5th

Not meeting Jinyoung for a while means Mark got a free weekend on his end. Also, having a Jackson-related concern means Mark couldn't spend that free weekend to go bother his friend away. Not that Mark will spend it with Jackson anyway, because Jackson is now back in Hongkong for a visit to his family.

Out of option, he decides to walk around the neighborhood. Probably walking Coco to the park nearby. Even a grocery shopping. He did all that and it is barely 9PM on a Saturday night. For the first time in a while, Mark felt how long the weekend could stretch out if you spend it alone.

When he arrived back to his building after spending some time in the patisserie he frequents to, he walks past the receptionist to find Youngjae already sit there replacing Mina for the night. Been so long since he speaks to Youngjae. Knowing the later always carries around a sunshine smile and positive energy around him, Mark irks to go there and absorbs the positivity for himself. God knows how much he needs it. Besides, Coco already barking happily at the sight of Youngjae waving around at him.

The thing is, as cheesy as it sound, Coco brought Mark & Youngjae closer. Youngjae always fond of animal but having a sever allergy stops him from his desire to own a pet. So, when Mark brought home Coco a little over a year ago, Youngjae low-key adopted himself as Coco’s mother. If Jackson isn't around to take care of Coco whenever Mark went to Jinyoung's place, Youngjae is the next best thing Mark could left Coco to.

Mark lets Coco down from his arm and unleashes the slash she is attached to. Soon enough, the white Maltese already running towards Youngjae's embrace. Happiness such a simple thing, like seeing some heartwarming scene of Coco around Youngjae's grinning face. Why he is not fallen for Youngjae instead, his life would be so much easy. Wait, did he just say fallen for. Screw. Totally screwed.

Amidst of pleasant conversation and hearty small laugh here there, time moves so fast. Unknowingly, it is already 11PM from the big clock stationed on the wall behind Youngjae's desk. Two hours since he came from outside, still reeking a sun smell from his walk and wearing a bright yellow hoodie with a printed doughnut on it. He is starting to relax. Clearly Youngjae's positive energy rubbed off to him.

In a particular hard laugh that showing off all his teeth and even making him tear up a bit, Youngjae's attention shifts from him. Only to look impossibly brighter than he already is while greeting a newcomer behind Mark. On which Mark has no idea already there. Thanks to a very ridiculous story Youngjae just telling him about.

"Oh, hi Jaebum-hyung!"

"Yah! Youngjae-ah! I could hear your laugh from the drop off area!"

Don't look back, Mark. Don't look back.

Youngjae pouts a bit at the teasing. And Mark still chanting on his head to not look back. Even with a really heavy feeling being watched is surrounding him from behind. He must stand his ground. Pretending the presence doesn't affect him at all, he continues to laugh heartily.

Until... The certain someone leans on the receptionist desk beside him. Positioning himself sideways and watching Mark laugh. In front of him, Youngjae continues jutting his bottom lips out. Too adorable for the world. He playfully hits Jaebum’s arm with Coco front legs.

"Don't be meanie Hyung! I do not laugh that hard. It is Mark Hyung here who laughed so hard."

Mark's artificial laugh eventually needs to die down for his mask to be not awkwardly exposed by the person beside him. He pretends to wipe the corner of his eyes in order to mask a much needed injured time Schooling his expression before he is ready to face Jaebum head on.

He puts on a smile and let his head rotates to the right. Slightly crooking his head to the side as if to challenge Jaebum of how he would handle their meeting this time. The first meeting with someone other than two of them.

"Fancy meeting you here at this time of the day, Mark."

Mark is nodding to this, and a slight humming under his breath. Not offering any more response. He forces himself to bring his focus back to Coco who is still playing around with Youngjae as chaperone. The man beside him is still standing there, observes the whole scene playing in front of him.

5 minutes pass. Jaebum is still there. Mark pays him no mind and continues plays with Coco.

10 minutes pass. Jaebum is still as present as ever. Youngjae starts to look nervously between Jaebum and Mark.

15 minutes pass. Jaebum is as still as statue but his mere presence sent Mark stomach churning with a thousand butterfly fly around it. Not to mention the heaviness of Jaebum gaze, he could feel it heating up the side of his face. Youngjae still looks back and forth between both of them. Leaving Mark playing with Coco alone.

