NCT Imagines (Requests closed)

Self worth (Mark) Part~4

A/N: since a lot of you wanted a part 4. Enjoy!

The sizzle of eggs on the frying pan made Y/N look up from her laptop. She watched as Mark let the eggs cook and then transferred them onto a plate.

"You've gotten better," Y/N commented, admiring the perfect eggs.

"I've had some practice now," he said, pushing the plate in front of Y/N. "Is Mari still asleep? Should I wake her up?"

"Please," Y/N said, picking up a fork. Her daughter would be pleasantly surprised to see Mark here. He had come over last night after Mari had gone to bed. Of course, Mari would be told that he came in the morning. Y/N had painted Mark out to be a friend, nothing more.

Mark entered the kitchen first, leading Mari by the hand. Y/N was reminded of a baby elephant holding onto its mother's tail. "Morning," Y/N greeted her daughter, who mumbled out a 'morning' while still rubbing her eyes. Mark lifted her and placed her on the chair next to Y/N.

"Here's your breakfast, kiddo," Y/N brought out a plate of jam sandwiches which Mari adored.

In the evening, after they'd come back from a restaurant, Y/N started on her work while the other two chatted in the living room. Mari had gotten quite attached to Mark in the past three months. The way she had begun mimicking his mannerism, picking up his vocabulary, one would think she was his actual daughter.

It wasn't just Mari. Y/N was used to him being around as well. His easy smiles, kind gestures, contagious laughter, secretly meeting up at the company's emergency staircase, and at night when the two were alone... but what she loved the most was the way he looked at her, a gaze of perpetual adoration.

They decided to watch Disney's Tangled before Mark went home for the day. Somewhere between the movie, Mari had placed her head on his lap and fallen asleep. And soon even the adults had stopped watching the movie.

Mark cupped Y/N's cheek as he brushed his lips against hers, she leaned in. They were careful not to move a lot as they kissed, lest Mari be woken. Y/N was always cautious not to get too touchy with him in front of her daughter. Y/N believed that Mari was still too young to know more. Their session was cut short when the doorbell rang. Y/N broke away, slight panting. Without a word, she stood up from the couch to get to the door.

She calmed herself down before opening the door, but her breath caught again. Jaehyun stood there, carrying a blue paper bag from the bakery next door. "Hi," he said with a dimpled smile which Y/N did not return.

"What are you doing here?" She asked instead.

"I'm here to see Mari," Jaehyun answered, his smile disappearing, "I brought cake for her," he lifted the bag to make his point.

"I thought I told you to stop coming over unannounced," she bit out, folding her arms.

"I texted you, but you didn't see my message."

"You're not supposed to tell me, you're supposed to ask."

Jaehyun looked to his right then back at Y/N. "Are you going to do this here? All your neighbours are getting a great show right now. Let me come inside at least."

She begrudgingly opened the door wider for him. She didn't want him to see Mark. The reason why she was so anxious about the two of them seeing each other eluded her. Funnily enough, she felt like she was the one who was cheating.

He came inside and closed the door behind him. "You can have cake with her another time," Y/N said. "Mari is..." she realized that she didn't have his attention. He wasn't looking at her, but at the pair of men's shoes placed neatly in the corner. Y/N felt her gut twist.