Mark
The last mug of beer just made me dizzy. But it soon goes away when Jess sits beside me. She cares for me....
But, here comes Victor pulling her away again to run to the party at the other side. She seems to be excited about it. She must like partying a lot. I chuckle at how cute she looks super thrilled. They're already out the door even before I get up from the chair. Since I am the last one to leave, I pay for the bill and slowly walk out, still feeling a bit woozy.
I expect her to be waiting for me outside, but she and some of the boys are nowhere to be found. Only Youngjae and Junior are there.
"Hurry up, hyung!" Youngjae pulls my arm excitedly.
"Wait, you go on ahead. I need to clear this head of mine first." I tell him. And he darts towards the dancing party lovers.
"You ok?" Junior stays behind to make sure I'm fine.
"Yeah. Jess made me drink four mugs of beer straight up," I chuckle.
"She's really something," he says. "Where is she anyway?" He scans the crowd, and I do, too. But, with the constantly moving people, I can't see her.
We walk closer and there she is, grinding her body against a man in the middle of the riot. I feel my ears getting hotter as she laughs and takes a shot from another guy in front of her. What does she think she's doing? Just earlier, she was all sweet and caring, now she's like completely forgotten she has a boyfriend and flirting with other guys she barely know.
I am totally outraged. How can she do this in front of me? Is she just playing with me?
She notices me and stops. I turn around, but not before showing her how angry I am. My feet lead me towards the cottage. Like I want to cry but I can't. Steam is coming out of all the possible exits on my face.
"Mark!" I hear her shout behind me, but I ignore it and continue walking. "Mark!" Louder this time.
"WHAT???" I turn to face her, clutching my now white knuckles. She steps back in shock. It's the first time I yell at her like that. I don't know what came to me, but I'm just angry at her I wasn't able to control my voice.
"Are...Are... you...angry?" Her voice is shaking and I know I've scared her. But I won't let her take me with that face.
"Isn't it obvious?" I say, still furrowing my eyebrows.
She takes a step closer and I take a step back.
"But, why?"
WHY? WHY? Doesn't she know what she was doing earlier? Is she stupid or something? I just bite my lip in frustration and shake my head. I turn around again but she catches me fast, wrapping her arms around my waist and leaning his head on my back.
"Let go, Jess!" I say, a little softer. Just with her touch I feel all the anger inside me starting to disappear. But, NO. I should stay angry. I shouldn't let her go that easily.
"Mark!!! What did I do?" She moves to my front, with her arms still around my waist.
No, Mark. Don't fall for it.
"You don't know that you just flirted and dirty danced with those guys over there? You don't know that you left me watching you do all those things?" I want to sound angry, but my voice just becomes softer and softer since her face is looking up at me. She bats her eyelashes and makes the cutest pout. UGH!!!!
"Look," she moves her hands up around my neck, playing with the hair on my nape. "I'm sorry. I was just having fun. OK? You said it yourself, we have to make the best of our vacation. I'm sorry I left you behind. I'm sorry I danced with those guys. I didn't know you would get angry because of that."
And there goes my anger, just went down the drain as I look at her. "I just don't like it when you do that with other guys."
She grins and pecks me on my chin, "Markie is jealous." She teases. "You're soooo cute when you're jealous, you know that?" She pokes my cheeks and grins some more.
"Are you drunk?" She sure looks like she had a lot.
"I don't know. Am I drunk?" Her eyes are slightly drooping and she's putting all her weight on me. Yes...she certainly is drunk.
"C'mon, I'll take you back to the cottage." I gently remove her hands from my neck and put mine around her waist to support her.
"But, I still want to party!!!" She sure is different when she's drunk...now she's acting like a kid. I shake my head and pull her towards the house. "Markie....let's go party....." she giggles..."I just made a rhyme," she giggles more.
Although a little annoying, I find it cute. I chuckle at her silliness as I drag her.
I let her sit on the couch while I prepare coffee for her to help her sober up.
"But, Mark...." she starts whining again, "I don't want coffee, I want tequila," she shouts, her body slips to her side and lays on the couch.