It is obvious the game Jaebum play. He demands Mark attention. He probably will stay there till he gets the attention he demands from Mark. It is a bit childish if you look at it closer. But, nothing childish if it is played by a man like Jaebum. He demands attention, and he is going to get it. And that is the exact reason why Mark ignoring him right not. Jaebum needs to learn that, he is not entitled to everything just because he demands it. We don't always get what we want after all.

Thirty minutes of trying so hard to ignore the obvious tension around him was probably Youngjae’s limit to handle this current situation. The poor boy looks so nervous when he announced that he is going to the restroom for a bit. Leaving a still overexcited Coco back to Mark's arm and also leaving Mark with Jaebum alone.

Surprising himself that he could held back himself this long, Mark deems he now in a slight upper hand position for making Jaebum standing there out of his own stubbornness. Petting a restless Coco on his arm, Mark props himself to his side. Finally giving Jaebum some attention he demands from 30 minutes ago.

Instead of a fuming dark orbs, he meets with a calm gaze on Jaebum eyes. As if saying, he got all the time and patience in the world to string along with whatever antics Mark decided to spring on him that day. Mark doesn't let a disappointment washed over him for Jaebum lack of reaction after being stood up quite some times.

He gives Jaebum a once over. Noting yet another style, Jaebum is sporting right now. He goes from Jaebum's white golf shoes, to the bare skin with a manly hair slathering Jaebum's calf, to a light weight grey short pants, which Jaebum tucked his white muscle shirt into, to the beach themed safari printed shirt with a short sleeves that showcase a rather mouthwatering biceps of the man wearing. A biceps that currently covered by a beginning of some red scratch scar. Really fresh red welts adoring a side of Jaebum’s arm.

For a fraction of time, Mark stiffen. Hand stilling from petting Coco, before he picks up himself and stares back into Jaebum's eyes. If Jackson is now in Hongkong, whose scratch is that? Dread fill his gut.

"So, there is more to you than meets the eyes, Mark Tuan."

A beginning to some smile is resounding from the lilt in Jaebum's voice when saying this. He would have swoon in normal condition, but the fresh scratch is the only thing occupied his mind. Is Jaebum seeing more than a lover at a time?

Mark offers him another smile. Which prompted Jaebum to give one himself. With a pointed look to his fresh scar, Mark replies using a smoothest voice he could musters. Never losing smile while at it, "Same goes to you, Jaebum."

Of course Jaebum notices this. From the way his eyes darken and his smile fading away, he is more than noticing it. Eyes regains back its darkness which is a more familiar ground for Mark to play with.

He attaches the slash back to Coco and let himself dragged away by his dog. From the corner of his eyes, he notices Jaebum stand still for about a minute before walk away to the elevator direction.

Another voice speaks to him. Apparently Youngjae is back from his restroom runaway. "How do you two know each other, Hyung? I've never seen Jaebum-hyung speak to anyone but me for as long as I am working here."

Curiosity lacing in the sweet voice of Youngjae. Mark cradles Coco back into his arms. He walks back to Youngjae’s desk. His poor sunshine seems quite shaken up by the earlier scene. Mark wants nothing but comforting this sweet Dongsaeng of him. He drops Coco back into Youngjae desk and ruffles Youngjae’s hair a bit before propping his arm on his own chin. Leaning into the high part of the receptionist desk. He ponders how much information would he spill to Youngjae.

“As far as I know, Hyung works as an accountant, and Jaebum-Hyung works in music. I don’t think both of you are an acquaintance from work.”

Mark blinks at this. A very new information of Jaebum. Blinking twice, Mark then realizes, probably Youngjae knows much more about Jaebum than himself. Mark doesn’t even know Jaebum’s last name. Something ridiculous considering that he already kissing the man and even so far planning to snatch the man from his own best friend.

“Music? He is in a band or something?”

Jaebum in a rock band. It would explain all the piercing and laidback personality. But surely a mere rock star that Mark doesn’t even recognize at first glance wouldn’t be rich enough to afford a penthouse in this apartment, would him?

At Mark’s suspicious start to some interrogation, Youngjae lifts his head to look directly at Mark. Mark meets his gaze straight on. Pretending to ask out of simple curiosity, trying not to show off as a very eager information seeker.

“Does he not telling you? Or you doesn’t know who he is right from the start, Hyung?”

Mark shrugs, “I don’t know him that much, if not at all,”, he is not lying at this one, “I just know that his name is Jaebum, live at the top floor penthouse, and own a Harley which always parked right beside my parking spot in Basement 1.”, he also not lying about these too.