4 years has passed and Mark has waited for too long for today. As soon as the sun has risen and the alarm went off, Mark woke up without realizing a small smile has decorated his face when he got off from the bed. He’ll be going to the airport with Jinyoung and Jaebum. Why? Mark bites his lips as he tries to stop himself from bursts into a wide grin.

Jackson is currently in the airplane – finally coming back to Korea after 4 good years and Mark has waited very patiently for today’s date after Jackson informed him that he’ll arrived in Korea on this date.

Mark hummed his favorite song; still with a small smile decorating his face while walking downstairs and stopped when he realized that his parents is watching him when he stepped into the kitchen. Realizing that he might looks too happy, Mark shyly grins when his father bursts into laughter and pulls Mark to sit beside him.

“What time will Jackson arrive?” his mom asked as she puts down Mark’s breakfast plate in front of him, “You’re going to fetch Jackson?”

“Yeah,” Mark nodded after he thanked his mom for the breakfast, “I’ll be going to the airport with Jinyoungie and Jaebum,”

As usual, they chatted and they joked with each other before laughter filled up the kitchen room and Mark has never missed this kind of opportunity to spend sweet time with his family. He has missed a lot in those dark past years of his but now, he’d never miss any chance to sit and receive loves from his parents.

The voices and the laughter soon stopped when the door bell rings.

“Oh, I’ll go and get that,” Mark stood up and jogged to the front door, only to reveal Jinyoung smiling sweetly at him when Mark opened the door.

“Good morning, Mark,” Jinyoung greeted and pulls Mark into a hug which made Mark comfortably s his arms around Jinyoung’s waist and greeted him back.

Eventhough these past 4 years went too painfully slow, Mark admitted that there were weeks where it went too fast when he was spending his time with Jinyoung and Jaebum. He loves spending his time with Jinyoung and Jaebum as these two friends of Jackson never once made him feels depressed and lonely.

Jinyoung’s gentleness made him feels more that he’s loved and Mark once thought to himself that Jinyoung is actually his second mother since the latter always takes care of him as if he’s the son in the circle. People might think that Jinyoung is annoying when all he does is taking care of others instead of taking care of himself but Mark has never once thought of that. Mark enjoys Jinyoung’s presence around him very much and Jinyoung’s gentleness is the main reason why Mark is attached to him.

Meanwhile Jaebum, though he looks cold and there aren’t many expression across his face, Jaebum is actually is a friend who motivated him a lot followed by Jinyoung.

There was once where Mark felt confused with his decision to further his studies in particular subjects and as if his confusion can be smelled and felt by the two, they met up and Jaebum was the one who advised and motivated him a lot on that day which Mark soon felt the heavy weight has been lifted off from his shoulder and he finally came up with his final decision with a relieved smile spread across his face and Mark has never been that relieved after he made particular decision.

Mark really enjoys the two’s presences a lot and Mark really thanked God for let him meeting the two other than Jackson. And of course, he silently thanked Jackson too for introduced him to the two or else, he wouldn’t know what he’d been doing for these past 4 years without the two by his side.

“Where is Jaebum?” Mark asked when he made his way to the upstairs with Jinyoung followed from behind.

“He’s outside,” Jinyoung simply replied, “He didn’t want to come along but he asked us to be quick,”

“He sounded more eager and excited than me,” Mark mumbled and Jinyoung laughed as he nodded.

“Yeah, he does look eager and excited,” Jinyoung said as he gave a soft pat on Mark’s shoulder and Mark could only chuckle.

Soon, the room suddenly filled with silence and Mark’s mind suddenly clouded with thoughts. Sensing that Mark suddenly went quiet, Jinyoung softly wrapped his arm around Mark’s shoulder and his hand landed on the side of Mark’s shoulder, giving it a soft squeeze.

“Are you afraid?” Jinyoung’s voice filled up the quiet room and Mark looked at Jinyoung for few seconds before he looked away.

“Kinda,”

“Don’t be,” Jinyoung gave Mark’s shoulder a soft squeeze once again, “You know how much he loves you, right? I’m sure Jackson feels the same. I’m sure that Jackson couldn’t wait to meet you too,”

***

It didn’t take much time to the airport as they’ve reached the place after 45 minutes. Right after they went out from the car, Jinyoung and Jaebum suddenly pulled him into a group hug which confused Mark a lot because Jaebum doesn’t usually do hugs. So, when they pulled away, Mark looked at Jinyoung and Jaebum questionably.

