Gift for Bluetick

Gift from ????

Title: You Are the Reason

Pairing: Mark x Jaebum

Words: 4186

Rating: not-rated

Note to giftee: I’m sorry I can’t write based on the song you recommend but I hope you enjoy this regardless. Merry Christmas ☺

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You Are the Reason

Jaebum was casually scrolling down through his Instagram timeline when all of a sudden, a paper is slapped down on his table. Jaebum looked up, only to see one of his classmate, looking furious as he was glaring at him.

"He--"

"Why is my name in the list?" 

"Sit down fir--"

"Why is my name in the list? Who the hell puts it?" 

"Mark--"

"Why--"

"Sit the down, dude," Jaebum said, raising his voice a little. Mark noticed Jaebum's slight annoyance that was showing on his face. Mark let out a heavy breath before he sat down on the chair, facing Jaebum. Jaebum looked around, sending glares at other students who were staring at the public commotion- as they were at the cafeteria afterall- and everyone looked away immediately.

"Where were we just now?" Jaebum asked. Mark threw the paper in his hand towards Jaebum.

"Why, and how did my name ends up on the summer trip list?" Mark asked, and this time with a calmer voice.

"How on earth do I know that?"

"Of course you should know. You're the class representative! I don't remember myself putting my name in there so, how did I end up there?" Mark asked. Jaebum frowned.

"Maybe you write it when you're drunk?" Mark scoffed.

"Funny," Jaebum smiled a little.

"Look, I don't know, okay? I just passed the paper around, you guys write your name, and I just key in the names I got into an Excel sheet. That's all my job. Maybe someone else wrote your name? I don't know, Mark. For real," 

"Remove my name. I don't want to go,"

"The final list is out already means no backing out,"

"Which part of I don't wanna go you don't understand?"

"And which part of no backing out you don't understand?" Mark bit his lower lip in anger. Jaebum saw how Mark's finger curled into a fist.

"Come on, Mark. It's not that bad. It's our final semester after all. A last beautiful memory with the faculty-mates. Doesn't that sound nice?" Jaebum asked. Mark rolled his eyes.

"Nice, for people who don't have anything better to do like you,"

"You're slowly getting on my nerve, man," Jaebum said. Mark gave him a smug smile.

"Good. It'll be worse during the trip," Mark said. 

"Oh, so you're going?" Jaebum asked, with a fake cheerful smile that was obviously fake, just to annoy Mark even more. Mark didn't say anything, instead he just stood up from his seat and left Jaebum alone. 

"I'm sorry Tuan, but I'm afraid you can't back out from the trip. Unless you come up with a reasonable excuse," Jaebum's ears perked up at the subject of Mark and Dr. Kang's conversation. Well, he just came forward to ask Dr. Kang regarding the assignment, but didn't expect to overheard the conversation. He couldn't believe Mark was still on the whole "drop-me-from-the-trip" phase. He thought the Taiwanese-American was already over it.

"I'm not interested to go. What's more reasonable than that, Dr.?" Mark replied. Jaebum just patiently waited at the side.

"Then why did you put your name on the list?"

"I didn't! I don't know how my name end up there. I swear the last thing I'll do is put my name to join boring trip," Dr. Kang sighed.

"Well, boring or not, your name's there. Besides, I'm going to make it compulsary to attend the boring trip for you to pass the subject," Dr. Kang concluded. Mark frowned and was about to complain more, but Dr. Kang shifted his gaze to Jaebum instead.

"Yes, Im? What can I help you?" Jaebum exchanged look with Mark -who was still very much annoyed- before Jaebum looked back at Dr. Kang. 

"Regarding this assignment..."
 

Jackson's eyes widened when he saw Mark casually pulling his luggage out from his room, and he was dressed up to go out. Jackson put down the mug on the dining table as he followed Mark to the door.

"Where are you going?" Jackson asked.

"Trip,"

"Where?"

"I don't know,"

"How can you not know where you're going when it's a trip?" Mark looked at Jackson and gave him a dead stare.

"I don't know. What I know is my name is in the list and I can't do anything to not go and now I have to go," said Mark. Jackson was speechless so even before he could ask more question, Mark already left, and slammed the door to his face.

Jaebum's eyes wandered as he held onto the list. He bit his lower lip in nervousness as he looked around, looking for the only person who still hasn't arrive. He turned around in an instant when he heard the sound of luggage dragged against the tarred road.

