The once dreamy colors of the sky turned jet black people started packing their stuffs and making their way back home although the campers stayed there making music with their guitars singing country music. The lighthouse lamp navigating maritime pilots, a ship sounding three short blasts indicating the vessel’s engine are going astern and the waves were crawling gently to the shore.

A slightly well built yet skinny guy around 5’10 was promenading along the tarred pavements pulling his luggage along which was making rattling noises that made several heads turn to stare at him. They started gasping and whispering words under their breath but he could hear them crystal clear. “Isn’t he the guy from the famous group? What is he doing here?” That made him pull up his mask to cover more than half of his face and fixed his cap. He stopped at the same bench where Jinyoung sat few hours ago. His lips curved up to smile as he recalled the memories he shared with Jinyoung 2 years ago, taking a seat on the left corner of the bench. Mark closed his eyes and rested his back on the backrest.

Jinyoung I’m back. I can’t wait to meet you, I hope that I’m still your best friend even though I wish that I could be more than a friend and you have not forgotten about me. Mark chuckled to himself at his childishness.

But then again, I wouldn’t be mad if you did. It is my fault that I left abruptly. I miss you so much that it hurts. There was never a day where you don’t run through my mind. These 2 years has been extremely crucial for me be it the endless trainings, dance practices and vocal classes that I had to attend. Debuting was an arduous life. Sleeping for less than 5 hours and performing on stage and the continuous rehearsals and fan meets. Not that I’m making a fuss about my fans, I love them. It’s just very effortful. He heaved a sigh.

Is this fate? How coincidentally, I’m back a day before your birthday. I should be grateful to my writers’ block. I should probably get you something for your birthday? Or wouldn’t I be a great present for you already? Mark mentally slapped himself for being so cocky and shaking his head to himself.

Would he even want to look at me? Or in a worse scenario, this bench that we used to share is now a place that Jinyoung is sharing with someone else? But then again, Jinyoung isn’t that type of person. I told him to wait for me and I promised to open up my heart to him when I’m back. And now that I’m back would he accept me whole-heartedly? What if he hates it that I’m back? What if he is already with someone? What if he is happy with that person?

Mark chewed on his cheek refraining himself from getting jealous over such thoughts he had of Jinyoung being with someone that isn’t him. He felt like all these questions that were pondering in his mind was eating him alive. He placed his palm on the bench seat and drew random patterns on it diverting his mind and to optimistic thoughts. He then felt something unusual on the bench as if someone had carved on it like how he and Jinyoung used to do. His fingers traced the words, but he wasn’t curious as to what was carved. Something in the back of his mind kept telling him to see what it was.

The first thing he thought of was Jinyoung but he didn’t want to keep his hopes up. Nonetheless, he fished out his phone from his pocket pressed on the home button, which unlocked immediately. His background was a picture of him and Jinyoung together that they took two years ago, where Jinyoung was doing a peace sign and Mark was winking. Mark swiped up to switch on the torch on his phone, once he did so; he turned his body to the side and brought the shining light to the bench. He gasped a little too dramatically when he read under his breath the words that said, “Jinyoung I miss you”. His fingers grazed over those words and he knew that he had to reply to it. Without any delay he opened the side zipper of his luggage and rummaged through that small space to get his Swiss army knife. Who knew it would be so useful to me now. Jinyoung thought to himself as he pulled out the sharp blade of it. He began to start carving right below where Mark carved.

During the that time Mark was engraving, Jinyoung on the other hand was getting off the bus at the bus stop making his way to the Beach. He wasn’t able to sleep that night for some reason and Jinyoung had a gut feeling that something would be happening real soon hence, he made up his mind to sit on the bench that calms him down. Jinyoung was dragging his feet with head hung low nearing the bench he heard a scraping sound coming from the bench. He lifted up his head to see a familiar silhouette yet slightly built, sitting on the bench and Jinyoung could feel his heartbeat; every single pounding in his chest. In the mean time, Mark finished carving and as usual he took off his cap and combed his fringe with his fingers before placing the cap on his head again. Jinyoung wheezed loudly as he wasn’t expecting to see what his eyes were seeing. He was flabbergasted and Mark turned around to see an outline of a person, he looked up to see the man’s face. Mark and Jinyoung were so shook they could barely said anything, Jinyoung moved forward to where Mark was sitting to see if his eyes were playing truant.

 “Well well well, if it isn’t the idol who finally decides to come back.” Jinyoung used sarcasm as a defense mechanism for his wild emotions; he bit his lower lip waiting for Mark to reply examining his features how he became more handsome from the time he left.

“How have you been, Ven? I’m sorry for leaving you so abruptly and I was not allowed to use my phone. I had no way to contact anyone. Trust me it was a tough life.” Mark reached out to hold onto Vens’ hands but he pulled his hand back.

 “Don’t touch me.” He scoffed and squat down, burying his face in his palm and sobbed quietly. Mumbling to himself, “ Do you not love me as much as I do?”

Mark was astonished greatly by Ven’s sudden change of behavior. He reciprocated like Jinyoung and hugged his knees, letting him cry and hesitating whether or not to comfort him. But he did it anyways because he knew he deserved this behavior from Ven. “Every second that I’m not with you. I do.” Mark whispered as he caressed Vens’ hair, scooting closer wrapping one arm around his hunched back. Jinyoung was overwhelmed with his emotions and cried even more when he felt Mark’s arm around him. How much he missed all of this.

Mark moved back a little once he sensed that Jinyoung was breathing normally. He lifted up Ven’s chin to look into his eye, wiping his tears and leaning in to kiss his right cheek softly making Ven’s ear to have a burning sensation and a tint of red on his cheeks. Jinyoung couldn’t bring himself to look at Mark.

“Look at me.” He immediately listening to Mark’s order like a puppy, sniffing. “Once again, I’m very sorry for leaving you without much notice and do you remember I promised you that I would be tell you something? I assume that this would be a good timing. First and foremost, the reason why I’m back here is because I have a writers’ block. I’m working on my new track and I don’t have any ideas therefore I’m back here. On top of that I wanted to see you so badly. So ta-dah! Here I am.” Mark chuckled and Jinyoung smiled at him.

“I hope that our feelings for each other are mutual. These two years has made me realize how much of an impact you have been to me in my life and how important you are to me. I want to make things official between the both of us. Will you be my boyfriend, Jinyoungie?” Mark gazed at Jinyoung lovingly and waited for his answer.

“Y-yes I would love to be your boyfriend.” Mark smiled cheekily and pulled Jinyoung into his embrace.

Jinyoung thought to himself that this is the best present he got after two years for his birthday. They spent the dawn on that carved bench talking about their lives for the past two years without each other. It was a blissful sight just like how it used to be before.

F I N

Hi guys! I would like to know what you think of the story and it would be nice to read your comments. Thank you~ 💖