Jinyoung and Mark entered the hall with the trays of refreshments just as the meeting was finished. Jinyoung scanned the crowd while distributing the food. As soon as he found the one he had been looking for, he took Mark's hand without any explanation and led him to a particular group.
"Excuse me," he addressed the group of four women, who looked up at him. "Sorry to interrupt you, but," he turned to Hwaja, who had a look of disdain, "I think you shouldn't be so indifferent. Here's Mark. If you want to apologise to him."
"Jinyoung," Mark muttered under his breath, to stop Jinyoung. He was just afraid she might make a scene and it would just affect Sangchul as the leader.
"Why do I need to? Was it my fault that I got suspicious of him when he couldn't even say where he's from?" Hwaja said, with a superior air of someone who could not take the words of a young person serious.
"But you embarrassed him in front of everyone. You'd no proof and yet you blindly accused him," Jinyoung insisted.
"That's right, Hwaja." The sudden presence of Sangchul drew their attention. "I do think you should apologise to Mark. If you can't do anything else."
She looked still unwilling. Those sitting near her urged her to comply and at last, he said grudgingly, looking at Mark, "I'm sorry. I acted hastily that day."
Mark just nodded. He would not have cared even if she had not. In fact, he was more touched by how Jinyoung and Sangchul cared about him, than her forced apology.
Afterwards, Jinyoung and Mark served the community members as usual and once finished for the time being, they took a break on the bench in the yard. Mark drew Jinyoung as close to him as possible and wiped the sweat on Jinyoung's forehead.
"Don't. Anyone can see us from the hall," Jinyoung reminded Mark, although he did not move away from Mark.
"So what? Let them see. Why should we care?"
"I don't care either. But samchon. I don't know if he's fine with this or not. I don't want him to catch us like this. If anything, I'll just tell him by myself," Jinyoung said. Yet as if his brain and body wanted two different things, he was slowly leaning towards Mark, himself.
"I want to kiss you so bad right now." Mark laughed while willingly accepting Jinyoung's smack on his shoulder. "I'm just kidding. This is only for our special private time." Mark breathed against Jinyoung's temple and his lips were moving against it as he talked, "By the way, thank you for standing up for me earlier. You confronting her like that, it turned me on."
Jinyoung detached himself from Mark a little, "And what doesn't turn you on?"
"Anything that has nothing to do with you," Mark answered playfully. "This is the kind of answer you want to hear, right?"
"Who said?"
"I wasn't just saying it," Mark said and whispered the next words, "I can prove that to you in bed."
Jinyoung shivered, either because of Mark's breath that invaded his ear unceremoniously or because of Mark's words. "Stop talking dirty to me. Move a little. We're almost sitting on each other's lap."
But Mark shook his head, "Nope," he tightened his hand around Jinyoung's waist. "Let them assume that our friendship or whatever is just so strong."
"To the extent we're like about to eat each other," Jinyoung supplied. They laughed, like cheeky children pleased with their own joke.
In the evening, Jinyoung and Mark took Byeol out for a walk. Around the neighbourhood and they did not leave out the park, which gave them a kind of seclusion. The air was cool.
"I'm thinking of applying for a job again," Jinyoung said, "Should I? I want to have a solid job. Something that I can apply what I've learned to."
To be honest, Mark would rather Jinyoung was at home with him full time and they took care of the kids together as they did now. But if Jinyoung really wanted a job, Mark was not going to let himself be the one who stopped him. He wanted Jinyoung to pursue what he wanted, even if that meant they would have less time together.
"Of course. Where?"
"I haven't found any job advertisement I'm particularly interested in but I'm searching for as many as I can," Jinyoung softly caressed the back of Mark's hand with his thumb. "Don't you also want to have a job?"
"It'd be a dream if we could work at the same place, right? But I haven't got any degree. I can't do anything in particular obviously. Any fine job is our of my reach."
"It doesn't need to be a fine one," Jinyoung said, "I know you're capable of doing anything you put your mind to."
"Like chasing you?"
Jinyoung punched Mark lightly on the arm, "I'm serious."
"I'm being serious too!" Mark said, "I took it like my life mission to flirt with you and now see what we're." He got another punch from Jinyoung. "I'm saying the truth!"
"So it was just like a mission you needed to accomplish?"
"Hey, don't twist my words like that." Mark pulled Jinyoung closer to plant a swift kiss on his cheek but then he kept Jinyoung in his arm, as they continued to walk. "I meant I was so dedicated to making you mine. I couldn't help. I just got drawn to you further and further." He whispered into Jinyoung's ear huskily, "And deeper and deeper."
"Is that a dirty talk again? We're not alone."
"But I see no one around," Mark reasoned.
"There's Byeol." Jinyoung looked at Byeol walking in enthusiasm before them and unaware of whatever he and Mark were doing behind.
"He doesn't care. If he does, he's on our side. Right, buddy?" Of course, Byeol did not turn. "Let's sit for a while."
Instead of searching for a bench, they just lounged on the green lawn. The cool breeze passed by them. Mark pillowed his head on Jinyoung's thigh and Jinyoung, instead of reminding him again that they were in public, let him and ran his fingers through Mark's hair fondly. A squirrel on a tree nearby was watching them curiously.
