hilarious to see him pissing his pants the second Taeyong aims a gun at his head. Easy money.”

“You guys need serious help.”

“And yet you still hired us.”

“I’ll give you the money.”

Your statement ends the bickering between the four males. They stare at you in bewilderment and they’re stunned into silence as if they’re certain you’re pulling their legs. To prove yourself, you spin around and grab a brown paper bag that you usually used to put the customer’s liquor in and begin stuffing it full with all that was in the register.

You hear them whispering and mumbling but you just continue bagging the money as calmly as you would groceries. It takes only a couple seconds before the brown bag is overflowing with the pink bills that were only valid currency on the planet you were on. You wordlessly hand it to Taeyong.

He grabs it, holding it close to his chest and peering down at it, his eyes seeming to widen the longer it was in his arms. Jaehyun’s eyes darted between you and the bag like he was waiting for some sort of catch. Yuta and Johnny both cracked a smile, as if the unforeseen chain of events was comical to them.

“Happy?” you ask.

They all turn to you, the look in their eyes still skeptical but Taeyong, ever the leader, speaks for the team and gives you a nod.

“Good. Now I get to come with you.”

Johnny is the first to react, erupting into long and hard laughter. “Is that seriously what you want in return? To join a group of outlaws and run from the police?”

You give him a firm nod.

His laughter dies down. “Whatever you say. It’s your life, babe.”

You all watch as he walks out of the gas station, putting his shades on (despite it being pitch dark outside) and you’re sure he must feel like a million bucks knowing that you actually wanted to stick around them.

You turn back to the three others. Yuta grabs a handful of snacks from the shelf behind him, cradling the assortment of sweets, chips, and more. “Can I take these?”

You shrug. “Go for it.”

He smiles and you can't help but notice it’s healing aura. “Good to have you on the team.” He also makes way for the door.

You’re almost positive that his willingness to have you join their group came solely from you granting him permission to take the food.

Taeyong is the next to leave and he does it silently, offering you nothing but a small smile as he held the bag of money as tightly as he could and used the side of his arm to push the door open.

“Why do you want to come with us?”

You turn to Jaehyun. It was just you and him. By staying back he had once again proved to be the only one who truly thought things through.

“Believe it or not, robbing gas stations seems better than picking up another late shift for a lazy coworker on this dull planet. The thrill is a bonus.”

You catch a pair of dimples appearing on his cheeks. “Yeah, well with that thrill comes three idiots, myself excluded.”

“I’ll manage.”

“In that case, welcome to the crew.”

“It doesn’t matter that we’re criminals!” Jaehyun shouts, bringing your attention back to reality. “That doesn't mean you get to be a pain in my—”

“Hey!” All of a sudden, the door that leads into the cockpit slides open and Johnny’s head pops in. “I need a new toothbrush. Can we stop by a gas station or something?”

“Just use hers.” Yuta jabs his thumb in your direction. “Work’s for me.”

“Wait, what?” you ask, mouth agape. “You better be joking.”

He just shoots you a smile, displaying his pearly whites, as if to tease you. You whine and make a face that expresses all your disgust.

“Relax, I rinse it off when I’m done like, almost every time.”

“Almost?”

Taeyong speaks up before you can go off on Yuta. “Alright! Next stop, gas station!”

Your ship lands on a nearby planet and when you land, you can’t help but gaze out the window in awe, the luxurious ships and opulent buildings catching you off guard. Even the people that cruise down the streets—that practically shone and didn’t have a trace of litter—are draped in flashy clothing.

”We’re gonna look so out of place,” you grumble to yourself but Yuta’s ears pick up on the comment.

“Cheer up.” He points to the civilians below you. “Just think about how easy they’re gonna be to pickpocket.”

“No pickpocketing.”

A chorus of displeased groans fill the ship. You notice that even Jaehyun seems a little bummed out by Taeyong’s reprimand.

“We’re only here to get what we need. The amulet is our top priority, remember?”

Yuta unbuckles his seatbelt. “The amulet is your top priority. Mine is stealing some filthy rich dude’s fancy watch.”

“Well, just think about how much the amulet is worth. You’ll be able to have all the stupid watches in the world.”

“Yeah, once we find it.”

Johnny’s comment reminds each and every one of you of your current struggle—actually locating the amulet. It was undeniable that finding the treasure’s whereabouts had been your biggest obstacle so far. In fact, the idea of it being nonexistent had been tossed around, much to your captain’s displeasure. In fact, the only reason any of you had heard about this item was because of Taeyong.

According to his grandfather’s tales, it was so valuable that it could turn someone from rags to riches but the mystery of where it was prevented him from finding it himself. It was clear the amulet was something special to Taeyong and his dedication to attaining it was probably sparked by his grandfather’s own desire to do so and only fueled by his death.

He was always on the hunt for it, resulting in the rest of you doing the same, even if you didn’t match his vigor. You scoured the galaxies in pursuit of it but Taeyong’s determination never once faltered.

“Just get in and get out,” Jaehyun commands, siding with Taeyong, as per usual. “We’ll stay here with the ship.”

“Are you afraid someone’s gonna steal it?” Johnny teases, standing from his seat. “Because I wouldn’t worry about it.”

You snicker. “What a polite way to say it’s a hunk of junk.”

“Might I remind you that someone begged to be on this,” Taeyong makes sure to make in-air quotes, “hunk of junk.”

“She was so innocent and naive back then,” sighs Jaehyun, hand placed dramatically over his chest. “What happened?”

“You guys did. Practically drove me into insanity.”

“I’m sure you would’ve gotten there yourself,” counters Johnny.

You can’t seem to argue with that so you simply shrug. “Probably.”

“Get a move on, you guys.” Taeyong stretches his limbs out as far as they can go and then comfortably places his hands behind his head with a yawn. You had never thought about how tiring piloting the ship was for him. “We’ll be waiting.”

With that, you, Johnny, and Yuta exit the ship, receiving some of the nastiest looks you’ve ever had the displeasure of seeing as soon as you step foot on the planet.

“What’s with all the staring?” you mutter as you make eye contact with a seemingly disgusted woman dressed in gold from head to toe. “You would think that with all that money they could pay for some good manners.”

Johnny agrees only mumbling, “If looks could kill.”

Yuta lets out a frustrated sigh. “All I want is something expensive. I’ll even take a ring at this point, I don’t care. How am I even supposed to get my hands on anything when everyone is too scared to get within five feet of us?”

“Guess we don’t meet their standards.”

“Having that amulet would come in handy right about now,” you comment.

Johnny snorts. “Oh. Right. The prized amulet.”

“You mean the one that only exists in grandpa’s head?”

“Say that Taeyong’s face, Yuta, I dare you.”

“No thanks. I might be stupid but I’m not an idiot. I know he’d knock me out cold.”

Johnny shakes his head. “He’s so set on finding it. I still remember the day he finally brought it up to all of us. There was this fire in his eyes. He seemed so determined that I would’ve followed him across galaxies to get the stupid thing.”

Yuta chuckles. “We all did. But it’s been, what? A year now? Seems kind of impossible at this point.”

“I wish we’d just go back to doing all the fun crimes that he and Jae would come up with when we first met. Remember those?”

You can’t help but smile at the memories, remembering the feeling of adrenaline racing through your veins as you continue listening to Johnny and Yuta talk.

“Yeah. Those were the good days. Now our lives are just a huge wild goose chase.”

“We’re here,” you announce, steering the conversation away from your misfortunes.

The three of you peer at the building before you, its windows are shiny and from the glimpse you catch of the inside, everything is stocked up and organized. The sign above it reads ‘Purveyor’ in bold letters.

“This is the closest thing they have to a gas station?” Yuta asks, mouth agape.

You nod. “I think so.”

“I don't wanna go in. Nice things scare me.”

You ignore Johnny and take the first step forward. The cashier glances up from counting money when the bell on the door rings, alerting him of your presence. He almost drops the currency when he gets a good look at you. Although, he doesn’t seem judgy. In fact, he seems more in awe with you than anything else.

You stuff your hands into your cargo pants as you awkwardly walk past him and roam the store. You hear the door open and soon enough Yuta joins you as you skim the shelves, grabbing the necessary items.

“Pick your toothbrush,” you tell him as you grab one for yourself. You had immediately gotten rid of the one you two had shared. “And please stick to it this time.”

He cracks a smile as he eyes his options. “Do they have those ones that light up? And play the songs so you know how long to brush?”

“You mean the kid ones?” You’re ready to laugh at Yuta’s joke but he seems serious enough as he nods his head, vigorously.

“Uh, well, they’re probably around here somewhere. Keep looking.” You hold back a chuckle when he goes back to searching intensely. “Which one does Johnny want?”

“Not sure, he stayed outside.”

“Oh god, he was serious about being scared?”

“Probably just wants us to do all the shopping.”

“Well, go tell him that if he doesn’t come in here and pick a toothbrush, I’ll be taking the liberty of getting him this one.” You hold up a fuschia pink one with a cute princess character on it. You assumed it was from some cartoon that was popular with the children of the planet.

Yuta obeys and seconds later, Johnny magically appears to grab a solid blue toothbrush off the shelf and give you a glare. After grabbing a couple more items, you check out. Johnny fishes into his pocket for money, mumbling about how he knew it was in there somewhere. After much digging, he pulls out a crumpled wad of cash that you’re pretty sure isn’t even valid on the planet you’re on. He smiles proudly at you and Yuta then the cashier but the expression quickly falters.

“Wong Yukhei?”

You glance between him and the man behind the register—Yukhei, according to Johnny.

“Johnny Suh!” Yukhei’s voice is loud but filled with excitement. “I thought I recognized you! But I told myself there was no way!”

Johnny laughs, breathlessly. “I could say the same thing! What are you doing here, man?”

He casts his eyes downwards. “As soon as you left with those two guys, I realized I didn’t wanna street fight for the rest of my life either. I wanted to start over and I thought, what better place than here? So, I picked up a job at the palace—”

“Woah, woah, woah!” Johnny interrupts. “You? In a palace? Never would've seen that coming.”

Yukhei grins so wide it seems like second nature. “Don’t get ahead of yourself, I just worked as a guard.”

“That’s still something!”

“If you don’t mind me asking, what happened?”

Your question seems to bring his spirits down once again. “I quit. They kept telling me to ‘work harder’. But it was just about impossible, I was already running around like crazy for the royal family. They’re so demanding, I swear. Only person who didn’t drive me crazy was the prince.” He sighs. “I didn’t have what it took, I guess.”

“Sorry to hear that, Yukhei,” Johnny sympathizes. “You still made an effort, though.”

He nods. “Yeah. But it doesn’t always work out. So, here I am.” He forces a weak smile. “What about you?”

“I turned things around—not for the better, though.”

Yukhei raises a brow, offering you and Yuta a glance. “I’m guessing your new friends have something to do with that.”

Yuta chuckles. “Hey, he joined the team before me or her.”

“Team?” Yukhei echoes.

Johnny nods, half heartedly. “Yeah. Long story short I basically live on a ship with four fools, commit crimes, and look for imaginary treasure.”

Yukhei looks dumbfounded but his lips curve upwards in amusement. “Sounds… fun?”

This produces a laugh from Johnny. “Sometimes.”

He leans forward on the countertop, curiously. “And what’s this treasure we’re talking about?”

“Some amulet. Our guy in charge—you’ve seen him, he’s got pink hair—is wild about finding it. We’re just along for the ride.”

Yukhei nods in understanding. “I see… and this amulet, could you describe it for me?”

Johnny shares an uncertain look with you and Yuta, obviously expecting one of you to come forward. You both return his stare.

