othersideoutlawsnetwork

[othersideoutlawsnetwork]

🗝₊˚⊹— Somewhere on The Other Side, an outlaw has found a key. This one opens Poisonous Bites. The steel key has the name Dawn engraved on it.

Poisonous Bites

╰┈➤ Summary: Feeling like nothing feels the same anymore, wanting to go back to the city. It would be a problem with vampires ruling the city and still making new rules as time passes, getting used to the growing population and making sure things were running smoothly in the background. Yet Ian gave his hand out to you, while slowly making you get used to the new life he had planned.

╰┈➤ Parings: Hybrid! DPR IAN X Hybrid! MALE READER

╰┈➤ Ratings: Mature, NSFW, Slow burn, MDNI, 18+

╰┈➤ Warnings: Fights, talks of "trading", talks of murder, stalking (werewolf/vampire Ian) unprotective sex (wrap it up kids), fingering, pet names, hair pulling, multiple bites and drinking from, breeding kink

╰┈➤ Word Count: 17k

╰┈➤ Networks: @othersideoutlawsnetwork @keopihaus @ksmutsociety @cosyhomenet @winerys-collection @k-vanity

╰┈➤ Banner: Credits to @lovetaroandtaemin

╰┈➤ Genre: Non-Idol Au, Vampire Au, Nonhuman Au, werewolf au, warlock au

╰┈➤ Authors Note: I am nervous about this one simply because it's not only longer, but involves an Idol and actor, who I think plays the role of a vampire very well. This one Might be one of the longest works I have written since it will be spilt into two works since this one will be focused around Ian, the other one being centered around him. If you liked this I thank you. There will be a part two for another love story tied to this, and the hyunjin side posted on my side blog.

Not everything about wolves is simple as shutting someone out just because they have different views from the others. After all, every wolf has a role and if someone isn’t doing their role, then the impact would hurt the entire pack, no matter how big or how small. Yet living outside in the woods was always the hard to part with injuries or someone needs more medical help given their injuries. Even if someone has darker ideas, seems like they don’t want to help but when they do, it’s clearly helpful. And during times like this, there is no losing anyone no matter someone's one opinion.

The Current times are hard, vampires have taken control of the entire main city of Seoul and slowly reached out into other parts,. Changing everything from social status, to some of the food, clothes, buildings and even some jobs. The humans that got away had to start over, losing all contact with their friends, family members or even loved ones. Those who stayed and got captured where either turned into blood banks, tagged so they could never truly run away since if they tried to take out the tag they would die. Or they got killed and would be hung upside down in blood caves. Where their blood would get stored and labeled before being shipped to blood clinics for vampires to come and get some.

The wolves who have gotten captured, turned into pets or even seen as a special prize. Since They trained to listen, but there were some would lure other wolves who wanted to get away from the pack life. Sneaking away so they can finally live at ease and stop having to worry if they would get a meal, stop being feared of being hunted or tired of stepping on eggshells. Their names got replaced with traitors and anyone having any contact were shunned. Some would follow, others would leave their friends behind and try to keep living despite getting hunted, chased and worrying about diseases.

Though for someone who was sitting there, Y/n would often sit under a large tree while looking at the night sky. Looking up at the stars while flipping a butterfly knife they got before the vampires took control of the city. Y/n often used to sneak to a cafe near the woods, but it was in the city. A quiet spot where you could sit outside and see the lake and enjoy how quiet it was. Often sitting outside near the black gates with a notebook and would either draw something that took hours to draw, only to add something dark like a poem.

Y/n often kept the books hidden when they had to fully live in the woods. Often keeping them hidden under the tree, staying there for hours before trying to draw again. It was hard to do when the moon was barely shinning made it hard. But his drawings would get caught by his parents, where he got lectured for the ideas, but how else could he let out his emotions? He no longer had access to music again, the library where he would read dark romance, not even the cafe.

Yet tonight Y/n wanted to do something. He knew his family would be alright since they had plenty of other children; it wasn’t like he was going to get any important roles if everyone was questioning him. There was no point of having someone in power if the others did not trust them enough to handle their job without someone else getting hurt. So he decided he would walk to the cafe, after all it truly wasn’t far, who would want to sit there when you can’t enjoy the actual the view unless you enjoy the night sky reflecting against the water. Sitting in a chair leaned back and comfortable enough and enjoying the surrounding sounds. So what if he got taken by a vampire, what did he have left to lose? Nothing much truly.

It was around 1am by the time he decided he walked the entire way. Holding his book and small pencil, wearing a black and reed bracelet that would help hide his scent from vampires so he didn’t instantly get taken or bitten. And enjoy the scene he missed for years. Pushing back some of his long hair while fixing his jacket, Y/n was careful with his steps since he knew some wolves would walk around on guard. Making sure no one was meeting anyone or trading information, but he was used to this. He got used to making his footsteps sound quiet and blending in his dark surroundings. Something others would say is a useful skill when wanting to sneak up on someone and attack when needed.

Yet here he was, looking at the lights shinning through the woods and seeing the old cafe still standing. The colors were black and red, but they kept the outside view where you could sit and look at the woods. But they added windows to see outside so trying to sit outside without being caught was going to be hard. But given how he nearly fit the dress code some of these vampires followed, it was easy to sit there. He sat where the windows couldn’t show him unless you looked out the windows at an angle and drew something. No looking up to bother anyone or even draw unwanted attention to him. By the sounds of it the vampires inside were celebrating something. He wondered was it a birthday? Do vampires still celebrate their birthday’s? What would they do during it this late at night?

Though he felt like he would never get the answer. Sitting there drawing till his pencil broke once again. His drawing so close to being done yet it was missing something. Yet he no longer had the pencils to finish it. So all he could do was sit there and just stare at it. Holding the now useless pencil while his hair covered his face while he was trying to figure out what to do. Do vampires even use art supplies anymore? DO they enjoy art shows when they could easily see everything and remember how it goes? He truly had so many questions, yet he knew there was barely anyone who would answer him without wanting to drain him dry or have him as a pet to be shown off when he hated having to be around so many people wanting to get close to him and touch him places he didn’t like strangers touching.

“I didn’t think anyone would want to sit outside when a celebration is happening inside. You must be new or really enjoy sitting outside listening to the lake and drawing I assume?”

Looking up at the soft voice, Y/n came face to face with the man. HIs own long hair almost covering his dark brown eyes and a soft smile. His chest was nearly covered in tattoos while he wore a black jacket with matching jeans. Tilting his head to the side while he got a small peak at the art. The dark drawing of a tree with branches slowly reaching out into the sky with the moon having a glow, yet bodies being laid around the tree. The last one looking like it was reaching out to grab onto the tree while everyone else died around him.

Y/n didn’t know how to answer, he wasn’t one to really talk to people nor did he think anyone would want to talk to him. Maybe he was from inside and spotted someone just sitting out here and looking at the paper with a defeated posture? Maybe he grew curious why someone was just sitting out here when it was more lively inside. How would he respond when he doesn’t enjoy talking to people, let alone knowing this was a vampire talking to him as if he was one of their own when he truly wasn’t. But he knew he had to say something, not talking wasn’t an option and trying to run away might only get him corned and would have to answer or who knows would happen to him afterwards?

“I don’t enjoy loud crowds. I don’t know anyone in there.”

He answered, slowly closing the book and leaning back in the chair. Holding the book close to his chest while the male in front of him slowly sat down in the metal chair. He did in fact see Y/n sitting out here drawing before hearing his pencil snap, just seeing him stare at the book before he came outside to try talking to him. After all why sit out here when you could get some fresh blood wine inside and enjoy yourself? Talk among others who had more stories to tell and even powerful men were sitting in there just enjoying themselves.

“Crowds do often get annoying and overwhelming so I understand that. So you’ve lived here for a while? I haven’t seen you in my section before. I must’ve missed you somehow.”

Y/n could only slightly shrug, pushing back some of his hair to show his own eyes while the man in front of him was just staring at him. Wanting to see how he could have missed this person when he made it a point to memorize everyone faces in his own section. How does one miss someone like this and they sneak away from him? Something was missing here, and he wanted to figure it out but how? He didn’t want to cause people to stare otherwise he would have to step into a serious act when truly just wanted to know. After all people get scared and try to get away, the fear clouding their judgment and making it harder to even make sense when trying to explain things.

“You haven’t missed me, I’m not supposed to be here or telling you this. But It’s not like I have a home to get back to.”

This made the male raise his brow, leaning closer hanging off the edge of his seat while he stared at the emotionless stare coming from Y/n. He knew his mind wasn’t lying to him. But openly admitting you aren’t from here is a Deathwish for some. Yet not having a home to get back to made him curious, it reminded him of himself when his own home didn’t want him. Yet would beg him for help since others viewed him to be scary and it didn’t help that when he could express his thoughts some would be worried. But this was during the worse of the vampire take over, trying to get to the city for help was risky. Yet a vampire still took him in, where he not only got to see someone who shared the same thoughts as him, but he changed and became something no one ever thought of.

So he looked over to the woods, not seeing anyone or hearing the quiet footsteps of a wolf trying to peak; So it was clear he must’ve snuck out to get here so no one could find him and stop him. Coming here may intend to be caught and given a new life.

“Then you must be a wolf's form the forest. No wonder I can’t smell you. Though I must ask why come here like this? Aren’t you scared of being killed? Turned into a pet to be shown off in high-class meetings? Or who knows even turned into a blood bank where others with a craving can bite you even if you beg them to stop.”

“No, I knew that was a chance. I stole something from another wolf so I could sit here just a while longer and draw the last thing in this book before I would burn it. After all if anyone were to catch me I highly doubt they would allow me to keep anything related to myself.”

Staring the vampire dead in the eyes, he saw the curious yet surprised look on his face. Yet the smirk on his face was even better. Showing his fangs slightly while finally leaning back in his chair just for a moment. Maybe in shock since others would start getting nervous when caught. Some even trying to beg to be let go and they would never be seen in the city again. Maybe even died or punished by their own homes for running home in a panic and not thinking of their actions and movements. Yet here was someone who was calm, and yet ready to accept whatever fate was awaited for them.

“Can I see the drawings in the book? Not all of us would burn those unless you truly crossed a line and needed a reminder where you stand.”

Watching Y/n slowly push the book over, his small hands slightly hesitate though since he never let someone see it. But he let the vampire take it and look at the drawings from beginning to the end. The twisted portraits with the person crying black tears yet no eyes, spider webs being on the corners with one spider being seen crawling around the person. Some being of vampires and how Jun saw them. Often sitting on chairs with wine glasses full of blood to drink while some of the blood dripped from their chin and got onto some of their clothes. Though most landscape drawings often having the moon in the center of two pages while drawings of mountains and lakes were drawn. Some times there were people drawn other times it would just show tombstones with little scribbles that meant nothing.

“I take it people in your pack hated these drawings if they ever saw them, hm?”

“You say that like you’ve experienced wolves hating things you’ve drawn. Why would a vampire know how that feels?”

Letting out a soft chuckle, seeing some curiosity show in Y/n’s face with his head tilted from to the side with one eyebrow being raised before slowly moving his head with wide eyes. The stranger showed how his left eye was the gold-colored wolf's eyes are, yet his right eye being dark red like a high-class vampire was said to have. He didn’t think others would stop telling his story, after all he should be seen as a warning. But he doesn’t handle the wolves anymore, he stays in the city and has his own mini empire to rule and handle it.

“I was a wolf a couple years ago before someone saw me and took me in. He grew surprised at my transformation but let me build my empire here. Though I answer to him, though some thought I was going to overthrow him, but I stayed. He gave me things no one else ever gave me. My pack didn’t really talk to me unless it was for a lecture. He allowed me to take out my anger when I grew strong enough on them, though some say it was cruel to burn them. I saw it to be reborn as the man you see now. If they stayed alive, I would always be reminded who I was and the people who would try to save me knowing they only wanted me to stand guard and act as an intimidation tactic into getting more resources or scaring away other weaker vampires.”

The Hybrid story was told so kids would behave. Often being told he would drag you away and kill you to appease the vampires that have him under their control just to perform tricks yet no one seemed to ask why would he go to the vampires in the first place? No one seemed to even have a straight and clear answer to begin with. It was almost impossible to get any straight answers. Yet to get to sit here and talk to the man himself who seemed more alive and more relaxed than he probably was before was something different from now. Yet here he was, speaking softly to a wolf who seemed like they had nothing to lose. NO fear showing and truly looked like they were just lost.

“I’ll offer you a deal, since it’s clear just turning you in would end badly. By now, we’ll call him my boss so it’s easier for you. He should be alone in the building since he was invited to attend and took me as a guest. I’ll have to explain your situation, they say he’s heartless around guest, which is why we have more chances when he noticed I’m gone.”

Standing up while fixing his jacket some, he held the book in one hand and held out his hand to help pick up the shocked Y/n. After, all why would he torture someone who was once in his shoes? Nothing to lose yet felt like there was nothing to gain only to meet someone who will give him any and everything? Though that would mean that something would have to change, but if things went according to plan, then he wouldn't have to worry about changing against his will. But that doesn’t mean something won’t be easy. Holding hands with the quiet Y/n, the man turned around only to see the vampire grabbing his long black trench coat. His long hair flowing in the wind while he fixed on his black gloves, tilting his head as he walked over slowly.

“So this is where you went Ian? I’m surprised you didn’t drink them dry. Unless I came at the wrong time?”

His deep voice sent shivers down Y/n’s spine while standing there. Not sure if he should look the person in the eye or if he should just look down and let the man, Ian. Take full control of the wheel and handle things from there. After all no one ever gets a free pass like this, why world he offers to mess sit up now when this meant he would not be used to even tagged or worse, killed and held as a reminder. Yet despite seeing the man everywhere, he was still nervous since if he said no, there was nothing Ian could do but place a bid on Y/n, knowing no one else would dare try to bet against him since he isn’t scared of playing dirty when he’s passionate about something, and he knows what he wants.

“Well not entirely, this one is a special case as you would usually call it. They snuck out from the forest to come here knowing what would happen and I was curious. Could I keep them instead of having to go through the bidding process? I would like this one to not be used to beatings and such and flinching every time I get closer. They remind me of myself when you saw me wondering around the city knowing the vampires following me were about to either tear me to shreds or just toy with me to see if I would beg for mercy.”

Seeing the taller man raise his brow at the two, observing Y/n while having his head slightly tilted. It was something different for him. Ian usually never begged him for something like this. He was used to seeing Ian toy with his prey before biting and drinking from them. Often biting somewhere away from their neck just so he could savor the screams of pain when they were bite. Or during really serious meetings from those who wanted to work with his boss, he would tell his boss secrets about each person and would often be a tease or “a nuisance” as some would call him after some secrets would be revealed. There was no doubt he knew every secret if he focused on every person when he got their name and faces.

“Hm..This is the first time you’ve asked me this. I don’t see why not, but I ask out of curiosity, do you plan on turning them after a while? I highly doubt you’d just ask me this for them to be alive for a while only then kill them later down the line. I’d be disappointed if that were the case.”

Looking down at the curious yet shy Y/n. Ian could feel something inside of him he never felt when he was still fully a wolf. But he wasn’t sure if he should fully embrace it yet, after all he had just met this person. He still had to put them through the test to see if they could handle it or if they were sadly too weak in one by his side. There was nothing he wanted more than just to keep things under the rug for now.

“We will see though I have yet to disappoint you after a couple years of being by your side and surprising you at every chance I had. Your words not mine, but thank you for the chance, now let’s walk to the car shall we? I take it you enjoyed the party compared to the last one? It was very loud and unorganized from the start.”

Slowly walking along with the men, Y/n wasn’t trying to ease drop on the conversation while walking to a black car. Watching how Ian talked and got the man to chuckle some before sitting in his own car. Where it seemed someone was waiting for him but Y/n wasn’t one to look and be nosey about what was happening or even if it was his business to see for himself. Yet he stood out there and waved to the man as the car drove off into the empty streets before disappearing. Y/n looking up at the man who turned to look at them instead. His eyes meeting the curious gaze of someone who wanted to ask questions yet never seemed to find their voice to ask them and only went along white the flow hoping to be left alone. Though it was something different, but it also made him smile but he knew he needed to leave before the other vampires started to all leave and grow curious. Wanting to ask questions before being reminded where they stood next to someone like him.

He didn’t drive since he often enjoyed walking alone, often being seen spinning around while singing songs. No one ever tried to ask him unless they were truly okay with him, though sometimes he would never answer just to be annoying while enjoying himself. So he carefully picked up Y/n before running to his home, it wasn’t with his boss, but it was close enough in case he needed to get there and didn’t want to run halfway across town just to get there. But he always enjoyed a good run while jumping high enough to walk on the roofs of buildings like they were free walkways and he was just enjoying himself knowing no one could truly harm him without facing consequences they were never ready to face to begin with. He loved it all and would never leave this life for anything.

But now he had to be careful when having a wolf in arms before landing in front of his gated house. He only has a gate because before he would see curious kids walking up to his house and some often being annoying so he added this fence and would often taunt those who thought they were brave and special enough to walk up to his house and demand things instead of asking him. Even if their families were tied to him or if he had some special cases with certain families, that never stayed the same for the kids if they didn’t show themselves worthy of his attention. It was something he loved to tease with simply because he would see the shock and terror on their faces when he would show up behind them with an angry look on his face.

Yet here he was taking in someone who looked around the inside of his home with nothing to fear, nothing to lose. Seeing the all black and red choices he had, though some rooms he had were just plain. No color but white, despite having one of the largest manor’s, he often always stayed outside during the nights. Walking around and watching people either run away because they had something to hide or they would have the courage to ask him something. Seeing if he could do it rather than having to take it up with the leader. Though Ian was something else when he wanted to be. He would either follow the rules to the best he could or he would try to bend one, and he could do it.

“Aren’t you supposed to cage me up and treat me like a pet? Why are you letting me freely walk around?”

Turning around to look at the man himself. Who slowly walked to the fridge to grab a blood bag along with his favorite mug. Softly humming as he slowly pours himself a cup, giving Y/n his full attention while slightly leaning over the black granite island.

“Given how we have a lot to do, you trying to do anything trying to harm me would have you tortured by my hands. Besides, I can do more with you, but first you need to find a reason to live as a vampire, or like me. Wanting to turn when you want to die will only kill you.”

Seeing the look in Y/n’s eyes. It was something different, the lost look, wanting to find a something yet for now it felt like everything was just falling. He wondered if this is what Soohyuk saw him in the day he was taken in. But if he was going to train this person to be like him, someone with no fears left to face. No longer feeling lost and just drifting around to find something to do. Somewhere to rest with someone to give them that guidance till they finally get back on their feet. Standing there while swirling around his cup, taking sips of the drink while he watched Jun walk around the large living room and looking at the backyard.

Living here differed from Y/n expected. He could walk around when Ian would go out in the day, being more strict since around that time he would have meetings and trade offers he would handle so Soohyuk could stay in his own place. Y/n was wondering around the house for the first week he stayed there. Seeing the rooms he could walk into, the foods he could eat but everyday he had to complete certain task Ian left him, and would know if they got done or not. Having to drink small sips of blood from the fridge. Getting used to eating somewhat large meals but going a while without eating them. Running in the sun around the woods, not the woods where his old home was, but he would get close to it and then turn back. Wearing a bracelet that allowed his scent to remain hidden, though he would see missing posters with come home notes stuck on them. But he would never respond to them.

And today was no different, Ian was out doing the list of meetings, trade offers for all kinds of things with Soohyuk. And Y/n slowly getting out of bed and getting himself ready. Slowly getting used to wearing short-sleeved clothes since he would sweat after running for so long. Each morning he would drink a small shot cup of blood with some bacon on the side. The Curtains always stayed closed, but it didn’t matter. He would go out the back door and start his run. It was barrable since he got to listen to music along the run. It always started in the backwoods where, having to run along the stream so he never got lost trying to get back home. Since, the time he finally got up and bright it and early around 8am.

The run would last him about 2 hours when he first started, the point here was getting used to running at quicker speeds, not needing to rely on breaks or feeling like he was soon going to collapse out of exhaustion. Fixing his pants, making sure the phone stayed kept with a zipped up pocket, it wasn’t a fancy phone like some others would have. It just allowed him to play music and get tracked by Ian in case something happened and he wanted to be a tease about it. Asking him where he was because the tracker says something else. Sometimes it would scare him, other times he knew Ian was just messing with him and would laugh seeing Jun freak out if something was wrong.

So he started his run. Starting off slow to get used to picking up speed. Even though the cool air felt great, it was also a good while before the sun would shine bright enough to get burned and sweaty. But this was something they finally had, something to live for. Not having to hunt for food, hear the loud cheers from vampires enjoying themselves in the large town, trying to live in the woods while doing his best to help lead and raise pups, slowly creating his own Pack to lead and be proud of. Though that was never in the picture given how many siblings he had, here he was being pushed to do something.

So here he was, running through the woods and following the stream he slowly got used to seeing. He didn’t know it, but there was something different about this run. Y/n was getting used to feeling eyes around him, meaning someone was watching him. But he was told to never quickly turn around, that would make the person leave before he could catch them. So he slowed down his run before standing still. Not moving but looking forward, he saw the old missing poster of his old picture where he looked so tired and done with everything, but with a knife on his head this time.

He didn’t move fast enough, he slowly turned his head while letting his eyes slowly to look at the woods. Trying to peak into the bushes and higher trees that surrounded him. Who would leave this far out from his old home? It’s slightly too close to the city where day-walking vampires could see someone peaking out the woods and would get curious. But this wasn’t another vampire, Y/n has met none other vampires and most of them were told to look away. Waiting till Ian came out with a letter or a sign, everyone knows how baby vampires are when they’re slowly getting turned. And trying to talk to them can sometimes throw them off and make things harder in the long run. But wolves are a different story, those who are pets can’t to talk without permission, and if it’s someone from the woods, they wouldn’t know.

“You aren’t dead, Y/n?”

Slowly taking out an earbud and turning around. Y/n saw a wolf he knew, someone who often would make sure he was doing his training when his father would tell him to. Making sure Y/n was physically alright and would try to make Y/n talk when he had to do his own loud speeches. But he never did well with those, often stumbling over his words, trying to focus on his words more and would often close his eyes to get the words. Then trying to open his eyes to face the crowd but often he would hate it, sure they were looking at him knowing this was a hard spot and position to be in.

Slowly stepping out of the woods showed the wolf himself, Hyunjin. Only walking over to grab his knife before sliding it back in the knife pocket. Fixing his hair into a ponytail before turning on the heels of his boots. He stared at Y/n, seeing how he looked. He looked less pale, more taken care of yet he didn’t have a collar, nor did it smell like anyone was around him. And since the sun was still rising, he had to be alone. Yet Hyunjin still had the raised eyebrow, head slightly tilted while trying to get closer. But he watched Y/n slowly back away, which made him more curious why.

“Why are you backing away from me Y/n? Your parents have been worried sick and your mom hasn’t stopped berating your dad from the moment she knew something was wrong.”

“You’d tell them. This was my choice to make.”

“You don’t look like the pale boy who hated speaking even to me. What happened?”

Getting closer, walking closer and seeing Y/n's eyes for the first time without hair in front of it, he could see the faint red hue shining there. Something that made his own eyes widen in shock as Y/n just stared at him. But he always knew Hyunjin has a good eyesight for things even if other’s struggle to see it. But that still didn’t answer why he hasn’t wearing one of the same collar’s hyunjin saw from the other wolves he’s seen when he would sneak into the city to get supplies.

“A vampire took you in, yet you aren’t wearing a collar. Yet unlike others you don’t have bite marks. Y/n, what happened?”

“I can’t tell you, for your own safety Hyunjin. You want to be dragged by a vampire? I’m doing what I was told and I’ll need to go soon.”

Hyunjin squinted his eyes, slowly looking around but not moving his head around. There were other eyes, but they weren’t ones he knew. All he did was slightly move back some before he looked at the path behind Y/n. Only to the see the shirtless man, wearing another jacket but this time it was red with matching pants. Having some red roses stick out, but they were a design not actual roses.

Yet he had a curious look on his face as he walked forward. Y/n trying slowly backing away hoping to get hyunjin out but there was no telling what Ian was going to do. Hyunjin always stood tall, holding his knife while his two aces stayed on his back. He saw the man walking who had a bright smile, showing off his fangs but a smell that was confusing Hyunjin, he smelled a vampire smell, but soft woods smell. How does one get to that point?

“Awe I see you met an old Friend of yours? I was wondering why you weren’t moving for a while. I wonder were they worried about you? You would’ve been missing for months by now.”

Y/n looked at the two, seeing Hyunjin get more on edge but trying not to show it. His eyes trying to make sense and connect the dots with how fast they were moving, yet nothing seemed to click. Till he saw the flashes of red and yellow. Everyone heard the stories, yet no one knew his name. They say he died when he set that fire, yet no one ever mentioned if he truly lived or not. Some assumed he ran and died by now since vampires knew to be ruthless. Yet to see him alive, standing and even holding Y/n’s shoulder.

Hyunjin was staring at the two of them, his eyes shifting between the two while he was trying to make a run for it. Stepping back but what was he going to say when he got back? The few that were selected can’t come back home unless they had news about Y/n, or they found him and could bring him back home to his worried mother. Who promised that things would be different, and he didn’t have to feel alone anymore, even after she would get on everyone about it. Yet here he was, does he run back home to report? Or does he run to his makeshift treehouse only to write another report in his notebook that would get delivered back to the pack home?

“Don’t hurt him. He used to check on me when he wasn’t on his routes. Please.”

“Now, now, I can’t just let him ge away back home, I’ll have to take him back since he is technically, crossing the line. Every scavenger has been told that I assume? If word gets out, I let a wolf slip through my fingers I’ll get in trouble and you’ll have to see why. Now we can’t have that can we?”

Hyunjin, slowly move his feet back to say he’s on his side. Because if he went missing, that would make the wolves more worried about those around him. Ian could see it, and before either of them could blink he had Hyunjin up in the air. His hand wrapped around his neck tightly while he watched Hyunjin gasp for air, Grabbing the knife from his side pocket and stabbing his arm as deep as possible out of habit. Yet all Ian was tilt his head, his knives weren’t made to handle vampires this strong. Despite struggling and trying to breathe, groaning while closing his eyes and focusing on breathing. Yet Ian turned to look at the shocked yet standing still Jun.

“I know someone who always wanted to have a fighter wolf. Don’t worry they live close by, not entirely but you wouldn’t be alone I assume? We still have trade routes to secure, and maybe you tow can come along. But before that, It’s safe to say your friend here is going to need more guidance before that. Now run back home. I will be waiting.”

Having a grin on his face, he vanished with hyunjin in hand. Jun looked back and taking off running, he didn’t know it, yet he was running faster than he was used to. The music was one thing, but trying to run and make sure his friend is safe is another. Not to mention how far the house was, yet he could still get there when he heard Hyunjin letting out a loud pain yelled. There was one door he wasn’t supposed to open. But that’s where it was coming from, so he ran to the side door and ran back down the metal stairs before seeing Hyunjin thrown down on the ground. Covering one side of his neck while seeing Ian lick his fangs.

He didn’t fully bite him, but it was close since Hyunjin was still trying to attack. Yet there wasn’t anything much more he could do against someone like this. How do you fight a hybrid with senses so high he can choose when to let himself be attacked before fighting back?

“What’s gonna happen to him?”

“That bite isn’t lethal, but it makes him tired. I have a feeling you don’t want to see me and him fighting constantly till he’s tired, or trying to plan things that would only get him in trouble. So he’ll sleep for a while and then feel tired when he wakes up. Relax, he will be alright. Though I can’t say the same for my friend, and no. There is nothing I can about that. I already have you in my hands, training you is already going to be a fun ride. I can’t handle the two of you while still handling my duties.”

Looking towards his crawling yet struggling friend, he was slowly falling asleep. HIs axes kept next to him while Ian slowly took out the knife and tossed it down. It didn’t bother him; it blended in with his outfit though it would slowly heal and fade away after cleaning it deeply as he could. Softly humming Ian walked to the staircase and took Jun by the hand and walked up. Closing the door and making sure it stayed, he knew his friend would come over tonight at some point, he even met Y/n a couple times when he would come back from his late night punching sessions. Since Y/n also had to get used to moving his hands just as fast.

Along with others moving either just as fast, or even faster. There was no missing a day of this, and since the sun was still up. Y/n still had things to do and there was no excuse, not even checking on his friend. Which he wasn’t allowed to do since he didn’t have the key to even unlock it.

Staring back at the door, Y/n being pulled into the kitchen before being let go. Ian grabbed some snacks to drink, he usually enjoyed eating strawberries in-between meetings and the long walks. While also planning new buildings along the area. They were rebuilding, redoing just about everything to make sure homes were still safe, and things were more accessible, routes would be easier to handle and things were easier to see for those in higher power. The empire was slowly growing, others were coming around willingly and their needed to be more spaces, homes and places to keep things organized without others lashing out against each other to create a hostile place. Which would all crumble and then the main two would have to work hard on rebuilding it all over again. Which in itself would be harder to do.

Yet here was Y/n, looking at Ian confused and worried while he was just standing there eating his freshly cut and washed cup of strawberries. Turning to give Y/n his full attention since he could tell he was going to have.

“You have about 15 minutes to ask me questions before I have to leave, and if I find out you even stopped to get inside that room, you’ll get your first punishment. And if you thought the running in the burning hot sun and having to train until 8pm when I’m done only to join me for certain things was bad, the things I’d do would make you thankful.”

Quietly swallowing while standing up straight. The Burning question still lingered in his head. Was his friend going to be okay? Sure he got part of the answer, but what was really going to happen. Though Ian couldn’t give him a straight answer. After, all HIs friend Bang Chan is a very unpredictable person. Unless someone was there trying to keep him in line, so that depends on how much Hyunjin would put his foot down, but not trying to overstep. That was going to be the fun part Hyunjin would have to learn on his own. Though, as much as Y/n wanted to ask more, even after several more questions Ian told him it was time to go back to his schedule. He had to go help plan out another building for another blood bank. Often planning large layouts for some buildings with more storage, and some rooms to keep people there.

He could trust Y/n to stay alone and keep up with the list he got, can’t he?

He knew the punishments he had in mind would drive Jun slightly insane. He didn’t want to fully put Y/n through what he had to go through, not yet. He wanted to watch Y/n gain something only to have the fear of almost losing it. Putting everything he could into protecting that person only to feel nothing while getting hurt. That would scare people when trying to fight, seeing the person not reacting at all, simply just wanting to lunge at someone and kill them after they pose a threat to the person they care for. That’s what Ian needed them to do, even if they felt like he was messing with him. After all, he can’t always be there to save Y/n even if he wanted to. How does one say they have the most fear lover when people want to see it, only to see him get pulled from work and have to save his lover all the time?

At some point, he would have to make Jun fight him. After all, being considered the strongest it only made sense to make him fight. But he needed to make sure Y/n had the reason. So when he arrived home, he took his friend Bang Chan with him. Walking through the door, just now seeing Y/n drag his feet through the house to the kitchen. Eating his last meal of the day, strawberries that were left in wine with a few drops of blood so he gets used to the taste and feeling. It was clear he just took a long shower with his hair wrapped in a towel, and standing there in large pajamas, trying to stand up and eat. Doing so many pushups, sit-ups, getting used to jumping up high so it would be easier when trying to fly and run on the roofs or different places to run on.

Though, seeing the two men talk and walk to the door. Y/n made his way behind them, Ian knew what was happening, yet let the both of them walking down the stairs. Where Hyunjin got himself to sit up. But he was sweating profusely while trying to use his axes to stand up. He knew his chances of getting out in this state was pointless, but seeing someone new made him on edge. If he stayed here, maybe he could get closer to his friend again, wanting to see and understand why he was here and free without having to worry. But clearly that would not be the case here. And all Y/n could do was stand there on the stairs while seeing Ian get closer, Chan standing behind him with his hands behind his back.

“And why do you suggest I get this one? They look like a mess.”

“Watch it Emo fangs, just because I’m tired doesn’t mean you can push me around.”

All Ian did was stand there with a smile on his face. He knew Chan needed someone to keep himself on track, and not causing mayhem when he’s not under constant watch. We can tell he hates it, knowing someone is always there ready for him to mess up just to they can correct him. But he is a deadly vampire, exactly why Soohyuk hasn’t killed him, yet.

“You could use a sassy wolf by your side since you like throwing around vampires who have had none training. This one here is very good with axes. After all, you do always say you get lonely in your own home. Why not make it interesting instead of walking in and trying to mess with my own pretty wolf?”

“You call him pretty wolf?”

“Does it matter?”

Hyunjin gazed over, looking at the stairs and seeing his friend looking worried, but also tired. After, all with all that moving around and the effects of running faster than normal. He felt like he would collapse but his heart was racing while he watched the guest vampire kneel to the tired hyunjin. Gripping his hair to see his eyes only to get spat on. Hyunjin grinning slightly because he saw the shocked look on Chan’s face. Yet he also had a smirk on his face when seeing Chan slightly wipe it off.

“Ever ask before pulling someone’s hair? Or do you need to get bit?”

After this, Bang Chan threw Hyunjin over his shoulders. Hearing him gasp in shock before being carried out of the house. Sure Y/n was trying to get the courage to say something. But even Ian could see how tired he was getting. So before Y/n could fall and pass out from the day. Ian picked them up and walked to the spare room Y/n agreed to sleep in. Softly humming the same tune he always would even when he was just sitting there. He doesn’t fully understand why he hums this sometimes, but he often does and clearly it was helping Y/n fall asleep. By the time Ian reached the room, carefully laying Jun down and seeing he was asleep. But his cheeks were also turning pink.

Maybe he was blushing after being so close? After all, he’s barely around Ian most of the time but he realized Y/n was changing. His teeth were already getting sharper, despite getting tired quicker at night, or rather in the daytime. He would suddenly wake up during the late hours of the night, but he can’t go outside still. More vampires would walk around and would either try to pull others into their parties or worse things Y/n hadn’t experienced before. Though he knew Ian was probably taking a short nap, he would walk around and do a late night swim. Often being seen floating under the pool water, yet he was getting used to not breathing.

Or rather just floating in the water while feeling his eyes burn before making himself get back to sleep. Of course after drying off and changing his clothes of course just to get back up and do it all over again. Yet tonight it seemed like Y/n was holding onto Ian’s hand tighter than he realized. At first Ian was confused and tried slowly get the hand off, but it was useless as Y/n’s grip got tighter. Yet he was fast asleep and wasn’t waking up even after being shook slightly. So yet here he was, stuck next to the sleeping wolf and stayed there while trying to make himself comfortable. He wondered what was Y/n thinking about, mumbling some in his sleep yet trying to keep Ian close.

So Ian Slowly held Y/n close, rubbing his back in the process and watched how his body slowly relaxed and he was no longer shaking or quickly mumbling in a state of fear. Ian never got to know the feeling of being held or holding someone. So this felt new, but he enjoyed the feelings just a little. What else was he supposed to do? This was the first time he got to hold someone who was still alive, breathing and yet still showed little fear when they looked at him. Let alone felt his touch. He could feel something purring inside of him, but he also knew he would have to wait before he could ever let those feelings out. If this feeling was true, his mate wasn’t strong enough to handle him yet. And he refused to lose the one person who might see him as something other than a monster following orders given.

The next morning was of a surprise, Y/n didn’t have to get ready to run or anything. Though he was expecting taunts about his friend being taken. But no, he got none, he only got a note written by Ian that said he picked Y/n an outfit and to get dressed. He would wait till then, downstairs with a bowl of wine-soaked strawberries. Though surprised, Y/n still agreed and followed what he was told. Getting dressed slowly while messing with his hair. The clothes weren’t too tight, but also not loose where they looked like they could slip off his shoulders. The shoes weren’t suffocating his feet, but also weren’t too wide enough. And of course he still wore the bracelet so no one else could smell him. Taking it off always felt weird, like something was missing from his arms.

But with all of that done, he made his way downstairs and to the living room. Where Ian was sitting finishing his last strawberry. He still had a saved bowl for Y/n , holding it out and watching how he slowly took it. Still confused but also a little out of it still since he was still thirsty and hungry.

“We’re going room shopping today, clothes can wait another time. You’ve behaved well enough that I can excuse yesterday’s curiosity. You can pick whatever you want when we get there, it’ll arrive here and builders will put it together, you just have to tell them what you want. And then maybe we can get some bathroom things, I can imagine that soap is making your nose itch the more you use it.”

At first Y/n just nodded his head, taking the bowl with him and allowing the words to set in. He was getting allowed to pick whatever he wanted for his room? That raised more questions, where were they going for this? Was this a trap? A test even? Yet he was still walking right next to Ian. His Bracelet still on while other vampires got to see Y/n for the first time. Some waving to them, others bowing while some looked away. As friendly as Ian could be, if the matter wasn’t urgent when it was clear he was busy. Either looking annoyed or would mess with the person till they felt like it was time to leave them alone. Though, it was rare he just let the person go longer than a week before they were soon seen on a spike with their head. But the biggest surprise was seeing how the malls have changed since the last time Y/n was here.

The malls were slightly wider with glass walls to show inside of each one. Some places have soft colored clothes, others having a dark aesthetic with shoes clothes by. Purses, bags, accessories all lined up for others to look around. Of course with some food courts that had some food, with some blood bags of course. The first floor had the cheaper stuff, but Ian would not shop there today. He wanted to see what Y/n liked. Keeping their hands together they walked up the stairs, where no one else was there since most of the elite people came here later when most of the lower floors were closed. But he had more things to attend tonight, thinking he should take Y/n with him, but that fully depends on how today was going to go. Since he knew Chan was going to be too busy handling his new pet.

Letting Y/n slowly walk around and pick things slowly. It was like watching a new puppy getting used to their new home. Slowly touching things only quickly look back and make sure what they're doing is okay or to see if someone is rushing towards them. But Ian just slowly walked around close by and gave a nod. Every time he saw Jun pick up something he wanted. Sometimes Ian would say no, that’s just because for now the closet wasn’t that big. Later down the line Y/n would have their own room. But he knew nothing stays this calm and good when you fall in love. No matter how strong you are, how fast or even how smart and trying to plan out every move. Something will always happen and there is nothing that any can do except go through it. And part of Ian was shopping it would not be horrible, knowing he would have to fight for the love of his life.

The party was the first sense that something was wrong. Even when sitting there in a corner with Soohyuk, just sitting there and looking around. Drinking as they waited for the main host to come out with a speech and a feat plan. Every time a party like this was held that meant people would be severed for those who didn’t have a blood bank to turn to. Sometimes these parties would get out of control and the leader would have to step in, often sometimes someone would die. But something was wrong here, too many eyes were staring at the two special guests sitting at the table of the highest members. One of them sitting there with a smirk on their face, the other sitting there looking around. But Ian never let Y/n leave his sight, it alone his side.

Since other vampires were taking over their own sides, some falling to other creatures. Letting someone get loose was a death wish. Siren’s often took over the islands, slowly moving to more tropical places and offering trade routes, in exchange for more protections against some creatures. Sometimes things were going well, other times things were falling apart and there seems to be no going back from them. Though there was one place almost everyone wanted to get into and that was south Korea. Since most trade routes were under their control, along with the forest it seems. What would happen after this? Only time would tell after today.

“Ian, tell me. Do you think the Siren’s are going to ask for their trading routes? Or the witches this time? The witches have been asking for a route to our library’s for ages.”

“Hm, I don’t think you should. Most of the books I feel like their after have vital information about the city. We don’t need them trying to use that against us. We still need to get the forest under control. Or they’ll be trying to get wolves on their side instead.”

“Hm, you caught one yesterday, we can use them can we not?”

Ian looked over to Y/n, who looked up quickly with wide eyes but with Soohyuk staring at him, there wasn’t much he could deny. After all, he was going to be in the high circle. If there was no important information Jun could give, he’d get tossed to the side like trash and left for dead. Besides this was getting him out of his shell and getting more confident in his own voice, his own power. Nothing screams more dangerous than someone who had nothing to lose. This is the first test Y/n would have to give up most spots that had wolf packs, his own siblings. Along with his own that he left and dragged hyunjin along with. After that, Ian would do his best to test out but for now, they needed to see how easy Y/n will give this up.

Hyunjin wouldn’t forgive him for a while if he found out. But after all what else did the two have? So while looking at the two, messing with the small glass of red wine mixed with blood. He took a deep breath, straightening his shoulders and his back and looked at the two and the table. Acting like it was a map.

“From the last time I knew, there were 5 other packs with mine being the sixth one. There’s a big tree that acts like the waypoint. There will be six large wooden stakes that lead the way to each one. If you want to pull them in, you’ll want to offer things like food, medicine and even materials. If you want to keep invading forces outside, you’ll need those who know the forest good enough. But if we have time, and you send someone who isn’t that strong, they might be more welcoming that way. Go for the south one, mine was the north. The south needs more help and will take anything, if you can slowly go from there, then you’ll slowly have a growing network. No collars, even when they get here. They hate those.”

Watching Y/n answer these questions without stuttering or trying to avoid eye contact meant that Ian was doing something write. Even though all the running and working out seemed like overkill to some it was helping more, then others could see for now. But he was making someone confident in themselves and their answers. Not having to question about their thoughts and methods and could handle things without feeling someone being disappointed in their actions and choices. Something they needed the entire time as a little push. But this almost meant that Soohyuk was doing well, taking Ian in and giving him little information only to watch Ian grow and figure things out to fit themselves and slowly continue the same method. It was like watching a son of his grow up and figure things out in the chaotic world he was slowly creating.

Slowly getting comfortable, Y/n leaned back in the chair and took small sips from his glass before seeing the lights shine bright to the balcony. Showing a siren walk out with their eyes scanning the crowd, but locking eyes with the main table. A smile showing with a dress bright yet classy enough to capture all eyes and bring all attention forward with nothing else to lose, and nothing more to hide. Offering new cultures, resource's, structures and help to create a place welcoming for all. The main thing would be Soohyuk and Ian, getting on their good side is hard. And this is where Y/n needed to create a tougher skin, and that was going to be the hard part. Despite the speech going on Ian’s eyes would slowly drift to look at Jun, part of him felt despair. He wouldn’t always be there, one heeded to kick up the intensity of his training and make sure Y/n could handle himself. Though messing with Siren’s was something he would learn with them. But he was ready to handle anything and come out on top.

But he still leaned over to Soohyuk’s shoulder and whispered quietly in his ear. Wanting to see what they should do.

“What do you think is the best approach here? Your guest seems to get closer to you, are we sure we can trust them as well?”

“They mentioned how the witches wanted to hold books of every creature and use their weaknesses to rule and finally stop me. For now, I’m seeing what they offer, your wolf still has soft skin and was struggling with eye contact. A siren song can easily break him. What do you plan on doing on that?”

“Fair play. I will do my best, We have time before the siren’s try to make a move getting closer. I’ll do my best to keep pushing them even if we fight.”

“You need new scars, I can’t wait to hear that.”

Y/n hated this. The fights were getting more harsh, less ruthless and yet Ian seemed to have barely broken a sweat. Even when he was bleeding he still kept going, how was this supposed to help? Sirens don’t fight they sing. Why did he have to get physically stronger? But this was also making his fangs sharper, his eyes having a brighter glow to them when Y/n was pushing himself. Something Ian was digging around while rubbing salt on old wounds. Their fights were getting harsher while Ian would leave to handle the wolf situation. That party was two months ago. And so far with the information given they were making quick improvements to help the more struggling packs. Doing their best to keep things ahead and careful when walking into enemy territory, since word of some lower rank vampires were offering smaller resources that they snuck to give to them. Helping packs to create safer homes without the worry of everyone dying out from infections and lack of care.

Though of course when Hyunjin finally heard word of this he was furious at first. It didn’t help he was still fighting Chan and getting the man on his knees most of the time; he found out why. It was something he was confused about, but he knew Y/n always did care, even if he had to sell him out. Yet he didn’t know how Y/n was still doing, and here he was, his fist on the ground while looking at Ian. Seeing that he cut Ian’s eye and he actually screamed in pain when it happened. At first Y/n thought it was a prank, something to get him to lower his guard into walking over only to get tackled. But Ian was now on the ground holding his eye and hissing. So Y/n jumped up and ran over.

Realizing with wide eyes this wasn’t a prank and Ian had in fact gotten seriously cut on his eye. It was healing, but with how cut Y/n managed, using nothing but his Claws as weapons. They’ve gotten sharper over the years, meaning they could leave serious harm if ever needed for any reason at some point. But something about this made Jun feel more worried about it. Watching Ian slowly get up only to feel more pain in his eye trying to open it. But he was trying to sound genuine despite needing help to get up.

“See? You can improve when pushed! We just need to work on putting on a cold face and some- ow fuck!- some smiles in there! That scares people when fighting. And soon we’ll have to expose you to some siren songs and hide earbuds or something easy to cover your ears with. That will help you unless they know knocking them out helps.”

“Ian you’re bleeding why are you trying to comfort you me right now! Come on, before someone comes over!”

Keeping his eye closed and covered, Ian followed Y/n back inside of the house. The blood quickly drying up behind him and sitting on a bar stool in the kitchen while keeping his head back. His right eye being cut, slowly opening it and looking around. He could see just fine, but seeing Y/n’s shocked eyes and worried look like he just did something wrong. He knew something was wrong about it. But since they're in the kitchen, there're no mirrors to fully look at himself to figure it out for himself. So he only tilted his head while slowly wiping the blood from his eye with a black towel. He knew he was fine, but why was Y/n looking more terrified than meeting Soohyuk for the first time?

“I'm fine why do you look worried still? Did I get more blood on my shirt? It’s just a tank top!”

“Your eye, it’s white!”

Tilting his head again, he stood up and walked to the hallway mirror. Looking At himself with a surprised expression, turning to y/n with a smile slowly rising on his face once again despite Y/n looking terrified and didn’t know what to make of this. How was he just standing there smiling at the situation? What in the world was he supposed to do during all of this?

“You’re doing great! This is proof your growing. Think, before this you looked more lost than me, no offense. But now you’re finding your voice, your strength and soon so much more! This scar is proof. Besides, this is great scar by the way I could scar so many people with this!”

There was something about Ian that was making it nearly impossible not to laugh when he was laughing with all his chest and stomach, it felt more genuine when was laughing. Even in serious situations, here they are just laughing. It only started because Ian couldn’t stop laughing at the fact that Y/n looked so worried but also had a sad pout on his face. He looked so cute in his eyes, but it just made him laugh because of a thought he had in his mind but he would not say it out loud. Yet deep down, doing good with the training, he just had to keep pushing him. No matter how hard it was getting and no matter how hard he just wanted to give into his own feelings and emotions.

“Alright alright, we still have things to do. Let’s head back outside and look around for some things to keep.”

“Why do you think we’ll have to fight the sirens? If I can ask that questions regarding that.”

Closing the sliding glass door, Ian turned to them with a slouch in his shoulders while messing with his hair. He wanted to tell them; they were going to find out either and there was nothing stopping them. But the matter was if they could handle it, could they? Before this it was clear their fighting knowledge was small, but maybe this could help in the long run? Maybe it would show that this is serious and not just Ian trying to pick on them for no reason, other than being bored with no one else to bother. Or wanting to tease him and pull things out of further proportions.

“When having new creatures try to join us, there is a library that holds a lot of private and sensitive information. Not only just to me but obviously to every other vampire here, including him. If that got into the wrong hands someone would use that against us, and after years of standing on top we aren’t risking anything. So the fact you gave us tips about the wolves, which works well, we can not only strengthen our forces but we can work on being prepared. Our secret goal is making the books seem outdated and protected for no reason, but obviously we haven’t gotten there yet. Now, with that in mind we have to make sure we get there’s nothing anyone can use. Now save questions for later, go searching for something that makes it hard to ear. But it blends well. We have many lakes coming and going, which can end deadly.”

Sirens are one thing, witches are bound to be another, but one step at a time means they're doing better than not. If anyone would be a larger help, it would be Hyunjin knowing where most hidden hideouts are. Getting there and sending in a good word would do wonders for packs closer to the north. They trust hyunjin more than anything, and if they see he’s not deathly hurt, and getting stronger while learning. Then the wolves would have a very high advantage here, and showing that Jun is safe and learning, but determined as well, it would be something better than nothing. Everything was slowly coming together and nothing else was being lost anymore.

Looking around didn’t just feel like looking around at plane trees holding life anymore, these trees would soon connect more places and people than others could imagine at the time being. And there was nothing stopping anyone soon.

Everything was going to plan. The wolves were slowly joining forces with the vampires, though change was something vampires were struggling with. But if everyone wanted to show that not even sirens could stop them they needed to get alone and stand up for themselves, which is something some weren’t used to. But one group didn’t believe it, and Y/n knew what he needed to do. But he had to go alone, and knowing that Ian was going to be busy with more planning, more secret events and trying to get as much information as he could. Y/n could use this time and have a talk he never though he would have. Talking with his Father about it, and that would feel like banging his head on the wall, or as he liked to say, Arguing with a wall. Even if he brought hyunjin along with him, it would be a heated argument.

But things change as time flies by. Y/n was no longer the peaceful one and was getting more ready to stand up and bash heads with other people. He knew if they were to fight he could use things to his advantage since he’s gotten used to fast movements, running faster and having to think with spilled seconds. It was something different, but it was slowly becoming useful. But the hard part was agreeing on a place to meet, Y/n knew if he went back inside of the pack house he would have to fight to get out. And that would make Ian come in and most likely start killing as a warning. Which would make things worse and not what they needed, but this talk needed to happen on fair grounds.

So they agreed to meet near the city border, where the city met the woods and where Y/n would often sneak away to. They would have about 2 hours to talk, Ian saying they needed to take their time and let the two sirens feel welcomed and not like they were being watched, which itself was a dangerous game but it needed to happen. And instead of training more and even getting to practice with hyunjin, Y/n did this before anyone else could do.

Looking around the trees and peaking, seeing their father and oldest brother felt weird. But also not fair since they agreed to come alone, but Y/n was determined to keep his foot down and stayed on his side of the line. Since if they crossed over Y/n could fight them and claim self defense, something everyone knew which was why no wolf could get caught fighting a vampire across that line. His older brother always agreed to stay with their father while the others spread out and were now agreeing with vampires and getting more supplies, but also growing with protection of the other ones. Some offering to give their extra supplies to the north pack but all they wanted to see if Y/n was truly okay or just being used as a toy, because why did he leave home in the first place? The answer was always there, but when has yelling at a wall ever been helpful?

Standing there with his arms crossed, Y/n stared at his two family members. He looked healthier and brighter, but something in his eyes screamed at them. It wasn’t a silent scream, but a visible scream.

“You said we’d talk alone, why is Jason here as well?”

“He wanted to see if you were truly okay Y/n. You left at night and never came back, what were we supposed to do?”

“Worry about other things, but we aren’t here to discuss the past. You wanted to see if I was alive, I’m fine and I’m growing. What else would you like to know in a bigger situation then this?”

Jason looked at his little brother, who would usually just shrug and keep his mouth shut. Not wanting to make things worse since often the yelling would get to be too much. But he came along just to make sure these two didn’t draw too much attention. If it got too worse, they would get in more trouble they needed. So he stood there trying to check for scars, for bite marks and looks of drainage, yet he looked more alive than ever, and was getting stronger with each passing week something he was proud of, but knew someone stronger than him could take away. But he shook his head slightly, taking a deep breath and stepping forward with his hands out in a soft manner, not trying to pose as a threat.

“Mom has been on everyone’s backs about getting you home safe or at least letting her know you’re truly okay. And with the vampires helping the others she was getting desperate since none of them told her about you.”

“And I’m alive and doing better. What else do you want from me.”

“Y/n, are they really just using you? The siren threat doesn’t sound real. Not to mention Hyunjin hasn’t come back or even sent letters anymore.”

“Hyunjin is here, and getting better. That siren threat isn’t fake, and if you want to see what happens then be my guest. I’m not here to fight any of you, I’m here to give you answers and then leave, there are plans that need to be done and I’m not risking anything. Wasting my time doing this isn’t helping anyone.”

Something didn’t feel right, like that scene in movies where you're waiting for someone to jump and make a move. It was there but something was telling Y/n not to move like others would/ Something told him to stand on guard and be prepared for someone to walk out and plan something. Listening to the surrounding woods more deeply, wanting to see what could happen. The sound of someone’s heartbeat was strong despite hearing their best efforts of keeping themselves hidden and silent. All Y/n did was stare at his father, who was looking to the left behind a tree close to him. His brother just had a look screaming he was sorry. This was a trap, and if Y/n walked any further in the woods, away from vampires watching, something would’ve happened.

But these two were out of the loop for a lot of things, and using earwax early on was helpful. Feeling his claws slowly get sharper with his eyes getting a dark hue to them, Y/n slowly took one step back before hearing someone running closer to him. Jason looking down to not witness the take down only for the pair to be stunned, Y/n was quick to flip the wolf over his shoulder and onto the ground, twisting his arm in the process and holding his sharp claws at his neck. Close to cutting deeply and leaving him for dead. His other arm crushing the wolf’s wrist before letting go and stepping away, his eyes staring deep at his shocked brother and father while his movements were slow. His ears were hearing the hearts racing and blood rushing.

And here he stood, inspecting only to see that the two had necklaces with shells on them. They were small but seemed to be important. The realization hitting him like a slap and a punch; it made him want to cry while he stood there. Keeping his face stone cold, like his teachings showed him.

“You were with the sirens from the start? What could you possibly give a siren that they don’t already have? Land with no lakes?”

“You don’t understand. They offered to get you and move all the wolves to a better place, we even went and picked an island, but mom is hell bent on taking you with and away from the vampires. We’re here to take you, these shells are like shields from their songs.”

Jason tried to explain, looking at the crawling wolf only to see his broken his wrist was. But also saw how his brother looked at him, a smirk on his face, something that was rare to see even when he was truly happy. But this had dark intentions behind it that needed time. Y/n had a reason to get better, betrayal.

“Tell him the truth Jason. We planned on killing the vampires that even took you, they can face the siren’s alone and finally leave us alone, what’s better than that? We can start over and not need to worry about resources. No limits or restrictions, are you saying you’d rather stay here? You cold expand and start your own pack like the others, you remember misty right? She’s already sworn herself as your wife when we return home. it’s rude to keep your bride waiting.”

Staring at his family like they were strangers, all emotions left his eyes just like they used. Nothing yet he seemed to look straight through them. It was always unsettling to look at when Y/n would talk, no emotion in his voice or face. It was like staring at a cloud and getting nothing in return. How does someone talk to that when it feels like they could kill you with a swift move?

“You know, mom never did like how you did things behind her back and lying till you no longer could. You think just because the sirens showed you a place to live that it doesn’t have strings attached? I walked in here and learned so many things I could survive on my own in the wild instead of being told it’s just heat and there’s nothing to be done and clashing with you every second I tried to talk. But side with the Siren’s, but if I hear you begging for mercy when they prove me right, I hope I’ll be right there while you become someone's dog. Now come near me, and I will show you just how fast i can shatter that stupid wolf’s bones.”

Shaking his head as he quickly ran away. He needed to get back in the house and start throwing things. He needed to scream and rip things while the others were busy, no wonder he didn’t ge anything when they first tried to reach out. It was something he hated, and it was pissing him off more, what he didn’t notice was that during all of this his eyes were flashing two different colors. His emotions were high and reaching levels he had yet to handle. Running in the house and getting into the rage room as he called it. Throwing things around, shattering glass, breaking metal chairs and tables. He didn’t even get the chance to close the door and change so the blood didn’t get in his new clothes. But rage blinded him.

Scratching, ripping and screaming loud enough where Ian heard from the other side of town. Just as the meeting was clearing up and he could hurry home. After all, he was trying to listen in on the other sirens he had to be around in the cafe, wanting to make sure no one was planning something and if they were, he knew who to look for and who to follow. But hearing broken cries and screams shocked him to the point he was running on roofs to get home faster. Swinging the door opened and closed, he ran down the hall only to see a panting, rage filled and slightly bleeding Y/n. Who was about to break another mirror before Ian wrapped his arms around Y/n’s shaking figure and got him to stop. Despite him struggling while letting out screams and hisses before letting himself go limp.

Just laying there while Ian watched him with worried eyes, slowly moving him to the kitchen where he could truly get a good look at him. Wanting to see where the cuts were and wanting to know what made Y/n go on a rage filled destruction spree and not even flinching at the pain.

“Hey hey hey, Y/n what happened? I thought you were gonna sleep in today?”

Slowly blinking away the tears, the cuts slowly healing since none of them were that deep. Watching Ian slowly cup his cheeks so the two could stare at each other, Ian looking worried and concerned and Y/n trying not to cry while the feeling of his soft touch slowly calmed him down and keep him focused. Looking at him and focusing on staying calm and slowly breathing to explain. And slowly he got it, how Y/n went to meet with his family, only to almost get dragged and promised in marriage to an island far from here while the vampires had to fight against the sirens.

Talking about how they had a wolf close by and would’ve taken him by force and use him as bait to lure others in. Only to be viewed as a traitor, which would’ve been pointless to take him back other than making him serve his punishment as such. Even when being married he’d still have weekly punishments to attend to only to go back to his wife and keep going despite the pain. But Ian could see the pain, even after throwing things around and now learning the north had sided with the sirens. Which would explain why they wanted to get closer to the vampires in the first place since they both would clash. Needed people alive or intact to be drained of blood, and siren’s needed fresh meat to eat. How were they supposed to get along when their ways of eating were too different?

Ian didn’t speak the entire time, listening through the hiccups and stutters before slowly embracing Y/n, keeping his head on his shoulder near his neck. Not moving much while standing and just softly rocking Y/n. Soft back rubs and hums, the pain in his eyes were so real, yet it wasn’t just seeing someone he grew close to crying, he knew how special Y/n was to him and could only rock. He wanted to confess so bad, but this wasn’t the time. He wanted to do so under a full moon when they had nothing to worry about, they could just be themselves and get it over with. But he knew one thing, Y/n had a reason to live and keep pushing. Meaning if he ever got turned mid fight, he would wake up stronger.

Even during this time Ian made a silent promise to himself, he would protect Y/n as best as he could. Making sure he would never have a reason to cry or scream like this again while he stood strong. He stayed there for hours, taking note how Y/n’s shoulder’s relaxed some and his voice was softer. He was getting tired, this meant more than just being tired, Y/n was growing and his body needed to restart, basically.

“When we catch them, let me be the one to punish them…” And a soft grin spread on Ian’s face while he watched Y/n fall asleep. He had someone like him in his arms, he couldn’t wait to win this and keep Y/n near, knowing nothing was taking him away. Ian watched how Y/n slowly fell asleep in his arms. Carefully carrying him to the bedroom and laying down. Ian watched how Y/n’s body slightly twitched with each movement. His body was awake and ready to wake up and attack anyone whoever came near. But he just laid there, softly rubbing Y/n’s back and hummed the same random tune he always did. Just looking down and taking in how Y/n’s body was resting and relaxing. It made him question how life would look after this fight with the sirens.

Some could say the pair are overreacting, but with something like this and now getting conformation of overthrowing, and killing most likely. Despite being known as cruel, he’d always protect his home with those who stood by him. And making sure things were going to be settled smoothly, the two would make sure those who switched were punished along with creating a safer home. He was growing slowly but surely leaning more towards change, and seeing how Soohyuk was creating something he’d never thought he would. A home for others, while showing how he’d never step down the latter. He was a dangerous man, and if he needed to go back to wars, he would do so with no mercy in his eyes while putting his strongest men to the test.

Though sleep was something that would come as rare now. Despite Y/n sleeping early after getting stronger, drinking more and eating more raw meat to stay strong, he still just felt more tired and even Ian was concerned why. But there was little time to figure it out, reports of sirens getting closer and planting things on the outsides were getting more common as traps. The wolves putting up a fight, some gave in when promised better resource's, others stayed with the vampires and gave what they could while getting more weapons in return while those with children, or expecting were taken to places to rest. The vampires being made to create more buildings with resources, no more collars or being treated like toys to be tossed to the side. But everyone has to have something covering their ears in case they heard singing from the waters, it was nothing more than just a trap.

But something was wrong, One day Y/n went to sleep and hasn’t woken up since. Ian was getting more erratic as time passed and the sirens were slowly getting closer. Hyunjin stood next to him and waited to see for movement, but there was nothing. Yet he could see Y/n was alive, he would twitch randomly and his heart was beating, he was steady and nothing was wrong. Yet nothing seemed to wake him up, but the fights was starting, those who were being set out on the front lines were following a plan Hyunjin crafted after weeks, making sure arches were ready with bullets not meant to kill but stunned while others dragged them in certain pits, tied up with their mouths covered. Those on the front lines with spears and daggers were to take down those using weapons instead of singing while creating an opening for him and Ian to get to Seonghwa and Wonbin, and to drag them to the center house where they would remain while being questioned.

At first Bang chan was hesitate about this, but Hyunjin went regardless. Running when the flaming arrow soared in the sky while running deeper into the woods. Where his old home stood and looked to be on the verge of collapsing, having his two trusted axes on his back with daggers in his hand with his hair tied back into a bun so he could see. He’d never thought he’d have to fight his own pack, but there were times he’d imagine it and coming out on top regardless of who he was fighting. But having to fight against siren’s with skills being water and fighting, it made him excited while he fought and swung. But fighting with emotions high on edge was the hard part, even with his ears covered he was still struggling to come to terms with Y/n's condition. He was perfectly fine, nothing seemed to be wrong and his body was even healing itself from hidden injuries, yet why wasn’t he waking up? Was it the two creatures inside fighting again? Was it the food or maybe even the stress of being in a war?

His thoughts were racing while his movements were becoming sloppy, making it hard for Hyunjin to cover his open spots while being pulled across the wet floor. Despite having the upper hand outside, having to fight other trained siren’s with Seonghwa leading the charge was harder than most fights. Ian nearly falling to a weapon designed to turn him into dust, some mouths told secrets that supposed to share. Making the fight feel more intense despite some siren’s falling to their knees because of the sharp cuts and bleeding out on the sides. Being forced to watch more of their comrades fall to the side from arrows and sharp items. But if Ian were to fall, the battle would take a turn worse for them, better for the siren’s. But towards the end, seonghwa let out a song that seemed to make even the siren’s freeze. Singing strong enough to make the water around them swing around and act like sword swings. He never used his siren song before, if he ever did then it was for dire situations.

Looking up at the staircase where seonghwa was singing, the song mixing with Wonbin who was kneeling on the ground. Ian looked up with eyes burning with rage, hyunjin ready to throw his axe despite needing to take them alive. Only for him to grin while Ian ran up the stairs, charging behind seonghwa with bright red and yellow eyes shown Y/n charging with his ears covered, only to wrap his arms around seonghwa and falling down the stairs. Tumbling down before landing on the hardwood floors he once stomped around on when he was angry at something. It slowly rolling up while hearing the sounds of Seonghwa hissing while trying to stand, but his leg and hip burned with pain. Wonbin forced to be still with Soohyuk holding his neck, his nails close to squeezing Wonbin’s neck, close enough to nearly crush it.

“Now you have one choice to make here, live under my rule and suffer the consequences, or die with the rest of your people who’ve already been taken captive. And I highly doubt you want Seonghwa to watch your neck be crushed while you die.”

Watching seonghwa struggle to get up, Y/n keeping his bleeding head down, Wobin could only nod. Just wanting to save his 2nd in command and refusing to die out. Ian running over and hugging Y/n as tight as he could. His jacket and shirt ripped off during the fight, having some scars and bleeding scratches. He was just happy to see that Y/n was alive, but soon looking at his eyes and fangs, the transformation was done without the pain of being turned, but this just made Ian more happy and excited at this news. Picking up Y/n and spinning him around with a bright smile despite the blood around the two. Along with Hyunjin rolling his eyes in a playful manner, hearing the quick footsteps and the broken door being swung opened with Chan leading the other vampires in and taking the two living members back into the city. Chan running over to make sure Hyunjin wasn’t entirely too injured.

Soohyuk watching his two strongest men find people who made them fall to their knees and smile with joy in their eyes. Having someone to protect, and to go home to. But he still had an empire to build and maintain, starting with rebuilding his own once again and making sure nothing else could happen, and if so he had it ready and prepared. Though he was also prepared to hear the make-out sounds and canceling out the noises and staying away from his house since the smell would soon to get too much despite his home being hidden.

Getting home was like chasing a high, Y/n running in front of Ian while laughing, despite Ian having a serious look on his face with a grin. The moment the front door was closed and the large curtains covered the large back windows. Ian grabbed Y/n and pinned him to the wall, locking their lips together in a hot and rough kiss. Ian’s hands running down and picking up Y/n’s legs, wrapping them around his legs while feeling Y/n’s hands rubbing his chest and nipples, often squeezing them which made Ian whimper against the kiss. Pulling away to let out a loud whimper, his head leaning back with his hands squeezing Jun’s thighs. Looking down at Y/n with their eyes locking in each other, no words needed to be spoken, only nods and tugging at anything they could.

Ian kept his head up and to the side, letting Y/n suck and kiss on his neck and shoulders while making his way up the stairs and getting to his room, since it was the first room he could think of. Swinging the door opened and closed and pinned Y/n down on the bed. His arms caging Y/n under his arms while leaving rough kisses on his chest, ripping off the shirt with his hands moving quickly. It Tasting little drops of blood while his ears were being filled with Y/n’s moans and soft whispers.

Ian kissing his chest, his tongue softly tracing up to his ear, his hands holding the flimsy and almost torn off sweatpants Y/n had worn the day he fell asleep. Looking down at Ian’s shoulders with his legs wrapped around Ian’s waist, feeling something rub against him and biting his lip.

“I’ve been waiting months for this stupid war to be over just so I could make you mine. Nothings about to stop me, are you okay with that?’

“I better be screaming all fucking Night Ian.”

The two locking eyes, licking their lips before going in for another rough kiss, clothes being ripped and thrown off to the side like nothing mattered. Some in the corner some barely made it off the bed completely with how flimsy they were being tossed aside. Ian leaving many kisses and purple hickies over Y/n’s chest like nothing else mattered. Grinning against his skin hearing the gasp and moans, feeling Y/n’s touch with each kiss and his hair being messed and tugged on. Gods, he loved the feeling and could feel himself twitching with each touch and kiss, but he wanted to drag this on for as long as possible, leaving marks everywhere he could with no regrets and knowing the pair would go all night with no regrets. Things in the morning could wait despite having to deal with things they didn’t want to think about right now.

Leaning up and watching Y/n reach up to leave his own marks on Ian’s tattooed covered chest and up to his neck, knowing since Ian barely ever covered his chest people would see them and ask questions. Y/n made sure they stuck and showed, but everyone knows Ian, he would brag about them regardless if someone asked or not. But he loved them, enjoying the sight and biting his lip. He wanted to pound Y/n right into the mattress, watching him grip something only to see the stars before coming back down from heaven. Flipping Y/n on his stomach he wanted to see the back before taking him once again in the front. Not only that, but being able to leave marks and kisses on his back knowing the only person who could see them is him.

“Grip something, unless you want to be rocking under me for the rest of the night.”

His deep hushed voice made Jun shiver before seeing him grip a pillow and some of the headboard before letting out a louder gasp and moan. Feeling the tip slowly push inside him along with the rest of his cock. Arching his back some and gripping the headboard, Smacking the bed to get Ian to move. Slightly keeping himself up Ian quickly moved his hips, his hands gripping Y/n’s side just to help himself find a steady pace before letting one hand spank and grip Y/n’s ass, hearing the pleasured screams and moans from Y/n while leaning his head forward just to see Y/n’s eyes rolled back and his tongue sticking out. His head bouncing back and forth while gripping anything he could and leaving scratches. He was getting closer, Ian could see it on his face, just to see the written pleasure on his face. But Ian didn’t want to finish just yet, so he pulled out and flipped Y/n back on his back. He wanted the scratches on his back, on his chest or just about anywhere.

Kisses Y/n before he could let out a loud cry, pushing himself back in and picking up the pace. Pulling his head back and watching Y/n throw his head back, exposing the dark purple hickies covering his neck while leaving scratches on Ian’s back, trying to stare at Ian’s focused and pleasured face. His eyes fluttering closed while leaning his head to the side, trying to keep himself steady and in control before leaning down and kissing Y/n ’s shoulder and whispering in his ear.

“Gods Doll I love you so much. Look at you painted like a piece of art simply made and created by me, oh there’s nothing better than seeing this. Gods if you could see yourself and how beautiful you look trying to talk to me only to scream my name and beg for that sweet release. Tell me babyboy how badly do you want to release?”

All Y/n could do was quickly nod his head, letting out a loud whimpering cry at the feeling of his prostate being mercilessly attacked by Ian, holding his head down and making sure each movement was hitting all the right places. Making sure Y/n felt like he was in the clouds and never running out of energy to do so, feeling himself shiver and letting out a higher whimper, he knew he was close, and by the feeling that Ian was closer, but the night was still young and there was truly no ending to this endless love night. Yet Here he was being trapped with a smile on his face as he stared at Ian, his movements getting sloppier, he was getting closer with each movement. Holding each other closer at the feeling of their release. Head’s being titled back but Ian didn’t seem to stop despite seeing Y/n shaking in his arms.

Going throughout the night, the entire bed looking a mess and sheets thrown around the room. The bed needing to be changed and deep cleaned with all the stains that were placed on the bed, having to rest Y/n on the guest bed while he made sure the main bed got cleaned. Looking down at Y/n with a smile on his face.

“Whoops, I don’t think you’re gonna be able to walk for a while. I went a little too far on pounding you though. Oh, did you like the last one? Holding your hands back while helping you bounce? Oh, could we do that again? It was an amazing show.”

“Ian…I’m tired.”

“Oh right! Whoops let me get you in a bath and a drink! Oh, I’ll clean the bed afterwards and you’re relaxed!”

Rolling his eyes while laying on the bed, trying not to laugh while slowly moving. Watching Ian run some warm water with some bubbles along with some rose petals. Letting the water slowly rise and soon laid Jun inside the water, letting him relax for as long as possible, grabbing the sheets and clothes, throwing them in the washer while getting a steamer deep cleaning the mattress while listening in case Y/n was ready to get Y/n out of the bath and soon dressed for bed. Softly humming as he got the end cleaned and soon would get the clothes out. Helping Jun get out of the bath and dried off, being lathered in his favorite lotion and getting dressed for bed. He knew he needed rest and kept him tucked in, laying next to him and nuzzling the mark growing on Y/n's shoulder. Smiling softly as he let out a purr.

Letting out a soft sigh, taking his long hair down, his black and gold silk robe softly swaying in the wind while he walked outside into the large homemade garden. The grey stone path leading to other sections of flowers while he slowly carried a watering can while he carefully water the bright hydrangeas before walking to the large stone water fountain. Letting the moon shine down with the large garden while letting out a soft sigh. Setting down the empty water can and sitting next to the water fountain and staring at the full moon.

“I miss you so much, my little rose. I wonder are you doing alright up there? Or wherever you are, I wonder do you still remember me? I wonder, do you still love rare flowers? I hope you’re happy, but not taken. You know I don’t mind being the villain if needed. Oh, I miss you so much, my love.”

[othersideoutlawsnetwork]

—Feedback: Oh. My. God! This was by far my absolute favorite Wooyoung fic I've ever read! Definitely recommending this to a moot of mine. I loved every single aspect of it and I loved how in the end, despite the grim setting of the fic, the two finally reached a happy ending! Outstanding job, Aren!

Closer To The Edge

► 𝙿𝚊𝚒𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚐 - sexworker!Wooyoung x officeworker!reader◄ ► 𝙶𝚎𝚗����𝚎/𝙰𝚄 - slow burn, eat the rich, Wooyoung really dislikes wealthy people, heavy angst, slice of life, emotionally heavy, existential crisis, reader! is desperate and lonely, eventual smut (more lovemaking than anything really), star-crossed lovers, eventual reunion, open/ambiguous but happy ending ◄ ► 𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐/𝚆𝚊𝚛𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚐 - PG-18+ so MDNI!!! depression, connotations and talks of self-harm (be warned!), sex work/prostitution (consensual and not forced, but I just thought I’d put it here just in case), smut, lots of kissing, fingering, cowgirl, cumshot, no protection (do not do this!) ◄ ► 𝚆𝚘𝚛𝚍 𝙲𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚝 - 26.5K words ◄ ► 𝚂𝚢𝚗𝚘𝚙𝚜𝚒𝚜 - You've always led a very lonely and unfulfilled life where you were always alone. This isolation gets worse when you were sent into a remote office branch temporarily for a project. It wasn't until you met Jung Wooyoung, who you didn't know at first was a sex worker, and your fleeting encounter with him that changed the trajectory of your life and your views forever. It all starts when he found you one night on a rooftop. ◄ ► 𝙽𝚘𝚝𝚎𝚜 - I haven't written Wooyoung in a while, and I also haven't written anything simple, but extremely angsty, in a hot minute, as well. I figured I'd combine them both here. Personally cried while writing this. Enjoy! Title from Green Day.◄ ► 𝚃𝚊𝚐𝚕𝚒𝚜𝚝 - @0rangemilk @ginger-mingi @ruubyrubes @oddracha @jaytheatiny @roxannecos @juicy-red @cheolliehugs @sunnysidesins @jjongbearshoney @midnightrebel1028 @mallielovssyou ◄

You didn’t choose to live like this, didn’t choose to lead the melancholic and mundane life where you were all alone with nobody to lean on or trust to catch you if you fell - which was always and never.

But there you were, looking wistfully outside and taking in the scenario as the train you sat on rumbled on. It served to prove your point; you were also alone in the private cabin your work company had provided for you when they decided at the last minute to send you to another city that was literally situated on the opposite side of the country.

It wasn’t a difficult decision for you, after all, you really did want to advance in your career, but the sting of being alone just always caught on to you. Your co-workers were all pleasant and amicable, but they all had lives to lead. As for you, you were there to work, not to mingle. And maybe that’s why you couldn’t afford to wallow too much in your pity. You knew to yourself that this was a you problem. 

The train rolled to a stop and you got down with just a light luggage. People began to disembark with you, and one by one, they disappeared into the arms of their loved ones, voices rising with giggles and promises of catching up with one another. It was a painful reminder of what you did not have.

You smiled morosely. Indeed, you were no stranger to being alone, but that never meant that you liked being alone.

You were only human, after all. You craved the companionship, the intimacy, the late summer nights by the campfire roasting marshmallows in an open fire with someone, the drunken adventures that led to trouble and something to laugh out with friends, and the days where all you needed was a comforting presence.

You had to look away. You had to cut off that sinking, ugly feeling rising up in your chest called longing. You could not want what you could not have. This would be a hellish three months for you. 

