Black and Blue | Markmin

𝙽𝚒𝚗𝚎.

Mark took a sip of the hot chocolate he had ordered, ignoring the apologetic stare that his friend was giving him as they sat at a table in a coffee shop near the high school. The fall wind blew furiously outside, some people beginning to don heavier jackets to fight the brutal cold that was beginning to set into the air.

"Listen Mark, I already said I'm sorry, please forgive me," Renjun said again for the nth time and pouted, resting his head on his hands which he had propped up against the small table for two. Mark finally looked at Renjun, giving the other boy a disappointed stare.

"You know how much I hate soulmate stuff," Mark said, leaning closer as he spoke quietly, not wanting anyone to overhear their conversation. People were too noisy nowadays. "I don't even know that kid and you're out there declaring that he's my soulmate or some shit? Come on man."

"I know, I know," Renjun said and took a small sip of his own hot chocolate, fixing another apologtic stare on Mark, "I just got a little carried away because, well, then we could be stuck in my mess together." He said softly, leaning forwards too while he looked around nervously. There weren't a lot of people around but you never knew who was listening.

Mark sighed and nodded, leaning back to take another sip of his warm drink, taking the time to think over the events that had happend early that morning.

He was just as surprised as Renjun to see a blue-haired kid he'd never seen before stumble onto the roof, clutching his stomach as he cried out in pain. He felt worry for the boy yes, but also a bit of annoyance. Everybody in the school knew that the roof was off-limits.

"What was that kid's name?" Mark asked suddenly, looking over at Renjun who looked a bit taken aback by the question. He took another sip of his drink.

"Uh, Na Jaemin I'm pretty sure. He's in my math class."

"Is he being bullied or some shit?" Mark asked, wondering now why the boy seemed like he was in so much pain. At the thought he grimaced slightly at the aching pain in his gut from the injury he had gotten yesterday.

"Not that I know of. He's friends with Donghyuck and," Renjun thought for a moment before snapping his fingers, "He's also friends with Jeno and Jisung." This caused Mark to raise his eyebrows in surprise.

"He's friends with Jisung?" He asked, genuinely surprised that this kid he had never seen before was friends with his other friend, Park Jisung. "I've never heard about him from Jisung."

"You know Jisung knows too many people, it'd be hard to list all the people that he talks with on a daily basis," Renjun laughed and Mark grinned too.

Jisung was their last friend that fit into their small group. He wasn't around them all the time, and he certainly wasn't around them during the school day. But, occasionally, he'd see them walking around and hanging out outside of school and chill with them for a bit. The first time they had met the boy was around two years ago when he had bumped into Mark and spilled his drink all over the boy. They had all gone out afterwards, Jisung treat as an apology, and had ended up talking randomly for the months following.

The bell rung as the door to the coffee shop opened, alerting everyone inside that someone had arrived. Mark and Renjun turned their heads to see who entered and Mark almost laughed at the chances.

Four boys had entered the shop. Jisung. Jeno. Donghyuck. Jaemin.

Mark looked over at Renjun with an amused expression, the other boy shaking his heads at the pure absurtity. Just the people they were talking about. Without saying anything more, both boys looked back to the group of laughing boy who were standing in front of the cash register.

His eyes especially trained on the blue-haired boy who was standing at the back of the group with Donghyuck's arm thrown around his shoulders, the latter talking loudly and pointing at the menu. Mark could see through the act though. The hidden pain in the boy's eyes as his friend jostled his body excitedly. He frowned.

What was up with this kid? He hadn't even told his friend about the injury so they could be careful?

Then brown eyes met his own, widening as Mark stared at him. He raised his eyebrows and watched with curiosity as Jaemin turned away with a nervous expression. He continued to watch the group as they went through and ordered their drinks, beginning to look around for seats.

"Na Jaemin!"

The yell escaped from his mouth before he could stop himself, somewhat enjoying the shocked expressions on each and every single one of the four boy's faces as they all looked over at Mark who had just called one of their friend's names.

"You idiot," he heard Renjun laugh quietly, probably enjoying the situation just as much as Mark was as the group of four headed over to them, Jaemin leading the way towards the school's 'bad boy'.

"Hey Renjun," Jisung said and clapped a hand on the boy's back as the group arrived at the two boy's table, giving a nod to Mark. He could see the curiosity in Jisung's eyes as he looked between Mark and Jaemin, wondering just like everyone else was, why he had called the boy over and how he knew the younger.

Mark looked over at Jaemin who was standing in front of him, nerves evident in not just his wary expression but in his ridgid body. Mark hesitated, wondering if he should really call the blue-haired boy out in front of his friends. He sighed. There was probably a reason he didn't tell his friends and he wasn't completely heartless.

He stood up and put a hand on the boy's shoulder, pushing him away from the group. "Let's talk outside." He ordered, ignoring the sound of protest that left the boy. He pushed Jaemin out of the coffee shop, the other boy turning in shock as the two stood by the window of the coffee shop. Jaemin just stared at him, like a deer caught in the headlights.

Mark rolled his eyes and stomped his feet, digging his hands into his pocket and tugging the jacket closer around his cold body. "Why didn't you tell your friends that you were injured?" He asked bluntly, raising his eyebrows as he looked at Jaemin who looked completely taken aback by the question.

"W-what?" the shocked boy choked out, tucking his own hands into his pocket and shrinking back, an action resulting from the biting cold and Mark's uncaring gaze. After all, he was just curious about the boy's suspicious actions and wanted to know for the pure reason of knowing.

"Your bruise right? The reason you were bawling on the roof this morning?" Mark rolled his eyes, beginning to wonder why he was even curious at all, "Why didn't you tell your friends?"

"I... didn't..." the boy seemed lost for words which Mark didn't particulary understand. What was this kid being abused at home or something? Which is precisely what he asked. He took a step towards Jaemin, the younger shrinking back even more as Mark peered down at him, probably not even realizing how intimidating he really was.

"What are you being abused at home or something?" He asked plainly, frowning as the boy's face paled.

"That...that's a bit personal," Jaemin said slowly, his eyes looking everywhere but Mark's face.

"So you are?"

"No! Of course not," Jaemin started, his mouth opening to continue talking but they were cut off by a shout. The two boy's turned around to see Donghyuck and Renjun standing in the entrance way. Renjun looked intrigued by the conversation but Donghyuck just looked plain scared.

"Jaemin your coffee is ready," the boy said and Mark gave the boy an annoyed look for interupting his conversation which caused the purple-haired boy to shrink back nervously. Jaemin pushed past Mark without looking back at him or saying goodbye. Mark passively watching him go until he reached his group, then turning to Renjun who was standing next to him, shivering slightly.

"What did you talk about?" He asked curiously as they began to walk down the sidewalk.

"Nothing much, just curious about his bruise," he said, deciding not to bother himself about it anymore. He didn't know the boy so it wasn't any of his business. Besides, he had friends who could worry about him.

So, as quickly as Mark had walked into Jaemin's life, he just as quickly left.

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