They met the second time back at The Book Nest, huddled together between the rows of slowly filling bookshelves. It was such a homey feeling, being among the smell of paper and ink, alone in the center of a city where no one was bothering them, but simply walking by the empty building to go about their own business. Yugyeom had bought more clothes for Jinyoung, this time a soft flannel shirt paired with tight skinny jeans which left nothing about Jinyoung's legs to the imagination. Both smelled strongly of fabric softener, which he was pretty sure Mark realized as soon as he opened the door to let Jinyoung in. He could see him sniffing, then his lips curling upwards into a small smile. It felt really nice to be capable of making someone else smile like that, and Jinyoung couldn't hold back his reciprocal grin.

“So, now that we've covered basic small talk, let's try getting you to tell stories about yourself,” Mark said, sitting down on his work stool to resume price stamping the books left in the boxes. “First of all: what was it like growing up in the Peach Kiss household?”

“It was like a circus,” Jinyoung said. “Always something crazy going on, wherever you looked. People going into hysterics, someone spending a ridiculous amount of money on something stupid, colorful clothes with feathers, whirlwinds of photoshoots with women wearing bright make up. I always felt like I was watching a show that wasn't a part of normal reality.”

“And what part did you play in it? Spectator?”

“Show monkey,” Jinyoung answered. “Participating and following the motions, but basically just focusing on my next meal.”

Mark nodded. “What was your favorite memory growing up?”

“Favorite? One Christmas, my parents actually imported reindeer and some European guy who looked like Santa, and we went on a sleigh ride together, passing out presents to people who lived in the countryside. Because of that, I believed in Santa until I was about fifteen or sixteen since I thought I'd met him in real life.”

Mark burst out laughing. “Oh my god.”

“I know it was over the top, but it was seriously one of the coolest things I've ever done.”

“Were you good at school?”

“So-so,” Jinyoung admitted. “But it was a really competitive school. Kind of. There were a lot of genius types who'd been given the best education by their parents since birth and were literally walking text books. And then there were the people who knew they were rich and successful and didn't feel like they had to try in school. I just kind of floated in the middle.”

“Did you like going to school?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“Maybe you could understand, as a jack-of-all-trades. There were a lot of things I was good at in school, but I was never the best at anything. I was student council president one year, but as soon as Youngjae transferred, I was never voted in again. That was the only year I really felt at the top of anything.” Jinyoung paused. “I hope that didn't sound resentful of Youngjae. He really was better than me.”

Mark didn't agree or disagree. “Were you able to get along with your classmates?”

“I guess. I kind of just sat there listening while they talked. I didn't have any best friends, or anything.” Jinyoung kicked the ground a little with his foot. “But at least they didn't hate me like my classmates do now.”

“Did you ever have a girlfriend?”

Jinyoung looked up sharply. “No!”

“OK, whoa, that was a strong protest.”

“Sorry. It's just that...I'm not...”

“Not what? Not into romance?”

“Not into girls,” Jinyoung said softly. If Yugyeom already knew, he thought Mark should also know. But he was nervous about him knowing at the same time. What if he thought, like Yugyeom had, that he was trying to get things heading down a different path by being open about his preferences?

Mark simply nodded. “Ah, OK. Any boyfriends, then?”

“You took that bombshell well.”

“Personally, I'd date the person I fell in love with whether they were a guy or a girl."

“A lot of people say that, but it's a lot harder in practice. Especially here.”

“I know,” Mark said stubbornly. “I've had to think about this before, OK? I literally have gone both ways. I've been into a guy and gone out with a girl, and if I'm being 100% honest with you, I have better memories of the experience with the guy. Or boy, I should say. I was pretty young for that one.”

“Seriously?”

“Yeah, my girlfriend was a bit of a bad decision. I still had feelings for the other guy then, and she wasn't happy when she found out. So that was over quickly. Like I said, I have this thing about getting stuck in one way of thinking.” He shook his head. “Anyways, we're talking about you. Any boyfriends?”

“No, never.”

