30 Day Challenge [days 11 - 15]
Title: 30 Day Challenge
Pairings: Jackson/JB, Mark/Youngjae, Mark/Jr
Rating: G to PG-13
Summary: One got7 ficlet a day for the next 30 days using each of the words below start // murmur // bite // intrigue // aqua // feline // midnight // peppermint // floral // sweat // rattle // sting // quiet // passion // book // scarlet // howl // feather // safe // heart // chance // sparkle // fly // raspberry // list // city // scent // tease // key // end
[11. rattle; OT7, PG, 1282 words]11. rattle; OT7, PG, 1282 words
“Remind me, whose bright idea was it to give the baby this weapon of mass destruction?” Jaebum drawls as he’s once again hit in the head with the brightly-coloured plastic toy. He narrows his eyes as said baby just grins up at him, flashing the two small teeth that are growing in the front of her mouth; she’s lucky to be so damned cute.
“Jackson’s,” Mark says with a roll of his eyes, getting up from his perch on the sofa to retrieve the rattle.
“Of course,” Jaebum says dryly, flinching as the toy is once again sent bouncing off his skull. Distantly, he can already hear the viewers at home laughing at his misfortune. “Haven’t I been hit long enough already? Who’s turn is now?” As if on cue, Youngjae walks past the living room. “Youngjae! It’s your turn to play with the baby,” Jaebum gets up and grabs him by the arm, pushing the rattle into his hand and all but shoving the younger man towards the baby.
“Huh? What?” Youngjae blinks wide-eyed as the toy is hurled at his face, producing giggles from their guest.
“That’s perfect timing, actually. She’s about due for a nap and you can sing her to sleep,” Mark says with a glance at his watch.
“I thought she was supposed to nap after a meal,” Jaebum frowns.
“She is, but Jackson, Jinyoung and Yugyeom are taking too long at the store. She can eat after she has a nap.”
“I knew I should’ve gone with them. Jinyoung’s too soft to properly rein in Jackson and Yugyeom just goes along with whatever he wants to do,” Jaebum shakes his head with a sigh. “Alright, work your magic, Youngjae,” he gestures for the younger man to hold the baby.
As the youngest child in his entire family, Youngjae doesn’t have much practice with taking care of babies and it shows. Of all the major mishaps that the group has had with feeding, changing diapers, bathing, etc. Youngjae has been involved with no less than half of them. The one thing he’s excelled at beyond anyone else’s capabilities is singing the baby to sleep. No matter how fussy or agitated she’s been, she always relaxes whenever Youngjae opens his mouth and serenades her. She’s not the only one who the magic works on judging by the way Mark is lying down on the sofa.
“Love you, loved you/ I must have not been enough/ Maybe I could see you just once by coincidence/ Everyday I grow restless/ Everything about you is becoming faint/ You smile back in our pictures, unknowing of our approaching farewell,” Youngjae croons as he rocks slightly, gently rubbing the baby’s back.
While the camera is trained on him, Jaebum leans up to whisper into Mark’s ear so that his voice isn’t picked up on the boom mic. “If Jackson were here, he’d insist Youngjae sing one of our songs.”
Mark chuckles lowly behind his hand, “Or at least something by a JYP artist.”
As if summoned, the front door swings open and Jackson bursts through with a plastic bag clutched in his hand. “We’re back! Sorry it took so long, Jinyoung got lost in the supermarket,” he says as he heads to the kitchen, Yugyeom trailing behind him.
“You were the one who wandered off!” Jinyoung protests as he furiously kicks off his shoes.
“Really? I had Yugyeom and the camera people with me. As far as I can tell, you were the one who got lost,” Jackson says with an insolent shrug. Jinyoung shakes a fist at him, drawing back into himself when he notices two large pair of eyes blinking curiously at him from over Youngjae’s shoulder. “You’re lucky there’s a baby around right now,” he grumbles as he heads to the kitchen.
“Well, I guess we should just feed Yebin since you’re back now,” Mark says.
“I’ll go get Bambam,” Jaebum heads out of the room.
“Jackson’s dramatic entrance has got her a bit riled up,” Youngjae mutters as he awkwardly struggles to hold the squirming infant.
Jackson abandons Jinyoung and Yugyeom in the kitchen and jogs over to Youngjae with spread arms. “Don’t listen to these boring stiffs, you like to have fun don’t you? So do I! Come to Uncle Jackson and let’s have a ball, Yebin-ah,” he coos as she tugs on his hair with one hand, slaps the rattle against his shoulder with the other, and mouths wet kisses into his cheek.
“I still can’t believe she likes you the most,” Mark shakes his head.
“I can,” Jaebum says as he re-enters the living room, Bambam behind him. Jackson beams. “She’s adorable, but also incredibly mischievous and troublesome and she senses a kindred spirit with him.” Jackson pouts for a moment before his smile returns.
“So, basically, you think I’m cute?” he winks. Jaebum rolls his eyes but doesn’t refute it. Jackson readjusts her body to face Bambam who is sitting with her food and a spoon. They’ve found through trial and error that feeding goes smoothest when Bambam is there to chatter to her in Thai. Not only do the foreign sounding syllables capture her attention, the adorably confused she makes appeals to the audience and leaves her mouth gaping, making it easier to actually get food into it.
“อยากบอกว่ามีแค่เรา แค่เพียงเธอและฉัน ทุกทุกนาทีเราดีต่อกันดีไหม / อยากบอกว่ามีแค่เรา อยู่กันเพียงแค่นี้ ให้เรื่องดีดีคงดีกว่าการให้ร้าย / เมื่อเธอและฉันต้องใกล้กัน ต่างคนต้องให้อภัยทุกทุกอย่าง /พรุ่งนี้จะยังมีเราต่อไป ” No-one has any idea what he’s singing and Bambam refused to tell them in a fit of pique after they banned him from doing his usual rap. Still, it gets the job done and that’s all any of them really care about in the end. Once that’s done with, Jackson reluctantly hands Yebin back to Youngjae.
“Don’t be sorry/ That makes me more pitiful-”
“Wait, wait, wait! We all know that I’m a huge fan of Taeyang-sunbaenim, but I think you should sing one of the songs from our album instead,” Jackson interrupts. “Like, come on, Youngjae, don’t you know how to self-promote?” he rolls his eyes in exasperation. Mark and Jaebum share a smirk behind his back. Youngjae pouts but capitulates to Jackson’s demand. Once Yebin has been put to sleep, the cameras shut off for a break before they film their confessionals.
“Ah, who knew talking care of a baby could be so difficult with seven people to share the load?” Yugyeom sighs around a mouthful of kimbap, flopping down on the floor beside the sofa. Mark lowers his foot and rub’s the younger man’s belly with it. Yugyeom feeds the older man one of his rolls.
“I don’t get you guys, I feel more energised than ever,” Jackson declares, recoiling from the hand Jinyoung throws over his mouth. “Oh come on, I wasn’t even talking loud enough to wake her. Let me live, yeah?” he complains.
