It had been months since Mark's dad was put in jail. Jinyoung and Jackson could really see a difference in his mental health. He was far more happy and less anxious.
He pretty much lived with his boyfriends in their apartment at this point, but still would go back to the mansion with his mom every once in a while. He had never really been close with her, but he still wanted her company. Jinyoung was glad that they were somewhat growing closer after the incident.
Jinyoung was on his phone in his room when he got a text to the markjinson group chat from Mark. It said for both of them to meet him in the living room.
Jinyoung rolled his eyes and smiled. He couldn't have just knocked on their doors? Considering he was already in the apartment anyway. But he got up and went to sit on the couch anyway, Jackson and Mark already there.
Mark sat with an unreadable expression on his face and his hands folded in his lap.
"So what is it you wanted to tell us?" Jackson asked as he put his arm around Jinyoung.
"Umm so remember when I applied for UCLA? Like, forever ago?"
Jinyoung nodded. It was Mark's dream school.
"Well, I got in." He took out the acceptance letter from his pocket and unfolded it.
"That's great!" Jinyoung and Jackson said in unison. They went to hug him but he seemed tense and didn't really hug back.
"What's wrong?" Jackson asked, sensing his discomfort.
Mark sighed. "I'm graduating in a couple months. UCLA is so far from here and..."
Jinyoung started to realize what was wrong and a heavy weight pulled down his heart. He stayed quiet.
"You'll be far away from us," Jackson whispered. Mark nodded.
"So..." Jinyoung said. "Are you planning on going? Because I don't want us to hold you back from anything." He bit his lip, because the truth was, he really hoped Mark would stay. As selfish as it was.
"I don't know. I just wanted to tell you guys. Maybe it'll help me come to a decision." Mark tried to smile but it didn't reach his eyes.
"You're other family is there," Jackson mentioned. "You haven't seen them in a while so it might be good." He looked down.
Mark nodded but said, "I can visit them any time. And I've never been super close with many of them."
"What about your friends?" Jinyoung asked. "The ones you went to school with before you came here?"
Mark's smile looked pained. "What about you guys though? I can't just leave."
"But like you said earlier, you can visit any time," Jinyoung said trying to look optimistic. Mark shook his head and said it wouldn't be the same as seeing them everyday.
"Plus, BamBam and Yugyeom and Youngjae and JB are here, I don't want to leave them behind either."
Jackson sucked in a breath. "It wouldn't be leaving us behind. And you could come back after the four years."
Four years. That was a long ass time. Jinyoung shook his head. He didn't know how he was going to do it if Mark was gone for that long. There would be visits and calls and things, but still.
Mark just kept nodding. "There are good colleges here, too. UCLA is cool, but it's not that important that I go there, you know."
The three of them sat in silence for a few moments until Jinyoung finally asked, "So what are you going to do?"
Mark shrugged. "I don't have to decide now anyways, I have a while." That was true. But it was still better for him to decide sooner rather than later. "Enough about this, okay? I just wanted to let you guys know. We should stop talking about it," he said.
Jackson and Jinyoung both wanted to say something but decided that they probably shouldn't. "So what should we do now then?" Jackson asked.
"Do you guys maybe want to go on a date?" Mark suggested, grinning.
Jinyoung liked that idea. "Where to?"
Mark pondered for a moment. "We could just go down to the river? And walk around, buy some food, and be all cliche and shit." He winked.
Jinyoung grinned. "Sounds like a good idea to me," he said. Jackson expressed his agreement.
The three of them put on some sweatshirts because it was getting a little late and decided to walk down to the river. It didn't take them too long, only about half an hour, but by the time they got there, the sky had already turned brilliant shades of orange and pink.
"It's so beautiful," Jackson marveled.
"But not as beautiful ad you," Jinyoung said, winking at his boyfriend only to be slapped on the arm by both Jackson and Mark.
"Fucking sap," Jackson grumbled with a smile.
The trio walked down the length of the river with their arms slung over each other's shoulders, passing other couples and families doing the same thing they were. They talked about lots of things, not paying attention to anything around them and just enjoying their time together.
They took a small detour when they saw a small stand selling popsicles. Jackson got all excited and bought them each the strawberry flavor.
After that, they continued walking around without a destination in mind. By the time they finished their popsicles, it was almost completely dark and there weren't really any more people around.
Jinyoung sighed. "Do you think we should head back?"
Mark shook his head. "Not yet." He swiftly took off his sweatshirt and then his jeans and had jumped into the river before the other two could react. Wow, it's deeper than it looks, Jinyoung thought.
Mark's head resurfaced and then he beckoned them to join. Jackson was all for it, kicking off his shoes and then the rest of his clothes, leaving only his boxers, before canon-balling in. When he came back up, he had a pout on his face and said that he had hit his ass on the floor of the river.
Jinyoung giggled and covered his mouth with his hand. "Come on," Mark prompted, drawing out the word. "It's not that cold."
Jinyoung rolled his eyes but started to undress. He did it somewhat slowly, for the enjoyment of his two boyfriends. The cool air hit his bare skin and he shivered slightly.
He tip-toed to the edge and started to wade in, scrunching up his face at the cold.
"See, that wouldn't have happened if you had jumped in," Jackson said when Jinyoung reached the other two. But that didn't make the water any warmer.
The water reached to just the middle of his torso, slightly above the bottom of his ribs. His boyfriends eyed him, noticing that his whole upper half was dry. "Wait, I know what you're thinking- NO!" he yelled as the two tackled him and pushed him all the way under.
He resurfaced gasping for breath and glaring and the two males. They just giggled and tried to swim away before Jinyoung could hurt them. He grumbled and didn't bother chasing after.
They tentatively swam back when they deemed it was safe. Mark looked up. "Look at the stars," he breathed, eyes transfixed on what was above. Jinyoung and Jackson did just so, gasping a little when they saw.
"They aren't usually this bright," Jackson said. Jinyoung nodded as he took in the scene. He wished they could look like that all the time.
"Look, a shooting star!" Jackson said dramatically. Jinyoung scanned the sky but saw nothing of the sort.
"You..." Mark said, looking equally amused and irritated at Jackson's antics. "I guess we won't be having our cliche night after all."
Jinyoung sucked in a breath. "I don't know about that," he said. "We can still make a wish."
Mark hummed. "I'll make one for us." He grabbed Jinyoung's left had and Jackson's right one. They intertwined their fingers and held on tightly.
He took a deep breath before saying, "I wish that no matter what, and no matter where life takes us, we'll always come back to each other. I wish that we will always be together and love each other with all our hearts. And nothing should come in the way of that."
And as Jinyoung looked at him and his eyes looking up at the sky, he knew those words would turn out to be true.
A/N: I guess I'm updating on an irregular schedule now aH