Venom & Oblivion

Chapter 5

One of the things Jinyoung had least expected was to find Mark at the school gate, standing there and looking at everyone that passed the gate.

"What're you doing here?" Jinyoung asked, choosing to stand at the side of Mark, who got flinched at his voice.

"Where did you come from? I was scanning the crowd for you."

"Me? Well, I saw you and walked to you directly. Were you waiting for me?"

Jinyoung looked at him expectantly but was not given the answer.

"Let's go," Mark said.

"Wait," Jinyoung took out Mark's scarf from his bag and handed it to him, "Your scarf. I haven't washed it though. If it's not okay, I can keep it and wash it today."

Mark stared at the scarf Jinyoung was holding for him to take. He pushed Jinyoung's hand away gently.

"Keep it. I mean, you can have it. I've given nothing to you. So that will do."

With that, Mark started walking and Jinyoung followed him, the scarf gripped in his hand.

"Neither have I," Jinyoung muttered.

Mark shook his head, "You've given me a lot, Jinyoung. So this evening, w-"

"Hey! Good to see you two!"

Right in front of them blocking their way were Kang and Lann, with their scrutinizing gazes at them. Jinyoung hissed and chanced a glance at Mark, whose eyes were cold and penetrating.

"What's the matter with you, guys? You have nothing to do better than disturbing us?" Jinyoung said, his mind seething.

Lann smirked, "We just go a bit curious. Saw you two taking a bus together after school yesterday. So have you both turned gay?"

Mark gritted his teeth and Jinyoung had to search for any words that would get them out of this mess.

"Can't you use your brain a little better somewhere else, instead of dwelling on our lives? You have no right to assume us so and so."

"Wow, you've got really snappy, Jinyoung. Especially since American was by your side. Don't threaten me with the principal again. I'm not a frightened cat," Kang challenged, "And you still don't deny that you're gay."

"What's it got to do with you? Even if I'm gay, then what does it do to you? Go around and tell the others? Do then. No one'll believe in you. It's not like Mark and I are the only guy friends here."

Lann laughed as if hearing the best joke ever in his life, "Yes, Jinyoung, you're not the only ones. But everyone knows how you were following him around when he didn't even want to talk to you. Like, you're waiting, every minute, for the chance to get into his pan-"

Lann's words didn't finish as a blow on his face set him backwards and caused him to stumble on his feet.

"What the hell?" Kang didn't go and steady Lann; instead he launched towards Mark for the revenge blow. More punches were heard and blood was starting to leak from their noses and lips. The moment Jinyoung saw Lann recovered, he ran to him before the latter could join Kang to fight Mark.

"Stop, all of you!" A male teacher's voice came in full force, causing the students to halt in surprise or shock.

"Why are you fighting instead of attending classes? Which year are you in?" He looked at the students, in anger and ordered, "All of you follow me to the principal."

Jinyoung threw a worried glance at Mark, who met his eyes, and signaled at him that they'd better follow the teacher.

In the principal's office, Mark had got more trouble than anyone else, both Lann and Kang claiming that he had started all of that. Mark would not say a word, to defend himself nor to admit.

Jinyoung presented the truth and could convince the principal somehow. Even then Mark being the one who had started the fight, he was commanded to bring his parents the next day.

After another half an hour of the principal having a go at them, they were finally dismissed. As soon as they were out of the office, Jinyoung took Mark's hand and led him away, before both Lann and Kang could stop them.

Jinyoung headed for the rooftop, having no desire to go to the class, and considering that the scrapes on Mark's face needed care.

On the rooftop, instead of sitting on the bench, Jinyoung chose to sit down on the floor, with Mark following suit.

"I'm sorry," Jinyoung said quietly, as his eyes ran over Mark's face. Blood oozed from the side of his lips and nose, and his cheeks were both red and brown with scrapes.

"Why are you? If anything," Mark paused, as he took the moment to struggle against the pain, "I caused you trouble. They wouldn't have picked on you if not because of me."

"But still, you could've handled them better without me. I mean, I was the one retorting them." Jinyoung sighed and shook his head, "They're full of themselves and cared nothing about the others. Will your parents be angry when they are informed about this?"

"I don't know. And I don't care."

Jinyoung reached for his bag and felt inside it; Mark's scarf was already there, secured, and he took out a couple of plasters from the inner pocket of the bag.

"I haven't got any antibiotic but will these plasters do for a while?"

"These are just small cuts. I won't die."

But still Mark took the plasters and put them on his scrapes, Jinyoung helping him along.

"Because of me, you had to go through this," Mark looked at Jinyoung, who was putting the plaster on the last cut, "Why do you want to be friends with me? You've got nothing in return."

Jinyoung's eyes met Mark's questioning eyes and at that moment, there was nothing stronger in Jinyoung's heart than to comfort Mark - to convince him that he was worth being friends and there was nothing wrong with him.

"Being friends is not about getting something in return or not. I wanted to be friends with you because I could feel we could be. Please don't doubt our friendship. I'll stick to you no matter what happens."

Mark seemed at a loss of words and couldn't return Jinyoung's smile.

"Anyway, why don't we make the most of this free time? By now, our teachers might already know what has happened and won't mind us being away from the class. Or mind it, even more than just a normal absence."

Jinyoung lay down on his back, which came in contact with the cold floor, and closed his eyes as if trying to give his mind a momentary rest.

Mark didn't follow suit; instead his eyes fell on Jinyoung and remained on his face. His intent eyes were like trying to solve a puzzle or rather like finding a missing part. The silence settled and neither of them broke it.

Then Mark inched closer to Jinyoung and did something the latter would never have expected. The moment Mark's lips met his, Jinyoung's eyes flew open and stared at Mark with the wide eyes, as Mark put more effort into the kiss, slowly caressing Jinyoung's lips with his own. Even when Jinyoung was still shocked and neither pushed Mark away nor responded to the kiss.

Everything around them seemed to have come to a halt and the silence lingered, except for the sound of Mark's lips moving against Jinyoung's closed ones.