Gift for WingedWarrior

Gift from ???

Title of the gift: Coming Out

Pairing(s): Markjin, and a little 2Jae.

How many words: 4,5k

Rating: G, with mild cussing.

Warnings: None, I hope


Note to my giftee: I tried to match the prompt as best as I could. I don’t know if you’ll like it, but I hope you do, plus it’s my first Markjin themed oneshot, so some things might be a little weird, I don’t know, but enjoy!!!

Coming Out

“Mark hyung, do you want to grab coffee with me?” Jinyoung asked, as the seven boys were getting ready to leave the sweaty and steamy and uncomfortably hot dance studio after six hours of dancing without a single break. The good old practice room had almost become their second home, as all seven boys invested at least three hours into perfecting their dance moves, thus spending about one third of their daily lives inside the not-so-huge-after-all room. These days, the boys practically lived there, spending their day to day life improving and polishing their choreography of their new comeback song to absolute perfection.

“Sure, let me just change clothes, and we’ll go grab some coffee,” Mark immediately agreed, smiling.

Mark and Jinyoung have always had a special relationship with each other. The two were always a little too close, a little too intimate with one another. Everyone assumed it was because their personalities and takes on the world matched, and because the two were similar to one and another in a way that they both were always a little too quiet and reserved.

“See you at the dorms,” Mark said to the remaining members, walking out of the studio with Jinyoung.

“And what do we do guys?” Jackson asked, still lying on the floor out of exhaustion.

“We should go get something to eat,” Bambam suggested, on the couch with his phone in his hands.

“It’s already midnight, if we eat, all the food is just going to turn into fat since our stomachs can’t digest it properly,” Youngjae lectured on, being the member with the biggest concern for his weight, who often goes on variety of ridiculous at times diets.

“Oh no, hyung, don’t tell me you’re mutating into a healthy organic only weirdo under Jackson hyung’s influence,” Bambam mocked the older, earning a slap in the arm by the leader – Jaebum.

“Serves you right,” Youngjae muttered.

**

“Jinyoung-ah, do you ever wonder, what happens when soulmates meet? Like, do they feel a little rush of excitement for no reason, or do they get a little fazed, or do their lives just change completely from that moment on?” Mark asked, as he sipped his third ‘venti’ sized cup of yoghurt smoothie.

“You know what is on my mind right now?” Jinyoung said, finishing his tuna sandwich.

“You know how they say that there was a big bang and all of this build up energy exploded and the universe was created? Well I don’t know where all of that energy comes from, no one does and also the universe seems to have no limit, it’s infinite and it doesn’t make sense,” Jinyoung talked, losing breath and getting more and more excited as each word dropped from his mouth.

“Nothing seems to make sense, Jinyoung-ah, nothing. Not even our lives, like how does this thing called brain manage to control us and how does this thing as little as my fist manage to keep me alive and how does this red liquid keep flowing around to keep me from dropping dead,” Mark replied.

This is what Jinyoung loved. Talking to Mark about topics with endless answers and enjoying a cup of their favorite drinks. Nothing too extreme, dangerous, too social. Just Mark and him sitting in a quiet coffee shop and discussing the meanings of life.

It wasn’t that Jinyoung hated others, nor was it that he didn’t like having fun with his other five members. He actually loved them so much and loved being around them. It was just that Jinyoung was an introverted reserved soul that charged itself through being alone in a comfortable environment. And Mark did exactly that. He spoke when needed and just stayed by Jinyoung’s side when Jinyoung wanted to do nothing but close his eyes and forget everything for a little while.

As for Mark, it was just comfortable and enjoyable to spend time with Jinyoung. Jinyoung didn’t burden him with unnecessary questions, or urged him to talk and open up like everyone else did. With Jinyoung Mark felt safe and at home. Jinyoung was Mark’s type of a safe haven.

“We should probably get going, it’s getting a bit crowded in here,” Jinyoung said, becoming more and more aware of their fans crowding up the space with phones ready to catch any mistakes or ‘evidences’ of the two dating.

