It was a quiet morning, too quiet actually. Mark was twirling his iPhone on the floor of the living room as he laid belly flat. He was expecting a call from Jinyoung, or more like wanting his best friend to call him. A few exhales of heavy sighs found their way out from Mark’s pursed lips.

“Mark could you not lay on the ground, its covered in germs.” Jaebum said as he got the breakfast going. But Mark didn’t listen and continued to twirl his gold iPhone. The silence made Jaebum look up from the stove, “Mark? What’s going on? Tell Hyung.”

Finally sitting up with the phone in his hand, Mark looks at his older brother with his lower lip sticking out from discomfort, “JR isn’t talking to me. He hasn’t said a word to me after the last practice I watched him in.”

“What did you do?”

“Ugh Hyung….It wasn’t my fault.”

“Then why is he ignoring you?”

“Because he los-” but Mark caught himself before finishing his sentence. If Jaebum found out that he was going on a trip with Jackson, things would completely get out of hand. “He…uhhh…lost more matches than he expected against the European Academy.”

“Is that so,” Jaebum said without looking up from the stove as he stirred the food.

“Yee-aaahh,” Mark squeezes out, noticing that JB knew he wasn't telling him everything. “I don’t know what to do. He’s never ignored me for this long.”

“I’m sure he’ll be over it in a whiff.” Jaebum pulled out a few plates and set them on the marble kitchen table. He then elegantly filled the plates with the food. Mark slouched in the chair picking up his chopsticks to only play with his food. His eyes were still staring at his phone hoping that Jinyoung would send him something.

“Maybe you should go show him that he means more to you than his fencing match,” Jaebum softly said as he sat down to eat. “He’s always trying to impress you with his fencing skills. Maybe you should go tell him that he’s more important to you rather than just waiting for him to come to you instead.” Mark’s round eyes looks up to Jaebum then back down to his food. “You’re absolutely right Hyung!” The younger brother savagely gobbles down the plates of food in a matter of seconds. He then wipes his mouth with the large thick napkin. “You truly are a genius Hyung, Thanks!” Mark gives Jaebum a quick hug and kiss to the cheek before rushing to the front door. The food on Jaebum’s chopsticks nearly falls on his lap, “Mark! Don’t leave Taecyeon behind!”

“I won’t!” The younger brother’s tiny yell barely makes it back to the dining room.

Jaebum turns around to see Taecyeon fast walking from the hallway to catch up with the swift boy. “What am I going to do with that boy?” Lightly shaking his head, he turns around to continue eating.

**********

“Mark…..Where are we going?” Jinyoung didn’t sound very happy. He sounded more annoyed and wanted to be alone.

“Somewhere special,” Mark sang.

“I have practice soon so could you just get this over with,” Jinyoung says with annoyance and impatience.

But Mark scoots closer to Jinyoung and wraps both arms around his best friend. Both of their eyes only inches away from each others. “You won’t be disappointed,” Mark whispers as he puts on his best puppy dogface. Jinyoung fights hard to not let a smile slip between his cheeks but Mark could already tell he had him. Mark rests his head on Jinyoung’s left shoulder and JR finally lets out a small giggle making Mark burst out in laughter. Soon the backseat of the car was filled with the two friends’ laughs and giggles.

“Ugh I hate it when you use that face on me,” JR complains as he puts Mark in a neck lock under his arm.

“I know.” Mark lets his head rest on Jinyoung’s lap and stares at him with a big smile in satisfaction.

“We’re here Sir.” The car pulls into a small ice cream café and parks in front of the entrance. “I’ll wait in the car,” Taecyeon says as he turns off the engine.

Mark instantly sits up. Jinyoung looks outside the window and opens the door of the car. Jinyoung couldn’t believe his eyes, “Wow….I haven’t been here in ages.”

“Yup! Come on let’s go eat.”

The small café wasn’t busy with only two elderly couples siting at the booths. Mark and Jinyoung skipped to the cashier to order their ice cream. Mark’s ice cream was made up of vanilla scoops, sprinkled with truffle, atop of strawberries in a medium sized cup and Jinyoung ordered a small tub of chocolate truffle. After Mark paid for the ice cream they sat outside on the bench of the many that were in front of the shop.

“I still remember the days we always came here for the cheap ice cream,” Jinyoung scooped a big spoonful of ice cream and popped it in his mouth savoring the delicious taste.

“Yeah….You first brought me here after I was upset from being left alone at home,” Mark said as he smiled at JR.

“Actually you ran away from home and then I found you by the road when I was on my afternoon run.” Another scoop melted in Jinyoung’s mouth.

“And that was the first time we met.”

“Yup.” Jinyoung was enjoying the ice cream too much he was nearly finished. “That was like ten or twelve years ago.”

“And if it wasn’t for you Jinyoung I wouldn’t be here today.”

Jinyoung stops eating. Mark’s serious tone of voice made Jinyoung look deeper into Mark’s eyes and realizes why Mark brought him here. He sets the spoon down and loosens himself out, “Sorry I was ignoring you. I didn’t know how to face you after losing to Jackson. I’ll never leave you alone like that again.” A sweet smile shines from JR’s radiant face.

“I don’t have to go if you don’t want me to. Besides I doubt Jaebum will let me go anyway.” Mark scoops up a small amount of his cold desert to eat.

“No. You should go Mark. I’m not going to keep you away from people, even if that person is Jackson Wang,” the name made JR roll his eyes. “Jaebum’s always shielding you away from meeting new people and I’m not going to do that to you,” Jinyoung eats the last of his ice cream and tosses it in the trash like throwing a basketball in the hoop. “Just bring Taecyeon and lots and lots of bodyguards.” JR said in a more serious tone pointing at Mark but loosened to a smile and hung his arm over the tall friend. Mark giggles from the relieving encouragement. They both reminisce the past a little longer before Jinyoung had to leave to practice.