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It’s 1984.
Nothing new, nothing surprising, just a boring, lazy afternoon for Mark, Renjun, Jeno, Haechan, Jaemin, Chenle, and Jisung. School has just ended, marking the start of their summer vacation. Now here they are sprawled in the living room of Haechan’s house with Michael Jackson’s “Off The Wall” playing on the vinyl turntable located beside the window.
The air is thick with heat, making even the thought of moving seem exhausting. Chenle, unable to bear it any longer, gets up and heads to the yellow refrigerator, returning with a glass of ice-cold water. He presses the cold glass against his forehead before taking a sip.
Restless from the heat, Jeno walks over to the window and pulls the curtains open further, letting in a flood of sunlight. The sudden brightness startles Renjun from his slumber. “Jeno Lee!” he roars, shielding his eyes. Mark, sharing the square throw pillow with Renjun, also jerks awake, his hair sticking up in all directions.
Jeno chuckles at the sight of his friends’ messy hair and grumpy faces. “You guys shouldn’t be sleeping! It’s the first day of summer. We should do something fun, you know, something active!”
Jaemin, lying upside down on the couch with his feet over the backrest, glances over. “Like what? It’s boiling outside, Jen. Where is Jisung?”
Speaking of the devil, Jisung came running down the stairs of Haechan’s house with a guitar in his hands. “Hyung, since when do you have a guitar? I just saw this on your bed!” he says excitedly. Haechan, lounging near the fan, looks up in surprise. “Since when were you in my room?”
Jisung’s expression changed from excited to worried, thinking he may have upset the older, “Uh, since 5 minutes ago? I’m sorry hyung I didn’t saw anything, I swear I—“
Haechan’s chuckle stops his panic, “I’m just kidding, boy, I got it from my uncle, it’s a gift.”
“Can Mark hyung try this? He’s good at guitar! He has a guitar too!” Jisung clamors, handing the guitar to Mark. “Hyung, play for us, please!” he added. Mark, still dazed, accepted the guitar, “Uh, what should I play?”
“You should play that song,” Renjun, who just came in from the bathroom, chimes in.
“What song?” Mark tilts his head, confused.
“That song!” Renjun insists, shaking his not-so-dry hands.
“Junnie I don’t know what song you’re talking about,” Mark replies truthfully, suppressing a laugh at the silly exchange they just had.
“You both look like a married person. Oh my, please stop this madness. My head is tired from looking left and right,” Chenle comments, exasperated. “I think Renjun is talking about the song you played to us one time.”
“Oh, that song! Yeah, I remember now. I haven’t played guitar for a while, so I might be rusty,” Mark says hesitantly.
The song was “Every Breath You Take” by The Police. It’s not a hard song to play; he’s just nervous to play in front of his friends, especially Renjun. He’s rusty, he’s not prepared for this, but since Renjun liked it when he first played the song, he thought he might do better this time.
He didn’t finish the song. He made a few slips in the strumming but he did well, judging from Renjun’s reaction. He liked it, it made Mark’s heart jump.
At this point, everyone but Renjun knew about Mark’s huge crush. The rest of the six knows about this, even helping him confess because they've endured all Mark’s aggression to Renjun every time.
“Have you thought about busking, hyung? I think it’s a good gig since you have it all,” Haechan suggested.
“Have it all?” Mark asked, still playfully strumming at the guitar.
“Yeah! the looks, the voice, and a guitar! Ya should try it, you’ll make money too.” Haechan added.
“Well, you all know what I am in front of other people… I don’t think I could do it.” Mark shuts his eyes at the thought, scratching his nape – something he does when he’s nervous. This is so random, he thought.
“Well, you have us! We could come with you when you busk, right?” Renjun excitedly told the group, convincing everyone. “That could be the activity Jeno was talking about earlier, I’m in!” Jaemin replied, also excited at the idea.
“Yeah, hyung! Let’s try it for a day only. Let’s see how it goes, Hm?” Jeno also agrees with the idea. “I guess,” Mark says loosely, still nervous at the idea of performing in front of a lot of people.
The thing is, Mark once dreamt of busking. He loves music, to sing, and for the people to hear him sing. However, he’s incredibly introverted, his words, and he couldn’t grasp the thought of singing in front of many people. Moreover, he’s also concerned of how he would confess to Renjun because the feeling is almost killing him too.
On the way to their respective houses, Mark and Jeno were the ones left since their house is much farther than the rest. “You seem out of it since earlier. Care to share your worries?” Jeno asked worriedly, noticing Mark’s uneasiness ever since the busking plan was proposed. “Was it the busking idea? We can cancel it if you want, hyung. You don’t have to do it.” he added with gentleness.
