A/N: this came out from my jelly brain at 12.05 a.m. I apologise if it's not as good as Nomin's. Happy reading!

“My friend has a thing for your friend.”

Haechan muttered a weak what? But not because he had zero clue on what this masterpiece sitting in front of him talking about-- he was the Haechan for god’s sake, give him some credit-- it was because Mark was gazing at him intensely, with a smirk plastered on his face.

Haechan snapped back into his senses, collecting his mind together and tried to act composed. “You mean Jeno?”

“Great, you know about this,” Mark sighed in relief. He was not so sure how to bring this up, now he could just cut back the chase.

“Well, yeah. I heard from Jaemin. But, tell Jeno, he’s not at fault. Jaemin is just a bit… perplexed. He didn’t expect any of this. And… he has a serious self-esteem problems too. That boy is beautiful inside out. He doubts himself too much. Comparing himself too others and constantly put himself down. I hope you’ll understand,” Haechan knew he shouldn’t tell this to anyone, especially Jeno’s best friend. Above that, he needed Jaemin to be happy outside his comfort bubble at once.

Mark listened to him attentively. Half trying to catch up the content, the other half too mesmerised by Haechan’s mellow voice.

“I guess they just need a little push, eh?” Mark mumbled. “Oh, I noticed Jeno collects papers with scribbles on them for a while now. Is that his?”

Haechan gaped. No way, he thought. “Oh my god. So, you’re telling me the anonymous writer that wrote back to him is Jeno?” Haechan exclaimed. He was excited for this new discovery.

“He wrote back? That sneak,” Mark scoffed jokingly. “I have an idea. Jeno really wants to talk and make up, and if he still stand a chance, he wants to claim Jaemin. But we need to bring Jaemin out first and make him listen.”

Haechan extolled, “Okay, okay! How do you suggest we do that?”

Mark smirked, obviously proud of his smartass idea, “Flowers? Fairy lights? A surprise?”

“Okay now! Go tell Jeno and I will try to trap Jaemin,” Haechan jumped off his seat upon getting it but he was stopped as Mark’s gentle voice goes, “We could do that later.”

Mark hesitated for a split second, but hell it was not every day he got to be alone with the latter boy. “Let’s stop talking about them. Maybe start with us.”

Haechan’s face flushed as he heard Mark’s proposal. “Okay, what do you want to know?”

Mark shifted his gaze from the boy to his music sheets on the stand. Slightly intrigued, he questioned, “You made these?”

Haechan followed his gaze towards the music sheets. Mark’s hands were skimming through the crumbled paper. Yes, he made them but he did not quite finish them yet. “Yeah. But they’re just parts of it. Never got to put them altogether.”

“You could show me a part of it.” Mark pleaded, eager to hear his voice.

A muffle of ‘okay’ was heard. Haechan was nervous, it was not his first time but it was his first time singing in front of a very attractive specimen. His trembling hands reached over the guitar. After the first strum, he could feel his shoulder relaxed. Glancing over Mark, he saw Mark gave him an encouraging nod that left him all giddy inside.

“Our mistake was a state of mind, not a state of being. We truly loved each other. I’m glad we did.”

Haechan was singing with his eyes closed all the time. Completely missed Mark’s astonished look and how it turned into a sole admiration afterwards. Mark watched Haechan opened his eyes. His long eyelashes fluttered open, Mark discovered that he wanted to see more details of Haechan, even the littlest ones.

“Jaemin came up with the lyrics,” Haechan broke the silence. He ran his eyes everywhere to avoid Mark’s.

“Yeah, but your voice is something else,” Mark assured him, his eyes glued to the younger’s lips. He knew how hard he tried to look away, he just couldn’t.

“Thanks, you’re the only person besides Jaemin who ever said that,” Haechan gave a sad smile. He knew he had potential. Again, so did others. Some had bigger potential than he had.

Mark scooted closer to him, “I could listen to you sing all year long. Heck I would even record your voice on my phone and listen to it when you’re not beside me.”

“For your knowledge, Mark, I talk awfully a lot and I never shut up until I get into my way. You’re up for that?” Haechan raised on of his eyebrow, challenging the bigger boy.

“That would be my greatest pleasure,” Mark implied coyly. He then reached for Haechan’s arm and traveled up to his palm, he intertwined their hands together. “Sing to me, please?”

It had been approximately an hour since they met, and here they were; interlocking fingers. Combining all the shocks Haechan felt, he could have a cardiac arrest. Haechan knew he found someone he could always be with, someone that could spark his confidence.

