Chapter Text
“Mark? What are you still doing here?”
Mark lifts his head from his spot on the bed as he sees Youngjae walking in,
“Hmm? What do you mean?” Mark replies as he’s lost to what Youngjae is referring to.
Youngjae frowns, his eyebrows furrowing, “Everyone else has gone home already. Like the building is practically empty as they’ve gone home to their families for the holidays. You know, like you should be doing too.”
Mark is mentally freaking out right now but he tries to play it off cool on the outside,
“You’re still here though.”
Youngjae gives him a look, “Only because I forgot something. I thought you’d already left because you weren't here earlier.”
Yeah, that was because Mark was hiding. After listening to everyone make plans on going home for the holidays, Mark would just brush off every time people brought up his plans. Just a nod or a, ‘Me too’, here and there. You know, so no one would know that he can’t go back home. Hell, even Bam is able to go back home to Thailand and Jackson to China for the holidays. But Mark didn’t want to mention that he couldn’t. He didn’t want to dampen their spirits or have them stay because of him. He knows how much his group misses their family. Mark wishes he could say the same.
Mark shrugs his shoulders as he tries to keep up his mask,
“My flight got delayed until tomorrow so I’m riding it out till then,” He lies.
He’s hoping Youngjae will buy it and will go home thinking Mark is gone and no more questions will be brought up.
“But you’ll be all alone,” Youngjae lets out in a sad tone.
The beta is usually so happy and full of sunshine but now he’s looking at him with such a sad look.
“I’ll be fine, Youngjae. A few hours won’t hurt anyone,” Mark tells him to try and cheer him up.
He even reaches out to squeeze his arm to let his best friend know everything will be ok.
“But…” Youngjae worries his bottom lip as he seems to be thinking of something before trying to pull Mark to his feet.
“Huh?” Mark lets out at the sudden movement before the omega finds himself on his feet.
“Stay with me until your flight then.”
Excuse me?!
“Uh…” Mark is fumbling to get words out as Youngjae keeps going,
“Come on, we’re best friends, that’s practically like family! I have plenty of spare rooms so it shouldn’t be a problem.”
Oh no! Mark needed to think of something quick before Youngjae realizes he’s lying from the start because what’s gonna happen come tomorrow when he never had a flight to begin with?!
“Wait, are you sure? What about your family? I don’t want to impose, I’m sure your family missed you and I shouldn’t interrupt that---”
Mark is failing at getting everything out as Youngjae is pulling him toward the door of their bedroom,
“It’s just my Dad at the house and I know he’ll be happy to have company over. My father gets lonely too often lately and I would know this because he sends me texts and photos all the time.”
Mark does recall Bam asking Youngjae one time why his phone kept blowing up. Everyone thought Youngjae had a special someone until Jackson snuck into his phone and they found it was just Youngjae’s father. They all ended up laughing about it and it became a good memory between them all.
“See? He misses you and me being there wouldn’t be good,” Mark gets out as he grabs a hold of the door frame to cling to.
“Why…are…you…resisting so much?!” Youngjae struggles to get out as man could Mark be strong at random times.
“Because!” Mark exclaims as he squeezes his eyes shut and holds on for dear life.
He thinks Youngjae is gonna give up before he finds the beta is going for another tactic. One that involves tickling.
Mark gasps as he feels the beta ticking at his sides that has the omega letting go instantly and---
Mark squeaks as Youngjae then tries to put him over his shoulder.
“Youngjae!”
Mark clings like a scared cat, his limbs wrapping around Youngae’s front as the beta is smiling and cackling away,
“There, much better.”
“No, it’s not! Put me down!” Mark urges as he’s afraid of being dropped.
“I’ll put you down in the car.”
“But I don’t even have my suitcase packed yet, wait!” Mark begs as there’s no way he’s wearing this outfit the whole holiday trip.
Youngjae beams as he stops, “Does this mean you’ll come stay with me?!”
Fuck, this was his plan all along.
Mark deflates against his best friend after being put back onto his feet. Youngjae is surprised by the sudden change as Mark hugs him and buries his face into the crook of his neck.
“Mark?”
Mark doesn’t reply but Youngjae hugs him back, his expression softening, “I want you to know that I’m not just saying this because I feel bad. I want you to come with me and to spend time with you. I’ve also been telling my father about you guys but especially you the most. You’re my best friend, Mark.”
Mark feels his heart swell with emotions. It should be fine to stay the night, right? He can just come up with an excuse and leave tomorrow or something.
“K,” Mark breathes out quietly as he pulls back.
“See, that wasn’t so hard. Here, I’ll wait while you pack a bag,” Youngjae encourages as he gently gives a little push for Mark to follow through.
Mark nods and busies himself in packing a bag. It didn’t take long since when he first came here to Korea, he only had one bag to start with and until he starts bringing in money, he won’t have much to take with him.
The omega comes out five minutes later to find Youngjae still patiently waiting. Their eyes lock and the beta throws a sunshine smile at him,
“Ready?”
Mark nods as he comes closer before remembering, “Oh, did you find what you came back here for?”