Rumors about Mark and Jinyoung dating were already old news. They’ve been around as long as Mark could remember and although it bothered him a lot at first, as time went by Mark just stopped caring about the rumors. Plus, it’s not like the rumors weren’t true.

But to Jinyoung, the rumors held a whole new different meaning. It anyone ever actually finds out the truth and reveals it to the public, not only could it destroy Jinyoung’s acting career, but Jinyoung could also get kicked out of the band, be dropped by JYP entertainment for having a ‘non-traditional’ ual orientation, lose tens and thousands of fans, and his career as an idol could over just like that.

Jinyoung was terrified someone would actually find out. Especially s.

“Hyung, say hypothetically I was gay, right, and was dating someone in the industry, how okay would you be with it?” eighteen year old Jinyoung, who had only recently had the courage to admit to himself that he was indeed interested in males, rather than females, asked one of his closest hyungs - Jaebum. Boys just made Jinyoung feel a little different and there wasn’t anything he could do to change it.

“I don’t know, man, depends I guess,” Jaebum answered, signing the papers with both of their faces plastered on them.

“How do you think the public would react to it?” Jinyoung asked.

“I don’t think there’d be that many positive reactions,” Jaebum honestly answered.

It wasn’t that Jaebum was a homophobe, or that he didn’t approve of people with different ual orientations. Jaebum wasn’t a bad person. He was a kind, caring guy with exceptional leadership skills, but there was something inside Jinyoung that just didn’t feel right about coming out to Jaebum, nor to either one of the other members.

“Gyeom-ah, what if I was actually gay and liked you, and someday asked you to go out with me, would you?” Jinyoung asked the innocent and naïve member.

“I don’t really think I would agree, hyung, I mean I’d be flattered, I guess, but still it’d be kind of weird, wouldn’t it?” Yugyeom answered.

You can’t say Jinyoung never once tried to reveal his big secret in the six years he’d known s. He tried multiple times on multiple occasions. Jinyoung actually tried to come out not only to s but to all the company staff and other idols under JYP entertainment once; it ended with Jinyoung having a mild mental breakdown in the bathroom instead.

“Did you hear? That Chanmyeon guy killed himself,” Jinyoung overheard two girls whispering to each other.

“The one that was gay?”

“Yeah, that one. Apparently he was bullied by the other dancers so much that he couldn’t take any of it anymore, so he just hanged himself, I also heard that the company suggested him to also leave and find another company”.

Jinyoung and Mark entered their dormitory at almost break of dawn. Everyone was asleep. Thank god. Because if anyone had been up they would’ve noticed how Mark and Jinyoung were walking hand in hand, and how red and swollen both of their lips were from kissing too much.

“Good night,” Jinyoung quickly pecked Mark’s lips, and made his way to his room.

“Hyung, its 3am, what the hell you and Mark hyung were doing?” Bambam asked. God ing damn it. Did his room have to be linked to the two nosiest members’ room?

“And what are you doing not sleeping?” Jinyoung counterattacked, taking up the mom role.

“I don’t know why, sleep is just not coming to me,” Bambam brushed off Jinyoung’s question, and Jinyoung decided to do the same. And fortunately the thick lipped young fellow let go without further questions.

**

“Kids, eat your breakfast quickly and get dressed as fast as possible, or else we’ll be late to the meeting,” the manager hyung yelled, making sure everyone understood they were in a rush.

“Mark hyung, have you seen my black sweater with little rips here and there, I really want to wear that today,” Youngjae entered his and Mark’s shared room with a question. Mark wasn’t in the room. Youngjae concluded that the older was probably in the washroom, and started to look for his sweater himself.

As Youngjae was going through all of the piled clothes on the floor with quest to find the missing sweater, he spotted a Polaroid picture lying under one of Mark’s hoodies.

Curiosity taking over Youngjae’s mind, he took the Polaroid into his hands and observed the picture. It was Mark and Jinyoung, kissing.

“Wait, but why would they?” Youngjae gasped in realization before he could finish his question.

“Youngjae, where’s my towel? Did you use it?” Mark entered the room, and as soon as he spotted the younger, he also noticed the Polaroid picture of him and Jinyoung in his hands.

