Along the seashore, Jinyoung dragged his feet, feeling the warm breeze of the sea, but his thoughts were in a whirl and his heart in misery.
"I arrived there, at Mark's mansion, within an hour of Gayoon's message, which I'm sure had been sent when they were on the way to Mark's place," Gayoon's brother's words rang inside Jinyoung's head again.
Letting out a quiet sigh, he looked around at the quiet surrounding, in which only the occasional sounds of the sea waves were heard.
"Mark was asleep on the sofa, and I even thought it was a regret as I had intended to have a chat with him to catch up, considering that it had been quite a long time since the last time we met."
Jinyoung slipped out of his thin slippers to feel the wet sand under his bare feet. Facing the sea, his eyes gazed at the endless length of it before him.
"I was quite suspicious, though, because why Mark should be sleeping on the couch while Gayoon was just beside him. That was, as I later found out, due to the effect of the sleeping-pill powder. Some days later, I phoned him, to ask if he was not feeling well, and that was when I realised the reason. As soon as I knew that, I had a go at Gayoon, and she reassured me, as I was really furious with her, that nothing had happened to make a shame of herself, and the part they were naked to the waist, was just for the sake of taking the photos, well, to deceive you. I'm really sorry, Jinyoung-shi, nothing like that will ever happen again, I promise you."
Those were the words said by Gayoon's brother yesterday, which solved the problem, but one problem still remained - how he was going to face Mark.
Mark might have no idea where he was because he had been back in his hometown since last week.
One thing for certain was he would go back to Seoul tomorrow; and Mark, he would go and apologise to him for wrongly accusing him. What if Mark had already moved on from him? That was what had been torturing Jinyoung since he knew the truth.
If only fate would bring them together, again.
Jinyoung sat down on the sand where his feet felt the touch of the warm water of the sea.
"I know you won't forgive me, Mark. I refused to listen to your words and to believe you. I was actually childish, wasn't I?" Jinyoung muttered into the sea, "If only you would embrace me again in your arms and let me stay beside you. Then I won't be thankful enough."
"I understand," with the sudden voice behind him, a pair of hands wrapped around his shoulders.
Shocked and at the same time, feeling his heart warm, Jinyoung tilted his head and was welcomed by Mark's smiling face, which he had missed so much.
"You think I wouldn't forgive you? How can you? I was dying to see you but you were nowhere to be found."
Mark dropped a kiss on Jinyoung's hair, and brought both of them to their feet until they came to face-to-face.
Jinyoung brushed his hand against Mark's cheek, to feel the reality. Mark was back to all his glory again, with the clean, handsome face and his refreshing smile.
"I'm sorry for causing you trouble. I really am."
"She's leaving to Canada soon. So, you don't need to worry about her interfering with us again."
"I'm really thankful to her brother."
"Hmm," Mark drew Jinyoung closer to him, "I have one question, were you thinking that our relationship could never be mended and that you would just hide yourself here, away from me? How cruel of you, Park Jinyoung."
"I was planning to come to you tomorrow. To apologise to you."
Mark sighed and pressed his body against Jinyoung's, to bury his face in the younger's shoulder.
"No need to be sorry. I don't mind as long as you continue to love me and stay by me."
Jinyoung locked his arms around Mark's body and brushed his lips against Mark's nape.
"That's what I want to do, loving you and being next to you."
Silence fell and they stayed in each other's arms, enjoying the warmth of their hearts and listening to the waves of the sea.
After a while, Mark pulled away and looked into Jinyoung's eyes, "I said I'd accept your resignation but since you left, I've never opened it. Even when I knew you would never come back."
"But that's no more a matter now, is it?"
"No, you're still my secretary, was the manager and is now the secretary, who has taught me to love and also broken my heart."
"The same goes to you, sir."
They laughed softly, but then Mark's eyes turned serious again, looking into Jinyoung's and his thumb slowly caressing Jinyoung's cheek.
"Promise me that you'll never leave me again."
"I won't promise you, I'll prove to you instead."
"I'll never leave you either."
Mark's lips turned to a smile, and Jinyoung mirrored it. Around them, the sky was in the shades of yellow and red, hinting at the sunset of the day.
"I'll never get tired of seeing your face, all beautiful and majestic," uttered Mark, his eyes running over Jinyoung's features, which were highlighted by the sky's nostalgic colour.
"I can say the same to you," Jinyoung muttered quietly, with his eyes lost in Mark's fascinating ones.
Afterwards, Jinyoung felt Mark's hands clasping both of his wrists and pulling him closer till their chests touched. The sudden waves of the sea ran to them, and brushed against their feet before racing back down to the sea.
Mark cupped Jinyoung's face between his hands, and his thumbs fondled Jinyoung's delicate cheeks and then he ran his thumb over Jinyoung's lips to feel them. He had missed them so much.
"I can't believe I survived that long without feeling them against mine," Mark whispered. It was all quiet in the surrounding, except for the sounds of the waves.
"Then what're you waiting for?"
Jinyoung felt his heart pounding faster as Mark's face came closer to his own. Closing his eyes, Jinyoung anticipated the kiss.
But Mark's lips landed on the sides of his lips and then his cheeks, instead, murmuring, "I've missed this scent as well. So much."
Their noses were nuzzling against each other; and what a tease Mark was. Impatient, Jinyoung ran his fingers through Mark's hair and brought his face closer till his lips met Mark's in a hungry, urgent kiss.
Mark's scent satisfied him even more than the smell of the sea, which he had always loved, did.
Jinyoung's eyes were closed, feeling Mark's tongue playing inside his mouth; and the touch and caress of Mark's lips and tongue was all he could think of at the moment.
Not only it was their bodies that were in contact, but their overwhelmed mind and hearts combined at a standstill, like the sun in the west, slowly inching down, and finally meeting the edge of the sea.
Overwhelmed, Jinyoung shut his eyes tight and tears of joy spilled over the sides of his eyes. And his hands firmly locked around Mark's waist; 'he would never let go of this man again' echoing in his mind.
Finally, they drew away, catching their breath; when Mark's eyes landed on Jinyoung again, he frowned at the tears.
"Are you crying?"
"Because I feel so delighted. I-I'm okay." Mark stopped Jinyoung's hand from wiping them right away, and inched closer so he could plant kisses on those tears.
"If you're crying because of me, please let them be only of joy. I can't bear to see them otherwise."
Jinyoung smiled, before nodding slowly; every word Mark said could make him shed more tears purely out of love and bliss.
Mark interlaced their hands together, and turned back to the sea, both of them gazing at the sunset.
Jinyoung smiled when he felt Mark's hand squeezing his; the sun was slowly disappearing down into the sea.
Tomorrow would be a new day, the beginning of the new, wonderful days, when the mysterious future was waiting for them ahead.
However difficult it could be, one thing Jinyoung was certain, was that being beside each other, they would tackle every problem and obstacle together, as they learned to love and understand each other more and more, for the coming, long years, for the rest of their lives.
The End
Thank you everyone for reading this fic. It means a lot to me. I'll continue writing Markjin fics in the future.