Yeeeaaahh. It's the last one. TT_TT

.☆.・∴.・∵☆:*・∵.:*・☆.☆.。.:*,★ :*・∵.:☆.。.:*・:*・∵.☆:*・∵.゜

Mark finished his shot of whiskey, trying to pretend that it doesn't taste bitter. The alcohol ran all too harshly in his throat. But, he knows he needed this.

Yes, he does. After hitting rock bottom in his relationship with his boyfriend... well, now ex-boyfriend, Zac. He's half american, half-korean, and half-. Okay, that's bad math right there, but Mark acknowledges that he's really not good in fractions anyway. Which will explain why he gave more than he is supposed to give whenever he's in a relationship. He tends to give the whole of his heart, whole of his love, not leaving even one-tenth for his self. That's just how he is. Pity.

Raising his hand, he called for the bartender to give him another glass. How much has he been drinking already? About four... or five? Well he's not about to give . He needs to drink. everything.

Finishing the shot smoothly, but still despising the taste, Mark wiped his mouth with his sleeve. 

"You're a sick bastard with ing identity crisis not sure if he wants a or a -" 

It might have been a couple of glasses more, that now Mark finds himself drunkcalling his ex. Like he said, he's a pity. 

"Hey, Mark-"

"Don't hey Mark me, !" Oh he's on the roll. Mark should have known himself better. He should've anticipated that he will be this crying mess. This is not his first break up and every single time, he ends up at some bar, crying like a sore loser that he is. Now, Mark could've just cried all by himself just like the previous times but, where is the fun in that? So now here he is cursing at his ex over the phone.

Mark might just be blaberring nonsense. He just can't will himself to stop talking so he went on and on and on. "You know what, just you." And what better way to end the call but with that final words of his.

Putting his phone down making quite a loud thump, Mark pulled on his hair all too frustratedly. Guess he just wasted eleven months of his life dating a jerk. He noticed that his glass is already empty so he was about to call the bartender when suddenly, from his side, someone handed him a glass of whiskey. Looking from his shoulder, he sees a man wearing a black or sort of dark blue sleeved shirt. The said man has golden brown hair, a bit messy but still stylish in his opinion; and round eyes which were colored dark brown.

Frowning, Mark spoke. "Excuse me?" pointing at the glass the guy has just given him.

The guy smiled and suddenly his strong features turned a bit softer. "I just thought you needed it, since. . ." he heard him clear his throat and straighten out his posture. "Well, that was not really a nice phonecall, so. . . ."

Mark raised his eyebrow. "So, you've been eavesdropping?" The man looked like he was taken aback. "Not a very nice habit, if I should tell you."

The man now has his hands in front of him, waving it to dismiss his speculation. "No, I was totally not. . . I just. . . heard, since I was just sitting beside you, and you were quite. . . well you were almost shouting so. . ."

Okay, he's a bit embarrassed. He might've been too loud for his own privacy. Mark curled his lips up. "Fair enough." He took the glass and tilted it a bit to say thanks to the stranger. He turned to his direction so they're facing each other. He sees the man's whole outfit and he looks like he just got off from work. With his chin up, Mark decided to ask. "How much of it have you heard?"

"Not much." The man shrugged.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Mark started to drink his shot. The guy also did the same while looking at him. "Good, then. I don't want another human being to realize how much of an idiot I have been."

The man shrugged again before talking. "For what its worth. . . your ex really is a douche." Oh, so he is lying. He heard THAT much after all. But before Mark could glare, the man is already looking straight and is holding the glass near his lips. He then spoke before drinking. "If ever you need someone to talk to, you can always find me here at this spot, but... only during Fridays."

This had Mark quirking his eyebrow. But the guy is still not looking so he didn't see the kind of look he's giving him.

"After all. . ." The man continued. "You still owe me a drink."

And as incredulous as that sounds, meeting with a stranger every week? Well, Mark did just that. Every Friday, they meet, and talk.

Mark didn't know that in those talks, he wouldn't only be able to find comfort... but something even deeper.

It was one afternoon, when he received a text from Jackson saying he might not be able to go to his apartment (which the guy has been doing for more than a year now, ever since they got together). Jackson says he's a bit tangled up with work.

Being a good boyfriend, Mark decided to surprise Jackson by going to his office. It is not new. There are times when he would fetch Jackson from work and then they would often eat out, or just order and eat at his place. Jackson is busy, maybe he could make a surprise visit and then Jackson will have to hurry and finish his work.

So that is what he did. Mark went to visit Jackson. When he asked for him, one employee said that he's still upstairs, working. Hearing this, Mark thought maybe he couls just call him up to say he's downstairs. But then another employee said differently.

"He already went out an hour ago." Oh he did? "He was with his boyfriend."

Mark was left to thinking who Jackson was with, when he knew very well that he is the boyfriend those girls should be talking about. How he wanted to erase those thoughts from his mind, or if he can't, at least to bury deep down. Mark doesn't want to think much about it 'cause, those girls might've just mistaken things, right? Maybe yes, Jackson went out with some guy, but maybe he's just a friend or some acquaintance... he doesn't know, okay?! Since Jackson haven't really introduced him to anyone in his circle. 

