Work Text:
“mark, mali ka na naman ng pwesto. hindi mo ba makuha iyong steps? gusto mo muna magpahinga?”
kaninang umaga pa nagsimula ang rehearsal ng 127 para sa kanilang comeback. they’ve been preparing this for months at bukas na ang labas ng mv. at sa mga susunod na araw ay promotions na but something has been bugging mark.
“okay lang ba, kuys? medyo masama talaga pakiramdam ko eh. sakit ng mga paa ko.” mark explained, he feels perfectly fine physically but made this as an excuse.
“okay sige, make sure na magpahinga ka ng mabuti ah? kung bukas ganun pa rin, magsabi ka sa manager para maagapan.” sagot naman ni taeyong sa kanya.
he swiftly cleaned his things at nilagay sa bag niya. wala siya masyadong gamit na dinadala a practice room dahil na rin sa katamaran. kinuha niya ang phone sa kanyang bulsa at tinawagan ang kanilang manager.
“hello, pwede po ba magpa sundo? masama po kasi pakiramdam ko. nandito na po ako sa lobby, diretso dorms po sana.” mark is slightly kicking the air. he’s eager to rest.
“sige, mark. papunta na rin kami sakto kasi magdadala sana kami ng meryenda sa inyo. drop off ko lang ‘to, tapos alis tayo agad.”
“salamat po. text niyo na lang ako pag nandito na po kayo.”
when the manager has finished giving the rest of the members, sumakay agad si mark sa kotse. sa likod siya ng building dumaan knowing that there are fans waiting outside. as much as possible they avoid appearing before them.
he sighed as he sat down at the back seat. opened his phone and sent a message to jaemin.
/asan kaya ang nana ko? have you eaten? otw ako sa dorms, magpapahinga po. i miss you po. kita tayo? :) /
mabilis nagreply si jaemin that made mark smile a bit,
/we can’t, comeback niyo and you don’t want to risk seeing me. magtataka lang ang fans when you should be with 127 hyungs. /
kaya naman mabilis din nabawi ang mga ngiti sa labi ni mark.
“oh bakit naman nakasimangot ka? dahil ba talaga may masakit sayo o dahil sa…?”
“oo, iyon nga. nakakainis kasi eh. never naman ako nagkaroon ng dating rumors, bakit bigla may nagsulputan?”
“bakit ba kasi may ganun kang damit? ayan tuloy may instant girlfriend ka.” pang aasar ng manager nila.
mark scoffed, “bigay ni jaemin iyon. malay ba namin na may makakaparehas ako sa mga idol.” and he rolled his eyes.
“hayaan mo na, bukas agad may statement agad na ilalabas. sa ngayon relax ka na muna hahaha, tumakas ka pa talaga sa practice ah?”
“ayun nga eh hyung. tumakas ako kasi kailangan ko kausapin si jaemin. pero ngayon iniiwasan niya ako. never naman sumagi sa isip namin noon na may malisya pag nakita kaming magkasama. dream members naman kami pareho, bakit bigla niya na excuse sakin iyon?”
tumawa ulit ang manager nila, “syempre nasasaktan din siguro iyon, mark. limitado lang naman tayong may alam, diba? bigyan mo na muna siya ng oras. at sabi mo nga, siya nagbigay ng regalo na iyon. i’m sure hindi ka naman niya pinaghihinalaan.”
napaisip si mark na tama nga naman. hindi niya gusto na magkaparehas ang idol na iyon at lalong hindi niya gusto ng dating rumors.
bumaba na siya ng sasakyan at dire-diretso ang pasok sa dorms. bitbit niya ang mga susi dahil siya pa lang naman ang papasok. ipinasok niya na ito sa door knob nang napansin na nakabukas ito. he turned the doorknob and it was really unlocked. at first he thought of intruders but was surprised to see his boyfriend sitting down on the couch, browsing on his cellphone.
“nana?”
jaemin raised his head to meet the eyes of mark. they made a very short eye contact, and jaemin pursed his lips.
