Mark didn’t want to act like he cared. Because he really didn’t.

He might have always smiled at Jeno, but he didn’t want to.

He wanted to go up to the younger and really tell him how he felt.

How much he despised everything about him.

Now, they now walked through this empty hallway, as Jeno smiled telling Mark something about his previous class.

Mark kept his focus on the ground beneath them, then smiled. Pretending that he was actually listening to Jeno.

Jeno laughed at something very foreign to Mark and looked over at the older. He pulled at the older's hand and then the angel smiled. “Mark, you seem so lost today. Is something up?”

Mark looked up at Jeno with a faint smile. He didn’t like breaking Jeno’s heart, nor did he like breaking his bones.

You see, the truth hurt more than fake smiles and kisses.

The truth was the one that broke more of Mark’s bones.

A human is born with 300 bones, but then when they grow, they’re bones fuse together. Which causes us to only have 206 bones.

And almost half of Mark’s bones were broken.

Because every time he said the truth, his body felt a snap somewhere.

So Mark lived lying about the truth that dug so deep into him. He grew up learning to lie to people.

And Mark could spot a liar the moment they lied.

Because he was a liar.

Mark was born this way. His distant family once told him that his mom's uncle had the same sickness as him. It didn’t have a name. But was part of his family's blood.

So Mark smiled his best feign smile at Jeno and lied once again today. “Nothing Jeno. I was just a little worried about something.” Mark wasn’t worried. So his bones became stronger with every word that was a lie.

A look of worry washed upon Jeno’s white face. “What’s wrong Mark?” He asked a little tense.

Mark tried smiling wider, but he simply couldn’t. He simply couldn't lie anymore. He didn’t want to break the Jeno that loved him so much. “Just some family problems. Nothing too bad.”

The younger thought of Mark as everything amazing.

When the word dazzling was said, Jeno automatically thought about Mark. Mark was his star that still shined in the day. And Jeno was Mark’s shadow. The one who followed him to the dark, and even let himself be trapped in Mark’s lies.

Jeno brought his hand closer to grasp the sleeve of Mark’s baby blue sweater. “Mark, no need to be worried. I’m here for you. You know how much I love you, right?”

Jeno then turned Mark to look him in the eyes. Jeno’s black eyes that filled with so much love for Mark. While Mark’s bright eyes were laced with deep hate for Jeno. Mark slowly nodded at Jeno’s confession. He gulped in the guilt, trying to swallow it all. “I won’t worry anylonger and I love you too Jeno.”

That was all Mark had to say to make Jeno smile and Mark’s heart filled with blackness again.

Mark didn’t love Jeno, Mark loved his life.

Mark didn’t hate pain, Mark hated Lee Jeno.

Haechan brought his hand over to feel the drops of red liquid on his middle finger. He massaged the bloody finger before crying again. It’s like reality hated him more than he hated the blood that he always let go.

Haechan couldn't say the truth because he wanted to live longer. Because he hoped one day, he’d be able to say the truth.

That Park Jisung’s words did hurt more than his actions.

They said that sticks and stone can break your bones, but words c