Lucas POV

"I'll go with you." Mark and I offer. Taeyong nods in approval and we head out.

We meet Jieun at the police station entrance.

"You got called too?" Jieun asks Taeyong.

"Uh, yeah." He quickly answers. We only know through the bug, but we're not gonna tell her that.

We go inside and talk to the police officer.

"Hi." We greet the officer. "I'm the legal guardian of the six boys. I got the call recently. Um, what happened?" Jieun eyes Dreamies from their cell and they all look down in shame.

"They got into a fight with this kid." The cop said pointing to the kid sitting in front of him. Jieun takes a look at the kid and scoff. It is our turn to look and I see Taeyong roll his eyes in annoyance.

"Excuse me, why are my boys in the cell but he isn't?" Jieun asks the police officer.

"My dad is influential." The brat boasts.

"I'm here for my boys, so release them already." Jieun signs the release form. We turn and came face to face with his mother. "This time we don't know who started the fight." Jieun steps up face to face with the mother. "But let's hope it's not your boy again, or I will tear down your husband's reputation." The police let the boys go and we all walk out.

"Are you ok?" Mark asks Haechan, who nods in response. "Let me see your face." They stare at each other until Jeno clears his throat making them pull away from each other. Jeno gives Haechan a knowing smirk while Haechan punches Jeno's arm.

"I told you not to fight with those boys anymore!" I hear the mother yell at the brat as we walk out.

They walk past us and the brat bump shoulders with Haechan.

He turns to us. "My father is a very influential man. I can always get away scot free."

Haechan, at this point, is clearly annoyed with him. Haechan raises his fist ready to punch him again, but Jieun pulls the brat by the collar, to the side, and whispers to him. She releases him harshly and he falls onto the ground as she walks away.

"What are you doing? Hurry up!" The mom turns to yell at him and he scrambles into the car.

We sit at a table in the coffee shop as Dreamies stand in front of Jieun looking down in shame. A silent tension float around the room.

"Who wants to speak first?" Jieun asks and Dreamies nudge Jaemin to the front.

"Jieun noona. We didn't start the fight. You taught us better than that. There's no way we'll ever let you down because we all love you so much. You raised us like your own sons and we see you like a mother figure. We would never do anything to disappoint you."

"Haechan seems to think otherwise." She turns to look at Haechan.

"W-what are you m-mad about?" He stutters out.

"A lot of things." She said. "Should I tell you alphabetically or chronologically? Ok, how about the most recent one."

"I didn't start the fight." Haechan defends himself immediately.

"No, I'm not worried about the fight." She said. "Screw the fight. I don't give a  about that." We all turn to look at her with wide eyes.

"T-then?"

"The tattoo." Jieun answers.

"Ah!" Haechan turns to us. "Taeyong hyung, Jieun noona had no idea that I got a tattoo. She really didn't give me consent but she lied to the principal to cover for me."

"Haechan, what are you doing?" Jieun asks confusing Dreamies. "I don't need you covering for me." Jieun said. "I only want to know why you got one. I was a bit disappointed that you went against my words — once again — so I didn't listen to you then, but I want to listen to your reasoning now."

"Th-there's no good reason why. I just thought it would be...cool." He looks down in shame. "I'm sorry."

"That's reason enough." Jieun smiles. "Baby, I'm not saying that you can't get one. I just...want you to be of legal age to do it. Do you understand?" They all nod in unison.

"Good." She nods. "I'll be going home then. You coming?"

"Not tonight. We want to be with NCT hyungs." Jisung replies. Jieun nods and hands the key to Jisung, telling him to close up after we leave, before walking out of the coffee shop. After she leaves out of sight, Dreamies all let out a sigh of relief and fall onto the floor.

"I thought we were gonna die from all the pressure." Renjun said.

"Tell me about it." Jeno states. "It's all Haechan's fault."

"How is it my fault?" Haechan asks.

"You're too hot headed sometimes." Jaemin answers.

"That punched me first!" Haechan shouts.

"I agree with Jaemin." Chenle said. "If you just ignored what he said, we wouldn't have gotten in trouble and jailed."

"He called me a trouble maker and a wimp that can't protect anyone."

"You should've just ignored it." Mark said.

"Oh, of course, Mark hyung — the saint — will say that. Sorry, but I'm not you, hyung." Haechan rolls his eyes.

"Don't worry. Jieun noona may be mad but she won't do anything to hurt us." Jisung reassures the others.

