𝐏𝐀𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐃 :: markren

sì.

Mark sighed as Sungchan and him dragged themselves out of the locker room. Practice went well today and he was pleased with it, but the soreness caught him too quickly—still it was worth the effort.

"You coming to eat with us?" Sungchan asked as they both walked up to their lockers.

"Not feeling like having lunch today, I'll pass." Mark responded as he looked at his phone, to see Jaemin's texts.

Nana —

From Nana | We're having lunch with Renjun and Chenle today, be nice!

From Nana | Please Mark!!!!

To Nana | Not having lunch if he's coming...

From Nana | Mark please.

To Nana | Don't make me do that Jaem

To Nana | I'm fine with you being friend with him but don't drag me into this!

To Nana | Y'know how I don't like him!

From Nana | Okay suits you then.

To Nana | Are you mad?

To Nana | Jaem?

To Nana | Yah Na Jaemin?

To Nana | Don't leave me on delivered...

Jaemin had been planning on making all of them eat lunch together, and he's been avoiding it—because he didn't really want to have a fight with Jaemin especially about someone they didn't specially know.

At this point of the day the halls were empty, so he just stood there in front of his locker after stuffing his practice bag inside and he waited for Sungchan who jogged back to him after few minutes.

"Are you sure you're not up for lunch, training was hectic you practically ran it like the military..." Sungchan said as he leaned on Mark's locker door.

Mark nodded slowly. "I know but Jaem finally convinced Huang and Zhong to eat with all of you."

Sungchan sighed loudly and Mark did the same, the both of them for two different reason. Mark knew Sungchan was close to Renjun's friend, the boy was practically glued to Sungchan most of the time but he never hung out with them because of course he was suspicious of Mark—well everyone in school was, after what happened between him, Jeno and Donghyuck during summer break before junior year.

"Don't be like that Mark, Chenle's super chill and Renjun's nice!"

"He's nowhere near nice, he is a brat..."

Sungchan rolled his eyes. "You're just saying that because he stood up for himself when Donghyuck was about to bully him, but you do realize that's the kind of behavior everyone's supposed to have around here. Donghyuck's the brat and you're just allowing him to act like that..."

Mark didn't answer. He didn't answer because he knew what Sungchan said was true, and this wasn't the first time one of his friends pointed that out. He felt ashamed of being called out on defending the tanned boy's behavior, but that was the only lasting thing that kept them linked to each other—he should probably let that go for his sake... and his friends' sakes too.

He sighed and Sungchan understood that as an apology, because it was one. Mark had never been good with apologies after his whole life shifted again that summer before junior year. But he was one lucky guy to have friends who understood him without so much as a sigh from him, and they did not usually blame him for his snappy attitude or his wordless answer. But he should really learn how to apologize properly because it wasn't fair for his friends.