Close Your Eyes

 

 

His feet hit the ground running across the uneven field his breath coming out in harsh huffs. He swings his arms in tune with his stride; he can’t stop. The night sky above him shines with the light of a thousand stars, but the bright moon takes center stage.

 

His feet carry him forward, closing in on the shadows of the forest. Muscles pumping, Jinyoung drives himself to continue on. His heart beats rapidly, pulse accelerating the more he forces his legs to run faster.

 

Almost there, the forest is so close now. Just a little bit more.

 

A loud howl breaks the stillness of the night and even the crickets quiet their singing.

 

Jinyoung grits his teeth and pushes himself harder, bending his head down to cut through the air. He can’t let it end this way, not when he’s so close. Fear keeps him running towards the forest, which looks more and more like a sanctuary.

 

His muscles are burning, lungs threatening to give out, but he can’t stop.

 

Ten more seconds.

 

Sweat drips down his forehead, snot flowing out his nose, and Jinyoung isn’t sure if he’s going to make it.

 

Five more seconds.

 

He could almost sob if he had any tears left in his dry eyes. Don’t look back, don’t let the sounds distract from the cause.

 

Three more seconds.

 

Jinyoung reaches out to grab the rough bark of the tree but steps in front of him and squeezes his eyes shut. His hand never makes it, his legs are swept from under him, and he hits the ground hard. The falls stuns him, knocking the breath out from his overworked lungs. Before Jinyoung can struggle, his chaser fists his shirt and drags him upwards by the thin fabric.

 

Coughing hard, Jinyoung blinks open his eyes, struggling to regain his breath.

 

Bright glowing red eyes stare down at him and Jinyoung screams.

 

 

~*~

 

 

At first, Jinyoung isn’t sure what to do with Mark. He’s on the verge of a major scientific discovery here, but he isn’t sure Mark is even human. What if he’s an alien and if Jinyoung upsets him there are more where he comes from that will come and kill him? Jinyoung’s seen Men In Black, he’s watched alien movies, usually things don’t end well for the people involved.

 

Then again, Mark doesn’t seem like a bloodthirsty creature. He’s even struggling to open a can of soda.

 

What kind of evil being sits on the floor pouting over not understanding how a pop-tab works?

 

Jinyoung feels like he’s probably a worse being than the half man half dog thing that’s wandered into his life. He slaps a hand on his forehead and drags it down the side of his face. “Here,” – Jinyoung extends his hand – “give it to me.”

 

Mark narrows his eyes and holds the can to his chest.

 

“I’m just going to open it for you.” He shows his open can to Mark. “Like this.”

 

Mark hands over his can and crowds in closer, furry ears swiveling towards Jinyoung. He watches as Jinyoung puts his thumb against the pop-tab and applies just enough pressure to force the aluminum open.

 

“Did you see how I did it? Put your thumb here and push up, it’s very easy.” Jinyoung gives Mark back the can. “Next time you can open it yourself.” Not long before the words leave Jinyoung’s mouth does Mark grab a second unopened can and flips the pop-tab up. Then he sets it down and opens another.

 

“Wait Mark stop we don’t need to open all of them.” There were six cans on the table, and six cans is a lot of carbonated sugar to share between the two of them. Not to mention Jinyoung needs to stay on a diet if he wants to land an acting role back in Seoul because it’s a cruel world out there.

 

The damage is already done with four of the six cans opened and Mark staring at him like he doesn’t understand what he’s done wrong – probably because he doesn’t.

 

Six open cans between the two of them, that’s three cans each. Jinyoung’s stomach cramps at the thought of drinking three cans one after the other, but once you open one there’s no use saving it.

 

“Stop?” Mark asks setting the last can he opened on the floor next to him. “Not good?” His ears droop.

 

Jinyoung sighs, giving in to Mark’s solemn question, “No, no you did a good job Mark.” He pats the top of Mark’s head, “You did well.”

 

Mark turns his head to the soda can with a smug grin on his face. “Yes. I did.” He takes a drink and jerks in his seated position. “Ah, what?” He smacks his tongue around in his mouth.

 

“That Mark is pure sugar in liquid form,” says Jinyoung, cradling his own drink between his hands.

