It’s one thing to wake up in your own room and find that it is 6 A.M, as well as hear voices coming from somewhere within your room. Now it’s another thing to wake up in your own room and find GOT-ing-7 having a damn meeting in the middle of your room at 6-GODDAMN-A.M.

“I called this meeting because I know something is going on here and we need to talk about it.” Im Jaebum’s voice is firm and unwavering and he reminds me of a judge or some who thinks they have supreme power.

“I don’t have anything happening.” Jackson admits with a wide smile, and Im Jaebum stays quiet for a second as a low beeping noise fills the room. Jackson rushes to his pocket to take out his phone, texting the person back as fast as he can.

“So texting Youngji every ten seconds isn’t a problem, huh?” He snatches the phone away and slides it across my floor. It skids across until it hits my nightstand, right beside my bed. It makes me tense up, the fear of Jackson coming over and noticing that I am awake makes me stiff as a statue. However, Jackson doesn’t move to get it, doesn’t even whine. He only lowers his head and stays quiet.

“Now the biggest issue is Yugyeom and Jin.” Im Jaebum glances at them, and Yugyeom has a soft smile on his face, while Junior looks as if he’s cried up until just moments before I opened my eyes.

Wait…Jin? Didn’t Im Jaebum call me that once when he kissed me on the cheek? So…Jin…is Junior? I wonder what kind of relationship they have for Im Jaebum, who rarely ever shows skinship, to feel the need to kiss the guy. Cheek or not, it’s still a kiss.

“Yeah, it’s weird how Gyeom was depressed for a few days and Umma was happy.” Bambam adds.

“Now it’s the opposite. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Yugyeom this happy. It’s kind of creepy.” Youngjae shivers visibly and Yugyeom gives him a light shove.

“Nothing’s happen.” Yugyeom tries to persuade the others, face tinting a bit pink and I try not to make it obvious that I’m awake. Jeez, he’s too ing cute. Even at 6 A.M.

“Yeah…what Yugyeom said.” Junior sniffles and I bite my lip. I know he has every right to be upset about me rejecting him...but why does it still bother me? I can’t help but continue to feel like a monster. Was I wrong to reject him? Was I just suppose to keep leading him on?

Im Jaebum sighs and reaches out, grabbing Junior by the front of his school uniform. A few whispers of a JJ Project showdown go out, and I’m worried they will actually fight, but Im Jaebum squashes those thoughts as he slowly brings their lips together.

Everyone watches, not saying a word, shock absent from their indifferent faces. Even Youngjae, who I thought would want to cry, yawns at the action. After a few seconds of lip smacking, they move away from each other. A smile on Junior’s lips and something like a smile on Im Jaebum’s.

“You know how much I hate to see you cry Jin.” He says in a comforting whisper and Junior instantly moves closer so that he can sit nice and close to the leader, and by this time, my head is spinning.

What? Junior is Jin. Im Jaebum and Junior are a thing? They like each other? What? Doesn’t Junior like me? So why the hell is he locking lips with the leader – not that I care…I just want some answers!

I try to sit up, I try to open my mouth, but I can’t. I can’t do anything. What in the world is going on here? As I stare at the GOT7 members, I realize I can’t hear anything anymore. Their voices are replaced by someone else whispering. A women in a bright red dress and loud heels waltz into my room. She’s whispering something low and I’m starting to wonder if I just woke up in a horror movie or something. I can’t see her face, the room is dark, but the others don’t notice her and I want to warn them.

She walks over and kneels beside Yugyeom. He’s smiling as he was earlier, eyes staring in my direction as the women wraps her thin fingers around his throat. I want to move, I have to move! Yugyeom continues to smile as the woman strangles him, dark purple marks appearing under her fingers and I put everything I have into my body.

“No!” I gasp for air as I bolt right up, panting and grabbing at my injured arm as quickly as I had sprung up. “F-.”

What was that? A nightmare? I…I really thought it was real. , I’m shaking. I wipe the sweat from my forehead and try my best to steady my breathing. That’s when I realize I’m not in my room at all. In fact, I was laid out on the mattress in the GOT7 hideout, and worse of all, I’m not alone. I meet eyes with Yugyeom. He’s looking at me with concerned eyes from across the room, and him sitting so far makes a sense of panic nibble at every limb in my body. It was as if I thought the woman would appear again, wrap her thin fingers around his neck again, and squeeze the life out of him right before my eyes.

“Get over here!”

