Chapter 2

Mark peeked out, sighing at the sight of his Mandu curl up into a ball on his couch with a tears stained face.

It had already been an hour since he practically dragged the big baby into his apartment which happens to be next to the younger's since he had already planned on staying close by the younger as a way to fill up the time they lost while his away in L.A so he rented the apartment beside the younger when he found out it was vacant. 

It just didn't occur to him that he will return back to a crying Jackson, something that he rarely witness so of course he freaked out when the younger just kept on crying without saying even a single word.

Sighing, Mark took out the warm glass of milk from the microwave before returning back to his living room and offering his big baby the glass.

As Jackson look up, he instantly feels bad when he saw the worried expression on his usually calm and cool Dimsum.

"Thank you, Dimsum." Jackson thanked softly, giving the older whose right now already plopped down beside him a small smile.

"Now, can you tell me what happened to you?" Mark questioned slowly, seriousness clear in his voice as he give the younger his full attention.

Jackson hesitate for a bit because he didn't want to burden the older with his situation but when he saw Mark's concerned face, he knows he couldn't keep anything from the other.

"You know Jinyoung, right?" Jackson question, earning a nod from Mark who somehow got the feeling that things might be connected to the said person.

Of course Mark knows who's Jinyoung, the very person that Jackson would mention in their every e-mail or skype session. Park Jinyoung, the love of Jackson's life, Mark knows at least that much.

"He accused me of being his stalker earlier this morning at the office in front of everyone when I just tried to pass his birthday cake. 

Usually I would understand if he chase me away from his desk to avoid other's eyes but today, he just seem so different, like as if the Jinyoung I know change in just a week span. 

With all the judging eyes looking my way, I kinda of just left work and returned back here but I couldn't even enter my own apartment. 

I found out from Mi Sook Imo that he took over the renting, claiming that I moved out and asked Imo to keep my belongings over at her place. 

When I heard everything, I couldn't comprehend what I did wrong to deserve all this. I just somehow end up venting my anger at that stupid door." Jackson explained, resting his throbbing head due to all the crying on Mark's shoulder.

"Wait..that means all these while you guys dated in secret?" Mark questioned in shock after processing the younger's words.

"At least at work, we did. He told me that he wasn't comfortable about revealing our relationship to our colleagues since I was the one that got him into the company, he didn't want rumors going around saying that he got the job through connection." Jackson added, snuggling closer to the warm & fuzzy older who somehow lessen his pain.

"Seriously? How could you date a guy like that for four years? He's just outright selfish." Mark scolded, shaking his head at how his silly Mandu endure that Park Jinyoung.

"I know, hyung. He can be selfish but still his my Jinyoung." Jackson muttered, clearly knows that Mark didn't mean to hurt his feelings with those words but somehow it did stings him a bit.

Mark wasn't stupid, he instantly noticed the hurt in the younger's tone but still he can't go soft on Jackson especially after seeing him in this state.

"He might be your Jinyoung, Mandu but are you still his Jackson? Think about it." Mark questioned with a softer tone before patting the other's head who's still resting on his shoulder.

Jackson didn't reply, instead he just tangle his right hand into Mark's left hand with that particular question echoing in his mind.

Honestly, a lot of things is going through the younger's mind right now, especially all the questions he have for Jinyoung. 

He needs to know at least what he did wrong to deserve all this rather than left hanging without any answer nor explanation.

With the questions replaying in his mind, Jackson's headache just got worse which cause him to force himself to stop thinking and rest his poor head.

It didn't take long before Mark heard faint snores coming from the other whose fast asleep on his shoulder.

The older smiles at the sight of his Mandu's sleeping face, it's been ages since he last stare at the younger angelic sleeping face. 

It has always been a habit of his to stare at the younger sleeping face every morning to start his day since they were small. 

He knows it's a bit weird maybe a lot but still something about it just makes Mark feels ready to face the day, like how a cup of morning coffee works on most people.

He didn’t failed to notice the tears stains on his Mandu’s cheeks, it makes him wonder how can this Jinyoung guy had the heart to hurt a sweetheart like Jackson.

Being the person who's always by his side, Mark hated the fact that a selfish being like him could erase the smile off his usually hyper and happy Mandu.

Sighing again at his weird urge to kill that selfish guy, Mark decides it’s time to continue his cleaning on the apartment or he might end up sitting there, staring at the younger while planning a murder in his head.

