Yumi had no clue about whatever had happened between Mark and Jinyoung. She had no idea that Mark had slept beside Jinyoung last night, as she was the last one to wake up. Nor did she detect anything strange between Mark and Jinyoung, because they themselves were pretending that nothing had changed between them, in front of her.
Because the previous night, they had just slept after the kiss, Jinyoung hoped that once they were by themselves, on the way to the berry trees, Mark would talk to him.
When they set off, Jinyoung, silently, waited for Mark to take the initiative and talk about what they were to each other now. But Mark seemed to be in his own thoughts and did not bother to talk nor to look at Jinyoung much.
The silence started to suck out from Jinyoung, the assurance that Mark had feelings for him. He felt like whatever had happened last night, was just a dream, and like he was just being delusional.
When they got to the berry trees, Mark turned to Jinyoung, who was still expecting words from him. Mark gently pushed Jinyoung to a mulberry tree nearby, and trapped him between it and his body. After staring into Jinyoung's eyes for a moment, he moved forward and crashed his lips against Jinyoung's.
Mark's lips calmed Jinyoung down and washed his doubts away. The confidence that had slipped from him, came back alive. His heart was jumping around in joy, getting too excited to stay still. It was still in the middle of chanting Mark's name when Mark pulled away.
Mark ran his thumb across Jinyoung's lips, and gave him a smile, which Jinyoung's mirrored. He could feel Mark's body warmth but wanted it even closer.
"Let's get the fruits," Mark said, moving away from him.
That was not what he had wanted to hear; he wished Mark would talk to him now about what all of this exactly meant. Were they in a relationship already? Why did not Mark seem to want to talk about it?
Jinyoung, at last, gave a nod, and the usual process began. But this time, they both enjoyed it so much that Jinyoung forgot all his worry about the lack of confirmation of their relationship.
In the pond that afternoon, Jinyoung did not, at all, shrink back away from Mark like before. In fact, he liked that Mark touched his skin, pretending to help him in washing.
Jinyoung put his hands on Mark's body and rinsed it with the water. He liked how Mark's body reacted to his touches, just like his did under Mark's hands.
"What the hell are you two doing? Am I watching a gay scene?" Yumi asked, suddenly appearing near the pond.
Jinyoung immediately withdrew his hands from Mark although Mark did not his own hands from Jinyoung.
"Just go away! We're only helping each other," Mark said.
"Oh, yes, you're. It just looks all gross," she showed her fake disgust and went away.
"Don't mind her," Mark whispered into Jinyoung's ear, making him smile at how it tickled his ear. Soon their hands were all over each other's body again and they had fun, bathing.
When finished, they helped each other up out of the pond and ran to the nearby tree, where their clothes were kept. They were still in their wet pants when Mark took Jinyoung in his hands and pressed his lips against Jinyoung's.
The tree shielded them from Yumi's view but even if they were found out, they wouldn't have cared. Mark's hands roamed over Jinyoung's body as if he had not got enough of it when they had been in the pond. Jinyoung followed suit, testing every inch of Mark's upper body.
Their lips tried not to miss a beat when their hands were having fun on their own. Mark deepened the kiss, and they were so absorbed in kissing and touching each other that they lost track of time and forgot the surrounding. It was all until they heard the sounds of what sounded like footsteps and a voice, quite far away from them.
"Please, Mr. Kang, just one more hour and we'll rest. I know, I know, we're all tired. But we must continue. I don't want to lose any seconds."
"Jackson, you rushed us when we were having lunch and now we can't even stop for a while? We aren't young and so capable like you. Even your friend looks dead tired."
"I'm not! And my friend's right. We must find our friend today. We've been through this forest, so thoroughly. So I'm positive that we'll find them sooner or later."
Jinyoung and Mark stared, dumbfoundedly, at each other, and then slowly registering what was happening, they detached themselves from each other altogether. They later heard Yumi's delighted call and her footsteps running towards the group.
Mark and Jinyoung hastened to put on their clothes and came out from behind the tree presently. They found a group of ten people there: the six teachers, Jinyoung's friends and Yumi's friends.
"Thank God, Mark and Jinyoung! We're found at last!" Yumi was shouting. "Eunmi! Soyoung! I thought I'd never see you two again."
Yumi threw herself at her two friends, who embraced her in their arms and comforted her.
"Where're the other two? Where's Jinyoung?" Jackson asked, as both he and Jaebum looked around in panic, until they spotted Jinyoung and Mark coming out towards them.
"Oh my gosh, Jinyoung!" Jackson exclaimed. Next moment, he and Jaebum were running to Jinyoung, who also hurried to them. Once Jinyoung got to them, he was buried in his friends' bone-crushing hug.
"Jinyoung, thank God, forest spirits and everything, you're still alive. We thought you could be drowned, kidnapped or eaten alive by tigers. Thank God, you still have flesh and bones," Jackson said, passionately.
"We thought we'd lost you forever. I'll be able to sleep tonight. You're alright, Jinyoung?"
They, at last, let go of Jinyoung and checked his body to see if it was hurt anywhere. Jinyoung turned his head and looked, over his shoulder, at Mark, who was transfixed on the spot Jinyoung had left him and staring at Jinyoung and his friends.
Mark's expression was not of a happy, relieved one; Jinyoung gave him a smile by which he intended to reassure him that everything would be fine.
Soon, they all were on the way to get out of the forest. The teachers led them ahead; Yumi and her friends were behind them, chattering; after them were Jinyoung and his friends, who were asking him endless questions about how he had stayed there during the past few days; and the last one was Mark, who was all in silence.
Jinyoung wanted to walk with Mark, but he did not want to leave his friends, who were so relieved to see him again and could not stop their questions, either. All Jinyoung could do was tilting his head and taking glances at Mark, who looked all solemn.