The house you’d be staying at was a lot bigger than you thought, and a lot more luxurious even on the outside. It checks out, you thought. You did work at the biggest and most-well known fashion industry company as a director, after all.

You didn’t bother to explore, you had time for that, but you could tell that the interior was already suited to your tastes. It was bigger than you’d like. You didn’t mind it at all. All in all, the stay wasn’t going to be too bad. However, you have to start working as soon as possible. Even though you hated it and wanted to avoid it as long as you possibly could.

You loved your job, you really did. Being a director meant you had certain privileges that only you could exercise, but sometimes, you felt used.

Subject: Runway Project Help I hope this email finds you well, Y/N. The initial report is to be finalized by the end of the week. The resources you will utilize have all been provided for your leisure.

A humourless laugh heaves upon your chest at the callousness in which that email had sounded. Straight to the point, not even an attempt to ask if you had safe travel. 

You were aware that it wasn’t personal. You were one of the people that worked for something bigger; the one that made the rich even richer. Still, the lack of encouragement, follow-ups, questions about your well-being stung more than you’d like to admit.

It was just business. Just numbers on a report, a deadline to meet. You reached for your mouse, clicked the ‘reply’ button, and typed a simple acknowledgment. Subject: Re: Runway Project Help I will have it at your disposal within the desired time.

Before you could shut your laptop close, another email pops up from the other side of your screen. Begrudgingly, you clicked it, and the moment you do, regret fills your chest.

You shouldn’t have read it. You had totally forgotten that there was a company dinner to welcome the other employees who have travelled from other branches to help out the newly opened branch, such as yourself.

Disgruntled, you forced yourself to put on a decent outfit, not even bothering to accessorize that much, and you hailed a cab to the venue. The drive was only ten minutes away, but it felt like a lifetime of overthinking on your end. You didn’t even bother researching beforehand where you were heading, the intention was to come, mingle, and go.

It turned out to be a hotel, a fancy one fitting of your company’s reputation. You already felt sick as you began to walk to the front desk area. From where you were, you could already see a variety of people huddling to socialize, and you knew then and there that this would be a bore. You felt like you were going to get sick. You didn’t belong here.

“Y/N? Is that you?”

Your attention was caught by a deep and gruff voice from behind you. He was tall, effortlessly stylish, with a crisp black jacket that hugged his frame just right . His dark hair was immaculately styled, and his posture was confident. "Mingi?" You asked in surprise that you had actually seen him. “Song Mingi?”

His eyes lit up with remembrance, his lips spreading into a friendly smile. "The one and only." 

You whispered a small thanks to the receptionist before following Mingi into one of the function halls. “Looks great, Director Song,” you complimented as you looked around. “Well done with the theme…”

Mingi was one of the interns sent to your branch for training a couple of years back. He was a fresh-faced kid back then, not knowing how brutal the fashion world was, but you could tell he was passionate about it, unlike his superiors who were in it for the cash.

Before Mingi could reply, a group of people started to make their way towards you. A suppressed groan sounds from the back of your throat, drowned out by the chatter. You knew these people, in fact, you knew virtually everybody in attendance today, and you weren’t interested in what they had to say.

“Oh my, Director L/N sure is a gem in the industry,” one of the people perked up, making the people around you nod in agreement.

“I suppose so, yes,,” you let out, jaw locked with tension. You might be a loner, but you weren’t oblivious to hypocrites when you encountered them.

Either these people were plain stupid, or they’re just ignoring the fact that you were clearly uninterested and disengaged. Thankfully, the speakers overhead blare up, instructing everyone to take their seats to get started. 

It was the most boring and uncomfortable time of your life, and that was saying a lot. You ran your fingers over the edge of your complimentary champagne flute, watching the alcohol slosh around inside. It looked like sweet nectar, but it tasted like disappointment.

You couldn’t take it anymore. You could slip away quietly, slip into the night like a shadow. No one would care. “Excuse me,” you placed your hand on Mingi’s arm to get his attention, your voice firm despite the rush of adrenaline coursing through your veins. He looked at you worried, but nodded anyway.

Without waiting for a response, you got up and  turned, heels clicking sharply against the polished marble floor. You could see people watching and eyeing your every move, but you didn’t care. You couldn’t stand the environment you were in.

As you reached the door and stepped out, you allowed yourself a small, triumphant smile. You didn’t know where to go from here, but at least you were out of there.

With a sigh, you began to walk aimlessly to nowhere in particular. Come to think of it, you didn’t mind exploring the hotel. Despite your initial inhibitions, you actually did think that the venue was really pretty. 

And it was that aimless walking that led you to trouble. Just as you were about to make a sharp left turn to the lobby, a sudden collision jolted you out of your thoughts. You hastily tried to maintain your balance as you accidentally bumped into someone. “I’m sor—”

“Watch where you’re going,” the man you stumbled on hissed, his face twisted in annoyance as he also tried to gain his balance back.

You were taken aback at the vehemence in his voice. It was as if you had dangled this man’s puppy by its foot and shot it point blank in front of him. You didn’t know what to do, so you tried to apologize once more.

“I am so sorry, I really didn’t mean to bump into you,” you spoke up, trying to sound as sincere as possible to appease him. “It was purely accidental on my end, I understand that’s bothersome.”

He harrumphed obnoxiously, his eyes narrowing as he stared at you up and down in contempt as he tried to collect himself. It was so uncomfortable to be on the receiving end of whatever this was. “Typical,” he scoffed. “The types of you always seem to be too busy to look where you’re going most of the time.”

What the hell did that even mean? You blinked owlishly, temporarily rendered speechless at whatever you just heard. “E-Excuse me?”

“You heard me,” his voice dripped with disdain before it dropped into a quiet grumble. “Jesus, do rich people get away with shit like this on an everyday basis? Unbelievable…”

You froze. Rich people? Is that what this was about? Still, that didn’t make any lick of sense. You understood where he was coming from - even though you picked your most minimal outfit, it was painfully obvious that you were decked out in clothes that the regular consumer couldn’t buy on an everyday basis.  But that stung, though, because you designed these, yourself. 

“I-I'm really sorry. It was an accident,” you reiterated, trying to keep your voice steady, but this man just wouldn’t give you a break.

“Sure, it was,” he said sarcastically. "Maybe if you spent less time with your head in the clouds and more time assessing the people around you, you'd be less of a problem."

You were, once again, taken aback by the hostility. Your pulse quickened, you hadn’t done anything wrong. Nothing. You had simply wanted to leave that suffocating event. But, despite this guy’s clear distaste for the wealthy, you were inclined to agree. You had enough clientele in your career to attest and support his claims, but still.

“I don’t think the punishment is befitting of the crime,” you frowned, an unspoken connotation that referred to how mean he was being to you and you didn’t appreciate it. 

He scoffed again, though this time it was more of a weak exhale and it held less weight in it. He shifted his feet to start walking forward, but he paused, his face holding a small grimace, clearly not meaning for you to see that.

It hit you then and there. The exhaustion in his eyes was undeniable, as though every word he said drained him more than he cared to admit. His body was swaying unnaturally as he stood in front of you, and you bumping into him must have exacerbated whatever he was already going through.

He wasn’t just angry at you; he was angry at everything. Maybe it wasn’t about you at all. Maybe it was just about his own tiredness, his own frustration with the world around him. Against your better judgment, you opened your mouth. “You look tired,” you said  gently. “It’s been a long night, hasn’t it?”

His expression faltered in surprise, only for a second, before he quickly masked it with a scowl. “That’s none of your business,” he muttered, but the anger in his voice was quieter now.

You didn’t reply. There was no need for further words; you understood to a certain extent what he was feeling and he knew that you weren’t going to relent.

You mustered up a small nod, a finality, as you turned around to leave, but not before glancing back at the man once more. “Good night, I hope you feel better.”

You didn’t look back to see if he was going to say something nor did you stay to hear if he was. As you walked away, you couldn’t help but take in his features, imagine them without the scowl that overtook his face.

Being in fashion allowed you to see physical features in depth. He was young, looked about to be your age. His features were a delicate harmony of sharp angles and soft curves, his eyes, dark and intense, were very reminiscent of an angry fox. You reckoned that his fox-eyes would look marvelous had he been smiling.

You shook your head, continuing to walk towards the direction you intended to in the first place. You had no idea where it led, but you didn’t really care anymore. You just needed to walk that experience off.

But that was before you realized that it was restaurant, a nice looking one. As if on cue, your stomach started rumbling. The function provided dinner, but there was no way you were going back in there.

It was nicer on the inside than the outside. However, you were a bit surprised to find the entire place empty, the tables all wiped clean with the corresponding velvet seats tucked in, save for one, lone waiter who was on their way to approach you.

“I’m terribly sorry,” he began to apologize profusely, bowing slightly to emphasize his point.  “We had just closed the daily restaurant to get ready for our overnight bar.”

“Oh,” you faltered, resisting the urge to deflate on the spot at the information.

The disappointment must have been apparent on your face. The waiter perked up to get your attention, clearing his throat. “Would you like to get a table or sit by the bar to wait for the opening? I reckon we’d be able to do so in less than thirty minutes.”

“A-Are you sure?”

He gives you a shrug in response. “It’s just me for now, anyway.”

The next thing you knew, he was beckoning you over with a small wave of his hand. You chose to sit by the furthest corner of the bar, thanking him with a small whisper that carried the biggest gratitude you could offer for tonight.

You were getting a bit dizzy, when was the last time you ate? It didn’t matter now, a drink or two - or maybe, ten - was what you currently needed.

As if on cue, the distinct clinking of glass sounds from your ear and the familiar slide of it nears your direction. It was a strawberry fizz, you reckoned, the mixture of said fruit and vodka with a hint of tang in it wafting up your nose.

You frowned, looking up at the bartender in palpable confusion. “It’s not much, it was the only thing I could make given my time constraint,” says the waiter, who was apparently also a bartender,  who shrugged in nonchalance.

“Uhm, thank you. I would have been fine waiting, me sitting here was enough of a bother for you,” you softly replied. You took the cocktail, sipped on it, your face lifting up in a pleasant surprise. “It’s good, but why?”

“You looked like you needed it,” he said. His voice was calm, like the sound of rain against a window. “Don’t worry about it, it’s on the house.”

Maybe you really did look that downtrodden. Shame started creeping up your cheeks, the fact that you were obvious even to someone who you haven’t even been around for more than five minutes was very telling on your end.

He leaned forward, elbows on the counter, and tilted his head toward the stairs. “The rooftop’s empty tonight,” he said casually. “Good place to clear your head.”

He didn’t push. Didn’t say anything else. Just wiped down the counter like he hadn’t just handed you an escape. It was a no-brainer -  the open air, the city stretching out beneath, the weight of your thoughts carried away by the wind. Without a word, you stood, drink in hand, and made your way to the stairs.

Indeed, the rooftop was remarkable, by far the most breathtaking thing you’ve ever seen in a while. The stars were twinkling bright tonight, and you were one of the only specks in the world that have been blessed to stare at their beauty all night long. Though, you had a feeling that people aren’t to stare at the stars.

You liked it much better up here. Not a single person to be seen, noise drowned out by sheer distance. This is what you wanted. Distance. To be away. To be gone. And then, before you could stop it, your chest tightened. Tears brimmed your eyes, blurring the beautiful glitter of the stars above the skyline. You covered your mouth to quiet your sobs, but the rooftop was empty and there was nobody to hear your distress.

You felt pathetic. It was everything bottled up inside you - the lonely train ride, the empty house you’d be residing at for three straight months, your stuck-up supervisor who sent you to this God-awful place knowing that nothing and nobody was going to hold you back, and the people you left at the function being happy while you were by the rooftop railing bawling  your eyes out.

It was everything. You didn’t know how long you were there for, the cocktail long forgotten on a random table somewhere while you leaned towards the railing, just taking in the wind while more tears flowed from your eyes. 

You leaned against the railing, your fingers curling around the metal. As you did, you realized that there was an extra step you could take to get closer to the edge. And so you did. It was a risky position, but everything looked much different up where you were. Your tears lose themselves to the breeze. The city sprawled beneath you, indifferent, endless. This was a distraction, nothing more.

“Hello?”

The thought wasn’t even dramatic, nor was it frightening for you. It was just there. And for a moment, the weight inside you lessened.

“What the hell are you doing? Don’t you know that’s fucking dangerous?”

Maybe you could run away. You had enough money to literally start over anywhere you wanted. You could take an extended vacation, and even if you never worked again, you’d have a good chunk of money still left. The thought of it made more tears in your eyes.

“Hey!”

You were startled out of your thoughts by the sudden voice that cracked through the air. Your hand darted out, gripping the edge of the rooftop to steady yourself. “What,” you flatly said, not bothering to turn around, mostly because you still felt slightly disconnected from reality.

“I think you should step away from the railing,” they said. 

You hummed, annoyed. That voice sounded awfully familiar. “I think you should stop telling me what to do,” you replied sarcastically.

There wasn’t a reply for a second, only the shuffling of shoes and the creak of a closing door. “I just think it’s a very risky position you’re in,” he clicked his tongue. “It’s not worth it.”

“Yeah,” you let out a shaky breath, almost laughing, though it came out more like a sigh. “What, can’t a girl admire the view without being criticized now?”

“Cut the crap. You didn’t come here for the view.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“You obviously came from that godforsaken party in the hall down the lobby. Why aren’t you down there having the time of your life?”

Your death grip loosens from the railing. You turned sharply, breath uneven, ready to mouth off to whoever was behind you, and you were faced with the last person you ever expected to see in a setting like this.

It was the attractive, fox-eyed man you had bumped into earlier. His face was calm, devoid of any panic at seeing you so close to the edge of the rooftop. He didn’t lunge toward you, didn’t bark orders or plead. He just stood there, arms crossed, watching you with an unreadable expression. It was such a contrast from his scowl when you encountered him.

“That’s none of your business,” you gritted your teeth angrily, more tears starting to form in your eyes, looking up to stop them from falling. “I don’t need to hear how snooty my kind of people are from you. Earlier was enough.”

He didn’t move. Didn’t push. Just stayed. “So, what are you doing here, then?”

“Does it really even matter why?” You snapped, your pulse slamming against your ribs, anger flaring before you could stop it. “I don’t want to be there.”

He shrugged, his observing eyes not leaving yours. “Alright, that’s fair.”

You wanted to scoff, but all you did was avoid eye contact, looking back to your sides to hopefully catch anything but his eyes. “That’s it? You’re not going to ask for more?”

He exhaled, the sound barely audible over the wind. “No,” he said. “Not my place, though I can’t say I’m not curious.”

You raised your brows ever so slightly. You obviously didn’t know this man, but based on the minute encounter you’ve had with him, this seems to be on par with his personality. There were no lectures, no false concern, no sweet nothings to convince you otherwise.

He shifts his foot, his hand slipping in his pocket to retrieve what seemed to be a small packet of cigarette. “Listen, I don’t smoke, not at all,” he said casually. “But there’s a first time for everything. You either do it downstairs with me, or I could stay here with you until you’re done being dramatic.”

That should have made you mad, the way he said was so callous and indifferent, but instead, you couldn’t help but let out a breathy chuckle. You liked this, you decided. Slowly, you stepped off from the edge and chose to sit down on the concrete below it, instead, your back leaning against it, not caring if your dress got dirty.

Certainly not caring at how he would’ve been annoyed had you not listened and how his face softens a little bit, the most miniscule of emotions peeking through at the sight of your tired body and your teary eyes.

Without waiting for your response, he sits down next to you, plopping his ass so close to you that your knees touch each other. He waves the packet of cigarettes in front of you. “Here, take one. Hell, take them all. A friend gave them to me.”

You shook your head, pushing them back. “I stopped.”

“Wonderful,” he hummed. The next thing you knew, he threw the whole packet away, off of the rooftop, to never be seen forever. He only raised a brow at your flabbergasted face. “I wasn’t going to give you one, anyway. Just wanted you to get down.”

You rolled your eyes, but didn’t say anything. The both of you didn’t speak for what felt like an eternity, just the two of you there, each caught in your own thoughts. There was something in the air that kept you from feeling entirely alone.

“I don’t know what you were assuming, but I wasn’t going to jump,” you mumbled after realizing that that’s what it must’ve looked like from his perspective. “I genuinely just wanted to enjoy the view.”

His expression was still unreadable. “I know,” he raised a brow, side-eyeing you for good measure. “You don’t look like you have what it takes. No guts.”

You scoffed, not knowing if you wanted to be amused or be offended at his dig towards you. One thing was for sure, though - whatever he did, it was an effective way to get you out of your head without making you feel worse. You sniffled, embarrassingly so, before you decided to change the topic so as to not make it awkward for the both of you. “Are you here for a drink, too, or something?” 

“No,” he replied. “Yunho’s a great friend of mine. Said something about giving this sad girl a fruity ass drink and was worried that you were taking forever to come back downstairs.”

You scoffed, you didn’t even realize that you spent so long in here that the bartender had even noticed your extended absence. He stared at you, watching your expression, before he let out a small chuckle. “I guess you really did need that drink,” he expressed.

You narrowed your eyes, feeling annoyance creeping up your chest at his tone. “You think you’re funny? I’m fine.”

He titled his head towards you. “Your tears are telling me otherwise.”

Your jaw tightened, fingers twitching at your side. You hadn’t even realized you were still crying until he pointed it out, and somehow, that only made the frustration burn hotter in your chest. “Is this a thing of yours? Judging everything you see at first sight?”

Suddenly, he frowns. “Look, if this is about earlier, I do admit that the things I said were way out of line.”

You clicked your tongue in annoyance. “What an inspiring apology.”

“I’m not apologizing,” his tone was blunt, almost irritated, like he didn’t want to be having this conversation in the first place. “Nothing personal.”

“Could’ve fooled me.”

“Still,” he sighed, “It doesn’t feel right leaving someone up here looking like they might just let the wind take them.” You rolled your eyes at that. “And I’m not an ass. Not entirely, anyway.”

“I told you,” you let out a frustrated sound from the back of your throat. “I just really needed air. Been a shitty day for me, is all.”

“Why? What’s wrong?”

You weren’t even surprised at the casualness of his voice anymore. He sounded almost careless, like he wasn’t used to talking to people like he was doing right now. Still, you were perplexed when he asked. “Personal crap, especially work, the usual suspects,” you shrugged, cryptic as possible. He wasn’t the only one who wasn’t used to talking about certain things. “So, do you work here?”

He peers at you. “Something like that. Occasionally, yeah. Usually, I do drink here but my mood was kinda ruined when someone bumped into me earlier.”

Well, two can play this game of being cryptic about work. You narrowed your eyes, but before you could respond, he cleared his throat. “Anyway, tell me what’s up with work, then. Might make you feel better to talk about them.”

You raised a brow, skeptical. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

He stared at you dead in the eye. His fox-shaped eyes looked so intense that for a second, you faltered. “Try me,” he deadpanned.

You had nothing against this man, but you were still wary. He was a stranger, after all. “I did come from that party down the hall. I, uhm, it was just suffocating,“ you said carefully.

“Interesting. I thought those bullshit events are supposed to be fun and all. All the dickheads that come out of there always brag about them,” he murmured. You raised a brow in question. “There’s a huge ass banner above the hall,” he explained. “Not social, I suppose?”

You took a second to think. “No,” you admitted. “Not really.”

“Then why the hell are you even there, then?” He raised a brow sarcastically.

“Because that’s kind of my job? I don’t know how else to tell you,” you frowned, though you couldn’t argue back with that one since you do get his vision. You didn’t know how to tell him that it wasn’t that simple.

He begins to shake his head as if disbelieving the things that were coming out of your mouth. If you were a douchebag, to be crass, you would’ve socked his pretty face immediately. He was lucky that it was you he was encountering. Or maybe someone else has already done it. Fox-eyes to you was such an interesting character.

“That can’t be it,” he scoffed. “You’re telling me that you were crying because you can’t put your big girl pants on and suck it up?”

You blinked owlishly at his bluntness, but he wasn’t finished. “So fucking quit then,” he chuckled sarcastically. Then, he mumbles something under his breath, something you were pretty sure you weren’t supposed to hear.

“I swear you rich people always have something to cry about.”

It was definitely a stark reminder of the things he had told you earlier when you bumped into him. You understood him, you really did, because things like those never come out of nowhere. You were positive that he probably experienced something that left a bitter taste in his mouth.

“You wouldn’t understand, then,” you shook your head.

Just then, he laughed. That caught you more off guard than anything he’s done so far tonight, if you were being frank. You have to admit, he had a very pretty laugh, sure it was a little bit pitchy and squeaky than you’d like, but for some reason, it did suit him.

“You’re right, I won’t, and to be completely frank with you, I don’t want to. I wish I had your problems because I know I won’t be such a pussy about it,” he sighed, long and hard. “But you’re the one moping right now, not me. I can’t stand people like you, but lay it on me, anyway.”

And he was very crass, too. Such a contrast from the overly respectful and polite environment you were used to. It was very refreshing, regardless of his mean and underhanded comments. One thing you absolutely detested was false positivity, and this man was able to provide you the opposite in less than thirty minutes of you knowing him. 

There was absolutely no sympathy in his tone, none at all, and in a way, you liked it that way. You didn’t need sympathy. It suddenly dawns on you why - it all came down on the supposed wealth he thought you had. You lived in luxury, and you got everything you wished for immediately, so to him, that must mean that you had no reasons to be down.

“My job sucks,” you muttered, half to yourself. “It’s just miserable. I’m required to be in the presence of people I don’t care about to make a profit with their money that I won’t even get to touch and impress some big kahuna I don’t even care about.”

He hummed, nodding his head to indicate that he was listening. “So, an existential crisis disguised as work complaints?”

You snorted. “I suppose so, yes.”

“How tragic,” he lets out a short, unimpressed breath, barely sparing you a glance. “Must be hard.”

You closed your eyes to contain yourself, just when you thought that maybe he was showing some sympathy, but you get it. You were one of the few lucky ones out there. You were willing to bet that you earned what he did in a full week within half the day.

So yes, in a way, you understood, and even though his hostility isn’t making you feel any better, you welcome it with open arms. You exhaled the breath you didn’t realize you were holding. “You sound like you hate your job, too.”

“Oh, a thousand-fucking-percent,” he didn’t hesitate to supply, spitting on the ground to make his point stronger. “I fucking hate it with every inch of my life. But it works.”

You wanted to ask what it was he did, but you held back. “So, you understand where I’m coming from, then?”

He gave you a look, something unreadable flickering behind his expression, but then he just shook his head. “No. We’re different. It’s not about whether I like it or not,  it’s about whether I can survive doing it. The same should apply to you.”

You frowned. “That’s a really depressing way to look at life.”

“Yeah, well,” he leaned his face closer to yours. You didn’t move an inch, mesmerized at how prettier his eyes were up close. “Tears can’t pay my bills. You’re probably getting paid right now as we speak.”

For the first time ever since you had this conversation, burning shame encapsulates your insides, a trailing fire in your pit that didn’t cease to be put out. He was right, and he knew it. He scoffed, leaning away. The silence stretched again, but this time, it wasn’t uncomfortable. Just heavy. Shared.

After a while, he spoke again, his tone quieter. “You quitting?”

You shrugged. “I’ve gotten to a point in my career where I wouldn’t know what to do if I did.”

“So, all of this was for naught then? Wasted tears?”

“Pretty much, yeah.”

He hummed like he understood. He didn’t question it, didn’t argue, didn’t say anything at all for a long moment. His face was unreadable, his posture relaxed, but his fingers tapped absently against his leg. He leaned his head back on the railing, closing his eyes.

“Find something,” he mumbled, eyes still shut.�� His voice was so low that you didn’t even realize he was talking to you at first. “Then start figuring out how to get there.”

“If it were that easy,  I would have done it,” you sighed.

He sighed back. “I never said it was. We have only one life to live, but it doesn’t mean that we only have one life to lead. You’re in a position to be anything for yourself, one that won’t drain you mentally and emotionally. Heaven knows that some people don’t even have that option.”

Something about the way he said it made your stomach twist. Like he wasn’t just talking about you. You stayed silent, internalizing what he said. Just who was this man you had encountered tonight?

He was right. You had witnessed it first hand. The amount of people you’ve known and lost who have experienced a burn out so bad that they had pretty much lost their minds over it and it never recovered. They were the reason you were still here; you didn’t want to be like them.

You watched him stand up, raising your head to look at his towering figure as he looked down on you. “You want another drink?” He asked softly.

You hesitated. Then, with a quiet sigh, you nodded. He nodded back, turning toward the rooftop door. “Alright,” he said, as if that settled something. “Wipe your tears and freshen up. I’ll tell Yunho.”

And just like that, he had disappeared from your sight. It was as if nothing happened, like your encounter with him was a fever dream.

When you were sure that you looked at least presentable, like you didn’t just cry over your job in front of a total stranger who disliked you for your money, you made your way back downstairs, pleased to see that the bar had picked up and that the bartender earlier was busy with the patrons.

But the fox-eyed man was nowhere to be seen. Not on the bar stools, not on the tables that were spread out.

Your heart sank as you sat in the exact spot you were at before you went to the rooftop, waving your hand subtly at the bartender who immediately walked over you with a questioning look. Your mouth suddenly went dry, and then, you wanted to hit yourself. You didn’t even get fox-eyes’ name.

“He’s gone, sorry. He’s not really one to stay for long because of his job,” the bartender - Yunho - explained with an apologetic tone, reading the look on your face. “He did leave you this, though.”

Déjà vu settles over you from head to toe when Yunho hands you another drink, the very same drink. Only this time, he has a genuine smile on face as gave it to you. “He already paid for it, says his apologies for not staying,” he leaned over the table closer to you with a smirk. “So, how’d you know each other?”

“We don’t,” you supplied truthfully. “We bumped into each other tonight.”

“Ah,” he sounds out an acknowledgement. “I’m sorry you had the displeasure, then. He, uhm, can come off as very strong,agree  personality wise. As his friend, I hope he didn’t offend you.”

You think about the sound advice he left you before he disappeared and shook your head. “Don’t be, I do agree that he’s, uh, quite assertive, but he seems like a very insightful person.”

He raised a brow in amusement. “You sure about that? I remember wanting to throw him off the rooftop when I first met him.”

You nodded, laughing. “I’m sure. He has a refreshing personality.”

Yunho stared at you with a very inquisitive look. You squirmed in your seat, his eyes were quite sharp, now that you were up close and personal with him. What was up with you encountering very unnerving people tonight? Were fox-eyes and his friends really this daunting?

“Hold on a moment, please,” he murmured, finally leaning away, only for him to open a cabinet you didn’t know was there and grab a sticky note, scribbling something quickly on it before handing it to you. Confused, you took it, and gave him a questioning look as your eyes settled on the pad. It was a phone number, that you could tell.

“Look,” he began awkwardly, avoiding eye contact as he scratched the back of his neck. “I’m not supposed to do this, and this is literally a violation of my job, but that,” he pointed at the paper. “Call that number if you ever need a companion. You really look like you need it.”

“Is it his number?” You blurted out, gripping the note.

Yunho shook his head. “No. I would never do that, he would butcher me on the spot. But it is directly related to his job.”

“That…does not sound sketchy at all,” you trailed off, your frown getting deeper as you felt more unsettled.

He shrugged, turning around for you to think about it, and coincidentally, another patron from the bar flagged him, anyway, so he would have left regardless. Tonight was definitely the weirdest night of your life. 

You put the now crumpled note in your purse as you finished your drink fast, intending to forget about it even though it was given to you in good will.

You knew that called companions did exist for lonely people. It was a whole new meaning to ‘call a friend’. You’d occasionally hear your co-workers gush about it every lunch break, that the experience was life-changing. 

Regardless, you thought it was pathetic to resort to doing it. Being alone sounded more appealing than being so desperate to be with someone that you’d pay for their time. You would never, ever call that number.

You called the number the next day.

But not without doing a little bit of research, of course. While you were browsing, you were genuinely surprised to see that called companions were a booming business, a billion-dollar one, even. 

In a way, you understood, especially for the wealthy. Lord knows that you know plenty of people who’d rather die alone than have people around them only for their cash. Paying for comfort sounded logically sane even though the concept seemed uncomfortable for some, even for you. 

You pay for a temporary friend and when your time is up, it’s like it never happened. No strings attached, no worries. You paced the living room back and forth as you chewed on your nails anxiously as you waited for the other line to pick up, the prolonged ringing echoing in your ears grating, and for a second, you were concerned that Yunho had played a mean prank on you.

The conversation with fox-eyes made you realize how truly lonely you were, that maybe you really did just need someone to talk with. You hoped that you could see him again, you wished to talk to him once more, but you knew that was wishful thinking on your end.

We only have one life to live, but we have only one life to lead. That never left your mind, repeating in your head like some sort of gospel like it was the answer and solution to all your problems.

You didn’t care anymore, you were at an all-time high desperation. Besides, you weren’t staying here. You’d be gone in three months by the time that the company branch would be good to stand by themselves.

“Thank you for calling The Wonderland of Desire and Utopia where your hands aren’t the only thing that’ll be busy tonight, and where there’s no small talk, just big conversations. Our lines are open, but so are we. My name is Kang Yeosang, would you like to set an appointment?”

Your foot stopped halfway from taking a step, still in the air, as your jaw dropped at what you had just heard. Your eyes were wide with disbelief, especially at how deep the voice was on the other end. Well, that was certainly one way to begin a phone call like this.

“I know, right? Most of our clients say the same thing!”

You yelped, audibly startled. You mentally cursed, you must’ve said that thought out loud like a blithering idiot. But more than that, what in the hell did you just call? Was Yunho really playing a mean prank on you?

“Uh, h-hi, uh, I’ve never done this before,” you laughed nervously. “Can you explain how this works and how…discreet it is?”

Yeosang hums thoughtfully, his voice taking in on a cheerful note as he lets out a merry laugh. “Our services are very discreet, rest assured. We make our workers sign an NDA that our clientele can set up, if need be. Our companionship requires a certain level of respect and vice versa.”

“I see,”  you murmured, sitting down on the couch to get your footing. Something tells you that this will permanently change the trajectory of your life. “So, how does this work? Like I said, I’ve never done this before…”

“If I may, you seem to be the shy type,” Yeosang said. “Usually, almost all of our clients are repeat customers, so that means they have their go-tos. Our rates are by threes and are extendable, of course. Would you like me to send a list of companions and call back?”

That didn’t sound too bad, three hours seems like a very reasonable time for you, especially if all you’re looking for was a friend who you’ll hopefully click with and take a liking to.

“No, no need,” you denied politely. “Would you be able to pick out one for me? I-I’m not really fussy.”

There was a pause on the line, the discernible clicking of the keyboard filling in the silence. “Are you free by nighttime?” Yeosang asked. You made a small sound of agreement. “I have someone perfect for you. I can vouch for him, he’ll make the entire experience very comfortable for you.”

Your chest heaved as Yeosang talked about the rate and the payment as well as the paperwork he was to send you in a bit that details your companion’s details. You did like this bit of the process - hell, if you were about to pay someone for their time, as sad as that is, you did want to know things about them, at least.

Before you knew it, you were being thanked for your payment and you were thanking Yeosang for the help. A file was sent to your email so you quickly opened your laptop.

It didn’t really hit you what you’ve done until you’ve hung up and the only thing around you was silence. “Oh my God,” you muttered in horror as you opened the file and read the contents.. “Did I just do that…?”

Recipient: Kang Yeosang - Wonderland of Desire and Utopia Subject: Companion Information (Important!) Name: Jung Wooyoung Birthdate: November 26, 1999 Current Residence: Busan, South Korea Zodiac Sign: Sagittarius Blood Type: A+ Height: 173 cm (5’8”) Allergies: None Tattoos: Four Piercings: Four Green: soft touches, massages, bondage, exhibitionism, blindfold, degradation, age play, biting, spanking, corruption Yellow: multiple participants, feet, breath play, wax play, CNC, voyeurism, somnophilia Red: knife play, furries, assault, food play, uncommon roleplays, blood, other bodily fluids besides arousal, watersports

You blinked repeatedly, frozen on the spot. You even went as far as rubbing your eyes before re-reading the entire thing. Did Yeosang send you the wrong information? This was a bit too oddly specific for just a called companion.

You could feel your face heat up as you soaked the information one by one. And blood? You practically gagged, that certainly something you had no interest in knowing, but now, there was no way to unread all of this.

“Jung Wooyoung,” you mouthed silently, feeling and testing the weight of the name on your tongue. It had a nice ring to it, you thought it was a very pretty name. There was no picture attached to the file. Not that it mattered, appearances definitely don’t mean a single thing to you.

It was when you were done eating and were currently washing the dishes when the doorbell rang. Another thing you fancied with this house was that there was an intercom in the kitchen so you didn’t have to go directly towards the door. You were suddenly reminded of fox-eyes, wondering what he would say about rich people and their toys. You could picture the sneer on his face and it brought a smile to your face.

“Come in! I already unlocked the door for you. Go straight and you’ll see me in the kitchen,” you talked through the intercom, hoping the crackling of it hid the nervousness in your voice.

The telltale sign of someone entering the house made your nerves shoot up. You were still washing the dishes and putting them on the rack, you didn’t want to break anything, but you were just very nervous. Your back was turned from the new incomer and it was when you heard the shuffling of feet from behind you.

“J-Just a m-moment,” you stammered pathetically. “L-Let me just wash my hands…”

Your heartbeat thrummed in your ears, drowning out everything else. He was here - right behind you. You could practically feel the subtle shift in the air. A faint, amused chuckle sent a shiver down your spine.

“Take your time, dollface. I have all the time in the world to make you relax,” the newcomer’s voice was smooth, it was husky and had a teasing edge to it that literally made your knees want to buckle.

You took a deep breath, steeling yourself, and turned around. That was a mistake. The polite, neutral greeting you had prepared died in your throat the second you saw him.

Apparently, he was just as surprised as you. The cocky smirk he had on his face as he was leaning on the dining table fell down in slow motion to be replaced with shock as he took your face in.

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” the fox-eyed man you wanted to see again scoffed in disbelief, shaking his head as if this was a nightmare he couldn’t wait to wake up from. “You? You’re L/N Y/N?”

“And you’re Jung Woooyung,” you drawled out, biting your lips after saying it out loud.

“Why?” Wooyoung asked, tone snappy, challenging you, it seemed. “Did you have something else named for me in your pretty little head? What is it? Asshole? Jerk? Doucheface?”

You hesitated, holding the edge of your skirt in a tight bunch in your fist. The gesture doesn’t escape Wooyoung’s attention, but he doesn’t make a comment on it. Finally, you shook your head and shrugged. “Fox-eyes.”

His brows twitched. “Excuse me?”

A sharp exhale heaves from your chest. You turned your head to avoid eye contact with him, a deep crimson coating your cheeks. “Fox-eyes. Your, uh, eyes. They reminded me of a fox.”

You caught the way Wooyoung’s eyes were trying to decide if he should just walk out now or endure the rest of the night. He crossed his arms, staring you down. You shifted your feet, uncomfortable at how intense his eyes were.

“Unbelievable,“ he muttered under his breath, but due to how silent the house was, you were able to hear it. “It’s like this world is forcing us to meet at every turn.”

You couldn’t agree more. Here you were, literally thinking about how you didn’t mind it if you saw him again, but now that he was not only in front of you but literally in the house, you didn’t know what to do.

He began rounding the table until he was only a couple of feet away from you. Instinctively, you stepped back. He narrowed his eyes irritatingly. “I’m not going to eat you.”

You frowned. “Could’ve fooled me.”

His lips twitched into a small smirk ever so slightly, it was very reminiscent of what you told him last night and you were pretty sure that he was thinking the same thing. 

“Anyway,” he continued. “Were you really that lonely? You were many things, but the last thing I expected was for you to call a service so you wouldn’t be alone. Money really isn’t everything, huh?”

And there it was. You purse your lips, deciding to ignore his last statement. Nothing good was going to come out of it. 

It certainly wasn’t helping that you were able to look at him up close and personal now that your tears weren’t clouding your eyes and it was brighter than the rooftop. My God, you thought. He was more attractive than you initially thought. His eyes were sharper, his nose more upturned, and his lips were plumper and juicer.

Wooyoung started to massage his temples as if he was already tired before the conversation even began. “Let’s discuss boundaries, both for you and me. Let me know anything, and I mean anything, even if it’s just as simple as turning the lights off or not.”

You crinkle your brows in confusion, but he continued. “I also want to know your pain tolerance, and especially your safe word. This is my job and I do take it seriously. If there’s anything you’re looking for, I need to know before we begin.”

“H-Hold on, what on Earth are you talking about?” You blurted out, your entire face completely scrunched up in visible confusion. “Why do we need the lights off? And pain? What—”

He scoffed, eyes darkening as his jaw locked in impatience. “Y/N,” he deadpanned, voice devoid of any emotion. His tone sent shivers up your spine once more. “This is already humiliating for me as is, and if this is your way of getting back at me for last night, don’t.”

“I really don’t know what in the hell you’re talking about, seriously,” you said exasperatedly as you slowly got more and more aggravated at what’s happening.

Wooyoung stopped talking, his eyes lighting up with something like he just realized something. He narrowed his eyes, his head tilting slightly as he studied you in a way he hadn’t before. 

Something in his expression shifts into an even deeper realization and his eyes widened, a startled gasp leaving his lips. Wooyoung looked so shocked that the way his entire body stiffened honestly scared you. 

“You don’t know,” he whispered, his voice taking on a horrified note. “Holy shit, you have no idea.” A dry laugh escaped him, short and bitter. "Unbelievable."

You blinked. "Know what?"

His expression didn’t change. He just kept staring at you, unblinking, his breathing slow and measured. Your pulse kicked up. "You’re freaking me out," you admitted, forcing out a nervous laugh.

Still, he said nothing. His silence stretched too long, too unnatural, until finally, he let out a sharp exhale and raked a hand through his hair. "No fucking way."

Your stomach plummeted. "Okay, what is going on?”

“I need to ask you something,” he said slowly, voice eerily careful. “How did you wind up calling the number you did?”

For a moment, you thought about lying, but there was no point. “Yunho gave it to me,” you admitted. “Said to call if I need a companion.”

Wooyoung exhaled sharply, his fist lightly bumped the table. His jaw tightened impossibly more than you thought possible. His intensity was honestly worrying you. “That motherfucker,” he hissed, gritting his teeth. “I’ll kill him.”

Something in your stomach twisted as you watched him rub a hand over his face in frustration. “Listen to me, dollface,” he muttered. “I have to refund you your money.”

You were confused. “What? Why?”

“Because,” he snapped, his eyes widened in anger. “I’m not here to be your friend. I’m here for a different type of job. I want you to think really, really hard right now. Use that noggin of yours, think.” 

But how were you supposed to do that? You were the director of the biggest fashion chain in the country, pressure was one you were used to, but right now, you couldn’t think straight. You swear you’ve never been so confused in your entire life.

“I still don’t—”

“I’m a sex worker, Y/N. A male prostitute, if you will. I get paid for sex. To fuck.”

At first, it still didn’t hit you what he was saying, but when it did, everything clicked all at once. The weird conversation with Yeosang, the overly kinky information sheet, the boundary talk, the lights, pain—

“Oh my God,” the blood on your face disappeared and you paled.  "Oh my God."

How could you be so stupid? You quickly turned to him even though you wanted the earth to swallow you whole. “I didn’t know, I swear to God I didn’t know. I wouldn't have called, I swear.”

His jaw clenched. "Yeah. I figured that out about five minutes ago."

“B-But Yunho,” you blurted out. 

“He didn’t know,” he sighed exasperatedly. “Called companions do exist, but I wasn’t exactly going to tell my friend that I fuck people for living now, would I? He gave you the number in good faith, because I told him I was a regular companion.”

It all made sense now. All that conversation of him hating his job and why he looked so forlorn about it, why he didn’t want to talk about it, everything made so much sense now. 

A long silence stretched between you, thick and crackling with something unspoken. You tried very, very hard not to think about the actual reason why Wooyoung was technically here. If you blushed now, it would be very obvious to him what you were currently thinking.

Amidst that, you couldn’t stop the ache in your chest. You were an idiot, he did say that this was humiliating for him, and now you knew why. You thought about all of the things he said on the rooftop.

He gave you a look, something unreadable flickering behind his expression, but then he just shook his head. “No. We’re different. It’s not about whether I like it or not,  it’s about whether I can survive doing it. The same should apply to you.”

“You’re in a position to be anything for yourself, one that won’t drain you mentally and emotionally. Heaven knows that some people don’t even have that option.”

Something about the way he said it made your stomach twist. Like he wasn’t just talking about you. You stayed silent, internalizing what he said.

You didn’t want to assume, one blunder was enough for tonight, but it would greatly explain his aversion to, as he would put it, rich people and their drama.

“Stop that.” 

You swiveled your head towards Wooyoung’s direction, confused if he was even talking to you. “What?”

“Stop that,” he repeated through gritted teeth. He pointed at you haughtily with his index finger. “That look in your face, that pity. I hate it, I don’t need it. Certainly not from you.”

You tilted your head. “I’m not, though. I think you’re quite resilient.”

It was true, but of course, he wasn’t going to believe anything that comes from your mouth. “Really?” Wooyoung scoffed sarcastically. “Is this rich people lingo? Anything that deviates from what’s proper is seen as quirky and shit? Or is it because my job is seen as dirty?”

A frown settles on your face. You knew what he was doing, he was trying to pick a fight, just like he did when you met him for the first time. “Wooyoung,” you said slowly, the weight of his name heavy on your tongue this time. “You know I don’t have a problem with what you do, right?”

He stilled, and for the first time since this whole mess unraveled, he actually looked surprised. Not angry, not disbelieving, just surprised. Like he genuinely wasn’t expecting you to say that.

“Well,” you cleared your throat, turning around to open the fridge nearby before looking at him from behind your shoulders. “I was about to help myself with dessert when you came. I believe I made too much of it.”

It was an open invitation, one you hope he’d take. He narrowed his eyes at you and you could clearly see the simmering anger in them. He shook his head, still looking at you like he wasn’t sure what to make of you.

But then, he exhaled softly. “Where can I wash my hands?”

You perked up, your chest feeling lighter. “You’re staying?”

Wooyoung gave you a look. “Don’t make me change my mind.”

“Why?”

He shrugged. “I might as well. You paid for my time, and plus, if I’m going to be pissed about this whole situation, I might as well get pissed off eating dessert. Now, can you please tell me where the bathroom is? I’m not particularly interested in eating with dirty hands.”

It's how you found yourself trying hard not to stare at Wooyoung as he helped himself with the cheesecake you whipped up quickly for yourself this afternoon while you were passing time. You swallowed, how can this man be this attractive by just eating?

“Damn,” he mumbled, nodding in approval before he looked at you impassively. “This is pretty good. You could just quit your shitty job and do this, it’s lucrative.”

Your heart just did a flip-flop then and there. Looks like he still remembered what the both of you talked about.  “Hmm. I’m not as good as you think. I bet you could do better.”

Wooyoung raised a brow, a small smirk playing on his lips. “What gave it away?”

You leaned forward, your elbows leaning on top of the table. “You don’t just suggest someone to switch careers. Only someone who makes food, themselves, knows what tastes good enough to sell.”

That actually got a real laugh out of him - not bitter, not forced - just tired, a little exasperated, but real. “You are, by far, my strangest client, dollface,” he shook his head. “And that’s saying a lot.”

Your lips twitched, fighting off a smile. “I’m serious,” he said. “When I get called over, it’s usually not to eat cheesecake with my clients.”

You hummed, mostly to hide how nervous you were to ask your next question. But when you tried to open your mouth and ask away, nothing really came out.

Wooyoung rolled his eyes at you. “Just ask,” he said. “It literally doesn’t bother me anymore. Were you going to ask how I got into sex work?”

You blushed beet red, nodding sheepishly. He scoffs, but it wasn’t out of malice, it was more of teasing disbelief. “Lesson one, Y/N. If you want something in life, all you have to do is ask.”

“Anyway,” he took a big bite out of the cheesecake. “It’s quick money. Out here, there aren’t many opportunities for people with lesser education. I have a younger brother depending on me. This is my only way to make a decent living while making my own schedule.”

“I see,” you nodded in understanding. “What about your parents?”

Wooyoung’s face darkened, and for a second, you regretted even asking in the first place. “Mum passed from giving birth to my brother, dad can’t hold a job to save his skin so he relies on me. Make this the last time you ask about him, though, I detest him.”

“Yeah, that makes two of us,” you mumbled more to yourself, but of course, that doesn’t escape Wooyoung’s attention.

“Huh. So not only are you so lonely and desperate that you resort to seeking comfort with a prostitute, but you also have daddy issues,” he said flatly without missing a beat.

You snorted at that. As insensitive as it is, when he puts it like that, it does make a lot of sense. You couldn’t get mad at Wooyoung for that, if anything, it puts things into perspective and it eases your mind a little. “Thanks,” you smiled.

He huffed out a laugh. “You’re thanking me for being an ass to you?”

“For being real,” you gently corrected. “As unsympathetic as you come off, it’s not like the things you’ve told me weren’t true.”

He hummed. “You are an oddball.”

You didn’t reply, staring down your plate that had the unfinished cheesecake. You just realized something and your appetite started to wane down, and you almost felt bad. He noticed this and raised his brow at you. “What?”

“When I bumped into you yesterday,” you mumbled, poking your cheesecake with your fork absentmindedly. “No wonder you looked tired. Did you just, uhm.”

You didn’t know how to say it, you didn’t know what to say without sounding like you were prying, especially when you said that what he did didn’t bother you. For a moment, he didn’t say anything - just stared at you like he was trying to decide if he should be amused or annoyed. You both knew what you were trying to ask.

“Yeah, I just finished working that night,” he admitted, leaning back on the chair with a deep sigh as he stared up at the ceiling. Somehow, he looked even more tired than before. “Client was an asshole. Gave me those nasty cigarettes as half of the payment.”

“And you sort of took it out on me,” you said slowly.

He huffed a dry, humourless laugh. “Yes.”

For a second, you thought he might say something more. Maybe an apology for snapping at you, or maybe a thank you for the night, just something to acknowledge whatever had just passed between you two. But nothing. Something in his face changed. Wooyoung pushed the plate away from him as he glanced at his wrist for the time. “I should go.”

You blinked in surprise. "Y-Yeah, sure," you tentatively stood up from your chair and he did the same. He didn’t even look back, just walked straight to the door and held the doorknob.

Wooyoung paused, rolling out his shoulders like he was resetting himself.  When he looked at you again, his usual smirk was back, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes.

“I’ll see you when I see you,” he said, his voice light, almost dismissive.

You weren’t sure why that made your stomach sink a little. But, you had to let him go. He technically had no reason to be here. You let out a small huff, shaking your head to yourself. "Yeah. See you around."

And with that, he was gone. You stood there for a moment, staring at the empty space where he’d been, the weight of the night pressing down on you in ways you hadn’t expected.

See you when I see you. Somehow, you got the feeling you would.

The next time you saw Wooyoung again, it was a by-chance. It was a week after, an entire week where you couldn’t stop thinking about Wooyoung.

You had just gotten off of the phone that morning when you decided to get out and cool off. Your boss was already on your ass about the oncoming project, and you did try to protest, but you were quickly shut down without a single hint of patience.

It took everything in you not to chuck your phone out the window. One of these days, you could just envision yourself snapping, but for now, you were going to take it one step at a time.

There was a nearby cafe tucked in a corner that you wouldn’t even have seen at all had you not decided to take a walk around the neighbourhood. The moment you opened the door, you knew you were going to like it there. You were the type to make coffee at home, but a little trip here and there didn’t hurt anyone.

You distracted yourself by grabbing a smaller version of the menu that held pastry options lying on the table as you watched the barista make your coffee delicately. That would have been fine, but it was when you saw him.

Wooyoung took over making your cappuccino as the other barista took another person’s order. Your mind just about exploded by then, it was like he said the other week  - that this universe was trying to force you onto one another lately.

You cringed, anxiety flooding you, so you lifted the menu and covered your face with it so Wooyoung wouldn’t see you. That didn’t really do anything, you still peeked from behind the menu to glance at Wooyoung as he worked on your coffee.

You let out a small whimper when your eyes landed on Wooyoung’s arm as they flexed while he worked - there was a medium-sized tattoo of a thorny rose displayed on his veiny arms.

Holy hell, you thought. If that wasn’t attractive enough, his unfairly thin waist kept distracting you from the task at hand and while that may be so, it was pretty obvious that he was built despite all the features mentioned.

As if this world was against you, Wooyoung began to make his way to your table, cup in hand. You didn’t even have time to react and by the time you thought about it, it was too late. He had seen you.

“Well, blow me the fuck down,” Wooyoung smirked as he placed the cup in front of you before crossing his arms. “You’re alive.”

You scoffed, putting the menu down, your head rising to meet his teasing eyes. “Didn’t think you’d even remember me, let alone care that I’m alive, or something.”

Wooyoung narrowed his eyes, crossing his arms tighter against his chest, stepping closer to your table. “Cut me some slack here, dollface. I’m not that much of a dickhead,” he rolled his eyes. “Just surprised to see you, is all. Last time I saw you out, you were an inch away from falling to your death.”

Somehow, your chest warmed at hearing his voice again even though he was definitely the most insensitive person you’ve ever met. “I thought you couldn’t stand me because I’m rich?”

“You’re right,” he agreed flatly. He gestured to your drink and the laptop you had set up while waiting for your order. “Well, carry on doing your rich people thing, I guess. I’ll get back to work.”

You waved him off, pretending that you didn’t care what he said as he walked away. Work was calling you, however, so it was easier to get back in that groove.

But after half an hour of staring at the screen, frustration twisted in your chest. I snapped the laptop shut, pinching the bridge of your nose as you cursed your supervisor to death in your head. You pushed back your chair a little too hard before walking off, grateful to be sat next to the door, but you were held back by a firm hand wrapping around your arm to stop you.

Wooyoung’s eyes met yours when you turned around in irritation. Damn it, he was even more attractive up close. You shook your arm off of him harshly before glaring at him. “What the hell is wrong with you? Let go.”

“Easy, dollface,” he tried to placate you, making a move to hold your arm again. “You need to calm down. I don’t want you walking off when your emotions are all over the place. I could practically feel it behind the counter.”

“So, what?” You hissed, looking around to see if there were people to see the spectacle, but when there were none, you raised your voice a bit at him. “You’re going to keep me hostage now because you’re scared I’d go crazy on the streets?”

“Yes, actually,” Wooyoung answered sarcastically, nodding to emphasize his point. “That’s exactly what I’m going to do, Y/N.” 

He grabbed your arm again to pull you and sit you down back on the chair where you just were. You were taken aback when he put his hands on your shoulders firmly as he looked down to you. “My shift will be over in ten minutes,” he began. “You will sit here and wait for me and then we can take a hike somewhere so you can let out whatever’s bothering you.”

You stared at him, completely thrown off. “Why would I do that? Why the hell do you care?”

His face softened, just a little, like he wasn’t playing some game. “Make no mistake, I don’t care about you, not in the slightest,” he sighed. “But, again, I’m not an ass. I’m not about to ignore somebody who clearly needs to unwind.”

You purse your lips, not replying, but not ignoring him. “That look on your face on the rooftop, I can’t. I know what it’s like to be on that deep end.” 

"This is ridiculous," you muttered annoyingly. “You’re ridiculous.”

He gave you one last look before turning around, but heaved a sigh of relief when he saw that you were going to stay put. "I’m serious. Whatever’s bothering you, you don’t have to figure it out alone."

You didn’t know what to say, his genuineness caught you off-guard. Just as he said, he really gets off in ten minutes. Wooyoung haphazardly throws his apron on the counter, not caring where it landed, before he cocks his head towards the door. “Let’s go.”

You had no direction in mind, and apparently, neither did Wooyoung. “Where are you taking me?” You asked.

He paused from walking the moment you were both a couple of blocks away from the cafe. “Give me your phone,” he demanded, putting his hand expectantly in front of you.

You blinked, confused. “Why?”

He curls his fingers impatiently, gesturing for you. “Come on, I don’t have time all day.”

Not knowing what else to do, you tentatively hand him your phone, to which he snatched it rather rudely from your hand. He tinkers for it for a moment, his eyes widening slightly in surprise before he glances back up at you. After a while, he gets his own phone and also tinkers with it.

“Here,” he hands you your phone back. He didn’t even look at you and just continued to type on his phone. “I just cancelled another client. We have three hours until I have to go again.”

Oh, you certainly weren’t expecting that. You hurriedly checked your phone and indeed, Wooyoung had just set up another “companion” appointment for you. You reckoned he was surprised because when you looked at the payment option, you had eight different cards that were all filled with cash and he saw.

You blushed hard, your face so hot to the touch that you reckon you’d get burned if you put a finger on your cheek. You knew you weren’t supposed to feel like this, that if you were going to be frank, you two weren’t going to have sex, but the implication was there and you couldn’t help but think about them.

You resumed walking and it felt like it was the most normal thing ever. It wasn’t supposed to be like that, but you followed him, anyway.

“So, what do you do for a living, anyway?” Wooyoung asked good-naturedly the moment he put his phone back in his pocket and looked at you.

“Oh,” you sounded out in surprise, not expecting the question. “I’m a director of something.”

He shakes his head. “No, that’s working to earn money. I asked you what you for a living.”

You blinked at him, momentarily thrown off by the distinction. "What’s the difference?”

Wooyoung scoffed, like you had just said something completely ridiculous. "One is just surviving. The other is actually living."

"I mean, I do work," you tried again, feeling oddly self-conscious under his expectant gaze. "And then I go home. Sometimes I watch something. Sometimes I read. That counts, right?"

Wooyoung tilted his head, unimpressed. "So, you exist."

"Wow, okay, rude," you muttered. “Do you even have a hobby?”

"Relax," he chuckled, holding up his hands in mock surrender. "And yeah, I swim sometimes. I’m just asking what actually makes you feel something. Like, what’s the thing that makes you want to wake up in the morning?"

You faltered. Because, honestly? You weren't sure you had an answer. “I don’t know,” you admitted shamefully, avoiding eye contact with him. “I actually don’t know. Well, what about you, I guess? I didn’t know you worked here, either.”

“Well, there are a lot of things you don’t know about me, Y/N,” he chuckled. “Watch your step. I won’t catch you if you trip.”

You wanted to glare at him, but the hotel entrance held your attention instead. Your mouth went open, it was the same hotel you had the event at. You stared at him in disbelief, the blush now traveling from your cheeks to your ears and neck.

He seems to have realized the same thing you did and rolled his eyes. “We’re not here for that, let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” he scoffed. “I needed a drink, I figured you wanted to tag along. Yunho is working tonight.”

“Fine,” you grumbled, following him to the same resto-bar. Wooyoung looked pleased with your reply.

Just like the last time you went, the daytime restaurant was already closed, the bar part of it getting ready to be in full swing. It was certainly a repeat of the very same night.

“Wow, you guys sure got along better than I initially thought,” were the first words you hear upon entering the empty bar.

Yunho was wiping the counters on the farthest part of the bar, but looked up to comment when he saw the both of you enter. Wooyoung laughed and raised his middle finger up. “You almost fucked me over, too,” he said cryptically. He sits down on one of the barstools and gestures for you to do the same. “Come on, Y/N—”

“Yah, Jung Wooyoung, you absolute bastard, you! You left me with that old bitch tonight—oh, who’s that?”

You winced, a bit startled at the new person’s loud voice that came from the back door. He was wearing a fancy suit, the types you’d see your bosses wear, and my, you thought. He was a pretty boy. Much like Wooyoung.

“Hello, Hongjoong,” Wooyoung said dryly. You cringed when he pats your shoulder once. “Watch it. This one’s my client. A friend, you could say.”

Hongjoong raised a suspicious brow. “A friend? You? You don’t make friends, Wooyoung,” he looks at you up and down in slight distaste. “Certainly not with the rich type.”

“Hongjoong,” Wooyoung warns with a slight edge on his voice. He points at the bartender watching the scene unfold. “Why don’t you tell Yunho to make us four drinks? On this one,” he juts a thumb on you.

You scoffed when Hongjoong left and turned to Wooyoung. “So you took me here to pay for the drinks? Should’ve known you’d only use me for my money.”

Wooyoung laughed, genuinely laughed. His high-pitched voice echoed through the bar, his eyes crinkled up in pure happiness as his mouth split open as he let out that beautiful sound. “You’re funny,” he said. “But no. It’s to appease him. He has a clear distaste for people like you, too.”

“I can see that,” you replied dryly.

“He’s not that bad. A bit straightforward, but he means well. He’s my longest friend.”

“He does what you do, too?” 

“Yes, don’t tell Yunho, he doesn’t know either,” Wooyoung said. “Though he does it full-time. I pick my own schedule because I have my job at the cafe and then I have another during the mornings. I unload trucks for that big ass grocery store downtown. You know that one right?”

Your eyes widened at that. “Three jobs?”

"What, you thought this was it? You thought I just fucked people all day, all night?" Wooyoung gestured vaguely to himself. "No. I have to survive. Though you wouldn’t get it, you earn what I earn in those three jobs within a week, probably."

You blinked, unsure how to react to that information. He always carried himself with such infuriating ease, like he didn’t have a single worry in the world. But three jobs? That wasn’t just busy - that was barely surviving. "You’re a hypocrite, then,” you mumbled. “You and I are no different. You have no living either.”

"Gotta do what you gotta do," he shrugged like it was nothing. “Though, I wouldn’t say we’re the same. I’m merely doing it to put food on the table.”

You knew it, at the back of your head, that there was more to Jung Wooyoung than you initially thought, but now, that thought was sprinkled with utmost respect. It was a dangerous thing to feel.

Just then, Yunho approaches where you were seated as Hongjoong chooses to sit beside you and places four shot glasses on the table - one for each of you.  

Wooyoung didn’t even get to taste anything, his phone suddenly rang, the shrill of it loud against the empty space of the bar. He takes one look at it and closes his eyes in concealed frustration.

“It’s Seonghwa, fuck,” he cursed, looking at Hongjoong, who looks at him in worry. “Shit, I gotta take this. I’ll be right back.”

Wooyoung runs to the rooftop, not even bothering to see what you’d say about the matter. You watched him go, flabbergasted, and not knowing what to do now that you were basically left with his two other friends.

“Seonghwa’s our boss, you could say. Anyway, what’s a person like you doing with the likes of Wooyoung?” Hongjoong suddenly quipped, downing his shot with a grimace on his face. “Fuck, Yunho, what you put in here? Gasoline?”

“You’ll find out if you suddenly drop dead,” the taller man deadpanned.

You turned to Hongjoong’s direction, frowning. “Believe it or not, this is purely coincidental.”

“I don’t know about that,” Yunho shook his head, downing his own shot without any reaction, which pisses Hongjoong off. “Wooyoung’s a busy person. He doesn’t just bring friends around.”

You couldn’t help the snort that comes out from you. “We’re not friends. He tells me he doesn’t like me all the time.”

“No, no, you don’t understand. It’s one thing to get paid to do…you know,” Hongjoong gives you a look, one that Yunho doesn’t seem to notice. “But it’s another thing to hang outside of that bubble. I’d say he’s fond of you.”

You should have laughed it off, but instead, you sat there, rooted in place, heart stumbling over itself in a way that made you feel unsteady. “Seriously, it’s not like that,” you reiterated. “This is a purely transactional relationship. Nothing else.”

“Doesn’t look like it to me,” Yunho smirked.

Turns out, Wooyoung was right - Hongjoong wasn’t all that bad. If anything, he was equally as wise and insightful as Wooyoung was. You realized it might have been because of what they’ve gone through in life. Makes you really think about the other side of this life.

As it turns out, Yunho and Wooyoung’s mothers were close friends. Life was good until Wooyoung’s mother passed away. On top of that, Wooyoung’s father was a raging alcoholic who had no incentive to look for a job, so that left Wooyoung to fend for his little brother’s needs. It’s no wonder why Wooyoung looks and sounds so tired all the time.

“Sometimes, Wooyoung doesn’t even want to go home,” Yunho said quietly, glancing up the stairs to see if Wooyoung was there. “If it weren’t for his brother, he wouldn’t even. His dad is getting worse everyday. God, I hate that freeloader.”

“His pride is higher than the sky,” Hongjoong pitched in, his expression crestfallen, his eyes laced with hidden pity for his friend. “Sometimes, we don’t even know where he sleeps, or if he even sleeps. I’m so scared that one day he just won’t show up to work because he’s worked himself to death with his other jobs.”

You understood why Wooyoung feels such hostility towards you. You really did. He works himself to the bone and gets virtually nothing. You had everything you wanted.

“He’s a good person,” Yunho said softly. “You’ve seen it yourself. He’s a certified asshole. Him still hanging out with you is a proof of the opposite. He just doesn’t want to admit it.”

“I’m sure he is,” you said. You just found it difficult to imagine Wooyoung warming up to you.

“He is, and to be fair, it’s not every time a rich person acts normal around these parts of the country,” Hongjoong scoffed. “All they do is step on us. Feed the hungry, feed them shit, feed them bones and politics type of a thing, and in a way, I’m definitely on his side. Trust me, he’s taken a liking to you. Maybe he’s trying to understand.”

“I don’t think that’s going to happen,” you counteracted.

“Listen, Y/N is it? He’s been through a lot with the cards he’s been dealt with. Even if he doesn’t understand, he’ll try. You have to cut him some slack,” Hongjoong eyed your shot, the one you haven’t touched. “You gonna drink that?”

Wooyoung leaned back in his chair, eyeing you like he had officially deemed you a fascinating case study, as he crossed his arms comfortably in front of his chest. “Your turn,” he smirked. “I told you something about me. Tell me things about you.”

The first time you called him again, you told yourself it was just because you had nothing better to do, and maybe Wooyoung didn’t have other clients.

The second time, you told yourself it was out of convenience. As blunt as he was, he was easy to talk to, someone who could distract you without trying too hard.

By the third time, Wooyoung stopped knocking on your door and just let himself in every single time. To be fair, you stopped locking your doors on the nights you knew he was coming.

And by the tenth time, you stopped making excuses. It was an unwritten rule between the two of you at this point - you were lonely and in need of a friend, and he was trying to pass time.

“Well,” you shrugged. “What do you wanna know? There’s not much I can tell you, as you said, I do lead a lonely life.”

He thought about it for a moment. “You aren’t close with your parents?”

“Next question,” you said a bit more hastily than you intended to. They were the last thing you wanted to talk about, you didn’t want to ruin your good mood.

Instead of questioning it, Wooyoung nodded. Your chest almost caved in on itself. He didn’t push, nor did he look remotely disappointed about being denied an answer. “What’s it like?”

“What’s it like to what?”

“I don’t know,” he shrugged, pulling his knees to his chest as he sat comfortably on your couch. “What’s it like to have a lot of money? To never worry about the next day or your next meal?”

You stayed silent, contemplating on what you should say. In the end, you decided to be truthful. “Though I do make a lot of money now, I spent most of life with my parents’ money,” you admitted softly. “The saying is true. It doesn’t buy you happiness.”

“Oh, come off it,” Wooyoung hissed, banging his fist on your coffee table, taking you by surprise. He seemed actually mad - his face was contorted into a grimace, reddened with emotions. “I can’t stand you people, but you know what I can’t stand more? It’s when you people say that bullshit.”

“Wooyoung—”

“No, you listen to me,” he barked, breathing hard. “You get whatever you want, get whoever you want. Money is the world’s oyster, and you have plenty. Why the fuck aren’t you happy?”

You sighed, watching him centre himself and not saying anything to anger him more. You understood where he was coming from, and in truth, you understood more than you’d ever tell him. But no matter how much you explain, Wooyoung will never understand you.

You inhaled deeply, steadying yourself before speaking. “You think money solves everything,” you began, voice measured. “And I get it. It makes life easier. It gives you options. But having money doesn’t mean you automatically have happiness.”

Wooyoung scoffed, leaning back against the couch, arms crossed as he watched you talk. “Money gives you access, not fulfillment. Comfort, not peace. In this world, in a material sense, all of those are true. I never worried about my next meal or my next rent money. ”

You watched Wooyoung’s jaw tense. He licked his lips, turning away from you.

“However,” you continued when you saw he wasn’t going to say something. “It doesn’t buy what’s real and important. It doesn’t buy purpose, love, meaning. If anything, having those makes things harder to find. I don’t have a Yunho or Hongjoong in my life because they’re usually after my money.”

His expression flickered, and you can see the contemplation in his face, but you didn’t stop. “The worst part is I can’t complain. People like you look at people like me and say exactly what you’re thinking. This isn’t my first rodeo, Wooyoung.”

His jaw clenched. “Because it’s true.”

“To you,” you shot back, trying very hard to stay patient despite his biting tone. “This might sound ungrateful, but I didn’t ask to be born drowning in money. What if I was never given the chance to figure it out because everything was always there before I even had the chance to want it?”

Wooyoung just stared at you, something unreadable in his gaze. “I don’t think I’ll ever understand,” he admits after a while. “But, I appreciate you telling me.”

You hummed, accepting the response. He motions to you, and then to himself. “So there’s no point in all that wealth then, because clearly, we both have the same mental issues.”

“You could say that,” you laughed dryly, turning on the TV on the most random channel as background noise. 

“I hope it gets easier on you eventually,” he says softly, so softly you almost didn’t hear it if it weren’t you concentrating on his presence. “I hope it also gets easier on me.”

You let out a small smile. “Yeah, me too.”

There were nights you called him just to sit in silence, his steady presence somehow anchoring you. It was to the point that Yeosang memorized your number and their boss, Park Seonghwa, would personally book Wooyoung for you at a discounted rate. That was naturally disgusting for you to think, but it was what it was.

"You really have no one else to bother, huh?" Wooyoung would say the moment he’d enter through your door. Sometimes he brought coffee, sometimes doughnuts, most of the time with nothing but himself.

You’d roll your eyes. "Shut up."

And he would. Not because you told him to, but because he knew when you needed silence. You were getting attached, and that was a very, very dangerous concept to think about. Maybe it was, and perhaps you were, but it never stopped you from booking him.

But the most terrifying thing of all? He never once turned you away.

Granted, you were literally paying him for his time. Of course, he was guaranteed to show up. It was fucked, everything was fucked. You were calling a sex worker not to have sex with them, but for their presence.

Right now, you were at the bar waiting for Wooyoung to finish working with one of his regular clients. Yunho and Hongjoong would keep you company most of the time, and you were beginning to genuinely like their presence as well.

“Come on, why even get a pet, Joong?” Yunho asked exasperatedly as he gave you your free drink, putting his hands on his hips. “That poor animal, you’re barely home.”

“Humans ain’t shit; animals won’t betray you or let you down,” Hongjoong rolled his eyes. He grinned at you. “Isn’t that right, rich girl? Bet you can relate, people usually only want you for your cash.”

You were inclined to actually agree, and you voiced that out loud, much to Yunho’s chagrin. “Sure. What were you planning to get anyway?”

“A dog, a real cutie, I’ll go to an adoption centre,” Hongjoong said proudly.

“For Christ’s sake,” Yunho pinched his nose bridge, before he smirked and looked at Hongjoong teasingly. “Isn’t one bitch in the house enough?”

Your eyes widened, especially at Hongjoong’s appalled face. You had to admit, that was good. “You don’t get it,” Hongjoong pouted. “You hate animals.”

Yunho rolled his eyes. “I don’t hate animals.”

“You hate fish,” Hongjoong counteracted.

“Hate is a strong word. I don’t know how to take care of them.”

“You have an aversion to cats.”

“The fuck? I love cats,” Yunho genuinely looked scandalized by that.

“You hate roosters and cocks.”

“What? I love co…” Yunho trailed off, the smirk on his face slowly fading. “Bastard.”

Indeed, you really did like these two. They made you feel less alone. Now you knew what it felt like to have friends, and it felt great. While those two were bickering, you felt a tap on your shoulder.

Wooyoung cocked his head with a small smirk. “Leave ‘em,” he chuckled. “They could keep going all night.” He holds his hand out and curtsies mockingly at you, not the bad kind. “Ready to go, Your Highness?”

True to his words, Hongjoong and Yunho were still bickering when you walked out. They didn’t even notice that Wooyoung had arrived and was now leaving with you. 

You had no direction in mind this time. It was only nearing four in the afternoon, much earlier than the time you would usually see Wooyoung. A nice walk in town wouldn’t hurt for a change. You didn’t want to go to the house this time, you were in a horrible mood.

Your co-workers from your own branch had their getaway without you. Sure, you were technically on the other side of the country, but you weren’t the only one. Some of your co-workers who were sent to other branches went as well. 

You were snapped out of your brooding thoughts when Wooyoung elbowed you. “What are you thinking about?”

“Crappy co-workers,” you said, not even bothering to sugarcoat what you really thought.

Wooyoung chortled, sitting down on the park bench that overlooked the entire greenery. You chose to sit with him. If you weren’t tied to your work in Seoul, you wouldn’t mind living here permanently.

“Still don’t like me?” You teased him.

He scoffed, side-eyeing you sarcastically before his eyes returned forward. “No.”

“But you’re here with me,” you shrugged, pulling your cardigan closer to your body as the wind picked up.

“Doesn’t mean I like you,” he pointed out. “Plus, you’re paying me. It’s literally my job to be with you right now.”

“Right,” you chuckled, leaving that conversation for another day. “Can I ask you something?”

Wooyoung hummed a go-ahead answer, a permission for you to ask what you wanted. “You said you have a brother?” He nodded his head once. “May I ask how old he is and what he does when you’re…working?”

“Interesting question, dollface,” he raised a brow. “But it’s oddly on brand with you.”

You shrugged. “I have nothing to lose.”

“I admire the audacity.”

He looked at you then, really looked at you, his usual smirk nowhere to be found. There was something almost vulnerable in his expression. “He’s twelve. When I’m not around I drop him off to his babysitter. I trust Jongho with all that I have to take care of him.”

Wooyoung hesitated, running a hand through his hair before he continued. “He knows,” was all he said.

There was a beat of silence. You waited until he continued. “My brother knows that I do sex work,” he said, a hint of pain laced in his voice like it has always been there. “He knows, but at the same time, he doesn’t understand. I want to keep it that way for as long as I can.”

You have talked about his father before. You never asked, Wooyoung would just talk about him out of the blue, however, this was the first time you talked about his brother. 

Every single time you meet with Wooyoung, you learn things about him little by little and you can’t help but look at him differently each time you do. He likes to pretend he isn’t afraid whenever the topic about his family arises.

Behind all that cockiness and bravado, is an exhausted little boy who grew up faster than the world should have let him. You want to imagine you understood.

“He used to be good, you know?” Wooyoung clicked his tongue, putting his hands in his pockets. “My father, I mean. It wasn’t until my mother passed away that he started turning into the alcoholic bastard I now know him to be.”

Somehow, that stung more than you’d like to lead on. The fact that there was a potential in this lifetime for Wooyoung’s life to have been the other way around, only for his own father to snuff it out of him.

“It doesn’t hurt as much to remember, that I could have had what a normal person could have had, but it still fucking sucks,” he said. “This might be cheesy, and I don’t say it often to their faces, but this is why I cherish Yunho and Hongjoong in my life.”

“How so?” You asked, though you had an inkling as to why.

“They’re my chosen family, wouldn’t trade those motherfuckers for anything,” he chuckled, a fond smile spreading through his face. “There’s not a lot of things I believe, not anymore, but I do believe you choose the people you want in your life. Hell, I would have dropped my father a long time ago if I could. It’s the only way I’ll ever get to be free.”

“You will be,” you muttered automatically before you could stop yourself. Wooyoung stared at you expectantly. “Being free, I mean. Time will grant you that right.”

He laughed incredulously, and for a second, you wanted to berate him for putting himself down. “Seriously,” you tried to convince him. “This might be difficult to imagine right now, but this will pass. You never know, maybe you’d get to take yourself and brother away and be your own person eventually.”

“You think I haven’t thought of that?” Wooyoung sighed. “This is all I’ve known all my life, it’s difficult to not get stuck in this rut when all I want most of the time is to kick my father to the curb or to bash my every client’s head who pays me to suck my dick. It’s a cycle; I think, I sulk, I work, because if I don’t, we’ll starve.”

“Well, you’re alive, aren’t you?” You raised a brow in response.

His lips curl in obvious distaste and irritation. “Don’t get me started on what it means to be alive, Y/N.”

“There’s your answer, then,” you shrugged. He tilted his head in confusion. “You’re a fighter, Wooyoung. As long as you're breathing, you keep fighting. You hold onto that vision of your perfect future, and no matter how painful the steps, you keep moving toward it.” 

Wooyoung stared at you like you had all the answers to his questions. If you couldn’t read him before, you sure as hell couldn’t now. His expression morphs into something you couldn’t explain, yet it made your heart tremble. “I rely on myself, just making sure that was clear,” he said. “And I want what I know I could have, but goddamn it, why does the thing I want so fucking bad always out of my reach?”

He leans back on the bench, tilts his head up to stare up the sky with the most faraway look in his eyes. “I want to get the fuck out of here,” he swallowed. “So fucking bad.”

“And you will,” you assured him. “You deserve freedom, Wooyoung. Just like me, just like the rest of us. It might not be today, might not be tomorrow, but you will get there someday.”

“God, you really are the strangest rich person I’ve met. It’s like you’ve seen more shit than I have.” He shifts his head in your direction. “Will you get out, too?”

You didn’t know the answer to that. You shrugged.  “You asked me before if I wasn’t close with my parents,” you said, instead, the wind carrying your voice for you. “Are you still curious?”

The sharpness in his eyes had softened, just a little. He doesn’t say anything, but he turns his body ever so slightly in your direction to indicate that he was ready to listen. You had to smile at that.

The last thing you wanted to talk about were your parents, but it was time. “I didn’t exactly have the best relationship with my parents, if not, ever. I had no siblings either, so I pretty much grew up alone,” you began, sighing afterwards to brace yourself.

It already pained you to remember these, but your mouth wasn’t going to stop now that you had started. “My mom was the classic narcissist that literally questioned everything I did with all the hours that God had made everyday,” you chuckled bitterly. “Nothing was ever good enough for her.”

“If I’d get an A+, she’d tell me it wasn’t enough since A++ still existed,” you continued, your voice hardening the more you spoke. “I had to lose more weight, I had to act classier, I had to have this, that, and be everything that I already was even though I knew to myself I was good enough.”

You hadn’t meant to rant. Wooyoung titled his head, his entire body shifted fully to your direction at this point. “Your father?”

“He’s a different story,” you let out a dry laugh. “I love him, by God, I still do. But the love he held for my mother blinded him to my suffering and need for comfort when she berated me over nothing. To this day, he still doesn’t believe me when I tell him what mother did.”

