Our Story

Chapter 9

The next day, Jinyoung left the apartment in the early morning to go jogging in the park. He wanted to see Mark although they had not planned to meet there and he was not that certain whether Mark would be there or not.

Thankfully, however, just in the first hour of him jogging on his usual route, he saw Mark, just like the previous time they had met here, coming towards him.

He could see surprise all written on Mark's face as the distance between them shortened. Jinyoung gave him a wave and only then Mark broke into a smile.

"Morning, why didn't you tell me that you'd be here?" Mark naturally put his hand around Jinyoung's shoulder as they started to walk the way Jinyoung had come.

"It wasn't needed. I was quite sure you'd be here. How long have you been here?"

"About twenty minutes? I guess."

"I was here first then," Jinyoung wrapped his hand around Mark's waist and could not help but notice how Mark looked suddenly tense at his touch. "Are you okay?"

"Ah, yeah, fine," Mark said, sounding distracted. He withdrew his hand from Jinyoung's shoulder and pulled himself away, causing Jinyoung to let go of him. "Let's jog."

Jinyoung nodded and as they jogged, they both fell into silence. Jinyoung could feel that Mark looked different from the other days - to be exact, he looked distant - and he began to have doubts that Mark liked seeing him here.

"Tired?" Mark broke the silence and Jinyoung could relax again when he could see Mark's usual heart-fluttering smile.

"I can go further. My stamina isn't that bad, you know."

Mark laughed, "I'm not saying it is though." After a moment, he cleared his throat and said, "I dreamed of you last night. It was quite an embarrassing one. We were somewhere. I can't make out where it was but you were giving me a blow job."

Jinyoung burst out laughing. "Was it because of yesterday? Do you want that again?"

"What? No, I mean not now."

"I'm not saying I'll do that now," Jinyoung chuckled. Mark stopped Jinyoung and took him to a bench nearby. He looked around for a moment and then seemingly satisfied, took out a towel from inside the inner pocket of his jacket.

"You didn't bring one again, did you?" Mark asked. He did not wait for Jinyoung's reply and instead, carefully wiped Jinyoung's sweat on the face.

"But it's okay as long as I've a kind, considerate man with me." Jinyoung smirked, looking at Mark in the eyes. He remembered how he had not dared lift up his eyes the previous time Mark had done that to him. And he had never dreamed that they would be in this situation again.

"You're so freaking annoying." Mark laughed and then wiped his own face. Jinyoung stared admiringly at Mark's beauty and then the thought that this man was not his, made him sigh quietly.

"It's nice to see you so early like this," Jinyoung said, "And in this park. But why haven't you given me a morning kiss yet? Or should I be the one to give you that?"

Jinyoung scooted closer to Mark until there was no space left between them. But before he could pull Mark for a kiss, Mark's expression stopped him. It was discomfort; Jinyoung could clearly see it.

Mark pushed Jinyoung away gently, "We're in public, Jinyoung. I don't want us to get caught."

"But no one cares. We even went on a date in public yesterday," Jinyoung said, both confused and hurt.

"It's different. This one is close to our university."

Finally understanding what Mark meant, Jinyoung pulled himself away. "You don't want Haewon to find out about us."

"And I don't want anyone to think I'm gay," Mark said quietly.

"I see," Jinyoung said, resigned.

"Please, don't be mad at me. It's just that I don't want unnecessary problems. I want to avoid risks as much as possible."

"I understand," Jinyoung said, "You'll follow me to the apartment after this? If you don't want to do anything here."

"I want to. But I've somewhere to go once I finish jogging."

Jinyoung had to remind himself that Mark had his own life; and he did not want to act like a desperate, demanding boyfriend, which would only disappoint Mark.

"Okay then. So what now? Let's continue jogging?"

So they began their activity again and parted their ways an hour later. Even though it had not been a perfect morning, Jinyoung was satisfied, anyway, as he had been able to meet Mark.

"Jinyoung, isn't this Haewon's IG? Omg, come and have a look," Jackson's eyes did not leave his phone screen. Jinyoung went to the couch where Jackson was and looked at what Jackson was showing him.

There were a bunch of photos of Haewon on her IG and Wendy was in a few photos. But most were of Mark and Haewon together and some were of them with Jae and Young K.

Although there was nothing Jinyoung had not expected, the photos of Mark and Haewon together still made him sick to his stomach.

"Seems like your boyfriend had so much fun with his girlfriend." Only then Jinyoung saw that the last photos were of Mark and Haewon and the date was today's. Jinyoung came to the realisation that Mark had been on a date with Haewon today and that 'somewhere Mark had had to go' was for the date with Haewon.

"I can do nothing about that, Jackson. They can go on a date if they want to. They're an official couple, anyway," Jinyoung said, retreating back to his couch.

"But what's he doing? Can't he choose just one?" Jackson sounded frustrated.

"I don't know. Apparently, he can't."