Yukhei chuckles. “Okay, lemme ask again. Could you bring me someone who can describe it?”

Not even a minute later, Taeyong has been forcibly dragged out of the ship joined by Jaehyun who insists on filling his duty of backing up the older male.

“Yukhei, this is Taeyong. Taeyong, Yukhei. Okay, now that you’re no longer strangers, can you give our friend here a quick description of your beloved amulet?”

Taeyong is taken aback by Johnny’s strange request but does so anyway. When it came to the amulet, you all knew he would do anything. “Well, it can fit inside the palm of your hand. I’ve heard it’s gorgeous, too. So gorgeous it could be mistaken for a piece of fine jewelry.”

The five of you stay silent as Taeyong continues reciting what he had heard from his grandfather so many times. Once he’s finished, you notice that there’s a satisfied expression on Yukhei’s face.

“I think I know what you’re talking about.”

Taeyong smiles at the declaration, teeth making a bright appearance. He had never met someone other than his relative that knew of this treasure. “Are you serious?”

Yukhei nods, positively sure. “Oh yeah.”

“Do you happen to know where it is?” You can hear the hope and fear in your captain’s voice. You could even feel it. The cruciality of this moment weighs in on you; this could be a turning point in your hunt or another dead end.

“It’s on this planet.”

Your entire crew stays silent, too stunned by this new piece of information to say a word so Yukhei decides to continue.

“In the palace. Around the prince’s neck.”

This is followed by another moment of silence. Each of you celebrate internally, happy to finally have found a location. All that was left was a plan. How were you going to get it in your hands? As if he’s reading your minds, Yukhei speaks up.

“I know how to get it for you, too.”

“How?” Taeyong nearly pleads.

“Johnny?” He directs his attention to the older male. “How do you feel about becoming a palace guard?”

Johnny’s face gives away his answer before his mouth has the chance—his nose scrunches up and his eyes widen ever so slightly. Taeyong stares up at him, filled with a newly found ambition. That seems to pressure Johnny into agreeing to whatever Yukhei was scheming and Taeyong must surely know it.

“I… guess I could.”

“Alright then, go to the palace immediately. They must be desperate to find a replacement for me but they’re always open to more defense. They believe in power in numbers over there, they don’t care where you’re from or who you are. They’ll settle for anyone as long as they look like they can take and give a good punch. And, you know what Johnny? You’re the strongest guy I’ve ever met. It’s impossible that they won’t hire you.”

Johnny smiles at the compliment before asking, “What do I do once I’m inside?”

“You wait. Complete the tasks they give you. Don’t make yourself stand out. Just… don’t be suspicious.” Yukhei seems pleased with the nod of understanding Johnny gives him. “Once night falls, Johnny will wait by one of the backdoors and let somebody in using the keys they’ll give him along with his armor and sword. This will make sneaking inside the palace way easier. Once that person is in, they’ll have to steer clear of any other guards and head to the prince’s room. The amulet will be wherever he is.”

Taeyong purses his lips as he thinks of a candidate to do the sneaking. “Can’t be Yuta—”

“Why not?”

“Because you’ll end up stealing stuff instead of staying focused.”

Yuta can’t seem to argue with this statement so he simply nods and keeps quiet.

“Can’t be me, I’m the getaway driver. Jae?”

Jaehyun shakes his head. “I stay with you. If we get found out, you’ll need defense.”

Five pairs of eyes end up on you and you sigh. “You don’t even have to say it. I got it.”

Taeyong places a hand on your shoulder. “Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it.” You give him a genuine smile. “What are we waiting for? Let’s get this amulet… finally.”

You file into the ship and Yukhei joins you to serve as a guide. He tells you the ins and outs of the castle and informs you of important details as you take off. You can’t help but feel your heart thump as you listen to him. You certainly did not think you would be getting anywhere near the amulet today and yet here you were—about to break into a castle for it.

When you land nearby the palace, that anxious feeling only intensifies. You know you won’t have to do anything risky until later that night but seeing Johnny getting ready to leave makes you realize that it was really happening. You were finally going after what you had spent the last year of your lives seeking. You couldn’t afford to slip up despite all the things that could go wrong.

“Nervous?” you ask, approaching the brunette.

He runs a hand through his hair and gives you an honest shrug. “Kind of. But then I think about how good life’s gonna be once we get that amulet.”

You admire his positive outlook. You decide that you’ll match his mindset instead of bringing him down with your worries. “True. We’ve been waiting for this. It’s kind of exciting when you think about it.”

He nods. “We can do it.”

You’re sure his certainty is supposed to boost your confidence as well so you reply, “I know.”

With that, he leaves the ship, walking into the bustling streets, towards the palace Lucas has described to him. Although, he assured him it’d be impossible to miss. You watch his figure become increasingly harder to track before he disappears completely, becoming just another someone in the crowd. You back away from the window with a sigh.

All that was left to do was play the waiting game. But you had been playing it for the last year, right? What would another couple hours do?

It was true what they said about sunsets being more beautiful on certain planets. You decide that this specific planet is one of them. Everyone onboard the ship takes a pause from worrying to gaze at the sky, painted with warm oranges and yellows before setting into a cool purple and blue hue. Stars begin to appear and you see the outline of three moons in the distance. Night time was near and you would be needed on the field soon. You prayed that Johnny had successfully made it inside the palace or else your mission would be over before it even started.

“You ready to go?” asks Taeyong as you retie your laces.

You glance up at him and nod, tightening a knot. “I hope so.”

He doesn’t say another word but continues to stand above you, even when you begin to work on your other boot. You suspect he’s trying to find the proper words to tell you not to ruin this for him and simultaneously boost your morale so you stay silent. When you stand from your kneeling position, Taeyong still doesn’t say a thing. Instead, he pulls you into a tight hug.

“Please be careful.”

This is a command you certainly didn’t expect but you’re not disappointed at all. You carefully wrap your arms around him. “I will.”

“I want you back in one piece, got it, young lady?”

You feel your heart tighten along with the knot in your stomach but you only chuckle. “Yes, captain.”

The three others who sit in the cockpit yell encouragement your way and wave you off before you slip out of the ship, engulfed by the darkness. You had never been afraid of it. It was always more of an ally to you than something to fear. You were grateful—it shielded you away from everyone and everything else whenever you found yourself doing unsavory things which, for the record, was often.

You follow the path Yukhei instructed you to take. You had been ordered to go around the castle, through the nearby woods that would hide you away from any guards patrolling the perimeter. As you tried your best to dodge prickly shrubs and low hanging branches you can’t help but envy Johnny who simply had to knock at the front gates to be let in.

The prospect of seeing your friend again motivates you to keep walking. You might have secretly cursed the castle for being so large as you trudged along, your legs already starting to feel slightly sore and a thin layer of sweat forming on your forehead but you didn’t let yourself feel too discouraged. You remind yourself that Johnny is waiting for you on the fourth door behind the castle, as Yukhei had ordered. You had to make it to him.

For Taeyong.

For your team.

For you.

After what seems like an eternity, you reach the door. Just to be sure you scan it up and down. Wooden? Yes. Scratches on the bottom? Many. Rusty doorknob? Definitely. It seemed to match Yukhei’s description perfectly and if everything was going according to plan, Johnny should be right behind it as well. Without any further hesitation you knock as softly as possible. You don’t expect it to be audible but to your surprise, it opens almost immediately. His figure is poorly illuminated but you can still see the shine of Johnny’s metal armor and the reflection of a moon in his sword.

You give him a quick once over. “Looking good, John.”

He shushes you but you still manage to catch his smile. “Just get in here.”

You obey and he closes the door behind you as soon and quickly as possible. You barely get a chance to look around what you’re sure to be the nicest place you’ve ever been before Johnny’s ushering you towards a large set of stairs. You both rush up them and upon reaching the second floor he grabs you by the shoulders, forcing you to stare directly at him.

“Go left, right, down the hall, and through the door. It’ll be the last door to your right.”

He’s referring to the location of the amulet and you nod, hoping he can’t see just how nervous you are. These directions are sacred. They were what you had been looking for.

“There’s no guards up there so just worry about getting the amulet and getting out. I’ll be here in case anyone decides to come by.”

Without further ado you dart up the stairs, the carpet on each step preventing you from making a noise. You glance down at Johnny who is posted at the bottom of the staircase. He smiles warmly over his shoulder and gives you a subtle thumbs up just as a pair of guards pass him by.

You move fast and without hesitation, your friend's words still clear in your mind. When you finally arrive in front of the door that holds the amulet you take a shaky deep breath. Your trembling hand twists the doorknob completely before pushing it open enough for you to take a peek inside.

A boy, around your age, sits cross legged on a king sized bed with satin sheets, acoustic guitar in hand. His fingers fiddle with the strings and he pushes a pair of specks farther up the bridge of his nose as he examines sheet music sprawled all over his mattress, attentively. You hear him hum to himself, tongue poking out of his lips as he concentrates on the melody. He sighs in frustration before leaning back on his headboard. He briskly runs a hand through his black locks before his fingers land on something on his neck. Your eyes widen as you catch a glint of green.

He was still wearing the amulet.

You refrain from groaning. You thought it would be on his dresser or bedside table and that finding it would only take a little rummaging. Then again, you also thought he was going to be asleep. It seemed like this guy just wanted to make things difficult for you.

You find yourself to be at a loss. You ask yourself what Taeyong would do before concluding that pondering it was useless. Obviously, Jaehyun would be right by his side as backup. You had no one but Johnny at the bottom of the stairs and you couldn’t call for him. What about Yuta? He would probably charge in, gun cocked and loaded. You couldn’t do that either.

You decide that all you can do is your best.

So, you knock. The humming ceases and you hear the bed creak. You press yourself against the wall, holding your breath as his footsteps near and the door flies further open.

“Donghyuck, I know you’re a servant but I already told you that you don’t have to knoc—”

The prince isn’t given a chance to finish before your hand is clamped firmly against his mouth. Your other hand grips his shoulder with such force that he wails in pain. You feel him struggle to escape your grip and his cries come out muffled. You push him against the door, eyes boring into his caramel brown orbs.

“Would you be willing to give me the amulet, my prince? Or will I have to rip it off you?”

Your every word is laced with venom and if anything, he should feel more threatened but you can’t help but notice that his screams have stopped. He mumbles something that you can’t understand so you part your fingers so he can get a couple words in.

“You’re a girl?”

You shut your hand over his mouth again, rolling your eyes. “Yes, I’m a girl. Problem?”

He shakes his head, furiously.

“Great. Amulet, please?”

He raises a hand to grip the string that binds the precious emerald green stone to his neck. He removes it and places it in your outstretched hand. You refuse to let the sheer excitement that blooms in you show. You needed to maintain the upper hand.

“Very good. You’re a smart thing, huh? Glad to see they taught someone around here some common sense.”

You inspect the amulet and allow yourself a smile. Just a small one. You tuck it into your pocket before turning your attention back to the prince.

“What’s your name?”

“Mark. Mark Lee.”

“Alright, Mark Lee. You’ve been very cooperative with me tonight, surprisingly so. I want you to keep it up, can you do that for me?”

He nods and you drag him towards his bed, forcing him to sit down on the edge. He gazes up at you, eyes slightly watery. You feel a pang of guilt at his fearful look but then you remember the gem in your pocket and suddenly a couple tears from Mark don’t seem like such a bad price to pay for it.

“Sit here. Don’t move until I’m gone. No screaming or calling for help either, got it?”

He nods once more. You back away from him, watching to make sure he stays still in his place. He does, eyes still following your every move.

“Okay, Mark, um. Have a good night?”

