Sharing knowing glances at each other the whole way, Lexi and Leda were escorted by Mark, Bam Bam and Yugyeom to the corner store. The boys were particularly interested in securing Coca-Cola in glass bottles. Yugyeom explained it was a special treat for them any time they were in L.A. and tonight seemed like a good night to celebrate.

 

On the way home Lexi and Bam Bam stayed behind the group. Lexi was interested in observing more of the behavior between Leda and Mark, but in what seemed like a strange turn of events, it was Yugyeom who was walking by her side. Forced to carry their corner store haul, Mark stood back a few paces and, if Lexi didn’t know any better, she would think he was sulking.

 

Yugyeom was explaining to Leda how the group was dealing with the challenges of difficult choreography, especially with their upcoming album and tour. “The great thing is, for a bunch of guys who need to watch their weight, we can eat almost whatever we want because the choreography is so challenging we sweat it all of each day we have practice!”

 

They laughed together but as she laughed Leda felt that something wasn’t right. Right as they approached the home, her foot hit a crack in the concrete of the sidewalk. She felt her life slow down like she was living inside a jello-mold. She knew she needed her arms under her to catch her fall, but she felt them flail into the air instead. Right as she braced herself for impact of the hard concrete, she felt warmth. Yugyeom, seeing her start to fall, slid onto the concrete and caught her. For a moment she felt warm cradled in his arms. They were arms of a friend, someone who she cared a great deal about. Without thinking, she showed her gratitude by hugging into his chest.

 

“Thank you so much Yugyeom! That was so scary! I hope you’re not hurt!” She pulled away and tried to inventory him for any scratches or bruises. His shoulder seemed to take most of the brunt of it so she pulled back his sleeveless shirt to reveal some small scrapes. “I’m so sorry you got hurt for me. Let me take care of this when we get back inside.”

 

As she looked up she saw Mark storming off ahead of them visibly upset.

 

“Wait! Mark!” Leda tried shouting after him but it was no use. Lexi and Bam Bam followed after him.

 

“You guys figure yourselves out, we’ll try to calm Mark down for you. But don’t take too long.” Bam Bam sternly directed the two, “He’s more sensitive than he seems.” As they jogged ahead Lexi looked back with a sympathetic glance. She didn’t know what kind of love triangle Leda had gotten herself into but she hoped she would come out the other end ok.

 

“Hey, I’m sorry Leda. I probably shouldn’t have…” Yugyeom dropped his head.

 

“No, no. You were only trying to help.” She stopped him. “It’s really ok. I mean. It’s partially my fault. I was just so grateful for your help, but I probably shouldn’t have hugged you, I mean. I think Mark is a bit jealous of our friendship.”

 

“I think that’s because he can see I have feelings for you.”

 

Leda froze. What did he just say? She was certain that when Mark had mentioned Yugyeom earlier he had been overreacting, but he must have seen something she didn’t. The world began to spin under her. She sat, kneeling on the concrete next to the second attractive man to confess to her today. What was going on?

 

Yugyeom read her shocked expression. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have kept it from you. I’ve sort of had feelings for you from the beginning. But Mark told me about your past, your history, and…well…I’m sorry to interfere.”

 

“No, I’m sorry, Yugyeom.” He felt the sting of her words. “I can’t return your feelings. You are a dear friend to me, and I have enjoyed talking with you, but...”

 

They sat in silence for a moment. “I’m sorry. I don’t want to hurt you.”

 

Yugyeom laughed and put his hand to his face. “Well, it’s ok. Y’know I’ve been rejected before. I’ll bounce back.” And he stood up offering his hand to help Leda. “But Bam Bam is right. Mark can hold a grudge so lets make sure to get back before he gets any more upset.”

 

“But your scrape.” She reached for him as he turned to walk toward the house, then thought better of it and let her hand drop.

 

“Ah, it’s nothing. I’ll have JB help me patch it up. Really, don’t worry. I’ll tell everyone it was a battle scar from saving a damsel in distress.” He winked as he turned into the walkway up to the house but stopped at the bottom of the stairs leading to the door. Mark stood in the doorway, head down, brooding.  “Uh, I’ll just head inside.”

 

Leda couldn’t help but think what a coward Yugyeom was to run off and leave her alone right now. It may be for the best, but she hardly knew how to face Mark now. She had a feeling that she couldn’t just kiss this problem away.

 

The two silently sat on the porch swing near the door. Leda’s usual tendency to kick her feet and swing was squashed by the tension in the air. Should she wait for him to speak first? She felt like anything she said would just sound like lame excuses at this point. She sighed and put her hands along either side of her leg, touching the seat of the swing. As she did she felt her little finger brush against his. She dared not look for fear of drawing attention to it, but he didn’t recoil from her touch. This is a good sign, she thought.

