Chapter 3

After class had ended that same day both Jungwoo and Lucas had gone on their way home, leaving Mark to his duties. The three would often walk down to the bus stop together and ride it to their own destinations.

However, that day on the walk to the bus stop, there was a little dispute, or more so a misunderstanding. Jungwoo was looking through his camera roll smiling at all the pictures he had taken, including many with Mark. Lucas took the phone away from Jungwoo as a joke to see what Jungwoo was being so happy over.

As soon as Lucas noticed all the pictures of Jungwoo and Mark together, his smile went away. It wasn’t something to be annoyed by, but he just was.  “What's so great about Mark?” he said rolling his eyes a bit, still scrolling through the pictures on the phone.

Jungwoo turned to him confused, and kind of hurt, “What do you mean? He’s our friend. He’s important to me,” Jungwoo said, then grabbed his phone back from Lucas.

“I know, I know. It’s just, he seems special to you, like more than a friend,” Lucas said looking away from Jungwoo.

Jungwoo mentally laughed to himself. It’s pretty ironic of him to say that after all the he does to me, Jungwoo thought to himself, to even think I would see Mark more than a friend is ridiculous, “You're kidding me, right?” Jungwoo said starting to feel annoyed.

Lucas shook his head, “You like him don’t you.”

Jungwoo furrowed his eyes, “I don’t. He’s my best friend. Friends take pictures together. We have pictures together!” he said looking straight at Lucas.

“You just can’t tell me the truth,” Lucas said stopping Jungwoo in place.

Still confused Jungwoo replied, “That is the truth, I don’t know what you expect me to tell you?” Jungwoo said shaking his head.

Lucas rolled his eyes again, “Fine.” It was like Lucas was trying to find an excuse for the reasoning he felt this way, but in reality, he knew himself it was ridiculous. He was angry with himself more than anything.

Lucas began to walk away, leaving a confused and hurt Jungwoo behind. Jungwoo just didn’t understand. He watched as the other got smaller walking in the distance, and in all honesty, if Jungwoo had been brave enough he would have just come out and told Lucas about his true feelings towards him. But how could he?

On the bus ride home, the whole way back the two sat distantly from each other. Jungwoo sat where they would usually sit, while Lucas ignored him and walked to sit in the back of the bus.

Jungwoo began to feel sad. Did Lucas really feel as though he had liked Mark, Did he really think he was lying to him. Out of all the things that could’ve lead to the two not talking to each other, it was over the fact that Lucas thought Jungwoo was lying to him, about having feelings towards Mark? All of this was unbelievable.

Soon enough the bus had gotten to Lucas’s stop. He got off without saying a word to Jungwoo, and that's when Jungwoo couldn’t keep in his tears.

Mark combed his hand through his hair, as he walked along a path near his home, coming back from school. He felt stressed about all the thoughts in his mind, but deep down he sort of felt a bit of happiness. Why?

Mark went straight up to his room when he got home. He threw his backpack on the floor, then immediately went to change into some more comfortable clothes. He put on some gray sweats and a black loose tank top. Once he was comfortable, he jumped down on his bed, laying on his back. Instead of pulling out his phone, he pulled out the picture of Sicheng.

He held the picture in the air in front of his face and just stared at it, “Sicheng,” Mark mumbled to himself, then began shaking his head feeling frustrated and confused, “Why am I like this?” Mark got up from the bed and walked over to his desk drawer. He opened the drawer and threw the picture in, shoving it shut seconds later.

Mark didn’t move from his spot and just glared at the closed drawer. This was it, this was Mark running away from his confused feelings. Suddenly out of nowhere his phone started ringing. He pulled out his phone from his pocket and saw the name Jungwoo on the screen calling him. He immediately answered, and on the other end was a crying Jungwoo.

“Jungwoo, what the hell is wrong?” Mark said in a protective voice.

Jungwoo sniffled a few times before saying anything, “Lucas, we got into a fight.”

“He hit you!” Mark said pissed.

“No! Not a physical fight.”

“I’m coming over right now,” Mark said and began to go put on shoes.

“No, Mark. Let's just figure this out tomorrow. Today’s not good. Please, let's just wait until tomorrow,” Jungwoo said letting out huffs and sniffs.

“Fine, but don’t expect me to go easy on Lucas.” Mark said puffing his chest out.