“Hyung?” Yugyeom is startled and – , I just yelled at him for no reason. I clear my throat. Why am I still shaking? Why am I still scared? That woman isn’t real…she never was. Mark, it was just a nightmare.

“Sorry Yugyeom…I didn’t mean to yell, uh, come here.” I try to smile and I can feel the sides of my mouth twitch uncontrollably, knowing the real emotions that wanted to plaster themselves on my face instead. Yugyeom nods his head and walks over with a few strides of his long legs. He sits down on the bed, and I finally can breathe normally.

“I hope you’re not mad that I brought you to school today Hyung.” He fiddles with his fingers, ears turning a bright red as he glances at me from time to time as he speaks.

I shake my head. “Don’t worry about it. I’m not mad.” I don’t even think I’m capable of being mad at him anymore.

Yugyeom smiles brightly now, and he stops fiddling with his fingers to turn his body toward me. All feelings of fear, panic, and the horrible shaking in my fingers is gone, only a butterfly inducing warmth spreads from the pit of my stomach to the rest of my body. It was as if his smile could heal me, shine light and warmth where I needed it most.

He reaches his hand out and presses it to my forehead, it’s cold against my warm skin. It feels good. “You don’t look so good Hyung. Were you having a nightmare? I’m worried you might get sick again.”

“A Nightmare? Probably, I don’t remember,” I lie as his hand falls to my cheek now. “I don’t think I’ll get sick again so soon.”

In an instant, my eyes lock with his, and usually I get a warm bubbly feeling from Yugyeom. However, right now, the atmosphere around him feels intense. It’s so intense, I can’t break eye contact with him. I can’t even breathe.

Just like the Im Jaebum from my dream, Yugyeom slowly leans forward. His eyes are closed instantly and I can’t help the heart attack that begins at the realization that the maknae wants to kiss me.

....…damnit….god damnit…..!!! What do I do?? Is this legal? Can I really? Because given the green light, I would definitely jump this child…, that doesn’t sound legal at all.

When he’s close enough that I can feel his breath on my face, he stops. Is he scared? Nervous? Shouldn’t he be used to things like this? Unless…he’s never kissed anyone before…? That makes my face flush red and I move away from him.

“Yugyeom,” I whisper for some reason, but I feel like it fits the intimate moment well. “Is this your first kiss?”

I could have sworn that every part of his visible body turned the brightest red I’ve ever seen on a person in my entire life.

“W-wait, are you sure you want to give it to me?” This is a real question, since I’m actually concerned that he will regret not giving it to some cute girl, or hell, maybe one of the other members.
He nods his head slowly. “B-but…if you don’t want it Hyung, we don’t have to kiss. I’m sorry…I probably shouldn’t do something like this. I’m probably just as bad as Bam and Junior Umma.” He retreats, a look of shame coming over his face.

Somewhere in my mind, I swear I can hear the thin rope that holds my sanity together quickly wearing thin. I grab his hand before he can retreat any further. “Wait…wait. Not so fast. Hold on, I’m still trying to process this. You, Kim Yugyeom, want to kiss me, Mark Tuan. Is that correct?”

“Y-yeah.”

“Uh, I have a .” I say trying to be as direct as possible. I know that I know that he’s another man, but Yugyeom might not understand the weight of his words.

“I know, I saw it the day Bam – “ I stop him with a raise of my hand. Let’s not relive that nightmare.

“Okay, okay, but shouldn’t you want to kiss someone you like?” Though, who am I to talk? I’ve kissed a few members of GOT7 already, feelings or not.

He nods his head and places his hands on the sides of my face, a serious look being directed at me. It makes me shiver, but in a good way. “I do like you Hyung.”

“A Hyung kind of like, right? That’s not – “

“A kind of like.” He asserts and the intense feeling from earlier returns.

“D-Don’t say that with such an innocent mouth.” I scold him and his look doesn’t waver. “When did you start liking me?” This is an important question.

“Always.”

“Always? I didn’t notice.” Especially since, I’m sure I’m the one who’s always liked him.

“It’s because you’re dense.” He chuckles and leans forward again, this time with more confidence. He hesitates again as he’s a cm away from my lips, but with some burst of courage he pushes his soft lips against mine. It’s the purest of kisses I’ve ever received in my life. Simple lips to lips, lasting no more than a couple of seconds and when he pulls away, we’re both red in the face.

“Who the hell calls the person they like dense?” I try to bring attention to something less heartbeat inducing.