“Anyone you wanted to be your boyfriend?”

“I mean, there was this one time, but...” Jinyoung bit his lips. “I can't figure out who matches well with me if I don't really know myself well, right?”

“Right. So I guess you haven't had your first kiss yet, then?”

“Excuse me, but I have had it, thank you very much,” Jinyoung said, a little offended.

“Oh? This I have to hear.”

“Do I have to talk about that? It was kind of traumatizing.”

“Traumatizing?” Mark set down his pricing tool. “Tell me about it.”

“Well... for starters, you're an American, so you must know the game Seven Minutes in Heaven?”

Mark got a weird look on his face. “Yes, I do.”

“It was something like that. It was during my birthday party, maybe when I was seven or eight years old? Some of the guys at my party were talking about the fact that most of us had never had our first kiss yet, and someone who knew about the Seven Minutes game made a joke and said we should do something like 'One Minute First Kisses'. Several of the guys who hadn't been kissed yet would put on blindfolds and hide in different parts of the house. Any of the girls who were interested would try and find us, like hide-and-seek, and if they found us and wanted to, they'd stay with us for a minute and give us our first kiss, then leave before the minute was up. We had to keep the blindfold on for the full minute so we couldn't tell who had kissed us and there would be no pressure on the girls or on us to go out. It was just a silly little thing so people could brag that they'd kissed someone.”

“You honestly don't seem like the type.”

“I wasn't, but since I was the birthday boy, I still got roped into doing it. So I was hiding in the closet-”

“How symbolic.”

“Shut up. Anyways, I was kind of hiding partway covered by my Dad's dress shirts, because I really didn't want to be found. After a long time, I could hear someone coming into the closet with me, so I was trying to hold my breath so they wouldn't notice me. But they tapped my shoulder, and I turned around and BAM! Someone from my party was kissing me.”

“Oh, so your first kiss was one of the girls from your party? That barely counts if you're-” Mark stopped abruptly. “Wait...the closet...?”

“Yeah, but that's not the important part. The blindfold wasn't perfectly see-through, and I could see it wasn't a girl kissing me. It was a guy, one of the ones who hadn't hidden, maybe because he'd already had his first kiss or something. One minute they were kissing me, and the next they drew back and I was just trying to figure out who it was. I thought it was the TeleKomMart Bang from my class...he'd always been kind of shy and sweet with me, in both elementary school and high school. I still think he's the most likely candidate.”

"O-Oh," Mark said, when Jinyoung paused, waiting for his reaction.

“But...honestly, this is so embarrassing for me to admit, but it was a really thorough kiss for a grade school student. Whoever that person was who kissed me was really good, and I...it's a little bit humiliating to think of it now, but I really liked it. It was probably the most heart-fluttering thing that had ever happened to me back then, and was actually part of the reason I realized I was gay in the first place. And right after the guy stopped kissing me, he pulled away and while I was trying to look at him through my blindfold, he actually told me that he loved me. He ran away before the minute was up like he was supposed to, but there I was, all excited because someone loved me and I was maybe going to get a boyfriend if the guy came up to me during the party later and told me to my face, and it all just felt like the best birthday gift ever.”

Jinyoung waited for Mark to ask him some question or another about his weird first kiss story, but he didn't. He just kept staring, his eyebrows furrowed in either confusion or disapproval, which made Jinyoung feel even more embarrassed. It really wasn't your average story, but he didn't think it was that bad.

“Anyways, he never confessed to me,” Jinyoung muttered, wanting to wrap up the story before Mark began to think he was crazy. “If it was the TeleKomMart Bang, he was apparently too shy for a follow through. I had a crush on him in return for awhile thanks to that kiss, but I was also too shy to say anything, so nothing ever happened. I call it traumatizing because I still see him from time to time, and it's weird to think of my best and only kiss being with someone who I still know but never got any closure from. Maybe I have a shot still, but I think he may have already moved on by now.” Hadn't Jaebum mentioned something about him liking Youngjae these days? Jinyoung could have been bothered by it, but he'd also moved on a long time ago, in spite of his fond memories.

