Heaven - Mark Lee

- 3

"And this is the playground for the kids," Mark said finishing off their tour outside.

It was behind the church, a small little playground consisting of a slide and swing set.

"It's cute," Heejin looked around, hands clasped behind her back as she made her way to the swing set, sitting down. Mark following after her.

"You didn't bring me out here to kill me, right? This seems like the perfect place to do it."

Mark laughed at her words, shaking his head with a growing grin on his lips, "no no, not today. I save my killings for mondays," he said seriously and her eyes shot open as she looked at him. The corner of his lips pulled up into an amused smirk and she looked away abruptly.

"That's, that's a good one," she chuckled awkwardly before clearing her throat. The silence returning for what felt like forever, when she decided to speak up again.
"Not many teenagers at this church?"

Mark nodded, "it was always just me and my sister."
Heejin looked towards the boy with furrowed eyebrows, "i don't remember seeing another girl."

"Ahhhh, she's sick. Staying at home today."
Heejin let out a silent ahhh and looked around the little courtyard they were in.

It was a little over grown with wild flowers and vines crawling up the back of the church wall.

A stillness fell over them, the girl pushing herself lightly with her feet and letting herself swing a little.

She could feel the guy beside her looking at her, his eyes wandering over her face and she felt her heart begin to race. It wasn't every day a guy looked at her this closely. The only person who ever really stared at her like this was her boyfriend.

His gaze didn't last much longer before he flicked it back to the stain glass window in front of them.
"So, you just moved here?"

Heejin peered his way before humming and nodding her head.

"Where from? If you don't mind me asking."
"Jecheon"

"That's far away, isn't it?" He asked.
"Yeah. About 2ish hours away," she took a second before looking back over to him.
"Your names Mark right?"
He looked her way, "yep."
"That's not... are you..."
He picked up what she was insinuating and let out an chuckle .
"No no, I'm not from Korea. I was born in Canada and we moved when I was about 11."

"Oh waw! That's so cool. I haven't really heard much about Canada besides it being cold. What's it like living there?"

"It's nice. Cold," he chuckled. "But it's nice."
"Do you miss it?"
She cringed at the question. Cursing herself out for asking him such a personal question even though they just met.
He let out a hum, "yeah, sometimes. But I've grown used to Korea."

Her lips pulled up into a tight grin as she nodded her head- not really knowing what to say next.
They sat there silently and she tries to avoid looking at him. Thankfully her head perked up at the sight of her mother walking into the courtyard with her dad and the Priest.

"Common sweety, it's time to go," she said and Heejin practically sighed in relief. Not literally, she wouldn't want to upset anyone.

"Thank you father for the lovely service," she bowed and he shook his head.
"It's okay, I'm looking forward to seeing you guys more regularly."

"Of course, you have such a lovely church."

Heejin watched as Mark made his way to his fathers side.
"Thank you for the tour, I enjoyed it," he smiled at her, hands pushing into his pant pockets.
"It was my pleasure. Looking forward to seeing you around."

—

"So how was the tour?" Her mother asked as they had sat down around their kitchen table (that had finally arrived).

"It was good."
"What's Mark like?"
"He's nice," Heejin was eating her dinner, left over pizza from yesterday. "Apparently he has a sister and that they're the only teenagers that attend the church."

"Oh? Where was his sister today? I didn't see her."
"He said she's sick," she shrugged, picking up another slice.

"Well if his sister is anything like him, you will make two good friends that we trust."
"And they're church kids too. At least we know then you won't be going around sinning," her mother pointed out, a hint of repulse in her tone, and Heejin stopped mid bite.

Her stomach started coiling. Not even a full week in and they already can't trust her with deciding who she wants to hang out with.

It's not like she should be shocked, this has happened her whole life. Any person she ever encountered her parents judged them, and they wouldn't let her hang out with them unless they were from church.

Otherwise they were sinners, bad people who would influence their "sweet angel daughter" into doing drugs and partying and... well you get it.

Oh but don't worry, when Heejin asks "don't you trust me to make the decision whether people are good enough to be my friend?"

Her mother would promptly stare at her and say "no, why would we trust you?"
While her father would tsk and say "we do trust you, we just don't trust everyone else."
Before going back to whatever they were doing.

She had lost her appetite. Placing down her half eaten slice of pizza and looking up to her parents.
"May I please be excused? I'm really full."

Her father didn't bother looking up before muttering out a "sure," and she stood up abruptly. Pushing in her chair and disposing of her half eaten pizza slice before making her way up to her room.

She closed the door behind her and leant up against it, eyes screwing shut as her head hit the wall behind her.

She was once again alone.

Fishing out her phone from her back pocket she quickly type in a message.

Loml 💖

Are u free to talk? I've had a bad day

Sorry babe
I got homework to do
I'll call tomorrow after practice, Kay?

Oh...
Yeah sure

Thanks babe
Love u

Love you too
Seen

Locking her phone, her head went back to the wall with a thud.

Her body felt numb, but her mind filled with dread as her first day of school approaches.
Knowing full well that she will be once again, alone.