“It’s okay. I like you for everything you are. Dense, hot headed, stubborn, a terrible liar, jealous, and especially cute.” Yugyeom brushes his lips against my cheek this time and a weird sensation starts to travel through every vein I have. I gulp. T-This is bad. I’m getting .

“There’s only one good trait in there and I don’t even like it!” My complaint is silenced as he pulls me into a soft hug. I can feel his execrated heartbeat against my own and the soft tremble of his body against mine. He….

He’s too damn precious!

“Please…go out with me.” I mumble into the soft skin that poked out of his collar. He pushes me away softly, wide-eyed. A complicated expression coming forward. “Yugyeom?”

“I want to Hyung…but I can’t date anyone.”

“Why not?”

“It’s a long story…but right now…I can’t date you.” The earlier smiles that graced his precious lips are no where to be found, memories of some unknown experience dragging him down. I reach my hand out to pat his head, letting it run through some of his delicate locks.

“I’ll wait. Days. Months. Years. Even centuries, so don’t make that face.”

“I’m sorry Hyung. I’m really sorry.” His eyes stay down casted and I continue to his head.

I’m well aware that every member of GOT7 has their own story. A story that explains why they are the way they are. Why they talk and do certain things. I know that. So of course, I know Yugyeom has his reasons for this, just as he has his reasons for not talking to me before. It hurts to know that he’s the one suffering right now, yet…he feels sorry for me.

“I know we can’t go out right now, but just know, my heart is yours Yugyeom, okay?”

He finally looks up, a small smile on his face. “Hyung?”

“Yeah?”

“You hate to be called cute, but you say cute things.” He chuckles. “You’re so cheesy~”

“Damn brat, should I take my heart back then?” I grumble and he panics, shaking his head repeatedly.

“P-Please give me...your heart Mark Hyung.” He’s just as embarrassed as I was after saying it, hands held out toward me and I grin. I reach out toward him and press a finger over his heart.

“Then, are you going to give me yours?” The room gets quiet and I feel stupid for saying it. Did I gross him out? “I mean, it’s only fair.”

He takes a deep breath and covers his face with his hands, but even they were bright red. “H-How can I possibly give you something you’ve always had?”

This has even me covering my face with my good hand. “How can you call me cute when you say cringe worthily things all the time? Damnit, I can’t even look at you right now!”

We both burst out laughing and his laughter is something I don’t think I will get sick of hearing. Just like his voice, I’ve always wanted this. To talk, laugh, experience new things together. To be together. Jeez, I’m too happy right now. If I’m not grossing him out, I sure as hell am grossing myself out.

“Oh, we have to get you to class soon.” Yugyeom is looking at his phone and gets to his feet. He holds his hand out to me. I give him a mischievous smile that he doesn’t know how to react to.

“Why are you looking at me like that Hyung?”

“I don’t mind being late~” I grab ahold of his hand and kiss each finger lovingly and he makes nervous glances to the door. However, it seems whatever inner battle he was fighting, ended in my favor. He sits back down and leans in, giving me another feather-like kiss. It makes my heart flutter, and holy does it flutter.

“Hyung…I feel strange right now. I’m not too sure what to do.” He bites his lips and fiddles with his fingers again, a nervous habit that was too cute for words. I lean forward this time, pulling him into an open mouthed kiss. He moans softly, melting on the spot.

I can hear the last bit of my sanity scream as it flies right out of the open window. it. I’m already in too deep.

“Don’t worry. Hyung will teach you.”

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

“What’s with your face? You look like you’re going to kill somebody.” Taeil nudges me in the side and I hiss in pain in his direction.

Of course I’m pissed off! Just when things were going well between Yugyeom and I, stupid Im Jaebum called through the walkie talkie over and over again until we answered. He even had the nerve to yell at us for talking a minute to answer him! I wanted to ignore him, but whatever leader-like powers he possesses had Yugyeom ready to do as he says. So he rushed me to class.
I was so close to being able to touch him, BUT Im-ing-Jaebum ruined it all! He’s definitely going to be the first victim of my taekwondo moves once I learn them.

“He’s probably having a long day Taeil, leave him alone and do your work.” Youngji tabs her pencil on his forgotten classwork. Taeil gives her a annoyed look and flips through his textbook, bored out of his mind.

“For someone doing classwork, you sure look happy,” Taeil scoffs and Youngji’s small smile widens. “What the hell happened to make you so damn happy? You should be suffering like the rest of us.”

“If you must know,” Youngji leans forward, and I sigh inwardly, well aware of what has made Youngji this happy. “I reunited with a really good fencing friend yesterday.”