*************************************

Youngjae looks to the empty desk beside him, wondering why isn’t Jackson here today when he clearly remember that the older told him, he will be back at work by today.

“Youngjae hyung, can you please work on these by today? Submit it to the Chief before five.” Bambam, their newly hired office boy appears, quickly passing a bunch of files to the dumbfounded older.

“But isn’t Jackson hyung in charge of these?” Youngjae uttered in confusion, noticing that all the project files belongs to his desk neighbour.

“Didn’t you know about what happened this morning, hyung?” Bambam questioned, amaze that someone is still clueless about the incident.

“No, I just arrived not long ago because I went to collect samples earlier.” Youngjae explained, totally curious about what happened during his absence.

“Jackso…” Bambam got cuted when a clear sharp voice belongs to their new chief was heard, calling out for the office boy.

“We will talk at lunch.” Bambam hurriedly exclaimed before dashing off towards their chief’s desk in frenzy.

Youngjae could only sigh at seeing the pile in front of him, he just hopes that Jackson has a very good reason for leaving this pile of mess to him.

Without realizing lunch hour arrive in a blink of an eye while Youngjae is working on his third file, he stretched his sore arms from all the typing before getting up and waits for Bambam who’s finishing up in making copies.

“Sorry hyung, the copier wasn’t in a good mood today.” Bambam joked, earning a chuckle from Youngjae before they both exited the now empty office and heads for the nearby affordable family restaurant.

“So, what actually happen while I’m gone?” Youngjae questioned once they settle down on their usual spot and ordered their lunch sets.

“Mr Perfect makes a confession this morning that send the whole department into utter chaos, even our chic vice president got a mental breakdown.” Bambam started, causing Younjae to look at the younger in pure curiosity before he nodded, a signal for the younger to continue on.

“Apparently Jackson hyung had been stalking him and he kinda of just had enough this morning after Jackson hyung pestered him over at his desk. He confessed about what’s going on and told the vice president to warn Jackson hyung off him. Jackson hyung kinda of just ran away after being warned.” Bambam finished off before having a bite into his newly arrived burger.  

Youngjae definitely wasn’t expecting that, of course he wasn’t especially when he knows about their relationship and the last time he checked, their relationship was going strong so what happened to cause that scene.

“Who would have thought Jackson hyung can be that creepy? I’m lucky, we aren’t that close.” Bambam commented, munching on his burger while Youngjae just sigh because he couldn’t possibly tell the office boy the truth when he already promise Jackson to keep the secret between them.

*************************************

By the time Mark was done with all the cleaning and arranging, his stomach started growling which cause him to notice it’s lunch time when he checked his watch.

Remembering that he had grabbed a few ingredients earlier this morning from the supermarket, he heads for the kitchen to whip up a decent lunch for him and Jackson who’s still fast asleep on his couch.

Without Mark realizing, somebody creep up behind him before peeking over his shoulder, grinning at the carbonara cooking in the pan.

“Jackson!” The older exclaimed, startled by the other popping out of nowhere which resulted with him pulling the younger into a headlock.

“I’m s..or..ry.” Jackson quickly apologized in between his crazy laughters, totally enjoying Mark’s expression earlier.

“You better be..” Mark playfully hissed, smirking as he flick Jackson’s forehead before finally letting go, returning back to his carbonara on the stove.

“Meanie.” Jackson pouted, rubbing his poor forehead after plopping himself on a stool at the eating counter.

“Stop complaining or you are not getting any of this.” Mark warned, carrying over two plate of piping hot carbonara over to the counter.

“Yes sir.” Jackson salute, doing a zipping motion over his mouth before throwing the invisible key away.

“Good, more for me now since you zipped up your mouth, you can’t eat.” Mark teased, ignoring the puppy eyes shooting from the younger.

“Evil!” Jackson murmurd under his breath when he saw the older ignored his infamous puppy eyes and pouty lips.

“What did you say?” Mark asked, turning to glare at the now hiding Jackson who’s by now mentally scolding himself for even daring to use that word.

“I love you, hyung. I really do.” Jackson shouted before attacking Mark with a bone crushing hug in attempt to save his life.

“I got it, you can eat now.” Mark exclaimed, almost running out of air if the other didn’t let go of him any time soon but luckily his carbonara save him.

