Mark walked down the stairs and into a dimmed light bar. He looked around and saw a familiar figure at the bar. He sighed.

*Jinyoung ah…*

The bartender waved at him.

            “Mark hyung…” Jackson said with a smile.

            “Hey Jackson…” he sat on a stool next to Jinyoung. The guy had fallen asleep with a shot glass tightly in his hand. “How long did he been here?”

            “Almost 2 hours…”

            “How much did he have?”

            “One bottle of whiskey and almost half dozen shots of tequila. I tried to stop him but he just won’t listen…”

Mark shook his head. Jinyoung is never been much of a drinker but lately he was here at the bar more than he ever been to work.

            “Jinyoung ah…” Mark rubbed Jinyoung’s back trying to wake him up. “Park Jinyoung…”

Jinyoung slowly open his eyes. He heard someone calling his name and when he turned his head to the side, he smiled.

            “Hyung…” he muttered. “Jackson ah…another tequila shot…” he wiggled his empty glass.

            “I think you had enough for the night Jinyoung ah…” Mark tried to take the shot glass away but Jinyoung pushed his hand.

            “No! I only had this much…” Jinyoung made a sign with his fore finger and thumb.

            “You’re drunk…let’s get you home…” Mark stood up and tried to haul Jinyoung from his seat. But the younger guy refused to leave.

            “No! Hyung…let me drink…just for tonight… Jackson! Tequila!” he yelled.

            “Jinyoung, listen to me!”

Mark’s stern voice startled Jinyoung a little. Even in his drunken state he knew Mark was serious as hell.

            “You had enough drink! I’m gonna get you home whether you like it or not! It’s either you cooperate with me or I swear to God I would knock you out and carry you on a goddamned wheelchair if I have to…” he stared at Jinyoung.

            “Fine, fine…geez…you’re such a party pooper!” Jinyoung blabbered as he got up from the stool. He swayed and almost fell but Mark’s quick hands saved him before his face could kiss the floor.

            “Nice save hyung…thanks…” Jinyoung grinned.

            “How much Jackson ah?” Mark reached for his wallet.

            “Jinyoung already paid when he got here…”

Mark looked at the man sitting next to him.

*Why are you doing this yourself Jinyoung ah?*

Two months ago, Jinyoung was a happy man; he had a great job as a leader of a major dance team with his very own studio. But when Junho, Jinyoung’s boyfriend back then decided to break off their relationship and got married to another girl, Jinyoung was devastated. Junho has been a closeted guy and no one but those who are close to them knew about their relationship. Mark believed that one day Junho will come out and Jinyoung could have the relationship he was hoping for.

He almost tore Junho in half when he found out about the wedding. He watched as Jinyoung slowly sunken away from life and fell into state of depression. The usual glow of happiness vanished from Jinyoung’s cute face; his dark circles almost reaching to his chin. He surrounded himself with alcohol to numb the pain he was in. He worked like a dog during the day and gets super wasted at night. Mark was terrified that one day he will get the call saying that Jinyoung is deeply hurt from alcohol related accidents…may God forbid that…

            “Junho ah…why did you do this to me?” Jinyoung sobbed. Mark looked and saw tears’ streaming from Jinyoung’s closed eyes.

*He still not over that bastard.*

Morning came and Jinyoung woke up with headache the size of Australia…his head is pounding and ringing as if someone just put a giant bell inside his skull.

            “Good morning Pepi…” Mark said walking into the room.

            “Hyung…not so loud…my head hurts…” Jinyoung cringed. He lay back on the bed and pulled up the covers.

            “Get up Jinyoung ah…we had a long day ahead today…” Mark pulled the curtain open lighting the room. He went towards Jinyoung and pulled the covers too. “Get up!”

            “Ah hyung…” Jinyoung whined.

            “Nope…get up or I’ll get a bucket of water and I have your shower in your bed…”

            “You wouldn’t dare…” Jinyoung said curled up hugging a pillow.

            “You wanna try me?”  Mark crossed his arms.

            “Fine…I’m beginning to regret letting you know the passcode to my place…”

            “Too late for that my love…” Mark ruffled Jinyoung’s hair. “Wash up…I’ll get the breakfast ready…” Mark said and walked out from the room.

Jinyoung was thankful for Mark. They’ve known each other for years; ever since their college days…even though Mark was a year older, they never had any problem in communication. They’ve been together through thick and thin, and Jinyoung couldn’t see himself living without Mark.

Junho used to be so jealous with him and Mark but Jinyoung always assured him that Mark is just like a brother, besides…there’s no way Mark gonna be interested in someone like him. Mark was a thing of beauty…short red hair that he always it spiked up, handsome face that could grace the front page of any magazine, hot body to go with a killer fashion sense that turned head both men and women alike. Jinyoung always wondered how he could be friends with someone as superior as Mark.

The word Junho again made Jinyoung heart sunk.

***************************

Jinyoung get out of his car and head to the elevator. He stepped into the elevator and pressed the button.

