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Rain’s POV
The butterfly was sooooo pretty.
It flapped flappy wings that were shiny on the ends, like gold. Rain liked gold. Dada’s ring was gold.
Bunny liked gold too. Rain knew because Bunny was snuggled under his chin, and Bunny always liked what Rain liked.
Rain tiptoed after the butterfly. “C’mere, butterfly,” he whispered, but the butterfly didn’t listen. Rude.
It flapped away. Rain followed. One step. Two step. Three step.
Oh.
This wasn’t where Daddy was. Or Sky. Or anyone Rain knew.
“…Uh-oh,” Rain mumbled into Bunny’s soft head. Bunny didn’t answer ’cause Bunny was quiet, but that was okay.
He saw someone else on the curb. A boy. Hair like sunshine. Big sleeves. Looked small, like Rain felt.
Rain plopped down next to him. “Hi.”
The boy blinked. “…Hi.”
“You lost?” Rain asked.
“…Yeah. My hyungs… went away.” The boy’s mouth made a little frown.
Rain hugged Bunny and took a sip from his juice box. Then he held it out. “Want some?”
The boy looked like maybe yes, but also maybe no. “I’m Felix.”
“I’m Rain.” Sip. Pass juice. “If black cars come with gold lion, they safe. That’s Dada’s.”
Felix made a face like he didn’t get it. “…Dada?”
Rain nodded lots. “Mmhm. Dada Vegas. He always finds me.”
“What if it’s not your Dada?” Felix asked.
Rain shrugged. “Then no gold lion. Papa says gold lion means safe. Like magic stamp.”
Felix made a little laugh, but not all the way.
Then—rrrmmm. A black car stopped by the curb.
Felix’s eyes went big.
Rain’s smile went big too. “See? Gold lion!” He pointed, proud.
The door opened. Dada came out. Tall. Sunglasses. Suit. He was like big big lion, but nice.
When he saw Rain, his mouth got soft.
“Rainy,” Dada said, all warm and safe. “And… new friend?”
Rain ran fast. “Dada!” Bunny flopped in his hand as he got scooped up. Dada smelled like leather and something nice.
Felix stood like a statue.
Rain held his hand out from Dada’s arms. “It’s okay. He’s Dada.”
Felix blinked. “…You sure?”
“Promise,” Rain said.
Felix put his hand in Dada’s other hand. Careful.
“Alright, kittens,” Dada said. “Let’s get you back to your grown-ups.”
They were almost to the car when someone yelled—
“FELIX?!”
Rain blinked. “…Who’s that?”
Rain looked up when the yelling came again.
There — a bunch of boys running fast. Like puppies. Big, loud puppies.
One had big swishy hair. One was yelling with his whole mouth. One looked like he might bite.
“Felix!!” the loud one shouted, arms going whoosh-whoosh like windmills.
Felix’s hand in Dada’s hand got sweaty. “…My hyungs,” he said small. Then, quieter, “And Appa.”
Rain tilted his head. “Which one’s Appa?”
Felix pointed without looking. “Channie-appa. The one in front.”
The “Appa” boy was big and muscly and running like a scary superhero.
Rain thought maybe Daddy could beat him in a race. Maybe.
The boys got close fast.
“HEY!” windmill-hands yelled. “LET GO OF HIM!”
Rain blinked. “…Why? He’s holding him.”
Swishy-hair frowned. “What?”
“Gold lion,” Rain explained, pointing at the shiny on the car. “Means safe. Like on Dada’s ring.”
No one looked. They were too busy making angry faces at Dada.
The bitey-looking one — Appa — stepped forward. “Felix, come here—”
“NO,” Rain said, hugging Bunny so tight Bunny’s ears smooshed. “Dada found me first. You can’t take me. Daddy’ll be mad. Papa too.”
Everyone stopped.
The tallest boy with the swishy hair asked, “Daddy?”
“Mmhm. Daddy Phayu. And Papa Pete. This is Dada Vegas. They’re mine.” Rain grinned.
Felix tugged Dada’s hand. “It’s okay, Appa. Hyungs. He’s not bad. Rain says he’s safe.”