“Wait, Youngjae, it’s not what you think,” Mark decided to give the movie cliché a try.

“What do you mean hyung?” Youngjae calmly handed Mark the forbidden picture and innocently smiled.

“Whatever it was, I don’t think it’s my place to judge anything,” Youngjae stated, and left the room.

It was good that it was Youngjae who found the picture, and not Yugyeom or worse, Bambam. Youngjae was never the intrusive type that enjoyed meddling in other people’s business. Whatever happened, unless a help or an advice was asked directly from him, only then would Youngjae engage himself in the problem. And that’s why Mark really enjoyed rooming with Youngjae. With Youngjae, Mark could just quietly mind his own business and be in peace with it.

“Should I tell Jinyoung about this?” Mark asked himself. He knew he had to, but no matter how many times he thought about it, no matter what Mark couldn’t actually bring himself to do it. Nobody knows what would happen to Jinyoung if he found out that someone else knew his ‘big bad’ secret.

“Mark, you have to tell him, though,” Mark thought to himself.

“But do I really have to disturb the nice and serene environment with this practically useless information and freak Jinyoung out over nothing? Look at how peaceful and comfortable he looks,” Mark thought to himself. Jinyoung was on the couch of their dance studio, reading a book that was gifted to him by a fan. Jinyoung looked the most beautiful and the most admirable when reading, Mark found. Mark loved how Jinyoung’s eyes would concentrate and give a deep meaning to every word printed out on the pages of the book. He loved how untouchable and invincible Jinyoung seemed when reading and when serious. Mark loved all the small shifts and changes of Jinyoung’s facial muscles whenever Jinyoung got too immersed into the book, he loved even how at times Jinyoung would clinch his jaw and collect his fingers into a fist, as if he was ready to fight the villain himself and defend the protagonists of the book.

“I really don’t want to ruin the moment for him,” Mark thought and decided to tell Jinyoung about Youngjae’s discovery later.

**

“Hyung,” Bambam whined, catching Mark’s attention who was currently the only one in the dorm with Bambam.

“Hyung, are you and Jinyoung hyung perhaps, dating?” Bambam asked in a quiet voice, almost as if he was scared to ask Mark that.

“Wait, did Youngjae tell you? That little bastard,” Mark cursed, immediately going for his phone to call Youngjae and yell at him.

“No, Youngjae hyung didn’t tell me anything. I figured it out on my own; but to be honest it’s kind of hard not to notice your ongoing relationship that’s blooming right in front of our eyes,” Bambam proudly spoke.

“You didn’t tell anyone, did you?” Mark asked, nervous that Jinyoung’s biggest fear was about to come true.

“Of course I didn’t. I’m not that ty to out someone without their consent,” Bambam said, slightly offended by Mark’s question. Bambam agrees, he has made some decisions in his life, and he definitely hasn’t been the perfect donsaeng for his hyungs, but he would never and could never reveal one’s ual orientation unless he was asked to do it. Bambam was raised by his mom to be much, much better than that.

“Thank you, thank you so much,” Mark took a deep breath of relief.

“Can you keep not telling anyone, then?” Mark pleaded the youngster, almost on his knees.

“Obviously, hyung, I would never want to intentionally make you and Jinyoung hyung uncomfortable and unsafe,” Bambam promised, hugging Mark.

Bambam was very mean to his hyung most of the time, but he really did love all of them. They were his source of strength during extremely difficult times; they offered him emotional support and very useful heartfelt advices for his problems; even Youngjae, who had joined the team way later than the rest of the members, Bambam loved too much for it to be a completely platonic love.

**

“Mark hyung, can we talk?” Jinyoung texted Mark.

“What is it, Jinyoung?” Mark asked, concerned and very worried that Jinyoung somehow found out about both Youngjae and Bambam.

“Jaebum hyung knows us,” Jinyoung confessed, looking at the ground and avoiding Mark’s eyes.

“Youngjae and Bambam both know about us,” Mark blurted out.

