In a Maze...

Chapter 21

The yesterday incident was all on the news. The public were bewildered by the unexpected turns of the situation and were somehow angry with themselves that they had not been able to guess who the murderer was, right. Everywhere, this news was what everyone talked about.

Even though everything was in the clear now and the public acknowledged that Jinyoung had nothing to do with this serial killing, he still had to face a crowd of reporters in front of the apartment building, when he drove out to head for the hospital.

Not stopping and giving them a chance to bombard him with questions, he drove straight away, managing to get the way through the crowd.

At the hospital, when he arrived there, he was allowed to see Mark, who had been moved to a patient room.

As a lot of things had happened the previous day, Jinyoung felt like it had been a long time since he had had a conversation with Mark. Had they not been supposed to have a dinner together if nothing had happened the previous evening?

When he entered the room, where Mark was, a nurse who seemed to have been checking Mark's blood pressure, left the room, perhaps understanding that she must give the patient and his visitor some privacy.

The whole room was in silence and Mark's eyes were close; Jinyoung was not sure if he was asleep or just resting. His injured arm was bandaged and laid carefully on the bed. Jinyoung approached the bed, with no sound made, and occupied the chair that was next to the bed.

He was just staring at Mark when Mark's eyes fluttered open and beheld him. Mark said nothing and only gazed back at him, as they spent several seconds, staring into each other's eyes. Jinyoung felt secured at that moment, and knew, very well, that Mark had always made him feel like that.

"How're you?" Jinyoung asked, "Is it still painful?"

"Not too much," Mark said, "Everything is over now, and I'm glad. If there was ever one thing I really wanted, Jinyoung, it was to know the truth and that you didn't lie to me when you said you hadn't committed those murders."

"You trusted me," Jinyoung said, "Thank you, Mark, both for that trust and saving me. You were always there for me, when I was miserable or when I was helpless. But all I did was giving you troubles. Thank you so much for everything."

Jinyoung felt just thanking Mark could never be enough. The gratitude he had to Mark could never be described enough by words. He just hoped Mark understood how he was feeling now.

Mark was looking at him and his eyes were quite amused but tinged with a bit of uncertainty, "Is that all? I've wanted to hear something else."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

Jinyoung's voice was barely above a whisper; suddenly he felt his heart pounding harder in his chest, when he looked at Mark's intense eyes.

"I risked my life for you," Mark said, "But I didn't regret it and won't ever. If there was another situation of such kind, I'd do what I've just done now, all over again," he paused for a moment, "Because I can't bear to see you suffer."

Mark's good hand moved and held Jinyoung's, squeezing it lightly. Jinyoung felt like Mark's touch and eyes were drawing him into a dream. His heart was flitting and his eyes could not leave Mark's even for a second.

"Do you remember that time I told you that it felt more like a date because we were guys?" asked Mark.

Jinyoung gave a nod and Mark continued, "And you told me that you thought so too. That meant...," Mark trailed off. He drew a deep breath and then said, "Is it possible? Do you feel the same way? Am I asking too much or did I misunderstand what you-"

"No," Jinyoung cut Mark's sentence, almost in a hurry, "I want to be with you. I've always felt pulled by you whenever I'm with you. B-But I thought it was a hopeless thing. I never imagined that you could have some feelings for me. Are you really saying that you like me?"

"You like me too?"

"More than that," Jinyoung admitted, with no hesitation, "When you didn't come to me anymore, I was lost and since than, I've known that you mean to me much more than a companion or friend."

"I'll stop beating about the bush now, Jinyoung," Mark said, staring at Jinyoung, "I love you. I knew that I love you even when I warned myself that I shouldn't. Even when I thought you broke my trust. I love you, Jinyoung. Do you-"

Jinyoung interrupted Mark by moving closer to him and pressing their lips against each other. Mark's hand let go of Jinyoung's, to caress his cheek. Jinyoung had never felt that alive, that light-hearted and that complete as he did at that moment, when Mark's lips were welcoming his, sending warmness through his body. Mark's lips were so delicate that Jinyoung felt he was about to break them by ruling them too hard. This was the man he loved, with all his heart - that was the only thought clear in his head.

When they pulled away, they were both a mess and already craving each other's warmth again.

"That made me forget that I was a patient," Mark laughed softly, "You're a very unexpected and good kisser, Jinyoung. I enjoyed it, thank you."

"I love you," Jinyoung said, looking at how Mark's eyes turned serious again. It made Jinyoung feel better to say to it out loud and savour those words on his lips.

Mark's hand reached for his and interlaced their fingers, "They are the very three words I've wanted to hear from you. I'll make sure that you'll never regret loving me."

"I'll never."

Then Mark seemed to remember something and asked, "There's something I want to know. Actually, in your room, inside one of your bedside drawers, I found a gun, a silencer and a knife. Why're they there? I thought you'd betrayed my trust. Why do you keep them, Jinyoung?"

"Ah, those, you saw them?" Jinyoung asked, "But why didn't you ask me? They are my father's. All those things inside the drawers are a few things that were left in that apartment when we moved to the estate. But when I moved back there, I kept them inside those drawers. There's one thing I forgot to tell you too. I saw on Yong Jungsoo's knife handle, the initial letters of his name engraved. The same as my father's. I think my father, Yong Jungsoo and uncle Younghwan, had had those similar weapons since the uprising."

"That's possible. But don't keep them anymore, Jinyoung. They're dangerous. Just hand them to the police, okay?"

Jinyoung smiled and nodded, "Everything you say."

Mark drew Jinyoung close and laid Jinyoung's head on his chest, as he ran his fingers through Jinyoung's hair. He considered that sometimes even the most impossible, unimaginable things could happen - in this case, Jinyoung being in his arms, like surreality.