Jackson let go with a satisfied grin before giving all of his attention to the plate of spaghetti right in front of him, Mark long forgotten.

“You know I was thinking since I got an extra room, you wanna keep your belongings here. You know at least until you work things out with him.” Mark suggested, thinking it’s better to have Jackson’s belongings here in case any things happen because truthfully he has a feeling that Jinyoung might wanna end things but of course he couldn’t say that straight to Jackson’s face.

“Sure, it’s better than keeping it over at Imo’s.” Jackson agreed, not really thinking much about the suggestion, he just didn’t wanna burden his landlady with his baggage.

It didn’t take long for the duo to finish their lunch before Jackson decide to go pick up his belongings first or he might forget any later.

“You want me to go along?” Mark offered, thinking that it might be too much for Jackson to carry alone.

“It’s fine, I don’t have much stuffs anyway.” Jackson assured, smiling before he walk out of the door while Mark sighed, knowing how stubborn the younger can be.

Sighing once more, Mark decides to do clean up while waiting for Jackson’s return instead of standing around.

Unknown to the older, Jackson’s phone was vibrating on his coffee table. One missed call after another until the person on the other end got super annoyed that he gave up.

“All done!” Mark exclaimed to himself before finding for his couch and plopping down, resting his tired out body.

As he admires his surrounding, he felt proud of himself for actually managing to get the apartment done all by himself in less than 2 days.

Mark’s eyes soon landed on Jackson’s handphone who by chance light up, signaling something. 

Thinking that it might be important, he picks up the phone to check but instead 
frowns when he read the text that just came in.

From: Jinnie

Meet me over at Lucky Star Cafe in 20.

“Is he always this commanding?” Mark sighed, really not liking the vibes he is getting from this Jinyoung.

Suddenly, the doorbell rang which pull him out of his thoughts before he quickly when ahead to open the door for Jackson who he assume is back.

“Thanks.” Jackson smiles before carrying the two big luggages straight into the living room.

“Is that all?” Mark questioned, finding it weird that the younger didn’t had much stuffs like he expected.

“Just another duffle bag full of my clothings and sports equipments. I will pick it up tomorrow after work since my hands are full earlier.” Jackson replied, grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge before plopping down on the couch. 

“Hey, you got a text earlier.” Mark informed, passing the handphone before making his way to move the luggages into the empty room beside his.

Jackson’s expression immediately drop when he read the text, somehow it makes him feel scared all of a sudden.

Mark who's just done moving the luggages, is not too pleased when notice the spacing out younger on the couch, phone still in his hold.

“Don’t you need answers?” Mark questioned, taking a seat beside the younger who by now had a hesitant expression.

 “But..” Jackson tries to reason but end up cutting his own words, unsure on how to express his feelings.

“If he had been calling you, I’m sure he wants to explain everything. Who knows, he might just have a valid reason for acting that way. Don’t be too negative thinking.” Mark encouraged, knowing that those words might be too hopeful in this situation but still Jackson needs those words now.

“Fine, but can you accompany me?” Jackson agrees after a pause, thinking it’s best to get things sorted out quickly or their relationship might really falls apart.

“Sure, let’s go.” Mark nods before the duo makes their way to Lucky Star cafe.

The moment they reach, Jackson looks around and realize that his boyfriend isn’t there yet which cause him to sigh in relief that he wasn’t late.

As he was about to exit the car, he notice a familiar car stops further ahead of them but that wasn’t what caught his attention, it was the person that alighting that caught his full attention.

Mark looks to his side, wondering why the other still hasn’t exit his car but got surprised when he notices Jackson shaking a bit.

“Are you alright?” Mark questioned but the younger didn’t reply, instead Jackson just took his hand in his and gave it a little squeeze.

“Accompany me in.” The younger whispered, looking up with the most saddest puppy eyes that of course Mark couldn’t reject.

A/N: Hi, thank you so much for enjoying the first chapter, hope you guys enjoyed this chapter too.

BIG THANKS TO TiqarTaib, smileykirankaur, Dawne_S, citriaokta, _elham, wang00girl, Mikoya, SphereRain, CandyNerd2001, xoxogossipgoat,YoeSoo, Katey90, prettygirl20, yllyl22, blackpearl2012, dolphinqueenKya, BabyShades, amiaclive FOR SUBSCRIBING!

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