8 - frown

Jieun sighed and gave in, "deal"

Mark smiled proudly. The boy was over the moon, feeling as if he had just won the lottery. Nothing feels better when a man gets what he wants.

"So why did you call me out?" Jieun asked. "just wanted to get my answer" He shrugged as he kept his hands in his pockets.

"you're unbelievable" Jieun rolled her eyes at his reply. "but since you're here let's go grab lunch" Mark said and started to walk, Jieun just followed along automatically.

-

The two ended up at a small cafe near their campus.

"two iced chocolates" Jieun ordered. "Woah, I was about to order that how did you know?" Mark raised a brow.

"dunno" Jieun shrugged. "were you perhaps paying attention to me?" Mark wiggled his brows and he gave her a cocky smile.

All Jieun did was roll her eyes and muttered, "no, it was just a lucky guess."

"right~" He teased.

Jieun lied. She was indeed paying attention to him. After he sent that message earlier in class, Jieun went on a roll to stalk his socials. In which to she found out many Infos about him.

She found out that he plays the guitar, doesn't like coffee, he plays badminton with his dad on the weekends, and he has an older brother.

To be frank, they were quite the polar opposite. Which also made Jieun wonder what made him want to be friends with benefits with her.

Because Mark didn't seem like the type who'd had major sexual desires, in fact, he just seem like a cute nerd and a good church boy. Not to mention, he's an engineering major? Shouldn't those people be studying their butt off or something?

One thing that did catch her eye was a pic of him and a girl kissing him on the cheek. It didn't take any longer for her to remember that he had an ex and that the girl is probably the one he had mentioned before.

"that's a major red flag " Jay's voice speaks through her mind.

"What kind of guy doesn't delete pictures of their exes? and to add their relationship ended a long time ago. Mark probably still likes her a lot and still thinks about her"

This didn't help the fact that Jieun was already frowning.

The girl had no idea why she was so worked up about one pic. Not to mention why she was giving in so much effort trying to impress Mark. There's just no clear answer in her head.

Maybe because Mark was kind and sweet. Different from all the guys she had slept with. He was the first guy who actually paid attention to her and texted her. The guy who never gave up after every time she rejected his offers.

But then again, what if he's the same with every other girl?

Jieun frowned again.

"What's up?" Mark said noticing her frown. "what? it's nothing" Jieun shrugged it off while being on her phone.

"no, it's something for sure, don't make me snatch your phone away sis" Mark perked up from his seat.

"God, stop nagging me like you're my dad! it's just a phone!" Jieun folded her arms.

"Yeah, I can totally be your daddy" He smirked as he took a sip of his drink. "pervert!" Jieun squinted her eyes.

"So are you gonna tell me what's making you frown?" Mark asked. "No" Jieun replied short.

-

Their conversation went on with the two of them exchanging their experience on their degree with Mark ranting about how insane the workload it is for an engineering student, and Jieun complaining about how most of her lectures were boring.

"it's still kinda shocking how you can go out and hang out with friends, I heard that engineering students don't sleep at ALL" Jieun emphasized.

"those are just stereotypes, but the workload is insane. You gotta be hardworking and smart! Personally, I struggle very much, but thanks to the struggle I learn and I improve myself. Can't say I'm happy with it but it's the stress that keeps us going" Mark commented.

"There you go again daddy, lecturing me about life" Jieun smirked. Mark felt his cheeks heated at her comment.

They talked about their hobbies, their pet peeves, and even each other's favourite colour.

Here are some things that Jieun learn about Mark that she couldn't find on his socials.

First, his favourite colour is blue. Second, he dislikes ketchup. Third, the boy has a secret, he loves to write poems.

"You're the first person who knows about this" Mark muttered. "why?"

"what do you mean why?" Mark shifted in his seat. "why are you hiding this? like there's nothing wrong about it?" Jieun knitted her brows.

"I don't know, I just don't think people will see me as the type who'd write poems" he lowered his gaze. "oh my god now you're gonna think I'm some type of weirdo!" He said and covered his face.

"What no! there's nothing wrong with writing poems, Mark! it's completely fine!" Jieun half yelled.

"it's actually a good thing to have an interest outside of your studies, it's always a good thing to take a break from what your main focus." Jieun commented.

Her comments made Mark smile in relief, kinda glad that it didn't come out the wrong way.

"you should show me some of your poems too if you're okay with it" Jieun grinned.

"No" Mark replied short.

and so their conversation went on and on. Here are some other new things Jieun pick up.

Whenever Mark smiles or laugh, his nose goes into an automatic scrunch, which Jieun finds cute. He tends to fidget with his legs. and last but not least his laugh, the sounds that she just can't seem to get out of her head.

it was the type of laughs that you could easily recognize in a crowd. and it makes Jieun like him even more.

oh no, wait.

-

In the blink of an eye, it was already 5. The two had been here chatting for a good 3 hours now. Occasionally earning looks and stares from people.

Those people are probably from their campus and must have heard of their dating rumour.

Jieun can't deny it. Mark was good company and a good friend. He knows how to carry a subject and knows how to keep the conversation going and it never gets awkward. The two were simply hanging out as friends and enjoying each others' presence, nothing more.

Friends with benefits are still friends after all.

-

"That bitch!" Jieun cursed, looking at her phone.

Her sudden outburst made Mark perked up from his seat, "What happened?"

"Seolla just ditched me!" Jieun sighed. Mark just stayed quiet.

"I can't believe she ditched me over text!" Jieun rolled her eyes.

"We were supposed to go to the art gallery this Saturday! but she bailed on me decided to go on a date with Haechan!" She frowned

There just seems to be so many things going on today that made her frown.

"is it that important?" Mark raised a brow.

"Uhm Yea?" Jieun replied sarcastically. "I need to write an art report for my history class based on our visit to the gallery, and now that she bailed on me... I have to go alone" She pouted and slumped down on her seat.

"what about Jake and Jay? I'm sure they're free" the boy suggested. "no the boys have soccer practice" Jieun sulked even more thinking about how all her friends were busy.

Mark panic looking at her state, he didn't want to do anything that might upset the girl more.

"it's okay I can go alone" she signed and look over to her phone.

"I can go with you" Mark suggested, fidgeting with the straw of his drink, not making eye contact with her.

"Why? you don't have to, you don't even study this course" Jieun knitted her brows together.

Mark rolled his eyes. She rejects every offer I made.

"Because you need help, and remember what I told you? we're friends with benefits, we call each other when we need help. and right now, you seem to need help so I'm offering myself" He paused before continuing,

"Besides I'm free this Saturday, not to mention having someone who's from another faculty's point of view might just make your report better than the others, that way you can boast about it and to Seolla who ditched you" he smirked

"Oh my god! you're a genius!" Jieun's eye glistened as he heard his plan.

"Maybe I really am god" He said a smirk forming on his lips.

a/n- anything you guys wanna add or see in the future? do let me know ^^