3. Closer?

⚜ Mark

I felt slightly lonely laying on the unfamiliar bed in the unfamiliar room i had gotten assigned.

The clock in the wall was ticking and i turned over in my bed, now facing the wall. I closed my eyes. I would be fine here for a couple of days before i could find my own place. Jackson, Bambam and barely Jr all seemed like good people. I hoped that we would get to know each other more and become good friends.

I wanted to see more. To experience more, i sighed and felt a hint of sadness presenting itself in my mind. I curled myself into a ball.

Sadness? No it was fear.

Fear of that i would find what i was looking for i Korea would just be an illusion merely created by me desperately hoping.

My eyes started to close themselves, i was soon to the enter the dreamlands.

It's too early to tell.Let's try my best tomorrow... __________________________

I woke up by Jackson knocking on my door early in the morning. I checked my alarm, it was not supposed go off for about another hour. I sat up in my bed anyways, stretched my arms up into the air and followed him down for breakfast.

Bambam sat by the big glass table eating toast when we walked into the dining room. I sat down in front of him and looked around, admiring the room. It was huge, with several art pieces hanging on the walls, shifting in futuristic city themed colours and motives. The floor was a dark wooden color with a big white carpet spread out under the long glass table.

"Okay, so we have bread, rice, soup, whatever you feel like eating.", Jackson said and sat down next to Bambam.

My eyes floated over the table, there was indeed a little bit of everything. Used to an american breakfast, i reached out for two slices of bread and poured myself a glass of orange juice.

As we were eating, Jr suddenly came into the room. He looked stressed and was in the middle og tying his tie when walking past us into the kitchen. Only a moment after, he came out with a convinience store riceball and a energizer drink in his hand.

"You leaving?", Jackson asked.

Jr smiled a little.

"I want to be there in good time.", he answered.

I glanced at the food in his hand. Was that all he was gonna eat? He really should eat a more proper breakfast.

I looked up at him, wanting to tell him that but as i lifted my gaze i catched him already looking at me. He smiled teasingly and i avoided eyecontact quickly. Did he know what i was gonna say? Acting all high and mighty...

Jr left the room and i took a small bite of my buttered breadslice. Jackson and Bambam were talking and laughing loudly on the other side of the table.

"So what are you gonna do today?", Jackson suddenly asked and turned to me.

"Ah, probably try to find a job and an apartment on my own.", i said.

"Good luck, no rush on the apartment finding though, you can stay here as long as you want to!", Jackson said and BamBam nodded.

"Okay..."

Sure it was comfortable but, did i want to? Would it be ok with Jr? He seemed very busy by the way, leaving without even eating breakfast.

I was curious to why.

⚜  Jr

I sat down on the marine blue couch in the the middle of the room. Huge windows took up almost a whole wall and an oversight of the city could be seen from them. I were on the 27th floor so it was no wonder.

The door opened and Yugyeom stepped in. He was wearing a gray suit with blank shoes, his hair was styled upwards to the side. I bowed when i saw him and he went to sit down on the other matching sofa in front of me.

He studied me from top to bottom and then smiled a wry smile.

"It was a while ago, hyung.", he said.

"Yes. I believe so.", i answered.

He changed positions, putting his left leg over his right one.

"Well, i know your capacity. You work hard. I'd say the job's as good as yours already.", he said.

I lowered my head slighly to him as an answer.

"I'm a good person you know. I like giving people second chances.", Yugyeom said and looked out nonchalantly in the room and then returning his gaze to me.

What did he want me to say? I decided to just nod for now and he looked quite unsatisfied by it. He didn't comment on it though. Thankfully.

He stood up, took my hand for a second and said that he or someone from the company would contact me within a near future. I studied his eyes throughroughly, believing that they would tell all his intentions like most eyes would. However, his eyes had always been rather mysterious, hard to read.

My mind drifted towards Mark... Unlike someone else i knew.

"What?", Yugyeom suddenly asked.

"Hm?"

"Why are you smiling?"

"Ah...", i fixed my expression, "Sorry,"

Yugyeom gave me an entertained look and left the room. I went back to get my bag that i had left on the couch.

Really. Why were i smiling?

I checked the time. Got to hurry to the photoshoot.

⚜ Mark

Jackson sat himself down beside me in the gigantic sofa placed in the middle of the living room. He looked over my shoulder at the laptop screen.

"Still haven't found a job?", he asked.

I shoke my head.

"Seems like you would need either experience or a licence for most of them...", he continued.

I groaned and fell back on the sofa, covering my face.

"It's impossible!", i complained.

Jackson looked at me with thoughful eyes for a few seconds until he suddenly clapped his hands together with shining eyes. He turned his black snapback from facing front to facing back before he started talking.

"Why don't you ask Jr if you can work at the juice shop with me?", Jackson said.

"Eh? Jr? Why?"

"His family owns it."

"What?! Jr's?!", i stared at him, surprised.

I could never had imagined. Wait...

"Jr is rich?!", i grabbed Jackson by his shoulders.

It seemed to startle him but he didn't try to escape. He just laughed and tilted his head slightly.

"Did we forget to tell you? This house is his family's as well by the way.", Jackson said.

I let go of him and flew up from the sofa.

"You really didn't know?, Jackson said with a big smile, it seemed like he was holding his laugher back.

"You didn't tell me!", i said.

Jackson laughed.

"S-Stop laughing!"

"It's just, your reaction! It's funny."

"..."

I crossed my arms and looked nonchalantly out the window.

"Well, i'll guess i'll try to ask him.", i said, my voice cracked a little at the end which made Jackson burst out in laugher once again.

I smiled, it was contagious. Such a happy soul... Unlike someone else i knew...

I wondered if i would even dare ask Jr for the job. He seemed so serious about everything.

I stayed at home the whole day with Jackson that day. Around dinnertime, BamBam returned home from work and we ate together. Jr seemed to be very late but when i pointed that out both Jackson and BamBam just said that it was normal for him to come home a bit later. Sometimes, they said, he had even gotten home in the middle of the night.

Around 10:00 pm, i sat down at the bench in the hall, wondering when Jr would return. Telling myself that it was because i needed to ask him about the job. But was it really?

I hope nothing have happened to him...

The apartment was quiet. The others had probably gone to sleep already or at least, were preparing for it. My eyes started to close as well, it seemed i still hadn't fully adjusted to  the time difference yet...

...

...

I woke up by the sound of someone breathing beside me. I slowly opened my eyes, and felt a slight weight on my right shoulder. I turned my head and looked down on the sleeping Jr, leaning against my shoulder. It startled me.

Why was he sleeping like this?

When did he get home?

Geez. Making a person worry and then just fall asleep peacefully.

I closed my eyes again.

It still felt a bit nice.__________________________

End of chapter. God, if you knew how many times i have edited this! It was about 500 words longer before i did, and i also wasn't very satisfied with how the story went in its first version.

Expect some action in the next one.

Anyways, thanks for reading.~