“Jinyoung, there’s something you’re hiding from me, isn’t there?” Jaebum asked, as he, Jaebum and Youngjae were all three in a small restaurant, dining out. Youngjae was absent from the table and it was only Jinyoung and Jaebum sitting in front of each other, surrounded by an old couple in their fifties, and the staff of the restaurant.

“What would I hide from you, hyung,” Jinyoung tried to dodge the grand time of reveal. He wasn’t ready yet.

“I don’t know, but something important, something that I definitely wouldn’t hide from you,” Jaebum answered, not letting go of the topic.

“There’s nothing, hyung,” Jinyoung declined Jaebum’s request to open up to him.

“You and Mark are dating, aren’t you?” Jaebum was impatient and a little mad. Why would one of his best buddies hide something like that from him?

“How did you find out?” Jinyoung was lost. How did he manage to find out something both Jinyoung and Mark were so desperately trying to hide?

“Dude, it’s too obvious. Plus we’ve known each other for seven years, don’t think I don’t know when you have something to hide,” Jaebum said with such confidence and sass, Jinyoung laughed out loud.

“That’s true,” Jinyoung replied.

“What the hell, it’s only a matter of time for Jackson and Yugyeom to find out,” Jinyoung freaked out.

“My gut tells me that Yugyeom already knows,” Mark said, knowing how close the two maknaes were and how they couldn’t hide things from one another.

“Jackson also probably does,” Jinyoung was clearly upset. He knew that he had to tell s about his and Mark’s relationship, but he never wanted them finding out this way, without Jinyoung having an intimate conversation with all of them, and making sure no one misunderstands anyone.

“Should we just announce it and make it official?” Mark asked. He already knew the answer to his question, but it didn’t hurt to ask one more time to really make it sure.

“No, I still think it’s too early,” Jinyoung refused, just as Mark expected.

“It’s always too early, Jinyoung. Jinyoung, I really don’t want to hide this anymore. I mean what are the member going to do after they find out? Tell on us? Hate us? You know very well that that’s not the case here. All of our member are accepting and loving enough to understand us, and support us. It’s your weird anxiety of coming out that’s causing all the problems,” Mark spat out.

“I feel like if you really loved me, then you would’ve stopped caring about an outsider’s opinion a long time ago,” Mark continued in a defeated tone.

“Plus, Jinyoung-ah, our members finding out doesn’t mean that the public also has to find out. Actually it would probably help our cover,” Mark started to beg once again.

“Jinyoung, please, why can’t you understand me,” Mark pleaded.

“Hyung, I do understand you, but I can’t help but feel terrified. I can’t risk all of this, Mark hyung. I worked my off to be where I am right now,” Jinyoung explained himself.

“Also I wasn’t raised in an environment where it was always 100% okay to be myself and like guys,” Jinyoung said.

“I just can’t bring myself to do what you want from me, and it’s not the matter of whether I sincerely love you or not, I love you, I really do, but for some reason, whenever I want to do that my voice gets lost, I start to feel nervous and so sensitive and I can never do that,”

“Please try to understand my view as well, hyung,”

“Fine, let’s end the conversation here, I don’t think it’ll lead to anything good,” Mark said, going to his room.

Youngjae and Jaebum were working on a joint song in Mark’s room.

To be completely truthful, Mark felt a little weird when it came to these two’s relationship. Both of them swore on their lives that it was completely an innocent relationship between two close friends.

But there way the two held onto each other whenever possible, looked at each other with complete and utter admiration, knew each other’s habits so precisely and gave the evil eye to anyone who dared to come in between them, wasn’t that normal. The two were deep in love with each other, but by the looks of it both were a little confused about it and didn’t want to admit it.

“Hyung, you definitely are the best in our team when it comes to composing music,” Youngjae complimented the older, smiling.

“And you’re way better than the rest of us when writing down lyrics,” Jaebum said.

“We complement each other really well, then,” Youngjae innocently mentioned.

“We’re the best song writing couple,” Jaebum admitted, smiling a lovesick fool smile.

“These two,” Mark thought to himself, lying on his bed, listening to the two be all lovey dovey with each other.

As for Jinyoung, he was also on his bed, listening to the two maknaes talk gibberish with each other. But no matter how foreign the language sounded to an outsider, the two seemed to understand each other perfectly.