“Wow,” Mark said finally. “What a story. Can't say I was expecting something like that.” There was still something pinched in his expression, which Jinyoung couldn't imagine why. Hadn't he just said he was OK with same- relationships? Jinyoung winced. He should have just kept it to himself.

“How about you?” Jinyoung asked. “What's your first kiss story?”

“Me? Also embarrassing like yours. I guess there's a good chance of that happening when you do it when you're younger.” Mark picked up his pricing tool again. “It's not a good story."

"Oh," Jinyoung said, his shoulders slumping. Here he was, once again being stonewalled while trying to get to know Mark better. Why was he so intent on keeping details vague and never expanding into the parts of his life he asked Jinyoung to expand about? It was silly, but he was beginning to feel genuinely hurt. Mark was truly being kind to him, but was all the distance because he was a customer and Mark had no interest in being close to his clients?

Mark sighed, noticing the disheartened look on Jinyoung's face. “I'm sorry, Jinyoung. I'm not trying to brush you off. I just have a bad relationship with the past. I'm always living too much in it...then not even understanding the past to begin with..." He sighed. “Anyways, think of it as me trying to mimic real life here. No one you're going to meet at school or anything is just going to confess to everything about themselves right away.”

“Then why do I have to confess everything to you?”

“You don't have to. But I just wanted to make sure you can talk naturally about things in your life. If you really don't want to answer one of my questions, just tell me to shove off.” He rose to his feet, stretching his limbs. “Hey, let's take a break. You mentioned the other day that you want to have some fried chicken, right?”

“Yeah?”

Mark tossed him his cell phone. “Try ordering it yourself.”

“What?”

“I bet you've never done that before. Ordering food. So let's try it.”

The earlier moment of discomfort was forgotten in the hysteria of Jinyoung trying to properly order chicken for the first time, and the delight of actually eating it when it arrived, the grease from his fingers and talking to Mark about safer subjects like their favorite vacations and the worst foods they'd ever tried. As if to make up for his earlier sharp response to Jinyoung's question, Mark told him the long timeline of his travels around the world. He'd been young during his early years in Korea—he'd lived there from four years old to eight years old. He'd spent the most time in America, which he still felt homesick for from time to time.

But Jinyoung was still bothered. Not so much because of Mark's occasional omissions, because he understood what Mark had said before about people in real life not giving an information dump of personal facts to people they weren't familiar with yet. What bothered him was how much it mattered to him that Mark liked him. He'd always been a needy person when it came to other people's opinions, but it felt overwhelming this time. He felt like a baby chick who had imprinted on the first person who'd shown him this kind of potential for friendship, and now he was starved for the feeling of being needed back.

When they were finished eating, Mark placed a hand gently on Jinyoung's hair and ruffled it. It didn't quite work since Jinyoung's hair was up-swept with the help of hair spray, but it was a warm gesture all the same. “I'm thinking I'm starting to figure you out a little,” Mark said.

“Oh?” Jinyoung practically squeaked. “Are you?”

“Yeah. Things probably feel really complicated for you at the moment. And since you clearly think a lot, your thoughts are probably deep and difficult to get through sometimes. But I think in your heart you're just this really pure, simple, and straight forward person who feels things honestly and just wants the world to be honest back to you. And it just really makes me disappointed that the rest of the world doesn't get that about you, because I think if people took the time to get to know you, they'd really like you as much as I do.”

Oh. Jinyoung's heart started pounding wildly. No one had ever said something like that to him before, and the words kept ringing in his ears over and over again. Someone saw him clearly. Someone saw him clearly and still liked him. It seemed impossible, but he couldn't accuse Mark of not being genuine. He really meant it. And that's what made his heart pound the most. He'd never felt like this before, or had someone in his life who was capable of making him feel so open.

But he was worried. Worried that it felt too good, like too much. His skin was heating up, his body was trembling. This wasn't normal, right?
It felt good, but all the same Jinyoung couldn't help but think Oh, god, no. This is not good at all.