“To be quite honest with you,” you spoke. “I don’t know who is the worse between the two.”

Wooyoung was quiet, watching you carefully as he listened to you. “You know what the kicker is?” You shook your head in disbelief. “They’re miserable. My mother stopped loving him a long time ago. But they have to stay together, it would be a disgrace to divorce in our world. It’s utter madness, I tell you. I have to be in the middle of that because I carry the family name.”

It wasn’t much of a secret that this is where your need for isolation started. You’d rather be alone. You already had a lifetime of baggage and weight you didn’t want to pass to anyone.

The silence between you stretched, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. It was the kind of silence that felt like understanding, like an acknowledgment of something that didn’t need to be put into words.

“I give a quarter of my total earnings to my father,” he said after a while. “Unfortunately, at the end of the day, I do live under his roof. If I didn’t give him my money, he wouldn’t hesitate to not only kick me, but also kick my brother out. His sons.”

He shrugged, exaggeratIng the move, as if he was proving to himself that it didn’t bother him, but you could clearly see through him. “At the same time, he can’t do that,” he clicked his tongue. “I am his only source of income, after all.”

You would consider yourself to be a very sympathetic person, but all the sympathy in the world cannot encompass what you feel for this man sitting beside you. Jung Wooyoung was everything you wished you'd found earlier in your life.

And you wished he found you earlier in life so that maybe, he wouldn’t be alone dealing with all of this. He’d have you even though he didn’t want you.

He stretches his limbs with a small groan before turning back to you with a bright grin on his face. “Both of our families suck ass, huh?”

You thought you were used to how crass he was, but still, he never failed to surprise you. “Yeah,” you laughed. “Yeah, they do.”

The topic just changed from there. You had no idea who started it, but all you know was that right now, Wooyoung and you were talking as if you weren’t his client and you weren’t paying for his time.

The sun was almost setting in the horizon, but the conversation carried on. You had no idea how long you two had been sitting on that bench, it was to a point that you were sure that your butt had imprints on it, nor had you any idea what time it currently was.

Usually, you would check your phone, but you didn’t bring it today. You had no reason to, you didn’t know you’d spend time with Wooyoung outdoors. But it was good, you didn’t want to be interrupted. You were too busy being with Wooyoung. 

You wanted to remember this day. You could forget everything that has ever happened to you, but not today. It was the first time Wooyoung had completely let his guard down to talk to you. His gestures were more animated, his face brighter than you’d ever seen it.

“When I was a kid, I loved climbing that big ass tree over there,” he laughed, pointing at the big tree across the park. “Always fell flat on my ass, too.”

He laughed the way he did when he was with Yunho and Hongjoong. Wooyoung said you had money, but you were pretty sure you wouldn’t have enough to pay to see even a glimpse of young Wooyoung back then, before everything.

You probably looked like a fool staring at him the more he talked. You wished Wooyoung could see his own face right now, and all you did was wonder how he used to spend his days and how many more stories of his life he had to tell you.

Tell me all of them, you thought. So I can stay alive for a little while longer.

It was when you felt it - the first fat raindrop that splashed against your cheek. You looked up just as the sky darkened. It startled you a bit, you could have sworn it was still a bit sunny earlier.

"Great," you sighed, getting ready to stand up. "We should go before this turns into a downpour."

But, Wooyoung only grinned. He held your arm to stop you. "Or," he said, tilting his head towards the sky with that irritatingly smug expression. “We could stay.”

A drop landed on your nose. Then another. But that wasn’t what got you, it was when Wooyoung’s hand dropped from your arm to your hand. You stared at him, horrified. "And get soaked?"

“Listen to me,” he began. “What if we forget everything just for tonight? No work, no shitty parents, just us and the rain.”

In your peripheral vision, you could already see people running to get cover, but your eyes never left Wooyoung’s.

“We’ll sing like we’re alone. Just imagine, Y/N,” he laughed so carefree, it hurt your heart. “We could literally be a force that could shake this whole damn world if we stood up to it, but only for tonight.”

"You're impossible," you sighed, but deep inside, you could already feel that fire inside you rising.

“You still have a lot to learn, I’m telling you,” he said excitedly, bringing his palm up with his other hand to feel the raindrops hitting his skin. “This is what it means to be alive. Don’t take for granted these little things,” he squeezed your hand tighter. “Because these little things are all that we have.”

The rain started to pick up, and it poured down so hard, the both of you were already soaked from head to toe within five minutes. 

“Everyone gets their freedom, it’s just a matter of time,” he said over the rain. “But right now, let's pretend we’ve reached the finish line.”

There you were, holding Wooyoung’s hand as you let the rain pour over you. It was so ridiculous, that you started laughing. It triggered Wooyoung’s own laughter, but the rain was so loud that it only carried your laughter over it, to be unheard to nobody else but the two of you.

You couldn’t remember the last time you laughed like this - breathless, uninhibited, real. You weren’t even cold, and your clothes didn’t feel heavy on your body. There was just peace around the two of you, and strangely, that was all you needed.

The rain, you, and Wooyoung. That was all you needed.

You got slammed with so much work, you were surprised that you even had time to eat and shower. Phone call after phone call, Zoom meetings after the other, it was hectic. 

But, you were slowly beginning to realize that this trip wasn’t to help the other branch that they’d opened - it was just so they could have an excuse to have you out here doing something else. You’ve always been true to your work, working with clients for their utmost satisfaction and not their money. Well, your co-workers didn’t function like that. It was their loss, really.

These times were the moments you wished Wooyoung was here with you, but you haven’t booked him. It wasn’t that you didn’t want to - it was that you couldn’t. You chose not to.

Sometimes, you’d catch yourself wondering what he was doing, if he noticed your absence, if he even cared. You’d tell yourself that it didn’t matter, but then you’d be lying to yourself.

You decided to go to the bar, hoping to pass time or have a drink. Wooyoung wasn’t the only company you have, but as you entered the empty space, you knew that he was the only person you wanted.

“Haven’t seen you in a while, rich girl,” Hongjoong greeted you the moment he saw you, surprise flickering in his eyes. He pats the barstool beside him as Yunho nods his head at you in greeting as well.

“Wooyoung won’t be coming tonight,” the bartender said apologetically. “Were you here to wait for him?”

“Has he been busy lately?” You asked, automatically biting your tongue the moment the words came out. 

“He hasn’t been at our job for days now, ” Hongjoong cleared his throat, side-eyeing you again as if to tell you to not say a word about the job. “But he’s been taking extra shifts at his other jobs. I think he’s piling them up so he’d have more free time with you.”

Oh, that certainly caught your attention. “What does that even mean?”

Yunho smirks, temporarily leaving his station to humour you. “You know damn well what that means, aren’t you rich people educated on shit like that?”

You raised a brow. “I didn’t know you thought the same.”

“The point is,” he waved his hand. “We’ve never seen this excited to be with someone in a while. He looks so…what’s the word?”

“Alive,” Hongjoong supplies. “He’s never looked more alive than he does now, and it’s all because of you.

You blinked, the weight of Hongjoong’s words settling deep in your chest. Alive. They weren’t joking. They weren’t exaggerating. They both meant it.

“I mean, not to be callous about it, but I do pay him a hefty sum,” you shrugged, trying to tread the topic carefully. “He’s probably always been like this?”

“Has he?” Yunho raised a brow, leaning forward. “Because the Wooyoung we know doesn’t let just anyone in. He doesn’t show up for just anyone. Money be damned, if he doesn’t want to, don’t even expect anything. He doesn’t give a shit.”

“You’re what he looks forward to at the end of his days, Y/N,”  Hongjoong pauses, hesitant to say his next words. “Which is why he’s been in a horrible, horrible mood when you stopped booking for his time. It’s been almost two weeks now, what’s going on?” 

“No, but to be fair, Wooyoung hasn’t really showed up either, now that I think about it,” Yunho frowned. “Jongho says he hasn’t been going home, either. Just calling to check in on his brother.”

That was the thought that kept circulating in your head as you walked to the direction of the park. You were certainly worried now, was it a mistake to not seek Wooyoung this time?

And just like before, it also started raining. This time, though, you brought an umbrella with you as you were aware that it was going to rain before you went out today.

And just like before, you found yourself heading towards the park, towards the bench where you last saw Wooyoung. But, the bench wasn’t empty.

Wooyoung. The tears have left a blur in your vision that you couldn’t explain. The pain of seeing him sitting down the bench just staring out into nowhere has left a hole in which your heart should have been.

And just like before, his clothes were also soaked under the pouring rain. Only this time, his laughter wasn’t present in the air.

Not like this, you thought. Not like this.

Without hesitation, you quickly strode towards the bench, stopping short behind it and covered Wooyoung’s soaking form with the umbrella. If he noticed that the rain had suddenly stopped pouring where he sat, he didn’t react to it.

“I don’t reckon your umbrella is big enough for the both of us, dollface,” was all he said. He sounded calm, calmer than you’ve ever heard of him.

How he found out it was you, you were never going to know. You huffed, shifting the umbrella slightly so that more of it covered him than you. “I don’t reckon you care whether you get sick or not.”

Finally, he looked at you, and if it was possible, your heart broke even further. Wooyoung looked even more exhausted than you’ve ever seen him. His cheeks were more gaunt and hollow than you remembered, his eyes more sunken than the average person.

Then again, Wooyoung’s life wasn’t normal. You couldn’t even begin to imagine all the things that kept him awake at night. “I don’t,” he admitted. “Not really.”

You made a small noise, gripping your umbrella so hard, your knuckles turned white. “I hope you know that there wouldn’t be enough rainwater in this world to drown you no matter how long you stay here. You might as well seek shelter.”

He let out a soft chuckle. “I know. My demons came to take me to hell, but I’m already there. Plus, they know how to swim, anyway.”

You didn’t argue, there was no point, letting the silence stretch; just standing there behind him hoping to shield him from the rain even if you couldn’t save him from his demons. You left the house to go to the bar at six in the evening, and an hour later, you found yourself standing in the rain with Wooyoung.

Another hour later, the two of you were standing like idiots in a small boutique to find some spare clothes for him. By midnight, he was laying in bed next to you after he had showered and changed his clothes.

You didn’t question why he was out there. He hadn’t questioned why you haven’t called for him in two weeks. You didn’t offer him your bed. He didn’t leave a single space in between you as he laid down next to you. You didn’t push him away.

You just stayed there, listening to the rain against the window, to the sound of your own heartbeat, to the quiet presence of Wooyoung beside you.

And for reasons you didn’t quite understand, you felt like a brand new person. You felt normal, like you were just another person on this planet.

“I’m tired,” he suddenly whispered, his voice cracking through the darkness as his hand mindlessly played with your hair. “I’m so exhausted.”

“Go to sleep,” you said, not acknowledging the hidden meaning behind his words. You know he’d hate you for it.

“Thank you,” he said.

You didn’t bother looking at him, didn’t bother opening your eyes as his fingers traced your cheeks. “For?”

“The bed. Usually, I don’t have one to come home to.  Thank you.”

The indication was there. He hasn’t gone home in days when you saw him in the rain, and even if he does go home, he never stays long enough because even in his sleep, peace doesn’t visit him.

Humans have their limits, and you had always hoped that Wooyoung would never, ever reach his. The moment that fight left his eyes, would be the moment you would stop fighting, as well.

“You’re welcome,” was the last thing you said before you both fell asleep like everything was going to be okay the next day.

And for a moment, it would be. The both of you woke up to Wooyoung’s phone ringing incessantly. You watched him closely as he spoke with whoever else was calling him at seven in the morning.

You watched as his expression changed from annoyance, to surprise, to genuine relief. You could have even sworn there were tears in his eyes. But they’re happy tears. You would take those over the other kind any day.

“That was my mother’s lawyer when she was still alive,” he explained the moment he hung up the phone. He tried hard to keep the excitement off of his voice, but you’ve been spending enough time with him at this point to know.

“Is everything okay?” You asked.

Wooyoung nodded. “Apparently, my mother signed a will that when I turned twenty-five, which I did two months ago, I’ll receive a lump sum of money to put into my little brother’s future. She knew she would pass soon before she even gave birth.”

His smile grew like the rising sun that rivaled the horizon outside your window right now. “My brother’s set for life even after college, Y/N. I can take a break from working too much for now.”

You couldn’t help the smile that spread all over your face as well. A break. You deserve one. Heaven knows you do. That night, for the first time in your life, you didn’t have to watch the sunset alone.

Over the next few days, your closet would slowly be filled with Wooyoung’s spare clothes and belongings. It would be the first time in your life that you had to make space in your closet for someone else.

“This is a fuck ton of clothes you don’t even need, Jesus fucking H.,” he grumbled in annoyance when you asked him to shover your clothes on the other side of the drawer one day.

You rolled your eyes, but kept a smile on your face. “Most of these are my designs, I just keep them for layout purposes.”

He picked a particular piece that you hadn’t seen in a while - a blue, loose, lace crop top. It was when you were dabbling with genderless concepts. The fit was masculine, but the material was feminine. He didn’t even wait for you to say anything, he just shoved it in his space along with the rest of his clothes. Wooyoung would come and go to your place more often than not. Sometimes, you’d be surprised that he was already sleeping beside you, his face more peaceful than you’d ever seen it. Most of the time, it was the nights where you didn’t even book him. He would just do as he pleased.

As you watched him, this feeling that had quietly crept into your heart began to grow. It was something new. Something delicate and real, like the soft glow of the sunset outside your window.

You couldn’t help but wonder when this feeling had started, when the lines between just sharing space and something deeper began to blur. Was it the laughter you shared during late-night conversations, or was it the way he made everything feel so much more possible?

“I was actually going to do it that night.”

It certainly wasn’t the best way to start what you hoped to be a normal Wednesday morning. Your statement catches Wooyoung off-guard. There weren’t many things that made Wooyoung freeze, but sometimes, it seemed like you really never failed to surpass his expectations. It was fascinating.

He sighed, putting the spatula down on your sink so he could wash his hands, the pancakes he was making for the both of you for breakfast in your kitchen temporarily forgotten as he took the apron off to cross his hands over his chest and stare you down.

He knew exactly what you were referring to, you didn’t need to elaborate which night it was.

Still, you tried to tread the topic lightly. It wasn’t because you were trying to appease Wooyoung into liking you, but it was more because you didn’t want to make even more mistakes. Avoiding him for two weeks was a huge mistake on your part.

You tried to convince yourself it was the safe option. You only had less than two months left before you had to go back. You both knew that. At the end of the day, you knew that Wooyoung was afraid and uncertain, and he was especially fragile despite all the walls he built upon himself.

Wooyoung blinked at you, unmoving. “I know,” he said flatly. “I’ve seen and experienced too much shit to not know the look in someone’s eyes when they want to transcend wherever.”

Two simple words, spoken so flatly, so matter-of-factly, that it made your stomach twist. It was so Jung Wooyoung of him. The way he looked at you right now, though? It was the kind of certainty that you’ve never seen from him before. Still, you didn’t miss the way he shifted from foot to foot as he tried to keep his composure.

“That’s bullshit,” your voice was thin, almost unsteady, but you pushed through it. “You told me I didn’t have the guts to jump off of that railing that night. I know you did.”

You remembered that night vividly - the cold bite of the air, the way your hands had gripped the railing so tightly they ached, the way he had stood there, just close enough to reach if you lost your balance, but far enough to agitate you.

“So, I lied,” he closed his eyes before sighing and opening them again to look you deep in the eyes, as if he was trying to convey something without fully saying them. “It wasn’t a risk I was willing to take, dollface.”

The breath you had been holding slipped out shakily. You felt dizzy, off-kilter, like the universe had shifted and left you struggling to find your balance. “If I told you the truth,” he murmured, “I don’t think you would’ve come down.”

You’ve been alone all your life, so you were used to being invisible. The last person who you thought would actually see you was a tattooed sex worker who disliked wealthy people. Maybe it was the confusion talking for you, but then, you said something you shouldn’t have. Maybe you were no different than all the people that had made Wooyoung the way he was.

“I don’t understand,” your voice was sharp, cracking under the weight of everything you’d been holding back.

Wooyoung’s eyes darkened, his posture stiffening. “You don’t understand,” he deadpanned, his voice twisting into something angrier by the minute. “You don’t understand. You know what I don’t understand?”

You watched and held your breath as he harshly pulled a chair to sit down on it, closer to you. “The things I’d do to get what you have, they’re almost non-human in aspect,” he said, low and seething. “I still think that, and that’s never going to change. Not now, not ever.”

“You have nothing to escape from, absolutely nothing,” he continued, glaring at you. “God knows you have more than enough, surely you can’t be greedy and take what’s not yours to take, Y/N? Don’t be an idiot.”

Life, is what he’s trying to say.

You stared at each other for a lifetime. Wooyoung still looked exhausted. His chest heaved, his eyes dry, and you could practically see his collarbones peeking through his skin and the veins that marred them because of how transparent his skin was. Still, you couldn’t help the rising pride in your chest that overtook your shame because Wooyoung went through everything, yet he’s still so brave.

If Wooyoung can be brave, then why can’t you?

“I’m sorry,” you put your head low, looking down at your lap where your hands laid still. 

“You better fuck off with that, Y/N. I’m warning you,” he growled venomously, and suddenly, he was scooting closer to you. He takes his fist, that one where the thorned rose lay, and hits his chest.

“You’re not the only one who wanted to check out a long time ago. You know how I feel here? Everytime I take a fucking breath, there’s something inside me that feels like I’m breathing in sulfur. ”

You sighed. “I just want to live the way I want, you know? I don’t want everything, I just want to be happy.”

“So do I,” he replied.

You knew he wanted to say more, and you did too, but just like him when he holds back on talking smack about the type of people you belong to, you hold your tongue. It wasn’t because you couldn’t stand Wooyoung and his status, but it’s because you know you have no right to say anything about it.

Then again, maybe you were assuming things, maybe he was fine, maybe Wooyoung does sleep well at night, or maybe he was afraid despite not showing he was.

You didn’t notice Wooyoung’s chair scoot even closer to yours when you began to talk. “I mean, I get it,” you said. “We’re not the same and you’ve drilled that in my head so many times, but it really doesn’t have to be that way. Maybe we are the same, we just want to be happy.”

Wooyoung nods once, not looking like he even understood a thing you said. “You’re not doing shit,” he mumbled. “You can’t do it. Not in front of me. Not while I’m still standing.”

He puts his hands behind your neck before he pulls you and puts his lips against yours. His eyes were still open, tentatively watching you. He doesn’t move his lips, just meeting yours in a modest touch, his hand still holding your head tenderly like you were fine glass. There was no warning, it was as if he was trying to silence the raging storm between the both of  you.

You froze, your body short circuiting as both your mind and your surroundings dissolved into static. You didn’t kiss him back, not because you didn’t want to, but because you didn’t know how to do it with him properly.

You pulled away, your eyes widening ever so slightly as you caught your breath. Wooyoung leaned his forehead against yours, his face blank except for his small pout and furrowed brows. 

“W-Wooyoung?” You tried to say, but it ended up sounding like a squeak.

“Hmm?”

“You just k-kissed me.”

He completely pulls away from you, his face back to that indifferent look you knew him for. “Yeah?”

Your entire just shut down at that moment, your lips tingling because you could still the imprint of his on yours. “W-Why? What the hell—”

He shrugs with an incredible amount of nonchalance that you couldn’t decide if you should be amazed or offended. “Does it matter? I wanted to do it, so I did.”

You were so flabbergasted, your face blushing as you blinked at him repeatedly. You were surprised your heart hasn’t leapt out of your chest yet. The only reason why you haven’t really tumbled down is purely because of the sheer adrenaline pumping through your bloodstream by the buckets. It felt intoxicating yet dizzying at the same time.

Wooyoung lets out a small laughter, his fingers lifting to flick your forehead softly. “You’d think by now you’d know that I just do whatever comes to my head,” he said, fondness in his eyes.

“It doesn’t work that way, and you know it,” you frowned. But how does that work, exactly? You could barely think of anything right now.

“How does what work, dollface?” And just like that, he was able to render you into silence. You don’t know how he does it, but it’s making you panic. You decided to shut your mouth, you knew that you’d fumble if you spoke.

He barked out another laugh, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “What, cat got your tongue?” He tapped his own lips. “Or is it me?”

The heat rose to your face so fast you swore you felt it burn. Wooyoung stood back up and walked away from you, his hands slipping into his pockets like none of this had just happened. He motions towards the clock overhead the kitchen door.

“I have to head out,” he said. “I got booked by this tourist who wants a pretty boy to fuck.” He clicked his tongue, nodding towards you. “You should eat before you go to work, too.”

You stifle the smile that threatens to break from your lips. “Didn’t know you suddenly cared about my well-being.”

“Debatable,” he replied nonchalantly, but that was accompanied by a solid bite of his bottom lip to stop his smirk from showing.

“I’m just saying,” you chuckled, getting up from where you were as well to grab your purse and work folders. “I’m more than the lonely office worker that hires sex workers for the company. Just like there’s layers upon layers under all the sex work you do.”

Wooyoung’s smirk, or what’s little of it, completely drops. He tilted his head at you, curiosity filling his eyes. You blinked at him repeatedly. “You do…realize that, right? We are always more than what meets the eye.”

His lips curl into distaste. “Sure, I guess,” he shrugged.

“I mean, I know your revulsion is for my background and not me, specifically, and you’re biased, so I understand,” you said, hurriedly grabbing a couple pieces of pancakes on a small napkin to take. “It’s just you, Wooyoung. I’ve never disliked you. I’m not sure if that counts for something.”

Wooyoung’s lips parted, his forced guise of cynicism cracking. There was something else in his expression now - something softer, something fragile, beneath the bravado he always carried.

His direct eye contact wavers. “It does.”

Somehow, that admission settled into your chest like a quiet ache, a warmth you didn’t know what to do with, but you knew the weight behind those words, and he was aware of that. “My God, you’re strange,” you joked, trying to lighten up the situation. “It’s fine, really.”

Wooyoung hummed, stepping past you. “And you’re a fucking weirdo. That balances us out.”

Just before he reached the door, you stopped him by calling his name. He pauses, but doesn’t acknowledge the callout. “Wooyoung,” you said. “Will you be here when I come back from work?”

Then, without turning around, he asked, “Not sure. Why?”

“So I can order extra dinner,” you shrugged, holding your breath without knowing. “I, uhm, booked you for nine hours this time, but you don’t have to. You’re free to do what you want, as usual.”

Last night, not only did you tell Yeosang that you’re tipping extra, but you had to steal Wooyoung’s reservation from someone else. Admittedly, it did cost you a pretty penny, but you knew it would be worth it in the end.

Sometimes, you’d book Wooyoung when you weren’t even home. That would prompt him to do whatever the hell he wanted, regardless if he was with you or not. He wouldn’t tell you, but Yunho would. Wooyoung would crash at the taller man’s place to rest and sleep. 

Wooyoung’s eyes met yours and you found that his face was filled with more than its usual heaviness. There was something subtle in there - determination. There was a hint of hope and gratitude. There was something other than pain.

“I’ll see what I can do, dollface,” he said, voice barely above a whisper.

It wasn’t a promise, but you were going to take what you can get.

He walks off, not bothering to close the door since you had to leave as well, but barely. Wooyoung would pause and hesitate, because he kept looking back and sneaking glances at you constantly, knowing that he has to go but not wanting to leave at the moment.

It’s okay, you thought. We still have more time.

The office felt suffocating today. You had to re-introduce yourself to the newer employees for this other branch, and so far, it wasn’t all too bad. From the looks of it, you were hoping that this environment wouldn’t be just like yours in the making.

Fabrics upon fabrics met your eye, new designs from fresher perspectives that genuinely impressed you. You missed this, you spent most of your time here with only Zoom meetings to go off of, and it felt great to be back in the scene in an actual office where you could review potential projects in person.

You were staring at a new recruit’s portfolio, which was admittedly quite good since they knew how to match colours with patterns, trying and failing to focus, when Mingi’s voice pulled you out of your haze.

“You look different.”

You blinked, turning to him. “Pray tell, Director Song.”

His head tilted slightly as he studied you, eyes sharp but unreadable. “I don’t know,” he shrugged. “There’s just something different about you today.”

You hesitated. You wanted to tell him. Some of it, at least. But the details felt too complicated, and plus, you had always tried to separate your personal life with your professional work.

But Mingi was your long time friend, both of your parents were acquaintances - it was how he became an intern at your company - so if there was anyone who might understand your dilemma, it would be him. You picked your words carefully, skimming the surface of the truth without diving too deep. “I met someone,” you admitted.

Mingi’s brows shot up in shock.  You could tell he wasn’t expecting that. “Oh?”

You gave a small, almost self-conscious nod. “Yeah. He’s, uhm, quite complex. Very curious.”

Mingi scoffed, smirking. “Aren’t we all?”

You chuckled, shaking your head. “I would suppose so. Our circumstances are very unconventional. I can’t even put a label on it, there’s no precursor for it, if I’m being completely honest.”

Mingi laughed, but then he caught the way your voice softened at the edges. He exhaled through his nose, a small, quiet sound of understanding. “I’m happy for you,” he said. “People like us…it’s hard to find something worthwhile to hold onto. You know how it is. Love is almost unheard of. Laughable, even.”

Your chest tightened. People like us. What is worthwhile? You had no idea. Neither did Mingi. He could relate; his family was just like yours, after all. You were both born on a different standing and calibre, and it was just an unspoken and unwritten rule that apparently, with high economic statuses comes along a complicated life.

He patted your shoulders affectionately, speaking low enough for you to hear. “Regardless, I’m happy for you, Y/N. It’s a privilege to feel the way you do in this world,” he said. “You deserve to be happy, too. We are not our parents, remember that.”

Mingi dismissed you afterwards, something he might get in trouble for. You were relieved.

Coming back to the house was the most anxiety you’ve ever felt in your life. You’ve learned not to expect Wooyoung to be there. You wanted to give him his freedom, something this world had seemed to have forgotten to give to him.

But there he was. He sat on your couch like he belonged there, like he always had. His phone was in his hands, but the second he noticed you, he locked the screen and tossed it aside.

“Took you long enough,” he mused, tilting his head at you with a smirk.

Wooyoung looked exhausted. It showed in the dark circles beneath his eyes, his usual sharp gaze dulled by something you couldn’t name, and his smirk that usually looked so smug, now looked hollowed.

You let out a breath you hadn’t realized you were holding. “I didn’t know you’d be here.”

Wooyoung stretched, his shirt riding up slightly, exposing a sliver of skin before settling back down. “Neither did I.”

You furrowed your brows. “Then, why are you?”

He shrugged, as if the answer should’ve been obvious. “Misery loves company, I guess.”

Wooyoung pushed himself off of the couch. He didn’t say anything else as he stepped closer to you, just tugging your shirt a little to pull you to him so he could lean in and slot his lips against yours in a serene kiss - another one you couldn’t return.

Wooyoung’s younger brother looked just like him.  And when he looked at you, something in his gaze lingered. It was very curious but knowing, like he already knew exactly who you were to his brother.

You wished you knew because you had no idea and if you were being honest to yourself, maybe you didn’t want to know. The house was quaint and a bit neglected, but it was home to Wooyoung, who was currently outside with Hongjoong and Yunho.

Wooyoung’s little brother was seen loitering around cold and hungry by Hongjoong, who took him straight to Yunho at the bar to call Wooyoung. Their father had left the poor child to go get blackout drunk somewhere else. You followed an understandably pissed Wooyoung there.

Luckily, Jongho was free tonight. He had come straight to the house to spend the night since Wooyoung’s schedule lined up with his other job after his time with you.

“He talks about you a lot when I’m done putting this one to sleep,” Jongho gave you a glass, a cracked one, of water. “But never the full story. Like he was keeping something safe.”

You looked away. Maybe it was safer this way. You gripped the glass hard, indescribable anger coursing through your veins at the unknown man who has supposedly fathered him.

“Ready to go?” Wooyoung’s voice suddenly filled the small living room as the other two followed him. He nodded at Hongjoong, who took it as his queue to distract his little brother.

“It’s nice to meet you, Jongho,” you smiled warmly at the babysitter, giving him a small hug. 

Wooyoung, whether it was subconscious or not on his end, held your hand in his as he started to walk away. It was a challenge ignoring Yunho’s smirk and wiggling eyebrows.

“I owe you one, man, big time,” Wooyoung spoke quietly towards Jongho. “I mean it. I’m not in the mood to see my father after this.”

“What ‘ya want me to tell him if I do see his sorry ass tonight?” Jongho asked. 

Wooyoung’s hand squeezed yours. “Tell him that he can take anything he wants, but he better not take it from me,” he flatly said. “I’ll give you an extra hundred bucks if you tell him he can go fuck himself.”

“Deal,” the younger man grinned. “Where are you going to stay, then?”

Wooyoung opts not to answer, instead patting Jongho on the shoulder once before dragging you with him to your car. As you drove, you didn’t need to ask him either. You knew what the answer would be.

The moment you get into the house, Wooyoung showers, presumably to cool off. You get it, you really did. You were left standing in the hallways, staring at the shower door, your mind replaying a specific moment you shared with Wooyoung one time. 

“Nightmare?” Wooyoung asked in concern, pulling your head to his chest. When you nodded, he asked, “What do you usually dream about?”

“Something to kiss the demons out of my dreams,” you mumbled, your voice muffled as your face was pressed on his firm chest. “You? What do you usually dream about?”

He doesn’t say anything at first, his fingers tracing your back lazily. “Water,” he said.

“Water?”

“I dream of water that can wash the weight of the world off my shoulders.”

You were so drawn to him. It was silent, unseen, hard to ignore. No matter how often you told yourself to walk away, you never could. 

Walking away was lost on you, because the truth was, you’ve started to look forward to ending your days with him. Wooyoung’s ghost haunted every corner of the house now, especially now when he was trying to temporarily wash away all his burdens.

You didn’t even notice him get out of the showers, your mind very much preoccupied with thoughts of him and everything that's happened so far. 

So when he tilted your chin upwards, you were startled. Your breath got caught in your throat, your body stilling as Wooyoung started to lean in, his lips almost touching yours.

But just when you thought he’d close the space between you, he stopped. “For someone who doesn’t return my kisses,” he murmured, voice low and heavy. “You sure always expect it.”

You looked down, shame filling your chest. You swallowed your words like it might poison you if spoken aloud. Wooyoung sighed, pulling you to the bedroom and sitting beside you on the bed.

“There’s not a lot that I can choose for myself, given my line of work,” Wooyoung began. “It’s an entire process, dollface. When the sun comes down, all the filth run free. I have to be the finest specimen of filth for a living so some daddy’s little angel would get dirt on her knees. I get paid, I go home.”

His words catch you off guard. Wooyoung doesn’t talk about his profession, if not, ever. And you never really asked, but you wouldn’t mind listening. He had a faraway look in his eyes as he continued.

“Then I get so blind with rage to the point that no matter what I do, I could never shake the feeling out,” he chuckled bitterly. “I hurt much more than anytime before, and sooner or later, I have no options left again. Rinse. Repeat. All I know is that all I want is to feel like I’m not stepped on.”

Wooyoung was so calm and collected while your heart felt like it wanted to explode. You hated that he seemed like he accepted all the unfairness that’s been happening to him.

“This might be my job, but sometimes, I feel disgusted with myself. I feel used. Dirty.”

You snapped your head to stare at him in horror at what he said, but you found that he was already staring at you.

You didn’t know what hurt more - the way he said it so plainly, or the fact that he truly meant it. He puts a finger against your lips, parting them slightly. “This. I chose to kiss you. I’d rather do it than not do it at all,” he finishes off. 

He pulled his hand back, just enough to let you breathe again, but you stopped him, holding onto his bicep for dear life. His gaze lingered, steady and unwavering.

“Do you want me to kiss you?” Wooyoung asked, a hint of insecurity audible in his voice.

When you nodded enthusiastically, Wooyoung wore the most honest and brightest smile, as if all the heaviness that’s weighing him down had slipped off quietly away from him at your answer.

And then, he leaned in - slowly, deliberately, as if every movement was meant to linger. Kissing Wooyoung was like standing on a cliff where you were just a heartbeat away from falling, and for a moment, you felt weightless, caught between fear and the exhilaration of just being with him.

He deepened the kiss slightly, testing the waters, his hand finding the small of your back, pulling you closer. It automatically sends shivers down your spine. You felt the warmth of his body against yours, the soft, steady beat of his heart in sync with your own.

His lips parted from yours just enough to let the air in, but his forehead stayed pressed against yours. Both of your eyes stayed close.

You held his face in between your shaking hands. “You’re not alone and you never will be,” you swallowed the emotions that threatened to overwhelm you. “Thanks for finding me that night, Wooyoung.”

He doesn’t respond, kissing you again. This time, it was more certain, more of himself. If this world fell apart, the both of you wouldn’t notice, if only for this fleeting moment.

The kiss was never brought up ever again after that night, even after another week. You both acknowledged that it happened and moved on.

A bubble of frustration was beginning to settle in your chest. Only the clicking of your keyboard could be heard around the room as the night settled. 

Wooyoung was next to you, his legs stretched out, head resting lazily against the headboard. You were hunched forward, eyes fixed on the glow of your laptop screen, fingers moving without pause. You felt the bed dip when he inched a bit closer to you.

“That looks nice,” he suddenly murmured as he pointed at the design you were currently working on. “You’re good at what you do.”

“Hmm?” You hummed noncommittally,  not looking away from your screen.

“Whatever you’ve been obsessed with since this lunch time, you’re decent at it.”

It was a rare praise coming from Wooyoung. You smiled, certainly happy because you genuinely needed to hear something good right now. “Thanks. It’s a work in progress. ”

He shrugged, trying to look indifferent, but then, you felt his leg touch yours as he scooted even closer. “What’s it for anyway?”

You didn’t respond right away. “Portfolio,” you replied robotically, your mouth doing your work for you. Your mind just wasn’t there; the words, notes, and deadlines loomed upon you.  It was easy to get lost into this rhythm and forget your surroundings, including Wooyoung.

Until your laptop was suddenly shut down. You looked up, startled, to see Wooyoung’s hand still on the lid of your laptop, having just shut it close. His face was unreadable, but his eyes were fixed on you. “You’re not busy right now,” he said, tone flat but final. “You’re with me.”

He wasn’t asking. You wanted to argue, mostly because you really wanted to get some work done. It was what set you apart from your co-workers, it was what made you ahead of the curve. 

You sighed, setting your laptop aside on the bedside table. “What are you trying to tell me?”

Wooyoung shifted, one knee bent lazily, head tilting toward you. “I’m just saying, you’re so tense,” he makes random gestures with his hand. “You need to get laid, or something. Blow off some steam, you know?”

You choked on your own breath, turning sharply toward him. “Excuse me?”

Your face went up in flames as your heart began to fumble. You could feel the heat blooming in your chest, crawling up your neck, painting your cheeks in something unforgiving. It felt criminal, the way your body reacted. The way the suggestion rooted itself somewhere deep inside you, unsettling and uninvited, curling like smoke around the idea of him.

Wooyoung leaned closer, peering at you with exaggerated curiosity. “This is so entertaining. I say one thing about sex and suddenly your whole system reboots.”

You lifted your head just enough to glare at him, face still on fire. “Be for fucking real, Wooyoung. You can’t just lay that on me.”

He raised a brow at your crude language, but shrugged anyway. “Come on. Don’t be two-faced, you’re acting like you’ve never used someone as a means to make yourself feel better at one point. ”

“Kinda hard when nobody has ever finished you off once,” you gritted your teeth. You hadn’t meant to say it, but it was too late. You slapped your mouth so hard it stung. Oh, you wish this Earth would swallow you whole.

Wooyoung’s eyes were so widened to the point that he looked like his soul had momentarily left his body through his pupils. “That has to be some bullshit,” he began, sounding uncertain, himself. “That has to be—”

“It’s not like I’m broken or anything,” you added quickly, like you were trying to defend something you weren’t even sure you believed. “I-It’s just the men I’ve been with have been selfish. They, uh, assume I’m fine. And I don’t really speak up, so…”

You trailed off, biting the inside of your cheek. “I guess I just got used to faking it.”

There. You said it. Might as well set the whole house on fire. You glanced at him, ready for the smirk, the joke, the playful jab you always braced yourself for, but Wooyoung was quiet. 

His silence felt intentional. He was thinking. His eyes didn’t leave your face. They flicked down to your lips for a second, then back up, like he was scanning every inch of you for a crack in the surface. 

You watched the muscle in his jaw twitch, barely visible, but there. His fingers curled into the blanket between you, slow and restrained, like he was grounding himself. You saw him eye the way your hands clasp together so hard, your fingers turn pale and white.

“That’s not right, Y/N. That’s not normal,” he finally said, his voice low, barely above a murmur. “May I?”

You found yourself scrambling backwards the bed as Wooyoung started crawling forward, his entire body encasing yours as he got on top of you, his hands holding the entire expanse of either of your waist. He was looking down at you with such fondness in his eyes that it momentarily stole your breath away.

“I’m trying really hard not to say something I can’t take back,” he added after a beat, voice a little rougher now. “Because right now? I kinda want to prove every one of those assholes wrong.”

Your breath hitched. He didn’t move, but the way he looked at you felt more intimate than anything else could’ve in that moment, like he was offering something without saying it outright, and he was giving you the chance to take it or walk away.

It was a no-brainer for you - you’ve never wanted anything this bad in your entire life.  It wasn’t difficult to pinpoint why - Wooyoung and the way he moved that made him who he was, the things he’s experienced, his voice and the way he told his stories, the way your heart just clung to him.

You thanked him a couple of nights ago for finding you, but you should have thanked him for far more than that. After all, as many times as Wooyoung made it clear he doesn’t like rich people, he still stuck around you and he let you stick to him as well. He didn’t have to say it outright, it wasn’t very difficult to figure it out on your end.

“Don’t think too hard, dollface,” he whispered. “I promise to make it good for you. And I want you to know that I won’t treat this like I treat my clients even if you’re technically still paying for my time for it.”

That didn’t even cross your mind, but admittedly, you did completely forget that this was his job. “Remember when you asked me what my hobby was and I told you it was swimming?” Wooyoung softly asked. You nodded and his eyes softened. “I won’t let you sink. Not like this.”

“I don’t doubt it,” you said softly. “How do I know that, though?”

“Well, for one,” he whispered. “I’ve never kissed my clients. Ever. Not once, and I’ve had people offer me a fuck ton of money.”

You couldn’t take it anymore. You lifted your head to meet his lips even though you were quivering. He was surprised at first, but he soon fell into a rhythm when he groaned softly in your mouth as his hands started to roam under your shirt. Your breaths came in short gasps but he had no problem swallowing those sounds from you.

“You sound so pretty,” he murmured in between kisses, the trail of saliva connecting your lips serving to turn the both of you on as evident in the way his hardness started pressing onto your clothed core. 

You hummed, never having felt an arousal like you did at this moment. Heat courses through your veins, especially when he started to move down your neck, kissing and sucking on your most sensitive spots.

“Feels good, Woo,” you mewled, wrapping your arms around his neck, your hands finding their way onto his hair to mindlessly tug on them. You didn’t dare open your eyes, afraid that if you did, this dream would suddenly vanish from your sights.

“Yeah?” Wooyoung mouthed against your skin, his kisses not once stopping as his hand lifted your back slightly so his other hand would fiddle on your bra until it came off. Only for him to freeze when he realized you were wearing none.

“Oh, W-Wooyoung,” you gasped in surprise when he suddenly lifted your shirt up to your chin to expose your ample breasts, the cold air automatically stiffening your sensitive nipples. 

You covered your face with your hands, ashamed and embarrassed of the way Wooyoung was drinking the sight of your naked chest up with so much lust. Compared to him, you were highly inexperienced in this regard. Not the sex part, you were no longer a virgin, but in the foreplay aspect. You’ve never had a man do it to you before.

“Don’t,” he coaxed softly, his hand prying yours away. “Don’t shy away from me now, baby.”

“I’m not the best in the looks department,” you blurted out. “You’ve been with better looking women during…you know.”

“You might be right,” he said, both his hands palming your tits and kneading them expertly. You had to bite your lip to stop yourself from moaning out loud, especially in the way he relished your expressions with a small smirk. “But, none of them are you.”

You exhaled a shaky breath, the tension in your chest loosening just a little, but his words lingered, settling somewhere deep inside you.

Wooyoung leaned down to, once again, kiss your neck until he slowly moved down to your chest, sucking and biting the skin between your tits. You moaned loudly when his tongue slid out to sensually lick your hardened nipples, not hesitating to push your chest up towards his warm mouth, almost begging him to suck on them harder.

“So pretty, baby,” he growled, his mouth closing around your aching nipples, his tongue lightly flicking over it back and forth, making you squirm against his hold. “Too much?”

“N-No, keep going,” you gasped when he grazed his teeth on your nipple. “J-Just overwhelmed.”

He hummed, pausing as he looked at you through his lashes. The sight was so erotic, it made you hiss in pleasure, bucking your hips more to his touch. 

Your heart felt a rush of excitement, it kept you craving for more. Wooyoung latches his lips back to yours, deepening this kiss immediately by parting your lips with his tongue, coaxing you to play and intertwining your tongues together. You felt feverish, your lust for this man spiking higher towards different heights.

You almost didn’t feel his fingers toying with your underwear, but when you did, you took the initiative to take all the barriers that stopped him from touching your core. Wooyoung sighs in approval, not breaking the kiss. 

His fingers don’t hesitate to brush against your clit. The sensation was electrifying, your body almost giving out all at once with just one single touch. However, you tense when his fingers start to dip down your hole. He senses your hesitancy and moves on to kiss down your neck, nibbling the skin to calm your senses.

“Shh, it’s okay, I got you,” he whispered as you felt him circle around the outside of your quivering hole. “I promised you, dollface. I got you, you believe me, right?”

You draw in a deep breath, whimpering an answer since your tongue seemed too tied to even speak. His other hand continues to caress your hips, further calming your body down until you feel yourself release all the tension. It was all it took for Wooyoung to breach inside you.

Wooyoung’s fingers were gentle, taking his time to stretch you out slowly. You moan loudly, he was very considerate about it, too, but the pleasure he was giving you was immeasurable. You’ve never felt like this before, never had someone reach that specific spot that had you writhing in satisfaction.

You could feel his smirk against your neck, his teeth biting and nipping you at random places, eagerly leaving you with love marks you hoped wouldn’t fade for a while. Each mark said one thing, and one thing only - you’re mine.

“W-Woo, mmm, I-I feel weird and tingly,” you whimpered as you closed your eyes tightly instead of the one thing you wanted to tell him - I’m yours.

“Relax, baby, breathe,” he instructed, suddenly bending his fingers up to hit a spot so sensitive, it had you crying out against his hold. “Let it go for me.”

That was how you got your very orgasm from just foreplay. Your mind exploded, a searing, lightning-like pleasure erupting behind your eyes. It left every muscle in your body spent and worn out.

You were a panting mess when he pulled his fingers out. He grabbed your head tenderly, peppering your faces with little kisses, all the while whispering ‘good girl, good girl, good girl’ over and over again in between the kitten kisses he was giving you.

While you were still recovering, Wooyoung shifted, his strong arms lifting your back as he lifted you up with ease so now you were situated on top of him. You gasped, settling your hands on his chest like you’ve always belonged on top of him like this.

You blushed when he tapped your thighs twice, prompting you to sit up a little so he could take his pants and boxers off. You swallowed, feeling his hard cock pressing up your wetness when you sat back down, his arousal coating your labia and mixing in with yours. 

“Take me,” he whispered, his hold on your hips tightening with unspoken tension. “This is your justice, dollface. Take your pleasure for me for all the ones you’ve never gotten before.”

Your breath caught, your fingers curled into his shoulders, and for a second, you couldn’t move, not because you didn’t want to, but because something about the way he said it bloomed fire in your lungs.

There was that familiar burn behind your eyes. Wooyoung wasn’t offering himself just for the sake of it - he was giving something back.

You bit your lip when he lifted you slightly, his other hand guiding his cock to your entrance. His gaze stayed on you, unwavering, almost reverent. “Let them take, but let me give,” he murmured, finally lowering you onto his cock.

“Oh, fuck, Wooyoung, fuck,” you gasped when you felt his cock reach all the way up. He felt good, divine even.

He started thrusting up and down, with you matching his pace after as you rode him, your feelings lost as your mind started to go blank at the feeling of his cock dragging along your walls.

“Oh, Y/N,” Wooyoung says, like it’s the only word that’s ever mattered - drawn out, cracked at the edges, reverent in its ruin. The sound lands on you like heat and thunder, blooming into shivers that tear through you without mercy.

You arched your back, Wooyoung’s hands keeping you in place, your hips and tits bouncing up and down along with the motion as you impaled yourself on Wooyoung’s cock over and over again. There was no holding back for you, not anymore, your moans filling the entire room as you kept pushing yourself further, moving faster.

“Look at you,” he groaned, gazing up at you with impassioned eyes and the little sparks of affection through them. “You're heaven sent, Y/N. My God, you’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever laid my fucking eyes on. Fuck me, keep going - yes.”

All the things that matter that you wanted to say die in your throat. There were so many things you wanted to tell Wooyoung, your chest overflowing with feelings you’ve never dared name, let alone think about. It’s all too much yet nothing because not once in your life had you had someone make you feel like this before.

Not until some sex worker walked through your door by mistake one day then everything shifts and gives your life what it was missing.

You felt your thigh muscles getting tired, but you kept pushing, riding his cock, even though the way you ground your hips to him felt more uncoordinated than anything. As if he was taking mercy on you, he braces himself and with one strong push of his hips, he began fucking up onto you.

“Wooyoung!” 

“I love the way you say my damn name,” he growled as he continued to thrust up at you, and all you could do was whimper while his throbbing cock was all you felt.

Your tits bounce with every, almost painful thrust while your pussy clenches and flutters around his rigid erection. Your eyes roll back, and your moan is hoarse and breathless as you say his name just the way he liked it. The effect was immediate and you could tell that he was close to chasing his own orgasm with you.

“I-I think I’m g-gonna come,” you whimpered pathetically, giving up and letting Wooyoung take control.

“Are you?” Wooyoung smirked, having the audacity to chuckle at your predicament.

You whined, your pleasure clouding your judgment as you started to feel annoyed with him. “W-Wooyoung, please—”

“Relax, baby,” he chuckled. It quickly turned into a snarl when he pulled you down on himself and you started to flutter and tighten against his aching cock. “I’m not gonna last long either, dollface, come for me, I wanna see you.”

Your body tensed up, your back arching like the string of a bow, then suddenly, you released, stronger than your first, the pleasure overtaking your shame and you screamed Wooyoung’s name so loud, you wouldn’t be surprised if someone heard your voice from somewhere in the distance.

“Fuck, Y/N, you’re beautiful,” he panted, tapping your thighs again. “Off, baby, off. I’m gonna come, fuck.”

You watched as he stroked his cock, all in its perfectly curved glory, until cum shot off from it, landing on his chest as he moaned loudly, his voice louder than you’ve ever heard him. “Ah, shit, shit, shit, Y/N…”

You both lay there, side by side, suspended in the hush that only comes after something intimate has unraveled between two people.

The sheets were warm, tangled somewhere around your legs. His fingers, calloused but careful, brushed faintly against yours, until he pulled you and kissed you deeper than any silence that’s ever tried to swallow you whole. 

He sighs deeply in contentment, embracing you. It was tighter than any fear you’ve known, and it was suffocating yet somehow freeing. You just held onto him, grounding yourself in the rhythm of his heartbeat. “Was it everything you wanted?” Wooyoung whispered.

You hummed an answer, staying quiet as you didn’t want to tell him what you really thought in your head.

You were everything I wanted.

Just as the silence thickened, your phone rang, sharp and intrusive, slicing through the stillness between you like an unwelcome guest. The sound was jarring, you had to pull away from Wooyoung’s warmth and get your phone, but your heart stilled when you saw Mingi’s familiar number on the screen.

“Hello? Mingi?” You asked tentatively. Wooyoung’s brow raises, his arms tightening around your waist.

“I am sorry to interrupt your night, Y/N,” Mingi said, voice audibly tired. “Can you come to the office real quick? We have an emergency, it’s about your branch.”

You frowned. It was odd. Your branch hasn’t really contacted you, so why did Mingi? He was a director of another branch, it didn’t make any sense. 

“I’ll be there,” you said before hanging up and looking at Wooyoung with a deep frown. “You heard that, I think. I’m sorry, Woo.”

Wooyoung’s gaze flicked to yours, unreadable for a heartbeat. Then he nodded, slow and steady, but the way his jaw tensed told you more than his expression did. “You gotta do what you gotta do, it’s fine.”

He watched as you got dressed, but it didn’t feel right. You had no desire to go, but he was right - you had to do what you had to do. Despite yourself, you rushed towards the bed, grabbing Wooyoung’s face urgently, and planted a deep kiss on his lips. You had to let him know. “I’ll come back to you.”

He stared at you for a moment. “I believe you,” he simply said. 

You never had an attachment to that house, not at all, but tonight, it was difficult to leave. Not when you could feel Wooyoung’s lips attached to your lips and his hands imprinted on your skin. You couldn’t wait to go back, especially since he will be waiting for you.

But it all came crashing down when you met Mingi. You will never forget the feeling of devastation from all the high when he told you that your branch will be firing every single employee and higher ups, minus you and some others to rebrand and weed out all the people that have been tanking your company’s sales.

That meant that you had to go back a month earlier than planned.

You don’t remember the journey back to the house. When you opened the door, Wooyoung was still there, sitting on the edge of the bed with that unreadable look in his eyes, just waiting for you. You couldn’t look him in the eye - you didn’t want to see his reaction.

But when you do, the look in your face told the both of you everything you needed to know. You looked at him, and he looked at you, and you both saw it.

Wooyoung does something differently this time when you book him. Instead of going with what you want, he asks you to go with him - to the tattoo shop. You don’t know what he gets, just patiently waiting in the lobby, until you go back to the house and he lets you see it.

I’m not alone and I will never be. Your fingers were shaking as you traced the words that now laid at the back of his neck, careful not to disturb the protective wrap around it. You were pretty sure he could feel it.

There was a thin, unspoken thread that wrapped the entire room. You knew those words from weeks prior as you were the one who said them. Your heart thudded unevenly against your ribs. “Thanks for taking me, it suits you,” you complimented him softly.

He finally turned around, eyes meeting yours, holding all the things you couldn’t bring yourself to ask him. “Thanks for coming with me, I guess,” he shrugged.

A sudden silence ensued, like the seconds were stretching just to hold off what was coming. How could you even begin to say anything? How do you wrap finality in a sentence? How do you make something sound casual when your throat is tight and your time is running out?

All you could do was stand there and memorize the shape of him - his beautiful tattoos, his dark hair that covered his forehead in a complimentary way, his boyish charm, the curve of his hand that fit well with yours. “What changed?” You asked, barely a whisper. “You didn’t like me.”

“I didn’t want to like you,” he said finally, voice low and rough. “You were everything I didn’t have room for - hell, you were everything I wasn’t in this life and I still resent that.”

You let out a trembling breath. Wooyoung purses his lips, combing his hands on his hair. “People like you felt too much, yet nothing at the same time. And you were just like me. In essence…it really is just you as a person, Y/N. You hear me?”

He holds your chin, tilting it up to meet his obscure eyes. “It’s just you,” he repeated softly.

You smiled, a little crooked and cracked around the corners. “Just me.”

For you, it was just him, as well, and perhaps, that was the hardest part. It was one of the things that you admire about this man; he was very resolute in everything he said, like he already knew things before they happened. Like right now, the look in his eyes shone with acceptance.

Wooyoung smiled back, pushing your chin higher to meet his lips in a soft kiss. “The truth was,” he murmured. “Everytime we kissed, it felt like we were practicing how to let go.”

That pierced your heart like an arrow lodging deep in your chest, but you couldn’t get yourself to disagree. Kisses with Wooyoung never felt like beginnings - they were echoes of an ending you were too afraid to name.

“Did you know?” You asked, your smile wavering as you tried not to hold on to him, the shaking of your hands too much to feel even for you.

Wooyoung nodded. “I did.”

“So why’d you still do it, then? Why, when you knew?”

Wooyoung sighed, holding your face in his hands tenderly as if he was afraid that you’d break down if he didn’t. “Remember when I told you about my choices? The things I choose to do rather than not do?”

You nodded, gritting your teeth so hard to control yourself, Wooyoung had to massage your jaws to make you stop. You brought your hands to him and he held onto them without leaving your face. “I’m glad to have known you, Y/N,” he squeezed your hands. “I’m glad you proved me wrong in every aspect possible.”

Your lips parted, but the words got stuck in your throat. Instead, you just let your eyes speak for you, and he understood. “This is it for us, this is all we’re going to get, but regardless, I’m glad I met you.”

We’ve always been on borrowed time, anyway.

You intertwined your fingers with his. “I’m glad too, Wooyoung. I’m very glad to meet you.”

“You have your life, and I have mine,” he shrugged, his rigid shoulders betraying what he truly felt. “And we have to live with that. It’s the one thing all of us have in common whether you’re dirt poor or filthy rich - we just have to live out the consequences of the life we choose for ourselves. There is no way around it.”

You snorted, adoration coming through since it was such a him thing to say. “You make it sound so simple.”

He half-shrugged again, this time with the ghost of a smirk. “Maybe because it is. It’s just how the world turns, Y/N. And you,” he tilted his head, eyes sharp with meaning. “You know that better than most.”

You wanted to laugh and cry at the same time, because only Wooyoung could say something like that with such maddening certainty - as if the world was some fixed machine with gears we were all doomed to turn, no matter how loud we screamed beneath the grinding. 

But he wouldn’t be wrong. You did know better than most. The world never stopped for anybody, and it certainly wouldn’t stop for the two of you.

“There’s, uh,” you paused, clearing your throat. “There’s a huge possibility we won’t see each other again, Wooyoung. My company is having a do-over, I might get shipped somewhere else.”

He nodded, eyes elsewhere. “It is what it is, Y/N. It’s something you have to live with. You and I both.”

“So that’s it?” You asked quietly, the words trembling like they’d walked barefoot over every memory you’d made with him. “You just live with it?”

His eyes met yours again. “No,” he said, softer now. “You carry it. Every day. In the silence. In the in-between. You carry it until it stops hurting, or until you stop noticing the weight.”

Right.

You watch Wooyoung, the way the light catches in his eyes. There’s hope in it, but there’s hurt too, layered and quiet, like a secret he doesn’t mind being seen but refuses to say out loud.

It wasn’t anything dramatic; it’s just how life worked sometimes. You meet someone, sometimes they don’t stay, and you both keep living. Most of the time, your paths cross only once and never again. You bit your lip, deep in thought. “What are you going to do then, Woo?” 

Wooyoung smiles, the kind of mournful fondness that almost breaks you. “Let live, and let die. I’ll do what I do best, and that is to keep moving forward. The process will be painful, but I’ll have to make do with what I have and work around it.”

He leaned his forehead to yours, closing his eyes. It prompts you to do the same. “I’ll try my best to fight what I can control, and then learn how to surrender to the ones I can’t. This is one of those moments, my little doll. It was very easy to go along with this, but it was very difficult not to surrender to the race against our clock.”

He plants a gentle kiss on your forehead, his lips staying there as he speaks. There was a sick part of you that wishes he’d leave a permanent mark on your skin somewhere.

“I don’t want to fully know every part of you, and I know that sounds unfair,” Wooyoung began. “Doing so means watching every piece of that knowledge walk away when you go. It’s easier this way, because if I did learn everything in the span of the three months you were here, I’m not sure I’ll survive watching that all go away in an instant.”

“I’ve already been through a lot in this fucking lifetime,” he said. “I’m through, you know? Maybe it’s better to leave some mystery. Maybe that’s how I’ll keep a part of you, even when you’re gone.”

His lips travel down, kissing both of your eyes this time as if he was searing this moment directly in your brain. “If somehow the odds are in my favour, I’ll find you again.”

A tightness gripped your chest, a weight pressing down, suffocating and relentless. It felt like every piece of you was unraveling, each thread pulling at the seams of your composure.

Your throat constricted, as if a flood was gathering the very same eyes he kissed. “Are you telling me to wait for you?”

“No,” he instantly rejected. “Absolutely not, Y/N. Never wait for something you are unsure of, please. Do yourself that favour. Do me that favour. I can’t have you waiting for me when I’m not even sure I can deliver.”

So, what do you want?

His grip on your face tightens ever so slightly. “I don’t know if I’ll get out of this city. Hell, I don’t even know if I’ll make it out alive, not when every day here feels like a losing fight.”

“So,” he continued. “Let me remember you how I remember you right now, because if your memory is the only thing that’ll keep me going for the rest of my life, I’ll do it. I will always remember you, Y/N. Even if we don’t see each other again.”

Your fingers twitched, curling into fists, as if you could stop the feeling by holding yourself together. “What if I end up falling for someone else along the way?”

Wooyoung pauses, and for a second, your heart rate picks up. “If you've found someone else that will make you happy, then I will be thankful for it. I don’t want you to be alone.”

“And if I don’t?”

“Then you don’t, and if it doesn’t work out, then you move on. See where that takes you after.”

You understood. Not all souls were meant to cross paths in this lifetime. There was only so much you could learn about Wooyoung, and even then, you feel like you still didn’t know him at all. Heck, there were people who have been together for far, far longer and they still learn something new about each other every single day. And while you believed that to be beautiful, you didn’t know where that left you with Wooyoung.

You knew he couldn’t answer all the questions you were throwing at him. Life was unpredictable like that, even the most realistic person out there like Jung Wooyoung didn’t have the answers for everything.

Now that you thought about it, you didn’t want to learn everything about Wooyoung, either. If anything, you wanted to begin to forget him as soon as possible so if destiny does move in the funniest of ways, falling back into him would feel twice as sweet and more so emotional on your ends.

Or maybe you wouldn’t even remember who he was anymore down the road. It was another part the both of you didn’t know yet. 

But alas, you’ll just have to see where life takes you because for now, the both of you didn’t have any room for love to grow. If Wooyoung finds you again like he did that night, then you’d go from there.

After much deliberation on his end, he gives in, his lips finally touching yours with a kiss that holds unspoken promises. He coaxed out the three words that laid on the tip of your tongue with his. They ached to break free, to give him the truth he deserved to hear from you.

Would that be the right thing to do, though?

It would be very selfish on your end, to leave him with those parting words, but damn it, if you haven’t been selfless all your life. 

Fuck it.

But before you could get the words past your lips, he raised a hand, a gentle but firm stop. He pulled away, his eyes meeting yours with a depth that made your heart stutter.

“Don’t say it,” he whispered, his voice barely audible, yet carrying the gravity of a thousand unspoken emotions. “Not yet. Please.”

It was what he said that had the dam that contained all your emotions break and spill all the tears you’ve been trying to contain all this time. Wooyoung didn’t hesitate to wipe them with his thumbs.

“If we see each other again in the future and you still feel the same, then you can say it. But until then, keep it.” he continued. His eyes softened, filled with a quiet plea. “Give me a chance to turn my life around. Let me make it out of here and be someone I’m proud to be.”

Of all the things you’ve talked about today, that was the one thing that truly made fear settle deep in your chest. “But, I’m already proud of you,” you said, voice unyielding.

Wooyoung’s jaw tightened. "But, I’m not," he whispered, the finality in his words like a door slamming shut.

The sound of Wooyoung’s phone ringing breaks through the stillness, harsh and jarring, like a stone tossed into a quiet pond. Your heart sank, it wasn’t a phone call - it was an alarm. He had another client waiting for him somewhere.

With a quiet sigh, Wooyoung began to pull away from you. Just like that, the moment had already begun slipping like sand through an hourglass. 

For a moment, you couldn’t move, your whole body frozen in time, but when you saw Wooyoung turn around, you quickly moved to hug him from behind, pressing your face on his back. “Y/N,” he said, his hand holding yours and squeezing it.

Don’t go, please, I don’t know what to do.

Wooyoung turns around, cupping your face once more. “I know, baby, it’s hard for me, too. I have to go, but you listen to me, okay? And you listen to me well because this might be the only time I’ll ever get to say it.”

You nodded, pressing your lips together in an attempt to get a hold of yourself. “Run free and wild, Y/N. You don’t belong here. This world is yours for the taking, all you have to do is make it yours. Make it worth your time when you move on to whatever the hell is next and know that you went in the end without a single regret.”

All you could do was nod again. You wanted to reach out, to scream into the silence, but all you could do was stand there as Wooyoung tucks a piece of your hair behind your ear.

“You gotta do what you gotta do,” he smiled, bittersweet. “Give your company hell while I picture you in places I’ve never seen, meet people I’ll never know, live stories I won’t be a part of, and shape your own destiny in ways I won't be able to see.”

We have to fall, fall apart to work.

“And I’ll live my life wondering about what you’ll do next, here,” he takes your hand to place it where his heart was. “Even if I spend every single night doing so, just like when I spend it with you to end my days here. I don’t mind doing it for the rest of my life.”

He lets go for the final time, opening the door to walk outside, possibly forever. But, you couldn’t let go, not without giving him an option. “Choi San,” you blurted out before he completely walked away.

He halted his steps, tilting his head towards you in a way you once found endearing but now left you a finalized image of him before you parted ways. “Remember that name. He’s my new supervisor,” you swallowed a wave of new tears. “When you find yourself, please let me know.”

“Choi San,” he muttered, repeating the name as if he was marking it in his head already, training his lips to say the name over and over again for one day.

“Goodbye, Wooyoung,” you choked, the words burning through your throat.

For a second, Wooyoung’s gaze softened, and you saw the vulnerability there, the rawness of the goodbye. But then, without another word, he nodded once and turned, walking away from you, each step a little heavier than the last. 

He didn’t turn around once to look at you and didn’t wait to see if he did, you wouldn’t be able to stomach it. You closed the door behind you, but you didn’t cry, didn’t scream. You just stood there, devastation filling in your chest, down to your feet, all without ever making a sound.

Run free, Wooyoung, so we can both start living.

You never really see each other after that even though you didn’t have to leave for another two weeks. You never went back to the bar nor did you book Wooyoung again. When you did try to call just to ease the pain, Yeosang wasn’t the one who answered. You immediately hung up.

And now, you were back on that train that took you here in the first place - the one that led you to a destination you never thought in a million years would alter the course of your life. 

There you were again, sitting alone in the train cabin, completely alone as you stared out the window and watched the passing scenarios fly by like they were nothing. You didn’t dare watch the city behind you get further and further.

It wasn’t something you were used to, you’ve always been alone all your life, but this was the first time you felt truly, utterly alone. It was some sort of poetic justice on your end; you came here alone, and therefore, you were also completely alone as you left. The only difference was, there was now something missing that you had left behind in that fancy, luxurious house - your heart.

You couldn’t bear to bring it - you didn’t want to -  hoping that maybe, just maybe, it wouldn’t hurt as much without it. But even without it, the emptiness remained, lingering like a ghost in the corners of your soul.

The only way was forward at this point, the regrets would prove to be fruitless. The idea of embracing whatever comes, living fully, yet knowing that the end will eventually come for everything was daunting, but you had to do what you had to do. 

You will live fully, knowing that one day, you’ll let go. But until that moment comes, you embrace every second, because those moments, no matter how short or long, are the only things truly within your control.

To live and to let die. That was what you were going to do.

You bowed respectfully towards the people that surrounded the round table as their claps filled the meeting room. Another smile later, the meeting and presentations for the future designs in collaboration with a sister company was fully conducted.

“Great as always, Y/N,” your boss grinned at you as he began to approach you, setting your portfolio and tucking it under his arms so he could give you the handshake you deserved. “I don’t know how you do it, I really don’t. It never did feel right that I was your boss instead of the other way around even after all these years.”

You shook your head, jokingly rolling your eyes. Thankfully, you had a wonderful enough relationship with your supervisor that you could get away with this. “Oh, stop it, San. You know that’s just untrue. Your ideas have always been trend-setting. I just so happen to know how to make those come to life.”

People who were passing by from the meeting room bowed to both of you and San, but more so, they’d either praise you, or they would just use that as an excuse to ogle at the wonder that was Choi San. You understood, you really did. San was one of the most attractive men you’ve ever seen. Hell, it took you a while to get used to the fact that he was, indeed, your supervisor and not one of the company’s models. It didn’t really help that the man was humble and kind.

He tugs on his shirt sleeve, peering at the time attached to his wrists in the form of a watch. “Company lunch to celebrate with everyone, on me, in thirty minutes downtown at that new restaurant,” he clicked his tongue. “Go this time, yeah? I need my best designer to unwind and be well fed.”

You scoffed softly, about to say something, when he interrupts. “I’m serious, Y/N,” San said, his voice dropping to whisper. “We won’t launch the portfolio for another month. Take a break. You’re good at what you do.”

You’re good at what you do.

You froze, the statement echoing in your head. The sound of those words, they sound so familiar. The memory teases you, just out of reach, like a shadow too fast to catch.

“Oh, by the way,” San stopped you before you walked away. “Come see me at my office after. There’s a package that came that’s addressed to you.”

You nodded, pushing the thought away, as you always did. It was easier not to think about it, to keep moving, to keep working, to bury the feeling under a mountain of new ideas. But it never quite went away. 

Your phone buzzed in your pocket, a text from one of your coworkers, confirming the time and place for lunch. You read it, typed a quick reply, and shoved the phone back into your bag. The noise, the movement, the busyness - none of it ever filled that void.

Lunch wasn’t bad at all, your coworkers were great company after all, but you couldn’t concentrate. You were supposed to be here at the moment, but you just can’t. You had made a name for yourself in the fashion industry after three years of working hard, but none of it ever mattered to you.

“When do you think they’ll close the restaurant for the bar tonight?” You absentmindedly asked your nearest coworker, who was sitting across from you.

They looked at you confused, even going as far as to wait for you to reiterate your statement. “Uhm, I don’t think that’s a thing around here, if not ever,” they frowned. “That would be great, though, do you know a place like that?”

You blinked, caught off guard, embarrassed all of a sudden. “N-No, I think you’re right. I don’t know where that thought process came from. I apologize.”

Yeah, maybe San was right after all - you definitely needed a break. Maybe it was just a side effect of being a designer. You were constantly moving and evolving, after all.

As promised, when you got to San’s fancy office, there was a package waiting for you. You held it curiously in your hand, tossing and shaking the box around to gauge what was inside it. There was no sender name written, only yours and the office’s address.

“Any idea what it is?” San asked with one brow raised, work phone on the other hand while the other paused from signing multiple documents.

You shrugged. “Not really. Anyway, I’m going home. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

He waved you off dismissively, not even bothering you look up as he began to speak to whoever just called him. Fine by you. The package was probably the fabric you ordered a while back for your new piece to add to your portfolio.

The apartment was quiet when you got there. It was heavy with the hum of a long, restless afternoon. You’ve been living in this studio apartment for only a year, but you love it. It was definitely an upgrade from your old apartment, but the biggest reason you loved it here was because you had plenty of space to sew and design a lot of things.

And you were excited. You’ve been waiting for this new fabric for a while now, but when you tore the package open, you were confused to see that it wasn’t the vibrant red you were anticipating. No, this was a faded blue.

What’s more was that it wasn’t a slab of fabric. You gingerly took it out, even more confused when you saw a lace crop top. Odd, you thought as your fingers brushed over the top. It was nice, very genderless in concept, but why was it sent to you?

Had you made this? You closed your eyes shut, a memory just beyond reach plaguing your head. You had designed countless pieces over the years, each one blurring into the next, but this one? This one was different. 

Maybe it was the forgotten details that seemed to belong to someone else. You couldn’t remember the last time you'd seen it, let alone made it. Your style had changed so much over the years, but there was something about this piece, something familiar.

When you lifted it up to inspect it, something fell out from the seams. You picked it up, surprised to see that it was a neatly folded piece of paper - a note, it seems.

‘If this reaches L/N Y/N, please call this number - XXX-XXX-XXX. If not, return to the sender.’

Your heart skipped. There was an urgency you couldn’t explain. Without thinking, you grabbed your phone and immediately dialed the number. The ring felt like an eternity, the seconds stretching into the unspoken, until a voice finally picked up.

“Hello. If you have a tattoo appointment, I’ll redirect you to your artist. This is the owner speaking, how may I help you?”

You were thoroughly confused now, you don’t have tattoos and you don’t see yourself getting one in the near future, but your chest tightened, that distant familiarity stirring in it.

“Uh, hi. I got sent a package that said I had to call this number,” you mumbled, walking to the windowsill of your apartment that overlooked the moon and the stars. 

There was silence on the other end, long and deafening. It was to the point that you had to double check if the call was still connected. The only reason why you knew it was was that there were external noises on the phone, assuming that whoever was on the other end was moving. “Hello?” You tried again.

The movement stopped, the call completely silent this time. Then, there was a quiet inhale, sharp and uneven, like whoever was on the other end had just remembered how to breathe, before it was followed by a sniffle and a low chuckle.

“It’s you,” the voice, a man, said softly. “I didn’t think you’d call.”

Your breath hitched. That voice. It was the one you kept hearing whenever you’d remember something. You knew there should be a face attached to that voice in your head, but nothing. The hollow ache grew a little deeper, a little more urgent, until it was almost unbearable. You could feel it pressing against your chest, like a hand reaching out to you, demanding attention. 

You exhaled slowly, trying to calm yourself. “Who is this?” 

The man lets out a low chuckle again, only this time, it sounded more affectionate. It caught you off guard. By God, you wanted to remember so badly, but you didn’t know where to start. You began to wrack your brain for something, anything.

You didn’t know what you were searching for. However, through these years, you’ve always had this sinking feeling that someone, somewhere was out there waiting for you; somewhere in the quiet spaces between the thoughts you’ve tried to bury deep down.

The feeling was there. It was always there. You couldn’t say what you’d lost - only that something was missing.

“Tell me, my little doll,” he clicked his tongue. You could almost picture it. “Did you get to do what you were meant to do all these years?”

That was another blow to your chest. Doll. Little doll. Dollface. Your blood rushed to your ears, the voice starting to curl into your memory now, like smoke filling in every crack of a closed room.

“I suppose so,” you shrugged. Without thinking, your mouth blurted out that first thing that came into your head. “You? Did you manage to find yourself?”

You could hear the way he exhaled. It was slow and careful, like he was trying to keep himself together. “I did. It took me a while, but I did.”

There was something about the way he said it; the way his voice dropped slightly at the end. You stared outside to the twinkling stars. Something about them pulled you. And then suddenly, you could see visions of him.

The way he stood on the rooftop, hands in his pockets, staring at the same sky. A smirk would follow, one that felt like home and like something you’d never really gotten to fully know all at once.

You could picture him now - not just the shape of him, but him. The tired lines around his eyes. The tattoos that were etched beautifully on his skin. The way he’d tilt his head when you were speaking. His nonchalant and indifferent attitude towards things.

“I can hear your thoughts from where I am, you know? I really could,” he murmured. His voice felt too much now that you’ve pulled him out from deep inside you where you stored him in hopes of preventing all the hurt all these years. “You still remember the quiet parts of me.”

“There was a point in my life where I forgot your face,” you said, your voice shaking. 

“That’s okay. You used to close your eyes and trace it with your fingers, anyway.”

Your eyes stung, not even realizing tears were forming until one slid down your cheek. You inhaled sharply but you  didn’t speak. You knew. You knew what was coming next.

“We lived and let die, Y/N. We made it,” his voice was gentle, coaxing you out of the shell you’ve crawled into for safe haven. “The question is, do you still feel the same? Because I do. I never forgot that feeling.”

A soft, breathless laugh escaped you. It was shaky and wet with tears and it caught you by surprise. You tried to suppress it but the relief bloomed too fast. It was the sound of a weight lifting off your chest after years of carrying it in silence.

“Yes, Wooyoung. I still feel the same about you.”

On the other end of the line, there was no reply. Just the sound of him exhaling, quiet, and disbelieving, like hearing his name from your lips was all he’d been waiting for.

Then Wooyoung laughed. It was warm and raw and full of something that sounded like finally. You could hear him wiping at his face, hear the way it caught in his throat.

“What now?” You asked after a while. Your voice was still raw, but it was also lighter at the same time.

There was a pause, just long enough for you to wonder if maybe Wooyoung hadn’t heard you. Then he spoke, his voice as steady and sure as ever. “You could look down.”

You were confused at his request, but you did as told. You pressed your hands and face by the glass window and peered down. At first, all you saw was the busy road and some cars passing by, but then, your entire world stopped when your gaze landed on the sidewalk. Wooyoung.

You could tell it was him even from this distance. The same posture, the same silhouette. But he looked different. More polished, more alive, somehow. His hair was shorter, styled neatly, and his face was more refined, like time had carved away some of the youth and left something more certain, more grounded.

He held his phone in his ear as his eyes found yours through the reflection of the glass. And there was a smile on his face, so subtle, but it was there. 

“Oh my God, Wooyoung,” you choked out. More tears found their way up your eyes, but you couldn’t stop the smile that tugged on your lips. 

Wooyoung wasn’t faring better. From this distance, you could see his eyes gloss out, his unshed tears audible on the other end.

He smiled, wider this time, up to you, his gaze never leaving yours. Wooyoung’s eyes twinkled like the stars did when he found you three years ago on the rooftop. “I guess the odds were in my favour, after all.”

You covered your mouth, torn between laughing and breaking apart entirely. You must’ve looked crazy. “Yeah. Yeah, they were.”

Your chest tightened, the simplicity of it all striking deeper than you expected. He wasn’t asking for anything. He wasn’t begging you to come down.

He was just there, looking up at you from the sidewalk like he had been waiting for you for quite some time now.

And it was enough.

𝙽𝚎𝚝s - @keopihaus @dove-net @othersideoutlawsnetwork @hiraya-m @illusionnet @pirateeznet

Dividers by: @enchantings-a

[othersideoutlawsnetwork]

—Feedback: Man, the moment I read that snippet of yours, I knew this fic was going to be straight up filthy! I'm not an NCT girly, but damn Mark can lowkey get it 🤭 this Mingi smut was a chef's kiss as always. Keep it up, Linda! 💕

Body to Body

SUMMARY |  Your boyfriend, Mingi, brings his new friend, Mark, home and catches you in a unexpected situation.

