Riot in Paradise || Jung Jaehyun

Chapter 34

As Jaehyun entered dorm, Taeyong rushed and dragged Jaehyun to the terrace while mumbling "need advise, need it". Jaehyun in utter confusion however let himself get dragged without a word until they reached terrace. "What is it hyung?", Jaehyun asked once it was just the two of them. "Okay I know everyone here knows I like Haerin though I keep denying, she asked to meet tomorrow since it's a day off, she asked HERSELF, sounds special so I just want to ask her out..I mean, I don't know, should I? Do you think she likes me? What if she rejects me, ohmygod, Jaehyun-ah!", Taeyong starts off smoothly and calm but ended the sentence as if he was getting stabbed, dying of nervousness. Jaehyun just cracks up seeing how Taeyong was being as it was his first time witnessing Taeyong as a lover boy. "Yaa, help me out! I saved your troubled ass so many times!", Taeyong screamed. "Okay hyung, first of all, it's so obvious you both like each other and by that I mean she likes you back as well, I'm sure she'll say yes. You go for it! Second of all, until how long can you just pretend a friendship when both you want more than that?", Jaehyun smartly suggested, convincing Taeyong along with easing his nervousness a bit. "Okay okay. I can do this, I'm a cool guy, I'll forever be cool, I'll cooly ask her out as well", Taeyong muttered to himself trying to calm down, Jaehyun just staring because all of this was like witnessing how he, himself, used to be months back.

Taeyong took Jaehyun to his room so he could ask Jaehyun for his opinion on what to wear tomorrow when meeting Haerin but Jaehyun was lost in his own thoughts that included Mark..and Hyejung. He was contemplating if he should even talk to Taeyong about it until Taeyong noticed himself that Jaehyun was bothered about something.

"Jaehyun-ah? You okay?" - Taeyong
"Yeah hyung, I'm fine" - Jaehyun
"Stop lying, what is it?" - Taeyong
"Hyung..ah..I don't know. I've a feeling that Mark is lying to me" - Jaehyun
"Oh? About what?" - Taeyong, clearly knows what topic Jaehyun is about to tackle, not all too surprised
"You know about it right? Hyung, you're being obvious" - Jaehyun
"Uh, what is this about?" - Taeyong
"Mark likes Hyejung right? Don't deny it just so I'd feel better, I'd understand even if he does. It's just obvious, I don't know, I mean, I know Mark well enough to understand these" - Jaehyun
Taeyong gulped as he did not really know how to put up with the situation. The hyung who's able to pass all circumstances suddenly feels clueless.
"Um..well, since you both call each other 'soulmates', isn't this obvious? Mark does not have actual feelings for her though, he just admitted it was a tiny teeny crush, that's all, because Hyejung is like his ideal type" - Taeyong
Jaehyun sighed as he did not know what exactly to say.
"Don't get mad at him, it's not so hard to like someone like Hyejung, just how there are many fangirls literally going head over heels for you" - Taeyong
"I'm not even close to being mad at him, hyung. It's just..that little guy..he lied to me just so I would continue normally with Hyejung. What if all of this hurts him?" - Jaehyun
"I bet it won't. He wanted both you with each other more than anyone and he promised he does not feel hurt at all seeing you and Hyejung together" - Taeyong
"Still..how can he just-" - Jaehyun
"It's okay, Mark is all grown up now. You should just talk to him, he's been inside his room since amusement park, maybe he thinks you're mad for hanging Hyejung?" - Taeyong
"I'll go talk to him, hyung. Goodluck for tomorrow!" - Jaehyun

--------------------------------------------------

Hyejung who curled up on her bed after a long day of being out, transpiring everything that happened today. "It was so fun at the park, it is always fun to be on a rollercoaster with Mark, cool guy he is. Mark is like those bestfriend characters in movies", Hyejung mumbled alone smiling to herself remembering all the fun she had at park. "Okay but, what was Jae talking about? He sounded as if Mark had feelings for me, what a cute protective fool", Hyejung, too naive to understand anything.