With that you all but fling yourself at the door. You run back the same way you came, containing any celebratory laughter or dances. You had the amulet. You were set for life. Your friends were, too. You’re convinced that nothing can bring you down.

“Hey! Burglar girl!”

Scratch that.

You spin on your heel and there stands Mark, charging towards you. You debate whether or not to keep running. You were so, so close. The stairs were right there. But then you catch sight of an object in his hand, one that shines even in the dark of the hallway. It’s green and hangs by a string. You pat your pocket, making sure if you really even had the amulet. You feel it, it’s with you. Then what was it that Mark had?

Against your better judgment, you wait right where you stand, allowing the boy to catch up to you. He wordlessly holds the second amulet up for you to take. You grab it, Mark having seemingly no problem with that.

“That’s… a decoy,” he pants, pointing to your pocket, doubled over as he inhales air.

You feel yourself become even more confused than before and this time you have no control over your facial expressions. Your eyebrows furrow and you hold the real amulet close to your face, staring at it carefully with uncertainty. All you can ask is, “why are you doing this?”

By this point Mark’s caught his breath and he stands up straight. “I wanted you to have the real one. I mean, you went through all this effort, right?”

“I don’t buy that. What are you gonna do? Turn me in? Is this a trap?”

Before you can speculate any further, Mark entraps your wrist with his hand. You kick yourself for even stopping in the first place. If you had made a run for it, at least you could go back to Johnny and Taeyong and the rest of your friends even if the amulet you held was fake. Now you were going to get consequences, for sure. You prepare for him to call out for someone but he never does.

“I want to go with you.”

You’re sure your ears are deceiving you so you don’t even bother responding and for a moment there’s just silence. He clears his throat.

“Did you hear me?”

“Oh, so you really did say that, huh?”

“Um, yes, I did.”

You shake your head. “Sorry, I’m just in a shock, I’m sure you can understand.”

He nods and releases his grip on you. “Yeah, this must be pretty confusing but I promise I’m being serious. Royal life is not something I’m cut out for and running away with a pretty stranger seems like my best bet right now.”

You blink a couple times. “Wow. So, this is how Jaehyun felt that one time.”

Mark tilts his head. “What?”

“Nothing. Let’s just go. But only if you’re sure about this.”

“I’m positive.”

“Alright then.” You begin to go down the stairs before you pause and look back at Mark and the amulet in his hand. “That is real, right?”

He can’t help but give you a lopsided smile. “Yes, it is.”

“Just making sure.”

BONUS:

Taeyong is a loss for words as his eyes dart between you and the dark haired boy besides you. Jaehyun matches his confusion, arms crossed over his chest. Yukhei seems equally amused and worried, glancing at Mark, tentatively. Yuta smiles wickedly, interested with how things have gone and surely excited to see you attempt to explain yourself.

“Um, Johnny?” Taeyong says, hoping the oldest one onboard will have some kind of explanation.

He shrugs, a tired expression on his face. “I have no idea. The kid was set on coming, I wasn’t gonna say no. I just wanted to get out of there.”

Taeyong nods, staring at Mark, intensely. “Uh-huh. And you’re here because?” He leaves the question open-ended and Mark rubs the back of his neck, giving you a lingering look.

“Well, she kind of just appeared in my room and started bossing me around and like, I freaked but it was also the most exciting thing that’s happened to me in years so I didn’t want to lose her so I gave her the amulet—the real one, by the way—and told her I wanted to come along. Now I’m here in front of you all and I’m kind of uncomfortable, I won’t lie—”

“You got the amulet?”

You’re grateful for Taeyong’s interruption; you’re sure that without it, Mark would rant the entire night.

You shake your head. “He has it, actually.”

Mark steps forward and places it around Taeyong’s neck without a second thought. On the way back, you had briefly explained to him how long he had been looking for it and how much it meant to him. Mark found his dedication incredible and seemed even excited to give Taeyong his long-awaited prize.

Taeyong’s hands delicately trace the outline of the accessory and you swear he tears up.

“I’m glad it’s yours now,” Mark comments. “Even if you do sell it. It just sat around back at the palace, another ridiculously expensive thing nobody really cared about.”

Taeyong nods with a sniffle, overcome with emotion. Jaehyun reaches over to rub his back. Yuta begins to clap slowly but you nudge him and he knocks it off. You hear Johnny thank Yukhei for his help, to which he only shakes his head, humbly.

You lock eyes with Mark and he glances around the ship, looking suddenly nervous. You smile at his antics, motioning for him to come closer. He slowly obeys and you extend your hand towards him. He stares down at it, hesitantly.

“I don’t bite,” you promise. “I just want to start over. I don’t think I made the best first impression.”

He grips your hand back with a chuckle. “I beg to differ. I know you were trying to rob me and everything but you still seemed nice enough. That’s stupid to say about the person who had me pressed against a wall like, half an hour ago but to be honest, I was fine with it. It was kinda hot—”

A chorus of too loud to be real coughs fill the ship and the culprits are none other than your crewmates. They all eye Mark, as if to give him a warning. Even Yukhei gives him a nasty look.

“Um, so, anyway, thanks. For getting me out of there. Might not seem like it but it really sucked.”

You understand him completely, having been in a similar situation yourself. “No problem. Glad to have you around.”

The sudden sound of sirens prevent you from saying anything else. They’re incredibly loud and you press your hands over your ears to try and shield yourself from the horrendous noise. To add to the commotion, a couple cop ships speed by in the near distance.

“The sirens are from the palace!” Mark exclaims. “They’re probably looking for me!”

“So are the cops!” you respond.

You laugh at the way his face drops with worry. Being on the cops’ bad side was still foreign to him. You place a reassuring hand on his back.

“Don’t worry! You’ll get used to it!”

239 notes · View notes

rin-archives · 3 years

Text

It's True This Time! | Lee Haechan

Requested by: @sehunniepot

Prompt: haechan + but it’s true: [character] has been known to fake being sick, but this time they’re actually sick.

Pairing: Haechan & Female reader AU: Student!Haechan Word count: 721 Warnings: being sick, sore throat Genre: Fluff

Today was going to be perfect you thought. You had everything planned out, and you were ready to be productive. Your plan for today contained the following:

1. Pancakes for breakfast

2. Meet Jeno and Jisung for your school project

3. Meet Jaemin and Mark for coffee

4. Spend the rest of the night at Haechan's place

You felt amazing today since you woke up at the time you wanted to and was able to check number one of your list. Number two on the list, you were on your way out, but a sudden phone call interrupted your steps.

Haechan was calling. It was odd since he usually sleeps in on a weekend. You check the time, and it was 9:00 AM. He's never awake this early. Did he stay up late again and wanted you to go get breakfast for him? It was a routine whenever he stays up late, but it usually doesn't happen on a weekend since he likes to sleep in.

For a moment, you almost forgot that he was calling. You quickly answered.

"Haechan, I can't ge-"

"Heeeeeeelp." his voice was cracking.

"What? What's up with you?"

"I'm sick..." he coughed. Why did he sound like Karen from Mean Girls when he said that? You let out an exasperated sigh and was about to say something before he beat you to it.

"I'm not faking it this time, y/n. I really can't move..." he groaned like he was in pain.

Haechan was the type to fake sick a whole lot. If he wanted to skip class, he'd plan out something before executing it. Doesn't want to go a date that Renjun set up, he'd fake sick. Doesn't want to go shopping with you, he'd fake sick. You could say it was also a routine that you grew accustomed to, but today, he did seem like he wasn't faking it.

"Haechan, I have a lot of plans today. If I find out you're faking it, you're dead."

You heard a shuffle in the background, and a groan from Haechan. "Y/N? Hey, it's Taeyong. Haechan's not faking it this time as surprising as it sounds. He has a high fever and a really bad sore throat. I can't take care of him right now since I've got work in an hour, do you mind taking care of him for me? The other guys won't be able to." Taeyong, his roommate had said. If you were talking to his roommate right now then, it really is true.

At that moment, you dropped all your plans. You sent messages to the people you were supposed to meet and told them the situation. You unloaded the things you were supposed to bring from your bag and made your way to Haechan and Taeyong's place.

[10:00 PM]

Being exhausted was an understatement. The moment you arrived at their apartment; you took care of Haechan immediately. You checked his temperature, placed a cooling pad on his forehead, prepared his meals (only the simple ones of course) so he could take his medicine. After doing all of that, you collapsed on the couch and letting sleep take over.

Haechan woke up feeling a bit better and his body felt lighter. He looked around the room finding that he was alone. He wondered if you went home already.

He changed into a new shirt because the one he was wearing got really sweaty. After changing he noticed that the apartment was clean. "Did the guys clean?" he asked himself.

He made his way to the kitchen, drank water and was about to go back into his room until he saw your sleeping figure on the couch. He put his glass down and approached you. He let out a soft smile. He has always found you sleeping very adorable. He quickly grabbed the blanket you always use and gently covered your body with it. He squatted down, admiring you for a moment.

"I'm gonna kill you Haechan...mm..if I find out you're not really sick...mm.." he held his chuckle in when he heard you sleep talking. That's when he realized how tired you must've been today. Thanks to him, he was feeling a bit better, and he was ready to make it up to you.

Thanks to him being sick, he could admire you like this.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

a/n: my very first ask!! thank you for the request 💛 it's only recent that i got into writing again so my style might be repetitve or straight forward but i'm working on using more beautiful words to make it sound a bit more interesting? if anyone wants to request, check out this prompt list and then send me an ask! xx, rin

#nct #nct127 #nct dream #nct au #nct fanfic #kpop fanfic #kpop au #nct drabbles #kpop drabbles #nct haechan

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whereisten · 4 years

Text

The Wedding Singer - Part 4

The Wedding Singer (feat. Taeyong and Yuta)

Summary: You are an up-and-coming singer and songwriter who is thriving in the wedding singer business. When you find yourself singing for your former best friend Samantha Perez and not-so-former crush Yuta Nakamoto, shit really hits the fan.

Genre: fluff, drama, romance

Multi-part Series: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

Part 4

Word Count: 3.9k

To many people, Yuta Nakamoto was a shining star. Always happy, always collected, always blessed. He was studious and athletic. He gave off a happy-go-lucky aura while he mastered a physics lab in the first try or a mind-boggling task in PE. It was hard to detect any flaws on the surface.

Which he worked so hard to conserve for a long, long time. When he was fifteen, his parents divorced and his mother abandoned his family, leaving him, his sisters, and his father dumbfounded. The finances of the house were thrown off-balance, which meant Yuta would have to work harder to secure a basketball scholarship to a university. Ideally, somewhere close enough to home to look after his sisters. But he never told anyone the truths of his household. He told everyone that his mother was traveling the world for her job. It wasn’t a lie but it was better than admitting to the truth: she went to start anew back in Osaka, remarried, and had twins with her younger boyfriend.

Yuta and his older sister Akira both took on part-time jobs so their younger sister Haine could perfect her piano skills. Their dad made enough to keep their home and their utilities afloat. But the things that were once guaranteed for them became luxuries they had to strive for. Akira delayed her college applications to get a part-time job to support her younger siblings and Yuta felt helpless.

But once senior year came around for Yuta, he just couldn’t take it anymore. He may have gotten the college scholarship and scouts were very keen to be in contact with him for postgraduate opportunities. But he had his family at the forefront of his mind.

Then, came Samantha.

Samantha was never shy about how she felt about Yuta. Yuta denied her advances a few times throughout their high school career. He didn’t have time for a relationship. Hook-ups, sure. But those were fleeting. And that was what made them ideal. Samantha thought she could convince him to change his mind but he made it clear from the start that he was strictly casual, never anything more than that.

