“Carefull Minie.” Winwin softly guided his godson’s frame through the entrance, helping him with untying his shoes while the sound of approaching footsteps could be heard.

“Hyung!”

“Ge!”

It was without surprise that Jisung reached his Mark Hyung first, jumping up to claim his Hyung’s embrace first.

Mark smiled as he greeted his siblings one by one with hugs and pats, huge grins on their faces as they had missed their hyung’s presence at home, despite the frequent visits to the hospitals.

“Welcome home hyung!” the happy chorus warmed up Winwin’s heart as he heard the even happier reply: “Hyung is back.”

Jisung clinged to his leg, clearly not allowing his hyung to move without being held into his arms.

Since the incident, Taeyong had discovered that Jisung seemed more clingy towards his hyung, asking him openly for affection and care.

At first the young dad had translated this as guilt or angst for losing his hyung, yet Kun had assured him it was probably more the fact that Jisung’s and Mark’s bond had become closer, reassuring Taeyong that his maknae was fine and happy.

Taeyong smiled at the sight of his kids reunion, all crowed around his eldest, smiles bigger then he had seen since Mark’s hospitalisation. Even his eldest seemed more healthier then he was yesterday; eyes full of warmth and livelier than ever.

“Welcome back son!”

Needless to say, Taeyong claimed a huge family hug, peppering his sons’ faces with kisses, happy giggles making their home full of warmth.

Mark stared at his dad, who was humming a melody, body elegantly moving in the kitchen as he prepared tomorow's lunchboxes with a smile on his face; Mark wondered...was it the right decsion to do so. He didn't want to trouble his dad. But he didnt want to see his dad's dissapointed face ever again of finding out Mark had again hidded something important behind his back. He hesitated slightly before calling him out.

“Dad.” Taeyong turned around in surprise from his work in the kitchen, finding his eldest son leaning carefully on the table for some support.

“Love? What’s wrong?” he had left his eldest son an hour ago with Renjun, kissing them goodnight, and with Mark’s leg that still needed some support to function correctly he wondered what could have brought him trough the trouble to going down on his own.

“C-Can I talk to you.” Mark’s soft voice held some hesitation as Taeyong helped him to properly sit on a kitchen chair.

“Always Love, you know that, don’t you?” Taeyong reassured him immediately, trying to remain with a calm expression as he took a seat next to him, giving his son his undivided intention.

“What is it?”

Mark fumbled slightly with his birth pendant (a very old gift of Doyoung which never left his neck), seeming to search for words. It worried Taeyong a lot, that his son seemed this bothered, but on the other hand it made him feel he was finally doing a great job as a parent as Mark had taken the initiative to talk about this issue that seemed to weight him down.

“Hey.” Taeyong softly took both of his fumbeling hands into his own: “whatever it is, you can tell dad. Slowly, take your time, dad will wait and listen.”

Mark nodded softly as he hesitated twice before saying: “Dad. I actually want your approval.”

“Approuval?” Taeyong hadn’t expected such a scenario to fold out.

“I…I am going to do something, and I wanted you to know… even if I can’t tell you what and-”

This was getting dangerous; “Hold on a minute, Love. Why can’t you tell dad what you will be doing?”

Mark looked down, seeming sad at the question and Taeyong who understood his son the best berated himself: Mark was a responsible and thoughtful child, more often then not as Yuta liked to remind him, even more then most adults.

 Surely if he couldn’t say…

“Mark, I only want to understand why. You don’t have to tell me what it is if you think…it is better not, but at least give me a reason so that I don’t have to worry about it, alright?” Taeyong hushed him as he sat closer towards his son, lifting up his chin so that he could see his sparkling kind doe eyes.

“…”

“Slowly. Take your time.” Taeyong smiled as he saw the blush on his cheeks, thinking his eldest son was still that cute lion cub as ever. Responsible teenager who? He would remain his little cute baby, ah.

“I can’t tell you-” Mark seemed to be even more sad then Taeyong about it, which somehow relieved and scared Taeyong at the same time, “Because I have to follow the rules if I want it to work.”

“Rules? Which rules? And what do you want to work?” Taeyong was getting puzzeled more and more, wondering what was going on.

“The rules…I can tell them either.” Mark looked down again at his lap, afraid his dad would blame him, but before Taeyong could give him any comfort he looked up, with determination in his eyes: “But I have to, because I want it to work out.”

Taeyong was surprised: that face…that look in the eyes. It screamed Ten’s allure and confidence, and for the first time Taeyong wondered if maybe his son was destined to become as powerfull as his father was.

The moment however broke quickly down as Mark’s face transformed into worry at his Dad’s silence.

Taeyong sighed: “Alright. Let me get this straight. You will do something, which you can’t tell me,” Mark nodded.

“Because there are rules that ask you to do so, and which you follow because whatever you are about to do is something you want or need to do?”

Mark nodded again.

“But you still told me this, because you want my approval?”