Haechan sang songs after songs. Each of them passed, but Mark was still holding him tightly, not a second thought of letting go.

It was getting late, so they packed their stuffs and headed out. Mark was not ready to leave, nor did Haechan. “I’ll walk you home,” Mark offered, no, more like demanded.

Mark subconsciously reached over Haechan’s hand, again holding it tighter, making Haechan stumbled closer to him. Haechan thought he was doing an excellent job at hiding how much he wasn’t affected by this. However, the way his tongue were tied up for once, it was not that hard to pinpoint he was affected.

Both of the boys walked back home in silence, not the awkward one where Haechan would run his mouth like an engine. It was rather the comfortable one. Hands in hands, they ambled along the alley. Occasionally, Mark would burst the bubble, “Is this restaurant good?”, “We should try the ice cream here sometimes.”

For the first time, Haechan was displeased that he reached home. “We’re here. This is where I live.”

Mark was stagnant. He drew his lower lip between his teeth. “Ah, right.”

Haechan was supposed to leave, he had no reason to stay, but Mark was holding his hand like he was not going to let go. Mark noticed Haechan’s expression and looked at their interlocked fingers. Then, his eyes ran back to the sun kissed boy. Both of them were fledgling; young and inexperienced. Mark was sure that the feelings he had on that moment, was foreign.

If God gives you an opportunity, you snatch them. And that was exactly what Mark did; grabbing the chance. He tugged Haechan’s closer, making him stumbled forward again. The proximity of their lips sent their nerves sparking. Haechan could feel Mark’s shaky breath on his face.

Mark finally let go of his hands. Just so that he could cup Haechan’s face between his palms. He caressed the tanner’s cheeks before leaning in to kiss him.

Haechan reacted almost immediately. He tugged onto Mark’s triceps and gave in to the kiss. The kiss was passionate, overflowing with emotions, as if they were telling each other their feelings. Thank goodness the it was already dark. Making out in front of an apartment complex entrance was definitely not ideal.

They were so caught up in the kiss even when one of them pulled away for air, the other would immediately attached their lips back together. Mark’s right arm made its way to Haechan’s back, pressing him closer mirroring he was not getting enough of the other. Underneath the layers, Haechan could feel his skin burning under Mark’s touch. He did not want this to end.

They could hear footsteps echoes. The echoes slowly faded, indicating someone was approaching them. But, neither of them could stop.

“Where the hell did this kid go-- oh, there you are son. Hello to the boy my son is making out with,” a middle-aged woman beamed.

Haechan pulled away in the speed of light, his eyes quivered. “Mum, let’s head back,” he dragged his mother away from the scene.

“No, wait! Let me offer your boyfriend a tea.”

“MUM!!!”

Mark was puzzled, his gaze followed the pair went in. He bit his bottom lip, stopping the smile that crept in.
 

The next day, Jaemin noticed his chatty best friend turned into a stone. It was the second period but he did not make a full sentence yet. That was quite worrisome.

“Are you sick?” Jaemin asked, both worried and joking.

“I guess. I think I’m coming down with a fever,” Haechan predicted. Well, evident #1, his body kept on generating heat. Evident #2, he was breaking in cold sweat. Evident #3, abnormal heartbeats. This is all that jock’s fault. He was dying to tell his best friend what happened. But he wouldn’t. for the sake of the master plan.

As the bell rang, he excused himself from Jaemin, blurting that he needed to drop by the infirmary. Of course, he did not. He went to the music room, hoping he could bump into a certain someone there.

And from meters away, he could see a familiar physique pressing his back against the door. He swore god was planning something.

Mark lift his head up and smiled as he saw the person he had been missing. He stayed put. Eyes boring on the walking boy.

“Miss me?” Mark hummed.

“Ha-ha, not really,” Haechan flatly replied.

Of course, Mark knew he was lying. If not, he wouldn’t be avoiding his eyes. Mark pointed his head towards the room and ushered Haechan inside. He then pulled out sandwiches that he bought before school.

They talked more about themselves while eating. Random topics such as football, a tv show Mark watched yesterday, conspiracy theories, etc. It was five minutes before the bell went off, they stopped talking.

“You’re so beautiful. I should have known you sooner,” Mark said, sending jolts in Haechan

Chance looked down, embarrassed and flattered by the compliments. Mark leaned over the coffee table separating and caught Haechan lips. Haechan looked up and massaging his lips with Mark’s.

Then, the bell went off.

“Ice cream after school?”

“Yes, Mark. Ice cream in the middle of this winter. My teeth are coming off,” Haechan hissed.

