"Mark."

"Hm?" The latter hummed, not looking up from his book. They were  doing Mark's homework after eating lunch that Jackson cooked for them. "Who's Daniel?" His hands stop, he looks up at the elder. "How do you know him?" 

"Jinyoung." Mark nods and continue doing his work. "What did hyung tell you about him?"

"He said something about you losing him but he told me to ask you myself if I want to know more." Mark sigh and put down his pen before he shifted his gaze out of the window. "He was my dad. Well we are not blood related as he took me in when I was 13, on the street, dying. He... I could say that, he brought me to life once again. He owned a cafe and everyone there accepted me as his son. He gave me love, family and happiness. He treats me well as if I'm his biological son. I was so happy that I didn't realize everything has it ends." He looks at Jackson with a sad smile.  "Just when I thought life is actually way more beautiful than how I thought it was, everything falls apart. He left me on last July, the cafe didn't work out properly until it was forced to closed down and everyone left me me alone...except Jinyoung hyung. He has been staying close to me. Maybe he doesn't show up often but I know he has always been there making sure I was fine. All the groceries and paid bill that was left in front of my door would always remind me that I wasn't alone. But of course I didn't rely on him completely because I know he has his own life too." He wipes his wet eyes with the back of his hand.

Jackson stands up from his seat and kneels down beside Mark. He brought the smaller into his warm embrace which the younger gladly falls right in it. "I'm sorry that I made you remember those painful memories again." He rubs the other's back softly. Mark pulls away and look at him, smilling. "Nah I really wants to tell you everything about me one day but I don't know how. I want to open up to you because I know that, you won't leave me like how they did right?"

"Mark you can just tell me whatever you wants whenever. I'll always be here to listen to you. I'll always be here catch you when you fall." He pat the redhead softly which the latter smiles in return.

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Night came. Mark walk passed Jackson in the living room and put his shoes on, ready to go out. "Where are you going?" Jackson ask, approaching the redhead. "I'm going to the bar for a while." Jackson frown at that. "I thought I told you to quit."

"That's why I'm going now Jackson."

"Then let me go with you, it's dangerous." Before he could say anything Jackson already went upstair to get his jacket.

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"How should I say it to him?" Mark mumbles to himself. "Who?" Jackson ask, looking at the redhead for a second before looking back at the road. "My manager, he has been helping me out so much. I feels guilty to tell him that I'm quitting."

"I can talk to him for you."

"What no. That would be too heartless." 

"Just tells him what you think as long as you mean it from your heart. I'm sure he would understand you." Maark nods and look out of the window.

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They get out of the car and enter the bar through the front door with Mark showing the guards his working ID. But actually even without him doing so, they would know him, Mark Tuan with the highest rate at Serene. "He's with me." He told the guards, then they open the door letting them enter. "Mark you're late today. Manager-nim is waiting for you in his room." Rose came to them. "I'm not here to work today rose. I'm quitting."

"Ehhh?! But you just started to rise and you were doing well. Why do you suddenly want to quit? Is it that customer again? Is he still disturbing you? You should tell our boss, he will be black listed from here. If he-" Mark quickly shush rose as he doesn't want Jackson to hear every damn thing. But it was too late as Jackson's already there standing straight behind him while boring a hole in his head. "Who is he?" Jackson ask, anger evident in his voice. 

"Rose I'll talk to you later I'm meeting with the manager now hahaha bye let's go Jackson." Quckily he waves at rose and pulls Jackson with him. They stop in front of the toilet and Mark turn to face Jackson. "Mark what-" He was cut off by the redhead. "Before you ask anything, I want you to wait for me here and I'll tell you everything later." He said before running around the corner heading to the manager's office. 

He knocks twice before entering the room. "Mark you came." The manager greeted him. He bow and look at the elder. "Sir I am sorry about yesterday, that person was someone I know. I fainted so he took me home."

"It's okay as long as you are fine. How are you feeling now? You're good to work?"

"About that sir..." He rubs his neck, guilty filling him up. "What is it Mark?" The elder look at him with curiosity. "I...I'm quitting today..." He frowned at the younger's words. "Why so sudden? I thought you were doing fine. Was the pay is not high enough?" The man approach him and stands in front of him. Mark shakes his head at that. "No sir the pay was enough for me. The fact that it was more than enough for me to get by just fine."

"Then why?" 

