Chapter 5: Hyung, am I weak?

Betaed by Fubuki, 21/09/2019

Mark looked at the pieces of rags that had once been his basketball uniform.

Well they really didn’t waste time, didn’t they? It looked like trouble had come to annoy him...

It had only been just a couple of hours after his meeting with Mingyu. School had officially ended and, after Mark had accompanied his brothers towards his Appa’s car (His Appa happened to have time as Jungwoo was at his grandparents’ house and he had finished work early, so he had come to pick them up), he had walked towards the gymnasium where the basketball training would take place. He had arrived, as usual, in a busy changing room, full of chatter and laughter, as he headed towards his own locker. Mark had felt some eyes looking at him, but he hadn’t really minded. He opened his locker and was greeted with the sight of his uniform looking…well yeah, he hadn’t even recognized those pieces of cloth that had once been his shirt and T-shirt with number 3 and “Mark Lee” on it. Soon, he had heard some snickers and whispers, but Mark’s expression had remained calm. There was not even the slightest bit of a frown on his face and soon those who had been laughing looked at him with a hint of curiosity and annoyance. The captain, Woojin, who had seen the commotion had come towards him. His eyes widened at the sight of the uniform before he glared at the boys: “Who the hell did this?! Stand up if you are a man!”

The room was filled with silence. None of them were fools, Woojin was a very scary (but also a very good and very fair) captain. And a very good fighter.

“If you guys think it is funny than don’t be cowards and come out!”, Woojin roared.

Mark tugged silently Woojin’s arm before shaking his head.

“No need. I will deal with it.”, he said, his voice soft as usual.

“But…” Woojin wanted to protest, Mark was one of his best players after all, yet they dared to bully him in front of him! But Mark only shook his head again. Woojin saw no anger or fear on his face and, like a lot of students, he wondered what was in the head of quiet yet capable (he was one of the youngest yet best players of the team) Mark Lee.

The boy never talked much, but it didn’t mean he was shy or a coward. More like uncaring and indifferent. But that did not mean you could not befriend him. It just took more effort, and understanding of how to interact with him, which Woojin had started to understand after he had seen Mark with some of his classmates. But at times, just like this, he truly wished he could read the younger one's mind. If it had been Woojin, he would have given a good lesson to whoever had done this.

The truth was that Mark couldn’t even be angry.

How much times had he experienced ruined clothes because of his baby brothers? When Jisung was still a baby, he had always vomited his baby milk on him, so did Chenle who also had always liked to come hugging his hyung with hands covered in paint or clay or other substances. Little Jeno had accidently spilled food when sitting on his Hyung’s lap a lot of times and even Renjun, had once accidently drew on his T-shirt, thinking it was his. So ruined clothes had been a daily occurrence for years. Getting angry about it was just a foolish move. He wasn’t angry in the slightest. Moreover, it was only his basketball uniform. Fate happened to give him a solution for this problem.

“Pfft, who told him to annoy Mingyu?”, he heard some of his teammates’ whispers.

“Exactly, always showing off that cool facade, who does he think he is? He is but a poor honorary student, doesn’t he know his place?”, another one whisper said.

Mark ignored them, being used of hearing those kinds of words. In this private school, full of rich kids, it was something that happened towards a lot of honorary students like him who received scholarships. He really didn’t care though. If you asked him, he did not consider himself poor. Truth be told, he wouldn’t care even if that had been the case. After all, what was wrong with being poor? Mark was fine, just like the others.

Instead, he addressed the only person in the room who he trusted: “Captain, I will go to the coach to ask for some reserve clothes.” Woojin nodded.

“I will go with you.” He then glared at the boys.

“And if I see or catch someone doing this stupidity again, I will kick him out of the team without feeling remorse, got it!?”

The boys nodded, some of them had pity in their eyes, but lots of them had satisfied expressions.

Mark didn’t even look at them. He had never cared about them unless when they were on the playfield. He had always been polite, and he had never owed anything to anyone.

But that didn’t mean Mark didn’t know them. His first suspicion was the youngest of the team: a boy from Class B, who had been smiling this whole time. Mark wasn’t a fool.

And he wasn’t a pushover either.

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Jaehyun worriedly looked at Taeyong. The male had been staring into space for 15 minutes. Not to mention, he had been standing before the oven: The cold plate still uncooked as he had forgotten to turn on the appliance. Jaehyun slowly reached his hand out and gently grabbed Taeyong’s shoulder.

The male snapped out of his daze at the contact and looked at him. “Eh…? Yes?”

Jaehyun nodded towards the oven and Taeyong’s cheek blushed when he realized the situation. He quickly turned the oven on, turning it to the right temperature on the display before taking a seat at the kitchen table.

Jaehyun frowned, while sitting down next to him: “What are you thinking about?”

