Heiran forgot what it was like to sleep in. 

Laying in bed with the sun streaming in and thick white blankets framing her face, Heiran wondered why she always started her work day at 5am before the sun even rose when 11am mornings were far superior. 

She stretched her arms out, her fingers wide and even still, she couldn’t reach the edges of her mattress, that’s how big it was. But at least it was warm, even alone, it was warm and she could roll around without the worry about knocking into another body. 

Another warm body.

What would that be like?

“Mom?”

Heiran pushed her blankets away to sit up a bit better and see Lucy peaking from her door. “Morning, sunshine. What’s going on?”

Lucy scurried in, shivering from the morning chill before scrambling under her warm blankets. Heiran quickly wrapped her arms around her, cuddling her against her chest, “What’s up, baby?”

“Nothing.” Lucy giggled, “I’m just excited.” 

Heiran grinned and pressed a kiss to her temple before tugging lightly on her lopsided pigtails, “First field trip. Did you sleep at all?” 

“Nope!” Lucy squealed as Heiran poked at her sides, tickling her. 

She rolled her daughter over her and hugged her tight, “Take so many pictures and tell me all about it, okay?”

“Promise!” She giggled.

Heiran combed her fingers through her hair, “You know, I got really excited too, I got Yugyeom on the phone to help me make your favourite lunch.”

“Can you pack some of Mark’s dumplings, too?” She asked.

Heiran blinked at her before nodding, “Sure I think we still have some left in the freezer.”

Lucy smiled and shimmied closer to her to rest her head against her neck. Heiran felt her heart buzz, it had been a while since she and Lucy had this sort of peacefulness. It was always filled with work and classes and lessons, it felt rare to just lay here with her. 

“You really like Mark, huh?” Heiran whispered to the ceiling.

Lucy hummed, “He’s the best.” 

“Even when he’s mean?” She asked.

Lucy sat up and look down at her mom, “When was he mean?”

“Like when he ignores you or calls you those silly nicknames.” 

Lucy laughed, “Yeah but he isn’t mean. He told me that he’s just grumpy. You know, some people would’ve told me to shut up or stop talking, he doesn’t do that. He just…lets me. I think he likes it when I talk because I make him less grumpy. I think he just pretends.” 

Heiran’s lips were parted in awe of the intellect and emotional capacity this little girl was capable of holding, “Like you’re made of sunshine.”

Lucy nodded with a beam before clinging back onto her mother. Glancing at the time, Heiran leaned back down closed her eyes, falling asleep cuddled against Lucy for another hour until an insistent knocking woke her up.

Not properly thinking, she called out groggily, “Come in.”

“Hey, you’re still not up?” 

Heiran sat up, her fingers curling into Lucy when Mark pushed the door open. She wasn’t used to him seeing her in the morning, still in bed and not properly dressed. 

“Yeah, I took the day off today and Lucy has a field trip. What are you doing here?” She asked.

He couldn’t help himself, his eyes darting around her sleep mused hair, goosebumps on her arms and a flush on her skin. She looked so warm and cozy. Lucy screamed and stood up on the bed before leaping down and grabbing onto Mark’s pants. 

“Mark! Mark! You’re here! I’m going on a field trip to the zoo, we’re going to see so many animals. Have you ever been to the Seoul Zoo? They have real giraffes there.” She asked. 

Mark winced, awkwardly patting her on the head before trying to pry her off of him, “Good for you. I need to talk to you about that actually, duchess. Do you…do you mind telling her to let go?”

“Lucy, why don’t you go get ready. You have to leave soon anyway.” 

She squeezed Mark one last time before racing out the door. Heiran stepped out from under her covers and Mark was quick to reach for her robe and hand it to her. He didn’t need nightmares of her legs either, he already had a few of those. 

“What’s going on?” She asked with a frown. 

He followed her to her bathroom, sitting on the side of her tub while she brushed her teeth. “Do you think letting her go on a field trip is a good idea?”

Heiran shot him a look through the mirror and spit out the paste, “Well, yeah, she’ll be with her class and zoos aren’t busy this time of year. What? You think they’ll go after her?”

“It’s just that she’ll be away from her school, it’s a new environment where strangers can get close to her. I don’t know, with DS being so quiet I’m starting to think they’ve laid off of coming at you directly, once they realized how close by I was. They might try to get to you through her.” Mark asked. 

She washed , her actions a bit more frantic, “Okay well, I don’t think I can ask her not to go. She’s so excited, you saw her. But—oh I think I have it somewhere.”

She raced out to her bedroom and began rifling through drawers before pulling out a folded piece of paper, “Here, it’s a permission slip for parental volunteers. It’s last minute but I’m sure they could use the help.”

“What if I went?”

Heiran froze, pen over paper, and stared at him, “You—what?”

“Listen, I really don’t want to spend any extra time than needed with the little gremlin, but having the two of you together on your own is dangerous. It’d be better if I went with her, especially since I have to play by your rules of prioritizing her.” He said, taking the pen from her.

