Mark knocks on the same brown mahogany doors he’s been so used to facing, shoulders a little slumped.

“Come in.”

He sighs as he twists the brass doorknob, sliding through the opening. He doesn’t greet Henry with his usual cheeky smile and bright voice, instead dragging his feet across the hardwood floors. This shocks Henry quite a bit for Mark has always been a bright kid and was rarely this upset over something.

“What’s wrong, Lil Marco?” The caretaker asks, taking a seat next to the sulking boy on the couch.

“I ed up, hyung.” Mark sniffs as he looks down at the fidgeting fingers on his lap. “The boys hate me now.”

Henry frowns. As far as he knew, the seven of them stuck together like glue. They were a great bunch of friends who love each other unconditionally, and accepted each other’s flaws and mistakes. They were a dream team, and anyone could see that.

“I highly doubt that, Mark ah,” Henry scoots closer to the boy and wraps an arm around his shoulders, patting his bad comfortingly. “They love you no matter what, even a blind person could see that.”

Mark buries his face in his hands, shaking his head profusely. “Not after what I did, hyung.”

And so Mark explains to Henry about the whole situation, beginning with why he ever started with his anti-adoption plans. As much as he hated to admit it, Donghyuck was right. He was a selfish coward. He was so afraid of being left alone again he didn’t think of others’ feelings.

Mark throws his arms around a still shocked Henry and weeps into his shoulder. Henry could only offer a hand rubbing at his back and a few words of comfort, because after all, this was a matter that only Mark himself could fix.

“Hey Mark?” Henry speaks again within the silent room, where only little hiccups from the younger boy could be heard. The latter looks up at him questioningly, eyes puffy and swollen. “Wanna know what it was like being your caretaker?”

Even after pouring out his feelings and getting all emotional, Mark still had the cheek to roll his eyes at his hyung. 

“You’ve already told me a million times how much of a troublemaking brat I am, hyung. I don’t need more of that, especially not right now.”

Henry simply laughs and gets up from the couch. “Let me just go get something from Heechul hyung’s office.”

With that, the young caretaker leaves the room and Mark is left alone wondering how on earth he was going to make it up to the boys.

-

Jeno sits cross legged on the ledge by the large window of his room, staring blankly at the empty streets below. He lets out a long sigh and leans against the window, eyes drifting to a close.

“What’s up with you?” He cracks his eyes back open when he hears his cousin’s voice. He turns to Donghyuck and gives him a seemingly bittersweet smile.

“Nothing much.”

“You always at lying.” Donghyuck rolls his eyes, propping himself up onto the bay-window facing his cousin. He playfully nudges Jeno’s knee with his foot, smiling when the latter tries to stifle a laugh. “You better tell me!”

Jeno’s expression turns sad again however, avoiding Donghyuck’s eyes as he stares out the window again.

“What if Mark hyung was right?” He murmurs softly, but Donghyuck catches it anyways.

“What do you mean?”

Jeno looks back at his cousin with so much sorrow and worry in his eyes that Donghyuck felt his heart drop a little.

“What if it’s all my fault that this… thing happened?”

Donghyuck wanted to smack his cousin in the face for thinking that way, and so he does, but lovingly of course.

“Don’t be ridiculous! You and Jaemin are practically in love with each other, it’s only natural for you guys to always want to be together.” He almost cringes at his own words, but decides against it, hand squeezing his cousin’s knee comfortingly instead. “You’re not being selfish okay? Neither of you are.”

“Is that how you feel about Mark hyung too?” Jeno questions out of the blue. “How much you care about him, even though he can be an sometimes?”

“Don’t say that about him! He’s just misunderstood.” The tanner male playfully smacks his cousin again, earning a cheeky laugh from him. He snorts and leans back against the wall. “But yeah, I love him, unfortunately.”

There is a long silence before Jeno speaks up again.

“Hyuck, I’m not exactly ready to leave.”

“Wait what?” Donghyuck stares at him, confused. “Then why did you even agree to the adoption?”

“I don’t know?” The older shrugs. “Mom always taught me to never miss out on new experiences. I didn’t want to disappoint her I guess? Because I know she would’ve wanted me to go for it.”

Donghyuck sighs and scoots closer to his cousin, wrapping his arm around the older’s shoulders.

“Yeah, my mom told me that too. But Jeno, she wouldn’t want you to do something you aren’t ready for, no matter how big the opportunity is.”

Jeno looked up at his cousin all of a sudden, a strange look upon his face.

“What?” Donghyuck questions.

