Spice of Love

Chapter 13

It was a dull Saturday for Mark, with nothing much to do and nowhere in particular to go out. Jinyoung barely came out of his room, and when he did, it was just for a short time.

Turning on the TV, Mark tried to amuse himself, watching a tennis match but in vain. He just fell asleep on the couch with the TV still on.

How long had he been asleep, he had no idea but he was woken up by someone trying to move him. They were trying to change his position from the straight-up pose to the lying-down one on the couch.

Mark fluttered his eyes open and his sleepy, blurred eyes became fixed on the wide eyes of Jinyoung.

"I thought you might be uncomfortable, sleeping like that," Jinyoung muttered, his body still bent and his face just some inches away from Mark's.

His hands were still on Mark's shoulders but when Mark rubbed his eyes to wipe his sleepiness away, Jinyoung let go of them.

"Thanks. I must have been sleeping for quite long."

Mark was a bit more awake now and only then he realised the TV was already off. But that was not important; what captured all his attention and drove his sleepiness away in an instant, was Jinyoung himself.

He looked elegant and gorgeous in that black velvet suit, with the embroidery on the left side of his chest. Mark could see some cream applied on Jinyoung's face and his hair neatly styled to one side.

Mark rubbed his eyes again, in case he was just imagining everything. But there again, Jinyoung was really standing in front of him, looking as handsome as he could be.

"Where are you going?" Mark murmured, his eyes still steady on Jinyoung. The latter shifted uneasily under Mark's lingering gaze.

"I have a business party to attend."

He needed to look that good to attend a party? Mark thought disapprovingly. Disapprovingly because he could already sense that it was all Jackson's management.

"Okay," Mark replied, half-heartedly.

"Sorry, I sort of disturbed your sleep. Continue sleeping. I'm also going out half an hour later. And I might be late tonight, in case you'll be worrying."

Jinyoung closed his lips instantly afterwards, reflecting on what he had just said. Of course, why should Mark worry about him?

Jinyoung was going with Jackson and he would be late to be back home, Mark thought.

"Okay," Mark muttered.

Later, Jinyoung left to his room again and Mark sat there, on the couch, musing. Sleep was long gone and at last, he got up as to drink some water.

Luck was not on his side, today, perhaps. As soon as his feet set inside the kitchen, they felt the wetness of the spilled water on the floor. Next moment he knew, he was slipping on the floor and fell down on his hips.

His one leg hit violently against the leg of the table and the painful sting lingered. He heard the footsteps of Jinyoung hurrying to him and exclaimed in shock when he saw Mark's position.

In a moment, he was beside Mark and wrapped his hand around Mark, to help him get up.

"Can you stand up?" Jinyoung asked and then apologetically murmured, "It's my fault. I didn't warn you about that. It's me who've spilled that water."

Mark couldn't reply; he clinged to Jinyoung to get up to his feet but the pain in his leg was so unbearable that it was impossible to stand up immediately. He knew something was wrong with his leg. He might have broken it.

"I can't, Jinyoung. My left leg, it was broken perhaps," said Mark, devastatedly.

Jinyoung looked worried and having no idea what to do now.

"Then you need to go to the hospital. I'll make a call to the nearest hospital," said Jinyoung and hastily made his way back to his room, to make the call, before Mark could stop him.

He couldn't hear Jinyoung and the pain was blurring his mind. Jinyoung came back shortly and sat down beside Mark.

"They are coming. Can you make it to the living-room, at least? Or we'd better wait here."

Not a minute passed before Jinyoung's phone rang; it was heard from his room. But Jinyoung did not make any move.

"Your phone is ringing," Mark murmured.

"It might be Jackson," Jinyoung slowly got up and left to his room again.

Jinyoung took some time there and when he came back, he was no more in the suit but only in a long sleeve T-shirt and pants.

Mark didn't have a chance to ask him as the doorbell was heard just at that moment and Jinyoung rushed to open the door.

The rest, he was moved to a wheelchair and then brought to the hospital in the ambulance. The surprising thing, however, was Jinyoung being beside him the whole way to the hospital, in the back of the car. And the entire way in the hospital till Mark was sent to a room to meet the doctor.

He had got a few fractures in his ankle, the doctor said. After the necessary process had been finished, he was allowed to go back home, but with the wheelchair, and not to walk till it was totally healed.

Jinyoung wheeled him out of the hospital later and hailed a taxi to get back home. It was totally dark outside.

Jinyoung switched on the lights as they entered the flat and asked, "Do you want to be in your room and rest?"

"Please."

So Jinyoung wheeled him to his room and stopped beside the bed. The room light was switched on. Jinyoung helped Mark out of the wheelchair and to the bed, till Mark could lie down there comfortably. Afterwards, he drew the blanket over Mark's body till the chest.

"Are you hungry? I can go make something to eat."

Jinyoung turned around to head for the kitchen but Mark stopped him, catching his wrist.

"You didn't go to that party because of me?" Mark sounded sincerely sorry.

Jinyoung turned back to him and met Mark's apologetic eyes.

"How could I leave you here like that? Don't think too much. That party is just nothing, when compared to what happened to you."

"You don't need to do all of this, you know?" Mark muttered.

"Mark, we're flatmates. And without me, who would help you? Likewise, you'll do the same favour if something happens to me, right? Don't feel bad for me. I'm doing this because I want to. Now just rest. I'll come back after preparing something for you to eat."

Mark slowly let go of Jinyoung's hand and watched, in silence, as Jinyoung left the room.

What could he do now? There was no more way to turn back and he was falling deep and deeper. His heart ached. Mark closed his eyes, feeling how his chest was rising and falling heavily, with a complicated set of his emotions mixed inside.