PAIRINGS |  Mingi (Ateez) x Reader x Mark (NCT)

RATING |  Mature, NSFW, EXPLICIT, MDNI, 18+, Any Minors and Ageless Blogs will be blocked 

GENRE |  smut, just pure unadulterated smut

CONTENT/WARNINGS |  profanity, threesome, voyeurism, cuckolding, f.masturbation, unprotective sex, oral sex (both male/female receiving and giving), anal sex, double penetration, fingering, hair grabbing, creampies, daddy kink, pet names, lots of filthy dirty talk

LENGTH |  5,433 words 

TAGLIST |  @lovetaroandtaemin @pars-ley @heechwe @aerangi

NETWORKS |  @illusionnet @cromernet @k-vanity @ksmutsociety @othersideoutlawsnetwork @dove-net @keopihaus

AUTHOR’S NOTE | I blame both Mingi and Mark for this. I blame both of them for this IMOT and this WIWY dance challenges. They have no right to look this good and dance this good. Thank you @hobeemin and @lovetaroandtaemin for beta-reading this! I'm so glad you both liked this! And thank you @aaagustd for the sexy banner~ 💚

NCT Main Masterlist | ATEEZ Main Masterlist

The apartment was quiet, save for the faint hum of the air conditioner and the occasional creak of the couch as you shifted your weight. You were alone—again. Mingi had been gone for weeks, swallowed up by his busy schedule: recording sessions, dance practices, late-night meetings with producers. You understood, of course. Being an idol wasn’t just a job; it was a lifestyle. But that didn’t make the loneliness any easier to bear.

You sighed, scrolling aimlessly through your phone before tossing it onto the coffee table. Your mind wandered, and soon enough, your hand did too. You slipped it between your thighs, feeling the heat already building there. Frustration simmered beneath your skin, and you decided to do something about it. Reaching into the drawer beside the couch, you pulled out your trusty dildo, the one Mingi had bought for you on a whim after a particularly raunchy night. The memory of his smirk as he handed it to you sent a shiver down your spine.

He’s not here, you thought, your fingers tracing the firm silicone. So this will have to do.

You leaned back, letting your head rest against the cushions as you spread your legs wider. The cool air kissed your exposed skin, but it did little to quell the fire growing inside you. You pressed the tip of the dildo against your entrance, teasing yourself as your breath hitched. Slowly, you pushed it in, your body welcoming the familiar stretch. A soft moan escaped your lips as you began to move it in and out, your hips lifting slightly to meet each thrust.

Your eyes fluttered shut, and you let yourself imagine it was Mingi instead of the toy. You pictured his hands gripping your hips, his mouth trailing hot kisses along your neck. You could almost hear his voice whispering in your ear, low and rough with desire. The fantasy was so vivid, so real, that you didn’t even notice the sound of the front door opening.

"Hey, babe, I’m home!" Mingi's voice rang out, followed by the soft thud of his bag hitting the floor.

Your eyes snapped open, and you froze, the dildo still buried deep inside you. Shit. You hadn’t expected him back so soon. Panic surged through you, but before you could react, another voice joined his—tone a little lighter than Mingi’s, more melodic, and entirely familiar.

"Wow, nice place," the stranger said. "I can see why you like coming home."

Your heart raced as footsteps approached the living room. There was no time to hide or cover yourself. All you could do was stare wide-eyed as Mingi rounded the corner, followed closely by another man that you seem to recognize. Both of them stopped short when they saw you sprawled on the couch, the dildo still protruding from between your thighs.

For a moment, no one spoke. The air seemed to crackle with tension as Mingi's gaze flickered from your face to the toy and back again. His expression was unreadable, but you could see the way his jaw tightened, the way his fingers clenched at his sides. Beside him, Mark—, his new friend from NCT—looked equally stunned, his dark eyes widening as he took in the scene.

You wanted to die. Or disappear. Or both. But then, Mingi surprised you by breaking the silence with a low, throaty laugh.

"Well," he said, stepping closer, "this is… unexpected."

His tone was light, teasing even, but there was an edge to it that made your stomach flutter. He knelt beside the couch, his eyes never leaving yours as he reached out to brush a strand of hair from your face. His touch was gentle, but the heat in his gaze was anything but.

"Miss me?" he murmured, his voice dropping to a husky whisper.

You swallowed thickly, trying to form a response, but the words caught in your throat. All you could manage was a shaky nod. Mingi smiled, his hand moving down to cup your cheek. Then, in one swift motion, he leaned in and captured your lips in a searing kiss. You whimpered against his mouth as his tongue slid between your parted lips. Your body arched into him, craving more of his touch, of his taste. You forgot about Mark, forgot about the toy, forgot about everything but Mingi.

"Should I just leave?" Mark said finally, sounding awkward.

"Shit," Mingi muttered, shaking his head, "Forgot you were there."

"Yeah," the other rapper chuckled. "I could see that."

Mingi straightened his back, his gaze shifting from you to his friend. He stared at the other man thoughtfully, the gears in his head clearly turning. Then, to your surprise, he turned back to you, his hand resting lightly on your bare thigh.

"Actually... I have an idea," he said, grinning wickedly. "What do you say, babe? You up for a little... extra attention?"

You blinked, uncertain whether you'd heard him correctly. His suggestion sounded an awful lot like an invitation to a threesome, but that couldn't be right. Your confusion must've been evident, because he laughed softly and brushed his knuckles over your flushed cheeks.

"Only if you and Mark want to," he amended, gesturing toward his friend who still hovered at the edge of the room. "We don't have to, obviously."

Your gaze followed his hand, and you sucked in a sharp breath when you saw the tenting fabric between Mark's legs. Shit. The situation was turning kinkier by the second, and the rush of desire that coursed through you left little doubt about your response.

"You want to share me?" you asked your boyfriend, your voice barely a whisper.

"Would you like that?" he replied. "You always said Mark was your favorite in NCT."

"I'm not opposed to it, but..." you looked at Mark, your cheeks burning, "is that okay with you? Would you... would you want that too?"

The question hung in the air, unanswered. Mark's eyes widened as he realized you were speaking to him now.

"Uh..." he stammered.

"If it makes you feel better," Mingi said, flashing his signature grin, "she sucks cock really, really well."

"Mingi!" you exclaimed, hitting him playfully on the chest.

He caught your arm, pulling you close to steal another kiss, and your objections died away instantly. All thoughts vanished from your mind as his teeth grazed your lower lip. Mingi certainly knew how to distract you, and god, did it work.

Meanwhile, Mark cleared his throat, still trying to process Mingi's proposal. "Are you serious?" he asked, watching the pair of you with obvious fascination. "You'd really be okay with that? Having sex with your girlfriend?"

"Of course," the taller rapper replied, his hand gliding from your thigh to your hip. "If you can make her feel good... why not?"

You flushed even deeper at the shameless admission, but secretly you felt a flutter of excitement. Mingi's eyes met yours again as his fingers continued to stroke your skin.

"So, what do you think, babe?" he prompted. "Want to take a ride on a different model?"

The suggestion sent a jolt through you, and your inner walls clenched involuntarily around the toy.

"Mingi," you moaned.

He laughed, kissing the tip of your nose. "Come on, baby girl," he purred. "Say yes, and we'll give you everything you need."

You were already dripping for him. Hell, maybe for both of them. This was the hottest, most exhilarating offer ever laid before you, and there wasn't a trace of doubt in your heart.

"Yes," you breathed. "Please, Mingi..."

With another wordless moan, you parted your legs as your boyfriend eased the toy from your cunt. It slipped out with an audible pop, and you squirmed at the loss of sensation, craving its return. Mingi chuckled at your eagerness and tossed the dildo onto the floor with a lewd smile. You had only a few seconds to wonder where your boyfriend wanted to start before Mark stood in front you. Your head was still resting on the pillows while his crotch was just in front of your face. You peered at his growing erection with lustful interest.

You looked over, and Mingi was smiling coyly, a smirk plastered on his lips.

"Go ahead, babe," your boyfriend coaxed. "We both know you're a slut for cock. Suck him."

Heat seared through you at his commanding tone. Fuck, you didn't need him telling you. Before you could think twice, you undid the button of Mark's jeans and swiftly tugged his zipper down, exposing the hard length of his member.

Your mouth watered at the sight, and you couldn't help yourself. You needed a taste. Sitting up straighter, you gripped the base and gave his thick cock a testing lick, like you would an ice cream cone.

"Fuck," Mark gasped above you as he tossed back his head.

You felt Mingi's large hands easing your knees further apart from his position at the other end of the couch. Instinctively, you bent your head forward, closing your lips around the tip of Mark's cock. You were aware of your boyfriend moving around, settling between your legs and hooking one over his shoulder. You shivered in anticipation, knowing what was to come.

As if on cue, the warm wetness of Mingi's mouth descended on your pussy. You moaned at the sensations, a rush of heat flooding through you as he swirled his tongue against your throbbing clit. In turn, you swallowed more of Mark's dick, working your tongue over the thick shaft as you struggled to relax your throat.

"God, your mouth feels amazing," the man who wasn’t your boyfriend said above you. His slender fingers stroked your cheek fondly as his gaze dropped to the steady rise and fall of your head.

In response, you hollowed your cheeks and sucked hard, earning a loud groan from him. Mingi hummed against you, lapping at your swollen cunt. You twitched beneath him and squirmed on the cushions.

You weren't sure which one was driving you crazier—the velvety feel of Mark's cock against the sensitive walls of your throat or the slick drag of your boyfriend's tongue against your equally sensitive folds. Both made you want to scream and writhe, to lose yourself in pleasure. Your fingers dug into Mark's thigh, holding him steady. You took his rigid length deeper, eager to please both men. Mingi slipped a finger inside you, curling and pressing until you moaned around Mark's dick and shifted restlessly.

Your skin was blazing from the inside, and your muscles tensed, longing for release. You whimpered around the idol's cock as you ground down onto your boyfriend's mouth. Mingi responded, applying more pressure to your pulsing clit with each flick of his tongue. Mark tangled a hand in your hair, encouraging you as you worked him with increasing fervor, savoring the sounds he was making. They were doing wonders to rev up the desire already pooled within you.

Your boyfriend added another thick digit into the mix, pushing past the limits of your slippery cunt, and you nearly choked. The sharp sensation jolted up your spine.

"Fuck!" you moaned loudly around Mark's cock, your vision almost spotting. You didn't care, not in the slightest. If anything, your enjoyment of this debauchery was only growing by the second.

"That's right. That's my girl," Mingi crooned. His fingers pumped in and out of your greedy hole, spreading you wider. Your stomach quivered at the intensity of the sensation, and you arched into his touch. Your orgasm was already beginning to build, coiling like a spring deep in your core.

"Just a little more," Mark urged as you picked up the pace again, bobbing your head faster.

"You gonna cum all over her face?" you heard your boyfriend tease in a silken purr from the bottom half of your body.

"Better if she swallowed it all down," the other man retorted. His grip tightened in your hair, and you felt him tug lightly, urging you to look up. When you did, you felt him pause and tense, his dick twitching. His eyes met your heavy ones. "Fuck, you're hot. If I knew Mingi's woman looked this pretty, I might've wanted you for my own."

You whined in response, an enthusiastic sound.

"Like the idea of that, huh? My baby girl being Mark's fuck toy..." Mingi mouthed against your thigh before giving it a teasing bite. "Let him fuck you when I'm on tour. When I'm away for too long, and you just need to get your hole pounded good. Don't worry. He'd make it nice and satisfying for you."

Mark laughed breathlessly as he watched your face closely. "You'd like that, wouldn't you?" he asked, sounding a bit ragged, though a smug glimmer of a smile came over him. You realized you'd stopped bobbing your head entirely, hypnotized by Mingi's filth and Mark's pretty face. "Mingi did say that I'm your favorite."

You groaned in assent. He was. Right up next to your own boyfriend, of course.

Mark gave a small grunt and a "Fuck," pushing back deeper, hitting the back of your throat. You moaned appreciatively, trying to focus on the task at hand.

"Yeah... Fuck it, I bet you would," Mark growled before turning to face the man currently eating you out, "Maybe it's not such a terrible idea, Mingi... if it means I can tap her any time you're busy."

Mingi looked up at you, a twinkle of mischief dancing in his dark gaze, "What do you think babe? Mark and I can be friends, and you can get all the cock you want. Any time, anywhere..."

His words ignited something deep within you, the fire spreading to the very tips of your fingers and toes. You wanted nothing more than to see Mingi with a friend sharing you. Letting someone else pound into the tight sheath of your sopping cunt or squeeze into the round mounds of your perky tits while your boyfriend watched. Fuck, you could hardly stand it. A soft mewl escaped your lips around Mark's dick as you pressed yourself harder into your boyfriend's mouth, desperate to reach your peak.

"Yes, honey," he said firmly, clearly catching your mood. "Show Mark here how bad you want him to fuck you. How bad you want him in your pussy and how much you'll beg for him. Use your mouth, beautiful. Let him know he's welcome."

Mark cursed again as you worked him more intensely, sliding your tongue along his length. Mingi had returned to your pussy, fucking into you with his skilled fingers while devouring you like a gourmet dessert. His tongue flicked and prodded expertly, applying just the right amount of pressure at the right angles. Combined with the images swirling through your head, his skilled touches had you moaning wildly as your body tensed and quivered in warning.

"Just... Just a little more," Mark pleaded, his hips jerking forward as you swallowed around him, urging his cock to sink into your throat. You loved the sound and the feeling of him begging for release. His free hand roved over your bare breasts as he stroked your nipples with feather-light circles and pinched hard as they stiffened beneath his fingertips. "Yes. Shit... Fuck."

All at once, Mark was spilling down your throat, his essence spattering the back of it. You took him greedily, swallowing as you kept him firmly pinned with your mouth, never allowing a single drop to slip past your lips. When his hold finally slackened, you released him from your mouth with an audible pop. Mingi also backed off at the same moment. As the idol stepped aside, you couldn't help but admire his flushed face, panting chest, and loose body. You glanced at your boyfriend, wanting to bask in the fruits of their collaboration. He gave you a wink, then moved a stray lock of hair away from your forehead.

"Told you she was amazing," Mingi beamed at his idol friend.

Mark huffed a soft, amazed laugh, still catching his breath, "Sure didn't lie..." Then, his gaze dipped to your dripping sex, and you could practically sense how badly he wanted to be inside you. Maybe even just as badly as Mingi sometimes. "Mind if I..."

"Don't ask me," Mingi smirked. "Ask her."

Both men were looking at you, waiting for an answer. You wanted them both. You wanted Mark buried in you with Mingi whispering sweet filth into your ears, praising you, guiding you. The very thought was enough to have a pulse of heat coursing through you, and you couldn't stop yourself from moaning. You bit your lip and gazed at the idol, eager to have him. "Show me how good you are. Come fill me with your cock and show me how you'll fuck me good, Mark."

"See what I told you?" Mingi drawled with satisfaction. "Fucking eager."

A part of you was worried that he might feel left out, but your boyfriend had never been selfish, not once. In fact, he looked nothing but happy and turned on as he moved back to let Mark get closer to you. The rapper kicked off his jeans the rest of the way before shoving down his boxers, too impatient and excited. You felt a thrill run through you, and your breathing quickened. 

It wasn't Mingi, but it was a fucking NCT member about to rail you.

You straddled Mark's lap and leaned forward, reaching between your bodies to grip the base of his dick. Mark exhaled sharply as you sank down, a whimper leaving your own lips when he filled you, the head nudging at the furthest part of your velvety walls. He paused, leaning his head back on the armrest, giving himself a second to get used to how your wet cunt wrapped so tightly around him.

"Move for me, beautiful," Mingi's low whisper encouraged, close to your ear. "Show Mark how well you can take cock."

You whined softly in agreement and rocked yourself forward. Mark's eyes fell shut, his brows furrowing, but his lips parted as a faint gasp tumbled out. He looked so damn beautiful like that, laid beneath you, enjoying himself as you rode him slowly.

"Oh fuck... shit, shit, shit," Mark panted, his hips rolling upward. "Damn, this pussy is unreal..."

"Isn't it?" You heard your boyfriend speak from your left. You blinked open your eyes that had closed without your notice and saw him sitting there next to Mark, gripping his own hard, flushed length. Just the sight of Mingi's dick, so close yet out of reach, was driving you insane with need, despite the cock in you already doing a good job of making you moan. "Make our guest feel welcome, baby, okay? Give him a reason to come back for more."

"Do you want me to come back for more?" Mark whispered up at you as his slender fingers gripped at your soft hips.

Your cunt throbbed at the sound of his voice, rough yet tender as it rang in your ears.

"Do you want him to?" Mingi asked, knowing well enough what the answer would be.

Mark's hands were sliding up to grope your breasts, and he moaned in time with you as he rocked up hard. "Fuck, answer," he groaned out, pleading. "Tell me what you want me to do."

"Yes," you hissed as the idol drove deep inside you and one of Mingi's hands reached around you to tease at your swollen clit. "I want it, I want your cock. Please... please come back for more of this pussy."

The rapper growled with satisfaction at your shameless begging. "Good girl," he murmured, drawing a shudder out of you. "As long as you keep being a good girl. Now go ahead... fucking ride me."

His eyes darted sideways and found your boyfriend's dark orbs, and an unreadable, silent agreement passed between the men. You couldn't guess what it was, too focused on riding Mark's cock to its fullest extent, wanting him to spill within you. His grip tightened on your soft curves, urging you forward onto him again, and you picked up the pace eagerly. Your fingers tangled in the NCT rapper's hair, yanking him towards you, and his hands cupped your breasts. His hot mouth latched onto your nipples, flicking and sucking greedily.

This was different from the Mark you knew from watching stage performances, MVs, or interviews. This Mark, the one currently railing you, was a carnal beast in his lust. One whose desire was purely focused on pleasure, whether he was receiving or giving.

"Does his cock fill you good, baby?" Mingi murmured, his hand pumping up and down his own throbbing cock. "You like the way Mark feels inside you? Stretching out your pretty cunt?"

"Yes," you hissed through gritted teeth. "Fuck, yes... it feels so good."

"I can tell, baby. I can see from over here how fucking happy he's making you. Fucking you real good, making you feel special. My baby girl looks so good fucking herself silly like this." He leaned over the armrest to speak directly into your ear, "Make him cum, baby. Cum all over his cock, and I'll give you my dick after. We both will, okay? You can take both of us at the same time. Wouldn't that be fun? Double the cocks?"

Your eyelids slammed shut, the mental picture of both cocks filling you up at the same time taking up your thoughts. With your boyfriend at your ass and Mark in your front hole... Shit, you could hardly stand the idea of such pleasure. It was sure to send you over the edge.

"Y-Yes," you begged. "Please, I want it. Please let me have both cocks."

"Mmm, baby... Don't worry," your boyfriend hummed as his lips trailed up your ear and sucked briefly. He leaned back, but his mouth lingered inches away. You could feel his heavy breaths mingling with yours as he moved to stand behind you, looming there with the tip of his cock against your ass. "You'll have both, promise."

With that, Mingi nudged your asscheeks apart and prodded lightly, demanding entry. You almost choked. Almost screamed. Fuck, your asshole was throbbing and gaping, needing him inside. In an instant, you realized that was probably part of his plan all along—working you and teasing you until he got what he wanted: both holes fucked at once by the two hottest guys on the planet. Not a bad outcome at all.

"You ready to get fucked hard, baby girl?" Your boyfriend murmured, and you nodded wildly, practically drooling with the mere idea. His thumb slipped past the tight ring, the digit diving deep and stroking over the warm muscles, making you shudder. "That's right," Mingi crooned at the needy moan that slipped past your lips. "Let the whole city know how badly you need both dicks."

It's not like you’d never had anal sex with Mingi before, but you’d never had it with anyone else involved, and certainly not in this fashion. Your legs clenched tighter around Mark's lean body, and you clung to his shoulders as Mingi lined up his cock, sinking the head inside slowly. You let out a broken sound, pleasure flooding through you with every inch your boyfriend pressed forward. Mark made an approving noise, pulling you closer, the shift pushing him further within you, and your eyes rolled into the back of your head as the thickness of their cocks stretched you apart.

"Fuck...!" You groaned out, thighs shaking around Mark. There was an exquisite pressure in your core. Just the tipping point you needed to fall over.

Mingi waited only a short moment once he was balls-deep. "Goddamn baby," he groaned against the shell of your ear, nipping gently, sending a small shiver down your spine, "look how well you're taking us, you feel so fucking tight. Is that good, baby girl? Can you handle all this dick? Does it feel like you imagined it would?"

He pulled out slow, rocking back, the ridges of his cock bumping pleasantly, and he rolled his hips with it. The resulting tremor that rippled across your skin was immediate, a frisson of electricity lighting a fuse deep in your belly.

"Uh, huh," you whimpered, words becoming difficult, as you adjusted to having both of them at once. Mark ground upwards into your tight, dripping cunt, and you heard his soft, surprised gasp, "S-so good."

"Shit..." Mingi let a hand skate lightly across the bottom swell of your ass cheeks as his hips pistoned his dick deep within you. "Feels fucking amazing for me too, gorgeous. Taking us so well, so good..."

The sensations you felt were beyond bliss, both of their dicks slipping in and out of you with delicious friction. You cried out, relishing the feeling of getting fucked from both ends at once, stretched around these gorgeous men. It was unlike anything you'd ever imagined or experienced, and the best part was you'd never forget this moment. Mingi and Mark seemed to work in perfect harmony, one thrusting forward as the other drew back, the pulsing sensations pushing you toward the brink of oblivion. You could no longer speak as each stroke pushed air from your lungs and arousal seared through your veins.

Mark leaned his forehead against yours. Your nose grazed his in the process, and you saw how his lips twisted. His jaw dropped in a guttural, quiet moan that made your cunt throb, and your muscles clenched tighter around the idol. "So... good," he gasped as your cunt squeezed.

"Tell him how much you like this," Mingi purred into your ear as his cock pulled free. A thrill rushed through you at the dirty talk your boyfriend loved to indulge in so often. It always drove you crazy. "Tell Mark how much you like him fucking your cunt raw."

You took a slow breath, letting your lids lift lazily to meet the idol's gaze. You tried to push the word from your lips but all that escaped were needy moans. "F-feels... ah..." you could barely even speak; you were losing your damn mind from the mind-boggling sensation of these cocks.

Mark laughed darkly, and a slight grin tugged at the corner of his lip, a knowing one. It was obvious enough you didn't have to explain it, even with the way your thighs twitched or how you shivered violently as their thick dicks slammed into you again. Mingi groaned from the other end, and you felt his lips pepper your bare shoulders. "Should we let her cum? Hm, Mark?"

"I don't know," Mark said smugly as he pulled out again. His hips lunged forward, and the impact reverberated through you, ripping a keening moan out of your throat. "That's a hard question."

"Please, please let me..." you begged, writhing uncontrollably. "I'll be a good girl. I p-promise."

The men groaned almost in unison, the sound tinged with pleasure and arousal. "Keep talking like that," Mark coaxed you. "I'm this fucking close to bursting already."

"Yeah, don't fucking stop," Mingi groaned his assent. "It's like music to my fucking ears, sweetie."

You nodded helplessly, opening your mouth as you begged shamelessly, not holding back. "I'll take your fucking cocks as many times as you want," you whined. "Over and over, forever."

"Goddamn, she's perfect," you heard Mark grit out through gritted teeth.

The groan your boyfriend let out was all heat. His fingers dug into the flesh of your hips as he ploughed his cock into you, using the strength of his hands to slam you down just as he pushed forward, each thrust almost unbearably overwhelming. "Then cum," he said, his voice almost a growl. "Be a good girl and fucking cum for us."

"Dirty little thing," Mark breathed against your parted mouth, his tongue darting out to tease your own. "Letting me and Mingi have our way with you like this... You're enjoying every minute of this, aren't you, beautiful?"

"Please... please I want to cum..." your body was writhing from the force of them. Mingi's fingertips were digging hard into your ass as he pummeled you with his massive cock while Mark was playing with your nipples. It all drove you insane, and the knot in your stomach was tighter than a fucking ball.

"Go ahead, baby," Mingi rasped in a voice thick with pleasure. You looked over your shoulder and met his fiery gaze as he said, "Cum nice and loud. I wanna hear all your pretty sounds."

Mark dropped one hand from your nipple, and his palm connected with your throbbing clit and began to massage with firm, quick circles. Your lashes fluttered, a quiet sigh escaping as your lids threatened to shut altogether. The pressure built in the base of your abdomen. In seconds, you were cumming.

The wave of ecstasy came in one sudden, powerful pulse after another. You wailed out, loud enough that they surely heard the echo throughout the apartment. Your body writhed and quaked, shuddering with the force of an intense, prolonged orgasm. Your cunt throbbed spasmodically, muscles squeezing tightly around Mark's length.

"God, look how that fucking pussy's squeezing him," Mingi drawled as he rubbed your clit, adding to the intensity of the stimulation. "She's loving this cock..."

Mark cursed sharply, his breathing picking up speed as he worked your clit mercilessly. He continued to pump upwards into your cunt, trying desperately to match his thrusts with Mingi's. "She’s going to squeeze all the cum right out of me, fuck." He groaned.

"Fuck..." you let out a filthy whine, your walls clenching tightly as the waves of pleasure overwhelmed you and had your brain completely blank, your mouth hanging open, trying to keep your breath steady as they were working you apart. "Fuck... I'm still cumming."

"Keep cumming, baby girl," your boyfriend said breathlessly, and you knew it wouldn't take him long to finish, since he loved watching your climax. His cock drove harder and faster than before, "Fuck, I'm about to cum in your fucking tight ass."

Mark shuddered out a groan beneath you, and his brows tensed. "Fuck," the idol hissed, and his pace began to pick up. "Fuck, I'm close too, where can I..." he stammered. "Where should I... god, shit..."

"Cum in me, Mark. Fucking cum in my pussy," you begged between hisses and panting breaths, looking between him and your boyfriend.

"Mmm, listen to my girl..." Mingi mumbled out against the back of your neck and bit lightly, earning another tremble, and his voice picked up and he started going faster, hitting deeper, "You heard her, cum in that fucking cunt."

Mark moaned, loud and long, his cock pulsing before he shot his seed deep, filling your spasming walls. Mingi groaned, grinding himself into you and spurting as well, his thrusts erratic and uneven as he filled your ass with a shudder. Mark's hand slid over the front of your cunt, holding his throbbing dick in place while his digits coated in cum smeared over your tender pussy lips.

"So perfect, sweetheart," Mingi murmured. Mark pulled himself free as your boyfriend slid back, groaning softly as his cock left your heat. His semen slipped from inside and dripped onto the couch beneath you.

"Holy shit," you heard Mark mumble dazedly as you sank weakly into his chest.

"Told you she was the fucking best," Mingi praised you as he moved to sit on the couch and chuckled softly, a grin lighting up his lips. "You're welcome."

"I believe it," Mark breathed, the words leaving him in one rush. He reached around you and patted you softly. "Holy shit," he repeated. "This was just... it's something else. Thank you."

"If you want something more..." your boyfriend started to offer, and the words were clear to Mark, his eyes meeting Mingi's gaze with a smirk.

Mark's answer was a faint grin. "For real, man? I mean, I won't say no... I mean I am working on an album soon... could use some inspiration."

"What do you think, baby?" Mingi smiled at you, one hand gripping your shoulder as the other caressed your side soothingly. "You want Mark to be a regular thing? So he can make albums inspired by you? Take his creativity to the next level?"

You didn't even hesitate to give an eager nod, and Mingi kissed your temple.

"Great," your boyfriend smirked at the idol, "It's settled then. And now, sweetie..." his expression softened, "Let's take this to the bedroom... you, me, and Mark are just getting started."

[othersideoutlawsnetwork]

—Feedback: Girl, there better be a happy ending because this stressed me the fuck out! 😭 Soojin is a real one though. Like hello?! And I'm praying on Taeho's downfall 🤞🏽 I cannot stand the man 🗿 I can't wait for the finale, Linda! Keep it up! 🫶🏽

When I Fall [Part 2]

SUMMARY | When Taeho finds out that your pregnant and that you've been having an affair with Jongho, he gives you an ultimatum. Will you and Jongho escape from his clutches? PAIRINGS |  Jongho x Reader RATING |  Mature, NSFW, EXPLICIT, MDNI, 18+, Any Minors and Ageless Blogs will be blocked GENRE |  smut, angst, drama  CONTENT/WARNINGS | age-gap, step-cest, cheating, mentions of control and emotional abuse, slight physical abuse (arm-grabbing, hair grabbing, slapping), profanity/strong language, kissing, unprotected sex (wrap it up ya’ll!), dirty talk, fingering, oral sex, vaginal penetration, pregnancy, scandals LENGTH |  11, 303 words TAGLIST |  @desirehorizon @sweetinsaniiity @yoonguurt @lovetaroandtaemin @heechwe @pars-ley NETWORKS |  @illusionnet @cromernet @k-vanity @othersideoutlawsnetwork @ksmutsociety @dove-net @keopihaus AUTHOR’S NOTE |  Please read Part 1 if you haven't already. Finally part 2 is finished! I'm sorry for leaving the fic hanging the way it is haha. I'll be writing part 3 (the finale) soon since it's so fresh in my mind and I promise Taeho will get what's coming to him lol. I hope you all enjoy and thank you for sticking with this one. Much love 💚

Part 1 Here | Finale (coming soon)

ATEEZ Main Masterlist

Taeho’s sharp voice cut through the quiet of the morning, pulling you from the haze of fatigue that had settled over you. 

"You look... unwell," he said, his tone more accusatory than concerned. His eyes narrowed as he studied you from across the breakfast table. The nausea that had become a constant companion churned in your stomach, but you forced yourself to sit straighter, to avoid giving him any further reason to scrutinize you.

“I’m fine,” you replied, your voice steady despite the lie. 

You took a sip of water, hoping it would settle the unease bubbling up inside you. But Taeho wasn’t convinced. He leaned back in his chair, his gaze piercing, as if he could see right through your carefully constructed facade.

“Fine? You’ve been pale for days. You barely eat. And now you’re telling me you’re fine?” His words were clipped, his irritation evident. He pulled out his phone and began tapping on the screen. “I’m calling Dr. Kim. He’ll be here this afternoon.”

Your heart skipped a beat, panic rising in your chest. Dr. Kim was the family doctor who had treated Taeho for years, who knew every detail of his medical history and yours. The thought of him examining you, discovering your secret, made your head spin. You wanted to protest, to tell Taeho it wasn’t necessary, but the stern look on his face silenced any argument. You nodded meekly, your throat too tight to speak.

The hours dragged by, each minute louder with the ticking of the clock in the living room. You tried to distract yourself, tidying up the house, folding laundry, anything to keep your mind off the impending visit. But the knowledge of what was coming loomed over you like a dark cloud. Your hands trembled as you rearranged the same vase of flowers for the third time, the petals wilting under your nervous touch.

Jongho appeared in the doorway, his presence both a comfort and a source of added tension. 

“He called the doctor?” he asked, his voice low. You nodded, unable to meet his eyes. He stepped closer, his hand brushing against yours in a fleeting gesture of reassurance. “Don’t worry. We’ll handle this.”

Handle this. 

The words should have been comforting, but they only amplified the dread coiled in your stomach. How could you possibly handle this? How could you explain a pregnancy to Taeho, especially when you haven’t slept with each other for years? The truth would destroy everything: your marriage, Jongho’s relationship with his father, the life you’d built together.

When Dr. Kim arrived that afternoon, Taeho greeted him with a firm handshake and ushered him into the study where you waited nervously. The doctor’s kind smile did little to ease your anxiety. 

“Here she is,” Taeho said, gesturing toward you. “Tell me what’s wrong with her.”

Dr. Kim set down his medical bag and began his examination, asking routine questions about your symptoms. You answered as vaguely as possible, your heart pounding so loudly you were sure it would give you away. When he finished taking your vitals, he hesitated, glancing between you and Taeho. 

“Perhaps we should discuss this privately?” he suggested gently.

Taeho frowned, clearly displeased at being excluded, but he nodded and left the room, closing the door behind him. Once you were alone, Dr. Kim turned to you, his expression sympathetic. 

“How long have you known?” he asked softly.

Your breath caught in your throat.  “Know what?” you stammered, though you already knew he saw through your act.

“That you’re pregnant,” he said, his voice steady but kind. “It’s written all over your test results.”

You stared at him, your mind racing. There was no point in denying it now.  “I found out last week,” you admitted, your voice barely audible.

Dr. Kim sighed, running a hand through his graying hair. “This complicates things,” he said. “Given Taeho’s… condition, he’ll have questions. Questions I can’t answer without revealing the truth.”

Panic surged through you. “Please,” you begged, your voice trembling. “Don’t tell him. Not yet. I need time to figure out how to—”

“I won’t,” he interrupted gently. “But you need to understand, this isn’t something that can stay hidden forever. Eventually, he’ll find out. And when he does…” He trailed off, the unspoken words hanging heavily in the air.

You nodded, tears pricking at the corners of your eyes.  “I know,” you whispered. “I just need a little more time.”

Dr. Kim gave you a reassuring pat on the shoulder before packing up his things. “Take care of yourself,” he said as he headed for the door. “And good luck.”

When he left, you sank into the nearest chair, your legs too weak to support you. The sound of footsteps echoed down the hallway, growing louder as they approached. The door opened, and Taeho stepped inside, his expression dark with suspicion.

“Well?” he demanded. “What did he say?”

You looked up at him, your mind scrambling for an explanation. “He thinks it might be stress,” you lied, your voice shaking. “He recommended rest and… and some medication.”

Taeho’s eyes narrowed, studying you intently. For a moment, you thought he might argue, might push for more details. But then he nodded curtly. 

“See that you follow his advice,” he said before turning on his heel and leaving the room.

Alone once more, you buried your face in your hands, the weight of your secret pressing down on you so heavily it felt like you might collapse. A soft creak of the floorboards made you look up, and there stood Jongho in the doorway, his expression a mix of concern and determination.

“What happened?” he asked quietly, stepping closer.

You shook your head, tears spilling over. “He knows,” you whispered. “Dr. Kim knows. He didn’t tell Taeho, but… it’s only a matter of time.”

Jongho knelt in front of you, his hands gripping yours tightly. “We’ll figure this out,” he said firmly. “Together. Just like I promised.”

His words should have been enough to calm you, but the fear coursing through your veins was too strong. “What if he finds out before we’re ready?” you asked, your voice breaking. “What if—”

Jongho silenced you with a kiss, his lips soft but insistent against yours. “I won’t let him take you away from me,” he murmured when he pulled back. “Not you. Not our baby.”

The next afternoon, Taeho called Dr. Kim into the study without warning. You sat in the living room, your stomach churning with dread as you listened to the low murmurs of their voices through the closed door. Jongho was upstairs, unaware of what was happening. You gripped the edge of the sofa, your knuckles turning white.

When the door finally opened, Dr. Kim stepped out first, his face pale and strained. He avoided your gaze as he quickly gathered his things and left. Taeho followed moments later, his expression dark and unreadable. He stood in the doorway, his eyes fixed on you like a predator sizing up its prey.

“Get in here,” he commanded, his voice cold and sharp.

Your heart pounded as you rose from the sofa, your legs trembling beneath you. You walked into the study, feeling as though you were walking to your execution. Taeho closed the door behind you with a soft click that echoed like a gunshot in the silence.

He didn’t sit. Instead, he leaned against the desk, his arms crossed over his chest. His gaze bore into you, searching for something—anything—that would confirm his suspicions. When he spoke, his voice was calm, too calm, and it sent a shiver down your spine. “Dr. Kim told me everything. Had to threaten him to tell me otherwise he’d lose his practice.”

Your breath hitched. Everything. The word hung in the air between you, heavy and suffocating. You opened your mouth to speak, but no words came out. What could you say? How could you possibly explain this?

Taeho’s lips curled into a grim smile. “Pregnant,” he said, letting the word linger as if tasting it on his tongue. “Eight weeks.”

You swallowed hard, your throat dry. “Taeho…” you began, but he held up a hand, silencing you.

He pushed off the desk and began to pace the room, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. When he spoke again, his voice was quiet, controlled, and it was far more terrifying than if he had yelled. "Fifteen years that we could not conceive. How?" he asked, his words dripping with accusation. "What did you do? How could you bear me an offspring? Tell me. I'd really like to know."

"I... I don't know," you whispered, shaking your head helplessly. "It just happened..."

"Just happened?" he seethed. "I haven't touched you in years and it just happened? You expect me to believe that we magically have a child?" He took a step forward, closing the gap between you, towering over you with his height. "How dare you whore yourself around with another man, under my roof?"

"Like you haven't brought woman after woman to sleep with you in that bedroom for years?" you fired back, not caring about his reaction. If you were going down, then so was Taeho. "Oh, don't pretend to look so innocent. I hear the sounds of the bedsprings, I even smell the scent of cheap perfume from outside your bedroom doors!"

"But you're my wife! Mine!" He grabbed your chin with his bony hand, and despite his age, his grip was strong. "How could you shame me like this? That my own wife cheated on me and got herself knocked up by her lover? Who is he? Is it anyone I know? I swear if he's someone that I have to deal with I—"

"If I was still yours, then you'd show me that you still loved me and not parade a different girl in our home every fucking night! If you really did, then maybe, just maybe, we could have made that baby," you shouted. "But it's clear you never truly wanted me or our marriage! You only think of yourself and what you want! Your wants and needs! Not me!"

"Shut up," he snapped. "Shut up! You—"

"I bet you want to know what I did to get pregnant when you could not do it," you shot back, cutting him off. You grabbed his hand off your chin and placed his palm on your belly, on top of the small swell that could no longer be ignored, pressing it firmly. You hissed in his ear, your hot breath fanning across his skin. "I went down and took my lover's big, fat cock deep inside me all over and over and over again, until I felt him cumming so hard and so fast一"

"Stop," Taeho growled, a look of utter disgust painted on his face as he pulled his hand away from your belly. "Shut up! Who is the father? Is it someone I know?”

Before you could answer, the door burst open, and Jongho strode into the room, his face flushed with anger.  “It’s me,” he said, his voice steady despite the storm brewing in his eyes. “I’m the father.”

Taeho’s head snapped toward him, and for a moment, the room was utterly silent. Then Taeho let out a bitter laugh, shaking his head as if he couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “My son,” he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “And my wife.” 

Taeho’s laughter faded, replaced by a cold, calculating look. He straightened, his hands gripping the edge of the desk. “Do you have any idea what this will do to our family? To our reputation? This… this filth—”

“Don’t call it that,” Jongho interrupted, his voice rising. “This isn’t filth. It’s a child. Our child.”

Taeho’s jaw tightened, his eyes narrowing. For a long moment, he said nothing, just studied the two of you as if weighing his options. Then, slowly, he pushed himself away from the desk and walked around it, coming to stand directly in front of you.

“You’ve betrayed me,” he said, his voice low and dangerous. He paused, his gaze turning to you. Something flickered in his expression, a shadow passing across his face that left you cold to the bone. “I can’t believe the both of you have been doing this behind my back.”

Jongho stepped protectively between you and his father, shielding you from view. "If you lay even one hand on her, I'll一"

"Do what? What will you do, Jongho?" Taeho cut his son off, raising his eyebrow. "You can't touch me. I'm still the man of the house and she's my property to do as I please."

"Taeho!" you shouted. “I’m not your property!”

"You stay out of this!" he barked at you before looking back at his son. "You dare to be intimate with my wife? Under my roof?" he asked the youngest. "Tell me, son. Did she beg you to fuck her? Put a child in her so that you both can humiliate me?"

"No," Jongho said in a steady voice. "She deserves to be loved. Something you should have been providing her years ago. So, yes. I gave her love and attention. The love and the affection you've denied her over the years."

“She doesn’t need love! She just needs to一“

"Taeho, stop it!" you shouted once more, moving around Jongho to be eye-to-eye with your husband. "You don't get to judge what we've been doing when you haven't been a husband to me ever!"

"Did you like it when my son, your stepson, fucked you, hmm?" He grabbed your arm, yanking you hard towards his chest so you can look up at his icy glare. His grip tightened, fingers digging painfully into your flesh. "Did you enjoy fucking my son with that cunt of yours, you whore?!"

You've had enough. Grabbing a hand off of your bicep, you raised it and slapped Taeho, a red angry welt of his face blooming quickly. He stared at you wide-eyed, completely flabbergasted that you, who was always submissive and never dared to raise your voice at him, just hit him. 

"How dare you?" Taeho growled before gripping your hair painfully hard and you winced, struggling against his hold. Jongho was about to pull him off, but you signaled for him not to. "You've humiliated me. Shamed me in front of the whole world. All because of him," he said, pointing at Jongho. He paused, his gaze flickering between you and Jongho. “You both betrayed me and I should throw you out of this house right now. But… But I’m not going to do that. Not yet.”

You frowned, confusion mixing with the fear coiling in your gut. “What do you mean?” you asked cautiously.

Taeho’s lips curved into a cruel smile before releasing your hair, watching as Jongho wrapped his arms around you. “I’ll adopt the child as my own,” he said, his tone almost casual, as if he were discussing a business deal. “No one outside this house needs to know the truth. As far as the world is concerned, it’s mine.”

Your heart skipped a beat. “Why would you do that?”

“Because,” Taeho said, stepping closer until you could feel the heat of his breath on your skin, “it’s what’s best for the family. Our name. We can’t risk having our reputation destroyed because my wife cheated and slept with my son behind my back. I won't allow that. So, we make it appear that everything is as normal as possible. What people see is what they get. Our marriage and life."

He reached out, brushing the loose strand of your hair behind your ear. A tender gesture from him felt so foreign to you that it made your blood run cold. The hairs on the back of your neck stood on end as you remembered his previous threats. "You don't want your parents to suffer the shameful consequences, do you? The social damage that would result if news of your affair were to leak. Your father would have to resign from being the mayor, his name, and political status tarnished for your mistake."

Your eyes widened as his words sank in. "You wouldn't Taeho," you said, disbelief in your tone.

"I've done worse things," he replied nonchalantly.

Your throat tightened and a shiver of horror passed through you. "Taeho, I一" you tried to plead, but he stopped you.

"From now on," Taeho spoke over you, his voice brokering no argument, "you'll act as normal in public. As if everything is perfect. As for the two of you…” He glanced at Jongho, his smile widening. “Do whatever you want. I don’t care anymore. Just keep it quiet. Keep it hidden. If anyone finds out, I’ll ruin you both.”

The weight of his words settled over you like a suffocating blanket. You looked at Jongho, searching for some sign of reassurance, but his expression was unreadable. He reached for your hand, his fingers intertwined with yours, but the gesture did little to ease the turmoil inside you.

Taeho took a step back, his gaze lingering on you for a moment longer before he turned and walked toward the door. “This conversation is over,” he said, his tone final. “You’re dismissed.”

The door clicked shut behind him, leaving you and Jongho alone in the stifling silence. You turned to him, your heart aching with a mix of relief and fear. 

“What do we do now?” you whispered.

Jongho pulled you into his arms, his embrace tight and protective. 

“We survive,” he murmured against your hair. “For us. For our baby.”

His words offered a sliver of hope, but the reality of Taeho’s threat loomed over you like a dark cloud. You clung to Jongho, your mind racing with possibilities. Could you really live like this? In secret? Always hiding, always afraid?

As if sensing your doubts, Jongho cupped your face in his hands, forcing you to meet his gaze. “We’ll get through this,” he said firmly. “Together. I promise.”

You nodded, though the uncertainty still gnawed at you. “Together,” you repeated, leaning into his touch.

In the months that followed, you fell into a strange sort of routine. The three of you kept to yourselves, moving silently through the house, like shadows playing a sinister game of tag. Taeho was too absorbed in his work to pay attention to you or Jongho, though you could feel his rage simmering just beneath the surface.

Despite his disinterest, the pregnancy advanced, and soon you found yourself standing at the edge of the bathroom, gazing into the mirror. You cradled the slight swell of your abdomen with your hand, wondering how everything had changed so much. A flicker of movement beneath the surface of your skin made you gasp.

Behind you, Jongho stood in the doorway, his gaze fixed on you. He took a hesitant step forward, then another, until he was close enough to brush his fingertips across your stomach. You pressed your palm against his, marveling at how small your hand was in comparison.

"How far along?" he whispered, his breath ghosting over your neck.

"Five, almost six months," you breathed back, goosebumps prickling down your spine as he kissed the side of your neck and your shoulder. He slipped his arms around your waist, his palms settling across your belly. 

"You're carrying my baby," he murmured, the words filled with awe. You placed your hands on top of his, leaning back against him as you drank in the feeling. You turned your head and tilted your chin up towards him. He smiled warmly as he leaned down and brushed his lips against yours. "You're my everything. Now more than ever."

You twisted your body around and kissed him soundly, fingers threading into his dark strands as he pressed his forehead to yours. 

"I love you," you breathed softly.

"I love you so, so much," he hummed against you. "Can we… Are you allowed to…"

You placed his hand on your ass cheek and he gave it a little grope before you led his digits to between your thighs. You rubbed it up and down your damp underwear-covered pussy before you looked at him through hooded eyes. "Dr. Kim has cleared it for me. Only if you're willing, and I'm completely down for anything."

He groaned softly against your neck, nuzzling against you. "Fuck," he whispered as he peppered butterfly kisses along the column of your throat, his hand sliding under the hem of your panties. "I am more than willing to give it a shot," he husked against you. "You look so damn beautiful with my baby inside you. I want to show you exactly how much you mean to me."

A breathless sigh escaped your parted lips as he slowly stroked along the moist heat. Your head fell back, a soft moan echoing in his ear. "Jongh, I…" you panted. "Take me to bed."

"As you wish," he teased you, his low voice rumbling through your body as he picked you up and carried you across the room to your bed. The lights were dimmed and he left them on as he laid you down on the bed before crawling in between your legs.

You licked your dry lips as you watched him plant himself on his knees between your spread legs. He grasped the hem of his shirt and slowly pulled the fabric up over his chest and shoulders, revealing each flexing and relaxing muscle he had on his abdomen. You shivered at the sight and slid your tongue against your lower lip. He dropped the shirt aside on the ground and then unbuckled his belt, watching your reaction the entire time.

"You're teasing me," you whimpered softly.

"Is it working, my love?" he rasped.

He leaned over you, supporting himself on his strong arms as he towered over you, your swollen stomach cradled by his well-honed, sculpted abs and muscular physique. He kissed along your neck, stopping at the hollow of your throat where he bit down ever-so-gently. You gasped and writhed underneath him, your desire growing.

"It's working so damn well," you panted, "Fuck..." You struggled to think straight as his kisses travelled lower, along the curve of your breasts and down to your bare stomach. You ran your hand through his raven strands and arched your back when you felt the flat of his wet tongue lick a broad swath down to your aching core.

His hot breath fanned over the delicate skin of your nether lips as he exhaled, causing a delicious shiver of anticipation to run down your spine. With his index finger, Jongho ever-so-lightly traced along the seam of your lower lips before dipping deeper. "So wet, already," he whispered with awe, the vibrations tickling your womanhood.

"Please," you whispered, bucking your hips upwards slightly. "Stop teasing..."

"Gonna eat you out first," he informed you and without warning, his hot and wet appendage flattened out on your inner labia, licking a long broad strip. You nearly cried out and fell apart from his touch alone, a resounding, reverberating whine echoed in his room and in the empty corridors beyond.

Your breathing grew ragged, sweat beginning to trickle down between your shoulder blades and along the valley of your chest as you writhed on the sheets. It had been far too long since he had his mouth on you and your body remembered all too well how talented of a lover he was.

"Don't come yet," he warned in that low and sultry tone of his as his fingers circled your clit. You whimpered softly, squeezing the sheets with your hands in an attempt to distract yourself from the rising pressure within. Your muscles were growing tense, ready for release as you focused on his touch.

Just as you were about to beg, Jongho sunk his teeth in the flesh of your thigh and the sudden burst of pain drove you right on the precipice, dangling helplessly in that state of pleasure-filled agony. "Not yet," he reminded you once more, kissing away the mark he had made. "You look like a piece of art," he told you, his hand curling up on your stomach. "All round and soft, ripe and beautiful with my baby growing inside."

The sensation of his large hand pressing into your sensitive stomach made you feel like you were floating. His words added to the feeling as he whispered his desires for your pleasure and future. "I can't wait to meet our baby," he whispered as his mouth descended to take your clit between his teeth. "But for now... "

He began to suckle gently and then licked the abused bundle of nerves, sending you higher and higher as you ascended from pleasure to sheer and utter joy. "Jongho!"

"That's it, baby," he purred darkly. "Scream my name for me. Let the whole world know who you belong to," he instructed you as he coaxed your body through an intense orgasm, his fingers rubbing your folds incessantly. "Let my father know who gives you pleasure he never could."

Your thighs trembled, breath hitching and raspy in your throat as Jongho's touch burned on your skin. "Please," you moaned, closing your eyes. "Please, just f-fuck me already!"

"I'm making love to you," Jongho corrected as he planted light kisses on your soft skin before biting at it gently. "Making love to the mother of my child. Making love to the one whom I wish to spend my eternity with."

"I love you so much," you said breathlessly, looking into those bright pools of chocolate that you loved oh-so-much. You bit your bottom lip as Jongho let go of his hardened length, his member springing forth from the confines of his black boxer briefs. He moved to lay next to you, positioning you on your side to relieve some of the pressure off your stomach as his hands trailed across your bare skin.

He kissed your forehead before kissing a hot trail down to your ear and whispered, "I'll be careful." He took your leg, lifting it a bit and hitched it over his hip. Slowly and gently, you felt the tip of his hot member nudged at your entrance, pushing its way slowly into the clenching cavern of your waiting cunt. You leaned into him and he planted feather-soft kisses down your neck. "Does it hurt?"

"No," you replied softly, relishing in the feel of him, your body reacting as he moved his hips, rolling into you with an achingly slow but pleasurable tempo.

"Tell me if you're feeling uncomfortable or if I need to stop, okay? I don't want to hurt our baby," he murmured, reaching one arm out and resting it across the swell of your middle.

"You're not going to, I promise," you reassured him, sliding your hand over his. The movement of his hips came in fluid rolls, not too hard, but certainly not too soft. Your lashes fluttered as you closed your eyes, taking in the sensations washing over you. "This feels so good," you moaned softly, opening your eyes and meeting his gaze. "Don't stop."

Jongho nuzzled against your cheek, burying his face in the crook of your shoulder, his breath hot and heavy on your skin. You moaned and lifted your chin, granting him better access, and his fingers wrapped around your sensitive breast, rolling the stiff nipple between his thumb and forefinger.

"Jongho," you said shakily, feeling the pleasure cresting.

"Yeah?"

"I'm going to..."

His pace increased ever so slightly. "Yeah," he whispered in a soft tone. "Me too..."

Your toes curled and your hand gripped the pillow harder, his name leaving your lips in a steady litany of, 'please, please, yes, yes, please.'

"Love you," he growled softly. "Always...always," he vowed, his own hips rolling erratically before pulling out and coating your swollen belly in his essence, the cum glistening under the lamplight.

"Love you too," you moaned. "Fuck..."

For a long moment, you both laid still, recovering. Then he brushed the hair out of your face and planted a soft kiss on your temple. "Are you alright?" he asked, trailing his fingertips up and down the arm that rested along your belly.

"Mm," was your non-verbal response. Your brain and body felt as though they had liquified. There was simply nothing left to form coherent thoughts.

"Is the baby okay?" Jongho added, kissing the tip of your nose.

You nodded and brought his hand up, placing it over the center of your stomach. Just as before, his expression changed from concern, to awe and wonderment as the flutter of movement rippled beneath his palm.

"Jongho," his name crossed your lips softly. He lifted his gaze to meet yours, and a gentle smile touched his features. You cupped his cheek with the palm of your hand. "Thank you," you breathed.

"What for, my love?"

"For everything," you said, feeling content for the first time in a long while.

"Anything for you."

Your eyes drifted closed as you relaxed against him. "You spoil me..."

"Not enough," he hummed softly against your cheek.

"Yes, enough," you yawned before you tilted your head slightly and kissed his mouth. "Enough to make this place feel a little bit more like home."

"Always," Jongho vowed. "You and our child are my entire reason for living. My everything."

Later that same evening, you sit in the kitchen, a cup of tea cradled between your hands as Taeho scrolls through his laptop. The dim glow of the screen makes his already severe features appear even more rigid than usual, and it causes a pit to form in your stomach. Despite Jongho's comforting presence beside you, the tense energy permeates throughout the room, enveloping the two of you as well.

"I'm announcing the pregnancy at the charity gala next week," Taeho states, not looking up at you. "The sooner everyone knows, the less rumors can spread. The easier time it will be to pass it off as mine."

"You don't think people will question it? Taeho, you're fifty-nine and I'm thirty-nine..." you counter weakly, but his icy blue glare immediately quells your protest. "Our social circles know that we've haven't had any children in the fifteen years we've been married."

"We'll say that we went through science. After multiple attempts at fertility treatments and IVF we're finally being rewarded," Taeho snaps, cutting you off sharply. "These things take time. Maybe you had trouble getting pregnant, or I had low sperm count, and with the help of the newest fertility advancements we were successful."

"Do you really think they'll buy that?" you ask.

"We're one of the richest families in Seoul. Of course they'll buy it," Taeho's head snaps up from his laptop, his icy glare pinning you into place. "Whatever it takes for us to appear like a model family. Especially now with your father's re-election coming up."

With a heavy sigh, Taeho pulls back his laptop screen and closes it, clicking the tip of his pen against the lid twice, before he slides the device to the side. He fixes Jongho with an intense glare. "You will not be attending the gala."

Jongho opens his mouth to protest, but Taeho silences him with a sharp finger pointed in his direction.

"I've been allowing you both a great deal of slack, more than either of you deserve, I might add. This baby will solidify my legacy. I won't have my greatest achievement stolen from me," he hisses, his voice low and deadly. “Imagine the scandal if the world found out that my thirty-nine year old wife is having an affair with my twenty-four year old son. And having a baby no less.”

A long tense pause stretches across the kitchen as all the adults ponder these words carefully.

"It'll be difficult for us to present the charade without him," you eventually say. "Jongho is your firstborn. You really think people won't find it suspicious that he doesn't attend a gala that we're hosting? Especially one that is for his stepmother's pregnancy reveal? People will talk, saying that there is trouble within the family."

Taeho growls low in his chest before lacing his fingers together and bringing them to his mouth in deep thought. "It's a risk, a big one, I agree," he nods, considering your words. "Fine but you are not to be near him. There will be no intimacy between the two of you. Don't even think about acting on whatever disgusting lust you're harboring," he threatens with a raised eyebrow. "Do those behind closed doors and keep it behind closed doors."

A hot flash of anger burns its way through you, but it dissipates just as quickly as it arrived as Jongho rests his hand over yours, his thumb tracing patterns over your knuckles. "He's right, Y/N."

Your gaze jerks to the younger man's and he shakes his head slightly, his expression a warning. Anger bleeds into frustration, and you stare down at your tea as the silent conversation carries on around you. "Fine," you relent with a sigh.

"If there's an inkling of suspicion, if people start asking questions and trying to figure out the paternity, this arrangement will shatter and I will make sure that neither of you ever see your child. You best behave," Taeho promises before shuffling out of the kitchen without another glance, his presence hovering like a specter, casting a grim mood over the whole house.

"I can't have him raising our baby, Jongho," you whisper, afraid your words will cause the house to collapse around you. "Who knows what lies he'll tell to his grandchild, the horrid stories he'll twist to paint you as the monster and turn him or her against you..." 

You feel your composure breaking, hot, angry tears pricking at the backs of your eyes. Jongho spins his chair so that he is facing you and he stands to hold your shaking form close to his chest. 

"Calm down, Y/N. Listen to me," he says. "When the time is right, we will leave. It may be tomorrow, or it may be ten years from now, but I vow to you that I will not stop until you're free of this prison and we can start our life together. Father won't hurt you or our baby," he vows. "I swear it."

As much as you wanted to believe him, to believe that Jongho could save you, the reality of the situation settled on your shoulders like lead. No amount of money would be able to win against Taeho's reputation and influence in Seoul. There was no escape, no possibility of ever truly being happy.

"Congratulations!" the voices all say, or something of the kind. Everyone at the gala is buzzing with curiosity about your pregnancy, but there's no end to it. Questions, speculation, curiosity. It goes on and on for the next few hours. Taeho always appears cool and composed when he is in the public eye. Never letting his true self, the cruel man underneath, show.

He's almost pleasant, smiling and answering any questions about the baby, the struggles it took to finally concieve after all these years. All the while his hand rests gently against your lower back or the base of your neck, showing the entire room, all his colleagues, investors, and friends, who you belong to. His power is unmistakable. You play the role perfectly, an award winning actress, standing by his side, listening to him describe how happy the two of you are. It made you feel nauseous, knowing his true feelings toward you, but you've had enough practice putting on a smile to do it once again.

You didn't have to try and smile or laugh, however, when Taeho wasn't around. That came naturally for you, whenever you were in the company of your friends at the event. It felt wonderful to be surrounded by them, basking in their endless praise, congratulations, and well-wishes for your upcoming motherhood.

Still, in spite of the joy they brought you, you couldn't deny the dull ache in your heart whenever your gaze traveled to a certain someone. From the corner of your eye you watched him. The way he laughed, the sound reaching your ears and lifting your heart. How his dark eyes danced and sparked with light. And, oh, that smile. That was a sight worthy of its own work of art. It drew you in, captivating you and rendering you completely, hopelessly enamored with him. You wanted to see that smile every day, feel its warmth wash over you. You wanted to run up and wrap your arms around his shoulders, hug him, bury your face in the crook of his neck. Feel the hard muscle beneath his well-tailored tuxedo flex as he pulls you closer.

"Earth to Y/," a soft voice breaks into the fantasy and you snap back to reality.

Soojin stands next to you, wearing a slightly exasperated expression. You realize that you've spaced out. Again. She had come over, followed by a handful of other friends.

"Sorry," you apologize, flustered. "I was a little distracted."

Soojin laughs and pats your arm reassuringly. She glances toward where you were staring a moment before and arches an eyebrow at you. "I would stare too if my stepson looked like that," she teased, jutting her chin in his general direction.

"I'm allowed to be happy about my stepson, can't I?" you chided gently, following her gaze once more. She gives your hand a sympathetic squeeze, her touch feather-light as it falls to your shoulder, rubbing a reassuring pattern through your gown's silk.

Of all your friends, Soojin was the only one you told that you were carrying Jongho's child. If there was anyone who would have an understanding of how trapped you were, she knew the feeling. She too, was trapped in a marriage because of her father's social and political ties. The age difference between her and her husband was nowhere near the twenty years of yours and Taeho’s, but you're still two women, who fell in love with the wrong men. She married for duty, not love, a position you both know too well, but are not prepared for. She, at least, got lucky when she and her husband ended up falling madly in love with each other.

She understood your predicament more than your other girlfriends could understand. Though they still love and support you and promise to always help whenever you need them. But Soojin was the only one who truly understood. So you couldn't lie to her. You couldn't hide Jongho from her. She deserved to know the truth.

It took a few weeks, but you had built enough courage to call her up to tell her what you were hiding from her.

Soojin had listened to your story and comforted you, all without judgment. She took your confession and Jongho's, and held you while you cried. And once the tears had dried up, she'd sworn, right then and there, to never let anything bad happen to you. Because even though you were trapped by circumstances you didn't choose for yourself, she saw the one glimmer of hope you'd found in a twenty four year old man that you happened to fall in love with, but also the man that happened to be the son of your husband.

So she kept your secrets, even from her own husband, and had helped you keep yours and Jongho's secret buried from prying eyes. For now, that was all she could do to protect you both.

"I'm happy for you," Soojin says as she pats your hand, the other ladies in agreement. "Fifteen years and finally a child."

Your hand rubs a small circle against the silk-wrapped swell of your belly as you nod. "I should thank whatever gods allowed the magic to finally happen," you say, biting your lip in thought.

The ladies all coo and fuss over your belly, already asking when your baby shower will be, but you haven't yet thought about those kinds of details. It didn't even occur to you with all the other issues. When and where will the nursery be, that's the most you can think of right now. You're only six months along, and still the pain of Taeho's ultimatum and his demand of complete normalcy after, weighs heavy on your mind.

Even when Soojin drags you away from the group, promising to bring you back to them soon, you're only halfway listening as you two wander, deep in thought.

"Thank you, by the way," you say as Soojin leads you outside, the cool air hitting your face. It feels amazing, the crispness making your nerves relax. She smiles as she leans against the railing, gazing out to the nighttime cityscape.

"For?" Soojin questions, tilting her head to you.

You settle beside her and copy her gesture. "Keeping this a secret for me," you answer and she merely smiled warmly before turning to the view.

"We've known each other since the sandbox," she remarks. "We've been best friends through thick and thin." she sighs. "You're my sister by another mister. I have your back through thick and thin and always. And besides, you've kept a few secrets of mine, so it's only fair, yeah? Tit for tat."

She nudges your shoulder softly, catching your eye.

You bite your lip before speaking. "It doesn't feel real," you confess and she turns to give you her full attention. "My baby." Soojin hums, urging you to continue as your eyes drift up to the darkened sky. "Taeho said he wanted to adopt the child. When it's born. Raise it as his own," you shake your head, "It's absurd, isn't it? It sounds absurd."

"Taeho can suck my balls for all I care," she deadpans, her face impassive as she sips her champagne. You nearly spit out your sip, as you begin to snicker, laughter bubbling up in your throat. She smiles and drapes an arm over your shoulder. "I'm sorry for him and his sad, old shriveled-up nutsack."

Your laugh is hearty and unashamed. "Y'know," you sniff, wiping the tears forming at your waterline, "that was the first real laugh I've had in weeks." 

Soojin smiles softly, giving your shoulder a brief squeeze.

"What's so funny out here?" Taeho asks, his sharp voice cutting across the otherwise peaceful scene.

Soojin flashes a dazzling smile at the old man before replying cheerfully. "Just getting some fresh air." She gives his arm a gentle pat as she stands and glides past him into the banquet hall, leaving the two of you alone.

Taeho rounds on you, a disapproving scowl etched into his weathered features.

"The party is in there," Taeho demands as his heavy hand rests against your upper arm, yanking you around. "A pregnant woman is the most desired conversation topic," he snaps with a grin on his lips and venom in his words. "Socialite gold. The dream is for our baby to get more praise and gifts. Don't forget what's at stake, dear."

Taeho holds onto your arm tightly, pulling you close as he drags you back inside the extravagant venue. The sounds and sights of the party immediately crash against you as Taeho weaves and threads you both through the crowd. "Now come, we're going to speak to your father and some donors. Play the part of the perfect couple."

"Yes, Taeho," his name rolls off your tongue like lead. Disgust roils in your stomach, filling you with unease. Taeho drags you to stand beside your father, who smiles broadly. He takes in the two of you and claps Taeho on the shoulder before holding out his arms for a warm hug.

"My daughter," he greets jovially and his hug envelopes you in the safety that only your father could bring, wrapping you up in the soft cashmere wool and tobacco scent. The hug is short, but in the moment where you and your father are close, he leans in. "Your happiness is all I ever wanted," he whispers into your hair before letting you go.

Your father was never the demonstrative sort. But over time, his heart had grown warmer. He was a simple man who tried his best to protect his family. Seeing him struggle throughout the years hadn't been easy. There had been times where you and he butted heads. Where you were just plain scared and needed someone to blame. Looking back at all those memories, those weren't fond moments. Still, you missed how he used to be. Before money and politics.

The feeling was bittersweet.

You longed to talk to him about your relationship with Jongho, as vague as it was. Even more so, you wished for his wisdom, because Taeho's threat hung over you, a dark cloud you could no longer ignore. At the same time, you desperately needed him to tell you everything would be okay. Like a little girl waiting for her father to come rescue her from the monsters. Only, this monster lives inside your house, and has its greedy grip locked around you.

You stand next to your husband as your father and Taeho's meeting wears on, idly skipping from foot to foot to alleviate the ache that's begun to take root at the base of your spine. It was a constant dull throb now, a reminder of the burden you carry in front of you. The evidence of a life created despite all odds. The life created with the man you love. The life Taeho was demanding ownership over.

As the business discussion continued, Taeho's grip tightens ever so slightly, subtly, only enough for you to notice the twitch. Enough to send a hint that you shouldn't fidget while standing beside him, even if it caused you the slight twinge of physical discomfort.

"Excuse me," you mutter politely, extracting your arm from Taeho's grip. "The baby is having a field day today," you smile sheepishly and bow your head in respect and thanks as your father excuses you, understanding and compassion evident in his eyes.

Warmth and a tiny wave of relief flood through you as you excuse yourself from the stuffy situation, disappearing in the thick crowd of charity party-goers. Your steps echo heavily throughout the room as the cacophony of voices swallow the sounds around you. You quicken your pace, desperate for escape, but are stopped just as quickly by a sharp hand gripping your bicep.

The panic washes away as soon as your eyes take in the sight of Jongho. The faint warmth from his palm pressed gently to your arm brings a breath of life and joy to your body.

"Y/N, are you okay? I'm worried for you," his words are sincere, his brows knit in concern as he looks over your face.

"I just want to get away from here," you admit.

"I know, I've wanted to be with you all night. Father has forbidden us being near each other and it's the only thing keeping me at bay," Jongho's voice is nothing short of an anguished whisper. He knows how dangerous it is to be together right now. Anyone could be watching. Your father, Taeho. That isn't something he's willing to risk, no matter how much it hurts.

The agony is written over his handsome features, clear as crystal, as his gaze meets yours, only for him to take a step away from you. 

"I know this must be incredibly uncomfortable, being surrounded by all these people fawning over your bump that he claims as his," Jongho shakes his head in disbelief, his own pain hidden behind an indifferent expression. "He can have the public," he spits the word like a curse before his eyes lock on to you. The determination in the steely blue depths has a shiver running down your spine. "All I want, Y/N, is for the world to see our child. That I made you the happiest woman on this earth. That it's the product of our love."

The love and adoration on his face has you clenching your jaw and blinking to keep the tears building in your eyes from falling. He cradles your face, leaning his forehead to yours.

"Stay strong my love, please," Jongho urges gently before he presses a kiss to your forehead. "I know that this will be hard for us both. We need to pretend this baby belongs to him in order to protect our future and get out. Stay strong, Y/N," he murmurs as the baby kicks.

The movements make you gasp softly and you grab the younger man's hands, pressing them to the spot. Tears well in his eyes, pure bliss lighting his expression and illuminating every sharp feature. A laugh bubbles from him. It's so infectious and contagious that you begin laughing, too.

"I love you," Jongho smiles tenderly. "Don't you ever forget."

You wish he could kiss you.

If he could, it would chase all this torment away and bring back that comfort and protection, but he can't. Not here in the middle of an event. His name called from somewhere in the banquet hall and you both recognize the voice, knowing he has to return.

"Go," you plead, despite the twinge in your chest at the thought of his absence. Jongho's eyebrows pinch in reluctance. "Jongho, it's fine. It'll all be fine. Please, don't give Taeho any reason to follow through on his threat to keep us from each other."

It's the most you've said in weeks and he hates leaving, but he listens because he loves you and that's the least he can do. It's the best way to ensure the baby, his baby, your baby, doesn't fall into the hands of Taeho. 

Jongho can't risk that.

After the charity gala, it seems like everyone in the entire metropolitan area wants to know about your pregnancy and what's to come. Taeho makes a show of pretending to dote on your swelling belly. Showering you in gifts, and gushing to his social circles about his "long-awaited miracle", "finally carrying his own child" and more. He plays the part of loving husband to a t and it's almost frightening, how easily he lies.

But behind closed doors he barely looks in your direction and ignores your presence entirely. Taeho would occasionally give you and Jongho looks filled to the brim with disdain when the young man walked into a room, but Taeho mostly went on as though the two of you don't exist. His obsession with work kept him too busy to pay much mind, so you spent your days knitting little garments and practicing for labor and delivery, going on morning walks around the gardens.

Weeks fly by in a blur, the time melting from weeks into days until you feel the baby's movement more prominently. There's still a few weeks until you'll meet your baby, but they've proven themselves to be impatient, more active and rambunctious with each day that passes.

On most evenings you find yourself on the sofa, watching television shows while the baby kicks and pushes against the confinement of your stomach. Today is like most, except you're aching from sitting there and doing nothing for so long, the aches are more noticeable today than they've been. With a groan, you move to get up, pushing to your feet.

"Hi there, my little prince," you coo quietly, rubbing your stomach when your son kicks under your hand. A wobbly grin spreads across your face, your emotions betraying the dread weighing heavy on your heart, and you nod resolutely, swallowing back the thickness that's begun to rise up.

You continue to your room, unable to walk in a straight line, constantly adjusting for the awkward sensation and balance issues your unborn child had gifted you with. A faint hissing noise and the steady drip of the bathroom sink's faucet catches your attention. Jongho steps out a few minutes later, shirtless and water droplets glistening over his smooth skin as the droplets slide slowly down the peaks of his chest, the sculpted abs of his stomach. His sweatpants hang dangerously low and he drags a towel across the length of his wet hair, scrubbing it. You bite your lip, keeping your desire to throw him on the bed and jump him at bay.

"Hey, babe," Jongho smirks as you both walk toward the center of the room where you stand next to each other. Jongho's smirk softens, turns into a gentle, loving smile that leaves you weak and breathless, and you stare in wonder as his face and eyes soften when he lays a large palm on the mound of your stomach. "What was he up to today?" he asks, gazing down as the baby presses a foot directly to his hand, making him giggle like a boy. It's a heartwarming sound, light and happy and overflowing with joy. Your eyes burn as a small, wobbly grin grows on your own lips.

It hurts so, so deeply that Jongho won't be a part of his own child's life the way he was supposed to be. And yet, you can't help the joy and butterflies swirling inside your belly when you and the man you've fallen so hard for get to see those cute little movements or the excited expression of sheer wonder on his face.

"He's gotten better," you sigh happily. "He's more active in the morning or at night. He hates it when I'm trying to rest." Jongho laughs softly at your reply, humming before he moves, carefully bending himself down to press his face close, the rough stubble on his jaw scratching you through the fabric.

"It won't be long," Jongho mutters, kissing your stomach gently as he reaches for his shirt. "The sooner he comes, the easier it'll get for you, Y/N. You'll be a new mom before you know it," he remarks, pulling the shirt over his head, yanking it into place with a small shake, fixing his tousled locks. His words sink in and the tears sting more now than before. A sick, awful feeling writhes inside, making your chest tight and painful and a bitter laugh rises, leaving your throat.

"That's exactly what I'm afraid of."

Jongho pauses in buttoning the front of his shirt and slowly tilts his gaze up until his eyes, now void of their earlier glow and life, meet yours.

"The moment he comes, Taeho has him legally," you sniffle. "The contract...the threat," you mumble, trying not to let the sobs catch hold. "That's the first thing he'll demand when he's born. He'll become his son."

Your breath leaves in a choppy rush, the baby reacting in sync with you, the kick hitting at your side. Jongho lets his shirt fall, forgotten, and walks back toward you, cradling the swell.

"Everything's going to be fine," Jongho assures you. You hate how much comfort is found in his warm presence, in his strong touch. His nose grazes along the smoothness of your cheek before his lips press to the skin, dragging a path to the corner of your lips.

The softest whimper slips and you lean into his embrace, pressing your forehead to his as you both cradle your child.

"I'll find a way, I promise," Jongho whispers the oath and leans away, taking your chin between his thumb and fingers, gently coaxing you to look at him. "No one and nothing is taking my son or my wife from me," he murmurs.

Wife. You smiled at that thought, feeling the love you felt for him flow throughout your whole body.

"So wait for me," he pleads, cupping your cheeks and running a thumb against the soft skin. His eyes are intense but hopeful, pleading, even, for you. You nod, unable to put your own feelings into words, knowing if you did, your heart would tear itself to shreds. So instead you accept the tender kisses he presses to your temple.

For as long as you're able, you stay pressed into his body, feeling the warmth and smelling the soap clinging to his clothes from his shower earlier. Jongho's touch comforts you, keeping you steady even when a particularly strong kick from your son makes your foot waver and you gasp softly in surprise. Jongho grunts, steadying you and rubbing over the swell of your stomach with a gentle look.

"Let's get you in bed," he says gently, guiding you the last few steps to the mattress, turning down the sheets as you get comfortable. Once you've settled, he climbs in beside you, draping an arm over you as he plants his chin atop your head, and waits silently, ready to settle you further into his embrace should the baby choose to cause you discomfort again, as if he knows just from your reaction.

And despite how safe you feel lying next to Jongho, how his touch calms your child into a peaceful stillness, the nagging feeling of impending dread doesn't fade, and you cry yourself to sleep with him by your side.

"Jongho," you breathe, shaking him awake. "Jongho, I think it's time," you warn and a rush of panic flows through you both as he moves quicker than a lightning flash, stumbling from the bed in his haste to run out of the bedroom to call Dr Kim, who was staying with a few nurses on standby to look after your impending delivery.

Taeho didn't want you delivering the baby in a hospital, afraid that people would find out the baby isn't his and ruin the image he's cultivated. A home delivery made much more sense, and he didn't think twice about spending the money to hire a team of medical professionals to handle your birth and sign an NDA.

Jongho runs back into the bedroom with Dr. Kim and the nurses hot on his trail, calling for you.

"Y/N!" Jongho shouts frantically before his eyes lock onto the sweat beading across your face, worry and pain clear on your features. He's by your side within seconds. "Baby, I got you," Jongho mutters shakily, kneeling to grasp your hand in his.

You gasp through another contraction and it seems almost instant, the next, how fast it was compared to the previous, you can't hold back, crying through the pain as the contraction starts up again and never fades away, like they had told you would eventually happen. The midwife runs to get the supplies they'll need.

"Fuck!" you cry, throwing your head back.

Jongho jumps up and helps position the pillows to comfort your aching and sore muscles. After that, you hardly take notice of anything else around you. Your ears ring and your world fades to a faint murmur as you ride through each contraction and push. The only thing left is the physical and mental strain. The ache in your muscles as you push your son into the world and Jongho's touch, supporting you. You gasp in heavy, desperate breaths as the minutes blur, counting from ten to one, the way Dr. Kim instructs you.

Jongho presses kisses to your damp hair, your cheek, the crown of your head, anything and everything, whispering words of encouragement in between. The way his voice trembles in anticipation, the fear hidden in the depths, has you gripping his hands tightly. It isn't until a squealing wail reaches your ears does a tired smile form.

Dr. Kim nods, laughing in triumph at his accomplishment, handing the baby boy over to his nurses before looking back at you. "Your firstborn, Y/N. Congratulations."

You were going to thank him but another wave of pressure hit. You loll your head back and moan. Dr. Kim frowns in confusion. "I need another set of gloves. Stat."

Before you can question, another nurse is right beside the doctor, handing him a pair and Jongho squeezes your hand, looking at Dr Kim and the nurse in silent question.