Youngjae’s expression never falters as he clamps a hand onto Mark’s shoulder, “Thanks to a little birdy telling me, I did.”
Huh?
Mark is confused at first as Youngjae wraps an arm around his shoulder and away they go. It’s not until they’re in the car and heading to Youngjae’s home that Mark realizes that it was him he was talking about.
But wait, that meant someone knew he wasn’t going home---
But who told him…
When the car stops, Mark has to do a double take because this can’t be right, was it?
“You live here?” Mark points out the window to the big house as he looks at Youngjae.
“Mhmm, why?” Youngjae replies sweetly while looking confused.
I mean if this was normal to Youngjae of course he would think nothing of it but he has no idea where Mark came from in America. So to Mark, this was huge and unbelievable.
“Didn’t you say your father was a busy man of music and the arts?” Mark questions as they get out of the car.
Youngjae thanks the driver with a wave as the car drives off back down the long driveway.
“Yes, he’s the CEO of his own music company.”
Mark blinks because he doesn’t recall Youngjae telling him that part.
“And yet you’re a trainee of another?” Mark asks as he tilts his head curiously to the side.
“I’ll explain more once we’re inside but I promise I wasn’t intentionally keeping things from you guys, ok?” Youngjae states as he takes Mark’s hand and pulls him towards the big house.
“I believe you, I’m just shocked is all. I never knew you lived such a luxurious lifestyle before. Like I can’t believe you went from this to a shitty dorm room with bugs in it,” Mark breathes out as he takes in the giant home as they approach.
Mark was used to living in crappy places. Homes with no A.C. Homes with stained walls and smelly old carpet. There wasn’t a place Mark went to back in America that was nice and fancy unless they stayed at a hotel for the night.
“I prefer something smaller,” Youngjae tells him as they enter the home.
Oh my lord…Mark is speechless. Just look how much fancier everything is on the inside. Is he even allowed to touch anything?!
“Father, I’m home!” Youngjae calls out as he takes off his shoes by the front door.
Mark follows suit before venturing slower into the house as Youngjae just drops his stuff on the bench there and disappears down the hallway.
Fingers brush along the fancy walls as Mark takes in the big chandelier hanging above in the foyer. Like this was every man’s dream to be able to achieve something like this. To say you’ve finally made it and spend money on things you thought you never could.
Mark admits this person had great taste for the decor and wasn't overbearing or too much. Yes, this person obviously had money but they didn’t waste it on useless items. The home felt very welcome and inviting.
The omega makes it into the living room that could hold a huge party before Mark sits on the long couch and waits. He keeps looking around in awe and wonder as he wants to look around more but is too nervous to do so. This wasn’t his house for one and he’d never be able to pay them back if he accidentally broke something. Plus, he needed to make a good first impression to Youngjae’s father---
“Youngjae?”
Mark’s head whips in the direction of the voice he just hears. To the deep, soothing tone that grabs his attention straight away.
It’s here in this moment that Mark locks eyes with an alpha that is downright sexy and fine as hell. A tall male in his thirties with raven hair and onyx eyes that hold him in place. Those eyes lighting up in curiosity as he takes Mark in.
Right away, the hair on the back of Mark’s neck stands up. He clasps his legs shut, teeth biting his lower lip as he darts his eyes somewhere else. It doesn’t help that Mark decided to subconsciously check out this man more as he takes in the suited attire that clings to the alpha’s body and shows off his psyche. Even the watch on his arm grabs his attention as he takes in strong arms and big hands that he would love to just wrap around his pretty little neck and---
Oh, did Mark mention he’s into older men? He blames his father for that one but we don’t have time to talk about that right now.
The male clears his throat and Mark’s eyes dart back up to his attention as yep, he definitely noticed the omega checking him out.
“Yes, Sir?” Mark lets out sweetly, his voice quiet and shy.
Something flashes in the alpha’s eyes at that but it could’ve been the trick of the light. Mark isn’t sure for his eyes darted down to the man subconsciously licking his lips---
Fuck, stop it! Stop being a hoe!
Mark jerks as he digs nails into his thighs to get himself to focus, “I-uh--I’m sorry for intruding but I’m here with Youngjae. You are?”
The male seems to frown at this and goes to reply when Youngjae appears,
“Ah! There you are, Dad!”
Dad?! As in his FATHER?!
Mark’s eyes go super wide like a deer trapped in headlights as he takes in the two meeting halfway to hug. The way the alpha lit up too when he saw his son spoke volumes and how Youngjae hugged his father showed how close of a bond the two still had.
And here Mark was almost unable to control himself in front of his best friend’s father!
Oh, this might not be a good idea at all…
‘Ok, breathe in….breathe out…he’s just my best friend’s Dad…just my best friend’s Dad…just…’
Mark opens his eyes after a moment as he feels a heated gaze on him. The second he opens his eyes he finds Youngjae’s father is the one looking at him. Where the alpha was still hugging his son but was looking over Youngjae’s shoulder and right at him with a look that was sending shivers down his spine. Tingles began to spread throughout his body and a warm coil settled in the pit of his stomach…
You don’t know how hard it was to not utter the word, ‘Daddy’ right then and there.