Ephemera

twenty eight

Chapter 28

"Are you sure you'll be alright?" Taeyong asked Mark, who as at the drinks area.

The younger nodded, "I'll be fine, as if I'm going anywhere. Heck, I don't even have a date." He rolled his eyes.

And as if his own words hit him, he looked down, feeling a pang of pain in his chest. He sighed and shrugged the thought off, as he tried to put on his best, but forced smile.

"You guys go and enjoy the rest of the evening, I'll be right here at the drinks section." Mark told Taeyong and the others who looked worried.

"We'll be fast and get back to you after, okay? Text us if you need anything." Irene said, and Mark just nodded.

The rest of them disappeared and joined the crowd to dance while Mark just sat on a stool, a wine glass in his hand. He decided to stay at the mini-bar and just watch his friends enjoy.

He was on his last high school year. He should be enjoying prom, but here he is... just at a corner doing nothing. He planned on taking her to prom, but fate decided to be harsh on him.

He should be dancing with her. He should be the one to take her home. He should be holding her hand right now. He should be her first and last dance. He wished.

But she left. Without a goodbye.

He chuckled bitterly.

"I want to hate you because you didn't tell me about Jiyeon. I want to hate you because you didn't tell me the story behind you two... I want to be the one who'll put you back together, well that is if you'd let me... I want to hate you, Mark... Heck, I really want to... but my heart won't let me..."

"What if one day, you'll wake up, without me by your side?"

"I love you so much, thank you for everything Mark..."

Her words started to ring inside his head. He closed his eyes shut and drank the wine a gulp. He winced, tasting the bitter taste go through his throat.

He looked at his friends who were having fun on the dance floor. They were dancing like there's no tomorrow. They looked incomplete.

He smiled and drank another glass of wine.

***

"Hyung! Taeyong-hyung!"

Taeyong searched the crowd and looked for the person who was calling him. It was Winwin, and he was panting.

"Oh, Sicheng? Why?" He asked.

"Mark... at the mini-bar.... he'a making a mess!"

Taeyong wasted no time and ran towards the place in which Winwin said. He saw his brother looking like a total mess. His tux was opened and his white polo inside turned to different colors because of wine.

There were broken glass scattered on the floor, and his eyes widened when there were scratches on Mark's arm. The sleeves of his tuxedo has some scratches too.

"Mark!" Taeyong rushed over his brother who was still drinking.

Mark looked at Taeyong and gigled. "OOOOH I KNOW YOU!!!!!" He hiccuped. "I ALWAYS SEE YOU IN MY HOUSE! WHY ARE YOU ALWAYS THERE?"

Taeyong sighed and mentally prayed for more patience. Mark could be really burdensome everytime he's drunk.

"Let's go home." He said, putting Mark's arm around his shoulder. He called Jaehyun to help him and the others did, too.

"No! I-I'LL STAY HERE!!! UNTIL SHEEEEE ARRIVES!" Another hiccup.

"Mark-hyung she's in Incheon." Haechan rolled his eyes while struggling to help him stand straight.

"DONGHYUCKIIEEEEEEE I MISS HEEEERRRRRR!!!" Mark whined, but tears were flowing out of her eyes. "SHEEE... SHE TOLD ME TO WAIT FOR HER... BUT WHYYYY IS SHE MAKING IT HARD FOR ME.... WHY IS SHE NOT ANSWERING ANY OF MY CALLS???"

Haechan sighed and patted Mark's shoulder. "Mark-hyung, I miss her too. We all do." He rolled his eyes.

"EUNMIIIIIIIII WHERE ARE YOUUUUUUUUUU?"

"Mark, pull yourself together till we get inside the car for fuck's sake!" Jaehyun said, because Mark was really heavy... and drunk.

***

"Yeri-yah could you get the first aid kit under Mark's study table?" Taeyong asked.

They were all at Taeyong and Mark's house. They had no choice but to follow them since they were all worried about Mark.

Yeri complied and gave Taeyong the kit.

There were a lot of cuts on Mark's arm and it somehow pained Taeyong to see his brother in that state. He was so broken.

"HYUNG THAT HURTS!" Mark shouted when Taeyong poured alcohol on his arm full of cuts.

"That's what you get for being stupid." Taeyong hissed, putting ointments when the alcohol dried up.

And Mark felt awake when he felt the alcohol stung his arm.

Taeyong sighed and gestured the others to go outside of Mark's room first. He stood up and plaved the kit back to where it belonged and head for the door.

He closed the lights and sighed, but before he could leave Mark's room, the later spoke. "Hyung... I miss her... so damn much..."

Taeyong turned around and looked at his brother who's crying (he can hear Mark sniffing, that's why he could tell even if the lights are turned off). "I'm sure she misses you too... Just wait for a little longer, okay?"

***

Mark covered his eyes using his arm and groaned. His head hurts, and he blames alcohol for it. He sat up and leaned on the head rest of his bed. He placed his hand on his forehead and closed his eyes, wondering why he drank a lot last night.

He slowly stretched his arms, but he suddenly hissed in pain. He opened his eyes and saw the bandages in his arms. "What the heck happened to me?" He asked himself, slowly standing up.

He left his room went downstairs. He happened to pass by the case. He stopped, not knowing the reason why. He looked at the pictures one by one and started to walk away when he saw a picture. Their picture.

—tbc.