“Uh, why do you carry tampons around with you, Jongin?” That was the first question Jinyoung asked Hae’s Diner cook.

 

“It’s simple, man. Same reason why I carry a lighter but I don’t smoke,” he paused as he the melting ice cream, “feels good to be the hero at times.”

 

He stole glances at Kyungsoo while he explained himself. Jinyoung suspected the greasy cook to have something going on for the wide eyed guy.

 

“Hey, Kyungsoo, didn’t you say you wanted to get on that drop tower ride thingy you were so excited about? Why don’t we head over there first?” Mark suggested.

 

Jinyoung watched how Kyungsoo’s eyes sparkled at the suggestion, “can we? Really?!”

 

“Yeah,” Mark nodded, “I’m sure Jinyoung and Jongin could wait for the other two. Right, babe?”

 

The question was directed to Jinyoung then. He wanted to say no, but he thanked the Gods above profusely for making Jongin a lovesick puppy.

 

“I thought you’re not okay with scary rides, Mark hyung?” Jongin prompted, “I’ll go in your place instead. I’m sure you would have a lot to catch up with Jinyoung.”

 

“I – uh, I could try?” Mark suggested.

 

“I could just go with Kyungsoo in your place, hyung.”

 

Jinyoung stepped right into the idea, “yeah you guys go do that, and Mark can just stay here with me.” And he grabbed onto his lover’s hand to ensure that the other won’t be going anywhere.

 

“Is that so? Okay then, we’ll just wait for Jackson and Youngji here. We’ll get there soon.”

 

Kyungsoo left then, with Jongin on his trail. Jinyoung could almost see an imaginary tail wagging frantically on the guy’s back.

 

“They’re cute, aren’t they?” Mark asked, “I think Jongin would be nice to Kyungsoo.”

 

“Yeah, but he’s just so greasy,” and Jinyoung shivered as Mark laughed at him.  

 

It was Mark’s birthday, and after missing the celebration for five years, Jinyoung wanted to do something extravagant.

 

Not this.

 

Under the scorching hot sun, sweat glands of his armpits and back working overtime; waiting in line to get to something, having to consider about other people, and the unwelcoming noise from other unnecessary people and reporters who are taking pictures of another reporter, his reporter.

 

You may have guessed it right: they were all at the amusement park; basic, cliché, birthday group (date-turned-not-so-date) party. But seeing how happy Mark was around his friends, smiling and laughing non-stop, Jinyoung would let this pass. Just once, probably.

 

They were waiting for Youngji then. The girl freaked out about ‘it’s the time of the month, time of the month!’ and Jinyoung didn’t really understand. That is, until, Jackson started covering her back with his checkered shirt – probably just to show off because he was stripping to a black cutoff in broad daylight – and she turned red from the display.

 

He accompanied her all the way to the toilet, while the others waited at the fountain. Mark was tuck tight to his side, Jinyoung’s possessive hand on the other man’s thigh as Mark went on taking pictures of his surroundings.

 

“Aren’t you bored taking pictures of everything, Mark? You’re with your camera all the time,” Jinyoung asked.

 

But he was answered with a few click-click of the shutter. Mark finally lowered his camera when Jinyoung covered the camera’s lens.

 

“I like the pictures. I enjoy seeing things, people,” and another click to Jinyoung’s face, “and you. I mean, you got to admit, you come out good on camera.”

 

Mark scrolled through the pictures, showing Jinyoung his shots for the day. There were pictures that he knew Mark took, and there were shots that Jinyoung never realized were taken. When the camera was directed at him, Jinyoung was controlled and formal. Those were the usual ones that he would always come across in newspapers, tabloids or online. But there were those that showed a different side of him.

 

“See, how the corner of your eyes crinkle when you laugh too hard, how your hair bounce and shine perfectly under the sun, how much you’re actually smiling and laughing for real. No control, no business involved. You’re so beautiful. No wonder I –”

 

“Love you so much more, Mark Tuan,” and he tapped Mark’s nose, “and I’m never letting you go.”

 

Mark giggled and went in for a peck on his lips instead. “How did you know I was going to say that anyway, you creep?”

 

“You’ve been very bold as of lately.”

 

“I’ve been living almost anywhere and everywhere, babe.”

 

“True, but it got me wondering. Were you kissing other guys like how you kiss me, right here in public?”

 

“Honestly, Park Jinyoung. You’re trying to ruin my very pleasant day with the silliest question on Earth. There were those who tried to get some, but I told them that I’m married.”

 

“Married?! Oh Lord, how could you not even send me an invitation?”