"Shut up. We know that." The others chorus.

"We just don't like disappointing her." Renjun said.

"Don't worry about it." Jisung waves it off. "We have Jaemin to soften the blow. She's weak for Jaemin."

"Jisung!" Dream shouts at him.

"Wait. Wait. Wait." I said. "Why are you guys scared of her?"

"I noticed that whenever you boys got into trouble, you all cower in fear when Jieun finds out." Taeyong states and the boys all glance at each other. They stood up and sit at a table.

"Well, I wouldn't say scared." Chenle said. "I mean, Jisung is right. No matter how mad Jieun noona is at us, she will never hurt us in any way."

"We're not exactly scared for us." Jaemin states. "We're scared for others."

"Jieun noona can be pretty scary when she's angry." Renjun said.

"She doesn't seem that bad." I laugh.

"Please, you don't know how scary she is when she's mad." Haechan speaks up making all the Dreamies shiver.

"Remember when we were younger?" Jeno brings up the topic.

"We were like what, 10? 11?" Jaemin asks.

"You know how cute we were when we were kids." We roll our eyes at Haechan's statement.

"We were almost kidnapped by a group of strangers and Jieun noona completely snapped." Renjun said.

"She beat the crap out of them." Jeno adds. "And she wouldn't stop beating them. Areum noona had to intervene and stop her."

"I will never forget that moment." Jisung said making Dreamies shiver, once again, at the memory.

"Was your noona a delinquent?" Mark asks.

"Not that I know of." Jisung answers.

"She told me she studied IT. Is it true?" Taeyong questions.

"I don't know." Jisung replies. "She runs a coffee shop. That doesn't have anything to do with IT."

"But she definitely beat those kidnappers." Jaemin nods.

"Are they even alive?" Renjun jokes making them laugh but soon stop, blinking once, twice, three times.

"Are they?" Jaemin asks seriously.

The others shrug. "The last thing I remember was them being taken away by an ambulance." Jisung recalls the memory with a nod.

"Anyways, we should go home." Chenle looks at his watch. "It's late. If we can't wake up for school tomorrow, Jieun noona will flip."

We all head home and order WinWin to patch up Dreamies. After being treated, Dreamies wave at us and heads up to their room.

"Yuta. I want information on Park Jieun." Taeyong orders.

"Ok." Yuta said pulling out his laptop. I watch him type away on his laptop. "Here it is." He pulls up a window. Man, his skills never ceases to faze me.

"Was she a delinquent?" Taeyong asks.

"Far from it." Yuta scans the profile. "She was an honor student. Valedictorian of her whole graduation class." We all look at each other. "Her grades are pretty good in her college years too."

"Yuta, can you do something for me?"

Jieun POV

"I know people that even your daddy can not help you with. So, don't mess with my boys ever again unless you want to die. Don't test me."

I let out a sigh remembering my threat to the brat. I can never keep my cool when Dreamies are involved.

My phone buzz in my pocket. I pull it out and it shows a new e-mail. I log onto my laptop and check my new e-mail. The sender was anonymous and could not be tracked. The mail asked for contents based on mafia members. I raise my brows. Why would anyone send me this? I ignore it and head to my bed to sleep.

"You look familiar, didn't we take a class together? I could've sworn we had chemistry." Lucas said the first thing in the morning at the counter.

"I never took Chemistry. I think you're talking about Areum. She was a Chem major."

Lucas clears his throat and tries again. "I heard that the tongue is the strongest muscle."

"And?" I deadpan.

"Wanna fight?" He raises his brows at me suggestively.

I break out in a smile and his eyes widen in surprise. "You're smiling!"

"Not at you. Jeno!" I shout running to him.

"Noona!" We hug each other. The others come in after.

"Why are you boys here?"

Jeno smiles, his nose crinkling and his eyes turning into moon crescents. "We ditched class."

"Jeno!"

"I'm kidding!" He laughs.

"We're here for coffee, can we?" Chenle asks.

"Is something wrong at school?"

"No. We're just here to drink coffee during our break." Chenle said. "We can't?"

"You all want coffee?" I ask.

"Our class talked about growing up today and we wanted to try adult drinks. The first thing that came to our mind was coffee." Jisung replies.

I laugh. "Ok." I go behind the counter and make them an iced americano to share. "Here."

Renjun takes a sip and cringe. He passes it to Jisung who takes a sip and scrunch his face.

