Chapter 17

                                    

                                          
I was slowly accepting my feelings, and Jaebum, Yugyeom and Youngjae knew that I liked Mark. Damn right I liked him. His smile gave me life and I could spend hours looking at him while he sat on the couch in silence with his phone in his hands. His quietness, his laugh, his heart of gold. He was smart, he was sweet, he was perfect.
                          
"Is it so hard to admit?" Youngjae asked and let Coco go, and as she wandered around, my eyes followed her. I sighed for the hundredth time that day and my gaze dropped to my lap.
                          
"It is." I said and picked at my nails. I really wanted to see Mark in that moment. "I think I've liked him for a really long time."
                          
"I don't think he realized he liked you as well. And your secret is safe with us." Jaebum slipped his phone out of his pocket but I still felt his eyes on me. Mark liking me back? No way.
                          
"He doesn't like me that way, I have to let it go." I sighed again, it was hopeless. It was a one-sided love. Love? No, not yet.
                          
"Don't. I'm pretty sure he likes you. Just wait and see, the moment he realizes is the moment he confesses. Mark is straight forward, he doesn't play around." The leader added, and I let out yet another sigh.
                          
"But what can I do then? Just sit around and wait for him to come to me?" I groaned. I didn't want that, I didn't want to wait for him hopelessly.
                          
"Go on walks with him, watch movies, eat out. He likes that. But don't go with Jackson. Oh, when he comes back, you could go get an ice cream and walk around. That would be nice." Jaebum suggested and I nodded. It could be nice indeed. But I had to wait for him to come back. 
                          
~
                          
The week was long. Way too long. Even with some of the guys visiting me from time to time when they were not spending time with their families, I felt so damn lonely. But Mark was finally coming back. I wanted to see him at the airport but I couldn't, I wanted to keep rumors and scandals as far away from me as I could. All I could do was wait for him at home.
                          
In the late afternoon, I started doing the dishes. I decided to play GOT7's music, as Mark's voice made me feel less lonely. But then, when Mark's part came, I heard his voice clearly. So I turned around and there he was, in front of me, rapping his part with a smile. I ran to him and literally jumped on him to hug him. He laughed while wrapping his arms around me.
                          
"Hey (Y/N)." He said and squeezed me gently. I felt like crying as I buried my face in his chest.
                          
"Hi." I mumbled and he pulled back, keeping one of his arms around my waist.
                          
"Did you miss me?" He asked with a grin and I nodded, trying to hide my face behind my hair. Now that I had admitted to myself that I liked him, it was even harder to look at him in the eye. "Good, because I missed you as well."
                          
When he said that, my heart skipped a beat. I wanted to hug him more, I wanted to hold him, I wanted to... kiss him. And I remembered what Jaebum had suggested. A walk, some ice cream, just the two of us. 
                          
"Do you wanna go out? And tell me about home." I asked and smiled at him, then I found the strength to look straight at him. A smile tugged on his lips.
                          
"Sure. What do you wanna do?"
                          
"It's still warm, let's go get some ice cream and walk along the Han River." I said, he nodded and went to get ready. When I saw him again, he had put on a cap, sunglasses and a mask. He didn't want to be recognized.
                          
~
                          
With our ice creams in hands, we walked aimlessly in silence. I was relieved to see that no one was anywhere near interested in looking at Mark, which meant there were fewer chances of him getting recognized. I was still keeping my distance for his sake in case a fan saw us. I even thought of bringing my camera to have an excuse to be around him, as a staff member.
                          
After a few minutes of silence, Mark decided to talk to me about his trip to the US. He talked to me about his parents, his siblings, his nieces. The way he talked about his family made me feel like I was falling for him even more. I just listened to him like he would always listen to me.
                          
Our walk ended all too soon and we got back home earlier than I expected. I was disappointed, I felt like that had been useless. I wanted to rip out my hair, that man was driving me nuts. I sat on the couch and buried my face in my knees. I wanted him, did he want me?
                          
"(Y/N)? Are you alright?" Mark sat down next to me and looked at me with worry in his beautiful brown eyes. I looked up at him and gave in to my wants. I crawled on the couch to him and hugged him by wrapping my arms around his neck. He looked taken aback but embraced me back.
                          
"Did anything happen when I was gone? Did Seulki come to you again?" He rested a hand on my head and put his other one on my lower back. I breathed in and just let myself sink in his arms.
                          
"Nothing happened, she's not allowed to approach me. I just missed you." I replied and moved my face to the crook of his neck. I had never hugged him like that, and just the fact that he was holding me was making me lose my mind. I didn't even feel myself falling asleep in his arms and I just noticed it in the morning, when Mark was still holding me while sleeping peacefully.