Jaebum gets another phonecall from J.Y.Park.

Before being sent to the nearest supermarket and stores for babies items, since Bambam's the one among them who uses social networks more frequently, they ask him to change his Instagram status to a sentence regarding Jackson's sudden fever. 'Jackson-hyung, take care of yourself better and hope you get well soon!'

Then, they have to correct Junior's two years and half into two years. "How exactly do you know that?" Junior asks with a questioning brow.

"Easy." Jaebum takes Jackson's wrist. "How old are you, Jacksonnie?"

Jacksonnie. Ridiculous.

Jackson lifts one and then two fingers up. "One-two. Two."

Definitely a toddler.

"Huh?"

"We interpreted it as he's about to turn two years old." Bambam says, typing on the keypad of the computer. "I'm just gonna see if my friends are online, hyungs. I'm gonna ask how's life- -will be very quick." He mutters as he brings the cursor and clicks to open another tab.

"Aah," Junior is staring at the list that he has written, "then why don't we buy clothes for a one and half- -"

"But he was born in March." Jaebum states as he fights a stubborn strand of hair from Jackson's bangs that just won't stay still down. "And it's February. His birthday is in a month, more or less."

"You won."

Jackson makes a traumatized face when he sees Jaebum his index to flatten his hair. "Eeeeeew! Dun touch! Jeybee is yucky!"

"How come you can say yucky perfectly, you little punk?"

The trio leaves around 2 pm. Jaebum has already made a plan on how they can spend the time while the maknae line is out- -he has a USB in the pocket of his pants. "Disney marathon." He announces to them all and while Junior agrees without a second thought, Mark just takes seat on the couch.

"The Lion king or A bug's life?"

"Kin'!" Jackson responds. "Because Ackson wan to be a kin'."

Figures.

Junior sits on the opposite side of the couch which leads Jaebum and Jackson to settle themselves in the middle. The leader insists for the toddler to sit on his own, but Jackson only climbs back on his legs. "Jeybee 's makin yucky face again," Jackson says in a tone which is very near to teasing. His face lits up at Jaebum's small laugh and he looks so proud that he's the reason why the older's emitted it for someone of his age.

Mark shakes his head. He gets up to take  the remote and then plops back next to Jaebum and the toddler. He exhales deeply for no reason.

"Ready to watch the movie, little man?"

Jackson claps his hands, shouting a very loud 'yes'.

Mark does not know why he pretends to be immersed into watching the Lion King instead of listening to Junior and Jaebum's low conversation between each other. Maybe it is because of the persistent thought that is asking not to be ignored, but Mark really is not up to give space for the 'oh, look your heart is going doki-doki'.

After all the things he'd been through just to realise it and the sort of training that he'd done in the kitchen or in the bathroom alone, and the difficulty of finding the right moment to see if all the hard work would have got him something (is it right to use the word 'something'?) seem to have no importance at this moment.

And it has to be postponed anyway so it doesn't really matter if he ponders over it now or not.

It is in between Simba singing that he will be the greatest king and Junior and Jaebum furiously whispering to each other thus Jaebum not being able to hear Jackson calling him for the billionth time by now, that Mark taps the toddler's head and oh, Jackson, little Jackson is the Jackson.

Mark smiles at him yet again- -he looks like a moron, really, because Jackson is so Jackson that he sticks out his tongue and then he bursts into a laugh when Mark says dumbly 'hey'.

-

"Ackson favowite is Yuyum."

The last time Yugyeom looked like he won the lottery was when a girl said that he was the most handsome among GOT7. "Thank you, hyung." He says, putting the plastic bags on a side. "Youngjae hyung wanted to buy this pathetic Snoopy shirt," he's pointing at his head, "but hyung, I've always known that you'd be a Spongebob kid."

Mark doubts that Jackson has understood what he's been told, but he's too occupied touching the image of the square sponge on his clothe. 

They are waiting for Junior and Youngjae to finish cooking for them: no one's allowed to get close to the stoves because the food will be a big surprise, Junior said. They are actually able to recognise the smell of boiled vegetables and Youngjae asked Bambam where they did put the carrots, so Mark guesses that they're certainly going to serve them something healthy- -seven hours and Junior is already obsessed with that word. Mark thinks that maybe it is because health falls under the term toddler in Junior's dictionary.

"How much do you like my gift, hyung?" Yugyeom knows what Jackson is going to respond. That is why he's pulling out the one-hundred watt smile.

"Vewy much!" Jackson is radiating happiness. "Vewy vewy much!" He spreads his arms as much he can and he's even tiptoeing. "Dis, dis, dis, much, much!"

"Not as much as you will love me after this!" Bambam declares as he shoves playfully Yugyeom at a side so that he is the only one in front of Jackson. He has a pack behind his back- -Mark does not know what to think when Bambam shows Jackson a Batmobile with a 'ta-daaaaaa'.

Jackson explodes from joy. "BABAM!" 

"Bambam." Mark sputters at the same time. "Y-you. Why did you buy him that?"

"Uh, why." Bambam looks puzzled. "Couldn't I, Mark hyung?"

"No, you couldn't, you cheater!" Yugyeom accuses. "We agreed that we would have not spent money buying him toys because we had no time and now, this?! This is cheating, Kunpimook hyung."

"I never said that we couldn't buy anything for hyung." Bambam defends himself. "I said, shouldn't."

Jackson looks like Christmas has arrived earlier this year. He's hugging his new Batmobile as if it's his biggest treasure. The toddler does the right thing when, at Bambam's request to tell everyone the name of his most favorite member, he brightfully changes his mind immediately and returns to say that it is Jeybee, earning Bambam's grunt and Yugyeom's cheering (the maknae was sulking before this happened).

The maknae line (without cook!Youngjae) fights over Jackson's affection until Junior calls them for lunch. Mark is actually ashamed when he admits to himself that he nearly melts when Jackson scrunches up his nose and his lips curve downward as Junior serves him a plate full of,

"Mini poops!"

"They're not little poops." Junior explains for the fourth time, exasperated. He massages his temples. "They are peas. And they are good. Please, try one." He ends with a soft tone, trying to lure Jackson only for the toddler to push the fork with the vegetables far from his mouth and putting the car-toy to cover the lower part of his face.

"Dun wan."

"Okay, fine." Junior gives up, putting the green seeds at a side. "What about a carrot? They're really delicious, mmm." He tries to persuade as he himself cuts it into four parts and eats one and then, just to demostrate Jackson that they're that good, he closes his eyes and continues making some weird noises.

Jackson watches him suspiciously.

"Wanna try?"

The toddler eyes the fork.

"Delicious, little Jackson, I swear."

It is amusing. Funny. Extremely. Mark is starting to feel what the others did when they saw him struggling into convincing Jackson before. Karma, or whatever you want to call it, tastes so sweet.

Jackson presses his back against the chair as if wanting to become one with it. "No."

"But Jackson, pretty please?"

"No wan."

"Pretty please? Do it for Junior, please?"

Jackson removes the toy from his face. He has it tucked under his chubby arm. "Juni, Ackson don wanna." He whines, touching his foot and peeking at Junior from under his lashes.

They learn that Junior, the self-proclaimed aegyo king in their group, cannot resist smaller Jackson's. He sighs, groaning. "Will you eat fish?" He hasn't still received a reply from the toddler, but he is already getting up from his seat with Bambam painfully doing his best not to crack and explode in a fit of laughters with his mouth full of food.

However, Junior has to sit down again when Jaebum appears like a ninja behind him.

"Was it JYP, again&again?"

"Yes, it's about the performances this time."

Jaebum blows hair from his eyes. He slids into the seat next to Jackson's, ruffling the toddler's bangs. He looks tired. "Guys, we need to collaborate, okay?" is his premise. "So, the next nine days are going to be stressful on so many levels. I asked Jinyoung-sshi if it was possible giving us the rest of the week free- -if, you know, it was possible not promoting anything, but he immediately denied." His gaze flicks to Jackson before fixing on the others. "We are idols, and this is something that happened before and is happening, and because it did not stop other groups from performing successfully- -take our sunbaes 2pm for example- -it should not stop us either."

Mark puts down his own fork. "But Jackson- -"

"My initial idea was to leave him with our manager in the waiting room," Jaebum smiles faintly. He his lips, "but Jinyoung-sshi suggested for one of us to fake to not feel well." He joints his hands on the table, "because it will be better if the squirt stays at home and one of us takes care of him. Uhm, I immediately asked Jinyoung-sshi if that someone could be me since he seems more attached to me- -the answer was a flat no."

"I can do it." Mark volunteers without any trace of hesitation. He gets the sensation that the answer won't be positive because Jaebum tsks.

