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"Mark! We're going!" Jaebum's strong voice echoed through the nearly empty training room. All the members had already packed their stuff and had left the practice room in order to get something to eat from the entertainment's cafeteria before they would go back to their dorm. After they had finished eating, Jaebum got back to pick up Mark, who had stayed in their dance room to practice a bit more. The latter continued on doing the last few dance steps until the music stopped, leaving the room in silence. Only Mark's heavy panting was heard as he turned to Jaebum to finally give him some attention.

"Just go first," he barely managed to say between his breaths, "I'll practice a bit more and come back home later." 

Mark sounded confident but however, Jaebum wasn't really pleased with his answer. They had a concert to held the next day and it definitely wasn't the best idea to train so much in the evening before.
But on the other hand, he knew Mark had missed some practice because of a TV show he took part in so he was unconfident with his abillities. 

"Fine," Jaebum sighed in defeat, "But make sure not to overdo it. You know, that's not good for your condition."

Mark nodded in agreement but averted his gaze as he earned a worried look from Jackson. The latter had appeared behind Jaebum to look why it took him so long. 
A last sigh from the leader was heard and with the following sound of a closing door Mark was alone again.



Jackson sighed. It was enough for him to see. 
With one big step he closed the distance between him and Mark and placed his hands on top of the other ones. The older was currently gripping his shirt to take it off but stopped in his movements as he felt Jackson's big warm hands on his own. Soft skin was touching his own, sending light shivers done his spine.

Jackson had been worried about Mark since they got up in the morning. He had wittnessed Mark's painfull expression he made along with every movement. Seeing Mark in pain was something what hurt Jackson at least as much as Mark himself. So the Hong Kong native wanted to help Mark, wanted to comfort him and he wanted to take the pain away even he knew it was something nearly impossible to do.

Mark lifted his head, looking at Jackson questioningly, after he had stared down to their hands for some time. He could imagine what would happen within the next seconds but still he hoped Jackson would just say nothing about this topic. Even better if he hadn't noticed at all.

But Jackson knew. So he asked in a worried voice, "Are you okay, Mark?"

In his head he added, "You look like you're in much pain lately" but in the end, he kept the words in.
He knew Mark hated it if someone asked him about his bad health condition. Because he didn't want to tell. But Jackson wanted to know.

However, it wasn't the first time Mark overdid with practicing so Jackson knew he would just deny or shrug it off. Sometimes he even changed the topic. 

Jackson could understand that Mark didn't want the others to worry but in the end it only caused him to worry even more about his best friend.

"I'm alright," Mark simply replied, a concern smile on his lips. Just like Jackson had expected it.

The latter sighed, knowing that the smile on Mark's lips was only forced. But he decided to let the other be since it wouldn't make any sense to force him to share his true thoughts and feelings, especially because in the end it wouldn't change anything. Mark would have to go on stage, no matter what. But he made a mental note to ask Mark again later. If he was really injured, Jackson had to know about it.



The concert went quite smooth, beside some mistakes they did but their fans didn't really seem to notice them anyway. They were screaming and squealing like there was no tomorrow. Jackson bet they would all have soring throats the next day.
But even it gave him a kick, he couldn't fully enjoy the affection the fans gave them. 
Because his thoughts were still with Mark. 

He was still worried about the older guy. The red-haired male did great but the painfull expression on his face everytime he thought nobody would watch him wasn't something Jackson missed. 
Worry had crept up his body and there had been more than one time as he played with the thought to just stop dancing and to rush over to Mark to comfort him, to help him.

The end of the concert was near as the boys stood in one line, talking to their fans. 

"…So I want to tell ya'll how grateful I am, no, how gratefull we are for all the love and support you give us with every day. We want to thank you not only for being with us on this special day of our first concert but also for always believing in us. Gamsahamnida," Jaebum talked into his microphone, ending his little speech with a full 90 degrees bow, the others did as well. The leader passed his micro to Yugyeom who was already jumpy to also talk to his beloved fans.