Just hearing those words felt like knives going in for the kill. Why the hell do I feel so jealous? It can’t be because I always felt sort of superior compared to everyone else, right? Then again, to the outside world, I “tamed” GOT7. In reality, I barely know anything about them. So I guess I understand why I would get this way when someone knowing more appears. I’ll feel like my close status to them is actually something I’ve made up in my head.

“Fencing friend? That’s pretty cool. What grade are they in, maybe I know them?” Taeil comes forward, finally interested in something.

“If your around Mark, you probably do,” Youngji gives me a small smile I can’t return. , I’m terrible. “It’s Wang Jackson.” She informs him.

“Ah, your friends with Jackson? How’d you two meet?”

“We met when he was still living in Hong Kong. They had a large international fencing program there. My father is a coach so we stayed in Hong Kong for about 4 to 5 years while he taught people from around the world. Of course I was trained there as well. I think my father really saw potential in Jackson, so he trained him and me separately from the others.”

“We were pretty good too, we even went to the Olympics! He won gold, but after that, he never came back to the center. That’s why I’m really surprised to see he’s in this school and in GOT7. Either way, I’m super happy to see him.” Youngji beams, and Taeil makes small glances at me. I must not look too happy because he pats me on the shoulder. I don’t even look at him.

“With you talking so fondly of him, no wonder Mark’s in a bad mood.” Taeil laughs and a few students look our way, and he doesn’t seem to care. He just continues to laugh and I threaten to shove my fist down his throat.

Youngji is puzzled. “Why would Mark be in a bad mood because of that?”

I give Taeil a sharp glare. “Don’t say anything strange.” I warn.

“Now that I think about it, you became Mark’s friend later then me so you weren’t there for the nurse’s office sc – ouch, I mean. They’re just best friends, who sometimes like to – ow ow, okay, joking. Jeez Mark you’re going to take my skin off.” Taeil whines, rubbing his arm after I pinched it for too long and too hard.

Youngji looks surprised. “Oh, Mark? You’re his best friend? How did you two meet?”

“Even I’m curious.” Taeil adds.

This time I’m puzzled. Taeil is understandable, but did she forget I was voted to tutor the demons? “Weren’t you here for that student meeting we had about three or more weeks ago?”

Youngji shakes her head. “Actually, I’ve missed a lot of school due to fencing recently. Did you meet them at the student meeting?”

How interesting. The only two friends I have in my class are two people who weren’t there to vote. I laugh. I wonder if things would have been different had they been there that day. “No, I was voted to tutor them. The teachers couldn’t handle them and needed someone else to do it, I ended up falling asleep and had the job thrown at me.”

“I hated almost all of them, but I didn’t mind talking to Jackson. Funny story is, I met him in the bathroom. He’s an idiot, came to introduce himself while I was trying take a piss. He called himself ‘wild & y,’ can you believe that? He’s too much.” I can’t help the smile that comes across my face at the memory. “Even though it , it’s fine now though. GOT7 are annoying as hell, but I don’t hate being with them anymore.”

“It sounds so nice! No wonder why Min Unni is so jealous of your relationship with them. However, it really feels like we’re talking about two different people.” Youngji frowns. “The Jackson I knew, he never smiled. He was always serious and only talked about practice, training, and matches. That’s why yesterday, when he saw you and smiled so brightly, and looked so happy. I was stunned. It must have been a good thing for him to meet you Mark.”

“Ah… really now? I guess so.” I say sheepishly, knowing full well that the ones who changed and shaped Jackson into the person that he is today, was not me. If it weren’t for the rest of GOT7, and JYP, Jackson would not be smiling so brightly right now. He wouldn’t be the puppy that he is. I chuckle, and can hear Taeil and Youngji break into a conversation about how awesome they were at sports back in the day.

I’m definitely envious of Youngji. She got to experience the Jackson of the past as well as the Jackson of the present. I wonder what he was like, a Jackson that never smiles, who isn’t happy go lucky. I also wonder how he lived before he came to Korea to live with GOT7. Great, this just further reminds me that I don’t know them well enough. The bell to signal that class has ended goes off and I’m the first to my feet.

“Tutoring?” Taeil pops a lollipop into his mouth. I nod.

“Where are you two headed?”

“I have to do paperwork for our next training camp, so I’m headed to the Dean’s office.” Youngji sighs heavily, then grins at Taeil. “You off to see your boyfriend?”

“H-he’s not my boyfriend.” Taeil’s face tints pink and me and Youngji exchange mischievous glances.