 

After a moment, she reached her pinky finger out and locked it with his. They sat like this for a few moments. She could see in her periphery that his head never rose from its stooped position, and his shoulders remained hunched. Maybe she would have to speak first after all.

 

“I guess I must love you.” It was small mummer, hardly more audible than a whisper, but she was sure she heard it clearly. She turned her head and their eyes met. “Why else would I act so dumb, right?” His eyes softened and his free hand scratched the back of his head in that way that made him look so young and innocent.

 

He let out a big sigh and clasped his hand in hers. “I really didn’t think I was the jealous type, but here we are. I just feel like I need to fight for you. I mean, I’ll beat up Yugyeom. I think I can take him.”

 

Leda gave him a knowing smile. “I really don’t think that’s necessary. If anything, you may have to beat me up. I tried to let him down gently, but I still hurt one of your group members. What’s that term? Bro’s before…”

 

“Ahhhhh, Yugyeom will bounce back.” He interrupted her. I’m sure you were as nice as you could be about such a thing, but it’s better to make it quick and to the point. Then he can start looking at other girls. You better warn that friend of yours.” He gave her a sly wink.

 

“Oh, I think she’s got her hands full with Bam Bam already.”

 

“Right, well good luck with that. He’ll be enough work on his own.”

 

They shared a laugh before Mark’s face turned a touch more serious. He reached for Leda’s face. “I’m serious, though, y’know. I really think I might love you. I think I always have.” She clasped his hand as it rested on her cheek before he drew her face to his. His lips were soft and warm as he gave her a gentle kiss.

 

As he drew away she saw his face light up as though something just occurred to him. “Wait, I’m such an idiot. Are you ok? From the fall I mean. You didn’t hurt yourself did you?”

 

“Oh yeah, no I think I’m ok. I twisted my foot a bit, and while Yugyeom caught most of my fall I did scrape my knee a bit on the sidewalk.” She lifted her left leg to show some scrapes on her knee and saw that she had the beginnings of a bruise on her ankle. It looked a lot worse than it felt.

 

“Oh my God!” Mark felt even worse now. Here, he was only thinking of himself. “This calls for some immediate emergency service!”

 

“Oh no, I don’t think…”

 

“Nonsense! This is a job for a hero!” He said his voice suddenly getting deeper in a mimicry of some kind of superhero she was sure he had watched somewhere. He squatted down in front of her.

 

“Um. I don’t understand.”

 

“Get on my back.” He motioned for her with his arms. “You can’t possibly be asked to walk in that condition. I will take you to safety.” She laughed to herself and obliged. She was eager for another chance to inventory the Adonis-like muscle structure she had witnessed so many times already today. She very purposefully ran her hands from his shoulders to his collarbone as she found a comfortable and secure position on his back.

 

“He-he-hey now!” He laughed a little snicker as he stood, wrapping his arms around her knees. “No need to distract the driver here.”

 

Mark carried her into the house, dodging all the common areas and avoiding the other guys. He brought Leda into a bedroom where, she assumed, he was staying.

 

“I hope you aren’t trying to bed me already.” She jeered only half-joking.

 

“What if I am?” He gave her his most debonair look as he set her down on the bed. “Relax, I just figured we could use the privacy. Besides, I have a first-aid kit in here. I can clean up your knee and maybe give you something for that ankle.” He glanced at her leg worried for her, though she didn’t seem too phased. “Does it hurt to walk?”

 

“I don’t think so. It didn’t before.” She stood to test it and sat back down immediately with a shock. “Ok, scratch that. It hurts.” Bending down, she rubbed her ankle and winced at the tenderness of it.

 

Mark disappeared for a few seconds and returned with a plastic container full of first aid accoutrements. It did not pass Leda’s notice how carefully and gently he disinfected her knee, dabbing one time, waiting for the reaction to the sting, and then dabbing a few more times for good measure. “Sorry, it’s part of the job.” He blew on her knee to help bring some relief. The tenderness in his eye, in his actions, shot her with a jolt of electricity she felt all through her spine. It brought a mist to her eyes, but she looked down, not wanting him to see.

 

“Is everything alright? Does it hurt a lot?”

 

“No, no, no. I just thought you were being very sweet. That’s all. It made me happy.” She wiped away the few tears that had begun to gather around her eyes. He was stunned for a minute. One part of him felt curious for such a reaction when he was doing something so simple. The other part felt warm, proud, somehow accomplished for making her feel that way.

