#4: What’s your heart beating for, me?

“Mr Wang.” Mr Park called out when he spotted Jackson having lunch alone in the dining hall, taking a seat beside the younger.

“Mr Park, can I help you with something?” Jackson asked politely, wondering why the manager was looking for him since he never did for the past two days they are here.

“Do you know where Mr Tuan is? I have been looking all over for him, I even called him but nobody picked up. I wanted to tell him about all the material that already arrived early this morning.” Mr Park, clearly in distressed since he had wandered around the resort just trying to find Mark.

Since Jackson woke up late today, he clearly haven’t see the older anywhere has he just exited the room just now to head for the dining hall straight.

“Did you check his room?” Jackson asked, guilt sipping in has he remember about how he pushed the older into the pool last night.

“I did rang the bell a few times but nobody answered.” Mr Park said after nodding which instantly make Jackson worried, it’s clear something happened at this point.

“Alright, I will check on him and pass your message. Thanks, Mr Park.” Jackson replied, quickly finishing his lunch before excusing himself from the resort manager.

He headed straight for the older’s room, pressing the doorbell a couple of times but just like Mr Park said nobody answered the door.

“Mark, open up. I’m sorry, open up.” Jackson shouted out in desperation, knocking on the door this time round while praying that the older is still alive somehow.

He shouted over and over again for the next few minutes until the door finally opened, revealing a pale and worn out Mark in cold sweats and shivering.

“Ka Yee..” Mark called out faintly before his body just dropped to the ground right in front of Jackson, losing his conscious.

“Yi En..” Jackson shouted in horror before he quickly scooped up the body lying on the ground in bridal style and put Mark on the bed.

When their skin touches, it was clear that Mark’s body is burning and he needs to bring it down before the older’s condition got even more worst.

He contacted the staffs to bring him a bowl of ice and when they finally did he prepared the bowl of ice water and sponged Mark’s body with a towel.

It got awkward when it comes to the part where he needs to open the older’s shirt and pants but he had no choice so he did it anyway while trying to refrain from seeing too much.

He ended it with leaving a damp towel on the older’s forehead after dressing Mark with a fresh set of outfit which he found in the closet.
 

Jackson sighed as he took a seat on the edge of the bed, staring at the older’s sleeping face while cursing himself mentally for causing the other to be in this state.

“Me and my stupid temper.” Jackson muttered in anger towards himself, smacking himself on the face a few times as a punishment for being such a jerk.

He continued to watch that sleeping face, that face he had missed so much but he force himself to hate because they are enemies, their families are enemies so he shouldn’t like Mark Tuan.

It was just right for him to hate because they are enemies after all, right?

Jackson finally looked away with tears threatening to fall, his heart hurts every time he thinks of Mark Tuan but he didn’t know why he chose to torture himself each time by thinking of him.

He slowly leaned his body on the headboard beside the asleep Mark, reaching out to entangle the other’s hand with his because even if it’s only for today, he wanted the older’s hand in his.

Just like that, Jackson soon drifted off to dreamland with Mark’s hand in his and he sleep tight for the first time in twelves years.

Meanwhile in Seoul, Yugyeom was out having late lunch with Youngjae since they were swamped up with work with Mark gone to Jeju.

“What do you think is going on there?” Yugyeom asked before biting into his beef burger as he looked at the older whose sipping his coke.

“I’m pretty sure Mark hyung can handle the workload.” Youngjae answered with the obvious which cause the younger to sighed as he put down his burger.

“I’m not talking about work but them. Don’t you notice he sounded down last night during our phone call?” Yugyeom pointed out, the older tone last night has been bugging him like crazy.

“I know but there’s nothing we can do especially knowing Jackson, of course there will be trouble but we are stuck here. The only way is to clear up our work here quickly so that we can join him there, faster.” Youngjae said calmly which cause Yugyeom to pout, knowing that the older hit the point.

“I hate it when you are right.” Yugyeom grumbled, stuffing his burger back into his mouth which earned him a laugh from the amused Youngjae.