The next time wasn't at The Book Nest, but at the cupcake store, Frosting Smile. Unfortunately, there weren't actually cupcakes there at the moment. Mark was working on priming the antique wooden counter Youngjae had bought and getting ready to paint it pink.

“You must seriously be able to do so many things,” Jinyoung said enviously.

“I can groom a poodle.”

“Yeah?”

“Mhmm. I also have a license to operate a semi-truck. I can restring guitars and violins. I know about five different ways to unclog a drain. Oh, and most importantly: I can apply makeup pretty decently. To other people. And only Peach Kiss brand, of course.”

“Really?”

“Really. One of my clients had a hand tremor and needed help getting ready for job interviews. I think one of the desk guys assigned that one to me by accident, but I still had to do it.”

“Was it really Peach Kiss brand?”

“Of course. Nothing less than the best for my clients. How do you feel about the makeup industry, anyways? Are you planning on taking over the family empire?”

“I don't really have a choice, do I?”

“That's beside the point. Do you want to?”

Jinyoung considered. “A little bit,” he admitted. “I don't mind studying business. It's definitely challenging, and I think we have a good brand to work with. But I think I'd do things a little differently from my parents.”

“How so?”

“For one, I wouldn't be living the same luxury lifestyle. And I'd like Peach Kiss to be a little less of a luxury brand. Less expensive. People on a budget should be able to use our products, too. People should buy Peach Kiss because our products are the best, not because we're expensive and wearing us makes them feel decadent.”

“I like your mentality. And I'm glad you're happy about going into the family business, at least. Other than that, you probably have the same problem as the other silver spoons.”

“Which is...?”

“All the marriage pressure. Especially you, since-”

He was interrupted before he could finish. The front door swung open and Choi Youngjae walked through carrying a big white box in his hands.

“I brought donuts for the hard worker~” he trilled in a sing-song voice. “Your favorites, the kind with the special gla-” He paused when he saw Jinyoung. “Uh... am I in the right place? Park Jinyoung, what are you doing here?”

Mark popped up to his feet from behind the counter. “I invited him. Is that OK?”

Youngjae set down the box, smacking himself on the forehead. “Of course you invited him. You guys are friends too, of course it's OK if you invite him.”

Jinyoung felt a little shocked. Had Mark actually told Youngjae they were friends? Were they friends?

Mark didn't help by elaborating. He popped open the donut box and took one of the glazed ones out, looking at it borderline romantically. “Thanks, Youngjae. Just dropping by?”

“Hey, don't give me the bum's rush. I haven't seen Jinyoung in ages.” He turned to Jinyoung, grinning. “You look different from what I'm used to, but I totally like those clothes on you. But you have the same problem as me when I dress down. We still have 'the hair'.” Sure enough, they both had the same carefully styled and sprayed up-swept hair that was popular with their generation of heirs—it had been practically uniform in their high school. Jinyoung self-consciously tried to flatten it, but the spray had held too well.

“Don't worry, it actually looks good on you,” Youngjae laughed. “It just makes me look like a douche.”

“Douches don't have baby animal faces like yours,” Mark butted in.

“Don't play nice.” Youngjae jerked his thumb towards Mark, rolling his eyes for Jinyoung's benefit. “I wore sunglasses and forgot to take them off inside the last time I visited, and he kept muttering 'The sun never sets in Douche Bag City' under his breath the whole time.”

“You were being annoying that day.”

“You always say that.”

“That's because you're never not annoying.”

Jinyoung was amazed as he listened. This was the kind of close teasing between friends that he'd always wanted, and once again he felt an incredible surge of jealousy over Youngjae. He'd known Youngjae and Mark knew each other, but he wasn't expecting them to be this kind of close. He wanted to be like this, too. Not necessarily for Mark to start calling him a douche, but for him to have that exact same spirited look in his eyes when he spoke to Jinyoung. He was incredibly sweet during their talks, and Jinyoung appreciated it, but there was a deeper level in what Mark had with Youngjae, something that only came with knowing someone for a long time and continually building on that initial affection every day.

