Agony (GEMINIFOURTH)

Chapter 29: Unwelcome Confession

The morning sun filtered through the classroom windows as Fourth sat at his desk, running through the conversation in his mind. He knew he needed to talk to Mark today—set boundaries, make it clear where things stood. After last night's reconciliation with Gemini, Fourth felt more determined than ever to make sure nothing came between them. Mark wasn't a bad guy, but it was clear to Fourth that Gemini's jealousy was rooted in something real. Mark's behavior had crossed a line, and Fourth needed to address it.

After class, Fourth found Mark by the lockers. He was standing alone, scrolling through his phone. Fourth took a deep breath and approached him, trying to keep his tone casual.

"Hey, Mark. Can we talk for a second?"

Mark looked up, a smile spreading across his face when he saw Fourth. "Sure, what's up?"

Fourth gestured to a quieter spot down the hall, away from the crowds of students. Mark followed him, his expression curious, as if he had no idea what this was about. Once they were out of earshot, Fourth turned to face him, trying to choose his words carefully.

"Look, Mark," Fourth began, his tone calm but firm. "I've been thinking about how things have been between us lately. I really appreciate you being friendly, but I think we need to set some boundaries."

Mark raised an eyebrow, confused. "Boundaries? What do you mean?"

Fourth sighed, glancing down for a moment before meeting Mark's eyes. "Gemini feels uncomfortable with how close we've been, and honestly, I get it. I didn't realize it at first, but I think we've been spending more time together than we should. I'm with Gemini, and I need to respect that."

Mark's expression shifted slightly, his smile faltering. He looked down, his fingers fidgeting with the strap of his bag. "I see..."

There was an awkward pause before Mark spoke again, his voice quieter this time. "I get it, Fourth. I don't want to cause any problems between you and Gemini."

Fourth felt a sense of relief, glad that Mark seemed to understand. But before he could say anything else, Mark took a deep breath, his eyes glancing around the hallway before he finally met Fourth's gaze again.

"Can I be honest with you?" Mark asked, his voice hesitant.

Fourth nodded, though he suddenly felt uneasy.

Mark shifted uncomfortably, his expression serious now. "I know we've only known each other for a short time, but... I like you, Fourth. I've liked you since the day we met."

Fourth's heart skipped a beat, and for a moment, he didn't know what to say. The confession hit him like a wave, unexpected and uncomfortable. He had come here to set boundaries, to make things clear between them, but this was the last thing he expected to hear.

"Mark..." Fourth began, trying to keep his voice gentle but firm. "I... I didn't know. I'm sorry if I gave you the wrong impression, but I'm with Gemini. He's the one I care about."

Mark nodded quickly, a hint of sadness flashing across his face, but he didn't look surprised. "I figured," he said quietly, running a hand through his hair. "I just... I thought I should tell you, you know? Even if I knew it was a long shot."

Fourth didn't know what to say. He felt bad, but he also knew he needed to be clear. "I'm glad you told me, but I don't want there to be any misunderstandings between us. Gemini is really important to me, and I can't let anything come between us."

Mark nodded again, forcing a small smile. "I get it, Fourth. I do. I won't get in the way. I just... I guess I needed to say it out loud."

There was a long pause between them, the awkwardness hanging heavy in the air. Fourth appreciated Mark's honesty, but it didn't change the fact that things would need to be different from now on. He couldn't have Mark getting too close, not with the way Gemini felt.

"Thanks for understanding," Fourth said softly, offering a small smile. "I hope we can still be friends, but... just friends."

Mark returned the smile, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Yeah. Just friends."

As they parted ways, Fourth couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions. He had cleared the air with Mark, but the confession had complicated things. He knew he needed to tell Gemini about what happened—honesty was always their foundation. But the thought of how Gemini might react weighed heavily on his mind.

And as he walked toward his next class, he couldn't shake the feeling that, even though the boundaries were set, this situation with Mark was far from over.