Elizabeth rested her head on Jinyoung’s shoulder, the evening atmosphere was empty. It didn’t seem like there was anyone else in sight. He could feel his arm going numb from Elizabeth’s head. It was peaceful, Jinyoung couldn’t disagree with that, but he was more excited for tomorrow than he was for tonight. 

“Jinyoung?” He blinked before looking down towards her. 

“What’s up?”

“Hm, what were you and Mark talking about?”

“Mark and I...well, I have to show him around town.”

“Oh, really, can I come?” Jinyoung smiled awkwardly, she was persistent about anything that was about Mark. It kinda felt like he was her boyfriend more than he was. In some ways, he could have said yes, since it wasn’t confidential to business, but...

“It’s confidential, it’s about my parents business, so it has to stay between us two.” She sighed dropping her hands from his arms, “I see, well you should have fun tomorrow.” Jinyoung smiled and kissed her, “Don’t be upset, tell me what I can do to make you feel

better?” Of course nothing that Jinyoung did could satisfy her, because he wasn’t Mark, but there were other ways. She smiled as she began to walk away, “I’ll tell you tomorrow, y’know after your errand with Mr. Americano.” Jinyoung bit his lip, this was the one of many little details about Elizabeth that he liked. She was difficult to read, nothing seemed real or force. 

He chuckled to himself as he turned around to return home.

———————————————

“Now, don’t hurt yourselves, stay safe, and try to stay away from drugs.” Jinyoung rolled his eyes as he hugged his mother. 

“We’re not going anywhere far.” Mark chuckled as he bowed. 

Jinyoung pulled Mark towards his sister car, “We’ll see you this evening!”

“Don’t forget to show him our company building!” 

“Yeah, yeah!” Jinyoung slammed the car door, starting up the ignition.

The ride was quite, subtle music played in the background and Jinyoung tapped his hand on the wheel. He had so many things to ask, but he didn’t know if it was fair to ask. Mark’s eyes were close, and Jinyoung thought it wouldn’t be noticeable that his eyes would look his way every thirty seconds.

“You got something to ask?” 

“M-Me, n-no of course not.” Mark opened his eyes, turning his head towards Jinyoung.

“Go on, your glares are really noticeable.” Jinyoung coughed awkwardly, “Really? And I wasn’t glaring, I was staring, sort of...” Mark laughed, “So you admit it.” Jinyoung blushed. 

Mark smiled, “Are you curious about me?” Jinyoung pulled his shades off.

“Well, to break the ice, can you tell me about yourself?”

“Hm, so you are curious.”

“A guy can’t be curious?” Jinyoung grinned.

“Well, I’m Taiwanese-American if you’re wondering where my looks come from, and I like chocolate ice cream.” 

“Chocolate? Vanilla is way better, though.”

“Nope, chocolate, the purest you can get.”

“So that’s why you’re here for the summer.”

“Um no, my parents forced me here against my will. Well, my mother.”

“What about your father?”

“He has heart disease, so I don’t see him as often as I would like too...”

“Oh, I’m sorry, for asking...”

Mark chuckled as he looked out his window, “Don’t be sorry, it has nothing to do with you.” In a way, that kinda hurt Jinyoung. He didn’t know why it did, but it hurt. “Well, if helps, I’m still a .” Both laughed at the comment. 

“As it should be.” Mark crossed his arms. 

“Are you? Y’know, still a ?”

“Hm...no, I wished I was though.”

“Why? Getting laid is suppose to be the greatest thing on earth, as my friends would like to call it.”

“I guess...depending on the situation, but...I’d rather not talk about my past, what about you?”

“Just a boy whose an heir to his parents’ chocolate business, and I’m a Korean native, I have an older sister, and I have a best friend I’ve known my whole life almost.” 

Mark chuckled, “That sounds nice. Friends, and a family who isn’t dysfunctional half of the time.” 

Mark was always the shut-in in his family, but it wasn’t without reason. Many things forced him into his shell, and he was okay with that. There are something’s that only the person themselves can figure out. He was fine with that. Jinyoung didn’t speak much after that, he didn’t want to probe in places he didn’t belong, but this made Mark even more mysterious than he was before he even spoke a word to him.

Jinyoung parked into a parking lot in the town’s square, right in front of a huge fountain that was a pale white. Mark looked at the monument. Jinyoung stared at Mark, “It’s just a fountain you know...”

“No, it’s a piece that someone took the time to craft.” He turned towards Jinyoung and smiled his teeth sparkling in the sun.” Jinyoung quickly turned away to cover his blush, he pushed his car door open. “Right, so town, this is it. Pretty much.” Mark chuckled as he slammed his door closed, “I like it.” Jinyoung snapped his finger, “You said you like chocolate ice cream, which I still can’t believe, but there’s an ice cream shop not to far from here. Wanna go?” 

Mark nodded, running ahead of Jinyoung. The raven-haired boy grinned, “Wait up!” 

“First one there doesn’t have to pay!” Mark yelled as his fluffy hair blew through the wind.

“You didn’t even know where your going!” Jinyoung chuckled. 