"Our choreography will lose twenty percent of its charms without you, hyung." The leader tells him with a sigh. He lets a moment pass in which he pops his fingers. "Jinyoung-sshi and I agreed that the person can't be either Junior or Yugyeom because they had suine-flue and we don't want to alarm the fans further because of your conditions, guys." Another pause. "And Bambam, just like Mark hyung, has a quite high percentage of audience to entertain with his rap part- -I'm not saying that the others do not. You all have a big importance in this group obviously." He is giving hints, and by now they all know who is going to babysit. The mortification in Jaebum's voice as he utters the next following words confuses Mark if he has to be honest. "Youngjae, we think that you could be the perfect person to stay with Jackson."

The mentioned guy nods slowly.

Jackson is talking to Yugyeom, trying to play with him while the maknae is doing his best not to ignore the toddler in order not to offend him while simultaneously listen to the leader's talking.

Jaebum runs a hand through his hair. He locks his stare with Youngjae's. "Please, do not make weird thoughts about it." His look is unwavering. "You are an important puzzle of our team. Your singing parts are impeccable, but unlike Mark's and Bambam's- -well, Junior can do it. Just like you did it when Junior was sick. I promise you that choosing you as the one's only a consequence of the other reasons that I told you earlier regarding the other members. And," he adds before the guy can utter something in reply, "this is just a suggestion to the team. We are- -I am definitely not going to force you into anything. If you don't feel like doing it, I will understand and I will call and find another solution without blaming you."

Youngjae has held the look until the very last word coming out of the older's mouth. "Hyung," he says first then, after a second or less, he wears a smile. A little one, but it's sincere- -in fact, Jaebum visibly loses the stiffness that he had in his body. Youngjae gives them all a sheepish reassuring full smile. "You did not need to justify your decisions that much. I understand group-things."

Jaebum whistles. "I really am raising you in the right way."

"Ehm," Bambam fakes a cough, then another, "JB, the leader, is being an as- -"

"Language." Junior berates immediately.

Yugyeom holds back a laughter and in the meanwhile, Jackson hits his thigh with his toy. He really has a tendency of hurting people, Mark notes.

Getting over the small angsty moment, all the members minus Jackson and Youngjae have to prepare another dish consisting of fish. Youngjae is not helping this time, but it is not because he prepared the meal before- -it is because he has to get the toddler's trust and to prove him that they can be playmates since they will have to spend a lot of time together.

Mark hears the toddler laugh and squeal and he is all Yunji and Jeybee when Juni is sneaking smashed peas in his spoonful of fish, and if Mark eyeballs them and then he claims that he is not the slightest annoyed by Jackson's friendliness with Youngjae when Yugyeom mocks him, but he thinks otherwise- -well, no one needs to know.

-

"." Jaebum finally slips inside the car. He flattens the wrinkles of his hoodie. "I did not imagine that it would have been so hard to leave Jackson at home." He whispers sadly. "Seriously," he starts. He puts on his seatbelt, but his eyes are still looking in front of him. All the others can see is his back at them. "I feel like a heartless bastard for leaving the squirt there."

Mark does not say anything.

"Was Jackson hyung still crying?" Yugyeom asks, voice quiet because Bambam is resting his head on his shoulder and he has his eyes closed.

"If you can call that only crying." Jaebum sounds troubled. "Yesterday night he sobbed a little when Youngjae and I brought him to bed, but it was only some minutes then he slept peacefully between us."

"We'll be with him again in a few hours, guys." Junior looks at the bright side just to put the members' mind at ease. 

"I know." Their leader replies with a sigh. "But I was trying to pry his fingers off me and Youngjae kept telling him if he wanted to play or watch movies or anything else, and- -and Jackson told me don't go," he rambles, "Oh, my god. I wish these ten days would pass quickly."

Mark mentally agrees.

"Why do you think he likes you more than us?" Yugyeom says out of curiousity.

Finally, Jaebum peers at them from his shoulders. "I sincerely have no idea." It is his first response, then after some time, "maybe it's because I'm the first person that he saw in the morning." He shrugs.

"You two have been very close lately," Junior says, "even before the de-aging thing".

"Maybe." The maknae echoes. God knows how much it takes Mark not to dignify with an answer Yugyeom's, "for now what we're sure of is that Ackson hyung seems not to like the company of a certain someone."

They are only in the backstage- -they have not even perfomed yet, but Mark can feel that Jackson is missing. Yugyeom and Junior are talking animatedly while Bambam is somewhere looking for a mirror because he thinks that his hair isn't styled greatly anymore. Jaebum is talking with a noona about the performances. And probably it is only Mark who is having this kind of emotion, but he is too used to hearing Jackson say his crazy things and watching him dance girls' bands choreos and telling Jackson to hush when nobody does.

He replaces Jackson in the chorus and he knows for sure that many people are going to love it if the loud cheering is any indication. But the point is, Mark smiles through the song, but he doesn't feel like doing it.

At all.

It is when they come back on the stage for the announcement of the winner that Rap Monster of Bangtan Boys walks toward them followed by Jin. "Hi, cool performance, guys." Rapmon compliments them and they say something similar in return. "Uhm, I noticed that Jackson is not with you- -what's the dude doing? Is he okay?"

Uhm.

"He's two years old now." Jaebum reveals. "You know, the ten days thing." He says easily.

Mark admires their leader because he imagines himself in the other's shoes. Telling someone weird and surreal stuff like a co-member de-aging.

He wouldn't be able to say it with a straight face like that.

Rap Monster's eyebrows first shoot to his hairline, but then after registering the last piece, he mouths an 'oh'. "It hasn't happened to any of the BTS yet," he shares the information and then with a boyish grin that quite undo his charismatic and bad boy image (and that resembles Mark someone) he says, "Hope it won't be me. I feel sorry for my man Jackson, but JB, how's he as a baby? Troublesome, isn't he?"

Jaebum chuckles. "Sometimes."

---

The denial thing would be helpful if Mark did not confine himself in the four walls of his bedroom- -he would say shared bedroom with Jackson, but at this moment, Jackson is somewhere in the dormitory with one of the members that he likes more than Mark.

It is probably Yuyum, because Yugyeom gave a candy to the toddler as soon as he stepped inside the house (Junior obviously knows nothing about this or else, the maknae would be in big troubles) or maybe Jackson is with Juni, if the guy succeeded into dragging him in the living room or in any other room to teach him the correct pronunciation of words ('I don't care if he is going to turn twenty in eight days. He is going to learn how not to talk like you guys, with that horrible slang and all. That is not happening. I want him to at least have some decent vocabulary during these few days.'). Jackson might also be with Yunji at this moment. Or with Babam. Or likely, with Jeybee- -with anyone (anything) except Mawk.

'Cause Ackson dun wan Mawk.

Mark rolls over his bed, stretching his muscles. "Oh, ." He breathes out as he catches the pillow under his head to place it on his face.

Because Mark hasn't endured enough torment from the members teasing him and Jackson preferring even an inanimate object as the Batmobile over him, he has to grudgingly admit to himself that he is jealous because the feeling demands attention and being all alone, in a very sour mood, Mark cannot not give in.

Inapproriate, he tells himself. How can he be jealous that the toddler version of Jackson acts affectionate to the others?

And not to me?

Just how.

Oh, he is so ed.

-

They wake up.

Jackson whines, but he doesn't bawl like he did yesterday. With the promise that they will be back very quick and that Youngjae and he are going to play hide and seek until the arrival of the others, GOT5 can leave the dormitory without very much difficulty.

They perform.

This time, it's B.A.P. 's leader who asks them about their missing members. He's there in their waiting room. Yongguk knows everything already because news like this spreads faster than light in the music industry, especially among groups of idols as they are the ones that get hit by the spells.

"How many days left?" Yongguk asks, amusement written all over his face.

Jaebum wipes sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand. "Eight to go."

The other leader nods. "Ah, I see. It must be tough, huh? Himchan," he turns left and right, looking for the co-member. Kim Himchan is talking animatedly with B.A.P's maknae, Zelo, and Jongup, "that person- -he grew a pair of horns like those of demons. And he had fangs too." He shrugs at Jaebum and the other components of GOT7's shocked expression. "He had super-ty-power too, you know. Like, he could turn on and off the lights with the power of his intellect or hit us with a flick without flicking us with his fingers- -it's hard to explain." He mutters the last part more to himself. His eyes grow for a fraction of time. "Himchan had a tail too, you know." Red dusts his cheeks and then, Yongguk is giving a dark look to an oblivious Himchan and Mark decides that he does not want to keep hearing this story, so he grabs a random catalog that they have scattered on the mini-table to fan himself.

They get home as quickly as they can- -the only pit stop is the supermarket because Bambam and Yugyeom claim to want to get some snacks to eat during the ride, and if Mark has seen them slide chocolate bars in the secret pocket inside Yugyeom's jacket, he says nothing.

He does not comment their strategy to win the toddler.

Mark keeps to himself the thought that they are practically buying Jackson's love with material things.

Youngjae is counting when they arrive at the dormitory.

"Where is Jackie hyung?" Bambam looks behind the first furnitures that he meets as he walks inside toward Jackson's nine-days-baby-sitter-during-the-shows.

