The next few days was filled with trips with the whole family to various places. Raymond, who already retired from his job as a senior staff at the United Nation made Ming took a couple of day off from his work place just so they can spend more time with their best friend who was considered as their own family. It was not the perfect timing for the Wang’s to visit Korea in winter because a lot of tourist attractions are not open in winter, but Sophia laughed it off saying that she’s not a tourist. They came to Korea in winter in purpose. They missed the cold weather, they missed the snow since there’s none in Bali. But it was no big deal. In a big group, Myeongdong on the first day. The males and females of the group then split up as the girls went to find make ups and beauty products for Sophia, also looking for coats and winter outfit for her in the women fashion stores, while the guys went to look for jackets, suits, and shoes for Jackson and his father—also for Mark who has been wanting this sneakers from Bean Pole that he saw a couple of days ago. They meet again for lunch at a galbi restaurant they always visit a long time ago. The owner was Raymond’s old friend so they always get big discount whenever they eat there. They walked around until it was almost time for dinner, then they went home to eat Mei’s home-made dinner. Sophia misses her best friend’s cooking so much that she insists that they have to eat dinner at home every day, no eating out, no take outs.

On the second until the fifth day, they went around Seoul—buying ethnical stuff, buying gifts for the Wang’s friends in Indonesia at Itaewon, seeing the night-life of today’s Korea in Hongdae, visiting some old friends at Gangnam, even visiting one of Sophia’s cousin in Anyang together. At their fifth night in Seoul, just when they had finished dinner at the Tuan’s, Jackson gave them a surprise. He already bought 8 return tickets to Jeju Island for 3 days and 2 nights. All of them hugged him and thanked him, except Mark who said with a sad expression that he had to work the next day so he couldn’t come with them. Jackson, who won’t listen to none of Mark’s excuse, begged the other guy to go with them, but Mark still said no. He didn’t want to get fired from his job.

On the day they were supposed to go to Jeju, Jackson gave a surprise visit to Mark’s office. He came to Mark’s work room and told him they’re going. Mark’s boss had already gave him the permission after Jackson assured him that Mark will be back in three days and he won’t be neglecting his report. He will fax it, or email it, because technology are pretty modern now.

“You said that to him??” Mark gasped when he heard how Jackson got permission from his boss to take Mark for vacation. “Seriously Jackson?? You said that to him? ‘That technology are pretty modern now and Mark can work from Jeju and it’s a pity you didn’t know that’??”

“That’s not even the best part. You should’ve seen his face when he heard me said that,” Jackson impersonate Mark’s boss shocked face. This made the older male giggled so hard until he had to bend his body because his stomach hurts from laughing. His face was beet red from laughing but it was something Jackson never seen before. And he liked it. Mark’s face was made for this kind of expression. Not the sad and melancholic ones he always wore. “It was priceless.” Just like yours are right now.

Mark was still laughing hard. After a while, he let out a cough and panted, too tired after laughing so hard for a long time. Jackson patted his back, scolding him gently for laughing wildly like that. “Aigoooo~, seriously Gaga,” Mark finally was able to talk properly, “If I don’t get fired when I get back to work, that means my boss is totally in love with you. Oh my gosh, you’re crazy~”

Jackson unconsciously smile fondly at the nickname. It was a name Mark used to call him with when they were little. He had no idea where Mark got that nickname from, but he liked it. It was somewhat a personal nickname for Jackson. Only Mark get to call him that. His smile widened seeing Mark leaned back and relaxed beside him, the cab driver looking curiously at them through the rearview mirror Mark’s hands are still on top of his aching stomach, his breathing had slowed down, but the petite man still had a smile on his face.

“Why are you forcing me to come, Jackson? I mean, you all could’ve just go and leave me. It’s not like I’m not used being alone. You know my parents like to travel a lot since Dad retired, so.. I’m fine being by myself.”

“Really? They like to leave you alone at home?”

“Yeah,” Mark was a little confused. “You know this, I told you so many times through the let—oh,” Mark raised a hand to cover his mouth. He almost spilled his secrets to Jackson, but Jackson didn’t seem to notice this. He was oblivious to Mark’s panicked face—afraid that Jackson would realize what he said—and he was oblivious to Mark’s disappointed sigh when he said that in her letters, Tzuyu told him her father also left her alone so much.

“So that means you really spend a lot of time together with Tzuyu, huh? I mean, Ming Samcheon is nice, but how could he? Tzuyu only got him, he can’t just leave her alone at home like that for days. I can’t imagine how lonely she was.”

Unfocused, Mark only nodded weakly. Of course. Of course Jackson had to talk about Tzuyu, that’s just how much the other male loves Tzuyu. He couldn’t stop talking about her. Mark was almost at his limits. The past few days was torture for him. He had to see Jackson and Tzuyu feed each other most of the time. He had to witness the smitten look Jackson gave to Tzuyu every time he looked at her. Mark would give anything for Jackson to look at him like that. And just now, Jackson didn’t even react to the fact that Mark gets lonely too every time his parents leave him.

“You... you really love Tzuyu, don’t you?”

Jackson didn’t like the sad tone in Mark’s voice, but he can’t help but smile at the question. “It’s weird, Mark-ah,” Jackson turned to his side, away from Mark. He gazed the road while remembering Tzuyu’s beautiful face that always succeed in making him smile. But that made Mark felt like someone had just stepped on his heart. “It’s weird how... I feel like I know everything about her through the letters she sent me. And you can see how we clicked immediately when we meet. It’s all because of the letters.”

Yeah, because of the letters.

Jackson heard the man beside him let out a sigh. He turned to face Mark again, startMei the smaller male by touching his hand he had on his lap. “Hey, Yieun..”

Mark’s breath hitched when he heard the nickname. Jackson was the only one who call him with his Chinese name aside from his parents. It has been years since Mark heard Jackson calling him with a nickname Jackson made for hum. There was a warm feeling fluttering from his tummy raising to his chest when he heard Jackson called him that way. He tried so hard to keep his tears from falling, turning away from Jackson was the only way he could hide it.

“Yieun?”

“Why did you never write to me, Jackson?” Mark asked in a small voice, trying hard to make it sound like he wasn’t crying, so that Jackson wouldn’t hear his voice shake. Mark knew he was a cry baby. Back then when he was still bullied, he always come home from school with tears in his eyes. It was the only way he could expres