Here it is, Dear Readers. 23b.

Chapter 23b

Key, DaeHyun and RyeoWook were on duty. They sat in RyeoWook's section upstairs, so he served them.

"Haven't you guys had enough of this place during your shift?" he asked his unexpected customers.

"You should talk," BamBam replied. "You come in for a morning coffee sometimes. HimChan-Ssi told us," he explained.

"HimChan talks too much," RyeoWook smiled. "What can I get you?"

They placed their orders and then RyeoWook left to fill them. Just then, Key brushed past, waving at the two young men before heading over to a man seated in his section across the room. The man was wearing glasses and working on his laptop when Key walked over to him. Neither YuGyeom nor BamBam could hear a word they exchanged, but they both noticed the way this customer looked at Key as they talked. They also noticed how his eyes followed Key when he turned and walked away to fill his order.

"That must be him," YuGyeom whispered.

"Who?"

"The stalker."

"Oh," said BamBam surprised. "For some reason I thought he was some sad, pathetic-looking guy, who couldn't get a date, but that guy is really good-looking. And did you see the way he was looking at Key-Ssi?"

"It was the kind of look that said he would never make a move. He looks scared to death," YuGyeom said.

And they spent the rest of the time there drinking their hot, sweet drinks and talking about Key and his handsome stalker.

*                                 *                                 *                                 *                                 *

"You really didn't have to walk me to my door," BamBam said.

"I had to make sure you got home alright. It's late," YuGyeom said.

"I can look after myself," BamBam assured him. "I'm not a girl."

"A lot of girls can look after themselves," YuGyeom said, smiling. "Anyway, you're no less precious because you're a guy," he added. "I'll pick you up tomorrow for work as usual, okay?"

"Okay," BamBam said. As YuGyeom started walking away, BamBam called, "text me when you get home so that I'm sure you're alright."

"Okay," YuGyeom smiled. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight," BamBam said pushing his key in the lock.

He shut the door behind him and leaned against it. He was tired, but happy. He had a really good time.

And as he started getting ready for bed, he contemplated what he could do for YuGyeom to thank him for such a fun evening. And it was those thoughts that accompanied him into the land of dreams.

*                                 *                                 *                                 *                                 *

In the morning, JinYoung lay with his back to Mark, as Mark slept with his body wrapped around his lover's, spooning him with an arm flung around his waist. He was already awake and had been for a while trying to figure out what to do about their situation. He thought again about the fact that he still hadn't told Mark about what happened with MiRa. For once in such a long time, he felt finally like he was whole and happy. It was true that he was still plagued with a feeling of unease concerning his and Mark's future, but he felt that if he could only discover a way for them to agree about a future for the two of them, that feeling would dissipate.

"What is my Jinnie thinking so hard about?" Mark asked, sleep roughening his voice.

JinYoung turned towards him and snuggled against him with his head laying in the crook of his arm. He kissed Mark's neck in good morning greeting, just as Mark kissed his forehead.

"How long have you been awake?" JinYoung asked.

"Not long. " Mark answered.

"How did you know I was awake and thinking about something?"

"There was a disturbance in the force," Mark joked. "No, but really. When you're asleep, you move as much as a felled log, and your breathing is deep and regular. As soon as you wake up your breathing changes and even if you move only slightly, I know that you're awake."

JinYoung looked at him astonished. "How do you know so much about my sleeping habits?"

"Years of sleeping with you, watching you and listening to you," Mark answered his cheek.

"I didn't know I had a stalker boyfriend all these years," JinYoung smiled.

"People who love art can stand in front of a single painting for hours looking at all the brush and nuances," Mark said, now JinYoung's hair lightly, "I can watch you for hours, that's the only difference. You have always been my favourite work of art."

JinYoung reached up and kissed Mark's lips with agonizingly slow intensity, while moving to lay on top of him. Mark's hands slid up JinYoung's body until one hand caressed his lower back and the other s around to thread through his hair as they kissed with a deep deliberateness that elicited moans from both of the lovers.

They both began to kiss each other's faces and necks until JinYoung supporting himself with his forearms hovered above Mark. He kissed his forehead briefly before he said, "Mark, we have to talk."

Mark nuzzled his neck. "Whatever it is, make it quick," he breathed against his skin.

"I'm serious," JinYoung said.

"If you're serious, you shouldn't be laying on top of me, distracting me with your delectable body," Mark whispered in his ear, beginning to nibble it.

JinYoung rolled off him and propping himself up on his arm, asked, "Now are you ready to listen?"

Mark groaned.

