Prompt no: #034
Prompt: Mark is a private detective hired to follow Jinyoung, but Jinyoung is endearingly boring and mostly Mark just likes watching Jinyoung and sort of finds him adorable.
Title: Eyes on You
Authot: JJ17 (AO3)
Side pair: none
Rating: PG
Word count: 2k

“So you just… watch him?” Yugyeom eyebrow raises in intrigue. He sinks lower into his seat next to Mark, who is equipped with binoculars and a notebook. The song on the radio plays on low as Mark hums along. “Mostly, sometimes I watch his friends with him, it’s a little boring.” Mark says but he oddly looks very entertained, his breath practically fogged out the whole car. Hot and sticky against the cold glass window, he leans in closer to get a better look. “So what does he usually do?” Yugyeom says a bit disbelieving that Mark, the top investigator in their sector thought this was worth his time. “Today’s Tuesday, so usually he spends his mornings in the coffee shop. He always orders after nervously sitting around trying to decide what to order, and he gets mad when he puts the cream before the sugar.” Mark’s smile grows unconsciously on his face as the raven haired male sits, glasses pushed up on the bridge of his nose. He foot tapping against the hardwood floor. It stays still in the car for a good ten minutes before he works up the courage to go order. Sure enough he stands to wait in line. Then he finally gets his drink and takes a seat, opening up a book. He unconsciously pours his cream in and then he exclaims something Yugyeom can only assume is a curse word of sorts. “Really Mark, this is a little beneath your skills don’t you think?” Yugyeom rolls his eyes at the elder’s look of pure interest. It’s obvious the guy wasn’t up to anything life threatening, Mark had no further reason to be there.

“Yugyeom, as your chief investigator, the extent of the case is up to my evaluation. I think you should just sit back and let me do my job.” Mark snaps at him, finally fed up with what Yugyeom has to say about his studies. The kid didn’t even ask about what he’d found out Jinyoung did the rest of the week.

Jinyoung, Park Jinyoung was the key subject in a case filed two months ago. Along with three other people, Mark couldn’t even remember the names of at this point. He was 23, lived in Soho, New York and had a distinct way of moving around the earth that had made Mark swoon. Secretly of course, no one was to know that Mark was sort of head over heels for his subject. Being a Private Investigator meant he took the files and divided them amongst his team, being chief gave him first pick and as usual, he picked at random this time around. Mark had seen it all before, drug dealers, killers, hit men, but certainly not cute, dainty, sweet, little adorable guys with jet black hair that had a way of doing things in such a way that no matter what he somehow ended up looking like a swan that wasn’t so graceful. You get the point right?

It started when Jinyoung began his daily routine coffee runs, Mark had been intently watching back then to see what he was like. This file read ‘extremely witty and dangerous’ so he tried not to bring his camera the first day. He didn’t want Jinyoung to catch on. But the jet black haired male had walked right past him into the coffee shop, ordered a cappuccino, sipped on it and burned his tongue a bit while Mark stifled a laugh from the back of the room. He remembers him rapidly waving his hands in pain as he searched for napkins on his table. Jinyoung had worn a sweater vest that day, navy blue with a white button up underneath. His slacks hung from his legs a little awkwardly but matching with the perfect part in his hair somehow. He was stunning, but Mark was more focused on his job. Of course, that was 2 months ago. Mark had watched him every day after that, not much had changed though. Jinyoung fetched coffee every morning, somehow developed a habit of either burning himself or getting anxiety about ordering. Then he skipped off to his job, a kindergarten teacher at an elementary school. Mark would find a covered place in the park every day to watch. At around, 12:15 Jinyoung would tug along 15 small children to the park by himself every day. Mark had been surprised to see someone described as dangerous handling the children like he did. When one would trip and scrape a knee, loud cries blaring over car horns on the streets, Jinyoung would tend to them with so much care, wiping their tears and kissing oos. About the third day, Mark had realized Jinyoung was far from dangerous. 

On Wednesdays, Jinyoung would take his afternoon walks. Usually it was late and the sun had fallen, but Jinyoung had a naive mind and trusted the city to watch over him as he jogged around the blocks before coming in for the night. And Ma-

“Mark, Jesus can you stop spacing out for 5 minutes and listen to me.” Yugyeom hisses resisting the urge to smack Mark across the nape.

“If it’s about my subject, keep it to yourself.” Mark grumbles just in time to see Jinyoung leaving the coffee shop. That’s his cue, Jinyoung’s in route to work.