 

Mark begins to guzzle the drink down like the liquid ambrosia it is. “I like, is good.”

 

Shaking his head, Jinyoung’s apprehension loosens. There’s something very charming about the thing sitting in his living room with him. Though, he doesn’t quite understand how Mark can make the ears and tail appear at will when he didn’t have them at their first meeting outside. Mark remains a mystery to him, and Jinyoung doesn’t think he’s ready to give up all his secrets yet.

 

As for now, Mark is his responsibility to understand. It’s the most interesting thing to happen to him since he landed his first major network drama.

 

“Mark,” Jinyoung says, pausing for Mark to finish drinking. “Do you know how to play fetch?”

 

Mark tilts his head to the side, “Fetch?”

 

“If you’re going to be my pet,” – Jinyoung touches Mark’s fuzzy ears – “you should know how to play fetch.”

 

“Pet?”

 

in his bottom lip, Jinyoung decides it’s better to not tell what being a pet means to Mark. “I’ll explain that one later.” Or never.

 

At least until he’s certain Mark won’t kill him in his sleep.

 

 

~*~

 

 

Jinyoung finishes laying out the extra blankets on the floor in the empty room across from the kitchen. The room isn’t very big, but it has a big window and Jinyoung figures Mark will appreciate being able to look outside.

 

“You can sleep here Mark. I’ll see you in the morning.” Jinyoung’s exhausted, having spent most of the day explaining modern technology. The fact that Mark was living in his shed is starting to make vivid sense about his lack of knowledge about pretty much everything.

 

He takes hold of the doorknob, “Have a good night.” Slowly closing it on Mark, leaving him standing there in the center of the room staring at him. He appeared a little like a creature out of a monster movie half cloaked in darkness with his unexplainable ears and tail.

 

Tonight Jinyoung’s going to lock his bedroom door just incase. For safety’s sake, and the fact that he only met Mark today. Maybe Mark would be gone when he woke up and this whole thing would be one strange complex dream.

 

I am a horrible person, Jinyoung thinks as he lay in his bed waiting for sleep to take him.

 

He should have thought things through more before he fell asleep since when he woke up he discovers he’s not alone in his full size bed. On the other half of the bed lays Mark, curled up around Jinyoung’s extra pillow on top of the mattress. Through sleep hazy eyes Jinyoung notices the door he so clearly remembers locking the night before wide open with the light from the hallway creeping in.

 

Jinyoung doesn’t bother getting up, and turns on his side to face Mark. Face smashed into the pillow, Mark appears to be in a deep sleep, tail thumping against the mattress. In sleep Mark is much more relaxed than he was yesterday. Jinyoung brings his hand from where he is keeping both of them under his pillow.

 

He brushes back the hair from Mark’s forehead, feeling very much the sense of pride a pet owner has towards their pet. My Mark is very cute, Jinyoung coos mentally. He makes a quick mental plan of what they are going to do today.

 

He’ll take Mark outside for a walk and then they’ll make lunch together and he’ll teach Mark all about television. After, Jinyoung will try to do something about the hair he mangled the other day. He still feels bad about the uneven mop he created.

 

Jinyoung stops himself from going any further. I need to get a life.

 

 

~*~

 

 

In the middle of t Mark’s hair for a second time, Jinyoung gets a phone call that almost makes him take a chunk out of Mark’s hair. He drops the scissors before he can do any further damage. Not that Mark would care; he hasn’t shown any interest in his appearance yet. He’s more than happy to peel fruit with his long fingernails and he’s good at it.

 

“Jaebum hyung?” Jinyoung says answering the call.

 

“Jinyoung! Why didn’t you tell me you moved? I went to your apartment and it was empty. You are a horrible friend you know.”

 

Jinyoung picks up a comb and starts to comb out Mark’s hair. “Sorry I was trying to hide it from my manager.”

 

“So you don’t mention it to me either?”

 

“I didn’t put a lot of thought into it. Do you need my new address?”

 

“No I got it from your manager who has been trying to contact you by the way. I stopped him from coming down here guns blazing, you’re welcome, but I’m coming by tomorrow instead.”

