Even from inside the music building, you could hear the crowd outside. The dull roar of dozens of voices all gathered together was odd, to be sure. The building was on the edge of campus, and no one really considered it to be the social hot spot, to say the least. So to see people whispering and gravitating toward the nearest window to see what was going on was an entirely new experience in this neck of the metaphorical woods.

Moving down the hall toward the main doors, Mark paused next to an empty stretch of wall to check his phone. Jackson hadn’t messaged him the whole time he was in class, which ended up distracting Mark even more than if they’d messaged each other the entire time. Even as he looked at his phone now, a good five minutes after class ended, there was still nothing waiting for him. Sighing, he shoved the phone back into his pocket and continued out of the building.

A wall of sound hit him as he opened the door, almost making him stumble backward. The small thrum of distant voices suddenly grew to a barrage of giggles and short bursts of screaming. The school’s soundproofing really was top notch, that was for sure. Mark squinted as he looked up into the sunny afternoon to see what was going on. A group of girls was crowded around a tree just across from the entrance, pushing and shoving each other to get closer to whatever was at the base of it. Mark looked a little harder, noticing a fluff of familiar blonde hair peeking out from the center of the crowd. Smirking, he moved down to sit at the bottom of the stairs, watching the girls desperately vie for Jackson’s attention. For the first time, a twinge of pride streamed through him. None of those girls knew how futile their attempts were, that Jackson was already dedicated to someone else. To him.

It still seemed a little weird to Mark, feeling so deeply for someone he’d only spent a few days with. He always heard how things felt different with your soulmate, but he had never quite believed it. Even when Jinyoung wouldn’t shut up about how special Jaebum was when they’d first met, Mark always thought it was just his best friend being dramatic. He had a tendency to do that. But now, Mark felt it. He couldn’t describe the draw he had toward Jackson, but every time he saw the younger, he just wanted to be near him.

The girls’ persistence to talk and take a picture with Jackson surprised Mark. Most of them giggled and left when they got whatever they wanted, a hug or an autograph, but a few stuck around. When the crowd thinned enough for Mark to finally see Jackson, he felt his heart stutter a little. He was just wearing a graphic tee and fitted jeans, all in black, but he looked like he’d popped right out of a magazine. He wasn’t just your average, everyday guy. He took Mark’s breath away.

Almost half an hour passed before all of the girls had finally disappeared, leaving Jackson to finally approach Mark, who was now aimlessly tapping away at a game on his phone. “Hey,” he muttered, taking a seat next to him. “Sorry. If I would’ve known so many people would recognize me, I would’ve actually tried to hide.”

Mark chuckled, flipping off his phone to look at the other. “Seems like you’re more popular than you think.”

“Sometimes I’d rather not be,” Jackson admitted, staring off toward the tree where he’d been standing earlier. “I start to forget what it’s like to just be a normal guy sometimes. To not have fans and cameras around all the time. It’d be nice to just feel like I could walk around and no one would notice me or want to take my picture.”

“I noticed you,” Mark said, a little embarrassed as the words left his mouth. They sounded so cheesy to him, like a line from a terrible romantic comedy.

“Well, technically you ran into me,” Jackson teased. “It’s kind of hard not to notice someone when you physically hit them.” Trying his best to play his growing embarrassment off as joking annoyance, Mark rolled his eyes a little and looked away, hiding his heat-stained cheeks from Jackson’s gaze. “I’m glad you did, though,” Jackson continued. “Run into me, I mean.”

A small smile spread across Mark’s face and he nodded, head still turned away. “I’m glad, too.”

Comfortable silence fell between them for a minute before Jackson let out an audible gasp. “I didn’t know those girls were around for that long! We’re gonna be late. Come on, let’s go!” And without another second to spare, Jackson grabbed Mark’s hand and tugged the older to his feet, dragging him along behind him. Mark wondered how Jackson even knew where the garage was in the first place, but shrugged it off and followed along. Their fingers unconsciously laced together as they rushed toward the parking garage waiting just off campus.