Youngjae is tittering. "Follow me." His socks pad on the floor. He has a finger placed on his lips as if indicating to the others not to make any kind of noise.

Twelve-thirteen steps from Youngjae's earlier spot is Jackson's hiding place- -it's next to the fridge. That small space between the appliance and the sink, to be more precise.

Mark doesn't exactly know when they quit enjoying to see Jackson curled into a ball with his hands on his head and with his eyes closed very tight as if doing that would decrease the possibility for him to be found. 

It is Junior who gathers the toddler in his arms. "Found you."

Jackson squeaks, and Mark swears that Bambam and Yugyeom flail. "Juniiiiiii," he singsongs, letting the guy envelop him completely as his short arms try to circle Junior entirely too, cutely failing. "Juni wan to play with Yunji and Ackson?"

"Sure, sure," Junior says, already covering his eyes with his palms, ready to hide&seek.

"Yeeeeeeee- -" Jackson is exulting. He is about to dash out of the kitchen, but Jaebum catches him before he can exit.

"First, everyone should get his jacket, the scarf and the hat off," Jaebum reasons out, and something flickers on the toddler's face because he looks dazed, "and then who wants to play with the smurf, can play with the smurf."

Junior nods in approval. "Sure thing, leader."

"OKAY!" Bambam bumps his shoulder purposely against Yugyeom's. He takes off his beanie, and he is on the way of undoing the knot of his scarf, "the last dummy who comes back to Jackson will count."

And Yugyeom doesn't have to hear the sentence twice. He is already after the boy and as usual they are sort of arguing; this time over Bambam deciding the rules without consulting him.

"Kids, please don't run," comes Junior's fake snarl which goes completely unnoticed. He heaves a sigh. Then, he Eskimo kisses Jackson, pinching jokingly the latter's nose afterward. "Seven minutes," he tells the toddler, showing the number with his fingers. He frees up Jackson from his embrace who stumbles a little forward but gets caught by Youngjae who steadies him. "Careful." With a final wink, Junior is finally getting to dress himself with home clothes.

Which means that the remaining people are Mark, Jaebum, Jackson the toddler with his baby-sitter-Yunji. Mark is fast to excuse himself. "I'll be resting a little," he says, and nobody seems to hear it as Jackson is fascinated by Jaebum's eyeliner and the light eyeshadow.

"Jeybee has dis in his eye. Ackson wan too. Like Jeybee...Wan."

Please, I have it too. Don't I.

Once all by himself, he kicks his trainers off and he lets his body drop heavily on his bed. His face hits the mattress. Mark does not know how much time he allows to pass before he turns on a side. He brushes aside the odd sensation he has in his stomach- -this, this situation, the isolating himself thing that he is doing.

He is making a fool of himself.

The worst part is that he knows that he is overreacting. It's getting ridiculous- -as he said before, he is ridiculous, but he can't stop the self-pity. Actually, to tell the truth, he could put an end to it. Mark could walk out of the bedroom, he could act like it did not bother him that Jackson has not showed any kind of interest into playing with him or he has not said his name alone without the syllable 'no' or the words 'dun wan' or Jaebum's name following it yet, and even though he believes that he is one who conceals his feelings just fine, he knows that at some point he would probably feel awkward and he couldn't bear all the acting until the end- -or if he could, it would only make him more miserable at the end of the day.

Mark, immobile, stares at the ceiling for a while.

Seven days like this.

Seven more days to go.

Then after those days, everything will turn back to normality. Jackson will be his roommate again. Mark will listen to Jackson blabber about the first thing that pops out on his mind until he's sleepy. He will hear Jackson snore during the night. Jackson will come to the music shows with them again. Youngjae too. Their schedule will be quite full all over again. Yugyeom and Bambam won't stop buying candy, but at least they won't fight over who has given more to Jackson anymore. Junior will hopefully let them eat some unhealthy food.

But the thing is, lately, Jackson and Jaebum have been awfully close to each other even before the transformation as Junior pointed out. And honestly, it was not a problem before, but Mark cannot express with words why it is becoming one now.

He falls asleep in between thoughts about Jackson, teenager and not, and his attempts into thinking about something else and failing miserably.

-

Squinting because his eyes have to adjust at the light in the kitchen, he joins the others only for dinner. 

"Hyung, are you okay?" Yugyeom asks him, worried. 

They have taught them how to smile in front of the cameras when they're facing bad days. JYP Entertainment made them attend different lessons- -a Korean course, they even gave them ual education, and of course there was that time when they had to learn how to fake a smile. That is what Mark does. "I am." 

Either he has to take that class again or the members have got good at reading him (or the emotion can transpire behind the mask), because Junior does not buy it one bit. "You look very upset, Mark hyung," and the rest gives him skeptical looks.

"Tired, not upset. I guess it is because I need to sleep some more." He doesn't wince once the lie is out of his mouth. It is partly true, anyway. "I did not get much yesterday." 

"Is it? Then please do, hyung." Jaebum tells him earnestly. He bats away lightly Jackson's little hand that is tickling him (he's been tolerating it just because distracted Jackson eats what Junior spoon-feeds him without looking at the utensil and at the vegetables). "We have to perform again tomorrow and we're invited to a radio-show. Neither show can be missed."

Mark's gaze skitters away from Jaebum's. "I will. Thank you."

He passes like only an hour outside, then it is only Mark and his sorry .

Pathetic.

He is pathetic.

His attempts to escape from reality do not end well. Mark's thought about killing time by spending it sleeping as he did before, but unfortunately the previous rest proves to be sufficient for now. Thus, his mind starts wandering in a dangerous territory. There is too much angst there for Mark's liking, but he cannot control his thoughts at the moment.

He thinks of Im Jaebum because he has to.

First things first, Im Jaebum is younger than him. It may have not mattered before, but it does right now. Jaebum is younger, he cannot do martial arts the way Mark does, but he's got an impeccable voice and he hits high notes incredibly and he can rap. He may not be the main rapper, but he can work with some lines- -Mark isn't good at singing. 

Im Jaebum is a person of many talents.

Jaebum can dance.

He can act- -he's quite good at it.

Then, he's handsome. Charming.

He knows perfectly where he stands, what he can do, what he can improve and in which areas he excels. He is confident and he's able of proving it, be it on the stage or with words, without looking arrogant. He speaks smoothly- -he doesn't hold compliments back when he sees something that the members did and that he's proud of. Same goes for the things that he disapproves. He is serious when it's needed, and he knows how to have fun or to be fun without exaggerating. He's humble and encouraging- -he's their leader. Competent, charismatic, chic, swagger leader.

Im Jaebum is a complete pack.

Of course, people would like him.

Mark intentionally pats his forehead. He forces himself not think about the other unsaid sentence that is threatening to appear in his head. He does not want it. He does not want for the noun 'people' to be replaced by his name.

So, he says to himself that he is being rational when he murmurs soothingly to himself that,

"Just because they are close, it doesn't mean that there is something deeper going on. Nothing will happen. Ever. Because they are just friends."

Nothing more than that.

Im Jaebum and Jac- -

Mark gets startled by the loud pounding on the door.

"Hyung!" It is Bambam's voice.

For a brief spare of time, Mark does not know what he wants to do: a part of him does not want to see anyone, but the other finds it rude to not answer.

There are other loud knocks and this time, Bambam sounds shaky. Like he's panicking. "Hyung! Mark hyung! Get up, Mark hyung!"

Dumb Kunpimook.

The door is not locked.

With a frown, Mark is standing on his bare feet. He turns around the handle to face a quite pale Bambam. The sight of his co-member preoccupies Mark. "What the hell happened?" He asks, feeling the heartbeats in his throat.

"Jackson hyung- -he," Bambam his lower lip repeatedly, "Jaebum hyung had to go out because manager had to tell him something very important and Jaebum hyung was told to meet him at the practice room. Jackson hyung was left with us- -we- -I. Hyung, we were playing. Only Junior hyung and I, since Yugyeom and especially Youngjae hyung were tired. Hyung, uhm, Junior hyung told me to wake you up. You see, Jackson hyung. He started crying after I- -Hyung, I- -Jackson hyung. His eyes are very red."

", okay, let's go." Mark does not even think of putting his slippers on. 

Bambam leads him in the living room. 

"Mark hyung." Junior is sitting next to the toddler.

Mark has eyes only for the latter. Jackson has his small body turned to the arm of the couch, purposely in that position so that he won't look at Junior. His legs are pressed up to his chest and on his knees there is the Batmobile that Bambam gave him. Mark doubts that Jackson has understood that he is hovering above him- -the toddler has big tears rolling down his cheeks. He is not loud.

The toddler is crying- -hiccupping.

It is heartbreaking.