 

Jinyoung drops the comb on the floor. “You’re coming tomorrow?” It’s typical Jaebum behavior to invite himself to Jinyoung’s new house.

 

“Yeah, friend. I’m coming to see how great this place is that you wouldn’t tell anyone about it. And I have something from your manager who you should probably give a call if you want to keep your job.”

 

“O-okay. What time?”

 

“In the afternoon sometime, I’ll text you when I leave.”

 

Jinyoung exhales deeply, “Sure, see you tomorrow.” They end the call, and Jinyoung crosses his arms together. How is he going to hide someone as obtuse as Mark from Jaebum? He is so screwed.

 

“Fruit?” Mark asks, a peeled slice of tangerine in his hand.

 

Jinyoung takes the fruit slice from Mark’s hand, a strained smile on his face. Seconds later, Mark pushes the comb that fell to the floor in his hand, shaking his head and grinning. Jinyoung almost bites his tongue as he chews at Mark’s action.

 

He starts to comb out Mark’s hair again, taking note of where he needs to make a few more cuts to salvage the cut without giving Mark a bowl cut. “Mark, I’m having a friend come over tomorrow. You’ll have to stay in your room.”

 

He’ll have to keep Mark out of sight.

 

Mark’s tail wags, making Jinyoung disappointed that he’ll be shutting him away for fear that Jaebum will ask one too many questions. Normal people don’t have ears and a tail.

 

People also don’t take in strangers that show up in there front lawn either.

 

 

~*~

 

 

“Jinyoung,” Jaebum leans forward in his seat, setting his water glass down. “You need to start looking at the scripts your manager sent over. You just got out of the army and you really need to get back into dramas before your name becomes past news. Park Jinyoung? Who is that? I think he was an actor but I’m not sure.”

 

The words Jaebum said hit Jinyoung like a punch, a reminder that he can’t stay in his countryside house forever without money. He can’t hide away and stay away from the city, trading in the pollution for the clean air.

 

It didn’t take long since Jaebum arrived, large packet from Jinyoung’s manager in his arms, to burst Jinyoung’s bubble of reality.

 

Curling his hands on his knees, Jinyoung nods his head. “I know. There are just some more things I need to do here first.”

 

A strong breeze blows in from the open window, making the white curtains flutter. Jinyoung savors the moment while Jaebum rubs his nose in front of him.

 

“What can you possibly be doing here in the middle of nowhere?” Jaebum says, eyebrows raised questioningly, “There isn’t even a proper bar here. I drove through town on my way here and all I saw was grandmothers and last decades fashion.”

 

“There’s not a lot to do here, but it’s nice. Relaxing. It’s relaxing,” Jinyoung counters. “You should stay for a while sometime I think you’d like it.” He picks up the water pitcher and makes to pour more water into his own cup, but is distracted by the faint scratching noise coming from down the hall. Wincing, Jinyoung hopes Jaebum doesn’t notice, or at least doesn’t ask about it.

 

Jaebum takes a drink and holds on to his glass, “I have to be back Monday for filming, something you should be doing.”

 

“I know I know.” Jinyoung crosses his legs, “I’ll start reading them.” He relaxes when Jaebum nods his head, seemingly approving with his decision.

 

“Finally, I’ve gotten some sense into your head-” The sound from down the hall is louder, echoing in the old creaking wood. “What the hell is that noise?”

 

Jaebum stands up and glances around the room, “Are you keeping a pet?” He walks out of the room before Jinyoung has the chance to grab and hold him back. To Jinyoung’s horror, Jaebum stops right outside the door where the scratching is coming from.

 

“It’s nothing, don’t worry about it. It’s probably because I left the window open in that room,” Jinyoung says quickly, following a few steps behind Jaebum. He grimaces behind Jaebum’s back at his lie.

 

“It doesn’t sound like it’s from outside. It sounds like it’s coming from right in here,” says Jaebum, hand on the doorknob. “Your place isn’t haunted is it?”

 

Jinyoung puts his hand over Jaebum’s on the doorknob, squeezing around the space between Jaebum and the door. “I don’t think so, but let’s not chance it. I’ll um…check into it later.”

