Spice of Love

Chapter 19

Along the way to the graves, Jinyoung led Mark. The former was holding two flower bouquets, which he had bought on the way.

They walked side by side, scarcely any words said between them. There was no one else aside from themselves, around the place and the sun was shining only faintly.

"How often do you come here?" asked Mark.

"It isn't regular. I come here when I feel like to. Last time I was here, it was about a month ago."

"Can I know what happened to your parents?" Mark asked, totally curious.

"They are dead."

"That's obvious, I know. How did they?"

"Well, you might not know that my parents were much older than most parents of those of my age. My mother died of heart disease and it was not long before my father followed her. Of leukemia," Jinyoung said.

"I'm sorry."

They continued walking till Jinyoung stopped at one spot where there were a number of graves around. He stood right beside a grave and placed a bouquet on it before brushing the dry leaves off it. Then he moved to another grave, which was next to the previous one, and did the same.

Mark stood watching him, from a few feet afar. Jinyoung was now still at the foot of both graves, his eyes closing and his hands interlaced together at the front.

Mark could not take his eyes off Jinyoung's tranquil figure. His heart ached, yearning for Jinyoung. He wanted this man before his eyes and possess everything of him. It hurt him to be reminded again that Jinyoung was someone else's and would never be his.

After a few minutes, Jinyoung moved and bowed down before the graves. Then he slowly turned away from them, to Mark.

"Finished?"

Jinyoung nodded and they started to set off to get out of there.

"Do you feel better now?"

"Feeling better? No. Feel a little more secured, but how could I feel better when I miss them so much? I'd rather have them still alive and support them, with my own earning, which I could not do and will never be able to."

Mark could sympathise with Jinyoung. But then his heart was aching as much as Jinyoung's did, except that it was for different reasons.

They were walking further and further from the graves of Jinyoung's parents.

Silence fell and the more it grew quiet, the more unsteady Mark became. At that moment, he wanted to forget his head which was constantly reminding him of the things he should not do.

At one point, he took hold of Jinyoung's hand, and stopped him on the spot.

Jinyoung looked at Mark's hand and then at Mark's face, in confusion. Mark turned Jinyoung around so that they were face to face; and tilted his chin a little upward.

No words came out of them but staring into each other's eyes, they seemed to understand one another without any specific words between them.

His hand brushing Jinyoung's bangs aside, genlty, Mark smiled; but Jinyoung could feel so much hurt in it.

More than certain, Jinyoung knew he was falling for Mark, who had once been his bully and he had hated so much. But now he was falling for this same person; and he was not ready to accept it yet. Tears welled up in his eyes for no particular reason, but he blinked them away immediately.