'Just tells him what you think as long as you mean it from your heart.' The latter's words came into his mine. He let out a sigh before looking up at the older. "You have helped me a lot by letting me worked here even though you know it's a risk for letting a minor working here. I really appreciate your help and support but now, I already found a suitable place for me where I am accepted as who I am and I'm going there." The manager smiles and pat his shoulder. "Thank you for your hardwork for all those time when you were here with us. Now you're free but you will always be a part of Serene. Make sure to come here if want to have fun after you reach that age." He winked at the redhead playfully which the younger laught at. "Ah yeah don't forget to get your things from your locker." Mark nods before excusing himself.

________________________________________________________________________

Mark came back to the place that he left Jackson at but the latter wasn't there. He peek inside the toilet and saw one of the cubicle door were closed. 'Maybe he's using the toilet.' He thought, before entering the staff room which is just beside the toilet. 

He was closing the locker after done collecting his things when a familiar man pin him on the locker from behind while holding his hand behind him. "Here you are my little kitty~" The man inhale his scent like a ert. "You better off before I kick your you bastard!" He try to pull his hand away. "But I rather you here baby~" His hand plays with the redhead's jeans button and his leg is pressing the younger's. "You piece of let me go!" He tried to kick his way out like he used to do but unfortunately this difficult positing is bringing him nowhere. "HELPMPHH!" He scream out but the man was quick enough to shut him up with putting a cloth in his mouth.

"I'm not that stupid Markie~" His hand wander around the other's hips, his lips ghosting over the redhead's jaw. Mark close his eyes tightly, praying for Jackosn to be there, well his prayer was granted when the man suddenly fly to the ground. "DON'T ING TOUCH HIM YOU FILTH!" Mark slide down the locker, too shocked from the fact that a stranger was about to  him . It's true, what Jackson said. The man stands up and swing a punch towards Jackson but he was faster to catch the other's arm and throw him to the floor.

Rose who were passing by the room when he heard the commotion and enter the room. He gasp at the sight in front of him. The familiar man who he knows has been pestering Mark was lying on the floor. "W-what happened?" He stutter. Mark turn towards the voice. "Rose p-please tell the manager about him for me." He said with a small voice. Rose nods his head and quickly runs towards the manager's office.

Jackson approached Mark and scoop him up in his arms and leave the room. Jackson open the passenger door and put Mark down on the seat. He close the door and went around the car to enter the driver seat. Through out the whole drive, Mark just lean his head on the window.

After Jackson park the car, Mark get out of the car and went straight into the house. Jackson followed the redhead and closes the door behind him. 'I guess he wants to be alone for a while.' He thought to himself and went to his room. He was about to enter his room when suddenly a hands wrapped around his waist. He knows whose those hands belongs to. A small "Thank you" came from the shorter. Jackson turns to face the redhead who was still hugging him. Well he was quite shocked as that was the fisrt time Mark hug him first. "I'm sorry I was late." Mark shake his head, "No you came just in time, when I thought of you..." Jackson bury his nose in the red hair and rub his back. He's relieved that nothing worse happen to the person that he loves.

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The next day

"Wake up sleepy head you got school." The said sleepyhead rolls onto his back and stretch out his limbs. He opens his eyes to be greeted by the sight of his teacher standing beside the bed. "Come on you gotta eat breakfast before you start the day." He pulls the redhead to sit up. He laugh when Mark look at him with a sleepy expression. "Why?" He said, then falls back onto the mattress. "Mark wake up or you'll be late." Jackson pulls the redhead up and dragged him towards the bathroom inside his room. After making sure Mark was taking a shower instead of sleeping in there, he went to the kitchen get the breakfast ready.

After a while, the younger enter the kitchen, with a complete uniform and a pullover over his shirt. "Why are you wearing that when it's hot like hell right now." He said while taking a seat opposite the younger. "I'm out of foundation." He answered with a faint blush decorating his cheeks. Jackson think for a while when he remembered about those hickey that he gave him. Jackson smirk at him, "Sorry about them. I'll make sure to leave it at where it will not be seen later." Mark blush deeper at his words. "T-there will be n-no nother time!" He said before start on his food, hiding his face. Jackosn laugh at the cute little creature.

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"Stop here." Mark said, when they were not to far from the school's gate. Jackson did as told and look at him. "Why?" Mark sling his back on his shoulder, "I don't want people to see us together. Rumors spread like wildfire in this school." He get out of the car and walk away. Jackosn shrug at that and continue driving.

Later during lunch...

