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Mark has always been the observant friend.
He was quiet, most of the time, and only speaking up when it was absolutely necessary. He was the one who noticed the little things, pointing them out when needed. Despite his mother's worries over his quietness, Mark has friends. Two closed ones, to be exact. Two friends he loved and cherished dearly, and swore to always do what was right to help them.
The first one was Im Jaebum. He had known Jaebum the longest. They had met back in high school when Mark, being the new kid from America, had joined the school’s dance club (on his mother’s insistence or else he would have never went). Back then, Jaebum was a skinny (not as skinny as Mark because that would have been impossible) little emo boy whose hair was platinum with an obnoxious orange highlight at the front. Quite a tragic hair style now that Mark thought about it. Jaebum, or JB as he liked to be called back then, was the captain of the dance team, an incredible b-boy whose passion was astonishing. Mark was convinced that the boy was going to pursue his passion of dancing further and go professional. He never thought that three years later, they would be sitting in one of their university's courtyard, having lunch like any other day when the temperature permitted it.
Mark looked at Jaebum who was sitting across the wooden picnic table from him, the second year pre-med student poking the piece of chicken in his plate with a bored expression. If he was being frank, Mark would have said that his friend hasn't changed that much from his younger self in high school. Sure, he outgrew of his tragic hairstyle - his hair a reddish copper, slicked back showing his imposing forehead - and, thankfully, exchanged his neon clothes for neat leather jackets and a basically all black wardrobe. Okay, so maybe Jaebum still did have some emo tendencies but Mark thought that it suited him well. Especially with his whole R&B singer image he had going on since last year.
The summer before university, Jaebum had to drop dancing after an unfortunate incident that left him with back problems whenever he bent down too much. It was a tough summer for Jaebum. And for Mark, being the only true friend who continued hanging out with him even after losing his title as B-Boy King. Mark didn't mind being a shoulder to lean on when his friend was in need. Jaebum was his first friend when he arrived in Korea and he would have done anything for him. Not many words were needed for the boys to understand each other and Mark loved that of their relationship. They clicked right away.
Thankfully, they were accepted into the same university and continued to hang out even after high school. Mark knew that Jaebum needed the support and a constant in his life. However, he wasn’t sure if his friend was ever going to get over not be able to dance ever again. But when the mid-year of their first year in university came, a singing performance was given by a certain someone. That’s when Jaebum fell in love with music. And much more.
“I’ve never ever thought I'll be saying this at some point in my life,” Jaebum sighed, dropping his plastic fork (quite dramatically, Mark observed) in his half eaten meal. “But, this chicken is absolutely disgusting.”
“Would you like my lunch, hyung?”
Both Mark and Jaebum turned to the voice.
Jinyoung was sitting beside Mark, with his nicely homemade lunch in front of him. Mark hoped he wasn’t the only one who noticed how Jinyoung did not hesitate at all to offer his nice lunch in exchange of a tasteless cafeteria meal.
Mark’s second friend was Park Jinyoung. Jinyoung was majoring in psychology but had an interest in biology which pushed him into taking a minor in bio. Through common classes, he met Jaebum during the second half of their first year. For some unknown reasons, Jinyoung quickly became attached to Jaebum. Mark knew that the pre-med was good-looking and attracted quite a few admiring stares when he entered a room. But Mark had expected Jaebum to have girls following him; not a boy, not Jinyoung. However, Mark knew better than to discriminate like that.
Nothing was wrong with a boy anyway. Jinyoung acted as the perfect dongsaeng, respecting and looking up to his hyungs. Probably flattered and missing the attention and admiration of a peer, Jaebum took him under his wing, acting in turn as the perfect hyung. And so, since Jinyoung pretty much followed Jaebum everywhere, Mark met the younger boy.
Mark was an observant friend. Therefore, he didn’t miss the surprisingly strong affection Jinyoung had for his best friend.
“A simple friend crush,” Jaebum laughed it off, after meeting Mark’s curious eyes the first time he presented Jinyoung to him. “He’ll get over it in no time, just you wait.”
And Mark waited. Not in impatient way, but more in a curious type of way. Jinyoung wasn’t a bad person; au contraire, he was nice, a bit bossy but nice. Since the younger boy understood that silent moments were not necessarily a bad thing, Mark didn’t have any trouble befriending the boy. However, he had to admit that he did have a bit of trouble with staying quiet at first when watching his best friend turn a blind eye to their new friend’s heart eyes.
Mark was an observant friend. He could tell that it was more than puppy love. He observed but didn’t say anything. It was the right thing to do.
“No thank you, Jinyoungie,” Jaebum replied politely, flashing the youngest a grateful smile. “You’re too kind.”
