"Rap class please go with Mr Cho. He's waiting for you"

He stood up along with the other trainees, picking up his things ready to go out of the room.

"See you later hyung" he heard Jaebum said

"Don't forget we're eating dinner together" this time it was Jinyoung.

When he finished he looked at the two guys behind him and gave them an smile and a nod.

"I won't. See you guys later"

-

It had been seven months since he got here and he could finally said things were better, specially, since he now could talk and didn't feel like a baby. His Korean was good enough to talk with people and understand them (thanks to his classes and Jinyoung who had been helping him since that past time)

The younger keep being around him and with the time and thanks to his better understanding, Mark found out that the younger was actually playful when he wanted to, had a really mischievous side (which he found funny), but a the same time was a calm and caring person who liked the quiet places, this characteristics making Mark being fond of him.

But since a couple of months he didn't have just Jinyoung in his life. The guy who always was with the younger, went once to him and started talking. He introduced himself as Im Jaebum and then proceeded to tell him that if he needed some help in something he could always ask. It was weird for Mark at first but after a while he started saying hi to the other and in return Jaebum would establish a simple conversation.

Months later he would find himself sitting on the floor studying Korean with Jinyoung by his side helping him. Just that this time he could spot Jaebum sitting a couple of steps away playing with his phone.

-

"Okay, one more time from the start. One, Tw-"

Mr. Cho was interrupted when the classroom door opened, Mr. Jung, one of the manager of the agency, came in.

"Take a rest for a while, drink water" Mr Cho said to them and went to Manager Jung, starting a conversation.

Mark sat down a few feet from them and drink his water, not thinking in something specific, till something caught his attention.

"How are Park Jinyoung rap classes going?"

Mark furrowed his eyebrows 'Jinyoung?'

"They're going good, he doesn't have the feeling of a rapper but it's okay, he's a singer after all"

"I know, but it's for the song. He's going to be okay for his parts right?"

"Yeah, he has been practicing. And what about Jaebum?"

"His singing is really good, we're counting that his gonna do great"

"I know they will, they're really talented. Perfect for this debut"

Mark opened his eyes in surprise, choking of his water. 'Jinyoung and Jaebum? D-debuting? What?!'

"Are you okay kid?" Mark heard Manager Jung and felt the man's hand on his shoulder. He nodded fast as a respond.

"Y-yes, I just drank to fast"

'They're debuting together'

'I didn't know'

'They didn't tell me'

'Jinyoung didn't tell me'

That night Mark didn't showed up to have dinner with them.

Jaebum was surprised about it and Jinyoung was confused and worry.

Even long after Jaebum left, Jinyoung waited for Mark. But he didn't come.

-

Mark avoid them for a week straight.

Jaebum was kind of mad about it but still told himself and Jinyoung that maybe he just wanted to be alone and needed time.

But Jinyoung responded that Mark wasn't like that and something was wrong, so he tried to talk to the older on the dorm, try to go after him after practice, try to found him of the rest periods, only to be avoided. Jinyoung was beyond confused and sad.

-

Mark looked at the dark sky from his sitting position on the swing.
It was Friday night after practice, already 11:42 pm, and he was still, after two hours, in the park near the now familiar convenience store.

It had been a week since he started ignoring his two friends, he knows he was being childish but he couldn't help it, he was hurt. Maybe because he had a little bit of hope that he could debut with them, but that was also being selfish for him, because he knew that the others two had been trainees for a while now. He didn't know anymore how he felt.

"So this is where you have been"

Mark jumped a little, startled a the new voice, but relaxed when he recognize it, he moved his head at his right side and silently watched how Jinyoung sit down at the swing next to him.

They didn't said anything for minutes, till Jinyoung got tired of the silent.

"Why have you being avoiding us? Why have you being avoiding me?" He said quietly but soon grown mad when Mark didn't respond him "Why aren't you saying something?! Did I do something to you?! Did I upset you?! Tell me! Talk to me!" He stopped when he felt how exasperated he was becoming.

Jinyoung closed his eyes trying to calm his breathing and then looked at Mark who was looking at the ground.

"You... Didn't tell me you were debuting" Mark said almost like a whisper "Along with Jaebum"

Jinyoung felt like the air left his lungs, like someone had kicked him hard in the stomach. While his throat keep closing up he force himself to talk.

"I didn't.... I didn't know how to tell you... I really wanted to, but I didn't know how hyung"

Mark looked at Jinyoung when he heard how the younger's voice was shaking. The other shook his head and looked at him with glassy eyes. Mark felt a form in his throat immediately.

"I'm so sorry hyung.. I just- I guess I couldn't tell because I haven't... still fully accept it"

"Why? I-"

"I couldn't still fully accept it because... As foolish as it sounds... I hoped I could debut with you too" he let a dejected laugh scape "I know I may sound dumb but I couldn't help it!"

Mark felt a twitch on his stomach at Jinyoung's words 'he felt the same'

"Jin-"

"I know I'm going to be with Jaebum, but you..." Jinyoung didn't finish and instead a sob escaped and tears rolled down his cheeks.

Mark couldn't take it anymore and stood up from his swing walking to Jinyoung and hugging him.

It was awkward at first with Jinyoung still sitting on the swing and Mark in front of him a little bending over to hug him properly. He put his arms around the younger shoulders and his head over his. Jinyoung was tense for a second but when he relaxed he put his arms around Mark' waist and cried on his stomach, his words muffled by Mark's hoodie

"If I've told you, that would have mean that that was it. That it was real, that I wouldn't debut with you. That's... That's why I couldn't. I'm sorry" he said while hugging him tighter.

"It's okay Jinyoung. You shouldn't apologize, I'm the one who is sorry for avoiding you"

"You don't-"

"No, let's forget about it" Mark told him without letting go of him "You should be happy, not sad. You're debuting!"

"But you..."

"We can collab in the future!" He said trying to bright up the mood, Jinyoung only made a weird sound still on his shirt. He sighed and put his cheek harder on Jinyoung's hair. "Thanks... For worrying about me. I would have liked to debut with you too"

"Hyung..."

"But for now I'm just going to be happy for you and support you. So you should be happy too"

They stayed like that for a while, without saying nothing.

"Promise me that we're going to collab together, hyung"

He laughed at that.

But still that night, while they were both hugging, he promised that he will.

"Thanks for being my friend, Mark"

"Thanks for being my friend, Jinyoung"