Three days has passed since Ming’s death. They had cremate him four days after his death, with Tzuyu wailing and bawling her eyes out during the whole ceremony. Jackson was there beside her all the time, holding her hands, embracing her, being a shoulder to cry on for the mourning daughter. Mark thought this was how it’s supposed to be. Jackson constantly tried to look back, to see Mark, to get any kind of reaction from Mark, but he got none. The older male was bowing his head down the whole day. He was avoiding Jackson as best as he can, and Jackson didn’t like this at all. It was so hard for Jackson. He was determined to confront Mark about this. About them.

The chance came at the morning after the cremation ceremony. Jackson just woke up, feeling exhausted and sleep deprived because he had to stay up to accompany Tzuyu most of the night after Ming’s death, when he found Mark in the kitchen making coffee. Alone.

“Good morning, Markiepooh.”

A small yelp was heard as the smaller male tried to turn around to see who had circled their arms around his waist. When he realized who it was, he struggled to get out of the back hug he was given.

“Jackson, let go. What if anybody sees?”

Ignoring Mark, Jackson leaned down, burying his face on the crook of Mark’s smooth neck. His nose was grazing at the skin, inhaling Mark’s natural odor that smelled masculine, but soft, a combination of his milk and white musk scented shower cream and his tea tree scented shampoo. Jackson remembered those times in Bali where he had drifted to sleep lulled by this smell and woke up smelling this scent first thing in the morning. What had gone wrong?

“Gaga~”

“Glad you’re still calling me with that nickname, baby. I missed you so much,” Jackson whispered to his lover’s ear. He can feel Mark shivering, putting down the mug he was holding and resting his hands atop of his own bigger ones. But not to enjoy the hug. Mark was trying to pry Jackson’s arms off himself.

“Jackson, please. We can’t. What if Tzuyu sees? What if our parents—Jackson!” Mark gasped when Jackson his earlobe. It turns him on, alright.

“You like that, baby? We haven’t done anything since we became official, you know. I know you respect marriage a lot, but... sometimes… rules are made to be broken, right?”

Confused by Jackson’s weird act, once again Mark tried to wiggle out of Jackson’s hold. When finally Mark was free from Jackson’s hold, he couldn’t help but whimpered at the loss, even though his instinct was to move as far as he could from the younger male. That’s when Jackson realized why Mark struggled so hard to push Jackson off.

“Good morning, kids,” Mei yawned, rubbing her still sleepy eyes while Sophia was walking past her with her eyes closed. Mark and Jackson answered her with an awkward hum, then the older continued making coffee for his mother and Sophia.

“Jackson, where is—“ yawn “—your father?”

Jackson blinked as the question. “Wasn’t he… supposed to sleep with you?”

“Yeah, but he woke up earlier this morning. He told me—oh, thanks, sweetie,” she took the mug Mark was offering, patting Mark’s hand who smiled in return. “He said he was going to discuss something with Raymond. About your marriage with Tzuyu.”

Jackson’s jaw drop. A clang of a spoon falling was heard. If they hear more carefully, they could even hear Mark’s already broken heart falling to the floor.

“Mark, dear, are you okay?” Sophia looked at Mark worriedly. He saw Mark crouched to down, picking up the spoon he just dropped before standing up again and with a disgustingly fake grin, waved the spoon to Sophia.

“I’m okay, Imo! Just... it slipped, haha,” he said, faking a laugh too. “Ahahaha, I’m fine, Omma. Why are you looking at me like that?”

Mei saw the tears b in her son’s eyes. There is something Mark is not telling her. She can see both of the boys are shocked with this news, but Mark’s reaction is a bit... too much?

Mei didn’t have the chance to answer because suddenly laughter of two joyful fathers echoed in the room as Xihao and Raymond entered the room with a gleeful expression.

“Ah, there you are,” Sophia greet her husband. Xihao walked closer to his wife and plant a kiss to her forehead, just like Raymond who did the same to his wife. “So, how’s the discussion?”

Xihao didn’t answer her directly. He looked at Jackson, who was still showing a confused expression on his face. Xihao smiled at his son as he let out a long sigh. “My son,” he looked at Jackson. “I made a promise to Ming, that night in Jeju, when we saw the love sparkling from both of Tzuyu and your eyes, I made a promise to him that I guarantee the happiness Tzuyu deserves. I guarantee it by giving my blessings to your love, to your relationship. And I promised Ming, that I will keep your words to Tzuyu that night before you went back to Bali, when you said you are going to marry her.”

“Appa, I—“

“Ming is gone now,” he stopped for a while, glancing at Mei and Raymond who gave him an encouraging smile to continue his words, while he can feel his wife tightened her hold on his waist to support him. “But as you can see Raymond and Mei is practically her parents now. They gave you and Tzuyu their blessings as well, and we had just talk to the priest to set the date of your marriage.”

“The date of the—what?”

“Both of you will have an engagement party here, in Seoul next week, and the wedding will be held in Bali three months after your engagement day—“

“Wait, Appa, isn’t that too soon?“

“We thought that the sooner the better. Because Tzuyu needs someone in her life, someone she can hold on to, someone to lean on since her father is not with her anymore. And you, my son, I can see you love her with your heart, just as much as she loves you. I’m sure you will take care of her.”

“But—“

Jackson’s protest was not finished, though, because he heard Mei called out to her son.

“Mark? Mark, son, where are you—Mark!”

Jackson wasn’t able to continue his protests as he saw Mark bolted out of the kitchen. He can hear a door slammed close.

“What happened? Why is he—is he going to be okay?”

Sophia asked Mei in a worried tone. Mei was not sure herself, but her husband assured her that Mark was probably shocked at the fact that his best friend are going to marry soon. Tzuyu has been his alone for a lifetime, but now that he has to share her with Jackson probably shook him. Jackson wanted to tell Raymond that what he assumed was not the case. It’s not Tzuyu that Mark didn’t want to let go, it was him. Mark loves him. Mark doesn’t want to lose him. Or does he?

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