"Why do you care, anyways?" Suzy stops combing her hair and looks at Jackson with agape, "No! No, Jackson, you stay away from them! You are going to miss out on your fencing opportunities and everything! Trust me, it's not worth it."

Jackson doesn't really understand what her last statement means but nonetheless, he nods absentmindedly while getting up to leave; he might've overstayed his welcome in her room anyway. For someone who didn't go to his school, Suzy knew an awful lot about Mark and his friends and part of Jackson was glad that he had her around. 

He smells him before he actually sees him and that's because Mark has a unique smell, almost a scent that makes Jackson nervous for no reason. Before he has time to prepare himself, Mark is in front of him along with the all too familiar smirk on his face. "So, I hear you've been snooping around, getting intel on me?"

"Says who?" Jackson replies a beat too late and tries to mask his nerves by pretending to find something in his locker. Even with his face halfway inside the piece of metal, he can sense Mark shifting closer to him and he hurriedly steps back to allow himself some desperately needed space.

"You haven't been?" Mark's face and tone is playful; Jackson may even think a bit flirtatious, "Aww, and here I was, getting all excited!"

"Oh god, the last thing we need is an excited Mark," A boy with dark brown hair and a distinctly sarcastic tone AKA JB says in perfect Korean. The other boy next to him, Youngjae, scoffs in agreement as both walk up to Jackson and Mark with a lazy stroll. 

 "So, this the new dude?" JB asks no one in particular but it's meant for Mark, who replies with a playful punch, "Don't be such a sour puss, JB! You'll scare him away."

Jackson watches the playful banter between the two of them and comes to conclude that they were probably dating. He can't explain why he suddenly felt down but it must've shown on his face because Youngjae nudges him, "Hey, Jackson, right? Oh yea, just a tip, I wouldn't worry too much. Them two? They always make you feel left out, freaking pricks."

"We are right here, you know?" Mark replies and Youngjae crosses his arms and winks at Jackson, "Oh, are you? Could've fooled us, it looked like you two were in your room, freaking two seconds from making out or whatever it is you do."

"Who says we haven't done that already?" JB's voice teases back which only makes Youngjae make a motion of puking, "Geez, we're still in school, keeping it freaking PG, you weirdo!" 

The bell rings for class and Jackson watches as Youngjae walks ahead while JB follows behind. And from Youngjae's reaction, he guesses that JB is probably murmuring some very detailed boy-on-boy scenarios to him. 

"So, um...I gotta get to class," Mark's voice is back to being low but it still has a playful tinge to it. Jackson can't help but raise an eyebrow at his statement which makes Mark smile his adorable smile, "I don't miss school, least not the first half anyways." 

By the time Mark fully disappears down the hallway and Jackson finally gets his books together, he is late to his next class. Jackson is met with no more than a disapproving glance before motioned to take a seat. Even if all else was to waste, math had been a strong subject for him back in Hong Kong and Jackson had hoped to bring a good first impression to his teacher. Of course with being more than ten minutes late to his first class, he knew that was no longer a possibility. Well, he did say, "hoped."

JB is not Mark's boyfriend. Jackson instantly deduces when he sees Mark with another boy, slightly taller than him with shiny black hair and a smile so wide it nearly makes his eyes disappear everytime. Jinyoung is so clingy and touchy with Mark at the lunch table that Jackson might've needed to be cross-eyed, deaf, shot in the head and then some, to not understand the kind of relationship they shared.

He's not sure if this change of plot makes him feel any better.

In the weeks that follow, Jackson learns that his new friends mostly only attend school until lunch and only last the whole day when caught by the guidance counselor. After skipping school, their hangout place is JB's basement which also doubles as a practice room for Mark, JB and Youngjae's band. Jackson also learns that his friends are usually left alone, which is rather impressive since he had assumed that such outward show of affection between two guys might've lead to some form of bullying or other.

Interestingly, he observes how his classmates rather hold some sort of admiration for the four, Jinyoung included, and consider them as "cool" since they don't seem to really care about anything in particular and thus, have some level of freedom that others don't.

Jackson realizes that he isn't so proud to have made first string of the school fencing team when he learns of Mark and the others' disdain for all things school related, including sports. He doesn't know since when he has started to care so much about what others think but he blames it on a certain redhead.

All in all, other than the fact that Mark is barely alone without Jinyoung nibbling on his ear or kissing his neck, Jackson thinks he likes the company of his new "cool" friends. 

It is October, two weeks from Halloween and Jackson is at the usual lunch table when he sees JB walking over. "I hope you like your lunch with a side of cold air and lover's quarrel," is all the other says before putting on his headphones, taking a seat and eating his lunch. Jackson is just about to ask what he means when he sees Mark, who gives him weak smile, takes a seat with his tray and also starts nibbling on his food. Jinyoung follows behind with a sullen look on his face and slams his tray down on the table; his eyes glance over to Jackson as if silently daring him to speak. 

The lunch period continues as JB had said with an air of tension and awkwardness and Jackson is surprised at how glad he feels when the period ends. 

"Nah, we're done for good, this time," Mark repeats himself with conviction and Jackson is the only one who bothers to nod in response. JB is too busy trying to find some sweatshirt that he owes Youngjae, who is fast asleep in one corner of the couch after eating a pie of pizza all by himself. 

"We should do something fun," Jackson finds himself saying, "you know, it's almost halloween. Maybe we could hang out at my place, my host parents are out for the weekend."

JB stops rummaging through his third box and asks with a puzzled look, "What? Like a party? You are okay with us being in your house?"

"Well, yea, I guess it could be like a party with us," Jackson replies back but he isn't sure if he likes where this is heading. The look JB and Mark share only confirms what he had dreaded. 

Mark reaches over and gives Jackson's shoulder a squeeze, "Hey, if you're uncomfortable, don't worry about. We'll just do what we always do and crash at JB's, hell, maybe go trick or treating or something. You know, there is new apartm—"

"No, yea, a party sounds like fun," Jackson cuts in.

JB is quick to counter as he takes a step closer to the couch, his voice is brimmed with challenge as he says, "Drinking....there will be drinking too, Jackson, you okay with that?"

Mark is quiet but Jackson can feel his eyes on him. "Of course, hey, what's a party without some beer, right?" 

"Ok, party at Jackson's this Sunday," JB almost sings into Youngjae's ears, who replies with a series of misguided punches. 

Jackson gets that smile from Mark again which makes him feel like a super VVVIP and wakes up the butterflies in his stomach. Maybe a party wasn't such a bad idea, anyways.