3 years later

Jackson yawned as he stretched his arms. He sat straight, lying over the bedhead.

He smiled at the lump of blankets lying next to him.   

“John~” he sang as he shook the other man.

“Hmm…5 more minutes”

Jackson chuckled. “No more minutes. Come on, get up”

He laughed when John grabbed him from the waist and brought him up to his chest tightly.

“Jackson, just shut up and sleep.”

Jackson shook his head as he tried to free himself, to no avail.

“I have to go to college and you have to go to work. Come on~!”

John huffed in his neck making Jackson squirm.

“Ok, but under one condition”

Jackson rolled his eyes. “Which condition?”

“Give me a kiss” he said as he stuck his lips childishly.

Jackson snorted. “Are you five?”

“Only for you baby”

Jackson gave him a quick peck, leaving John shocked and time for him to get out of his hold.

“Now get up, or you will be late” he chuckled.

John whined childishly. “Oh come on! That wasn’t even a real kiss!”
 

As Jackson cooked breakfast, he remembered the call with his mom the day before, and he couldn’t help but reminisce the years that have passed since he moved away from Korea.

When he moved to Hong Kong, he entered a high school near his father’s job. He, surprisingly, made new friends, which he still has contact with today.

After a year, he graduated and was able to enter a college in Los Angeles, where he is situated today. And after tears and goodbyes from both of his parents, he was able to move here.

Los Angeles was different from Korea and Hong Kong, too different. But he got used to it.

Then, months after entering college, he met John Wiley. His 24 year old boyfriend that he had met at a coffee shop near his apartment.  

He was probably near perfect.

Green eyes, sharp nose, and soft brown hair. He had a toned tan body and he was taller than Jackson

He was smart, having already graduated from a prestigious college in New York. He was handsome, yet really humble and sweet.

Most importantly, he never forgot to tell Jackson he was beautiful. Whether it was in the morning or late after night, he always did.

He seriously didn’t know how he had caught the attention of such a man like John.

He had doubted many times, thinking that maybe John was only playing with him. But John was always there, and as stubborn as he was, he never let Jackson go.

Jackson loved him. He was sure. And even after his past, he found John and everything changed.

He smiled as he felt arms wrap around his waist.

“What are you thinking about beautiful? I’ve been calling your name for the past minutes”

Jackson leaned back. “I’m sorry John. I was just thinking about the past. What did you need?”

John lifted some white socks from behind. “Found them”

Jackson chuckled.  

“Anyways, what do you mean about the past?” John asked as he settled in a chair.

Jackson sat in John’s lap. “Oh, you know. How handsome and how wonderful you were the first time we met”

“Aww babe, you’re so sweet” John murmured against the younger’s neck.

Jackson sighed in pleasure as John trailed kisses down his neck.

“John, we’re going to be so late” Jackson whined.

“So what? Let me enjoy this moment please” John whispered.

He bit Jackson’s lower lip slowly, making the other shiver.

Jackson’s alarm suddenly rang, making both of them jump.

Jackson ran to his bedroom. “That’s my phone’s Tardy Alarm. We are so late!”

“Tardy Alarm? Who the heck calls an alarm, Tardy Alarm?”

 

 

“So you were hurrying me this morning, even interrupting our make out session, to tell me your professor cancelled your only class of the day?”

Jackson chuckled, holding his phone closely as he opened the coffee shop door.

“Yes, and I’m sorry John, but you still went on time to your job didn’t you?”

John huffed playfully. “Look I’ll talk to you later, but after this meeting, I’m picking you up”

“I can walk home you know. I’m in the coffee shop near our apartment”

John chuckled lowly. “I never said we were going back to our apartment baby. I’m picking you up and what happens after that is a surprise” 

Jackson gulped.

“I’ll call you back. Bye”

 

 

Jackson sighed tiredly as he sat down in one of the booths.

He had stayed up late last night to finish a paper, only for the professor to cancel class. Great.

“Jackson?”

Jackson jumped at the voice. One, he got scared. Two, the voice was awfully familiar.

He turned around slowly, not wanting for whatever he was thinking to be true.

But it was. Mark was standing right in front of him.

“Jackson!”

Mark engulfed him in a tight hug suddenly.

“Oh my god! It’s really you!” he tightened the grip.

And Jackson almost cried. He tried so much to forget about his past, and he thought he had succeeded, but obviously not.

Just the mere sight of Mark brought so much memories.

“I can’t believe it! I thought I’d never see you again!” Mark murmured into his neck.

“Mark. What the heck! I—“

No. Please don’t let it be who I think it is? Jackson thought.

“Jackson?”

Please don’t let it be. Please!

“It’s Jackson! Can you believe it Jaebum?”

 

 

 “So how have you been Jackson?”

Jackson sighed as he felt a lump in his throat. He looked down, tears threatening to fall at any moment.

“You’ve really changed since we’ve seen you”

Jackson gulped as he closed his eyes.

This time, Jaebum spoke. “Are you alright?”  

Jackson nodded his head. “I’m alright. J-Just a little bit shaken up”

He couldn’t let Jaebum see how much he still affected him. He needed to be strong.

“Why are you guys here?” he asked wearily.

“After we graduated from high school, we applied as exchange students in one of the colleges here. We wanted to experience the American life you know. Fortunately, we’re both here, and we’re staying here for about a year.”

Jackson almost laughed. Why did this things happen to him? Didn’t he suffer enough?

Mark smiled. “I’m really happy to see you Jackson”

He smiled weakly, avoiding both of their gazes as he spoke. “Yeah, me too”  

 

 

 

“Jackson wait!” Jaebum shouted.

Jackson walked faster as he walked out the coffee shop.

“Jackson!”

