“Is he not home yet?” Jackson asked anxiously over the phone while he briskly crossed the road.

“Afraid not, Jackson. You should come home. It’s near midnight,” Jinyoung replied in a sleepy voice.

Jackson shook his head frantically. “No, no I can’t do that Jinyoung. I don’t want me to be safe if Mark is out there somewhere-“

“Jackson.” Jaebum’s voice came on. Jackson could tell that Jaebum just snatched the phone away from the other male by the way Jinyoung’s grumbles were heard in the background. Jackson slowed his pace to catch his breath, his eyes roaming all over, hoping that Mark hadn’t gone that far.

“Jackson, answer me you dumb.”

Jackson could also tell that Jackson was getting pretty angry, but he ignored the tone. “Jackson Wang, you better come back and fast. You have classes to attend tomorrow.”

Right. Jackson almost forgot that he had a class test the next day.

“Look, I’ll be back home soon, just not now, okay? I need to search for – “

“Jackson, stop it with your ‘I’ll come home as soon as I find Mark’ bull. He’s not a child, he can handle himself out there. As for you, university should have a higher priority than your roommate.” Jaebum’s voice was as cold as steel, unwavering, no emotion hinted in it.

Jackson’s slow pace stopped.

Jaebum did not just say that.

“Look, Jae, if you’re not going to help me find Mark, then fine, I don’t care okay? You can even hang up right now, I’ll be fine!” Jackson yelled. The passer-bys around him shot him strange looks, and Jackson immediately lowered his voice, walking towards a bench nearby.

“Jackson, it’s not that. You have to remember that the reason you moved all the way from Hong Kong to Seoul was to – “

“And you just told me to know which to prioritise? Damn, Jaebum, I’ll do fine for my test tomorrow okay? I know I’m here to study, but studying doesn’t mean I have to step on my friends’ backs.”

Jackson didn’t know why, but Jaebum was pissing him off. Jaebum was usually a cool person to hang out with, but lately, ever since he knew of Mark’s ‘secret’, he’s been acting weirdly.

“Jackson Wang.”

“No, Jaebum. Shut up. I can take care of myself out here for the night and Mark can’t, that is why I need to find him right now, okay?”

“And why can’t Mark take care of himself?” Jaebum’s voice dropped an octave lower.

“Because he might do something stupid like committing suicide, and I’m the one who’ll feel guilty for the rest of my life!” Jackson hissed. “Jae, can you just hang up please?”

“No. You’re pissing m