However, he carefully harbored a huge crush on you. You were innocent and kind, blowing everyone away with your poetry in AP English and your motivation to join every club on campus. You were so bubbly and adorable, he could almost scream. You’d blossomed so much since middle school, becoming more secure with yourself that you finally let people around see the real you. You were sassy and when you rolled your eyes at something that annoyed you, Yuta would chuckle to himself. You had a fire inside of you that Yuta couldn’t wait to see you let shine through. He admired you from time to time in high school but he didn’t act on it until it was too late.

And when you weren’t interested, he thought, he realized that he needed to get back to dealing with his own issues. He shouldn’t daydream so much. There was too much at stake. And time was running out.

Samantha came up to Yuta after graduation and he was prepared to run in the other direction until she said,

“I have a proposition for you, Yuta. And I think you’re gonna want to hear it,” she said.

Her proposition was that she would help alleviate all of his family’s troubles. She wouldn’t stop there, though. She would put him in touch with top basketball teams before they graduated. Originally, Yuta was going to go to his second choice, the University of Miami because of his scholarship and so he could be close to his family. However, Samantha pulled several strings to fund his tuition to the University of Florida, his dream school. And she scored him a basketball scholarship he thought he lost out on. Samantha’s family would fund Akira and Haine’s college tuitions, wherever they wished to go. Yuta’s father could retire early, if they played their cards right.

“What’s the catch?” Yuta gaped, finding it hard to believe that this girl he only casually knew could be so generous.

“You would be mine,” she proclaimed shamelessly.

Yuta didn’t want his family to struggle anymore. He wanted his family to have a new beginning. And Samantha was dangling right in front of him in a neat little bow. He could make everyone happy.

He wasn’t keen on falling in love, really. Seeing as how his mother up and left, he had a hard time believing that he could find something like that. With Samantha, there was a physical attraction but there was no warmth. It was a relationship in which both parties would benefit. Yuta’s family’s future would be secured and Samantha could have...him.

Yuta’s professional life was on the rise. He was in the Miami Heat, earning several titles and awards. He scored several sponsorships and was recently offered his first movie role. Samantha’s father was one of the heads of Miami: basically, royalty. He opened doors for Yuta. Mr. Perez was more than obliged when he realized how happy Yuta made Samantha. Yuta refused to be a total sell-out, though. He worked twice as hard to prove that he deserved the jobs he was given.

When Yuta was officially in the limelight, that’s when his mother came back.

She claimed to be remorseful for all of the heartache she caused and she wanted to be in her children’s lives again.

The Nakamoto children saw right through her charade. At least, Mariya Hirai (formerly Nakamoto) had the decency to leave her husband and his half-siblings at the hotel the first day she met up with her children from her first marriage.

Mariya only resurfaced because she thought she too could bask in the glow of her son’s success.

After all, she did raise him (up until the age of fifteen when she ditched him).

And Samantha helped Yuta, then, proving that he could rely on her as his partner. She and Yuta told Mariya and her family to leave because the rest of Yuta’s family refused to acknowledge her.

Mariya begged for mercy. Her new family was in financial struggles. Samantha was about to tell her to fuck off and remind her of the irony: how Mariya left her family broken and struggling while she thought she could start over without them. Yuta, swallowing his pride, told them that he would help Mirai and his family. The Hirai family just had to leave and never come back.

And that worked surprisingly well.

Samantha had seen Yuta through his ups and downs and she wished she’d only helped him sooner. Yuta confided in her more so it gave Samantha hope that one day, he could truly open his heart to her: only her. Her father nudged Yuta to propose to Samantha. He knew it was his duty to Sam, her family, and especially, to his own.

He had everyone convinced that he was truly happy. And most of him was. Professionally, he was at the top of his game. His family was happy. His father remarried and retired. Akira was a successful biochemist. Haine was composing for Pixar movies. His family was safe and healthy.

But he was not in love with Samantha. He didn’t think he ever would be.

And well, he would just have to suck it up.

The engagement was highly profiled in all of the tabloids and social media. The Nakamoto-Perez wedding was the most anticipated event of the year. The idea of being committed to Samantha wasn’t that scary. He’d already been with her for almost eight years. The marriage was inevitable.

And then came the wedding singer.

Yuta was right about you. You glowed with charisma, grace, and confidence. He had no idea you were shitting bricks at seeing her ex-friend and that you also had a crush on him. You two were utter fools. But you couldn’t turn back the past.

And when you sang, Yuta’s heart simultaneously soared and shattered.

Seeing you again reminded him of the fact that he was entering a loveless marriage. He guarded his heart for so long. He and Samantha were aware of their partnership. He denied true love because he didn’t want to suffer at the hands of it. Not after what happened with his parents.

But seeing you at the rehearsals, at the coffee shop, and at Holy Hell nightclub...he started getting ideas into his head.

About you. About what his life would’ve been like if you two had confessed to each other at the right time.

For his own happiness should’ve meant more to him.

But he knew better. You were spoken for by his good friend...His best man, Taeyong Lee. And he couldn’t hurt either of you. You didn’t deserve it.

So Yuta helped you in ways he could. He invited the Epic Records executive to come see you. It was the least he could after you helped him with his wedding vows.

And Samantha was so insistent on putting you down: it killed Yuta, honestly. And when Sam reminded him so pointedly that he had trapped himself with her for life...something inside him snapped.

For once, he released his inhibitions and didn’t think. He didn’t restrain himself. And then came his next regret.

Yuta drank at Sooyoung’s wedding reception. He drowned his sorrows as he watched you and Taeyong enjoy the night together on the dance floor. How Yuta wished he could turn back time.

Perhaps there could’ve been another way to save his family and their future: without having to surrender his own happiness.

Yuta saw that Taeyong left you alone in the photo booth. Why would he do that? He should never want to leave your side. He should treasure you and kiss you every chance he got. What made Taeyong think he deserved to be with you?

Stumbling, Yuta made his way over to the photobooth. The curtain was half open so he saw your gorgeous hair run down past your chest and he licked his lips. Your lips were so soft…He had to know what they felt like. Just this once.

He opened the curtain completely. Seeing you make eye contact with him drove him crazy and he ran his hands through his hair. He smiled fondly at you, “Hey.”

You looked so concerned he wanted to hold you tight. “Yuta, are you okay? I-”

He couldn’t hold back anymore. He moved in and held your face as he kissed you, his tongue begging for entrance into your mouth.

You two heard the flashes from the camera. You panicked and pushed him away. He saw you cower in fear.

“Get off of me,” you said, harshly. You pushed

past him out of the booth.

“Y/n, come back! I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” Yuta said, pathetically.

Yuta should’ve known better. He let you and Taeyong down. He let Sam down. Even if he didn’t love her, he owed her his honesty and fidelity, at the very least.

He left the photo booth, feeling more sober all of a sudden.

Taeyong surprised him when he scared him from behind. Yuta jumped. “You are wasted,” Taeyong said, laughing, “You alright?”

Yuta nodded, working as hard as possible to look Taeyong in the eye but it was hard to meet those eyes. Taeyong was the kind of person who was very easy to confide in. If Taeyong knew Yuta had stabbed him in the back and made a move on his girl in one fell swoop, Yuta’s days would be numbered.

And he never wanted to bring Taeyong into his mess.

Taeyong patted Yuta in the back. “Sam’s gotta take you home. Listen, have you seen y/n? She’s not in the photo booth.”

Yuta thought about telling him right then and there. Just rip the bandage off, he deliberated. “Taeyong, I-”

“She went to the ladies’ room,” Samantha piped in as she walked up, scrolling through her phone. “She looked a little ill. I think you should check up on her.”

Taeyong’s eyes grew in concern. “Thanks Sam.” He ran off to find his girl.

Poor y/n, Yuta realized, what have I done?

“Idiot,” Samantha said without looking up at you.

Yuta frowned. “What?”

She held up a photostrip. “You left this behind.”

Yuta was confused and he took the photostrip. It was of you and him. He turned pale.

“Sam, I-” Yuta began.

She sighed. “I knew this would happen one day. I just figured it would be with someone worth crying over. But her? Yuta, you’ve disappointed me.”

“I’m sorry. I am so sorry, Samantha. I...I will do anything. Please don’t-”

“All is forgiven, my prince…” Samantha said as she wrapped her arms around him. “You’re mine. Always. Mistakes happen. But we will always have each other.”

Sam’s words may have sounded comforting to anyone else but it unsettled Yuta to the core.

;;

You ran to the girls’ room after leaving Yuta in the photo booth. What the hell just happened? You rinsed your mouth out at the sink and wiped your mouth repeatedly. Tears welled up in your eyes.

Taeyong was all you could think about. How would you be able to tell him this? It wasn’t your fault. What was Yuta thinking? How-

You heard a knock outside of the room. “Y/n? Baby, are you okay?” Taeyong’s normally soft voice was alarmed.

You fought back a sob and cleared your throat. “Yeah, I’m okay. I’ll come out in a minute.”

“Sam said you looked sick. What do you need? What can I do?” He asked. You wouldn’t be surprised if he entered at any second.

The sound of his voice was so comforting but you were scared. What would he do when you told him?

You took a couple of breaths and cleared your nose up. “I’m coming out. Hold on.”

You walked out of the room slowly to see Taeyong at the door. He was so...There weren’t enough words to describe how this man made you feel.

“Hey…” He said carefully. “What’s wrong?” He saw how red your eyes were. You looked stunned.

You shook your head and tried so hard to meet his eyes. But you couldn’t. It wasn’t even your fault but you felt ashamed.

“Taeyong, the thing is-” you began as you met his eyes, knowing you had to suck it up, tell him, and prepare for the worst if it came down to it.

Samantha interrupted, “I may have been a little harsh with her, earlier…”

Taeyong looked at Samantha in confusion. “What?”

“Y/n and I used to be good friends...And I...was feeling incredibly envious of her tonight so I...insulted her deeply. I said that she didn’t deserve you and that if it weren’t for you, she would be nothing.”

“What the hell?” Taeyong glared at his step-sister. “How could you?”

You had no idea what was going on. Why was Sam saying these things? She thought Taeyong would be the last person to hear about the insults Samantha threw at you. It was almost as if…

She was covering for you.

But...why?

“I was fucking jealous, Taeyong. This girl comes into our lives only months ago and now she’s everywhere...I...miss spending time with you and Yuta. Just the three of us.” She glares at you. Finally, something real. “Without her.” Very convincing.

That was the most sincere she’s been. The most effective way to tell a lie is to feature a little of the truth in it.

“Sam...I can’t let you treat y/n like that. It needs to stop. I love y/n. You have to respect that,” Taeyong said as he wrapped an arm around you.

Samantha sighed as she rolled her eyes. “I know that. I’m sorry. To both of you.” She met your gaze, then. “I’m so sorry for giving you a hard time.”

Taeyong squeezed you tightly. You started, about to tell Taeyong the truth. “Wait a minute. I-”

“Taeyong, I need to speak to y/n about something urgent. It’s business-related,” Samantha requested.

Taeyong nodded, eyeing her. “Be nice.”

She sighed. “I’ll be perfectly pleasant.”

Taeyong whispered in your ear. “I’ll bring the car around to take you home.”

Samantha said immediately after. “Let’s go.” She grabbed your arm and pulled you to the lobby of the hotel.

You sat together on the loveseat. “Samantha, what’s going on?”

“I know you and Yuta kissed-”

“He kissed ME. I did not...What?!” You paled just like Yuta had.

She continued as she admired her nails. “It doesn’t matter. The wedding was almost jeopardized because of this. I don’t need you running your mouth to Taeyong about what happened.”

You gaped. “What?”

Samantha’s sharp eyes met yours, then. “Yuta and I are getting married. Nothing. No one. Not you. Not even Yuta is going to get in the way of our happiness.”

