time passed so slowly, yet so quickly at the same time, mark found it hard to breathe. everything that had happened with park swam in his head: the anger, the kiss, the fight.
he didn't regret any of it, he just wished it had turned out differently. but then, he also wished that park wasn't such a massive dickhead, which was more than impossible. maybe the only reason their budding friendship had soured was because the guy was simply a bad person.
either way, mark found himself reverting back to his old self, the self that hated park. and just when he thought things were finally turning around.
after he left the warehouse, he had headed straight home. simply, he just wasn't in the mood to deal with the police and their questions so he didn't head to the station as he had been asked to do.
neither did he go to the hospital to check on bambam and jackson like he had initially intended to. to be honest, he was just too tired. life in wingate never ceased to surprise him in how hard it was. he hadn't even been there that long, and he was already thinking that his horrible life in america was much easier.
with this thought in mind, he decided to head straight back to wingate, sparing next to no thought for his two injured friends, his other locked behind bars nor the boy he hated more than anything.
the minute he arrived at his apartment, after keeping a wary eye out for any late night dangers in the courtyard, he collapsed onto his mattress taking long heaving breaths.
"fuck," he muttered to himself, feeling how every muscle in his body ached. he wanted to have a shower but he was too tired, so instead he opted for changing into his only other shirt (the one bambam had given him) which was a tad less sweaty than the one he had on. feeling a little cleaner, he grabbed a pack of biscuits from inside his backpack and ate them with his head rested on the wall behind him.
he was so done.
why did park have to kiss him?
and why was he fingering his lips gently, feeling where park had pressed his own?
he pushed it away, park was dick. a full on dickhead who mark wanted nothing to do with. he was in love with a pyschopath and he ditched his best friends. that was not the kind of person mark wanted to get involved with.
yet, park wouldn't leave his mind.
since he had first seen the guy he had been thinking about him, that fateful day when jackson had taken him to park's apartment. mark could still taste the smoke from jackson's cigarette in the back of his throat, still remember the scowl that had adorned park's face. he had been terrified of the man, absolutely scared stiff.
it was funny. now he knew that park was just a lonely loser in love with the wrong guy he wasn't scared of him in the slightest.
now, mark just hated him.
or maybe he didn't.
he still couldn't quite tell what the kiss had meant to him.
but it was undoubteable that park struck a nerve with mark, who was usually a calm and quiet person. that shouting match was a rare occasion, and something very out of place for the introvert. park just brought something out in him, and he couldn't tell if it was good or bad yet.
but even if he couldn't decide whether he hated park or wanted to kiss him again, it didn't stop the anger rising in his chest when park knocked on his door at 9pm.
when he pulled the door open, rather unhappily, he had wanted to scream. what did he have to do to deserve some peace and quiet? no-one would leave him alone for more than half an hour. in a way, he felt violated.
still, he allowed park to make his way into the apartment with a grunt of, "come in."
park nodded and surveyed the room, eyes drifting across the various things mark had stuck to his wall before resting on mark's own eyes.
"i'm sorry for kissing you," park said, in a way that made mark bristle with frustration. he sounded so nonchalant.
"whatever.. why are you here?"
mark didn't have time for his games. he just wanted him to say what he needed to say and then get his ass out of the room so mark could sleep. to prove this point, he yawned, emphasizing it so that park would hopefully get the hint.
it didn't seem like he did, regretfully.
"to apologize. i made a mistake mark... i shouldn't have brought you into this. it's me who fucked up, i should leave you alone,"
"finally figured it out huh?" he was getting impatient.
a small smile flitted to park's lips, "you were meant to say that it's okay and that you forgive me,"
"what if i don't?"
"well then.." park wandered further into the room before landing rather heavily on the mattress mark had been sat on only moments prior, "i guess i'll have to make you,"
mark rolled his eyes and slammed his front door shut, it was obvious park wasn't going anywhere. he thought he might as well hear the idiot out. besides sleeping, he had nothing better to do anyway.
moving to sit next to park, mark's angry sigh filled the empty silence.
"park. you fucked up okay? first, you sided with jaebeom. second, you called the fucking cops on our best friend. third, you kissed me just to get over your crazy ex," he paused to sigh again, "there's too much forgiving to do. and i'm not sure if i'll be able to do any at all,"
"but i know i fucked up. and i'm sorry. i don't say that often mark,"
"and that's your whole problem isn't it?! you don't care about anyone unless it benefits you. you only apologize or feel bad when things don't turn out how you want them,"
mark was saying things he hadn't even thought of until that moment. as he spoke, he started to realise more and more why park was the way he was. as he did, he got more and more riled up. the guy was seriously pissing him off.
"that's not true. i help so many people so fuck you," park stood up from the mattress, now angry himself, "i welcome every single red who walks into this estate with open arms. i help them all,"
"and you make them sell drugs? no?" mark had almost forgotten that he had signed a contract with park to help him sell drugs, "that's what i should be doing right now? am i wrong?"
"forget about the drugs. i'll help you find a real job... you don't have to do anything mark i'm sorr-"
"that doesn't change that bambam and yugyeom had to,"
park's eyes widened as he shook his head, "but they're fine with it,"
it looked to mark as though even park himself didn't believe the nonsense and lies that he was spouting.
"are they? have you checked in with them recently?" mark laughed sadistically, dropping eye contact with park who had begun to pace around the room, "oh wait... you can't. you sent yugyeom to prison,"
at this, park slumped against a wall, throwing his head in his hands. it looked like he was crying, but when he lifted his head again, his cheeks were dry.
"please..." he whispered, his voice reflecting how overwhelmed he felt, "please don't be mad at me, not you,"
mark thought back to the kiss. it was the worst time to think about it: with park freaking out next to him, with anger boiling his blood, with his thoughts full of hating the man beside him.
he felt the anger float away, to be replaced by a fluttering feeling in his stomach which was only heightened when park looked directly into his eyes.
"i'm so, so sorry mark. i'll do anything to make it up to you,"
"anything?" mark had an idea.
"ask away."
taking a deep breath, mark said, "testify against jaebeom. tell the police that he's the real criminal and that yugyeom should be set free,"
he paused to survey park's reaction, it wasn't looking good, "park, if you do this i will 100% forgive you,"
that seemed to make up park's mind.
"i'll do it,"
i was gonna include what happens next chapter in this chapter... but then i remembered i'm super impatient and also feeling bad that i haven't posted in over a week
so here ya go!