It's been nearly a week since Jinyoung has amended things with his now friends, and life for them has never been better. The 6 of them now has formed a camaraderie that is even stronger than anyone had anticipated. Mark has been dropping by Jinyoung's house often to do their project and not to forget, their Korean lessons. Mark has done superbly well;  is able to form short sentences, also understanding the gist of the Korean language. Everything is just splendid.

Throughout all the fun they're having, no one saw how 2 pairs of eyes were scowling at the whole group. Well one of them did - because he's the reason they're glaring. They were his old 'friends', more like his overlords actually. They were the one who forced him to torment people, for very stupid reasons. Not completing his task would mean losing his only 'friends'. He truly regrets what he's done, but the two sure hates his guts for leaving. 

Everything came tumbling down soon after. It all started when the two boys signaled for Jinyoung to follow them one afternoon.  Jinyoung had been talking to his teacher after school about some schoolwork, asking Mark and Jackson to go home first as it would take awhile. He almost reached the campus gates and that's when he saw them. The two were leaning against the gates, and had malicious grins plastered on their faces, sending a shiver down Jinyoung's spine. What the hell are they up to?

Jinyoung had no choice but to follow them to an alley, the same one as when he first met Mark. But now is not the time to be sappy. The two boys stood in the alley with their arms crossed waiting for Jinyoung, equipped with two wooden sticks. They were certainly up to no good.

"Hey dimwit." Jinsoo greeted. "How was it like hanging out with those losers?" Jinyoung began feeling agitated. Don't even try belittling my friends.

"They're clearly not the losers, you are. And damn, hanging out with you losers was real ty" Jinyoung retorted. This earned him a strike from Minjun, who was very much unsatisfied with his answer, causing Jinyoung to be knocked over. 

"Answer like that again with that smart- mouth of yours and I will beat you until you can't walk." Jinsoo threatened. "So, we surely we were pissed when you decided to ditch us. Now, since your part of that loser squad, we'll treat you as how you had treated them previously."

The two circled around Jinyoung, sizing him up as he tries to get up.

"You will work for us, like the dog you are." Minjun announced. Jinyoung scoffed, then started laughing at the absurdity of it all.  And there they go again, playing god.

"Over. My. Dead. Body." He spat out, earning him two more strikes on his stomach.

"Really now, Jinyoung. I don't think Markie boy wants to get beaten up here, and don't even get me started with Bam and Yugyeom. They look like they haven't healed from their last beating yet. You do know that our families are rich and can end you in a second. Just do as we say and nobody of your loser friends gets hurt" Minjun declared, breaking out into a meniacal laugh as they both walked out of the alley, leaving the injured boy there. And for the first time in a long time, he looked up and started to sob, never feeling so helpless and scared since his dad passed.

No way am I gonna put any of them through their .

Mark senses that something's going on with Jinyoung. Mark has observed him wandering off to places lately without telling any of his friends, coming back with cuts and bruises peeking from his shirt. Once, he even spots blood running down his arm, but Jinyoung shrugged it off, giving the usual excuse of "I fell down". Not to mention how he's gotten eerily quiet, cutting their conversations down to mere sentences.

Everything was heaven on earth for a week; the whole gang was getting along,  Mark hanging out with him after school. But it all changed that day that Jinyoung had to be held back in class. Ever since then, Jinyoung began to retreat into his own shell. Mark saw how pained Jinyoung's expression started looked, but Jinyoung was too dismissive to Mark, always tip-toeing on what he says.

Mark wouldn't admit it, but he misses Jinyoung terribly. He had no idea what is up or whether Jinyoung is going through something. It was all going so great too.

It was lunch break when witnesses Jinyoung sneaking away again. Mark was done with creating assumptions on Jinyoung's activities. He was dying to find out what exactly he was doing. He tailed behind Jinyoung, making sure that he was hidden. Jinyoung hastily whips around to scan his surroundings, almost giving Mark a heart attack.

Once Jinyoung was convinced that no one was on his tail, he slipped into the alleyway. This sure gives me a feeling of Deja Vu. 

There and then, Mark's heart sinks to the floor. Jinyoung was in front of two very familiar faces, both wearing wicked grins on their faces. Is this what Jinyoung had been going through this past week?

"Did you finish your assignment, Jinyoung-ah?" Minjun interrogated. 

With his head bowed down, Jinyoung replied, "No. I can never hurt Youngjae. Just beat me instead." Their grins warp into a frown.

"What the hell. All you have to do was give him a few kicks. How hard is that to do?" Jinsoo responds, not forgetting to kick Jinyoung right in his stomach. Jinyoung groaned, rolling to the ground.