The steel gray Audi was parked carefully on the second-highest level, away from the jam-packed lower levels in order to avoid scratches and dings left by careless students ramming their door into the side of the neighboring cars. Not to mention, with barely any other cars on the level, the security cameras could easily catch anyone who tried to steal it. Mark hadn’t exactly paid for the car himself, but he still protected it like he had. Money, no matter how easily he’d come by it throughout his life, was never something he took for granted. Especially after meeting Jinyoung and Youngjae and Jaebum, all struggling transfer students just trying to make ends meet half the time.

Jackson didn’t even bat an eye as he climbed into the passenger seat. The older blinked for a second, uncertain of what to say. Usually he had to listen to people verbally drool over his car when they saw it for the first time, coming up with some story where Mark was some heir to a fortune. It was the only way people thought he could afford to drive around a car like that. Having someone new sit next to him without saying anything at all about it felt strange and foreign to him. More than anything, it felt nice.

“So, uh,” Jackson muttered after he buckled his seatbelt, “I guess I should tell you some more about my friend.”

Mark snapped out of his stupefied trance, shaking his head a little before pushing the ignition button. “Maybe where we’re going first?” he suggested, tapping a few things on the touchscreen to pull up the navigation. Mumbling a quick “oh yeah,” Jackson pulled up the address on his phone, letting Mark quickly type it in. Luckily, it was only about ten minutes away. Once they’d pulled out of the garage and were on their way, Jackson continued.

“Okay, so his name is JG. He used to be a pretty in-demand photographer for like Asian fashion magazines and stuff, but last year he move back to America to do his own thing.” He paused for a moment to let out an exasperated sigh. “To be honest, I don’t really know what he does anymore. But he was always really chill and he always took the best photos of me, so I couldn’t really say no when he asked me to stop by.”

Mark nodded as he drove, trying to create some sort of mental image of this guy in his head. “I get it,” he said. “Being nice to those who’ve been nice to you is only human. Besides, it’ll be interesting to see you working.” That was something Mark had been secretly thinking about all day. Watching Jackson switch from pose to pose, carefree in front of a camera, intrigued him. All of his pictures seemed so effortlessly perfect, it seemed unreal. Maybe it would all seem a little less perfect in person.

“I think you’ll get along well with him,” Jackson added. “He’s kind of outgoing, but he knows exactly how to talk to anyone. His people skills are out of this world, really.”

A part of Mark’s stomach knotted up a little as the younger continued, telling stories about how their last photoshoots had gone and how easy they’d been because JG knew just the right thing to say to get Jackson to do what he wanted. He knew it was jealousy that he felt. It was the same thing he’d felt toward Youjin months ago, except a little less intense now because Jackson was here with him.

Once they’d pulled up along the curb outside a new, industrial-style building, Jackson grabbed hold of Mark’s hand, squeezing it for a second. “Hey, you okay?” he asked. His doe-eyed gaze locked onto the older.

Mark took a long, deep breath before nodding. He’d hoped that Jackson hadn’t noticed his little space out session. “Yeah, I just…” he trailed off. He wanted some other way to explain to Jackson what he was feeling without using the word ‘jealous’. “I just hope you remember our moments as nicely as you remember those.” He wasn’t sure if that really even made sense, but the sudden squeeze Jackson gave his hand told him it did.

“Our time together is always memorable,” he reassured. “No, it’s more than memorable. It’s unforgettable.”

The older rolled his eyes at the cheesy line, moving his hand so he could shove Jackson’s shoulder playfully. “Come on,” he laughed. “You’re already late.”

While the outside of the building looked unimpressive, the inside made them both pause for a moment, taking in the sight. The entrance was an empty platform overlooking the huge expanse of studio space down below. Almost the entire area was covered in white, the concrete floor painted to match the huge cloth that covered an entire wall. It was a studio photographer’s paradise.

“Yah!” a voice called from down below. “It’s about time you showed up!” They both glanced down to see a tall man standing just in view below them, casually resting the camera in his hand on his shoulder. Jackson smiled and rushed to head down to the main level, pulling Mark along behind him. The let go of each other halfway down the flight of stairs, allowing the older to slow down to a stop at the bottom while Jackson rushed over to greet the photographer.