“As if you can properly gauge when you’re being too loud,” Jinyoung scoffs quietly.
Jaebum shakes his head with a low chuckle. Fifteen minutes later, when it’s his turn in the confessional, he recounts how the day went and what was going through his mind at the time. “It’s been a bit chaotic, but not necessarily in bad way. It’s way too soon for me to be thinking of having children, but this experience has made me yearn for the day a little bit,” he says with a wistful smile. His face goes blank when he catches sight of the plastic toy lying innocently on the floor. “I’ll close with a quick message to my future child. Dear son/daughter, you can have whatever toy you want, but I will make sure that you never, ever get a rattle to play with. I love you.”
[12. sting; Jackson/JB + Mark, PG-13, 1501 words]12. sting; Jackson/JB + Mark, PG-13, 1501 words
Jaebum jumps as a soft hand closes around his. “Easy, it’s just me,” Mark says. “Just trying to avoid a trip to the emergency room,” a pointed look is directed at the glass tumbler tightly clenched inside Jaebum’s hand.
“I’m not holding it that hard,” Jaebum mumbles as he loosens his white-knuckled grip, his face heating up. Mark just raises an eyebrow at him before he turns to face the rest of the party. Jaebum turns as well, his gaze instinctively returning to the far corner of the room where he was watching two people in particular. He realises what he’s done too late; when he turns to face Mark again, the other man is staring at him with a look that’s one part knowing and one part sympathetic.
“I don’t have to say I, do it?” Mark tilts his head.
Jaebum sighs, “I wish you wouldn’t.”
“Okay,” Mark nods his head.
A pregnant silence falls upon for a few seconds before Jaebum turns back to face his friend. “Just say it; we both know that you’re dying to,” he scoffs lightly.
“You say that like I take pleasure in fact that I was right,” Mark frowns, sounding a bit wounded. “Before anything else, you’re my best friend.”
Jaebum sighs, his stomaching clenching as shame warms his face. “I know. I know,” he hangs his head. “I shouldn’t have said that, I’m just-”
“I get it,” Mark lays a hand on Jaebum’s shoulder, kneading it soothingly. Jaebum lifts his head and smiles without humour. “How deep are you in?” Mark asks, a slight crease forming between his eyebrows.
Jaebum lets his head hang down again, a sigh escaping his lips. “Way too deep.”
This situation is nobody’s fault but his own. Mark gave him several warnings and Jackson was always upfront and honest about what he was-how he was-but Jaebum ignored them. He remembers laughing it off at the start, joking that Jackson was the one who would probably end up falling for him and changing his promiscuous ways. “I’m the one who’s the cold, urban guy and you wear your heart on your sleeve. Besides, this isn’t the first time I’ve had an arrangement like this with someone,” Jaebum had shrugged.
Jackson playfully nudged Jaebum with his elbow. “Yeah but that someone wasn’t me,” he grinned, his eyes shining. It was a jest, but also a warning-one that Jaebum thought he didn’t need to heed.
“Jaebum,” Mark holds him by the chin and tilts his head up, “You need to end it,” he says firmly. Jaebum sucks in a breath like he’s been punched in the gut. “You can’t go on like this,” Mark says reasonably, his eyes softening.
“You’re probably right,” Jaebum mumbles reluctantly.
Mark’s lips quirk up, but there’s no mirth in his eyes. “I know it’ll be hard, but it’s better for you in the end.” Jaebum nods mutely, realising the truth in his friend’s words, but not wanting to admit it; deep down, he can’t stop himself from hoping that maybe the feel is mutual, that Jackson has fallen for him too. “Go on,” Mark pushes Jaebum forward with one hand, his other pointing to where Jackson is making his way through the room, alone for the first time this evening.
“What, now?” Jaebum does a double take, his eyes bulging out of his head. Mark gives him a stern look. “Alright,” Jaebum sighs in resignation before he knocks back the rest of his drink, the whiskey burning his throat as he swallows. He hands Mark the empty glass and heads off after Jackson.
The other man blinks in surprise when Jaebum takes hold of his elbow. “Oh, hey, Jaebum,” he grins and pulls Jaebum into a tight hug. It’s a fairly standard greeting that Jackson liberally bestows to his many friends, but it never fails to make Jaebum feel warm and special when he receives one. “Have you been here the whole time?”
“Uh, for a couple of hours or so. Can we step outside so we can talk?” Jaebum raises his voice to be heard over the music, gesturing to the exit.
“Yeah, sure, that’s cool,” Jackson nods.
Jaebum uses the two minutes it takes to push through the bodies writhing on the dance floor to think about what he’s going to say. He hasn’t managed to come up with anything eloquent by the time they’re shivering in the cold night air, but Jackson is looking at him expectantly, so he just wings it.
“I think we should break it off, our arrangement that is.”
Jackson blinks and tilts his head. “Have you started seeing someone?”
“No.” The second his honest answer leaves his lips, Jaebum wishes he had lied instead because Jackson is looking at him strangely now. “I just, I have some big assignments that are due soon and after that final exams are right around the corner. I’m just cutting out some distractions out of my life so I can focus and do well. We don’t all have sports scholarships.” All in all, Jaebum feels proud of himself for coming up with that on the fly. Sure, he fumbled at the start, but he managed to salvage the lie and make it sound convincing.
Jackson nods knowingly. “Oh, so that’s what it is?” He lightly taps his head. “I should’ve realised sooner, Suzy said the same thing last week.” Jaebum stiffens at the mention of one of Jackson’s other…people. “That’s a real shame, you’re a rare type that knows how to drill me like an oil rig and how to do the slow grind.” Jaebum’s breath hitches as Jackson leans in and runs a teasing hand down his chest. “Still, I hope you ace your assignments and wish you luck with your exams,” Jackson grins, flashing him two thumbs up.
“Right, thanks,” Jaebum mutters, his stomach sinking in disappointment at Jackson’s nonchalant reaction. He basically anticipated such a response, but a tiny part of him couldn’t but hope that Jackson would press the issue, ask him not to call it off.
“Well, don’t be a stranger. Make sure you take time out from your studies to text me,” Jackson steps forward with his arms held out. Jaebum’s arms fly up to hold him tightly, one hand clutching the small of his back while the other holds the back of his head. “You always give such great hugs, I really will miss you the most,” Jackson chuckles, his warm breath tickling the shell of Jaebum’s ear.
“Good to know,” Jaebum grunts. He stays pressed up to Jackson for a few more seconds before he finally forces his arms to release the other man, staking a step back for good measure.
Before he’s finished moving back, Jackson closes the gap and cups his cheeks with both hands, tilting Jaebum’s head down for a parting kiss. He steps back before Jaebum’s resolve can crumble enough for him to wrap his arms around Jackson and take back his words. “See you later,” Jackson winks over his shoulder as he heads back inside.
Jaebum is pretty sure that ending it with Jackson was supposed to have given him some kind of closure, but he feels more unsure than ever. It’s like the balcony he’s standing on is some kind of limbo that he’s trapped in. Being out in the cold air is usually enough to clear his mind, but his thoughts are swirling around in his head like a mass of tangled threads in a washing machine.
