Chapter Twelve

"I think I love you."

Mark lays there in shock, sure Jackson's hinted - and practically said - that he liked the older but Mark wasn't expecting those three words. I love you.

No one has ever told Mark, besides family, that they loved him genuinely. Sure, people have told him that they 'love' him but he feels as if people force themselves to say the words just to come off as a nicer person. He really didn't expect it from Jackson though, someone he did only meet a few weeks ago. "Yien?"

Jackson's voice knocks him out of his thoughts and he moves his head to look up at Jackson. "Yes?" He asks, trying to hide the fact that he was confused on his own feelings. "What is it?"

"I shouldn't have said that, it's a bit early for it, isn't it?" He asks, concern washing over his face and Mark just stays silent for a moment or two. "I'm sor-"

Mark ends up blurting out, "I think I love you, too" and he instantly tenses up the moment the last word leaves his lips and he feels his face getting hot. It was stupid, this whole situation, and Mark felt as if he were in a ty drama - though he is pretty sure that is what his life is becoming while being here in South Korea - and he inwardly groans. "Sorry," he eventually says in a quiet tone and Jackson just has a smile on his face.

Jackson doesn't say anything because he figured words weren't needed as he brings his lips onto Mark's in a proper kiss, something they've never really shared. Mark had pecked his lips before but there wasn't much of a kiss there. Mark is stiff for the first few seconds of the kiss and Jackson doesn't blame him considering the older man doesn't seem to be used to this kind of affection.

When they pull apart, Mark looks flustered and Jackson's just grinning at him which makes him look away from the older man. "What's on your mind, Yien?" Jackson asks and the use of that name has him feeling too many emotions at once.

"I feel as if I can't think," he admits, looking back at Jackson with a look of confusion. "I've never been... kissed before like that. I mean, we've kissed before though I'm sure you don't remember since you were faced but.." Mark trails off and Jackson sits there motionless while processing Mark's words.

We've kissed before. 

Jackson feels absolutely stupid, of course he had kissed Mark when drunk. "I'm sorry I don't remember that, I won't be getting drunk again. I can promise you that one," he says, feeling slightly bad and Mark just gives him a slight smile.

"As much as I hate drinking, you don't need to not do it for me." Mark says, getting himself situated against Jackson, almost forgetting that the younger was still shirtless. "Just... no more one night stands, you hear?" He's teasing, of course, but Jackson takes it seriously.

"I won't, I promise. I'm not ing up what I have with you." Jackson says and pulls Mark closer to his frame. "But really, you seem like you have a lot on your mind lately." 

Mark chews his lower lip. "I do." He says briefly, taking in Jackson's scent. 

"Tell me about it, it'll make you feel better I bet." Jackson says and Mark nods slightly, not in the mood to deny.

He takes a deep breath as he looks up at Jackson, who is eyeing him, and he frowns. "I feel like the idea of revenge - taking down my cousin, I mean - isn't going to help my case. I think this whole... fashion industry is stupid. I can just get another job instead of going through the ing hassle of all of this. I don't need my friends to lose their jobs because of me." Mark says, playing with Jackson's fingers. "What if we fail? I'll have to leave South Korea to go back to California because I won't have anything to stand for." 

"It might not be a success for awhile but you might get somewhere, Mark. Isn't that worth a shot?" Jackson asks and he shakes his head. "It's not?"

"No, Jiaer. It's not really worth it, worth the stress it'll bring me and everyone around me. My dream was never to work in the fashion industry and I don't know if it ever will be. I do what I can to live, don't we all?" Mark asks before sighing.

Jackson frowns because Mark was right. Most people do whatever they can, even if they hate it, to get somewhere in life or to make the money to at least live the lie of being happy. Jackson knows money isn't happiness but most people use that as their excuse to being happy. 'I'm happy because I have wealth' but Jackson knows better, wealth won't make you happy. He has wealth and he wasn't all that happy until he really got to know Mark. "I guess that's true since wealth doesn't make people happy, they pretend it does. What's your dream, Mark?" 

Mark doesn't answer him for a few seconds and he's still playing with Jackson's fingers as he lets out another sigh. "I really don't know. My cousin offered me a job because I was struggling in South Korea when I first arrived, I learned quickly when he hired me so I knew how to do my job well after a week or two and so, I worked there for years. Him firing me out of the blue was so unexpected because I thought I was doing well." 

Jackson himself found it odd that Mark got fired especially by his cousin. He frowns. "The timing was kind of perfect, do you think... do you think he fired you because of Bambam?"