He was younger than Mark had expected, only a few years older than them at most. The pairing of a white V-neck, fitted dark wash jeans and a pair of Converse made him look youthful and energetic, like he was about to go ride away on his motorcycle to a tasting at a craft brewery or something.

Mark watched the two greet each other, going from a polite handshake to a half-hug like old friends. They both seemed so casual and comfortable around each other, despite how unnaturally attractive they both looked. Mark felt like he was stuck in some commercial where everything was planned and meticulously placed to make the perfect picture.

Suddenly feeling a little uncomfortable, he turned and glanced at the space underneath the entryway platform. A small but fully-functional kitchen was nestled into the corner, the bright orange wall behind it providing the only color in the whole building. A few other people were slumped in a collection of overstuffed couches and large, comfortable chairs, whispering casually to each other as they glanced at Jackson.

“Mark!” Jackson called. The older snapped his attention back to the idol, who was waving him over. Without a second thought, Mark walked over to stand next to Jackson, relaxing a little when the younger immediately grabbed his hand. “Mark, this is JG,” he introduced, motioning to the photographer. As Mark looked to give the man a polite nod, he noticed something dark under his left eye. Focusing on it more, he froze. A jagged scar trailed from the bridge of his nose all the way under his eye to the other end.

He hadn’t even thought to worry about whether or not he was being rude for staring before the man laughed and turned his face a little so Mark could see it better. “I’m guessing Jackson didn’t say anything about this, huh?” The man’s voice was deep and smooth, like one you’d hear in a movie and instantly envy. Mark looked away, heat rushing to his face once he realized what he’d been doing.

“, I completely forgot,” Jackson sighed. “That’s totally my bad.” But JG just laughed, pushing his jet black locks off his forehead so they could see the scar more clearly. Seeing it more just made Mark more curious as to how he got it, but he didn’t want to be any more rude than he already had been.

After a minute, JG dropped his hair again and turned his eyes back to Jackson. “Wardrobe is back in that closed off area back there. The stylists are waiting for you.” The idol just nodded, giving Mark’s hand a tight squeeze before letting go and heading to the walled-off room in the corner. “You’re more than welcome to hang out with the rest of the guys, if you’d like,” JG continued, his dark eyes now fixed on Mark. “Most of them will be helping me while I shoot, anyway. My chef, Rebecca, can make any snack you want, so don’t hesitate to ask her for whatever. If there’s anything I can do to make the whole time here more comfortable, let me know.”

With a quick, light smile, the man turned and walked further into the shooting area, motioning for the rest of his staff to join him. Still a little uncertain of what exactly he should do, Mark moved over to the bar separating the kitchen from the sitting area. The woman moving from the stove to the sink to the oven shot him a brief smile and pulled a plate out of the fridge, setting it down next to him. It was filled with various flavored rice cakes, each one just as appealing and beautiful as the last.

He picked up a purple one, not even taking a second to inspect it before biting off half. The chewy lavender-infused rice cake mixed with the filling made Mark’s eyes flutter closed in enjoyment. He hadn’t tried many rice cakes before, but this one was by far the best he’d ever had. “Good?” the woman asked, glancing at him over her shoulder. He just nodded, mouth full with the other half which he’d stuffed in almost immediately after tasting the first bite. When the woman turned back to whatever she was cooking now, Mark turned in his seat and watched the staff shuffle around on the other side of the room.

The amount of work that went into setting up for such a seemingly simple photoshoot amazed him. He watched as the entire crew shuffled around, all of them engrossed in their own responsibilities. With the lights set up, bright test flashes blinded anyone who was looking in that area. A few others worked on sweeping the floor and checking for any dirty spots, quickly wiping them up when they found one.

“Crazy, huh?” Jackson’s voice was so close, it made Mark jump a little. He’d been so absorbed in the hustle and bustle of the crew that he hadn’t even noticed the younger slip into the stool next to him. He turned, eyes still a little wide from shock. Between the royal blue jacket and the way his hair fell in just the right way, Jackson looked even more flawless than usual.

