“Mark-hyung please, wake up,” Mark heard someone say. ‘Yugyeom?’ he thought hopefully as he opened his tired dark eyes. He locked gazes with someone, but it wasn't Yugyeom, “Oh, it’s only you,” he griped and closed his eyes again. Jaebum stared at his friend with a raised brow, part of him wanted to ask the elder why he was sleeping in the middle of his living room floor instead of his bed, but he was on a mission. “Yes hyung, it’s me, I came to talk,” he said shaking his friend. Mark groaned in mild annoyance, he wondered how the guy had even gotten into his apartment; he was pretty sure that the door was locked. 

He his side away from Jaebum, “About what?” he mumbled out and covered his face with his hand. “About Yugyeom,” Jaebum told the back of the elder’s head. Mark flinched a little at his boyfriend’s name; he hadn’t heard it spoken out loud in two weeks, it sounded foreign to him. “What about him, Jaebum?” he asked, his back still turned. “Where is he?” Jaebum queried feigning curiosity, he knew where Yugyeom was but he wanted to see if Mark knew. 

“Not here,” Mark answered with a shake of his head.  

Jaebum furrowed his brows and nodded, “I know,” he grumbled, “Because the brat has been camping out in my living room for the past 17 days.” Mark rolled back over and stared at his friend in confusion, “And judging by your face, you had no idea,” Jaebum concluded as he leaned back on his palms. Mark sighed and sat up, “No I didn’t know; I didn’t even bother to find out where he went when he ran out of here. I figured he was staying with a friend on campus or something,” he admitted shoving the hood of his sweatshirt off his head.

“Mark-hyung, why haven’t you even bothered to contact your boyfriend?” Jaebum asked the elder. “We had a fight,” Mark simply stated as he propped an elbow on the low coffee table behind him. The younger nodded, “Yes, I understand that. All couples fight, hyung. But what I don’t understand is how you didn’t even bother to locate your boyfriend,” he said, “you love him right?”

“Of course I do,” Mark found himself instantly answering, his voice raised. He was tired of his feelings being questioned. “So why, if you love him, haven’t you looked for him? For 17 days? I’d understand if you left him alone for a couple of days, because when he showed up he was livid…but for 17 days?” Jaebum questioned shaking his head, “I don’t get it.” He crossed his arms and patiently waited for an answer. “Look I know it seems bad,” Mark said running his fingers through his messy hair, “but I didn’t call him for a reason.” 

“What reason hyung?” Jaebum asked skeptically, he still didn’t understand. “I left Yugyeom alone because I needed some time to think. He asked me things that I couldn’t immediately answer, but should’ve been able to. I completely closed myself off to the world to think about what he asked me; I even used up some of my sick days. He wasn’t the only person I wasn’t contacting,” Mark explained.

“What things?” the younger pried curiously. Mark shook his head, “Nothing I want to discuss with you Jaebum-ah, no offense.” Jaebum held his hands up in surrender, “None taken,” he assured, “but can you at least tell me If you know the answers to those questions now?” Mark smiled and nodded, “Yea, I figured them out.” 

“Good because that kid has been going through the motions because of you. He’s hasn’t smiled since you guys fought and he’s sad all the time, it’s really depressing to look at. He thinks you don’t love him anymore and you not contacting him hasn’t helped with his assumptions,” Jaebum revealed. Mark instantly felt guilty, he had no idea. He wasn’t trying to upset his boyfriend further, but he needed that distance between them. Jaebum spoke up again, “ I hope the answers to those questions will be what he wants to hear, because Yugyeom deserves to be loved and I really think you’re the only person who can love him the way he needs and wants to be loved.”

Mark smiled and nodded again, “I think so too,” he agreed. 

“Great,” Jaebum cheered as he hopped to his feet. A confused Mark watched his friend’s form disappear into his bedroom, ‘What is he doing?’ Jaebum returned with Mark’s phone in one hand and his wallet in the other. “Am I going somewhere?” Mark asked pointing at the items. Jaebum held them out for his friend to take, “Yes, you’re going to go talk to Yugyeom,” he plainly answered. “Right now?” the elder questioned incredulously. 

“Yes right now,” Jaebum firmly said, “You say you know the answers to whatever Yugyeom-ah asked you two weeks ago, why waste any more time? He’s waiting on you.” Jaebum was right, Mark had spent more than enough time away from his boyfriend. It was time to set things straight, he missed his boyfriend. Mark stood up and snatched the snapback off Jaebum’s head and placed it on his head to cover his messy hair. “OK I’ll go talk to him,” he announced as he shoved his newly retrieved items into his sweatpants pockets. 

“Yay let’s go,” Jaebum said excitedly following the elder to the door. Mark held his hand out to stop his friend. “No you stay here, I need to be alone with Yugyeom,” he told him as he shoved his feet into his shoes by the door. Jaebum looked at the elder in frustration, “But it’s my apartment,” he protested. “Yes I know, but I don’t care,” Mark simply told him. He quickly grabbed his car keys off the key hook mounted on the wall and left the apartment. “JUST MAKE SURE YOU GET THE MAKNAE OUT OF MY APARTMENT MARK-HYUNG,” Jaebum called out to the elder before he closed the door. He sighed and plopped down on the couch, “I hope this doesn’t take all night,” he mumbled to himself.