            “Hold the elevator please…” a woman’s voice called from outside.

Jinyoung quickly pushed the open button.

            “Jagiya, hurry up…” the woman said rushing into the elevator. “Thanks…” she smiled at Jinyoung. “Jagiya…”

            “I’m coming, I’m coming…”

The voice.

Jinyoung’s breath hitched at the view. Junho was standing in front of him…with a woman next to him. He cowered to the back trying his best to ignore.

            “I think our honeymoon is the best…I wish we go back to Maldives…” the woman said, linking her arm with Junho.

Maldives…that’s the place Jinyoung and Junho planned to go during the summer vacation. He always wanted to go there but looks like Junho went there first…without him.

Loud ding sound woke Jinyoung from his thought. He quickly made his way out of the elevator. The pain inside his chest was unbearable…the sheer anger, sad and hurt attacked him all at once.

Mark saw Jinyoung walked past his door. He called but Jinyoung just ignored him.

*Something is not right…*

Tears b Jinyoung’s eyes. How could Junho act like nothing is wrong? Is he the only one that feels the pain?

            “Jinyoung ah…” Mark opened the door. He walked towards Jinyoung and saw the tears at the corner of his eyes. “Hey, what’s wrong?”

            “Hyung…”

Mark pulled Jinyoung into his arms and hugged him.

            “Hey…what’s the matter?” Mark hated to see Jinyoung like this.

The flood gate is broken and Jinyoung cried his eyes out. Mark just stood there holding Jinyoung until his outburst subdued.

            “I saw him…today…” Jinyoung finally said between hiccups.

            “Saw who?”

            “Ju…Junho…and his wife…”

            “Here?”

Jinyoung nodded. He felt like dying right now. It seems like he’s the only one that think the relationship between them actually meant something.

***********************************

It’s almost 2 am when Mark got a phone call.

            “Hello…” he groggily answered it.

            “Hyung, it’s me Jackson…”

            “Oh Jackson ah…wae?”

            “It’s Jinyoung…I think you should come to the club now…”

            “I’ll right down…”

Mark quickly get out of the bed, grabbed his jacket, keys and head out to the front door. 10 minutes later, he arrived at the club.

            “Jackson ah…where’s Jinyoung?” he asked.

            “At the back…c’mon…”

They walked to the back room. When Mark opened the door he saw Jinyoung already slumped on the couch unconscious. His face is red and there’s a little blood trickled at the corner of his mouth.

            “What the hell happened to him?” Mark crouched in front of Jinyoung looking at his face.

            “He got into a fight with couple of guys here…”

            “Fight?” Mark’s eyes widened.

            “Yeah…I don’t know how it actually started but I managed to break it off but one of the guys had a fist fight with Jinyoung…”

            “Oh my god…Jinyoung ah…” Mark caressed Jinyoung’s reddened cheek. “Can you help me get him to the car? I’ll send someone for his car…”

            “Nae hyung…” Jackson nodded.

Morning…

Jinyoung opened his eyes and looked around. He was in his room…he’s in his pyjama.

*That’s odd…*

The last thing he remembered was that he was in a brawl with one of the bar patron and the guy almost beat the out of him…thank god Jackson was there.

*How the hell I got here…*

He slowly got out of the bed. He walked out and the aroma of freshly brewed coffee came from the kitchen.

            “Good, you’re awake…” Mark said, glancing over his shoulder.

            “My head…” Jinyoung muttered taking a seat at the kitchen island.

Mark put a glass of amber coloured water in front of Jinyoung.

            “Honey water…it should ease up your pounding head…”

            “Thanks hyung…” Jinyoung took a sip of the sweet water.

Mark turned off the stove and handed Jinyoung a plate of scrambled eggs. He then pulled a chair and sat across Jinyoung.

            “What?” Jinyoung asked when he felt like Mark’s stare almost burn the skull out of him.

            “You’ve been drinking like an old fart sailor and now getting into fight? What the hell is wrong with you Park Jinyoung?”

Jinyoung flinched a bit. Mark seldom called him by his full name unless it was serious matter.

            “It’s my not fault…they started it…” Jinyoung defended himself.

            “I don’t wanna hear that! What I want to hear is why you are even there? It’s the third time this week alone!”

            “I just went there for a drink…is that illegal or something? Last time I check I was over 21…”

            “What got into you? I’ve been so patient with you but right now my patience is running low…you’ve never been like this before…”

            “I was hurt ok?!” Jinyoung’s loud voice echoed throughout the small space. “I need something to ease that!”

            “Is this because of Junho?”

Jinyoung’s eyes met Mark’s gaze.

            “Don’t you think it’s time for you to move on? By the way I see it, he already did…” Mark said crossing his arms.

Silence…

            “Is he worth the pain that you’re going through right now? He’s married with a wife for God’s sake! You can’t be with him!”

            “Shut up!”

            “Why? You know I’m right, right? He’s just another hurdle in your life…get over it and move on!”

