2013

Providence, Rhode Island

“I’m starting not to like Sundays.” Martina pointed out as she lay awake, it was already seven in the morning, and they were still in bed.

“Why?” Mark asked without looking at her.

“Grocery shopping. I hate going out of the house on Sundays.” She murmured, Mark chuckled.

“Been stuck doing that alone ever since you left London.” He replied.

“That I’m worried about, you know your vegetables, right?” She asked, Mark smiled, he suddenly pulled her to him.

“Mark~”

He motioned for her to lie on top of him, her eyes narrowed briefly but she followed. Mark was smiling as he laced his fingers together on her back. Mona sighed and pressed her chin on his chest, her forehead was furrowed.

“What’s eating you?” He queried, she looked up and met his gaze.

“School stuff and Yoongi’s been badgering me to come home for his birthday.” She stated, Mark nodded.

“Are we going?” He asked simply, she blinked.

“I can go alone, Mark. You still have classes.” She said.

“If I let you go alone, do you think nai nai wont attack me?” He asked referring to his paternal grandmother with a grimace.

“Hey, I love her.” Mona chuckled.

“She will kill me if I let you go alone. She hates me, I think she prefers you over me.” Mark noted.

“Just tell me when, I’m sure we can make it.” Mark nodded as he absentmindedly ran his fingers through her hair. Martina smiled and slowly she drifted back to sleep.

“So, what do you think?” Marti lifted herself on the counter; she was dressed in a white v-neck shirt and shorts.

Mark didn’t reply yet as he ran his thumb on the track pad of her laptop, he was sitting on the stool in front of the counter.

“Not bad.” He looked up to meet her gaze; she made a face and poked his shoulder with her toe. He chuckled.

“Just one more year and I’m free.” She sighed.

“I think you just have to simplify a few key points.” Mark said as he closed the laptop. They heard the maid enter the kitchen with breakfast.

“She with your halmae or mine?” Mark whispered.

“Both.” She mouthed, Mark smirked before lifting her off the counter and claiming her lips with his. Marti blinked and just planted both of her hands on his shoulders.

“Mark.” She warned as he squeezed her waist before setting her down. Mark chuckled as he softly nipped on her lip before letting go.

“She has to think we actually like each other.” Mark mused as the maid left.

“I don’t hate you.”

“That’s not enough.” He rolled his eyes.

“I don’t like this, you used to be so quiet and reserved around me. Can you go back to that? I miss anti-social Mark.” She asked.

“This is a done deal, wife.” He winked before handing her a plate of bacon.

“Jealous?  A little bit.” Mark nodded, Mona grinned, the two were walking around the campus with cups of coffee.

“Oxford’s prettier, I know.” She chuckled as she took a small sip.

“How long are you free? You mentioned something about your dissertation.” She asked as they reached the huge library building.

“I’m staying for two weeks, is that okay?” He asked carefully.

“Of course it is.” She nodded, her eyes went to Mark’s assistant and bodyguard walking behind them.

“Ya,” She nudged him. Mark looked up, instinctively he reached up to the side of her lip to wipe the coffee with his thumb.

“Wanna escape our babysitters? I know a place.” She offered, Mark’s eyes narrowed.

“T, I don’t think~”

“Come!” She took his hand and they started to run.

“Now we can act like good friends, not married couple.” Martina was smiling as they slid down from the taxi. They arrived at a nearby shopping strip.

“Always the troublemaker, T.” Mark grinned and poked her arm as they walked. He had his eyes on his Leica camera briefly, before taking a few shots of Martina’s side profile.

“We both need to breathe somehow, right? I’m still your friend, Mark. You can tell me what’s bothering you.” She said ignoring what he was doing.

 “I received an invitation last week, Hyemin’s son is turning one tomorrow.”

Marti’s brows met but she just remained quiet.

“It just felt…different you know, I was always~”

“Oh my god, Martina!” A feminine voice made him stop, Marti looked up and found her two classmates walking towards them, she saw how their eyes went to Mark briefly.

“We missed you at the benefit last night.” The brunette playfully slapped her arm.

“Yeah, the band’s set was pretty awesome.”

Before she could reply, the two were already eyeing Mark appreciatively.

“I’m sorry, guys. I was a bit busy. Uhmm, Michelle, Sophia, this is Mark. Mark these are my friends from school.” She glanced at Mark.

“Nice to meet you, Mark.” Sophia offered her hand.

Mark just offered a polite smile and shook her hand.

“So, you were busy because the boyfriend’s in town.” Michelle teased.

“Uhmm, no. It’s more like…husband.”

The two blinked in surprise, Marti just smiled.

“I’ll order ahead. Pad Thai, right?” Mark spoke lowly.

“Yeah.” She nodded; Mark kissed the side of her head before walking towards the local Thai restaurant.

“You hit jackpot, Martina.” Sophia sighed.

“I..~”

“Go, don’t keep him waiting.” Michelle grinned and pushed her.

“It’s not fair. You keep on flying here.” Marti started as she joined Mark on the table.

“I don’t really mind.” Mark replied simply as he put his phone away to face her.

“I’m getting some weeks off next month, I’ll fly to London then.” She nodded and leaned back on her seat.

“Have you seen the articles?” Mark asked.

“Yeah, most people are wondering why I’m not pregnant yet and they think you getting a Master’s degree is some reason you made up so that you wont need to come home.”

Mark leaned back on his seat, he knew she was going to rant.

“We’re both in school, how do they expect me to get pregnant? Second, we’re not even a real couple. Next, how about they try getting in Oxford and actually check if they can survive a single term? Bunch of idiots, really. No wonder I don’t like going home.” She exhaled.

“Shouldn’t we at least tell them that we’re trying to get pregnant?” Mark grinned, testing her.

“Then I would really have to get pregnant, are you an idiot too?”

He laughed.

“It’s not funny, rich boy.”

“Sort of…Just a little, T.”

“They probably think you just got into Oxford because of your family tho. So much shade. Cant they just shut the up and leave you alone? It’s~”

“T, I know, I know. You’re just hungry.” He mused as the waiter arrived with their food.

“I hate home now, wow.”

“First, Sundays, now, Seoul? Nothing new there.” He said as he handed her a pair of chopsticks.

“After school, should we just move to Taiwan? And have like, twenty babies?”

Mark narrowed his eyes at her.

“Kidding.” She chuckled before digging in.

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a/n: one more chapter and we're back to the present time