Jackson turned around.

“What?! Didn’t you make me suffer enough? Why did you have to come here out of all places?!”

Jaebum grabbed his hands. “I swear I didn’t know you were here!”

“Please let me go” Jackson whispered.

“No, not until you listen to me. You left and I let you. I won’t do the same mistake again”

Jackson shook his head disbelievingly. “Let me go!”

“Jackson, listen to me—“

“Hey, hey, hey. What the heck is going on here?!”

Jackson turned around to see John standing behind Jaebum, looking furious.

John walked forward, grabbing Jackson’s hand, pulling him back as he stood in front of him protectively.

 “What the heck are you doing to him?!” he growled.

Jaebum stood up straighter, his jaw clenching. “Who are you?”

“No, I want to know who you are and what are you doing to my boyfriend” John cried.

Jaebum’s eyes widened. “B-Boyfriend?”  

“Yes. Now answer my question or I swear I’ll—“

“John, stop. Come on, let’s go” Jackson interrupted.  

John turned to Jackson and nodded slowly.

He turned to Jaebum and continued. “I better not see you near him again, whoever you are” John warned before dragging Jackson away.

 

 

John threw open the door as he walked into the apartment.

“You better tell me who that is Jackson Wang, or I swear I’ll find out by myself. I’m not going to let any idiot hurt you”

Jackson looked down as he sat on the sofa. He was scared. He hadn’t seen John this mad before.

“I’m waiting” John said.

Jackson sighed. Well, I guess there’s no turning back at this point, he thought.

“Jackson—“

“Im Jaebum” he whispered.

John stopped. “What?”

“His name is Im Jaebum, we used to go to high school together, back in Korea”

“So you know him?”

Jackson nodded.  

“Still, he didn’t have any right to hold you like that. What is he doing here? Don’t tell me he came all the way over here to look for you? Were you two in a relationship?”

Jackson scoffed nervously. “God no! Where would you get that from? He’s just here as an exchange student”

John stared at him. “Is there something else you haven’t told me Jackson, involving Jaebum?”

Jackson shook his head as he looked away.

“Jackson, you better tell me. Who the heck is Jaebum and what did really happen between you two?”

 

And Jackson told him everything.

He told him how Jaebum made his high school years horrible. He told him how due to that he got to think that he wasn’t loved, that he shouldn’t live anymore.

It ended with him crying, but it didn’t matter.

Because John was there, he wrapped his arms around him and kissed his tears away. He whispered against his ear and he brushed his fingers through his hair softly.

John was there for him.

 

 

Jackson woke up to a warm embrace.

Looking up, he saw John smiling down at him.

“What are you staring at?” Jackson teased.

“Probably the most beautiful person in the world”

Jackson blushed as he hit John’s chest playfully. “Stop it”

John chuckled as he held Jackson tighter.

“Jackson?”

Jackson turned to him. “Hmm?”

“I want to you know that I love you. And even if that idiot did what he did, I will always be there for you. To love you, do you understand?”

Jackson smiled as he nodded softly.

“Now, we are going to get up and go eat something because I’m starving”

Jackson laughed. “You had to ruin the moment didn’t you?”

 

 

“I’m glad you accepted to listen to me”

Here he was, in the same coffee shop, sitting in front of Im Jaebum.

He didn’t plan it.

He was simply walking down the busy streets of L.A. when he felt a tap in his shoulder.

It was none other than Im Jaebum.

Now he’s here, having accepted what the older had proposed. To listen to whatever he has to says.

“I…where do I start?” Jaebum asked.

Jackson couldn’t believe it himself. How was he sitting in front of Jaebum, listening to him talk, without reacting very much like the old him would. It was weird, yet different.

“Jackson, again, I’m sorry for everything I did to you”

Jackson rolled his eyes. “Here we go again”

Jaebum sighed. “Honestly, I fell in love with you after I met you.”

“Right” Jackson snorted.

“Of course you don’t believe me, but it’s true”

“How do you expect me to believe you after all you’ve done to me?” Jackson sighed.

“I know” Jaebum said, almost growled.

“But you wouldn’t understand. I fell in love, but I was young and I didn’t know what love was at all. I was afraid, whenever I saw you I felt my heart skipping a beat. I felt myself being controlled by your every move. I didn’t know it was love. I thought it was hate. I thought I hated you, that’s why I made you pass through everything you’ve been through. And I’m sorry. I was a coward”

Jackson was speechless. He blinked rapidly, trying to process whatever Jaebum just said.

“I loved you, and I think I still do”

Jackson sighed slowly.

“So you’re telling me that you bullied me… because you fell in love with me?”

Jaebum nodded slowly, waiting for a reaction.

Jackson sighed. “It…it does make sense. But Jaebum, it doesn’t really change the way I see you”

Jaebum nodded. “I-I just thought you should know that I’m not the same person as before. I wanted to try having a relationship with you, but—“

“But you’re too late.” Jackson whispered. “Look, Jaebum. I forgive you, but I…I don’t think I can have any feelings for you after everything that happened.”

 

 

Jackson walked inside the apartment, taking off his shoes as he went to the kitchen.

“Where were you?” John asked as he pecked Jackson’s lips.

“Oh, I was just taking a walk around” Jackson sighed.

John smiled as he caressed the younger’s cheek. “You look tired. Come on, sit down so I can make you something to eat”

Jackson grabbed John’s hand and smiled up at him. “I love you John, you know that, right?”

John smiled, nodding softly.

“I love you too”

 

 

Jaebum stared at the sky as he walked down the lonely streets.

He sighed as he ran a hand through his hair.

Why can’t he go back to hating me? He thought.

At least then I knew he felt something for me, even if it was hate.