 Again a silent nod.

“…Mark I can’t give you my approval for something which I don’t know, love.”

Mark’s kicked expression made Taeyong sigh: “It’s not that I don’t trust you. But as a parent I am just worried. You are not supposed to hide me things, at least not yet at that age.” Taeyong playfully added as he pinched his son’s cheeks.

“Can you tell me why you need my approval? Are you going to be in danger or something?” Taeyong’s heart calmed down as he saw his son’s eyes widening in surprise before shaking his head in deny.

“Then why do you need my approval Love?”

Mark bit the inside of his cheeks before hesitatingly saying: “Dad…last time you talked with father about my identity, right?”

Taeyong blinked his eyes as his memory helpfully provided the memories of that day he and Ten had been talking in the kitchen, the day after that nightmare accident. He had suspected Mark had heard a part of the conversation, though he wasn’t very sure. It seems his doubts were confirmed.

“That’s right, what about it Love?” Taeyong tried to make a link with his and Ten’s conversation to his son sudden request.

“That decision that I could have made at 16…”

I will let him choose on his 16th birthday.

“I need to take it now in order to do that thing.”

Taeyong’s eyes widened as he looked at Mark, completely shocked.

The silence was too heavy in their kitchen and Mark eyes were getting even more worried as he tentatively asked: “Dad?”

Taeyong closed his eyes, before sighing.

Ah well Karma.

He always ran away from it, and here it came knocking at his door the moment he was least expecting it.

He had made his resolve about it anyway, ever since Winwin’s warning that night, vowing it again to Ten, resolving himself to whatever would happen, he would accept it and support his children.

He wanted to curse himself for speaking those words so casually. It was so difficult to do so in reality.

“Dad?” the even more palpable panic could be heard in that familiar silk voice and Taeyong opened his eyes again, looking resigned.

“Alright. So, you made that decision. If you are asking for my approval…I guess it is positive?”

Mark looked like he wanted to shake his head right there, right now, but his son still nodded softly in the end.

Taeyong sighed: “Well you better give me a very good reason for it, Love. Otherwise I will probably kill your father right now for bringing me this headache.”

Mark looked relieved and sad at the same time and Taeyong decided to help his lost son answering the problem at hand: “Okay, if you don’t tell me directly but indirectly…are you then breaking those rules?”

Mark hesitated slightly before saying; “No…But there are some things that I can’t-”

“Well lets begin with the things you can say indirectly then.” Taeyong sighed, “Can I call your uncle Winwin, are do you prefer to talk about this only with me?”

Mark hesitated before saying: “Whatever Dads prefers.”

Taeyong smiled softly, before caressing his cheeks in gratitude: “Let me call him then because dad thinks he is going crazy.”

Mark winced at the fact he had brought this problem to his Dad, but Taeyong chuckled: “It’ss alright. You will get crazy too, in the future when you start your own family and get such an adorable-” he pinched Mark’s cheeks who whined directly at the contact- “yet mischievous son!”

“Oh, I bet he will.” A silkier voice interrupted them, making both of them nearly jump as Taeyong chastised Winwin yet again, who entered the kitchen elegantly before also taking a chair next to Taeyong.

“I swear one day you are going to kill me-” Taeyong slaped his chest with a bit of grudge. The amount of scares he got in a week because of his sworn brother’s sudden appearances couldn’t be counted on two hands! This is where Renjun and Chenle mischievousness came from, ah!

“You are going to kill yourself with your own worries and not because of me.” Winwin lightly smiled as he nodded towards Mark.

“I am here now, so continue the conversation.”

“Where you listening?!” Taeyong asked in surprise.

Winwin snorted; “I did so the moment he was in the kitchen. I was just on my laptop in the living room, what did you expect?”

Taeyong rolled his eyes: “To give us some privacy?”

“Privacy? We are living in the same house.” Winwin rolled his eyes back at his sworn brother who merely mumbled something about never being able to win against him in words.

“So? Why did you decide to take such a decision Minnie?”

Mark feeling slightly better confronting his Uncle then his dad, answered with a bit more of confidence: “It’s worth it.”

“I see. So, you are saying if you take this decision you will be able to gain something worth of it?” Winwin who was a master of interrogation and words, quickly translated Mark’s hidden message to Taeyong.

Mark nodded.

“Why? Why is it worth it?” Winwin scrutinised Mark’s face, from body language to every micro muscle movement; reading the unspoken words left to be pick.

“If…dad or uncle were in my place…You would do everything to have it too.” Mark who couldn’t give a direct answer, tried to explain and convince them.

“Oh. Something your Dad and me want to have?” Winwin wrecked his brain as he analysed possible things he and Taeyong couldn’t acquire yet wanted to do so plus considering Mark’s personality to scratch impossible outcomes.

Oh.

But how could he gain that with his identity?

Winwin tried to confirm his doubt: “Could it possibly…affect our family positively?”