 

“I couldn’t.”

 

“Why ever not?”

 

“Who invites the bride, or groom, or whichever, whatever?”

 

“Are you proposing to me now?”

 

Mark avoided the question and looked up instead, towards the large LCD TV. “Whoa, look, they’re showing pictures of today’s visitors. That’s neat.”

 

“Hey, hey, why are you avoiding my question now?”

 

“OH MY GOSH, BABE, LOOK IT’S OUR PICTURE!”

 

 

 

"Uh, Jinyoung, ah, that's, uhh, the door," his hushed whisper against Jinyoung's ears should have reminded the General Manager about another person's presence on the other side of the room, but instead it got the younger crazier. "Ah, no, ah, babe, ahhh!" 

 

Their positions were changed then, as Mark was held firm below Jinyoung. 

 

"Jimin can wait," he growled, "but, you, nothing can make me stop for you."

 

Jinyoung rode his out on the office's sofa, the once lavish lavender L-shaped comfort, ruined and soiled. " me, please, baby."

 

Mark's eyes fluttered, those words were like mere imagination to him, "Jin-Jinyoung-ah," he stuttered in confusion.

 

"Make love to me, I want to see your beautiful face when you , do whatever you want with my body."

 

"That's Lady GaGa you just quot- ahh Jinyoung, babe!" Mark lost his words when Jinyoung pulled himself out and groaned when he sat on Mark's hardened shaft.

 

"Calm down, Jinyoung. I'm not going anywhere if you don't let me."

 

"That's, uh, a promise, yeah?"

 

"I promise, Jinyoung."

 

 

   

To say that Jinyoung was pissed off might be too easy, you gotta search more in the dictionary, yeah search deeper, for the right word. He’s just extremely mad, disappointed and almost-tore-some-of-his-hair-off-his-head angry as of that moment.

 

Nothing was going right for him that day.

 

That morning, as he decided to go for a morning jog, he stepped on dog poop while trying to avoid a biker. Jinyoung was wearing his brand new Adidas that Mark bought, and he loved the shoes more than his designer shirts. He was cursing and swearing dogs of all kind on his way home. If one heard it, they’d probably think that Jinyoung’s a madman.

 

He burnt not only the omelet but also his hand while he was trying to make breakfast for Mark. The other man came running down the stairs when Jinyoung made an unmanly screech and cussed for about a hundred words a minute.

 

“Jinyoung, gosh, you okay?” while grabbing the emergency kit from the cupboard close by.      

 

“Aside from a burn mark, a burnt omelet, everything is okay as long as you’re here.”

 

“Aw, what’s gotten into you, babe?”

 

“Nothing,” he shrugged, “just that being separated from you made me realize all of the things that I didn’t get to do for you.”

 

“Oh, baby,” Mark sighed while holding on to Jinyoung’s hand, examining the angry red mark that formed even after he applied some gel on it. “I’m not going anywhere. Let’s not rush into anything, okay.”

 

And from those words itself, the platinum band felt heavier than its supposed weight in his pants.

 

That was the morning part of his unfortunate events; there were a few more after he left home that day.

 

One customer claimed that the General Manager’s assistant was trying to harass her in the elevator, and the commotion began when Jinyoung was only arriving at Haru’s front entrance.

 

“This man, who claimed that he was the assistant to Park Jinyoung, was trying to feel me up while I was trying to get in the elevator!”

 

“Miss, you have mistaken. I would never do anything like that. I was just trying to help-”

 

“Nonsense! You were like this,” she cupped her own very refined chest then, “then this,” she held her own hips, “and then this!” while the lady showed everyone who gathered there that Jimin’s hands were grabbing her .

 

“Miss, I assure you I did not mean to do that. All I did was try to help you,” Jimin had his head down low.

 

Jinyoung saw how the lady was already stepping in, with her arm raising. He pushed everyone aside, missing his timing to catch the lady’s hand, and instead of his assistant, Jinyoung received the slap.

 

Everyone gasped then.

 

“Gen-Gen-General Manager! Are you okay?!”

 

“General Manager, huh?!” She eyed him up and down, “so this is the man who employs erted assistants and shameless cleaning ladies!”

 

“Excuse me?” Jinyoung was not happy with this kind of customer.

 

“Your assistant was ually harassing me, and your cleaning ladies yesterday were asking too many questions for my comfort,” she closed in on him, puffing her chest out. Especially with this kind of customer.

 

“I believe that whatever reason there is for my assistant to do that is solely on a purpose to help you,” Jinyoung replied, “if you’re still not satisfied, we can watch the video footage from the incident and check the validity of your accusations.”