“Uhh I…” Mark breathed, eyes continuing to run up and down Jackson’s body. “Yeah. Crazy.” The younger laughed a little as he watched Mark’s tongue unconsciously dart out to wet his lips. He turned a little, doing his best, most obvious pose, and waited to see how long it took Mark to notice. It wasn’t long, but when the older did notice, his cheeks flared up immediately, making Jackson laugh even harder.

“It looks okay, then? Not too weird?” he asked. He stood up and gave a little spin, letting Mark see every angle of the outfit before he could say anything. But Mark just shook his head. “You look great,” he muttered, voice almost inaudible under the busy sounds of the studio in action. Being so forward with his affection felt a little strange, but in a good way, like some of the butterflies that had been inhabiting his stomach flew out with his words.

Suddenly, Jackson rushed forward, scooping up Mark’s food-coated hands in his. “You don’t have to watch me, you know that right?” he asked. “I mean, it might be boring, so I don’t want you to feel pressured or anything. You just being here is enough.”

“Jackson,” JG called, “we’re ready.” Giving Mark’s hands one last squeeze, the younger smiled and turned, heading into the middle of the semicircle of staff and equipment.

It didn’t really matter whether or not Mark wanted to watch his soulmate working anyway. All the people surrounding him made it almost impossible to see him from where he was sitting. At first, it didn’t bother him too much. He snacked on a few more rice cakes, trying to focus on savoring the flavor instead of the annoyance building up inside of him. He couldn’t ignore it for long, though. He got up and wandered over to the crowd after a few minutes, trying to find someplace to stand where he could still see but would be out of the way. He noticed the preview monitor and wandered over to it, standing behind a row of mostly-empty chairs to watch the pictures flash by on the screen.

Every pose that Jackson shifted into was new and fresh, so unique from the last. His face never showed that he was thinking of his next move. His expression always matched what his body was doing perfectly, never looking awkward or out of place. He was a professional, that was for sure. Mark wondered how many times he practiced everything in order to do it so effortlessly. It didn’t help that every shot was framed so masterfully. As much as Mark didn’t want to admit it, JG was a truly gifted photographer. Even before processing, every shot could easily just get put in a high-end gallery for fancy, well-off business people to enjoy.

“Okay, that’s it for this one,” JG announced after taking a few particularly stunning shots. “Jackson, you can go get changed for the next set.” Bowing politely to the staff first, Jackson walked back into the stylists’ den, glancing toward where Mark had been sitting before on his way back. The rest of the staff started moving around, quietly adjusting for whatever segment came next. Watching them work was like watching a swarm of bees, all their minds connected by one common goal.

“Can I talk to you for a second?” JG’s voice made Mark shiver in surprise. That was the second time in the last hour that someone had managed to walk up to him without him noticing. He was so spacey in such a foreign environment. He nodded quickly as JG wrapped an arm around his shoulder, leading him off away from the group. They stopped a few feet away, just out of earshot, and JG dropped his arm back to his side. “I wanted to ask you if you’d consider letting me take some pictures of you with Jackson.”

If there was one thing the photographer didn’t do, it was beat around the bush. Mark’s jaw dropped open a little. His gut reaction was to decline, to say that JG was truly insane. Why would he even think of asking something as ridiculous as that. But then he thought about Jackson, about what it would be like to have even just one picture of the two of them that was as beautiful as the ones he just took. “I, uh…” he stammered, still a little overwhelmed by the request.

“I know it seems sudden,” JG continued, “but I saw the way that Jackson looked at you, that you looked at each other, and I wanted to capture that emotion. If you let me, that is.”

Red dusted Mark’s cheeks, more than a little embarrassed that they’d been so obvious. They were supposed to be hiding their situation from the public eye, not flaunting it around for all to see. Not that he was upset by the change. He liked being able to look at Jackson however he wanted, to hold his hand even when others were around. This photoshoot would be a chance to immortalize this moment in their lives, no emotions hidden. “Sure,” Mark said. “Okay.” JG smiled, not nearly as surprised as Mark had hoped, and gestured off toward the stylists’ room. Understanding what he meant, Mark turned and walked away.

