Hello, Readers!

It seems that some of you were disappointed with MarkJin not being the entire focus of the last chapter, but this is going to be a relatively long multi-chaptered fiction that will definitely include other ships, so I'll be telling parts of their stories as well. MarkJin will always be the centre and focus, so I hope that you'll be understanding, and continue to support and enjoy this story as it progresses.

Hope you like this chapter! Enjoy!  (*^_^)

Chapter 7 - The Engagement Party: Part I

As happy as Mark and JinYoung were for Jackson and GaYeon, their engagement also served to remind them that they couldn't just make an announcement to their family and friends that they were getting married and have everyone celebrate. They had been together longer than Jackson and GaYeon, but they weren't able to openly and legally commit to each other. After all these years, they were still hiding their love from their families, and, it would seem, would be doing so for the rest of their lives.

It seemed really unfair. Mark was a good guy. JinYoung was a good guy. They got along. They were responsible. They treated their family kindly and respectfully. They were good to their friends. They were good to the guests who stayed at the hotel. They were good to their employees. They loved and were devoted to each other.

It seemed that last bit was the bit that obliterated all the previous parts.

They weren't allowed to love each other.

They were both men. And to their families and most of the society around them, that was one of the strictest taboos.

*                                 *                                 *                                 *                                 *

They were having special guests for the weekend.

As an engagement present for Jackson and GaYeon, JinYoung and Mark were throwing a party for them. All their closest friends from university were invited: Jia, JoKwon, JB (what JaeBum preferred to be called these days) and Min. Jackson and GaYeon's parents were invited, as were Mark's and JinYoung's. Jackson had endeared himself to their parents during their time at uni, so, of course, they also wanted to join in the festivities to congratulate the happy couple.

"Did you have to invite her?" Mark protested.

"We're supposed to be dating. What do you think?" JinYoung answered, his voice tinged with an edge of exasperation.

"But these are our friends," Mark insisted.

"And our families. How am I supposed to explain that I didn't invite my 'girlfriend' to a party?"

"She doesn't even know Jackson and GaYeon! It's even stranger if you do invite her, don't you think?"

"My mother wants to meet her, Mark! Would you prefer I take her to my parent's house? They would definitely take that as some sort of sign. That's a signal I really don't want to send," JinYoung tried. "Look," he said tiredly, "this is a way I can introduce her to them that will not immediately mean that an engagement is around the corner. It'll be less formal. Fewer expectations. Can't you see that?"

"All I see is that she is insinuating herself more and more into our lives. How many hours did you spend with her this week? Tell me. I've lost count!"

"You know we're working on music. You know how much time that takes!" JinYoung retorted.

"All I know is that I only see your face at the office or when you're asleep. We never spend time together anymore. It's like you're avoiding me or something. What's the point of having a relationship if we never see each other? Should we still even call this a relationship?" Mark said. As soon as the words left his mouth, he knew he shouldn't have said them, but he was well and truly tired of this whole situation.

"What...what...do you mean by that?" JinYoung asked, visibly shaken by Mark's words. In all the years they'd been together, neither of them had ever, during any disagreement or argument ever questioned being together. How could Mark even suggest...

Mark's initial reaction was to run to JinYoung and draw him close and tell him that he didn't mean a word of what he just said. He wanted to his Jinnie's hair and kiss and kiss him until he was sure once again of how Mark felt about him and that their relationship was absolutely secure.

But, he couldn't.

Chiefly because, as sad as it was to admit, he himself was no longer absolutely certain about them.

So, instead, Mark just walked away and went quickly to his room before he broke down in front of the man he'd loved with his whole heart all these years.

JinYoung just stood in their living room, trembling at Mark's words, with a grinding ache in his gut, too shocked to even cry. For the first time since they met, he thought he could be losing Mark and the mere thought of it almost terrified the life out of him.

That night, they slept in their own rooms.

But they never stopped thinking of one another for a single moment.

*                                 *                                 *                                 *                                 *

When JinYoung awakened in the morning, he lay on his back and stared out into nothingness. His mind, still slightly in the haze of sleep, floated in and out of pleasant recollections from the past.

JinYoung recalled summer holidays camping with his family. The times they spent looking up together at the night sky, as his parents taught him the names of stars; times where they would grill delicious food and eat together. Pictures and sensations swirled through his mind of moments at the jimjilbang where his father would scrub his back and walk around with him with an affectionate arm slung over his shoulder, his face beaming with pride as he introduced his son around; holidays like Chuseok made special by his mother's warming and delicious meals and games they would play; so many times filled with warmth and happiness.

And whenever he had difficulties, his parents were always there to help. When he first joined the singing club at school, he was initially teased and bullied. He confided in his mother. After comforting him, she came up with an idea of how she could help him. She told him to invite some of his classmates home, so that she could meet them. She told him to invite one or two of the boys who had been bothering him. He didn't want to do it, but she insisted.

