daisies, targets, and hard drives (m.h)

simple assignments

Mark had quite a simple assignment. It was a breath of fresh air from the last, which had left him with a gnarly scar on his side and a damaged belief in the good of the human race. But this was going to change things. It was going to restore his belief and his chipped self confidence, remind him of the wholesome things in life. 

He was requested by a worried father to look after his son for a while. A week or two at the least. Jisung has been having a hard time at school all his life. People always pretended to be his friend just to take advantage of his money and get as close to his dad as possible. All Mark had to do was follow Jisung around at school and make sure he was safe. If anyone approached him and tried to be friends, it was Mark's responsibility to make sure they were genuine and had no ill intentions. 

It was a simple job, really, and Mark didn't mind the indefinite timeline (especially if he was getting paid). He probably would've done the job for free, though. Ten still couldn't look him in the eyes and the feeling was mutual. Plus, Jisung was smart and cute and he had a heart made of gold. He deserved way more than being treated like a tool. 

Jisung's life is pretty boring once you get past the luxury, but in a good way. There's the woman who used to be his nanny that comes by from time to time. There's the mailman that Jisung always greets when they cross paths. There are the kids he sometimes plays with at the park, but they haven't done that in a while. There's the best friend that simultaneously gushes over and bullies Jisung for having a super secret, undercover bodyguard. And then there's Haechan.

He seems nice enough, but don't all people who try to scam you out of your money have to be some level of charming?

The funny thing is, Mark almost falls for it. Haechan is bright. He gets Jisung out of his shell in no time. He's smart and kind, and helps Jisung out with his work, which is more than Mark is able to do, even if he denies it when Haechan points it out. He didn't take this job to be a full time college student, even if he has to pretend to do things for appearance sake. 

Haechan is also pretty. And though Mark won't mention it to anyone, especially not Johnny, god. He watches Haechan and it's not just because his job requires him to.

Then, he sees it.

Mark leaves Jisung's room to pee and catches Haechan with Junseo. They're shaking hands and the look on the younger's face is almost flirtatious. It's the same look Mark's seen multiple times now. Most notably on the night of the party, just the two of them—

Junseo walks away, attitude still a bit uptight. Mark chooses then to walk down to the bathroom and a bitter taste hits his tongue when Haechan smiles sweetly at him as they pass each other.

Mark starts watching Haechan closer after that. And he's still…him. He helps Jisung out and joins in on Chenle's jokes. He still makes fun of Mark himself and thanks Taeil for every ride. But everytime Junseo's around, it's like he turns up the innocent look on his pouty lips and Mark watches as the older man seems to be falling more and more into the trap. 

Mark doesn't know what Haechan's end goal is. He's scared to find out. But he thinks he might have failed his job.

“Do I talk in the group chat too much?” Jisung asks him out of the blue on a Saturday where it's just the two of them. 

Mark looks up and sees Jisung looking out the window. At what? He doesn't know. “Honestly, I don't know? It doesn't bother me or anything but 70% of the notifications I get in a day are from you, so…”

“Ah, sorry.” Jisung turns away from the window so they're facing each other, but his eyes don't leave the floor. “I guess I just get a little excited to talk to Haechan. I haven't– I haven't, um, had a chance to get to know someone new in a while.”

Pity tugs at Mark's heart and he bites his lip. “You can always talk to me, you know. Get to know me.”

Jisung looks at him and widens his eyes. “Sorry, sorry. I didn't mean it like I have no interest in getting to know you better, it's just that you're…well, you're getting paid to be around me. It's different with Haechan, I mean he's a friend I made myself that isn't, you know, living with me either. You're both my friends but…” He trails off with a pained look on his face as he rubs nervously at his arm.

Mark nods in understanding so Jisung doesn't continue trying to explain himself. Mark got it. He doesn't have the heart to tell Jisung that he suspects Haechan might have ulterior motives after that. It's sad, watching Jisung smile at his phone as he types message after message. Because even if Haechan isn't getting paid, he's definitely way more interested in Junseo than he led them all to believe. 

Mark doesn't mention his new thoughts on Haechan. He tries to act the same as normal, but he struggles to completely stomp down on the newfound disgust he has for Haechan and his actions. He knows that Haechan can tell something is different between them, but he can't bring himself to fix it.

All he can think when he sees him is that he's purposefully breaking Jisung's heart. Haechan knows Jisung's history with other people, and he's walking right in their footsteps. Aside from that, Mark isn't gonna kink shame but, he's into Junseo? Seriously? He's not judging but like…he's judging. 

(And if that has anything to do with what Mark thought might have been blooming between them, it's not a thought he ever lets fully form.)

On the day Mark tells Junseo about his suspicions, he'd been watching them in secret. Like nearly every night that Haechan stays over at Jisung's, once he bids everyone goodbye, Taeil drives him to the university dorms. Tonight, Mark hides behind a wall and watches as Junseo leads Haechan to the door with a firm grip on his lower back. 

Haechan turns back once he's outside and says something that Mark can't make out. But the way he waves and the smirk on Junseo's face when he closes the door is enough for Mark to be concerned. 

He waits until after he says goodnight to Jisung to say anything. Mark knocks on the door to the man's office and waits to be let in.

“Ah, Mark. Do you need something?” Junseo barely looks up from the papers he's flipping through. 

Mark takes a seat. “It's about Haechan. He seems very interested in you lately. I don't know if he wants money or something else, but I don't think he's here just because of Jisung.”

He doesn't know how he expected Junseo to react. All he knows is that it wasn't like…this. Junseo finally puts his papers down and looks at Mark with a small smile. “I know, I get the same feeling.”

Mark scrunches his eyebrows. “Do you want me to get rid of him, then?” 

Junseo shakes his head. “No, it's fine. I'll keep playing along with him, see what he really wants.” 

“What about Jisung? Shouldn't we tell him?” 

“When the time is right, but let's let him have his fun for a bit.” 

“But—”

“Mark, trust me. It'll be fine.” Junseo looks back down at his papers and Mark feels in the air that he's been dismissed.

It feels wrong when he leaves the office. He can't shake the feeling that there might be something else going on. His whole job was to protect Jisung from this very thing. Why isn't Junseo more upset about this? At him for borderline failing his assignment, or at Haechan for worming his way into his home? Why isn't he demanding Haechan be confronted about his motives as soon as possible? 

Mark returns to his room wondering if his mission isn't quite as simple as he thought.