Jaebum’s heart skips a beat when the door to the balcony reopens, but his fledging hopes are soon dashed as Mark’s face appears. “Hey, how’d it go?” From the look on his face-and the look that’s probably on Jaebum’s own face-he may as well be asking a rhetorical question. He bites his lip before he holds out a glass filled amber liquid.
“Thanks,” Jaebum mutters with a nod, downing the glass in one go.
“Uh, Jaebum?” Mark pats his back as he coughs and sputters. Jaebum hands him the empty glass and pulls the other one from his hand. “That one’s mine.” Jaebum turns away to lean on the railing. Mark sighs from behind him. “At the very least take your time with that one.”
Jaebum nods, his vision blurring slightly as he stares unblinkingly into the distance. “Could I, could I just have a minute?” he croaks. There’s a slight pause before Mark gently squeezes his shoulder, his hand trailing down to rub Jaebum’s back.
Once the sound of the door opening and closing reaches his ears, Jaebum gulps down the clear liquid in his glass. The alcohol burns as it goes down his throat, but it’s nowhere near the pain he’s feeling from ignoring Mark’s other piece of advice. His stomach is churning, his heart is being constricted in his chest, one of his lungs has deflated, and, worst of all, there’s an awful stinging at the back of his eyes.
[13. quiet; Mark, G, 292 words]13. quiet; Mark, G, 292 words
The television is still on. Some faint bits of words and sound effects drift from the living room and slip under Mark’s door, but they’re too low for him to understand. Whoever is still out there-probably Yugyeom and/or Bambam-is going to be sent off to bed soon judging by the light clinking of glasses coming from the kitchen; tidying it is usually the last thing Jaebum does before he goes to bed. Sure enough, five minutes later the light shinning from the space under his door goes out and the low sound goes with it.
Mark smiles; he’s probably the last one left up now-well, maybe not the last, he thinks as he throws a glance at the empty mattress across from him. He hasn’t been able to keep up with all the episodes, but from what he’s seen of the show, it’s very likely that Jackson isn’t even in his second room yet, or if he is, then he might be about to go on another late night adventure. At any rate, Mark is the only one in the dorm that’s still up, his laptop and his phones being his only companions.
He really should close his laptop and try to sleep now, after all they’ve got a long day of filming ahead of them, but Mark isn’t ready to do that just yet. Between his hectic life as an idol and the six other boys he shares it with, Mark is constantly in a fast-moving whirlwind of noise. He doesn’t have a lot of time to recharge in peach, so he’ll enjoy the silence and the stillness for a few more minutes at least, even if it ends up making him yawn on set the whole day.
[14. passion; Mark/Youngjae, PG-13, 1148 words]14. passion; Mark/Youngjae, PG-13, 1148 words
Mark hums under his breath as he fixes himself a before-bed cup of chamomile tea. He can barely hear himself over the sound of the television in the living room and the music blaring from Yugyeom and Bambam’s room. When the leader is away, the children will play. Jinyoung, bless his heart, is trying to get everyone to keep the noise down if they won’t go to bed, but he’s not having much success by the sounds of it.
“What’s the point of calling me your mother if you won’t even listen to me? Are you all this disobedient and insolent with your own parents?! Ah!”
“Oh, lighten up, Jinyoung,” Jackson giggles. “Or, at the very least, hit us if you’re serious. That’s what JB would do after all.”
“The only reason I’m not hitting you is because I may not stop, and I don’t want to go to jail!”
Mark chuckles to himself, shaking his head before he drains the last of his tea and washes his mug. He reaches out and gives Jinyoung’s shoulder a gentle squeeze as he follows the sounds of club music coming from Yugyeom and Bambam’s room. On opening the door, Mark’s senses are assaulted by pounding music and brightly flashing lights. No wonder poor Jinyoungie can’t sleep. “Hey!” He claps his hands to garner the youngest members’ attention. Yugyeom catches sight of him first, stopping his elaborate dance routine and tapping Bambam on the shoulder. “Volume,” he says, making a dial turning motion with his hand.
“Oh, sorry,” Bambam shrugs, not looking apologetic in the slightest.
“Twenty more minutes,” Mark responds. He pauses for effect. “I’m dead serious.”
“Okay, okay,” Bambam holds up his hands, looking a good deal more sheepish. Yugyeom all but trips over his feet as he hurries to turn down the music.
“Don’t make me come back here,” Mark raises his eyebrows threateningly, just managing to suppress a smile as he backs out of the room.
Two down. Mark steps into the living room in time to see Jinyoung sitting on top of Jackson as the two of them wrestle around on the floor. Jackson has a grin on his face that’s a mile wide, but Jinyoung doesn’t look so content.
“Jackson, it’s almost three o’clock in the morning and we have to be ready to leave at seven to be on set at eight. Go the fuck to sleep!” Jinyoung digs his fingers into Jackson’s arms and shakes them. Jackson just laughs in his face, wiggling his body and rolling himself on top of Jinyoung.
“I’m not even tired though,” he whines.
“Jackson,” Mark speaks up. When the other man turns his head towards him, Mark holds up his phone on a text message, his finger poised over the send button. “Remember this? It’ll be a few hours before Jaebum will check his messages, but he will see it first thing in the morning. Is that what you really want?” Mark holds the phone closer to Jackson’s face so he can better see the screen, leaning back when Jackson’s hand grabs at it. “Go to bed,” Mark says firmly, his finger almost touching the screen.
A frown clouds Jackson’s face before it lightens to a pout. “How? I can’t sleep,” he whines.
“Try lying down and closing your eyes,” Mark says dryly. He takes a step back, holding his phone away from Jackson as the other man finally climbs off Jinyoung and slouches to their shared room.
“Thanks, Mark,” Jinyoung from the floor, looking five years older than him instead of one year younger.
Mark holds out a hand to help him up. “I already gave Yugyeom and Bambam their marching orders. They should have quieted down by the time you finish brushing your teeth.”
“You’re a lifesaving,” Jinyoung pulls him into a quick hug and drops a kiss on his cheek.
“No problem,” Mark chuckles. “I’m gonna go check on Youngjae, he’s been too quiet.”
“Alright, goodnight,” Jinyoung waves.
It’s late enough for Youngjae to have fallen asleep already-he should be asleep already-but the younger man has a penchant for staying up to write lyrics or compose songs, and he might have taken advantage of Jaebum’s absence to do just that. “Youngjae?” Mark whispers as he cracks open the door.
“Mark.” A shiver runs down Mark’s spine at the huskiness in the other man’s voice. Unfortunately, it doesn’t get too far. Mark steps forward into the room at the same time an arm slips around his waist and pulls him inside. He sees stars flash before his eyes as his face goes crashing into Youngjae’s face. “Ouch! Oh God, that really hurt,” Youngjae groans, his words slightly muffled by the hand he throws over his mouth.
