chapter 1.

becoming a shadow

Jinyoung came to live with the Tuan's and did his best to adapt.

The second Mr. Tuan agreed with Jinyoung staying inside the household, he was told  that he was going to be made Mark's 'shadow'. Basically Jinyoung was assigned to follow every single move Mark makes. He would be in charge of what Mark would do, eat, and where he goes. It's Jinyoung's responsibility. Mr. Tuan wouldn't have anything less than the best for his future heir. From his education, his clothes, even down to his shadow. Which means, if Jinyoung was going to be Mark Tuan's shadow, he was going to be the best. He was going to be enrolled into classes so he would actually finish his education and he would learn the basic etiquettes from the head butler. He even had to take combat lessons, after all he was training to be the bodyguard of a rich heir. He had to do everything to make himself suitable to Mark when he stood behind his master.

Yes, Mark was his master now.

Thankfully Jinyoung was a quick learner. He had always been smart in school before he quit and ran away from home, always at the top of his class without even trying. He was also agile and strong so he could master a few martial arts in short amount of time. He had been the perfect student that the head butler had become so proud of the young boy.

Mark was exceptionally impressed at Jinyoung's vast progress that he even offered to teach Jinyoung English himself. Jinyoung had agreed, and in return he offered to teach his master Korean. 

They struggled at first, having Mark pronouncing a lot of the words in a weird way and Jinyoung's unbelievably limited vocabulary. But somehow they managed to pull through. Because they found that it never took much words to communicate between them. They could understand each other well just by their gestures andbody language. By the third month Jinyoung lived with the Tuans, he could communicate through simple English just fine.

"Aish, can we take a break? This make my head hurt," Mark would complain every now and then everytime they work on their dictation. Mark could speak Korean just as well as a native speaker, though still heavily accented, but his writing and reading skills were bad. But Jinyoung was very patient with him, urging him to keep trying and would recite the words slowly over and over again.

"You need to learn, Master. You need to be able to read hangul, otherwise how are you going to read documents and business contracts in the future? You can't always communicate face-to-face with you acquaintances," Jinyoung pointed out as he began to tidied up the scattering mess of papers Mark had made on the table. 

"Since when do you start calling me that?"

"Calling you what?"

"Master."

"Since head butler Im told me so," Jinyoung replied nonchalantly. "He said that I should start addressing you as such, so I will know my place." His answers sounded monotone as if it had been programmed in his mind, because head butler Im had been constantly repeating himself. Chanting the words as if it were some kind of a mantra. But Jinyoung didn't need head butler Im to remind him, he will never forget his place. With a corteous smile, Jinyoung turned to Mark, "Shall we continue the lesson, Master?"

Mark grimmaced at the way Jinyoung calls him. He let out a silent groan, but continue his study without another complaint.

~

"Hyung, who is he?" Jinyoung had heard one afternoon as he accompanied Mark study in his room.

Mark's eyes never left the thick course book he was currently reading, "His name is Jinyoung," he replied quickly. "Jinyoung, meet my younger brother. Yugyeom."

Jinyoung's eyes slightly widened. He had lived in the household for months and he had never seen this boy Mark claimed as his brother. He had never even heard the fact that the Tuan family has a second son. Yugyeom, as small as he was, gave the widest smile and bowed politely at Jinyoung. The older boy returned the favor and slightly bowed. 

Yugyeom didn't even bother to ask either Mark or Jinyoung to play with him. The little boy simply sat on the narrow edge of Mark's bed and mostly kept to himself. He hums as he swayed his feet back and front. Jinyoung could see the admiration the boy had for his older brother just by looking into Yugyeom's eyes. It made him wonder how Mark could easily ignore the boy's presence altogether for the past hour they had spent there. 

"TUAN YUGYEOM!" the three of them stiffened as they heard Mr. Tuan's voice boomed just right outside Mark's room.

Yugyeom practically jumped off the bed and was quickly on his two feet as soon as his father entered the room. "Y-yes, father..." he didn't dare to look his father in the eyes.

