“You look exceptionally well today.” Mr Park commented as he glanced at Mark skipping down the stairs as he set the breakfast table.

The red hair he rarely combed was styled, and not only did he wear a chic turtleneck – to cover his bruise – and skinny jeans, he also wore a rosy glow on his cheeks. Flashing a bright smile, Mark grabbed the glass of milk and sat down.

“Thanks Mr Park! You look well yourself.” Mark spoke, a little too enthusiastically in Mr Park’s opinion. The older man raised an eyebrow, skeptical of the boy’s abnormal behaviour. Mark often smiles to him, but he could tell that they were forced and fake. This time round, his smile seemed genuine and he looked like he was about to burst with happiness.

Mr Park was right. Mark was happy. After so many years, Mark was finally happy again, all thanks to Jinyoung.

~~~~~

Mark ran to the bus stop, almost colliding into a boy in denim. The boy turned around in shock, then sputtered while trying to stifle his laughter upon the sight of Mark.

“Mark, really? A turtleneck in this weather?”

“What? You know better than anyone that I still have that bruise from –“

“And you styled your hair!” Jinyoung interrupted Mark’s speech, reaching out to fix his hair, which messed up in the wind when he rushed to the bus stop.

Mark blushed when he felt Jinyoung’s gentle touch. He bit his lower lip in an attempt to restrain his smile.

Jinyoung grinned at Mark and admired his work of art. “You look amazing now.”

The smile the red head was trying to hide escaped from its hideout, flashing brightly on his face.

There was something about the way Mark smiled; the way butterflies seemed to escape from the pit of his stomach and the way the sun had somehow toppled down from the sky and made a home right there in his heart, or maybe it was because his smiles were so precious. He had the kind of smile that made Jinyoung feel happier than he already was. Jinyoung could only resist the urge to pinch Mark’s cheeks.

It had become a daily routine. The two would meet at the bus stop and take the public bus to school. If there were two-seaters, they would sit by each other’s side, shoulder-to-shoulder, knee-to-knee. If there were no two empty seats together, they would stand, laughing at each other when they lose their balance into each other’s arms.

Mark would follow Jinyoung around in school, and Jinyoung liked it. He would save a seat for Mark during lessons, and drag him to the cafeteria for food during breaks. Jinyoung would talk, and Mark would listen. When Jinyoung laughs, Mark laughs.

It had been almost two weeks and the two had grown a lot closer. Mark was slowly opening up to Jinyoung and gradually leaving his dark past behind.

They were almost inseparable.

The only thing that separated them was… JB, and Mark didn’t like that at all.

~~~~~

“Jinyoung ah, I really really really need your help.”

“But –”

“I know you’re busy, but what are friends for? Right? Pleeeeaaaase Jinyoung!”

Jinyoung stared at his friend in disbelief. It was his first time hearing JB whine and he wished he had not experienced it. He made a disgusted expression jokingly and shook his head.

“No way, JB. Playing the guitar is something important to me. It’s a performance! It’s a form of art!”

“And my film project is not art? Comedy can be art too. Come on… You’re the only guitarist I know and I know how much you love me –”

“Okay fine. On one condition, you treat me to three dinners.” Jinyoung agreed to stop JB from whining like a baby. He knew he could never really reject his best friend, so he might as well gain something from spending time on his film project.

“YES! Okay, deal! No backing out!”

JB punched his fist into the air and gave a quick hug to Jinyoung before rushing off to his next lesson. The raven-haired boy shook his head and smiled. That boy never grows up.