“Shit…Youngjae, what are you doing?” Mark shakes his head slightly, tears prickling in his eyes. As he blinks them away, Mark takes stock of the room. The mattress is spread with a glossy, red sheet instead of the usual white cotton, scattered across of top of the sheet are tiny, brightly coloured balls, and there are a few unlit candles on the floor. “What’s all this?” he blinks, waving a hand vaguely.
Youngjae rubs the back of his neck bashfully. “With Jaebum-hyung gone for overnight filming, I’ve got the room to myself,” Youngjae mumbles, his cheeks turning pink.
“Ah,” Mark nods with dawning comprehension. “Wait, are those skittles on the bed?” he chuckles.
Youngjae pouts. “I was trying to be spontaneous and sexy,” he says dejectedly. He looks too cute for his own good with his shoulders slumped and his eyes wide, but Mark bites back that comment for now.
“Alright,” Mark nods, stepping out of the room and closing the door. It takes about four seconds before Youngjae understands his actions and then the sound of the younger man shuffling around the room slips through the bottom of the door. Mark waits for the light to go out before he knocks again.
“Hello, Mark,” Youngjae pulls open the door with a smouldering expression. Mark bites back a smile. An arm wraps around his waist and pulls him forward so he’s pressed against Youngjae’s chest. This time there are no mishaps or injuries when Youngjae’s lips meet Mark’s. To his surprise, Youngjae’s tongue pushes something small and round past his lips and into his mouth. The taste of chocolate explodes over Mark’s taste buds as his and Youngjae’s tongues tangle together.
“They’re actually M&M’s,” Youngjae breathes against his lips. “I’ve made the mistake of opening a full bag without being able to finish them, would you like to help me get rid of them?”
If he agrees then the both of them will end up with huge dark circles under their eyes and one or both of them will probably be sore in the morning, but Mark can’t care about that right now. “Oh yes,” he grins.
[15. book; Mark/Jr, G, 992 words]15. book; Mark/Jr, G, 992 words
No matter how much time they’ve had to get used to it, Jinyoung’s friends have never been able to wrap their minds around how he can power through a six hundred page epic in a week, but struggle to finish reading four pages of poetry for an assignment. To Jinyoung, it’s very simple; he’s able to get through so many pages of a novel because he’s actually interested in its content and how the story ends. The same cannot be said for the tomes their Literature teacher assigns them as homework.
When it comes to genre, Jinyoung doesn’t discriminate. Action, romance, sci-fi, horror, even non-fiction; he’ll read them all. His only concern is that the story is interesting, engaging, and well-written. Still, he does have a secret weakness for slice-of-life romance novels. Whenever he makes he trip to a bookstore or the library, he’ll spend some time casually strolling down the romance aisle, brushing his fingertips against the spines of the novels as he goes. He likes to pretend that one day he’ll bump hands with a handsome stranger, who is interested in the same book, but he never expects it to actually happen; that sort of thing only occurs in fiction, after all.
He’s half right.
“Oh my God, I’m so sorry!” Jinyoung blinks dazedly as he lies on his back, the popcorn ceiling of the library swimming in his vision. “Are you hurt?” A concerned face hovers above him.
Jinyoung blinks away the last of his dizziness and slowly sits up on his elbows. “Eh, I’ll live,” he grunts. He sucks in a breath as he looks up at the person before him. Now that his head isn’t spinning, Jinyoung can fully appreciate just how attractive he is. “Oh, hi,” he chuckles a bit nervously, sitting up fully. “I don’t think I’ve seen you around here before.” Jinyoung winces the second the words leave his mouth-seriously, did he really pull a ‘You come here often?’-but it’s too late to take them back.
“Uh, that’s probably because you haven’t,” the stranger shrugs. “My family and I moved to this town about two weeks ago.”
Jinyoung nods. “And you’ve already got a job? How…proactive of you,” he sputters, mentally kicking himself for sounding like an idiot. Honestly, someone who reads as much as he does should have a much better grasp on words.
Fortunately, the handsome stranger doesn’t seem to mind. “Heh, yeah, I suppose,” he chuckles, a hand rubbing the back of his neck.
There’s an awkward pause where the two of them simply stare at each other and nod. At once, it hits Jinyoung that he’s still sitting on the floor. “So, what have you got on that cart you knocked me over with?” he chuckles good-naturedly as he eases himself to his feet.
Mr. Handsome winces, “I’m really sorry about that. This thing is so heavy, it gets a good deal of momentum once it’s been moving and I didn’t see you until it was too late.”
“Don’t worry about,” Jinyoung waves a hand. “By the way, my name’s Jinyoung. I figure you should know that since you’ll probably be seeing my face a lot,” he says, questioning for the first time in his life whether he should divulge how much of a bookworm he is.
“Oh, cool. My name is Mark,” the other boy smiles. Jinyoung’s stomach swoops as he stares into Mark’s shining warm brown eyes, notices his pointy canine teeth, and coos at the faint impression of a dimple in his left cheek. He holds onto the book cart for support.
“Where did you move from?” Jinyoung asks just so he doesn’t lapse into stunned silence.
“I moved here from Seoul, but I’m originally from L.A. in America.”
“Ah, so that’s why you have that accent,” Jinyoung nods in understanding. Mark’s lips press together and his eyes drop to the cart in front of him. “Uh, no, please don’t misunderstand, I wasn’t insulting you. I think you have a lovely accent!” Jinyoung cringes as his voices gets louder - and higher - than he intended, and he ends up drawing the attention of the librarian.
“Park Jinyoung, you of all people should know to keep your voice down in a library,” the middle aged woman glares at him in disappointment, her eyes narrowing over the rim of her thin framed glasses.
“You’re absolutely right, I’m so sorry,” Jinyoung bows his head, glancing nervously at Mark out of the corner of his eye.
“And you, Mark, what are you doing just standing around? You have a job to do,” she frowns.
“Yes, ma’am,” Mark dips forward in a bow before he hurries to replace the books that got knocked off the cart when he bumped into Jinyoung. Jinyoung bends down to help him. By the time they’ve got the books back on, the librarian has disappeared. “Sorry, looks like I can’t stop and talk now,” Mark shrugs.
“I understand, I don’t want to get you in trouble again,” Jinyoung nods. He manages to maintain a calm façade, but internally he worries that Mark is still upset about the comment about his accent and is dying to get rid of him. “I guess I’ll just…head out,” he nods his head in the general direction of the exit.
“Uh, Jinyoung?” Mark speaks up, his eyes on his shoes.
“Yeah?” Jinyoung leans his hip against the cart, trying not to sound too eager.
Mark takes a moment to trace his finger over the letters printed on the worn spine of a book on the cart. “Would you mind if we exchanged numbers? I haven’t made any other friends here yet and I’d be nice to have one,” he looks up at Jinyoung from under his eyelashes and if Jinyoung wasn’t a goner before, this would be the nail in his coffin.
“Yeah, sure,” he grins, pulling his phone out of his pocket. Mark smiles his toothy, shiny-eyed, half-dimple smile again.