“What was that for?” Mark finally asked since none of the two get what he was trying to ask, “And Jaebum, I thought you didn’t do hugs,”

“Yeah, I did not,” Jaebum shrugged as his index finger pointed to Jinyoung, “He forced me to though I didn’t want,”

“Oh, come on, Jaebummie,” Jinyoung whined as he slapped Jaebum’s chest with the back of his hand, “We wanted to make you feel less nervous and afraid, Mark and that was why we came up with the group hug,”

Mark broke into a wide grin and pulled the two into a group hug again and Jaebum groaned as he playfully complained that he really doesn’t like hugs before the three of them bursts into laughter.

They finally made their way into the airport and went to the international arrival waiting place. Glancing at his watch, Jackson probably will come out about half an hour from now.

“Do you want to grab some hot drinks first while waiting?” Jaebum asked and took a glance at his watch, “We still have some time. Mark?”

“Yeah, sure why not,”

***

The three friends spends the remain half an hour in Starbucks, chatting and laughing which mostly the laughter comes from Jinyoung and sometimes Jinyoung would laugh too loud and get hissed by the people around them. Jinyoung could only flash an apologetic smile before turned to Mark and Jaebum again followed with giggles.

“I swear that I’ll leave if you laugh out loud again, Park Jinyoung,” Jaebum said and Jinyoung rolled his eyes before he hit Jaebum’s chest with the back of his hand.

Mark joined them talking for a few minutes before he went quiet as Jinyoung excused himself to go to the toilet meanwhile Jaebum went to the counter to order another chocolate muffin for Jinyoung. Meanwhile Mark is waiting for Jinyoung and Jaebum to come back and fills the empty space around the table, his mind suddenly clouded with thoughts.

How should he react in front of Jackson later? Should he runs to Jackson and pulls him into a tight hug or should he just wait for Jackson to come and let Jackson pulls him into a hug by himself? How will Jackson react after years of not seeing him? Will it be awkward later?

The questions without answers continue to clouding his mind. And without realizing, he’s clenching at the hem of his shirt and his palms become sweaty.

Today won’t be the same as past days since today he’ll finally be able to look, reach and touch the real Jackson instead of reached out to touch and the computer’s cold screen whenever he Skyped with Jackson. And it was funny how Jackson closed his eyes whenever Mark reached out and the computer’s screen as if Mark was touching him for real.

The thoughts soon ended since Mark felt that he was being pulled by a magnet to look up from where he was staring at and when he looked up, Mark froze and he feels his chest become full as his heart skipped a beat and continues to beat in quicker pace. He hasn’t felt this for a long time.

It wasn’t too long before Mark was being pulled up and soon, Mark found himself was being wrapped in the same warmth from long ago until he didn’t notice that there were tears rolling down on his cheeks. Mark didn’t realize that he was crying in the embrace that he has longed for until he was being pulled away and thumbs were wiping away his tears.

“Hey, why are you crying?” the voice whispered as the thumbs were his cheeks. The hands felt very warm and Mark closed his eyes in response, sobbing, “Are these tears of happiness? Though these are tears of happiness, I really didn’t want to see you cry. I didn’t come back to see you cry for me,”

Mark’s sobs soon slowed down with the thumbs still his cheeks softly which causing him to relax and leaned more into the touch.

“Aren’t you going to open your eyes for me?”

Mark’s eyes slowly flickered open and Jackson’s face soon filled his sight. It was too real and the realness somehow forces Mark to close down his eyes but it was too real to close his eyes so Mark finally ended up staring into Jackson’s eyes and followed every move of Jackson’s eyes. Jackson then finally looked up again and they were staring at each other for few good minutes before Jackson leaned in to close the gap between them and Mark closed his eyes in response.

And when Jackson’s warm lips pressed against Mark’s plump lips, there was a spark in his chest and butterflies in his stomach. And when their lips pressed harder against each other’s Mark didn’t bother to care about his surrounding anymore. Ever since his eyes finally met with Jackson’s, it was the thing that only matter to him. It didn’t take too long before their lips finally moved in sync and soon, Jackson pulled away and pressed his forehead against Mark’s.

“J—Jackson?”

“Mark,”

“Jackson Wang?”

“Mark Tuan,”

“Jacks—“

Jackson captured Mark’s plump lips against his again before pulled away for the next few minutes – leaving Mark with closed eyes and breathless.

“I’m back, Mark,” Jackson whispered, “I’m back to put on a ring around your ring finger. Will you let me?”

Mark’s eyes flickered open and he broke into a wide smile before he wrapped his arms tightly around Jackson’s neck, “I’ve waited too long for that, and yes, gladly,”