"Are you guys attending the ball next week?"  Youngjae ask with his mouth full with foods. "Like I said, that's gross Jae." Bambam said to Youngjae. "Of course I'm coming." Yugyeom answered cheerfully. "Me too." Bambam and Jaebum said in unison. "Ball?" The only lost deer look at his friends. "Gosh Mark how can you not know about the dance. You can't miss this opportunity to have a dance with a handsome prince charming." All of them look at Bambam who's lost in his imagination. Jaebum shake his head and look at Mark. "For this ball it's not required for you to have a partner. You can dance with whoever and we gonna have a buffet. It's next week, you still have time to pick out your suit."

Mark nods at the information. "Wait no not a suit." They look at bambam. "A dress is way more suitable for you then you can have a dance with your hot teacher." Bambam said with a mischievous grin. Mark blush at his words and Jaebum smack his head. "He's not wearing a dress Bambam." Bambam rub his poor head, "But I'm sure he will look as beautiful as he did during the play before." He said with a pout. Youngjae and Yugyeom laugh at the two while Mark hide his blush, remembering about the moment he share with the older during the play.

________________________________________________________________________________

"Say, you're going to the ball next week?" Mark ask the older who was checking his answer paper. "Yes."  

"With who?" Mark ask, resting his chin on his folded arms on the table while looking at the other. "Of course I'm coming with you Mark we are staying together afterall." He said, eyes still on the paper. "No I mean, do you have a partner for the ball.?" He look at the redhead and smirk. "Why? you want to be my partner?" Mark shake his head furiously. "No I was just asking...since you have so many girl chasing after you."  He look straight at the table and fiddle his paw sweater. And of course Jackson finds the need to capture the moment. Quietly he takes out his phone and snap the picture. The click sound cause the younger to raise his head up.

"Did you take my picture?" Ignoring the question, Jackson keep his phone and look at the younger with his chin rested on his palm. "I'm going with no one because I'm not interested to and plus, what's the point of bringing a partner if they are not Mark Tuan." He needs it with a wink, causing the redhead to blush deeply. 

"Ah right what about your suit, you have it yet?" Mark shake his head at that. "I don't think I'm going." 

"Why not? Don't give me a "I don't have a friend excuse." "

"Hey I'm not that low okay. It's just that, going to the ball is boring."

"How do you know it's boring?"

"My mom and dad always make sure to drag me along whenever they have a ball and all I got during  the whole event was them talking about works. I'd rather binge on Harry Potter than that." Jakson laugh at the younger. "Mark this is a school ball, no one's gonna talk about work and it's not like we are doing an exact formal dance, we will all just be having fun.You are thingking too much." He ruffled that red hair.

"So you're going?" He ask again. "I guess." Mark nods at that. "Then, we are buying your suit tomorrow okay?" The latter shake his head. "Suit is expensive I can't effort it."

"I'm not asking you to pay it yourself Mark." That raised the redhead's eyebrow. "I didn't ask you to quit your job to let you live penniless. I'll pay for it don't worry."

"But why?" 

"Why what?"

"Why are you wasting your money on me? I mean I am no one to you." Jackson's jaw drop at that. "Mark I wasn't joking about what I said to you that day at the bar."

"Jackson you- you were legit asking me to marry you, do you realize that?"

"Yes and I don't joke about things like that."

"Jackson this is me Mark Tuan." Mark points at himself, "The stupid, stubborn, lazy, useless kid that no one finds interesting."

"I know you are the stupid, stubborn, lazy, and useless kid that no one else finds interesting but, I do finds you interesting because only I know your real worth not them." Mark blinks twice at him. "Do you...like me?" Mark ask carefully. "Yes Mark Tuan I like you and I love you. I'm confessing to you right now so do you feels the same towards me?" Jackson almost facepalm because of the redhead. "M-Maybe." He asnwered, looking somewhere else. "Maybe? Then I guess it's a no."Jackson fake a hurt expression. Mark panics at that. "What no that's not what I mean. I don't know if I likes you or not because I never know how does it feels like when you likes someone." He looks at Jackson like a puppy asking for forgiveness with a little pout. Jackson let out a chuckled at the the redhead before patting his head. "It's okay Mark I'm not asking you to accept me right now. Take your time and learn more about yourself and your own feelings because no one else can help you with that except yourself." He flash a gentle smile at the younger.

_________________________________________________________________________

That night Mark thinks to himself when he's alone in his room.

'Do I really like him? As a man and not as a teacher? I did tell my friends about how I feels towards him but what if I'm just feeling like that because he was so nice to me? For sake how do I figure this out?!' He rolls around the bed and kicks his blanket. All these thingking is messing up his small brain and he hates that.

So I'm done with this chapter :) Please forgive me if you guys found nothing but trashes in here.

Next chapter hint:

MARK FIGURED OUT HIS TRUE FEELINGS.