He was oblivious to the red head peeking out from behind the pillar, who witnessed everything.

~~~~~

Mark remembered how he frowned uncontrollably when he saw JB acting cutely to Jinyoung. He remembered how his stomach flipped when he saw JB hugging Jinyoung. Most of all, he remembered how his heart dropped to the ground when he saw his Jinyoung smile while gazing at JB walking away.

He seldom saw Jinyoung during his breaks recently, for the boy was busy filming for JB’s project.

“Mark, I’m sorry I have to leave you alone for lunch –” Again, Mark thought, letting the rest of the sentence trail off. Just like that, Jinyoung would mutter his apologies to Mark after their common lessons, before sprinting off to meet JB. It got worse recently; it was as though he never existed in Mark’s life.

Mark sulked as he sat at a cafeteria table, alone.

Yes, that’s me. I can’t believe I ever had the thought that I would be important to Jinyoung. I’m just an acquaintance, and JB is the most important person to Jinyoung. Who am I to spend time with Jinyoung? Who am I to compare with JB? I’m nobody.

Dismal thoughts drove through Mark’s brain like a bulldozer, destroying a piece of his sanity each time. He was frustrated. When Jinyoung talked to him, he smiled so widely that wrinkles form at the edges of his clear, sparkly eyes. Mark figured that Jinyoung at least liked talking to him, but now, he felt the complete opposite.

Mark had subscribed to the belief that Jinyoung is the boy who introduced him to bliss, a long time after his parents’ death; he never felt any happier in a decade. Yet, Jinyoung was causing hurricanes in both his brain and heart now, ripping him bit by bit, and leaving him in ruins.

He was confused about his relationship with Jinyoung and how he was making him feel, but there was one thing he was sure of: he missed Jinyoung and he wanted to see him again.

~~~~~

Jinyoung yawned as he kept his guitar into the old, broken case. It had been a long week and JB’s film project was finally in the stage of wrapping up.

“Bro, thank you sooooo much! I wouldn’t have done this without you.” JB beamed at Jinyoung and patted his shoulder gratefully.

“No problem! Just remember our deal, okay?” Jinyoung lifted JB’s wrist to check the timing on his watch, grinning as he saw the time. “How about you treat me to the first dinner tonight?”

“Sorry Jinyoung, it’ll have to wait! I’m surprising Youngjae today, it’s his birthday, remember?” JB was giddy with excitement. He had not met up with his boyfriend, Youngjae, for a long time as they were both busy with their projects, and he was looking forward to crashing Youngjae’s house tonight to throw him a surprise birthday party he planned through sleepless nights.

Jinyoung nodded thoughtfully. “Oh yeah. Well, all the best!” He winked at JB and they parted their ways.

*beep*

Jinyoung could not help but break into a broad grin. He had not seen Mark for days and he was starting to miss him, a lot.

As Mark replied shortly after, Jinyoung boarded the bus, tingling in anticipation from his head to toes.

~~~~~

Mark could feel his heart palpitating tumultuously as he waited for Jinyoung to arrive at the café. Every time he heard the door bell ring, his head would shoot up, eyes riveted to the main door to check if a familiar raven-haired boy arrived.

He gazed out of the window, looking at how the full moon, a pale yellow, inched its way slowly up the night sky, past the tree branches and finally nestled comfortable among the stars.

Mark’s stomach growled in protest. He took a glimpse of the timing on his mobile phone; it was 8.00pm. Jinyoung should be here any time soon.

Right then, Mark’s phone rang. He picked it up from the table and looked at the screen.

It’s Jinyoung. He can’t find the place?

“Hello? Jinyoung? Are you lost?”

“Hey, uh Mark… I don’t think I can make it already…”

“Why? What happened?” Mark’s voice cracked, unable to contain his regret.

There was no reply for three seconds – or what seemed like eternity to Mark – before Jinyoung spoke again. “It’s JB. I have to go to him right now. I’ll explain to you another day.”

Silence.

“Mark? Are you there?”

I’m here, Jinyoung.

But… you’re not.

“Mark?” Jinyoung’s voice grew louder, with a tinge of worry from the deafening silence.

With a huge gulp, Mark took a deep breath. “Yes, I understand. It’s fine.” He almost choked on his words when he lied. He did not understand. It wasn’t fine, not at all.

“Phew, okay. Thanks Mark! I’ll treat you the next time to make it up to you! Text you later!” And the phone line went dead, reducing to a long beeping sound, like that of a heart rate monitor, for Mark’s heart crumbled at that instance.

♥♥♥

Hey guys! So... some drama now, or boring drama, that is. What happened to JB? How will Mark respond? ^~^

I hope the wait wasn't too long! 

On a side note, I feel like I'm running out of adjectives oops. 

Anyways, keep the comments coming! I can't thank you readers enough for the support! I feel very happy knowing that there are people out there who read my work, and that my efforts are paid off when you all enjoy it. <3