Appa-Channie looked at Dada like he was trying to see through him. Dada just sighed. “If you’re finished accusing me of kidnapping…”
Dada picked Rain up easy. “I’ll be taking them back now.”
Felix got handed a cookie from somewhere (Rain missed where, too busy looking at the clouds) and waved at Appa and his hyungs. “See you in a bit!”
Rain rested his head on Dada’s shoulder, happy again.
“Dada?” Rain mumbled.
“Yes, Rainy?”
“Can we find the butterfly later?”
“…We’ll see.”
Rain smiled. That meant yes.
The car stopped.
Rain didn’t care where. He was busy making Bunny boop Felix’s cookie so Bunny could have a “bite.”
Felix giggled and broke off a piece. “Don’t tell Appa or he’ll say no snacks before dinner.”
Rain gasped. “Bunny’s not snack, he’s guest.”
Felix nodded all serious. “Right. Guests can eat.”
The door opened. Cool air and warm voices mixed.
“Rain.”
Rain’s head popped up. “Daddy!”
Daddy Phayu was there, tall-tall-tall and frowning like he did when the weather was bad. He reached for Rain, but Rain just clung tighter to Dada.
“Nooo. Dada found me first.” Rain buried his face in Dada’s shoulder. “Dada’s turn.”
Felix was waving with his cookie hand. “Hi, Appa!”
Rain peeked. A big muscly man — Appa Channie — was there too, with all the hyungs standing behind him like ducks in a row.
Appa Channie walked closer to Felix and checked him over, voice soft. “You okay, Lixie?”
Felix nodded with crumbs on his lip. “Yup! Dada Vegas gave me cookies. Rain says gold lion means safe.”
Appa Channie’s eyes flicked to Dada, then to Daddy. “…Gold lion?”
“His ring,” Felix said, like that explained everything.
Rain held up Dada’s hand for proof. “See? Magic stamp.”
Daddy crossed his arms. “Vegas, you couldn’t call?”
“I was busy making sure they didn’t run into traffic,” Dada said, tone calm-calm like he wasn’t standing in a parking lot with two very protective men glaring at each other.
Appa Channie kept one hand on Felix’s shoulder, still looking at Dada. “You’re telling me you just happened to find both of them?”
“Yes,” Dada said simply. “I suppose I’m lucky.”
Rain didn’t like all the staring. He held Bunny up between them like a shield. “Stop frowning! Papa says frowning makes wrinkles.”
Felix nodded and took another bite. “Wrinkles are bad. Cookies are good.”
That made Dada’s mouth twitch like he wanted to smile. Daddy sighed and reached for Rain again.
“C’mon, cub,” Daddy said, voice softer now. “Let’s go home.”
Rain hesitated, then whispered in Dada’s ear, “We can find butterfly later?”
Dada hummed. “We’ll see.”
Rain smiled. That still meant yes.
Before Daddy could get him away from Dada, another voice called out—
“Rainy!”
Rain’s whole body lit up. “Papa!!”
Papa Pete came hurrying over, all smiles and open arms, like the sun had just walked into the parking lot. His shirt was soft-looking, his hair a little messy from the wind, and he smelled like home before he even got close.
Rain squealed and leaned out of Dada’s hold just enough for Papa to scoop him—except Rain didn’t let go of Dada’s suit jacket. Nope. One arm for Papa, one hand still gripping Dada’s lapel like a koala.
“My little cub,” Papa cooed, peppering Rain’s face with kisses. “Were you scared? Did you get lost?”
Rain giggled, squishing Bunny between them. “Nooo. Dada found me. I was fine. We got Felix too.”
Papa blinked and looked over at Felix, who waved with a cookie in his hand. “Hi! I’m Felix.”
“Hi, sweetheart,” Papa said warmly, before turning to Daddy. “Everything okay?”
“Eventually,” Daddy said with that grumbly sigh voice.
Papa’s smile stayed bright, but his eyes flicked between Daddy, Appa Channie, and Dada like he was catching up on all the things he’d missed. “Well, I’m glad you’re both safe. Thank you, Vegas.”