“Aww, I love you too cutiepoo.” Youngjae coed, teasing the younger by pinching his cheeks causing Yugyeom to complained about the annoying petname.

While the two friends busy squabbling over ‘cutiepoo’, Yugyeom’s eyes meet Bambam’s whose staring at them before he turned and walk away.

“Hey, are you alright?” Youngjae called out, waving his hand in front of the younger whose suddenly stopped squabbling with him.

“I’m fine, hyung.” Yugyeom answered, reaching out for his drink and sipping on it as Bambam’s face lingers on in his mind because the other has always been a haunting for him.
 

####

Mark slowly started to stir, opening his heavy eyelids while his head is pounding and he was surprised to be greeted with the hazy sight of Jackson seated but asleep beside him.

He tried moving his body but it was too sore so he decided to gave up, it was no use forcing if he would just be in more pain instead.

As his eyes rested on the sight of Jackson’s sleeping face, he couldn’t help but to smile because it felt like all the pain he went through yesterday’s night was healed just by staring at that face.

It was silly of him to think of it like that but it was the truth because he will do anything just to keep that smile on Jackson’s face.

Smiling, he tried to move his hand just to touch those chubby cheeks that he loves but was surprised again when he noticed that their hands are entangled.

Due to the movement, Jackson was awake from his deep sleep which cause Mark to curse himself for waking up the younger.

“You are awake. How are you feeling?” Jackson quickly asked, his sleepiness disappeared all at once after seeing Mark’s face.

“Better but my body and head is still sore.” Mark replied hoarsely since his throat is quite dry and it’s difficult to talk which instantly caused Jackson to untangled their hands and look for a water bottle in the mini bar fridge.

“Here, drink up.” Jackson exclaimed after he helped to raise the pillow a bit higher so that Mark can sip on the water using a straw that was place with the other drink necessities on top of the fridge.

“Are you hungry?” Jackson asked after putting the bottle aside before taking a seat back at the edge, staring at Mark with a concern expression which make Mark’s heart flutters, he never dreamed of Jackson looking at him like that.

“No, I’m not.” Mark answered back, he don’t have that much appetite at the moment and just wanted to rest in bed without thinking much about anything.

“Well, you still need to eat. How are you gonna get your strength back? We still ne..” Jackson nagged causing the older to chuckled which stopped the younger’s nagging.

“Since when are you this naggy, huh?” Mark asked, laughing at the younger who just smiled, rubbing his neck in embarrassment.

“Well, I guess it rubbed off to me after spending too much time with Jinyoungie.” Jackson defended himself without realizing Mark’s expression dropped upon the mention of his best friend.

“Oh..I see.” Mark exclaimed, forcing the smile back on to his face as he looked at the younger who were busy trying to call for room service.

He watches as Jackson seriously ask for a bowl of seafood porridge and medication for fever, making sure the staff at the other end heard him clearly.

“It should be coming soon. You want me to help with anything else?” Jackson exclaimed after he put down the phone, turning to look at Mark who only shook his head at the question.

Jackson just smile before looking away, suddenly feeling awkward because there’s nothing else for him to say
while Mark keep quiet, things running through his mind.

“About last night, I’m sorry. I didn’t think it through and just came to the conclusion that it's your doing. Maybe you are right, there is somebody else out there targeting me.” Jackson apologized after building his courage over that silent pause, he had think things through last night and come to conclusion that it can be just anybody, not just Mark Tuan.

“That’s good, at least you can be more careful now. We still don’t know what they want from you.” Mark answered, reaching out to squeeze the younger’s hand which instantly caused Jackson’s heart to thumped like crazy at the skinship.

He quickly pulled his hand away which surprised Mark who immediately apologized, thinking that the other didn’t like him touching his hand.

“No..it isn’t that..I jus..” Jackson tried to explain himself but end up cutting his own words before moving himself to seat at the couch not to far from the bed.