She welcomed all of the kids warmly. She made them a delicious dinner, while she and his father engaged them in conversation. By the end of the evening, even the biggest bully had been won over: and since continuing to bother JinYoung would've hurt his parents, particularly his mother, they stopped and actually made friends with him.

Soon JinYoung's house became the one his friends would feel that they could come to, to relax and play: his house was fun. On weekends, they would come by and JinYoung's mother would prepare snacks and drinks for them, making them feel at home as they played games late into the night. For those who slept over, Mrs Pak would make a scrumptious breakfast in the morning, treating them as kindly as if they were her own children.

JinYoung's friends always said how lucky he was to have parents like his.

When he left home for university, he'd felt so lonely. Except for JaeBum, he didn't know anyone there and only looked forward to school holidays so that he could go back to see his family.

Until, he met Mark.

Mark was the one person with whom he felt a feeling as warm, as relaxed, as comfortable as with his own family.

As JinYoung got closer and closer to him, he grew to love him with a deep, great and passionate love. He couldn't, under any circumstances, imagine his life without him.

But, at the same time, he just couldn't forget the years and years of love, devotion and warmth he'd felt with and for his family.

As he lay there, looking at the ceiling, but seeing nothing but his memories, a question haunted him.

How would he be able to make all the people he loved most dearly in the world happy?

*                                 *                                 *                                 *                                 *

"If he hadn't proposed, I was going to," GaYeon laughed.

"She would've, too," Jackson said, smiling at his fiancée. "She got over her shyness pretty fast. That's one of the things I love about her. Not to mention her powerful leglock..."

"Okay, that's far enough," YoungJae interrupted, while the others laughed.

The party was in full swing. With every friend having RSVP'd that they were coming, friends having suggested the names of other friends that should be invited, along with the parents wanting to congratulate their beloved Jackson on his engagement, it was a pretty well-attended gathering. The only people who hadn't appeared yet were JaeBum and MiRa. JaeBum had RSVP'd that he'd be bringing someone with him, but no one knew who that would be.

When MiRa finally made her appearance, what an appearance it was: she looked stunning! Mark preferred the way she looked that day she dropped round to abscond with JinYoung for an impromptu picnic, but dressed up, she looked a different kind of lovely. She was attractive in a more alluring way. She smiled as she spied Mark and JinYoung across the room.

"Oppa!" she exclaimed hugging JinYoung. She then reached over and shook Mark's hand, smiling brightly at him. "It's so nice to see you again," she exuded.

"Hello, MiRa-ssi," said Mark. "You look really lovely."

"Thank you. My mother and I went shopping especially for the occasion."

Uh-oh. I wonder how many moments of obnoxiousness we can count on for this evening then, Mark thought.

"You must be MiRa," JinYoung's mother said, sidling up next to the party of three. "It's nice to finally meet you. I'm JinYoung's mother."

"Hello, Mrs Pak. It's nice to finally meet you," MiRa said.

"You are so much prettier than your pictures," JinYoung's mother added. Her husband came to join them along with Mark's parents. JinYoung's mother introduced her to them all and they all seemed equally impressed with her.

Mark's parents had always liked Jackson, and his engagement to GaYeon was just what they thought Mark needed to start thinking about his future.

"So, this is JinYoung's young lady," Mark's mother said.

"Yes," answered JinYoung's mother proudly. "I can't help but hope that this party might steer my son in the right direction."

"Eomma!" JinYoung exclaimed embarrassedly.

"Well, at least he's dating someone. I don't know how to get Mark involved with someone. He has yet to meet someone he likes," Mrs Tuan lamented.

"Well, just keep at it. JinYoung took a while to find someone he liked, but these two are so well-suited that I'm sure it won't be long until we hear some news," Mrs Pak gushed, thoroughly mortifying JinYoung.

MiRa held on to JinYoung's arm as she leaned against him and smiled. She was the picture of the perfect girlfriend.

Even Mark couldn't help but notice what a lovely-looking couple they would make.

Throughout the night, MiRa never left JinYoung's side. She clung to him, calling him 'Oppa' and laughing every time he said anything even mildly amusing. Mark noticed that when she stole glances at JinYoung when no one was looking, they were filled with affection. The disturbing thought occurred to him that she mightn't be playing a role. Whatever JinYoung claimed, to Mark's eyes, MiRa was really interested in him, not just as a partner-in-crime to deceive their respective parents, but really, truly interested in him.

"Let's go outside," Jackson said in his ear, as he and GaYeon appeared on either side of him, each taking Mark by the arm.

