Chapter 5
The Subway GuyIt had been two weeks after their night out to the amusement park and the following weekdays after the night, Mark and Jinyoung found themselves sitting beside each other on the subway every morning. It was more like Mark going out his way to sit beside the younger just because Jinyoung was most probably still awkward due to his secret crush on the redhead.
The boys were also gradually spent time with each other after classes for lunch or dinner with Jaebum included in the equation. Jinyoung surprisingly can connect well to the guy although at first he was quite skeptical due to the other’s intimidating aura.
It was one Friday when Mark and Jinyoung were at the library. The plan was actually to go for a movie after everyone was done with their class but considering the fact that both Mark and Jinyoung had finished their classes two hours earlier than the promised time, they decided to hang out at the library.
It was Mark who came first and upon seeing there was no sign of the younger, he just took his usual spot near the window that overlooked the park outside the library. It was Mark’s favorite spot because he had the liberty to observe the people outside after he was done with his reading or freaking out over his thesis.
Mark took out his book of the week (that’s what he refers them as) and continued from where he stopped. It was another book from Nicholas Sparks, A Walk to Remember. He never thought that he would be so interested in this one particular author. It was only because the unknown writer that recommended another book of his that Mark began to read more about his stories.
Though Beaufort has changed and I have changed, the air itself has not. It’s still the air of my childhood, the air of my seventeenth year, and when I finally exhale, I’m fifty seven once more. But this is okay. I smile slightly, looking forward to the sky, knowing there’s one thing I still haven’t told you; I now believe, by the way, that miracles can happen.
Mark exhaled after finishing the last line. He was feeling so overwhelmed with that story that he didn’t notice Jinyoung was already sitting in front of him 15 minutes ago simply observing Mark while occasionally jotted something down in his notebook; trying to finish his current work to publish.
“Have you finished that book?” Mark jumped, startled with the sudden voice causing his knees to bump into the table leg. Jinyoung simply grinned at the other’s reaction.
“When did you get here?” Mark asked while rubbing his sore leg. Jinyoung was back to scribbling things on his notebook.
“More or less 15 minutes ago. You were so engrossed into reading that I didn’t wanna to burst your bubble.” He was now looking at the older with a slight smile. Mark felt his breath hitched with that sudden intrusion on the younger’s face. Geez he’s so beautiful.
“What’s your thought on that story, hyung?” Jinyoung asked, curious. Mark took a second to ponder on that question before offering his answer.
“It was interesting. I can feel the depth of Landon’s feelings toward Jamie. The way he did everything to fulfill her last wishes was something else I can say. I am not really into romance but it was a good one.” Mark explained.
“Have you watched the movie?” Jinyoung asked again and when Mark shook his head, continued with his own thoughts.
“You should watch it… but I personally love the book more. In that movie, it was quite obvious that Jamie had died but it was contrary to the book.” Mark frowned upon hearing Jinyoung’s explanation.
“I’m pretty sure she is dead too in the book, no?”
Jinyoung simply smiled that blinding smile of his before reaching for the book in Mark’s hand. The redhead felt a jolt of electricity when their fingers touched but remained stoic about it. He saw Jinyoung flipping to last page before he read the last line.
“I now believe, by the way, that miracles can happen. You see this last line the author really wanted us to imagine the ending, don’t you think so? Maybe the miracle he was talking about is that they finally found a cure for leukemia or that she fought the disease and stayed alive?” The younger explained while looking fondly at the other’s face, eyes sparkling with passion talking about things he loves.
“Unlike the movie that is quite definite, I believe the book is opened to a wider interpretation. I’m a er for happy endings anyway so I really wanted the couple to have a longer love story of their own.” Jinyoung closed the book and slide it to Mark’s direction.
“I didn’t look at it that way before you explained them to me, Jinyoungie.” Jinyoung was startled with that nickname. It was the first time Mark called him that and he was afraid knowing that he was liking the feeling. “I’m guessing you’re a big fan of this book then?” Mark asked.
“Yep! It is my favorite book from my favorite author. Despite being teenagers, I think Jamie and Landon have a beautiful love story. Something I’ve always wanted for my very own life minus the falling sick part because I don’t think I can handle any of it.”
Jinyoung blushed upon realizing the part he unconsciously admitted to be a hopeless romantic. He diverted his attention to his now opened notebook. “Cute.” Mark mumbled slowly that certainly went noticed by Jinyoung causing another hint of red on his cheeks.
Mark simply looked around the quiet library noting the few numbers of people there. They had another 30 minutes before the youngers finished with their respective classes before they would be going to the cinema together as Jaebum was already there while Jackson would be joining them a bit later after his training.
His gaze was diverted back to Jinyoung who was engrossed with his writing. His curiosity finally got the best of him that he couldn’t help but to request for that thing. “May I read any of your works, Jinyoung? Yugyeom and Bambam had been telling me about it that I wanna read it myself.”
Jinyoung was hesitant at first but he couldn’t resist the puppy look on Mark’s face. Please don’t make me fall for you even more, Mark hyung.
“Ugh fine! But don’t comment anything about it.” He surrendered. He flipped his book to certain page before sliding it to the other, the page with a poem on it was now facing Mark. The older took his time to read to understand what that piece was trying to convey.
Inside a crowded room, one guy was taking shots
A set of hazel eyes he zoomed, they lingered at one spot.
In a dark corner stood a girl, black eyes and torn shirt
A glass of vodka she swirled, a single gulp to numb the hurt.
The clock struck twice, looking up the saw each other’s eyes
Standing there contemplating life, love whispers were all lies.
He wanted to go, she wanted to leave
Inside that room they were suffocating
The evil of life they didn’t give in
Little did they know living wasn’t winning.
Poisons
Mark’s mouth gaped open. He knew this poem. He read it before and he was so certain about it because it was written by this someone he was so fond about in writing. That one unknown writer who conveys their feelings in a piece of art; that person who makes his day just by reading and that person who constantly introduces him to new books and authors.
“You’re JR?” He asked the younger who was startled with his sudden question.
“You know who JR is?” Jinyoung answered back with a question. Mark looked at Jinyoung like the younger just grew two horns on his head.
“Are you kidding me? Oh god, Jinyoungie. I’ve been reading that person’s work. I thought JR is a female. I didn’t expect for that person to be you.”
“Hey! What do you mean JR sounds like a female? And how are you so sure JR is me?” The younger pouted causing Mark to chuckle.
“What I mean is that the writer sounds so delicate and passionate. Something rare when it comes to guys and before you take it the wrong way, it is a compliment okay.” Jinyoung was about to protest before the redhead added further.
“And you asked me how can I be so sure it is you? Well the answer is I’m not until a few seconds ago. Besides, I wanna believe JR to be you.” The older offered the other a soft smile upon his explanation. Gone now the pout on Jinyoung’s face that was replaced with the same smile mirrored on Mark’s face.
“So you really read my works?” It was the only question registered in Jinyoung’s mind to not make things awkward. He had to admit to himself that his heart was fluttering like crazy and he knew it wasn’t a good thing.
“I do. Yugyeom knows it too because he always find the tabs on my laptop to be filled with your page. He didn’t even have the decency to tell me JR is you.” Jinyoung chuckled; liking how the two brothers interact with one another.
“Pretty sure he doesn’t know who JR is. That guy doesn’t even read; he said so himself.” The both ended up laughing with the thought of Yugyeom choking somewhere with them two badmouthing him behind his back.
“But I guess I
Comments