 

“Validity?! Accusations?! Are you saying that I am lying?!”

 

“That’s not what I meant, but to prove anyone’s innocence, we need evidence, miss.”

 

“This ripped top and skirt are enough proof!”

 

“I’m sorry, miss. If you keep on being insistent on not cooperating, we might as well get security to you out.”

 

“ me out?!”

 

“Yes, miss. I don’t need another parrot to repeat after me. I have made myself clear.”

 

“Pa-parr-parrot! Humph! You know what, rather than handle this bull; I should just make my way to the police station and sue all of you.”

 

“We look forward to that, miss.”

 

But that was not the end of Park Jinyoung’s unfortunate day.

 

He was on his way home, cruising on a different route with his new X6, when another car made a U-turn from his left! Aside from the cursing he littered under his breath, Jinyoung’s face was jammed to the car’s airbag. He raised his head, and saw blood dripping to his pants. He touched his nose, and God damn it, his nose was bleeding. Jinyoung decided that he didn’t want to handle anymore crap that day and called for Jimin to handle things.

 

He was hoping to see Mark at the hospital after they stitched him up. But there was no sign of the other man despite waiting for an extra half an hour.

 

“Jimin, where’s Mark? Why isn’t he here yet? Is he at home?”

 

“I thought you were on your way, boss,” his assistant said as he looked at his employer from the rearview mirror.

 

“On my way?” His head was too much in pain to even think of anything, let alone try to remember things.

 

“On your way to his photography exhibition, of course. It started about half an hour ago,” the other replied.

 

“What? I don’t understand. Photography exhibition? Tonight?”

 

“Yeah, boss. He reminded you about it ever since last week.”

 

“Then, what are you waiting for?! Turn the car around, Jimin.”

 

“Sir, yes, sir!”

 

Oh well, doesn’t he look awesome that night? With a red mark on his cheek, bandaged nose, messed up hair and sweating in his suit, Jinyoung cursed aloud at the rear seat of Jimin’s car. Can nothing ever go right today?

 

Jinyoung had to at least make himself look presentable if he was to attend a public event. He was carrying Haru’s image, and the wonderful and celebrated Reporter Yi Ern Park’s boyfriend image no less. Indeed, he has to try to look decent. Cameras flashed when he stepped off the car, not really blinding him on his way to the entrance since the crowd was already in the gallery and so the lesser cameramen outside.

 

Jinyoung joined the crowd, hoping that he would find his lover and surprise him. Well more than surprise since he came with a broken nose and a palm-stamp cheek.

 

The lights dimmed then, which brought everyone to a halt including Jinyoung himself.

 

“Thank you for coming, everyone. We’re very sorry for the delay as there were some issues that needed handling. For our exhibition tonight, let’s give a round of applause to Mark Tuan as our host, everyone!”

 

Everyone clapped and Jinyoung was the one who felt the most pride, like his heart could burst any time at that point. Maybe not, he was kind of in pain from the accident. But yeah, you get his flow.

 

“How are you tonight, my lovely people?! Thank you so much for coming to my event. I wasn’t really going to make an event, but my friend here insists that I should take this opportunity before I head off to Monaco. Grab a drink, everyone, and let’s toast for the night.”

 

With a flute in hand, Mark raised it to the crowd, “a toast dedicated to my mother, who I am a proud son of, to my friends, you know who you guys are, to my team, really can’t make this happen without them and to the night!”

 

“To the night!” Cheered the crowd, but Jinyoung was left speechless.

 

It’s okay for him not to be mentioned first, it’s okay for him not to be mentioned last, but he’s not even mentioned anywhere between the lines? Jinyoung knew that there is only so much of a bad luck a person can handle. And Mark was going off to freaking Monaco? He didn't even know that. Does this mean he's leaving, for the second time?!

 

He wandered through the crowd then, helpless and soulless. His feet were taking him to places he never bothered to think, everything was too much. He felt like fainting and he grasped hold of the wall.

 

But it wasn’t a concrete wall he was expecting for. Instead, the supposedly wall fell to the floor, uncovering the large portrait beneath the cloth.

 

“Why do you look familiar, stranger?” He scrutinized the picture.

 

“That’s you, dummy.”

 

That voice. That sweet, sweet, lulling voice that he feasts upon at night, that gives him the shiver in the morning that is everything in between the hours of his waking life.

 

“Mark?”

 

The gallery dimmed again, but this time, Jinyoung was in the spotlight together with his beautiful lover whose hair shone bright under the limelight.