Pairings: Jackson/JB, Mark/Youngjae, Mark/Jr
Rating: G to PG-13
Summary: One got7 ficlet a day for the next 30 days using each of the words below start // murmur // bite // intrigue // aqua // feline // midnight // peppermint // floral // sweat // rattle // sting // quiet // passion // book // scarlet // howl // feather // safe // heart // chance // sparkle // fly // raspberry // list // city // scent // tease // key // end
[11. rattle; OT7, PG, 1282 words]11. rattle; OT7, PG, 1282 words
“Remind me, whose bright idea was it to give the baby this weapon of mass destruction?” Jaebum drawls as he’s once again hit in the head with the brightly-coloured plastic toy. He narrows his eyes as said baby just grins up at him, flashing the two small teeth that are growing in the front of her mouth; she’s lucky to be so damned cute.
“Jackson’s,” Mark says with a roll of his eyes, getting up from his perch on the sofa to retrieve the rattle.
“Of course,” Jaebum says dryly, flinching as the toy is once again sent bouncing off his skull. Distantly, he can already hear the viewers at home laughing at his misfortune. “Haven’t I been hit long enough already? Who’s turn is now?” As if on cue, Youngjae walks past the living room. “Youngjae! It’s your turn to play with the baby,” Jaebum gets up and grabs him by the arm, pushing the rattle into his hand and all but shoving the younger man towards the baby.
“Huh? What?” Youngjae blinks wide-eyed as the toy is hurled at his face, producing giggles from their guest.
“That’s perfect timing, actually. She’s about due for a nap and you can sing her to sleep,” Mark says with a glance at his watch.
“I thought she was supposed to nap after a meal,” Jaebum frowns.
“She is, but Jackson, Jinyoung and Yugyeom are taking too long at the store. She can eat after she has a nap.”
“I knew I should’ve gone with them. Jinyoung’s too soft to properly rein in Jackson and Yugyeom just goes along with whatever he wants to do,” Jaebum shakes his head with a sigh. “Alright, work your magic, Youngjae,” he gestures for the younger man to hold the baby.
As the youngest child in his entire family, Youngjae doesn’t have much practice with taking care of babies and it shows. Of all the major mishaps that the group has had with feeding, changing diapers, bathing, etc. Youngjae has been involved with no less than half of them. The one thing he’s excelled at beyond anyone else’s capabilities is singing the baby to sleep. No matter how fussy or agitated she’s been, she always relaxes whenever Youngjae opens his mouth and serenades her. She’s not the only one who the magic works on judging by the way Mark is lying down on the sofa.
“Love you, loved you/ I must have not been enough/ Maybe I could see you just once by coincidence/ Everyday I grow restless/ Everything about you is becoming faint/ You smile back in our pictures, unknowing of our approaching farewell,” Youngjae croons as he rocks slightly, gently rubbing the baby’s back.
While the camera is trained on him, Jaebum leans up to whisper into Mark’s ear so that his voice isn’t picked up on the boom mic. “If Jackson were here, he’d insist Youngjae sing one of our songs.”
Mark chuckles lowly behind his hand, “Or at least something by a JYP artist.”
As if summoned, the front door swings open and Jackson bursts through with a plastic bag clutched in his hand. “We’re back! Sorry it took so long, Jinyoung got lost in the supermarket,” he says as he heads to the kitchen, Yugyeom trailing behind him.
“You were the one who wandered off!” Jinyoung protests as he furiously kicks off his shoes.
“Really? I had Yugyeom and the camera people with me. As far as I can tell, you were the one who got lost,” Jackson says with an insolent shrug. Jinyoung shakes a fist at him, drawing back into himself when he notices two large pair of eyes blinking curiously at him from over Youngjae’s shoulder. “You’re lucky there’s a baby around right now,” he grumbles as he heads to the kitchen.
“Well, I guess we should just feed Yebin since you’re back now,” Mark says.
“I’ll go get Bambam,” Jaebum heads out of the room.
“Jackson’s dramatic entrance has got her a bit riled up,” Youngjae mutters as he awkwardly struggles to hold the squirming infant.
Jackson abandons Jinyoung and Yugyeom in the kitchen and jogs over to Youngjae with spread arms. “Don’t listen to these boring stiffs, you like to have fun don’t you? So do I! Come to Uncle Jackson and let’s have a ball, Yebin-ah,” he coos as she tugs on his hair with one hand, slaps the rattle against his shoulder with the other, and mouths wet kisses into his cheek.
“I still can’t believe she likes you the most,” Mark shakes his head.
“I can,” Jaebum says as he re-enters the living room, Bambam behind him. Jackson beams. “She’s adorable, but also incredibly mischievous and troublesome and she senses a kindred spirit with him.” Jackson pouts for a moment before his smile returns.
“So, basically, you think I’m cute?” he winks. Jaebum rolls his eyes but doesn’t refute it. Jackson readjusts her body to face Bambam who is sitting with her food and a spoon. They’ve found through trial and error that feeding goes smoothest when Bambam is there to chatter to her in Thai. Not only do the foreign sounding syllables capture her attention, the adorably confused she makes appeals to the audience and leaves her mouth gaping, making it easier to actually get food into it.
“อยากบอกว่ามีแค่เรา แค่เพียงเธอและฉัน ทุกทุกนาทีเราดีต่อกันดีไหม / อยากบอกว่ามีแค่เรา อยู่กันเพียงแค่นี้ ให้เรื่องดีดีคงดีกว่าการให้ร้าย / เมื่อเธอและฉันต้องใกล้กัน ต่างคนต้องให้อภัยทุกทุกอย่าง /พรุ่งนี้จะยังมีเราต่อไป ” No-one has any idea what he’s singing and Bambam refused to tell them in a fit of pique after they banned him from doing his usual rap. Still, it gets the job done and that’s all any of them really care about in the end. Once that’s done with, Jackson reluctantly hands Yebin back to Youngjae.
“Don’t be sorry/ That makes me more pitiful-”
“Wait, wait, wait! We all know that I’m a huge fan of Taeyang-sunbaenim, but I think you should sing one of the songs from our album instead,” Jackson interrupts. “Like, come on, Youngjae, don’t you know how to self-promote?” he rolls his eyes in exasperation. Mark and Jaebum share a smirk behind his back. Youngjae pouts but capitulates to Jackson’s demand. Once Yebin has been put to sleep, the cameras shut off for a break before they film their confessionals.
“Ah, who knew talking care of a baby could be so difficult with seven people to share the load?” Yugyeom sighs around a mouthful of kimbap, flopping down on the floor beside the sofa. Mark lowers his foot and rub’s the younger man’s belly with it. Yugyeom feeds the older man one of his rolls.
“I don’t get you guys, I feel more energised than ever,” Jackson declares, recoiling from the hand Jinyoung throws over his mouth. “Oh come on, I wasn’t even talking loud enough to wake her. Let me live, yeah?” he complains.