"He won't let me carry him," Junior whispers, "I tried, really. But he does not want to. He's been silently crying for forty min- -"

"What?!" Mark growls. God knows that he won't ever hurt Junior nor Bambam, but the next words come out harsh and they're embodied with what Mark knows is pure anger. "Of course his eyes would be red if he's been crying for that long." He hisses, nails digging into the flesh of his palms. 

Junior and Bambam remain silent.

Time stretches.

In the end, Mark sits on the floor; Jackson is in front of him. "I'm sorry." He apologises to the two members, looking at the dirty socks of the toddler. It is probably because he'd been running around the dormitory using only them. Just like Youngjae before.

"It's okay, hyung. We understand."

Hic.

Hic.

Hic.

Jackson does not even spare him a glance as he furiously tries to send Mark's hand that starts rubbing his arm away. Mark knows how this thing goes- -but he cannot possibly leave the toddler crying his eyes out. He seriously can't. That is why he tries to calm him down again.

And again.

He does not know how many times he's tried to persuade the toddler in vain.

"Jaebum hyung is going to come back soon, don't worry." He murmurs to Jackson and he thinks of playfully pulling one of his socks. He receives a small kick in return. A reaction finally- -not a good one, but it's a first step. The tears are still falling, though. "Baby, what can Mark hyung do to make you happy?"

Jackson buries his face on his toy.

"You know, your Batmobile will turn ugly if tears fall on it." He states. Two seconds, and Mark is talking again, "if you do not stop crying you will run out of tears and your face will become ugly too, Jackson. Do you want that? You do not, right?"

Pigheaded since birth, Mark thinks.

It is when Jackson's hiccups become even more frequent and he starts breathing through his mouth that Mark decides it is enough. He pulls the car-toy away, throwing it to Junior who catches it with no problem. 

"Mark hyung, he will cry even more!" Bambam argues.

And the boy is right.

Mark sees Jackson's face coloring and slowly becoming the same shade of red of his puffy eyes. "Now, that is a thing you should never do. Don't hold your breath, silly."

He gets several pudgy punches on his shoulders and some on his face as he lifts Jackson up. There are kicks in the air, in Mark's stomach, a couple of punches and then magically, be it because Mark puts a hand behind Jackson's head and starts bouncing him while peppering the toddler's face with brief kisses when he can or because he's exhausted, the struggling ceases. 

Mark feels Jackson press his face to his neck, arms finally circling around him and fingers that are playing with the hair on the back of his head. The wetness because of the mix of snot and tears are payed with a,

"Ma/hic-hic/awk, watew."

Junior and Bambam are incredulous. "How did you- -"

"Can little Jackson have a glass of water, please?" 

-

Jackson may have stopped crying, but that doesn't absolutely mean that he has fully calmed down. He is on the couch- -a toddler, a thing so small occupying an equally small space. He makes their couch look so much bigger.

His fingers are wrapped around Mark's index.

They are the only ones left since the others went to their respective rooms as Mark told them to go because they will have to wake up very early tomorrow and that he could take care of Jackson who will probably fall asleep in a matter of minutes after the half tantrum that he'd thrown. 

Mark could have not been more wrong: Jackson looks like he has no intention of going to rest. He has tried to convince him that it is getting very late, but he only shakes his head nervously at Mark and then, because puppy eyes are his weakness (and this is Jackson), Mark's felt obliged to wait until sleepiness will overtake the toddler.

He's on the floor again, cross-legged this time.

Occasionally, a hiccup interrupts the constant talking coming out from the television. Mark has put it on a channel for kids, but Jackson is not watching it.

His eyes are wandering around the living room, pausing on the screen without paying too much attention or any before he starts looking elsewhere. 

"Baby," Mark is wearing a lopsided grin. Jackson doesn't mirror it back, but he squeezes the other's finger, resulting to Mark leaning to him and placing a kiss on his little head. "Little things' bedtime is at nine o'clock. It is nearly nine- -Yuyum, Juni, Yunji and Babam are already in their rooms. You should too."

Jackson tugs on the hem of his shirt. "Jeybee?"

"Will be back soon." Mark assures, but of course that is not certain. He does not know what the manager and Jaebum are discussing about. He would call the leader to ask him when exactly he will be at home, but unfortunately Jaebum is the only one who is allowed to have a cellphone that he uses for calls from the agency or for emergencies. 

Mark classifies this as an emergency, but then again, he has nothing to ring Jaebum.

"Let's say that I give you like- -ten more minutes, then you will try to sleep, okay?"

The toddler gets agitated.

Mark places both hands firmly on Jackson's knees. "Hey, will you tell me what's up, Jackson?" This has happened exactly four times: Jackson makes himself impossibly smaller, drawing his legs together and his arms pressing on his own little body. Mark is confused by the toddler's distress. However, now there's also a horrible whimper coming from Jackson. "Shh, hey- -it's okay, shh. Don't, Jackson, baby. Shh. Shh. What is it?"

Jackson does not talk.

Mark observes him, eyes scanning his expression and expectedly, Jackson's face falls. The toddler extends his arms at Mark- -the opening and closing of his hands indicate that he's demanding to be held and Mark hugs him immediately. 

"Is it because you want to sleep in Jaebum's bed?" He asks Jackson when he feels him tranquilise. 

A terrible squealing voice of what looks like a japanese cartoon plays on the television.

Jackson is drawing lines on Mark's collarbone as he says faintly, "Bugy man will take Ackson." 

"Uhm," he replies dumbly. "What is a bugy man?- -Bugy man? Do you mean Boogeyman, baby?"

He feels the toddler tense in his arms. "Bugy man, yes. Monstew."

Mark pushes himself back a little in order to be able to look at him in the eyes. Jackson's fingers curl around the collar of his shirt- -he gives this scared look at the older. "Nobody will come to get you, Jackson." He promises, but he doesn't obtain the response he's hoping for: Jackson is throwing glances around the room, brief, here and there as if anticipating for a sudden attack. 

So this is the reason behind the fidgeting upon hearing about going to sleep. "Where would you get that idea anyway?" Mark voices his thought outloud.

He scowls when Jackson responds to him. "Babam."

Bambam, what?

Mark feels lost. "Is it his fault?" He drawls as he mentally tells himself that Bambam would never- -wait. The stuttering of the boy. The flashback makes Mark raise an eyebrow. He is frowning when he opens his mouth again with the intention of telling Jackson that Boogeyman does not exist. He's just a character. But before he can utter a single word, Jackson slaps him straight on the nose.

Jackson should be less violent.

"Why Mawk make mad face at Ackson?" The toddler laments. "Dun make mad face at Ackson. Ackson dun like when Mawk make mad face."

"I was not- -"

"Dis." Jackson counters, and then he mimics Mark.

Dejà vu. Only this time it is definitely not going to end like two days ago.

"What about- -" Mark starts, face clear of the previous expression. He thinks of something to divert Jackson's attention and that  would make the latter accept to at least lie on a bed. He ought to elaborate some serious tricky plan because Jackson really needs to sleep. And Mark too since tomorrow will be a long day of work. "Uh, what about we build a castle around you." Now, this is a of genius. "I can tell you that I'm a hundred percent certain that Boogeyman won't take you if you have that kind of protection."

The toddler has a feeble light of hope in his eyes. "Mawk suwe?"

And that is why Mark, at nine thirty, has to disturb the members.

-

Jackson is undeniably lovely.

He has long lashes and small plump lips and he has chubby cheeks and chubby arms and his voice is just that type of kids' voice that makes you want to squish him because Jackson looks and talks adorably. And if even Junior and Bambam have lost against his cuteness and they have verbally admitted their defeat, it means that little Jackson is irresistable.

So irresistable that when Mark asks for each member to lend their pillows to him, it just takes one look at Jackson to make them agree (well, actually, the ones they have to convince are only the maknae and Bambam because Youngae is snoring already and since it is almost impossible to wake him up, all Mark does is to just remove the pillow under his head and snatch the one he's embracing. Junior hands it to him without any complain) and one toothy smile (Mark whispers at Jackson's ear to do it) for the grumpiness of being left with no pillows disappear from their faces.

Mark is a 93-liner. He is the oldest member in the group and he's quite sure that he's the most serious and controlled and more, the least childish. 

Never he'd have imagined to be making a pillow fortress- -a castle with pillows, sorry, in his (and Jackson's shared) bedroom. To protect sir Jackson Wang, king of GOT7 at the age of about two years old, from the non-existent scary villain Boogeyman that the court jester, Bambam, has narrated him of.

"Then King Jackson asks his knight Jaebum if he can take Youngjae, his favorite horse, out for a walk- -"

"And Bugy man?" Jackson has a scowl that increases his brow. He is gripping tightly the pillows, on the last row of the pile, that are positionated either side of him. "Ackson dun like monstew."

Mark finds it a little bit uncomfortable to lay on three pillows. He looks down at Jackson. "Boogeyman is far far far far away from King Jackson, remember?" He says softly. Fortunately he doesn't lose his balance when he reaches out to take the toddler's right hand in his. Mark smiles as he sees that Jackson is moving slightly his socked-big toes so that they would brush the pillows placed there at his feet.