"So much for being early," Jaebum said. 

"I was hoping that you will leave me," Mark replied, his voice remained monotone. Jaebum smirked.

"Never," 

Jaebum followed Mark onto the bus and checked the last name on the list. He talked a bit with the bus driver and when he was done, he looked forward, only to smile afterwards. 
Mark sighed when there wasn't really a choice for him to sit so he just sat at the 2 empty seats left. Since the rest of the seat in the bus was occupied, he figured he knew who the seat besid him belongs to.

"Good thing I saved you a seat," and Mark sighed. Can Jaebum stop being annoying like... for once?

Mark didn't say anything. Instead, he just pulled out his earphone from his bag and plugged both his ears in. He closed his eyes, trying to catch back the sleep he lost due to having to wake up early for the damn trip. And luckily, Jaebum stopped annoying him and also plugged in his ears to listen to some music. 

Jaebum felt someone shook his arm repeatedly and he soon wake up while rubbing his eyes tiredly. Mark immediately pulled his hand back when he saw Jaebum was awake. Jaebum looked through the window and saw that they've arrived at the camping site. He heard a few "wow"s and excited squeals by other students but when he looked at Mark, he didn't even look slightly amused. They've just arrived but the look on Mark's face screamed "I wanna go home already".

Mark just stood there in a total boredom when the lecturer briefed them about the tentative of the programme. Good thing it's not that packed with activities since they're university students anyways so the lecturer gave them quite a lot of free "bonding" time. Mark couldn't help but to look for Jaebum who disappeared since they hopped off the bus. And then he saw Jaebum talking to the other lecturer at the front. Well, since he is the class represent  after all, so it's not weird.

Mark looked down, aimlessly kicking the stones below his feet lightly to kill the boredom. Not long after, someone tapped his arm and he looked up, only to see Jaebum smiling at him.

"Hey, do you want to share the tent with me or?" Jaebum asked.

"Wait, isn't the lecturer is gonna announce it?" Mark asked, with the little information he managed to catch from the still on-going briefing.

"Yeah, but if you're not comfortable to share with others then I can put our name together," Jaebum said. Mark remained silent for a moment, thinking. Well, to be honest Jaebum was quite quiet and less annoying if he compares to his other classmates so...

"Well, yeah, sure,"

Mark threw his body on the bed, instantly closing his eyes and covering his face with his arm. Jaebum sat down on the bed and just watched the slightly older guy in silent.

"The boys want to play soccer later, maybe at 4. Wanna join?” Jaebum asked, breaking the silent in the room. Mark just shook his head, not even bothering to open his eyes.

“So what are going to do during free time?” Mark sighed as Jaebum asked him another question.

“Can’t you see I’m trying to sleep here?” Mark replied with a question, and this time he opened his eyes and look at Jaebum straight in the eye.

“As much as I know how much you hate of being here, since you’re already here, why not have fun? Do something different other than sleep?” Jaebum said. Mark grunted.

“Mind your own business. I won’t ask you to stay here with me, so just go do whatever you want,” Mark said before he shut his eyes again. Jaebum made a face, knowing well that the other guy couldn’t see him before he made his way to the bathroom.

Mark woke up from his sweet sleep 2 hours later and Jaebum was no longer in the room. Not that he cared, though. Mark walked out to the balcony of the hotel and was greeted with a beautiful view of the ocean. He could hear the loud cheer coming from the beach when his classmates cheered as a goal was made. Mark shook his head. Too loud, he thought.

Too lazy to join the joy at the beach, Mark climbed up the bed again and rested his back against the head of the bed. He reached out for his phone on the table beside the bed. It didn’t take long for Mark to get immersed in the game he was playing. Sometimes his body would move along with the character’s movement in the game, sometimes he’d grunt and cursed under his breathe.

Mark was in the middle of his “battle” when a notification that he got a text message from Jaebum popped-up on his screen. Of course, he couldn’t care less to open it.

But then, the same kind of notification popped-up for a few times again after that. Mark was honestly starting to get really irritated. He swore if another one came in—

And Mark’s phone screen changed from displaying his games to an upcoming-call interface. Mark grunted before he picked up the phone.

“What the do you want?” Mark asked in anger.

