A Beautiful Butterfly

Chapter 23

The very first morning class was dismissed. All the students were leaving the classroom and Jinyoung, who had sat at the back of the room, was behind all the others.

Just when he was out of the room, he was yanked by Mark, who had been waiting for his exit and wordlessly led him to the toilet. It was empty there but hearing some footsteps approaching it, Mark continued into one of the unoccupied stall, before locking the door.

Mark pinned Jinyoung against the side wall, a little bit away from the door, so Jinyoung had no chance to unlock it. The small stall was filled the sound of Mark's ragged breaths.

"Let me go," Jinyoung said firmly. He did not like how close they were. How his heart still reacted to Mark. How he was so close to giving in and enjoying the attention he was getting. But his eyes were so impassive that Mark had no chance of finding out those conflicting emotions.

"Just a moment please," Mark pleaded. "I've been wanting to talk to you. But you never let me."

Mark waited for a response, which did not come. He ran his fingers through Jinyoung's short hair. He watched how Jinyoung's lips were set in a hard line and there was no sign of any words coming out from them.

"Why did you have to change so much? Do you know how much I miss you, the real you, who I've got to know?"

"I'm not going to listen to any of this." Jinyoung closed his eyes, wishing Mark would stop. He was already getting tired of this talk.

"I... I've broken up with her."

Mark expected a reaction from Jinyoung but for several seconds, Jinyoung's eyes remained close. This silence and indifference disheartened Mark. When Jinyoung's eyes met his again, he desperately searched for any sort of emotions in them. But none was found.

"It has nothing to do with me," Jinyoung said.

"But... but... Could this change nothing? There's nothing more between us. You don't like that Jae guy, do you?"

Jinyoung wanted to get out of here. He hated how Mark had predicted he, Jinyoung, would run back straight to him once he found out about the breakup. The revelation had a huge effect on him and for a moment, he had almost lost his self-control. But he was not a puppet whose movements had to be up to someone's decisions.

"He isn't serious about you, Jinyoung. He's a playboy. In the end, he'll break your heart. He has that reputation. He doesn't deserve you."

"I don't care. Let's say I've no heart to be broken," Jinyoung said, with a careless shrug.

"You knew that then? That he's a playboy? And yet you date him? Why're you being like this? You don't care but I do! I hate even to think of that he's playing with you! I've-"

Mark was interrupted by the ringtone that came from Jinyoung's phone. The contact name made him want to snatch the phone away but the last thing he wanted to do was anger Jinyoung with his impulsiveness.

"Hmm, I haven't checked them... Actually, I'm still on the way," Jinyoung glanced at Mark. "I'm not in the mood for it. Wanna go somewhere?... I'll be there in ten minutes."

"Where're you going?" Mark asked, as soon as Jinyoung hung up the call.

"You don't need to know. Let me go now."

"Am I just nothing?" Mark drew a shaky breath and removed his hands from the wall, so that Jinyoung could go. And Jinyoung did.

"He doesn't care about me anymore," Mark said, staring at the whisky glass in his hand absently. "Why does everything have to be difficult?"

The music was booming inside the club and Mark was not sure if his friends heard him. He had intended to come here alone but his friends had insisted to tag along, knowing he was going to get wasted here.

"Maybe, he just needs some time. We all know he does care about you," Jaebum consoled.

"He did. But no more. What if he falls for that guy? What should I do?"

"Date someone else then," Jackson said bluntly, which earned a smack on the shoulder from Jaebum. "What the hell?"

"Are you crazy? Don't you know Mark likes him? You're no help."

"I was just trying to lighten the atmosphere!"

"Stop!" Mark interrupted, massaging his temples. "You two can go and dance. Don't mind me."

"We aren't going anywhere. Maybe, Jaebum's right. He just needs some time, Mark," Jackson said, patting his friend's shoulder.

"I don't know. I don't know what he wants. I wish I'd never dated Seoah," Mark said, gulping down the whisky. His body was getting hotter and hotter.

"Wait, isn't that Jae? Jinyoung's boyfriend?" Jaebum pointed at the crowd and Mark had to focus to see the guy he loathed and what was worse, there was someone with him.

"That's him," Jackson confirmed, "Gosh, who's that girl?"

Jae was talking to a girl, leaning foward and tilting her chin. They were obviously flirting, which angered Mark. Behind Jinyoung's back. With a girl. Mark clenched his fist and got up to his own feet. How could Jinyoung date such an unworthy person?

"Hey hey, Mark. What're you doing? Don't." Jackson pulled him back and Jaebum joined him.

"He needs to learn his lesson! I'm not going to watch him cheating on Jinyoung," Mark roared, more sober now. His friends held him back firmly.

"Don't make a scene, Mark. It's no use. It's not like he'll stop cheating just because you fight him," Jaebum said, hoping Mark would calm down.

Jae had also taken the girl and they both disappeared into a room. Jaebum and Jackson exchanged glances.

"I think we should leave. Come on, Mark, you're already wasted. Continue drinking at your place."

Mark did not say anything. He had no desire to stay here any longer, either, and let his friends lead him out of the club.