And sometimes, Jackson stretches his neck so that his head would touch the other three.

As much as Mark doesn't dislike the scene, he will make sure to ask Bambam the reason why he told such a story to a kid and be sure that he will never do it again.

All this tension and fear are not good for Jackson.

Mark slightly pushes Jackson's side and the latter moves, though he is blinking confused. To make room for himself inside the castle, he moves the pile of pillows on which he was on before a bit further, and if there is a little space that the monster could use to enter Jackson's fluffy structure, Jackson will never know because Mark curls his body around him. The toddler will never see it.

A smile quivers the corner of his mouth when Jackson touches his chest and, "Mawk save Ackson if Bugy comes, okay?"

"Sure, baby," Mark opens his arms. It doesn't take long that Jackson crawls to him very close. Out of the fourteen pillows around them, Jackson chooses Mark's forearm.

The guy does not know how many minutes have passed when Jackson starts rubbing his eyes with the back of his hands and after that, Mark sees him yawn. "Jackson, baby, you know that monsters are not real right?" He says, completely abandoning the fantastic story. "Bambam lied to you: no Boogeyman comes at night."

Jackson closes his eyes for a second, before forcing them open. "Ackson dun like monstew." He repeats faintly.

"But they really do not exist." Mark insists gently. "Jackson will still be here with hyung when he wakes up tomorrow."

Because Jaebum- -they absolutely cannot wait for him. At this point, Jackson remains with Mark. This is Jackson's room too anyway.

"Dun like Bugy." Jackson persists, then he is doing it again, closing his eyes and Mark flutters them close too after he shifts his body a little bit more close so that he can put the free arm behind Jackson's back. He brings his knees up until they touch the toddler's feet.

It's quiet for a long while and Mark's mind is drifting to dreamland too when the toddler squeaks,

"Hey, Mawk."

He hums.

"Dun sleep, Mawk."

"I'm not, Jackson."

He feels the toddler move, then there are fingertips pressing on his cheekbones. Mark chuckles. "Seriously, I'm awake."

-

Jaebum does not do it on purpose. To make the keys of their dormitory fall on the floor- -Mark knows that. 

"Sorry, hyung." He says apologetically.

The only light on is in the hall. Jaebum is just a shadow. "What time is it?"

"Five to eleven," is the answer, "Junior told me that Jackson is with you. Do you want to- -"

"He can stay." Mark says quickly, maybe a little bit too loud. Jackson lets out a small noise before slightly beginning to snore again.

"Good," Jaebum's shadow is backing. He is closing the door, "good night, hyung. Just call if there's something wrong."

-

The human body, they say, has almost 7 trillions nerves and Mark does not know how, but Jackson jumping off his bed to go to check that Jaebum came home safe right after he's woken up gets on every single one of them.

Mark does not go after the toddler- -or, let's say that he peeks from the doorway of Jaebum and Youngjae's bedroom if he's made it. "Jacksonnie- -ough- -don't sit on my stomach, you may be smaller, but I still can't." He hears the leader cry, but he knows for sure that he's smiling or cracking a smile as he says so.

Breakfast is longer today. Very.

Because Jackson's managed to wake everyone about an hour earlier than they'd settled for.

They spend the first twenty minutes listening to Jaebum talk about their full schedule after the spell-days of Jackson. They will have to work very hard- -first, they will make a goodbye stage. They have promoted Girls girls girls enough. They will attend their sunbaenim's concert and others to watch how groups with experience behind perform. They will appear in tv-shows and JYP is planning a GOT7 show like EXO Showtime and Winner TV, with the hope of winning more and more hearts with their different personalities and the gags that they will make. 

After that, they focus on breakfast.

Mark is having a glass of juice and nothing more. He does not feel like eating or drinking anything, but he just does because there will be questions otherwise. For a couple of minutes he tilts his head back which is a bad idea along with stretching his arms a little. He grimaces when he feels pain in the muscles of his arm and on his nape.

Must be because of the sleeping position.

Youngjae is looking at him inquisitively when he happens to make eye-contact with him.

"Jackson slept on my arm and I was kind of curled up around him." He reveals, throwing a glance at the toddler who is making a mess on the table with his cereals.

"Oh, yes?" Jaebum says, his eyebrows meet and he holds one of those scrutinizing looks that he also uses during practices and interviews. "Can you do flips, hyung?"

Mark shrugs casually. "Of course I can. The pain will fade after a couple of minutes."

Jaebum relaxes upon hearing that sentence. "That is a good news- -I mean, if you still feel like you won't be able to, I will inform the manager and you could take a day off."

It sounds inviting, but he declines. "Who will martial arts if the flying member is not there?" He opts for a joke, because frankly, he has been a sort of an in the past twenty-four hours and he has the feeling that he needs to make up for his attitude.

"Well, excuse me," Bambam pipes up, driving all the others' attention on him. Jackson's included. "I'm pretty sure I could be the revelation of GOT7 if given the chance."

"Really, hyung." Yugyeom comments flat. "And what could you do to impress us if given the chance?"

"I could try tumbling like Mark hyung does."

"And break your bones," Junior continues, shaking his head, "yeah, why not."

Bambam waves his hand as if shooing the negative replies away from him. "I could always do one of those easy flips that Jackson hyung does. That I could do, couldn't I?"

Before countering the boy, Jaebum takes some cornflakes from Jackson's bowl then, he starts throwing them one by one at Bambam.

"Hyung!- -JB hyung! You are being extremely immature for a person of your age!"

"Yah, you take that back, Kunpimook!"

The playing-with-food finishes with a loud aish of Junior- -he's half ignored at the beginning, but when Jackson puts his spoon down to copy Jaebum, Park Jinyoung's face is livid and his last warn's a mix of irritation and anger. 

"Don't make such a face," Jaebum cooes at his long-time co-member, "I was just trying to make Bambam- -" One icy glare from Junior and the leader clears his throat. "So, Jacksonnie, you must eat all the remaining cereals, okay?"

Lovely little Jackson nods, but he equally takes one cornflake that falls exactly on his own bowl when he tries to hit Bambam with it. It does not matter that it doesn't end up well, because Jackson looks satisfied. "Bad Babam! Babam make Ackson cwy!"

Oh.

Mark perks up at that. 

And Bambam instantly loses color in his face. "I- Jackie hyung- -I." He stammers with eyes as big as saucers.

"Bad, vewy bad Babam! Bugy take Babam!"

Speaking of which.

Mark puts on a serious expression. "Say," he pins Bambam down with a stern look, "what were you thinking when you told Jackson of Boogeyman?"

"Hyung, there's a misunderstanding going on here." The boy blurts out, biting his inner cheek. He huffs. "Jackie was already crying because he missed Jaebum hyung when I told him- -and let me finish first, please- -Junior hyung left me because he had to go to the bathroom and the baby just started crying like there's no tomorrow. I thought that telling him that someone will take him away if he doesn't stop could make him stop."

They give him judging stares.

"Who votes to make Bambam do the dishes for a week?"

Five hands are raised.

Uh, six. "Why we like dis?"

-

The staff and the hosts of the radio show express their most sincere apologies. Apparently they have technical problems plus, a couple of microphones were supposed to be replaced, but for some reason that they do not bother to tell the members, no one did, so obviously they cannot record if their equipment's lacking.

"I'm going to give this to Jackie hyung." Bambam says to a small frog peluche that a fan gave him after the exhibition at the music show. He tries to lean to Yugyeom and Junior as much as the seatbelt allows him to. "Do you think that he will forgive me?"

"Don't count on it." Yugyeom teases.

Bambam gives him a pointed glare.

"He will." Junior tries to placate the second youngest member of the group. "After all, Jackson spent the night with Mark hyung who we all assumed that he did not like." He elaborates and Mark does not say anything- -actually, he does turn his head at his left, at the window, instead of looking back at the three guys. He presses the side of his face on the car seat.

Someone asks him why he suddenly laughs, but he keeps to himself that it is because of the members' reaction (minus Jaebum who saw it personally and he was not surprised) when earlier he confessed to them that he used all the pillows for a fortress and the image of Jackson drooling on his arm.

They are at the dormitory at around eight o'clock.

None of them was expecting to find Jackson tucked under the blanket of a bed.

In fact, the toddler is watching Youngjae's very looking-like-a-rat-but-it-is-not dog drawing.

Mark grins at Jackson because the latter's beam at him is megawatt- -his eyes curve as if trying to match his smile.

Hey, Jackson Wang.

Then, the toddler falls in his Jeybee, Jeybee mode and much later, he plays with the maknae line for a little while.

It is in total stupor that Mark watches Jackson cling to his leg with all his might when nine quarter strikes and Junior promptly announces that it's bedtime for people under sixteen years old.

"What?" He asks with a blank look.