Jackson finished with the stylists first, barely needing any time to get his makeup fixed and hair slicked into its new, sleek style. Mark couldn’t help but smile as he gave the younger a quick once-over in the mirror. The thin, tight black sweater the stylists dressed him in paired with plain black fitted jeans showcased all the wonderful things about his body without drawing any attention to the clothes themselves. It was all about Jackson. The idol walked out of the room before Mark could get a good look, leaving him to wait until the ladies currently drying his soaking wet hair finished with him.

It took almost a half an hour for the stylists to dress Mark, do his hair and apply his makeup. When he finally walked out of the room, Jackson was back to standing in the middle of a now larger semicircle of staff, talking animatedly with JG. As much as he wanted to just stay where he was, watching Jackson from afar, he already felt bad for making them wait for him so long already. He walked over to the two, not noticing as some of the staff started to whisper among themselves when they saw him, and smiled lightly as Jackson turned to look at him.

“Sorry I made you wait,” he muttered as he slowed to a stop next to the younger. JG just smiled, glancing between him and Jackson. It was one of those all-knowing smirks that Mark would suddenly be very self-conscious about if it weren’t for the fact that his body still got a little numb every time he was close to the younger.

“Don’t worry,” Jackson said, immediately lacing their fingers together again. “JG owns the building, so there’s no time limit or anything.”

“This will be worth the wait,” JG assured. “I can tell.” Mark felt a blush rise up his ears and onto his cheeks, making him divert his gaze to the ground between them.

“So, what’s the plan, JG?” Jackson asked. “What do you need us to do?”

Mark glanced up just in time to see JG shoot him a cunning look before turning back to Jackson. “Just be yourselves. Try not to pay any attention to us.” He motioned to the collection of staff behind him. “In fact, I’ll give them a break. They won’t be necessary right now. Just stay in the area and do whatever you’d like.”

Without another word, JG turned and headed back toward the crowd of murmuring staff. Mark tightened his grip a little, holding on to the one person that was keeping him from bolting out the door. The cameras, the huge studio lights, the empty white background. It all suddenly hit him like a train and he was panicking.

“Hey,” Jackson breathed, his mouth now just inches away from Mark’s ear. When he’d gotten so close, the older wasn’t sure. “It’s alright. It’s just us, remember? Me and you.”

“I…” Mark started, craning his head to the side to try and see the idol’s face. “I’ve never done something like this before. I’m gonna mess it all up.”

Jackson tutted dismissively, shifting so that he stood in front of Mark. His free hand moved up to the side of Mark’s neck, his thumb grazing over his cheek. “How could someone as stunning as you mess up a photo shoot?” he muttered, gaze darting all over Mark’s face. The older would’ve tried to think of possible ways he could, in fact, mess it up, but the feeling of Jackson touching his face made his mind go fuzzy. He stepped forward, pulling his hand free so he could wrap his arms around Jackson. His face nuzzled into Jackson’s neck, savoring his warmth.

It only took Jackson a moment to realize what had happened before he wrapped his arms around Mark, resting his cheek on top of the older’s effortlessly styled dirty blonde locks. The sticky hairspray clung to Jackson’s cheek, but he didn’t mind, only thinking about how great it felt to have the boy he couldn’t stop thinking about in his arms.

The distant clicking sound of a camera shutter made Mark tense a little, suddenly reminded that they were being watched. Jackson started to rub calming circles between his shoulder blades, but the new tension didn’t disappear. When Jackson lifted his head from Mark’s, the older pulled back just enough to look at the other, who was watching him intently. He leaned forward, planting a slow, gentle kiss on Mark’s forehead and whispered, “You and me. That’s all that matters.”

A few deep breaths and a terrible joke about a baby octopus walking into a bar later, Mark had calmed back down again. Jackson had decided it’d be better if they faced away from everyone else, instead staring at the blank wall. They sat down, shifting into an easy conversation about Mark’s classes and why he’d chosen to study sound engineering, of all things. As they talked, they inched closer to each other, slowly tangling their bodies together in an oddly comfortable position. Mark’s hand that wasn’t propping him up had found it’s way into Jackson’s hair. He unconsciously ran his fingers through the silky strands, failing to even recognize that the styled updo happened without the use of gel or hairspray.