Dr. Kim looks up after another minute or two passes. "Looks like there's another one in there," Dr Kim states with a chuckle.

You didn't think you had enough air, enough energy, enough life to utter another word, but in that instant, you snap to reality and your eyes widen.

"Another?" you breathe, staring at Dr. Kim like he's got four heads.

"He or she will come a bit faster now that their older brother has come." He winks and looks back, nodding. "It won't be much longer."

And Dr. Kim was correct, before you realize the nurse has cleaned up your daughter, swaddling her and tucking her next to her brother, and she's screaming just as loud, her fists waving in the air angrily, while Dr. Kim and the others clean up.

You're shocked. The sight of them lying side by side is unreal. You stare at them in awe and disbelief, feeling a burning in your chest. You glance at the door before turning to your beloved, trying to keep your tears and voice controlled and hushed.

"We have twins," you whimper. The surge of emotions overflows, and you fight them back desperately.

Dr Kim dismisses the nurses once you and the babies have been cleaned and changed, before turning to you. "Y/N, you have delivered quite the miracles. But once Taeho finds out that you delivered twins..."

"Can we...can I trust you?" you implore and the doctor's eyes widen.

"I will do anything to help you," the doctor assures you.

You pause for a brief second, contemplating, weighing all of the pros and cons before nodding. "Taeho needs to be led to believe that I only delivered one child, my son." 

Dr. Kim's brows furrowed in confusion as he stared.

"Please tell your team to tell Taeho that I delivered only a son," you said, knowing that the nurses were standing outside waiting for an order, to spread the information that only you had delivered. "He cannot, under any circumstances, discover that there is a second child. As far as he needs to know, it's just my son that he will claim as his. Taeho cannot know I gave birth to a daughter."

"But Y/N, the little miss needs-"

"I beg of you, Dr Kim," you sob. "It's hard enough that Taeho wants my son but…" You start gasping through the building tears, taking slow breaths to keep yourself calm. Jongho wraps his arm around you gently, rubbing your back. "But Taeho can't have my daughter either! He can't keep both of them away from me."

Dr Kim takes notice of you and sighs deeply before nodding and walks out to his group, leaving you alone to watch over the sleeping babies. Jongho notices you fiddling your thumbs, as if you're debating something in your mind.

"Y/N? What is it?" he whispers, coaxing an answer from you.

"Take our daughter to Soojin," you order softly, turning your gaze to the young man beside you. "She knows about us and she hates Taeho to the core. I trust Soojin more than anyone. She will know what to do and keep her safe."

"Are you sure?" he hesitates.

"Yes," you whisper, taking in her beautiful features. Her cute little nose. Soft cheeks. Eyelashes. She was an angel. The best parts of him and the best parts of you. "Just until we're finally free from him."

Jongho looks at his little princess, leaning down and carefully pressing a kiss to her crown. "Don't you worry, baby girl." He grins, pride and joy apparent as he nuzzles her. "Papa is gonna protect you. I'll protect you and your brother from him, no matter what."

“Jongho,” you call out.

“Yes, love?”

“Jieun,” you started. “I want our daughter to be named Jieun.”

“Of course,” Jongho replies. “Our little princess, Jieun.” Carefully he gathers his daughter, and though she fusses a bit, she calms as Jongho's hands grip and sway gently, rocking the babe in his arms as she falls into a slumber.

Dr. Kim enters back inside and shuts the door. "Everything's arranged," he mutters. "The secret will remain with my staff and I. It'll be tough, but as a fellow father, I know how painful it is to have your children stolen from you. Even more so when a mere man steals another man's family."

The relief crashes into you like a giant wave and your heart slows its heavy thumping and you reach out, hugging the physician close. "Thank you, so much."

"You're like a daughter to me, Y/N," the elderly man smiles, pressing a hand to your back, gently patting and embracing you before leaning away. "I've looked after you for fifteen long years. I wish things were different and that this wasn't the situation but I promise, you and Jongho won't have to do this alone. I'll do everything in my power to protect your son and daughter."

He pats you back, carefully supporting you as Jongho leaves with a faint smile, disappearing down the stairs before Taeho appears in the doorway moments later. His eyes glint darkly in the light of the room. A storm is brewing and as soon as his gaze lands on the child in your arms, a sadistic grin splits his mouth, wickedly joyful.

Your baby coos and gurgles, waving his tiny fingers excitedly. A stark reminder of just how small he is and just how helpless the two of you truly were against Taeho.

"Well," Taeho says, coming around the bed to look over the bundle nestled close to your breast. "There he is. My son," he gloats smugly, "finally arrived."

Dr Kim shifts from foot to foot uneasily and bows, clasping his hands together in a prayer gesture in front of him.

"Congratulations on your healthy child, Taeho. He's a beautiful baby. Though, unfortunately, Y/N is very tired and worn out, so I must take my leave. I'll be back in the next day or so to check in on her." Dr Kim gives you a subtle nod as he walks to the door. He disappears then and shuts the door quietly behind him.

Taeho lifts his eyes and catches yours for the briefest of moments before he lifts his new heir from the blanket, turning to face the window. "I will let you name your child," Taeho starts off, frowning. "You are his mother, after all," he mocks bitterly.

The cold words cut sharply, making your skin tingle. Your son snuffles against your shoulder and your blood turns to ice.

"Jongseok," you choke out. The baby quietens in his slumber at the sound of your voice. "Jongseok." You blink, breathless. "My baby boy, Jongseok."

Jongseok's tiny mouth pouts open in the perfect circle before yawning and shifting.

"Good," Taeho says as he puts the newborn back to your hold. "A fine name for my son."

Your eyelids droop in the sheer exhaustion seeping from each pore and he glares before a cold laugh rolls from his chest, jostling you awake.

"Get some rest," Taeho instructs with a knowing, sinister grin, making your blood run cold. "After all, you need it to raise my son and make him perfect."

With those final, foreboding words, he steps toward the door, reaching for the handle. Just before he pushes it open, he stops.

"Oh and, wife," his tone is unnerving and you know what's going to come out of his mouth is going to be ugly, "don't step out of line. Or you and Jongho will never see Jongseok again."

As Taeho shuts the bedroom door and saunters off, the grip around the precious bundle tightens ever so slightly, careful not to crush the precious new life, a tear finally falls from your eyes.

[othersideoutlawsnetwork]

🗝₊˚⊹— Somewhere on The Other Side, an outlaw has found a key. This one opens AUD: Saving Her Beloved. The steel key has the name Rem engraved on it.

AUD: Saving Her Beloved

》 Pairing: non-idol!Jongho x afab!reader

》 Genre: angst (hurt with comfort)

》 Wordcount: 4,402 words

》 Rating: nc-17

》 Type: series

Nets: @mirohs-aurora-society @othersideoutlawsnetwork @illusionnet

A/N: it's the last chapter before the epilogue! thank you for sticking around and reading this mini series. i had loads of fun writing this. ok enjoy :> banner credits to @yourfatherlucifer

"Wish I would've known that love would let us go. 'Cause I used to be yours." - Lucky Daye

“I’m sorry about this last scenario. I truly didn’t know until I realized who was the last pirate king to be saved. From what you have told me prior to this mission, I didn’t think to put two and two together. Please keep your head strong and hear him out once you wake him up. Just know that he never meant to leave you. Good luck.” - Maddox

---------------------------------------------------

“YOU MEAN TO TELL ME THAT HE’S BEEN HERE ALL THIS DAMN TIME AND NONE OF YOU GUYS THOUGHT TO TELL ME?!”

“Love, please…”

“OH SHUT THE FUCK UP, MITO! YOU PROBABLY KNEW AS WELL! DON’T PLAY WITH ME!”

“I would never -”

You signalled for MITO to shut his mouth, to which he obeyed immediately. The other pirate kings have never seen you this angry before. The last time they saw you this angry was when you found out that Dabin was the virus. At least with him, you got over it quickly. Now that you found out that he was the last pirate king, you were on a different level of anger. You remembered him leaving you like it was yesterday. 

You had just gotten home from another boring shift at your bartending job. All you wanted to do now was curl up against your teddy bear and talk about life. As you entered your shared apartment, you noticed that it was eerily quiet. No shouting from the game room, no shower running in the bathroom, and so on. You were so confused. You also noticed how the apartment was wiped clean of any trace of your boyfriend. On top of your confusion, fear crept into your system. When you slowly approached your shared bedroom, it was clean. The bed was made and you saw a few drawers of your wardrobe opened slightly. You put your bag down and called out for him. When he didn’t answer, you started to panic a bit. That’s when your eyes landed on a single letter atop your bed. You shakily reached for it and opened it up before reading it. 

With the crumpled letter in your hand, you sank to the floor and sobbed your heart out, keeping his words close to your chest. As much as you want to yell spiteful words at him, your subconscious knows that he would never leave you unless it was for a valid reason. Whatever was written in that letter, that was the valid reason. With a heavy and anguished heart, you waited for his return. 

“My dearest Y/N, 

If you are reading this, that means I am gone. No, I am not dead. At least… I hope I won’t be due to my hope of successfully completing this mission with little to no injuries. I cannot tell you where I am nor can I tell you why I have disappeared from sight. Just know that I will always love you. You are my forever. My universe. My whole heart. My everything. You always ask me if you’re worthy of my love. Honey, you have always been worthy. It is me that isn’t worthy of your love, especially when I come home late at night. I lied. I’m not in an underground fight club. I’m in something worse. Or perhaps better. Either way, if you ever found out what I did for a living, you would look at me with disgust and pure hatred. And I cannot have that. That’s why I had to disappear. I am not running away because I don’t love you. I am joining a band of pirates to protect you, our city, and our future. I want a life with you. I want to marry you, have children with you, and grow old with you until our time passes. And for that to happen, I have to ensure that it will happen. The captain has assured me that I will walk away from this unscathed. All I ask is that you wait for me. I will return. I love you. 

Yours truly, 

Choi Jongho”

“No. I’m not doing it. I’m not going to rescue him. I don’t want to face him.”

“Come on -”

“You’re seriously taking his side?! You try disappearing for a month or so, leaving your guy or girl with a stupid letter and waiting within that time frame before talking to me about how that makes you feel! How about that?!”

“Ok bet! Then you try being in our youngest’s shoes for a year or so before you complain to us about that!”

Everyone winced as Wooyoung raised his voice at you in defense of Jongho, especially since he was the one that knew the most about Jongho’s pain and the sorrow he felt when he had to leave you behind. He also felt bad for you as well, but he wasn’t liking your attitude about it. He didn’t like how you acted like the only victim in this unfortunate situation. He didn’t like how you were painting Jongho to be the bad guy without hearing him out. He didn’t like your pettiness. 

He just didn’t like you at that moment. 

“Do you know about all the times he cried in his bed the first few nights aboard our ship?! Crying out to you, venting to us about how his nightmares consisted of losing you?! How he always beats himself up for leaving you, his everything, behind?! Huh?! Do you?! DO YOU?!”

He wasn’t finished with you. 

“So don’t stand there and play victim in this bullshit when it takes two to strain a relationship! Don’t say stupid shit like ‘i’M nOt gOiNg to wAkE hiM up!’ when you know that the virus is onto us and knows who you fucking are! Refuse one more time and I swear to God I’ll -”

“Wooyoung, enough.”

You two swiveled your heads upon hearing Hongjoong’s authoritative voice. He glared furiously at you both before cocking his head, indicating that Wooyoung should step aside and cool off so he won’t say any more hurtful words. 

“You. Come here. Now.”

Hongjoong growled those words and you walked up to him, daring to go nose to nose with him. He stepped back and clicked his tongue in a disapproving tone. Even though you remained neutral, deep down, you knew your petty anger was the reason why the captain was feeling this way. 

“I see both sides of the argument. Let me address that. However, while I don’t approve of Wooyoung’s attitude towards you, I don’t appreciate how you’re willing to throw all of your hard work away just because of a silly loathing you have towards the love of your life.”

“I n-never said I l-loathed -”

“SILENCE!”

Hongjoong’s booming voice echoed in the emptiness of the void and you shut your mouth so he could continue speaking. The captain’s anger was incomparable. 

“Quite frankly, I don’t care what happens when you reunite with him. We have a mission to do and if you want to stand in the way by leaving now, I will not hesitate to lay a hand on you. I will see you as a threat if you continue to be a petty bitch. After all, bartenders are replacable. Are they not?”

Hongjoong hated having to speak like this to you. However, you were basically a part of his crew whether you knew and liked it or not so he had no choice but to act this way in order to keep you in line. He wasn’t lying when he said that he saw your side of the argument, indicating that he empathizes with your pain. However, he will not tolerate refusal on important subjects due to personal pettiness grudges. 

“It’s up to you if you want to continue acting like a spoiled brat! Just stay out of our way.”

“W-Wait, Hongjoong -”

“Captain.”

“C-Captain, look. I-I’m sorry -”

“You can make it up to both Wooyoung and I by swallowing your fucking pride and helping us.”

You nodded rapidly, keeping your head low as you walked past all of them and jiggled the doorknob aggressively so you could get in the domain, wake Jongho up, and get out. The last thing you needed was to anger Hongjoong even more. Seonghwa tapped the captain’s shoulder and the shorter man turned around to look at his first mate’s expression. His brows were furrowed and he seemed deep in contemplation. 

“I know you did what you had to do, but look at her, Hongjoong. She’s shaking like a leaf. She’ll probably refuse to look us in the eye. Poor MITO’s heart was torn in two when he extended his arms for a hug and she brushed past him, ignoring his comfort.”

“That’s hardly my fault, Hwa -”

“Joongie. You have to apologize to hear. Woo’s willing to apologize to her since he knew that he was out of line, but you? You’re stubborn as fuck. Do you honestly want her to leave us, knowing that their captain is scary?”

Hongjoong sighed deeply and crossed his arms. Seonghwa was right. But for now, he had to focus on the task at hand. He compromised with the eldest and the eldest agreed. As they entered the last domain, they prayed it wouldn’t be as bad as the others. 

---------------------------------------------------

As if things couldn’t get worse, Jongho’s domain was your living hell. You thought Yunho’s domain was bad? Here you were, stuck in a cafe, sitting across from MITO, who was playing the part of the man you were arranged to marry. This felt a bit too realistic for your liking, but you knew one thing was for certain. 

You started dating Jongho after you divorced Dabin. 

“Come on, sweetie! Talk to David! He’s a nice man! With an actual stable job!”

David. Fucking David. That was MITO’s fake name for this domain. Your ‘mom’ encouraged you, or tried, to talk to him yet you weren’t having it. You knew it was wrong, but you were too deep in your head to register what was going on. Your ‘dad’ sighed in disappointment and nudged your side a bit. 

“You better talk to him or else -”

“Sir, it’s ok! Really. She’s probably a bit shy considering she’s just seeing me for the first time.”

“No kid of mine is shy. She’s stubborn and way too quiet for her own good. She can’t get what she wants unless she speaks up and talks clearly.”

Again. This felt too realistic for you. This is exactly what happened when you first met Dabin. Like MITO, Dabin was kind enough to stand up for you. In fact, he repeated the same exact words Dabin had said when this happened. As your father grumbled in his seat and your mother was chatting away obliviously, you sunk lower into your seat. MITO leaned in a bit further and whispered in your ear softly. 

“Nine o’clock. Out the window. Look closely.”

You were confused by what he said but shrugged before sitting up straighed and turned your head towards your left. Your heart softened yet sped up rapidly at the same time when you realized why MITO wanted you to look out the window. Standing out there was none other than your beloved boyfriend. 

Choi Jongho. 

Another memory came back to you. 

You were sitting in the bakery, sipping on an iced americano and reading your favorite book as you waited for your date to come by. After months of letting the divorce between you and Dabin settle, you decided to try dating again. You decided to go the online dating route. At first, most of the guys were either looking for one-night stands or were just straight trash. Then, he came along. He was standing outside the bakery, waving shyly at you before walking inside and sitting across from where you were seated.

“Hi! Y/N L/N, right?”

“That’s me! And you must be Choi Jongho!”

He grinned shyly and extended his hand so you could shake it. Even though his touch was gentle, you felt the firmness of his grip. You blushed a bit and shamefully shook away any dirty thoughts you had about him and his strength. 

‘Y’all are literally meeting for the first time! Stop that!’

“Thanks for agreeing to meet with me.”

“Of course! I can’t believe such a gorgeous girl is right in fron of me. Wait, is that too straightforward? I mean you certainly are gorgeous. No wait!”

You giggled as he fumbled over his words trying to save face. Not that he didn’t need to anyways. His awkward demeanor was cute and endearing. As you two talked about random things and got to know one another, you already found yourself falling for him. Little did you know

He was falling for you too. 

This same scenario was created from your memory, except Jongho didn’t have a bright gummy smile on his face. Instead, his expression was somber and depressed. His shoulders sagged, his hands were in his pockets, and his head was tilted downwards a bit. Your heart ached at the sight of him and you wanted to call out to him so bad yet you couldn’t. The words got stuck in your throat and before you knew it, he turned away, pulled his hood over his face, and started walking. You tried to get up, but MITO held you back. He shook his head and mouthed a specific sentence to you. 

‘Only when the time comes.’

You didn’t know what he meant by that, but you knew he stopped you for a reason. You sat back down and continued the idle chatter with MITO whilst plotting your next move. You were going to get your Jongho back.  

No matter what. 

---------------------------------------------------

“Your ‘parents’ are going to be out for a bit so you have time to find Jongho and talk to him a bit before they get back. I’ll cover for you in case they come home early.”

“Thank you, MITO.”

You exited the house and made your way to the bar where you and Jongho were supposed to meet up. You were afraid that he wouldn’t respond back when you first messaged him, but unsurprisingly, he replied back immediately. He may not be a clingy texter, but he always responds back to your messages, which brings up another memory. 

You were playing a small prank on him. It was the ‘ignoring your partner’s texts’ prank and it was trending all over social media. You sent him one message and he responded back as always. When he sent another text, you initiated the prank. It was hard to keep up with the prank since the messages were getting more and more desperate. He was getting worried. A few minutes later, you heard the front door open and the sound of boots thundered in the hallway. You had to compose yourself to contain the giddiness you felt in your body. When he opened the door to your room, you pretended to scroll through your phone, acting unaware that he was home. He got closer to you and placed his fingers under your chin before looking at you with a pissed off expression. 

“Honey… care to tell me why you’re not responding to my messages? You know I hate that shit. I’d rather have you leave a stupid reaction or a simple ‘K’ as a response back. Talk to me.”

You couldn’t do it anymore. Seeing him look all pissed off shamefully turned you on and you were not about to let your arousal ruin the prank. So you decided to end it there. You grabbed his face and kissed his lips quickly before giggling to yourself. 

“Ha! Pranked ya!”

Jongho breathed out a sigh of relief before grabbing your waist and lifting you up so you were thrown over his shoulder. You squealed in delight and playfully hit him whilst telling him to put you down. 

“Nah. You owe me a movie night and some cuddles as compensation.”

You giggled to yourself as you played the memory in your head. After a few more minutes, you saw him approach you. He sat in the booth next to you and ordered himself a whisky and coke. Once his drink arrived, he sipped on it, feeling refreshed by this mixed drink. He then looked at you. 

“Hey.”

“Hi.”

You knew he was in a simulation, yet you couldn’t help but fight the urge to cry. After not seeing him for so long, seeing him right in front of you washed away all the pettiness and anger you had for him. Logically, you believed that he thought that this mission was going to be like the rest and that he would complete it with ease before going home to you. 

You saw how that turned out. 

“So why did you want to see me?”

You wanted to stick to the script, yet you couldn’t. Instead of saying what was supposed to be said, you reached out to cup his cheek and let the first tear fall. Jongho saw this and reached out to wipe the tear away. You melted under his brief touch and scooted closer to him. Jongho’s breath hitched upon your close proximity, but he wouldn’t protest to this. 

“I missed you. So much.”

Your voice was broken and you reached your other hand out so you could hold his face properly. It had been so long since you had touched him and you wanted to savor every moment of it. Jongho leaned into your touch naturally. He held your hands and the serious look on his face softened into something familiar. 

“You missed me? But it’s only been a week since you broke things off unwillingly after telling me that you were to be married.”

“I don’t give a fuck! This week felt like a month to me! The meetups, the constant nagging, the belittling every time things went wrong! I hated it! Yes, David is an understanding person, but at the end of the day, I don’t love him. I love you!”

You poured out every frustration you held whilst twisting your words to fit the scenario. Other than that, 95% of your words held so much truth. Jongho saw it in your eyes and pulled you closer while you kept ranting. 

“Every single damn day, I waited for you to come home. I had so many questions as to why you did what you did and lied about it! Yes, I was angry at your departure and wanted to scream at you, spit venomous words, and just hate you overall! At the end of the day, I couldn’t. Because I know what you’re doing. You are doing everything you can to ensure that you… you…”

“I what?”

You were so lost in your passionate venting that you didn’t realize you almost spilled the truth. Luckily, you caught yourself just in time and shut your mouth at the exact moment. Jongho pushed you to keep saying what you’re saying, but you waved it off, leaving him confused. 

“Look. Forget what I said. Jongho, let’s run away.”

“Run away?! But your parents -”

“Don’t give a fuck about me!”

“Natasha, please -”

“Don’t you love me?”

“Of course I do. But I’m not yours anymore.”

“You are still mine!”

“No. I used to be yours.”

“To hell with everything.”

Jongho wasn’t expecting you to grab his face and kiss him desperately and passionately, yet he didn’t care. He grabbed your waist and pulled you closer before angling his head so he could deepen the kiss. You had your eyes closed so you didn’t notice the way his appearance changed right in front of you. His outfit changed from a light military green hoodie and blue jeans to a three-piece black and white suit, black leather shoes, and a black trench coat with black fur at the ends of the sleeves and lining up the coat’s collar. His hair went from black to a beautiful shade of red and it was swept back so his forehead was revealed. When you pulled away to catch your breath, your eyes widened. 

Your kiss must’ve woken him up. 

Jongho was catching his own breath and his own eyes widened as they took in your form. He couldn’t believe that you were here! Right in front of him! Looking gorgeous as ever. He even took note of the four-leaf clover necklace you wore. You simply attached the charm to a thin silver chain courtesy of Mingi. To you, it was nothing. 

To him, it was everything. 

“Y/N? Is that really you?”

“Yes… it’s me, Jongho.”

“Oh, honey~”

Jongho surged forward and crushed you in a much-needed hug. You hugged him back just as tightly, tears pouring down your face. Jongho had tears of his own escaping his eyes and he pulled back to look at you one more time. Before he spoke, a chilling voice rang throughout the air. Jongho instinctively put you behind him and looked around for the source of that voice. 

“I knew it wasn’t going to be enough. Looks like I’ll have to step up my game a bit.”

The next thing you both knew, you were back in the void. However, the surrounding wasn’t pitch black. It was a heavenly white. Or insane room white if you will. You heard the sound of painful screaming and you turned around to see Jongho kneeling on the ground, clutching Dabin’s hand as the virus choked him tightly. But that wasn’t that caught your eye. 

What caught your eye was the way Jongho’s appearance glitched back and forth in between his domain form and his real form rapidly. 

“So you chose him. Over me. Aight cool. Guess I’ll have to get rid of him to win you back.”

The black veins grew longer and you see the tips of them seeping into his brain. His eyes glowed a bright green as he squeezed Jongho’s neck tighter than before. You noticed that his other hand was on top of Jongho’s head. That must be how he’s able to activate the glitching. Looking back and forth repeatedly between the two men, you took a leap of faith and lunged forward to grab the dagger hanging off from Dabin’s belt. As you grabbed it, you noticed a red gem on top of the hilt. 

‘This must be Sopro!’

“Do you honestly think that my own weapon will stop me?”

You didn’t say anything. Instead, you turned the dagger around and pointed it at your chest. The tip of the sharp blade was dangerously close to your heart and just when it came in contact, Dabin was rushing forward. Jongho stopped glitching and dropped down to the ground, wheezing and coughing as he tried to inhale as much oxygen as he could. His head was low so he couldn’t see the fight going on between you two.

“The fuck are you doing?!”

“I’m saving both your dumbasses!”

“If you do this, you’ll get corrupted or die!”

“Better me than you!”

You roughhoused with Dabin for a bit, punching here and kicking there. The dagger left your hands yet you didn’t pay attention since your focus was on Dabin. As you fought one another, the atmosphere around you changed slowly. The void surrounding you was slowly changing back to a pitch black and you saw figures surrounding you. Once the void was back to the way it was, the two of you looked up. 

You were surrounded by the pirate kings. 

All eight members of Halateez. 

Black and white three piece suits, all black leather accessories, and shades of red hair. 

All staring down at you. 

“Yeosang and San, restrain Dabin. Yunho and Mingi, put him in the cell that was specialized for him so he can be contained. Seonghwa and Wooyoung, make sure that cell is unbreachable. The effects of Sopro are still in his body so be prepared for anything.”

“YES, CAPTAIN.”

One by one, each king carried out their task. Only Hongjoong remained. MITO was there too, but he was busy helping Jongho. The captain extended a hand towards you and made you close your eyes. The last thing you heard was a humming sound that got louder and louder before a bright light consumed you all. 

---------------------------------------------------

“OH THANK GOD ALL OF YOU ARE ALRIGHT!”

Maddox was relieved when he saw all of you fully awake and back in reality. You groggily opened your eyes and looked around to see if everyone was present. MITO was there of course. 

Hongjoong

Seonghwa

Yunho

Yeosang

San

Mingi

Wooyoung 

And… 

“JONGHO!”

You leaped onto him and wrapped him up in a hug. Jongho wrapped his arms around you protectively and nuzzled his face in the crook of your neck, inhaling your scent before looking up at his fellow crewmates. 

“I know that three of you have fucked her. While I can forgive you guys since it was a simulation, we’re all awake now so don’t go near my girl. Got it?”

Hongjoong and San nodded rapidly while Wooyoung was the only one that had the audacity to whine, causing Jongho to glare at him. You hid your face shamefully in the crook of Jongho’s neck while Wooyoung whined once more before latching himself onto Yeosang. Jongho sighed and looked down at you with so much love in his eyes. He truly missed you and he was glad that you didn’t hate him. Since Hongjoong was feeling some remnants of shame, Seonghwa took charge of explaining the last step of their mission. 

“As we all know, Dabin was corrupted by Sopro. While we are still angry at him for corrupting the simulation, at least we got the clues before that happened. We now know where Sopro is and since luck is on our side, Dabin is in that same location. So we’ll be able to save him and recover Sopro so we can relocate it someplace else the next time we use the Cromer. Does everyone understand their positions?”

“YES, SEONGHWA!”

“Y/N, you’ve done your part and freed all of us. You can walk away while we handle the rest. However, if you wish to join us, you’re more than welcome to. We just ask that you be careful.”

“I’ve made it this far and I still want Dabin to have some type of closure. So I’ll join.”

“Excellent.”

Seonghwa cracked his knuckles. 

“Let’s break the bank, shall we?”

[othersideoutlawsnetwork]

🗝₊˚⊹— Somewhere on The Other Side, an outlaw has found a key. This one opens AUD: The Bane's Best Friend. The steel key has the name Rem engraved on it.

AUD: The Bane's Best Friend

》 Pairing: non-idol!Mingi × afab!reader

》 Genre: heavy angst

》 Wordcount: 2,724 words

》 Rating: mature

》Type: series

Nets: @mirohs-aurora-society @othersideoutlawsnetwork @illusionnet

A/N: mentions of gunfire. Other than that, this is kinda heavy so if you are easily triggered by this kinda thing, I'd advise against reading it. Other than that, enjoy

"And it's always two rights. Playing games with our hands tied. Who else can I confide in? Don't wanna win a war tryna fight, and yeah, you got it... Could you blame me?" - Lucky Daye

“I’ve just been informed that the virus is onto you guys. There is no scenario this time. Find him as soon as possible. Before it’s too late.” - Maddox

---------------------------------------------------

“Girl, you never told me you were married!”

“Considering that half our life was spent ignoring each other -”

“More like you were avoiding me.”

“AS I WAS SAYING!”

Yunho meekly apologized and you waved it off non-chalantly. 

“Considering that half our life was spent ignoring each other, I figured that you wouldn’t need to know. But yeah. I was married. It was arranged. We didn’t like each other, but we also didn’t hate each other. We were just estranged roommates.”

“With the same last name.”

“Yeah pretty much. Anyways, we essentially got acquainted with one another. We had similar interests, like our love for Genshin Impact. He’s a Furina main while I’m a Navia main.”

“I have no idea who those characters are, but the game sounds interesting.”

“I’ll show it to you sometime.”

“Thanks! Oh wait. Sorry for interrupting you.”

“It’s ok. So yeah. From there, our bond went beyond that game and we slowly became friends. Soon, that friendship turned into something more and well… we fell in love. Until that inopportune day.”

“His disappearance…”

Yunho searched for any signs of discomfort that you were showing, but there seemed to be none as you continued. 

“Yeah… I figured that shitty ex-girlfriend of his finally succeeding in getting into his head and convinced him to run away with her. Both his parents and I hated her so much that we were astonished to find this out. They apologized to me and even signed the divorce papers for him on his behalf. Little did they know…”

“He actually did disappear. Didn’t you mention something about a red light shining brightly for a brief moment before disappearing just as quickly?”

“Yeah. According to the police, 95% of the witness statements claimed to see him peer at a red light before disappearing into thin air. Even his dumb ex had an alibi that same night. She never once tried to contact him after he established his relationship with me. The alibi checked out.”

“His parents never knew?”

“I figured they’d already have enough on their plate with their ‘disgrace’ of a son. Their words, not mine. Plus, even if I told them, they’d just assume his ex kidnapped him.”

“True.”

Yunho then heard you exhale shakily and he brought you into a hug. Despite the awkward restart of your friendship, you missed the warm feeling he gave whenever he wrapped his arms around you. They brought back that familiar comfort you longed for. He pulled away a bit and looked down at you with a reassuring expression on his face.

“Whatever happens, we will find out what happened to him and if we’re able to, we’ll rescue him. I know you don’t technically want to be around him anymore, but -”

“I owe him this. After all, his disappearance wasn’t his fault.”

Yunho nodded before giving way to you so you could walk up to the door and enter the second to last domain. With a determined stance, you grabbed the handle and pushed open the door, awaiting the hell that laid before you. 

---------------------------------------------------

“IT’S A DAMN WARZONE OUT HERE!”

“WHY WOULD THAT VIRUS PLACE HIM IN HERE?!”

“IT DOESN’T MATTER! MITO & I WILL COVER FOR YOU GUYS! SPREAD OUT AND FIND SONG MINGI!”

“YES, CAPTAIN!”

You didn’t know when and how they conjured weapons, but you didn’t care. You and the rest of the pirate kings split up. Seonghwa was with Yeosang, San was with Wooyoung, and you were with Yunho. The thick groves of the tree leaves provided you cover from the rain of bullets cascading down upon you every few seconds, but it also provided you with little lighting so you had no choice but to adjust your vision to the semi-darkness the woods provided you. Yunho held your hand tightly so you wouldn’t lose each other. He pointed the flashlight in every direction he possibly could in case any enemies decided to pull surprise attacks on you. He looked back at you every once in a while to see if you were still behind him. 

You were. 

“We’re never going to be able to find him!”

“Relax, Y/N. I know Mingi. He may be a timid princess, but he’s strong. Trust me.”

You were about to comment on that nickname for Mingi when you heard a rustle. You flinched and pointed your own flashlight around, barely seeing what looked like a tattered ashen gray cloak pass by. A snap of a twig echoed throughout the vast emptiness of the woods and it nearly drowned out the heavy gunfire heard in the distance. 

“Yunho?”

A deep gravelly voice said Yunho’s name aloud and Yunho stiffened as a figure stood in front of him. He was equally as tall as him and his shoulders were just as broad as San’s. You hid behind Yunho yet poked your head out just a bit to see what was going on. The figure then drew back his hood slowly, revealing the face of Yunho’s best friend. 

Song Mingi. 

Even though he was awake, his appearance looked different. Aside from the ashen gray cloak that covered his body heavily, he had black hair, a cut on his cheek, and a cut on his lip. His sharp wolf eyes immediately softened when he realized that he wasn’t hallucinating. 

His best friend was right in front of him. In the flesh. 

“Mingi…”

The tall towers developed themselves into a bone crushing hug. Mingi was sobbing softly out of relief while Yunho shushed him and reassured him that everything is ok now and that he is here. The simulation isn’t playing tricks on him. They let go and Mingi’s eyes fell towards you. The toothy eye smile that was once on his face slowly faded away and his eyes widened upon seeing you. 

“Y/N…?”

“Um… hey, Mingi.” 

Mingi stomped past Yunho and assessed you quickly before hugging you as well. Since you were smaller than him, his entire frame swallowed you whole. You hugged him back awkwardly and Mingi chuckled quietly before pulling away. 

“Come on now, baby girl. What are you acting shy for?”

You blushed heavily and felt flustered at the way he smoothly flirted with you. Before you could comment though, he mentally smacked his forehead. 

“Shit I forgot. You’re married to my cousin. My bad.”

This is where things started to go sideways. 

Yunho, who was watching your interaction, put two and two together and he felt his blood boil. Song Mingi, his best friend, is a blood relative of Hong Dabin, your ex-husband and the virus corrupting the simulation. He tried his best to calm down, but the weight of betrayal hung on his shoulders. He knew all this time that you were married. 

And never once told him!

“You son of a bitch!”

Mingi was confused by Yunho’s angered exclamation and his eyes widened at the sight of his fist connecting his face painfully. You gasped as Mingi crumpled to the ground and Yunho got on top of him so he could continue to roughhouse him. You tried to separate them, but due to the size difference, your efforts were in vain. 

“YOU KNEW ALL ALONG AND HAD THE AUDACITY TO WITHHOLD THE TRUTH?!”

“KNEW WHAT?! YUNHO, WHAT THE HELL?! I’VE BEEN OUT HERE FOR DAYS AND WHEN I FINALLY REUNITE WITH YOU, YOU DO THIS SHIT? THE FUCK, DUDE?!”

“DON’T PLAY COY WITH ME, BASTARD!”

“ENOUGH! BOTH OF YOU!”

Yunho and Mingi turned their heads towards you and their anger simmered down once they saw the cascade of hot tears streaming down your face. You marched towards them and pulled them apart before jabbing a finger into both their chests. 

“If you continue to act like children, I won’t hesitate to put my foot far up both your asses! Cease this immediately! We are stranded in the middle of nowhere and we are still in danger! So please! Let’s find shelter first before you can continue your petty cat fight.”

Not wanting to risk angering you any further, Yunho sighed deeply and hung his head in defeat while Mingi got up and groaned in pain. He was sure a bruise would swell up underneath his jaw. With gritted teeth, he led the way to a hut he’s been staying in ever since he woke up from the simulation and tried to find a way out. Once the three of you were inside, you didn’t let them rest. You dragged both of them by the ears and sat them down on the sofa before standing before them with a scowl on your face and your arms crossed. 

“Care to explain why you suddenly did a 180 on your friend here, Jeong?”

“Are you seriously on his side right now?”

“I am on no one’s side! DON’T GIVE ME ATTITUDE!”

Yunho muttered an apology before hanging his head low in shame. Mingi looked back and forth between you two before also connecting two and two together. He looked at Yunho again and his voice softened. 

“So she was the girl whom you placed a bet on and broke her heart in such a douchey way.”

“Gee thanks, Min. You certainly had to rub salt into that old wound.”

“Bro, can you blame me? I’m literally just as shocked as you are. Your ex girlfriend and former best friend is the same woman that my cousin fucking married. I didn’t attend the wedding so how would I know? Besides, it was an arranged marriage. Why the fuck would Dabin talk about her?”

Mingi sighed as Yunho stayed silent. He continued nonetheless. 

“Had I known, I honestly would’ve tried my best to get you to reconcile with her. However, knowing how she is, according to Dabin, I also would’ve tried to make sure you stayed far away from her.”

“Mingi…”

“Yunho, be for fucking real right now. What woman in their right mind would forgive a man that played with her heart carelessly? All for some damn cash as well!”

“I needed a confidence boost -”

“It doesn’t fucking matter, dude! You gave her all of her firsts and then she had to find out the hard way that it was all a lie! Hell if I were in her shoes, I’d block all your calls, restrict every single aspect of social media you had me on, and probably move! Yunho, I love you, but what you did was fucked. And the fact that I’m knowing all of this now…”

Mingi sighed deeply as he buried his face in his hands momentarily before lifting his head to continue speaking. 

“You know me. In times like these, I’d rather call you out on your bullshit over not being called at all. I’d rather hold my grudges and act like grown ass adults. After all, who else can I confide in other than my best friend? Right now though… I don’t know.”

Mingi looked at Yunho warily, undecided on how he should go about his friendship with him. You couldn’t stand it. All you wanted was for Yunho to explain himself, not witness the impending end of a friendship. You weren’t about to put Mingi through that, especially since Yunho definitely needed someone right now. You uncrossed your arms, rolled your shoulders back, and looked at Mingi. 

“I don’t know if it’ll make a difference, but Yunho’s domain in this corrupted simulation was him reliving a nightmare. That nightmare contained every detail of that painful moment where I broke off everything with him. Before you ask why I’m defending him, I was there to witness it all. How he looked so broken every time I, quote on quote, left him stranded after cursing him out. Yes I was hurting, but not as much as he was. I don’t know how Dabin tapped into his memory and brought it to life, especially since I never told him. But he did, and Yunho suffered a lot. He already dealt with the karma of it all. So please. Don’t make it worse.”

Mingi’s mouth was a straight line as he contemplated your words. If you willingly defended Yunho, that must mean you’d forgiven him of his sins and are willing to start your friendship anew with him. He was going to comment on why you had to speak for his friend, but he figured that Yunho was reliving his shame all over again and his guilt impacted him horribly. Silently, he scooched closer to Yunho and hugged him tightly. This resulted in Yunho breaking down in his friend’s arms and sputtering out so many apologies. You sat on the other side and hugged Yunho from behind. Mingi kissed the top of Yunho’s head gently before speaking. 

“I’m sorry, man. I honestly didn’t know how bad it was for you. Forgive me for my harsh words.”

“It’s fine, Mingi. Your words held true despite them being harsh.”

“Still though. I shouldn’t have said all that.”

Yunho looked up and weakly grinned before wrapping his arms around both Mingi and you. 

“Wait… how the hell did Dabin know about Yunho’s memory when you’ve never told him?”

You winced and explained everything to Mingi. From him being the virus to your divorce and his disappearance, the puzzle pieces started to fall into place. When you mentioned the witness statements and their claims on seeing a bright red light, Mingi’s eyes went wide and his face paled. 

“Dude… fucking Sopro got to him.”

“Shit! I had a feeling, but I wanted to be wrong for once.”

“What’s Sopro…?”

The tall pirate kings looked at your confused expression and they both laughed sheepishly. 

“It’s hard to explain. But to briefly break it down, it was our mission. We’d finally gotten a hold of Sopro, but before we could grab it and turn back time using the Cromer, Dabin fell into the picture. Due to the fragility of his mind, he was corrupted. Hence, how he became the virus. Hongjoong will explain everything in detail once we reunite with him.”

“You’re damn right I will. But first, I oughtta reprimand you dumbasses for almost killing each other. We are eight! And eight makes what?!”

You flinched and saw Hongjoong standing there with a glare on his face as Yunho and Mingi answered his question with shame.

“One team.”

“Correct. Eight makes one team! Not seven or six! Eight! Now get your asses here! We need to go to the last domain. Dabin may not be on our asses right now, but the longer we loiter, the more likely we’ll get caught.”

With that, all of you exited the domain and stood in the void. You looked at Mingi to see if his appearance changed. 

It did. Deliciously. 

What caught your eye however?

Mingi’s black hair was shortened and the color was the same bright shade of red as Seonghwa and San. He also had an undercut. In addition, he had an all black fit consisting of a vest, slacks, leather boots, leather gloves, and a huge black fur lining on his black trench coat. 

The fact that he wasn’t wearing a shirt underneath his vest. The only other thing you could find on his body were multiple silver chain necklaces decorating his neck. 

If he took off his coat, you’d find that the vest was a wee bit small on him, exposing a sliver of his slim waist and his lean biceps. 

The fact that the vest had a deep plunge that exposed his cleavage was dizzying. 

“You want it?”

You didn’t know how Mingi ended up being close to you, but when you heard his deep voice whisper huskily in your ear, you flinched and hid behind an unimpressed MITO so he wouldn’t see how flustered you became because of him. Wooyoung sighed and approached you while Mingi was dragged away by Matz. 

“Come on, doll. I’ll explain everything you need to know about Sopro while we save our youngest crewmate.”

Feeling relieved that you will finally get some answers, you walked alongside Wooyoung and listened to everything he told you as you made your way to the last domain of the simulation.

Let’s hope Dabin didn’t get to him. 

[othersideoutlawsnetwork]

🗝₊˚⊹— Somewhere on The Other Side, an outlaw has found a key. This one opens Sheriff's Wanted. The steel key has the name Dawn engraved on it.

Sheriff's Wanted

╰┈➤ Summary: MITO has been hunting down this outlaw for a long time now. Making sure no stone was left unturned and it was solely him who got to bring the person in with no help. After messing with nearby towns and sections for a long time. But how could he kill of the person, when it was his favorite

╰┈➤ WC: 9.3k

╰┈➤Pairings: Cowboy! Mito x Male Reader

╰┈➤Genre: Non-idol au, wild west, smut

╰┈➤ Warnings: language, unprotected sex, petnames, oral (male receiving) car sex,

╰┈➤Ratings: 18+ MDNI, NSFW,

╰┈➤ Networks: @othersideoutlawsnetwork, @ksmutsociety

╰┈➤ Banner: @shadowkoo <3

“God. Fucking. Damnit.”

A deep voice rang, looking through the burned house around him, seeing the infamous flag that always seemed to do nothing more than just piss him off everyday he had to see it in front of him. Knowing there was very little he could do. The black flag with a snake symbol on it, wrapped around a dying tree that was the only thing standing left in this small, desolate house. There wasn’t anyone else in there, but their home was destroyed with everything still inside, barely anything standing intact after the burning fire.

The sheriff had tried his hardest to get here in time, smelling the fire and gotten on his favorite horse and rode as fast as he could to get here, already seeing the people try to get his attention while some were injured stopping the wanted outlaw. It was driving him crazy how this person always seemed to get away with ease, right under his nose, yet you were smarter than most outlaws before you, not trying to taunt him. Not going too far to spark up more towns fear, but close enough to where he was questioning even those around him. Because how were you getting away with all of this?

Each crime scene always had a note left behind though the writing was hard to read, making it even harder to link it to anyone's writing, even if they tried to write as fast as the person. The notes would state why the place burned, or even why the person was killed and just left to stay there. It annoyed him because he too wanted to bring these people to justice, but others were fearing for their lives. They were trying to help him figure this out, trying to see why this all started happening and why. It happened around a couple years ago, he first woke up to see someone’s house being set on fire as a warning, now it just became another day with another dead end.

It was driving him insane, how was this person getting away no matter how close he got, even when he was sure he was just right there. But all he could do was look around the damage, seeing the burned remains and trying to get the evidence as best as he could. Trying his hardest and being careful, leaving the taps around for when he comes back to examine yet another scene, looking at the flagpole with anger in his eyes before turning back to the little remains of the doorway. Opening the note to see what was the reason this time. He wanted to understand why, what did this person do that deserves a crime, and will the evidence be plastered along the wall post of the town. Unfolding the familiar texture of the paper and staring at the writing, standing still while hearing the huff sound of his horse.

Name: Junseo Kang, oldest of the Kang family, sent to the outlands because of crimes.

Reason for death: Trafficking dead corpses for the new android models in the city. Tried to kill another family to send another payment.

Sign by: little viper.

Side note: Sorry you didn’t get to see the fun. It was a very interesting scream fest, MITO.

Crumbling the paper in his hands before stuffing it in his pocket, he would use it for tonight's fire, but he needed to go back to the town, and it was going to take him a while to get back there. Softly petting the side of his favorite horse, getting back on and beginning the ride home. This was the fast way to get around in the outlands. The never once dark sky that was filled with multiple colors with the soft rumbles of thunder in the background. The sky was never just one color anymore; it was a mixture of colors like a rainbow, but they were dim for now. Meaning that it was getting dark, and he needed to get home. These attacks never happened during the day or even as a string, they were random. Never on the same day next week, and it always keeps him on edge. But he needed to get back, check on the others, and make sure of his favorite person before sleeping.

He always got home quick if he could, even though he was doing best to get there fast but he knew you, there was never no sleep till around 1am. If anything, he knew you were awake, hiding somewhere or either at your favorite pub just waiting for him to get back home. Even when there were days where he never got back till later, he wondered what he was about to walk into whenever he went, but he had to drop off more things at the station, resting his horse in the stable close by before walking inside the dimly lit office. He was now the only one here, but that was just because he was late getting back, otherwise he would have thanked everyone for coming in as he always does. Walking to the dimly lit desk, he opened the overstuffed drawer before adding the evidence to a new folder, knowing he was gonna have to go over this in the morning before trying to get anything else done. Even just the thought of it was making him tired and annoyed at it, but he always had his favorite person to rely on.

He didn’t want to ride his horse there; he enjoyed walking home when it was dark, no one was really out late because they knew MITO was always awake and looking around. Even if he wasn’t looking, he always seemed to hear everything. He was there even if it wasn’t physically there. But either way, he wasn’t focused on that right now; he wanted to talk to you, and he couldn’t wait much longer. After making sure the place was locked, the alarms were there and ready, and when they were, he walked. He was keeping things to himself while walking to the locked door. Looking around to see if any lights were on that he could see, but there was nothing. Tilting his head slightly, he opened the door as quietly as he could. The house was dim, maybe you were asleep?

Work for you is always tiring. It was barely past midnight, like you were asleep this late. Even if you were that tired, he would hear your sleepy rambles from the door. Since sometimes your room door was never closed all the way, he wanted to call out to you, but he also didn’t want to alert someone in case they were lurking around and trying to find another way to run. So he kept his footsteps slow and quiet, looking around ever so slightly with his one eye while listening with his ears as close as he could, before getting surprised by the bathroom light being turned on, with you standing in the doorway with your pjs on, by the looks of it, you just finished taking a shower and just got done putting on the clothes.

“You look like you were waiting for an attacker to jump out at you. You can turn the lights on Mito, it’s just me in here. No one is breaking into the house of the most notorious sheriff unless they want to die slowly.”

Slowly flipping on the halfway light you could see him just a little, his hat was still on but you could see his face since he had it tilted up more. His shoulders seemed to relax while the wings that were wrapped around him, letting some feathers fall before hiding them away, knowing you would try to tease him with his own loose feather and make sure to never lose it. He didn’t need that when he wanted to come home after a long tiring day and needed to figure it out. But he also took it off, setting it down on the table with the mysterious eye facing the door, looking around to make sure no one else was nearby since it could see things the human eye couldn’t see on their own. His shoes were off and near the door, since it was a rule for no shoes to come past the door unless they were new since all the sand would get stuck in the carpet, making it nearly impossible to clean with all the small grains of sand.

“Well the lights were off, and you almost never leave them off when I’m gone, were you trying to scare me, little spider?”

If there was one thing about Mito that people only saw around you, it was that he loved to tease you, and only you. If anyone else was trying to tease or flirt with him, he would ignore them and carry on with his day, but with you he would flirt nonstop, some say flirting, others say teasing. Either way, it was never ending with you. That is all that matters to him, along with making sure that you were safe and comfortable with what he was saying and doing.

“Hmm, scaring you is impossible, mister. You Don’t get scared that easily. Let alone from me.”

Letting out a deep chuckle, he softly shook his head while rolling his shoulders, helping them relax even just a little while you walked over to him, leaning against the wall just a little to see what else he had to say, or if he was going to do anything else in the meantime. He walked closer with his arms crossed against his chest; he was more than happy to see you, at least you were safe and home with him, despite having to share what some thought was a small house, it was more so spilt into an attic, main floor, and then a basement neither of you really walked into for anything else related to it. Though sometimes he would be down there, but he would never tell you why he would go down there, at least not the truth, he would always say that he was just making sure the house would not fall, or the foundation wasn’t having cracks.

“The only way you’d scare me, is if something was truly wrong and you went missing. And that would ruin a lot of lives. I can’t be without my little spider for too long.”

“I’d always find a way back to you, tall man. I’m not that defenseless when you’re not there.”

He playfully rolled his eyes before walking back to the kitchen, turning on the ceiling light and walking over to the stove, wondering if anything got cooked and he wondered what he was gonna see. He hoped there would be some kimchi, but he wanted something else to go with it as a pairing with them. He was always starving after work and he needed something else to eat along with something sweet to drink, knowing if it was water he was gonna devour everything within seconds. And he was happy to see kimchi paired with gopchang. He knew he was gonna eat well with all of this and knew that slightly larger black and white bowl with chopsticks was his. He smiled while getting the bowl and getting his own portion, though he was still trying to keep his ears out, he wanted to know where you were in the house and that he wanted to be prepared before he bumped into you while holding his bowl in his hands.

He could hear the small soft footsteps getting closer, you were close behind him. He could slightly hear it just a little more, turning to you while carefully setting the lid back on the pots, seeing you look proud of your cooking and having his things set out when he got back from work, knowing he wasn’t gonna get home till later. Truly no one ever feels like having to make their own food after working so long, and then being stressed with this wanted outlaw, knowing it was driving him crazy with how long they were getting away with the crimes they’ve gotten away with. He was gonna catch them, and make them pay for all the crimes they were doing, even if it came at the cost of losing. Even if he made a deal, one way or another a punishment was going to be made and followed through, and there was no getting away from it.

“All of this is amazing. You even had the bowl ready and everything? For little old me?”

“Do you like it? I knew you were gonna be starving after working practically all day.”

“No hard working sheriff needs to come home and make his own food. Besides, I wanted to make something and hopefully have it warm before you got home. Before you got here, I had made it and showered.”

“Lucky me, this is delicious, and it’s still nicely warm. I can eat this and then relax in the bath. My joints are killing me.”

“Hopefully by now the hot water should be good, since you enjoy having the longer hot baths instead of a nice quick shower.”

“Hey, baths are amazing and the best way to relax.”

“Or you could sit in the actual sauna you had customized in the backyard, it’ll be better.”

Mito wanted to throw a counter back to that, but he knew you were right. Because he enjoyed sitting in warm, nearly hot water without having to get up or anything. In a bath, the water gets cold easily. Then he has to get cleaned up in the cold water and then be upset that his relaxation time is being interrupted because of cold water. Instead, he happily ate his bowl of food before walking to his room, the feathers softly bouncing with each step he took but made no sounds whatsoever. Going up the wooden staircase to the left where his large room was, his room was always lit by only lamps he collected or made, covering all windows in his room so not only can anyone find or peek in his room, but no sunlight seeps through and blinds his eye more.

“Night Y/n, remember if you need to knock for something just do so.”

He watched you nod before walking to your room, he just wanted to eat before he did anything else. Not entirely sitting on his bed while standing in his room trying his hardest not to sit down, because he knew that tomorrow was going to tire him out. He had a plan; it was gonna be stupid to set up, but right now he was enjoying the taste, he was humming while softly dancing around, not doing a lot but swaying side to side. Trying not to eat too fast and choke but he also knew if he ate too slow he was gonna let it get too cold.

“Maybe tomorrow I can bathe, since it would be the one day off I get, and I won’t go unless I’m called in. Gods, I’m so tired, this case has gone on for longer than a month.”

Walking to one of his walls, pinned with all the letters, photos and locations of every crime he arrived and had to examine. His detailed map of everything, the person never went far, the longest distance the person has gone was the crime he got today. They have a hit list of the highest people who came to the other side to get away from the pressure of the city when their crimes caught up with them, making sure no one followed them before they tried to go back under a different alias. It was a problem, but some have gotten used to living out here and on their own or in communities and expanding on their own homes. But these were the people who wanted to look like they disappeared before coming back only to ruin more lives, he wanted to find those people in a safer way.

“I’m going to find you, and we are going to have a talk about this before anything else. If I can catch you before anything worse happens.”

Breaker here

“you know, you poking around with all these files is gonna give you away. Most of these people know nothing about the ones you’re going for other than him? So risky and so nosey.”

The outlaw could only roll their eyes while looking at the colorfully chaotic man who was sitting on a large wooden desk. His legs crossed together, showing off his bright dark green pants with bright pink hearts, and the same goes for the buttoned up top with a heart matching color shirt. His short blonde hair with some red, blue and yellow streaks in his hair, while applying his favorite blue lipstick, after he finished applying his favorite blush and sparkles to his cheeks. Only being able to contact the outlaw from a nearly broken phone since this was the only way to communicate without making too much noise, or people being able to decipher what was being said.

The outlaw could only roll their eyes on the other side of the phone, being quiet on their side not sure if anyone would try to find them and expose them to someone they didn’t need to be exposed to. Keeping their face covered with a hat, hiding under one of the rare trees while hiding in the leaves, knowing during this time the leaves would change their color into a pitch black, showing that it was now time for bed, since the clouds would dim but the lightning would never stop, but would get dimmer and quieter as the hours went on before getting louder, meaning it was now morning.

“He’s a good guy, great even. But none of those scumbags need to be coming here only to leave and put more targets on our backs. Plus, I’m bored.”

The colorful man could only shake his head, rolling around before letting his legs hang in the air while kicking them softly, looking at the messy whiteboard of more people. The last picture was harder to find, but it would be the nail in the coffin for him. This person was going to get found out, and he was gonna die just like the other and there would be little to no solving his case and it would slowly get turned into a cold case with little to no leads, though after this one the other outlaws were going to be the issue. Most of them were harder to hunt down, but the locations were there and pinned down with the best drawn maps the two of them could make from memory and their best. It wasn’t the best, but it was something and that’s all they needed in a situation like this.

The maps and illustrations of the targets laid across the board like a display, pinned with thumbtacks with red glitter paint showing that they were now dead. The rich people were almost dead on the other side, but the outlaws needed to be rounded up and that was gonna make hiding even harder since the outlaw groups can move silently in groups, making it harder to pinpoint.

“The last man will be easy and you can take him out easily, though not tonight. Your little boyfriend upstairs is walking upstairs, better get to hiding y/n-innie~”

Hiding the phone in a very thin place to even notice, y/n snuck into one of the hidden walkways they had made in the house and quietly made their way back to their room. Carefully landing on the bed and wrapping themselves in the blanket MITO made them and closed their eyes, facing the door knowing Mito would look if you were truly asleep. Knowing there are some nights when you “couldn’t sleep” and he would talk your ear off, his voice would help soothe you to sleep and even help with nightmares, as he likes to say. And he isn’t wrong, his deep yet smooth voice can do a lot when it's needed most and he enjoys it. Better than nothing he could’ve imagined, but would never know.

“Awe, Goodnight Y/n.”

Listening to the sound of the door closing and his heavy footsteps leaving the room, y/n slowly opened their eyes and just stared at the door. He was an amazing guy, sure maybe sometimes he would get mad at the never ending case with the outlaw and the assassinations with the cryptic notes that never seemed to end, but that never stopped MITO from being as nice without a care in the world and wanting nothing more than to just help protect you, seeing you smile and knowing that he’s making your day better even in the slightest. But that didn’t make doing this any easier when the times he was nice would come to play, or when he would send you a sad face because he was really staying late at the station or because he missed you and wanted to go home, but also just wanted to make sure you were okay.

But this was for your home, the place you freely left and got to call a home. Being able to walk freely here without having to fear for safety or if someone was going to try anything with their new tech or if business were going to keep trying to pull others down with them, keeping them out permanently wasn’t something the other side was equipped with the needed materials to do so, sending them back was getting harder to do and people were started to suspect the other side was up to something, or they just truly never wanted to leave, nor writing letters sharing what they’re seeing.

“I hope one day you’ll forgive me.

“He lives this far out? Are you kidding me?”

“Nope! This is the biggest outlaw organization out here, and as always they want you, mainly alive. So you have to be careful when trying to go in there and kill off the leader, you dunce. Their radio signals are gonna start messing with that earpiece, so you better destroy it now before they realize I’m there, and you better let me know you’re okay, understand?”

“I will be fine, if not then well you better come and visit me if I'm in the hospital. I won’t die.”

Dropping the device, making sure nothing could’ve been left behind or traced back to them, making sure nothing was able to be used against them. Slipping the mask over their mouth, and the hat over their eyes only leaving space for their nose to breathe. Fixing their shoes so no sounds would be heard, making sure the bottoms stayed covered and no charms or zippers would make any noise when trying to sneak inside from the bottom vent systems. The hard part of this was getting through, because there were hidden guard posts everywhere, making it nearly impossible to even get through unless it was the split minutes before the night lights would shine through on the ground with the little patrol cards being nearby ready to radio back anything that looked wrong and ask if they should bring them in dead or alive.

But the perks of being small is being able to sneak into places and staying quiet easier. But it didn’t make this part of the job any easier, having to quietly put things back into place and hope no one was going to deep dive into this was the scary part. Because if they did, it would be the entire base against them, and with the amount of people here, that was going to be a hard thing to manage even alone. Even if two people came to help, the hard part would find all of them if anyone were to flee hoping to escape being punished for their crimes they all have committed and were being linked to, knowing there was no escaping being killed or locked away for years only to rot away into nothing more than bones and dust. Since the ground in some places was impossible to dig, people would be cremated and their ashes would either be dumped into a secret place so no one can get them, or they would be respected by the families, depending on if any of them committed any serious crimes or not.

The mission was simple, in some aspects. Find the main computer space and wipe everything relating to y/n in their database so there was truly no finding out their true identity to use it against themselves or try to make a twisted lie of them staring an outlaw group or was falsely working with other outlaw groups and getting caught up in their actions. After all, if the proof is well constructed, sometimes your words won’t always help even if a deep enough of a dive was done to help construct it. Quietly kneeling down on their hands and knees, crawling through the clean vents while also looking around to make sure there were no cameras to peek or find their exact location. Despite their friend being able to mess with the cameras, this was also something harder, like trying to look into anything was going to be more of a challenge without setting off an alarm and getting their location exposed, though Insanity enjoys a good game of cat and mouse.

The vent system was more of a challenge to navigate without the fear of someone hearing where you are and trying to follow the sound of you slowly moving through. MITO was off looking for this base, meaning he was gone for a week to figure this out, and he would come back in a week since he got the anonymous tip that the base would be here and to bring as many as he could while keeping some officers in the little town to be safe while he was absent. He was on his way in his favorite old style black car, enjoying the chase knowing he was already taking out as many drivers, knowing they were getting thrown in as many cars behind him while he kept chasing the car in front of him.

Knowing this one had to be an important figure if they were being surrounded by around 10 cars in total. But that didn’t make things any easier back at the base, trying to find the main room without setting off any alarms, opening vents is not an option in case they are in the wrong room. Not everyone has access to the higher level rooms, the codes changing every hour but the mask everyone has to wear nearly stays the same. Getting closer and closer to a dead-end, meaning the only way to get out was going down. Quietly open the bottom vent and make their way as best as they can with the little map they have. Hoping everything was correct and there was nothing missing and that hopefully no one would be here to catch them.

Holding their breath and getting the vent opened, no screws falling and having to be as quiet as possible, landing on the ground in the brightly lit room. The computer was right there, but something felt wrong, entirely too wrong for the room to be this quiet and easy to get into. No one moved, if anything it felt like someone could drop a pin and the entire room would echo the sound before anyone was going to make a move. Something felt off about being here, slowly looking around and staying still as a statue, hoping someone else would make a sound, the screens would flash, hoping that anything would happen before slowly moving anyway, but their attention was drawn to the screen. It was like people had to leave for a reason. Slowly standing up, but keeping a hunch in case there were any trip wires or laser being hidden, y/n slowly walked to the screen and looked at one of them, seeing the camera pick up the scene of the second hand being tossed around by a sheriff in all black, his infamous hat on with his pistol being spun around while grabbing the person with one hand.

Seeing their panting and bloody face, this meant that MITO was near, and people were scattering to take the needed precautions before they would get wiped out by a man who never seemed to take his coat off. But the shocker for y/n came when the black feather coat expanded into a pair of wings with the feathers circling around him. Flying out in different directions, pinning down the others that were trying to run away or call for more backup. His face was staying hidden because of the hat, but this was clearly something new that not even y/n knew. And Mito was terrible at keeping secrets, but there was no time to ask questions. Looking at the other screens, y/n had to go to one that wasn’t entirely tied to the cameras to erase everything before going to get someone's head and deliver it to MITO on another day. Taking out the drive they were sent days before this mission, plugging it into one of the smaller ones, and watching the screen flicker with a bar quickly loading while showing a little text saying erasing data.

The screen was flashing from either the data being erased, to MITO’s feathers stabbing people in their ankles to make sure they can’t run away from their sentencing or getting taken by the other officers in the area. The eye that always stayed in the middle of his hat was looking around quickly while he kept walking. His hands stayed close to his pockets before getting to the main door, this is where things were going to get interesting, if his eye can see everything, even some places that others can’t see without a light, or not being able to see at all, yet he could find everything, the crows surrounding the place allowing him to have some sort of cover.

Walking inside of the silent base, the crows stayed outside till everyone was being locked away in cars and sent back the fastest way possible; the jailhouse getting packed with members from this group, bounties being collected, with the mainland being contacted to check if there were any wanted outlaws they were looking for and wanted to have back and handle on their own terms and no longer be a danger to the other side. But with the leader of this entire group being wanted alive, they were going to serve out their remaining sentence in the most secure prison the mainland offered, since the other side would’ve had them killed on sight and there was too much evidence for them to die in such a simple way with nothing else to offer. They needed to be handled in the best interest of those who were wrong by him, or hear there was never any confirmation on what was happening here with the person.

“it would be better if you came outside, you know. I don’t enjoy having to chase an already losing fight.”

Walking through the silent halls, turning his head fully around to see what the second eye was seeing. Trying to see past the walls so he can track the remaining outlaws in the building. Looking down to see if there were any more settlements down there and if anyone else was down there, but there was someone running up the stairs to his location. He can handle the person downstairs in a minute and make sure if anything, if anything, that means more intel about anyone else connected to the main hub of the outlaws. His wings wrapping his shoulders to hide his arms and chest, just in case any of the defenses would go off and attempt to strike at him while he slowly walked to the running person. They wouldn’t have gotten far, the outside was littered with ravens, crows and more officers ready to escort this one to the mainland and get him out of the other side.

The only concerning thing was the person in the basement, they hadn't moved and seemed like they were waiting for something to happen. Despite MITO getting closer to the doors, his body tensed and went on guard with his hat covering his one eye, the eye on his hat looking around as quick as always before opening the doors, watching them fly off the hinges to the opposite sides, in the middle of the room the person chained up with their arms being high in the ceiling, their legs slightly dangling just inches above the ground. But what confused him more, was that it was the outlaw he was looking for. The outfit and everything was there, the mask and hat were on the floor tossed aside and their head was hanging low like they were collecting themselves after just getting out of a fight.

Slowly walking closer, MITO slowly raised their head with his hand only to have a look of shock and amusement, just a little. Here he was, ready to taunt the outlaw before handling them back at the station. Only to find out that the infamous outlaw that was annoying him, was his best friend who would make him food when he was working too hard. The same friend who would tease him about his feathers still assuming that it was just a coat he would never take off unless he was falling asleep in his room, trying to hide something from you that no one else was going to see, not even you. And now here we are, him watching you slowly wake up and getting used to the bright lights while he examined you. Letting your head fall back down while he slowly walked around you.

“I didn’t think you would take the nickname Viper so seriously. Though your bite doesn’t exactly sting when someone’s used to it, now does it?”

Watching you slowly wake up, moving your head around before seeing him, gathering what happened before getting here was a stretch. It was a deadly situation but seeing MITO standing there, looking at you with his head tilted to the left side as he watched you rapidly blink. Arms shaking the chains only for the sound to be a reminder that they aren’t getting out. Their legs only dangling but there is barely any room to attempt anything. Getting out wasn’t an easy feat, not with MITO, he would move before you could even react. It won’t always work given the fact of how tall he is, along with how puff and strong he is and isn’t scared to use it to his advantage if he has to in order to get out of a situation. But instead of him being mad, he seemed to be more curious than anything.

“I wonder how you manage this for so long. All those annoying notes? Clearly you have someone else working for you, or are you working for someone else, oh I wonder how you got in this situation.”

“I… Can’t exactly tell you. How the-”

“I’m asking the questions right now. You want to get out of those chains now don’t you? I can’t imagine by the scars on your pretty face that you’re already uncomfortable.”

Leaning closer to your ear, he whispered just to watch you shiver, trying to hold the chains above them with their feet slightly kicking in the hair, trying to avoid as much eye contact with Mito as much as possible. Giving quick side glances before his gloved hand reached your chin, holding it in place and making sure your gaze was stuck on him, and nothing else in the room. A smirk on his face while watching your cheeks flustered while trying to stay still in his grip, but it was pointless, how does one get away from a gaze like this one?

“You know getting out of here will be impossible, not with all the officers waiting for me to walk outside and give the clear that everything got done and soon more outlaw post hiding more dangerous and unwelcome guests are here. Do you really want to be stuck in a packed, sweaty and dark place without me there?”

“Seeing me in chains is bringing out a different side of you, mister. Are you sure you weren’t waiting for this moment?”

“Hm, not really. But I’ll take what I can get. But you still have a question to answer, mister outlaw.”

“There isn’t much I can give you, I can’t exactly tell you how I’m getting the information I have.”

Watching him tilt his head, there was nothing he could do to make you spill who was giving you the information. That would be pointless and make the others impatient about waiting outside when they need to hurry and get home. But that wasn’t stopping him from teasing you, asking questions where he could and trying to use this situation to his advantage. How could he pass up this moment?

“Doesn’t mean we can’t work together still. Since you can sneak into places easier, and because there's cameras meaning you’ve seen how I handle many groups. We can make this easy, but you also know you have to give me something in return.”

“And what do you want from me?”

Using his other hand, he reached up and gripped your hand, despite the harsh cold metal of the chains to hold your hand in between it. His eye never leaving yours while he slowly got closer, this was way better than just asking you out without sounding too corny for his liking. This was showing you just how far he can go in the right circumstances, even if there were people outside who could hear from the vents if they tried hard enough to listen to it.

“Not only are we going to be working together, but you will be mine. Can’t risk having you run off all alone and get yourself in this kind of situation again now can I? People already fear me when you’re not around, can you imagine the fear if I found out you got taken from me?”

The hand holding your chin never left while he got closer, his smirk was sharp while watching your reaction, wanting to see what you could come up with, not agreeing means he has to answer to the rules he has to follow or seeing the chaos from afar of how angry he can get. And that is something he tries his hardest to hide from you when he’s at work and far away and just overall annoyed.

His head tilted to the side slightly, his hand slowly breaking the chains as if they were nothing but dust in his hands now. He slowly set you down and while enjoying the look on your eye before taking you out of the room. He knew the answer; it showed all over his face while making sure you were walking either beside him, or behind him. He wasn’t letting you go, after all how could he do that during this entire time, when he was gone for a week and here you were trying to handle the situation all alone. Though instead of him being more angry about it, he was more interested in how you did this for so long.

But trying to go after the person would be pointless. What would he gain from that other than adding another name to the list of people to be worried about what they were doing behind his back and he didn't do that anymore.

Opening the large doors MITO gave the all clear, walking to his old style black car while the old base was being searched for any more evidence to be stacked, which will add more to the sentencing and how they should be handled. Opening the car door for you, helping you sit in the passenger side so you can’t try to hide yourself in the backseat while he drives back home. Sitting in the driver's side of the car and driving with one hand, exactly how he was used to driving. His car didn’t exactly have a radio to play music, but the only one he has is the officer radio, he never answers them, unless he’s too far or it’s one-word answers.

“What’s gonna happen when we get back home?”

“You should know. We’ll be in my room tonight, and there is no getting out of it. Unless you want people to barge in when we’re half naked.”

“You aren’t hiding anything anymore are you? The same man who hated sex scenes in the movies we would watch?”

“I didn’t like the fake sounds nor did I need any more ideas on what I could do if I ever tried to. Unless you wanted a reason to see those kinds of things.”

Sitting back against the chair, trying to hide in the chair because this was going to be a long drive, sure they had the devices quickly sending the more dangerous and wanted outlaws back, but MITO loved the long drives. Enjoying the sky that never ended and often the quiet area around him, the soft or loud rumbles of the thunder brought him more comfort than being alone with his thoughts that for some would make them question how this was the same quiet officer who would help them with the smaller things around the town with little rewards given?

Having to stop at some point annoyed him more than anything. He wanted to get you home, slipping off every piece of clothing on you, leaving it around the small house you two shared and making sure he could taste every part of you without worry or without fail. He loved his car, and he didn’t exactly have enough back space to try anything the way he wanted to. But that didn’t stop his mind from wondering how you two would be able to do anything in such a space. That made his mind wander more while he seemed to drive after the long clouds of dust and sand.

“Mito, you’re rubbing me while trying to drive, what in the world are you thinking?”

Looking with his other eye, Mito saw that y/n was right. But he wasn’t just rubbing his thigh like he thought, his hand was right above his cock, and since there was nearly nowhere to back away or hide from it, the pants were getting tighter, and y/n was twitching and whimpering while looking at him. MITO wasn’t speeding, but he also wasn’t going too slow. But they still had a long drive to go, how were they getting in any sort of housing to handle this in? Any motels had thin walls and you could hear anyone moaning on the other side of the wall, and most of the time it was still annoying to hear when all you want to hear are the sounds of your partner moaning in your ear.

“Oh, just some interesting things, but would you like me to stop moving my hand?”

“Park the car, please. We both know we aren’t making it anywhere unless you have enough energy to even bring the car back to the station and then having to get us home, you’d get annoyed at how tired you are.”

Smirking softly, MITO parked the car, staying near the tracks of the other cars before making sure his seat was as far back as possible. Moving his hat on the dashboard before seeing y/n on his lap, shoulders resting on his broad ones while leaning down for a rough and heated kiss. Y/n tugging his loose jacket and rubbing his bare chest, since it was rare that MITO ever wore a shirt. Making it easier for touches and chest rubs, especially in a situation like this and how comfortable it all felt. Their lips clashing and nearly eating at each other's lips, their tongues trying to clash against each other while y/n was grinding their hips against MITO’s crotch.

It was something different and something raw, just for the two of them while trying to get off their clothes and piling them up elsewhere in the car. Every time they pulled away to even try to catch a breath, MITO would soon leave kisses and hickies on y/n’s neck. Letting them try their hardest to breathe, their hands slowly pushing down MITO’s black leather jacket past his shoulders while his arms were holding y/n close, his large hands gripping onto y/n’s back, shoulders, and even their ass just to have something to hold, leaving as many marks as he could.

Tossing off his jacket to the side, pulling off your shirt and throwing it to the empty seat next to him while his large hands kept trying to have a grasp on their bare skin. Feeling y/n’s soft hands on his shoulders and chest still trying to jump and grind as much as possible just to hear something, each groan was like another spark each time. The pants needed to be off, everything needed to be off and tossed around somewhere. Even if it was just a little they needed something.

“This is not how I imagined our first time being, I had so many ideas of how to take you and drive you insane, but this will have to do till we arrive back home.

“How are you actually this big? Holy shit!”

The leather pants pulled down to allow his throbbing cock air to breathe and allowed y/n to look down and admire it. Watching y/n crawling back to the passenger seat to get in at a certain angle, leaning over to lick the tip but with the inside of the car, it was harder to handle, so he quickly pulled you closer. Squeezing your thighs and looking up at you with eyes of worship, his hair a mess and some resting in front of his eye but he could still see you, holding you close over his tip while trying to make sure you were looking down at him still.

“We can worry about all the things we want to try at home, right now I just need to feel you and hear you. I want to hear everything from you. Please.”

Seeing MITO beg to please you was something no one else would ever see except you. No one else would ever see him begging for anyone else’s touch except for yours and there was nothing else stopping either of you. Kissing your shoulders and chest, letting the sounds of y/n fill his ears while watching everything slowly disappear inside of you, biting his lip to hear you as loud as possible in his ear. Holding you close as if he could nearly lose you at any point in time. His mouth stayed latched onto any parts of skin he could get like a baby just leaving as many hickies as he could.

“Move when you're ready, I’ll match with you okay? I’ll repay you when we get home, I promise.”

Looking to see you, watching you slow finding the pace to bounce at. The way you bite your bottom lip while your eyes stay locked onto each other despite the condensation growing on the car windows and making it hard to see inside or even outside the car, making this even better with the sound of skin slapping against each other. MITO watches you bounce faster while trying to buck his hips up to match with you. His whimpers weren’t loud, but you could slightly hear them when laying your head on his shoulder. Scratching down his arms while meeting his thrust in the middle of each one.

It was like one of his favorite fantasies played out in front of him. Even if it wasn’t the way he truly wanted to, this was just fueling the idea of what would happen when he finally got home. It was something he never wanted to end, and just enjoying the show, But just imagine, what was going to happen when you got back home?

Pushing you against the wall, MITO picked you up and latched his lips onto your already fading purple neck. He was already melting at the broken sound coming from you while the two of you were trying to take off the already half thrown on clothes. That long car ride was full of nothing more than riding MITO till your legs could no longer support your body anymore. The both of you speaking your desires in each other's ears, the poor car having foggy windows to show the aftermath of what was happening. It was something chaotic for the two of you, but it was also passionate for just the two of you, and now with you two being back home, his house slightly moved back away from people to enjoy the peace he wished for and always wanted.

Pulling away to watch you fall to your knees, being excited finally sucked him off the way you always whispered in his ears in the long car ride. One hand was against the wall, the other hand was gripping your head, watching you pull down his pants and not even preparing yourself for his cock, tongue stuck out and licking the already hard tip of his hard cock and taking inside your mouth quickly, letting the drool start to pile and drip onto the floor while quickly bobbing your head. Letting out soft gagging sounds while locking eyes at his face, his closed eyes with the louder hitched breaths and whimpers while trying to stay still. His legs shaking from the amount of control he had to give just to stay up, nearly bouncing them.

His veins showing in his arms while his hand was holding you still while his hips moved, he wasn’t going faster yet, but he wanted you to get used to it. Enjoying the soft yet fast touch of your hands rubbing his thighs and messing with his balls. Despite his deep voice, the whispers he gives you in the car while speeding back home as fast as he could while letting you tease him and ride if you wanted to. Just so neither of you had to get rid of the feeling of feeling each other. The whimpers being something you enjoy, though not something you were going to gloat about to the small circle of friends you have.