Mark, kicking the rock he sees on the road, “I once dreamt of busking, Jen, but I’m just nervous… also, do you think this could be the perfect time I confess to Renjun?”
Jeno steps back a bit from the sudden information, “So that’s your worry! I thought we put you in a tight spot earlier, I’m afraid we were pushing you too much.”
“Nah, as long as you were all there, I think I’m good,” he replies while putting his cap backward. “So, you think?” he asks again.
🎤
It’s the day.
It’s a Sunday. The sky stood high in the sky, casting short, sharp shadows as the clock struck two in the afternoon, the conditions were ideal for a brief and spontaneous busking session in the plaza.
They found themselves at Haechan’s house, preparing for Mark’s busking in the middle of the bustling city center. They decided to do it in the middle of the city because the street is usually busy in the afternoon, making it easier for people to listen to Mark’s beautiful voice.
The six of his friends were all excited as to what songs Mark will play for the session. He purposely didn’t tell anyone the songs so it’s all fair and square to the people at the street as well, his words.
He is dressed in a brown checkered suit that perfectly complements his brown loafers and guitar. A matching checkered beret sits atop his head, giving him the appearance of a professional busker.
As they neared the stand, Mark’s anxiety intensified. After this, I promise, he said to himself. Unexpectedly, a hand grasped his own. It was Renjun. “You’ll do great, hyung. Don’t worry, we’re here.” He whispered softly while gently rubbing his hand
Like clockwork, the words somehow calmed him down. After this, he thought, determined. “Thank you Injunnie, watch me well, hm?” He replied as he rubbed the younger’s hair.
Mark's singing is akin to a person completely in their element, showcasing a flawless performance perfectly suited to his talents. Prior to the performance, he prepared three songs for the session. He started off with “Here Comes the Sun” by The Beatles, an ideal choice to captivate the audience since everyone knows and loves the song.
In his second performance, Mark serenades the crowd with the timeless classic “Let It Be” by The Beatles. This song, in stark contrast to his previous energetic performance, exudes a soothing vibe that still manages to captivate the audience and get them swaying to the music. As Mark's acoustic busking gains momentum, a growing crowd gathers around him, joining in on the chorus and even drawing in those who were previously occupied with other activities, such as getting a five-minute portraits done.
He scanned the area, looking for his friends. Instead, his eyes bore on Renjun who is smiling so proudly and clapping his hands – the same way the people are clapping their hands. He’s loving this, so cute . He thought. With the last set of chords, he sang his heart out, connecting with the people. It’s like he’s made for this.
Before singing the third song, he went in to introduce himself. “Hello everyone! I’m Mark, busking together with my friends who’s on the side. Say hi, guys!” he exclaims as he points them out, the six of them cheering. “Alright, thank you, thank you. As you may notice, the first two songs I sang were by The Beatles. For the next song,” he pauses for a bit “is also by The Beatles! This song is “Something,” it’s a good song, isn’t it? I dedicate this song to my “something”. I hope they can feel my heart with this one.”
Mark had made numerous unsuccessful attempts to confess his feelings to Renjun. Whether it was through a lost letter in Renjun's basement or awkward verbal exchanges, Mark found himself unable to properly convey his emotions. At this point he’s sick of these unsuccessful attempts, guess he’ll have to say it through a song.
As Mark approaches the end of the song, He opens his eyes and lays them to the eyes that are waiting for him as well. “Something” by The Beatles is Renjun’s favorite song. No, the three songs he sang are Renjun’s favorite songs by The Beatles.
I’m singing to you,
He’s singing to me,
While making intense eye contact with Mark, Jaemin in his right nudged him. “Do you feel it now?” he asks. Renjun’s cheeks felt hot as he broke the eye-contact with Mark, “So I’m not assuming everything all this time?” he murmurs, making the others jump out.
“Oh my god, are you kidding me?” Chenle exclaims, excited at how this would all turn out.
“It’s not hopeless, after all,” Jeno added, smiling with his eyes.
The six of them waited until Mark finished performing. After packing up his equipment, they headed back to Haechan’s house to drop everything off. With some time left in the day, Mark decided to use the money he earned from busking to treat everyone to a few games at the downtown arcade and ice cream at the diner across the street.
Amid all the lively conversation within the group, Mark and Renjun’s exchanged glances went unnoticed.
🎤
As the clock struck a quarter to six, they decided to head home, just before dinner time. While walking, Mark and Renjun lagged behind the group, the thick tension between them still palpable. After a few minutes of walking, they found themselves alone in the middle of their subdivision.
