Mismatched

06

     "Mark," Jackson calls from the other side of the door, feeble and slow. His illness is taking everything out of him, killing him way too fast. Jackson figured out his tumour must've started long ago but he didn't show any symptoms until it was too severe.

"Yeah?" Mark replies, tearing his eyes off of his mobile phone. "What's wrong?" Inquires Mark, noticing the deplorable state Jackson's in, shifting to sit upright on the mattress, expression contorted in worry and anxiety.

"Got a bad cold... the flu maybe?" Jackson shrugs, what he's told everyone to mask his constant coughing, his hurried races to the toilet and the time he's taking off work. "Nothing to worry," continues the idol, walking inside and sitting at the end of the bed. "I came for another thing, actually."

"What's it?" Questions the other boy, but he looks far from at ease with the situation and Jackson's state.

"If a really close friend of yours were in love with you, and like, he really needed you to love him back, would you do it?"

For Jackson's sake, he needs to make sure there's absolutely no hope of Mark loving him back before he goes to get the surgery, but he cannot confess so he needs to find another way to ask Mark.

"What?" The older boy is clearly confused, his frown a sigh of that. "You mean like out of pity? Of course no, Jackson. I wouldn't date a close fiends just so I don't hurt that person, I can't date someone I don't love. Even if that person is depressed or anything else, I can't date without feelings."

Jackson nods, understanding Mark. If anyone suddenly came to him telling him he was in love with Jackson and needed him to love him back to stop a tumour in his lungs... agreeing would be pity, not love.

"Why do you ask? Did someone confess?" Mark asks him, one eyebrow arched, his expression tense.

Jackson decides to lie.

"Oh," Jackson says. "But I cannot force me to love him." Mark nods with tight lips, agreeing but also still worried. "What if he could die if I don't love him?"

"Did he threaten you saying he'd kill himself if you don't love him back?!" Mark exclaims, clearly alarmed and Jackson shakes his head and hands for more emphasis.

"He's just... really depressed."

"You can support him to get better, but dating him out of pity is wrong. It's not real love if you force yourself so it'll never be what he needs or wants. Support him, encourage him to get better but don't be fake," Mark advises and Jackson nods again, fully understanding.

"Yes, you're right. You can't force someone to love you back, it would be a lie and it wouldn't help on the long run," Jackson muses, knowing that even if he tells Mark, he will not love him back and Jackson would always know it, then the flowers would never stop. "You're right."

Yes, Jackson, needs to get better, not believe Mark will ever love him back or even deceive himself into believing so.

Time to call the doctor.