“Mm,” Dada replied, nonchalant like always.
Rain leaned his head against Papa’s shoulder but kept his fist in Dada’s jacket. “Papa, can Dada come too? We’re gonna find the butterfly later.”
Papa laughed softly. “Is that so?” He reached up and gently pried Rain’s fingers free. “I think Dada has important things to do, cub.”
Rain pouted, but Papa smoothed his hair, and somehow that made the pout smaller.
“Tell you what,” Papa said, carrying him toward Daddy’s car. “We’ll all have dinner together soon, and you can tell me all about the butterfly, okay?”
Rain thought about that, then nodded. Dinner with Papa and Dada was almost as good as butterfly hunting.
Behind them, Papa’s voice turned warm-but-firm as he told Daddy and Dada, “No more scaring each other like this. My heart can’t take it.”
Rain decided grown-ups were too weird sometimes. But at least Papa’s hugs made everything better.
BangChan’s PoV
The moment the hotel room door clicked shut, Chan finally let out the breath he’d been holding since the second Felix had disappeared.
Felix, of course, was completely unfazed.
He plopped down on the carpet, legs swinging, eyes bright like he’d just come back from a trip to the amusement park instead of nearly giving eight people a collective heart attack.
“Appa! You’re never gonna guess what happened!” he announced, already bouncing in place.
“I think I can,” Chan muttered, sinking onto the couch with a hand over his face. “But go on, Lixie. Tell me.”
The others—Minho, Jisung, Seungmin, Hyunjin—gathered around like an audience waiting for the main act.
Felix started with an exaggerated gasp.
“I was walking, and then I saw a baby duck! It was so tiny—like this!” He made a circle with his fingers, impossibly small. “And I had to follow it, because maybe it was lost, Appa! You taught me to help, right?”
Chan sighed. “Right.”
“So I followed it… and then I didn’t know where I was anymore. But then! This nice hyungie found me!” Felix beamed. “His name’s Rain, and he gave me juice! Mango juice, Appa! My favorite!”
“Mango, huh?” Jisung muttered. “This is turning into a food blog.”
Felix ignored him. “Then—then this big black car came. It was scary. But Rain said it was safe because it had a gold lion. That means it’s his Dada’s car!”
“Gold… lion?” Minho repeated slowly, side-eyeing Chan.
“Yeah! And then I met Dada—he’s really tall, Appa! He gave me cookies! Chocolate ones! And then—” Felix’s eyes widened in remembered excitement—“Appa! You and all my hyungs came! Like superheroes! But I already had cookies so I wasn’t scared anymore!”
Hyunjin groaned. “We almost tore the city apart looking for you, and you were just… eating cookies.”
Felix puffed his cheeks. “They were good cookies, Hyungie.”
Chan pinched the bridge of his nose, torn between exasperation and relief.
He should scold him. He really should. But Felix’s proud little smile—like he’d just come back from a grand quest—made it impossible.
“Alright, Lixie,” Chan said at last, crouching down to his level. “No more following ducklings alone, okay?”
Felix nodded solemnly. “Okay, Appa. Next time I’ll bring you with me. Then you can have juice and cookies too!”
Chan laughed despite himself, ruffling his hair. “Deal.”
They had barely unpacked their bags when Chan’s phone lit up with an unknown number.
He stared at it for a beat. The others were busy—Felix on the floor building a block tower with Jisung, Minho scrolling his phone, Seungmin tossing a pillow at Hyunjin for existing.
Chan answered cautiously.
“…Hello?”
“Hi, is this Chan?”
The voice was warm, friendly. Too friendly.
“…Yeah?”
“This is Pete. Rain’s papa.”
Chan blinked. “Rain… the kid from earlier?”
“That’s the one,” Pete said cheerfully. “Sorry for calling out of the blue—Rain’s been talking about Felix non-stop since they met. He really wants to see him again. I thought maybe we could do dinner tonight? You can bring the whole band if you want.”
Chan’s eyes flicked to Felix, who was now giving Bunny a “cookie bath” in a cup of water.