Mark watched as Jinyoung blushed, looking down at his half-eaten kimbap. He appeared to be the only one who saw the effect the pre-med student’s had on the psych student. In fact, Jaebum wasn't even paying attention to the ones right in front of him. He was staring past both of their shoulders, a gentle smile shaping his lips which could only mean one thing. Baek Ayeon.
Baek Ayeon was the school's sweetheart. She was a beautiful, friendly and smart girl, studying nutrition and doing a minor in music. Despite having already so much on her plate with all the voluntary hours she did at the nearest animal shelter, she always found time to participate in musical shows and promote the music club. She was famously known around campus to have the most angelic voice ever that made anyone swinging that way fall for her. Jaebum included.
Mark watched as a petite figure ran past him and wrapped her arms loosely around his best friend’s neck. Jaebum’s face lit up as it always did when a certain girl was around.
“Hey guys,” Ayeon cheerfully greeted as she sat beside Jaebum (or practically on his lap, Mark observed).
“Hi,” replied Jinyoung as shyly as he always was when a certain girl was around.
Mark only nodded at her.
Ayeon giggled her gleeful laugh. “Your friends are always so quiet, Jaebumie.”
“It’s okay,” Jaebum told the older girl. “I love them like that.”
At Jaebum’s words, Jinyoung’s head shot right up. Mark noticed it, and, for once, so did Jaebum. The pre-med student seemed taken aback by his own words, his dark eyes lingering on Jinyoung a fraction of a second too long for it to be considered meaningless. Despite the heavy eye contact, Jaebum shifted his glance faster than Mark could say grekekeke, his eyes returning to rest on Ayeon.
The not-so-subtle eye contacts started during the second semester. It started being hard to keep quiet after the massive welcome back party hosted by a law major to celebrate the beginning of the second year. Something had happened that night, and that something changed their group's dynamic. Mark didn’t have to be explicitly told. He could feel the tension; he could see the awkward looks his friends were exchanging. Mark wasn’t psychic, only very observant. He remembered at the party seeing Jinyoung disappear in one of the host’s many bedrooms. Jaebum hot on his trail. Mark was slightly intoxicated that night but he still remembered clearly. Even when drunk, he observed.
The week following the party, Jaebum appeared to be avoid them. Probably more like avoiding Jinyoung but since Mark always hung out with either one of them, it felt like Jaebum was avoiding him too. After spending seven lunch breaks without a certain pre-med student, Jinyoung finally opened up to Mark.
“So…” Jinyoung started after an awkward silence where Mark only stared at his younger friend who was nervously fidgeting in front of him after blurting out a “I need to talk to you” during their lunch hour where Jaebum was still absent.
“Something happened at the party. You know, last week's party? That party at Sungjin-sii’s place?”
Mark nodded, patiently waiting for his friend to continue. Jinyoung paused, looking as if a debate was going through his head; to reveal or to not reveal what happened that night.
“Well, something happened between Jaebum-hyung and I at that party. And I think he is mad at me now...” The last sentence sounded more like a question, Jinyoung’s cat-like eyes sculpting his second favourite hyung for a reaction.
It was a lost cause; Jinyoung knew, deep down, that Mark probably already knew something was going on. Jinyoung didn’t know how but Mark always knew.
“Why?” came Mark’s short reply.
“Why isn't what's important right now, hyung,” Jinyoung practically whined.
At Mark’s raised eyebrow, the younger boy quickly apologized, head bowed down. Mark reached out to grab Jinyoung's hand, squeezing it gently in a way to tell him to not worry about it.
“We- we hooked up. As in... we had sexual intercourses.” Jinyoung’s eyes were closed, as if in shame, as if he couldn't believe he just said it out loud.
“Yes, Jinyoungie, I know what hooking up is.”
Jinyoung sighed, looking more lost than Mark has ever seen him.
“Do you like Jaebum?”
“Yes.” Jinyoung’s answer was quick and Mark wasn't surprised. “Do you think I should talk to him about it?”
Mark nodded.
Seven days later, the three of them were once again hanging out together. Jaebum had came back to eat with them and everything went back to normal. The normalcy of the situation confused Mark. Jaebum was chatting and laughing as if he didn’t just spend a whole week avoiding his two closest friends.
“Want to tell me what happened?”
Beside him, Jinyoung looked up from his book (the same book Jaebum was reading a few weeks ago, Mark observed), a surprised look on his face as if he wasn't expecting quiet Mark to suddenly speak up. He loudly swallowed his bite of rice before wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, a nervous expression crossing his face, as if this was a conversation he did not particularly wanted to have.