“Why would you want to marry Yuta when he just cheated on you?” You asked. Had Sam lost her mind?

“He was bound to cheat on me eventually...But he would still be mine,” she said, calmly. Not even a flinch.

“Sam…” You said, feeling a sudden ache in your chest.

“No. No. None of that ‘Sam’. Don’t give me that look of PITY.”

“You don’t have to do this. We may have our differences for God knows what reason but...I don’t want you to marry someone who would hurt you like this…”

“That’s none of your concern, y/n. Take your sympathy and shove it up your glorified asshole.”

You lifted your brows. “Fine. I won’t feel sorry for you. Now I’m wondering...You hate me. This is the perfect opportunity for you to get rid of me. Why not tell Taeyong about the kiss? You couldn’t have done it for me.” The last sentence was meant to get a laugh.

“Get real. I didn’t do it for you, y/n. I’m doing this for Yuta. You think my family would let me marry Yuta if they found out about his...indiscretion?” She asked you.

“Huh?”

Samantha explained her arrangement with Yuta that began at high school graduation. You knew what was at stake. Yuta’s future. Yuta’s family. It explained why Yuta was reluctant about marrying Sam but he wasn’t doing anything to stop it. Now, you were pinned up against a wall.

“If Taeyong finds out about this...not only will my entire family know….All of Yuta’s opportunities will go down the drain. His name will be dragged through the mud. His family’s name will be destroyed. His father’s livelihood will be compromised. My family is just that good, y/n.”

You couldn’t say anything.

“I have to protect him. I love him, y/n. I gave him everything. I would hate for all of that to get taken away from him because of one little mistake. Which is why I beg you to keep your mouth shut.”

You couldn’t imagine lying to Taeyong but you also didn’t expect the reality of Sam and Yuta’s relationship to come to light at this moment. If you say something, Yuta’s life could be ruined.

“I know Yuta doesn’t love me, y/n…”

Sam’s voice cracked. “But one day, he could...We owe it to ourselves to try.”

You remembered when you asked Yuta why he was marrying Samantha if he didn’t love her. He told you, “I think I could love her...someday.”

This was insane. You were stuck. But...part of you already knew what you had to do.

;;

Taeyong drove you home and you were mostly quiet, deliberating over how you were going to tell him.

“You sure you don’t want me to stay the night?” Taeyong asked as he turned into your driveway. “I can take care of you. I’ll even brush your teeth for you.” He pouted, knowing how much his facial expressions softened you up.

Damn it, he was making this so hard.

“Taeyong,” you started slowly.

“Yes?” He said as he ran his fingers through your hair.

“I’m so sorry,” you started, “I...can’t do this...anymore…”

He smiled in confusion. “What are you talking about?”

“We need to break up,” you said.

Taeyong felt his world crashing down. “y/n, stop messing with me. You’re being mean.”

You sighed, releasing the words you rehearsed in your mind before you met up with him to take you home and on the car ride over. “I..can’t leave Miami...My singing career is my priority and I owe so much to you. You’ve made me so happy...But I can’t take advantage of you anymore. It’s not right.”

He laughed humorlessly. “What are you saying? You have never taken advantage of me.”

“I need to figure out my next step on my own. And so do you. Your dreams are in LA. And for now, I’m meant to be here in Miami. I can’t hold you back.”

Taeyong’s eyes began to water at your dismissive tone. “You’re not holding me back. We can do long distance. I respect that you want to stay here but we can make it work. I travel all the time, anyway. We can still be together,” he pleaded, hopeful.

“No, Taeyong,” you said as you looked down at your lap.

He scoffed. “You can’t be serious. You love me. I love you. What happened, y/n? I don’t understand.”

You couldn’t help the tears that fell. You couldn’t tell Taeyong that Yuta kissed you to protect Yuta’s family. You couldn’t continue in a relationship with Taeyong if you had to keep this betrayal bottled up. And maybe Samantha was right all along. Even if you didn’t sign with any of the labels Taeyong invited that night, you would’ve relied on him one way or another. Taeyong would insist because he was so good to you. No matter how small the favor, it would have bothered you, though. You didn’t want to believe that you had taken advantage of him or that one day you would.

And to hide the fact that Yuta kissed you? Taeyong had every right to know the truth...Since your hands were tied, you couldn’t tell him. You couldn’t keep being with this incredible man if you couldn’t be honest with him. It would make you rot from the inside out. Taeyong deserved complete honesty. And you couldn’t even give that to him.

You had to let him go. And you had to push him away. You didn’t deserve him.

“Taeyong, music is the most important thing to me. And I will be forever thankful for everything you’ve done for me. But I can’t keep this up anymore. I’m not signing with any of the labels...It wouldn’t be fair to you. I have to work my way up on my own. And that means staying in Miami for now.”

“y/n, please look me in the eyes,” he took a hold of your hands. “I can wait for you.”

“Don’t,” you said, harshly. You were shaking.

“You can’t do this to me. To us. Please,” Taeyong begged.

You sobbed, then. “I’m sorry.” You said as you let go and left Taeyong in his car, shattered.

You unlocked the door to your apartment and slammed it shut. You couldn’t risk turning around and taking it all back. One look into Taeyong’s puppy dog eyes and you surely would’ve gone down on your knees and begged him to take you back. You’ve done enough damage. You hated yourself, then. You hurt him deeply. But it was the only way for him to let you go. You just hoped that he could find happiness when he left for LA. Meet a nice girl who didn’t take advantage of him and who could give him everything he deserves.

Someone Yuta wouldn’t kiss so she wouldn’t be at a crossroads.

Someone Samantha couldn’t blackmail.

To hope for Taeyong’s forgiveness would be selfish but you prayed for it.

And you prayed that the Nakamoto-Perez wedding would go by quickly so you can never see any of these people again.

-To Be Continued in Part 5-

129 notes · View notes

celestialmark · 5 years

Text

Solitude - Part One

Characters: Mark Lee x reader, members of nct

Genre: sniper!mark, mafia au

Word count: 5.1k

Warnings: mentions of death, alcohol, cursing

Author’s note: I've never written anything like this before- but I do hope you enjoy!!

A bead of sweat trickles down the side of Mark’s face and it leaves a subtle trail on his skin, a rare indication of his nerves. Mark hated it. He hated feeling nervous because the feeling was unfamiliar to him, especially on occasions like these, where he’s aligning his viewer to the target. With one eye shut tight, he uses his other to navigate to the precise area he wants his bullet to penetrate. He sucks in a huge breath and tightens his palms around his weapon, exerting all his unnecessary nerves into it so that it leaves no room for second-guesses and doubts in his turbulent mind.

Mark was notorious for his one-shot kills. And the secret to that was to have a perfectly clear mind. And knowing that he was nowhere near achieving that today, drives him to think for the first time ever, that he might actually miss.

But Mark lives up to his reputation when he pulls the trigger after eons of perfecting his centre, the silence boring into his ears, his adrenaline rush pushing him to the edge. It isn’t long before the bullet flies, whizzing through the air in a crazy speed, the initial screech of it being launched deafening Mark momentarily before it disappears into thin air like it never happened. It’s a mere second before the crowd below breaks in a frantic, people running and screaming left and right and in all sorts of directions at the sight of the person at the centre of all the attention having collapsed out of nowhere, bright red blood seeping through clothes. Security comes to aid but the damage has already been done.

Mark shoots you.

And it just so happens, that he doesn’t miss today.

“Mission clear,” Donghyuck, the one who catches your body, speaks discretely into the mic attached to his ear, his words transcending to other members of his team disguised as the target’s security just like he is. “Jeno, clear the target. Mark should be down soon.” The said boy scurries to carry the lifeless body out of the scene, away from the eyes of the press who are shaking in fear, seeking shelter in any direction possible while the police who had arrived prior, attempt to handle the mess. Police surround the area and its vicinity, exerting useless efforts to catch the culprit who by now has successfully returned to the vehicle he left before situating himself on the rooftop.

Mark is already preparing to drive the van parked just metres away from the location of the commotion, when Jeno arrives to dispatch your now blood-soaked body at the back seat. From the rear-view mirror, Mark catches Jeno’s eyes for a second and Jeno nods curtly before sliding the door shut, leaving Mark to rev the engine and zoom into the distance. He’s still sweating and by now his fingers have begun to tremble. But he shakes it off, focusing all his attention on ensuring he escapes with you.

“Johnny!” Mark yells as he bangs on the door with his foot. “Johnny!” he calls again, desperation and haste in his thick voice. “I swear to God Johnny—“

Mark is about to kick the door open when Johnny finally comes into view after unlocking the door. His disheveled hair and the wrinkle in his clothes tell Mark that the elder had been in deep sleep prior to his arrival. Johnny’s eyes that’s squinting to adjust to light immediately widen when he takes in the sight of Mark carrying your barely breathing body. Mark follows Johnny’s eyes and find your eyes rolling back, occasional breaths heavy and uneven, both of your shoulders rising and falling each and every time you draw in air with much difficulty. Your clothes are soaked with blood and even with the temporary patch Mark put on your wound to prevent even more bleeding, the gushing would not stop.

“What the fuck— what is this?” Johnny asks, fully awake, stepping aside to let Mark into his place. Johnny glances outwards in all directions to ensure no one witnessed Mark’s frantic screaming before closing the door shut.

Mark lays your body on Johnny’s trolley in his makeshift clinic, a home for all the wounded members of their gang. Mark tears your blouse open to inspect the damage he caused, eyebrows furrowed and jaw taught. He grabs a nearby gauze to press on the wound, replacing the old one, and it elicits a grimace from you, although a very weak response.

Johnny already has gloves on when he comes beside Mark, examining you from head to toe so that he could formulate a plan. Things were not looking good. You were borderline turning purple and you were struggling to breathe. “How long has she been out for?”

“A little over thirty minutes,” Mark says curtly, eyes trained on you. “I brought her here as soon as she was shot.”

Mark knows there’s questions boring at the back of Johnny’s head and he really didn’t have the time for that now so when his friend doesn’t press on the matter, he silently thanks the heavens. “Mark, she’s lost too much blood. We need to get her at least two units and I don’t have any here. I don’t even know what her blood type is—“

“She’s AB,” Mark interrupts, limbs growing weak by the second at the sight of you clinging onto your dear life but his voice firm and clear. “I’m A. Take some from me. Now.”

Mark finds himself lying on another trolley Johnny pushed beside yours earlier. There’s a dull pain radiating from his right arm, right where the needle’s poking him, drawing his blood and transfusing it directly into you as Johnny tends to your wound. The oxygen mask Johnny has put on you is barely assisting in making your lungs inflate and deflate but you’re way more relaxed now that he’s downed your system with anaesthetics and sedation. He keeps a close eye on you and switches his attention between the monitor above your head, and on Mark who’s just staring straight into the ceiling, focusing on the subtle flicker of the lightbulb that lights up the whole room.

An echo of a clang resonates in the room and Mark knows Johnny has retrieved the bullet he mercilessly penetrated you with an hour ago, placing it to the metal kidney dish. He brings himself to look to his right, to your almost lifeless body, guilt gnawing at him more than he would ever admit. Mark’s beginning to feel dizzy, maybe from the fatigue with a combination of him presently losing blood, but he fights to stay awake, to ensure that he hears Johnny say you’re going to be okay.

It takes Johnny another good fifteen minutes to successfully stitch all the damage up. And another five minutes for him to settle Mark’s silent concerns.

“She’s doing okay for now. But we’ll have to keep a close eye.”

“Where the fuck is Mark?”