“That’s it baby boy, you want me to paint your face? You want a reminder every time you even look at me, Hm?”

It was hard to get an answer at first, but feeling your head getting pulled away with your mouth still open, eyes still filled with want and desire while your face was getting painted, most of it landing on your tongue and mouth while some of it fell against your chin and bottom lip. Panting while trying to catch more and lick it clean. The two of you are locking eyes of nothing more than want and desire. Helping you get up, grabbing you and picking you up, holding your legs with his wide hands and walking up the stairs to his room. The clothes were left on the living room floor while the door to his room got kicked open, lips staying attached to each other while the hands.

He didn’t exactly drop you on the bed, but he stayed holding you close and never letting you go. Licking up and down your chest while moving your legs to his shoulders, wearing them like a necklace and enjoying the marked masterpiece in front of him and enjoying it. His smirk growing while he looked at you, he was mad he had to pull away from you but he was about to enjoy the mess he was about to create.

He fit in like a glove, like the outline of everything just fit inside perfectly, but that didn’t mean you were used to it. Every time felt like something new, watching your body react to each movement and this was his fantasy, having you under him while he could fully move the way he wanted to without worrying about cramped spaces and having to deal with nosey people. After all, there were no windows on the upstairs floor for a reason. Holding your head down with one hand, legs still slightly bouncing on his shoulders while the sound of skin slapping got louder. But it was nothing compared to the sounds you two were making.

Your nails dig into his back to leave fresh new scratches so his arms could now finally have a break from the endless scratching and little nail crescents that cover nearly his entire shoulders and upper arms. Now his back was going to be painted with scratches and nail marks for you to look and admire. His head laying on your shoulder, making it to where his mouth is near your ear. Making your body react and squeeze around him more while his cock was hitting the places he could only imagine hitting, yet he seemed to hit it every time and enjoyed the loud sounds of cries coming from you. While he was whimpering and moaning in your ear shamelessly, the room door being wide opened but the front door was closed and locked with a do not disturb sign on the door (unless it was truly important).

One hand had a tight grip on your side and the other gripping your hair was tight, but he was hoping he wasn’t pulling out any hair. The way he was trying to close the already closed space between you two, the whispers getting louder in your ear with his eyes closing.

“please, please let me cum inside, gods I want to stay inside you and feel everything squeeze around me like they never want to let me go. Oh, shit shit shit please yes yes yes, y/n!”

“Come inside MITO don’t hold it, please please please fuck!”

His whimpers of pleases and the sound of your name, the broken cries of his hand while your grips got tighter. His pleas were getting higher but still in a deep sound voice, it was enough to make his hips sputter before staying still. Biting down on your shoulder while holding your head onto his shoulder, his legs squirming against his sheets before the two of you just remained still, back arching and being pressed more against his chest while trying to pull him closer just for the two of you to stay closer to each other. Panting in each other's ear, slowly relaxing as time passed but slowly falling asleep. There was no way MITO was getting up to do anything, not with how relaxed and calm he felt, though in the morning he was definitely taking care of you.

[othersideoutlawsnetwork]

🗝₊˚⊹— Somewhere on The Other Side, an outlaw has found a key. This one opens AUD: The Bane of Her Existence. The steel key has the name Rem engraved on it.

AUD: The Bane of Her Existence

》 Pairing: non-idol!Yunho x afab!reader (again. For the most part)

》 Genre/Trope: angst/you-were-a-bet trope

》 Wordcount: 3,064 words

》 Rating: mature

》Type: series

Nets: @mirohs-aurora-society @othersideoutlawsnetwork @illusionnet

"Careful what you wish for." - Lucky Daye

A/N: there's mention of a dagger being used in detail and slight mention of killing oneself as a way to express one's loathing. there's also mention of someone being called a whore, but no one is specified

“I can’t say much about this scenario. I know how much you hate him. But for the sake of the world’s fate, set aside your grudges and help him. Please.” - Maddox

---------------------------------------------------

“JEONG FUCKING YUNHO?! ARE YOU SERIOUS?!”

“Love, calm down -”

“I’D RATHER DIE THAN HELP HIM!”

MITO sighed as you angrily ranted about how Yunho ruined your life. Seonghwa sympathized with you silently while WooSanSang looked confused. In their opinion, Yunho was the sweetest man they’ve ever met. He was the human embodiment of sunshine. If he were reincarnated as an animal, he’d definitely be a golden retriever. To hear a different and scornful view about him unsettled the trio. They talked amongst themselves and with logic seeped into their combined brain cells (there’s only one), they figured you must’ve had your reasons for hating him. However, that didn’t stop their prayers for you. Why? It was simple. 

If Hongjoong overheard you talking bad about him, he’d rip you a new one, saying something he most likely won’t mean, causing you to leave and creating an opportunity for Dabin to snatch them up and place them back in the simulation. 

They prayed he’d understand. 

“I’m not doing it. No. You’d have to pay me thousands of dollars in order to rescue the bane of my existence.”

“Y/N, please…”

You shook your head and crossed your arms. Your stubbornness was getting in the way of the mission and while you felt guilty for your selfishness, you couldn’t help it unfortunately. 

“What’s going on?”

All of you watched as the captain approached the group, his hat in his hand so he could ruffle and fix his cherry red hair. A frown appeared on his face as he saw you deep in thought. He couldn’t read your expression clearly so he turned to the others to get an explanation. WooSanSang looked the other way while MITO pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. Finally, Seonghwa spoke up. The first mate figured that if he explained, Hongjoong wouldn’t be as angry. 

“Y/N hates Yunho. Absolutely loathes him. For what? I’m not entirely sure.”

“If it’s for a petty reason, I don’t want to hear it. The virus knows we’re awake and that Y/N’s involved. The situation will become more dangerous and the corruption of the simulation will worsen.”

The harshness in Hongjoong’s voice brought you out of your thoughts. As much as you wanted to be mad at Hongjoong for sounding uncaring about your situation, you couldn’t. One, he’s the captain. Anything he says goes. Two, you weren’t willing to open up about your hatred towards Yunho so you brought this upon yourself. Three was the most important reason of them all. 

Dabin is the virus. 

And the longer you loiter around, the more likely his chances of catching you guys will increase. 

Sighing dramatically, you walked up towards Hongjoong and pushed your pride back into the deep recesses of your subconscious. Hongjoong looked at you sternly and you tried hard not to cower under his frightening gaze. 

“You’re right. My reason for my hatred is indeed petty. And I am sorry. I will still wake him up from the simulation. On one condition.”

“Name it.”

“If he tries to get near me, don’t let him. I don’t want to talk to him. I went so long without talking to him. I don’t intend to break that streak now.”

“Fine.”

You and Hongjoong shook hands and Wooyoung had to comfort San since he was the only one from the trio looking at the exchange between their savior and their captain. He felt bad for the human embodiment of a cat. He always talked about how everyone should get along since working as a team is better than working alone. After Yunho’s rescue, Wooyoung is concerned about how San will act once the atmosphere turns awkward. 

“Right then. Let’s go.”

You, MITO, and the five pirate kings headed towards the door and entered Yunho’s domain of the simulation. 

---------------------------------------------------

“Great job, man! She’ll never know! God she’s so naive.”

Yunho’s domain was both yours and his nightmare come true. You didn’t know how Dabin knew about the source of your hatred, but it seems he tapped into Yunho’s subconscious and pulled this horrid memory out of his head and forced him to relive it. You never told Dabin about Yunho out of fear of receiving judgement so you were racking your brain on how he figured it out. Seonghwa’s heart ached for both you and Yunho, San looked like he wanted to cry, WooSang were busy comforting him, Hongjoong had a forlorn expression on his face, and MITO was hugging you from behind. The captain faced you and spoke with a tinge of sympathy and slight bitterness in his tone. 

The bitterness was aimed towards Yunho. 

“So this is how you started hating Yunho. You were… a bet to him.”

You nodded solemnly and looked up at the ceiling so you could rapidly blink the tears away. 

“We were freshmen in high school. We shared the same classes. I always had the biggest crush on him yet I kept my feelings to myself out of fear of ruining the friendship I had with him. Typical story right?”

You chuckled bitterly and Hongjoong grabbed your hand before gently urging you to continue. 

He needed the full story. 

“One day, Yunho asked me out. I was over the moon when he asked me on a date. Being the naive girl I was back then, I said yes.”

MITO tightened his hold on you, willing his anger to simmer away. 

“It felt so real! The dates, compliments, secrets shared behind closed doors, and so on! He… was my first kiss.”

San yearned to hold you against him. He couldn’t handle it. 

“One day, I made the mistake of coming to school early to surprise Yunho. I found him with his friends, laughing at something. I assumed it was an inside joke. Until I heard those exact words you guys heard just now.”

“Fuck.” Wooyoung cursed under his breath. 

“I confronted him about it and he tried so hard to defend himself. Alas, he couldn’t. From that day, not only was our romantic relationship in shambles, but our friendship went up in flames. I declared my hatred towards him before walking away so I could cry it out alone in the janitor’s closet.”

“Oh, darling.” Seonghwa murmured sadly. 

“I moved schools, changed numbers, and built a routine to make sure I avoided him at all costs. I was so heartbroken.” 

You chuckled bitterly and looked up at Hongjoong. 

“I told you the reason was petty.”

Hongjoong pulled you out of MITO’s arms and into his own so he could hug you tightly. You sobbed on his shoulder and Hongjoong tried his best to calm you down. He held you close to him, kissed the side of your head, and urged the others to come forward so they could envelop you in a group hug. He lifted your head and his heart broke at the sight of the heartbroken expression on your face. 

“Firstly, let me apologize for what I said earlier. Your reason is not petty. Secondly, it now makes sense why Yunho was crying in his room that one time I caught him.”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“I walked in on Yunho experiencing a nightmare one time. I figured it was from all the fighting we had to endure. However, when I asked him what he dreamt about, he vaguely told me that he’s facing karma for hurting someone he held close to his heart.”

Wait…

“Now that I met you and have heard your story, I understand now. Listen, Y/N. I’m sorry to break our deal early, but you have to talk to him after you wake him up.”

“Hongjoong, I can’t -”

“When he first joined our crew, his head was low and he only carried one thing with him. This locket that he always wore wherever we went. He would always open it to look at the picture inside it, close it, and hold it close to his chest, muttering heartfelt apologies.”

Hongjoong sighed and continued. 

“It took him a long time to return back to his old self. Whenever he would finish an enemy, he would always say ‘Careful what you wish for.’ before walking away. Hearing your story and connecting it to his grief explains so much. It may seem like I’m taking his side, but I’m not. I’m laying out the facts. It’s up to you to hear him out after you wake him up. For now, focus on the task at hand. Please.”

With a defeated sigh, you nodded and wiped away the remaining tears on your face before straightening yourself and walking away from the group so you could face Yunho and wake him up from this nightmare. 

“Oh shit! Here she comes.” 

Yunho’s friends giggled and dispersed quickly as you approached him. You forgot how tall he was so you craned your neck upwards to look at him properly. You resisted the urge to look away. After all this time, he still looked painfully handsome. His dark blue hair further accentuated his features, the baby fat surrounding his face disappeared, and he looked more rugged. You quickly glanced down at his beautiful hands and saw many scars littering his knuckles. The scars ranged from picking out roses in thorny bushes to past battles he endured. As you looked back up at him, the warmth of his deep brown eyes remained. 

He was so in love with you. 

“Hey, Natasha.”

“Hi, Yunho.”

Yunho enveloped you in a warm embrace yet you couldn’t bring yourself to hug him back. You never got the chance to since you ran away to process your thoughts. Yunho pulled back and frowned when he realized that you didn’t hug him back. 

“Baby, how come you didn’t hug me back? Is something wrong?”

The words got caught in your throat. He was just as caring as he was before. You looked away momentarily, leaving Yunho worried. He grabbed your chin gently and turned your head so you could look at him. His hand cupped your cheek and his thumb wiped away the tear that fell from your eye. 

“Hey. Talk to me.”

“What were you laughing about with your friends?”

Yunho’s face paled as you asked the first of many questions you always wanted to ask him. Beads of sweat dripped down his face slowly as you waited for an answer. You kept looking behind him just in case his friends were planning on pulling him away. 

“It’s nothing, babe -”

“Are you sure? It definitely didn’t look like nothing to me.”

You were sure by now that his friends would try to pull him away. When you looked behind him, you saw MITO, Matz, and WooSanSang with death glares on their faces. Their glares were pointed at Yunho’s friends, who looked scared to even move an inch. You were relieved for their help. You needed answers so you could have a semblance of closure and wake him up at the same time. 

“Baby…”

“You’ve been acting shady ever since we started dating. If something is wrong, tell me.”

Yunho was getting more nervous by the minute. 

“You know I don’t play games. Careful with your next words.”

Finally, Yunho lowered his head and sobbed into his hands. This definitely didn’t happen before and you couldn’t help but comfort him. You pulled him into a hug and Yunho held onto you for dear life, afraid to lose you. 

“I’m sorry! I’m so fucking sorry! Please don’t leave me! Please!”

Yunho hiccuped through his desperate pleas and cries as he held you tightly. You shushed him and rubbed his back as he continued sobbing. He lifted his head and your heart torn in two as you saw the painful expression on his face. 

“I won’t leave if you just tell the truth.”

“But what if the truth hurts?!”

“Lying will only hurt you more.”

Yunho sighed shakily and loosened his hold on you yet his hands remained on your waist. 

“Ok… listen carefully. The truth is… you were a bet.”

“A bet…?”

You heard it before, but hearing them again in this context somehow made it less painful. 

“I made a bet with my friends to see how long I would last with you. It was the worst decision I’ve ever made! I should’ve listened to you when you claimed they were bad influences. They never cared about me from the start! I never should’ve gone to them for guidance in confidence boost. I will cut them off at your command. Just please… don’t leave me.”

He lowered his head.

“I know things won’t be the same and I won’t blame you if you decided to end things right now. But if you forgive me, I’ll work hard to make sure to gain your trust back whether as a friend or lover.”

The most logical decision was to end things and cut him off. However, your heart ruled over your head after hearing the words you wanted to hear for so long. You cupped his face and made him look at you. 

“Yunho… I am mad at you. Mad that you took on this stupid bet by your stupid friends. However, thank you for telling me.”

You dropped your hands from his face and held his hands. 

“I think we should end things. Romantically that is. However, I will still forgive you and remain friends. If you mean what you say, then I’ll support you in your endeavors to earn my trust back.” 

Yunho’s mouth stretched into that wide loving smile you know and loved so dearly. Before he could speak, the lights went out suddenly. You both jumped at the sound of the bulbs bursting. You looked behind him to see MITO and the five pirate kings getting into fighting stances, ready to take on whatever they face. 

“Pathetic.” 

You heard Dabin’s voice yet you didn’t know where he was. You saw the six men disappear one by one and you grew afraid that Dabin kicked MITO out and placed the others back into the simulation. Yunho inhaled sharply as Dabin appeared behind him and held his dagger to the taller man’s throat. 

“You forgave this asshole on the spot? After I worked hard to ensure that he will suffer?!”

“Dabin, I never told you about Yunho!”

“You didn’t have to. I just had to delve into his mind and make it come true.”

“Let him go!”

“After he fucking hurt you?! Are you crazy?!”

“Listen!” You exclaimed. 

“This is already enough punishment for Yunho. The what ifs, pain, and tears. If you don’t let him go -”

“What will you do? Bore me to death with your endless voice saying to wake up?”

Dabin’s eyes widened as you grabbed his hand and shoved him against the nearest wall. His dagger was in your hands and the blade was pressed against his throat. You were nose to nose with your ex-husband, a fiery rage in your eyes as you stared him down. He chuckled lowly and bit his lip. 

“Damn. Seems like this little jasmine grew thorns around her stem.”

“After you left with your whore, I swore off love since you left me more broken than Yunho.”

Something in Dabin’s eyes shifted. You thought he left you for someone else? He scoffed bitterly and curled his fingers around your wrist before closing them and flipping your positions around with impressive strength so you were pressed up against the wall. Your hands were pinned above your head and the dagger was back in his hand. The tip of the blade was dangerously close to your eye and his breathing was ragged. The black veins on his neck were growing until the ends of them touched his jawline. He leaned in closer and you held your breath to see what he would do. All of a sudden, he did something unexpected. 

His lips pressed against your cheek gently before slowly pulling away. 

‘Why did he do that?’

“I never left you. And I could never love someone else. Not when I have you.”

He let you go and ran a hand through his dirty blonde hair before looking at you, his dagger pointing at you. 

“Go. Go! Before I do something I’ll forever regret. Just like Yunho.”

You didn’t dare look back as you ran away from him. You didn’t see him clutch his head but you did hear him scream in pain. However, you pushed forward and reached for the door before swinging it open and jumping through. A pair of long arms caught you as the door closed and disappeared behind you. 

“Y/N.”

You looked up to see a different and fully awake Yunho looking down at you with concern. 

Three piece suit, long black trench coat, and a black fur shawl thrown over his right shoulder. You then looked at his hair. It went from short and dark blue to long and black with streaks of dark red. It wasn’t dark enough to be either a maroon or cherry wine shade and it definitely wasn’t bright enough to match WooSanHwa’s hair. 

“You ok?”

“Yeah… I’m fine.”

Yunho grinned in relief as he helped you up and walked you over to his friends and MITO. You were relieved that all six of them were simply kicked out of Yunho’s old domain. Once everyone assessed each other and determined that no harm fell upon them, they walked towards the next pirate king’s domain. 

“By the way, do you… still forgive me despite how far I have gone inside this simulation?”

“Yes. Even though you were in a simulation, you said what I wanted to hear and that was enough for me to forgive you. However, this doesn’t mean we’re back together.”

“I’m aware. As I said before, I’ll work hard to make sure I earn your trust back. I’m ok with being friends.”

“Thank you for respecting my wishes. Oh! And also… thank you for giving me my first… everything.”

Yunho blushed as you thanked him for giving you all your first times. First date, first kiss, and so on. He held out his hand towards you and you took it. 

“Shall we save the last two?”

[othersideoutlawsnetwork]

—Feedback: Anything Yeosang just puts a huge smile on my face especially when it is done accurately to his character. I love your writing style, it's descriptive enough for me to imagine what is happening and it just makes the reading process so much better! I definitely screamed multiple times while reading this,,, I mean I'm totally normal about this dabble,,, hahaha,,, I need a part 2 asap! Pretty coordi-noona needs more alone time with Yeosang! I love this so much and congratulations on your first fic in the network! It was a pleasure to read it and I look forward to reading what else you bring to the network!

Unzipped

Pairing: Yeosang x staff!reader Genre: PWP, teeny bit of fluff Rating: MA Summary: Yeosang's desperate to get off and you offer your throat. Word Count: 1.1k Warnings: language, oral (m. receiving), cum swallowing

Mixtape Track: Dream by wavycake f. def.

Yeosang had everyone fooled. Strangers would look at him and assume he was the shy, quiet type. His friends thought he was mouthy, annoying, and crafty. None of them would ever guess he was insatiable.

At first it bothered him. Randomly getting hard in the weirdest places or times made him think there was something wrong with him. He’d try his best to curb his lewd thoughts, try to match the image people had of him, but sooner or later he’d be sneaking off to take care of his dick. One release could hold him for a few hours, just long enough to scheme on the next place to touch himself.

This time he was planning on slipping into a supply closet near the parking lot. If anyone caught him coming out of it, he could just say he was looking for the bathroom and got turned around. Happens all the time and no one would think anything of it. The others were milling about as the stylist team helped them dress down to leave. He had a few minutes to disappear and rub one out before they got in the van.

He slipped out the door confident no one had noticed. Two lefts and a right and he stood before the door to his relief. As soon as it shut behind him and he was plunged into darkness, his fingers were working on his zipper and clasp, easing the pressure on his dick. Just as he was about to stick his hand in and fish the needy bastard out, the door opened.

“Yeosang, what are you—”

Light flooded the small space as you stood there, eyes wide with what he could only guess was horror and disgust fixed on his hand in his pants. So he panicked. His only thought was what would happen if someone saw you standing there. His body moved on autopilot and grabbed your wrist then yanked you into the closet with him, shutting the door behind you.

‘Well, now what, genius?!’

The awkward silence that followed was enough to make him consider running away, changing his name and going off to live on a llama farm somewhere with no internet.

“This isn’t the bathroom.” You whispered into the darkness.

His mind went blank for a second. “No, it’s not.”

More silence. “So, why are you in here? With your pants unzipped?”

He honestly had no idea how to answer that. “I was…” No, really. Head empty, no thoughts, just the insistent throbbing of his cock in his pants. “I just needed…”

And like the absolute angel you were, you put two and two together and saved him the embarrassment. “Oh, I see…” Your smartwatch lit up, briefly illuminating the concern in your expression. “We’re leaving in, like, ten minutes.”

Well, shit. He’d need more time than that to get his erection to go away. The idea of walking around like that was far from pleasant. Perhaps if you bought him some time—

“If you want, I can help you.” He could sense you moving, arms up doing something to your hair. “A quickie so they don’t notice.”

He nearly choked on his spit after sucking in air for a gasp. “How-how would you help me?”

He felt your hands on his hips as you got on your knees. “With my mouth. That’s the safest option we have right now.” You gave him a moment to reject the offer before pulling at his pants. He had to cover his mouth when he felt your hand close around his dick and guide it out. It felt amazing to have someone else touch him. Those first few strokes made his legs shake. When your warm, wet mouth closed around the tip he nearly fell over. It was both embarrassing and a relief to know he wouldn’t last long from your touch.

“Oh, fuck.” He bought a shaky hand to the top of your head as you licked at him, tonguing his weeping slit before going for it, sliding him along your tongue until he reached your throat. “Holy shit.” His other hand went to the wall for support as you started bobbing, holding his hips as you pulled off then stuffed him back in your mouth. It was like he was being shocked then wrapped in a fluffy blanket the way pleasure pulsed through his body. He bit his lip to keep silent but as you worked him deeper and deeper down your throat, swallowing around him over and over, he struggled to contain himself. By the time you had a steady rhythm going, he was on the verge of calling out your name between pants for air.

You pulled off just long enough to destroy his concentration. “Cum in my mouth. I’ll swallow it all for you.”

‘All for you…’ Fuck, he wished he could see your face. He wanted to remember this moment forever. His pretty coordi-noona on her knees, mouth stretched around his cock, swallowing every last drop of his cum. His body seized up as he came, pushing in as deep as you allowed and holding you there while his cock pulsed with each spurt of his cum. And you swallowed like you promised, he could feel your throat working around him. When you finally pulled away, he was spent, energy depleted as if he’d run a marathon.

“You okay?”

If he had the time, he’d return the favor immediately. Head that good deserves to be rewarded. “Yeah, much better now.” You politely tucked his soft dick away and helped zip his pants back up. He insisted on helping you to your feet and fix your hair. You laughed shyly at his closeness when you felt his fingers tracing your lips for any excess. He couldn’t stop himself from brushing his lips against yours and stealing a quick peck. “Thank you so much.”

“No worries.” You patted his cheek. “But we should go before Joong sends someone to find you. Wooyoung will never let you live it down.”

His shoulders drooped as he nodded. “You first. Text me when the coast is clear.”

“Gotcha.” You quickly disappeared out the door, giving him a quick glimpse of your hardened nipples. Though he did his best to not show it, he knew he’d be thinking of you whenever he got off from now on.

Unless he could talk you into some time alone later…

[othersideoutlawsnetwork]

🗝₊˚⊹— Somewhere on The Other Side, an outlaw has found a key. This one opens AUD: Discovering the Virus. The steel key has the name Rem engraved on it.

AUD: Discovering the Virus

》 Pairing: dancer!Wooyoung x afab!reader (for the most part)

》 Genre: smut

》 Wordcount: 3,463 words

》 Rating: mature

》Type: series

Nets: @mirohs-aurora-society @othersideoutlawsnetwork @illusionnet

A/N: ok so there's only like one smut scene in here. i just needed an excuse to write big dick!Wooyoung and include him flashing his abs lol this chapter will be different from the rest

"And I don't wanna be the one you forget. So guess, say yes." - Lucky Daye

“This scenario is quite simple. You and Wooyoung are the top two students in an elite dance class. You have a typical rivalry. However, do not stray far from the path due to the simplicity of his domain. Instead, tread carefully.” - Maddox

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“When the hell did you get a haircut and why are you pink?”

MITO laughed as you tilted your head curiously. He had gotten a new haircut, leaving you to mourn his long dark locks internally. Not only was his hair short, but it was also a rose coloured pink. He still looked good regardless. Matz and SanSang stared at his new hair in awe. As you entered the dance studio, you looked around and took in the vastness of the ceiling lights, the brick walls, and the huge mirrors plastered on one of those said brick walls. Students were strewn about in athletic clothing and were either stretching, hydrating, or gossiping. You went to your corner and set down your dufflebag before pulling out your sneakers. As you placed your slippers inside your bag, you felt a presence loom over you before taking its place next to you. An arm wrapped around your shoulders and pulled you closer. You turned your head to see your supposed rival with a cheeky grin on his face. 

Jung Wooyoung. 

You couldn’t find it in you to hate him so you mustered your best acting skills to at least give off a non-chalant vibe. You greeted him politely before turning your head so you could fetch your water bottle. You heard a quiet whine from behind you and the next thing you know, you were pulled back to him. 

“Come on, Natasha! Talk to me~”

Wooyoung’s whines and noises of complaint were endearing to you. You didn’t understand why a lot of people here found it annoying. You’d rather have him be ‘annoying’ and light up the atmosphere with his cheerful energy than be in survival mode as you went about your day in dance class. 

“Calm down, Woo. I’m just fetching my water bottle.”

“Ah! Ok then. That’s fine. The last thing I need is for a certain cutie to pass out from dehydration. It would make the rivalry a bit boring. Don’t you think?!”

“You’re weird.”

“But you love it~”

He pushed himself further into your personal space and smushed your cheeks together whilst keeping your body close to his. His veiny arms were wrapped tightly around your waist and you could smell the faint ocean scent from the cologne he spritzed on. He was really cute, but you couldn’t let him distract you from the mission. You pried his arms off of you so you could get up. You saw the pout on his face and rolled your eyes before extending your hand. 

“Come on. We have to get to our spots before professor Hwang rips us a new one.”

With a dramatic sigh of defeat, Wooyoung took his hand in your hand and followed you closely behind. 

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“Jesus!”

Wooyoung laughed (well… more like cackled like a witch since his laugh was that high pitched) loudly as you collapsed on the floor, breathing heavily and sweating profusely. You did work out in your spare time, but running around at your bartending job proved to be enough exercise for you. Or so you thought. Wooyoung extended a hand towards you and you took it before being pulled up by him. 

“Aww! Couldn’t keep up today?”

You smacked his hand away as he teased you. He then leaned in closer and whispered in your ear huskily. 

“Or are you still a bit… sore? You know… from last night’s session?”

Oh. Right. 

Maddox forgot to inform you that you and Wooyoung occasionally fucked when given the chance. You made a mental note to beat his ass later. 

“Man, shut up.”

Wooyoung smirked mischieviously at your flustered expression before patting your head and skipping to the other side of the studio so he could retrieve his water bottle and hydrate. You sighed to yourself and wiped the sweat off your brow with a small towel before making the tragic mistake of glancing upwards.

Wooyoung was using his shirt to wipe the sweat off his brow, exposing his abs to everyone, including you. 

“I see you like the view.”

You flinched as you heard professor Hwang’s voice in your ear. You turned your head to look at the practically bald and very young dance professor. He had a smirk on his face and you grew even more flustered. 

What is it with this simulation and its affinity for fine ass men?

“Do you need something, professor?”

“Please. Call me Hyunjin.”

His voice then lowered to a dangerous tone. 

“Let’s cut to the chase… Y/N.”

Shit…

“I am here to warn you.”

“Warn me? About what?”

Even though you were far from everyone else, especially Wooyoung, you lowered your voice just in case. Hyunjin let out a shaky breath as he looked around the room before getting closer to you so he could give you the warning. 

“The virus is onto you. It knows that you freed four pirate kings so far and are in the process of freeing him. Be very careful.”

You gulped nervously before speaking. 

“Are you protecting Wooyoung?”

“Technically yes and also no at the same time. I’m filling in for Seo Changbin. He’s the sole protector of Wooyoung. However, the virus found out and incapacitated him temporarily, leaving me to take over for now.”

“Incapacitate? How?”

Despite the calm tone in your voice, you couldn’t deny that you felt fear when Hyunjin told you about the virus. Hyunjin hesitated for a moment before speaking once again. 

“Trust me. Even though Changbin’s ok and very much alive, you don’t want to know.”

You gulped nervously and looked at Wooyoung, who was chatting amongst his peers with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. You assumed that those peers were talking bad right in front of him, but you’d worry about that later. You looked back at Hyunjin and asked for more information. 

“I can’t tell you much about the virus, but just know this. It’s a man. A man with sharp fox-like eyes. Similar to Wooyoung.”

You nodded and thanked Hyunjin for the bit of info before walking away from him so you could get Wooyoung away from his peers. It wasn’t much, but at least you had an idea and can clearly picture the virus’s face. You stepped in between Wooyoung and the bad mouthing peers with a glare on your face. 

“I suggest you leave him alone. We’re not bothering you so why are you bothering him?”

“Ugh! Leave us alone, Natasha! It’s not like you like him either. You probably think he’s a nuisance, just like the rest of us.”

You felt Wooyoung flinch at the word ‘nuisance’ and you couldn’t control your anger anymore. The stress of the virus coming onto you was weighing you down and it didn’t help that these bitches were bad mouthing someone you considered a friend. You grabbed the collar of the girl’s shirt and pulled her forward so you were nose to nose with her. 

“Listen here, ya snake. I don’t need this shit right now. If you don’t got something to say, then shut ya mouth.”

“Oh yeah? And what are you going to do about it, bitch?”

You chuckled lowly before shoving her back into her group of friends. You gathered your things and grabbed Wooyoung’s hand. 

“Next time, consider keeping ya mouth shut. Or else I’ll clock your ass.”

You pulled Wooyoung out of the dance studio and marched off back to your apartment with him in tow. You were glad you lived close by. As you barged through the front door, you let go of him, threw your stuff on the couch, and paced back and forth in your fit of seething rage. Wooyoung kept his head down and you noticed it, suddenly feeling bad for your outburst. You also mentally cursed yourself for the way you spoke. It was the same way you spoke when you chewed out the bartender for not eying San’s drugged drink before serving it to him. You saw Wooyoung walk closer to you and the apologies start spilling from your mouth. 

“Wooyoung, I’m sorry! I just… hate it when bitches bad mouth you for no reason. I consider you a good friend even though our rivalry stands in the way. If I fucked up in any way, just let me know and I’ll fix it right away -”

Wooyoung interrupted you by closing the distance and crashing his lips onto yours. 

‘Am I supposed to kiss back?’

‘He’d probably be more upset if you don’t.’

‘Fuck it we ball’

You kissed him back, tangling your fingers in his long black hair while his hands gripped your waist tightly. The kiss was messy, desperate, and had a hint of passion and perhaps love in it. He walked you backwards and laid you down on the couch, his lips never leaving yours once. In the midst of this heated make out session, he slid off his shirt and cradled your face with one hand while the other held your own hand. He soon flipped you over so you were on top this time. You were straddling him and pulled away so you both could catch your breath. You let go of his hand and slid your palms down his body slowly, taking in every inch and curve of his chest and those abs that he flashed back in dance class. As soon as your fingers reached the hem of his gym shorts, you looked at him, silently asking for permission to remove them. 

“Please…”

The breathiness of his plea was his answer and you swiftly removed them, eyes widening at the sight of his dick slapping against his stomach, the tip barely touching his abs. 

‘Holy shit! He’s fucking thick!’

‘Not as thick as San’s though!’

‘It doesn’t matter! Ride it into the sunset!’

“Can I ride you, Woo?”

Wooyoung nodded and you quickly removed your own clothing, which consisted of a sports bra and yoga pants. After straddling him again, you grabbed the base of his cock and teasingly dragged the top along your folds, causing the man to whine. You didn’t waste anymore time. You needed to let out all the frustration you felt today. You slowly sank down onto his cock, hissing and moaning quietly upon feeling every inch enter you. Wooyoung was no better. He resisted heavily on simply grabbing you and slamming you down on his dick until he bottomed out. Once it was fully in, you took a minute to adjust to his size before slowly lifting your hips so only the tip remained inside. Then, you slammed yourself back down on it, causing loud moans to be elicited from the both of you. 

“You feel so good! Mommy, please! Please keep going~”

The nickname ignited a fire within you and you adjusted yourself so your hands were on his shoulders and you could continue bouncing up and down on his cock. Every swipe of his tip against your g-spot had you moaning and whimpering louder and louder by the second. 

“We really shouldn’t eavesdrop on this shit.”

“You guys eavesdropped on me when I fucked Y/N. What makes this any different?”

“Seonghwa, get your hand out of your pants!”

Hongjoong’s words fell deaf on Seonghwa’s ears as the eldest pirate king shamefully stroked himself whilst keeping his ear pressed to the door of your apartment. San was pinching the bridge of his nose while MITO strayed far away from the group, shouting someone’s name in the halls. 

“YEOSANG, WHERE ARE YOU?! FUCK! COME ON, MAN!”

Yeosang heard the bounty hunter shout for him, but he held his breath. His face was pale, his fists were clenched, and he was visibly shaking. Behind him, a hooded figure pointed a dagger into his back. 

“Not a single word…”

Yeosang gulped nervously as the figure circled itself around him. It looked him up and down before a snarl left its lips. It disappeared in a cloud of smoke and when it cleared, MITO approached him. Yeosang let out a cry of relief and threw himself into the tatted man’s arms. 

“M-MITO…”

“Are you ok?”

Yeosang shook his head and MITO sighed in frustration before throwing a protective arm around his shoulders. Yeosang relaxed a bit, but he was still a bit shaken up. As the pair walked back to Matz and San, MITO couldn’t help but rack his brain on who spooked Yeosang like that. 

“Fuck that was good!”

Wooyoung breathed out in satisfaction as you got off him and laid beside him. His arm was around you and he kissed the top of your head before looking down at you affectionately. 

“It’s probably weird of me to say this since we just finished fucking, but… thanks for standing up for me earlier. Even though your accent was weird, I can’t deny that it’s sexy.” 

You blushed at his compliment and giggled when he started peppering kisses all over your face. 

“I’ll be right back. I need to fetch some clothes for us.”

Wooyoung whined but reluctantly let you go so you could retrieve a fresh set of clothing for both you and him. When you entered your room, you felt a slight chill in the air yet you ignored it, thinking it was just a draft and you left the windows open by accident. After putting on a shirt and sweats, you rummaged through your wardrobe to find something for Wooyoung. 

“I see you had fun with him.”

You flinched at the sound of a strange voice and turned around to see a hooded figure staring you down. Hyunjin was next to the figure, battered and bruised. He had a dagger to his throat and your eyes widened upon seeing the sight. You opened your mouth to call for Wooyoung, but the figure interrupted you. 

“Scream for him and he dies.”

You closed your mouth and glared at the figure instead. You had a feeling on who it was, but you had to ask just in case the simulation was playing tricks on you. 

“You’re the virus. The one that corrupted the simulation. Am I right?”

The figure laughed wickedly and shoved Hyunjin to the side before approaching you slowly. You watched Hyunjin fall onto your bed before returning your eyes to the figure. It circled you and looked you up and down before stopping in front of you once more. A gloved hand reached out and touched your chin before lifting your head so you could properly stare at it. A shiver went down your spine as you vaguely felt the touch to be familiar. 

“Go ahead. Pull down the hood. See the face behind the virus.”

You shakily reached your hand out and let your fingertips touch the hem of the hood, afraid it might just be tricking you and will kill you right on the spot. When you looked down to see the dagger remaining unmoved, you fully grasped the hood and counted to three before yanking it back. 

You wanted to vomit after seeing his face. 

“YOU?!”

“Hey, my jasmine.”

Out of all the possibilities of who the virus might be, he was the last person on your mind. Hyunjin’s words rang in your ears and you felt a pit forming in your stomach.

‘Sharp fox-like eyes. Similar to Wooyoung.’

You might regret it, but you had to make sure that it wasn’t a nightmare come true. The same hand that yanked the hood back slightly cupped his cheek. Your knees almost gave out when he leaned into your touch easily. You retracted your hand, feeling disgusted as you stared the man down. 

“You’re the virus, Dabin?!”

He laughed wickedly as he sheathed the dagger and caged you in between his arms. That laugh was once music to your ears. Now? It was something you needed to cleanse your ears of. You noticed the black veins protruding from his neck and saw his eyes glow green briefly before reverting back to its familiar brown color. 

“So what if I am? What are you going to do about it?”

“Hey! Asshole!”

The two of you looked over to see Wooyoung wide awake and fully clothed. But he looked different. He was wearing an all black fit with the sleeves rolled up, a white shirt underneath the jacket with a hug opening around the collar and the sleeves rolled up as well, and a silver chain dangling off his neck and glinting in the moonlight. The eyeliner made the sharpness of his eyes looking more alluring and the thorny rose tattoo on his left forearm was revealed. What caught your eye though was his hair. The long strands of his black hair weren’t there anymore. Instead, it was short and a fiery shade of red. 

“When I tell you to run, run.”

Dabin grew annoyed and turned to face Wooyoung, dagger at the ready. Before he could strike, Hyunjin grabbed his arms from behind and Wooyoung pried the dagger from his gloved hands. 

“RUN!”

You sprinted out of the room, hearing the struggle between the three men. You threw the door open and your face rammed into a hard chest. You looked up to see a bewildered MITO staring down at you. 

“Love, what’s going -”

“No talk! We’ve been compromised! The virus found us, but Wooyoung is awake! We got to go! NOW!”

You sprinted past MITO, who quickly ran behind you. Matz and SanSang saw you running. They didn’t ask you what was going on. Instead, they ran alongside you, shielding you as best as they could from any possible danger that loomed over their heads. Your lungs burned and your legs ached yet you didn’t stop until you fully evaded the danger that was your ex-husband, aka the virus. 

“The door’s right there!”

You saw Wooyoung running alongside you and the short relief of seeing him again gave you the energy boost you need to reach the door. You swung it open and ran through, accidentally tripping in the process. A groan left your lips as the door closed behind you and you felt two pairs of hands lift you up by your arms. You looked around to see if everyone was present. MITO was there. 

So was Hongjoong

Seonghwa

Yeosang

San

And…

“Wooyoung!”

You threw your arms around him and let out a sob of relief while Wooyoung, albeit out of breath and a bit disoriented from waking up from the simulation, hugged you back. He let go and kissed your forehead before turning to the bounty hunter and his fellow pirate kings.

“SANGIE! SANNIE!”

An excited squeal escaped Wooyoung as he hugged his best friend and his soulmate. He then hugged the captain and the first mate before turning towards the bounty hunter and hugging him as well. 

“How long was I out?”

“Far too long. Luckily, Y/N here saved you.”

Wooyoung turned to you and grinned when he saw you shyly wave at him. He pulled you into a hug and repeatedly kissed your cheek, expressing his gratitude in between each kiss. He was soon dragged away by Yeosang and immediately latched onto him. While he was distracted by his best friend, MITO approached you. 

“Hey. You ok?”

“No…”

“I know the virus seems scary, but I promise you that we’ll protect you -”

“I know him.”

All five of the pirate kings swiveled their heads towards you while MITO furrowed his brows in confusion. You sighed shakily and tried your best to explain everything without stuttering. 

“Before you ask, I honestly didn’t know that he was the virus. I simply just know him as my ex-husband. It was an arranged marriage yet we fell in love a few weeks later. One day, he disappeared out of nowhere. Witness statements claim that they saw him go into the woods and a bright red light shone over him before disappearing. Then poof! He was gone. I assumed he ran away with his mistress and I signed the divorce papers. His parents thought the same thing and signed the papers for him.”

A tear fell down your face and all six men felt their hearts ache for you. 

“Now that I know that he’s behind all this, I… don’t know what I should do.”

Hongjoong approached you and placed a hand on your shoulder, wiping the tear away from your face. 

“The most we can do for now is rescue the last three members of our crew. We will figure it out together.”

With a final nod, you followed them closely behind. 

“Who’s next?”

[othersideoutlawsnetwork]

Feedback: Car sex with Hongjoong just hits so different, especially since he got them gloves on! I can't 😩 amazing job, Felix! Keep it up 💕

Car Sex W/ Hongjoong

Hongjoong x female!reader

Summary: just a simple drabble about fucking in a borrowed car~

Warnings: SMUT MDNI, filthy car sex, not much to warn about. Pretty normal for Hongjoong content.

WC: 1,057

Genre: Smut/Drabble

Au: None

Nets: @mirohs-aurora-society @othersideoutlawsnetwork

The Lamborghini sped down the highway, passing by other vehicles while Hongjoong laughed like a maniac. Your arms flew up in the wind while your giggles of excitement rang in your lovers ears. He had to beg to borrow the vehicle after his SMB shoot with Odetari, it wasn’t hard but he did have to return it at a certain time. Of course, not without some fun of course. The wild and adventurous side of Hongjoong wanted to do something he’s never done with you before.

Car sex. And not a vehicle that was his.

He wanted to make a mess of the leather seats and push you to your limits, cock growing hard in his pants with each thought that had escalated.

With his jacket on your shoulders and the wind blowing through your hair, you felt like you were on cloud nine. Nothing could be better than spending time with Hongjoong and having so much fun while doing it. And being unaware of his plan.

When he swerved into an abandoned lot, your throat closed in on itself. You were confused but also nervous. Just what was he thinking right now?

Hongjoong’s hand was coming to rest on your thigh, “Hey baby, I’ve got an idea and I wanted to know if you were up for it.” His lips curled into a tight smirk. You knew exactly what he wanted. Right away.

And yet you wanted him to say it, “Okay, spill.”

“I want you to ride me, right here. Right now.” His tongue swiped over his lips mischievously.

With a sigh you were already climbing on top of his lap, the seat being pushed back, “That’s it, good girl, want to feel your cunt around my cock so bad.” He wanted to defile these seats. To fill you so full with his cum. And he was going to do just that. Just wait.

The chill in the air was enough for him to ride up the rooftop of the convertible but that didn’t stop him from already pulling out his cock. The glasses sat low on his nose while he watched you situate yourself on him. His jacket was tossed in the passenger seat while your shirt came undone with his finger tips.

Fuck you smelled so good. You even looked so good.

Hongjoong’s lips were moving against yours with such desperation that even his hips were rolling against yours. You could feel his cock pressing against your covered cunt and damn did it feel good.

“Fuck, Hongjoong, already want you in me, please.” Your words came out as a shiver, your body running hot yet the chill still remained in the car. Even with the heat blasting.

“I’ll give you what you want, sweetheart, just wait.”

His hands were roaming beneath your shirt and cupping your breasts, “Tell me, baby. How bad do you want me?” His teasing tone was pissing you off to no degree.

“Fuck off, Joong and just fuck me. Please.”

The idol rolled his eyes and laughed with such..chaos, “Alright, alright. I give in. I’ll give you my cock.” His hands were yanking down your pants and his own, fingers ripping apart your fragile underwear. Fucking hell, he was always doing that.

“Again, Hongjoong, seriously?” Hongjoong quickly shut you up by pushing in a finger, smirk still on his face. He knew what he was doing. Little shit.

His finger curled around to find that special spot inside that he loved so much. His grin grew wider when he found it. Your lips spewed out moans while your legs shook from the sudden release of pleasure.

“Oh my fuck, Hongjoong!” He’d barely started and you were already a pathetic mess. He was only one finger in. And now two.

Spreading your cunt just so his thick cock could fit inside. The heat that was being blasted was becoming too much, everything was too much. With his cock rubbing against your click and each time his two fingers thrusted in and out of your cunt, it was all overwhelming.

When he finally had enough of toying with your cunt, he was pushing his cock inside to replace his fingers. Oh it felt so damn good.

The stretch, how deep it was. All of it.

Your hands were on the headrest to brace yourself as he began moving you on his cock.

“That’s right, baby, just like that. Bounce yourself on me. Make a mess of yourself.” Hongjoong’s glasses had long fallen off and onto the floor. He could care less, no matter how expensive they were. All that mattered was filling you up. That was the main task at hand.

Every time his cock hit deep inside, your body lurched forward to his chest. Hongjoong pistoned his hips up into yours, hands groping your ass while he growled from how tight you were squeezing his cock. No words could be formed between either of you. The tension easily cut with the pleasure shared between you both.

The fog on the windows smeared by your hand when Hongjoong would roll his thumb and pointer finger around your nipples.

You couldn’t believe this little shit of man was yours. His cock slamming into your cunt was a regular thing. After a performance/concert, a tour, an interview, a music video shoot. Anything. You were his stress reliever and he loved you dearly. Even his own studio had traces of you, from your belongings to your smell, it had to be you or nothing. The public eye would never know about you. Hongjoong was just too careful about you. Some atiny were just..insane.

“Oh fuck, fuck, please, I’m coming!” You whined out into his ear, hair a mess and skin running hot. Every inch of you is perfection to Hongjoong and he wouldn’t change anything about it.

You are his muse and only his.

“Yeah? Fucking give it to me. Milk my cock for all I have. Want you to take it all.” Hongjoong licked his lips and his fingers pressed tightly against your clit, pinching and pulling to release your orgasm.

Once yours had washed over, his was spurting out and painting everything inside as his own. Hongjoong’s claim.

“Think we should return the car now?”

“Seriously? After what we just did, I don’t think they’ll want it back, Joong.”

[othersideoutlawsnetwork]

🗝₊˚⊹— Somewhere on The Other Side, an outlaw has found a key. This one opens Honey?. The steel key has the name LittleMissMasoKitten engraved on it.

Honey?

Pairing: Dpr Ian x Fem!Reader

Genre: Smut (Minors DNI, 18+ ONLY), AU

Synopsis: He's late to Valentines Day again this year, isn't he?

Content Warning: Smut, Petnames (baby, darling, honey, love), established relationship, food play, completely consensual

Networks: @othersideoutlawsnetwork

You often find yourself dolled up, feeling more like a clown to think one of these days he’ll come home from work early. He never said he would today so you couldn’t blame him but with half an hour left of Valentine's Day, you wonder to yourself if he knew what time of night it was much less if he’d have any track of the day.

You sat on the edge of the bed, your arms crossed along your chest. Looking down at your silky robe, you wonder if you should just call it a night, get changed, and go to bed. Giving it another five minutes, you heave a heavy sigh and blow out each mood candle one by one. You pull the bouquet of roses off the center of the bed and toss them on his night stand. “He can find them when he gets home” you grumble to yourself. You’re about to strip from your clothing and that’s when you hear the front door click open.

Despite all your huffing and puffing, you call out to him, “Honey?”

“Yes, love?”

His voice makes your heart flutter, but then a quick little panic washes over you. ”WAIT! No uh- Don’t come to the bedroom yet!” You quickly shut the bedroom door and hold your robe shut, using one hand to do your best relighting all the candles. “Shit, shit, shit!”You mumble to yourself, trying to get everything done as soon as possible.

His curiosity piqued, he makes his way to the bedroom. The doorknob clicks open and he takes a step in. “I couldn’t hear you, what was it you said, love? You oka-” His question is abruptly cut off, seeing you spin around just in time, the candles lightly illuminating the room and the bouquet in your hands.

“C-christian, I uh… I got these for you. I know it's not traditional for a woman to give roses or for a man to receive them but… I picked out the most lovely ones I could find. I- I know you receive roses from fans all the time... so... I guess in retrospect, it's really not all that special but…” 

He takes the bouquet from your hands, his eyes softening as he gazes down at the beautiful roses. “Oh, this is the most special gift I could have received.” He pulls you into a tight embrace, burying his face in your hair. “You didn't have to do all this, baby. But, I'm so touched that you did.” he kisses the top of your head tenderly. “Thank you, my love.”

“Well...It is one of the better days to do it, isn't it?” You kiss him gently “Happy Valentine's Day, honey”.

He smiles softly against your lips, his heart fluttering with warmth and affection. “Happy Valentine's Day, my beautiful.” He pulls you closer, deepening the kiss. “You've truly outdone yourself tonight.” As he kisses you once again, his hands slide down to your waist, accidentally parting the robe and exposing the black background, red rosed underwear lingerie set you had on.

His breath hitches as the robe parts, revealing your stunning lingerie. The intricate rose designs against the black lace are breathtaking, highlighting your curves in the most enticing way. “Oh darling…” He whispers, his eyes roaming over your body with a yearning desire. He leans in, pressing soft kisses along your collarbone. “This is the best Valentine's Day surprise I could have ever asked for.” He whispers against your skin, his hands caressing your sides now beneath the robe.

“Hm, I'm curious about something though…” You interrupt.

He pulls back slightly, his eyes meeting yours. "And what might that be, my love?”

“You seem awfully unsurprised about all this. You worked all day, got home late… I thought you'd forgotten Valentine's day entirely but…”

He chuckles softly, his eyes sparkling with amusement. “Did you really think I'd forget about Valentine's Day?” He asks, shaking his head. “I may have had a long day at work, but there was no way I was going to let this special day pass by without making it memorable for you.”

You tilt your head, confused. “But there's hardly any time left. What could you have planned?”

“Well, I may not have planned something grand and extravagant, but I did manage to arrange a little surprise for you. Just trust me, baby, you're going to love it.”

You scrunch up your face, giggling “You know dick isn't much a surprise, right?”

He scoffs a bit, chuckling after “Oh, I'm well aware, baby. But I promise you, what I have in store for you is far more exciting than just my dick.” He pulls back, flashing you a mischievous grin. “Now, why don't you go get dressed? I'll be waiting for you in the living room.” He gives your ass a nice squeeze before stepping away, leaving you to catch up.

You slip on a pretty little red and black dress over the lingerie and swap out the bathrobe for a long cardigan, stepping out into a pair of black flats on the ground. ”Getting me dressed so close to midnight, what could possibly be going on?”

He looks up as you emerge from the bedroom, his eyes widening as he takes in your still stunning appearance. The red and black dress hugs your curves in all the right places, and the cardigan adds a touch of elegance to your look. “You look absolutely breathtaking, baby. Now, close your eyes and follow me”

“Close my eyes? How far are we going outside?”

He pauses for a moment, thinking. “That's a good point. Wait here just a moment.” He quickly retrieves a silk scarf from the bedroom and returns to you, gently tying it around your eyes. “There we go. We’re going out a little while so it’s better that you don’t peek. Ready?

“I guess so. Lead the way. Very carefully though please!”

He takes your hand gently, guiding you carefully out thefront door and down the hallway, your anticipation building with each step. The cool night air greets you both, and he leads you to your car. He helps you inside, making sure you're comfortable before climbing in beside you. As the car starts to move, he leans in close. “We have a bit of a drive ahead of us, but I promise, it'll be worth it.”

As you sit and wait, your thoughts start to get the better of you. “Hey um… if the drive is a long way out… Why did you have to blindfold me before leaving the house? Where are we going? You’re not going to hurt me or strand me anywhere, are you?!”

He lets out a soft chuckle, amused by your sudden concern. “Oh baby, you know I could never hurt you like that.” He brings your hand to his lips, pressing a gentle kiss to your knuckles. ”I love you far too much for that.”

“And if you didn't love me as much? Would you try to hurt me…?”

He raises an eyebrow at your question, a smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth. “Well, I suppose if I didn't love you as much, I might be capable of it. But lucky for you, my beautiful, my love for you is true and I wouldn’t dare try and even give you the slightest of a fright.” His hand slides up your thigh, giving it a little squeeze to comfort you. “You should know by now you're safe with me.”

You start to settle, only for a new fright to reignite in you “Sh-sh-shouldn't... shouldn't you be focusing on the road?! Wait… Ian?! You don't have a driver's license! Why are you driving?!” You check the car console beside you, confirming we could only be in the front seat.

He chuckles softly at your scolding, his hand resting reassuringly on your thigh as he continues to drive. “Relax, baby. I may not have a license, but that doesn't mean I can't drive. Besides, it's not like there's any traffic at this hour. We'll be there in no time.”

“Christian!” You raise your voice a pitch higher at him “Legally you can't! And, having me close my eyes for a blind joyride…wow…” You cross your arms in disbelief.

He chuckles again, amused by your concern. “I know, baby. But sometimes, rules are meant to be broken. Besides, I promise I'll keep you safe. Just trust me, okay?”

“I guess I don't mind so much... but don't make a habit of it!” Despite your harsh tone, you chuckle a bit as well, knowing you’re safe in his hands. 

Some more time passes and the car finally comes to a slow down. “Are we finally there yet?”

He brings the car to a gentle stop, putting it in park before turning to face you. “We are, my love. Are you ready for your surprise?”

“Am I?”

He gently unties the blindfold from your eyes. “Take a look, baby.”

“What do you mean "take a look"? Did you just drive me out here to look at something?”

He chuckles in response, his fingers gently brushing a strand of hair behind your ear. “That's one way to put it, yes. But it's so much more than that, baby. This is a place that means the world to me, and I wanted to share it with you on this special day” He presses a kiss to the back of your hand before pulling back slightly. “Now, open those beautiful eyes of yours, my love. I promise, you won't regret it.”

You peek open your eyes and take in the breathtaking view before you. The car is parked on a scenic overlook, with the city lights twinkling in the distance and the moon casting a soft glow across it all. “This, my love, is my favorite spot since moving out here with you. It's where I come to think, to dream, and to find inspiration for my music. And now, I get to share it with the most amazing woman I could ever love.”

“Um... why did I keep my eyes shut to get here though?”

His fingers gently caress your cheek. “I wanted it to be a surprise, baby. I wanted to see the look on your face when you first saw this place, the same way I did when I first laid eyes on you.” He looks deep into your eyes, admiring the extra shimmer to them from the moonlight. “Besides, the anticipation makes it all the more special, don't you think?”

“No other reason?”

He pauses for a moment, a mischievous glint in his eyes. ”Well, maybe there was another reason.” He leans close to your ear, almost close enough for his lips to brush against it “I couldn't resist the opportunity to have you at my mercy, even if it was just for a little while.” He pulls away, chuckling once again. “You looked quite cute, all blindfolded and trusting. It was driving me wild.”

You roll your eyes at his response and look back over the view once again. “So, you had me get dressed, brought me up here... and...?” You look at him, hesitantly. “It's just uh… It's the middle of the night and I don't understand what more we're supposed to do here. It is pretty but… Is there anything special you wanted to do here?”

“I have plenty of plans for us tonight.” His hand slides up to cup your cheek. “But first, I have one more surprise for you. Close your eyes again for me, my love.”

“Must I?”

“Yes, you must, dear. Trust me, it'll be worth it. Just close those beautiful eyes for me. Let me take care of you tonight.”

You close your eyes, relaxing into the passenger seat. You didn’t really expect him to leave the car or how long he’d be gone for. Right as you were about to peek, the car door opens and he helps remove the seatbelt for you. “Just keep those eyes closed for a little while longer, my love.”

He leads you carefully away from the car, his arm wrapped protectively around your waist. The cool night breeze rustles through the trees, carrying the faint scent of jasmine in the air. After a few moments, he gently guides you to a stop, turning you to face him. “Alright, baby. You can open your eyes now.”

Your eyes flutter open and he steps aside, allowing you to take in the scene before you. A plush blanket is spread out on the ground, surrounded by flickering candles and rose petals. In the center of the blanket sits a picnic basket, overflowing with all of your favorite treats and snacks. “Happy Valentine's Day, my beautiful. I wanted to treat you to a night you'll never forget.”

You blink a few times before slandering him for the heck of it “ahh, so THAT’S why you made me your blindfolded passenger princess”

He chuckles “I’ll admit, it was a bit of an oversight but I just wanted to give you a beautiful, romantic evening. At least one nice surprise outside the house this time”

It’s true, he doesn’t really need a license anyway, always having people to drive him around. You both can't ever go out to date in the middle of the day without being interrupted by fans. It was a nice change of pace to catch a bit of fresh air somewhere new with him, all as a surprise to you.

“Well come on” He leads you to sitting on the blanket with him. Before he can say much about what he’s prepared, you lean forward and put your hand on his thigh, supporting yourself on it while you kiss him. You quickly deepen the kiss, only now realizing how much you’d been looking forward to intimacy together tonight.

At first, he’s taken aback by the sudden intensity of your kiss but quickly meets your passion, returning your desperation. His arms wrap around you tightly, pulling you onto his lap as he deepens the kiss further. His tongue dances with yours, exploring every inch of your mouth, your breaths mingling on each other’s tongues. As you break apart for air, he rests his forehead against yours, his breath coming out in ragged pants. “I love you, more than anything in this world.”

“I love you too, Christian. At first, I didn’t know what to expect or if I should expect anything for the day but, this is everything I never knew I wanted.”

He smiles warmly at your words. “I'm glad you think so, baby, because this is just the beginning. I have so many more surprises in store for you tonight.” He leans in, capturing your lips in a passionate kiss once again then pulling away and whispering softly. “I love you, my beautiful Valentine. And I'm going to spend the rest of the night showing you just how much.”

“Just the beginning? There’s more?!”

He chuckles softly, his eyes expressing just the hint of mischief as he gazes into yours. “Oh, baby, we're just getting started.” His fingers trail gently down your neck, sending shivers down your spine. “I have so many plans for us tonight, each one more special than the last.” He leans in, his lips hovering just inches from yours as he whispers seductively. "And trust me, my love, by the time this night is through, you'll be feeling things you've never felt before.” With that, he captures your lips in a searing kiss, his hands roaming possessively over your body as he pulls you fully against him

You whimper softly “C-Christian~”

He breaks the kiss, panting softly as he gazes into your eyes with a heated intensity. “That's right, baby. Say my name just like that.” His hands slide down to cup your ass, squeezing gently. “I love hearing it on your lips, especially when you're all worked up like this.” He rolls your hips against his, letting you feel just how much you affect him. “Tell me, my love, are you ready for more? Are you ready for me to show you just how much I desire you?”

You blush at the thought, some sense finally coming to you “H-hey… not outdoors”

“Oh, baby, don't worry. We're not staying outdoors. I have something much more private and intimate in mind for us. That’s for later though.” He leans in, pressing soft, teasing kisses along your jawline and down your neck. “First, let's enjoy this beautiful view and the delicious treats I've prepared for this.” He gently guides you to lie back on the blanket, putting his jacket as a makeshift pillow to prop your head up before lying on his side beside you. He gazes into your eyes with love and desire. “Tonight is all about you, my beautiful Valentine. And I'm not going to rush a single moment of it.”

“Christian, why would you lay me back and hover over me if you want me to enjoy treats and the view?”

 “Darling, you'll see soon enough.” He whispers softly, his fingers tracing gentle patterns on your exposed skin. “For now, just lie back and relax. Let me take care of everything.” He leans down, pressing a soft, lingering kiss to your lips before pulling back, his voice dropping to a seductive whisper. “Trust me, my love. I have a feeling you're going to enjoy this very, very much.”

“B-but, you said not outdoors”

“Don't worry, dear. We won't be doing anything too naughty outdoors.” He hums reassuringly. “I just want to feed you some of these delicious treats and admire the beautiful view with you.” He leans in, pressing another tender kiss to your lips. “Besides, I just like having you all spread out beneath me like this, completely at my mercy. It's such a turn-on knowing that I have full control over you right now, that I can do whatever I want with your body, but that thought is more than enough for me”

Your breath catches shyly “Goodness, Christian!” You giggle at his playfulness.

He grins devilishly, his hand slowly trailing down your body, teasing and tantalizing as he goes. “That's it, baby. Relax now because I am going to make you feel so good, my love. So incredibly good.”

You look up at him wide eyed “You know, I think you're right. I don’t know that I've ever experienced t-this feeling before”

He chuckles, amused. “I’ve not even started, love” He dives in for another kiss, pulling back and panting heavily as he gazes down at your flushed face and swollen lips. “God, you're so fucking beautiful” he whispers huskily, his voice thick with desire. “I can't wait to explore every inch of your body tonight, to taste and touch every curve and crevice until you're writhing beneath me in ecstasy.” He trails his fingers down your neck, his touch light and teasing. “But first, let me feed you some of these treats I brought". He reaches over, grabbing a chocolate covered strawberry and bringing it to your lips. “Open up for me, baby. Let me feed you like the goddess you are.”

You lick and nip your bottom lip then open your mouth obediently for a bite. He smiles lovingly as you obediently open your mouth for him, his heart brimming with love and affection. “Good girl. You're being such a good girl for me.” He says praisingly, bringing the strawberry to your lips and gently placing it to your mouth. “Here you go, baby. Made with love”

You instinctively lick your way around the chocolate tip before cradling the bottom with your tongue and pulling your lips to it softly, all to take the smallest bite. He watches, transfixed as your lips wrap around the strawberry, his eyes darkening with lust. “Fuck, baby, do you have any idea what you're doing to me right now?” He groans, his voice low and husky. “Seeing your lips on that strawberry, imagining them wrapped around my cock instead... it's driving me crazy.” He leans down, his tongue darting out to lick a stray smudge of chocolate from your bottom lip. “You taste so fucking good. I can't wait to taste more of you later tonight.”

You feign innocence “What could you possibly mean? I just took a bite as you asked” your tone teasing.

“Baby, you have no idea how sexy you are, do you? The way you licked and nibbled on that strawberry, it was like you were teasing me on purpose.” He leans in closer, his lips brushing against yours as he whispers huskily. “But don't worry, my love. I'm going to show you just how sexy you are tonight.”

Listening to his words, you almost believe he really won’t just take you right here in the outdoors. Despite that, his actions seem to lead a different narrative entirely. You decide to admit “You know, there is something that drives me wild knowing you'd said we won’t do anything toooo naughty out here but... you leaning over me like this... kissing and touching me as though you might take me here any moment but leaving me guessing… I really don’t know what to think.” You bite your lip, looking up at him, leaving your body entirely vulnerable to him, laid fully on the blanket on the ground with your arms by your sides.

“You have no idea just how naughty I can be.” he whispers. "And leaving you guessing like this... knowing that I could take you here and now, out in the open where anyone could see, well, you’ve always been a pleasure to tease”.

My legs rub together at the thought, your eyes locked on his as though this moment relies on it. “S-so... uh... another snack then?”

He smiles at you, pressing a kiss to your forehead “Another snack, huh? I think I have just the thing.” He reaches into the picnic basket, pulling out a long, slender chocolate covered pretzel stick. He brings it to your lips, tracing the tip along your bottom lip teasingly. “Open up, baby. Let me feed this to you nice and slow.”

You open up your mouth wider, letting the pretzel tease your tongue. The feeling almost tickles. He slowly slides the pretzel into your mouth, his eyes darkening with desire as he watches your lips close around it. “Fuck, baby, I can't wait to see those lips wrapped around something else later tonight.” He whispers teasingly, his thumb brushing over your bottom lip. “But for now, just enjoy your treat, my love. Savor every bite.”

The more you look at him, the more enticing it all feels. You’ve both been in private this long at least… who would know if anything else were to happen? The thoughts stir in your head and all you’re good for saying is just “more please~”.

His fingers tracing teasing circles on your thigh as his lips curve into a wicked grin. “If you’re going to be looking at me with those big needy eyes, I might have to pick out another treat for you. Something a bit more... filling.”

You nod hopelessly, leaning in for a kiss only for your lips to press against the back of a heart shaped cookie. “Ah-ah, someone’s getting ahead of their oh-so good morals, I see. Not just yet though. Look, baby, it’s a cookie made with all my heart, all for you. Hadn’t you wanted to be filled with my love this Valentine’s day?”

You huff and blush, the conflicting expressions play on your face as he spoils you with sweetness after such a taunting sensual wording. “Of course I did…”

He watches adoringly as you nibble at your cookie. After a couple bites to appease him, you put the rest back into his hand. ���Here. Save the rest for loving me more later. Now please, please, please… Christian..” You whine so needily, all he can do is give in.

“Darling, darling, darling, you're just too cute.” He murmurs teasingly, his fingers gently trailing along your jawline. “I think it's time for our next treat, don’t you? Something a little... spicier?” You nod your head only for your eyes to widen in disbelief when he actually reaches into the picnic basket again. From the basket, comes a small jar of honey. “Don’t give me that look, my love. I think you'll like this one.” His voice drops to a seductive tone. “It's sweet, sticky, and perfect for licking off of... certain places.” He winks at you and pops open the jar, fingers dipping into the honey before bringing them to your lips. “Here, have a taste. Let me know what you think.”

Before I even realize what you’re doing, you've already got your tongue twisting around his fingers, moaning at every bit of delicious contact as you have with him. Ordinarily, you’d never felt so desperate but with the risk of the messy honey getting everywhere, you didn’t realize just how delicious that little contact would feel. It was messy, perverse, but you just wanted more.

He groans softly, his vocal chords rumbling into a near growl as you lick and suck on his fingers, his cock twitching in his pants at the erotic sight. He pulls his fingers from your mouth, trailing them down your neck and collarbone, leaving a sticky trail of honey in their wake. “That good, huh? Then let's see how this tastes on you.” He leans down, his tongue slowly licking up the sweet nectar from your skin, savoring the taste of honey mixed with your own unique flavor. “Mmm, delicious.” He whispers hotly against your skin. “Just like I knew it would be.”

A flurry of curse words leave your lips, your back arching and your legs rubbing and shaking as his lips and tongue very delicately just barely make contact with your skin.

He chuckles as you moan and curse, his lips curving into a wickedly pleased grin. “That's it, baby. Let me hear those sweet little noises.” He makes no effort to hide his own moans as his tongue traces and teases patterns on your skin, continuing to lick up the honey. “You're so responsive, so sensitive to my touch. Knowing that I can make you feel this good with just my lips and tongue. It’s nothing short of addictive” He nips at your collarbone before soothing the sting with a gentle kiss. “I'm so far from done tasting you, my love. In fact, I think I'll need to get a little creative with this honey.”

A breeze passes by, the saliva and the honey stained on your skin causes a sensitive chill with the presence of the breeze, not realizing what he’d said. “F-fuck uh, uuhm, w-what was it you’d just said?”

All you see is the dip of his fingers back into the honey, scooping up a generous amount. “Well, baby, I was thinking we could have a little more fun with this sticky sweetness.” His fingers trailing teasingly along the swell of your breasts. “Maybe drizzle some honey here... or here…” He teases, his fingertips brushing over your sensitive nipples through the thin fabric of your dress. “Or maybe even lower... what do you think, my love? Where should this sticky substance end up next?”

“N-not on the d-dresss!” you whine

He smirks a moment, acknowledging it being a bit much. “You're right, baby. We wouldn't want to ruin your pretty little dress, would we? But don't worry, my love. I have a plan.” With his free hand, he reaches behind you, his fingers finding the zipper of your dress and slowly pulling it down. “That's better. Now I have full access to all this beautiful skin.” He says, his lips brushing against your ear. “And I'm going to take my sweet time exploring every inch of it with my lips, my tongue, and maybe even just all this honey”

“B-b-but y-you s-said..” despite your wondering of him going back on his word, your back arches more, the top of the dress sliding down, re-exposing a bit of your lace rose bra once again.

“I know what I said, baby. But plans change and right now, I can't resist the urge to see more of your beautiful body. To taste more of your sweet skin.” He leans in, his lips brushing against the sensitive spot just behind your ear. “Besides, you don't really want me to stop, do you? You're just as eager to feel my mouth on you as I am to taste you.”

You gaze back and forth between him and the honey dripping along his fingertips. “Christian, I-”

He raises an eyebrow, his lips curving into a wicked smirk. “Yes, baby? What is it?” His honey-coated fingers teasingly tracing along the lace edge of your bra. “Tell me what you want. Do you want me to stop? To zip your dress back up and behave? Or do you want me to keep going? To drizzle this sweet, sticky honey all over your beautiful body and lick it off, inch by tantalizing inch?”

“D-dont…” you take a moment, panting as you try and find semblance in a trail of thought. “s-stop…” You swallow, licking your lips and making what you want clear, in your desperation “P-please, d-dont stop.”

His eyes darken with desire at your breathless plea. ”Mmm, that's what I thought, baby” His fingers dip beneath the lace of your bra, teasing your sensitive nipples. “You're just as hungry for this as I am.” He leans down, his tongue gliding over your honey-coated skin as he suckles gently on your nipple. “Fuck, you taste so good. Like the sweetest dessert.” He growls softly, his teeth grazing your nipple before soothing the sting with his tongue. “And I'm going to savor every last bite.”

You cry out, screaming his name, the new sensations driving you wild. Being stuck in this circle, wanting more and more contact and that which you seek being tied to this sticky paste, the consistency determining the duration of this tongue teasting. You run your fingers through his hair to pull him closer, your thighs rubbing together, unknowingly pushing up the bottom of my dress as he decorates your nipples in even more honey.

“Fuck fuck fuck, holy, fuck, yes!” you moan and shout, my desperation reigning over you.

He chuckles softly against your breast, not a detail going unnoticed. His hand snakes down between your thighs, his lips turning into a smirk at your desperate moans. “That's it, baby, let it all out. You sound so sexy when you moan for me like that.” He nips teasingly at your nipple before blowing cool air over the wet peak, eliciting a sharp gasp from your lips. "And I fucking love driving you wild with desire.” He whispers hotly, his fingers teasing along the waistband of your panties. “Listening to you like this already, I can't wait to hear the noises you make when I finally get my mouth on your sweet little pussy.”

[othersideoutlawsnetwork]

—Feedback: This is your first fic in the network and I'm genuinely proud of you! Throughout the story, I was already in love with the storytelling and writing style. The way you write is very detailed and it helps me imagine the scenario perfectly! Like the simple "Christian tongues his cheek before smiling" put a mental image in my head that for some reason has a chokehold on me. I also enjoy your dialog! I don't write much dialog, so seeing a lot of it brings the story to life. And don't get me started on the smut portion, I almost lost my fucking mind. I fucking hate you (jk). I was over here about to crash out. I needed to take a break on multiple occasions. It took embarrassingly too long to read that part because I started to tweak lmao. Thank you so much for sharing this with us it was genuinely a treat to read! Keep fucking writing ily <3

another 50 shades reference

☆

🌧

“I am a man possessed, obsessed with you and you alone…” 

Summary: Christian and you have always had a weird relationship. He was always feening and needing your attention, while you–wanted to love him too, but couldn’t because of your boyfriend. Will things continue to be sexually charged or will things…change? 

Genre: smut, fluff, high key very yearning, 18+ 

Relationship: Christian Yu x chubby! fem! reader 

wc: 6k words

THIS MEANS THIS IS A SMUT! 

WHICH MEANS THIS FIC IS 18+ MINORS AND AGELESS BLOGS DNI 

I AM ALSO NOT IN CHARGE WITH WHAT YOU CONSUME

to clarify, this isn’t at all supposed to represent any idol behavior in real-time, this is purely fiction

Taglist: @othersideoutlawsnetwork, @woahlifehitsyahuh

Divider: @saradika-graphics

Banner: me :) 

Warnings: boss&employee to lovers, daydream sex: miniskirt lifted, anal play, bent over, clothed sex, office sex- 

your boyfriend breaks up with you, mentions you being bullied over your weight at work (jokingly getting hit on/asked on dates), you snap at Christian then he confesses, talks of safe words/taps, starts missionary (with headboard gripping) then he ties your hands up, prone bone and dirty talk (but in a sweet way), floggers, bitemarks and bruises, nails scratching, miniskirt mention, oral sex (f reciving), unprotected sex (wrap before you tap!), aftercare, 

An; note this shit is ass! So…enjoy lmao 

Heels click along the white tiled floor, making their way towards a pair of brown doors. Knocking on the door-waiting a few minutes, you open it to see Christian sitting behind his desk typing away, while a blonde woman is trying to talk to him. Leaning over the sleek black executive desk, Elena flips her blonde hair out of her face, leaning her chest close to his face. Christian subtly moves away before looking up at your cough. 

 Christian's face lights up Elena’s face which darkens at you. Christian quickly shoos Elena away while standing up. Elena scoffs at his excitement before storming off, not before shoving your shoulder with hers. 

You watch her walk down the hall before giving Christian an exasperated look. With an exhale, he shrugs his shoulders before watching you place paperwork on his desk, “How are you, my dear?” 

“I’m okay, despite all the mean looks she gives me, I am doing just fine.” 

“I meant with your,” Christian’s tongue hits his cheek, “boyfriend.” 

You pause before sighing, “Christian-.” 

“I know you don’t like talking to him in this office, but you don’t need to hide anything from me. I promise.” 

You stare at his right hand over his heart, before meeting his eyes. 

A hum before you start rubbing his arm, “I’m fine, Christian, promise. Now, just do the paperwork, ok, handsome?” 

He gives you a soft smile before his lips set in a frown at a purple bruise on your wrist. You pursed your lips before rolling your eyes, you bumped hips with him, “Relax, just get to work and see you at lunch.” 

As you walk out, Christian stares at you leaving. Your chubby body fills out the black jacket and miniskirt. Black stockings threatening to roll down your meaty thighs, being held up by the garter belt. 

His lip gets caught between his teeth before he sits back down and starts working again. Typing away on the computer, his imagination starts running wild. As quickly as he began to type, he stopped to cover his mouth and close his eyes. 

Skin claps echo in this very office. Christian holds your waist in a tight grip, as you're bent over the desk. Your teasing miniskirt rolled up as his hips hit your asscheeks. Pants and moans mix into one another as Christian smacks your ass, his tattoo hand rests on your asscheek before pulling your ass apart and spitting on your asshole. You shiver as he thumbs it before bending over you and biting your clothed shoulder. Your mouth stutters before you shiver over, 

“I want you so bad. God, I want to fucking fill you and just have you be mine and-” 

“MISTER YU!” 

Christian snaps out of his dream, to see his assistant, Da-bin. The man raises an eyebrow at him before nodding, “You awake now?” 

“A-ah, sorry,” Christian coughs into his hand before crossing his legs, “W-what do you need, Da-bin?” 

Da-bin scoffs before rolling his eyes, “Look, I was gonna ask if you're finished with the paperwork, but telling how you were practically fucking the air and sighing, I can say, are dis-tract-ed.”

Christian scoffs at his pronunciation before coughing, “I was not “fucking” the air, you weirdo,” he air quotes before crossing his arms, “I am just…distracted.” 

Da-bin rolls his eyes again, “I could tell. Anyway, make sure to finish up the paperwork 

so I can put it in the contract for our next client.” 

Christian nods as Da-bin walks out before pausing, “Oh, and as your friend, I have to ask,” Da-bin looks over his shoulder, “She apparently has a date at your favorite restaurant with the dude, so there's the tea.” 