Dinner. With strangers. Who drove black cars with gold lions. Who just happened to “find” lost children before their own families could.
Chan was not a paranoid man by default. But—
Gold lion.
Tall man in a suit.
Rain casually dropping “Dada Vegas” like it was normal to have a parental figure named after a city.
Now a man named Pete calling him directly—when Chan hadn’t given his number to anyone.
Oh no.
It all clicked.
They’re mafia.
Minho noticed his expression. “What’s wrong?” he mouthed.
Chan covered the mic. “…I’ll explain later.”
Back into the phone, he said, “Uh… dinner?”
“Yeah,” Pete replied like they’d been friends for years. “Someplace nice but casual—Rain can run around, Felix can join him. No pressure, just good food and company.”
Chan had about forty questions—
How did you get my number?
Do you own the gold lion cars?
Are you going to ‘casually’ recruit me into your crime family?
But Pete’s tone was so disarming, so dad next door, that Chan found himself saying, “…Alright. We’ll be there.”
“Great! I’ll text you the address. See you at seven!”
Click.
Chan lowered the phone slowly.
Hyunjin raised an eyebrow. “Well?”
Chan took a deep breath. “Felix has a playdate.”
“With the mafia?” Minho deadpanned.
Chan didn’t deny it. “…Dinner. Seven o’clock. All of us.”
Felix perked up instantly. “Rain?!”
“Yeah, Lixie,” Chan said, rubbing his temples. “Rain.”
Felix cheered. Chan prayed they’d all make it back without getting another gold lion lecture.
The address Pete had sent didn’t lead to a restaurant.
It led to a mansion.
A huge one—white walls gleaming in the late sun, windows glinting gold, and an open courtyard at the center where a long dining table groaned under the weight of dishes. The scents hit first: grilled meat, fresh bread, roasted herbs. But the second thing hit harder.
Men. Everywhere.
Armed, stationed at every entrance and exit, standing like statues with their hands clasped in front of them—but the bulge under their jackets said more than their faces ever would. Every one of them wore that same golden lion crest somewhere on their person.
Chan slowed to a halt, his stomach sinking. “Oh… no.”
“Oh, yes,” Felix muttered beside him, eyes darting.
Gold lion.
Mafia.
They were so, so screwed.
Before anyone could turn and run, the mansion doors opened wide, and Pete stepped out—smiling like they were long-lost friends rather than potential hostages. “You made it!”
“Uh—” Chan started, but Pete was already pulling them in for hugs, one by one, completely unfazed by the way the armed guards watched them.
“Come on, come on,” Pete ushered warmly, clapping Chan on the shoulder like they were family. “Dinner’s ready. Rain’s been asking about Felix all afternoon—come in before the food gets cold!”
And just like that, Pete managed to make walking into a mafia lion’s den feel like coming home for the holidays.
He smiled easily, spoke softly, and fussed over the food like a proper host, making sure plates were filled and glasses never empty. If this family had any capacity for human warmth, it seemed to reside in him… and, apparently, Rain.
Dinner was… quiet. Painfully so.
The only real conversation came from Rain, Felix, and Pete, who traded easy chatter about food, music, and the weather as if they were at any other friendly dinner.
The rest of them ate in strained silence. Until—
“Are you part of the mafia?” Han Jisung blurted.
Every head at the table turned.
Across from him, Vegas set down his wine glass and smiled slowly, like a predator amused by the curiosity of prey.
“Little one,” he said, voice smooth as silk, “we are not part of the mafia.”
He leaned in just enough for the air to feel heavier.
“We are the mafia.”
The words hung in the air like a loaded gun.
Vegas leaned back, eyes still on Jisung, and took another slow sip of wine.
No one spoke.
Chan could feel every muscle in his body coiled, ready for… something. An announcement that they were hostages. A monologue about debts and territory. Maybe even the cinematic “You’ll be working for us now” speech.
Hyunjin’s hand twitched toward his thigh like he was ready to bolt.
Seungmin’s eyes flicked to the exits.
Jisung sat frozen, clearly regretting opening his mouth.