"Ackson wanna sleep with Mawk!" With his head dancing left and right, Jackson puffs his cheeks.

He invents the coolest bedtime story: it is a cross-over between GOT7, Jack the Beanstack and Pokémon.

And when Jackson tells him tiredly,

"Mawk is Pikachu." when Mark's just narrated how the creature protected his trainer, he does not know if Jackson is hiding a second meaning to his words or if he's just sputtered it out to say something, but it doesn't matter because Mark is already smiling.

He thinks that he will always be there for Jackson.

Toddler or adult.

Always.

---

"Kai bai bo!"

Jackson flicks Bambam's forehead.

"Kai bai bo!"

Jackson flicks Mark's nose.

"Kai bai bo!"

Jackson flicks Youngjae's nose too.

"Kai bai bo!"

Jackson flicks Youngjae's ear this time.

"Kai bai bo!"

Jackson flicks Junior's cheek.

"Kai bai- -"

"Stop! Stop! Stop the game!" Junior flails his arm, a hand is rubbing at his right eye. "He poked me by mistake." He is indicating Jackson with his forefinger and the latter tries to bite it then laughs, thinking that it is still part of the punishment that he has to inflict to the member who loses.

"What." Jaebum scoots a little closer. He takes Junior's wrist and brings it down in order to inspect the sore part. "It is getting a bit red around the pupil. Don't rub it anymore."

The ex JJ Project duo stands up to splash some water on Junior's eye (in the background they can hear Bambam's outraged lament because they can't just leave in the middle of a game that he is winning. "Junior hyung can do it alone!" but nobody minds him).

Mark is too busy pulling Jackson's pants. Then he pretends that it is Yugyeom's fault when the toddler turns around to look for the culprit.

He is holding his tummy because he's laughing too much as the toddler launches himself at the maknae and then proceeds on tickling him on the neck and Yugyeom just makes whale sounds.

"Yuyum has vewy big nose when Yuyum laugh!" Jackson observs, pointing at Yugyeom's nostrils.

Mark nearly dies.

-

It's seventh thirtish of the fifth day and the members are gathering in the living room because their movie-time with Jackson is going to start in a quarter of an hour.

It was on the third day of the spell that they decided that they should all spend some time all together with the toddler- -actually, it was Junior who suggested it and the other five guys agreed immediately because their little friend sounded too excited about it and nobody could be so cold to say no.

Jackson adores movie-time.

He doesn't know how to read a clock, it is like Jackson just knows when it is the moment that he is going to be the center of attention- -not that he's not at the other hours of the day when the members are in the dormitory, it is just that for an entire hour and half, he gets double spoiled from everyone and Jackson likes it so much.

At seven thirty or earlier, Jackson is already yelling movie! Movie! Movie!

The toddler usually sits with the younger guys on the carpet of the floor at the beginning.

He likes to ask Bambam what's going to happen next, who is the character and why is that happening and Babam, Babam, hey Babam and when Bambam does something to shut him up (like covering his mouth for a brief minute) Jackson moves away, pouting. It is either Bambam laughing at him and asking to come back or Bambam chuckling and letting Jackson paw on Yugyeom's arm before the latter traps him in a hug without any resistance.

He spends a couple of minutes with the maknae. Sometimes even more than just a couple of minutes because Jackson gets absorbed into the movie.

Then, after that, he hops to Youngjae, and he likes to shake the co-member's side- -to poke him on the stomach and then he makes requests like Yunji dwaw Ackson a howse, a puppy and many many flowews and many many pigs and many many many other things, but the hilarious part is when Youngjae asks him how many flowers do you want? and Jackson holds up his fingers and Youngjae insists saying so how many is many many, Jackson hyung? and Jackson says two. Or thwee.

Usually, in the middle of the movie or much earlier than that, Jackson diverts his attention from the television to the hyung line who's on the couch. 

Jackson usually starts with Junior. The toddler glances at him and if Junior is not looking down, he'd tickle his feet. Junior sometimes pretends not to notice and then Jackson gets up and walks toward him. He pesters Junior- -calling him Juniiii, Juniii, slapping his thighs until Junior (or Jaebum) stops him, chuckling. 

The next hyung is obviously either Mark or Jaebum- -there is not an order, though. Jackson sometimes annoys the leader first, climbing on his legs to get to sit on his lap or he will do the same with Mark. The thing is, it doesn't really matter who's first and who's second because at some point Jackson likes to squeeze himself in the small space between the two older members.

The toddler looks up at them with a huge smile and sometimes he even takes both of their hands and holds them until the very end of the movie.

Or, he pretends the three guys to all leave the couch and join the remaining co-members on the carpet.

Jackson joins them after seeing them together.

(And sometimes when the six of them are all sitting next to each other and they're really enjoying whatever movie is on, Jackson demands them to return on the couch and the only reason why they don't deny him is that he's obnoxiously adorable).

Today, they settle to watch Harry Potter and the philosopher's stone.

Youngjae has given spoilers to the toddler and the latter seems enthusiastic about seeing the students of Hogwarts playing quidditch and he's begun squealing happily because of they have magic wans? 

"Wands, Jackson." Junior corrects him. "Try to repeat it after me. Wands. C'mon, Jackie." But the toddler is running circles around Youngjae and that is more important to him. 

Fifteen minutes since the start of the first HP movie and Jackson hasn't done anything yet. He's hooked- -he's been just occasionally moving to Bambam's space to grab his arm when one scene provokes any kind of emotion to him. Jackson has particularly liked the part when Hagrid appears and teaches a lesson to the Dursley family, and the part when Harry meets his future best-friend Ron.

"Mawk!" Jackson chirps. One second and he's leaving fingertips on the screen of their television, covering Ronald Weasley's face with three of his fingers. "Mawk! He is Mawk!"

Bambam rotates half of his body in order to show Mark how his lips curve into an amused smile. "Basically, he's saying that you're ugly, hyung." He informs the oldest member, flicking his thumb to where the toddler is. "Jackie hyung, who's that?"

"Dis is Mawk." Jackson affirms, stretching the 'a' in the name.

"See?" Bambam shakes his head. This time a -eating grin is threatening to split his face in two. "He's offending you, hyung."

"Are you seriously implying that Rupert Grint is ugly?" Yugyeom asks, narrowing his eyes. "Because that is illegal in some countries, you know."

"Implying?" Bambam an eyebrow at the maknae. "I'm stating it."

"Oh, my god." Yugyeom hisses. He looks at the other horrified. "Accio," he declares in the end, making some weird movements with his forefinger pointed at Bambam.

"Oh, oh, no, no, no." Bambam shakes his head before ducking dramatically on the floor. "I'm not going to lose without a fight." He rolls on the carpet, and then crawls to get nearer to Yugyeom. "Avada Kedavra!" He shouts with all his might, adding some pew, pew, pew, for effect.

Yugyeom scrunches up his nose in disapproval. "You can't just Avada Kedavra me." He complains. "Once I get hit by the spell, I can't do anything else but die.

"Then pretend that you dodged the attack." Bambam retorts with an eye roll.

"Okay, let's do it again."

They agree on that last one, but as they take their positions to start playing, a screech comes from Jackson, leaving them all staring at him unblinking.

"Mawk! Dis is Mawk! Dis is Mawk" Jackson repeats it more than that. About five times. He's stomping his feet too petulantly and at the end he chokes back a sob. His three little fingers are not on the screen anymore. They're at his side, closing in a fist.

Another sob.

Mark doesn't know why it takes them to hear again that sound to rush to the toddler's side.

Junior is there, holding Jackson- -making circles on his back and kissing his forehead before him. He does tug on Jackson's new shirt, a gift from Jaebum. It turns out that the little menace's just missing constantly being under the spotlight because as soon as his big eyes have scanned all the faces of the members being worried for him, he turns his head to the television.

"Mawk?" Jackson says, sadly. "Mawk no dere." He is staring straight at Mark as he utters those words, his tone is soft, but his expression is alarmed. "Mawk, I wan Mawk."

And they know that he is referring to Ron, but right now it's Harry Potter that is talking. "I'm going to rewind the- -" Mark quickly goes to take the remote and he's about to press the button when the ginger wizard appears again. Fortunately.

"Here he is, baby." Mark announces to the toddler, messing up his hair. 

Jackson is looking and he blinks back the tears. "Dat is Mawk." He takes Mark's hand and holds it with both of his. "Mawk! Mawk! Dat's you, Mawk."

"No, seriously, I'd be offended if someone told me I look like that actor." Bambam is giving Jackson a blank look. "Very offended."

"Well, I'm not." Mark says easily, sending a glare to the younger guy's direction. "Stop it." He chastises, "he could understand. If he cries, you'll be in troubles. Again." It is not like he likes playing these tricks to Bambam. It's just that he doesn't want a re-act of what happened that day Jaebum was not at home. And obviously Bambam did not do it on purpose and Mark doubts that he keeps making little comments that sometimes tend to unnerve the toddler because they contradict what Jackson says or whatever, but Mark can't shake off the feeling of anxiety of seeing the little kid throwing a tantrum- -so he's sorry to cut out some of Bambam's jokes, but he feels the need to do it.