“Yet?” I tease and he scrunches up his face in disapproval.

“Not you too Mark? Hey, I need someone on my side here!”

“Yeah yeah, where is that thought when you tease me? Anyway, I got to go. See you guys later.” I grin and after leaving the classroom, I make a stop at the extremely packed library. Definitely no GOT7 this time. So I head downstairs to their hideout.

While walking a thought comes into my head. It’s the fact that out of most people, I am among the small handful that can talk to GOT7 comfortably. I’m also probably the only outsider allowed in their space; be it their house, or their hideout. However, I know that getting GOT7 to talk about themselves is harder than it looks. Hell, even I’m not that comfortable to just let out my origin story to anyone who asks. It just doesn’t work that way.

So how the hell should I go about this? I feel embarrassed to just out rightly state that I want to know about them. There has to be a way to go about it more naturally.

I open the door to the GOT7 hideout and find only one person inside. Im Jaebum. He’s surrounded by textbooks and notebooks like yesterday, and I’m worried he might throw one at me again. Luckily, he doesn’t pay me any mind. Typical.

“Yah, Im Jaebum, where’s Junior?”

A loud sigh can be heard as Im Jaebum closes the textbook he’s reading, placing it nicely on the desk in front of him. “He went with JYP Hyung to China. He’ll be back in a few weeks.”

“C-China? What for?”

“Well, Hyung wants him to take over his company after he retires, so he’s been forcing him to go to trainings. Jin’s always refused to go since middle school, but all of a sudden…he said he will go with him to China.” For the first time, I can hear the human-like tone in Im Jaebum’s voice. He actually worried about Junior – and, I just realized, he’s confirmed my guess. Junior is Jin.

Seriously, what kind of relationship do these two have? There must be something, why else would Youngjae feel like he has no chance?

So…Junior left Korea. It has to be in order to avoid me. I take a seat across from Im Jaebum with a loud sigh as well. I can hear him snort.

“If you want to be comforted about something, I won’t do it.” I sigh even louder.

“Who the hell wants to be comforted by you? You’re the one who’s depressed about Junior.” I tease and I expect a witty remark back, instead he gets quiet, eyes locked on his phone. , I didn’t think it was bothering him that much. I reach out and grab his phone before he can take it back.

“What the do you think you’re doing Nerd?”

“Password.”

“What?”

“Give me your password,” I say with a serious face. He pinches the skin between his eyebrows. “You want Junior to comeback, right? I’ll get him to comeback, so what’s your password?”

He stares at me, long and hard. Not breaking eye contact and when he knows that I’m serious he takes a deep breath, leaning back in his seat. “4687”

“Oh~ That’s pretty complicated. Does it mean anything?” I grin and find it really is his password. I thought he would bull me or something. He doesn’t answer and I bring my attention to his contacts. I scroll over and see that the GOT7 members aren’t under their actual names. It was safe to assume Wong Kong was Jackson, Sleeping Beauty to be Youngjae (which I will not let him live down), Ajusshi to be Yugyeom due to his mature looks, I’m also pretty sure that DabDab is BamBam. With a few more flips of my finger, I find ‘Jin’ quite easily. I press call and put the phone to my ear.

I know that he won’t answer if I call him from my phone. He’s in China in order to get away from me. That’s why I know he won’t hesitate to pick up if one of s call. It rings a few times and a yawn greets me.

“Hyung, what’s wrong?”

“Don’t hang up.” I command and the line gets quiet. Im Jaebum looks at me with a serious face, he must have realized by now that something happened between us two. “Junior, I’m really sorry for what I said before. I’m not taking my words back, but I probably should have been kinder. I never gave you a chance to talk and just shut you down.”

“Hyung…let’s not do this. I mean, it doesn’t matter anyway.”

“You’re lying Park JInyoung. If it didn’t matter, you would be here, but your not.” I try not to look at Im Jaebum. This is awkward. “Anyway, I know that you’re busy. I just want to say sorry and tell you that you shouldn’t avoid me like this. You’re making everyone worry, they miss you. You should comeback to school and go back home.”

“D-do you miss me as well Hyung?”

“Why do you all ask such weird things.” I hiss over the phone. “Of course I do. Now get your back to Korea.”

I can hear soft laughter flood my ears. “I’m really happy right now Hyung. I’ll definitely take the fastest flight back to Korea first thing tomorrow morning.”

“That’s good,” I settle my eyes on Im Jaebum now. He looks about ready to kill me, but then something else is hidden in his eyes. It’s an emotion that makes me uncomfortable. “You should talk to your leader, he looks about ready to kill me.”