"What have I told you about being in Mark's room?! Didn't I told you to stay away and never bother your brother!" he scolded the youngest son.

Yugyeom was shuddering in fear and couldn't even open his mouth to answer. He let out a whimper as he was so scared. Jinyoung couldn't stand the situation, but there was nothing that he could do.

Mark sighed. He glance at his 'shadow' who looked obviously uncomfortable, then at his brother who simply looked horrified. He closed his books and walked towards Yugyeom, pulling him under his arm. "Father, it's fine," he said assuringly, "Yugyeom isn't bothering me at all, I like having him here. Besides, Jinyoung helps me focus."

Mr. Tuan glared at Jinyoung, then to Yugyeom. "Leave," he told the boy before the boy scrambled out of the room.

They waited until Mr. Tuan left the room, Jinyoung gave the perfect ninety-degree bow when he did, before Mark sat back on his chair. Jinyoung stood behind him. "Will your brother be okay?" he whispered.

Sighing, Mark pinched the bridge of his nose, "I don't know, but I sure hope he's okay," he then turned to Jinyoung, taking his hand, "I'm sorry you had to witness that."

Jinyoung felt like he was struck by an electricity the second Mark's hand touched his skin. He didn't know why, but it felt weird and unfamiliar. Yet he felt the comfort Mark was trying to give. Jinyoung carefully pulled his hand back and smiled, "It's almost three, would you like some tea?" he offered, looking at his watch.

"Yes, that would be nice. Thank you."

Jinyoung then excused himself and went to the pantry to make some tea. He wasn't sure if Mark had preffered sugar or milk with his tea, so he decided to just bring a whole tray of tea, sugar packets, and milk. He was on his way back to Mark's room on the second floor when he suddenly heard faint sobs coming from one of the rooms in the corridor. Being the curious george that he was, Jinyoung decided to find the source of the voice. 

He then noticed that one of the doors was half-opened. "Excuse me," he said softly, poking his head inside the room.

It was Yugyeom. The boy quickly wiped his tears away with the back of his hands as soon as he heard Jinyoung's voice. "H-hyung," he greeted with a croak, he once again bowed at his brother's shadow.

Jinyoung carefuly settled his tray on a table. "Were you crying just now?" he had asked, kneeling beside the youngster.

Yugyeom lowered his face, burrying it between his folded knees. "No I wasn't!" he grumbled in his childlike way.

Jinyoung said nothing more, but he wrapped his arms around Yugyeom. Taking him by surprise. They stayed that way for awhile, Yugyeom trying to stop his sobs as Jinyoung rubbed small circles on the younger's back. When Yugyeom finally calmed down, Junior pulled away and helped him wipe away the tears that stained his cheeks. 

"Feel better?" Yugyeom nodded. 

His eyes then traveled towards to the tray of tea that had once been scalding hot yet now had probably gone cold. "Uhm... hyung, the tea...?" Yugyeom reminded as he pointed at the table. 

Jinyoung mentally slapped himself, "," he got back on his feet and took the tray. "I have to go get this to your brother. But if you need someone to talk to, don't hesitate to come to me. Okay?" he winked at Yugyeom before practically sprinting out of the room. Missing the pink that started to form on Yugyeom's cheeks. 

~

On the sixth month of being Mark's shadow, Jinyoung was introduced to a beautiful young lady named Wendy. 

He had picked up Mark from school that particular sunny day. Jinyoung waiting outside by the car when Mark came approaching with someone in tow. Mark had introduced as a classmate, but the younger boy knew better. He noticed how Mark kept close to her and how his Master would get flusterred everytime she looked straight into his eyes.

Jinyoung felt his chest heavy and tight, but ignored the feeling. 

Instead he bowed politely at the girl and introduced himself. "Your friend is pretty, Master," he had said. Mark blushed at the remark while Wendy looked confused. Jinyoung figured that Wendy, like Mark, wasn't too fluent in Korean. "Your face," he switched to his stiff English, "pretty." Wendy had turned red also and thanked Jinyoung for the compliment.