“Well, this is awkward,” Mark said, scratching his nape to break the silence.
“U-uh, I know, right?” Renjun stammered, looking around to see if their friends were still nearby.
“Uh, why don’t we sit at the playground? They must have wandered off without telling us,” Mark suggested, leading the way to the swings in the empty playground just beside where they were standing.
“So… how was the busking? How did you feel during and after performing, hyung?” Renjun asked, not wanting this time with Mark to go to waste.
“It’s the best feeling in the world, Junnie. Oh, I’d love to do it again to relive the feeling,” Mark replied, clutching his right hand to his heart. “I loved it so much! Doing what I love in front of a large crowd, hearing people sing along, and dedicating the whole set to the person I’ve been crushing on,” he continued with animated hand gestures.
One of the things Renjun loves about Mark is his passion for the things he cares most about. He loves Mark’s stories—the way he conveys every possible emotion while talking, the range of gestures he makes when he gets deep into his storytelling, and his eyes that seem to tell their own tales. Renjun could listen to Mark talk and share stories all day, losing himself in Mark's animated expressions and heartfelt words.
Renjun snapped out of his daydream when he realized Mark mentioned someone he’d been crushing on. Unbeknownst to him, Mark was weighing his words carefully. He couldn’t mess up again, not now.
“Uhm-” they both said in unison.
“You first, hyung,” Renjun immediately said.
“Renjunnie… I know this might be weird since we’re friends and, well, we’re both guys, but I like you. I’ve liked you for a long time now. Our friends even figured it out before you did,” he scratched his nape, heart was beating loud, he thought he is much more nervous now than he was before busking.
“I don’t know how it started, Junnie. I just started liking everything about you. From the way you talk, the way you move, how your eyes disappear when I say something embarrassing, how you listen attentively to my stories, how your hair moves when you walk, how you sing along with me, and right now… even when you aren’t doing anything… I like you,” he continued, mustering the courage to look Renjun in the eyes.
“So, I took this opportunity to sing for you... since I’m already performing in front of a huge crowd, I thought why not dedicate the set to the person I have my eyes on? I even chose your favorite Beatles songs so I could imagine that it’s you I’m singing to,” he paused, taking a deep breath. He took a handkerchief from his pocket, wiping his now sweaty hands, and returned them immediately.
“It might seem a bit weird, me being a man who likes men. But who can blame a man for his poor heart? Is liking you romantically enough to get me judged? I’m sorry, I’m babbling now. I’ve been practicing this for a long time!” Mark continued, hiding his face in his palms, his voice tinged with a mixture of hope and fear.
Renjun got up from the swing and stood in front of Mark. “Hyung, Mark hyung, would it be weird if I said that I like you too?” Renjun confessed, wanting to hug Mark but instead settling his hands in the older’s hair. “I also dedicate “Something” by The Beatles to you, Mark hyung.” At Renjun's sudden confession, Mark revealed his reddened face.
“Like you, I don’t know when my feelings started. We naturally grew closer, and it just developed, you know? But something about the way you talk, the way you move, the way you love, even your imperfections—every bit of you is like a seed planted in me, and it grew into love,” Renjun continued softly.
“Ah, I can’t believe this is happening now. Can I hug you, hyung? I want to hide my face too!” Renjun complained, his cheeks turning pink.
Mark laughed gently, “Of course, you can.” Renjun wrapped his arms around Mark’s head, resting his head on Mark’s crown.
“Hyung, we’re gay, right?” he asked while his head hung low on the older’s crown.
“I guess we are now, Junnie,” Mark’s voice is equally soft, his face buried in the younger’s chest.
“Then… are we together now?” Renjun asked again, his breath warm against Mark’s hair.
“Well, personally, I want to court you properly, baby. I want to prove myself to you, that I am worthy of you. But the decision is yours. What do you think?” Mark responded, looking up to Renjun’s eyes.
“I think you don’t have to prove yourself to me, hyung. I’ve known you long enough to know your worth,” Renjun smiled warmly.
Mark stood up from the swing and gently took Renjun’s left hand. “It’s getting late, Jun. We should head back so you can still join your family for dinner,” he said, squeezing the younger's hand reassuringly.
As they exited the playground, their five friends suddenly appeared in front of them. They were about to ask a question on how the confession went but when they saw their interlocked hands, they already knew the answer. The answer was clear without a word being spoken. In these challenging times, some things are better left unsaid. Despite the silence, their friends wished them a long-lasting love—one that would endure any obstacle and be embraced by all, eventually.