Right. Now that he thinks about it, in the whole of his relationship with Jackson, he hasn't met his family, or anyone who can be called as his friends, not even his co-employees. And whenever they go out, it's only around Myeong-dong. Just the mall, or any fancy restaurant. Jackson has some things left in his place, but Mark has never been in his. Jackson's reason was because of his room mates. He said he's staying with some officemates and they're quite hard to deal with so he didn't invite Mark over.

Wow. All these realizations suddenly hit him. What he's thinking could be correct, but Mark chose to leave it untouched, until the next day.

"Shall I make coffee?" 

This is what he asked after him and Jackson reached his pad. As usual, he fetched Jackson. It was all too normal, except that part when Jackson almost hurriedly walked with him outside the building. It was almost like Jackson didn't want anyone to see him, or see them together. 

But yet again, he dodged that thought.

Jackson just followed him to the kitchen as he get two mugs for them. It didn't escape his ears, how the other sighed heavily, a couple of times. It only heightens his anxiety. No, not yet. Please. His hand gripped on the mugs handle even tighter. He heard how Jackson called his name but Mark interrupted him before he could say anything else.

"I tried to visit you at work yesterday." Mark thought, if this is where their conversation will lead, might as well he's the one to start it.

"Oh. You did?" Jackson's eyes showed a sense of panic, but then it disappeared immediately and was replaced by a different emotion Mark doesn't want to see. "Actually I-"

Ignoring those apologetic eyes, Mark sipped on his coffee. "I got to ask your officemates where you were, and they said you already left." He cleared his throat before dropping it. "...with someone." He turned to look at Jackson while forcing a silly smile. "They even said the guy was your boyfriend." His laugh was a bit shakier than he planned it would be. 

"Mark-"

"But of course they must've got it wrong." Mark could laugh at himself. "Was it someone who looked like me? Maybe the same hair color that's why they thought he's your boyfriend." And he kept on going, still avoiding those eyes with that same ing look. "Maybe I should change my hair color then. After all, brown is so last year. Maybe I could go for blonde or-"

But he was stopped by the feel of Jackson's hand gently squeezing his. Mark could only bite his lips, still trying his damnest to avoid those eyes. "Mark, I'm sorry."

And that was all he needed to hear, wasn't it? That I'm sorry only confirmed all his assumptions. Slowly, Jackson started to tell him about what he is sorry for. About him being the biggest douche for doing that to him. Jackson was in a relationship with someone but he started with him. But Mark has known himself for being quite stupid, that's why he is not surprised when he found himself asking that question.

"But you do love me, right?" He could almost hear his heart break. "It's me who you love, that's why you're here, with me.... right, Jackson?"

Hearing all those from Jackson was painful. But not hearing anything from Jackson was in fact much worse. 

To cut things short, their talk ended far worse than badly. Jackson didn't choose him. Jackson chose the person which he claimed that he loves. It had hurt him so much that right after Jackson left, he started throwing things all around the living room, screaming all the hurt out. But it wasn't enough so he decided to go to a bar and get wasted.

He had a couple rounds, but when it was nearly midnight, he opted to head home. He has heard the news that there's gonna be a storm, so it's a good thing he brought an umbrella.

Mark was about to get to the taxi he just called when someone attempted to steal the ride from him. It was this raven haired guy, and he looks like a wet chick. Wasn't he aware of the storm? The guy was still insisting that the cab was his ride, and of course Mark won't back down, when the cab driver suddenly asked them if they're getting in or not.

Looking at the drenched guy, Mark could only sigh. "Alright." He breathed. The guy is now staring at him, more like glaring. "I'm heading to Myeong-dong. You?" The guy said he's heading to Namdaemun. Heaving another sigh, he talked. "You'll be dropped off first. We both need to get to our respective homes, so I guess we should just share this ride."

**********

Mark could only stare at Jinyoung who looks so composed while eating the breakfast which he just prepared. Jinyoung looked so calm and collected but something just won't settle with Mark. There's something wrong, and he hates to see how Jinyoung is pretending like everythingis fine. Because he knows they are not.

Just a while ago, Jinyoung was standing still like a rock, after Jackson made an unexpected visit. Mark thought he was the surprised one. But Jinyoung was far more surprised. He was surprised as to how Jackson knew Jinyoung. But the look in both of their eyes were somehow giving it away. 

"Let's eat first. The food is getting cold."

That is all that Jinyoung has said. Jackson was hesistant of course but Jinyoung talked some more. 

"Come on, Jackson. It's been a long while since we last ate together. And seems like the same thing for you and Mark. Let's just eat altogether."

Mark finds the idea absurd. Especially now, when he is almost suffocated by the air filled with awkwardness. Jinyoung was acting normally, only, Mark knows it is not normal. For 's sake, Jinyoung has Jackson, his ex, and him, the guy he cheated with, both in front of him. How can Jinyoung be okay?

"I should go." Jackson broke the eerie silence, preparing to stand up. He hasn't even touched his food. Well Mark is no different. He just consumed the whole fifteen minutes, staring at Jinyoung who kept his eyes on his food the whole time.

"Oh." Mark watches Jinyoung as the younger wiped his mouth with a napkin and looked at Jackson with the same seemingl