While all the members were busy with their more than less one-sided conversation, Jackson's attention was catched by Mark. The Hong Kong native registered each and every of Mark's movements, even the lightest one, and scanned all his facial expressions.

But Mark looked fine. He seemed to be happy and healthy. At least until he was asked to show his martial art skills. The fans were excited about it, chanting for the Taiwanese boy to do some tricks. 

It had only been for the duration of a short second but Jackson could clearly see how Mark ligthly grimaced at the mention of all the flips and tricks he was able to do. 

Jackson prayed that the red-haired was this wise to tell the truth now. To tell the fans that he was hurt and that he wouldn't be able to show his tricking today. Of course they would be disappointed. 
But Jackson was sure they would understand.
Mark wasn't.

"Of course I can do," he said, his lips curling up into a beaming smile like he did it so often. He gave his microphone to Jackson and ignored the pleading glare the younger one shot him. A last gulp before he took a run up. First he did a cartwheel before he jumped high in the air to do some flip. It looked great, like he was floating in the air. The crowd was screaming like crazy.
Mark was still grinning when he finished his performance. But Jackson knew something was different from before. 
Something went wrong. 

Finally, the seven boys told their fans goodbye. They smiled and waved and threw air kisses at them as they left the stage to head back to their changing room.

"That was just so incredibly awesome!" Jaebum stated, still excited, his eyes sparkling. Whilst him and the others started to talk about what happend within the previous hours, Jackson only hummed in agreement. The adrenalin was still rushing within his veins, his heart was beating fast but his anxious eyes were only looking out for Mark.

Soon, he found the other boy, kneeling next to the dark brown sofa, a plastic bottle on his lips while he drunk its water in a rush. 
Jackson hesitated at first but then he plopped himself down beside Mark.

"That was just great yet amazing, wasn't it?" Jackson started a casual conversation, earning a beaming smile from Mark. "It definitely was!"

Jackson was quite satisfied with his answer but still there was one thought bothering his mind.

"Are you sure you're alright?" He finally asked, "You look like you are hurt and in much pain."

"Ah, ist that so?" Mark replied, chuckling nervously, but right in the next second he showed Jackson his adorable eye-smile. "I'm sure I'm fine. My body's all healthy."

Jackson sighed the nth time. He knew Mark wasn't fine at all. 
But what should he do? 
Mark would never tell him!

So the younger boy just nodded, patting Mark's thigh before he got up. 
"Just tell me if there's something."

Mark nodded, still smiling until Jackson turned around and disappeared from his sight to change his clothes. As soon as the younger one was away, Mark's expression fell. 
His hands were feeling his legs down until his fingers finally grabbed around his hurting ankle. 
It already ached since he tripped over his own feet last night during his practice. He'd been so tired that he couldn't even stand straight but it was important so he'd continued with dancing.
Today whilst doing his flips he landed wrongly where his ankle twisted badly. The tiredness and the soring muscles in every part of his body made it even worse.

Mark felt like crying as he stood up, the pain shooting from his ankle, spreading within his whole body. For one moment he played with the thought to tell Jaebum. He was sure that the leader knew something to ease the pain. But he decided to scratch the idea.

Mark also reminded Jackson's offer to talk to him. He was more than thankful for this but it was something he definitely wouldn't do since he didn't want him to worry. Hell, he didn't want anyone to worry but at least Jackson. He couldn't take any of his pitiful looks he send him from time to time. 
And he didn't want to be weak in front of the younger guy. Not in front of the boy he'd liked for so long already. 

And beside this, everyone got hurt sometimes. And everyone ignored their pain, everyone pretented like everything was alright. 
Mark wasn't weak. A hurting ankle wasn't something he couldn't handle. So he decided to just stay quiet and act like he feld good so no one would worry.

I decided to part the story since it's quite long and I think it's easier to read it like this^^