The idea never really came to mind that he was fired because of some Thai kid, who happened to be their first non-Korean temporary model as all of theirs were Korean, that was scouted temporarily but can it really be a possibility? It seemed ridiculous, really, but that also gave Mark an idea. "What if I sued my cousin?" He asks and Jackson's eyes widen. "My cousin promised me he wouldn't fire me a few months after working there and even said I was a great employee. I've gotten employee of the month several times, was promoted twice before reaching the position I was in, and gave me zero reason to why I was fired when I asked."

"I guess that can be a reason to sue since I think... some of those are illegal?" Jackson says in an unsure tone and Mark shrugs. "You can try."

"I think I will," Mark says before relaxing his head against the pillow instead of Jackson. "We should get some sleep, tomorrow will be busy for me if I'm really going to sue him." 

Jackson nods, thinking that Mark was completely bat crazy but then again, he liked bat crazy. "Good night, Mark."

"Night Jackson," he replies, instantly snuggling up against Jackson before letting sleep overcome him.

The next morning, Mark's up an hour before Jackson and decides to make them both breakfast. Jackson doesn't have much but he does have eggs and toast which is enough for a simple breakfast. While cooking, he dialed up Code's number and talked to him about suing his cousin and the company on speaker. 

Code's brother was a lawyer and Code offered to get him to work with Mark for free, as a late birthday present as Code didn't really get him one, and he wasn't going to deny that. "It is possible for you to sue as there were no reasons given to why he fired you and he did break the promises he said as a employer which can be seen as illegal," Code said, reading off a text from his brother, Taekwon. "He also said that because your cousin refused to talk about the incident, ignoring your calls and such, is also something that can be used against him in court."

"Perfect," Mark said before placing the toast into the toaster. "When should I meet you and your brother up?" 

"Mm, how about today at..." Code trails off for a minute, humming as he waits for a response from his brother. "Three O'clock?" 

Mark nods to himself before realizing that Code can't see that. "Yeah, sounds good. Thanks a lot, really. I really don't know what to do about the idea of starting a company, I want to but then I really don't." He frowns to himself as he cracks a few eggs into a bowl.

"I think it's a good idea but really, it's risky and expensive..." Code says with a groan. "But for the love of God, I want more self expression in this goddamn company! We're so restricted and ing bland!"

Chuckling, Mark pours the eggs into the frying pan. "Yeah, well, my cousin doesn't seem to get that. Plus, does anyone even know that he is Taiwanese and not Korean? I'm going to assume no." The sizzling sound of the cooking eggs was enough to have Jackson peering into the kitchen, watching as Mark cooked and talked on the phone.

"No, I don't think so. I mean, I didn't know until you said you weren't Korean." Code replies, shrugging. "I've never really seen Taiwanese fashion but come on, self expression is quite important!" He complains and Mark just smiles softly. Self expression was pretty damn important in the business, and so was diversity, but his cousin didn't see that. "Oh also, he laid that Thai kid off as well the moment you were gone."

That makes both Mark and Jackson freeze, despite Mark not knowing Jackson was there listening. "What?" 

"Bumbum, was his name? That kid, he told him to just leave and that he didn't need non-Korean models and that he found someone else who fit the role better." Code says and Mark can't believe what he's hearing.

"I'd laugh at the fact that you called him Bumbum, as his name is Bambam, but that's discrimination. My cousin can get into a lot of trouble for that," Mark says before grabbing a plate from the cabinent, dumping the cooked eggs onto it and grabbing the toast he tossed in the toaster. "I can definitely use that in court as well. , I'm pretty sure I'm the only non-Korean employee he had. All of you are Korean, Jin is Korean, Lizzy... everyone I met was Korean and I know for a fact non-Koreans have applied." 

"You got hired for being his cousin, that much was obvious." Code says after a few seconds. "We'll definitely discuss this later with my brother, he knows much more about court and law than I do since well, I'm a fashion designer." 

Mark just smiled again before noticing Jackson out of the corner of his eye. He waves and motions towards the table, to which Jackson sits down, and he brings the food he made for him. "Yeah, I'll see you later then," Mark says before hanging up, sitting down with his own food. "Well, I didn't see you there, creeper." 

Jackson smiles as he shrugs, taking a bite of food. "I didn't know you could cook." 

Laughing, he shakes his head. "I can't. I cook eggs and microwavable things, that's about where I stand." And it's true, Mark can't even properly cook noodles without them tasting cold and not fully cooked.

"So I guess you have a load on your cousin?" Jackson asks while looking up from his food and Mark can only shrug. "I heard he dumped Bambam from