Limitless || Mark Lee

Chapter 5

"Jeno, take the girl to see Doyoung. Mark and Jaemin: to my office. Now."

Taeyong stood at the top of the steps, waiting for the boys as soon as they arrived. He had a dark look in his eyes, staring down at them before turning on his heels and walking away.

Jeno quickly took Mirae out of Jaemin's arms and rushed her to Doyoung's office with the rest of the dreamies. Mark silently went up the stairs to Taeyong's office, followed closely by Jaemin.

They carefully opened the door to see Taeyong seated at his desk, Jaehyun and Johnny on either side of him.

"Take a seat."

Mark strode into the office, not sparing a single glance at Jaemin who fearfully followed behind him as they sat before the older boys.

"Care to explain why you asked to leave the mission? Or better yet, why you brought a random girl to our headquarters?" Taeyong spoke calmly, but they could clearly see the anger in his eyes.

"Ask Jaemin. I wanted nothing to do with this." Mark scoffs out in frustration while rolling his eyes, equally angry about the whole situation.

"She's our best friend..." Jaemin gulps when the three older boys turn their fierce gazes on him. "I-I knew her long before I joined NCT. A-all of the dreamies except Mark are friends with her."

"That still doesn't answer my question." Taeyong narrowed his eyes at the younger boy.

"She-she called me, saying she was attacked and needed help. I-I had to go to her."

"Who attacked her?"

"Some members of Byungchul's gang. Minsoo was there." Mark jumped into the conversation, Taeyong slowly nodding his head at the younger's words.

"I see... but could you not have sent her home? Why did you have to compromise us with some little friend of yours?"

"She was hurt. There's cuts all over her, and she passed out from her injuries. I couldn't leave her on the street without getting treated."

"Why not take her home then?" Jaehyun jumped in now, staring at the younger in confusion. "Surely you know where she lives if you've been friends for so long. Her roommate or family could've taken care of her, you've made up lies about worse things."

Jaemin stayed silent, not looking at the boy and instead focusing on Taeyong, a pleading look in his eyes. Jaemin knew that he should've have brought her but he wasn't going to leave her to Woobin. Despite that being a reasonable answer, he didn't want to go around sharing all about Mirae's private life. Taeyong seemed to notice Jaemin's hesitance and decided not to question it, instead he simply waved away Jaehyun's question.

"It doesn't matter. She's here now and we have to deal with it. What I want to know more importantly is why Minsoo was after her in the first place. He can get any pretty girl off the black market easily, why grab her from the street with his gang? Why risk being seen?"

Taeyong glanced back and fourth between the two boys as Jaemin began to shift uncomfortably in his seat. Mark raised his eyes from the desk and turned to look at the younger, his glare boring into him expectantly.

"She... was a witness." The room was silent as Taeyong's eyes narrowed.

"A witness to what?" Their leader's voice was a low growl, already knowing the answer.

"She saw us at on Friday at the store. All of us."

"You mean... she knows about you guys?" Jaemin nodded his head, keeping his eyes down as the Taeyong stared him down.