She hesitated, “I guess, but like, it’s for parents, and no offense, they might feel weird about a stranger and your tattoos.” 

“Some of her teachers have gotten to know me when I pick her up.” He reasoned. 

Heiran wrapped her arms around herself before sighing in resignation, “Okay, but just to be safe.”

He watched her pull a box out from under her cabinet and turn her back to him to shuffle around before taking something out and tucking the box back into its hiding place. She faced him and held her palm out.

It was a ring. 

“What the ?” He blurted, his eyes darting from the ring and her.

She huffed before taking his hand and slipping it on, “Don’t have a freak attack, it’s an old promise ring but it kinda looks like a wedding band. If anyone asks, just say we’re married, they don’t know about my personal life so they’ll believe you.”

Mark frowned, his hand and staring at the stainless steel on his knuckle. It was cutting his blood flow off and despite wearing rings before, this one felt especially tight. “Right…well, Jinyoung will stop by to keep an eye on things here so that you're not entirely vulnerable either. He isn’t really…hands on but I know leaving you and Jackson or Yeonhee in a room together isn’t the best bet.”

“Yeah, that’s fine.” She distractedly. 

He watched her chew on her lip with a crease in her brows, “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing new. My daughter's life is at risk and I just can’t stand the thought of something happening to her while I’m here and can’t do anything to help.”

“I’ll be with her. She’ll be fine.” He assured.

She rubbed her forehead, “I know. I know. I can’t help but worry.”

“You’re worried? What about me? In the span of 10 seconds I somehow gained a wife and daughter?” He said, exasperated.

She laughed hoarsely before following him out, “Text me updates. I’ll be there in a second if she needs something.”

“Yeah, I think I’m going to be swatting you away with a stick.” He muttered, “Hey little monster, let’s get going, five minutes or I'm looking at giraffes without you.”

Lucy ran across the living room, carrying her lunch bag. She hugged Heiran tightly before rushing to put her shoes on. Heiran followed them to the door and called out to Mark just as he got in the car. 

“I want that ring back, by the way.”

-----

“You can set your stuff up here. Do you need anything else?” Heiran asked as Jinyoung began pulling a heavy-duty laptop out of his bag and setting it up.

The tips of his ears burned red as he shook his head, “No, I’m okay, your house is huge and it's so nice.”

She laughed, “Thanks, but a little obnoxious, right?”

“It’s better than Mark who only uses his money to invest and barely spends it.” Jinyoung muttered.

She raised her brows, “Invest in what?”

“He bought a bar, he’s pretty hands off the operations other than hiring the staff. He just gets the profit and refuses to spend it on his best friend.” Jinyoung explained.

This intrigued her, she never pegged him for someone who had a side hustle much less a businessman, “Woah, is it like a front for something?”

“No!” Jinyoung said, panic in his eyes, “, maybe I shouldn’t have said anything. I should just shut up.”

She sat down next to him, interest piqued, “I’ll show you the research paper I’m working on if you dish.”

“Wait…really?” He asked, eyes wide. 

She bit her lip and nodded, “It’s for an academic journal. I haven’t been working on it lately but it's a passion project. I can let you read over what I have finished so far.”

“Deal. Oh my god. So, actually it’s not a front, it’s a legit business. I was suspicious at first too, but I saw his books. He's as clean as can be. He does have one of the leaders of an allied gang working in it but he’s a good guy and…and this is a secret, but our Boss, I mean—your dad, doesn’t know Mark has it.” Jinyoung whispered.

Heiran’s eyes widened and leaned close to him, “No. ing. Way.”

Jinyoung huddled closer, eyes darting around, “I’m dead serious. It’s an unspoken rule that we have to disclose any side business that may be a risk to the gang. Mark opened it last year in a fancy part of town and hired one of our allies to work in it because…well because Mark felt guilty. He gets me to hide the money in an offshore account and Jae, the guy he's working with, swore to never speak of it.”

“Why does he feel guilty? And why is he hiding it?”

“Mark always felt that Jae’s gang Day6 was a small-time operation. They never got violent or got involved with the big leagues. After we allied with them, they’ve been forced to deal with some really ed up stuff. I think Mark just wanted to give the leader an escape. He’s a really good kid, kinder than he should be in this business. And Mark hides the money because he said he doesn’t want anyone to find it and start asking questions but I always wondered if he was saving up in the case that one day he’d leave GOT7.” Jinyoung explained. 

She felt a little dizzy with all this info, now she wished she didn’t dig for more, “Wow, I-I never thought he’d ever plan to leave. I figured he’d either stay long enough to see the gang fall apart or die on the job.”

“Dark.” Jinyoung deadpanned. 

She winced, “Sorry. I just meant, I never thought he’d leave by choice.”

“Mark is a planner. He plans for every possibility, no matter how bleak. He knows it’s likely he won’t be here forever