—————————————————

Jinyoung ended up being the loser, but in his heart he felt more like a winner. He got to see the childish side of Mark, which is a feat on its own. Seeing as almost a full month has gone by, Mark wasn’t as talkative, and you barely saw him outside of class. Mark swung his feet on the cliff side, the chocolate ice cream cone. Jinyoung was in such a trance that he completely forgot about his own ice cream that was melting from the blazing sun. 

“Jinyoungie, your ice cream...” Jinyoung blinked, “What?” Mark pointed at his ice cream cone, “It’s melting.”

“! Why didn’t you tell me sooner!” He tried to the remaining treat before it messed up any more of his clothes. Mark laughed, “I tried too, but it seemed you were too focused.” Mark finished the remainder of his ice cream and got up waiting for Jinyoung, “I can get napkins.” Jinyoung shook his head as he miraculously finished the ice cream, his lips. He could feel Mark’s stare, “Something still on my face?” 

He reached to the corner of his mouth wiping the vanilla off, and it from his finger, he smacked his lips with a scrunched up nose, “Chocolate is definitely better.” 

Jinyoung blushed as Mark walked away, “Hey, wait up!” 

It seemed like Mark was always one step ahead of Jinyoung. Through the tour of the town, Mark and Jinyoung got close, laughing at each other’s -ups and jokes. It was strange how comfortable two complete strangers could be, and Jinyoung liked it. He liked it a lot. Day turned to night, and time seemed to pass like nothing when it was just them. 

“It’s late. I think we should go back, Jinyoungie...”

“Did you just come up with that? Jinyoungie.” They walked up a steep hill, Mark holding tightly onto Jinyoung’s hand. 

“It just came to mind, when I first met you, I guess...does it bother you?” Jinyoung glanced back, his ears were a tainted pink, “Of course not, I just wouldn’t have thought...I mean you giving me a nickname after the terrible first meeting we had, is a little weird.” Mark chuckled, “I guess so.”

Jinyoung stopped in front of a stream. “After we cross the stream, and make it up that overpass, we’ll be there, at my secret spot.”

“Do you take everyone here?”

“You mean when I give the tours?” Jinyoung thought a bit, then smiled, “No, currently I’m the only one who knows, and now you...” Mark looked down. 

Jinyoung jumped to one stone that stuck up from the water’s surface. He made it to the other side realizing that Mark hadn’t followed him. 

“Mark!” He was still looking down from Jinyoung’s view. 

——————————————

This was too weird. Mark knew that it was wrong that his heart was beating so fast. He knew that this guy he only knew for a short time had a girlfriend. He knew that what they experience today was just a one time experience. There was only four more weeks left in the summer. The stream that stood between him and Jinyoung was starting to feel a lot longer. What was he doing, why was he thinking about an unbelievable, unrealistic expectation. Jinyoung...Jinyoung couldn’t be anymore than a friend, a summer time thing. He had Elizabeth. He had Elizabeth, so Mark should go right now. 

“Mark.” He felt Jinyoung’s breath on his ear. If this wasn’t a breaking point, then Mark didn’t know what was. He felt his whole body shutter. “Let’s go to the other side...” Jinyoung gripped his hand and lead him towards the other side. Mark didn’t like where this was going, he didn’t like that he was getting close to Jinyoung, he wasn’t suppose to. That was obvious right? His gentle hands was suppose to hold another’s. 

“Where here!” Jinyoung stretched his arms out. Mark felt the warmth leave his hands, he hadn’t looked up since Jinyoung said he was the first person he’d ever shown this place to. Mark had to get ahold of himself. He had to. 

“The view is really pretty from here, you can see the ocean for miles.”

“Jinyoung, why are you showing me this place?”

“Huh? Because, I wanted too? Is that wrong?”

“Yes, yes it’s very wrong, and we should go back.” Mark started to walk away, Jinyoung grabbing his wrist before he could leave. “W-Wait, what’s your problem? Why are suddenly acting like this?”

“Jinyoung you have a girlfriend!”

“So what! Elizabeth has nothing to do with tonight.” Mark’s eyebrow twitched, he snatched his hand away. 

“Jinyoung, let’s just go back.”

“Explain to me why you’re acting like this!”

“We’re strangers, does it matter how I feel!” Jinyoung grew silent, he was right, they didn’t know anything about each other, so why was he getting angry all of sudden. 

“Mark. I’m sorry if I did something wrong.” 

Mark didn’t understand why he was acting like this either. He sighed. 

“Jinyoung, do you really like Elizabeth?” Jinyoung stared at him. It was always a matter of Elizabeth, he likes her, sure, she’s cute, yes, but did Jinyoung mistake love for desire. He didn’t find Elizabeth particularly interesting enough, but he wanted her. No, he wanted a relationship. He was seventeen after all, what was he to know what he wanted. What would a boy know? He stepped closer to Mark. There was something between Mark and Jinyoung, the first day of class made it obvious, Jinyoung’s constant thoughts reaffirmed it, and today proved it. He couldn’t help himself. He didn’t want to.

He leaned in, crashing his lips with  the other. Would you believe me if I said, Jinyoung’s heart really exploded that night.