“As if you can properly gauge when you’re being too loud,” Jinyoung scoffs quietly.
Jaebum shakes his head with a low chuckle. Fifteen minutes later, when it’s his turn in the confessional, he recounts how the day went and what was going through his mind at the time. “It’s been a bit chaotic, but not necessarily in bad way. It’s way too soon for me to be thinking of having children, but this experience has made me yearn for the day a little bit,” he says with a wistful smile. His face goes blank when he catches sight of the plastic toy lying innocently on the floor. “I’ll close with a quick message to my future child. Dear son/daughter, you can have whatever toy you want, but I will make sure that you never, ever get a rattle to play with. I love you.”
[12. sting; Jackson/JB + Mark, PG-13, 1501 words]12. sting; Jackson/JB + Mark, PG-13, 1501 words
Jaebum jumps as a soft hand closes around his. “Easy, it’s just me,” Mark says. “Just trying to avoid a trip to the emergency room,” a pointed look is directed at the glass tumbler tightly clenched inside Jaebum’s hand.
“I’m not holding it that hard,” Jaebum mumbles as he loosens his white-knuckled grip, his face heating up. Mark just raises an eyebrow at him before he turns to face the rest of the party. Jaebum turns as well, his gaze instinctively returning to the far corner of the room where he was watching two people in particular. He realises what he’s done too late; when he turns to face Mark again, the other man is staring at him with a look that’s one part knowing and one part sympathetic.
“I don’t have to say I, do it?” Mark tilts his head.
Jaebum sighs, “I wish you wouldn’t.”
“Okay,” Mark nods his head.
A pregnant silence falls upon for a few seconds before Jaebum turns back to face his friend. “Just say it; we both know that you’re dying to,” he scoffs lightly.
“You say that like I take pleasure in fact that I was right,” Mark frowns, sounding a bit wounded. “Before anything else, you’re my best friend.”
Jaebum sighs, his stomaching clenching as shame warms his face. “I know. I know,” he hangs his head. “I shouldn’t have said that, I’m just-”
“I get it,” Mark lays a hand on Jaebum’s shoulder, kneading it soothingly. Jaebum lifts his head and smiles without humour. “How deep are you in?” Mark asks, a slight crease forming between his eyebrows.
Jaebum lets his head hang down again, a sigh escaping his lips. “Way too deep.”
This situation is nobody’s fault but his own. Mark gave him several warnings and Jackson was always upfront and honest about what he was-how he was-but Jaebum ignored them. He remembers laughing it off at the start, joking that Jackson was the one who would probably end up falling for him and changing his promiscuous ways. “I’m the one who’s the cold, urban guy and you wear your heart on your sleeve. Besides, this isn’t the first time I’ve had an arrangement like this with someone,” Jaebum had shrugged.
Jackson playfully nudged Jaebum with his elbow. “Yeah but that someone wasn’t me,” he grinned, his eyes shining. It was a jest, but also a warning-one that Jaebum thought he didn’t need to heed.
“Jaebum,” Mark holds him by the chin and tilts his head up, “You need to end it,” he says firmly. Jaebum sucks in a breath like he’s been punched in the gut. “You can’t go on like this,” Mark says reasonably, his eyes softening.
“You’re probably right,” Jaebum mumbles reluctantly.
Mark’s lips quirk up, but there’s no mirth in his eyes. “I know it’ll be hard, but it’s better for you in the end.” Jaebum nods mutely, realising the truth in his friend’s words, but not wanting to admit it; deep down, he can’t stop himself from hoping that maybe the feel is mutual, that Jackson has fallen for him too. “Go on,” Mark pushes Jaebum forward with one hand, his other pointing to where Jackson is making his way through the room, alone for the first time this evening.
“What, now?” Jaebum does a double take, his eyes bulging out of his head. Mark gives him a stern look. “Alright,” Jaebum sighs in resignation before he knocks back the rest of his drink, the whiskey burning his throat as he swallows. He hands Mark the empty glass and heads off after Jackson.
The other man blinks in surprise when Jaebum takes hold of his elbow. “Oh, hey, Jaebum,” he grins and pulls Jaebum into a tight hug. It’s a fairly standard greeting that Jackson liberally bestows to his many friends, but it never fails to make Jaebum feel warm and special when he receives one. “Have you been here the whole time?”
“Uh, for a couple of hours or so. Can we step outside so we can talk?” Jaebum raises his voice to be heard over the music, gesturing to the exit.
“Yeah, sure, that’s cool,” Jackson nods.
Jaebum uses the two minutes it takes to push through the bodies writhing on the dance floor to think about what he’s going to say. He hasn’t managed to come up with anything eloquent by the time they’re shivering in the cold night air, but Jackson is looking at him expectantly, so he just wings it.
“I think we should break it off, our arrangement that is.”
Jackson blinks and tilts his head. “Have you started seeing someone?”
“No.” The second his honest answer leaves his lips, Jaebum wishes he had lied instead because Jackson is looking at him strangely now. “I just, I have some big assignments that are due soon and after that final exams are right around the corner. I’m just cutting out some distractions out of my life so I can focus and do well. We don’t all have sports scholarships.” All in all, Jaebum feels proud of himself for coming up with that on the fly. Sure, he fumbled at the start, but he managed to salvage the lie and make it sound convincing.
Jackson nods knowingly. “Oh, so that’s what it is?” He lightly taps his head. “I should’ve realised sooner, Suzy said the same thing last week.” Jaebum stiffens at the mention of one of Jackson’s other…people. “That’s a real shame, you’re a rare type that knows how to drill me like an oil rig and how to do the slow grind.” Jaebum’s breath hitches as Jackson leans in and runs a teasing hand down his chest. “Still, I hope you ace your assignments and wish you luck with your exams,” Jackson grins, flashing him two thumbs up.
“Right, thanks,” Jaebum mutters, his stomach sinking in disappointment at Jackson’s nonchalant reaction. He basically anticipated such a response, but a tiny part of him couldn’t but hope that Jackson would press the issue, ask him not to call it off.
“Well, don’t be a stranger. Make sure you take time out from your studies to text me,” Jackson steps forward with his arms held out. Jaebum’s arms fly up to hold him tightly, one hand clutching the small of his back while the other holds the back of his head. “You always give such great hugs, I really will miss you the most,” Jackson chuckles, his warm breath tickling the shell of Jaebum’s ear.
“Good to know,” Jaebum grunts. He stays pressed up to Jackson for a few more seconds before he finally forces his arms to release the other man, staking a step back for good measure.
Before he’s finished moving back, Jackson closes the gap and cups his cheeks with both hands, tilting Jaebum’s head down for a parting kiss. He steps back before Jaebum’s resolve can crumble enough for him to wrap his arms around Jackson and take back his words. “See you later,” Jackson winks over his shoulder as he heads back inside.
Jaebum is pretty sure that ending it with Jackson was supposed to have given him some kind of closure, but he feels more unsure than ever. It’s like the balcony he’s standing on is some kind of limbo that he’s trapped in. Being out in the cold air is usually enough to clear his mind, but his thoughts are swirling around in his head like a mass of tangled threads in a washing machine.