“Do you ever think we’ll get to be together?” Mark asked after a lull in the conversation. “I mean like really be together. Will we ever get to hold hands while we go shopping in Shanghai or something?” He hadn’t really meant to ask it out loud, but the question had plagued his thoughts for longer than he cared to admit.

Jackson answered without hesitation. “Yes.”

“When?” Mark pressed. Suddenly, he wanted to know Jackson’s plan. He wanted to know what they were waiting for. He wanted to know if he could last that long without going a little crazy.

The younger sat up from where he was lounging in Mark’s lap. “I don’t know,” he admitted, turning just enough so that he could look at Mark without straining his neck. “I don’t have a written out plan or anything. I just want to make sure the others don’t get affected by something I do. But if you told me right now that you needed me to go on my Instagram and declare my love to the whole world, I would.”

“That’s just ridiculous,” Mark mumbled, training his eyes on the spot in his lap where the other’s head used to be.

Jackson moved forward, placing a hand on the ground next to either side of Mark’s hip. He leaned in close enough to where their face were only a few inches apart, dipping his face into Mark’s line of sight. “It is,” he admitted when their eyes finally connected, “but I’d still do it. For you.”

“Aww, come on,” Mark sighed, a blush just barely dusting his ear. “You’re being even sappier than usual.”

A smirk crept across across the idol’s lips, his face still hovering just in front of Mark’s, waiting expectantly. “You like it,” he whispered, breath ghosting over Mark’s lips. There wasn’t even a hint of a question in his voice. He was so certain that his charm was irresistible. Not that Mark could argue. As much as he hated to admit it out loud, Jackson’s cheesy lines that sounded like he pulled them straight from a romantic comedy made his heart skip a beat every now and then.

Completely forgetting about JG watching them and the lights and the staff, Mark did the one thing he knew would shut Jackson up, at least for a little while. Bridging the tiny gap between them, he captured the younger’s lips in his. He smirked as Jackson inhaled, savoring the fact that he’d caught the idol off guard. He didn’t stay surprised for too long, though, leaning into the kiss only a few seconds later.

Things started to get a little more heated as Jackson Mark’s lower lip between his teeth, nibbling a little on the sensitive inside. Stifling a tiny moan that surfaced in the back of his throat, the older pulled back just enough to get his lip back. “Jackson,” he breathed. Half of him wanted more, to just give in completely and let them go however far they got naturally, because kissing Jackson was the best thing he’d ever experienced. The other half of him, however, remembered that they weren’t alone, that people were watching, and he didn’t know how he felt about others watching them. It wasn’t like they were going to do anything explicit or anything, but still, making out with a bunch of strangers standing around watch wasn’t exactly his thing.

The younger seemed to understand, despite the hungry look glimmering in his eyes. Moving his lip next to Mark’s ear, he whispered, “Later. I won’t forget.”

A shiver ran down the older’s spine at the promise and he smirked. “Good.”

Hello again, everyone! Apologies for taking so long to update, but life has a way of just appearing out of nowhere and saying "NO WRITING TODAY!". Not to mention the fact that this chapter is longer that what I usually write and, well, my muse was not to happy about that, we'll say. Oh, and I've been doing a lot of spazzing about the impending comeback. Who's ready to die in a matter of hours? I AM! Anyway, thank you all for being so loving and patient in the meantime. Trust me, I know how frustrating it can be to wait for a fic update, but hopefully this update is worth it!

I know I mentioned last chapter that I was trying to figure out how all of this was going to end. Well, I've definitely decided now. It's just a matter of getting there. I'm really excited (and slightly terrified) about what you all will think of the ending, but I guess we'll find out when we get there.

Your comments are all super appreciated and I do my best to respond to every single one. As always, you can also follow me on Twitter for updates and spazzing.

A quick note I wanted to make specifically regarding some comments I've gotten here on AFF: Like I said, I know that waiting for an update can be frustrating. But leaving comments saying that I really should update sooner or that you're having to wait so long for an update just makes me want to push off publishing a new chapter. Believe me, I'm writing and publishing as soon as I can. But I have a life outside of writing this fic. So please enjoy when I update and respect that I publish at my own rate. If you don't like how long it takes me sometimes, then you don't have to read.