"This had better be important, JinYoung-ah," Mark warned. He wanted him so badly that his entire body was now throbbing with need.

"It is," JinYoung assured him, tracing Mark's face with his finger. Mark snapped at him playfully, catching his finger between his teeth, before it lightly.

"Stop playing around," JinYoung said tapping the end of Mark's nose.

"Okay, " Mark said with a false air of gravity. "I'm listening."

"What would you think of me selling Escape?"

Mark was immediately serious.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean what if I were to sell Escape and move here?"

"Are you serious? What about your parents?"

"I'm serious. I want to be with you. As long as that's what you want, too."

Mark wanted that. But, it wasn't that long ago that he went through so much pain because of JinYoung wanting to please his parents. He couldn't forget about that so easily.

"You just want to move here because I've already done all the hard work with Runaway," he joked, trying to lighten the mood.

"I mean it, Mark. I can't make my parents happy; not with what they expect of me. I still don't want to tell them about . . . well, the way I am, but if I'm not around, they can't interfere. It can be like all the time we were together before we built Escape."

Mark wanted to believe him. He loved JinYoung with all his heart and he wanted them to be together, but he just couldn't get his hopes up. He was just happy that they'd found their way back to each other, but he wasn't going to start planning a life with him, no matter how much he loved him. Not enough had changed for him to do that. He just wanted them to be happy with what they had right now. What the future held for them . . . well, he just wasn't willing to think about that yet.

"Let's just take one thing at a time," Mark said.

"What do you mean by that? Don't you want me here? Don't you want me to be with you?" JinYoung asked, clearly shaken.

"Of course I want you to be with me," Mark said JinYoung's face gently. "I just don't want you to make any rash decisions. I guess . . . I don't want you to . . . make promises to me you can't keep," Mark admitted vulnerably.

"Mark," JinYoung said tenderly, seeing that Mark was still hurt about what had happened between them. "I . . . "

"Don't say anything, now," Mark said taking JinYoung into his arms. "Just do whatever it is you want to do. I love you," he said kissing him softly. "If you decide to sell and come here, I'll be here. But if you decide to stay there, I'll understand."

"I won't . . . "

"I'm just saying, I don't want to put you in the middle of another tug-of-war. I want you to do exactly what you want to do, when you want to do it. No pressure," Mark said understandingly.

But JinYoung wanted Mark to pressure him. He wanted him to tell him how much he wanted him to be with him. But, it seemed that things had really changed between them. Mark wasn't holding on to him the way he had before. He'd built a new life for himself and he would lead it with or without JinYoung. The thought made JinYoung tremble inwardly.

How can I tell him about what happened with MiRa now? He loves me, but not like before. He wouldn't want me anymore if he knew . . . .

JinYoung, in that moment determined that he would take that secret with him to the grave. If there was even the slightest chance that Mark wouldn't forgive him, he couldn't risk it.

He just slid into Mark's arms and tried to feel the comfort they offered.

But, no matter how closely Mark held him, he just couldn't.

*                                 *                                 *                                 *                                 *

When JinYoung woke up in Mark's bed on the eleventh day of being away from Escape, the other shoe finally dropped.

"JinYoung, you have to come home," his mother said.

"Umma, I'll be back in a few days to . . .  " he began, intending to tell his mother of his plans to move.

"Not in a few days," she insisted angrily, "right away."

"I can't come back right now. Escape is in capable hands. I'm going be here for just a little while longer."

"Do you want to stay in Seoul to play longer with your friends, JinYoung? With Mark? You're not a little boy anymore, so stop playing with your friends and come back and face your responsibilities," she scolded.

"I'm not playing, Umma. And I know I'm not a little boy. I already told you that I have responsible people running the hotel while I'm away. They haven't contacted me about any problems, so I'm just going to stay here a little longer. Then, I have something I want to talk to you about."

"I'm not talking about your responsibilities at Escape, JinYoung. I'm talking about your responsibility to MiRa. You weren't here so she had to come to me."

"Umma, what are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about your relationship. I'm talking about taking your responsibilities towards your girlfriend seriously. MiRa came to see me today. She was very upset. She said you haven't contacted her since you left. Not even a phone call. She told me . . . she told me . . . "

Told you what . . .

" . . . she told me, JinYoung . . . that she's pregnant . . . with your child."

The hand that had been holding JinYoung's phone to his ear, dropped to his side and as he started to shake, the phone slid out of his hand and fell to the floor.

"JinYoung . . . JinYoung . . . JinYoung! Answer me . . . . "

:-( 

T_T  

TT_TT