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God, is this really what heartbreak feels like?
Youngjae groaned for the umpteenth time that day, pulling his hair that was on the verge of balding if he doesn’t stop. He had tried every way possible to make Jackson happy; doing things he’d like, eating food he hated but the older loved, doing outdoor sports...
Somehow, neither of that worked.
They broke up after 3 years of blissful dating.
And it was all because Youngjae introduced his childhood friend JB, to his now, ex-boyfriend. And yes, Jackson broke it off with him to be with JB.
So that fucking sucked.
‘It really fucking sucked… balls.’ (Really, Youngjae?)
JB and Jackson had begged him for forgiveness, claiming their love was ‘bound to happen sooner or later’, convincing the youngest that ‘Jackson had never cheated on you’ and that they were ‘really, really sorry.’
And what could nice, gullible, naive Youngjae say?
“It’s okay, really. I’m happy for you.”
Bullshit.
He hated them, he hated that they betrayed him, but who else could he blame other than himself for not being a boyfriend sufficient enough for Jackson?
His legs had aimlessly brought him outside a relatively shady pub, what more could he lose anyway? Youngjae thought. He stepped in.
“Hi, what can I get you?” The bartender asked as soon as his new client sat down.
“My ex-boyfriend back,” Youngjae offhandedly replied, before settling on ‘Shots, and keep them coming.”
12 shots later and Youngjae was half-passed out. His head was too heavy for him to hold up anymore (physically and mentally), and almost settled on sleeping at the pub until the next morning if not for being violently shaken up by someone beside him.
Youngjae groans, “Hmmph… stop it.”
“Is there anyone I can call?”
“No… not anymore… he left me to date my friend. Can you believe it?”
“Look kid, I’m not even sure if I was even allowed to give you all these shots, but it’s time for you to go home because I want to go home,” said the bartender.
“I’M NOT A KID. I AM 23!!!” Youngjae stood up suddenly and loudly slurred, before hitting his head back onto the counter again.
“Okay, whatever. Should I just call your parents?”
“Huh, good luck. They’re all the way in Mokpo.”
“Fuck dude,” other dude hissed, “I need you out of here, so I’m just going to drag you out of here, and since you have enough energy to be snarky at me, I’ll just leave you to your own devices.” The bartender then carried Youngjae’s now-limp body out of the pub, and true to his words, just dumped him outside on the sidewalk.
‘Just like my heart,’ Youngjae thought, before properly passing out.
‘Fuck me and my nice, stupid self,’ Mark thinks, before walking back, putting his arms on the back and below the legs of this stubborn stranger, lifting him up and carrying him home. Home? Yes, for the life of Mark, this stranger had fully passed out outside the pub where he left him at, and the former wasn’t in the mood to send him back to his own apartment.
He kicked open his door as he struggled with the extra weight, before dumping the other on the couch and grabbing aspirins and water (plus a bucket, just in case). His stupid, nice heart also led to Mark cleaning the extra weight’s face, despite him reeking of alcohol, but it was the nature of his job to get used to it. Once he deemed satisfied with his honourable act, Mark retreated to his own room and slept the night away.
Knock! Knock!
Mark groaned; it may be too early for this.
“Hi, S-sir…?” A small voice from outside his door spoke.
“Mmmm?”
“I-I’ll get going… I need y-your… address so I can book a car.”
“Just type in postal code 9304,” Mark mumbled.
“U-uh o-okay, thank you… for everything.”
Mark fell back asleep.
Youngjae hasn’t left the house for work or school for the next 2 days, he had really drank too much that he mostly just slept it off. Also, because his heart was still broken, but whatever. He only got up when a call from Bambam and Yugyeom, screaming into the phone, came, and he was forced out on a grocery shopping trip with them because… he doesn’t even know why. He just needed more ramen, he guesses.
“HYUNG! Finally! We’ve been trying to get hold of you for like 90 years!” Bambam shouted as soon as he saw the older walked towards the entrance.
“Shut up Bam, I got drunk and passed out, that’s all.”
“Hyung, you can’t just wallow in the dark forever.”
“Seriously, guys? Jackson just broke up with me for my good friend LAST WEEK, let me live. If all you’re going to do is put me down, then go shop by yourselves!” Youngjae puffed, before taking a basket for himself and entering the supermarket.
As he walked through the third aisle, looking for a particular protein bar that he liked (unfortunately, introduced by Jackson), Youngjae bumped into someone else.
“Ah, I’m so sorry!” He looked up and saw the stranger, of course, he knew who the other was (even though he completely passed out), “Oh hello.”
“Hi.”
“I-uh thank you again.”
“Welcome.” Stranger looked away.
“I’m Youngjae.”
“Good to know?”
“What’s yours?”
“Mark.”
“Mark-ssi, thank you. Really. You could’ve left me there after you kicked me out, but you really did leave me a huge favor. My boyfriend had just broken up with me for my good friend and I just -”
“Listen, kid. I’m in no mood for your stories. If you want though, I have a friend at the bar who would love to be your listening ear, other than that, let me do my shopping in peace.”
“YA! I’m trying to be nice to you and thank you properly and you’re just being rude about it.”