“I have to go talk to Mr. Kim! And Jaemin too!” He swiftly hops off the ledge with his newfound enthusiasm and makes his way out of the room. “Thanks Hyuck!”

The tanner male lifts a brow, bemused by his cousin’s antics. “You’re welcome, I think?”

-

Mark drags his feet towards his room, not the one he shared with the boys but his old room. The very first room he got when he was an orphan. His hands clutching an envelope so tight the sides crumple slightly.

Any passer by would’ve thought he was a ghost with the way he was walking and the look on his face, but he was simply deep in thought, mind still processing his caretaker’s words from earlier.

When Henry came back into his office, he had two things in his hands - a familiar drawing and a brown envelope. He sat down in front of Mark and presented the two items to him.

“This envelope was in your backpack when I found you all those years ago.” Henry tells him, placing the envelope in his hands. “It’s a letter from your mom. Was told to give it to you when you turn eighteen but I think now is the perfect time.”

Mark stared at the envelope in his hands, unsure of what to feel.

“And this drawing,” The caretaker interrupts his thoughts, lifting up the drawing to show the young boy. It was a typical drawing of a boy holding a woman’s hand, with a house, the sun and flowers. “This was your drawing, Mark. I’m sure you remember it?”

Oh he does remember that drawing, but only vaguely.

“Why are you showing me that?” He asks. “It’s just a silly little kid’s drawing.”

“Well, that silly little kid happened to draw this exact same picture every time he got the chance.” Henry simply smiles and puts down the drawing. “I have a whole box of this drawing of yours, Mark.”

“So? What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You miss her, Mark. You miss your mom. No matter how hard you tried to deny it, or how many times you always said you hated her, you always miss her. You drew this picture in the exact same way every week, even after you realised she was never coming back.”

Henry waited a little for any sort of response from the young boy, but Mark was still staring helplessly at him. So he continued.

“Of course you stopped when you turned twelve and got busy with education. Mark, I watched you grow from when you first got here till now. You can be a troublemaker, yes, but you’re still a soft hearted boy who just misses his mom. You say you hate her so much, but you still listen to her last words - to not sleep too late and to brush your teeth before bed. You’ve actually grown to accept her leaving you, so I’m sure you can do the same with your friends.”

So when Mark finally reaches his old room, he locked the door and lay himself down on the small bed. His eyes linger on the envelope for almost half an hour, unsure of wether he should read the letter or not.

it, he decides, grabbing the envelope and ripping it open. His heart swells and he almost tears up when he sees the first few words in his mother’s handwriting.

That night, Mark cried himself to sleep. He cried out realising how selfish and stupid he had been. He had blamed his mother for everything, when all she was doing was protecting him.

Someone was after them, threatening to torture them both. But they couldn’t run away of course, for they wouldn’t go far with the little money that they had.

His mother didn’t want him to go through all that, which was why she left him at such a safe place. She was long gone now.

Mark lay in bed clutching the letter to his chest as he cried, his little hiccups echoing throughout the room. He falls asleep thinking of his mother’s words, promising himself to make things right the next day.

I’m so sorry, Minhyung ah, please forgive me. Mommy loves you the most, and mommy is always with you.

-

Tension filled the room the moment Donghyuck stepped in. Everyone was sitting so far apart from each other, and it was so quiet that he almost shivered.

He sees Mark sitting in the armchair, biting his nails, obviously thinking about something. The eldest had called them all into the room for a “meeting”, saying he wanted to talk to everyone.

But when Donghyuck saw him that morning, worry was an understatement. His hair was like a bird’s nest and his eyes, oh his eyes. They were bloodshot red and puffy, unable to be hidden behind his round glasses.

The tanned male was itching to ask him about it, but they still weren’t on the best of terms. After all, Donghyuck still never got a definite reply from the older after his very frustrating confession the other day. He chooses stay quiet and lean against the couch instead.

Realising that everyone was finally present, Mark clears his throat and stood up in front of the six boys. Hands in his pockets, he looks down, avoiding their awaiting eyes.

“I uh…” He begins. “I’m sorry, guys. Not just for the other day, but for everything as well.”

He nervously looked up at his friends, hoping for a response, but of course there is none. He takes a deep breath and locked eyes with Jaemin’s glassy ones.

“I’m really sorry about what I said about you, Na Na.” He manages to say. “I didn’t mean any of that, and I certainly didn’t mean to make you cry.”

Jaemin bites his lip and looks away, however he gives a little nod in acknowledgement.