Mark quickly changed the subject and decided that they all should go out to eat. Wendy was more than happy to come along while Jinyoung just smiled and agreed. It wasn't like he was in any position to refuse. They went to one of Mark's favorite restaurant. Jinyoung had stayed silent for the rest of the meal. Mark and Wendy did most of the talking, conversing in a language that Jinyoung wasn't familiar with. So just sat on his chair, trying to quietly enjoy his meal. 

They had driven Wendy home and now it was just the two of them in the backseat of Mark's car. Mark looking completely happy compared to the other days. "Is she your girlfriend, Master?" Jinyoung finally asked even though he didn't really care for the answer.

Mark looked flustered, "She's not, she's just a friend... I told you we were classmates." 

"But you like her?" Mark didn't answer this time, but he was blushing to the tip of his ears. "You guys look good together."

Mark eyes lit up, "Really?" he asked eagerly. Jinyoung nodded. "But we aren't, a couple, I mean. We just..."

"You don't have to explain anything to me, Master."

Mark sighed this time, "Can you stop calling me Master?" he said, looking completely annoyed. "I took you in as a friend. And I genuinely want to be your friend. You can call me that when you're around head butler Im and my parents, but when we're outside of the house I'm just Mark and you are Jinyoung. Okay?"

Jinyoung hesitated at first, but he knew Mark would never take no as an answer from him. "Okay... Mark."

The older boy smiled. "So... do you really think Wendy and I look good together?" Mark went on talking about Wendy all the way home. How she was the daughter of his father's partner and how nice she had been towards Mark. Jinyoung listened carefully, giving empty responses every now and then as he kept a smile on his face.

But the feeling was back again. That slight pang to his heart. Once again he chose to ignore it.

~

When Jinyoung finally received his first whipping, he finally understood what Mr. Tuan meant by being Mark's shadow. How everything Mark did had consequences. And Jinyoung would bear the consequences in Mark's place by getting the skin across his shoulder ripped off each time the slick leather sliced through the air.

Jinyoung took every strike unflinchingly, gripping the ropes that tied his wrist tighter, restraining himself from cry of pain. It hurts. He had never experienced worst pain before. But he knew it was worst for Mark. They had made the boy watched. He was made sure to stood there right in front of Jinyoung as the shadow received the punishments that he had caused.

The punishment was inhumane. It was out of date and against every human rights. But there was nothing either Mark nor Jinyoung could do. 

Later that night, Mark would slipped into Jinyoung's bedroom and rubbed antiseptics and medicated balm on the pink scars across Jinyoung's back. The latter would hiss at every touch, he couldn't find it in himself to pretend it didn't hurt. Tears fell from Mark's eye as he mutters his apologies. 

"I'm sorry, Jinyoung~ah..." 

Jinyoung tried to force a smile as he put on his shirt back carefully, "It's okay, Mark. It wasn't your fault." 

"But it was my fault. None of this would've happened if I had just left you alone that night. I took you in to make your life better, not to be treated like this. I'm so sorry, Jinyoung. You should go, leave this place and go as far as you can. Don't ever comeback. Please, Jinyoung, I can't see you hurt like this again."

And that was exactly why Jinyoung could never leave. Despite of his family, Mark was a good man. He knew his Master couldn't help it if he wanted to befriend kids on the streets and offered them food just so they won't go to sleep starving. Unlike his father, Mark has a tender heart. But he was naive to think that he could get away with everything that he did.

"I don't want to leave, Mark," Jinyoung told him. "What you did was right. If you had to be punish over that, I would be more than happy to take the consequences from you. For you."

But there was another reason why he wouldn't leave. 

Jinyoung had fallen in love with his Master. 

~

** hello everyone, this chapter was a bit hard for me to write because it pains me to imagine Jinyoung being hurt like that. but I hope you guys like this chapter :)

-seoksoo92