“Are you coming down for dinner? Or you want me to bring anything up? Or you want to call the room-service yourself?” Ignoring Mark’s anger, Jaebum asked from the other line. Mark sighed.

“I’m not a kid. I can take care of myself very well. So mind your own ing business, Jaebum.”

“I was just trying to be nice, just in case you’re too lazy to even feed yourself,” Jaebum replied sarcastically. Mark rolled his eyes.

“I appreciate the concern, but no, thanks. Thank you for ruining my game,” Mark said before he hung up. Mark threw his phone on the mattress lazily, no longer want to play game.

The next day, Mark woke up to a croissant sandwich placed on the table next to his bed. Mark rubbed his tired eyes and looked around, but no sight of Jaebum around. He looked at the time in his phone. 9.30 a.m. As far as Mark remembered, all of them were supposed to gather and do an activity planned for the trip, so Mark was a bit confused why Jaebum didn’t wake him up.

Not that he wanted to, though.

Mark was too lazy to wait for replies so he just straight gave Jaebum a call. The said guy answered after only two rings.

“Where are you?” Mark asked, his voice still hoarse due to just waking up from his sleep.

“Aww, miss me already?” And Mark could hear faint teasing cheer from who he assumed as his classmate, teasing Jaebum, and they probably didn’t know that it was him on the other line. Mark then heard Jaebum excused himself from the others.

“I told the lecturers that you’re not feeling well,” Mark’s brows met in confusion.

“Huh? Why?”

“So you can sleep?” Jaebum replied, sounding not sure of himself either.

“I mean, since you like sleeping so much, so I just tried to help, I guess?” Jaebum added. Mark remain silent for a moment, and Jaebum didn’t really ask anything.

“What are you guys doing later?” Mark asked

“Why? You wanna join?”

“Depends,” Mark replied simply.

“We’re learning how to surf,”

“Oh…”

“So?”

“Yeah, maybe I’ll join,” Mark said, making a smile crept up on Jaebum’s lips –but of course, Mark didn’t know that.

Mark showed up all ready in his swimming suit, making the girls’ eyes widened at the beautiful, breath-taking visual the Tuan served. Of course, his visual was one of the top 5 in the class, but since he’s the quiet guy, that made him stay as lowkey as possible. Marks outfit to the class would always be hoodie-sweatshirt-baggy shirt-jeans, sometimes along with a cap. But now that he’s wearing his swimsuit, that showed off his skinny but also toned just enough, with nothing covering his head or face, he just reminded everyone how good looking he actually is.

Mark just walked straight to Jaebum who was talking with other classmates. Jaebum immediately looked at his direction when he noticed his friends suddenly changed their attention, and finally saw Mark. Jaebum smiled and waved for Mark to come to him, although it’s obvious he was already walking towards him.

“You’re feeling better, bro?” one of their classmate, Brian asked. Mark looked puzzled and he turned to look at Jaebum, before he remembered what Jaebum told him in the phone this morning.

“Oh, yeah. Good enough to surf,”

“You’ve surf before?” Jaebum asked Mark.

“Yeah, back in LA, pretty much every week during summer but it’s been a while,”

“Oh, look who’s bragging he’s from LA. I’m just from Ilsan,” Jaebum tried to joke but Mark just rolled his eyes instead. Not long after, they were called to gather at one place, getting ready for a short briefing and lesson on how to surf. Mark didn’t really pay much attention to what the instructor was saying since he’s pretty much pro in surfing already.

After the short lesson, they were allowed to apply what they just learnt. Mark was walking ahead but Jaebum caught up to him.

“Hey, Mark,”

“Why are you so clingy to me?” Mark asked.

“I just don’t want you to look like a loser, walking alone, surfing alone. You should thank me,” Jaebum replied. Mark snickered.

“Didn’t I say mind your own business, Im?”

“Can you teach me how to surf?” Jaebum asked, casually ignoring Mark’s words.

“It’s been taught already,” Mark said, referring to the lesson that just ended in like… a minute ago?

“I wasn’t paying attention,”

“Then go learn from others,”

“Or I will annoy you for the rest of the day,”

Mark sighed.

“If I teach you then will you actually mind your own business after this?”

“I will mind my own business once we’re back in uni. Promise.” Mark took a deep breath and thought for a while. That’s a good offer.

“Alright,” Mark said, walking and looking ahead, not noticing how Jaebum’s face fall after his replied.

