Chapter 20: Going out of your comfort zone

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Mark's pov.
Mark signs up for yoga, and heads to office on a Saturday.

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The first thing on Mark’s list of things to do for the day is to go to the yoga place to sign up for lessons. He would just get lessons on the same day if he can, if Junior’s teaching, but he also kind of needs to go to Buzzfeed even though it’s a Saturday, because JB had threatened/guilt-tripped him into being there for when Amber and Amy unlocks their handcuffs later this afternoon. He feels kind of bad for causing them to be in the whole situation to begin with, so he had agreed to be in the office on a weekend, but he also kind of awaits what he’ll find in their video (a video that’s definitely going to be a hit once someone edits it up, preferably someone who’s not Mark because he has enough work on his plate), so Mark supposes he’s only half feeling guilty about what he had done, and therefore only half willing to head back to office for it.

Ah well, it’s not like he can back out now, Mark thinks, pushing open the door to the yoga studio, letting the air-conditioned air cool him. He heads straight for the counter, asking if he can sign up for a yoga class by… Park Jinyoung? Junior? Mark’s not sure which name he’s using here.

While he’s still wondering which name Junior might have used to teach here, the counter staff looking unamused at his indecision, someone taps his shoulder, and Mark turns around to find Junior himself looking at him. He’s not daydreaming right?

Mark recovers enough to say, “Oh hey, Junior. You teach here?” He hopes that it’s smooth enough for Junior to not realize that Mark’s only pretending to be surprised (well, he’s surprised at their encounter, but not by the fact that Junior teaches here), but he forgets that he’s not even supposed to know whether Junior teaches here or learns here until Junior’s eyes twinkle, his mouth curling up in a sly smile at Mark’s words.

“Hey Mark, how did you know I teach here? Did Jackson tell you?”

“Hmm,” Mark replies, hoping to fudge the truth, and imply he had found out from Jackson, because he kind of did, even if Jackson hadn’t explicitly told him per se.

“Oh, by any chance are you… Are you here to sign up for yoga?”

At Junior’s question, Mark nods, and notices that the counter staff isn’t paying him any attention anymore. He’s wondering if he needs to get the lady’s attention again, when Junior grabs his arm, motioning for him to move to the side of the counter. “Come on, I’ll help you do the forms. It’s quicker when there’s someone to guide you.”

They’re seated at the chairs in the small lobby, Junior across the small glass table from him, and Mark’s filling in his particulars to sign up to be a member first, so he can attend lessons here. Mark keeps his head down, not wanting to let Junior notice how he’s kind of distracted by the guy’s firm thighs and calves exposed by the exercise shorts. It’s only when he gets to the section asking if he has any preferences for yoga instructors that Mark looks up, wanting to ask Junior which name he uses here, so he can put Junior down as his choice.

“Junior Park,” Junior answers, and Mark writes it down. There’s a short pause when Junior leans across the table slightly to see Mark write his name in the blank, before he adds, “I’m flattered that you wrote my name, although I feel like I need to inform you out of professional obligation that between the 2 male instructors, Yugyeom’s the better teacher.”

Smiling at Junior’s honesty, Mark taps his pen against his form, considering if he should put in Yugyeom’s name as well (will it be too suspicious if he insists on only having Junior as his instructor?). He’s still pondering, when Junior leans in, just a bit too close to his face, voice hushed like he’s revealing some big secret, “But you know, I’m nicer to my students, especially the beginners, so…”

The implications of Junior’s words are unclear, and Mark wonders if he means he wants Mark to only put his name under the “preferred instructor” field. Settling deeper into his seat to put some distance between his face and Junior’s, Mark decides to leave his form as it is, and Junior’s big smile makes him think it’s the correct decision.

Mark drops the form off at the counter, the lady telling him he’ll get a membership card by letter within a week, although he can start going for lessons any time now. He’s wondering if he should fix a lesson for tomorrow, or if he can squeeze in time after going to the office later today, when