Jaebum’s heart skips a beat when the door to the balcony reopens, but his fledging hopes are soon dashed as Mark’s face appears. “Hey, how’d it go?” From the look on his face-and the look that’s probably on Jaebum’s own face-he may as well be asking a rhetorical question. He bites his lip before he holds out a glass filled amber liquid.
“Thanks,” Jaebum mutters with a nod, downing the glass in one go.
“Uh, Jaebum?” Mark pats his back as he coughs and sputters. Jaebum hands him the empty glass and pulls the other one from his hand. “That one’s mine.” Jaebum turns away to lean on the railing. Mark sighs from behind him. “At the very least take your time with that one.”
Jaebum nods, his vision blurring slightly as he stares unblinkingly into the distance. “Could I, could I just have a minute?” he croaks. There’s a slight pause before Mark gently squeezes his shoulder, his hand trailing down to rub Jaebum’s back.
Once the sound of the door opening and closing reaches his ears, Jaebum gulps down the clear liquid in his glass. The alcohol burns as it goes down his throat, but it’s nowhere near the pain he’s feeling from ignoring Mark’s other piece of advice. His stomach is churning, his heart is being constricted in his chest, one of his lungs has deflated, and, worst of all, there’s an awful stinging at the back of his eyes.
[13. quiet; Mark, G, 292 words]13. quiet; Mark, G, 292 words
The television is still on. Some faint bits of words and sound effects drift from the living room and slip under Mark’s door, but they’re too low for him to understand. Whoever is still out there-probably Yugyeom and/or Bambam-is going to be sent off to bed soon judging by the light clinking of glasses coming from the kitchen; tidying it is usually the last thing Jaebum does before he goes to bed. Sure enough, five minutes later the light shinning from the space under his door goes out and the low sound goes with it.
Mark smiles; he’s probably the last one left up now-well, maybe not the last, he thinks as he throws a glance at the empty mattress across from him. He hasn’t been able to keep up with all the episodes, but from what he’s seen of the show, it’s very likely that Jackson isn’t even in his second room yet, or if he is, then he might be about to go on another late night adventure. At any rate, Mark is the only one in the dorm that’s still up, his laptop and his phones being his only companions.
He really should close his laptop and try to sleep now, after all they’ve got a long day of filming ahead of them, but Mark isn’t ready to do that just yet. Between his hectic life as an idol and the six other boys he shares it with, Mark is constantly in a fast-moving whirlwind of noise. He doesn’t have a lot of time to recharge in peach, so he’ll enjoy the silence and the stillness for a few more minutes at least, even if it ends up making him yawn on set the whole day.
[14. passion; Mark/Youngjae, PG-13, 1148 words]14. passion; Mark/Youngjae, PG-13, 1148 words
Mark hums under his breath as he fixes himself a before-bed cup of chamomile tea. He can barely hear himself over the sound of the television in the living room and the music blaring from Yugyeom and Bambam’s room. When the leader is away, the children will play. Jinyoung, bless his heart, is trying to get everyone to keep the noise down if they won’t go to bed, but he’s not having much success by the sounds of it.
“What’s the point of calling me your mother if you won’t even listen to me? Are you all this disobedient and insolent with your own parents?! Ah!”
“Oh, lighten up, Jinyoung,” Jackson giggles. “Or, at the very least, hit us if you’re serious. That’s what JB would do after all.”
“The only reason I’m not hitting you is because I may not stop, and I don’t want to go to jail!”
Mark chuckles to himself, shaking his head before he drains the last of his tea and washes his mug. He reaches out and gives Jinyoung’s shoulder a gentle squeeze as he follows the sounds of club music coming from Yugyeom and Bambam’s room. On opening the door, Mark’s senses are assaulted by pounding music and brightly flashing lights. No wonder poor Jinyoungie can’t sleep. “Hey!” He claps his hands to garner the youngest members’ attention. Yugyeom catches sight of him first, stopping his elaborate dance routine and tapping Bambam on the shoulder. “Volume,” he says, making a dial turning motion with his hand.
“Oh, sorry,” Bambam shrugs, not looking apologetic in the slightest.
“Twenty more minutes,” Mark responds. He pauses for effect. “I’m dead serious.”
“Okay, okay,” Bambam holds up his hands, looking a good deal more sheepish. Yugyeom all but trips over his feet as he hurries to turn down the music.
“Don’t make me come back here,” Mark raises his eyebrows threateningly, just managing to suppress a smile as he backs out of the room.
Two down. Mark steps into the living room in time to see Jinyoung sitting on top of Jackson as the two of them wrestle around on the floor. Jackson has a grin on his face that’s a mile wide, but Jinyoung doesn’t look so content.
“Jackson, it’s almost three o’clock in the morning and we have to be ready to leave at seven to be on set at eight. Go the fuck to sleep!” Jinyoung digs his fingers into Jackson’s arms and shakes them. Jackson just laughs in his face, wiggling his body and rolling himself on top of Jinyoung.
“I’m not even tired though,” he whines.
“Jackson,” Mark speaks up. When the other man turns his head towards him, Mark holds up his phone on a text message, his finger poised over the send button. “Remember this? It’ll be a few hours before Jaebum will check his messages, but he will see it first thing in the morning. Is that what you really want?” Mark holds the phone closer to Jackson’s face so he can better see the screen, leaning back when Jackson’s hand grabs at it. “Go to bed,” Mark says firmly, his finger almost touching the screen.
A frown clouds Jackson’s face before it lightens to a pout. “How? I can’t sleep,” he whines.
“Try lying down and closing your eyes,” Mark says dryly. He takes a step back, holding his phone away from Jackson as the other man finally climbs off Jinyoung and slouches to their shared room.
“Thanks, Mark,” Jinyoung from the floor, looking five years older than him instead of one year younger.
Mark holds out a hand to help him up. “I already gave Yugyeom and Bambam their marching orders. They should have quieted down by the time you finish brushing your teeth.”
“You’re a lifesaving,” Jinyoung pulls him into a quick hug and drops a kiss on his cheek.
“No problem,” Mark chuckles. “I’m gonna go check on Youngjae, he’s been too quiet.”
“Alright, goodnight,” Jinyoung waves.
It’s late enough for Youngjae to have fallen asleep already-he should be asleep already-but the younger man has a penchant for staying up to write lyrics or compose songs, and he might have taken advantage of Jaebum’s absence to do just that. “Youngjae?” Mark whispers as he cracks open the door.
“Mark.” A shiver runs down Mark’s spine at the huskiness in the other man’s voice. Unfortunately, it doesn’t get too far. Mark steps forward into the room at the same time an arm slips around his waist and pulls him inside. He sees stars flash before his eyes as his face goes crashing into Youngjae’s face. “Ouch! Oh God, that really hurt,” Youngjae groans, his words slightly muffled by the hand he throws over his mouth.
