As soon as Jinyoung arrived there, his eyes searched for Youngjae around the room among the messy crowd. But it was impossible to find Youngjae easily among the sea of people.
Jinyoung approached the bar counter and inquired of a bartender, who Jinyoung was sure, was not the same one he had once conversed with. That was better; if it was the same one, Jinyoung would never think of asking him.
"Have you seen anyone who looks quite young, about the age of a college student, with a little bit chubby cheeks, and of a quite simple type?"
The bartender scratched his head in confusion and shook his head.
"There are a lot of people coming and going. I'm not specially registering their appearances," said the bartender, rather impatiently.
"Can't you remember anyone of that look I've mentioned coming here alone, probably in the evening?" Jinyoung tried again. But it was in vain, and the bartender suggested him to just look for whoever he wanted to find, in the crowd himself.
Jinyoung, giving up, turned away from the bar counter, and at his turning around, he almost got a short fright to be faced by a person looking so intently at him.
"Who's here! Just the same person who said like a club was never a kind of place he would go to," Mark's derisive remark came instantly.
Jinyoung's resentment turned to the peak, added with his already frustrated mind.
"That's not of your business. Get off the way. I haven't got all the time like you."
But Mark blocked his way determinedly.
"What the hell is your business here?" asked Mark.
Jinyoung didn't answer and tried to avoid and walk past Mark. Mark grabbed his hand instantly to stop him.
"What are you doing here?" Mark asked again.
"Is that your concern? Stop trying to touch me everytime you see me. Now, get off your hand."
Jinyoung, with another hand, tried to remove Mark's grisp.
"Stop struggling. I asked what you were doing here. Is it that difficult to answer me?"
Jinyoung tried to control his anger; he was already worn out and had little strength to argue.
"I came to find Youngjae."
Mark made Jinyoung face him; and everyone was turning their heads towards them.
"Quit gripping my hand! You're wasting my time." Jinyoung paused, an idea coming to him. "Have you seen Youngjae? I must go find him. Get your hand off!"
Mark tightened his hold instead, and impatiently, said, "Why must you be always thinking about him? Is he that important to you? Left your dignity to find him here, right?"
"Stop invading my personal life. You have nothing to do with it. If you didn't see him, then get out of my way. You know nothing but to disturb someone."
Those who could hear their conversation, looked strangely at Jinyoung, as if they had just found someone so utterly eccentric. And watched them like a rare scene.
"I can do many things unnameably worse than just disturbing. You know that, Park Jinyoung?" asked Mark coarsely.
How had this guy ever known his full name? Thought Jinyoung.
Before Jinyoung could say anything, a man of about nearly forty with a built body came to them.
"Mark, babe, let's just go back to our couch. Who's he, anyway?" The man looked at Jinyoung from head to toe, inquiringly and impatiently. Then he placed his one hand on Mark's shoulder to take him back to their seat, while his eyes were set on Mark's tight grip on Jinyoung's hand.
"You go back first. I'll follow you in a while."
"But I've been waiting for you."
"I said I'd follow. Please, go back now," said Mark, in a flat tone.
The man slowly took his hand off Mark's shoulder and made way back to the couch.
"You really like old guys, right?" This time, Jinyoung jeered him.
"Huh? So?"
"You never deserve Youngjae's heart-breaks. It's his misfortune that he falls for you. But I'm not gonna let him suffer like that."
"About him again?"
"You're a nightmare," Jinyoung's head was in a spin, and before he knew it, he was already letting himself into a sudden outburst, "No one might'nt've told you like that. But I tell you, you're afflicting someone like Youngjae. You're a beast!"
Mark's eyes turned to fierce coldness, with his lips set in a tight line.
"Say one more word if you dare, and I'm going to take you right here."
"I'd never let you."
Suddenly, Mark's hand reached for Jinyoung's neck and forced it forward, while his another hand, letting go of Jinyoung's hand, wrapped around Jinyoung's back to pull him forward.
"You stop! Don't. l'd never let you."
Jinyoung pushed Mark away, although in vain, while Mark's face got closer to his.
Jinyoung squeezed his eyes shut, his mind in disgust, refusing bitterly to give in. Mark's breath on his face was humiliating him.
"Mark hyung, and Jinyoung hyung?"
Youngjae's sudden voice startled them both for a moment. Jinyoung then, in terror, pushed away Mark with all his force he could muster, while Mark was out of focus. Jinyoung went to the younger, in shame at what had happened.
"I was looking for you," said Jinyoung , in a low voice, as he stood in front of Youngjae.
But Youngjae's eyes were not on him; they were past Jinyoung's shoulder on Mark, with longing.
Jinyoung didn't need to look back to see who the younger was looking at.
"Come on. Let's get out of here."
Jinyoung grabbed Youngjae's hand and almost dragged him to the outside.
He felt eyes on him but he didn't care, and without a look back at Mark, left the place with Youngjae.
"Hyung, I'm sorry. I made you worried. I didn't hear the calls with the loud music."
They were in the car, and Jinyoung was driving to Youngjae's place.
"I seriously have no more words, Youngjae."
But Jinyoung knew himself that it was meant more to what had happened to him than to the younger. His mind was still in a mess, and what had just happened recurred to him in disgust. At least, it had not turned to a kiss, if it was and Youngjae saw that, Jinyoung could not imagine how he was going to face Youngjae again. Even now, he felt tense at what Youngjae was going to ask him. But Youngjae did.
"Hyung, how did you know Mark hyung?"
It was just a mere amazement rather than a sense of bitterness being betrayed.
Jinyoung fumbled for an answer.
"He's Wonpil's friend. I met him only once or twice."
Jinyoung told Youngjae about Mark's visits to the studio, but omitted everything related to what had happened between them long ago.
"Again, Youngjae, forget him."