As the door shuts behind Da-bin, Christian is already checking out the reservations to see if he can show up randomly. 

As you tap the table nervously, you search the area for your boyfriend. Sighing, you mess with your phone, before someone steps in front of the light. A smile lights your face before it disappears at Christian’s smiling face. 

“Hello, my angel.” 

“Mister Yu? What are you doing here?” 

Christian sighs as he sits in the seat in front of you, his elbow resting on the table while he cups his chin, “I happen to love this restaurant, I come here a lot. So, what about you, angel? What are you doing here?” 

You sigh at him before leaning your chest on the table. The bodysuit dress pops your boobs a bit more, as you rub your hands together. 

“My boyfriend and I were meant to meet here but he's not here.” 

You sigh as he rests your head on your hands, “I'm worried about him.” 

Christian tongues his cheek before smiling, “My poor angel, I'm sorry your boyfriend sucks, but you know, beautiful,” he takes your hand, rubbing your knuckles, “I'm here.” 

You sigh and give him a wobbly smile. His eyelids slightly lowered as you slowly pulled your hand away and pulled your dress up, “So, are you here with anyone?” 

“I feel like if I was, I wouldn't be sitting here with you.” 

You pursed your lips at him, “I was just asking out of curiosity.” 

Christian softly laughs before waving down a waiter, “Excuse me, but can we get some Domaine Leroy musigny grand cru and whatever the lady wants.” 

As they both turn to you, your mouth is wide open at the man in front of you. Christian leans over the oval table to close your mouth, touching your lips before sitting back down. You shake your head before smiling at the waiter, “Yeah, I'll have the, um-.” 

You look down the menu, you sorta look at the food options before smiling and saying, “I would like the Kobe beef medium, with a baked potato and, um, water.” 

You close the menu and hand it to the waiter as Christian leans on his hands. The waiter smiles and nods before looking at Christian, who just says, “I'll have the steak, medium rare, with steamed broccoli and carrots.” 

Christian hands the waiter the menu as he continues to stare. You give a small smile back before looking around. The man in front of you watches your side profile, watching your pouty lips and memorizes your eyelashes, your nose, all the way to your chubby cheeks. His one wish was to lean over and bite your cheeks. 

Inhaling sharply, he leans on his palm before covering his mouth. You finally look at him again before tilting your head, “Um, Mis-” 

“Christian, angel.” 

You raise an eyebrow at him, “Christian?” 

“We've known each other for two years, my angel, and we aren't in the office, so you can call me by my name.” 

You wiggle before going, “Right, sorry, Christian,” you took note of his chest rising then falling, before he covered his mouth, “You doing okay? You're covering your mouth and a little flushed.” 

He scoffs in his palm before leaning forward again, “Why do you think I'm covering my mouth, angel?” 

You raise an eyebrow before squinting at him, “You're acting weird.” 

“Am I?” Christian hums.

You scrunch your nose, “Why are you-?” 

“Listen,” Christian starts, “I want you to be happy. So much. I need to let you know,” he holds your hand, “If you need anything, I am here.” 

You blink at him, looking at his hand before side-eyeing him, “Are you…hitting on me?” 

Christian grins widely, before grinning into his hand, “Maybe… is it a problem?” 

You squint at him, “I have a boyfriend…and like, although I wanna spice up my love life with him, I don't want a Mister Grey anytime soon.” 

Christian pauses and tilts his head, “Mister…Grey?” 

“You've never read or heard of 50 Shades Of Grey?” 

Christian shakes his head. Your mouth opens as a grin lights your face up. He feels his stomach tie in knots as your hands cover his hand. His eyes look down at your boobs for a second then back in your eyes. 

“You have homework when you get home then Mister.” 

Christian nods as the waiter comes with the food and wine. You pull away before pulling your dress up and thanking the waiter. 

As your smile lights up your face, the world around you blends away it makes you look ethereal. Making Christian want to take you on a real date but for now, he will learn to live with this. He will have to learn to live with the fact that, for almost two years, he has always wanted to have you etched into his skin, where you and he rule the world together. Loving and giving each other attention, devoting his entire life, body, and soul to you, and doing nothing but worship you. But…until then, he will gladly remind you that you have better options than your boyfriend.

So…he actually can't live with the idea of you being with another man. He hates the idea because now here he was. Standing outside the company (his company) while you argue with your boyfriend. 

Christian tongues his cheek watching you and him argue about something. 

Just a few hours before this, you had texted Christian to pick you up from your boyfriend’s place. He immediately enters the building and then runs back to his car, telling Da-bin to not wait for him to clock in.

He had you share your location, breaking many speeding laws, pulling into the apartment complex, and letting you get into his expensive 2012 black Bentley, you-at first hesitate-then sit down on the seat. You thank him before Christian asks, “Why didn't you drive to work today?” 

Thus he caused you to start ranting about how you found out he cheated on you and when you confronted you, he took the keys to your car and drove off to his new “girl’s” place. You proceed to take all of his shit, bag it up, and throw it on the curb for anyone to take or for him to take to his new “girl’s” place. Christian chuckles before looking at you adoringly as you laugh alongside him. As Christain pulls into his spot, he tells you to not worry about the hours, he’ll give you full pay. You gave him a beautiful smile and thanked him again. He still sits on his leather seats as you exit the car. Looking ahead in the car, he rubs around the wheel before inhaling your perfume-infused air. 

Around 1 pm, your boyfriend pulls in and starts making a rufus. Demanding to see you, yelling and fighting security, until getting thrown out. You were in a meeting with Da-bin when someone opened the glass door to tell you. You glare at them before getting up and meeting your ex outside. However, when Christain heard, he immediately went outside to smoke a cigarette, watching the two of you. 

Now, here he is. Standing on the building steps, he puts the cigarette out. He steps in front of your boyfriend’s view. Your boyfriend was the same height, so their eyes met. He scoffs at Chrisitan’s arrival. He tries to look at you before Chrisitan blocks his view, and your boyfriend scoffs again before getting in his face. Christian stands firm as your boyfriend argues and yells at Christian. 

You furrow your brows before stepping around Chrisitan, yelling at him. The two of you get into it while Chrisitan holds you back. You then exclaim you wanted to break up and your–now–ex-boyfriend scoffs, commenting “needing him” which Christian scoffs and says, “So, she “needs” you? Remind me who pays your bills? Or even, who pays for dates? Best of all, answer me this, who never gets to finish in the bedroom?” 

Silence exits your stunned ex as you stare at Christian’s side profile. Then your ex huffs before spitting on Christian’s shoes and walking off. The two of you watch his back as he storms off and gets into your car. 

Christian huffs at the car driving off before turning back to you. You look up at him before releasing a breath, “You didn’t need to mention the sex part.” 

“I felt like I had to.” 

Your eyebrow twitches before you sigh. You pivot towards the building, anger rolling off you in waves. Christian inhales before following you. 

When the clock hits nine hours, Da-bin walks into your cubicle. 

“Hey.” 

“Hey, Da-bin, need something?” 

“Christain says to go to his office.” 

“He couldn’t call me?” 

Da-bin scoffs playfully, rolling his eyes before writing something on his notepad, “You know he lives for dramatics, now go ahead hon. Mister Yu is waiting.” 

You pause at the power button of your laptop to stare at a smirking Da-bin. Your eyes squint suspiciously at him before getting your bag. “Okay…?” 

“Word of advice, my dear,” Da-bin winks before walking ahead, “always keep a safe word!” 

You stare at him in shock before coughing into your hand and walking towards Chrisitan’s office. Da-bin’s words echo in your head before you shake it and knock on his door. Waiting for a bit, you open the doors again to see Christain standing by wide glass windows, a cigarette in his mouth. His hands are in his pockets as his black hair sits on his broad shoulders, his button-up tucked loosely in his black pants that hug his ass tight. 

When Christian hears the door open, he inhales once more, before putting the cigarette on his shoe and turning around. His eyebrow raised at you stare at his ass. His shoulders come up and down at a simple laugh before leaning against the window. Head hits the window, and a soft thump is heard before, “I watched the movie.” 

You snap out of staring before confusingly looking at him. “What do you mean?” 

“I…watched 50 Shades of Gray.” 

You looked at him in shock before dropping your shoulders and mumbling, “So that’s why Da-bin said that.” 

“I wasn’t aware you wanted a more…kinky life, my dear.” 

You look at him with a shy look on your face before going into a squint, “And why does that matter?” 

“Because I want to fulfill it.” 

You scoff. Looking at him with disdain, “Oh yeah?” 

“Yeah. I wanted to be your man, always. Don’t you know, I’m so deeply in love with you, I am devoted even.” 

Your eyes roll at that as a scoff leaves you. Making him look away from the window, “You are abhorrent. To claim you love me when all you want is sex.”

Christian feels his heart stop, “I’m sorry?” 

“You should be. I can’t believe you went out of your way to do this to me, over essentially an infatuation.” 

His eyebrows furrow, making his way towards you, “What?” 

“You claim to be devoted. You claim to “love” me but then you stare at my body as if I’m meat! You are no better than my ex, only need me for good sex then brush me aside as if I am just something until someone skinner comes by. I bet you didn’t consider my heart!” 

“I always thought about you, he didn’t-.” 

“Don’t even pretend to care! All this to prove you can win any girl, just like my ex! All this was for nothing essentially, I’m done pretending you could love me when you want to use me for my body, just like him. Well, I am over it. I’m tired of being someone to win over, I’m tired of every man in this office trying to make it seem like I’m the butt of the joke, and even going as far as that I need a “real man” and only for them to pull the joke on me…I’m over it.” 

Christian watches you rant for a bit before inhaling, getting on his knees, and hugging your waist. Your stomach resting his cheek as he inhales more of your perfume, invading his senses. You freeze at him doing this before holding his shoulder to push him off, “Mis-.” 

“Your favorite jewel is emerald,” you pull a face at that, “you said it reminds you of your favorite dress. The long emerald dress is one you got from your mother on your 28th birthday.” 

“Why do you-?” 

“In the jewelry store, the first week we started working together. You didn’t know this, but I was in that shop, that day when you wanted to buy your mother a birthday gift you got with your first “big girl” paycheck. You were really cute so when you saw the price, you got really sad and you said you looked somewhere else, so I bought it and left it on your desk. I never told you because you were so happy to think your boyfriend bought it for you.” 

You felt your heart leap a little before trying again, “Chris-.” 

“The Christmas dinner last year, the reason I didn’t get lobster was because you hated it. You told me one time that you hated lobster because you found them to gammy and taste weird and because you have all the money, you volunteer on weekends to work in the hospital that we support to read the babies and children books-.” 

“Christian, what are you going on about?” 

“Your ex didn’t know you did those things. He didn’t know you slave away to help this company despite hate working harder than necessary. He didn’t know about those men so I fired them and told them that they wouldn’t work anywhere in this city because they hurt your feelings. He doesn’t know you, I always wanted you more than he wanted you. Those gifts weren’t from him but from me. I did everything for you, and it’s selfish to say I want you more. It’s selfish to do this to you when you’ve been hurt, but…I want you so much. I will do anything, and I mean it, and-.” 

“Christian,” you sigh softly before rubbing his shoulders, “get up…please. Look at me.” 

He sniffs before looking up at you. His eyes widen at your teary eyes, getting up quickly he holds your hands. 

He cups your cheeks and rubs under your eyes, “I am sorry, my dear that I made you feel like I only wanted your body. I want more than your body. Always. For two, whole, years I watched you get hurt, repeatedly by many men, when I wanted you for everything. I know I should’ve been open and helped you with publicity but I always saw how you carried yourself. And I knew you would be strong enough to handle yourself. I do truly love you and want you to realize how much I do,” he holds your face and leans his forehead against your own, “I am a man possessed, obsessed with you and you alone. I want to know everything about you, from how you do your hair to how you paint your toes, I want to know how fast your heart can beat to how your breath shallows, I want to know it all. I want us to mesh together as one. I want to know how you work and function and I want to see you relaxed. I want everything you can give me and more, because despite being your believer and follower, I wanna be your dog, and I just wanna be yours...so please, please, let me be that...let me be the man under you...and let me be your devoted lover.” 

Your breath caught in your chest as he stared into your eyes. His pupils dilated before you two kiss. His chapped lips lay on yours as his hands slowly start mapping your love handles then his hands slide down your back. Your hands make it around his shoulders as he semi-dips you. 

You run your hands through his hair, black strands curling around your fingers as your nails sink into his scalp. Moaning into your mouth and pulls your body close to his before pulling away. 

His lips hover over yours. Brown eyes scan and watch over your face, before looking down towards your rising chest. His head goes down and kisses your neck lightly. Your voice rings in his ears, “I’m sorry. I am. I…didn’t mean to yell at you. I was so frustrated and-.” 

“Don’t be sorry, love. I should’ve stepped in quicker and punched him hard.” 

You chuckle as he leans up and rubs his nose against yours, “You deserve that much. I did end up firing them for harassment, and I do want everything for you.” 

You give him a closed-lip smile before cupping his cheek. He leans into your right palm as he lays kisses on your left one. His lips form words on your palm, “I need your permission.” 

You give him a confused look. Christian looks at you before blinking softly, “Do you want to…have sex with me?” 

“Yeah. I mean, I definitely wouldn’t mind. Like right now?” 

He nods; moving your hands to wrap around his shoulders. His palms meeting your waist, “I wouldn’t mind right now, however, we need rules and such. Starting, pain tolerance, how do you feel about me biting, hitting, and chasing?” 

“Well, I am good with biting, hitting, eh, maybe like spanking or something else, and chasing? I’ve never done chasing before but I always wanted to try it.” 

Christian nods in return before holding your hands, “Reading the books made me do more research into BDSM and honestly, the book seems toxic, baby doll, so unfortunately I am not crazy enough to have a room dedicated to things like that. However, I can offer you my spacious California King and plenty of toys for you, my doll.” 

You stare at him in shock before giggling, “Well, then lead the way, Christian.” 

He grins at your happy state before holding your hands, “Shall we sit and talk some more? I want to go over everything with you before anything else.” 

You nod and follow to sit next to him on the leather office couch. As the windows shine down with a sliver of moonlight, Christian rubbed your hands as you two talked. His thumbs rub against the back of your hands, “What’s the least sexiest word you can think of?” 

“Hmmm,” you get distracted as he kisses your hands, “I suppose pumpkin.” 

“Pumpkin,” Christian nods before smiling, “Pumpkin it is.” 

He leans over to kiss your cheek and take your hand. “Shall we go back to my place, I can show you the amazing view, and beautiful countertops,” his breath tickles your ears, “or the bed you’re gonna get acquainted with.” 

You giggle at that, leaning away to smile at him, “Oh yeah?” 

Christian playfully snaps his teeth at you. He stands up-pulling you along with him and walking out of the office. 

Gasps and moans are heard throughout the penthouse. Clothes are skewed on the floor on the way towards the open master bedroom. On the bed, you and Chrisitan are making out. Hands rub all over each other. His tattoos stain his skin as your skin meets his. Tongues meet as nails and fingers sink into each other’s skins and bodies. 

Sighing into your mouth, Christian pulls away–holding your face, he starts, “We need to talk about stop lights. Because the last thing I need is for you to actually be uncomfortable and actually need me to stop. So, let's talk about it, yeah?” 

You huff at the interruption before nodding. He grins and pulls you to sit up. Your boobs sit comfortably over your torso as your mini skirt is rolled up to show off your exposed pussy. It’s sticky with your fluids.

Christian stares at your pussy a lot longer than necessary before shaking his head and staring at you. “Have you heard of the stop light system?” 

You pause before nodding, “Yeah, I have.” 

“Review with me beautiful.” 

You sigh before going over the colors; green means continue, yellow means slow down/give a breather, and red means full stop, no more. 

He smiles at your words, before pecking your cheek. You giggle at him before kissing his lips. Christian slowly has his tongue enter your mouth, exploring once more as his hands hold your waist. With one last kiss, he goes, “Color?” 

“Green, oh my God, green.” 

He smirks once more before kissing you again. His fingers dance up your thigh as you slowly push you on your back. His hands make their way up your torso to your tits, where your nipples are played with. He circles the areoles before pinching your nipple and tugging. You twitch a little before dancing your fingers up his back and onto his shoulder blades. Your fingers dance on his bird tattoo, then your hands get pinned down. 

Christian licks his lips at you pouting up at him. He giggles, before leaning down and kissing your neck. His stomach meets yours as he slowly starts rocking against your pussy lips. His cocks get coated by you as he starts mapping your neck. Teeth make lines down your neck, leaving saliva marking his path. Breaths leave you, chest heaving as his dick hits your clit. 

Moans and pants fill the air once more, as the sex-filled air clogs your senses, he slowly pulls his mouth away and stares down at you. His saliva marks your skin, as his hips slotted against yours. Breath staggers at the sight of you looking up at him with lowered eyes, lips wide and panting, your boobs laying on your torso, and your slick all over his cock. 

You notice his eyes staring at your lips for a little bit longer. So you lick your lips, teasing him. Christian's chest staggers, eyes staring at you before licking down your chest. Your chest bounces as he falls to your mound. Licking in between your lips, you shudder at his warm tongue across your clit. The bundle of nerves gets stimulated as you buck and hump against his face. 

Christian sighs against your pussy, his tongue out as your hips do the movements for him. He sighs happily at your musky taste before pulling away and nibbling on your mound. You jump a little at that before relaxing at him sucking his fingers and sticking one in you. The finger curls and moves back and forth–his hand searches, making a ‘hither’ motion inside your walls. Your breath staggers at the feeling of his fingers entering and exiting you. Your juices make you sound loud. As you buck your hips, he shakes his head back and forth, tongue moving your clit quickly. 

Your voice cracks as your moans steadily become louder, making your back arch. You pause a little at feeling his finger lightly tap your g-spot before ‘owing’ and relaxing your back. His eyebrows raise at that before going back to your g-spot. Whimpers, moans, and groans, and loud squelches of your pussy. 

A large knot is in the pit of your stomach as he starts sucking into your clit more harshly. Making a suction around your clit and moving his hand much faster. His fingertips keep tapping your g-spot, allowing you to shake, shiver, and slide down towards his mouth. Your legs wrap around his shoulders making his head sink more into your pussy. Practically having knees towards your stomach, he keeps you in an uncomfortable position. Your back shoots pain up your spine as he starts moving his arm faster and faster. Then suddenly–even while pain shoots up you–the knot snaps in you. Like a river rushing through you, you groan loudly, making Christian stick his tongue in your pussy and slurping. 

As your chest heaves, his tongue leaves a trail over your hairy mound towards your chest–his tongue circles over your nipple. He lightly nips your nipple before nipping and sucking at your neck. Moaning softly, your hands go through his hair as he humps against you. Thighs meeting thighs, an air of heat and lust enters the space as you two make out. As your two tongues meet, he wraps his arms around you and continues to lightly thrust softly. Your hands dig around in his hair before going down his tattooed chest. 

Your breaths mingle together, panting into each other’s mouths as you lead his tip toward your opening. Then he pulls away. 

Looking up at him, you smile at him before gasping at him grip your thigh, “So, angel, believe me-.” 

“Yes. Yes, yes, yes, I do, I do, I do. Please, please. Christian, please!” 

Christian lets his grin lights up his face as he starts entering you. A gasp gets hold up in your chest and throat as his mushroom tip slowly starts to insert into you. Your eyes roll back as your eyelids close and Christian starts lightly moaning into your neck. Both of your hands hold one another as his hips clash into yours. 

Both of you lay there for a while, taking in one another. Heavy sighs leave you as your left hand crawl up Chrisitan’s back. Black hair mixes with your own, as he pulls his hips back and go back in. Moans enter the air, dancing with each other as he starts moving a bit faster and faster. 

With his left hand occupied, he takes is right hand and puts your leg on his waist before gripping the headboard. He starts going faster and faster, eyes watching your chubby body move. Tits moving up and down, tummy jiggling along with the thrusts. Lust slowly starts to corrupt Christian’s love before he pulls out again. 

With a whine, you pout up at Chrsitian. Pupils blow, he can see your iris be covered by your lust. He grins down at you before going, “Do you want more fun? Hm? Angel.” 

Searching his face, you nod slightly, making him grin. He gets off the bed and pull your legs towards the end. With a kiss to your knee, he drops to his own knees and starts messing with your clit. A tongue circles it, before he starts sucking on it. You keen a little before whimpering. He pulls away to spit on your clit and gets up again, making his way towards the drawer. 

Pulling out some red rope, grabbing your hands and tying them together. He holds the knot part as he grins down at you, before turning it into a smile, “Darling, if you need to, at any point and you cannot speak, tap my hand 5 times, okay?” 

With a nod, he goes back to his grin and bend down to give you a kiss. As your lips meet once more, he licks the seams and enters your mouth, making out with you again before drawing his hands up and down you. As his tongue remarks your mouth, his left hand reaches for the drawer again. Unable to reach it, he grunts and pulls away. Before seeing what it was, he kissed you again. Closing your eyes, he puts his chest over yours, weight on your chest, he finally allows you to feel what was coming up your leg. 

Soft taping makes you jump a little, before pulling away from the kiss to see a flogger in his hands. Blushing softly, he leans into your right ear, “Angel, what’s your color?” 

Biting your lip, you watch the flogger rub your leg up and down. The tip of it just dancing on your skin. You finally meet his eyes again and nod, making him smile back. “I’ll be nice today. So soft taps and kisses for my angel. But next time,” you shivered at his whisper, “it’ll be harder.” 

Smack! 

Jumping, you whimper. His fingers rub the spot nicely before hitting your thigh once more. He continues to do so before switching hands and slapping your thighs. With your head backwards, he continues to mark your neck. Gasping once more, your hips roll into his, cock touching your clit for a second. Chrisitan moans as a response, making him buck into you before grunting. 

And what feels like hours, he finally sighs against your face. “Alright angel, I know you’re eager, so let’s get started.” 

Christian full stands, looking all over you. From the bruises and teethmarks beautifully marking and reminding you of Christian’s faith and devotion. To let him and you know, you both need and belong to each other. Happiness claw and tear at his heart, making him laugh softly before flipping you over and leaving more marks on your back. He slowly has the tip of his dick enter you. You both shudder, but you moan staggeredly as he releases his jaw. Laying his hips against your ass, he takes hold of the rope’s knot and start slowly going in and out. His hips rolling into you, making his hips clap against your ass and pussy makes a ‘plap plap plap’. 

The stretch and sounds of sex echo in the air. From your whiney moans, to his whimpers and hips meeting ass. Nails dig deep into the fat of your hips as he moves his hand down towards your clit and rubs it in circles. A sharp moan leaves you as he starts going faster and faster, making you clench onto him. He starts to pant as you arch your back a little. 

A sinful melody hit a crescendo he sinks his teeth into your neck, rendering you to scratch his back up and groan. Chrisitan then lifts your hips up and aims for your sweet spot. With the persistent hip thrusts, he moves his left hand to hold your lower back before his right hand starts rubbing your clit in non sensical circles. 

The pleasure building into your stomach becomes more, and more unbearable, needing something to push you off the edge. You borderline sob as he licks and sucks on your ear, and then you finally fall off the edge, with the faint whisper in your ear going, “I love you.” 

Ringing in your ears, as your body shivers and slowly comes down. Panting exits your mouth as darkness enter your vision. After a second, blindly reach for Christian. Your fingers touch his before feeling his lips. He kisses your fingertips before going, “I’m gonna run a bath, if you need me, I’ll be running us a bath and getting an first aid. I really messed up your neck.” 

You grunt as he lays a kiss on your neck wounds. You can feel the bed move as you hear footsteps walk in the bathroom. Water starts filling the bath, making out some of Christian’s whispers before he makes his way towards you. 

You feel his hands slowly start picking you up, making you whine.

“‘m to heavy.” 

“Hush, let me show my muscles off, my angel.” 

With a silencing kiss to your lips, he moves his hands towards your back and ass, lifting you up. As he walks towards the bathroom. Slightly putting you on the toilet seat, he smiles, “Sorry, I know I should’ve used a condom, but I got to restless. So, go pee angel, make sure to,” he motions randomly before, “clean up then we can bathe together, is that fine angel?” 

You giggle at him before nodding. He grins before kissing your lips. Kissing back softly, you softly holds his face, he pulls away and bumps his nose against yours, “Is this better than you silly little book?”

You scoff before playfully pouting, “Not enough flogger action.” 

Christian’s smiles playfully in return, his eyes staring at you in pure happiness. “I’ll remember that angel, for now, let’s get us washed up, then some band aids and some cuddles.” 

You sigh happily before placing a hand on his tattoo chest, “Did you mean it? That you love me?” 

He blinks. A silence follows it before another smile lights his face, holding your cheek, “Who else would see me fall to my knees and worship you as my Goddess? You deserve so much and more than the world is giving you, and I want to be the only man to give it to you. Forever.” 

Christian watches you smile in happiness before rubbing your hips. And while no more words have been said, the actions between to the two of you have said a million words. Somehow, curling on Christian’s chest as he rubs circles into your skin and kisses into your head, that you would have want it any other way. 

[othersideoutlawsnetwork]

🗝₊˚⊹— Somewhere on The Other Side, an outlaw has found a key. This one opens Anything For You, Master. The steel key has the name LittleMissMasoKitten engraved on it.

Anything For You, Master~

Pairing: Dpr Ian x Fem!Reader

Genre: Smut (Minors DNI, 18+ ONLY), AU

Synopsis: Ian is your master, not much else to say really.

Content Warning: Smut, Petnames (slut, my little bitch, bad girl, baby), no protection (wrap it or don't, your body, your business), finishes inside, completely consensual

Networks: @othersideoutlawsnetwork

Part of being a submissive is accepting whatever your master decides, regardless of the circumstances.

“Remember, any sign of resistance will result in additional strikes. Understood?”

“I don't think I have a choice.”

He smirks, looking down at you. “That's the spirit. Now, stay still and wait for your punishment.”

“What am I even being punished for? I have a right to know.”

“You spoke out of turn twice. Once when you questioned my demands, and again when you complained about the location of your resulting punishment. Do you understand now why you're being disciplined?”

Your eyes widen at his explanation. Any other day, you would have behaved well from the start but today was the exception. Earlier you had patiently waited for him in your hotel room, so when you heard a knock at the door, your heart skipped a beat and you rushed to greet him. You opened it up, only to find some stray “fans” of his. They seemed to be knocking on every door to see which room he’d be staying in. When they saw you, they looked you up and down then rolled their eyes, writing you off immediately before going along to the next door. You had spent the last 15 minutes pacing back and forth along the entryway of the hotel room, overthinking your careless decision until the doorknob clicks and Ian stepped right in. He stripped down his coat coolly as you frantically tried explaining your mistake to him. As soon as he dropped his coat to the side, he spun you around, pressing you between himself and the door. He wanted you fiercely and it was you shying away from him that landed you in the trouble you were in now.

Given the terms of your relationship, you realize that he had a point with this. A defeated sigh escapes your lips. “You’re right… I’m sorry. I will accept my punishment.”

“Look at you. Finally behaving as you should. Now, be a good little slut and strip.”

He stepped back, allowing you enough space to wriggle your pants down. He licked his lips seeing you in his favorite lacey panties of yours.

“That’s enough. Now, give me a little spin around.”

You obediently follow through to spin around and once your back faces him, he shakes his arm around your waist and pulls your body flat against his, his other hand gripping firmly at your ass. His breath scalds against your shoulder, moving closer to your ear, his voice only but a low rumble. “Remind me the terms of our agreement, and don't mess things up.”

He begins kissing you softly down the back of your ear and down your neck. After everything together, you already knew he was one to play dirty but you’ve been able to get through this before. Still, with a shaky tone, you speak up “Part of being a submissive is accepting whatever your master decides, regardless of the circumsta- OUCH!”

He smacked your ass, hard, gripping firmly at it again. “Getting better every time, but looks like today still just isn’t your day.” His grip loosens up and he gently rubs away the stinging pain. You breathe a short sigh of relief that’s met with his hand over your throat, tilting your head up. “Until my little bitch learns how to speak, let’s see how well she can count. I expect you know well enough to count down from 10. So, if you want this to end nicely for you, I suggest you get at least this right.” he gives your ass a loud smack, sending you forward just enough to put your hands out on the door but not far enough to fall from the grasp he holds on your neck.

“Ten.” 

“So you do know how to listen. Good girl” He smacks your ass again, hard enough to make your breath catch.

“Nine.”

He gently rubs your ass, massaging the sting away. “Keep going” he says, before smacking you once again, this time making you yelp before you speak.

“Eight.”

“Such a bad girl. It’s like you want everyone out in the hallway to know how desperate you are for this.” He leaves a messy kiss along your neck, smacking and grabbing your ass again. You bite your lip for a moment, hesitating before speaking again.

“... Seven.”

You thought surely he’d call you out on it so when he whispered in your ear “You're doing great, just a few more” you couldn’t tell if this was heaven or hell. You were brought out of your thoughts without another clap, the sting reminding you exactly where you were in all this.

“Six.”

He kisses your neck ever so softly and whispers against your skin “Almost there”. The sweet subtlety in his voice conflicts with the pain of your rear, your skin already beaten quite raw yet he still delivers another blow. You whimper in return.

“Five.”

He runs his fingers along your thigh, teasingly close to the brim of your panties, a slick stain of arousal built up within them. “Wet already? You naughty gal, you” He removes his hand and smacks you again, this time, you swallow and think deeply, trying to recount the number.

“...Four.”

He moves his hand from your neck, trailing it down your body then under your shirt, caressing your stomach. "Just imagine what I'll do to you when you reach zero". Another smack befalls you.

“Three.”

He trails his lips down your shoulder blade, nipping at your skin. “You're so close, baby” and hits you once again.

“Two..”

You squeeze your eyes shut, bracing for the next impact or whatever tricks he has next. He kisses his way up to your neck and his hand sneaks between your thighs, rubbing your panties against you, the delicious friction running chills up your spine. He brushes them off to the side and parts your folds with his hand, rubbing tauntingly slowly before driving his middle finger into you. The way your moan hits his ears and the feeling of you squeezing at him so tightly does him in. He groans in frustration. “Oh fuck, I can't wait anymore.” He grabs your hips and pulls you back against his chest, grinding his erection against your ass.

He pulls you away from the front door and pushes you onto the bed of the hotel room, face down. Kneeling up on the bed, he quickly shoves a pillow beneath your hips and strips himself of his belt, tying your wrists together behind your back, leaving you helpless and exposed. He leans over and whispers into your ear "I did promise things our end nicely for you if you behaved, didn't I?"

He picks himself off the bed and strips off his clothes. He takes in the sight of you bound and impatiently waiting, your ass freshly marked with perfect prints of his hand, claiming you as his. He slides his hands up the back of your legs, making you squirm. Soon enough, he makes his away atop you, straddling the back of your thighs and admiring the way his throbbing cock rests between your reddened cheeks. He grabs at your ass and grinds himself against you. The way your body jolts in anticipation puts a fresh smirk on his face. He trails kisses up your back and says in a sultry tone "Ask nicely, princess".

Your strained voice yearns with a deep need. "Christian, please. I beg of you!"

"What was that?"

You huff a little whine. "Master, please fuck me"

You hear him scoff a tiny laugh and you pinch your eyebrows, hoping he'll let it pass. He reaches between your thighs and pushes your underwear off to the side, running his fingers through your slick and uses it to stroke his cock, just a few times before pressing it between your thighs, his thick shaft giving friction against your aching pussy.

Your thighs tense, trying to pull him closer. Even your fingertips try reaching out for him, your bound hands just wanting to reach a little closer, if not to pull him in then at least make just any more contact with his body. He catches your hands with his, pressing them down to your back and pulling himself out just enough to press his cock snug into you, each inch stretching you as he pushes deeper.

He repositions his hands to dig his fingertips into your hips and starts railing into you mercilessly. Each slap of his hips to your ass stings but the depths he reaches into you when it happens only makes you want it more. It's when he rolls his hips into you that your thoughts go entirely hazy, nothing but his name on your lips as he drives you closer to the edge.

He gives your arm a gentle squeeze "Such a pretty girl the way you take your Master's cock. You want me to finish in you that bad, huh?"

"Yes" You beg and add, with another whine, "Anything for you, Master".

With that, he takes a hold of your sides, fucking erratically into you until his seed shoots deep into you, his pulsing cock driving you right over the edge with him. He pulls himself from you, caressing your body with his hands. He unties his belt from your wrists and tosses it across the room then falls down onto the bed beside you, opening up his arm to you. "ay, get over here".

You make your way onto your side and face him, snuggled up into his arm, your hand on his chest. "Christian, that was amazing." You give him a cheerful, though lightly exhausted smile. He looks down at your expression, though it doesn't show on his face, you can feel his heart through the gentle way he looks at you, as though his heart were smiling for him. He ruffles your hair and with a tad of a mocking tone.

"Then try not to be such a brat next Valentines Day, yeah? Let's get you ready to bed."

[othersideoutlawsnetwork]

🗝₊˚⊹— Somewhere on The Other Side, an outlaw has found a key. This one opens AUD: Stopping the Sacrifice. The steel key has the name Rem engraved on it.

AUD: Stopping the Sacrifice

》 Pairing: bodyguard!San × afab!reader

》 Genre: smut with some angst in the middle

》 Wordcount: 3,890 words

》 Rating: mature

》 Type: series

Nets: @mirohs-aurora-society @othersideoutlawsnetwork @illusionnet

A/N: oh lawd... this one is a doozy. Anyways, happy Valentine's day, y'all! ❤️ if you look closely, I added a tidbit from the Ateez lore in here lol credits to @yourfatherlucifer for the banner

'Cause I thought it was over. Got me thinkin' my feelings over. You keep doin' it over and over. - Lucky Daye

“In this scenario, you are famous for… whatever you wish to be famous for. Choi San is your bodyguard who occasionally dances whenever he is off duty. He is also hopelessly in love with you, but due to the toxic relationship you’re in with your current significant other, he feels there is nothing he can do. As he spirals downwards, his path ultimately leads him to a tragic accident. Will you save him in time?” - Maddox

---------------------------------------------------

“Jesus fucking Christ.”

Matz, Yeosang, and MITO all looked at you in concern as you paced back & forth, absorbing everything Maddox had relayed to you as you entered the next domain of the corrupted simulation. While the other members were easy, San was the third most difficult pirate king to wake up. According to MITO, San had the second biggest heart in the crew. He always tries to give love to his crewmates whenever he gets the chance. Like Yeosang, he is a gentle giant and a kind soul. It baffles the other members that someone like him would join Halateez. However, he provided the necessary skills they needed to survive so they kept him. Hongjoong and Yeosang took it upon themselves to help you out since they, along with their youngest member, feel the most guilty for not accepting San’s love. Hongjoong took up the role of wardrobe designer, Yeosang took up the role of your manager, Seonghwa took up the role of your personal assistant, and… 

“MITO, don’t tell me you’re playing the role of the toxic boyfriend!”

The tall bounty hunter grinned sadly as he nodded in response to what you said to him. Truth be told, he didn’t want to play this role, but since everyone else had already chosen the other roles, he had no choice but to begrudgingly play this role. He tried hard to act toxic so the virus won’t notice, but he couldn’t find it in him to do so. Despite being the scariest motherfucker alive, he had a heart of gold. 

“I’m sorry, love. I have no choice. I hate it as well.”

You sighed wearily and reassured MITO that it was ok. It was all fake anyways. As you put on your best pantsuit and readied yourself to walk the red carpet, you heard a knock on the door. You shooed MITO and the rest of the men away before clearing your throat and walking towards the door to see who was there. You swung it open and you tried hard not to drool. 

Choi San was a delicious sight to behold. 

Dressed in all black with leather pointed shoes, black sunglasses covering his sharp feline eyes, and the singular gold ring on his index finger being the only splash of color he has, you took in his form and tried to shake the shameful thoughts away. His sleeves were rolled up to reveal muscular forearms, his cheekbones were high and sharp, and his lips were set into a small pout, which offset the intimidating aura he exuded. He stepped inside your room and stretched a bit. Your ogling continued onwards as you stared at his dorito body. Broad shoulders, tiny waist, biceps bulging in his sleeves, heavy chest, and everything else that was on display. Once he stopped stretching, he took off his sunglasses and placed them in his jacket pocket before stepping closer to you and gathering you in his huge arms. 

“Hi, princess.”

His soft yet deep voice lulled you into a sense of temporary comfort as you returned the hug. In the time you had within the domain, you made slow progress. Usually, the client San was guarding was non-chalant and dismissive of the little actions San has done. You were determined to change that. You started returning the acts of affection to San and openly flirted with him right in front of MITO. Of course, MITO had to step in and dramatically call you out in order to keep up the act and San had no choice but to back up and stay in his lane. Other than that, the two of you were in a good spot. MITO and the others have commented on how San’s mood was slowly improving and he even increased the amount of affection he would give to you. 

“Hi, Sannie~”

San’s heart melted when your bashful voice greeted him and said his nickname. He didn’t know what made you change your attitude towards him, but he was going to take advantage of it all before you reverted back to your ways. Little did he know, you weren’t going to change anytime soon. He looked around to see if MITO was around. When he wasn’t, the guard backed you up against a wall slowly and bent down to kiss your cheeks deliberately, making sure his lips lingered on your skin for a second longer before retracting himself. You blushed profusely as you accepted this bold act of affection from him. He held your face in his hands and stared down at you with so much love in his eyes. 

“You have some time until you have to go out there. Come sit with me.”

San led you to your bed and sat on the edge of it, patting the spot next to him. You shook your head and sat down on his lap instead, to which he was surprised with yet didn’t protest as he wrapped an arm around your waist and pulled you closer so your bodies were touching. The warmth he radiated increased the temporary comfort you felt around him. He whipped out his phone and scrolled through his gallery until he stopped at a certain video. He adjusted you so your back was touching his chest, both of his arms were around your waist, and his chin was on top of your shoulder, making sure his cheek was touching yours. 

“Check out this freestyle I did before coming up here.”

Your jaw dropped as he showed you the video he took. You knew San was a good dancer but this? You felt disrespected by him. You shoved him playfully and started ranting about how he’s good at dancing and how he looked fine as fuck while doing so. San giggled, his eyes disappearing as he did so. His dimples showed and you couldn’t help but poke them. 

“You need to be locked up, sir!”

“Oh? And who will protect you once I’m locked up?”

“I’ll find a temporary replacement for you!”

“No one can replace me, kitty.”

You didn’t have time to register the new petname he gave you as he grabbed your hips and pushed you down onto the bed, hovering over you while you laid on your back. The close proximity you felt before already made your head swim in dizziness. Now in this position? You felt your entire body burn up and the flustered feeling hit you harder than before. You gazed down at his lips and San must’ve noticed since he started leaning in. Your hands were on his chest in an attempt to push him away. 

“San, we can’t…”

“Can’t we?”

You shivered as he kissed just below your ear and trailed his lips downwards so he could kiss the junction between your collarbone and neck. His hands trailed down your thighs until he used his strength to wrap your legs around his waist. You felt something heavy against your clothed core and your eyes widened. 

HOW BIG WAS THIS MAN?!

“San, wait -”

San lifted his head up and looked at you with his brows furrowed in concern. He feared he may have taken it too far. You let out a shuddering breath as you looked up at him. As much as you wanted him to feed you into the mattress, you had to remember your purpose. 

“We can’t. I can’t. I shouldn’t do this to Barom.”

That was MITO’s name for this domain. 

San sighed out of irritation upon hearing MITO’s fake name. After not mentioning him for so long, that streak had unfortunately broken. He set down your legs and lifted himself up so he was now standing near your bed. You felt awful for stopping this, but you had no choice. His face was unreadable as he fished his sunglasses out of his pocket. He extended a hand towards you and you took it. 

“Come on. You don’t want to be late.”

The softness in his voice was replaced with a gruff tone as he guided you out of your room and followed you at a respectable distance so you could exit the hotel and head to whatever red carpet event you were invited to. As you exited the lobby, thousands of paparazzi and fans flashed their cameras at you, taking as many photos as they could. San blocked off as many photographers as they could while you kept your head down to avoid getting a migraine from all the flashes. 

You were also trying hard not to cry. 

Once inside the limo, San got inside after you and signalled the driver to start driving towards the event. You tried to speak to him, but he looked out the window to avoid any type of conversation with you. You sighed and proceeded to text Seonghwa. 

You: i am trying so hard not to cry rn. he’s not looking me in the damn eye!

Hwaseong: ik, darling. ik… we’re watching from the sidelines as we speak. i can feel the pain you two are going through. but don’t falter now. ur so close to breaking him free! joongie detected no traces of the virus thus far so keep up the good work. if you need to take a break from all of this, just say the word

You: thx, but i think i’ll be fine. i’m approaching the venue for the event. i gtg

Hwaseong: of course, sweetheart. keep ur chin up 💕

---------------------------------------------------

The after party sucked so much ass. 

The alcohol was gross (you were sure that the champagne tastes cheap thanks to your bartending knowledge), you had unnecessary people flirt with you (MITO resisted heavily on protecting you since he had a role to play), and you had no idea where San went. The last time you saw him; some random woman was trying to hook up with him. You couldn’t help but feel jealous so when San tried to talk to you, you turned your back to him. It was a mistake you regretted yet you couldn’t help it. You found a secluded corner and sighed wearily as you surveyed the crowd. You felt a presence beside you and you turned to see the bounty hunter sit next to you. 

“God, I hate this. I hate this role, I hate these people, and I hate that I’m driving a wedge between you & San.”

“It’s not your fault -”

“I know, but still!”

Your heart clenched in pain as MITO vented out his frustrations. The silly and lively bounty hunter had a forlorn expression on his usual bright face. He took off the eyepatch he wore and blinked rapidly so he could adjust the vision in his white eye. You didn’t know why he couldn’t just put a contact in, but you figured that maybe it was his spiel so you didn’t question it. 

“This is painful, but we have to move forward, MITO. We need to focus on the mission.”

MITO nodded solemnly and you scooted closer to him so you could hug him. He chuckled quietly and patted the top of your head. Even though he didn’t see you in a romantic light, he cared for you deeply. A small smile appeared on his face as he looked down at you. You returned the smile and you were about to say something when you heard someone clear their throat. The both of you looked up to see Yeosang staring at you guys with a worried expression on his serene face. You stood up immediately and asked what was wrong. 

“San left the venue. He muttered something about needing to clear his head. I fear this is the final step before we lose him to the simulation forever.”

“FUCK!”

Your exclamation had a few people turn their heads to which MITO glared at them for. A simple ‘Fuck off!’ from his abrasive voice and the people turned back to what they were doing. You sprinted through the crowd with MITO and Yeosang falling behind. Matz caught up to you and the four men tried their best to shield you from the impending number of paparazzi trying to snap photos of you. It worsened when a small batch of news reporters approached you, shoved their mics into your face, and bombarded you with questions. 

“What is the next step in your career?!”

“How do you feel about the results of tonight’s wins?!”

“Do you feel that it was unfair to be nominated and not win once?!”

“Where’s that bodyguard that’s always clinging to you?!”

The questions made your blood boil. 

“Did Barom finally fire him?”

“Why are you still with Barom?”

“Are you having an affair with your bodyguard?”

“Did you cheat on your boyfriend with your bodyguard?”

“Is your boyfriend still considered toxic?”

“Why are you still with this man?”

The questions were beginning to become too much. You were breathing heavily as more reporters kept barreling questions upon questions. Finally, you had enough. You screamed at everyone, ripped a few mics from their hands, spoke some colorful and less than pg-13 words, and flipped the bird before marching away from your friends. You were done. You were heated to the point where if someone touched you, they’d get burned. 

You didn’t want to be famous anymore. 

You stopped outside of a club in the sketchiest part of town and made your way inside. You found a seat at the bar and requested a glass of the strongest liquor they had to offer. Once you were served, you were about to take a sip when you noticed a familiar figure in your peripheral vision. 

Choi San

You noticed that he had a similar drink in his hand. Despite the dim lighting, you knew there was something wrong with his drink. Being a bartender yourself, you’d know a drugged drink if you saw one. While your liquor had a golden amber color, his liquor was a lighter shade of golden amber with a hint of foggy gray emanating off the singular ice cube. Feeling your instincts kick in, you snatched the drink from his hand and flagged the bartender. 

“Oi! Homeboy over here almost got drugged! Check your shit next time before serving it!”

San was more shocked about your accent than your sudden outburst. You usually spoke like that whenever someone fucked up. The bartender recovered from her shock and apologized sincerely before taking the glass from you and dumping the tainted contents in the sink. You sighed out of relief before sitting back down. This time, it was next to him. 

“What was that?”

You flinched upon hearing San’s voice as you looked at him. Confusion was written all over his face and you winced internally. He’s seen your true self. Not the version that he was acquainted with. 

Did you fuck up?

“I can explain -”

San immediately got up and exited the bar hastily. You placed a few bills down and followed him out seconds later. Since he didn’t get that far, you were able to catch up with him. He turned around quickly and your face rammed right into his huge chest. You looked up at him as he started talking. 

“I don’t get you sometimes. The mixed signals here and there, the slow down every time we see a green light in our relationship, the nightmares that slowly turn into a dream, and so on. Every time we hit an obstacle, I fear it’s over. Whenever I clock in for this stupid job, I think my feelings over. I want to get closer and closer to you, yet the weight of everything gives me closure. And not the good kind. Now you have me all confused and even more frustrated than before. For the sake of everything that hasn’t crumbled yet, tell me why you’re doing all this shit.”

Throwing caution out the window, you grabbed San’s face and kissed him right on the lips. 

‘I’m going to be in deep trouble but fuck it.’

San closed his eyes as he kissed you back, grabbing your waist and pulling you closer to him. Just when his tongue was about to enter your mouth, you pulled away to catch your breath. You pointed behind you, indicating that you two should get to your hotel room before continuing this. San nodded breathlessly as he picked you up in his arms and tossed you over his shoulder before walking briskly back to the hotel. 

“Was that supposed to happen?” Hongjoong asked from afar. 

“I don’t know, but the virus didn’t pop up so I think we’re in the clear.” Seonghwa answered. 

“If these two are about to fuck, I swear to God.” Yeosang muttered. 

“Our girl needs it after Hongjoong left her high and dry.”

Seonghwa held Hongjoong back and Yeosang covered his mouth to muffle his laughs while MITO barked out laughter. The four men followed the two of you closely behind so they could scope out what will happen next. 

---------------------------------------------------

“San, wait -”

“But baby~”

You whimpered as San kissed your neck, shrugging off his blazer and started unbuttoning his shirt. You were pressed against the wall by him, your own blazer torn off alongside your slacks, leaving you in your corseted top and silk thong. San lifted his head to gaze at you with lustful eyes. Once his shirt was off, you were staring straight at the smooth planes of his bare chest. San kissed you with fervor, undoing your top with one hand and lifting your leg with the other so it was near his hip. Once the top was off, a low growl escaped his throat seeing your own bare chest on display. He snaked his fingers down to your clothed core and chuckled breathlessly. 

“God you’re so damn wet. All this for me as well. Fuck I can’t wait to fill you.”

San carried you over to your bed and laid you down slowly, his lips never leaving yours. He ripped off your thong and shoved his pants and boxers off his legs, leaving him fully nude. You salivated upon seeing his huge and positively thick cock and shivered when the tip momentarily made contact with your folds. 

“Normally, I’d take my time to praise you and worship this gorgeous body you have. But I’m an impatient man.”

He started inserting himself slowly into you. Even though you were indeed wet enough to take him in, the stretch his girth caused had you gasping and panting. San shushed you by leaving kisses all over your face. Once he bottomed out, a guttural groan escaped his lips and he looked down at you. A wicked smirk painted his face as he threw one of your legs over his shoulder and pulled out slowly until only the tip remained inside. Without warning, he slammed back inside. The angle was so deep that it had your back arching, your toes curling, and your mouth moaning his name shamelessly.

“That’s right, kitty. Say my fucking name. Let me show you that you deserve better than what that asshole can give you.”

Outside of your room, the four men were accidentally eavesdropping on the ball-slapping sex you were having with San. Hongjoong felt embarrassed, Seonghwa was slightly aroused, Yeosang cringed, and MITO was just… MITO. Each smack of skin resonated on the walls and the four men knew that the room would smell horribly if they entered. MITO dragged Matz by their ears down the hall while Yeosang followed closely behind. 

“This is… awkward.”

“I think I have a boner.”

Yeosang smacked his forehead while Hongjoong looked at the chair next to the elevator, praying it would swallow him whole if he sat down. Seonghwa had some semblance of shame written on his face while MITO lowly whistled a random tune. 

“Cum.”

You finally came, clenching around San’s dick as your orgasm washed over you like a giant wave. San panted heavily in your ear, emptying himself inside you. He looked at you, the lust in his eyes slowly diminishing. He slowly pulled out of you and watched in awe as his cum dripped out of you. He shoved it back in gently with two fingers and you flinched from the overly sensitive feeling. 

“Let me clean you up.”

“Wait! Before you do, could you come here please? I have something to tell you.”

San nodded and walked back to you, crawling into your bed and positioning himself so he could look at you while he laid on his side. You caressed his face and grabbed his hand before kissing his ring. Exhaling shakily, you looked up at him nervously. 

“I love you, San. I do. But unfortunately, we can’t be together. At least… not like this.”

With that same composed look you gave Matz and Yeosang, you stared at him dead in the eyes and said the words with conviction and determination. 

“None of this is real. If you want to be with me, you have to do one thing. Wake up!”

You didn’t get to see San’s face as the hotel room faded back into the familiar void. You were standing and fully clothed, yet your back was to San and your friends, afraid of what San will think of you once he recovers from the pain of being in the simulation for too long. 

“Hey.”

You turned around and almost fainted at the sight of San. A three-piece suit and trench coat like Hongjoong, leather gloves like Seonghwa and Yeosang, and short hair beaming a bright red just like Seonghwa. The only new addition? 

His glasses. 

Somehow, the glasses made him 10 times hotter. He looked down at you and observed you from head to toe before grabbing your hand and pulling you closer to him. You couldn’t bear to look at him, which he didn’t like. He tucked his fingers under your chin and turned your head so you were forced to look at him. 

“Thanks for saving me, little birdie. How can I repay the favor?”

“Uh…”

“Dude, your cum is still dripping out of her. You can stop now.”

You blushed heavily upon hearing MITO’s blunt admission and you tried to hide yourself so you wouldn’t experience any further embarrassment. You felt something heavy drape over you and you looked to see San’s coat swallowing you whole. You were about to protest when San shushed you gently. 

“Relax, little birdie. You can cover yourself with it until we get you some new pants and maybe a fresh pair of panties. I feel bad for unloading myself in you.”

“It’s fine…”

San then looked around until he saw Yeosang. He immediately walked over to him and latched himself onto the slightly older man in a bear hug. You found yourself finding the sight adorable and feeling oddly jealous. MITO laughed and clasped your shoulder. 

“If you think he’s bad, wait until you meet Wooyoung.”

[othersideoutlawsnetwork]

🗝₊˚⊹— Somewhere on The Other Side, an outlaw has found a key. This one opens Makeshift Chemistry. The steel key has the name Aren engraved on it.

Makeshift Chemistry

► 𝙿𝚊𝚒𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚐 - obsessive!mafia!Seonghwa x fem!reader◄ ► 𝙶𝚎𝚗𝚛𝚎/𝙰𝚄 - mafia au, yandere trope, power imbalance, suspense, thriller, crime, Seonghwa is extremely !obsessed and !possessive, dark romance, depictions of Seonghwa's slow descend to madness, so he's kinda !psychotic, true insanity (like, I made him pretty mentally deranged here), kidnapping, imprisonment, escape from captivity, toxic form of love, emotional and mental torment, restraint (via handcuffs), forced love, angst, plot twist (stay away from the comments to avoid spoilers!) ◄ ► 𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐/𝚆𝚊𝚛𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚐 - PG-18+ so MDNI!!!, murder and extreme violence (semi-graphic) but not towards reader, drugged (non-graphic), consensual-hate sex, dom!Hwa, but whiny!Hwa, mommy kink, hard-fast-rough, standing sex, handjob, degradation, gunplay, fear play, oral, cum eating, missionary, overstimulation, multiple orgasms, forced orgasms (on Seonghwa's end), multiple creampies, baby trapping implications, no protection (DO NOT DO THIS!!!!), just super kinky lol◄ ► 𝚆𝚘𝚛𝚍 𝙲𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚝 - 28.7K words (this had to be this long sorry) ◄ ► 𝚂𝚢𝚗𝚘𝚙𝚜𝚒𝚜 - You loved Park Seonghwa, until you found out that he was a Mafia Lord, and you didn't want to get involved, so you left him. But Seonghwa wasn't going to let you go that easily, because his unhealthy obsession with you knew no bounds. Soon enough, this obsession is marked by violence and manipulation when he kidnaps and imprisons you just so you could love him back. You barely escape with your life, but what about the feelings in your heart that were trapping you? How were you supposed to love Seonghwa when he’s slowly losing his mind and sanity in the guise of loving you too much? ◄ ► 𝙽𝚘𝚝𝚎𝚜 - PLEASE READ AT YOUR DISCRETION. There will be extreme instances of how mental instability affects love, and Y/N isn't clean. Do not read if you're uncomfortable, it's not mandatory even if you enjoy my work. Prioritize your mental stability, and I'll see you in my next work. If you do choose to read it, enjoy! Fic inspired by Chappell Roan's Coffee.◄ ► 𝚃𝚊𝚐𝚕𝚒𝚜𝚝 - @0rangemilk @ginger-mingi @ruubyrubes @oddracha @jaytheatiny @roxannecos @juicy-red @cheolliehugs @sunnysidesins @jjongbearshoney @midnightrebel1028 @xomakara @lovetaroandtaemin◄

‘Coffee?' -Park Seonghwa

You bit your lip apprehensively, the phone in your hands almost slipping with how lax your grip on it had become. What was once your lifeline to the world - the window to what was beyond your walls - was now the bane of your existence.

A loud shrill cuts you off of your thoughts. The phone was now ringing. You practically jumped out of your skin at the sound, and in a panic, you unwittingly pressed the red button.

"Fuck," you hissed, not fully intending to reject the call. Well, not entirely, anyway. You didn't mean to immediately do it, your nerves always failed you at the last minute. 

You were back to biting your bottom lip, but this time, you bit on them with twice the anxiety and twice the strength since they were actively bleeding out in between your teeth. You jumped out once more when your phone dinged.

‘Do not ignore me. Get dressed. We’re getting coffee.’ -Park Seonghwa

Ignoring his incessant calls and messages shouldn't have been this difficult and stressful. You could feel your sanity slowly slipping away from you every single time you'd leave another text from Seonghwa unanswered.

This prick, you thought, gritting your teeth so hard, the grating sound of it made your head hurt. You haphazardly threw your phone on your desk, not caring if it gets smashed or not. It would be better if it did, honestly. That way, you’d have no contact with him left, and his control over you would vanish. 

And in that way, you wouldn’t be tempted to see him over and over again. 

It wasn’t a fault of his own sometimes. There was always this urge in you to see how he was, what he’s doing, and if he was the same man you left a couple of months ago. 

You bit your lip, looking down on your outfit. It was a simple white button-up shirt, some jeans, and a pair of heels. It wasn’t a choice of yours, either; Seonghwa loved elegance. He would make you change, anyway, and waste your time. 

You’ll meet up with him one more time, and tell him that it would be the last time. You’ll meet up with him one more time, and tell yourself that it would be the last time. 

The cafe was empty when you got there, unsurprisingly. You scoffed as you sat down, it was such a Seonghwa thing to do. A barista even escorted you to your seat, it was slightly embarrassing. This was a cafe, for God’s sake, not a fine dining restaurant. You shook your head as you knew this was one of his games. He loved seeing you embarrass yourself, especially since he was the one embarrassing you because even in that aspect, he wanted control over you. 

God forbid someone else did it for you, however. They’d be dead by deadlight. You swallowed those thoughts away, they weren’t metaphorical at all. 

Seconds passed by, minutes ticked by, and almost an hour into arriving, Seonghwa still hadn’t shown himself. You gave the poor barista a nervous smile of your own, but inside, you were seething. You tentatively looked outside from the glass walls, you knew he was here. You could feel it. 

And yet, he was nowhere to be seen at the same time. You began to feel uncomfortable, tugging at your collar, playing with your nails, sighing every five minutes, the likes. But the worst part of it was that you knew he was enjoying this. He got off on your discomfort.

You wouldn’t be surprised if he was hiding in plain sight, his eyes never leaving yours as he savoured all the most miniscule of your expressions that told him exactly what you were thinking without him even opening his mouth to ask you. 

Just as you were about to stand up and leave, the door opened, a light trinkle resounding from the charm attached on top of it to signify someone’s entrance. He did this all the time - reel you back in when you’re about to pull away. You hated it, mostly because you let him treat you like this. 

Two men entered first, both of which you are very familiar with. They greeted you with a subtle nod of their head, avoiding eye contact, before choosing to sit in the farthest part of the quaint café. 

And there he was in all his majestic glory. His strides were sure, eyes trained on you like a hawk, pausing to tilt his head at you as if he was examining you, but you knew better - he was challenging you to move. 

That was how Park Seonghwa - he demanded attention. The way he would swallow the entire room with just his shadow, alone, never failed to stun you into silence. He was a siren’s song, beckoning anyone around him to look and listen with just one word from his mouth. Hell, most of the time, he didn’t even have to say anything. 

But the siren’s song was just that; a siren. A subtle smirk graces upon his lips, and the next thing you knew, he was making his way to you. You watched his hands pull the chair in front of you, those sinful hands once held you, bought you comfort as they caressed you. Now, all they did was strangle you into suffocating, squeezing your soul, stealing your essence drop by drop. 

“I don’t think meeting out here is wise, Mr. Park,” you said, cutting straight to the point. It was more so for yourself, the longer you stayed with him, the weaker your resolve gets. 

You refused to break eye contact with him, and perhaps, that was the worst part of all of this. He was still breathtaking. That face once made you kneel, and it still can. 

“Seonghwa, my love,” he corrected, tutting at you like he was endearingly scolding you. It made you sick. “You know my name, why won’t you say it?”

You bit your lip as you weighed your options down. There was always that choice to disobey him, it wasn’t difficult, but the mafia lord had never made anything easy for you. “I don’t think meeting out here is wise, Seonghwa.”

You watched as his bottom lip quivered, the way he attempted to hold his grin was nothing new to you. He loved it when you played his little games, he was more than pleased with it. Seonghwa raised his hand, snapping it to signal the nervous barista who was just waiting. 

“Nothing has ever been wiser,” he replied, staring the barista down as they shakily placed Seonghwa’s coffee in front of him as well as yours, except that you got a strawberry shortcake on the side, your favourite. 

You didn’t have any appetite, and he knew it, you never did every time you went out to meet him, yet he didn’t care. You mustered up the courage to ask him, anyway. “What is it that you want, Seonghwa?”

He watched you push your plate away with a small frown on his lips. “Why aren’t you wearing the ring I gave you?” Seonghwa questioned, ignoring yours. 

“Why should I? I’m not yours,” you took a deep breath, whispering your next words. “Not anymore, at least.”

“Nonsense,” he brushed off, pausing to take a sip from his cup before looking you dead in the eye. “You were always mine. You just don’t want to accept it.”

Indeed, he was a siren. He never stopped until the words he sang rang true even though you both knew it wasn’t the case. Seonghwa was once your siren, and now you regret ever being enthralled by his songs.

“I want to see you wearing it the next time we go out,” he declared, referring to the ring. He paused, a thought crossing his mind. “Do you not like it, though? Is that why? Would you like me to get another one?”

You tried not to flinch when he held your hand, lifting it to give it a small kiss. It burned, yet you couldn’t pull away. “Such delicate fingers,” he chuckled. “No jewelry can compare to its beauty, my dove.”

“Seonghwa,” you sighed tiredly, pulling away. His words still affect you, it was hard not to let them get to you, but it has to stop.

“It’s fine,” he interjected. He poked his tongue on his inner cheek, displeased at how averse you were to his touch.  “No spherical metal will bind you to me. We both know you’re mine, anyway.”

You sighed once more, this time, with a tremble. “There will be no next time,” you mumbled, clearing your throat from the nerves clogging it. “I came here to tell you that I-I can’t do this anymore with you, we have to stop meeting so we could both move on…”

It was the most difficult thing you had to say, minus when you told him you were leaving him, but you had to for your own sake. He didn’t say anything, his face had no emotion, except for his twitching left eye. You gulped, that was not a good sign. He did not like that at all. 

No words were said for a while. You almost broke down and took it back, but no, it was better to end this now than suffer the consequences later, because you might not end up leaving him at all. 

“It’s funny,” he began, voice leveled and calm. They were too calm. “Most people give out everything and anything just to have a five minute conversation with me.”

He took another sip of coffee, his long tongue darting out from his mouth slowly swiping his upper teeth as he looked on. “But you,” he continued. “You push me away when I make a point to crawl down to you unlike the others who have to climb up to me. You are a tough nut to crack, Y/N.”

You gripped the table in front of you, your knuckles pale and white. Anger rolled off of him like waves and for a second, you were terrified that he was going to explode on the spot. The way he uttered your name was a threat in itself.  He sets the cup down without a sound, letting out a small chuckle. 

“You’re hungry, aren’t you?” Seonghwa asked softly, all traces of anger gone from his tone. “Here, dove.”

You shut your eyes tight. His change in attitude scared you out of anything he has ever done, and Seonghwa was a violent man. Not towards you, never towards you, but he was a destructive person to be with. He was a psychopath. 

“I-I don’t want to eat, I’m good,” you squeaked, shaking your head when he took a piece of the cake and tried to push the fork into your mouth to feed you. 

“Come on, doveling, eat this. It’s very yummy,” he gently coaxed, pushing the fork slightly until it was touching your lips. “Say ah, baby, I’ll feed you,” he smiled.

It was a sweet gesture, and if the situation was different, you would’ve cooed at how cute Seonghwa looked. In your peripheral vision, even his bodyguards looked appalled at their mafia lord’s gesture. Seonghwa ruled everything, he owned this city, and everybody licked the soles of his shoes and worshiped the ground he walked on. 

But here he was, feeding you with cake. 

You turned your head again like a petulant child, refusing to eat anything that came from his hands. “I really don’t want to.”

He frowned. You watched as his hand started to shake, but you knew it wasn’t because he was tired of holding the fork up. “One bite? I know you’ll like it.”

“No, please—-“

“Open your fucking mouth.”

There it was. The way he demanded was anything but, his eyes were half-lidded with malice, the monotonous tone in which he spoke terrifying you more than if he raised his voice or grabbed your hair to force the cake down on your throat. His despondent stare penetrated through you, combusting your insides on the spot with how fiery it was. He was angry, you made him angry. Seonghwa cannot be angry. 

You gulped, parting your lips slightly. It was all it took for him to forcefully part them with the fork and roughly shoved the cake in your mouth. You choked when the tip of the fork almost hit the back of your throat, coughing a bit before you decided to swallow. Tears collected on the sides of your eyes, but you forced yourself to smile and nod at him. 

“You’re right,” you coughed again. “I-It’s yummy.”

His arm retracted, his eyes not once leaving your trembling form. “One more,” he ordered, tone clipped. It had a veil of threat looming over the words as they left his tongue.

You flinched when he cut another piece, the clank of the fork when it hit the plate, echoing in your head. It was reminiscent of what you hear in your head before  Seonghwa’s patience snapped. He was a time-bomb; you never knew what made him tick, but you knew that he was destined to explode somehow. 

He grabbed a napkin then wiped the sides of your lips. “You should be more careful, dove,” he chided, voice lowered, clouded with sinister intent. “Wouldn’t want you messy now, would we?”

You quickly shook your head in response. “That’s a good girl,” he smiled, his words kind and gentle as if nothing had happened, but you knew better. He lies through his teeth. 

If you didn’t love him, it would have been fine. 

The sigh that escaped his deceitful lips was long and slow as if his brain needed to process what just happened. The screeching sound of his chair hit your ears, and he was sitting beside you before you knew it. 

“I sincerely apologize, doveling,” he whispered, his voice breaking and cracking halfway. He lifted a hand to touch you, only for the same hand to fall back down neatly on his lap. “I-I just missed you a lot.”

You felt your heart split in half inside your chest, you didn’t want him anymore, but it didn’t mean you liked seeing him like this. However, deep in your gut, you knew that something was inherently wrong. You just didn’t know what. 

“Think about what I said, please,” you appealed, scooting your behind away from him to create a gap between the two of you.  For a split second, his lip twitches.

He looks up at you, hurt coating his entire features. “I implore you to think about it. I don’t want to completely lose you,” he pleaded. He jutted his lips out, doing everything he can for you to look at him with pity. 

You were weak. You were a weak, weak person. Seonghwa pulled you to him, enveloping his arms all over your form as your chin laid on top of his shoulder to hug him back. To your left, was the glass panel that separated the cafe from the outside. It reflected both you and Seonghwa’s embrace. 

The hug looked serene, intimate, to the unassuming eye. Your heart dropped to your feet as you watched Seonghwa’s expression morph from loving, apologetic, and sincere, to something that can only be described as demonic and corrupted. His eyes grew wide with madness, rolling at the back of his head as he tried not to crush in his arms then and there, his lips stretched towards his ears like a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

“Are you going to force me to forgive you?” You asked,  tears falling from your eyes before you could stop them. “Are you going to take me?”

He smirked, still looking forward, not knowing that you could see his expressions. “No, well, I could,” he whispered, biting his bottom lip to stop himself from cackling out loud at your stupidity. “But I won’t.”

You were a fool to believe that he would actually be sincere for once. This was his true colour. “You know me well enough where you know what my answer would be, and it’s no.”

It was terrifying how his expressions could change in the blink of an eye. His eyes slowly lost that mirth and instead dropped into the most dangerous glare, “So it seems,” he monotoned, grinding his teeth. “I won’t take you for myself by force, not until you want me to.”

Lies. Lies. Lies. Lies. Lies. 

You need to get out of here. “And what if I never want you to? Tell me,” you breathed out. 

Your heart leapt out of your chest when his eyes met yours through the reflection of the glass, the grin on his face expanding malevolently. He pulled away, making a point to demean you further by tapping your cheek. 

“And so my manipulation tactics begin,” he smirked, his sharp jawline finding rest above his slender fingers. “Though I don’t think I have to make much effort, you seem to be doing most of the work for me, dove.”

It was true, he got you there. You didn’t have to show up, you didn’t have to answer to his every beck and call, and you didn’t have to stay and wait for him when he humiliated you earlier, but you were still here. Seonghwa wasn’t pointing a gun to your head. 

Not yet, at least. 

“You’re mine,” Seonghwa murmured. “The sooner you accept that, the sooner you’d feel better.”

“But for now,” he stood up, all the grace and elegance in his body oozing out of him. He moved so regal, you had no idea why he even liked you. He offers his hand out. “You should go home. I reckon this meeting took a toll on you.”

You refused his hand and he scoffed, and just like that, he left. Completely alone to your thoughts now, you couldn’t help but breathe out the air you didn’t realize you were holding.

It was that tense, things with Seonghwa were always very intense. He always invoked emotions out of you that you always kept buried inside you, yet you always came back for more. Again, the fault wasn’t fully his own.

You were the one who left him, yet you couldn’t fully leave him. 

As usual, that night was spent with you just thinking about all the things that could’ve been with him. In the end, you weren’t strong enough to tell him that enough was enough with all these games you played with each other. 

He resented you, you knew as much. Seonghwa was a very, very vindictive person - he wasn’t the type to ever let go once crossed. You just never thought that the day would come when all that resentment was directed towards you because he was playing with you, that you knew as much.

It took another two weeks before he contacted you again, and this time, he called you directly. You stared at the number on your phone. You had deleted his number, but that was pretty pointless because you memorized it by heart, anyway. “Hello?”

“Hello, love,” you could hear the smirk in his cocky tone. “Care to have another coffee with me?”

The automatic response you had in your head was, of course, no. Seonghwa was an asshole; he was manipulative, and he was arguably the most toxic person you’ve ever had the displeasure of meeting, but goddamn, does your heart always pull you towards him even when you try very hard to guard it. “I don’t know,” you told him truthfully in the end even though his voice broke down your walls bit by bit. “I told you that we have to stop doing this, aren’t you sick of it?”

He doesn’t say anything for a moment. “You’re right,” he mumbled, surprising you with how genuinely amiable he sounded. “Coffee is overrated. Let’s go to dinner, instead. How about that Italian place downtown?”

You didn’t have high expectations, in fact, you had zero expectations, but you weren’t expecting that at all. “S-Seonghwa,” you sputtered. “T-That’s not what I mean.” “I know,” he chuckled. If you didn’t know him, it would sound like he was genuinely amused by this, but no. It already had a dark undertone to it. “So how about it, love dove? That or we hit the bar next to it, instead. Pick your poison because I’m not asking for your permission.”

It was your turn to stay silent. The last place you wanted to go to was the Italian restaurant. Why?

Because it was where you met Seonghwa - the end of your beginning and the beginning of your end.

“Let’s just do coffee, then. Just like you originally wanted,” you murmured in submission, but he was not pleased with your response.

“That ship has sailed when you couldn’t make up your damn mind,” he said. “The bar, then—”

“N-No! I mean, no, please,” you denied, a bit more defensive than what you would’ve liked to sound. “Dinner, Seonghwa, please, I’ll go to dinner with you…”

“Splendid, I’ll pick you up in an hour,” he agreed. “Why are you avoiding the bar?”

“Because we know where that leads,” you lamented, your voice almost desperate and pleading. “I’ll see you.”

You sighed, hanging up the phone and not bothering to hear what he had to say. You were pretty much terrified of going to the bar with Seonghwa, because then he’ll get you a drink, and that would always lead you in his arms.

The hour was a blur. A year prior, it was your favourite part of the day - getting ready and dolled up for the love of your life, but now, you just wanted to get everything over with. 

You’d also be excited for the car ride, but now, it was just so awkward to be in the car with Seonghwa. Neither of you talked, nor were you interested to spark up a conversation to begin with. The only time you did was when he asked you to hold onto him as you made your way inside the restaurant.

It was impossibly lavish, as expected of Seonghwa’s finer taste in life. It wasn’t for the regular everyday people since everywhere you looked dripped in money, both clean and dirty. However, all this elegance felt oppressive to you

Seonghwa sat across you, his presence filling the entire space. You cowered at his stare, focusing on the food that was being laid out in front of you. His stare never left you even when the waiter asked if their services were still needed. You could feel your hands gripping the stem of the complimentary champagne flute.

Suddenly, he started to laugh softly. You tilted your head to look at him curiously. “You’re very stubborn, dove,” he shook his head. “It would be endearing if I didn’t want to strangle it out of you sometimes.”

Against your better judgment, you took a huge swig out of the champagne, letting the sweetness of it coat your throat. Lord knows you needed a lot of them if you were about to spend time with Seonghwa. “Unluckily for you, I’m not looking for you to change my mind. I’m happy being independent right now.”

It wasn’t the entire truth. You wanted nothing but to lay in his arms like you used to and let him whisper all the sweet nothings in your ear. You grabbed the wine bottle from the ice bucket that was placed near you and poured a hefty amount on its respective wine glass.

In your peripheral vision, it wasn’t hard to see Seonghwa’s irritation - he wasn’t used to being met with resistance  - but even he raised a brow at how much red wine you were planning to drink. He smirked, looks like he didn’t need the bar, after all.

But his smirk dropped when he realized that you had already finished a whole glass and you were on your way to another one. “Alright, that’s enough,” he snatched the glass from you, drinking the whole thing in one go. “I’m not a good person, but don’t insult me like this. I have standards, I don’t want you face-planting on the floor.”

You blinked, the alcohol in your system already hitting you head-on in a possible collision that will be difficult to recover. You couldn’t look away from Seonghwa, and for once, maybe you just wanted to let go and be happy. “Do you want to know why I don’t want to go to a bar, specifically?”

He looked at you expectantly. “It was pointless since I got this,” you giggled, holding up the wine bottle, which was already halfway empty. The glasses were massive, and you were lightweight. “Because we’ll have a drink together, and then you’ll say you want me and that you’re sorry,” you hiccupped. “I know it’ll be a lie.” 

He stood up, rendering you speechless. Whether it was from all the stress culminating inside you or his audacity, you didn’t know. He offered a hand to you. “Come,” Seonghwa softly commanded. 

You finally looked up at him, confused. “W-Where?”

“Home, you silly goose,” he chuckled. He raised a brow when it still didn’t click. “I’m taking you home, little dove.”

Alarm bells started to ring in your head. You were about to shake your head when he stopped you. “I meant your…apartment,” he spat the word with such venom. “I do not approve of it since we have our old house, but I’ll play along for now. Come along before I change my mind.”

It was how you found yourself back in Seonghwa’s car, the food long forgotten, your mind buzzing. You sighed, staring out through the window, just gazing upon the passing distance. A scoff was tickling behind your throat, this was one of those instances where you actually had no choice. Whatever Seonghwa says, goes. 

However, contrary to what he was thinking, you weren’t necessarily afraid of him just snatching you up and forcing you to be with him, not today at least, but you were concerned about something else - something else entirely intimate.

When he insisted that he walk you up to your door, you couldn’t refute it. How could you when he was already walking at the apartment entrance ahead of you as if he knew where he was going?

Little did you know that he actually did. You blanched when he situated himself in front of your door. “Seonghwa,” you gulped, your hands shaking as you tried to open the door. “H-How did you know it was this door?”

When you left him, you tried everything you could to erase his track. It was almost impossible since the mafia owns the entire region, and you couldn’t go far since you had no money. You knew that he knew where you lived but you at least thought that you were safe since you thought you had the upper hand. You cursed under your breath, you shouldn’t have put his obsession with you past him. 

He snatched the keys from your hands, taking the liberty to unlock the door, himself, but when he was about to push it so he could walk in, you quickly held on to his arm tightly. 

“It’s late,” you reasoned out, heart pounding in your chest. This. This was what you were afraid of. “Don’t you have somewhere to be?”

He rolled his eyes, taking the keys out from the keyhole and tossing them to you. “Is this the way you treat your guests, love?” Seonghwa scoffed, crossing his arms. He sneered. “I thought I taught you better than that.”

You fisted your hands so tightly, your nails left deep indents on your palms. “You made me entertain thieves and murderers,” you gritted your teeth, not relishing in the memory of the many times Seonghwa would make you sit on his lap while he planned his operations in front of the other mafia leaders. 

“Hoshposh, little one, I would’ve shot anybody who looked at you wrong straight to the head,” he said. “Seriously, though, I’m quite thirsty.”