“Shit…Youngjae, what are you doing?” Mark shakes his head slightly, tears prickling in his eyes. As he blinks them away, Mark takes stock of the room. The mattress is spread with a glossy, red sheet instead of the usual white cotton, scattered across of top of the sheet are tiny, brightly coloured balls, and there are a few unlit candles on the floor. “What’s all this?” he blinks, waving a hand vaguely.
Youngjae rubs the back of his neck bashfully. “With Jaebum-hyung gone for overnight filming, I’ve got the room to myself,” Youngjae mumbles, his cheeks turning pink.
“Ah,” Mark nods with dawning comprehension. “Wait, are those skittles on the bed?” he chuckles.
Youngjae pouts. “I was trying to be spontaneous and sexy,” he says dejectedly. He looks too cute for his own good with his shoulders slumped and his eyes wide, but Mark bites back that comment for now.
“Alright,” Mark nods, stepping out of the room and closing the door. It takes about four seconds before Youngjae understands his actions and then the sound of the younger man shuffling around the room slips through the bottom of the door. Mark waits for the light to go out before he knocks again.
“Hello, Mark,” Youngjae pulls open the door with a smouldering expression. Mark bites back a smile. An arm wraps around his waist and pulls him forward so he’s pressed against Youngjae’s chest. This time there are no mishaps or injuries when Youngjae’s lips meet Mark’s. To his surprise, Youngjae’s tongue pushes something small and round past his lips and into his mouth. The taste of chocolate explodes over Mark’s taste buds as his and Youngjae’s tongues tangle together.
“They’re actually M&M’s,” Youngjae breathes against his lips. “I’ve made the mistake of opening a full bag without being able to finish them, would you like to help me get rid of them?”
If he agrees then the both of them will end up with huge dark circles under their eyes and one or both of them will probably be sore in the morning, but Mark can’t care about that right now. “Oh yes,” he grins.
[15. book; Mark/Jr, G, 992 words]15. book; Mark/Jr, G, 992 words
No matter how much time they’ve had to get used to it, Jinyoung’s friends have never been able to wrap their minds around how he can power through a six hundred page epic in a week, but struggle to finish reading four pages of poetry for an assignment. To Jinyoung, it’s very simple; he’s able to get through so many pages of a novel because he’s actually interested in its content and how the story ends. The same cannot be said for the tomes their Literature teacher assigns them as homework.
When it comes to genre, Jinyoung doesn’t discriminate. Action, romance, sci-fi, horror, even non-fiction; he’ll read them all. His only concern is that the story is interesting, engaging, and well-written. Still, he does have a secret weakness for slice-of-life romance novels. Whenever he makes he trip to a bookstore or the library, he’ll spend some time casually strolling down the romance aisle, brushing his fingertips against the spines of the novels as he goes. He likes to pretend that one day he’ll bump hands with a handsome stranger, who is interested in the same book, but he never expects it to actually happen; that sort of thing only occurs in fiction, after all.
He’s half right.
“Oh my God, I’m so sorry!” Jinyoung blinks dazedly as he lies on his back, the popcorn ceiling of the library swimming in his vision. “Are you hurt?” A concerned face hovers above him.
Jinyoung blinks away the last of his dizziness and slowly sits up on his elbows. “Eh, I’ll live,” he grunts. He sucks in a breath as he looks up at the person before him. Now that his head isn’t spinning, Jinyoung can fully appreciate just how attractive he is. “Oh, hi,” he chuckles a bit nervously, sitting up fully. “I don’t think I’ve seen you around here before.” Jinyoung winces the second the words leave his mouth-seriously, did he really pull a ‘You come here often?’-but it’s too late to take them back.
“Uh, that’s probably because you haven’t,” the stranger shrugs. “My family and I moved to this town about two weeks ago.”
Jinyoung nods. “And you’ve already got a job? How…proactive of you,” he sputters, mentally kicking himself for sounding like an idiot. Honestly, someone who reads as much as he does should have a much better grasp on words.
Fortunately, the handsome stranger doesn’t seem to mind. “Heh, yeah, I suppose,” he chuckles, a hand rubbing the back of his neck.
There’s an awkward pause where the two of them simply stare at each other and nod. At once, it hits Jinyoung that he’s still sitting on the floor. “So, what have you got on that cart you knocked me over with?” he chuckles good-naturedly as he eases himself to his feet.
Mr. Handsome winces, “I’m really sorry about that. This thing is so heavy, it gets a good deal of momentum once it’s been moving and I didn’t see you until it was too late.”
“Don’t worry about,” Jinyoung waves a hand. “By the way, my name’s Jinyoung. I figure you should know that since you’ll probably be seeing my face a lot,” he says, questioning for the first time in his life whether he should divulge how much of a bookworm he is.
“Oh, cool. My name is Mark,” the other boy smiles. Jinyoung’s stomach swoops as he stares into Mark’s shining warm brown eyes, notices his pointy canine teeth, and coos at the faint impression of a dimple in his left cheek. He holds onto the book cart for support.
“Where did you move from?” Jinyoung asks just so he doesn’t lapse into stunned silence.
“I moved here from Seoul, but I’m originally from L.A. in America.”
“Ah, so that’s why you have that accent,” Jinyoung nods in understanding. Mark’s lips press together and his eyes drop to the cart in front of him. “Uh, no, please don’t misunderstand, I wasn’t insulting you. I think you have a lovely accent!” Jinyoung cringes as his voices gets louder - and higher - than he intended, and he ends up drawing the attention of the librarian.
“Park Jinyoung, you of all people should know to keep your voice down in a library,” the middle aged woman glares at him in disappointment, her eyes narrowing over the rim of her thin framed glasses.
“You’re absolutely right, I’m so sorry,” Jinyoung bows his head, glancing nervously at Mark out of the corner of his eye.
“And you, Mark, what are you doing just standing around? You have a job to do,” she frowns.
“Yes, ma’am,” Mark dips forward in a bow before he hurries to replace the books that got knocked off the cart when he bumped into Jinyoung. Jinyoung bends down to help him. By the time they’ve got the books back on, the librarian has disappeared. “Sorry, looks like I can’t stop and talk now,” Mark shrugs.
“I understand, I don’t want to get you in trouble again,” Jinyoung nods. He manages to maintain a calm façade, but internally he worries that Mark is still upset about the comment about his accent and is dying to get rid of him. “I guess I’ll just…head out,” he nods his head in the general direction of the exit.
“Uh, Jinyoung?” Mark speaks up, his eyes on his shoes.
“Yeah?” Jinyoung leans his hip against the cart, trying not to sound too eager.
Mark takes a moment to trace his finger over the letters printed on the worn spine of a book on the cart. “Would you mind if we exchanged numbers? I haven’t made any other friends here yet and I’d be nice to have one,” he looks up at Jinyoung from under his eyelashes and if Jinyoung wasn’t a goner before, this would be the nail in his coffin.
“Yeah, sure,” he grins, pulling his phone out of his pocket. Mark smiles his toothy, shiny-eyed, half-dimple smile again.