Donghyuck raises the phone to his ear for the umpteenth time, dialling the man in question’s number. He lets out a frustrated groan, having not seen his friend since this afternoon’s events and now, being unable to reach him with no knowledge of his whereabouts whatsoever.

“Why are you so worried? Mark always does his job fine,” Renjun, who’s sitting in the corner of the room, feet resting up on the table, says nonchalantly, unfazed by his friend’s unnecessary behaviour.

“Mark isn’t the type keep us in the dark,” Donghyuck retaliates, his forefinger finding its way to his temple to ease an impending headache. “Did he say anything before he left?” Donghyuck asks, turning to Jeno.

Jeno, attention solely on the articles flooding his laptop from today’s shooting, a result of his skills, briefly glances at Donghyuck before shifting his eyes to his screen again, shakes his head curtly, “Nope.”

“Then where could he be?” Donghyuck asks into the void, knowing all too well he wasn’t going to receive a decent answer any time soon.

Jaemin hops off the table he’s been sitting on and walks over to Donghyuck, patting his shoulder to hopefully calm his stress. “On a good note, the whole country thinks y/n is dead.” Jeno looks up from his laptop and nods his head, confirming the truth to Jaemin’s words after scanning all the news headlines with you on the covers.

“We’d be sure of that if Mark picked up his bloody phone,” Donghyuck prods, gripping his phone tight, still on edge, even when he knew there was no need to be because what Renjun had said earlier was right.

Renjun frowns, growing impatient at Donghyuck’s temper. “Mark never misses. He wouldn’t start now. And you were there yourself, you saw how he shot right at her heart. Just how he always does.”

Donghyuck rolls his eyes, “Whatever.”

Renjun has already risen from his seat and is ready to storm towards Donghyuck in fury when Jaemin purposefully impedes his way, preventing him from advancing further. Jaemin stares into Renjun’s eyes and once he’s sure he’s gotten his attention, he shakes his head to warn Renjun not to start any petty exchange.

The door to their headquarters suddenly open harshly, the steel material making a disturbing bang when it hits the wall from being swung too strongly. By the doorway reveals Taeyong; the very man in charge, the man who has everyone shaking under his mercy. Jeno immediately stands from the couch, fixing his clothes in the process while the others straighten themselves, unconsciously falling next to one another.

“Good job boys!” Taeyong’s voice booms through the room, clapping his hands three times, looking genuinely pleased with a menacing grin hanging on the corner of his lips. “A well executed job done today.” Taeyong scans the place and then lands his eyes on the boys who are staring at the ground. “Oh? Where’s Mark?”

There’s silence that hangs in the air for what seems like centuries and Donghyuck is about to open his mouth to say something, most probably a lie that he can come up with the quickest, but doesn’t get the chance to speak when Taeyong shakes his head, “Doesn’t matter. He can do whatever he wants. He did his part today.” Taeyong nods and exhales a breath, reaching out to tap Donghyuck’s shoulders firmly. “Go out and celebrate. You deserve it,” he winks.

Once Taeyong leaves and is out of sight, the four instantly relax, their shoulders drooping slightly, letting go of the breaths they held. Jaemin rests his arms on Donghyuck and Renjun’s shoulders, a grin forming on his lips, “Well? You heard the man. Let’s celebrate? Where should we go?”

“The usual?” Jeno suggests from beside Donghyuck who still hasn’t looked away from the door Taeyong has just disappeared to.

“I’m good with anything,” Renjun says, shrugging his shoulders.

“What about you Hyuck?” Jaemin asks, turning to his left.

“Nowhere until I find Mark,” he says shortly.

Renjun rolls his eyes while Jeno blinks. “Why are you so concerned with Mark anyways?” Jaemin asks curiously. “He’s probably gotten rid of y/n’s body since ages ago and is most likely catching up on his sleep. All the planning for today did tire everyone out.”

Donghyuck turns his head to Jaemin and Renjun, after glancing at Jeno, his features still rigid and have never relaxed since the day began. “You haven’t noticed anything about Mark?”

Renjun raises a brow, “What?”

“Something’s been off,” Donghyuck admits, blinking into the distance.

“Maybe you’re just overthinking,” Jaemin pipes up, letting go of Renjun so that he can ruffle Donghyuck’s hair. “Come on, a few drinks will surely help ya.”

“Go on, I know you have a million questions to ask,” Mark says, voice low and eyes fixated onto the blood staining his hands, running them under hot water to remove the remnants of today’s events.

“You missed her heart,” Johnny points out, not even glancing at Mark, the unusual observation, let alone the younger bringing his very victim, confusing him to his wits end. Mark stills, his hands freezing in their spot before resuming. “It’s unlikely of you.”

Johnny momentarily halts putting his equipment away on the counter, opens his mouth to say something, but closes them just as fast and proceeds to clean. “And I do have questions. But I know you. You’d be talking by now if you wanted to tell me,” Johnny pauses and contemplates what he’s going to say, quietly sensing the younger’s inner dilemmas through the distraught in his eyes. “So no, I’m not going to ask. You don’t want me to.”

Mark turns the tap off and it emits a low screech. Setting his hands on the edges of the sink, he lets out a sigh, his head dropping low. Johnny was right. He didn’t want to talk about it because if he was honest, he wouldn’t know where to begin. He’s mulled over today’s happenings a million times over in his head and no matter how hard he recalculates his actions, he really couldn’t find a better alternative that could possibly result to an ideal outcome, maybe one that involved him avoiding hurting you in any way or form. But that was his job. He was set out for that task. And he knew better than anyone else that once he’s given orders from the higher ups, there was no asking questions nor objections.

Mark comes back to earth when he feels a palm on his shoulder, squeezing it lightly, “Take it easy, okay? Rest up while you wait for her to wake up. She should be awake soon,” Johnny smiles gently before he’s leaving the room.

Mark takes Johnny’s advice and grabs a chair, lifting it across the room and placing it right beside where you’re sleeping. He stares at you for a few seconds before bringing his head down, fiddling with his fingers and letting his thoughts drown out the constant beeping of the machine monitoring your progress. He realises he doesn’t have much of a plan, unsure of what to do or what to tell you once you awoke from your unconscious state. All he knew was that he needed to save you. He leans forward in his seat, resting his arms on the trolley beside your body. He rests his head on his arm then, closes his eyes and falls asleep slowly, with you being the last thing he sees before exhaustion consumes him.

After an hour, you wake up to an ache in your head, your eyes fluttering open with much difficulty and immediately squinting them shut when they’re met by light from the ceiling. You inhale a breath and that’s when you become aware of the oxygen mask wrapped around your head and also of the stinging pain shooting up on your left chest. The gush of pain makes you groan lowly, your breathing becoming a little heavier as you wait for it to subside. But it doesn’t and it makes breathing a heavy effort. In no less than a minute, a tear rolls down the side of your face, slowly recollecting brief images of what had happened before you passed out. You remember being on the verge of fainting, most likely from the lack of sleep, stress and pressure from being in front of the public’s eyes for as long as you can remember, and then falling apart together because of a bullet. Another painful groan leaves your lips when you try to rise from where you’re lying only to fall back again when the pain intensifies.

You notice then a sleeping figure by your side, who has now woken up because of your haste movements, staring at you with wide eyes and raised brows. It takes him a moment to say something, eyes merely blinking at you who’s struggling to breathe. “Y/n?” He finally speaks out, voice a little hoarse from his sleep. “Are you okay?”

Your head falls back down, eyes darting to the ceiling above, an exasperated breath escaping your lips, your hands balling into fists. “S-sore..” You croak helplessly. “It hurts.”

The stranger switches his gaze to your face and then to your wound and then back and forth a few more times before he’s scrambling off his chair, running into a direction you don’t see. You hear him distantly calling out to someone in another room before he reappears again, his figure now towering over you. He seems to be in a panic, his hands flailing in the air, not knowing what to do to be of any help to you. Another pain shoots up your wound and it travels down to your whole body, making you hiss. You reach your left hand out to anything you can grab a hold of and it lands on the stranger’s arm. You clutch it, not even caring whether you were exerting too much force or not, whether you were hurting him or not, your mind too focused on distracting you from the pain.

He doesn’t back away nor removes your grasp on him, instead, he places his other hand on top of yours, the warmth of his skin comforting you in some way. And if that wasn’t enough, he begins to rub the back of your hand with his thumb in a slow, rhythmic manner, your whole attention now focused on the feeling of his touch. It’s helping. But it’s not enough.

It’s not long before another figure appears beside him, his stature a lot taller with soft eyes. “Hey hey,” he speaks gently, assessing you from head to toe before landing his eyes longer onto the monitor above your head. “How’s the pain?”

“Terrible,” you croak in between breaths. “I can’t breathe.”

The tall man nods and shuffles off to somewhere before coming back to where he was in a heartbeat, this time with something that looks like a syringe in his hand. “I’m gonna give you a strong painkiller okay? It’s gonna make you a little drowsy but should make the pain better.” You barely manage a nod before he’s injecting it into your line you didn’t notice before.

True to his words, the pain subsides little by little and it pulls you back into another slumber. “I’m Johnny,” you hear him say, adjusting another drip he’s connecting you to. “You’re going to be okay.” He smiles at you again, his eyes disappearing in the process and it convinces you to believe his words. Taking one last glance at your monitor, he leaves the room, but not before nodding at the stranger who hasn’t ceased on holding your hand.

You’re falling asleep again and you’re staring hard at the stranger who’s now looking at you, concern evident in his eyes that’s boring into yours. You can’t get your words out, your eyelids getting heavier by the second but you so badly want to know his name because even though you’ve never ever seen him in your life before, you feel good in his presence. Your eyes are shutting, breathing becoming even and steady, but before you become unconscious altogether, you vaguely hear him say something as if reading your mind,

“Mark. My name’s Mark.”

“Quit it already!” Jaemin reprimands, taking Donghyuck’s phone away from his grasp. “For goodness sake Hyuck, loosen up a little!”

Donghyuck glares at Jaemin who’s tucking his phone away in his pocket before surrendering and leaning forward on the counter of the bar they frequented. “Fine,” he says as he takes a sip of the drink Jaemin had ordered for him earlier.

“Finally!” Renjun exclaims, throwing his hands up in the air to which Jeno grins.

“Should we make a toast?” Jaemin suggests, already reaching for his glass. The three follow suit, everyone grinning to themselves happily, remembering the success they attained during the day after excruciating months of preparation. “To future kills!

“To future kills!” The three re-echo, clinking their glasses together and downing each of their respective drinks like a champion, only to grimace afterwards at the after taste.

“Wow I can’t believe it’s really done,” Renjun says, playing with his glass. “Feels like it was just yesterday we were stressing about it.”

Jaemin nods in agreement, resting his chin on his palm, “Probably the hardest thing we’ve had to do so far. I mean killing someone in public with so many watching.. That’s not easy.”

“We could’ve gotten caught so easily,” Donghyuck points out.

“But we didn’t!” Jaemin claps his hands, landing a palm on Jeno’s shoulder. “All thanks to Jeno’s sick hacking skills, Mark’s perfect aim, and our convincing disguises as y/n’s security. Teamwork makes the dream work!” Jaemin winks.

Renjun rolls his eyes, “Lame.”

“So what now?” Jeno asks. “Now that it’s over, what now?”

“We get our money back,” Renjun replies curtly. “Remember the money her parents stole? We get that back.”

Donghyuck clucks his tongue, “Don’t know how that’s going to work now that they’re all dead though. I feel like Taeyong just wanted them dead merely for revenge.”

“Could we not just take their money and go?” Jaemin asks, disappointment hinted in his voice.

“Not unless Jeno can hack his way through,” Donghyuck answers. “I mean it was already hard getting into her world and pretending to be her guards.”