I hand the phone over and Im Jaebum hesitates before he takes it and presses the phone close to his face. His stern look doesn’t soften like I thought it would. “You ing bastard, you didn’t tell us you were leaving! If you’re going to fight with the Nerd then don’t take it out on us.” He hisses before hanging up. He flings the phone on the table and grabs for a textbook.

“Don’t be mad with him.” I clear my throat. “It was my fault he ran away.”

“Yeah, but he’s not a ing child anymore, he should know we can’t runaway from problems forever.” Im Jaebum’s voice is harsh and he gets annoyed again, flinging the textbook he had in his hands across the room. He takes a deep breath and puts his hands to his face.

What’s going on? Why is Im Jaebum having a mental breakdown right now?

“Is everything okay?” I’m not sure if he wants to hear that from me, but he takes his hands from his face, a face of pure anger stares back at me. It’s the first time I’ve ever been scared of Im Jaebum.

“You know, I hated you. I hated you so much when you appeared in front of us. You acted like you were better than us. Hell, you still do.” His expression starts to soften, however not fast enough. I gulp. “I never thought you could affect us like this. I thought within a few days you would be gone…but you’re not, and you do affect us. All of us.”

I’m not sure what I’m suppose to say to that. Is he angry because Junior left because of me? Or is he angry at Junior for running away?

“You…you remind me of someone we used to know.” Im Jaebum shakes his head now and sighs. “Someone who blends too well, but really I don’t know what you want from us. Sometimes you push us away, other times you act like we’re close. So I’ll ask you. What the hell do you want from us Mark?”

“What kind of question is that?”

“Answer it.”

“Well if you ask a question like that, I guess my answer would be that I want to be friends with you all.”

“Friends?” Im Jaebum doesn’t say it in a menacing way. There is no venom. It’s more of shock, even I’m shocked that I said it.

“Yeah. I know that having someone randomly come into your group that wasn’t there isn’t easy. It happened with my friends as well when Wooyoung Hyung started talking to me, but once he joined – “

My eyes widen and Im Jabeum looks around, confused. That’s it! I know what I have to do. Just like Wooyoung Hyung had done in order to get closer to me, Min Noona, and Jo Kwon Hyung. He joined the Hip Hop club with us. Even though he couldn’t dance.

“Yah, Im Jaebum.” I take a deep breath, shoving all of my pride under my feet. I know how to get closer to them.

Im Jaebum blinks a few times, even more confused than before. “Yeah?”

“Let me join GOT7.”

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

The lunchroom is packed today and I wonder if it’s because everyone wants to run away from the upcoming exams and escape the closed prison of the library for some time. Though surprisingly, our table isn’t jam packed, no GOT7 member in sight.

I don’t know what’s going to happen now that I asked Im Jaebum to join GOT7. He didn’t seem shocked, hell he didn’t seem anything. He only stared at me long and hard again, like he was trying to read me for some kind of code that will reveal to him the evil plan I had hidden away. He left after saying he will think about it, and I haven’t seen or heard from any of the other members so far, so I wonder if he will allow me to join. Though, those damn demon children couldn’t stop begging me to join before, why the hell does it change now that I ask them, huh?

“Mark’s spacing out again.” Min Noona informs the group as I kick away my thoughts. “You’ve been spacing out a lot lately~ I wonder if it’s because of that date you had~?”

I shake my head.

“Mark told me never to mention that date ever again, so it has to be because of it!” Taeil chimes in and I send him a glare to which he ignores, opting for laughing his off with Wooyoung Hyung beside him.

“He must have gotten himself a girlfriend!” Wooyoung Hyung reaches out to pinch my cheek and I make a fist at him.

“When would he even have time to get one? He’s always got GOT7 on his !” Jo Kwon Hyung is grinning ear to ear, and god damnit. These people just love to poke fun at me, don’t they?

“Maybe he has seven girlfriends?” Youngji nudges me in my side and I sigh.

“Why the hell would I get seven of them?”

“Well there’s seven members in GOT7, right?” She giggles mainly to herself and this makes everyone, except me, laugh as well.

“Actually there’s 6 members.” Min Noona smiles, then motions with her head toward me. Youngji can’t help the look of confusion that graces her face. I think we all looked that way when we found a group with the number 7, only sporting 6 guys. “Unless you want to count Mark.”

