“How’s is it going, so far?”

Mark stood behind his Boss, locked up in his grand office. Not many have stepped foot into this office and walked out alive, Mark was the exception, he always was. “Good sir, no direct threats, although the auditor has been giving her a hard time. It's making her really anxious.”

“Well fix it, that auditor is a threat to her and that means it’s a threat to us.” He barked.

Mark tensed his jaw, “I’ve had some things in the works, I expect he won’t be around for too much longer. We’ve been working on derailing the investigation and getting everything tossed out.”

His Boss frowned, his eyes passing over Mark’s face quickly, “Aren’t there faster, more foolproof methods you could use?”

“He’s too important for me to get rid of him. Too many people would notice and it would bring too much attention. I wouldn’t risk it.” Mark said slowly, it was rare to see his Boss so antsy. 

“Fine, I’ll let you take lead but speed it along. I don’t need her in anyone’s sights for long or else I’ll have to get involved myself and I really don’t want to have to do that.”

Mark hid his surprise as he watched him pace. He had never seen his Boss offering to get his own hands dirty, he usually left that up to everyone else.

Up to Mark.

“Yes sir.”

“I’ve made mistakes, Mark, I’m going to make up for them.” He said lowly.

Mark shifted on his heels, this was uncomfortable, he didn't want to be part of the complex father-daughter relationship that existed between him and Heiran. He wasn't a fan of family drama.

“She likes art, sir.”

He turned and looked at Mark, stunned, “Art?”

“Like big fancy paintings. She has them all over her house.”

His Boss stared at him like he had suggested quitting and becoming a cop. It dawned on Mark in that moment that the domineering, intimidating man before him never had to buy his daughter a present or find out what sort of things she liked. 

He never had to get to know her. 

“I think she’d like something like that.”   

Her father looked away, his brows set in a deep frown and he stared out the window, “I want to visit her, speak to her, I need her to give me another chance, show her I’ve changed. I need her to trust me again.”

“It might be hard sir, she doesn’t ask much about you, she still doesn’t entirely care for me either. She’s not really warming up to any of us.”

“She’s my daughter, Mark.”

“I would never tell you what to do sir, but I think you should take it slow, if you come on too strong, it’ll freak her out. She won't be willing to open up.”

He turned, his eyes surveying the young man in front of him before speaking, “What would you do if you were me?”

Mark’s eyes widened, all the years he spent by his Boss’s side, he had never been asked his opinion, “Sir?”

“You know I don’t usually ask for help, but I’m doing it now. What would you do if you had to win back someone?”

He wondered what his Boss would do with his answer. Mark never really had to win anyone back before, either they stayed in his life or they never came back, “She doesn’t trust you, sir, maybe try showing her that she can trust you, that you care about her as a person…that you can be there for her when she needs you. Show her, actions speak louder don’t they?”

His Boss mulled over the words before turning away in silent dismissal, "I can do that." 

-----

“Explain this to me again so I can fully understand.”

Heiran rolled her eyes as she leaned back in her chair and glared at Mark who was seated on the couch in her office.

“It’s not a complicated concept. I didn’t send the email.” She said blankly.

“So that little math nerd is still skulking around here?” He muttered.

She huffed before nodding, “Yes, but I have a plan.”

“Is it a good one?” He asked with a quirked brow.

“I have a plan.” 

He rolled his eyes with a scoff,  “Well, let’s hear it, McGyver.”

“I’m going to steal his phone, look through his emails and find actual proof that he’s here on a vendetta.” 

He stared at the proud grin she shot his way. Everything always sounded so straight forward and easy coming from her, “His phone? You mean the one in the blue case that he literally never lets go of? You’re going to steal that?”

“I’m not inept. I can swipe a phone.” She said blithely. 

He tilted his head back, comfortably slouched against her couch as if he was seated on a throne and not her leather couch. “So you won’t send an email but you’ll lift a smartphone. Interesting.” 

She narrowed her eyes at him, rolling her jaw, “I’m not stealing it, I’m going to put it back before he notices.”

“How are you even going to steal it in the first place?”

“That’s why I wanted your help. If there’s something shady on it, he won’t just hand it to me, even if I came up with a believable excuse. I have a few plans, but do you have any suggestions?”

“Oh, I get to help now? Goody.” He deadpanned.

She stood and a slow smile spread up his lips when she moved around her desk to stand in front of him. 

He was missing those legs.

“Yes, you get to help because you’re the only one in this room that’s a criminal.”

“I’m blushing, I’ve always been weak for flattery.” As he stood to meet her halfway. 