Mark who was lost at the younger’s reaction just kept quiet as he watches Jackson seating on the couch while trying to avoid any eye contact with him.

They stayed like that, no conversation was exchanged between them until the doorbell rang which signalled the room service.

Jackson answered the door, thanking the staff quickly before returning back to Mark with the warm bowl of porridge that was placed on a tray.

He put down the tray first to help Mark into a seating position, resting his back on the headboard before placing the tray on top of the blanket covering the older’s lap.

Mark thanked softly before trying to grabbed hold of the spoon but he keep missing it since his hand is still quite shaky which worried Jackson so he quickly grabbed the utensil himself and feed Mark after blowing on it a few times.

It took the older by surprise at his action but gratefully accept it as he watch the younger blow off the steam with full of concentration making him laugh at the pout forming.

“What are you laughing at?” Jackson asked, wondering why the older suddenly burst out laughing when he is working hard at feeding him.

“Nothing, you are just too cute.” Mark exclaimed, pinching his nose which caused Jackson’s cheeks to turn pink as he look down to hide his cheeks before continuing to feed the older.

It was hard to believe but Mark somehow managed to finish up that bowl of porridge which caused Jackson to proudly smile, feeling somewhat accomplished.

“Now, it’s time for the medication.” Jackson said, passing the pill over to Mark but unfortunately it slip pass Mark’s fingers causing the older to search around him on the bed.

Seeing how the older is struggling to find the tiny pill, Jackson hovered him and help to look around without realizing that their faces are a few centimeters away.

Mark who didn’t notice their position either decided to turn and ask for a new pill but end up their lips met, shocking both individual.

In that moment, both hearts are doing flips as they stare into each other eyes without realizing things gonna be more awkward after this.

The older was the first to turned away while Jackson was still in a daze, trying to grasp his mind at what just happened between them.

“Why don’t you just give me a new one? Do you have another?” Mark asked, deciding to break that super awkward silence as he look at the younger.

“Right, I will grab another..” Jackson answered, pulling himself out of the daze as he hurried a grab another piece and passed it carefully to the older this time.

“Well, I will leave you to rest. We can work on the materials tomorrow since it already arrived this morning. Mr Park asked me to tell you earlier when he can’t find you.” Jackson excused himself, adding the information he received from the resort manager before he totally forget about it.

“Jackson..” Mark called out, pausing Jackson’s steps towards the door as he turn to look at the older with a questioning look.

“Can you accompany me, at least until I fall asleep?” Mark asked carefully, he wasn’t sure if the younger would accept his request but he didn’t want to be alone when he is this sick so he decided to try his luck.

Jackson didn’t want to because it’s getting super awkward and he wanted to just run away but seeing the state Mark is in that he caused, he decided to nod before taking a seat back at the previous spot that he fall asleep earlier.

It was silence for the first few minutes until something cross Jackson’s mind, something that he sometime wonder to himself unconsciously.

“How can you deal with a jerk like me? Aren’t you tired?” Jackson asked slowly which took Mark by surprise, he didn’t expect the other to realize that behaviour of his whenever he's around him.

“I guess after twelve years of being hated, I got used to it.” Mark answered bitterly, didn’t dare to turn and look at Jackson whose expression clearly dropped upon hearing those words.

“Yi En..” was the only thing that came out of Jackson’s mouth, he was speechless as to how he should respond to those piercing words.

“You still remember that name?” Mark asked dryly, finally turning to look at Jackson who can’t even look at him straight in the eyes at this point.

“Do I still have the right to call you that?” Jackson asked, still remembering his own words that was being said to Mark before and he hated himself for saying that because how much he misses the older calling him that.

“I don’t know...Jackson….I really don’t.” Mark said, just focusing back to staring at the ceiling while Jackson just sighed as he zoned out, million thoughts running through his mind.

It didn’t take long before Mark drifted off due to the medicine effect and Jackson, he spend that whole time staring at the older’s face until he drifted off to sleep as well.

A/N: Hi! How was the markson moments? Did you all enjoyed it, don't

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