Good thing Mark decided to teach Jaebum because honestly, the guy was so, so bad at it. Like, impossibly bad. The kind of bad that you couldn’t even think of.

While others were already having fun surfing, Jaebum was still struggling to stand up straight and get his balance. He lost count of how many times did he fall in the water in the span of one hour.

And once again, like a fool, Jaebum fell again.

“Man, you’re so bad at this,” Mark commented.

“Or maybe you just don’t know how to teach? Did you teach me the right thing?” Jaebum asked back. Mark made a “Really?”-face at Jaebum and Jaebum just grinned.

“Alright, I’m sorry. This time I’ll make sure to stand,” Mark just rolled his eyes, not sure if he could count on Jaebum’s words or not.

Jaebum paddled himself by using his hands forward and waited for a few while for the right time before he slowly stood up. He successfully stood on the board this time, surprising Mark. Jaebum turned to look at Mark while smiling proudly, and Mark couldn’t help but smiled too, and showed him a thumbs-up. Jaebum’s grin grew wider, before he screamed, and fell into the water again.

Jaebum shook his head as he came out to the surface, only to hear faint sound of someone laughing. Jaebum turned around, and his jaw dropped.

Mark Tuan.

Mark Tuan was laughing.

For the first time during the trip, Mark joined his classmates for a meal. Mark just sat there quietly while the others do the talking, but he didn’t really felt left out either because they were mainly talking about the surfing experience. Jaebum didn’t exactly focus on him either, so he didn’t feel uncomfortable since he’s for once is not baby-ed by Jaebum.

In conclusion, it’s not that bad.

They were given free time again after dinner since they’ve done physical activities for today. Mark was coming out of shower when he saw Jaebum was doing something to the television in their room.

“What are you doing?” Mark asked. Jaebum looked up to Mark who came closer to look while drying his hair.

“Wow, this is the first time you ask first,” Jaebum said, making Mark rolled his eyes.

“I’m watching movie. Wanna join?”

“No, thanks,” Mark replied. Mark turned around to the bed just in time to not catch Jaebum’s disappointed face. After Jaebum was done setting the TV, he sat down on the couch in the room, getting ready to watch his movie.

Jaebum was caught in surprise when he felt the couch shifted, and it turned out Mark came back to sit, although his attention was fully to his phone screen. Jaebum didn’t know why he felt so happy that the slightly older guy still chose to sat with him although he didn’t necessarily have to. It was just the fact that Mark was already comfortable enough to share the same space with him delighted Jaebum.

And just like that, they spent the night, not exactly together, but together.

It’s the last day of the trip and they were already loading up the luggage in the bus. Some of his classmates were still busy taking a few last photos for Instagram purpose, he guessed so Mark entered the bus first. Half of the seats were occupied while the other half were empty. Mark sat at the pair of seat that were still unoccupied before he plugged in his earphone.

Nodding slowly to the music he put on, Mark looked out the window and saw Jaebum, holding a list in his hand and was talking to the lecturer. He looked quite serious, and Mark could only imagine the stress of handling a huge group like this.

Jaebum…

“Is this seat taken?” Mark’s thought was distracted when he felt a hand tapped his shoulder. Mark looked up only to see Brian, smiling and pointing to the seat beside him. Mark shifted his gaze back to the window, but Jaebum is nowhere in sight. He looked back at Brian, and his lips formed a thin smile.

“Yeah, it is,” Mark replied and Brian sat down almost immediately. Both of them talked a bit, about Brian not expecting Mark to join them and few more comments about the trip. It was as if he had a sensor when he looked up, he saw Jaebum entering the bus. And it was as if planned, both of their eyes met. Mark noticed Jaebum’s eyes shifted quickly to Brian before he looked at him again, smiling. Mark said nor do nothing, and Jaebum walked pass by them, proceeding to sit beside another classmate.

The next day, the class went by as usual. Mark arrived at the class just in time, right before the lecturer arrived. As usual, Mark went up to the seat at the most back of the class. However, his eyes widened when he saw none other than Jaebum at the very last row, taking out his notebook and all. Mark’s steps were halted as he was surprised, and almost as if Jaebum knew it, he looked up and their eyes locked with each other.