Mark stood rooted to the ground, shocked to see what the hell was happening. He can feel his anger rising by the second.

"He did not do anything wrong and you know that. Why would I beat up your parent's business rival's child for you?" Jinyoung yelled back, receiving couple more kicks and punches. 

Jinyoung somehow managed to get up again, spitting another insult to both, "You both need to stop oppressing people because of money, everybody gets that you have tons of them. Stop shoving it into peoples' faces." 

Mark was woken up from his stupor, seeing Minjun raising his hand to strike Jinyoung. He springs up to action, ensuring that Jinyoung doesn't get hit again . Mark ran towards Jinyoung, embracing him, and instead gets the blow. Mark looks up to see Jinyoung, surprised at what had just taken place. He turns around to see Minjun and Jinsoo, both taken aback. 

"We already warned you what's going to happen. My dad's gonna deal with you and your friends soon." Jinsoo threatened, grabbing Minjun as he walked out of the alley.

"Jinyoung, why didn't you tell me? I could've helped you. Are you ok?" he questions, Jinyoung still sobbing in his arms. Jinyoung looked guilty, but still gives a small nod. At this point, Mark was done with school, just wanting Jinyoung to get cleaned up. 

Mark brings Jinyoung to his apartment after calming down, since his apartment is closer to the school. Jinyoung know that Mark is well off, but he didn't know that he was filthy rich. As Jinyoung walked into the apartment, more like limp into the apartment, he was shocked at the lavish furniture in the room. Damn, this apartment can pay off my college fees. 

Mark puts him down on the couch, and sees Jinyoung gaping at the apartment, "Wow, Mark. I didn't know you were loaded." Mark chuckles, then excusing himself to get the first aid kit. 

Mark comes back and asked Jinyoung to remove his shirt. He quickly sees Jinyoung's face heat up in embarrassment, and can't help but find him adorable.

"I'm not trying to do anything shifty, Jinyoung. I just need to clean your wounds." Mark explains between his chuckles.

 As Mark cleans his wounds, he was still itching to find out why this had happened. "Jinyoung, can you please tell me what happened? Why were they pestering you." He pleaded. 

Jinyoung flinched, but release a long sigh. He knew that he had to explain it to him someday, but he didn't know that it'll be this soon.

"Both of them approached me one day, and threatened me saying that they would hurt you guys if I didn't do their dirty work. They actually asked me to beat up a new kid named Youngjae, who is Minjun's parents' business rivals' child. Like, I'm not even partially related to that, but I guess they didn't want to get caught either. But I really couldn't, he was a really nice kid, so they continued to beat me." 

Mark has already finished patching Jinyoung up, helping him get his shirt on. He is so furious that they put Jinyoung through all this . "Do you know the name of the business Minjun's parents' are running? Just curious." 

Mark sits beside Jinyoung rubbing circles on his back, to encourage him to continue talking. "If I remember correctly, its Kwon&Park Co."

Mark was surprised to hear the familiar name, remembering that its one of the small companies that his dad is sponsoring.

"Nyoung, I know that company, my dad is helping them." Jinyoung was amazed at the connection. "My dad always complained about them, saying that the CEO was lazy and was rude. I might have to give my dad a call after this. Oh and give me Youngjae's family business too." 

He really wasn't expecting Jinyoung to come clean, but he was thankful that Jinyoung did. He sees Jinyoung letting out a yawn. Who wouldn't feel tired after all that beating.

Mark led Jinyoung to his room, glad that he actually cleaned his room this morning. Jinyoung quickly jumps into the bed, thinking that that was probably the most comfortable he laid on in his life. Mark let out a yelp as he was pulled into the bed by Jinyoung, who just snuggled beside him. He smiled at Jinyoung, who was cheekily grinning beside him. Jinyoung's gonna be the death of me.

He wrapped his arms around the almost-asleep figure beside him, his heart swelling. Mark admired his face, he is undeniably enamored. He thinks that this is his favorite sleeping position and that he can live just by seeing Jinyoung curl up beside him every night.

The sudden realization hit him hard. He never felt this way about anybody before and he feels that he's about to be consumed by the adoration he had for the boy. I like Jinyoung.

Jinyoung nuzzled his face against the crook of Mark's neck ,whispering ever so quietly, "I like you." before slipping into dreamland.

Mark at that moment forgot how to breathe, shocked at the confession that the other made. Mark being elated was an understatement. He embraced the now asleep Jinyoung taking in his scent, as he whispers, "I like you so much too, my Jinyoungie."

And Mark never slept so soundly in his life before.