Bambam opens his mouth, then clicks it shut. His brow creases. After a little while he's playing with some strands of Jackson's hair. "Can I just ask you why that's Mark hyung?" He asks to the toddler who looks up at him.

Jackson inclines his head- -something he does when he is thinking about an answer to give. Or when he does not comprehend, but this is not the case or he would be blinking cutely confused. "Mawk has wed," he begins then he indicates his head. "Like dat baby." His finger lands back to the image of Ron Weasley.

"Wed? Wed." Jaebum is rubbing his chin. "Okay, give us another clue 'cause I don't get it, Jackie."

"What is wed?" Junior questions the toddler who pats his own head for the second time. "Wed head? Wed ha- -wait- -"

"Red hair!" He and Youngjae say in unison.

Jackson nods eagerly, celebrating with the two with a clap of his hands. "Mawk is wed!"

"But Ron is not red." Junior remarks. "He's ginger."

"Which means that he's a redhead." Mark retorts and seriously, why are they discussing this? He looks expectantly at Jackson who has his lips pressed in a line. He does not know why, but he can imagine them trembling after a second. "Baby Jackson is right." Mark says and he takes the toddler in his arms.

"Ginger is bright red." Junior points out. "You have another shade of red, hyung. Besides, you dyed them like that. Your color hair isn't natural."

"Isn't ginger more like orange rather than red?" Jaebum asks. He sticks out his tongue to Jackson. The latter laughs at him.

"I second that." Youngjae says right after their leader has expressed his opinion.

"Have you ever wondered if Jackson hyung knows all the colors?" Yugyeom says out of the blue. "We know that he can count one to three- -well, sometimes five when Junior hyung is there to teach him something."

"You made me curious too, maknae." Mark taps his index on Jackson's nose. "What color is my shirt, baby?" He watches Jackson eye his clothe.

"Bwack!"

"Oh, very good!" Bambam holds his hand up for a high-five. After receiving it, he traps Jackson's thumb in his fingers and brings it to his own hair. "What about this? What color is it?"

Jackson knits his eyebrows. "Pin!"

"Correct." Bambam snaps his fingers. A grin is drawing his lips. "And what about JB hyung's shirt?"

"Geeen and yello!" The toddler is liking this game so much. They all are- -in fact, Mark's eyes flicker on the movie and Harry Potter's arrived at Hogwarts, but it is not important anymore.

"And what is the color of mine, hyung?" Youngjae asks pulling his pajama.

Jackson looks first at the guy. Then, he gives him one full smile before exclaiming, "Puppul!"

Silence.

"Oh, so that first day- -"

"- -he wanted us to dye- -"

"- -our hair - -"

"- -white."

Jaebum hums. "That was definitely impossible to guess right."

-

Mark doesn't think that he's a hypocrite.

He does not buy coloring books and pencil colors for Jackson because he wants him to shower him with love and to say that he's the best. He does not. Mark has simply thought that Jackson will like it and Youngjae too, probably- -if the toddler will then he won't ask for horrible drawings anymore.

Youngjae's irked by the two younger members mocking his skills after all.

Mark doesn't have those intentions, but when he pulls out the gadgets and shows them to Jackson with everyone presents, he cannot help but feel the slightest bit guilty. And Yugyeom's snicker makes him frown.

"Aaah." Junior is smiling. "Is that the reason why you asked Jaebum hyung if you could go out?"

"Not really." Mark answers honestly. "I bought bread and as I was looking for Bambam's Pocky, I just happened to see them on the way to the food section and I thought that Jackson will like them." He shrugs non-chalantly, but he does not miss Jackson happily turning the pages of the first coloring book and naming the animals.

"I'm going to buy him another toy tomorrow." Bambam folds his arms on the table. "He will love it more than your gifts, hyung."

Mark shakes his head. "It's not a competition, you know." He mumbles and at the same time, Jackson asks Youngjae to get down from his chair. He goes straight to Mark and he purposely bumps against him in order for the older to look at him. "Yes, baby?"

Jackson spreads his chubby arms. "Lub Mawk."

Yugyeom tsks. "I dare you to say it when you'll be surrounded by chocolates and candies, Jackson hyung," are his last words before Junior reprimands him.

-

"Dun wan, Juni!"

"You still have to. No buts."

Jackson pouts. He uses his puppy eyes look on Mark. "Dun wan." He pleads.

He hasn't opened his mouth yet when Junior growls at him. "If you tell him that he can skip bath time, hyung, I swear I'm not going to cook anything for you."

Mark gulps.

"Jackson, listen to him." Jaebum says, not looking up from the cellphone. He asked for help from the other members a couple of hours ago because apparently the device has a problem. It does not ring anymore. It just vibrates. The maknae line went to the settings of the cellphone and had put it on different modes, from silent to not to just vibration, but when Jaebum texted Nichkhun and told him to try to give him a phonecall, every time it did the same thing. No one's been able to fix it and Jaebum's been trying since.

"No listen to Juni," Jackson protests, punching the air, "No, no listen to Juni."

Mark clears his throat. "Maybe he could- -" Junior is not only full of aegyo, he can make the most terrifying expressions too when he wants. "- -Jackson, you'll smell if you don't bath like right now." 

The toddler's always voiced out his dislike for bathing and it has been quite difficult to convince him from the very first day. This time he's being particularly hard to persuade though.

"Ew," Yugyeom sniffs Jackson, "you smell bad already, hyung."

Jackson snaps. "I no smell! Yuyum is bad! Vewy bad!"

"People who do not take baths nor showers don't get bedstories from Mark hyung." Jaebum warns and the members watch the toddler widen his eyes.

"Jeybee..." Jackson trails off. He sounds sad. "Why is Jeybee bad with Ackson?"

Jaebum puts the cellphone aside. He moves to touch him, but Jackson is fast and a minute later he is hiding himself behind Mark's legs. He sighs. "You're not getting any story for real if you continue like that, Jackson." He declares. "Tell him, Mark hyung." He is using the leader tone and Mark knows that he is doing this for Jackson because they've learnt that the latter can be really very stubborn.

Most of time, they let him win- -but there are some when one of them has to play the hateful character.

In the past week, Junior and Jaebum have alternated to take the role. Jackson does not like being ordered by neither of the two, but when it is his favorite member doing the job, he immediately searches the other four members to be consoled because he really hates when Jaebum acts like that to him. 

"Mawk is good. Mawk tell Ackson stowy. Jeybee is bad. Yuyum is bad. Mawk is vewy good. Ackson likes Mawk." Jackson's rebel side is coming out on full force.

"Still." Jaebum says firmly. The toddler winces. "No bath, no bedtime story."

"C'mon, Jackie, why don't you want to?" Junior tries, using a gentle voice. "It will be quick."

"No!" Jackson screams, pressing his face on Mark's pants. "Jeybee and Juni bad!"

They go on for long until Mark decides to take a side. "Listen to the hyungs, baby," and maybe it is because he has no one to protect him because even Bambam, Yugyeom and Youngjae reveal that they are not going to contradict the leader, but Jackson, after not a short amount of time, voluntarily asks Junior,

"Sowy. Bat?"

They reward him.

They give Jackson double cuddles and Junior lets him stay awake later, and Jaebum prepares a glass of milk for the toddler. They play hide&seek, all the six members hiding behind small furnitures and losing on purpose. Jackson insists on playing it four times and Jaebum huffs, but he's grinning. 

-

There are things that you simply should refrain yourself from doing when there is a toddler of two years old around you. 

"Jeybee said bad wowd!" Jackson exclaims, pointing his chubby finger at Jaebum who's covering his mouth with his own hands while he looks at the kid with a shocked expression.

Mark hides a grin behind his fist.

He has to take a video of this one of these coming days because they need to at least have something to watch about this period. Not that he's thinking that they would be able to forget that moment in their lives when they woke up and their co-member was two years old.

It is just to make the memory more vivid. To see something of it with their eyes.

Something like the guy who curses like 24/7 as a teenager be an adorable kiddy who's pushing his lips in a pout because their leader has used the word ''.

What Jaebum did is nothing compared to the things Jackson has learnt from his baby-sitter Youngjae, though.

While Jackson knows that there are words that he should not use, he's not aware that some things that he sees shouldn't be imitated. Mark is talking about Youngjae's habits of making weird faces and picking his nose.

They talk about it and the final decision is that they are not going to stop Jackson's derpness (because he's going to be a master of those expressions anyway. Junior argues, but the majority always wins and the guy has to let it go), but they are absolutely going to tell Jackson not to continue with the second thing.

"You should stop too." Junior advices. "It's not good for the group image."

Youngjae's embarassed. "Why don't we talk about your fashion style? Those ridiculous hats and all."

