Anyeong everyone ^^

So I promised to deliver Monday... which would have been possible if I hadnt gotten sick over the  previous weekend, followed by 2 accidents of Word Document not saving my previous edits. Like seriously the first time was more then 1K words who were suddenly lost, the second time all changes I added dissapear, so I typed, and re-typed bc how could I remember every detail I wrote in one try ><, which is why there was such delay. Like ugh. 

I wanted to actually update tomorow as I have no time tonight to reply to my mailbox (So sorry to Fubuki and Kk12Snoopy for it as I didnt even had the time to reply to the pevious mails) nor can I reply to the comments right now, but I thought I would update now and reply tomorow morning. I usually dont get so much time to reply to comments, but I have been drained so much lately (on emotional level) that I prefer not to interact socially unless I am fine (so that I can reply to you in sunshine and happy go lucky attitude ^^)

Another big Thank YOU, I love u too, to my editor Fubuki, Lady Detective Criscee, Extra Queen Vernon-yollie, very lovely Atiqah, DollyWookie, Star-Dancer and Akizuki for their great support that they bring to me with every comment they write. U guys are amazing, and I can always keep my motivation up by re-reading your comments everytime I feel low battery X3

A very Thank YOU SO MUCHIE X3 to those who always ask about my well being, be it here or on my twitter account. They are this fanfic godparents as they care of it much more then me; My UwU mom CoffeeBlossom, Fluffy Sis Kpoplover_fluff and my Extra Jae Oppa (aka Jaemin09) 

About this chapter....I invest much enery on it, so I hope you guys will like it. After the chapter there is Part 1 of FUTURE LEE FAMILY , but I am warning you, there might be certain spoilers in it...so if u want to wait after the story finishes, you can ^^

PART 2 ? ^^ Ah I will need more time,but for those who are curious, here is how following chapters will look like:

NEXT CHAPTER (may take 2 parts): Family outing (Action + TenXTaeyongXMark request) 2 Following chapters: Nancy says hello (Angst? Action? XP)  Chapter after it: Blackowl comes into the picture + Its Mafia Time ^^ Last scripted chapter: Jisung's dissease Afterwards we will round up the story with about 2 or 3 fluffy chapters. Depends on inspiration ^^

I am still thinking If I should write a part 2 of this story or simply a fluff dairy (B-side story) or simply just a new one (Mark centered but it can be pretty much in the same style as this one....)

Anyways, I gota go (that song is so great eventhough I am not really into those romantic lyrics ^^;), so lets enjoy it, and as always lots of love (and patience ^^;) 

See you....uhm in about 2 weeks (Cuz I got my family from France visiting this week, though next update will probably be long around 8k or smth)?

Let's get it! *Jams on So am I *(NCt -version)

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“Can you present yourself?” Mr.Johnson started innocently as he looked with a rather friendly expression towards Mark.

“I am Lee Mark Minghyun, 13 years old.”

“You are Lee Taeyong’s eldest son?”

Mark nodded.

“You seem quite mature for a child…” Mr. Johnson trailed before continuing: “Do you perhaps remember how old you were when your parents divorced?”

Mark glanced slightly at Lucas, who was playing with his Jisung’s hands.

“No, not really.”

“Oh, you must have been to young I presume.”

Mark shrugged as if he didn’t care.

“I heard your relationship with your biological father is quite delicate?”

This time Mark didn’t need to look at Lucas to answer: “My father and I are akward by nature. But thanks to my dad” Mark nodded towards Taeyong, “things have always been fine and cool between us.”

“I see.” Mr Johnson frowned lightly; that kiddo had evaded two traps…had he underestimated the kid or was it mere luck?

“I presume its not easy to be hyung. Your donsaegns must have given you some hard times. After all you are with 5 boys…and with your father’s job, I guess you must have babysitted a lot.”

Mark’s instinct was the one that made him go silent for an instant. Every word he would say should be weighted.

“My dad worked hard for us. Both me and my brothers knew, so we were not difficult with our Uncle or Appa whenever they babysitted us.”

