𝐊𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐍𝐨𝐰 || 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐧𝐨

Chapter 14 : I Love Marvel

The second the door opens, students start to rambunctiously slip out of the classroom and flood the corridors. Mark observes the literature students walking out while waiting for a certain silver head to show up.

Taking his phone out, Mark checks the time for what looks like a millionth time. A few students lock eyes with him and Mark ducks his head down while analyzing his black Converses distractedly, his fingers flickering impatiently in the confines of his jacket’s pockets.

“Mark?”

His head shots up and damn, his heartbeat starts speeding up right away. His insides churn a little watching Jeno looking effortlessly cute in a pink sweater along with black jeans.

“What are you doing here?”

Coming to his senses, Mark clears his throat and straightens up. “I was casually passing by and said hey, isn’t Jeno's building near here?”

“Casually,” Jeno comments while quirking a brow. It looks like a déjà vu.

“Yeah,”

Closing the distance, Jeno brings his face impossibly close and ducks down. Mark feels heat rising up to his face while stays still.

“You smell really nice,”

Embarrassment balls in Mark's throat and no matter how hard he swallows, it refuses to dissipate. Mark’s hands fists and then notices pointed peaks pricking his palm. He takes out the tickets and shoves them into Jeno's palms, trying to change the subject as quickly as possible.

“Marvel?”

“Yep,” Mark shrugs, looking absently at his cuticles.

Jeno's eyes are so round as they glister with too much excitement. Mark mentally pats his own back for doing a good job.

“I love Marvel,”

“I know.”

Jeno bits his bottom lip, eyes low and lidded, filled with adoration. Mark doesn’t know what Jeno could possibly be thinking about, but he’s positive that after eying those teeth sink in the flesh of his lip he just wants to kiss him until they’re both out of breath. But obviously he won’t do it because they’re not in that state of their whatever-labeled-relationship yet.

“When do you want to go to the movies?” Jeno asks, increasing his voice when a pair of rowdy students pass by.

“I was thinking we could go today?”

Jeno chuckles, the corner of his lip tugging up in a playful smirk. “I thought you were casually passing by? You’re totally trying to pull a date here. Sly Mark Lee.”

Heat quickly fills Mark’s neck and ears. He was never a good liar.

“I—Shut up.”

Mark rounds on his heels and starts walking on whatever direction while attempting to leave behind his humiliated self. Jeno joins him shortly after, laughing and Mark groans, struggling to ignore the fact that he embarrassed himself in front of his crush once again; he lost count of those unfortunate moments long ago.

Finally settling down to a more comfortable pace, Mark reaches out and pats Jeno's shoulder. “Let me carry your backpack.”

“It’s okay, don’t wo—“

“I want to,” Mark declares.

Mark doesn’t even wait for a reply, already gripping a strap, gently slipping it off Jeno and accommodating it on his own shoulders.

“Thank you,”

Mark swifts his gaze and catches Jeno giving him a bashful, grateful smile pairing his soft brown eyes and pinkish tall cheekbones. Shit. Suddenly Mark feels a surge of shyness wash over him and his eyes lands on his Converses again, scrunching up his nose in a nervous habit.

All the cheesy stuff he hated and thought he would never do — are worth it.

“So, how was your day?” Mark finally asks, slipping between groups of students chatting on the corridor. He looks behind to make sure Jeno is still following him.

“Ugh, awful,” Jeno replies when they’re next to each other again. “I’ve so many essays and projects and shit, I don’t think there is material time to finish all of them before the due date.”

Mark tries to ignore the ticklish sensation flooding his chest whenever their hands touch briefly.

“You can ask for a day off practice,” Mark offers.

Jeno scoffs bitterly. “I doubt coach will even consider it for a second, all the important matches are coming up soon.”

Their hands keep touching and Mark is not even paying attention to their conversation anymore, mind already gone. His palms feel sweaty against his curled fingers and Mark dries them off on his jeans. Gulping the lump on his throat, Mark reaches out his pinky bringing Jeno's hand closer and then engulfs it on his own.

Jeno's hand is warmer than last time and it looks so small on his own. Mark didn’t even notice it when they were in the infirmary, a spiral of negative thoughts had encroached his thoughts when it looked like the end of his volleyball career, so it feels like it’s their first time holding hands.

The irregular hammering in his chest almost deadens him.

Mark doesn’t even dare to look to his right because he’s sure Jeno is porting a caddish grin ready to embarrass him but Mark ends up doing it anyway because seeing Jeno's smile is more worth it.

Mark wasn’t wrong though, Jeno never leave pass an opportunity to mortify him. Playful lips half tugged up are already directed at him but the lovely red color in his cheeks gives Jeno away. Mark would point it out and make them equally embarrassed but decides to save their cute moment in a part of his chest where are all the adorable things Jeno does around him. It’s almost full.