But the worst part is Jackson's love for Justin Bieber's Baby. Jaebum and Mark don't utter a word to either Bambam and Yugyeom for an entire hour after the toddler forces them to put the song on replay and to sing it.

You do not give your earplug to a toddler and make him listen to a singer like JB. You just don't.

"You're GDragon fans, ain't you?" Jaebum is sending draggers to Bambam and Yugyeom through his eyes. "Why didn't you put on Heartbreaker? Or... You could have made him listen to SNSD's songs since you like them, Bambam, urgh."

Mark just wants to murder their computer before it could start with another round of Baby, baby, baby, oooh, but Jackson is twirling and dancing and...Mark can't.

-

After being confined for more than a week in an apartment and seeing the others leaving and coming back, Mark thinks that it's natural that Jackson would ask if he can go out too. Actually, he was expecting the question to come sooner than after eight days. He knew from the first time he thought about the possibility of bringing Jackson out to breathe fresh air and to maybe buy him an ice cream that there were obstacles.

Such as J.Y. Park not giving them the permission. 

And the fans recognising them.

"We can't be pictured with him." Jaebum says as he captures one of the arms of the toddler and pulls it through the sleeve of the sweater. He brushes Jackson's bangs to a side only for it to go back to its previous position. "Jackson, go to Yuyum and tell him to help you put your shoes." He instructs and as the toddler takes both of his little Converse to Yugyeom, he reassumes his conversation with the rest of the group. "You have to keep your eyes open, guys. Look back and forth, right and left- -everywhere. If they see us, it will be very hard trying to justify the presence of a kid in our dorm, let alone telling Jinyoung-sshi that we were out with the squirt without him knowing."

Mark blows air out of his nose, a small laugh. His eyes are directed to Jackson and at Yugyeom who is listening perplexed to his hyung of two years old that is telling him that he wants to put the shoe which belongs to his right foot on the left one. Mark finds it hilarious that the tallest of the members gets ordered around by a little thing. "We'll make sure that no one will find out."

Luckily, everything goes smoothly. Except for the part when they're at the park and Jackson keeps on whining because he feels itchy and he tries to pull off his bonnet and the scarf and Mark and Bambam have to put them back each time.

The toddler's not completely wrong, though. He has every right to feel uncomfortable, and they know how Jackson is at the moment because they themselves have hats, scarfs, bonnets as well. The members are wearing clothes that they used before the debut. They need to bear everything in order not to be caught by anyone. 

Jackson calms down and momentarily forgets about the itchy fabric when Youngjae gives him a box full of chocolates much to Junior's dismay.

"Momy Juni wan one?" Jackson offers the half eaten piece of chocolate in his hand to Junior, misinterpreting the grimace the older guy has plastered on his face for Junior wanting to have Jackson's food. (Oh, and Jackson's started calling Junior 'mommy' thanks to Bambam who, a couple of hours ago, has begun calling his co-member with that nickname since Junior always introduces himself as their mother in interviews and on shows anyway and seriously, Junior takes care of them and especially nags like a mom sometimes).

"No, thanks, baby Jackie." Junior shakes his head.

"Hey, Jacksonnie." Jaebum raises his hand. "Daddy would like to eat one." His voice is muffled by his mask.

"Who's Dady?" Jackson asks, widening his eyes.

"Daddy Jeybee." Mark responds. He sees the toddler's eyebrows disappear under his bangs and the bonnet. The sight of the garment brings Mark to adjust his too noticeable red hair better under his cap.

"Why is Jeybee Dady?" Jackson questions and Mark watches the pure confusion in his expression. "Yunji is Dady!" He shouts before Jaebum can answer.

"What. No. Why him?" Their leader demands to know.

Jackson replies immediately, "Chokies!" And then he stuffs one chocolate in his mouth.

Mark pats a groaning Jaebum on the back. "Chokies." He repeats with a shrug when the latter asks him how's that possible.

-

On the last day, they organise a sleep-over in the living room. Well, it is more like a sleep-in-another-room-with-the-other-members.

Youngjae and Junior get everything ready for the night, bringing all the pillows and the blankets. They even arrange everyone's position, but unfortunately their work can't be applied because they made some miscalculation of the space. It is not big enough even with one member smaller than usual. So they just try to fit in- -they're pressed one to the other. Compressed. Except Jackson who is lying half of his body on Mark and the other half is on Junior. On Mark's left, there is Jaebum. He does not know where the others are- -obviously somewhere near him. He's too lazy to raise his head (and he is not sure that he could make it since he has someone on him) and look.

"Last night, huh?" 

Mark's mind immediately matches the voice with Bambam's face. 

"Las what?" Jackson asks back, managing to roll on his tummy without any difficulty. Junior lets out a strangled noise, though.

"Night, Jackson." Jaebum supplies. "...Guys, you probably won't believe this, but I'm going to miss explaining things to him."

Mark pokes the toddler's cheek. He closes one eye, feeling the sting on his finger when it gets bitten. "Me too." Jackson pecks it right after. He's smiling- -lips curving and making his full cheeks look chubbier. "He's so cute."

"He's going to turn back to being the obnoxious embarassing Ja- -guy." 

"I'm actually happy," Youngjae is talking, "I can finally stop pretending to feel ill. Not that it was bad. It was kind of fun playing with hyung, but I miss performing."

"The first thing you should do is tell Jackson hyung that he owes you a lot." Bambam says, "Now that you mentioned that pretending thing, I'll have to change my instagram bio, right?"

"Yup." Jaebum answers, popping the 'p'. "I think the first thing that I'll say to him is that I was very thankful that he was potty-trained. I mean, I imagined myself trying to teach him and nah, I would have not been able to do it. And oh, another scenario, fu- -fudge, imagine if he had to go to the bathroom at night but because he did not know how to use it, he decided to pee on the bed instead."

"It would have been our problem only the first night." Youngjae points out. "Mark hyung should be thankful."

Jaebum whistles in agreement. "I'm going to tell him that he loved me the most."

Mark turns his head to the guy, mouth sealed.

Did he.

Maybe, only the first few days.

"But he loves Mark hyung more now." Yugyeom retorts. He's Mark's favorite maknae. Definitely. He could not ask for a better one. Their Kim Yugyeom is the bestest of the best.

"He runs into my room in the morning. If that does not mean that I'm still his favorite- -"

"He sleeps with Mark hyung and he says that he loves Mark hyung."

"Yeah," Junior confirms, "he said it yesterday too. Because you told him that he couldn't have cotton candy."

Jaebum groans. "It's because he was not listening to you as usual and you were sulking."

"I was not sulking."

"Fine, you were pouting."

"Shut up, Im Jaebum." Junior says with a tone of finality and their leader does not reply. He only lets out an exasperated sigh.

Meanwhile, Jackson cannot stay still. He's sitting on Mark's belly now. He bounces lightly and he points somewhere on his left. "Yuyuuum! Hi Yuyuuum!" He waves his hand and Mark wishes he would stop moving. He has to keep him firm with his hands in the end.

"Hi, hyung!" Yugyeom says back and Jackson giggles, his shoulders are shaking slightly.

"Hi, Jackson hyung!" Bambam calls the toddler that inclines his head before leaning a little to his direction and again, he waves his hand.

"Babam and Yunji Dady, hi! Hi!"

"Daddy Yunji." Junior corrects casually- - it's become a habit - -playfully patting Jackson's hand.

Mark watches Jackson slapping the other guy in return, but instead of telling their little friend to stop like he does because 'Jackson shouldn't do that. He should be respectful' (to which Mark had pointed out that 'he's older than you. Not at the moment, but...still'), Junior continues playing and a smile blossoms on his face when Jackson shoves him with his foot.

"Momy Juni, I don't like dis."

"Oh, my god." Junior sounds like he might cry in a moment or another. "He said I. I tried to make him say it a hundred of times before, but he did not want to and now..Oh, my god."

"Mommy is very proud of you, hyung." Bambam is chuckling.

There is a very brief moment of silence before Yugyeom interrupts it. "My wallet won't cry anymore."

"Yes. " Bambam seconds him. "And the getting hit and not having the heart to hit back is coming to an end too. I'm going to make hyung pay for all those slaps." A couple of seconds pass. "Do you think that he'll keep all the toys?"

"Uh, maybe?"

Mark automatically wraps his arms around Jackson when he rests his head on his chest. He's practically found his place to sleep on Mark's chest- -he's curled like he is when he has to hide when they're playing. "Is baby Jackson tired?"

He feels Jackson shake his head.

"I think it's time for us to hear one of those famous great stories, hyung." Jaebum is smirking.

"Alright. Alright." Mark doesn't give importance to the leader's mocking expression. "You ready for your bedtime story, baby?"

"Ackson- -I. I no sleepy."

"Of course not." He knows already how to handle this situation. "One day King Jackson met a fairy named Youngjae..."

-