“I’m not –“ I stop. I guess I can’t say that I’m not a member…since I want to become one. Speaking of which, I need to tell them my decision. Though I know they would never let me live it down…at all. “Guys, I have something I want to say –“

A few loud screams and squeals come from around us and I whip my head toward the door of the lunchroom. I was nervous that it would be a handful of the GOT7 members, but it turned out to just be BamBam.

He walks in with a deadly look and even though a few girls and guys can be heard fangirling about him, more than half of the people in the room actually cower in fear at the second maknae’s sudden appearance in the high school division.

“Ah, Hyung!” BamBam’s serious face disappears as he approaches our lunch table with a flower boy smile that could take almost anyone’s heart. “You called for me?”

Yes. I did in fact seek BamBam out. I didn’t think Im Jaebum would actually pass the message on, but I’m happy to see he’s at least reliable. “You didn’t have to come now, you could have come afterschool.” I say as he waves at everyone at the table.

“Oh, is he part of GOT7 as well?” Youngji smiles as he nods his head.

“My name’s BamBam. I’m the second youngest.” He greets and Youngji reaches forward to ruffle his hair.

“What’s such a cute kid like you doing in a gang?” She laughs. “My name is Youngji, I’m actually a friend of Jackson’s.”

“Woah, Jackson Hyung has friends other than Mark?” BamBam is stunned and I agree. I rarely see Jackson talking to anyone except my friends, me, and the other GOT7 members. “So you needed me Hyung?”

“Oh, right. I’ll be right back guys, I need to talk to BamBam about something.” I say while getting up, Taeil gives me a concerned look. “It’s nothing bad.”

BamBam and I head to the hallway, it’s empty, no staff walking about either. We move away from the door so that we can lean against the wall nearby. “What’s wrong Hyung? You’ve never called me out before. Unless, you’re tired of Yugyeom and want to try something a little more ~” He comes close, arm snaking around my waist. I threaten with a look and he backs away.

“Joking. Joking. But really, why did you need me?”

“When you talk about me and Yugyeom, are you being serious?” I question.

“What do you mean?”

“I’m asking if you’re supporting a relationship between Yugyeom and I?”

BamBam seems a little perplexed. He scratches the back of his head and I wonder if GOT7 is the reason Yugeyom can’t date me. Is there some sort of dating ban that they put on themselves? Or did JYP not want them to date?

“Well, I mean I have no right to say you can or can’t date,” he shrugs. “I guess I’m on your side. You’re the first person that Yugyeom’s ever acted this way with. He’s not clingy and barely lies to us, yet he seems to want to stick to your side, and not to mention he’s been lying to all of us just to see you at night.”

“Also, I don’t think you’re a bad guy Hyung. Not once have you done anything I’ve disliked and I think you fit in well with us. So, if Yugyeom is happy and willing to accept you for who you are, then of course I will too. Yugyeom’s been through a lot, so I’m happy to see him laugh, cry, and be frustrated, it means a lot since he’s shut out a lot of his emotions, especially to outsiders after what happened to him.” BamBam has his arms crossed, and he nods his head after every sentence.

I gulp. I really want to know what happened to him before I knew him, before even GOT7 knew him. But wait, if BamBam is openly saying I can be with Yugyeom…then why can’t we date?

“I’m happy to hear you’re on our side.” I smile, but it flatters. “We’ve confessed to each other already, well, sort of. However, he said he can’t date me for some reason.”

“Huh?” BamBam looks like I’ve told a bad joke.

“Do you guys have some kind of rule that says we can’t?” I know Yugyeom takes the rules and his way of living as a member of GOT7 very seriously, so I figured that was what was holding him back.

BamBam shakes his head. “We can do whatever the hell we want.”

We both get quiet, not really knowing what to say to the other. Then BamBam pats me on the shoulder, it’s my bad one and I growl at him.

“I think Yugyeom’s nervous about dating. Scared really. It’s new to him. So take baby steps. How about you invite him to hang out sometimes. For him you are just hanging out, but you can think of them as dates. It might help him feel more confident in the relationship between you two?”

“That sounds like a good idea actually.” I say shocked to hear it come from BamBam. It didn’t have , toys, or other unnecessary ual things. I’m proud of him, he’s growing up. Yet…the look that Yugyeom gave me earlier…it didn’t seem like he was nervous or scared.

He looked like he was in a trance, pulled into a dark past that’s kept locked away from the rest of the world. So maybe the reason we can’t date has nothing to do with GOT7 or his own emotions. It might have to do with something that’s happened to him in the past.

I clench my fist in my good hand. I feel stupid for making it seem simple. You can’t just throw your feelings at someone else. Even if he’s stated he likes me back. Yugyeom still needs time.

