Please read the little note under this chapter. It's (sort of) important.

The bell school rang and Jackson offered to accompany Mark to go back home which Mark accepted the offer. So they headed back home, together, not too far and not too close; just side by side, letting their pinky fingers brushes against each other. Jackson would glances at Mark, whose face is turning in pink shades when their eyes met and Jackson find it was so beautiful – too beautiful for a guy.

“Would you like it if I come tomorrow to fetch you and go to school together?” Jackson asked after few minutes of awkward silence. Mark lifted up his head and looked at Jackson for few seconds before he looked away.

“I— I don’t mind,” Mark muttered; he felt his cheeks getting hotter and his body temperature is increasing.

Jackson glanced at Mark for nth times before his lips forms a small smile. There’s weird feelings in his stomach and his heartbeat’s speed slowly increasing – and he obviously knew what’s the reason. He let out a sigh of relief when their pinky fingers brushed against each other for nth times.

“Do you want to make a promise?”

Mark looks at the latter confusedly, “Promise?”

“Yeah,” Jackson nodded. “Our promise. Or promises.”

“Do you?”

“I feel like want to,” Jackson looks at Mark and Mark quickly looked away.

“Sure,” Mark nodded.

And he rubs back of his neck in respond; isn’t sure whether Mark will promise him or not. He knows, he knows it too much that Mark will takes a long time to recover himself after what has happened through his life; through all hardships and of course, scissors and stuffs that can make him relief already deeply ingrained in him. For Mark, there’s nothing that can make him relief than cuts himself. And Jackson obviously doesn’t want that. He already made a promise to himself that he wanted to change everything of Mark and embrace him into a new life, a new world – together.

“Will you promise me that you won’t cut yourself anymore?” Jackson asked – he has stopped from walking and so do Mark. He could see Mark’s hands trembles in response. He sighs. “Those scars aren’t supposed to be there. And you don’t have to torture yourself just because depressions are killing you. Fight the depressions, Mark. Don’t let the thoughts kill you.”

Mark slowly turned around, facing the latter. “You sounded like my mom. Before we drifted apart, she always said like that and sometimes I’d scold her because she always repeated the same thing.”

Jackson stares at him.

“I shouldn’t scold her. I should thank her and tell her those common words…”

“Chin up, Mark,” Jackson instructed and Mark lifted up his head in respond – he could see the tears in Mark’s eyes. “It’s not too late to fix everything and you know that so well.”

“I—“

“The last thing that will change everything is in your hand, your heart. The right decision is in you,” Jackson said softly as he approached the latter who seems couldn’t make his decision. “Mark.”

Mark looks into the latter’s eyes whose already bores into his.

“Have faith in yourself, Yi En,” Jackson whispers as he wraps his arms around Mark; giving the latter warmness and some strength which made the latter grips on his shirt in response. “You decide it.”

“I—“

“Don’t overthink. Remove all the things that you always held when the thoughts finally controlled you. Remove all of it. Do something that can make you happy, that can make you release your stress instead of cutting yourself. It’s useless, Mark. It won’t help but increases the pains. Bear it. Try to forget it. Never let yourself drown in those thoughts,”

And Mark tightened his grip on the latter’s shirt.

#

“I’ll call you once I’ve arrived home, alright,” Jackson said as they’ve finally reached in front of Mark’s house. “Don’t turn off your phone.”

Mark nodded. Jackson smiled and patted Mark’s shoulder softly before he gone from Mark’s sight. Mark turned around and made his way towards the door – knocked it for few times before he pulled the door knob; revealing his parents who were chatting until he came in. He bowed to his parents and rushed to his room. He stares at the white wall opposite of his door blankly.

“Have faith in yourself, Yi En,”

He looks down on his arms – full with scars. He wonders what will his arms looks like if the scars aren’t here, decorating his arms. He wonders what will happens if he decided to change everything. He wonders what will happens if he doesn’t give any and just think about his happiness and the people that are very important to him. He wonders what will happen if he decided to walk in the right way and never look back again. He wonders, he wonders, he wonders.

He wonders what will happens if he stops overthinking.

Will everything changes? Will everyone stop judges him? Will everyone just mind their own business? Will he be happy? Will he gains more confident?

He threw himself on the bed; face buries in the pillow and he deeply inhales the scent of the pillow. His mind wandered to Jackson – the angel that came from nowhere and helps him to gains is confident. And, Jackson succeeds; even he isn’t fully succeeds yet but he did. Mark do gained some confident and yes, he, somehow, feels fresher. He feels like he’s finally opened up. He feels like he’s ready to see the other side of the world.

Couldn’t thank him enough, I guess, Mark thought. He hitched when something’s vibrated in his bag. He lifted up his head and grabbed the bag – took out his phone and opened a message from Jackson.

Can I call you now?

Sure.

Within few seconds, his phone vibrating and he accepted the call. He could hear Jackson chuckled from the other line. He frowned.

“Why?”

“No, nothing,” Jackson chuckled. “You accepted the call faster than I thought.”

Mark blushed. “B—Because the phone is with me,”

“Alright,” Jackson said, still smiling on the other line. “You’re so cute.”

“Stop saying stuffs!” Mark scolded him, cheeks getting hotter – his fingers fiddling with the bed sheet.

“What stuffs?”

“Jacks—“

“Good hearing you like this; out of those negative characters. Even we’re not facing each other but I know that you’re trying to open up yourself,” Jackson said softly and Mark, on the other line, slowly raising up his hand and put it on his chest.

“Thanks to the angel, I’m trying to open up myself,” Mark muttered slowly but not as slow as his heartbeat. He could hear his heart is thumping harder and louder like it wants to burst out from the ribcage.

Jackson laughs.

“You know, from now on, I’ll always be here if you need me. Talk to me, let out all your feelings to me and I’ll try my best to help you. I’ll try my best to give you advices. I’ll try my best to do everything to make you feel easy and comfortable,”

Mark bites his lips, “Really?”

“Yeah,” Jackson replied. “I’ll be your savior and I’ll be the one who’ll cure you.”

“Thank you,” Mark muttered. “I hope your plan will succeed.”

“We’ll work this out together, Mark,” Jackson said. “Don’t worry. You’ll escape from the dark world.”

Okay, so first of all, a really big thank you for all subscribers who'd subscribed to my first story of Jark. You guys are so wonderful omg /tears; And thanks for those who always spend some times to leave a comment on my story; your comments really give me the spirit to keep writing this story, really. Couldn't believe this is the 5th chapter of the story. Oh and also, thank you so much for those who upvoted this story like seriously thank you so much! <3

I just wanted to tell you guys that I won't update this story like usual (which is I always post new chapter on every Tuesday) since I'm having a family vacation on 7th June until 10th June. But don't worry, I've started working for the next chapter; it was just I don't know when will I post the next chapter. Please don't unsubscribe and I really hope that you guys can wait. Thank you for cooperating. Thank you and thank you ♡