Both he and Taeyong knew it hit the jackpot as Mark’s face paled, eyes widening slightly.

“For our family?” Taeyong thought he was quite dumb for not realising that if his son wanted to have something it wouldn’t have been something for himself. It would indeed involve his dongsaengs and uncl-

Donsaengs. Taeyong’s body froze.

If…Dad or Uncle were in my place…You would do everything to have it too.”

Taeyong frowned. Could it be?

He looked towards Winwin and his eyes widdend as he saw the answer in his sworn-brother eyes.

“How?!” Taeyong exclaimed as even Jaehyun’s and Ten’s own identity had failed to do so.

That was imposible, if Ten’s identity hadn’t been enough then how could Mark claim to do so by making this decision? It didn’t maka any sense!

Winwin however had a little idea on the how the possible “How” could occure.

Rules, huh.

“Minnie. Are you making this decision so that you could be…on even ground with someone?”

Mark looked at his Uncle Winwin in total bewilderment. How was he able to guess-

“Wait a minute, you know what he is going to do?” Taeyong hopefully asked towards Winwin who slowly nodded.

“What is it?! Is it dangerous?” he asked impatiently towards his swornbrother who still remained silent.

“Its not dangerous. But its not safe either. But in his case, the danger isn’t worrisome. In fact, it could even protect him in the future.”

“What do you mean? Stop talking in riddles, tell me directl-”

Winwin shook his head: “He can’t. And I can’t. Those are the rules. Once he does it, he will be able to tell you. But not beforehand.”

Taeyong looked puzzled at both of them, frustration gripping his heart. “The both of you really want to make me go crazy with worry. Yah Dong Si Cheng, why can’t you tell me even one word huh?”

“Dad.”

“Tae-”

“Fine, Fine!” Taeyong sighed as he interrupted their pleas. “I know that if it was something bad or something crazy, your Uncle Winwin wouldn’t have bothered to take your side. But tell me Mark…how did you know you could do whatever you are planning to do?”

Mark awkwardly scratched his head, while Winwin chuckled: “I am guessing that a little, no a giant bird must have been able to tell you this… thanks to his amazing access to information.”

Mark looked at his Uncle with a bit of admiration on his face: “Uncle how do you keep doing that?”

Winwin laughed, “There is no way you would have been able to know it from Renjun. And I doubt seeing any of your Appa’s or Father telling you this.”

“Renjun? What giant bird?” Taeyong’s headache was getting bigger. What was this puzzle game they were playing since they had been talking? Taeyong didn’t sign up for this!

“Tae, I think Mark won’t do this alone. He has some reliable help from Lucas; albeit not that reliable since I bet, he his hiding it from Ten and Johnny. Maybe he is having the same conversation as we are with them, just to make sure he won’t get reprimanded that badly when they discover what Mark will be doing thanks to his information.”

“Lucas?” this was getting very messy if adults weren’t involved or on standby, but seeing how Winwin stayed relaxed, smiling as he was talking, made Taeyong’s heart relived.

Besides. What could Lucas drag Mark into?

Whatever those two were doing, shouldn’t be that bad.

(Winwin would have laughed if he had heard Taeyong’s toughts)

 “So…Once this is over…you will tell me, without those cryptonic riddles and vague answers?” Taeyong sighed as he couldn’t wait to bother Winwin or Ten about this, because trusting his son aside, he would never let his son do things on his own: he was his parent and would always be behind him, no matter what!

Mark nodded in relief.

“I see.”

When Mark and Winwin eyes were on him, waiting, Taeyong asked in astonishment: “What?”

“So…does he get your approval?” Winwin hid a smile behind a cough as Taeyong snorted; “Does he need my approval? You guys keep continuing playing secret agents on your own and leaving me in the dark, ah!” he sulked as Mark whined, getting up from his chair to hug his dad, snuggling into his chest before giving a little kiss: “Dad…Please?”

“You do realise Mark could have hidden everything, right?” Winwin grinned as he saw Taeyong’s face paling, immediately hugging his son back. “Alright, alright. If you promise to tell me everything like this from now on…I will give you my approval.”

Mark hugged him tighter and Taeyong took the chance to claim some kisses, using his son’s guilty feelings to the fullest.

It was only after giving nearly a dozen smooches later that he felt he was wronging his son a little bit, smiling as he guided Mark back to bed.

“You do realise your Father will kill you for stealing those documents, right?” XiaoJun asked his grinning idiot of a sworn brother.

“My Fat Father can’t bear to even lecture me properly, how will he be able to kill me?” Lucas grin remained as he made his way in the school hallways, looking for a particular someone.

Xiao Jun rolled his eyes; “Last time I checked, your Dad is more then capable of lecturing both you and your Father. Do you think he will let you off that easily?”

Lucas turned around, his eyes shining like jewels as he laughed: “But my Dad can’t even bear to lecture my Hyung properly. So all I need to do is hide