“I’m sorry about what I said about you too, Jeno yah. Don’t think it’s your fault okay? It’s not, it’s my fault.” He turns to Jeno as well, who mouths an it’s okay with a little smile.

“I just…” Mark pauses mid sentence, feeling his eyes water. He buries his faces in his hands and sniffs a little too loudly before managing to choke out his words, voice still wavering. “I just m-miss my mom, you g-guys. I miss her s-so much. A-and I was angry. I was s-still so a-angry at her and I took it out on y-you, which was w-wrong. I’m so f-ing s-sorry.”

He finally breaks down in front of them, surprising the boys.

“Hyung…” Donghyuck whimpers out. He gets up to comfort the older boy but Mark looks up and stops him.

“You guys don’t have to forgive me, but I really am sorry. I’m sorry for stopping you guys from finding new families. I’m sorry for being such a bad hyung.” He takes another deep breath before continuing. “I finally found out why my mom left, and I’ve also come to realise some things, including you.”

Mark locked eyes with Donghyuck, who stood still. He takes a few steps towards the younger and smiles between his tears. Donghyuck freezes when the older holds his hands and continued looking into his eyes.

“I agree that I’m a selfish coward. An . Or whatever names you like to call me. And I don’t know why you still love me despite all that but,” There is a slight pause before he continues. He hears a few gasps in the background when he unceremoniously pecks Donghyuck on the lips, and the younger boy reddens.

“But this is in love with you too, Lee Donghyuck.”

“Oh ma gad, finally!” Chen Le exclaims excitedly, but is immediately shushed by Ren Jun.

Mark laughs a little, but Donghyuck’s silence worries him.

“Hyuck? Say something, please?”

“W-what?” Donghyuck finally snaps out of it. Realising what just happened, he groaned, the flush on his cheeks reaching the tips of his ears. “Oh God.”

The eldest messily brings the younger into his embrace, chin resting atop his reddish brown locks. He ignores his words of I hate you so much that were muffled by his chest and laughs.

Mark looks at the rest of his friends whose moods were finally lifted and were cheering at the new couple. Even Jaemin, who was feeling hurt earlier was giggling.

Speaking of Jaemin, Mark calls out to him and the pretty boy looks at him in confusion.

“You can go with Jeno if you want to, Jaemin ah.” Mark smiles at him. “I won’t stop you, or any of you from now on.”

“Actually…” Donghyuck interrupts, pulling away from the older’s embrace. “They’re not leaving anymore.”

“Huh?”

“Yeah about that,” Jeno explains, fingers rubbing the back of his neck as hops off his bed. “I’m actually still not ready to leave yet. I’m sorry for the mix up, but I already talked to Mr. Kim.”

“Then why did you agree in the first place?” Ren Jun asks.

“Eh, long story, I’ll explain later.” Jeno replies sheepishly. “But hey, the dream team is back in business!”

“Dream team?” Donghyuck questions. “Is that what you call us?”

“It was Na Na’s idea~” Jeno argues, arm circling around said boy’s waist. He gives the pretty boy a soft kiss on his cheek and smiles.

“Ugh, you hyungs are gross!” Jisung suddenly retorts from the side, faking a vomitting sound. “That includes you too, Mark hyung and Donghyuck hyung!”

Mark rolls his eyes and randomly swoops down to kiss Donghyuck as well, just to annoy the youngest. Donghyuck hits his arm, but the blush on his cheekbones was still prominent.

“Nooo, my innocence!” Jisung complains. “I hate you all.”

“Shut it, baby chick.” Mark teases. “Come here, you guys! Group hug!”

The seven boys huddle up with Mark getting squashed up in the middle. They scream out happily even when they all fall to the floor from the unbalanced weight of the group hug. Happiness filled the room once more, nonetheless, as the boys shared their love for one another.

A dream team indeed.

-

 

omfG HI IM BACK AFTER ALMOST 4 MONTHS KSKFNGIWEOLS I'm so so soooo sorry you guys school is being a and dance trainings are hectic af!!! But yes I'm back to writing again dw! I'm still busy w school and dance of course but I'm on a fic roll these days, hopefully I can get more things out! Anyways I hope you guys like this chapter! It's not the last chapter, there's one more left! I'm almost done with the last chapter, so it MIGHT be out tonight or tomorrow!!

This chapter wasnt proofread cause Im lazy af but thANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR STAYING!!! WOULD LOVE TO HEAR WHAT U GUYS THINK OF THIS CHAPTER!!! SEE YALL SOON XX