“Gyeom, the light off, night,” Bambam pronounced, and Yugyeom went ahead to turn the lights off.

“Do you think Jinyoung hyung is sleeping?” Bambam suddenly spoke up.

“Probably,” Yugyeom answered.

“Do you think he and Mark are going to admit to their relationship soon?” Bambam asked, unaware of how awake Jinyoung in reality was and how he was clinging onto Bambam’s every word.

“Probably not,” Gyeom answered.

“Why?”

“I don’t know, I feel like Jinyoung hyung wouldn’t want to come out so early on in our career, when there’s still some time for us to have a proper place in the industry, I feel like Jinyoung hyung would come out to us only then when there’s no threat of sudden downfall out his career,” it amused Jinyoung how well the kid knew him.

“But what could possibly happen from his coming out to his best friends? It’s not like we’re going to betray him, and tell on him the moment he comes out,” Bambam still failed to understand Jinyoung.

Frankly, even Jinyoung himself started to lose his logic of still keeping everything to himself, he started to see how flawed his logic actually was, thanks to eavesdropping on the maknaes’ late night conversation.

**

“Hyung,” Jinyoung said, as Mark and he were alone in the changing room, getting ready for the day.

“Hm?” Mark hummed, picking out his jacket. It was either the black one with lots and lots of zippers or an army style jacket that Jackson favored.

“Should we just say it?” Jinyoung asked.

“Say what?” Mark asked, but seconds later he realized what Jinyoung had meant.

“Wait, really? And you’re going to be okay with that?” Mark was in shock, he never expected Jinyoung to come forward on his own and want to come clean to everyone.

“I think so, also practically everyone knows, so I’m assuming there won’t be any crazy overreactions, unless Jackson decides to make a whole deal out of it,” Jinyoung spoke, picking up a jean jacket and putting it on Mark, as it fit him perfectly.

“Jackson’s pretty serious when he wants to be,” Mark said with consideration to calm Jinyoung down.

“Yeah, so let’s do it, hyung. I mean there’s never going to be a perfect time for it, but right now, I think is the best time we can announce it,” Jinyoung said. He’d been thinking about it for two whole days now. And no matter how he thought about it, this really was the best time for Jinyoung to come out and tell all of his secrets.

“Then, let’s do it,” Mark smiled. He loved Jinyoung. And he was ready to declare that enormous love for Jinyoung to everyone.

**

“That’s not really news,” Yugyeom said, as soon as Jinyoung had announced that he and Mark had been dating for a few months now. Jinyoung couldn’t help but laugh at the maknae’s reaction.

“Wait, how is that not news? You all knew already?” Jackson was confused in the midst of all, all while everyone else had a knowing smirk on their faces.

“Hyung, you didn’t?” Youngjae chimed in, surprised that the one who usually knows things before they’re revealed to others didn’t know about Mark and Jinyoung’s situation.

“Of course, I didn’t. If I had known, I would’ve been teasing them about it nonstop,” Jackson whined.

“How did you find out? Was Jinyoung telling all of you one by one and forget me somehow?” Jackson continued to whine, feeling betrayed by his two best friends.

“Seriously, Jaebum hyung don’t you think this is a bit too much? I mean I wouldn’t be this surprised if you and Youngjae didn’t tell me that you two were dating, but aren’t these two supposed to let me know before even thinking about telling the rest? I’m their best friend!” Jackson complained to the leader, who didn’t expect to get dragged into the mess.

“Why aren’t you just complaining to Jinyoung or Mark but also dragging Youngjae and me into this?” Jaebum answered a little embarrassed, a little shy that Jackson suddenly started to talk about him and Youngjae’s relationship.

“I mean, me too, I feel like these two wouldn’t tell anyone until they get married,” Bambam added in, making Youngjae’s face burn with embarrassment and shut Jaebum up.

“You guys never fail to surprise me, seriously,” Jinyoung burst out with laughter, relieved and happy that no one really seemed to mind the relationship, or seemed to be freaked out by his ‘abnormality’.