There’s silence for a while, each of the boys getting lost in their own thought before Jeno breaks it.

“Gotta give it to Mark though,” he speaks for the first time tonight. “I’ve never seen him practice his shooting so hard before. He already knows he’s good.”

Donghyuck ponders on the thought, his mind wandering to Mark again and the worry of not being able to get to him. “Just goes to show how this whole thing has been stressful for him too,” Jaemin offers.

“And he did have the most vital role today,” Donghyuck adds.

Renjun shrugs, “Guess his practicing paid off then. He got his target right where he wanted.”

Jeno is about to say something about what he observed weeks back but chooses to drop the topic when Jaemin switches to another one altogether. The four of them fall into conversation just like that, boisterous laughter erupting when alcohol completely takes over their systems. Donghyuck, who’s been on edge the whole day, even after the success of their mission, forgets about Mark completely, allowing all of what he’s downing relieve him of the stress that’s been eating him up alive for so long.

“Is this all Jeno’s doing?” Johnny asks, scrolling through countless of pages containing different articles which all have the same topic on its headlines: your assassination and death. It’s been twenty four hours and the occurrences of yesterday has been the only focus of media outlets.

Mark nods absentmindedly, merely glancing at what the elder’s reading before trailing his eyes back on you, still unconscious on the trolley. “He’s getting better and better,” Johnny comments, clicking on and scanning random articles Jeno had created that seemed so real and convincing. “I’m guessing the others think y/n is dead too then?”

Mark nods again, feeling a little less on edge when he studies the steady pattern of your breathing. “I was asked to get rid of her body after I shot her.”

“Oh man, I’d be well convinced she was gone too if I’d read these,” Johnny says, still so fascinated at the skill Jeno has perfected over the years. “And of course if she wasn’t in front of me.”

Mark remains silent, still waiting for Johnny to break the ice and go ahead in asking the big question. But he doesn’t ask even then, still choosing to avoid the topic like a plague and directing the conversation elsewhere. “Don’t think this is going to sit well with Taeyong though.”

Mark tries not to shudder at the chilling thought and though he knows out of all people that what Johnny had said was true, he’d be lying if he said it had occurred to him, too carried away in the moment, too focused on putting your life on the line just to save it in the end. “Yeah, it won’t,” he mumbles, eyes never leaving you.

Jonny says something but Mark doesn’t quite hear when he’s already leaving his spot beside the elder, realising you’re waking up from your slumber. You’re blinking your eyes to adjust to the light when Mark comes into your peripheral vision until he’s completely all you can see. “Hey,” he says softly, eyes warm and gentle. “How are you feeling?”

“Better,” you manage to reply, lifting your hand to take off your oxygen mask that’s making communication difficult. “Still painful. But a lot better.”

Johnny is beside Mark in no time just as Mark takes the mask from you and when he examines the monitor again, he looks down at you and smiles, “Your numbers look good. Would you like another painkiller? Maybe a milder one?”

You realise you don’t know anything about anyone in this room apart from their names and in a normal situation, this would be alarming to you. But somehow, for the first time in a while, you’re not fearing for your life even though you’re surrounded by complete strangers. “Y-yeah, that’d be great, thanks,” you croak.

Johnny disappears again and Mark darts his eyes elsewhere when silence falls upon the both of you. “Mark?” you call out, praying to the heavens your memory didn’t fail you to save you from embarrassment. You almost exhale a breath of relief when he turns to you, responding to his name with curious eyes. “What happened? Where are we?”

Mark’s eyes widen for a split second, something you could have easily missed had you not been staring at him all this while. He blinks a couple times, avoids your gaze for another few seconds before finally returning his eyes on you, “Um— What do you remember last y/n?”

You rest your eyes by closing them as you rack your brain for any recollections of the day before blacking out. “The press conference— I remember a lot of cameras, and a lot of people. That’s it. The next thing I can remember is security carrying me out before I passed out.”

Johnny returns and exchanges a quick glance with Mark before injecting another painkiller into your line. You open your eyes when you feel Johnny fiddle with your line and see Mark still staring at you with a glint in his eyes you can’t quite put a name on. He’s about to speak when a vivid image from your memory comes back to you, “Donghyuck!” you almost exclaim and it grabs Johnny’s attention too, now staring at you also. “I remember one of the security’s name was Donghyuck.. I heard someone calling his name. I believe he carried me out. And I remember a Jeno too. I think Jeno was the last person I’d seen before blacking out.”

“Had you seen those people before?” Mark asks, testing your memory and clarifying how much you know. Johnny looks at Mark wearily before returning his attention to you.

You shake your head, “No. I don’t think so.” You look down at your wound, where the pain is coming from and then back up at Mark. “I’ve been shot. Right?”

Mark hesitates. But nods.

“Do you know who shot me? Is it the same person who’s been sending me death threats?” You ask again, not really knowing why you would ask a complete stranger something he might not even have answers to. A thought occurs to you then. Why were you so open to someone you’d just met? For all you knew, this person could be trying to kill you too. But you decide against it, your desperation driving you to trust Mark, probably the only person you could trust right now despite not knowing a thing about him. Besides, he saved your life, right?

Instincts. Your gut tells you to. And your guts were never wrong.

Mark raises a brow, a frown lining his forehead, the mention of death threats catching him off guard. The definitely was not his group’s doing, “Death threats? Someone’s been threatening to kill you?”

“Yeah,” you nod slowly. “Ever since—“

A series of nasty bangs against the door prevents you from speaking further, all of you immediately snapping your head to the direction of the frantic knocks. “Johnny!!” Someone screams, the volume of their voice traveling to reach your location. Mark and Johnny look at each other, a hint of confusion and alarm flashing in their orbs before Johnny’s jogging away to check the culprit.

“Who’s that?” You ask, your heartbeat unknowingly picking up its pace, the numbers on the monitor reflecting your internal panic. You watch Mark seemingly formulate a plan silently in his head when he walks in circles beside your bed. “Mark, what’s happening?”

Johnny’s by the doorway and calls out to Mark, eyebrows meeting in the middle and his features stern, “You have to get her out of here.” Johnny glances at you, “Now.”

Mark doesn’t spare any time when he quickly detaches you from wires you were connected to, pulling at different places, his hands moving in a blur. “You think you can walk?” He asks, not even looking at you, utterly focused on disconnecting you to everything that’s keeping you from leaving.

“W-What’s happening Mark?” Seeing Mark in a frantic makes you fearful and he could tell by the way your voice had begun to shake and quieten down.

Mark stops then. He looks at you, your fearful eyes reflecting onto his rigid ones. “Listen to me carefully okay,” his voice suddenly becoming stern and low. “You’re not safe here. I’ll answer your questions later but I’m going to need you to come with me,” Mark says, his eyes not wavering from yours.

Mark sees your uncertainty and he feels you tremble under his touch when he holds both of your shoulders. “I know you’re scared and I’m a stranger to you. But I need you to trust me,” he pauses, giving your shoulders a light squeeze.

“I’ll keep you safe, I promise.”

Mark laughs at himself mentally. How contradicting of him to say that when he was the very one behind your current state.

You put your whole life in Mark’s hands when you give him a nod, a silent signal for him to whisk you away from here, to wherever “safe” was. And that’s all Mark needed because he’s already lifting you off the trolley and carrying you into his arms.

Mark knows he has to tell you the truth soon. Though he didn’t know what or how much to tell you yet, he had to tell you soon.

But not today.

Not yet.

981 notes · View notes

jidai · 4 years

Text

tagged games 😘

if you’re tagged, feel free to do whichever you want, or don’t. whatever y’all like! hehe <3

1. tagged by @wolfamongthem @zenien and @kozuuki (thank you anna, selm, and ale!)

Rules: MAKE A NEW POST, bold what applies to you and tag whoever you want to get to know better.

Appearance

I’m an I-need-to-pull-the-driver-seat-all-the-way-in kind of a person // i wear glasses or contacts // i have blonde hair // i prefer loose clothing to tight clothing // i have one or more piercings // i have at least one tattoo // i have blue eyes // i have dyed or highlighted my hair // i have gotten plastic surgery // i have or had braces // i sunburn easily // i have freckles // i paint my nails // i wear makeup // i don’t often smile // i am pleased with how I look // I prefer nike to adidas // i wear baseball hats backward

Hobbies & Talents

i play a sport // i can play an instrument // i am artistic // i know more than one language // i have won a trophy in some sort of competition // i can cook or bake without a recipe // i know how to swim // i enjoy writing // i can do origami // i prefer movies to tv shows // i can execute a perfect somersault // i enjoy singing // i could survive in the wild on my own // i have read a new book series this year // i enjoy spending time with friends // i travel during school or work breaks // i can do a handstand

Relationships

i am in a relationship // i have a crush // i have a best friend i have known for ten years // my parents are together // i have dated my best friend // i am adopted // my crush has confessed to me // i have a long-distance relationship // i am an only child // i give advice to my friends // i have made an online friend // i met up with someone i have met online

Aesthetic

i have heard the ocean in a conch shell // i have watched the sunrise // i enjoy rainy days // i have slept under the stars // i meditate outside // the sound of chirping calms me // i enjoy the smell of the beach // i know what snow tastes like // i listen to music to fall asleep // i enjoy thunderstorms // i enjoy cloud watching // i have attended a bonfire // i pay close attention to colors // i find mystery in the ocean // i enjoy hiking on nature paths // autumn is my favourite season

Misc

i can fall asleep in a moving vehicle // i am the mom friend // i live by a certain quote // i like the smell of sharpies // i am involved in extracurricular activities // i enjoy mexican food // i can drive a stick-shift // i believe in true love // i make up scenarios to fall asleep // i sing in the shower // i wish i lived in a video game // i have a canopy above my bed // i am multiracial // i am a redhead // i own at least one dog // i have a cat

2. tagged by @n5fw and @kozuuki (thank u kiara and ale <3)

this or that tag game

3. tagged by @zenien (thanks selm!)

indoor plants or gardens // cloud-watching or star-gazing // water or fire // paperback or hardcover // running or hiking // sleeping with socks or without socks // fruit or vegetables // hanging plants or succulents // dark wood or light wood // handwritten or typed // instagram or pinterest // braids or pigtails // books or movies // oceans or meadows // forests or fields // sweet or salty // ice cream or chocolate // hoodies or sweaters // long hair or short hair // piercings or tattoos // summer or winter // boots or sneakers // cars or motorcycles // curls or straight hair // castles or cottages // sunny days or storms // reptiles or birds // disney or nickelodeon // strawberries or watermelon // essays or posters // phones or laptops // glass or stone // dark or light // photos or paintings // circuses or theaters // reading or writing // dogs or cats // poetry or novels // monsters or ghosts // thrift shops or libraries // fiction or non-fiction

4. tagged by @zenien (thanks se-)

Rules: Post your first twenty songs in a playlist on shuffle

1999 wildfire by brockhampton

dayfly by DEAN, SULLI, Rad Museum

long flight by taeyong

never grow up by CHANMINA

MOIL by keina suda

inferno by Mrs. GREEN APPLE

caffeine by kiro akiyama

astroboy. by suggi

amor fati by epik high, kim jong wan

belong to you by sabrina claudio, 6LACK

take off by 2PM

SANTA MONICA by aries

eleven by khalid, summer walker

colors of the heart by UVERworld

what 2 do by DEAN, crush, jeff bernat

humor by king gnu

SUGAR remix by brockhampton, dua lipa

DADDY! DADDY! DO! by masayuki suzuki, airi suzuki

wonderland by DREAMCATCHER

say so by doja cat

5. tagged by @wolfamongthem (thank u anna!!)

