Mark walked alone back to his dorm, as Jaebeom had left long before him. He took some time to wallow in his own thoughts, but everything he tried to occupy his mind with lead right back to Jackson.
He was so curious about his relationship and feelings toward Jinyoung; he couldn't stop thinking, rethinking, and over-analyzing nearly everything the two did together. It was driving him insane; Mark was sick of feeling so lost.
He hoped that laying down would do something good for him, but a part of him knew that he would only think of Jackson more, especially since they shared the same room and all he would see were reminders of Jackson.
Still, he wanted to go back to his dorm and bury himself in his bed so he could try to at least do something productive and non-Jackson related.
As he turned the key in the door, Mark was surprised to walk into an already occupied room. Jackson was already back, stretched out across his bed using his laptop. His eyes darted over to Mark as soon as the elder walked in, and never strayed away.
"Hi Mark." he greeted flatly.
"Hi." Mark mumbled back. He wasn't used to that tone with Jackson, with such dryness and lack of expression. But maybe he was just tired from his morning out with Jinyoung. Mark could only wonder what the two did after seeing him and Jaebeom together. Did Jackson even care that Mark had found someone else to hang around?
Through all of his brooding thoughts, Mark had walked through the room and settled himself on his bed, deciding to get some classwork done. Except, he felt himself being watched with every step; even as he sat upon his bed, he spotted a pair of eyes from across the room watching him intensely.
When he finally decided to look up at his stalker, he was startled at how serious the expression Jackson wore was.
"Why are you staring at me?" He questioned, though his voice came out unexpectedly tiny.
"What's up with you?" Jackson asked. He closed his laptop, sitting up on his own bed.
Why was the mood suddenly so tense?
"What do you mean? Nothing?" Mark replied.
"You and Jaebum. You two have been... hanging out recently?" Jackson questioned.
Jaebeom. So this was about when they passed one another earlier. Mark wondered if he actually did care about him and Jaebeom being together. Little did he know that their relationship wasn't close at all, but still, it seemed as if Jackson wasn't exactly thrilled about their apparent closeness.
"Yeah? It concerns you, why?" The elder retorted. He spoke as if he hadn't drilled Jackson with these same questions when he and Jinyoung started hanging out a lot, but it felt slightly better being on the opposite side of the interrogation; it was easier to reject the questions rather than gain the courage to ask them.
Jackson sighed, his eyes falling down to his lap. "It doesn't just... that's kinda weird..."
"How so? You did the same thing with Jinyoung." Mark retorted. His tone came across sharp, but he only realized it after the response left his lips.
Jackson glanced up at him, also caught off guard by Mark's sudden attitude. "But... Jinyoung was different. We gradually became friends and grew closer. You and Jaebeom... feels sudden and awkward."
"Well it isn't awkward. I told you, I knew him already from a class we had together." Mark replied. He tried softening his tone this time, but he was still quite annoyed that Jackson didn't see how exactly the same these situations were.
Mark wanted Jackson to see them together and to feel what he felt. And now that he did, Mark still didn't feel satisfied. He's tried to get his mind off Jackson, but still couldn't. Why wasn't anything he did working? He didn't want to feel this way toward his roommate, yet his heart refused to stop pounding rapidly whenever he was around.
It was so fucking annoying; Mark's hatred for the feeling grew the longer he felt it.
I know..." Jackson replied while tugging at his jeans. He was quiet for a few moments, the atmosphere tensing with the silence. "....what is it about him?"
Mark blinked, cocking his head in confusion. "Huh?"
"That you like. What is it?" Jackson clarified.
Mark hadn't expected that sort of question. Suddenly the younger was jumping to conclusions; Mark hadn't even mentioned his feelings toward Jaebeom, which didn't even exist anyway. "I never said that I l-liked him."
"Earlier..." Jackson began, a long sigh slipping between his lips "...I saw you hanging all over him and laughing so hard. You'd never done that with me so... I figured there was something more there than just... friendship."
"I don't like Jaebeom. We're just close." Mark snapped. His tone was harsh, as if Jackson were the one had done something wrong, but in actuality Mark felt bad for projecting such a misconception to the younger. Jackson wasn't his usual annoying, cheery self, and that tugged at Mark's heart. Why couldn't they just go back to how they normally were? No Jinyoung, no Jaebeom, just them two. That's what Mark wanted. Jackson couldn't understand that though, which is why Mark grew more upset. How much more obvious did he have to make his dislike for Jinyoung? Why didn't Jackson understand how he feels?
"What is up with the questions anyway? You sound jealous." he retorted, the slight agitation he had with the younger completely audible through his unfiltered tone.
"I am."
Mark blinked, looking across the room at Jackson who now refused to look at him. "W-What?"
Jackson sighed, shaking his head. "Nothing. Doesn't matter."
Mark had to make sure he really had heard what he thought he'd heard-- Jackson was the honest type, but he really never expected the younger to confess to feeling jealous in such a serious manner. It threw Mark totally off, he felt his heart pick up its pace in his chest. He panicked and fumbled with the next words that came from his mouth; not even taking a moment to properly think about what he was saying.
"D-Don't... Don't say weird things Jackson. Me and Jaebeom aren't r-romantically involved, and I don't like him in that way either."
Jackson hummed, short and flat. He set his laptop aside, laying down in his bed, turning over with his back facing Mark. "Okay. Sure."
Jackson's tone matched his actions; he sounded as if he were done with the conversation. As if he'd lost the energy to talk with Mark anymore and was pushing him aside.
Mark hated it.
"Do you not believe me?" he asked, his brows furrowed together as he stared down the younger's back.
"Mark I said okay, drop it."
This time Jackson was the annoyed one. He usually never got upset; had Mark really pissed Jackson off that much?
"A-Are you mad?" he asked softly; despite not wanting to care too much for the younger, he did anyway, because he hated seeing Jackson this way.
He hated being treated the way he's treated Jackson for all these years; set aside, ignored, dismissed.
"No, I'm tired. Stop talking and let me nap." Jackson retorted, his tone demanding and final. It made Mark shut up for good.
He felt bad for making Jackson upset. He didn't want to end up on the younger's bad side; he just wanted to get rid of these damn feelings that wouldn't go away. He did the same thing Jackson had done with Jinyoung; or so he thought. But obviously he went wrong somewhere, as Jackson only ended up upset, and Mark ended up regretting his actions.