"You can have it again tomorrow, babe. But for now, you just have to settle for this." I help her up and I sit beside her. "Here," I put the mug to her mouth for her to sip.
She takes it with her hands and sips. "I hate you!"
"What?"
"Ugh...you're such a kill-joy."
"Me? Why me?"
She just scoffs and takes another sip.
"What?" I'm starting to get annoyed again, "You wanna go back there? Go! Let's see if I care." I stand up and go to the room I share with JB.
I really expect her to follow me in and apologize. 5 mins...10 mins....30 mins...still no sign of her at the door. 1 hour! Shit! Did she seriously go back? She wouldn't expect me to follow and drag her back, does she? No way!
I get out of bed and out the room. The house is quiet. I guess she really went back. My face is all red again because of anger. I go to the kitchen to get something to drink. On my way back, I notice somebody in the living room. It's her.
The empty mug still on her hand, spilling little drips of coffee on the floor. Her head is on the armrest of the chair and her other hand is hanging at the side of the couch.
I let out a sigh of relief. She didn't leave after all.
I tiptoe beside her and take the cup from her hand. "Hey!" I poke her cheek but she doesn't respond. I sit on the floor beside her and poke her cheek again. I lean closer, "Babe!" I whisper. I call her again, louder this time.
Her eyes slightly open. "What?", she grumbles.
"Go to your room!"
"Ugh...." she groans and closes her eyes again.
I carry her gently and take her to her room. I lay her on the bed and pull the covers over her.
"Mark," she whispers, "sleep with me."
I get under the blanket and rest my head on the pillow beside her. Her hand goes to my waist, and she pulls herself closer. I can smell the scent of shampoo on her hair as she nuzzles her head on my neck.
Whoosa! Control, Mark.
But, it's difficult because she moves even closer, her legs touching the side of my leg and half of her upper body is on top of me.
Breathe in! Breathe out!
I pin my hands under my head to keep them from touching her. It gets even harder when she touches my neck with her lips. A burning feeling shoots throughout my body. I squeeze my eyes close.
Control. I don't want her to think I take advantage of her when she's drunk.
In a few seconds, I feel her relax over me.
Phew! That was close.
__________________________________________________________________
Jess
The banging on my temples wake me up in the morning. I feel something heavy on my waist and I open my eyes to see Mark's arm around it, his head leaning against my back. I slowly massage my aching head sitting up carefully so as not to wake Mark.
I am able to get out of the room and into the kitchen without disturbing the two boys on the floor in the living room. They must have been too drunk to make it to their rooms.
Speaking of drunk....SHIT! My face turns red at the memory of last night. Did I just do that? I can clearly see myself acting cute in front of Mark. I want to kick myself in embarrassment. Why did I do that anyway?
Oh, yeah...he was angry...Why?
I suddenly giggle, he was jealous. LOL. I giggle louder remembering his angry face.
"What are you giggling about there on your own?" His deep voice startles me and makes me spit the water out of my mouth.
"Mark!"
"Do you become insane when you have a hangover?" Just like last time, he's shirtless. Why does he have to be shirtless so early in the morning? Doesn't he realize how dangerous that is for girls like me?
"Mark! Shirt please..." I turn around to peel my eyes away from that steaming body.
"Why?" His husky morning voice doesn't help one bit. And to make matters worse, he steps behind me and wraps his arms around my waist, kisses my nape, and blows on the sensitive part just below my ear.
"Are you seriously seducing me right now?" I turn to face him, but soon regret it because my eyes are at level with his lips, which he is now biting.
"Look who's talking," he smirks.
"What?" I ask innocently, my eyes still glued to his moving lips.
"You want me to remind you what you almost made me do last night?" He bows his head down to touch his forehead to mine.
"What?" I still feign innocence, although a bit of what I did is creeping in my mind. I DID NOT! HOLY CRAP! God knows what tequila makes me do. I control the blush that I feel is starting and shake my head. "Whatever are you saying?"
"God!" Junior's croaky voice makes us jump. "Why do I always catch you like that. It's annoying!" The last part he says in English.
Mark and I both laugh.