"Blegh. I'm not ready to be an adult." He said passing it to the others and they shake their head.

I laugh. "Why? You don't want to be an adult?"

"Being an adult is too hard." Renjun said. "You have to work. You have to pay bills."

"You have to take care of the younger ones." Jaemin adds.

"But I'm happy when I take care of you boys." I said with a smile.

"Noona~" They all hug me. "We love you!"

"I know." My phone buzzes in my pocket and I pull away from the boys to read the notification. I furrow my brows. It's the anonymous sender again.

"What's wrong?" Jaemin asks.

"It's nothing." I shake my head, putting my phone in my back pocket. "Now go back to class because you boys aren't adults. You're students."

"Aw~" They all moan. "We don't want to~"

"Go." I laugh.

"Bye~" They wave at me and leave for school again.

"Do you have a band aid? Cause I scrapped my knees falling for you." Lucas said.

"You're still here." I state ignoring his pick up line.

"So are you."

"What does that mean?"

"You hired Kun to work in your coffee shop, but you're still working in the same shift."

"I can't let him work here alone." I said.

"Actually, you can." Kun nods. "But maybe you don't trust me enough."

"That's not it." I protest. "It's just...my whole life is Jisung and now, Dreamies...and this coffee shop. Dreamies are in school so I don't have anything to do. That's why I'm always at the coffee shop. But I hired you and well I, again, have nothing to do, that's why I still hang around."

"You can go on a date with Lucas." Kun suggests.

"Oh, sounds good."

"No." I shoot the idea down immediately. "I'd rather go on a date with you."

"Is Kun your type?" Lucas asks.

"More than you are." I said. "You know, Lucas, if you stop flirting with every girl you see, you might be my type."

"So, I just have to stop flirting with every girl I see to be your type? Easy. I can do that."

"Actions speak louder than words. Just because you say you'll stop doesn't mean you really will."

"Let me take you out, then you'll see."

"I'll be fine here." Kun said. "Alone. So if you want to leave, Jieun, I can manage."

"Thanks, but no thanks. Like I said, I have nothing to do. There's nothing I want to do. I'm a very boring person." I said, sitting down at the usual table. "Areum must be on a date with Taeyong again."

"Most likely." Lucas said sitting down across from me. I pull out a book from the shelf and read. I could feel his eyes on me. Cling. Cling. I look at the door and two females walk in. They rush to the counter when they see Kun. After ordering, they turn around and see Lucas. They nudge each other pointing at him. I let out a sigh and continue to read.

"Hi." They walk over to us. "Can you tell us your name?"

Lucas POV

I use my hand to support my chin and watch Jieun read. Her skin is not milky white but it is not dark either. It's a perfect light tan. She has dark brown eyes, a high nose bridge and pink lips. My eyes linger on her lips for a long time.

Suddenly I hear a voice next to me. "Hi. Can you tell us your name?"

"I'm sorry. I'm kinda busy right now." I reply still eyeing Jieun.

"O-oh, then can we have your number?"

"My mom has my phone." I reply making Jieun chuckle, which, automatically makes me smile. She's beautiful when she smiles.

"A-are we interrupting you two?"

I nod. "Yeah." The girls soon walk out of the coffee shop. I continue to stare at Jieun.

"What?" She asks.

I say the first thing that comes to my mind. "Your lips look lonely. Would they like to meet mine?"

"Are you serious?"

"As serious as serious can be."

Suddenly she stands up and leans towards me. My breath hitches and my heartbeat accelerates. I hold in my breath as our faces are inches apart and we stare into each other's eyes. She smiles and lightly hits my head before sitting down.

"Idiot." She whispers and continues reading. I finally breathe again and watch her with a smile on my face. The ringing of my phone interrupts my peace.

"Hello?"

"Lucas. Company. Now."

"Now?"

"Now."

"I have to go." I said to her which she only nods in return. She doesn't care at all. I let out a sigh and return to the company.

"What's up?" I said when I see the others. "Where's Taeyong?"

"On a date." Yuta replies.

"Wait. How come I'm here and he's not?"

"Because he's trying to get information from Areum."

"Well, I am too."

"You're not making any progress though." Ten said. "You're just silently sitting in the coffee shop."

"Whatever. What is this about anyways?" We sit in the conference room talking about future negotiations. "Hold up! We're coming up with a plan without Taeyong?"