 

“Well,” He reached back into his kit, “you haven’t even seen the cherry on top!” Shielding it from her view, Mark placed two bandages over the wound on her knee and quickly covered them with his hand. “Are you ready?”

 

“Yes,” Leda laughed. What was this goof up to?

 

“Ta-da!” He moved his hand to reveal two brightly colored bandages with his face all over them. “My mom found them when she was shopping in Korea. She was so proud I think she might have bought the whole store out of them.” He laughed. “Now you have a little piece of me with you!” He beamed, proud of the work he had done.

 

“That’s very cute. Thank you.” Leda’s ear-to-ear grin was more reflective of her previous feelings towards his kindness than the bandages, but she let him have his moment. “It still kind stings, though.”

 

Grateful for the attention as much as the care Leda rose from the bed. “Ah, I’m getting too spoiled today.” She stretched out as he moved aside and stood himself. She reached her foot out to step forward and a jerk rippled through her body as she nearly doubled over in pain. Her ankle was definitely not ready to walk on quite yet. 

 

She was unable to catch herself in time and felt her balance slip beneath her as she spun. With one swift, fluid, movement, as though he was completing a simple choreography in one of their dances, Mark fell to one knee and caught her in his arms. Eyes wide with concern, he looked down to her ankle and back to her face, “Are you alright?”

 

“Yeah, thanks.” Faces suddenly so close, she felt the electricity between them spark again. 

 

He brushed some hair from her face and lifted her lightly. “Here, I have something for that too.” He reached back into his container as Leda returned to her seat on the bed. “Does it hurt on either side?” he asked as he pulled out two patches.

 

“Yeah” she watched patiently as he applied one patch to either side of her ankle. “What is that?”

 

“Oh I brought these from Korea too. They have things like this for anything. Sometimes one of us will pull a muscle or something during dance practice so it’s always nice to have.”

 

“Thanks for your help. I hope I’m not diminishing too much of your supply.”

 

“No worries there” He said. “I suppose this calls for more intensive treatment doesn’t it?” he bent his face down toward her knee. The nearness of him made her nervous and she tensed up a bit. Mark leaned in and touched his lips to the bandages on her knee. 

 

Any attempt at hiding her nervousness was currently failing. She was well aware she was in this man’s bedroom, slightly vulnerable due to injury, and his head was dangerously close to uncharted territory. “So…”

 

“So, should I make the rest of you feel better too?” If looks could kill, all women within a ten-foot radius of his look at that moment would be in the ICU. Leda’s heart stopped for what seemed like seconds before Mark lifted her leg. His eyes remained locked to hers. His hand reached for the place where her leg touched the bed in her seated position and the electricity she had felt earlier seemed to follow his touch, giving her goosebumps. As his hand traveled down her leg and Leda’s anxiety grew, Mark turned his face away and, more gently than ever, peppered her bruised and now bandaged ankle with tender kisses.

 

Leda wondered if he could feel her sigh of relief because he let out a soft chuckle that radiated from his chest. “What were you thinking? I brought you here to treat your wounds, didn’t I?”

 

“I should smack you. You knew exactly what I would think in that situation you scoundrel.”

 

Mark laughed, gently returning her ankle to the floor. “Whatever do you mean? I was purely thinking to help you. To aid in the ease of your suffering.” His eyes fluttered in innocence.

 

“Well, mister “pure intentions” let’s see how you like it.” Leda bent down to just the right angle, one she knew would reveal enough cleavage to get her point across. She brought her face to his, ran one hand slowly down his chest, and with her best bedroom eyes asked, “When were you planning to give me what I really want?”

 

It was like a game of chicken. With every millisecond that went by, her hand was getting closer and closer to HIS uncharted territory, and she was expecting him to move, react, do SOMETHING before she got there, but there he was, still as a statue, eyes wide. 

 

What exactly was her plan, here? The tips of her fingers were reaching the bunched-up edge of his shirt, and she began to feel, right below that, the buttons of his pants when, in one swift motion, she was lifted from her waist and laid down on the bed.

 

Mark’s eyes loomed above her, a new, hungry look in them. “You really know how to push me to my limits, you know that?” And with that his mouth met hers, leaving her no chance for a response. It was moments before his kisses began to trail down her neck and along her collar bone. In the solitude of his bedroom, she was able to freely let out her previously stifled moans as his hands sensuously ran from her waist to her hips and with a beat his arms were beneath her lifting her from the bed. Her arms wrapped around the strength in his shoulders. 