 

Jaebum lowers his eyebrows, “What is with you?” He turns the knob and Jinyoung has to force himself against the door to keep it shut, causing Jaebum to tug harder in retaliation. “What are you doing just let me open the door!”

 

“No! If it’s ghosts let’s just keep it shut.” Jinyoung shoves harder at the door.

 

The scene would have been comical for him if he weren’t trying to hide something from Jaebum.

 

“Common I was just kidding. You probably let some animal in if you left the window open.” Jaebum pulls at the handle and Jinyoung presses his heels down into the floorboard.

 

“Sure, and that’s exactly why it should be closed so it doesn’t run loose around the house,” Jinyoung says in desperation, it is getting more difficult for him to keep the door closed with Jaebum fighting against him.

 

“Why are you so scared, we’ll just find out what it is and call someone to trap it.”

 

“Because it’s not a big deal I can take care of this on my own,” Jinyoung says, before he slips over his own two feet and Jaebum’s legs, sending him spiraling backwards and into the wall behind him. Without the added pressure, Jaebum yanks the door open and stumbles back.

 

“Don’t-”

 

“Uh…hi,” Jaebum says to the man kneeling on the floor in front of the door, “who are you and what are you doing in my friend’s house?”

 

Jinyoung knocks his head on the wall and slides down to a heap on the floor. A strangled gargle leaves Jinyoung’s throat; he stretches out one arm as if he could stop the scene from happening.

 

Mark stares at him with his hand in the air where the door once was earlier. An immense sense of relief comes over Jinyoung when he notices that Mark’s extra appendages are absent. Here one day, gone the next. Jinyoung doesn’t have time to wonder why, but it makes a bad situation better.

 

“Damn, look at the door it’s all scratched up. Jinyoung I hope you aren’t renting.” Jaebum chuckles nervously. “Holy you have long nails.”

 

“Hyung,” Jinyoung says after picking himself up off the floor, “I know this looks bad but I can explain.”

 

Jaebum lets go of the doorknob and steps back, “I really hope so because I’m really confused right now and this looks…illegal.”

 

“Hyung, this is…this is,” – Jinyoung pats the top of the man’s head – “Mark.” Mark lowers his head in response to Jinyoung’s hand, letting Jinyoung smooth his hand over Mark’s bushy hair.

 

The wood flooring creaks as Jaebum shifts his weight beside Jinyoung, and Jinyoung’s unsure of what Jaebum is thinking at the moment.

 

Jaebum’s voice is harried, “Jinyoung, what the hell have you gotten yourself into?”

 

 

~*~

 

 

They’re sitting in the living room – all three of them – with the sound of the clock ticking away, and Jinyoung’s cheeks feel warm. Jaebum’s sitting on the couch, legs spread apart, and his arms crossed over his chest. He’s got his eyes on Mark kneeling in front of the table, who has his eyes on Jaebum together in an unnerving staring contest. Jinyoung reaches out in front of them two of them, lifting the fruit bowl off the table.

 

He hands Mark a bowl of tangerines, “Mark, peel these for us please.” He turns his head towards Jaebum, whose face has set into a line of disbelief, “He’s good at peeling.”

 

Jinyoung doesn’t point out the fact that part of it is because his fingernails are at times more like claws.

 

“I bet,” says Jaebum, and Jinyoung doesn’t have to guess at what’s being unsaid.

 

“He’s a good at helping out around the house. Well, he was worse when I first found him, but hey a little positive reinforcement goes a long way,” Jinyoung says, accepting a mangled slice of tangerine from Mark. It isn’t pretty, juice leaking from multiple puncture spots, but the peel is gone. “Thanks Mark.” He pats Mark on the head again and chews on his piece of fruit.

 

Mark smiles and holds his open hands up, both full of mangled tangerine slices.

 

“Have some hyung,” Jinyoung says, “I bought them yesterday they should be fresh.”

 

Jaebum carefully picks out a slice and begins to dissect the remains of peel from the fruit. “Okay seriously Jinyoung, why do you have the guy from the jungle book living in your house?”