“Everything’s fine, just like I told you,” Mark said, holding Jinyoung’s cold hands, and kissed his cheek.

**

2028, July 26^th

“Jackson, where the hell are you? It’s almost starting,” Jaebum called Jackson, who, although was already 35, was as irresponsible as his 20 year old self.

“Come on, hyung, Mark and Jinyoung are both late as well, it’s okay as long as I arrive before them,” Jackson answered, brushing off the leader’s comments.

“Besides, I’m already here, I’m going to park my car and enter,” Jackson said, hanging up.

“Jackson’s here,” Jaebum informed the others.

“Hyung, relax,” Youngjae patted Jaebum’s back gently, smiling.

“Also, you look really nice in that suit,” Youngjae whispered, sending shivers down Jaebum’s spine. Youngjae had gotten a lot better at subtly flirting and making Jaebum feel strange with his whispers over the years, and Jaebum hated it, but loved it so much.

“And Jackson is here,” Jackson loudly declared as he entered the room that was heavily decorated with all types of white flowers.

“You made it with 2 minutes to spare,” Bambam said, fist bumping his buddy.

“As if being almost late is something to be proud of,” Jaebum muttered.

Yugyeom and Bambam, the youngest, were already 32; Got7 had a 14 years of golden experience as male idols, Bambam and Jinyoung appeared on almost every popular TV drama there is, Jackson hosted two popular shows that streamed throughout entire Asia, Youngjae and Jaebum had released two albums as a duet that held a record as the two albums with most amount of copies sold worldwide, Yugyeom released three solo albums and went on two world tours, selling out three huge arenas per week.

And now, all five, excluding the two that were late, were present at an event that was important not only for the seven of them, but for the entire idol industry.

Mark and Jinyoung were going to be the first idol couple to get married in such an open manner with thousands attending the wedding, and millions watching it through different screens.

“I can’t believe the two that are going to get married are late,” Yugyeom murmured, checking his watch every few seconds.

“I mean, Mark hyung was always the type to sleep in late and be late for important events. I guess that weird habit of his didn’t exclude his own wedding,” Jackson brushed it off. As a guy who used to live with Mark for two years while Jinyoung was serving in the army as required, he knew very well how hard it was to drag him out of his bed.

“I still remember him being late to our 10^th anniversary concert,” Youngjae remembered Mark coming into the arena, sweaty and with messy hair, and going straight for the stage.

“I mean it was a given, Jackson arrived before him, Jinyoung wasn’t there to nag at him, so he had all the freedom to comfortably sleep,” Yugyeom remarked.

“I always thought Youngjae hyung would be the one to be late to his wedding, I even used to imagine it, him walking in looking like a mess, and just getting married in his pjs,” Bambam commented.

“Well you thought wrong,” Youngjae said offended that his donsaeng used to think so little of him.

“Youngjae hyung would have actually been late today if he didn’t live with Jaebum hyung, let’s be real,” Yugyeom teamed up with his friend to tease Youngjae.

Just as Youngjae was about chase after the 32 year old troublemaker, Jinyoung and Mark ran into the waiting room, without their fancy bowties, without their buttons fully buttoned, and trousers not fully ironed.

“Dude, what the hell happened?” Jackson asked looking at his two friends.

“I overslept,” Jinyoung confessed.

“You mean he,” Jaebum said, pointing to Mark, who was innocently buttoning his shirt, and tidying himself up.

“No, I did. I couldn’t sleep the whole night, I was so nervous, and only managed to fall asleep at dawn and I didn’t hear the alarm, it’s all on me,” Jinyoung confessed to his ‘crime’.

“Well that’s a first,” Bambam said, helping the two with their wedding suits.

“We’re not too late, though, right?” Jinyoung worriedly asked, putting on his bowtie.

“About 5 minutes,” Youngjae answered.

“Okay, I’ll go out and start with the introductions, hear your names and come out,” Jackson instructed, leaving the small, but cozy waiting room.

“So, we’re doing this, huh?” Mark asked, as he fixed Jinyoung’s bowtie.

“We totally are,” Jinyoung said with a heavy sigh.