Taeyong’s eyes were sad and Jaehyun knew it wasn’t only because of Jeno. Taeyong knew by the looks Jaehyun was giving him he would buy no excuse. Why were all his exes very smart, sensitive and stubborn people?

“I… Today I met…” Taeyong looked around to unsure no one else was listening and Jaehyun couldn’t help but be scared at this kind of behavior.

Taeyong sighed before whispering: “I met Ten.”

Jaehyun frowned feeling the name familiar but he couldn’t place a face on it. “Ten? You mean… What!?” he exclaimed when he suddenly recalled who Ten was.

“Shhhh!” Taeyong eyes looked again in the kitchen but the kids were safely in their room, so he relaxed quickly.

“You mean Minhyung’s…?”, Jaehyun whispered. Taeyong nodded.

“Uhm, he contacted me yesterday, and I agreed to meet him today.”

Jaehyun frowned: “Why didn’t you...”, however, the male didn’t continue his phrase. He had wanted to ask why Taeyong had not said anything to him but Jaehyun had forgotten that he was no longer in the position to ask so. Besides he may be Mark’s and Jeno’s dad, he wasn’t Mark’s biological father. Ten was.

“You agreed so quickly?”, Jaehyun asked instead. Taeyong nodded.

“It’s not like he came out of the blue. We email each other occasionally.”

Jaehyun had never understood why they didn’t use the phone instead of using old fashioned emails.

“And so? What did he want?”, Jaehyun asked.

Taeyong was silent, collecting his thoughts before replying.

“Rather than wanting something… He first wanted to talk. To clear up some things from the past.”

Jaehyun examined Taeyong’s face closely, but he didn’t read any hurt on the latter’s face.

“I thought you guys had done so before the divorce?”, he asked softly. Taeyong nodded.

“Yeah…We did. But it wasn’t only about that. Also, you could say we never faced each other properly like this. Now I feel…”

Taeyong struggled to find his words and Jaehyun grabbed his hand, smiling at him.

Taeyong smiled back, “I feel, I could probably start over with him. Not in a relationship but something like us… Family.”

Jaehyun tried to control his feelings that wanted to come out on his face.

With a very neutral voice he said: “That’s good I guess…What about Minhyung?”

Taeyong sighed: “Minhyung is the reason he approached me in the first place. At first, I thought that no matter what he would say, I would still be hurt he had no real excuse to abandon Minhyung like that…”

Jaehyun was surprised.

“At first? What about now?”

Taeyong sighed again, remembering Ten’s story. They had stayed in that smoothie place for at least another hour or two, taking much more time from his break than allowed but he didn't care.

“He… He could have done better, but I think he really tried to do his best. I really think he deserves a second chance.”

Jaehyun did not know what to say, and although he really wanted to ask the story, he knew it was a private matter just between Taeyong and Ten.

“Well…that’s good news, right?”

Taeyong sighed for the third time: “I don’t know…I mean I think so, but although I understand it and I am willing…What about Minhyung? You know how hurt he was, still is…I fear he wouldn’t even want to hear any explanations.”

Jaehyun laughed and Taeyong jolted in his seat at the sudden turn of events.

“Yahh! What’s so funny? I am serious here!” Taeyong whined, slapping Jaehyun shoulder.

Jaehyun laugh faded slowly away, but he was still smiling.

“Does it not remind you about something?” Taeyong blinked, his eyes confused.

Jaehyun chuckled: “What I mean is that Minhyung is indeed not easy to ask forgiveness from… But he inherited someone’s kind and soft heart so, although it will take a long time… I am sure Minhyung would be willing to give him a second chance. Just like he gave me one.”

Taeyong sighed: “We all knew he had forgiven you from a long time ago...You were just lucky he couldn’t chase you away because of Jeno. But what about Ten? He left him much earlier on, and I can’t force Minhyung to see him?” Jaehyun nodded.

“Hmm. True. But he is Minhyun’s biological father. If he is serious, let him fight on his own. If he deserves it, Minhyung will forgive him. It won’t be easy, but it was the same case as me, it’ll work out, right?”

"That's the thing: It wasn't easy. I fear it will be even worse or maybe impossible for Ten!"

Jaehyun smiled: "If Ten came to you, it means he is willing to fight. And if you think he merits a second chance, then I am sure Minhyung will too. It might be not easy, but I know that letting things stay like this will only make things worse in the future. Might as well give it a try."

Taeyong fidgeted, his mind thinking about the case.

After a while he asked hesitantly: “You think so?” Jaehyun nodded.

“It’s Mark we are taking about. Like Doyoung says, he is an angel.”

Taeyong smiled, eyes getting soft: “He is.”

The rest of their conversation was interrupted by the sound of keys who opened the door to the apartment duplex. The subject of their conversation, Mark, opened th