The only one who looked perfectly at ease was Felix—smiling faintly, sipping his juice like this was all just another Tuesday.
And then, the sharpest voice in the courtyard wasn’t Vegas’s.
It was Rain’s.
“Dada!”
Every head turned toward the little one, who was standing from his chair now, hands planted on the table beside his plate of half-eaten noodles.
Rain glared at Vegas like he’d just committed a grave offense.
“They are friends, Dada! Not bad guys!”
Vegas blinked. “…Little one—”
“No villain, Dada!” Rain interrupted with a stomp of his foot for emphasis, curls bouncing. “You scarin’ Felix’s Appa and Hyungies!”
Silence. Again.
Except this time, it wasn’t tense—just… confused.
Chan didn’t know what shocked him more: the fact Rain had just scolded a mafia boss in front of his entire armed entourage… or the fact Vegas actually looked sheepish.
Vegas’ eyes softened, the sharp edges of his earlier grin melting away as he leaned slightly toward Han.
“Of course, little bunny. Dada is sorry. No more scaring friends.”
Pete gave his partner a pointed look before turning to the rest of Stray Kids with an apologetic smile.
“Sorry about that. He’s got a bad habit of acting like a villain when it looks fun,” Pete explained, his tone light but steady. “He was just teasing. We haven’t done anything the other party didn’t deserve. So don’t worry.”
The table fell into a tense quiet again — not as frozen as before, but far from comfortable.
SKZ exchanged glances, each member caught between relief and the realization that the words “didn’t deserve” left a lot of gray area.
They were… maybe a little calmer than before.
Also, maybe a little more scared.
Dinner ended in that quiet, brittle way where only the clink of utensils and the occasional murmur from Rain, Felix, and Pete kept the room from freezing over entirely.
By the time they all wandered back to the villa’s central space, Rain had wriggled out of his chair, full of renewed energy, chasing Felix around the polished floor. Their laughter echoed through the tall ceiling, little feet skidding and socks sliding as they darted around columns and furniture.
Chan leaned toward Pete, watching the chaotic duo race past. “Why’d you tell us to bring the whole band?” His voice was low, careful not to interrupt the game — or the strange truce hanging in the air. “What do you actually want from us?”
Pete smiled faintly, eyes following Rain’s uncoordinated sprint. “Rain — Big Rain — is actually a huge fan of your band.” He tilted his head, checking Chan’s reaction. “If I’m not mistaken… he’s bias? Is that the word?”
Chan’s mouth twitched. “Yeah. That’s the word.”
“It’s Felix,” Pete said simply. “We thought it’d be a fun surprise. Once he’s out of his little space, imagine him seeing photos of himself playing tag with his bias — while the whole group is there watching.”
From across the room, Rain squealed as Felix spun around and tagged him square in the middle, both collapsing into breathless giggles.
Han was the first to break the silence, his eyes a little wide and glassy after Pete’s words. “That’s… that’s actually really sweet,” he murmured, voice soft enough that the others barely caught it. He tried to play it off by hiding behind his coffee cup, but the faint upward curl at the corners of his mouth gave him away.
Some of the others melted right along with him — Felix clasping his hands with a tiny gasp, I.N letting out a low whistle. Changbin gave a short, approving nod like he’d just heard the setup to the best kind of song.
But not all were convinced right away. Hyunjin raised an eyebrow, skeptical but intrigued. Bang Chan’s gaze sharpened slightly, the faintest sign of caution in the way his shoulders tensed. Seungmin, ever the blunt one, tilted his head and asked, “You guys love him that much?”
Pete didn’t even hesitate. “Yes. This manor has always felt heavy,” he said, voice steady but laced with something that made the words sink deep. “Even when I tried to liven things up… it stayed the same. But Rain—he was the only one who succeeded in softening every rough edge in this place. Everyone here is willing to die and kill to protect that little ball of sunshine. And if mafia money could give him access to his favorite group, then why not? But I guess…” Pete’s mouth quirked faintly, his eyes crinkling, “…meeting you like this is better than what Vegas planned initially.”