She narrowed her eyes at him, wishing they were sharp enough to stab him, “Seriously, I need ideas."

“Get the one person he seems to waste time on to do it.” 

He nodded in the direction of her door and she followed it until her eyes landed on Eun, “Absolutely not.”

“Come on, she doesn’t have to debase herself but she could flirt a little, offer to put her number in or something and then install spyware.”

“Fantastic idea. I’m sure you have this super simple, totally undetectable quickly downloadable software on hand?” She fired back.

He glared at her, “Well maybe don’t spring a scheme on me the morning of.”

“Regardless, I’m not her out.” She waved him off.

 “Then what’s your grand plan?”

“Sweat it out of him. We’re having an all-hands meeting in the conference room and I can control the thermostat from my phone, he’ll take his blazer off and you will slip it out.” She said with a flourish. 

“You really made this harder on yourself than you need to.” Mark muttered.

Heiran smiled sweetly before reaching out and tickling the bottom of Mark's chin with her fingertips like he was a dog, "Just be a good boy and do your part."

-----

He wasn't taking his blazer off.

She had sweat dripping down her neck and everyone else was loosening their ties and fanning their faces but Choi ing Youngjae was just twirling his pen with his fingers, unbothered that the conference room had become a sauna in the span of 5 minutes. She tried to focus on the questions that the shareholders were asking her but it was hard not to just gape at Youngjae. 

Then she made the mistake of looking toward the door at Mark who was nearly keeling over laughing on the other side of the glass. Pissed, she picked up her phone and quickly typed out a text and sent it to him. 

To Mark: Get in here and do something

She watched him check his phone before his fingers flew over the keys and her phone pinged with a reply.

From Mark: Whatever you say, Duchess

Sighing and opening the door, Mark poked his head in and tried to muster up his best customer service smile, "Do you need me to refill the water?"

Heiran's eyes darted to the half-empty jug sitting on the table before nodding, "Yeah that would be great."

"Why is it so ing hot in here?" Kevin asked. 

She tried to look embarrassed, "Sorry again, the heater has been on the fritz the whole day, maintenance will be here soon."

Mark reached over Youngjae's shoulder and clumsily knocked the entire jug over so that it drenched his blazer. Heiran's jaw dropped as she watched Youngjae leap to his feet with a shout. Mark was a lot of things, clumsy was not one of them. 

Mark looked completely innocent as he fussed over Youngjae, "Oh no! I'm so sorry! I'm such an idiot! Here, give me your blazer, I'll go dry it."

Heiran couldn't contain the giddiness inside her as she watched Youngjae mutter under his breath while stripping out of his blazer and handing it off to Mark without a second thought. Mark apologized once before turning to the door, his grip tight on the coat. 

She should've known it was too good to be true.

"Oh, wait, hang on." Youngjae called. 

Mark froze as Youngjae jogged over to him and patted down his blazer before reaching into a pocket and pulling out his cellphone, "Almost forgot this." 

Mark gave him a tensed smile and shot a look at Heiran who was completely disappointed. Once Youngjae took a seat, the meeting resumed and Mark had no choice to storm out of the conference room and refrain from chucking the little twerp's jacket out the 16th story window. 

“Anyways, Heiran, I’d like an update on SmartLogic. I need to know that this audit isn’t making them nervous. I haven’t heard anything from you since we last spoke.” Kevin said. 

Heiran stared at him blankly, trying to recover from the plan failing before she sat up straighter, “Nothing much has changed, our conversations have been the same as they were before, we’re still trying to get them to open up to the idea.”

“Jesus.” Kevin muttered. 

Youngjae tilted his head and addressed Kevin, “Have you not spoken with anyone from SmartLogic yourself?”

“No, Heiran built a good relationship with them so I let her take lead, I figured that they’d trust her.” His voice curled in annoyance and she resisted the urge to roll her eyes. 

He ‘let’ her, as if GOT7 would’ve let SmartLogic get anywhere near him. What a joke. 

Every man in this building was a joke. 

“Maybe we should give them a call, see what they have to say straight from the horses' mouth.”

Heiran froze, her eyes shooting daggers over at Youngjae with a type of utter hatred she couldn’t put into words. How did he always know what to say to screw her over? It was like he could read her mind and do the exact opposite of what she wanted.

“That’s a great idea, Youngjae! Heiran, can you coordinate that?” Kevin asked.

She clenched her teeth and stood, smoothing her palms over her tan Balenciaga skirt, “Of course, let me step outside and get my assistant to conference her in.”

