"Mom, I'm gay." Mark said. 

"Uh... You're what again?" Dorine asked, clarifying. She too probably didn't believe what she was hearing. I could relate as my thoughts spun around in my head. 

"Gay, mom. I like guys." Mark said. Clearing my head enough, I figured that this really was something I shouldn't be hearing. Talk about invasion of privacy. If Mark got angry with me looking at the camera, he would be furious if he found out I was eavesdropping. I took that thought as my cue to start leaving again but curiosity got the better of me, planting my feet in its spot. I found myself leaning against the wall and inching closer to the kitchen entrance. 

"Oh uhm... Are you sure? Uhm... I thought you were dating Irene?" Dorine asked. I mouthed a silent 'thank you' at Dorine's question. You were dating Irene, you can't be gay. At most biual but definitely not gay right?

"Yeah mom I'm sure. I just dated Irene as a show; I never really liked her in that way. We broke up a few weeks back." 

"Oh. I see." The sound of disappointment in Dorine's tone was unmistakable. Oh god, this wasn't going to be a pretty coming out. 

"You're disappointed." Mark pointed out. 

"Yes Mark. I am." Dorine said. I immediately felt a sudden dislike for Dorine and I almost ran out to defend Mark but she interrupted that thought when she continued speaking. "But not because you're gay. I'm disappointed that you put Irene through that. You should never use someone like that, you understand me?" I immediately felt bad for thinking the worse about her. 

"Yeah I understand. That's why we broke up but... You don't care that I'm gay?" Mark asked, his voice cracking at one point. He was getting emotional, normal for a coming out I guess. 

"Oh honey." I assumed this was where Dorine went over and gave Mark a hug. "I don't care whether you're gay or straight. You are my son and that's all that matters."

"Thanks mom." Mark said, sniffing a couple times. I felt my eyes water a little, remembering how my mom reacted to my coming out. It was actually kind of the same thing and hearing this just brought those memories back. 

"Does your father know yet?"

"No. I'm not gonna tell him either. He hardly talks to me as it is. I think if I told him, I'll be kicked out of the house." Mark said.

"Wha... Didn't your father tell you?" Dorine asked. 

"Tell me what?"

"The reason we got a divorce." Again, I have to assume this was where Mark shook his head as I couldn't see anything. "Honey, your father and I divorced because... He's gay."

"What?" Mark asked in confusion, something I too was feeling. Seriously. Was everyone around me suddenly becoming gay? I was half expecting Wonpil to call me up, proclaiming the same. 

"Your father's gay, Mark. He married me, hoping to live a normal life. Eventually, he realized he couldn't live a lie anymore and that's why we got a divorce. He was struggling so much he got drunk every night, some of them I'm sure you remember." Dorine said. "I was angry at your father, for cheating on me. For lying to me, using me. That's why I was disappointed with what you did to Irene. However, even after the entire lie, I still loved your father. It's just that he couldn't love me the way he wanted to. He was the one to initiate the divorce."

"But..." That was all Mark managed to choke out. 

"I know this is a lot to take in, and I can tell that you have some animosity towards your dad. But believe me when I say it's not his fault. I would rather let go of your father and have him be happy than make him live a lie and be miserable. What good does that do me?" 

There was a moment of silence. This was all a lot of information to take in for Dorine, Mark, as well as me. My stomach wrenched in guilt, knowing that I had just invaded into something that was supposed to be almost sacred. 

"I always thought that it was his fault." Mark muttered. He had never hidden his disdain for his father, always labeling him the bad guy. Suddenly, he was not only the good guy but the tortured soul. The guy who had hidden away a part of himself so much, he drowned his sorrows in alcohol. 

"No honey. He just wanted to be happy, which is what I want for you to be as well, so just tell them."

"Them?" Mark asked. The exact time I thought of the question. Who are they? His dad, yes but who else? "I get dad but who else?"

"Jinyoung, of course." Dorine said. I raised an eyebrow at her remark. "I see the way you look at him Mark. I know what that look means." My eyes went wide. That's what people say when the person looks at you with longing. When a person likes you. 

"Didn't know it was that obvious." Mark chuckled. No way. No ing way. Mark liked me, like ing liked me. 

"Honey, you have to be blind to not see how much you care for Jinyoung." Well now I felt like I was being called blind too. Maybe it's not that I was blind but stupid. I mean, I saw the signs, knew that Mark cared. It's just that I was so consumed with the notion that he was straight that I blocked all other possibilities out. 

"Yeah well. He doesn't see me that way though. At least I don't think he does. He's so hard to read. I was so scared he would somehow find out before I told him. That's not the way I wanted it to happen." Mark said. I have had enough; I didn't want to hear anymore. I was so confused, about Mark, about my feelings for him, about everything. I crept away slowly, heading back up to the guest bedroom, hoping that I wouldn't make a sound. 

I closed the bedroom door behind me, sitting at the edge of the bed. I replayed everything I heard downstairs, especially all the parts concerning Mark and his supposed attraction to me. I was completely torn. Part of me was elated that Mark Tuan liked me, the other part worried that this wasn't going to turn out right. 

My mind rewound to the night he attacked me. The night I had looked through my camera. That was the first night I realized my feelings for Mark. The night he had his face so close to mine. The night I found out my head fit nicely on him. The night I started craving for a relationship with Mark. The night I saw his rage and in it, also a tinge of fear. 

Fear, something he said he felt. Fear that I would find out about him being gay before he was ready. It all started because of that stupid camera. I looked at the object in question, sitting on the bed.

"I need to know." I said, getting off and walking over to the black DSLR. I picked it up, holding it in my hands, wondering if I should. I stood there, my finger hovering over the on switch. " it." I said, pushing the button. 