            “Just leave me alone hyung…I don’t need this right now…” Jinyoung pulled his legs up and buried his head between his knees…trying to hold the tears that rapidly forming at the corner of his eyes.

            “I can’t Jinyoung ah…I can’t just stand here and watch you destructing yourself over some jerk that didn’t appreciate you! You’re far more valuable for that! There’s someone else out there for you if only you give yourself another chance.”

            “Who? Who would want someone broken like me huh?”

            “I did!”

Both of them looked at each other.

            “Hyung…”

            “I love you Jinyoung ah! I loved you even before Junho did! I never said anything because I want you to be happy…even without me! But now…I feel like I had to say something before you do something stupid just because that son of a was stupid enough to leave you for someone else.”

Jinyoung just sat there trying to digest everything that Mark just said.

*He liked me? Mark hyung liked me?* those words seems like an alien to him. Never in million years would he thought that Mark actually had feelings for him. He always thought that Mark sees him like a little brother.

            “Look Jinyoung ah…”

Mark got up and squatted in front of Jinyoung. He held Jinyoung’s hands and gave it a light squeeze.

            “I know this is not the right time or place but all I want to say is…just give me a chance to make you happy…I don’t know what the future might hold for us but I can promise you this…I won’t leave you like Junho did…you’ve known me for years and there’s one thing you know about me, I never said a promise that I won’t keep right?”

He cupped Jinyoung’s face and kissed his cheek.

            “Think about it ok?”

**********************************

            “Hey man…” Jackson said as he saw Jinyoung at the bar. By the look on Jinyoung’s face, he knew the other guy had something in his head.

            “Hey…club soda please…” Jinyoung pulled the stool and sat.

            “Soda? Are you sure?”

            “Yes Jackson…I’m sure…” Jinyoung rolled his eyes.

            “Coming right up…”

The things that Mark said kept lingering inside him. Was he being serious? But this is Mark…one of his closest friends…

            “Your soda…” Jackson put a tall glass filled with clear bubbly water in front of Jinyoung.

            “Thanks…” Jinyoung took a sip and sighed.

            “You wanna talk about it?” Jackson stood in front of him.

            “You’re busy…I don’t want to get you in trouble…”

            “Hey this is my bar, I’m the boss here…besides, there’s not many people around tonight…now spill…”

            “It’s about Mark hyung…”

            “Mark hyung? What about him?”

            “He said that he liked me…”

            “He did?” Jackson smiled.

            “Yeah…I just don’t know what to do right now…” Jinyoung took another sip of his drink.

            “Do you like him?

            “Yea…I mean…he’s my best friend…of course I like him…”

Jinyoung remembered when he used to have a tiny crush on Mark when they were in college together.

            “Do you love him?” Jackson asked.

Jinyoung paused.

            ‘What if he just said that because I look pathetic in front of him?”

            “I really doubt that…” Jackson shook his head.

            “How would you know?”

            “The way he looked at you is the same way how my parents looked at each other…it as if hearts coming out from his eyes…”

            “I dunno Jackson…”

            “Trust me Jinyoung ah…Mark truly loves you…one thing I knew knowing him all these years, Mark hyung never tell anything without him really meaning it…”

Monday…

            “Youngjae ah…can you help me fax this letter?” Mark gave a file to Youngjae at the front desk.

            “Sure…”

The entrance bell rings and Jinyoung walked in. it’s been couple of days since Mark last talk to Jinyoung and he was afraid if his sudden confession that morning would form a distance between him and Jinyoung.

            “Jinyoung ah…”

Without a word, Jinyoung just grabbed Mark by the wrist and dragged him towards an empty dance room at the end of the corridor. Once there, he locked the door and stood in front of Mark.

            “Jin…Jinyoung ah…” Mark said, confused with Jinyoung’s action.

            “Just listen what I have to say…”

            “Oookay…” Mark frowned.

Jinyoung took a deep breath. He tried to find the words to say to mark nothing came out.          

            “Oh …”

Jinyoung marched towards Mark, wrapped his arms around Mark’s shoulder and pulled him down for a kiss on the lips. Mark’s eyes flew open when Jinyoung furiously attacking his lips…nipping and biting gently. He quickly responded and returned the kiss with equal amount of passion. All the pent up emotion filled the kiss that enlightened his every cells. They finally broke the kiss when both were in desperate need of oxygen.

            “Jinyoung ah…” Mark panted, trying to catch his breath.

            “If you dare cheat on me, I’ll cut your balls off, blend it and give it to the dogs…got it?” Jinyoung said.

            “You know I won’t do that to you…” Mark smiled, putting their foreheads together.

            “Just a friendly reminder…”

            “I’ll keep that in mind…”

So I said that I'm gonna update this when I finish my other story right? But guess what...surprise!!!! An update!!!! I had this written a few weeks back and I just thought this would make up for me for not updating *Embracing You* (sorry readers...TT TT~~~)...

Tell me what you guys think with this one...