"Can I come in?", Jaehyun asked as he peeped behind the door of Mark's bedroom, the only member for the month who got his own room by playing rock-paper-scissor. "Yes hyung, come in", Mark replied and Jaehyun came in. 'Shit, I'm probably in trouble for going to park', Mark quietly thought to himself.
"So what are you upto, grown up kid?" - Jaehyun
"I'm just making plans, hyung" - Mark
"Plans? What plans?" - Jaehyun
"Its a secret" - Mark
"Since when did you start keeping secrets?" - Jaehyun
"Since just now?" - Mark
"Just now..are you sure?" - Jaehyun asked and this somewhat made Mark nervous
"Yes, ofcourse" - Mark, answered while facing his back
"Markeu-yah! Hyung knows you very well! It's okay to share with me, anything, I won't be mad, I promise. I know you have or had, I don't know, a crush on Hyejung, so will you please share with me?" - Jaehyun
Mark turned back, utterly shocked as Jaehyun blurted it out.
"Hyung..." - Mark
"It's okay, come sit here!" - Jaehyun
"I never intended on crushing on Hyejung..it's just..she's very much like the ideal type I imagined of and that's the only reason, it's just a small celebrity type crush" - Mark
Jaehyun just smiled as Mark spoke making Mark wonder if he'a sounding like a fool or an idiot.
"You're grown up now but just be honest, you're sure right, it's just a crush? Celebrity crush and not actual feelings because I'd feel like a bad hyung to knowingly hurt you" - Jaehyun
"Hyung-yah! Don't you think of going apart from Hyejung again because of me, I assure you, I'd never be hurt because of that. I'm glad you're together now, there's no space for any negative thoughts" - Mark
"I'm glad to hear that. See? It's that easy to let hyungs know about how you feel, don't bottle it, even if we fight, we solve so just be more open. Don't keep secrets just because you're all grown" - Jaehyun, finished with a playful smack on Mark's legs
"Also hyung, before you go, I need to tell you that, I'm planning to go to Canada for the coming three months as we've nothing scheduled and our comeback promotion is over" - Mark
"..Uh mark? This is not about it, right? Are you trying to distant yourself?" - Jaehyun
"Hyung! I just miss my family, that's all. I'll stay in touch even if I'm away, nothing related to any of that" - Mark
"I'll miss seeing you, three months is so long. Why go for so long? When are you leaving?" - Jaehyun
"You're so cheesy, hyung! I'll be leaving day after tomorrow, I've yet to tell other members" - Mark
"Arasso, just, always call and talk to us! Goodnight kiddo!" - Jaehyun, pat Mark's head before leaving his room, satisfied yet distressed as Mark was leaving for three months.

As Jaehyun left, Mark sat down on his bed thinking about everything he just to Jaehyun, as much as he wanted every word of it to be a lie, it was not. The truth was he is trying to distant himself from all of this so he does not have to be in a position to fall more for Hyejung. "Three months and I'll be back to myself, I won't have anything towards Hyejung, she'll just be a 'friend', like how it was when we knew each other first. It's for the better though I'll miss hyungs so much. Just three months, it's gonna pass soon", Mark muttered trying to comfort himself. He did not wanna leave but he figured its better to be away for a while. "I can't ever tell hyung that this little part of me wished Hyejung would be with me though the bigger part of me is glad hyung and Hyejung is together, I can't be selfish at all. Maybe in another life, I'd meet someone like Hyejung..or maybe this life too, no one knows what the future holds", Mark wording every word he was not able to share with any of his hyung.

--------------------------------------------------

It was the day Mark had to fly to Canada, he managed to tell all his members, most of them were confused with his sudden plan but they were understanding anyway as Mark did talk to his company beforehand too. Everyone knew except for one person and that was Hyejung, she had no idea Mark was leaving for three months as no one mentioned, Jaehyun and Hyejung haven't met since he dropped her that night as Jaehyun had a vocal session going on and Hyejung had her monthly assessment as well. Hyejung came to know about this on the day Mark was leaving, just an hour before through Jaehyun when he mentioned he was going to airport to drop Mark off along with Taeyong and Johnny. "Can I go with you guys? My exam's over too!", Hyejung pouted as she met Jaehyun after a day when he came to pick her from college. "Okay, let's go with us", Jaehyun agreed. Jaehyun, as usual, took the manager's car and he drove with Hyejung to airport after asking Johnny and Taeyong to come straight to airport with Mark. The ride to airport was silent as Hyejung was too consumed with her own thoughts. 'Why didn't Mark tell me though? I thought we were good friends considering I even saw him my way back home yesterday but all he did was smile at me. Maybe not so good friends after all, just rollercoaster buddies', Hyejung thought until Jaehyun called out to her, "Hyejung?". "Ye..yes?", Hyejung answered. "Are you okay?", Jaehyun asked somewhat worried because Hyejung was so quiet which was unlike of her. "I'm fine Jae!", Hyejung replied immediately. Both Hyejung and Jaehyun were finally at airport waiting for the other three to arrive, after about 10minutes of waiting, they were here. As soon as Mark got out, Hyejung got up of the chair she was sitting and screamed, "You didn't even tell me" while playfully kicking Mark's leg lightly. "All got planned so suddenly, me is sorry, I'm gonna be back soon and hopefully we can go on rollercoasters more often than now", Mark assured and apologized and Hyejung accepted it with a genuine smile. As the check in for the flight was open, it got announced and Mark had to go in, hugging his hyungs and waving goodbye to Hyejung. 'Why do I feel sad? So unlike of me, not like Mark's going forever, he's gonna be back in months..well 3months', Hyejung thought, who felt sad unintentionally while waving goodbye to Mark. As he left in, everyone got in cars to head back.

"Hyejung-ah? You look sad" - Jaehyun
"Ani, I'm not" - Hyejung
"You're still upset because Mark didn't tell you earlier?" - Jaehyun
"Noo. Mark is like someone I can count on about anything even if I haven't known him for long, we connect well, I never had male friends at all until I met your group members, maybe that's why I feel so happy with all of you" - Hyejung
Jaehyun just smiled as he was glad to know how Hyejung felt about his members.