It was raining that day; they couldn’t eat outside like they usually did, so they settled in the cafeteria. Jaebum had gone to buy the strawberry milk he had been moaning about all day. It was a rare moment where Mark was alone with Jinyoung. Alone to have this conversation.
“Did you tell him-”
“I cornered him after one of his classes,” Jinyoung cut him off, his nervousness making him forget that he was talking to his hyung. “Told him that we had to talk about what happened that night.”
Mark stared at Jinyoung, as patient as ever. The younger boy swallowed again before continuing.
“He didn’t really let me talk... He just told me that what had happened at the party was a misunderstanding because we were friends.” Jinyoung paused, looking hurt, as if the memories were as painful as saying them out loud. “Told me to forget it and that he hoped we could go back to how things were because...”
Jinyoung stopped talking and looked ahead of him, which made Mark follow his line of sight. Jaebum was standing in front of the cash registers, a strawberry milk in hand and his attention on a cute girl with dark hair talking to him lively.
Jinyoung let out a shaky breath.
“Because I’m not gay, Jinyoung, he had said.”
That was seven weeks ago.
“You know, you guys are lucky to have each other,” Ayeon spoke up, elbows rested on the table, chin rested on top of her hand. “I wished I had such a tight group of friends!”
“They can be a pain in the ass sometimes though,” Jaebum joked.
Ayeon laughed loudly, her laughter filling the previous peacefulness of the courtyard. She playfully hit Jaebum’s bicep.
“Yah, don’t talk like that or else you’ll lose them!” she said, failing to sound serious. She was smiling brightly at the boy besides her, who was looking at her with soft eyes.
Mark felt like the scene before his eyes was pulled out straight from one of the kdramas that Jinyoung has been binge-watching these last few days. A scene of a couple in love?
“Anywho!” Ayeon reached into her backpack, taking out a small plastic container. “Look what I have,” she sing-songed proudly, presenting the box to the boys.
With incredible speed, Jaebum grabbed the container, pushing his now cold plate of chicken almost off the table (thank god for Mark’s quick reflexes) and opened it with an awed look on his face. “Are those-”
“-your favourite strawberry cupcakes made with love by yours truly? Why yes, they are!” Ayeon giggled, obviously pleased by the boy’s excitement.
“You’re the best, Ayeon,” Jaebum eye-smiled at the girl before greedily digging into the box of goodies.
“I brought enough for you two, as well. So don’t be shy to take one before this dork here eats them all,” the black-haired girl shared with Mark and Jinyoung.
“Thank you, noona,” Jinyoung politely replied, bowing his head in thanks.
“Aw, Jinyoungie. You’re most welcome. You know I don’t mind baking for my favourite boys,” Ayeon beamed.
As if on cue, Jaebum choked on his mouthful of cupcakes.
“Aish, Im Jaebum! Stop inhaling the cupcakes,” Ayeon chastised the boy beside her, her hand quickly coming up to rub soothing circles on the boy’s back. “They aren’t going anywhere.”
Jaebum smiled fondly at the girl before going back to ‘inhaling’ the food.
“Speaking about not going anywhere...” Ayeon now turned to the youngest of the three boys. “Jinyoungie, Kim Jisoo has been following me and asking about you a lot recently. I think she might be interested.” She winked at Jinyoung and giggled some more when he blushed.
Mark and Jaebum (who stopped stuffing his face the moment the word 'crush’ was mentioned, Mark observed) turned to look at Jinyoung curiously, awaiting his reaction.
“Oh?” was the youngest’s only answer.
“Aw, come on, Jinyoungie! Don’t be so shy. You and Jisoo would make such a cute couple, a true visual couple. Am I right, boys?” her question directed to the two oldest boy.
Mark shrugged.
“Not really…”
The three of them looked at Jaebum whose face was laced with confusion and another emotion Mark couldn't exactly pin-point. Did the other two also hear the lack of conviction in the pre-med student’s voice?
“What do you mean?” Ayeon asked, completely oblivious of the elephant in the room (or courtyard).
Jaebum cleared his throat as his eyes shifted under the stares, locking eyes with Jinyoung.
“I mean, yes, sure. They would make a good couple. You should go after her, Jinyoung.”
Mark stayed quiet as he watched his two friends stare into each other’s eyes. He stayed quiet as he watched Jinyoung sighed sadly before shaking his head disappointingly at Jaebum and averting his eyes back to his book without another word. He stayed quiet as he watched Jaebum look uncertain and somewhat defeated as his eyes slowly left the younger boy’s face to look back down at the cupcakes in his hands, a guilt-like expression clouding his face.
Mark was only an observant friend. And so he stayed quiet, watching one of his friends fall in an one-sided love with his other friend.