 

On the floor, Mark stuffs two pieces of tangerine in his mouth, head facing in the direction of the open window. Jinyoung resists the urge to pat him on the shoulder for being cute since Jaebum would probably throw another fit.

 

“He’s not like that, he just needs some help and I’m trying to help him get on his feet. I think there’s something wrong with him.”

 

Jaebum throws the peel fragments on the table, “Oh I can tell there’s something wrong with him. You’re patting him on the head like he’s some damn dog or something. Where did you find this guy?”

 

“Passed out in the yard one morning when I came back from a walk. It was kind of funny, you see I poked him with a stick and he rolled over. Then he woke up and snarled at me until I handed over my rice ball. So we ate lunch, or he did I watched. I found out he’s been living in my shed so I invited him into the house.”

 

Jaebum threw his hands up, “Jinyoung what is wrong with you, you’re supposed to call the police when you find strangers living on your property. And he snarled at you? Maybe he’s an escaped convict.”

 

“I seriously doubt he could hurt anyone hyung. He has bad social skills, so I’ve been nudging him in the right direction. Come to think of it, I think he’s been living on his own for too long.” Jinyoung frowns, Mark might not be an everyday normal person, but he isn’t dangerous. “And I think we would have heard something in the news if he’s an escaped convict. You’re worrying too much.”

 

“Then why were you hiding him in that room?” Jaebum’s words sound harsh, “You can’t look at his fingernails and tell me that’s normal. There is something wrong with this guy and he needs to be reported.”

 

Jinyoung pushes his sleeves up to his elbows, “I’m not hiding him – I told him to stay out of the way so you wouldn’t freak out like you are right now by the way.”

 

Jaebum gives Jinyoung a blank stare.

 

“Okay, I was hiding him, but it’s for his own good.”

 

Jaebum leans forward from his spot on the sofa, “He’s a homeless person you found in your yard that you’re treating like a pet.” He laughs, rubbing his face with both hands. “Let me help you get rid of him somewhere.” Jaebum snaps his fingers. “I know, I’ll call your manager and have him look into it.”

 

Slapping his hand on his leg, Jinyoung springs to his feet from his chair. “No, I’m taking care of this myself this time. Mark and I are working together on this. If he goes to an institution, they’re just going to give him drugs and lock him up.”

 

“What if he needs drugs? Last time I checked you’re not a doctor.” Jaebum begins to say, but then changes his expression and points his hand at Mark. “You’re not doing this as a charity case to boost your popularity for when you return to acting are you? Using the guy for good press because I’ll hand it to you that could actually work.”

 

Mark stands up, peel pieces in his hands, and looks expectantly at Jinyoung for instruction.

 

“Of course not, I’m not like that.” Jinyoung pushes Mark to the kitchen, “In the trash.” He doesn’t want to see the look he knows Jaebum is giving him, but catches the disdain across his friend’s face.

 

“So, how’d you find out boy who lives with wolves name if he doesn’t talk?” Jaebum asks, relaxing back into the couch.

 

“Your jokes aren’t as funny as you think they are hyung.” Jinyoung grins, “He talks to me.”

 

“What the hell does that mean?”

 

“He’s not stupid hyung.”

 

“I’m not either.”

 

“You sure about that?”

 

Jaebum frowns, and Jinyoung’s afraid he’s going to get into one of his bad moods. “You’re going to have to go to Seoul soon.”

 

“I know,” Jinyoung says, glancing at Mark. “I’ll go in next week.”

 

“Are you going to bring him with you? You can’t just bring someone around with you to your job Jinyoung. You’re not a babysitter and he’s not a kid.”

 

“I’ll figure something out. Don’t worry about me Jaebum, I’ll see you in Seoul.”

 

Jinyoung gets up and stretches out his back. “I won’t tell anyone, but you should be careful. It won’t be pretty if the journalists get the wrong idea about…whatever you’re doing here.”

 

“Thanks, I appreciate it.”

 

Jaebum twirls his car keys around his finger, “Being the good guy is so hard next to Saint Jinyoung of the homeless.

 

“Oh shut up.”

 

“Well, see you later wolf boy,” Jaebum says to Mark, and Mark sneers, lowering his bottom lip so his teeth stick out. “Jesus Christ Jinyoung I’m getting out of here.”