“Please be seated, the class is starting,” The lecturer announced, probably directing it to Mark so Mark continued his steps. He walked up to the same row as Jaebum and sat down beside him, since Mark guessed that was Jaebum’s purpose of suddenly sitting at the back of the class?

Mark waited for Jaebum to start something, anything, but no. The other guy remained focused in the lecture, casually taking notes, nodding at the lecturer’s words. Mark tried to focus in the class but he failed to do so. He was just randomly scrabbling words on his notebook instead. However, he did catch it when the lecturer announced for a take five.

Jaebum groaned as he stretched his limbs while leaning back to the seat. Mark just followed Jaebum’s movement in silent, and it was not long for Jaebum to notice that Mark had been staring.

“Hi?” Jaebum greeted. Mark’s eyebrows met in confusion.

“Why are you sitting here?” Mark asked.

“Why can’t I sit here?” Jaebum asked back.

“I didn’t say you can’t but—”

“Then there’s nothing to be questioned,” Jaebum cut Mark’s words off. Mark rolled his eyes, earning a smile from Jaebum, but Jaebum quickly controlled his face again.

“The trip was nice. I feel like we’re friends now because of the trip?” Jaebum then said, making Mark turned to look at him.

“Who says?”

“I say. Come on, don’t tell me you didn’t have fun. I even make you laugh,”

“Well, yeah. Whatever you want to think,” Mark said. Jaebum sighed.

“Look, I have something to confess,” Jaebum said. Mark’s lips went dry as he heard that. All of a sudden his palm became sweaty in this lecture hall with full-blast air-cond on. Jaebum saw Mark’s eyes wavered and he couldn’t help but to think that it was cute how nervous the older was. Jaebum took Mark’s silence as an ‘okay’ so he continued.

“I’m the one who put your name on the list,”

“WHAT?” Mark’s voice rose a bit, making a few students in front of them turned around, but turned to the front themselves when they saw that nothing weird happened between the two. Jaebum, however, just grinned sheepishly.

“I’m sorry I lied,”

“For what?”

“Because it’s the last semester…”

“And?”

“And I still haven’t talk to you much…”

“And?” Mark asked again, not getting Jaebum’s point.

“And I like you,”

“Oh…” was all Mark responded. Oh, now it makes sense.

“Oh? Is that a rejection?” Jaebum said, laughing lightly afterwards to ease the awkwardness.

“No, it’s just…. You like me?” Mark questioned. Jaebum slowly nodded. The lecture resumed but the two could care less.

“Why?”

“Just because. Do I even need a reason?” Jaebum replied.

“That’s a cliché excuse to cover up that you like me because of my looks,”

“Excuse me, but I’m even more good looking than you?” Jaebum said. Mark looked at him with one of his brows raised. Jaebum sighed.

“I just like you. I want to know more about you, and the trip is the only chance I could think of. And turns out you make me comfortable with you. This is cringey as hell but when I’m with you, I want to be the person who breaks that cold ice wall,”

“I don’t ask for more, I can just be happy with us being friends, really,” Jaebum added.

“Uh, okay?”

“What okay?”

“Uh, I like you too?”

“WHAT???” Jaebum asked in surprise. This time, making the whole class to shift their attention towards the duo. The lecturer widened his eyes at their direction.

“Tuan, Im, if you’re going to keep disturbing the class, please get out and settle whatever chit-chat you have back there,”

Jaebum stood up and bowed at the lecturer. He then looked at Mark before starting to walked down the hall. Mark’s eyes widened before he trailed behind Jaebum, bowing at the lecturer out of respect. They were now at the empty hallway, since everyone was probably in class right now.

“You what?” Jaebum asked.

“Uh, I guess I’m thankful that you tried so hard to make me comfortable with the others during the trip and all the kind gestures you did…When you didn’t sit beside me in the bus, I was slightly disappointed? And after I came back from the trip, when my friend asked me what did I do during the trip, all that came in mind are stories that has you in it, so… Yeah. I guess I like you too,” Mark said, his face slowly turning red as he talked. The corner of Jaebum’s lips slowly rose up, forming a small smile. Mark was startled when Jaebum pulled him in for a hug.

“You have no idea how happy I am,” Jaebum said, whispering to Mark’s ears. A smile slowly crept up on Mark’s lips before he hugged Jaebum back.

“Thank you,” Jaebum said.

“No, thank you,” Mark replied.

The end.