Post one picture from my camera roll (no new downloads) to sum up my personality!

i’m tagging: @rokuseis @technolyzed @elriccs @lethes @aanyaforger @lieberts

#tagged #long post #do it jelena u old coot

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celestaeil · 4 years

Text

When NCT 127 likes you + How would they confess.

Enjoy Reading! :D

TAEIL:

A rumor was going around the campus that you like Taeil. He would probably be shy and all. Tries to avoid you because he doesnt know what to do if you’re near. and not because he doesnt feel the same way but because he likes you too and the thought of you liking him sparks him in the deepest of his heart. He would feel butterflies in his stomach every time you’re around and wont stop thinking about you. He’s the type to not tell anyone about his feelings and try to resolve it by himself but his friends can clearly see that Taeil wants you to be his.

So one time when he and his friends saw you at the cafeteria alone. One of them yelled “Hey Y/N! Taeil likes you too!”. Many people heard it, you felt embarassed so you ran away. Meanwhile, Taeil’s friends pushed him that he should follow you.... and he did. ‘Its the perfect chance’ he thought to himself.

He saw you at the soccer field sitting on the bench. “Hey. uhm.. sorry for my friend’s behavior.” he then sat beside you. “i-its okay..” you said looking down.

“I kinda wanna tell you something personally.” Taeil chuckled nervously

“t-tell me what?”

“I heard the rumor that you like me. I just wanna clear things---” you cut him off.

“its okay I understand that you dont feel the same way because you’ve been ignoring me.”

“No! its not that..I... I like you too. I just dont have the guts to confess. Im scared you’ll turn me down.” you didnt say anything. You’re shocked because of Taeil’s words.

“So, now, to be formal...Can I court you, y/n?”

TAEYONG

Unlike Taeil, he would be shy but only a little. He would smile endlessly even if he’s alone. He’s the type to follow you around (not like a creep tho) because he likes seeing you, your movements makes his heart flutter, your voice makes him melt. He like you because he was amazed how great your mind is and he likes it more when you stand up for yourself. He also tries to impress you with his skills and he observe what you like and what you dont. When you and Taeyong was left to clean the room at the end of the class, he gathered all his courage to confess to you.

“y/n can I tell you something?” he asked while mopping the floor

“sure, what is it?” you tacked your hair behind your ear and it made him blush so much.

“y-youre beautiful”

“Hahaha. Thank you, Taeyong.” you turned your back on him and continued wiping the board. You can feel your cheeks heat up.

“Im being serious, y/n.” he muttered.

“calm down. I believe you.” you said not looking back at him. After taking deep breaths, he finally spoke again.

“y/n, i like you!” he said catching his breath. You didnt say anything, you’re waiting for his punchline hoping he will say its a joke or something. But he didnt.

“I like you.....so much. I like everything about you and maybe its weird but I want you to be mine.”

DOYOUNG

He will tease you and he will try to seduce you more. He wants you to confess first not because of his pride or image but because he doesnt know how to initiate a conversation about it, he doesnt know how to tell you so he does things to make you give in. In that way it will be easier for him. He will treat you your favorites, help you with everything, cheer you up and the such. He will definitely try to pull off a cool man image.

But as time passes, he find himself doing those things naturally. He realized he needs to do it because he should and he wants to protect you. He doesnt want you to fall for someone else.

You received a text from Doyoung saying he’s gonna come over your house but he didnt include any reason why. You fixed yourself a bit and wait for him.

“Yo, what’s up with the rush?” you asked him as soon as you saw him.

“I like you.” he said, looking at you straight in the eye.

“what?”

“I said i like you.”

“cut the jokes, I know you need something.” you chuckled.

“I said what I said. I cant wait another minute to tell you how I feel. Im worried a day will come that you will slip away from me. So, y/n, will you accept my feelings?”

JOHNNY

This man is really cool. He acts tough to everyone but his soft side shows up on you. You are his weakness. You make him melt that’s why he likes you. He acts like a big brother to everyone and to you, but in your case, he does it because he really cares for you... a lot and in something more special way. He treasures you like you’re already his. Treats you like his girlfriend but denies when his friends tease him for it. He is the type of guy that even tho he wants to express his emotions he often end up shutting himself.

It’s weekend and Johnny invited you to go out and get some ice cream. You usually do this so you treat it like a friendly hangout instead of a romantic date.

“She’ll have cookies and cream.” Johnny told the cashier and winked at you. You often order that flavor so you thought, of course Johnny will know.

When your orders came, the two of you left the shop and decided to stroll around a park nearby.

“Hey y/n, what kind of guy do you like?” he asked suddenly.

“I dont really know but I guess someone thoughtful and smart. How about you?” you laughed trying to avoid his gaze.

“A girl who likes cookies and cream, and a girl who like thoughtful and smart guys. Just like you, because I love you.”

YUTA

He does his best to impress you but sometimes fail to do so but every time that happens you find his reaction cute. His groans, his forced smile, him trying to cool it off like nothing happened. He acts like a crackhead, doing his best to make you laugh every moment because it makes him happy too. He really cares for you even tho you dont notice. Everything about you makes him happy and contented. but the problem is, Yuta is too shy to confess his feelings. He often hide it and he doesnt want to talk about it. He thought, him being secretive will make everything safe. It will keep you by his side.

“Yuta, are you okay??” you asked when he slipped because of the wet floor. He got himself up immidiately before you could lend a hand

“Of course!” he laughed.

“Be careful always, Yuta. I cant afford to loose you.”

“Really? Why?” he asked

“Of course, because we’re friends.”

“Not because you like me?” he pouted.

“Yuta, I like you, okay?” His face lit up the moment you said that. uh-oh that sounded wrong. You held a promise to yourself that you wouldnt admit anything unless he tells you first but here you are....

“Y/N likes me!” he shouted

“no! i mean---” he smacked a kiss on your cheeks and ran away before you can continue

“Nakamoto Yuta!”

“I like you too, y/n! Sorry for stealing a kiss. Catch me if you want it back!”

JAEHYUN

He is a professional in keeping secrets. Not admitting anything but he looks at you like you’re the only one in his heart. Many girls fall for him but he choose you. His eyes are focused only to you and it hurts him thinking what if you doesnt feel the same way. He’s a soft and shy guy deep down and he cant take himself to admit his emotions. So, he found a clever way to confess using letters and going undercover as your secret admirer. He kept it that way without you having any clue.

But you found out his secret when you saw him sliding a letter inside your locker. The one that looks exactly like before.

“Jaehyun?”

“y-y/n! uhmm...bye!” He was really shocked when you called him and tried to run away but you stopped him. You opened your lockers and saw an envelope.

“So, it was you, huh?” you grinned while poking his arms.

“Yes...” he looked down.

“dont read it!” he tries to grab the letter out of your hand

“why not? you gave it to me.” you opened the envelope

“w-wait...Let me just tell you.” he said. His ears are red and his cheeks too. You waited for him to speak

“I dont know how to start this.. but I like you. I have this urge to protect you at all cost. I often find myself drowning in the thoughts of you. Damn, I really like you.”

WINWIN

Tries to cover himself by acting cool and tough but he really is a soft boy. He’s that type to be too much shy to talk to you alone but when his friends are around he acts confident. He likes you but is too shy to admit it. Tries to start a conversation but always stutter and end up being awkward. His mind goes blank whenever you speak and when he see you. His eyes will be glued to you and he will be unable to process anything.

When his squad held a sleepover at Winwin’s house, his friends dared him to confess to you. He said no but later that night, when all of them were asleep...He mumbles to himself and wont stop thinking of you. What If I do it now? he thought. After few moments of planning, he set aside his fear and worry, grabbed his phone and texted you.

“Hey, Are you still up?” he tapped his fingers due to nervousness. It took you few minutes to reply and Winwin almost lost his senses.

“Yes. Why, Sicheng?” you replied.

“I want to ask you something.”

“What is it?”

“If a guy confesses to you, what would be your reaction?”

“It depends. :D Why’d you ask?”

“Because I like you and I dont want nobody but you.”

JUNGWOO

He is certain of his feelings for you but although he wants to tell you all about it, he doesnt have any idea how. Since he’s also a soft boy, he often stares at you from afar and admire you without getting caught by anybody. He automatically smile when he see you or you talk to him. He’s good at pretending like he’s not going crazy whenever you’re there. Puts up an innocent look every time but hell, he wants to scream how much much he likes you.

He asked his friend, Lucas for an advice and they came up with a plan to just simply...admit it in front of you. But the problem is, Jungwoo is still too shy to execute the plans so he asked Lucas to come with him for support just in case he messed up. Jungwoo waited for you outside your campus. He’s definitely nervous but Lucas was their to assure him and calm him down.

“Y-Y/N!” he called you. You turned and greeted him.

“I need to tell you something.” Man, he’s breathing heavy.

“I know this seem fast and sudden but.. I...” He looked at Lucas before continuing. Lucas signaled him a thumbs up. “Go on!” he said.

“I like you..” he whispered. It was too noisy so you were unable to hear it.

“Jungwoo can you say it again? I didnt hear you.”

“I like you!” He winked and covered his face with his hands. He doesnt know why he did that. Adrenaline rush? Maybe. Panic? Maybe.

He forced a smile before speaking again. “I like you so much and Im 100% sure. The way you move, the way you speak, and when you smile--everything. Are you aware that you make me feel this way?”

HAECHAN

Unlike the other boys, he’s not afraid to show you how he really feel. He’ll probably serenade you almost every time just so you will be reminded how much he has fallen for you. Every time he see how you adore it when he’s singing makes him want to do it more. He does all that yet he cant bring himself to confirm anything. Haechan cant tell you the exact words so he showed you by actions and because of that, you find it hard to analyze what he wants you to know.

But Haechan knew that every second he let to pass is more chances of loosing you.

“y/n, listen to this.” he held on his guitar and played a song.

“I love you too much, heaven’s my witness and this is a fact..You live in my soul...your heart is my goal.....” he sang swiftly like he’s singing you a lullaby.

“that was beautiful.” you praised him.

“Remember the time you told me you like that song from the Book of Life?” he asked and you nodded.

“You said you will marry someone who can sing that for you.” he added.

“y-yeah...hahaha. Clever.” you chuckled

“Every word on that song should tell you how I feel. The lyrics says it all.” he said and blushed

“what do you mean?”

“I love you too much, y/n. I live for your touch. I whisper your name night after night. Heaven knows i’ve been praying for you. Just to make you my own I will fight.”

MARK

He would panic every time you’re around. Will cling unto his friends and would hide because he doesnt know how to interact with you. He would be startled when you call him. The two of you never had a long conversation since Mark cant look at you long enough in the eye. Just a simple greeting from you can make him weak. This boy does not react like that on purpose he does it to save himself from spilling everything to you out of a sudden. He plays safe so he wont burst out how much your impact on him is. Besides, he’s a cheesy guy. He doesnt want you to know that cause he’s afraid you’ll be turned off.

He once flinched when you call him on Cooking class.

“oh my gosh, y/n, you startled me.” he said panting.

“bro, I just called you?”

“what did you call me for?” he said not looking at you.

“Just checking your progress.” you looked at what he’s doing and saw a rose made out of carrots

“Wow. Where did you learn that from?” he did not answer your question and handed it to you.

“Here...you can have it.” he blushed.

“Thank you, Mark.”

“Im giving it to you, the same way Im giving my heart and my everything. Please handle it with care.”

*****************************

Hi guys, this is my first time posting like this. Sorry for any grammar issues. English isnt my first language so there’s probably many mistakes and redundancy. I hope you enjoy reading this! and let me know if you have requests. :D

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