 

“Hmmmp.” Leda’s surprise escaped her. He carried her cradled in his arms as she, more for the sake of safety than anything, wrapped her legs around his torso. Not breaking their kiss, Mark set her down gently on the dresser nearby. Leda was certain he used this opportunity to bring their bodies closer together, because she felt the heat of his body radiating from him, but instead, as he drew his hands out from under her, he backed away slightly, running his hands slowly from her lower back up to her shoulders under the looseness of her shirt. 

 

His face slowly, almost reluctantly, pulled back, resting his forehead on hers to catch his breath. “You couldn’t get more stunning.” His breath was steady but his chest heaved. Leda’s cheeks, already a little flushed from the contact, now burned with fire. The softness of Mark’s hands curved around her sides and rested lightly on her hips as she released her grip with her legs and let them hang loosely against the dresser. “Your move.”

 

A challenging look that almost resembled a glare flashed into Leda’s eyes. If it was a challenge he wanted: it was on. She slowly moved her arms from his shoulders, where she had been bracing herself, and passed them behind his ears, and slowly down his neck. But instead of exploring his body, she took a sharp turn. Her forehead drew away from his. His hands under her shirt gave her an idea, and in the style many learned growing up in public school locker rooms, she passed her shirt over her head with one quick motion. Tossing it to the side she now leaned back on the dresser, his hands at her hips, challenging his next move with just a look.

 

His jaw dropped. There were many things he expected, but that was not one of them. He lost focus for a moment.

 

“Is that game then? You weren’t such a hard opponent.” Leda joked, raising an eyebrow. 

 

Mark came back to the incredible reality before him. “You don’t think I’d give up that easily, do you?” And gladly accepting the invitation, he showered her with kisses starting about the collar bones and slowly working down. By the time his face approached the waistband of her pants her hands were running through the thickness of his hair, as though grasping for some means of maintaining control. 

 

Sensing that moving much further would bring them both to a dangerous breaking point he straightened his form, once again smoothing his hands up her sides. Leda knew the pause was an indication of her turn, though neither had uttered a word. She grabbed Mark’s thighs with the strength of her legs, simultaneously drawing her closer to the edge of the dresser and pressing the full length of their bodies together. Without missing a beat, his lips found hers instinctively. 

 

In between breaths Leda cut in, “That’s no fair. You’ve had the advantage of this position before.” Seemingly disinterested in her plea, Mark softly drew his attention to her neck, leaving tender but sensual kisses behind her ear as she moaned softly.

 

“Is that so,” he softly spoke as he moved his kisses below her jawline, stopping at her chin. “What do you suggest then?” His eyes peered into hers, leaving her momentarily breathless.

 

“I-I don’t know.” Mark filled the moments of silence with small, teasing kisses. Each one tempting Leda’s lips more and more.

 

“You want the advantage then, eh?” A chuckle rattled from his wide chest. “Ok.” He broke their contact and walked away. For a moment Leda thought maybe she had taken things too far. But Mark just made his way to the bed and, leaning against the headboard, propped himself up with a few pillows. “Here I am.” He grinned. “Come and get me.”

 

With a renewed sense of passion Leda moved toward him with a gleam in her eyes that both scared and excited Mark. Taking care not to put too much weight on her ankle, Leda slid off the dresser and walked a few paces to the bed. Once at the foot she crawled onto all fours approaching him slowly, almost carefully. 

 

As she approached she slid her hands up his hips and under his shirt and, this time, pulled the shirt from his outstretched arms. “There. Much better.” Leda grinned a small devious grin as she tossed the shirt away and cupped Marks face in her hands. She brought her face to his. She thought of his soft teasing kisses and came back with vengeance. Each kiss was deeper and more passionate as Mark wrapped his outstretched arms around her, moving them down her back and resting them on her hips. His initial shock had long worn off, replaced with a drive to match Leda’s sudden passion. A passion that called for her to explore what she had just revealed.

 

Her hands moved to the rhythm of their breath, pawing first for his pectorals, then sneaking down to his abs, then sliding back to the strong shoulders that carried her into this situation in the first place. She felt she was on the verge of pushing herself, and possibly pushing him over the edge very soon. Very reluctantly, Leda slowed the pace, resolving herself to be satisfied with her fill for the night. I mean, she had just met the guy, after all.

 

“What, you’re giving up?” Mark slowed himself to match her, leaving small kisses on her cheeks and forehead.

 

“I just thought I might lose control if I kept going.” Leda admitted, working to catch her breath.

 

“You and me both.” Mark drew Leda closer, so she lay beside him in his arms, head resting on his chest. She felt the pounding of his heart as it lulled her to sleep.