It took him what seemed like forever to recover from the grief he held over Mark's death. Mark was so incredibly important to him and in just moments he was ripped away. He got up and went to work ever day, greeting people with a smile. He spent time with his friends as much as their schedules allowed. How Jackson is now was a vast improvement to how he had been.

The initial shock took its toll on him, causing him to stay in bed for days. He wouldn't eat a thing. All he did was sleep. Because at least in his dreams, he could still be with Mark. He could still touch him, hold him, give him all the kisses he deserved. In his dreams, Jackson could still see all those colors that made up Mark Tuan. He wouldn't even answer text messages or phone calls.

It eventually got to a point that Youngji started staying with him. She moved in and, eventually, managed to coax him out of his bedroom and into the living room. He still wasn't up to leaving the house yet, but it had only been a few months. Youngji was alright with this. She knew how in love Jackson had been with Mark, so she wasn't expecting him to feel better any time soon.

Slowly, but surely, Jackson began eating again. And socializing. He responded to texts and answered phone calls, regardless of how brief they were. It was progress. And Youngji couldn't help but feel proud, knowing that she helped in some way. She was sure she caught a smile from him at one point. She had been trying to make cookies from scratch and ended up with flower all over her face and in her hair. Jackson couldn't fight off the half laugh that managed to escape.

And for that she was quite proud.

It had been a rough year and making Jackson feel better was never an easy task, but she managed. And he was finally deciding to go back out into the world, even if it was all black and white.

Sometimes Jackson would walk by places that he and Mark went to often. And he'd catch glimpses of color. It never failed to break his heart a little. It was always a little twinge of pain in his chest, usually it caused him to crinkle his nose up in pain. It would stop him dead in his tracks for a moment or two. He'd allow his eyes to fall closed as he took in a deep breath to compose himself before he moved on.

It wasn't just places that he and Mark were at the most that flashed colors. It was things that reminded Jackson of his beloved. And even pictures. When he'd flip through photo albums the pair had compiled during sleepless nights, the photos were entirely in color. Certain items he owned, like his favorite red snapback that Mark got him for his birthday one year, were in color.

Every flash of color was like another needle to his heart.

The melancholic feel of no longer having Mark around faded shortly after a year. It faded into a whole different set of emotions. It faded into happiness. He felt grateful. And lucky. He felt blessed to have been able to spend time with Mark the way he did. Jackson always considered himself to be a very lucky person for having someone as loving and kind as Mark. So now when he sees a flash of color, he simply smiles and goes about his day, with happy days on his mind when his soulmate still radiated light in his world.