Mark was standing by the door at attention when she walked in, trying to maintain composure although the speed of her stride was giving her away, "Listen, I'm so--"

“Hey.” She whispered, closing the door behind her, “Get Yun—Yeonhee on the phone.”

He blinked at her before snorting. "I'd rather stick toothpicks in my eyeballs."

She looked livid, “I’m not joking. They want to talk to a representative from SmartLogic, send her a text warning her. I’m going to put her on speaker.”

Concern flickered through his eyes as he looked over her face while pulling this phone out, “This is risky.”

“I know, so promise her the most amazing of her life or something, just make sure she doesn’t blow this for me.”

His parted in stunned shock but she just grabbed a jug of water out of the fridge desk and walked back into the room, confidence back in her steps.

-----

She held her breath the entire time.

She kept waiting for Yeonhee to break character and start making up to make Heiran look bad, but surprisingly, she stuck to the message. She was quick on her feet, answering and deflecting questions in a way that left the men nodding in satisfaction. 

Heiran could see the way Youngjae’s shoulders had begun to deflate, he was probably disappointed in not being able to expose some sort of epic conspiracy. But whenever he asked questions about the investments and its returns, Yeonhee had answers prepped on her tongue. Heiran had to admit that she was impressed.

“Well, this was clearly informative. I think Yuna has answered all your questions, right?” Heiran said, attempting to wrap the call-up. The quicker Yeonhee was taken out of the equation, the easier she could breathe.

Kevin nodded, please, “This was very helpful, I’d love to schedule another one on one conversation.”

“I’ll look at my schedule and get back to you with a few dates.”

Heiran hoped she’d pick February 31st. 

“This surely was useful.” Youngjae spoke up, “I’m glad I got to speak with the rep of the biggest investments this company has ever done. It’s good to see where the money’s being sent and how it's being used.”

Yeonhee hummed before replying, “Actually, I just wrapped up a meeting around your area, would you like me to stop by?”

“No!” 

Everyone turned to Heiran, staring at her in shock. She swallowed the lump down and her eyes darted to the door where Mark was standing, alert, looking into the room for whatever cause her loud exclamation.

Youngjae raised his brow, “No?”

She could hear the blood rushing to her head and her skin growing uncomfortably hot, “I me-mean…no, we couldn’t spring that on you so last minute.”

A beat passed and she prayed Yeonhee would take the hint and retract her offer but she just let out a light laugh, “No imposition at all, I’ll be around in half an hour, then everyone can ask me whatever questions they have in person.”

“Bu—“

“We appreciate that Yuna, we look forward to meeting you.” Youngjae said.

The goodbyes blurred by as the call ended and she could barely hear Youngjae telling everyone to reconvene in 30 minutes once Yuna arrived. She just stood, giving everyone tight smiles as they filtered out of the conference room. She didn’t even have the capacity to hate Youngjae for the smug smile he threw over his shoulder as he left. 

Mark was quick to enter the room, shutting and locking the door behind him before walking up to her, “What happened?”

She stumbled back in a daze and his hand was quick to grip her waist and pull her close, his expression darkening as he tried to get her gaze to focus on him, “Come on, what happened?”

“She’s coming here.”

“Wh—, are you serious?”

She dropped her head into her hands and groaned weakly, “She’s doing this on purpose, just to piss me off.”

“It’ll be fine, she might be petty but this is her job, she’s good at it. She won’t do anything to jeopardize GOT7. She just wants to make you sweat, she gets a kick out of it.”

She lifted her head and scowled at him, “I thought I told you to offer her good .”

“I assumed you were joking, didn’t think you wanted me myself out.” He deadpanned.

She groaned again but this time it morphed into a laugh before she tilted her head up at him, “What if they ask her hard questions?”

“Don’t worry, she’s good on her feet.”

She chewed on her lip, “You really trust her?”

He took a deep breath before sighing, “Yeah, I trust her, I trust the people in GOT7. I know that’s hard for you to do, but you don’t have much choice now. These are people that would die for the cause.”

“Right.” She muttered quietly to herself.

“Don’t stress.”

She scoffed, rolling her eyes at how easy he made it sound. He grinned in response, squeezing the side of her waist gently, causing her to jerk her head up, it was the first time she noticed his grip. Her eyes were wide and dry. He was nice to look at when he smiled, it made him look younger, warmer…more domestic. 

A gentle knock on the door broke whatever hold that was on Mark and he quickly dropped his hand and stepped away from her before they both looked over at Eun who bowed on the other side of the door before pointing at Yeonhee who was seated in the waiting room frowning at the two of them.

Heiran furr