"Well, Mark's here." Doyoung points out.

"Mark is one of the maknaes. You realize that, right?"

"Lucas." Johnny hiss.

"No, it's cool." Mark said. "I understand where Lucas is coming from."

"I'm not saying that you're inexperienced, Mark." I reassure him. "It's just, you're a good kid. If we let you do all the decision making, if...and I mean if, we make a mistake and fail, you're gonna blame yourself and I don't want you doing that."

"It's ok. I can handle it." Mark said.

"Are you sure?"

He nods. "Yes. I can." With Mark's words, we continue the meeting. The meeting lasts for hours as we all focus and come up with different plans.

"Lucas." Taeil calls out to me when I walk out of the company after the meeting. I turn to him as he runs up to me. "If you're so worried about Mark, then we need to make sure that everything goes according to plan." He pats my back and walks away to his car.

Areum POV

For this date, Taeyong and I walk around the busy streets of Seoul and window shop.

"This is so cute!" I shout running to a glass shop. There on display was a two piece, glass couple carrying a heart.

"Do you want it?" He asks.

"No." I said with a smile on my face. After looking for awhile, I move on. "This is so cute!" I yell running to an anklet on display. It was stainless steel with diamonds hanging down from the chain like a chandelier and in the middle was the letter A.

"Do you want it?" He asks.

"No." I shake my head.

"If you're worried about money, I can pay."

"Yah, Taeyong. Who do you think I am? I must look like a gold digger to you, huh?"

"I didn't...no I-I didn't think that." He stutters out.

"I'm just playing with you." I chuckles. "I like looking more than buying. I have to think things through before buying something. The pros and cons, y'know. I mean, you're spending hard earned money, after all." I nod and walk away.

"Wow!" I yell running to view another window of a different shop. "How pretty! Taeyong, isn't this dress pretty?!" I turn around and he was gone. "T-Taeyong?" I look around. "Taeyong. Yah, Taeyong! Taeyong!" I run around looking for him. Where did he go? He couldn't have ditched me, right? I search around for a bit and retrace our steps.

"Watch out!" Taeyong said pulling me away from almost knocking down, a person who was carrying too many boxes on their own. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah." I nod. "Where did you go?"

"I was just looking around. What's wrong?"

"I thought..."

"What?"

"I thought you ditched me." I said lightly hitting his chest with my fist.

"Why would I ditch you?" He asks. "I would never ditch you. Well, unless NCT called me in for a meeting or something, which they didn't, but I would've inform you, if they did, before leaving, so...I would never ditch you. Are you ok? Hm?"

"Yes. I'm fine."

"Are you hungry?" He asks me.

"A little bit."

We sit down at a restaurant. "What do you want?" He asks.

"Mm. I like anything." I watch him advert his eyes in confusion and uncertainty. "That doesn't exactly help, does it." I chuckle and he cracks a smile. "Then spicy pork cutlet."

When the waiter arrives he orders two set of spicy pork cutlets. "You're getting the same thing?" I ask and he just nods silently.

After food, we go for desert at Baskin Robins. We each leave with an ice cream cone in hand as we head to the park to relax.

"Yay~" I sing running to the empty swing. He sits next to me and watch me lightly swing myself.

"How long has it been since you've ridden a swing? Why are you so excited?"

"Um...around 14 years?" I reply. "I just...had to...mature early." I shrug.

"I see. So, why did you decide to open a coffee shop?"

"It wasn't my idea. It was Jieun's."

"How old were you when you opened the shop?"

"We were 20 years old."

"You opened a coffee shop at 20? How did you get the money?"

"From Jieun's parent's life insurance."

"Oh." He said. "Sorry."

"It's ok. It's all in the past now. Or at least, that's what I want to say."

"What does that mean?" He ask.

"Her parents' death was-" I look at him and press my lips together shaking my head. "Never mind. Let's not talk about it." I continue to swing back and forth while he watch.

"I'm sorry I didn't take you out properly." He said dropping me off in front of my house.

I chuckle. "It's fine. I had a lot of fun today and that's all that really matters. Goodnight."

"Wait!" He calls out to me. "For you." He hands me a small box. "Goodnight." He said driving off.

"Good night." I whisper and wave at his disappearing car. I open the box and inside was the stainless steel chandelier anklet with the letter A on it.

Mark POV

After the meeting, everyone heads home except for me. I walk alone at night enjoying the cold air. It's been awhile since I've last walked the streets alone. I enjoy it. I was minding my own business when someone decides to bump into me.