 

“This piece is the diner; it’s the place where I met you for the very first time. This is how you looked in the diner, that smug look you wear when you meant business. This is where we spent the night for the first time, first kiss, first touch, the first time I felt warmth. This is when we danced our way through a wedding, when you made us public, when I thought, hey, there’s more to this guy than just his smug face and elephant-size ego. This is the place I call home, that is the place I met your parents, another picture over there, is when I left you for the first time. These collections of thousands of pictures, solid memories, token of remembrance, they’re nothing if they’re not about you.

 

We never really talked about those 5 years we separated. But let me tell you one thing, from the beginning until the very end, I will always love you. Even when I’m in pain, I love you. Even when it gets tough, I love you. Even when I’m happy, I love. There’s not a moment in my life that I wouldn’t love you. Falling in love with you is probably the best thing in my life, and I never want to hurt you.

 

So, Park Jinyoung. Will you marry me?”

 

“But you’re leaving for Monaco.”

 

The whole room gasped.

 

“Say yes already! Kyungsoo’s turning white.”

 

“Am I dreaming?”

 

“Yes, God damn it, hyung! I mean no, you’re not.” Jongin was shushed by the whole room.

 

“Mark Tuan, I love you forever more. Yes, yes, yes!”

 

And the crowd cheered for them, like they have never cheered for anything.

 

 

 

“Park Jinyoung, are you done staring?”

 

Mark tapped his lover’s – husband’s – nose.

 

“Definitely not.”

 

They were lazing on the bed, with the sun high up on their head. The room was overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, its horizon expanding to infinity. Humid sea breeze flowing into the room, the curtains sways to a steady rise and fall flow.

 

Like the peaceful rise and fall of Park Jinyoung breathing beside him. The younger’s hand tracing unknown patterns on his torso, leaving flames behind those touches.

 

Jinyoung looked heavenly. Did he know how much Mark worshipped all of his being? Mark remembered every little detail: the moles on the inside of his left thighs, the scar on his nose, his sole insecurity; the extra body hair right below his left cheek. As if anyone was going to see that.

 

“Are you done staring, Mark Tuan?”

 

“Why would I ever be, Park Jinyoung?”

 

"So, the mentioned country during your exhibition was actually a pre-planned honeymoon trip?"

 

"I've always wanted to come here."

 

"What if I said no?"

 

"Then, I'll find me a hot Monégasque to chill with," Mark replied with a shrug.

 

The finger that traced circles on his tummy halted, and Jinyoung started tickling his sides.

 

"You dare? You ing dare leave me for a Moné-whatwasthat?!"

 

Mark was already a screaming mess when Jinyoung got on top of him, fingers still doing their antics on killing his sensitive spots.

 

“A perfect, charming, rich, Dark Lord like me over some Moné-howdoyouevenknowthat?” the younger was consistent with his tickling that Mark had to use the last ounce of his energy to hold those hands in his grip.

 

“Stop, Jinyoung, oh Lord, stop, no I would never!” he was breathless when he felt Jinyoung’s weight on him, “ugh, did you gain weight or something, babe?”

 

“Uh, excuse you, but I’ve been buffing myself up for this trip,” he mentioned while lowering his pants to show his defined abs with the prominent v-line.

 

No. Uh, no. Nah, really.

 

“What do you mean, ‘no’?”

 

“Did I just say that out loud?”

 

“There were three no’s. I didn’t know you dislike them.”

 

“No! I definitely love them, I live for them, my name is engraved on them.”

 

“Then, what were those no for?”  

 

Mark was trying to run away when he moved, and that’s when they rubbed against each other, “, no.”

 

“Ahh, it’s that no,” Jinyoung’s eyes widened, as his mouth formed an O and he lowered himself to feel Mark hardened against him, “it’s that infamous no of yours, love.”

 

Before Mark knew it, Jinyoung’s hand was already massaging that one organ that is messing with his brain and emotion and everything in between. Mark’s hands reached over to cup Jinyoung’s face, their eyes against each other, Mark’s breath hitching every once in a while.

 

He kissed the younger once, twice, thrice, “I love you, so ing much, Park Jinyoung.”

 

“And I,” his hand increased its pace; while leaving trails of kisses from his temple, to his nose, and to his lips, “love you forever more.” 

 

---

Epilogue, guys, it's the mother freaking epilogue. I didn't even know I could. Can I get me some lovin' here? Anyways, I'm interning. It's a bit hectic, so the epi took a longer time than I wanted it to be. So, yeah, here's some hot, (failed) cute married life of our beautiful ship kbye