“Babe, I’d still love you even when that happens,” Mark smiled too himself, pleased of his remarks.

They strolled their way back home. Mark kept on talking about a football match that Haechan had not know about but still listened to him and gave feedback. Walking arms in arms seemed natural to them. No one would’ve guessed they only met yesterday.

They spotted a playground and decided to spend some time alone. They took their seat at the end of the double slide.

“You are the most lovely person I’ve ever met,” Mark mumbled mindlessly. He played with Haechan’s hand, ghosting his lips over the skin before placing trail of kisses on it. He then brought the back of the hand against his cheek, rubbing his cheek lovingly.

Haechan did not expect a certified school’s football star was such a softie. Haechan tilted his head to his side, gazing at Mark. How could he not fall helplessly if Mark being this cute?

“But, YOU are the most lovely person I’ve ever met,” Haechan quoted him. It was true though.

Mark loved this exact moment. He felt at peace, at the same time fireworks erupted with every words Haechan uttered. He desired this kind of moment more in the future, best, in his instant future. He wanted to snuggle with the very exact boy like the first time they did in the music room. Now. Now is perfect.

“I know it has only been two days, but I’m crazy in love with you,” Mark’s slow voice sounded genuine to Haechan. “Go out with me?”

Haechan’s lips twitched, “If you kiss me.”

As if that was not Mark’s favourite thing to do.

“Okay, poodle. You stay at the rooftop while I try to get Jaemin’s out of the couch.” Haechan instructed Jeno, who was clearly to nervous to manage on his own.

Mark followed Jeno to the rooftop, helping him sort out the papers. He gave Haechan a peck and quickly ran to Jeno.

Haechan calmed himself down before pressing the bell. As expected, Jaemin was satisfying the demon inside of him. No shocker there, that guy was a wreck these past days. He needed to knock some sense into Jaemin.

So, he told Jaemin about Jeno’s interest in him. He told him about the identity behind the reply, but he did not expect Jaemin to turn into a bigger wreck. He expected him to feel calmer. Oops, wrong move.

Jaemin liked the stars. Haechan remembered Jaemin once said that he liked that the stars are always in different forms. He liked to think that stars are lives, existing million of light years away. Sometimes he would say things that did not make a perfect sense: Maybe stars are humans from other planets, maybe they too, see us as stars. Like a parallel universe.

Haechan recalled back that day his forehead formed deep lines, trying to decipher Jaemin’s loop of thoughts. Then, he just nodded and gave up. But hey, at least Jaemin’s loop of thoughts widely contributed into his songs.

Just when they were about to go out, Haechan made an emergency visit to the bathroom. Of course, it was just a stunt. Lovebirds needed some time to themselves.

When he was positive that Jaemin was gone, he tiptoed out of the door. He was swiftly pulled aside by Mark, signaling a ‘shh’. Haechan blushed at the thought being in Mark’s embrace. He peeked out and notice Jaemin was gone. With feather-like footsteps, they mae thier way to the rooftop.

Haechan tried to eavesdrop by pressing his ear against the door. It did not work. Mark kept on blabbering beside was not any help either.

“Okay, whatever. Let them be. It’s freezing here,” Haechan remarked making his way down but mark insisted to stay.

“How do you know if Jaemin won’t push him?”

“He wouldn’t do that!”

Haechan sighed and watched Mark’s face scrunched, giving all his might to catch a word. Then, he couldn’t take it anymore. He barged into them.

A week later, news of the two couples broke out. They received mixed reaction. Honestly, they could not care less.

Mark and Haechan established their dating spot: the music room. Haechan would disappear during recess and strangely Mark would be nowhere in sight. Everyone knew. They just turned a blind eye.

Upon seeing Mark, Haechan jumped onto him and squeezed him with all his power. They couldn’t see each other on the weekend as Mark had to tag along his parents to his grandparents’. Haechan spent the whole weekend busying himself with his songs. Now that he finally had him, he was overjoyed.

Haechan dragged Mark into the room and hastily kissed him, “I missed you.”

Mark snickered, “Easy there, tiger. You’re gonna hurt yourself.”

Haechan swung his arms onto Mark’s shoulder, his fingers ruffling Mark’s hair before he went for a kiss. Mark loved that Haechan initiated the kiss first. He had been thinking about Haechan the whole long weekend. He kissed Haechan with more power, biting and his lower lips. He kissed Haechan harder as he heard Haechan let out a breathy moan.

Then it all halted as the door flung open, revealing a smiley Jaemin and Jeno.

“Payback time.”