Blindingly bright. That’s what Mark always thought looking at Jinyoung was like. The latter’s smile was filled with so much of light and warmth that Mark felt like it could spit life into anything he even slightly looked at.

Right now as he remained frozen, breathing unevenly at the sight in front of him, Jinyoung’s smile stayed just as bright and powerful. He didn’t understand this reaction. Too shocked to process the words Jinyoung said, too shocked to notice the hidden emotions Jinyoung’s smile was masking and too shocked to understand the meaning of it all.

‘Well, are you not even going to let me come in?’ Jinyoung said, his gaze intense but his voice patient

‘J-Jinyoung’ Mark finally managed to breathe out

Jinyoung just smiled in response, it wasn’t a happy smile, but it was a meaningful one, holding way too many emotions for Mark to detect. Mark couldn’t understand why he was smiling in the first place? He expected him to be furious with him for quitting without letting them know, scream at him for abandoning them when they swore they would stick together, accuse him of betrayal for everything he did! Nothing was making any sense. And did he say roommate? What’s that about? He just wanted to go back to eating his ramen in peace. He could hear his ramen calling out to him. Oh how he missed his ramen

‘You don’t actually plan on hurting me with those, do you?’ Jinyoung asked after Mark didn’t say anything, pointing to chopsticks that remained tightly in Mark’s grasp

Mark gulped nervously and reluctantly turned around, putting the chopsticks in the kitchen island and allowing Jinyoung to enter the apartment in the process.

After glancing around, Jinyoung let out a sound of appreciation, making Mark turn around and face him.

‘This place is so big and pretty, you have good taste Mark hyu-’

‘Why are you here Jinyoung?’ Mark asked through gritted teeth, frustrated with Jinyoung’s casual behavior. He knew it was a show, but didn’t understand what the younger was thinking.

Jinyoung pouted at being interrupted and that just further increased Mark’s agitation. Does he think this is some sort of joke?

‘What do you mean? I told you, I’m your roommate’ He pointed plainly it out like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

‘What are you playing at Jinyoung?’ His patience was running low but Jinyoung seemed absolutely calm and firm with his statements.

‘What? This apartment looks very comfortable-

‘Yeah well you don’t need to make yourself comfortable here’ Mark interrupted him again, more harshly than he intended. He saw a flicker of hurt in Jinyoung’s eyes but it was gone the next second, replaced by a mocking smile.

‘Ah hyung, isn’t that a little rude? I paid for this room you know’ he declared, pointing at the direction of vacant room located right opposite Mark’s room.

Mark was confused beyond words

‘What? Why?’ he asked incredulously,

Jinyoung just shrugged in response, making his way to the living room ‘I don’t know, like I said it’s a pretty place’ he said, sending another smile Mark’s way and taking a seat in the couch.

Mark exhaled loudly, telling himself not to yell at the younger. Whatever Jinyoung was trying to pull off was his fault anyway. He needed to deal with this calmly.

He sat beside Jinyoung and sighed.

‘Do the others know you’re here?’ Mark asked, curious and actually wanting to know

‘Jaebum hyung does’ he paused ‘the rest will know soon. Word spreads fast right?’ He said with a lopsided grin

‘Jinyoung listen’ Mark said as calmly as possible. Jinyoung turned so he was facing Mark properly, a pensive look on his face as if he expected this. Mark continued nevertheless, taking this opportunity to say the goodbye he failed to say to him but wanted to.

‘I don’t know how much you know but I decided to leave-’ he started but Jinyoung cut him off

‘You left the idol life, asked JYP to terminate your contract like a month ago, the same time you started shifting to this lovely apartment that your brother lived in earlier, broke the news to Jaebum hyung alone this morning so you won’t have to face the other members and made sure no one had your address to track you down. Have I got the main gist of it hyung?’

Mark stared at him bewildered, he was taken aback, not just by how much Jinyoung knew about all this but also by the emotionless way he stated everything. Kinda like a robot reciting a poem.

He swallowed and nodded in reply, not being able to hold Jinyoung’s piercing gaze ‘Y-Yes, you got it. But then I hope you know that I don’t plan on coming back’

When Jinyoung just nodded in response, Mark bit his lip to stop him from screaming at the younger’s blank reactions

‘Seriously Jinyoung’ He pressed ‘I left for a reason so whatever you think you are doing, coming her-’

‘I know hyung. I know’ Jinyoung interrupted, looking Mark dead in the eyes to show that he means what he is saying

‘Then what are you doing here? And please answer me properly. You should be in the dorm practicing the new - wait Oh my god you didn’t quit, did you?’ Mark suddenly horrified at the thought but Jinyoung remained void of any emotion

‘Why? If you can leave, then why can’t I?’ He asked, his lips pursed and eyes narrowed but his expression softened when he saw the panicked look on Mark’s face. He sighed and shook his hea