The screen lit up, bright against the darkness of the room. I navigated to the photo library, taking one last breath before clicking. The first picture was the latest I had taken, just this morning before we had headed off. I scrolled backwards, taking a quick glance at each photo, scrolling through those I deemed irrelevant. I eventually started scrolling through pictures of plant life, all taken at the botanical garden. 

What should have been picture after picture of plants, was interspaced with photos of... Me.

I felt my mouth open in shock at each photo as I scrolled through. So many pictures of me were taken that day, all of which I was unaware about. Some showed me walking down the path ahead, others taking down notes on the notepad I had. How he had gotten so many shots without me noticing amazed me. 

"Hey. Are you done?" Mark's voice came through the bedroom door, turning my attention to the closed door. "Jinyoung? You okay in there?" In a spur of courage, I stood up and marched to the door, opening it to a smiling Mark. I grabbed his shirt, pulling him in and shutting the door. 

"Explain." I said, pushing the camera into his stomach. He looked down, taking a moment to realize what it was I had shoved into his midsection. His face shot to mine as his skin paled. "Mark explain all this. What do you want to tell me?" I asked, even though I already knew the answer to that question. 

"Jinyoung, I..." I stepped closer to Mark, and he stepped back, maintaining the distance between us. "I just..." As we passed the desk, I laid the camera down, continuing forward step by step, him retreating. "I was scared." He said, his back hitting the wall. He had nowhere left to run.

"Just say it, Mark." I said, putting my hand on his chest. I could feel his heart thumping in my palm. 

"I'm... Gay." He muttered. 

"And?" I said, moving my face closer to his. 

"I...I..." Mark started stuttering, his eyes watching my lips like a hawk. 

"Maybe this will jog your memory." I said, bringing my lips to his. I don't know where all this courage came from. It wasn't like me to be this forward about stuff like this. I mean I was kissing Mark. Like what the .

My brain went into overdrive when our lips met. I may have been in control, but I was going all whacky on the inside. Neither of us moved at all, our lips glued to each other but shut closed. My skin was tingling from the sensation of it all, sparks dancing across my face. I let myself go to the euphoria, closing my eyes as my hand travelled up to his neck. He parted his lips tentatively, my upper lip just slightly. 

The need for oxygen overcame the urge to keep the kiss locked forever, making us pull apart, breathing heavily. That was the first time I had kissed anyone and I would have never expected that it would be that intense. "I like you. I really really like you." Mark said between breaths. I chuckled and smiled sweetly at his words. 

"I've been wanting to do that since last Saturday." Mark pulled my face up to his, looking me in the eyes. I had basically just told him that I liked him too and I guess he wasn't expecting that. 

"I can't believe this is happening." He said, softly caressing my cheeks with his thumbs.

"Just shut up and kiss me." I said, pulling his head back to mine. This time, the kiss was more intense, more passionate. on his lip was a new sensation, as was feeling his tongue on mine. Everything felt so new, but so right at the same time. In the heat of the moment, Mark picked me up, without breaking lip contact, and placed me down on the bed as we continued our make out session. My hands s around his neck, pulling him down to me. His hand made it's way under my shirt, his fingers dancing across the skin of my abdomen. I was sure if I didn't stop this, we would end up doing something we weren't ready for. 

"We should stop." I said, placing my hand on his, stopping his advancement. 

"Sorry." He apologized, removing his hand and made to get up off me. I held him there with my arm around his neck, not wanting him to go. 

"I said stop. I didn't say get off." I said, looking into those deep brown eyes. "Just lie down with me." He nodded, lowering himself to my right. Snuggling his face into the crook of my neck, I remembered how much we fit together. He laid an arm and one leg across my body, effectively laying half of his own bulk onto me. The weight felt good though, the warmth emanating from him inviting. 

"How did you know?" Mark mumbled against my neck. 

"I may have heard you and your mom talking downstairs." I said cheekily while lazily his back.

"Eavesdropping? Since when have you been such a bad boy?" Mark smirked, looking up at me. 

"Since forever. So am I the mystery girl you have this crush on? Or do I have some competition that I should know about?" I said. 

"I never actually said that it was a girl. That part you assumed on your own. But yes, you are." I guess it was true. I don't recall Mark ever saying a her or a she. 

"And how long have you had this crush on me then?" I asked. Mark blushed at the question, shooting me a nervous look. 

"Oh uhm... Maybe like... Three years." He mumbled, looking at anywhere but my face. 

"Three years? But, we've only been friends for like a few months." 

"Whoever said I couldn't crush on the guy I was bullying?" He said. "How else could I talk to without actually talking to you?"

"So all those years of being shoved into lockers was just so I would notice you? Preschool much?" I laughed, kissing Mark on the forehead. Damn, all those times for just a bit of my attention? I don't know where he got that idea but somehow looking back at all those times, it kinda made sense since Mark was, more or less, shy to those he's not close with. And we were far from close prior to the time he offered his friendship.

"You'll never believe how much I've dreamt of you doing that." I smiled, pulling Mark closer to me. Feeling light at his words. "So what does this make us? Are we a thing now?"

I thought about it. "What do you want it to be?" I asked back. 

"I was hoping you'd be my boyfriend."

"We can try this out. See how it goes." I said. Mark laid his head down on my chest, his head rising and falling in time to my breaths. "Remember that day in the car, when you first told me about 'mystery girl'?" He nodded. "Well you said that you were scared that someone was going to win me over. Am I right to assume that the tool was Jaebeom?"

"I think that's pretty obvious now, isn't it?" He smiled. "And just to let you know, in the boat just now, I wasn't asking on his