“So why do I never see you at events anymore?” Youngjae asked Jinyoung. “Everyone always asks about you.”

Mark's eyes shifted to Jinyoung. Tell the truth, he seemed to be saying. At least try to.

“Honestly, I really hate most of those social events,” Jinyoung said. It was a lot easier than he thought it would be, especially since he really didn't want to revert into a cowardly, lying person in front of Mark. He also had a feeling Youngjae wouldn't be too bothered by it. He was a safe person to say it to.

Sure enough, Youngjae's face broke out into a grin. “Yeah, to tell you the truth, I don't really have an interest either, other than the food. But I knew networking was important for starting my own business, so I soldiered through it. I think you're better off skipping, though; you always did look pretty unhappy.” He paused. “But seriously, can't you at least have one or two small social events at your house? For your birthday or something? I miss your house.”

“You miss...my house? Isn't yours bigger?”

“Yeah, but your house has certain things my house doesn't have...like hot staff...like Jaebum.”

Jinyoung blinked. “Jaebum?”

“Yes! I totally have innocent-master-being-punished-by-dirty-butler fantasies whenever I see him. Don't you? I bet you must go crazy all the time, having to be around him so often. I've had a crush on him since he was in training.”

“Oh?” Jinyoung remembered Jaebum saying something similar about Youngjae. Should he mention that?

He was about ready to, when he noticed the disgusted expression on Mark's face. “Hey, I'm not here to listen to yours and Jinyoung's erted fantasies,” he said. “Save it.”

Jinyoung wanted to protest that he had absolutely no erted fantasies about Jaebum, but Youngjae had already started talking. “Whatever, Mark. You'd understand if you saw this guy. He's on legs."

"I don't have to see him, Youngjae. You've talked about him nonstop every time I see you. My mind is filled with hot butler Im Jaebum, completely against my will. And now you're telling me Jinyoung is involved in it, too? I absolutely do not want to hear about it from two different people at once. Enough is enough. Let me live a little!"

Youngjae looked at Mark contritely. "Sorry. I know I can go overboard sometimes. Please don't be mad at me, Youngjae will be good~"

Mark sighed and mussed Youngjae's upswept hair a little. "You're such a freaking pain," he said, resignedly.

Jinyoung felt another little pang. He wanted Mark to call him a freaking pain in that voice, oddly. He'd take that little bit of roughness if it also came with the tenderness woven within.

"Speaking of pains, why won't you accept my extra ticket to the winter charity ball?" Youngjae asked. "All the girls are trying to get me to promise that you'll come."

"You know that's not my thing..." Mark was suddenly glancing at Jinyoung nervously out of the corner of his eye, as if he was wary of Jinyoung listening in on this part of the conversation.

"Come on, if you never get out of these shops, people aren't going to remember that you even exist," Youngjae persisted. "You're never at any social gatherings, and I think everyone's completely forgotten that you have more money than guys like me and Jinyoung combined. You're the silver spoon to end all silver spoons, hiding at a convenience service company.”

Jinyoung froze in place. What.

What?

WHAAAAATTTT?!?!?!

A Google search confirmed it. The Tuan family was responsible for an internationally famous company which imported cars across the world, including, but certainly not limited to, all the places where Mark had lived previously. They owned and maintained luxury mansions in all those locations, and even had a private island for family vacations. They were swimming in cash, far more than Jinyoung, whose family business was limited to South Korea, would probably ever see in his lifetime.

“WHY DIDN'T YOU JUST TELL ME?” Jinyoung yelled after Youngjae had left.

“I'm sorry,” Mark said, lifting up his hands. “But I thought it would mess with our contract. You specifically wanted to break away from the world of privilege, and I'm technically a part of that world. I didn't want you to feel like you weren't getting what you asked for.”

“Couldn't you have just informed me of that and asked me if I wanted to reassign to someone else?”