“Your Appa is a CEO of a company right? I am sure he and your uncle couldn’t always babysit you whenever you dad needed. How much times did you babysit your brothers alone?”

“Appa is busy. So is uncle. But we were never left alone.” Mark replied with something like steel in his voice.

“Really? Just now I saw that you were the one responsible of taking care of your brother while your dad was being questioned here. Not your appa but you. Your brother seemed to be used to your care as well. I would have assumed you are taking care of him very often to be so good with kids.”

“They are my dongsaengs. We get along very well. My dad works hard. So whenever uncle and appa babysited us, I helped them as well and my dongsaengs behaved even more then usual.”

“I see. I have here a testimony of your old neighbour; she says she often saw you taking your dongsaengs home alone.”

Mark looked slightly at Lucas, who was still playing with Jisung hands.

“My Appa sometimes picks me and my dongsaengs up with his car. My dad is usally already at home, so he leaves us at our house entrance. Is that what you are reffering to?”

“I don’t know, you tell me?” Mr.Johnson smiled as he continued; “Kids your age can’t really sit still. But you seem rather calm, eventhough any kid your age would have been a bit scared to be questioned like this in front of the court. That’s very brave of you.”

Mr.johnson stoped talking as he felt the atmosphere, the judges understanding his silent accusations.

“Oh but you must be a brave young men, afterall you go to school alone right? For a city like Seoul that’s pretty insecure. Tell me Mark when does your dad usually finishes work?”

“At 5 o’clock.” Mark responds.

“And you finish school at?”

“At 4 o’clock.” Mark knew what the following question would be, but to his surpirse Mr.Johnson didn’t say anything.

Johnny cursed inwardly. He deliberately didn’t ask explanations, b*stard.

“Do you receive pocket money Mark?” Mr.Johnson started after a while.

Mark looked slightly at Lucas who didn’t play this time with Jisung’s hands.

“I don’t.”

“Oh? Really? Even after a session of babysit?”

Mark frowned: “Babysit whom?”

“Your babybrother is only three, I guess its not easy taking care of him while also keeping an eye on your other 3 sibilings.”

Mark was speechless at his perseverance of pushing on nonsenses.

Yes, he had babysitted plenty times, but he had never considered it babysitting in the first place. And 90% of the times he had his Appa, Uncle or a UNITED hyung at his sides.

Instead he replied: “I usually play whenever our uncles or appa babysit us. I help only whenever Jisung is sick because he gets very clingy to me.”

Johnhy looked at Mark with a calculating gaze…don’t tell me…?

“Oh really? He gets clingy to you? Why is that?” Mr.Johnson smiled secretly as the bait had been taken.

Mark shrugged as if he didn’t care but his answer shattered the smile on Mr.Johnson face: “Jisung sufferes a lot when he is sick. My dad says its because he nearly died horribly when he was an infant. So whenever he feels pain again he seeks someone out, as he is probably afraid that we won’t hear him or abodon him like his biological parents did.”

Johnny’s eyes flashed with admiration; the kiddo surely was Ten son’s ah!

That Johnson had thought he was laying out a trap, and that the bait had been taken but in the end he had harmed himself by taking the bait Mark had left for him!

“O-oh really?” Mr.Johnson tried to regain his composure. “I am sure your dad is only being too sensitive. You don’t know for sure that this is the case…Maybe Jisung clings to you because you take care of him often?”

Mark wanted to sigh; this guy was worse then Mingyu or Lami, hitting his nerves spot on.

“I am his hyung, I care about him like all my other donsgaengs care about him. Whenever he is seriously ill, he will cling to any of us.”

That wasn’t exactly correct but Mark would never allow his and Jisung’s close relationship to be the cause of harming his dad and Jisung himself.

“Your little brother must be feeling very insecure if he is clinging too all of you whenever he is in pain…Maybe he feels not enough love, after all there are 5 kids in the house…Its no easy feat to give all of them equally attention and care.”

