A Beautiful Butterfly

Chapter 10

Being a light sleeper, Jinyoung jolted awake at the sound of a knock at the door. He had taken an afternoon nap since two and the table clock showed it was already twenty past five.

Jinyoung answered the door and all the sleepiness that was left in him was knocked out by the sight of Mark. He thought of, miserably, how he looked at the moment. Not so good, for sure.

"I'm sorry. You were sleeping?"

"I... I don't mind. Come in." Jinyoung closed the door after Mark had entered. Oh, his bed looked even worse than himself. He felt so desperate to smooth the bedsheets but Mark had already seated himself on the bed.

"This is so sudden, I know," Mark said, "But wanna join me to a party? Jaebum and Jackson will be there too."

A party. Jinyoung had never been to one. But the descriptions of such events given by Wonpil were enough for him to be sure that it was not his thing.

Seeing Jinyoung's hesitation, Mark tried once more, "Come on, Jinyoung. I don't say you'll like it but it'll be an experience. Every college guy has been to a party at least once."

"Uh, will it take too long?"

"I can drive you back here whenever you want to leave," Mark said, in enthusiasm. "Please? I want you to come out of your comfort zone. Please, just once?"

How could Jinyoung deny the pleading Mark? He was, in fact, already nodding. But the problem was he would have to wash himself, and how could he move around in a towel, with Mark in the room?

Mark told him to take as much as he wanted. Jinyoung brought what he was going to wear along to the bathroom and when he came out later, he was fully dressed. If Mark noticed that, he did not say anything.

Mark waited in his car, while Jinyoung rushed for his dinner at the dining hall. The night was falling when they left. The bar they were heading for was not so far from the university and as expected, most there that night were their university mates.

When they arrived, they found Jackson flirting with a girl and Jaebum talking with someone who looked a bit older than him near the counter.

"Wow, Mark. I thought you were kidding when you said you were bringing along Jinyoung," Jaebum said, just as the guy he had been speaking to left.

"I wasn't."

Jinyoung gave Jaebum a smile, which he felt was an awkward one. No one else was looking at him especially but he still felt self-conscious. He declined Jaebum's offer of drinks and Mark did not touch them, either.

Later, Mark led him to a couch at one corner, which had just been left by a couple who had been making out. Jackson came to them and squeezed himself in between Mark and Jinyoung, his hands around their shoulders.

"How do you like it, buddy?" Jackson asked Jinyoung.

"Honestly... I feel out of place," Jinyoung said, discomfort evident in his eyes. Jackson's face that was too close to his, did not help either.

"Loosen up. Just relax. Don't keep cool. Get wild!"

Jinyoung nodded unconvincingly, and thankfully Mark called Jackson's attention. "That girl's waiting for you," he nodded towards the same girl Jackson had been with earlier and who had her eyes over them or maybe, Jackson only.

"Alright, I'll go. Have fun, Jinyoung."

The empty space Jackson had left, was half filled as Mar scooted closer to Jinyoung. "Wanna drink something? There are soft drinks as well. Maybe, a coke?"

Jinyoung agreed and Mark went to the counter, before coming back with two glasses of coke a few minutes later. Both Jaebum and Jackson were not in sight, both possibly on the dance floor.

With the glasses in their hands, Mark was bobbing his head to the music and Jinyoung absently stared at the moving figures, while wondering why people liked these kinds of places.

When half the coke had been finished, Jinyoung felt the need to go to the toilet. He asked Mark for the direction and left alone. The sight of the empty toilet was a comfort to him and he remained there a little longer. But luck was not on his side; just when he was out of the toilet, someone bumped against him and threw up on him. Someone who had run to the toilet to vomit.

"Oh, sorry," the guy who was of Jinyoung's age could only say that, before wobbling into the toilet and continued throwing up at the sink.

Jinyoung was left with his stinking, damp shirt. He had to hold his nose as he went back into the toilet and started rinsing the dirty part of his flannel shirt, after a glare at the guy who had caused this.

Even when the guy left, Jinyoung could not, making sure his shirt did not smell so bad now and not wanting to go back to Mark if it did. He must have taken too much time here because Mark came searching for him.

"What happened?" Mark asked, concerned.

"Someone puked on me," Jinyoung answered with a grimace. Mark inspected the front part of Jinyoung's shirt, which was wet and even clinging to the skin.

"Don't wash it anymore. You'll get cold. Let's get out of here."

"Are we leaving?" Jinyoung asked. He hoped they were; he did not anymore want to sit, mindlessly watching the crowd.

"Yes, let's get out of the bar."

Mark did not even search for Jaebum and Jackson to tell them about their leave, and they left the bar at once.

It was cold outside and they hurried to the car. The warmth inside the car just felt so good. Soon they were back on the way to the dorm.

"I'm sorry, we had to leave," Jinyoung said.

"No, I should be the one saying that. I dragged you here and then this happened," Mark shook his head. "I'm beginning to think it was a bad idea."

"No. I can now say I've been to a bar."

Mark looked relieved to hear that. "The night's still young. We could've driven around the city. But the shirt," he said, regretfully. "Umm, Jinyoung, don't you want to sing? I want to hear you sing."

Jinyoung was going to insist again the songs he could sing were boring. But then, he remembered an upbeat song he used to listen to a lot when he had been in highschool.

Unceremoniously, he started, imitating Woohyuk's and Tony's voices - they were H.O.T. members: 'I never forgot about you. I thought of only you. Then what about you? Did you forget me? My tears fall from my eyes. I feel betrayed'. It was so sudden that Mark burst out laughing.

Jinyoung laughed too for a moment before continuing:

'The time has come for us to meet. You're before me, crying with nervousness.

I wiped your tears and then held your hand.

I'm gonna rise and you, who've been with me, I'll give you happiness.

My eyes on you. I long for you, in my heart, I've found you.

I can see the light that brightens me.

I can't let go of this eternal happiness. Can't you see me?

Call my name! I'll stay by your side. I love you!

Let's be together, you and me forever.'

Jinyoung was a bashful kid once the song stopped. And Mark looked so absorbed that he did not notice traffic lights turning red. He could slow down the car in time, thankfully.

"That was... splendid," Mark said, totally impressed. Then he laughed softly, "Tonight is an extraordinary one, isn't it? This is my favourite part of the night."

Jinyoung was flushed. And thought, yeah, tonight was not so bad after all.