“I didn't want you to reassign. I thought I could help you because I literally understood where you were coming from.” He sighed in frustration. “My parents were cool about letting me live my own life, but I get how you felt about hating all the pretending and doing things only because you had to. I didn't think there was anyone else at Anything who would understand that as much as me. But I didn't want you to think that I'm just like all your other rich friends who aren't friends with you genuinely. I wanted you to believe in me.”

“I think it would be easier for me to believe in you if you weren't lying to me constantly.”

“I didn't actually lie,” Mark protested. “I just...didn't tell you something.”

“AKA, a lie of omission.”

“In that case, I'm sorry. Sorry that I hurt you. You can fire me if you want, but I just want you to know that I do want to help you, and how much money my family has made has nothing to do with that.”

Jinyoung folded his arms across his chest, still feeling a little pissed. “We've met before, haven't we? That's why Youngjae thinks we're friends and you recognized my name so quickly.”

“Yeah, technically we've met,” Mark said. “But I don't think you've actually spoken to me before. I wasn't a popular person to invite to parties even when I was little because I was foreign. But I tagged along with Youngjae to a few events, and you were there from time to time. But like I said, you never said a word to me, and I think I said maybe five words or less to you back then.”

“God. That's why Yugyeom was insisting that we knew someone named Mark. Because we do. I feel like an idiot. I insisted to him you were 100% commoner.”

“I am, pretty much. I don't accept any money I haven't earned myself. And there are other members of my family to inherit the business. I'm happy just working for Anything and doing handyman odd jobs, which makes me happier than anything the silver spoon life offered or anything else money could buy.” He leaned against the counter, his painting work for the day pretty much forgotten. “So. Do you want to fire me, Park Jinyoung?”

Jinyoung was certainly annoyed, but at the same time, secretly relieved. This was why Mark had been dodging his questions. Not because he disliked Jinyoung or felt uncomfortable with him, but because he didn't want to be discovered as a silver spoon to end all silver spoons. And no matter how much money Mark had, he was still different from the other people in Jinyoung's world. He understood him. He was genuinely helping Jinyoung branch out and become more assured, and that was far more important than the details of Mark's back story and one or two lies of omission.

“I won't fire you,” Jinyoung said finally. “But could you please try not to lie to me again in the future?”

“Before I agree to that, can I talk to you about something? I just want to get this off my chest in case you change your mind and decide to fire me.”

“What is it?” Jinyoung asked, tilting his head.

“It's that thing Youngjae was talking about... with that Jaebum guy. He's a part of your household?”

“Yes? He's my parents' manservant.”

“Huh. I would never have guessed that the guy Youngjae was so obsessed with had anything to do with you. Small world.” Mark snorted with a shake of his head. “Can you do me a favor? Help them get together.”

“That's a weird request.”

“I'm well aware. Youngjae brought it up casually, but it's been going on for awhile. He mentioned it to me not long after I met him again at Anything, so it's been over a year or so at least. And during that one year, Youngjae has been asked out and confessed to by more people than I can count, and rather than being into his money, most of the people who are interested really, genuinely like him. Honestly, it feels crappy even just watching it from the sidelines. The weight of all the disappointment. I guess Youngjae's always so focused on the positives that he doesn't feel it, but I can. And it's tiring."  He sighed a little. "Do those people a favor and actually take him off the market if he's not on it in the first place. I think it will hurt less to have their hopes crushed in one go rather than have it drag out.” He folded his arms across his chest. “It might help you, too, if Youngjae's not the only one who thinks you've also noticed how hot this guy is, or whatever.”

“But I haven't!” Jinyoung protested. “I mean, he's good looking, but I haven't thought like that...he's like part of the family to me. Besides, no one is really interested in me romantically in our circle.”

Mark snorted. “Heh. That's what you think. You mentioned the TeleKomMart guy, but there were definitely others, I remember. Girls and guys.”