"I'm sorry." I apologize.

"Sorry? Sorry?" The guy who bumps into me says.

"I think this brat broke our friend's arm." One of his friend states.

"Ah. Ah. Ah." The one who bumps into me fakes pain.

I scoff. "You were the one who bumped into me."

"Look at this brat. How dare you blame us." His second friend said.

"I'm sorry."

"Yah, if saying sorry can fix the problem then there would be no need for the police." Friend 1 states.

"Just pay up nicely, kid." The one who bumped into me, said patting my cheek. I roll my eyes annoyed and hit his hand away.

He scoffs at my action and swings at me. I dodge and punch him, making him fall onto the ground.

"Yah, hold him!" He orders his friends and they comply. I run for it but one of them grab me by my collar and pulls me back.

They hold onto me and the guy knees me in the abdomen, then punches me in the face. He almost lands another punch, but suddenly he receives a punch instead. My savior then kicks the guy on my right in the abdomen,and punches the guy on my left square in the face. She grabs my hand and we both run for it.

When we're out of sight, we stop, gasping for breath, and I take a better look at my savior. My eyes widen in shock.

"J-Jieun...noona?" I add the honorific awkwardly.

"You don't have to call me noona if you don't want to. So?" She asks. "What is the little boss doing out here alone?"

"Eh? Um...I..." Did she just say what I think she said?

"Do you want me to walk you home?"

"Wha? I-"

"I'll walk you home." She says without my consent and walks me home.

"Thank you." I whisper and she smiles ruffling my hair.

"Don't worry about it. You take care of my Dreamies and I take care of you. Bye." She waves and walks off. I turn around and run into the house.

"Taeyong hyung!" I shout. "Taeyong hyung!"

"He's in the computer room." Jungwoo said.

"Thanks." I rush to the computer room. "Hyung! Taeyong hyung."

"What's up?"

"I need to talk to you. Privately but Taeil, Johnny, and Lucas can stay." We avert our eyes and look at Doyoung, Ten, WinWin, Yuta, and Jaehyun.

"How is that 'privately'?" Ten whispers to the others.

"We'll leave." Yuta said hitting Ten's arm and they make their way out.

"What's wrong?" Taeil asks.

I watch the door close before I speak up. "I met Jieun in town and she walked me home."

"Are you trying to make me jealous?" Lucas raise his brows at me.

"Listen to me. Before she walked me home, do you know what she called me?"

They all look at each other and shake their heads.

"We don't know. Isn't that what you're supposed to tell us? Like, right now?" Johnny said.

"Little boss."

"What?" They said in sync.

"She called me little boss. Taeyong hyung, I think you're right. Something about her is off."

"Even the others don't know that you're a little boss, so why..." Taeil trails off.

"If she knows about you, then she might know something about us." Johnny adds.

"Exactly." I said. "Taeyong hyung is right. There's more to her than what meets the eye."

"Ok, I think we need to be on alert when we're around her. Especially you Lucas." Taeyong said. "Lucas?"

"Wait." Lucas is pinching his furrowed brows. "You're a little boss?"

Taeil, Johnny, Taeyong and look at each other then to Lucas.

"You didn't know?" Taeil asks.

"I thought I told all four of you?" I add.

"No, I think we forgot to tell Lucas." Johnny bite his lips. "Oops."

"I don't get it. What's little boss?" Lucas ask.

"Well, I'm a little boss." I reply.

"I'm a fake leader." Taeyong said.

"What?!" Lucas shouts.

"Shut up!" The rest of us said in sync.

"Lucas, ignore that for now. What you need to really worry about now, is to be cautious of Jieun." Taeyong warns.

"Why me?"

"You're basically around her everyday now. You need to be more cautious around her. You hear me?" I said.

"Mm." He nods and walk out.

"You don't think he's falling in love with her, do you?" Taeil asks.

"He might be." Johnny said.

"He shouldn't be. It's too dangerous." Taeyong said and I look at him. Speak for yourself, bro.

=====================================
Lucas being in the dark about so many things inspired me to write this.

He didn't know that Yoonoh is Jaehyun, Nana is Jaemin and Doyoung's real name is Dongyoung. Lmao.

And he didn't know what 'bridge' meant in Korean so he was all lost while all the other foreign members were answering the quiz in NCT Life. Lmao.