“dumaan lang ako to drop these off,” turo niya sa lamesa na may mga nakabalot na mga pagkain. he personally cooked the meals, “share it with the hyungs. and haechan too, of course.”
mark was left speechless, of course the boyfriend rejected his offer just minutes ago and now he’s in front of him. lalapit na sana siya kay jaemin nang nagsalita ito bigla, “ayun lang. sige na, una na ako ah? rest well.”
mark is troubled with the news but he’s not dense. he knows this also affected his partner.
jaemin walked past him but he grabbed his wrists, “baby, usap tayo?”
“wala naman tayo paguusapan, mark. meron ba?”
“i know you’re upset. please? let’s talk it out?”
“wala naman sakin na iyon, this is the first but i expected it to come. so you don’t have to worry.”
“hindi ako naniniwala. please? hear me out?” mark’s heavy breathing could be heard.
jaemin, defeated, removed his wrist from the older, “okay. i’ll hear you out.”
nilapag ni mark ang mga gamit niya at dumiretso na sa assigned room niya. sumunod naman ang nakababata at tahimik lang itong naglalakad.
sinaras niya ang pinto at nakitang nakaupo si mark sa dulo ng kama, he tapped the bed, “come here, baby.” and nodded to convince jaemin more.
jaemin was hesitant but he knew he was being irrational by the way he acted. he should not be easily affected by these things because it’s normal.
“halika na, baby. please?”
jaemin could only sigh and walked straight to mark but he did not face him.
“bakit ba nalulungkot ang baby ko? dahil ba sa balita?”
“oh alam mo naman pala eh. bakit mo pa tinatanong?” masungit na sagot ni jaemin.
mark chuckled, “wala naman ‘yon baby ko eh. ‘di ba ikaw pa nga nagbigay sakin ng shirt na ‘yon? pano ko malalaman na pareho kami?”
“eh bakit hindi pa dinedeny ng company! bakit hanggang ngayon lumalabas pa rin shippers niyo?”
“i can’t control that baby,” mark reached out to jaemin’s chin and faced him, “but you know what i can control? na ikaw lang gusto ko. actually i don’t need to control eh, kasi natural na sakin ‘yon.”
jaemin is now directly looking at mark’s eyes and a tear escaped from his eye, “i’m sorry.”
“oh bakit ka umiiyak ngayon?” mark smiled at his remark, and embraced jaemin into a hug. he’s caressing the younger’s back, “may nasabi na ako baby?”
“wala! bakit kasi ang understanding mo? ako na nga rito nagiinarte, ikaw pa iyong patient! naiinis ako.” sinisinok na ngayon ang nakababata.
“haha, ang cute cute talaga ng baby ko. napaka seloso.” he places his chin on top of jaemin’s head, “pero baby, wala kang dapat ikaselos, okay? lalo na bukas magrerelease ng statement.”
“o-okay.” the younger replied.
“oh, ‘wag ka na umiyak, please? haha tumakas nga ako ng practice eh para magkausap tayo.”
umalis si jaemin sa yakap at pinalo ang dibdib ni mark, “why did you?! paano si kuya taeyong! alam mo naman gusto niya perfect lahat!”
“no worries baby, kayang kaya ko ‘yan. atsaka kung hindi ako tatakas paano natin makakain iyong mga niluto mo?”
“heh!” kumuha siya ng tissue sa bedside table ni mark at pinunasan ang sipon.
mark ruffled his hair, “ang sipunin kong baby.”
jaemin rolled his eyes, “tomorrow magrerelease ng statement?”
“opo, kaya ‘wag ka na magaalala ha? last na ‘to haha. sa susunod sabay na tayo bibili ng things para tayo ang magkapareho.” mark smiled at him as an assurance.
“ayoko. shiniship tayo eh.”
“oh ayaw mo ba no’n? tayo na lang ishiship ng mga fans?”
“ayoko! gusto ko sa susunod totoo na, hindi sa imagination lang nila.”
“of course baby, sa susunod i’ll give that to you. for now, let’s be patient, hm?”
jaemin did not respond and mark knew why. it’s hard, of course. but he assures him that the next time they’ll be able to show their real relationship.