“Jaebum does have an interest in Youngjae, and I'd be happy to put them back in touch again, if that's what they want. But I'm not going to do anything more than that. Anything after that is up to them. I don't think there should be any rush to get him off the market just to spare other peoples' feelings. Youngjae and Jaebum and I aren't responsible for how everyone else feels. They're free to love Youngjae as long as they need to until their hearts can move on. And Youngjae can feel how he wants and resolve it as quickly or slowly as he wants to without worrying about who else loves him. It's not like getting together with Jaebum is actually going to kill off what other people feel just like that.” Jinyoung stared at his feet. “It'll still drag out, probably. It'll die when it's ready to, Jaebum or no Jaebum. That's what I think.”

Mark stared at him for awhile, his face not revealing what he was thinking. Jinyoung was unsure why he'd brought it up at all, why he was phrasing it to sound like he wanted Jinyoung to set Jaebum and Youngjae up not for the sake of Youngjae's happiness, but for the sake of someone else. Who was Mark doing this for?

“You really are pure and straightforward,” Mark said finally, a little quietly. “I wish I could think like you, really. And you're right. Let them do it at their own pace. I see what you mean. I guess I just don't like things standing in the way of love, so I want them to finally move forward. I guess I'd like to do a little moving forward myself.”

“Mark...”

“It's nothing,” Mark said quickly, shaking his head. “Anyways, where were we? No lying in the future, including omissions? Done. I'm not going to deliberately hide anything from now on when you ask. So please don't fire me.”

“I won't,” Jinyoung said, a little uneasily. “Let's do this the right way from now on.”

“OK, Young Master, we need to talk,” Yugyeom said.

“No,” Jinyoung groaned. “I've had enough bombshells dropped on me for one day, please don't.”

“Who said anything about a bombshell? What happened today?”

“I found out Mark is from a very rich family, and he hadn't told me about it this whole time. He's Mark Tuan. Ever heard of him?”

Yugyeom snapped his fingers. “That's who I was trying to think of the other day. I knew we knew someone named Mark.”

“Apparently he came to some of the same events as me when I was a kid, but I don't think you would have ever met him. You were literally just a toddler back then.”

“No, but I know him by reputation, and from servant gossip. Anyways, forget that for a second. Right now I was going to ask if you were all right. You've been pacing all evening. Are you pissed at him?”

“Not really. He at least had a good reason not to tell me. It's just that...”

“What?”

“I...I...” Jinyoung sighed in frustration. “Why do I care so much? About everything having to do with him? Why do I care almost as much about figuring him out as I care about figuring myself out?”

“Because,” Yugyeom said tiredly, “maybe they're becoming the same things.”

“Explain.”

“Figuring him out is connected to figuring yourself out. You're trying to figure out what you want in life, right? Aren't you also trying to figure out if he's part of what you want? Just be honest with yourself, okay? You like him. I've never seen someone as lifeless and frankly as flavorless as you smiling and laughing and pacing and freaking out as much as you are now just out of nowhere. It's because he came into your life, isn't it? You've changed because you've finally found something important enough inside your heart to change for.”

Jinyoung buried his face in his hands. “I think,” he said grudgingly, “that you might be right.”

“Wow. Never thought I'd hear those words coming out of your mouth.”

“But what am I supposed to do? This wasn't supposed to be about that.”

“If it makes you any happier, make it about that.”

“I just feel like I'm missing something. I don't feel like we're ready to connect yet. There's something standing in the way...”

“Then take your time and work around it.”

“Easier said than done.” Jinyoung threw his head back and groaned. “By the way, I want to give Jaebum Youngjae's cell phone number.”

“Huh? You want to give the cell phone number of one of the most eligible and filthy rich bachelors in Korea to some third rate butler who clearly wants to tie him up and reenact scenes on him?”

“Yup.”

“Sounds fun. Count me in.” Yugyeom grinned. “You know, life with you had gotten pretty boring over the past few years. I like this.”

“Gee, thanks.”

“Just be careful. When too much happiness builds up all at once, you could wind up with a huge explosion on your hands. Play it safe, Young Master. You don't have a secure enough heart for an explosion.”