Mark drives slowly, like the professional he is, on his daily route to the park near PS-23 where Jinyoung works. Traffic is awful no doubt, but that’s why Yugyeom is there to drive. Mark hops out on foot a couple times to get some good shots, mostly of Jinyoung stopping to greet a familiar face or two. Mark would be lying if he said he didn’t love how polite and friendly Jinyoung was. He never had snubbed anyone in the two months Mark watched him. Usually he’d help an old woman with her groceries or catch a clumsy child, all while carrying his phone in one hand and hot beverage in another, book tucked under his arm even though he wore a backpack. Maybe that’s what Mark liked about him, his carefree mannerisms or how captivating he was even when he wasn’t doing anything at all.

Today Jinyoung wears something more casual. In the months Mark had been around this was a rarity, the younger seemed to have a style that was strictly business. But today it was a bit chilly and Jinyoung wore a black trench coat that fit too well and Mark had to remind himself ‘it's a job, Mark’ a few more times than usual today. He moved in a bit of a haste to get to work and looked a little gloomy today. This was normal, since Jinyoung was only human he had off days. Maybe a day where Mark didn't get to see him smile and watch the folds appear near his eyes or his hand move up to cover his mouth from a laugh (even though Mark rather see him without it).  

Mark dreaded those days the most.

Mark trailed him down the street a little while longer. Squeezing through the hustling 9-5 folks who had trains to catch. His Camera was too big sometimes, when the streets were too tight and he felt the bulk of the machine slam against his stomach as he walked. He came to a stop when Jinyoung walked into a shop he'd never been in before. Briefly Mark thought he might've been following the wrong person. But with a closer look it's surely Jinyoung….in a Lingerie shop? Mark quirked an eyebrow at the thought. What exactly could he be doing in such a place. The storefront was lit with purple neon lights that reflected on the sidewalk. Mark wondered if following him in the store was a good idea, it could be pretty tight in there and he didn't want to risk anyone noticing him quietly following them around. Especially not Park Jinyoung. Because what if Jinyoung was interested in him? What if he asked him a question? That was the last thing Mark wanted, because he was subject. (Definitely not because Mark had a big fat crush on him). 

Mark found his feet moving faster than his thoughts though, as he walked into the store. Greeted by the bell at the entrance and a tall blonde women smiled at him. “Hi, is there anything you're looking for today?” Her smile spread small on her face and Mark cringed inwardly because it was one of those smiles where you couldn't see the person’s teeth. “No just, looking.” Mark awkwardly nodded and pushed around her to get a good look around. The aisles were tightly bound just as Mark feared, he would have to walk the whole store to find the black haired man. He passed a variety of interesting and uncomfortable clothing items. Almost knocking over a few boxes of good knows what. He cursed at his clumsiness, he still hadn't seen Jinyoung and standing in an aisle next to bottles of lube was starting to make him look creepy. The woman who walked in and sped past him only proved it.

“Hyung, this place creeps me out.” Finally Mark had heard something that sounded familiar. Because Mark didn't do a lot of close range field work, Jinyoung's voice had been the biggest mystery to him. Sometimes he would whine a little too loud or Mark overheard a phone conversation on the street. But now it was loud and crisp, a smooth baritone voice. He swooned a bit, imaging how he'd sound saying Mark’s name or something sickeningly sweet like “I like you”...or something more.

“Jinyoungie, you came? What would Jackson say?” A guy, thick black hair covering his head and and glasses. He's got a smile that's as bright as the sun and Mark’s already jealous.

“He'd make some joke about the s behind you.” He shivers and his friend cracks a smile ruffling his nicely parted hair. 

“Why are you here so early anyway? I don't get off for another hour.” The guy guides Jinyoung into the back making whatever Jinyoung was about to say inaudible.

Mark cursed himself for doing such a risky thing and following Jinyoung in here. Hopefully he could get out before he was spotted.

He sighed turning around. Promising himself that he would be more careful and not get so involved in Jinyoung again. He was almost to the door when someone placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Hey! Sorry, you dropped something.” Mark’s eyes widened as Jinyoung stood in front of him smiling. Holding a pen he always kept in his back pocket. In good news, Jinyoung had only seen him briefly since he snatched the pen and ran out the store. Hopefully Jinyoung's memory was bad and he could get by for the next two months without getting caught.