 

 

~*~

 

 

The TV is playing a foreign soccer match, two teams that Jinyoung isn’t familiar with, but it’s better than the news. He sets the ramen pot down on the potholder, and drops two pairs of wooden chopsticks on the coffee table.

 

Jinyoung supposes Jaebum’s right about a few things, he shouldn’t have let a stranger into his house and told them they could stay. But, there is something different about Mark that Jinyoung feels he needs to figure out. For one thing, he’s too old and too involved in his career to be taking care of another adult. Jinyoung has enough money for now until he returns to Seoul and acting. He’s not sure what he’s going to do with Mark up to that point because he can’t keep him forever.

 

Even though Mark acts oddly, he isn’t a pet dog. Jinyoung’s afraid that he’s gotten too used to quick of the idea of having Mark around after two days that he has somehow become attached to him as pet.

 

“You didn’t have to give Jaebum hyung that look when he left Mark,” Jinyoung says to Mark, who is loitering in the hallway, half covered with shadows from the setting sun through the windows. “You’re just going to give him a bad impression. He’s my good friend, you two should get along.”

 

Mark tilts his head to the side and wrinkles his nose, his upper lip lifting up and revealing his oddly pointed canines.

 

“Come,” – Jinyoung beckons to him with an open hand – “come over here Mark.” In return he offers his friendliest smile as if comforting a scared animal.

 

Stepping out of the shadows, Mark drags his feet into the living room.

 

Jinyoung pats the seat next to him on the couch, watching Mark’s face the entire time. Mark shuffles closer and sits down at the edge of the couch.

 

“Good job,” Jinyoung says in praise. He hands Mark a second set of chopsticks – disposable ones since the fewer dishes the better. “Have some ramen with me.” Mark’s curved, sharp nails catch his skin when he hands the chopsticks to him.

 

Wincing, Jinyoung retracts his hand and shakes it. A reddening scratch of broken skin begins to form across the back of his hand. “Ouch.” He clenches his teeth for a second. “We’re going to need to cut those.”

 

Mark drops the chopsticks in his lap and grabs Jinyoung’s hand. Jinyoung almost pulls his hand away from Mark in fear that he’ll get a second scratch, but Mark’s fingers are surprisingly gentle. He turns Jinyoung’s hand over, running his fingers along the edge of the scratch as if apologetic.

 

“It’s okay, just an accident.” Jinyoung’s wrist muscles tense up. “It’ll heal quick.”

 

“S-s-sorry,” Mark says in a raspy voice. His tongue and vocal cords stuttering even though Jinyoung is sure Mark has been making good progress with his speech in the last twenty-four hours.

 

“It’s fine. It doesn’t hurt much.” Jinyoung tugs his arm, but Mark’s hold is strong. He finds his hand being dragged up closer to Mark.

 

“I…” Mark’s eyes flicker from Jinyoung’s face down to his hand.

 

Jinyoung pulls at his hand. “Hey I need my hand back to eat,” he says playfully.

 

In one swift motion, Mark lifts Jinyoung’s hand to his mouth and breathes on it, heat flooding over sore skin. Jinyoung purses his lips, the sensation uncomfortable to the wound’s rising inflammation. It stings in the strangest way possible, and he freezes in his seat unable to move, or question what Mark is doing. Without his permission, Mark brings his hand up higher and kisses the wound. The kiss is only a soft press of lips against the scratch, but unexpected all the same.

 

Stupefied, Jinyoung stares at Mark with wide eyes and parted lips.

 

“Good,” says Mark, dropping Jinyoung’s hand and picking up his fallen chopsticks. He breaks them in one clean snap with a grin on his face, large enough to show his teeth. “Good, good, good,” he repeats.

 

Jinyoung flexes his hand then curls it into a fist. His mind feels blank.

 

Mouth full of noodles, Mark turns to him. “I good?” he asks in mid chew and lowers his head.

 

Jinyoung hesitates, “Mark…” He shakes his head. “Yes Mark, you’re good.” He pats Mark’s back twice.

 

The steam coming off the ramyun burns his cheeks red.

 

 

~*~