*                                 *                                 *                                 *                                 *

As they walked outside, Mark could see that the moon was no particularly notable shape, but it was bright as occasional clouds sailed across the face of it. The stars were also bright as Jackson and GaYeon walked with Mark across the grounds.

"You guys shouldn't be out here with me. You're missing your own party," Mark said.

"I think we all needed a bit of fresh air. It was getting stuffy in there," GaYeon said.

Jackson indelicately got right to the point, "Who was that woman hanging all over JinYoung?"

Jackson, had known that JinYoung had been agreeing to go on blind dates because he wanted to keep his parents off his back, but he'd had no idea about the new developments. They walked a few more steps in silence and sat down on a bench, with Mark between the two of them. They each leaned into Mark, comforting him with their nearness.

"I'll show you who she is," said Mark and he opened JinYoung's new profile. He scrolled through the many pictures of JinYoung and MiRa while Jackson and GaYeon looked on.

"How long has this been going on? No, scratch that. What exactly is going on, Mark?" Jackson demanded.

Mark told his friends about how JinYoung's plan, which seemed to work in the beginning, had begun to spin out of control.

"Tell him it's over. Tell him it's got to stop now. You two can't continue with this. I know our JinYoung's a little dense when it comes to things like this, but that woman obviously has the hots for him. He's got to stop now before things go too far," Jackson insisted.

"Does he even notice how this is affecting you, Mark?" GaYeon asked.

Mark felt like crying. How could his friends, who he hasn't seen in such a long time, see how he was feeling, but his own partner couldn't?

"Anyway, it's not working. His mother's been talking to anyone who would listen about how she hopes JinYoung is going to propose to MiRa soon. He has to stop this before it gets crazier," GaYeon said.

"The truth is...I...I'm not even sure he wants to stop it..." Mark murmured.

"What? What do you mean? Do you really think he has feelings for her?" GaYeon asked.

"I don't know. But to be honest, they get along well and they have a lot in common. Maybe I'm holding him back from what he really wants," he replied miserably.

"And what do you think he really wants, Hyung?" Jackson asked pointedly.

"I think he doesn't really know himself, but I think he will if I give him some space to think," Mark said.

The friends sat in silence not knowing what to say. The thought of Mark without JinYoung or JinYoung without Mark had been unthinkable since they first got together back at university. For both Jackson and GaYeon and anyone who knew them, the thought of them not being together was inconceivable.

"I think you're crazy to even think like that, but," Jackson paused to breathe a sigh, "whatever you decide to do, Hyung, you know I support you. But are you sure you want to go that far?"

"I just want to make sure he's doing what he really wants. His parents are pressuring him enough already. Maybe I am too, in a different way, just by being around. I just don't want him to think he has to choose me just because he thinks I'd be too upset if he wanted to be with MiRa."

"I saw his face when he thought no one was looking. He didn't exactly look enthusiastic about her hanging all over him," GaYeon remarked.

"I saw his face too, and he looked pretty happy to me," Mark retorted.

GaYeon sighed. "Just promise you won't do anything rash, okay?"

"Okay, I promise," Mark agreed, leaning over to plant an affectionate kiss on her forehead. 

"Hey! Keep your lips to yourself!" yelled Jackson.

"Don't mind him," said GaYeon.

"Okay I won't," said Mark, giggling before giving her another kiss.

"Okay, that's it!" Jackson shouted as he got up and squeezed himself in between the two of them. "But, seriously, Hyung," he said, turning to Mark, "I'm just letting you know that whatever happens, I don't want anyone putting GaYeon or me on the spot. I'm not going to choose between you two. I know JinYoung is being a little thick right now, but I'm friends with both of you, okay?"

"Okay, Jackson," Mark surrendered, smiling.

"Now, I guess it's time we got back to our party," Jackson said. They stood up and Jackson, turning to Mark asked, "you'll be okay, right, Hyung?"

"Yes, Jackson," he assured him. Jackson gave Mark a bear hug and then holding GaYeon's hand, they slowly headed back to the party.  

*                                 *                                 *                                 *                                 *

While they were still on their way back, JaeBum had finally arrived. When YoungJae spied him standing in the doorway, his face lit up. It had been so long since he'd seen him. They had basically formed a mutual-admiration society at university; each always complimenting the other's voice. Between himself, JaeBum, JoKwon and JinYoung, they were the acknowledged best singers in the group. YoungJae had always held JaeBum in high esteem. He looked forward to seeing him again and catching up. But just then, JaeBum motioned to someone. That someone stepped forward.

It was a woman.

YoungJae's smile faded as the two entered the room; the woman with her arm through JaeBum's. Just then, JaeBum noticed YoungJae and waved to him, smiling.

YoungJae tried his best to muster up a sincere smile in return.

Coming up: The Engagement Party, Part II

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