“All you’re doing right now is annoying me, so goodbye.”
Tsk, how fucking rude.
The next time Youngjae went to Mark’s bar was two weeks later, when Yugyeom dragged him there as an excuse to drink on his birthday. Ironically, the eldest out of the three (Yugyeom, Bambam and Youngjae) had to be the designated driver, but it wasn’t like the former wanted to get bat-shit drunk again.
“Hi what – Oh it’s you. Coming to get drunk again?” Mark greeted.
“Do you always greet your customers like this?”
“No, just the annoying ones.”
“Wow…”
“So, what do you want? I’m busy here.”
“Just orange juice.”
“No alcohol...?" Mark says questioningly.
“I’m the DD for the night. For the hooligans over there,” Youngjae pointed to his friends, currently lazy-grinding each other near the jukebox.
“Ah, Bambam. He’s a special one, that one.”
“You know him?”
“Obviously. I said his name, didn’t I? Here’s your juice.”
“Thanks.”
The both stared at each other for a good minute, before Youngjae piped up, “Weren’t you busy?”
“Whatever.” Mark continued staring at the other slowly drinking his juice.
“Is there something on my face?” Youngjae asked 5 minutes later, when Mark went back to his staring after serving other customers for a bit.
“No.”
“Okay…”
“What?”
“Nothing.” Mark shrugged, whilst he continues staring at him.
“Okay… Is this your bar?”
“Huh? Oh, hmmmph,” he hums in acknowledgement.
“How long have you owned it?”
“3 years.”
“You’re not much of a talker, are you?” Youngjae asked the obvious.
“Not really,” Mark sighed, walking away to clean up after other people.
“Tell me about your tattoos.” Youngjae asked, sick of the silence and the staring.
“What’s there to say?”
“Your whole right arm is covered by them, I’m sure you have a story or two to tell.”
“Not really, most of them are just for fun. The cross one here,” Mark pointed at it, “I got it with my brother.”
“You both have matching cross tattoos?”
“Yeah.”
“Why?”
“We both liked it so…”
“Wow… I guess… yeah okay.”
Before Youngjae could continue, one of his friends bellowed, “YOUNGJAE HYUNG! WE’RE LEAVING, LET’S GO!”
“That’s my cue, thanks Mark.”
“Hey, Youngjae.” The 23-year-old turned around to the sound of his name, only to be greeted by his worst nightmare, Jackson and JB… together. God dang it, couldn’t they come at any other time? Grocery time is his ‘me-time’.
“Hi.” He looked away.
“How are you?”
Youngjae snickered, they really had the decency to ask how he was after- ugh, never-mind. He shouldn’t stoop too low.
“Fine.”
“We uh, wanted to make sure you’re okay. After-”
“The both of you broke my heart? Huh.”
“Look Youngjae, I’m -”
“Hey babe. What’s the hold up?” Mark appeared out of nowhere, throwing Youngjae (and the other two) off-guard.
What?
“I uh…” The younger trailed off.
“Hi, I’m Mark. Youngjae’s boyfriend. You both are…?”
“Jackson… and this is my boyfriend, JB.”
Mark looked at Youngjae, who had looked away from the couple in front of him and put two and two together, seemingly very uncomfortable.
“Ah, the famous ex that left someone as amazing as my boyfriend for his friend, huh. Thank you by the way. Without your stupid little act, I wouldn’t be with him now.”
“Don’t you fucking dare say it like you know us!” JB angered, readying to throw a punch or two if not for Jackson restraining him.
“You’re right, I don’t. But it’s not that hard to see an asshole when you glance at one. Or two, in this case.”
JB was about to reply when Jackson beat him to it, “Listen, I don’t want anyone of us to pick up a fight here, so we can all just mind our own business okay?” Youngjae readily nodded and quickly dragged Mark with him.
“Mark-ssi, t-thank you.” Youngjae said when they walked out of the supermarket, “B-bye.”
“Wait, d-do you want to go for a drink sometime? Preferably somewhere I don’t have to serve at?”
“I-I… why? You hated me like 2 days ago.”
“Things change, pass me your phone, I’ll give you my number.”
“Are you crazy?!”
“And that’s now kids, your Appa and I got together.”
“But… you hated Appa!” Mason, their youngest son, pouted.
“Your daddy is just emotionless, that’s all,” Youngjae chimed in, placing down more food on his plate.
“I thought your Appa was annoying at first, but then I realized, he’s just very annoyingly cute. Handsome too, the handsomest man I’ve ever laid my eyes on.” Mark looked at Youngjae lovingly, causing all 3 of their kids to let out their own versions of ‘Ewwww!’ or ‘Yucky!’
“You didn’t tell them about the blowjob you gave me in the toilet, right?” Youngjae asked later on when they were both out of their children’s earshot.
“How could I? Are you crazy?!” Mark smirked, “But that was still the hottest blowjob I’ve ever had.”
“Slightly offended, but I know it was all part of your plan, Tuan. Since you stalked me at the supermarket.”
“No, I just went there everyday for a couple of days straight till you showed so I could ‘bump’ to you again.”
“Same difference.”