“You are not making any sense.” Mark’s cold voice had reached its freezing point, and Mr.Johnson’s eyes gleamed, as he couldn’t help but rejoice he had made the kid snap…He should make him more angry, and use that anger to let him answer some questions in his favour!

“Oh, really? How come?”

Johnny wanted to signal Mark secretly to stay calm, but his phone lighted up again with a message of his lover: “Oh Popcorn-time! Babe did I tell you why you should never anger Taeyongie?”

Johnny blinked his eyes- what the heck?-  but before he could make sense of his sneaky lover, Mark’s

cold voice changed into velvet as he softly began to speak; his eyes emitting an aura of ice.

 

 

 

Taeyong felt he had compeletly failed his role as a father, as he saw helplessly how his eldest son was being introgated in front of the court.

Mark sat there because of his sake.

His heart felt scared and guilty, and he squished Jisung more protectively into his chest, the kid who had been glaring at Lucas for playing with his finger looked up to him and Taeyong gave him what he hoped would be a reassured and self-confident smile.

Taeyong’s heart however quivered with every minute that passed as he understood more clearly then anyone what and why Mr.Johnson was trying to achieve.

Yes; despite all his hyungs and ex-lovers claim, he knew better then anyone that he had done a poor job on Mark and Renjun.

Even Jeno wasn’t your typical wild and innocent kid.

He knew better then anyone that his hyung-line were as responsible, quite and mature as adults.

And he blamed himself for it.

More then once, everyday he tried to reverse the result of his failed parenthood;

Though Jeno was still fine, Renjun had become even better since the return of Winwin.

But Mark…

Mark, was the worst. And it would be impossible to reverse it.

Taeyong had turned his eldest child into his pilar, and he regretted it with all his heart that it had come till the point of no return.

His heart loved the kid immensely. Yet it always felt regret that he had taken his childhood away to early.

Taeyong remembered very clearly, some years ago, how he once had to leave home for about a week. He usually always refused those kind of jobs, but UNITED was on a world tour, and he wouldn’t be able to survive 3 months without any pay. He had no fix salary: every hour spend during dance class was remunerated, every choreography created was remunerated and every rehearsal or routine class was remunerated.

But doing nothing? That he, sadly, was never paid for.

There was no UNITED to care for three months, busy with their world tour, and there was no other offer he had received from any other company to choreograph an upcoming comeback of their artist.

So Taeyong had accepted that offer, one which he would have to spend 3 days in Busan, and then 4 days in Hong Kong.

Of course, Taeyong had panicked.

He had gotten frustrated three days before his departure, had re-checked his kids sleep-over bags ten times and had double-checked with his Doyoung hyung if he was sure he could handle the kids for so long.

In response to the later, he had received a ten-minute rant of his hyung about “Can you give me something called confidence?” along the lines of “Please relax in heaven’s sake, you are not going on the other side of the earth”.

Needless to say, three hours after his arrival in Busan, he had video called his ex-brother-in-law, just to make sure everyone was okay.

Doyoung had rolled his eyes, seeming not surprised at all (he was not his hyung for nothing) before he had switched off the camera-lens for Taeyong to see: Chenle was taking his nap on the couch, the little 2-year old hugging his dolphin plushie to his chest to which Taeyong had cooed.

Taeyong missed already his little cute angel that liked to give hugs.

Doyoung walked away from him after re-adjusting the blanket on his tinny body, and the camera showed Renjun who was helping Jeno with his homework at the eating-table in his Doyoung’s hyung living room

“Happy, you worrywart?” Doyoung had asked sarcastically after giving Renjun and Jeno some time to chat with their Dad.

“Where is Jisung?” Taeyong had asked, worried mostly about the barely 1-year old who was usually very fussy without his dad.

Doyoung smiled, as he brought his finger to his lips, indicating Taeyong to be silent, while making his way softly to the guest-room: The camera showed the figure of his eldest son, who had a nearly asleep Jisung in his arms,who was still drinking the little bit of milk that was still left in his bottle.

Jisung had propbably be