That made several heads turn at once, the room filling with puzzled stares.
“What… did he plan?” Hyunjin asked slowly.
Pete just smirked, leaning back in his chair like he knew exactly what he was doing.
Pete leaned back, both hands up in mock surrender, his smile just shy of guilty. “Be rest assured—no kidnapping and hostage taking is involved,” he said, glancing at Chan with a conspiratorial twinkle. “Maybe just… him buying the company.”
Chan’s brows shot up.
“But,” Pete added quickly, “Rain was against it. I swear.”
There was a beat of silence before his shoulders relaxed, and he shifted to a more earnest note. “Anyways… it’s nice that you agreed to have this dinner. Rain will surely be ecstatic.” His smile softened, fond and sure. “We’ll be sure to attend your concert in two days.”
By the time dessert was cleared, Rain and Felix had disappeared into the open courtyard again—this time armed with two oversized stuffed animals that Pete swore had been in storage since forever. Their laughter echoed under the high ceilings, a stark contrast to the quiet clink of silverware inside.
When SKZ finally stood to leave, Pete walked them out personally, waving off the armed guards who lingered nearby.
“Thank you for coming,” Pete said, smiling as if they hadn’t just dined under the watch of a small army. “I know this was… unconventional.”
“That’s one word for it,” Changbin muttered under his breath, earning a quick elbow from Chan.
Pete’s eyes softened. “He’s going to talk about this night for weeks. Really—thank you for indulging him.”
The group was led to a sleek black van. Even as the doors shut, Rain’s voice carried faintly from inside the courtyard—something about Felix being “too fast, no fair!”—and Han had to bite back a grin.
Inside the van, the ride back to their hotel was quiet for the first few minutes.
“That was…” Lee Know began.
“Terrifying?” Seungmin offered.
“Kind of sweet,” Han countered, leaning his head against the window. “I mean… they clearly adore him.”
Felix was still smiling faintly, as if replaying the whole tag game in his head.
---
The Next Day
Morning brought a knock at their hotel door. When Felix opened it, no one was there—only a black velvet box sitting neatly on the floor.
Inside was a small golden lion pin and an envelope.
The card read, in careful handwriting:
For my Felix hyungie. See you soon. —Rain
Felix clutched it to his chest with a grin that could have powered the city. Han demanded to take a picture “for memories.” Seungmin muttered something about “tracking devices” but didn’t stop them.
Chan, meanwhile, found an elegant cream envelope slid under his own door. Inside, written in Pete’s neat script:
Two days. Don’t be late.
---
Concert Day
They spotted them instantly.
Front row center—Rain practically vibrating in his seat, gold lion pin gleaming on his shirt. Pete sat beside him, dressed neatly but relaxed, smiling like this was his personal holiday. On Rain’s other side was Vegas, unreadable and still as stone, one hand resting protectively on Rain’s shoulder. Phayu sat on the end, arms crossed but eyes scanning the stage like he was evaluating its structural safety.
The lights dimmed. The music started. And Rain’s excitement became its own show. Every song had him on his feet, cheering, waving his arms, grinning so widely that even Vegas’s stony mouth twitched once or twice.
Felix spotted him halfway through the set and waved mid-choreo—Rain almost fell over in delight.
---
Backstage
After the final bows, the group was ushered into the backstage lounge. Rain ran to Felix immediately, wrapping him in a hug so tight Pete had to gently remind him to “let him breathe, sweetheart.”
“You were amazing!” Rain beamed, bouncing on his toes. “You’re even cooler up close!”
Pete thanked them all warmly, shaking hands like an old friend. Phayu gave a polite nod.
Vegas stepped forward last, pulling something from his jacket—a sleek, black card stamped with a golden lion. He handed it to Chan.
“In case you ever need help with something,” he said quietly, gaze steady.
Pete, from the side, added with a faint smirk, “Preferably not for world domination.”
Chan looked down at the card, then back at Vegas, unsure if he’d just been threatened, recruited, or protected.
“…Thanks?”
Rain just grinned between them, blissfully unaware of the weight in that small rectangle of metal.