“I’m going to head back, I think everyone is going to worry I’ve got jumped or something.” My voice isn’t cheerful enough for the joke and BamBam stops me before I can walk away.

His face is serious this time. “Now it’s my turn to ask how serious you are about being with Yugyeom.”

“I’m very serious. I’ve dated quite a few people before, but, I’ve never felt this way about any of them.” I give him an equally serious face back. He smiles. How simpleminded, and easily won over.

“What a shame you had to go and like Yugyeom,” BamBam pouts. “We could have made some cute adopted babies together Hyung~”

I sigh. “Yah, you damn brat. You need to stop acting crazy.”

“I’m joking. I’m joking. Let me have my fun as well.” He sticks his tongue out as he digs into his pocket. He then takes his hand out and holds it out to me. I’m nervous to stick my hand out, but do it anyway. He drops a locket into my palm.

It’s tiny, and even though I know it’s a necklace, it’s as if it were meant for the wrist. As if it had belonged to a baby, or a young child at one point. It’s gold and heavy and after careful inspection I find the picture of a serious faced woman and a baby on her lap inside it. The picture is not well kept and the faces of both the child and the woman are distorted due to age and wear and tear.

“What is this? You and your mother?” I question and hold it back out to BamBam. It’s not like I know when he’ll want to talk about himself to me again. I need to be open to it at any time.

He doesn’t reach for the locket in my hands. “It’s Yugyeom’s.”

The locket that seemed so harmless starts to burn and weigh down my hand now. This locket, maybe it’s important to who Yugyeom is. I close my fist around it gently. “Why do you have it?”

“When Yugyeom and I got really close…he told me about his past, about his mother, and about this locket. He’s tried to burn it, throw it out windows, he once even gave it to stranger, but it somehow always found it’s way back to him. Then one day, he couldn’t take it anymore, and he threw it into a small pond on his way to school, trying to get rid of it and everything it stands for. I found it and have kept it ever since. You must know by now Mark Hyung that Yugyeom is not only my brother, but my best friend right?”

“I know, you take care of him more than the others know.” I say softly and I feel a tinge of sadness come over me. The fact that this tiny locket had plagued Yugyeom with such nasty emotions that he felt the need to rid his whole life of it. It’s sad.

“Exactly, and as his best friend, I chose to carry the pain and suffering that always seems to follow him where ever he goes. I’m there to pick him back up and make him smile.” BamBam’s face reminds me of the face that Yugyeom made earlier. It’s a look that holds more to it than meets the eye.

“Why are you giving me this then?”

“It’s obvious that I’m not the only one who can share his pain, make him laugh, or pick him back up anymore. So if you want to be with Yugyeom, and have no ill intent, then I want you to have it.” He taps his finger on my fist that surround the locket. “It may not mean a lot to you now, but after you get to know Yugyeom better, that locket, it will feel like a bomb. It’s scary and heavy and will do damage once opened. However, you have to push forward, don’t give up and once you’ve overcome it; stopped it from ticking. It will become something precious that you hold onto and never want to let go.”

I open my fist to stare at the locket. I can feel the sense of dread that seemed to seep out and cling to the air around it. Small, heavy, and full of things I don’t know. Things that can hurt the person I love.

I look up and notice that BamBam’s already walking down the hall, away from me. “I’ll take care of it. I promise.” I call out and he nods his head and leaves without further word.

I take a deep breath. “Something precious…that you hold onto and never want to let go,” I can’t help but laugh, gently slipping it into my uniform pocket. “How funny, because I never planned to let go from the beginning.”

The hallway starts to become noisy as a few people exit the lunchroom and other people start to travel to their next class. I better head back –

“Mark, did something happen with you and BamBam?” Taeil pops his head out into the hallway. I shake my head. “Ah, it’s because Min Noona and Youngji were getting nervous.”

“I’m fine, he just had to give me something.” I head back over to him and he tilts his head in confusion.

“What’d he give you?”

I laugh hard, until I’m red in the face. “A bomb.”

“Ah, so it was just a bomb, I was thinking it was something far wor – wait, a bomb?” Taeil nearly trips over his own two feet trying to stumble away. “W-why the hell would you accept something like that dude??”

A smile spreads across my lips.

“Why not?”

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Hey guys~ Back with an update! Dun Dun Dunnnnn~~ I guess people can now tell that markgyeom will be the offical couple from here on...or will it? muwhahaha! jk...it prob will be.

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