Our Story

Chapter 5

Jinyoung had never been a party animal. It was Jackson who seldom missed the Friday-night parties the students from their university had.

But Jinyoung was now, together with Jackson and Wendy, entering the club which was near the campus and where the other students were having wild fun. Mark was probably here - according to Wendy - and that was the only motivation he needed.

The cool air of the night was left behind as they stepped inside the club, which looked suffocating and stuffy to Jinyoung. Boys and girls were grinding against each other and the loud music was barely bearable.

"Hey, Jackson hyung!"

They were just at the counter, getting their drinks when two boys who Jinyoung assumed were younger than them, appeared near them, one jumping onto Jackson's back and another shaking Jackson's arm.

"Yah! Yah! Get off, BamBam. Are you both drunk already? Seems like you're."

"Had a few drinks and we're not even tipsy yet," the one called BamBam retorted, getting off Jackson, "Hi, Wendy noona."

"Wow, noona's beautiful with this dress. And then, look at Jackson hyung, always with that jacket and that t-shirt," the other one snorted, looking up and down at Jackson.

"What're you talking about? They're different ones! Are you here to greet me or attack me?"

"Calm down. I'm just stating the truth." Before Jackson could talk again, the boy turned to Jinyoung with curiosity, "Jackson hyung's friend?"

"Jinyoung. Yes, Jackson's roommate and friend," Jinyoung introduced himself. The two boys' attention was fully on him and with bright smiles, they introduced themselves as BamBam and Yugyeom.

Later, they grabbed their drinks and found a table they could sit at. Jinyoung scanned the crowd, in search of Mark, but it was not easy to spot anyone in particular among this messy crowd.

Jinyoung comforted himself that even if he could not meet Mark tonight, he would just enjoy the party. Although he was not fond of parties, BamBam and Yugyeom were fun people to be around and they would not shut up, even when the music was too loud to let them talk without shouting.

When BamBam and Yugyeom left to the dance floor, the other three were already tipsy. Jackson and Wendy were making out beside Jinyoung, who would throw glances at the moving crowd in hope of seeing Mark.

Nearly one hour had passed and Jinyoung gave up. Maybe for some reason, Mark was not probably here. But just when he was thinking so, Mark, his girlfriend and the other two friends came out of the dancing crowd and were seemingly walking to the counter when they noticed Jinyoung and the others.

Then they came straight to the table and Jackson and Wendy also detached themselves from each other before properly greeting them.

"Oh, Haewon, you look so wasted. This is the first time I see you in a club," Wendy said, although she, herself, was drunk.

"Right? It's so fun on the dance floor. What're you guys doing here! There's more fun there," Haewon said, getting a shot and drinking it.

"Your first time here?" Mark asked Jinyoung, who had to read his lips as well, in order to understand what was said.

"Kind of. What about you?"

"We come here sometimes. But yeah, it's rare."

Wendy also had not been here that often and probably that was why they had never met here before.

Jinyoung looked at the others and found that they were in their own conversations; Jackson was making friends with Jae and Young K and Wendy and Haewon were laughing about something. Mark followed Jinyoung's eyes and then, turned back to Jinyoung.

"Don't you want to dance?" Mark asked.

"I can't dance."

"Or rather you've never tried before," Mark laughed, "How long have you been here?"

"An hour, I guess? We were with those two boys named BamBam and Yugyeom. They were loud and kind of entertaining," Jinyoung chuckled. His eyes unknowingly fell on Mark's chest, which was clearly seen when the three buttons of his shirt had been undone. It was hot, Jinyoung swallowed, and when his eyes travelled upward again, he realised he had been caught staring but Mark still had a smile on his lips.

Jinyoung cursed himself internally for that obvious gaze of his at Mark's chest. Stop giving yourself away, Jinyoung.

"Sorry, did you say something?" Mark said.

"What? I'm sure I said nothing," Jinyoung said, although he had a suspicion he had said his thought out aloud. He gulped down one shot just to save his embarrassed self.

"Really? I must have imagined that your lips had moved," Mark chuckled.

Jinyoung liked this unexpected attention he was getting from Mark. Soon, Mark's group went back to the dance floor and Jinyoung, Jackson and Wendy were left at the table again.

This time, however, Jinyoung could see Mark and Haewon dancing - they had not disappeared in the crowd yet.

Mark was a sight to behold and Jinyoung did not care anymore whoever caught him staring at Mark. And he confessed, at one point he imagined himself in Haewon's place, looking at Mark in the eyes and moving against him like they had not had a care in the world. And alcohol in his system was only fuelling those wild fantasies.