You walked into the airport at about 2.00am and went straight to the help desk. After 5 hours of sleep there’s no way you were going to be able to locate the right gate to pick Mark up.

The lady behind the desk gave you many directions and you made it a personal challenge to not forget them.
With that in mind you made your way past shops long closed for the night and yawned still remembering the phone call an hour earlier.

The phone on your bedside cabinet vibrated, warning you that in about 5 seconds it was going to ring and emit the loudest tone every known to man. You knew this but you still waited with baited breath for it. When it did come you jumped just like you always did when someone bothered you in the night.
The clock read 12:45 and you groaned painfully at how earlier it was. Or late depending on how you looked at it.
The caller ID on your phone read Mark and your eyes nearly rolled back into they’re sockets.
Violently pushing the answer button you held it to your ear breathing heavily.
‘______-ah I apologise for waking you. I know you have trouble sleeping sometimes’ his voice sounded regretful and all traces of anger disappeared from your head. A deep sigh left your lips and you lay back with the phone still to your ear.
‘Whats up?’
‘I need you to come and get me from the airport’ you started laughing knowing this must be some kind of joke. Mark wouldn’t possibly ring you in the middle of the night to go and get him.
‘Good one, now what do you really want?’ his silence on the other end of the phone caused dispair to fill your chest and the smile on your face slowly faded.
‘Please…’ was all he said to make you climb out of bed and promise you’d be there as soon as possible.

By the time you’d made it to the gate the place was void of another living soul. Mark sat off to the left awaiting your arrival. You tapped his shoulder gently and waved sleepily at him. He smiled but not properly you notice. More as though something was bothering him. You shrugged it off and yawned before pointing towards the exit.
‘Thank you for coming so late’
‘Don’t mention it… happy to help’ you insisted when deep down you could have killed him for ringing at such a time. Not because it was in the middle of the night but because he knew you couldn’t say no. Regardless of what the situation was you’d always been there for him and you always would be. You swore to his mother that you’d take care of him and you would do just that. Even if it killed you in the process.
‘Have fun?’ you yawned again and breathed in the refreshing morning air. You blinked a couple of times before turning your attention to Mark. He shrugged and you frowned.
‘What does that mean?’ you copied his action, a little lazier then him and smirked.
‘They’re my family a shrug pretty much sums them up’ you nodded and shrugged too.
‘Ok’
You made your way over to your car and started it while Mark dumped his stuff in the boot. It wasn’t like him to be this quiet after a trip to LA but then again you can’t remember ever coming to the airport this late.
‘So… to the dorm?’ you asked indicating at the next left once you’d gotten out of the car park.
‘… no’ he insisted placing a hand over yours that gripped the steering wheel.
‘O…k. Do the guys know you’re back?’ you eyed your best friend suspiciously and made a u-turn at the next opportunity before heading god knows where.
‘I’ll call them tomorrow. Let me crash at yours tonight?’ he asked and smiled in your direction. Maybe it was the light or the lack of but it didn’t seem to reach his eyes.
‘Sure no problem’ you grinned and pushed the car towards your apartment which to Mark seemed like the most spacious place in the world and after spending so much time with the guys at their dorm it probably was. At your place he could stretch out in bed without fear of hitting Jackson in the face. He hated being misunderstood though. More than anyone he loved those guys but sometimes it was difficult to have a life of your own. It was easier when it was just you and him but again it wasn’t like he was complaining. He was grateful for everything that had happened to him since moving to Seoul. You included.
He looked over at you again and a genuine smile crossed his face. You were to focused on the empty road ahead to notice and eventually he turned away, a slight frown replacing the grin.
‘Thank you for picking me up’ you smiled again and looked at him for a slight second.
‘No problem Mark Tuan’ you used his full name knowing it made him happy.
‘I still can’t believe JYP let you go to LA for a week. I wish I could have come with you but things have been hectic at the store. They seem to be needing me more lately’
‘It’s fine, don’t worry about it. Maybe next time we can both go’
‘You bet buddy. I’ll start saving up’ you laughed at the familiar joke you shared and shook your head. ‘I’m joking I’ll never save up. I’d have to win the lottery or something’
‘Maybe I could pay for you?’ he asked not sure whether that would be something that was okay with you. You’d always liked paying your way. Even going to get something to eat was difficult with you.
‘Sure if you want me to go that bad’ you yawned and rubbed your eyes with the back of your hand. Mark sighed and reached over.
‘I can drive if you want’
‘And get us both killed, I don’t think so. I was sat in the back when your dad used to take you out for lessons’ you shook your head. ‘Never again’
‘Come on I wasn’t that bad’ he laughed, a sound you’d become familiar with.
‘You killed a squirrel’
‘I didn’t kill it, I saw it run into the bush’
‘So you say’ you continued smiling and pulled up outside your apartment. ‘Top and tailing?’ you asked undoing your seat belt.
‘Didn’t we do that when we were like 5?’ he asked laughing.
‘Yeah but it’s fun’
‘My feet smell though’
‘You can have a shower’ you smiled triumphantly and got out of the car before stepping up to your front door, key in hand.

‘You must be hungry. I can make someth-‘?’
‘No _____-ah its fine’ you stopped half way to the kitchen and dropped your hands feeling slightly useless.
‘I can make you a drink…’ Mark shook his head and tried to smile wide at you.
‘I think I’m just going to go to bed. It’s been a long day’
‘Oh… sure’ you nodded like it was understandable and let him get half way up the stairs before stopping him. ‘Mark?’ he turned and looked at you. ‘…Is everything okay? You haven’t really spoken about…’
‘About LA?’ you stared at him feeling ashamed and nodded sharply. Mark shrugged and smirked slightly in your direction. ‘Because I don’t really want to… I miss them… even when I’m with them I know before long I won’t be. Does that make sense?’
‘Yes. I understand’
‘Of course you do… that’s why I called you’ he smirked again and pointed upstairs. ‘Top and tailing?’ you laughed and pushed him ahead of you.
‘After you’ve had a shower’
‘Ah yes how could I forget’ he wrapped his arm around your shoulder while you supported his weight and the both of you struggled up the stairs to bed.