CLOSE TO ME | MARK LEE

32

MARK's P.O.V
A few hours had passed and we were still at the restaurant. Everyone was just drinking and celebrating the start of the tour. Areum was sitting across the table on the left whereas I was right on the opposite side. I would quickly glance at her and smile. She's so humble and nice. Someone like me who used to be so cold has opened up to her and she makes me feel better. But now looking at her, I think she had too much too drink. Her cheeks were absolutely flushed and kept dropping her head down to the table. However, she suddenly stood up with her glass in her hand.

"EVERYONE," she shouted in a drunk state which caught everyone's attention. Oh god this second hand embarrassment was killing me but at the same time was making me laugh. "CONGRATULATIONS FOR EVERYTHING YOU ARE DOING. YOU ALL WORK SO HARD AND OH MY GOD YOU LIKE NEED TO EAT MORE TO STAY HEALTHY SO DO NOT STOP EATING!"

Our main manger quickly dragged her down back into her seat and she whined. I hope that he didn't hurt her ribs in any way. To cover up that awkwardness he just created, he started clapping. Areum quickly covered her face with hand but then i noticed something... her index finger was kind of red and purple and it didn't look so nice.

I tapped Johnny hyung's arm and asked him "do you think there's something wrong with Areum's finger? It doesn't look right."

Johnny turned his head to look at her and then nodded. "Yep that needs treatment bro. I better ask the managers if we can take her to the hospital. We'll go along as we know English."

"Sure bro." I agreed.

It was time and everyone was leaving. Johnny hyung had gone to ask the main manager if we could go whilst I chased up to Areum. There was a herd of our team and we were kind of in between the members. I quickly slipped my hand into the hand of hers that wasn't injured. Surprised by my actions, Areum turned around shocked but then calmed down.

"Ahh Minhyung Ssi. What brings you here, to me, to Areum?"

"Nothing, I haven't seen you all day."

"Stop being so soppy Minhyung ssi." She slapped my chest with her injured hand but then almost regretted it as she winced in pain.

"Areum what happened to your finger?"

All of a sudden, she started quietly crying.

"It's all my fault. All my fault. I shouldn't have gotten my finger stuck in the luggage whilst trying to pick it up. Why did I do that? Ahh it hurts."  She continued to cry. " but don't tell main pig manager, he's going to shout at me like there's no tomorrow."

"C'mon let me take you to the hospital so it won't hurt anymore." I held her other hand and observed the injury.

"No no I can handle it. Just go to sleep Minhyung-ah."

"What if your finger falls off Areum? Then what are you going to do?" I tried scaring so she would agree.

"Oh no I don't want that. Let's go." She starting crying even more.

Johnny hyung chased up to us and said "somehow he's letting us go because he needs her to do more work after so she needs to be treated. I'll drive so let's go."

I nodded and then we went to the car. Areum was still holding hands as she still continued kind of crying. I guess it was a mix of her being hurt and her being so drunk.

"Mark, why do I make your life so difficult? You need to be sleeping RIGHT NOW!" Seeing her care about me in her drunk state made me laugh.

"I wouldn't have been able to go to sleep even if I went back to the hotel knowing you're hurt."

"Mark!!" She continued crying into my chest. Oh god, this will be something I can tease her about now. Johnny hyung also started laughing as he was driving. Clingy Areum was quite a rare sight to see so it was cute. She quietened down but now was just mumbling.

" I love you Mark. I love you more than anything. I'll love you even after I die and I'll become a ghost and follow you around, even when you shower I'll make sure my ghost is right there."

Her cheesy lines made me love her even more but Johnny just stared at me with wide eyes with the last thing she had said.