"Sorry, man!" Mark chuckles. "What should we make for breakfast?" He asks me.
As soon as we're done with the simple breakfast we prepared, the boys start to get up one by one. Maybe it's the smell of the bacon. Soon, the dinner table is filled with hungry boys, looking haggard from last night's gala.
"What are we going to do today?" JB asks with his mouth full.
"Horseback riding!"
"Sightseeing!"
"Jet ski!"
"Hiking!"
Their suggestions just keep on coming. "How 'bout you?" Mark asks me.
"I don't know. I like to do all those."
He chuckles. "Let's do them all then!" He puts his fist up.
"Let's go horseback riding first then," says JB.
"Wait," I do a headcount - 8, "Where's Vic?"
JB shrugs his shoulders.
"Noona!" Yugyeom leans on the table, he says something fast in Korean, all I understand is 'best friend', 'last night', 'don't know'. I look at Mark for translation.
Jackson is the one who answers, "He said 'Your best friend took off with someone last night! We don't know where he went.'"
What? Ugh...This is so Victor. I let out a sigh and go back to my food.
"Aren't you even worried?" Mark asks.
"He'll come back. He always does that." I wave my hand, telling them it's normal.
Mark looks down at his food and that's when he goes quiet. I study his expression throughout breakfast, but I can't read what he's thinking.
"What's wrong?" I ask him, while we rest on the deck outside the living room.
"Did you....do you...I mean...last night, when you danced with those guys. Do you usually do that?"
"Uh-huh," Duh...it's a party. Who wouldn't? "Why?"
"I don't like it!"
Oh..."Ok!" I could just party like that when I'm not with him then.
I feel his insecurities again. I put my hand over his shoulder and kissed his cheek. "Don't worry. I won't do it anymore. OK? Happy?"
He side glances me, his expression still serious.
"I promise?" I smile widely.
Still the same look.
"Alright! I promise I won't dance with other guys in a party again." I put my hand over my heart. Why am I even doing this?
His lips slightly open, showing a hint of a smile. That's when I know he's no longer sulking. Geez! He's like a kid sometimes....but I'm not complaining. It's cute.
He tugs on my hand, making me lean towards him, and kisses me on the lips.
"UGH!!! AGAIN?"
Even without turning, I know it's Junior. I should find him a girlfriend - ASAP!
"Let's go!" He shouts.
On our way back from our last tiring activity on our itinerary, Jackson pulls me from the back. "Walk with me," he says.
"Sure!" I put my arm around his waist as he puts his on my shoulder. "Wasn't that fun?" I ask him.
"Jessica!"
Uh-oh. What is it this time?
"I talked to Lei before we came here."
Lei? My heart suddenly beats faster at the mention of his name. His face automatically comes up. He was looking so damn fine the last time I saw him.
"So?" I ask, trying to sound like it doesn't bother at all.
"He told me why he came here."
"I know! He came to check on his father's businesses."
"No!" He stops and pulls me down so we could sit on the sand. "Listen! Just answer when I ask you a question, ok?"
"What is it?" I'm starting to get nervous.
"He came here to see you. He came here because he wants you back."
"That's b.."
"I said only answer when I ask a question." I go silent again. "He still loves you, cuz. After all these years, he's still waiting for you. I heard the sincerity on his voice. He wants to help you."
He takes my hand, "Do you love Mark?"
I don't know what to say. I want to be with him. He's a nice guy. But, LOVE?
"I thought so," he says, taking my silence as a 'no'. "Don't let this last longer, cuz. The sooner you break up with him, the better for both of you. You don't have to do this anyway, Lei knows you're lying."
"He does?"
"We can see through your lies, Jess. It's not like you can hide it. So stop this act, you're just hurting people."
"I do?"
"Yes. You're hurting Mark. You're hurting Lei. Most especially, you're hurting yourself. I know you still have feelings for him."
"Lei's hurting?"
"See! You still care about him. He's willing to go against his father for you, Jess."
"He is?"
I'm so confused. My insides feel like a battle is erupting. Lei, you stupid stupid jerk. Why don't you tell me yourself?