Love Game

Chapter 17

A soft touch on his lips. Jinyoung seemed to have felt it but was it a dream or reality?

If it was a dream, it must have been a vague one but even then, that tender touch felt real.

When he woke up in the morning, his fingers reached his lips and tried to trace that gentleness.

He racked his brains to recall everything related to that dream, if it was one, but he couldn't.

Only that touch lingered on and nothing else in his brain.

Did Mark take him to his bed?

The last thing he remembered doing was watching the movie on the couch.

The feeling of something against his lips, which gave a jolt throughout his body so inordinately that he could even feel it in his sleep.

Never mind. He should get up now.

After washing himself, Jinyoung thought of going to Mark's room, the guest room he had showed Mark to sleep, but at the sound of metal and someone moving in the kitchen, Jinyoung headed there instead.

As expected, it was Mark, in an over-sized T-shirt and loose pants, bringing the coffee cups and plates of cakes to the table, and unaware of Jinyoung.

The younger smiled looking at Mark, and then nudged by an instinct, his eyes wandered to those lips again. His heart thumped.

Did something happen last night?

The question floated on his mind.

But that must be his own wishful thinking.

Then why did the feelings he had from that vague dream and a look at Mark's lips seem the same to him?

That thought jolted him again and gave a stir in his groin.

"Oh, Jinyoung, come here. I've prepared our breakfast," Mark called, smiling at him.

"Ah, okay."

Jinyoung seated opposite Mark.

"It's early. Do you always wake up early at the weekends?"

"I don't. And it's already 8am, not early. I just thought of making breakfast for us."

Jinyoung sipped the coffee and formed an idea.

"Last night," Jinyoung paused a moment as Mark looked up at him instantly; Jinyoung cleared his throat, "Did you take me to bed?"

Did Jinyoung just see a relief crossed Mark's face?

"Hmm yes, I did. You were asleep and I couldn't wake you up."

Jinyoung observed Mark trying to find anything to support his suspicions.

But unfortunately nothing.

"Umm, thanks."

Well, now he should just let it pass.

Next day at the university, Mark and Jinyoung entered the campus together.

It was usual for them.

And it had also not been a new sight when girls and even boys would get all excited as they saw them.

But today, it was quite different.

Girls and boys did not just fangirl or fanboy them but exchanged whispers between themselves as the sight of Mark and Jinyoung.

Both noticed it but didn't take it to their mind.

"Hyung, you should go straight to your class," Jinyoung said, taking a look at his watch.

"Alright, see you after the classes. Let's go to that ice-cream parlour again this evening."

"Okay, I'll text you after my class is over."

They parted their ways and headed for their classrooms.

When Jinyoung entered his class, there was no teacher yet.

He let out a relieved sigh as he had thought he was late.

Directly going to his seat, he felt that his classmates' eyes were on him.

"What?" He murmured under his breath.

As soon as he was seated, Wonpil, who was behind him, tapped him on the shoulder.

Jinyoung turned around to face him, assuming it must be of some class vice-president stuff.

"Hey Jinyoung, I heard you have found someone at last. Mark Tuan from Tourism department? You two are dating?"

"What?" Jinyoung's voice got out loud, and now the whole class's attention was on him.

Surprised by Jinyoung's reaction, Wonpil said, "No? But this news of you dating Mark Tuan is currently the hot topic in the whole campus! You two are seen together a lot and even I didn't doubt."

"Well, that's just rumour. We're only friends. You see, I have no friend except him. That's why people think like that."

Jinyoung must have sounded wanting to deny it but the truth was that a great part of him was disappointed it was not real at all.

No, these thoughts were torturing him again - unappropriate thoughts and fantasies.

He was distracted during the class time.

Had Mark also heard this rumour?

How would he react to it?

Would he merely laugh at that?

When Jinyoung arrived at the usual place they would meet after the classes, Mark was already there, waiting for him.

"Sorry, hyung, I kept you wait. Let's go?"

Mark seemed to want to say something but hesitated.

At last he just nodded and they left the campus.

It was silence the whole way; and after they had got their ice-creams and when they were on the way to the bus-stop, Mark couldn't bear that silence anymore and broke it.

"Jinyoung ah, you see, there are rumours about us dating in the university," Mark paused, waiting for Jinyoung's response.

"Yes, I heard that. This morning."

"Well, I'm just afraid you will mind them. It's just rumour. It'll die out after some time. I don't want you to worry about that."

Jinyoung could understand Mark's concern.

But little did Mark know that Jinyoung's worry was not about the people's gossip but about whether it would never be real.

"No, I won't fuss about that," Jinyoung assured Mark.