He pulled on his sleeves slightly and set his eyes on the luxurious watch that was wrapped on his wrist. “A glass of water would be great, then I’ll be on my way.”

You frowned, hesitation rolling off of you in waves. Of course, you didn’t want to let Seonghwa in your apartment, but you weren’t exactly heartless. You bit your lip, the sting of it snapping you out of the lies swirling in your own head. Heartlessness had nothing to do with it. 

You looked up at Seonghwa, heat pooling in your lower tummy, regret churning above it. You opened the door wide, resigning to your desires, leaving the remorse for tomorrow. 

Seonghwa smirked, closing the door behind him before pulling you by the arm, his lips smashing against yours in a heated fervor. Kissing him back wasn’t lost on you, this was what he was truly thirsty for, after all - you. 

And the worst of it all, you’d let him drink on no matter how much your head told you ‘no’. Seonghwa wasn’t someone who you could deny, because you can’t. 

The point was to meet him for coffee, his usual excuse, and only for coffee, but alas, nowhere else is safe because every place always led back to him.

A low, breathy moan escapes your throat as he lifts you up in the air, quickly wrapping your legs around his torso. His lips found salvation on your neck and jawline, planting sweet kisses on your skin that set them on fire with every touch. 

“I missed you,” he groaned against your chest as he laid you down on your bed and loomed on top of you, trapping you in between his arms. “God, I fucking missed you, dove…”

Of all the things he’s said tonight, you knew this to be the one where he wasn’t telling lies. You couldn’t even complain when he tore your top to shreds in his impatience to have it off, your bra stood no chance either. A wanton moan slips out of you when he grabs the small dagger that he always kept and cuts it off from the middle, the cool metal tip sending shivers all over your skin. 

“S-Seonghwa,” you mewled when his lips wrapped themselves on your puckered nipples, his tongue swirling all over it, leaving trails of spit that you always found incredibly erotic. 

He wasted no time taking the rest of his clothes off along with yours until there was no barrier left between the two of you and the hot surface of Seonghwa’s skin seared in contact with yours. You wanted this more than anything, and it was why you were terrified of letting him in. 

“How do you want it?” Seonghwa placed a tender kiss on the area below your ear, tickling you, making your cunt clamp down on his invading fingers as he massaged that sweet spot inside you. “How do you want me to fuck you?”

It was when you looked up at him that had your mind completely reeling. No, you never really doubted that he loved you, but sometimes, love simply wasn’t enough. 

And in Seonghwa’s case, he was offering a little too much. And too much of anything never did anybody favours.

When you raised your hand to cup his face, he didn’t hesitate to close his eyes and kiss your palm. There were no words that needed to be said. 

That night, as you were curled up on Seonghwa’s naked chest when things were said and done, it was the first time you wished that things were different. You wished you were strong enough to stop loving this man, but that was impossible because you knew he would never stop chasing you until all that were left of him were bones and ashes. 

And when you woke the next day to a completely empty bed, tears cascading down towards your pillows as you stared at the empty space. You could still feel the ghost of his lips on your forehead, the reluctance to leave clear in the gesture. But he had to, you’d kick him out, anyway.

However, it wasn’t out of a broken heart - it was relief. Pure, unadulterated relief that he was gone.

Leaving Seonghwa a couple of months before you moved back to your current place was simply the hardest thing you had to do. It wasn’t a decision that you mustered up out of thin air, it was days - months - of decision-making that either broke your heart or killed you.

You carefully adjusted your dress, shimmying your hips to make sure you weren’t exposed. You slipped among the crowd, squeezing your body in between the drunken state of the people on the dance floor as you made a beeline straight to the bar.

Clubbing became a part of your routine. It was an unhealthy coping mechanism to remind you that before Seonghwa, you were your own person. A drink or two later, your hands were in the air, your inhibitions lowering at the quick shot of adrenaline the alcohol provided you.

But it could only do so much. You sat at the corner of the club, just staring into the crowd. Melancholy seeped in your heart, it was pathetic that you had to go to places like these to get that cheap thrill of forgetting Seonghwa for a moment, only for his face to haunt you the moment you stepped out.

You swallowed the nostalgia that threatened to embrace you. When you closed your eyes, you could still picture the moment when you met Seonghwa for the first time. It was last year, you were so naive back then.

Or maybe not. He was just good at hiding his true colours.

A heavy sigh left your lips, your head nodding in resignation at the realization that your date had just ditched you.

Embarrassment clawed in your chest as you curled in on yourself at your seat, your fingers fiddling with the straps of the dress you’d carefully picked out for tonight uncomfortably. It was a waste since you had nobody to show up for it.

“You shouldn’t waste your tears on this beautiful night, pretty dove.”

Surprise covers your features. You hadn’t realized that you were crying. You feel somebody from behind you, probably another patron of the restaurant. You were even more embarrassed that someone has seen you get emotional.

“T-Thank you, kind Sir,” you politely accepted the handkerchief he offered you, dabbing your tears with it. “I’m afraid I soiled what’s yours…”

You were caught off guard when you glanced at its owner. He was hauntingly beautiful. His features were so forward and defined, and yet, there was a type of softness to it that reminded you of a gentle lamb.

”Do not fret, I have more where that came from,” he chuckled. 

“Ah,” you trailed off. “I will replace it for you soon.”

He smiled, his face transforming into something even more breathtaking. A blush creeps onto your cheeks.

”Might I be presumptuous to ask for something else in return? I don’t need it back,” he pointed to the kerchief. 

You blinked, waiting for his response. He gestured to the empty chair in front of you. “I’d like to accompany you for tonight, if that’s alright,” he said.

Your brows shot up in surprise. You supposed that the universe hasn’t completely abandoned you. You nodded, gesturing towards the chair. You had absolutely nothing to lose. 

“O-Of course. I’d be honoured,” you cleared your throat, gazing at him expectantly as he helped himself. “I’m Y/N.”

He gracefully extends his hand to capture yours, a subtle smirk plastered on his face. “Park Seonghwa.”

He was the best thing that ever happened to you. Seonghwa took you to multiple dates after that, taking you to places he said you deserved to be taken to, experiencing things you’ve never done before, and just spending time with him in general.

The next thing you knew, you were falling in love with him, and you were falling hard and fast. Luckily for you, Seonghwa was, too.

You bit your lips, remembering the way his glimmering eyes that reminded you of a baby doe as he stared at you with all the love he could muster in those beautiful eyes. The Seonghwa you knew was kind and gentle, he could never hurt a fly.

”Excuse me?” 

The bartender you got your drinks from earlier interrupts your thoughts. They had a tray with a single drink. It was a daiquiri. You frowned, shaking your head towards them. “I haven’t ordered anything.”

They proceeded to shake their head at you, instead. “It’s from that guy over there,” they pointed at a table a couple of metres away from you. 

As they placed the cocktail right in front of you, you took the liberty of inspecting the man that had the audacity to assume that you were lonely. A year back, you would’ve been flattered, but this reminded you of the way Seonghwa approached you for the first time in that restaurant.

Your sweet, sweet boy. Or so you thought. 

“Can you please return it? I’m not interested,” you pushed the drink back, much to the bartender’s chagrin and hesitation.

Your heart felt like a knife was being stabbed into it. You couldn’t go through this again.

Something changed along with your relationship. Seonghwa was the most patient man you knew. He was the type to cook breakfast in bed for you, tuck you in and give you a goodnight kiss for absolutely no reason. Seonghwa would hold you in his arms, cuddling with you for hours, just laughing along with your corny jokes even though they weren’t funny.

”Whenever you’re sad, just look at the stars for me,” Seonghwa would say. He would give your forehead a tender kiss as he would whisper. “You are my forever star, Y/N. I want the stars to be a witness to our eternal love.”

The club started to feel suffocating for you. Standing up, your wobbling legs took you to the restroom. You didn’t even spare a second glance on the daiquiri that you had purposefully left behind.

Luckily, the restroom was empty. You splashed cold water on your face, hoping it would wake you up and knock some sense into you. This was a mistake, you thought, your hands gripping the marbled sink. You were a mess.

Your feelings for Seonghwa were a mess. He started to change slowly. It wasn’t noticeable at first, but you knew him. He started getting angry fast, he had random bouts of periods where he would disappear, he’d come home with bruises on his face. He would cover it with makeup, but they’d still peek through.

When he told you he was in the mafia was a breaking point for you. You immediately left him after because you didn’t want to involve yourself in that lifestyle.

”My love, please,” Seonghwa begged at that time, tears falling from his beautiful eyes as he held your arm back weakly from leaving the house with your luggages. “P-Please, don’t go, I-I don’t think I can live without you, please.”

You couldn’t believe it back then, that your sweet Seonghwa was pleading for you to keep your love alive while his heart shattered with the weight of your decision in his chest. It pained you to see the love of your life losing it like this, but you had no choice. You wanted a normal life, you wanted to live your life safely, and Seonghwa being in the mafia can’t provide that for you.

It pained you to remember how Seonghwa desperately kneeled on the floor, crawling forward on his knees, broken, his eyes wild with fear. “Y/N, I am begging you,” Seonghwa’s voice cracked back then, struggling to breathe as tears spilled down his face. “I need you, dove, I can’t go on without you…”

His chest heaved with sobs he couldn’t control. “Don’t leave me, please. I don’t care what I have to do, dove, I-I can’t lose you, y-you’re everything to me. Please, don’t go.”

Sometimes, love just wasn’t worth it. You swallowed the tears that threatened to fall from your eyes, and you powered through, turning your back on him for the last time as his fiance, pulling on your luggages to leave him for good. It was difficult to ignore the guttural cries that left his lips as he screamed his lungs out for you to come back to him, but you had to go.

The little coffee breaks he’d ask of you were your little reprieve. Call it a guilty conscience for breaking his heart.  

But the truth was, you still loved him just the same, if not more. God, you still loved him.

Something had changed, though. During the months you were apart, he became maddened - more unhinged, to say the least. He scared you most of the time, it strengthened your cause of leaving because it was a side of him you’ve never seen before. He wasn’t the person you loved, not anymore. 

Your Seonghwa was mellow and gentle. Whoever this maniac was, this psycho, you didn’t know who. 

The bathroom doors opened with a bang, the rickety wooden structure hitting the walls that shook the entire expanse from where you stood. Danger signals spiked fear in you, instead of the usual women who belonged in the restroom, two wannabe thugs entered and set their eyes on you. 

One of them gave you a gnarly grin. You squinted your eyes, you knew of them. Disgust curls on your lips at the sight of the two men who were at the table who sent you the overly sweet cocktail you indifferently left at the table. 

“You shouldn’t be here,” you said, trying to level the situation out. Them barging in meant no good. And there was no one to save you. What is it with men and their inability to accept rejection?

“Who the hell do you think you are?” One of them growled audaciously, spit flying out from his filthy mouth emphasized by the dingy lighting the restroom provided. He marches towards you, pushing your arms rather roughly. You reckon it will bruise.

“Now, now, there’s no need for this,” the other one gestured for his companion to tone it down, leering as he raked his eyes from your head to your toes. His slimy tongue licks his dry lips as he slowly approaches you, or rather, stalks you like a predator.

The moment he grabs your shoulders, your instincts snapped you out. With a scream, you swiftly ran across the room towards the door, but not before giving one of them a good kick in the groin. 

“You fucking bitch! Ow, fuck, wait until I get my hands on you—”

Your heart pounded heavily against your ribcage, pure adrenaline fueling you as more vile words could be heard from the distance the more you walked away. You had no care for the sweaty bodies that you had to go through, all you knew was that you had to run, and you had to run fast.

This was the only time you cursed at how small the club was. You had no idea how far you were walking away from the bathroom, but the blinding lights, the deafening music, they were starting to get to you. You were terrified that they had managed to follow you. You didn’t dare look back.

You had to get out of here. Luckily, you were near the back door where you could exit and get away, so that’s exactly what you did. You couldn’t even regret forgetting your jacket the moment you got out and was embraced in the bitter cold of the night.

“Once again, I don’t have to do anything. You keep running into me.”

A startled scream escapes your mouth, the loudness of your own voice scaring you. Panic surged through your bloodstream. You looked around, and there was darkness everywhere, but no matter how blinded you were, you will always find that voice. 

Seonghwa was enveloped in the quiet corner of the cobblestoned alleyway. His back was leaning against the wall, his hand in his pants pocket while the other held a cigarette in between his nimble fingers. The only thing illuminating him was the faint glow of its lighted tip, its smoke swirling in the air mixed with the cold exhale of his breath.

Your breath caught into your throat. The horrifying clarity of running straight towards another danger was harrowing. Being alone with Seonghwa was far, far more dangerous than anything, however, you’d rather be in his mercy than those thugs inside. 

“You just couldn’t wait to see me again, don’t you, doveling?” Seonghwa mocked, his voice almost low, and frankly, delicious to your ears.

But you weren’t in the mood for his games. “Go fuck yourself,” you hissed, gritting your teeth in annoyance.

“I’d rather fuck you,” he grinned.

His pants tightened as he stared at you clad in the tiniest dress known to mankind, his cock jumping out at a certain memory of you underneath him just the prior week before he left your sleeping form. 

He could take you where you stood, right here, right now. And he would. However, when he noticed the way your hands trembled as you wrapped a protective arm all over yourself, his inhibitions died down. His brow rose when your form shook at the sudden boom of a voice from the door where you exited.

Paleness rendered you frozen. You could hear the same voice from the bathroom shouting, the sound of their voice growing closer and closer as they searched for you. Your eyes fleeted to Seonghwa once more.

He was already staring at you, his sharp, calculating eyes boring into you in realization. He poked his tongue on his inner cheeks, dropping the cigarette on the dirty floor, crushing it underneath his feet. You smiled to yourself ruefully, he was definitely different from the Seonghwa in your memory.

This was his true nature. Your sweet Seonghwa was a fraud.

The door busted open, and the same guy that held your shoulders looked around like an angry bull until he set his eyes on you. At that moment, you knew that Seonghwa understood what was happening. He stayed unmoving, unbreathing in his dark corner as the guy marched towards you.

“You,” the guy seethed, shoving you hard on the same shoulder. “You think you’re hot shit, bitch?”

You gasped when he spit at your feet, his saliva coating your slightly exposed feet due to your shoes. You inhaled, exhaled, repeating the gesture to reel in the anger you were feeling. You subtly waved your hand in Seonghwa’s direction, telling him to back the hell off and let you handle this, yourself.

“I’ll pay you for the drink, if that’s what you’re mad about,” you murmured, trying to sidestep him, but he swayed to the same direction, blocking your way. “Move,” you gritted your teeth.

He gripped your arm tight, his fingers digging into your skin in an alarming pressure where you were sure it would leave bruises. “No, no, you’re coming with me,” he pulled on your arm, causing you to lose your footing a bit.

“N-No, let go of me,” you pulled once more, forcefully this time, but his grip was loosening. Tension gripped your chest, the feeling of being cornered filling your mind with fear.

“Just come with me, you’ll have a good time,” he laughed lasciviously, his arm moving to grip your waist, until it freezes in the air.

You didn’t know whether you should feel alarmed or cry in relief when you watched Seonghwa appear from behind your captor. “Not so fast,” he said. You gulped when you saw him pull something familiar, using it to point at the man who held your arm at the back of his head.

The sound of a pistol cocking was louder than it should’ve been at the empty alleway. Your eyes widened in surprise and fear. This wasn’t supposed to be shocking to you anymore, but the sight of Seonghwa easily pulling a gun towards someone’s head never failed to instill terror in you.

“Back off, bastard,” the man snarled, though it didn’t have a real bite to it. “I saw her first, you can use this bitch when I’m done with her.”

Seonghwa hummed, leaning forward to the man’s ear, his tone dripping with unveiled threat. “Or I could plant a bullet in your head first. That sounds better to me.”

The man let out a nervous laugh, his grip on you tightening further, making you whine in slight pain. “You wouldn’t dare,” he laughed sarcastically, pushing his luck. “Not in a public place.”

Seonghwa’s eyes never left your shaking form. Your captor’s lips curled in dissatisfaction at Seonghwa’s lack of response. The thick silence in the air, yet your eyes never left Seonghwa as well. 

“What else did he do to you, love?” Seonghwa’s soft voice asked after a while, though his eyes held another thing - rage.

He pushes the gun on the man’s scalp, the latter groaning in pain in response to the rough action. “Look, man. I didn’t know she was taken,” the guy defended himself. “W-We can talk about this—”

“Did he hurt you before this?” Seonghwa gave you a pointed look, impatience coating his features.

“Seonghwa, please,” you responded, voice weary and exhausted. “Let’s just—”

“Answer the question, Y/N. Did he, or did he not?”

You gulped. You hated when he used your name. “Just let him go, please, I want to go home,” you begged. You felt filthy being touched, but you didn’t want blood in your hands.

But it was too late, Seonghwa hated his properties getting defiled. He shoots the guy point blank, his eyes still never leaving yours. Shock electrifies your system, unwilling you to move even when your face splatters with blood. The grip on your arms disappears as the man’s body crumples to the ground with a sickening thud.

Seonghwa tutted, clicking his tongue in mock disappointment and disgust at the body laying down in front of him. “Pathetic fool,” he sneered, spitting violently at the corpse’s face, his foot connecting to the now-dead man’s face. “Pathetic fool.”

Another gunshot resounds in the air, and then another, and then another one, until the clicking of Seonghwa’s trigger signifies that he was out of bullets. “Well, fuck,” he murmured before his maniacal laughter fills the night. There was something primal about it, something animalistic.

You turned away, at the risk of throwing up all over the concrete floor, afraid to look at the man’s, mangled, bullet-riddled face. Your vision started to blur, like your surroundings were spinning, as your breathing became laboured and shallow. You tried to back away to try and lean on something, but your legs felt weak.

“A ‘thank you’ would be nice, little dove,” Seonghwa scoffed, side-eyeing you as he put his phone up his ear. “Get in here. I need someone to scrub the floor.”

You knew exactly what that meant. Someone was coming to get rid of Seonghwa’s crime. Your stomach churns with nausea, until you can't take it anymore. You turn around, emptying your stomach of its contents, the regurgitating, gagging sounds from your hoarse throat sickening, the smell of your own vomit making you even more sick.

The more you tried to breathe in calmly, the more out of control you felt. It was as if your body was deliberately going against you. Seonghwa never hid his brutality, but this was the first time you had witnessed it first hand.

You gasped when you were pinned against the nearby wall, your eyes rolling in the back of your head, but still making a point to look at Seonghwa. “Shut the hell up,” he hissed, wildly looking around. “We’re going to get caught if you don’t toughen up.”

You sneered, wiping your lips with the back of your hand. “Are you fucking kidding me? You’re delusional, you monster—”

Something cold and unforgiving wrapped itself around your throat. You gasped, your hands coming up for defense to pry Seonghwa’s hand away from your neck, but all he did was squeeze, effectively cutting your air supply off. “S-Seonghwa…”

A low, throaty laugh reaches your ears before he lets go. Your body automatically lunges forward, the suffocating weight on your neck finally lifting for you to gulp in a large amount of air. Yes, Seonghwa thought, this was what he wanted. He was the only one who had rights to your pain, not some slimy bastard.

“Why do you always have to misbehave, dove?” Seonghwa grabs your face gently in his hands, leaning in to plant a firm kiss on your forehead. “It would do you a favour if you shut your trap.”

“I–I’m well-behaved, actually,” you choked out, your fingers digging on his arms for support. “You always get what you want, anyway. What was the point?”

It was the truth, and you weren’t wrong. Whether that was by determination, force, or sheer luck, Seonghwa always got what he wanted.

Footsteps began to approach, the heavy thud of boots echoing through the night. Panic seizes you at first, but when you are approached by familiar faces. Seonghwa curses under his breath, pulling you close to him to cover your scantily clad body from prying eyes.

Not that he needed to do it, anyone who looked at you wrongly would have faced his wrath, anyway.

“Clean that rubbish up,” Seonghwa ordered gruffly, pointing his gun at the corpse he further abused after taking its life. “Leave traces of it, and you’re next. Where’s the car?”

Before anyone could respond, he threw said gun in the air for someone to catch. “Dispose of this, Yunho, and dispose of it well,” he wrapped a possessive arm around you, gesturing to the tall man who stared at you in pity. “We’re leaving.”

“Boss, hold on,” another person, one that you knew to be Jongho from his voice, alone, stopped Seonghwa from walking. He raised an irritated brow in expectation. “Wouldn’t it be smarter to pin this on someone else, instead?”

You knew of Seonghwa’s brothers, the people who he led and followed him for his wisdom and criminally intelligent guise, and you liked them. Jongho drove you back to your apartment that day when you left Seonghwa, causing him to be severely punished when he came back, and Yunho provided you a crying shoulder, but sometimes, you forgot that they were just as depraved as their boss.

Seonghwa laughed, baring his teeth maliciously. “Brilliant. On with it, then.”

The car was thick with unspoken tension, at least for you, anyway. Seonghwa was as relaxed as ever as he sat with you at the back of the car; his legs were crossed gracefully, and he even held a champagne flute for him to drink as if he was celebrating a job well done.

“Are you going to get rid of me too?” You asked, filling in the awkward silence. One more second of silence and you were going to lose your mind.

“I should,” he answered. Your body twitched with the unexpected response. “Which is why you should be more thankful. Nobody gets out of Halazia alive, not without my consent.”

Halazia was their base where all the operations ensued. You wanted to scoff, were you supposed to be grateful that you weren’t killed in your sleep after you broke up with him? 

“The only thing I should thank you for is absolute nothing,” you replied, your voice inhospitable and unwelcoming.

You turned away, trying to ignore him and cut the conversation, but you gasped when he grabbed your arm harshly, hissing in pain when he coincidentally dug his fingers on the spot where you were pushed by the other man in the bathroom.

“Where the hell did you get this?” Seonghwa barked, glaring at the swollen area of your arm. If it wasn’t a bruise from him, then you’re not supposed to have it. Only he can give you those.

“Get your hands off of me,” you snarled, pulling your arm away to rub on the hurting spot. You avoided eye contact with him, not willing to divulge more information. One man was already dead, you didn’t want another one in your hands. You haven’t even properly internalized what happened, it was too soon.

“I just had a nasty fall and hit something while I was running away from that creep, it’s no big deal.”

His stiffened, his eyes narrowed with unbridled, towering hostility. Seonghwa made no point to reply, but you could feel his temper rolling off in waves from where you sat. You decided not to push it. Technically, he lets you get away with a lot of things. You gulped, remembering how he callously shot someone in the head just by messing with you.

And that was fine, until you realized you weren’t getting driven to the place where you thought you’d be. You picture the familiar buildings that lead to your apartment, the roads that you walked to and fro everyday. You dare not breathe as you slowly approach the belly of the beast.

Seonghwa’s house, your old house with him.

“W-What are we doing here? Seonghwa,” you panicked, gripping the leather seats underneath your palms. “Why are you taking me here—”

“Relax, dove, it’s only for one night,” he scoffed. 

The car lurched to a stop, the brakes screeching with no warning, and a cold gust of air hit your face when Seonghwa opened his own door to get out, but not without turning his head in your direction. “Unless you want to stay with me,” he grinned maliciously.

You angrily stepped out, having no choice but to comply just for a night. Your heels clacked against the wet concrete, not even caring that you splashed into a small puddle, as you marched towards the house without even waiting for Seonghwa. You hesitated for a little, nostalgia was a dangerous thing to feel. 

The last time you were in this house, Seonghwa was kneeling by the doorway, pleading for you to stay and not leave him, begging that he’ll change. Your chest felt hollow with misplaced intentions, but you decided to ignore it for now.

All you knew right now was that you need to wash off all the blood that marred your face; to wash off all the indirect sins that you knew you had no hand in, but still felt guilty about. When you went to the guest room’s bathroom, your heart dropped when you saw that nothing had changed. 

The water felt invigorating against your skin, but peace never came to you. That man, you were the reason why he was dead. You might as well have pulled the trigger on him. As your mind raced with frantic thoughts, you heard a soft knock on the bathroom door, and then the telltale jingle of the doorknob.

“Don’t even think about it,” you snapped, still covering your naked body with your hands even though you knew he wouldn’t be able to get in.

You heard Seonghwa’s dark chuckle on the other side of the door. “I’ll be back immediately, I have business to attend to. Hongjoong is here to address your needs, shall you need something.”

You murmured in agreement just to get rid of him. You would take this opportunity to slip away and go back to your apartment. You just hoped that Seonghwa wouldn’t be one step ahead of you like he always was. He could do whatever he wanted, you didn’t care.

At least that’s what you told yourself when you dressed up using your clothes that Seonghwa didn’t bother to throw away. A scoff leaves your lips, was he really hoping that you’d come back to him? Still, you couldn’t help but wonder what it is that he was doing this late in the night. Back then, you disliked when Seonghwa worked late as it worried you to no end.

“Y/N? May I come in?”

The family butler, Hongjoong, stood at the far end of the room. You greeted him with a warm smile, genuinely happy to see somebody that you knew wasn’t going to take advantage of your presence. He carried a small cup with him with what you assumed was tea. “Hey, Joong, long time no see.”

“Likewise, Y/N. The mansion wasn’t ever the same without you,” he smiled. He paused, hesitation coating his features as he set the cup down in front of you. “I wish you never came back, though.”

You sighed. It might sound harsh, but you knew he meant well. He saw how suffocating Seonghwa was as a fiance. “You can thank your boss for this fiasco. Ask him later, but I’m leaving right now.”

“I still value my life, thank you,” he chuckled, shaking his head. He bowed slightly before he started to walk away. “Call me when you need anything.”

You cursed mentally, swiping your hair up in frustration as you stared at the steaming cup of goodness. You wanted to leave before Seonghwa came back, but if you were being honest with yourself, you felt beat up. Your arms had started to bruise in some areas while you showered, patches of unsightly purples and greens spread all across your skin.

It wasn’t a good idea, and you were setting yourself up for failure, but you decided to drink the tea quickly and then vanish. You sighed, sitting down on the leather sofa, grabbing the remote control to the TV to raise the volume as it was already on, anyway. Seonghwa had a habit of leaving them on even when he’s not around so he’d have easy access to the news whenever he needed it.

Relaxation seeped into you as you took a good sip. Earl Grey, you realized. It made you smile a bit, it was your favourite. Seonghwa bought an entire land just to plant the trees that made them all for you one time. The memory suddenly made the tea taste bitter.

Suddenly, the distinct voice of the newscaster on the television made you freeze mid-sip. “For our breaking news,” they began. “A man was found brutally beaten north of downtown a quarter before midnight. It said that they passed away shortly after their sustained injuries.”

That in itself wouldn’t have been too bad, but when they showed the man’s face pre-crime, the cup wavered in your hand, drops of the tea spilling from the sides. It was the man that pushed you in the bathroom, the one that gave you the nasty bruise on your arm. 

The more the reporter recounted the injuries, the more your grip on the cup tightened. You struggled to process the words, but more so how grizzly the attack was - missing teeth, broken jaw and ribs, face beyond recognition and repair. The words began to blur as you sat staring at the screen, frozen in your place.

 A small chuckle sounded from the doorway, breaking you out of your thoughts. It was followed by a tut, the mocking kind. You closed your eyes to calm your nerves, you knew your chances of leaving were slim to none at this point. Even at a distance, his presence was so overwhelming and suffocating.

“What a shame. Such a handsome fellow.”

You didn’t turn right away, not wanting to give Seonghwa the satisfaction of seeing you falter. If he looked closer, he would’ve noticed how badly your hands shook. ”Yes, it is,” you said flatly, setting the cup down before you shattered it towards the floor. “What did you do?”

You were afraid of the answer, terrified, even. “Whatever do you mean, my love?” Seonghwa replied from where he stood. You could practically hear the smirk from his voice. He was so sure of himself and a bit too close for comfort. “I would never associate myself with the likes of that man.”

That much was true. As lethal as he was, he held an air of grandeur to him that always starstruck you. He could have been royalty in his past life. Everyone was beneath him. 

“Oh?” You worded out, your tone more aggressive than you’d like. “What did you think happened, then?”

Your gaze flickered towards the door, and you wished you didn’t. He leaned on the door frame, arms folded, posture as relaxed as ever. “He must have had a pretty bad fall,” he shrugged nonchalantly. He said it so smoothly, so calmly, that it sent a shiver down your spine. “It’s no big deal.”

You didn’t know what it was. Something passed through his eyes, but it was gone in an instant before you could read it. The way he stood by and stared wasn’t imposing either, but there was something about the way he parroted your words in the car earlier, the way he knew that you knew, that made Seonghwa truly the terrifying man that he was.

You looked at him in disgust. “You’re a psychopath.”

“I prefer creative,” he started walking towards you, his eyes never leaving yours. He stops directly in front of you, his torso in your line of vision. His index finger tilts your chin up until your eyes are meeting his.

For a while, he didn’t say anything, the rest of his fingers brushing your skin tenderly in a way that should’ve calmed you down, but all it did was terrorize you. His gaze was calm, yet it unsettled you to your bones. “My, my, little dove, you are quite ungrateful,” he remarked softly, almost soothingly. “I don’t like ungrateful people.”

He gripped your chin firmly, not enough for it to hurt, but enough for him to make his point. “I don’t know what you want from me,” you cut the undeniable tension in the air.

“It’s not what I want from you,” his thumb pressing lightly over your skin. “It’s what you need from me.”

You frowned. “What the hell are you talking about?”

“Watch your tone,” his eyes narrowed as he dug his sharp nails on your chin. You had to suppress a groan until he calmed down. He sighed, his thumb carressing the area he hurt. “Did you honestly think I enjoyed you seeing me like this after hiding it for so long when you were with me?”

The question hung in the air, what were you supposed to say to that? His eyes darkened. “I do everything for you, dove. Can’t you see that everything I do is for your enjoyment and glory?”

This man was delusional. His hands lowered down to your neck, his fingers not squeezing, but the command was there. “I could kill anyone for you without blinking. I’m the only one who will do this for you, because I’m the only one who knows what you truly want,” he took a deep breath. 

His voice became gentler, but that served to scare you even more. The words coming out of his mouth weren’t normal. “You think someone would care for you like I do?” Seonghwa asked affectionately. “You owe me, Y/N. Ask me why.”

“W-Why?” You asked, your words cracking halfway.

“Because,” he answered, eerily calm than it should be. “You’re the only one I care enough to hurt about.” Seonghwa kneels down, his hand unwrapping itself from your neck to hold your thighs. “I’m different now, I won’t let you down, baby.”

Your breath hitched, wanting to pull away, to scream, but the fear had you frozen in place. "I know how you are, Park Seonghwa,” you gulped. “You can't fool me."

"Once. I made that mistake once,” the mask had slipped and the true chaos inside him, referring to when he had hidden things from you. “And I already paid that price, little dove. You left me. Won't you spare me a bit of your love? I learned my lesson."

"You haven't learned your lesson. It's impossible. We are what we are," you stood your ground regardless of what Seonghwa would do to you.

He smirked. "You know I love you," Seonghwa said. "I could wait for you for as long as you need me to."

You frowned, your eyes widening slightly in horror. The confession wasn't something you haven't heard before, but it terrified you just the same. "You shouldn't. I don't love you like that," you rasped weakly. "We've talked about this before."

Seonghwa tilted his head, his face not giving out what his thoughts truly were. You had no idea how utterly smitten he was with you; how depraved he truly was. But the truth was, you could see it on his face. Instead of the rejection stunting his attempts, it made him want you more.

"How long are you going to pretend you don't want me, little dove?" Seonghwa held your hand. He planted a slow kiss, his dark eyes looking up at you as he did so. "How long are you going to deny me?"

It wasn’t difficult to see how his words, no matter how sweet or manipulative they were, hinted at his unstable mindset. “Anyway, I digress,” he pulled away, “Stay the night. You’ve been through a lot today.”

Anger is an indulgence, and it’s something you weren’t willing to feel at the moment. You weren’t angry at him, no - you were angry at yourself. You should have just left earlier.

“I have to go,” you whispered so softly it was almost unheard in the wide expanse of the room. “You weren’t even supposed to bring me here.” Your tone was accusatory. Clearly, you’ve had plenty of blunders today.

“Hmm,” he hummed. “Has it never crossed your mind that all the things you’ve been doing lately have all led you to me?”

You narrowed your eyes at him, but he continued. “Think about it,” he shrugged. “The odds of you stumbling upon me, through the backdoor, nonetheless, on a bar that we had just purchased the same night is astounding.”

You grit your teeth, not having any idea that he owned the property. Had you known, you wouldn’t even have bothered at all.

You rolled your eyes, resisting the urge to scream at him and fight him until you were out of this suffocating house. He tilted his head in response. “You’re not a prisoner, dove,” he declared with disturbing softness. “You are free to leave anytime, but you have to behave and you have to trust me.”

“I don’t trust you,” you bit back, baring your teeth at him like an animal. “I never will.”

Something flashed in his eyes - something inhuman. He chuckled, as if he was expecting your answer all along. “Not yet,” his eyes, once again, glimmered with something foreboding. “But you will, if you know what’s good for you.”

You flipped him off, jumping off of the sofa to tread towards the door to leave, ready to shove him out of the way should Seonghwa resist, if need be. You were done playing his games, you were done being his plaything.

Seonghwa laughed, low and manic, as he watched your petite form stalk towards your goal like a cat who has set his eyes on its prize. Your jerked back, heart pounding in your throat, when he grabbed your wrist to halt you from moving forward. 

His eyes were predatory, and you were pretty sure that he could smell your fear. “Behave, Y/N. It’s quite late, and I’m looking forward to retiring to my bed,” he smirked. He leaned closer to your ear to whisper. “Or are you looking forward to finding out how I’ll punish you if you misbehave?”

You grit your teeth, the audacity of this man! You fists clenched to your sides, the ache of rage and frustration bubbling inside you.

“No need to be afraid,” he whispered, leaning in close. “I told you, you’ll learn to trust me. I always get what I want.”

He lets go of your wrist to walk away, but not before he turns his head to side-you. “And I want you.”

A day or two was fine, to be fair, you really did need to rest and recuperate all the energy you had lost from all the adrenaline-fueled chase in the nightclub.

But you’ve been in Seonghwa’s territory, Halazia, for almost a week now. True to his words, you really weren’t being treated as a prisoner. Hongjoong did his best to accommodate all your needs, but it didn’t erase the fact that you were just a glorified captive that he dressed in silk and bound by the chains of his obsession.

Seonghwa always had an excuse, his latest one being that he wanted to see you out since he knew you weren’t going to show your face to him for a while. Well, that was three days ago. It pissed you off to no end, you weren’t completely stupid - it was his way of manipulating you to stay.

All you did was stay in the guest room. Seonghwa has tried to coax you once or twice, but you always ignored him, and you weren’t ready to see the people you used to know that you had gotten close with before you left.

Fine, you thought. If he wasn’t going to let you leave, you were just going to get out, yourself, without anybody knowing. You had no idea how you’ll do it, Halazia was well-guarded, but damn, if you didn’t try. You had to escape.

You carefully opened the door that led out to the currently empty hallway, looking left and right to see if Seonghwa assigned somebody to watch you. There wasn’t any, but you didn’t trust what you see - it was what you didn’t see that you didn’t trust.

The only good thing about this house was that it had a lot of secret entrances and exits just in case Seonghwa needed to escape if the operation got compromised. You had memorized them just in case you needed to escape from Seonghwa, ironically, like right now. 

The nearest one to you was locked, of course. You cursed under your breath, quickly moving on to the next one. It was a gamble, unlike the other secret exits, this one was disguised as a small aesthetic dresser that Seonghwa had cleverly displayed at the end of the hallway. When opened, you would be greeted by random coats for diversion.

You silently moved them aside, revealing a hidden door knob behind them that led to the underground garage. Luckily, you were small enough to fit through without making the wooden structure of it creak. You were so close, and now, you had this one chance.

“Y/N?”

You reached for the door knob, but before your hands could wrap around it, your breath hitched, every muscle on your back stiffening. You rigidly turned your head, meeting Yunho’s widened eyes as they went back and forth between your face and where your hand was headed.

“Y-Yunho,” you pleaded, gulping on your nerves. You were thoroughly fucked. “Please…”

But before you could both react, low murmurs of voice started to echo down the hallway as well as thudding footsteps that signalled a couple of people just around the other hallway.

One of which was Seonghwa’s.

You couldn’t even lament. You knew this was going to happen. Every single time you found an opportunity to seek your way out, he would always come for you. He was always one step ahead, always waiting for you to screw up so he could whatever it is that he wanted.

Your breath got caught in your throat. Seonghwa’s presence loomed close like his footsteps, his voice muffled, yet smooth and cold, as he talked to whoever he was with. When his shadow was outlined at the end of the hallway, you knew you were done for.

And when you heard Hongjoong’s voice from the distance looking for you in panic, you knew you were found out.

Without thinking, you stepped in the dresser, closing the door before you slid in the corner behind all the thick coats. You swallowed, forcing yourself to still your breathing and manage your panic, but the truth was, you felt like you were going to faint. You stayed hidden, holding your breath and waited.

Footsteps approached until they directly stopped in front of the dresser. Your stomach twisted in fear, your breath coming fast and shallow. One wrong move, and all of this would be over.

“Yun,” Hongjoong’s panted tiredly. “Have you seen Y/N, by any chance?”

You inhaled a sharp breath. You had totally forgotten about Yunho. You said a quick prayer in your head, squeezing your body even tighter against the corner. Light passed in between the small crack of the door, allowing you to see Seonghwa along with two people you couldn’t really see finally joining Hongjoong and Yunho.

“No. I thought she was still in the guest room?” Yunho sounded thoroughly confused when he answered, his voice leaving no room for doubt as he covered for you. 

Relief washed over you. You would never forget this favour from Yunho as he stepped in for you without a second thought. Through the crack, you could see Seonghwa close his eyes to reel in his anger, his fingers massaging his temple in nuisance, staring at Yunho, who squirmed at the attention, intently.

“She couldn’t have gotten far. Find her,” he ordered in eerie stillness.

Seonghwa remained in the hallway directly in your line of vision through the small space in between the wooden doors. This time, you weren’t breathing at all, your mind racing. Why wasn’t he leaving?

“Y/N,” he sighed exasperatedly. “Oh, my little doveling.”

Your chest exploded, pain spreading through your lungs as your breath got knocked out of you. His possessive way of calling you out shook you. You couldn’t risk getting caught, so you didn’t say anything.

You flinched when the doors rattled with his touch, creaking slightly as he opened it ever so slightly. “I know you’re in here,” he chuckled, teasing and soft, and so mocking. “Did you honestly think you could hide from me?”

Your stomach churned when the doors opened violently, its hinges almost coming undone. You wanted to cry, but you forced yourself to be still. You were still hidden behind the thick, wool coats. You just hoped your heavy breathing didn’t give you away.

You watched as his dark eyes scanned the dresser and for a moment, he didn’t move, just standing there as if disbelieving that he wasn’t seeing you. He hummed, finally closing the doors. A chill sparked up your spine, it couldn’t be that easy—

It all happened within a split second. You screamed when the doors opened again, a hand grabbing you and dragging you out of the dresser to be forcibly pinned against it. Somehow, Seonghwa still knew you were in there as if he had always known from the start - as if he anticipated you hiding in it.

“You think me stupid, don’t you?” Seonghwa murmured with false pretense. “I own you. That also means I know how your mind functions.”

You fixed your stare on the floor, not daring to lift your head to look at him. He held the areas on your arm that were still bruised, they hurt, but you were wishing that you could just disappear on the spot. But there he was, standing before you as his hands pinned yours tightly against the wall. His stare was intense, his demeanor more so.

“Look at me,” he commanded. He wasn’t playing around this time, that much you could tell. 

You looked into his eyes with equal intent. A glint of surprise passes through them for a split second before it disappears and something akin to proudness appears on them. It was certainly twisted, especially because you just don’t understand just why he was so obsessed with you. Had you known it was going to be like this, you would never have left him the way you did.

In some ways, you felt like you were responsible for his unnecessary fixation towards you, and knowing Seonghwa, he was never going to stop until you were completely in his possession.

“You know what I think?” Seonghwa began, his voice tethering the line between amusement and controlled rage. “I think you think that you know me.”

One of your hands fell to your sides as he let go, only for him to grab you by the hair, bunching them up in his wrists tightly as he yanked your head backwards. Pain bloomed in your scalp, but Seonghwa didn’t care. It was this moment where you actually feared him,  the real depth of his madness were finally starting to come to head as his patience was slowly thinning.

“I don't know whether to kill you or kiss you all over. Tell me, doveling, what do you think I should do?” Seonghwa said. His movement became frenzied in the simmering rage that was surfacing on his face. “There is no point in escaping when the cage has no door.”

You groaned when he jerked your head forward, then pushed it backwards, the back of your head hitting the wall. “Maybe this ought to help you, maybe this will wake you up, because clearly, nothing I do is worth your time,” he sneered, savouring the pain that registered in your eyes. “I give you everything, I feed you, dress you, love you, and this is what you repay me?”

“Hiding isn’t going to do anything for you, because I will always find you,” he continued, his words slow, deliberate, and threatening. “You think you can outsmart me, that if you stayed holed up in your room I won’t notice that you’re missing. Get this in your head.”

He leaned forward, his entire body closing in on you, wrapping you in the same darkness that swallowed the sentient part of his soul a long time ago.  "I love when people think they’re smarter than me,” his lips curled into a sick grin. “It makes the chase so much worth it.”

Something in his words sobers you up immediately. With all the strength left in you, you twisted away completely from his hold, pushing him away with a scream. You breathe in and out, just watching Seonghwa’s unimpressed gait, his fists still up. They held chunks of your hair, but you didn’t care.

“What the fuck is wrong with you? You need help, Seonghwa,” you yelled in frustration, lifting your hand to tap aggressively on your head. “You are sick in the head, you delusional fuck, y-you’re…”

You trailed off, your emotions getting the best of you as they clogged up your throat. It might be wrong to talk back to him like this since it will make your situation worse, but you knew Seonghwa was done playing with you. He was slipping deeper and deeper in his delusions and there was no telling how far he’d go just to keep you.

Your heart bled, the pain in your scalp and the back of your head pounding, begging for attention. He has never been physical with you just to get what he wanted, he has gone too far now.

“You want to leave, don’t you?” Seonghwa asked softly, uncharacteristically soft compared to the crazed look in his eyes. He stepped forward, and at first, you thought he was going to corner you again, but instead, he leaned his back on the wall beside you, his head tilted upwards to stare at the ceiling. He turned his head to meet your eyes. “But you won’t. I won’t allow it. Now that I have you, I am not letting you go. Not now, not ever.”

You scoffed, but in truth, the way he said it posed fear in you. “That is not up to you. You cannot just imprison me and expect me to like you after this.”

“Oh, but I can,” he chuckled. “You’re here, aren’t you?”

He started to scoot closer, so close that you can smell his cologne that was mixed with the delusions that came along with it. It unsettled you, the only time you got close to him after you left him was when he was spreading your legs to bury himself in you whenever he’d ask you to go out for either coffee or drinks.

“You’re mine,” he said, more forceful than before. “Come on, say it. Say you’re mine. The sooner you understand that, the sooner you’ll feel better about it.”

“No,” you denied strongly with a hint of desperation in it. “I’m not yours anymore, Seonghwa, please. I just want to go home, let me go.”

He didn’t seem to hear you, that or he chose not to. A light laugh bubbled from his chest, but it wasn’t joyous - it was empty, like he was trying to convince himself that he was right and you weren’t. The two of you must’ve looked odd in the hallways, just leaning against the wall. However, to you, it felt like the hallways were crushing in on you.

“That’s the problem isn’t it? You don’t understand,” he said almost sympathetically, like he was telling these deranged things to you for your own good. You felt like you were going to get sick, it sounded more like an omen than anything else.

He was right - you didn’t. You didn’t want to understand, he could rot in hell for all you care. “Why me?” You whispered, hoarse and broken. It was the only genuine thing you wanted to know.

“Because,” he began, his hand reaching for you. His touch was cold. “When people see me, they think I’m this monster, they don’t understand,” he shook his head. “But you? You are the only one who knows what I’m truly capable of, the only one strong enough to take me as is. The only one who knows that I am actually a monster.”

It wasn’t the entire truth. Seonghwa stared at the fear in your eyes at his statement, he wanted to tell you the truth - that as messed up as it is, he just really genuinely loved you. Nothing about this was normal, but he was never going to tell you because he knew that you were never going to believe him.

The gaping hole you carved out of his heart was still there even though you were right in front of him, he would have loved you forever, and you didn’t understand that.

But that’s fine. He’ll make you, one way or another.

Your throat tightened, and despite everything in you screaming to run, you felt a tear slip down your cheek. His smile softened, and he wiped it away with a tenderness that was almost cruel.

“Seonghwa, this isn’t what you’re making it out to be, you are really unwell,” you pleaded. You hesitated, having no choice but to say the one thing that’s been weighing on you. “You have to move on, we are not meant to be. If you really loved me, you’d let me find another man to love, a normal one—-”

“I love you,” Seonghwa interrupted, the words coming out almost too quickly, exploding with the anger he was trying to repress. He glared at your face with an intensity that was borderline obsessive. “Is that not enough for you? How dare you mention another man in my presence?”

“That’s not what I said, and you know it,” you gasped, thick with terror, trying to remedy the situation.

He forced you to look at him. “So say it,” he hissed. His face twisted into something terrifying than anything you’ve seen. It was hurt, as though your refusal was the worst kind of betrayal for him.  “Say you’re mine, because I will never leave you alone if you don’t.”

It was a threat, his certainty in it wrapping like noose around your neck, but the answer was still the same. “N-No,” you shook your head in defiance, more firmly this time. “I never will be.”

It was what set him off, the calmness he faked shattering before your very eyes. His hand shot out to bang his fists on the wall beside you. The sudden bout of violence made you gasp in surprise. “Fuck, you’re really testing me here,” he seethed, no longer soft, just harsh and detrimental. “God, I know you still love me, you don’t get to pretend when I know.”

He leaned closer, his face twisted with fury. He was dangerous, and you had no way out. “I’ve let you run free for a while now, my patience is waning down. I only stretched it for you and even then there’s not much I can provide you. I even let you go when you told me that bullshit about breaking up, enough is enough now,” he spat bitterly. “Come back to me.”

His words felt like a slap to your face.The sickening feeling of his warm breath against your skin felt overwhelming and your body was rendered paralyzed. You didn’t say anything, you couldn’t, not when his words echoed in your head like a broken soundtrack.

“I’m not letting you go, you hear me?” Seonghwa continued, not caring if it sounded torturous to your ears, and certainly not caring that he was basically admitting that he will completely hold you against your will. “You’re going to take what I give you, and you’re going to like it.”

But you weren’t broken yet. You stared at him blankly, not giving him the satisfaction of seeing you break down no matter how furious he got. 

Seonghwa leaned in, pressing his forehead against yours. "I’m doing this for you. For us. But if you push me too far, I’m not going down alone," his voice hardened, just a little, enough to remind you of what lay beneath the surface. "It’ll hurt you, too."

The veins on his neck bulged as he held himself back when he realized you weren’t going to say anything. He really was controlling his anger, but barely.

“You will learn how to love me again,” his words were clipped as he uttered them, jaw tight and just on the edge of breaking. The air between the two of you cracked with tense energy. “No one else will love you like I do. I can’t live without you, but I will make sure that you cannot live without me, either. I’m not asking anymore.”

You didn’t understand what he was trying to tell you, but you were about to. His hands flexed slowly, his fingers stretching as if the need to reel in his rage was physically painful. He snapped them, his eyes not once leaving yours. “Get her,” he deadpanned.

Footsteps began to approach from behind you. It was, then, when hands started to restrain your form, completely immobilizing you. Rapid thoughts spun in your head, the weight of their hands oppressive. You tried to pull away in an attempt to break free, but their grip was just too strong. You stared wildly at Seonghwa, eyes widened as you screamed on the inside.

“You can’t leave,” he muttered, his voice cold and detached, full with promise. “I will do everything in my power to find you, because I will. And when I do, I will make sure you never, ever leave me again.”

He turned around, his back facing you with finality, the true madness of his love setting in your bones. “Take her away and lock the doors.”

“N-No, wait, you can’t do this,” you clenched your jaw, resisting the arms that gripped tight on yours as they tried to drag you away. “Seonghwa! No, please, Park Seonghwa, let me go!”

But you were dragged, anyway, from your tormentor. There was a sharp tug in your arm, the force of it so strong that it made you stumble. They didn’t even wait until you got your balance back, resorting to dragging your limp body.

Each step forward felt like you were walking towards a nightmare you had no control over, and when you reached the guest room, you realized that you knew one of the people who was leading you to your personal hell. You were pushed forward, and before the door shut, possibly forever, you called out to them.

“Wait, Wooyoung, please, wait,” you begged, quickly dashing towards the door to hold it open. “I really need to talk to you, please…”

His eyes held hesitation, but probably after seeing how distressed you were, he closed his eyes and let out the heaviest sigh known to mankind. He turns his head on the other person that dragged you, the rougher one. “Get lost,” he ordered, his face contorted into something intimidating.

But when he closed the door to lean on it, his eyes were the softest you have ever seen. It held sympathy and understanding for your situation, but you weren’t a fool - you knew his loyalties would always lie with Seonghwa.

“The majority of us were betting on your escape, you know?” Wooyoung looked up as he leaned against the doorframe, his hands on his back. “Seonghwa and you were perfect for each other, but that came with a price.”

“Wooyoung,” you sighed.

“Let me finish since I can’t be seen here,” his eyes were hooded as he put a finger on his lips to indicate the decrease of his voice. “Keep it down.“

He pointed at the earpiece he wore, one that everyone wore since Halazia was massive.  His face turned rigid with worry before he turned back to you. “Seonghwa just sent Yunho to the brig for a week.”

You paled, your jaw hanging low in shock. The brig. It was basically a glorified underground cell where they kept whomever they pleased. You wanted to tear up, Yunho went to your defense at the risk of being punished, but as always, Seonghwa knew everything.

The fact that he sent one of his closest friends from his personal team said a lot.

“You’re not going to get far in escape, not like before,” his voice was low, almost soothing like he was trying to calm you down and not make you feel trapped. “You are never going to make it far.” Wooyoung’s eyes turned sadder even further. “I-I can’t do anything to help you, I’m sorry.” You wanted badly to escape, you know he could see it in your eyes, but there was nothing he could do. You swallowed all the emotions that threatened to break you on the surface. “I can’t stay here,” you tried to convince him. “I don’t belong here, Wooyoung.”

“You don’t want to mess with Seonghwa,” he shook his head with equal conviction. “He’s my liege, and I cannot forsake him. He’s the greatest, most notorious criminal known yet, however, I think you underestimate how far he’ll go just to keep you,” he paused, hesitating. “I would very much like you to stay alive, Y/N.”

 Shivers traveled from the base of your spine to the tips of your scalp. “I don’t know what to do,” you squeaked, the defeat weighing down your body. “I don’t want to be his prisoner, I-I can’t live like this…”

He formed his lips into a thin line, his eyes softening as he started to walk towards you in small, careful steps. “I’m not going to pretend it’s alright, because it’s not,” he sat beside you on the bed, his weight dipping on the mattress. He had always been a friend to you. “It takes someone strong to be with Seonghwa, let alone deny him. This is the man that got whatever he wanted no matter how immoral it got. This isn’t the way, Y/N.”

You shook your head frantically, grabbing his hand to squeeze it. “Belonging to him, relinquishing my soul to him, you might as well gag me at that point.”

He put his other hand on top of yours, enveloping it with a much needed warmth that comforted you even though his eyes held pity. “You don’t have to belong to him,” he whispered, voice barely audible. “I’m asking you to stop fighting him.”

Your head snapped up to counteract his ridiculous claim, but he shook his head and continued. “Don’t you get it? There is no escaping him. He will find you even if you’re in the middle of God-knows-where,” he let out a sigh that seemed to carry a lot of burden in it. “I’m saying this for you, because there is no way out where he doesn’t hurt you.”

The finality of what’s been boggling your mind was crushing. You knew that there was no easy way out, but it still hurt to hear. “I’m not going to give up, even if it kills me,” you gritted your teeth, your determination setting fire in your guts.

“Y/N, please,” Wooyoung begged, squeezing your hand tighter. “For what is Yunho in the brig? For what did Jongho drive you away from here back then? And for what did I take Seonghwa’s punch when he realized I was distracting him? He’s not going to let you go, not now, especially not after everything.”

You shut your eyes tightly to reign in your oncoming migraine. “So, what? I’m just supposed to surrender and let him do anything to me? This isn’t love, it’s possession.”

“If you accept this,” he gulped with reluctance. “If you stop fighting, Seonghwa will go easy on you. It’s easier if you stop running.”

Wooyoung searched your eyes, hoping that he conveyed all the sincerity he could possibly offer you given the situation, but all you could see was the sadness and resignation - he didn’t believe in what he was saying, but he had no choice but to.

“Let it go, please,” he whispered, hoarse and defeated. “I’m not saying this for his sake, it’s for you. This will break you, Y/N.”

You shook your head once more. “I can’t give this up, I’m sorry. If I want the easy way out, I would stay here and just take it.”

His eyes sharpened, his brows furrowing into what resembled annoyance, but it still held the pity that Yunho had before you went inside the dresser. “I’m not asking you to give up,” he begged, anger and affection mixed into one. “I’m asking you to stop a battle you know you can’t win.”

You didn’t say anything after that, and his eyes dropped into accepting that you weren’t going to listen to anything he was saying. You’ve made up your mind. Heavy silence stretched between the two of you until, finally, Wooyoung got up to walk to the door. You can see him manually working on his well-crafted mask, but when he turned back to look at you, there was that softness underneath.

“You didn’t hear me say that three days from now, there will be a bust where Seonghwa has to be present, and you certainly didn’t hear from me that underneath your bed is a trapdoor that leads directly to the outdoor garden, one that Seonghwa doesn’t know,” he murmured. There were escape routes Seonghwa purposefully had no knowledge of in case he gets held as a hostage.

He opened the door to let himself out. “And I’m not telling you that Jongho will be waiting for you.”

You couldn’t wait for Seonghwa to leave, it was killing you to wait this long. He hasn’t bothered you at all, presumably because he was very angry at you, but more so since he was planning with the rest of his team, Ateez, about the so-called bust that they will do away from Halazia. In the meantime, you tried the door again. It wasn’t that you didn’t trust Wooyoung, but you didn’t want to risk it. It might either be a trap, or he might get in trouble and accompany Yunho in the brig if Seonghwa finds out.

You jumped away from the door, your heart skipping a beat, when the doorknob you were tinkering with suddenly twisted and turned. You backed yourself back on the bed as your door creaked open to reveal someone you weren’t pleased to see.

Mingi stood by the doorway, staring at you in amusement, his eyes flickering between you and the doorknob. You internally cursed, you knew you had been caught. He was most likely outside guarding the door when you tried it. “Just when I thought you couldn’t be stupid enough,” he smirked, mildly annoyed. “Why are you trying to run away again? You just never learn, do you?”

You weren’t expecting to see him, in fact, you were surprised that he was put on guard duty. That was probably why he was pissed. Frankly, Mingi terrified you. He was just one of those members that openly showed his dislike towards you. His presence constantly reminded you of your captivity.

“Don’t project yourself on me,” you scoffed, riling him up. You weren’t going to give him the satisfaction of seeing you nervous. “Seonghwa put you on babysit duty. You must hate that.”

He laughed. “I suppose I see the appeal of why Seonghwa has been obsessed with you,” he mockingly tilted his head. “Stop trying, you have zero chance of leaving. Not while I’m here.”

“I’m not your prisoner,” you shot back, clenching your fists to your side. “He can claim me all he wants or force me, but I’m never going to belong to him like a doll. And you are, too.”

His eyes twitched in annoyance, stalking towards you, his arms still crossed. He leaned forward, making you back up in apprehension. “That may be so,” he chuckled darkly. “But I’m not the one who is caged like a fucking bird right now.” "You think you can just run off like this?" Mingi continued, his voice low, his eyes glinting with amusement. "You really believe you have a chance?" 

Mingi leaned away with a satisfied smirk, his arrogance and cruel enjoyment of your struggle really coming through. He was trying to break your resolve with his words, trying to make you believe that escaping is futile, when in reality, it couldn’t be farther from the truth.

Your hands clenched to your sides, controlling your urge to sock Mingi directly in the face not because you were scared to hurt him, but because you were scared that he’ll hit back. “That’s not going to stop me from trying, you brute.”

“Oh, I’m sure you will,” he waved off, backing away towards the door again. “But the thing is,” he paused to taunt you. “You’re not as clever as you think you are. Even if you get past me, you’ll have to get past Yeosang after.”

You paled, your nerves setting your insides on fire. Yeosang wasn’t nearly as infuriating as Mingi, but he was equally as loyal and cruel.

You had to leave now.

“Anyway,” Mingi turned the doorknob to leave, but not without glancing back at you with a sneer. “I will admit, you have balls for leaving him the first time, but Seonghwa already made up his mind this time. He won’t let you go, so I suggest you accept that now.”

And then he left. You glanced at the spot where Wooyoung told you that there would be a door. Truth be told, you haven’t checked yet; you were terrified that Seonghwa was going to walk in any minute and decide to put you somewhere else. 

But there was no time to waste. You waited half an hour to make sure that Mingi wasn’t hanging around before you grabbed a blanket to slide under the feet of the bed to prevent any sounds before pushing it away enough for you to crawl underneath it with ease, and lo and behold. Your mouth felt dry as you stared at the handle of the trapdoor that could potentially lead you to your freedom.

You closed your eyes, praying that there truly was freedom on the other side, that Wooyoung would be safe, and that Yunho wouldn’t stay in the brig for too long. And after this, you will be gone forever.

Waiting until midnight would be the best option for you. Granted, it would also be the time where Seonghwa’s guards would be more alert, but it was a safer bet than somebody potentially walking in the room and chasing you down the trapdoor. Shivers crept up your spine at the thought of getting dragged back.

The silence was killing you, but your thoughts completely annihilated your sanity. You could just picture Seonghwa’s face etched with fury as he realized that you had, once more, escaped under his nose. But you also couldn’t help but think of the hurt that shone in his eyes. All he wanted was you, and you couldn’t fully fault his deranged mind, but you wanted to be free.

As you knelt to grasp the handle the moment that midnight striked, your breaths turned shallow and laboured. You gulped, willing the tremors from your fingertips to go away. You couldn’t falter, not now. With a jolt of adrenaline, you pulled it open, wincing as it creaked, which was a telltale sign of prolonged unuse. You just hoped no one heard it.

You released a breath you were holding when it revealed a ladder that led down, and that there was a dim light illuminating bits of the wooden ladder. That meant that you were nearer the exit than you thought you were.

A faint noise outside your door makes you freeze. You swiftly glanced at the direction, waiting for the moment that Seonghwa would burst in and see you holding a halfway opened trapdoor, but nothing. 

Without another thought, you quickly jumped into action, going down the ladder, your foot hitting the first step as your hand slowly closed the tradoor above you. The moment you did, there was slight relief that coated your chest, it was one step to freedom after all.

It wasn’t fully dark in the damp passageway, the concrete was still visible from where you were walking as that faint light from the exit shone on it as if it was guiding you to your freedom. 

When you were sure you were far from where you came from, you broke into a sprint, running literally for your life. Your legs screamed in protest, not used to exerting energy from the weeks that Seonghwa held you captive, but you didn’t stop. You were scared that he’ll catch and snatch you from behind.

But that didn’t happen. After what felt like an eternity, the passageway began to narrow until you hit a deadend with another ladder, only this time, it led above. Your desperation was hitting you at an all time high - you climbed the ladder without any hesitation, not even stopping to think if there was someone potentially dangerous waiting for you on the other side.

Before you were even fully out, hands were already pulling you out from your armpits until you hit a hard chest. When you looked up, a sigh of relief escaped from your chest. 

“Jongho,” you whispered, your voice cracking at the solace that his presence had brought you. Wooyoung had not been lying. 

Your heart pounded in your chest. It wasn’t like Seonghwa wasn’t going to find out, because he will, but you hoped that Wooyoung and Jongho will be able to buy themselves sometime before then.

“We have to hurry, there’s not much time left,” he hastily pulled you in a run, his voice strained with panic as he kept looking behind him. “There will be guards stationed here in less than five minutes, we have to get to the car by then.”

Your face paled, but you forced yourself to nod, anyway, working your muscles to pick the pace to match Jongho’s, but it was getting difficult. “Are you going to be okay?” You asked, panting hard.

Jongho’s hand held your arm as he practically pushed you forward, shaking his head. “I told San that I was going to check the other side of the property and station on it for a while. It should be enough for me to drive you to your place, but it will be tight.”

“We’re not going to make it,” you panicked, calculating everything in your head and visualizing the outcome.

His jaw set into a hard line and before you could say anything else, he stopped, shoved you behind him, and squatted down. “Hurry,” he barked a command. “Climb on my back, it’ll be faster.”

You hesitated, your nerves getting the best of you, and he could tell. “Climb! Hurry, please!” Jongho hissed, eyes widened in pure panic, as he flailed his arms to gesture for you. 

It was the best course of action. Whether it was the adrenaline or the sheer terror of the situation, Jongho had a burst of strength that allowed him to reach the car faster than it would’ve taken both of you had it not been for his fast thinking. He quickly opens the door to practically shove you inside it before slamming it close, and before you knew it, you were driving away.

The drive back to your apartment was tense. Jongho instructed you to pack as little as possible. Yunho had suggested that they take you to the motel that was on the enemy’s territory. It wasn’t foolproof, but it would lessen the odds of Seonghwa finding you faster before you could fully get away. Even Seonghwa didn’t mess with another mafia’s territory.

“I can’t check you in,” Jongho said as he parked in front of the said motel. “They will recognize me. Use cash from now on, Seonghwa will be able to trace your cards.”

You felt a rush of emotions, a mixture of gratitude and regret. Seonghwa will punish him when he goes back, you could see the small fear behind Jongho’s eyes. You bit your lips, leaning in on his space before pulling him into a tight embrace. “I don’t know what I would’ve done without you,” you sniffled, tears pooling in your eyes. 

He pulled you away to stare at you. “I had a promise to you back then,” he said, softness in his eyes. You were the one who got Jongho a ‘job’ at Seonghwa’s manor after you found him homeless one day. He promised you his life then and there. You didn’t know he’d be a ruthless killer one day.

He held you by the shoulders, pushing you away slightly. “Now go, and please, do not let me see you again.”

With one more grateful nod, you walked away without looking back. Jongho sighed, he really hoped you made the most out of tonight. It was basically a suicide mission for him.

The drive back to the manor was the most tense he has ever felt. By now, he was sure that Seonghwa knew that you were gone by now, the only reason why he was still breathing was because he wouldn’t find out yet that he helped you do the impossible. Time was the enemy. 

And he was right. The moment he got out of the car, voices in his in-ear comms were calling everyone to Seonghwa’s office for an emergency meeting. Jongho took deep, calculated breaths, practicing the mask that he was taught before going in to face everybody as if nothing had happened. 

Wooyoung hastily approached him, grabbing his arm to lag behind everybody as he leaned his body towards him. “Success?” He asked tentatively as quietly as possible. Jongho raised a brow in confirmation, not wanting to move anything else for the fear of someone listening in.

The air in the office was thick, everyone piled in one by one in random spots. Personally for Jongho, he always preferred being near the exit, but he had to stick with Wooyoung this time.

Seonghwa was just standing in front of his desk, arms crossed as he watched everyone with his sharp eyes. That was the thing with him; he never needed to shout nor demand, he was just naturally intimidating. His presence was suffocating, his eyes eerily calm.

He’d be a fool if he said he wasn’t expecting this, like Seonghwa had said once, you were the only one strong enough to match his flame. He knew that there would be a time that you’d escape again, but he wasn’t expecting it to come sooner. 

“Someone messed up,” he said softly, too softly. He gazes at them one by one, none of them meeting his eye. “One of you fucked up.”

Jongho tentatively watched as everyone shifted with unease. Mingi and Yeosang shared a tense glance, but he resisted the urge to jump back when he saw that San was already staring at him with suspicion. He gulped, holding eye contact, anyway.

Hongjoong, ever the calm one, steps forward, the edge of his voice betraying his unease. “I’m sure she hasn’t gotten far—”

“Stop,” Seonghwa’s voice was even quieter this time, but it was the type of quiet that made everyone’s back stiffen. He tilted his head, his eyes narrowing as he leaned away from the table to walk past everyone. His expression was unreadable, but Jongho didn’t want to guess what he was thinking.

For a while, he doesn’t say anything. The silence in the room screamed louder than any rage could, and for once, everyone wished he would just burst out. This calm, quiet fury was more petrifying. Seonghwa wasn’t angry - not yet. 

San looks away from Jongho, sensing the shift, and speaks up with Hongjoong. “We’ve already checked the perimeter…”

San faltered when Seonghwa cut him off with a single glance, shifting uncomfortably when his boss didn't even acknowledge him, lest you count the slow nodding of his head. It was the only indicator of his thoughts, minus the tight clenching of his fists on his chest. 

“Find her,” Seonghwa murmured, his words clipped and deliberate. “And find her quickly.”

Jongho felt Wooyoung shift forward. He wanted to stop him, but that would raise suspicion so he just bit his lip. “We might not be able to this time,” Wooyoung cleared his throat. “We might fail.”

“Your incompetence doesn’t constitute understanding on my end,” Seonghwa said, stepping in front of them so his back was turned towards everybody else. “So don’t fail me.”

Jongho’s heart dropped to his foot when Seonghwa passed him a fleeting glance, a small smirk painted on his lips before he turned back around again. Seonghwa knew, he fucking knew.

“Boss,” Mingi called out. “Don’t you think maybe this is a sign to not let Y/N back?”

The room suddenly turned cold, the silence of his statement almost deafening to everyone’s ears. Seonghwa raised a brow in challenge. “And why is that, my dear Mingi?”

“My loyalties lie with you, my liege,” Mingi spoke, his tone cautious since he knew he was treading on thin ice. “Y/N is a distraction to the operation.”

Everyone held their breath, the tension was undeniable. Seonghwa’s eyes narrow, his pupils dilating ever so slightly as his lips form into a tight, thin line. “I had no idea you’ve gone senile,” he said. “But I respect the audacity.”

In a split second, Seonghwa’s fist connects with Mingi’s guts. The taller groan in surprise, coughing in agony as he clutched his stomach in pain. “Now, now Mingi, you can’t just dish out something and not learn how to take it,” Seonghwa chuckled darkly, tapping the latter on his cheek mockingly.

“You said you respected it,” Mingi coughed out some more.

“I do, as a matter of fact, I do respect you a lot now. But I didn’t say I wouldn’t harm any of you.”

The threat hangs around the air, looming heavily upon them. ”We’ll find her,” Yeosang spoke for the first time, his tone full of promise.

They were used to this side of Seonghwa, but tonight, there was something slightly different about the rage that brewed in his eyes. His patience was what truly made him terrifying, this was true power; something you had never seen since Seonghwa made sure not to. 

“You better,” he simply said. “Or your loyalty won’t be enough to save any of you. One more word about Y/N, I will put the fear of God in all of you. Now, get out.”

No one wasted any time scurrying out the room as if it was on fire. The moment the door shuts behind them, Seonghwa’s calm shatters. 

His rage boils over, and with a single swipe of his hand, papers that were neatly placed on his desk all fall on the floor, shattering the nearby picture frame that held your face. The sound of crashing glass rings through his office.

Seonghwa bangs his hands on the desk, his breaths coming in rugged and raw. When he saw the broken picture frame, like a man possessed, he smashes it further with a solid step of his foot over and over again. The glass shatters completely, it rains down like the shards of his crumbling control. 

“You fucking,” he forcefully brings his fists down on the picture frame, not caring for the glass shards that punctured his skin. “Bitch.” 

“Fuck,” he hissed, the walls shaking as he kicked the nearby cabinet that contained some of his whiskey bottles. He doesn’t care as the slew of expensive bottles came crashing towards the floor. “Fuck!”

The sound of it made everybody freeze from outside the door. Wooyoung’s knuckles turned white behind his hands as he winced at the loud bang from inside the room. “Should we, uhm,” he started, not daring to finish his sentence.

Yeosang’s eyes widened. “We have to stop him before he—”

“No,” Hongjoong snapped sharply. “Are you crazy? You do not want to go in there.”

Another crash sounds, and Jongho’s jaw tightens. He was glad you weren’t here, because this was the worst Seonghwa has ever been with his rage. He watched MIngi’s eyes tick at the next serieses of growls and roars from Seonghwa.

The stay at the motel was the most peaceful yet tense four days of your life. You couldn’t sleep properly at night, half expecting someone in the middle of the day to burst in and just drag you back to Halazia where Seonghwa would be waiting to imprison you again.

You couldn’t stay there anymore, and that’s why you were on your way to the bus station to finally get away. You already talked to one of your sisters, Jinhee, who called you in a panic the other morning when someone was apparently inconspicuously looking for you. You both decided to stay at your other sister’s place, but Jinah wasn’t answering when you tried to call.

The bus stop was quiet, something you appreciated for once given your hectic life track as of late. Your thoughts were a mess, but you were hopeful for peace the moment you got on the bus.

You tried to look for somewhere to sit while you waited, but the nearest one had somebody seated on it. He wore a dark hat that obscured his face, not that it mattered since the newspaper he held and read covered his entire face, anyway.

You hesitated, strange unease settling in the pit of your stomach. You shook it off, choosing to sit at the far corner of the bench to avoid interaction, convincing yourself that it was probably just the nerves making you paranoid.

“Chilly day,” the man started casually all of a sudden. His voice was rich in timbre, and it sounded familiar. “Autumn’s slowly catching up now, isn’t it?”

Your heart rate picked up a notch, taken aback by the unwarranted small talk. You glanced in his direction briefly, that dread spreading through your veins, and now that you thought about it, he sounded oddly familiar.

“Yeah,” you forced out a reply, not willing to engage, trying your best to calm down. After all this, you just couldn’t shake the bad feeling in your chest.

“Traveling far? I’d say it’s dangerous for a young lady like you,” he commented, adjusting himself to scoot closer to you.

Alarm bells went off your head as you felt your skin prickle with the attention. You wanted to say that it was none of his business, and now that you listened closer, he didn’t even sound that old, either. “Sure,” you said quickly. “Just want to get away from this city.”

“Good idea,” he chuckled, shuffling the newspaper and folding it away from his face. “I mean, if people were chasing me from hell under, I would run far, far away as well, but you see…”

Your breath was completely snuffed out of your lungs when the man took the hat off of his face, his head turning towards you with a slow, amused smile. “Like we all said, there was no point in running, Y/N,” San’s voice dropped into a whisper. “I like you, Y/N, I really do, but you are one stubborn girl. He does care for you, you know? It’s sick and obsessive, but he does. And now all he wants to do is hurt you.”

Your froze, your blood hardening into ice. The panic hit you like a tidal wave, where had you gone wrong? You made sure to do everything that Jongho told you to do, made sure that you left no traces of yourself, so how? You felt so stupid for not recognizing San so fast.

You shoved yourself up from the bench, but before you could take a step, his hand shot out, grabbing your wrist with a vice-like grip. “Not so fast,” he murmured, his voice cold now, his earlier casualness gone.

You yanked your arm, but he only tightened his hold. “We’re going back,” he said, his tone final. “And you’re not getting away this time. Unless, you want all the people in here jeopardized,” he gestured his hand all over the station. “Look closer.”

Every instinct screaming at you to run, to fight, to do something, but when you looked around, something didn’t feel right, and then you saw them.

Shivers went up your spine as you recognized some of Seonghwa’s men blended into the crowd like normal people. They were planted, hidden in plain sight, like the briefest flash of the gun tucked in their pants that you knew by now how to spot. They were willing to endanger the people around you just to take you.

It was over. You had no choice but to follow San as he escorted you to the car, the door shutting with a sickening finality. This was the worst case scenario, you’d rather have Mingi because as much of a brute he was, you could predict his actions, with San, you never knew what he was thinking.

Angry tears of shame and sorrow began flowing from your eyes. You knew that this was it for you, your second chance had flown away. Seonghwa and his men had no mercy, and now you’re learning that the hard way.

San wasted no time dragging you out of the car towards your apartment, to your surprise,, but you no longer cared about him, it was Seonghwa that you feared - always had. You could feel it even before you saw him; Seonghwa’s constricting presence was always controlled but deadly.

You were shoved inside the familiar space of your living room, and you didn’t even have to look up to know that he was there, you could just feel him. His power, his rage, hung in the air like thick smoke.

Seonghwa was at the other side of the room, his gaze meeting yours, steady and unwavering. You swallowed your nerves, but there was no point. He just stared at you without any anger or frustration in his face, and perhaps, that was the worst part in all of this. You knew him well enough to see through his well-crafted mask.

You opened your mouth to say something - anything - but what would you say? There was no way you were going to apologize or make any excuses, but the silence was unbearable. Seonghwa wasn’t going to break it anytime soon, but he had no need to. His judging eyes were enough to make you weak in the knees.

He began to walk forward, the clacking of his shoes beneath his feet loud enough to make you wince, and when he reached you, he made no move to touch you like he always did. He did nothing.

Nothing, except hand you a lighter for you to take. “Light it up,” he spoke.

His words were quiet, but there was no mistaking that command in it. Your hands were shaking, having difficulty flicking the lighter open, and it certainly didn’t help that Seonghwa was staring you down. Though you currently hated him, you were careful not to burn his face as your hand neared the cigarette trapped between his lips.

“Open.”

He wasn’t asking, he was instructing. You froze at the implication and everything instinct in you screamed for you to run and resist, but you leaned in as he inhaled deeply before taking the stick out of his mouth and blowing the smoke into yours. The taste of it was raw and bitter, it curled into your lungs along with something else; something that sent a rush of heat towards your chest at the intimacy.

For a while, he didn’t say anything, and you wished that it remained that way even though you were scared that the control he held of himself was going to shatter. “You think you can walk away from me?” Seonghwa finally spoke again, his voice low, still calm, but it cut through the silence like a blade. “Open.”

It was difficult, but you managed not to cough your lungs out at the heavy puff of smoke that almost made you want to gag. But Seonghwa didn’t care. “Keep your trap open until I tell you to close them,” he ordered with a low snarl.

You did as told, the fear completely paralyzing you. His voice was still controlled, his rage was held so tightly within him that it was like the room was vibrating with the power of it. Tears pooled from the corners of your eyes as Seonghwa still blew, and finally, he threw the cigarette butt away somewhere in the middle of the destruction.

“That’s a good girl,” he chuckled darkly. You yelped when he held your jaw tightly in his hand. “Why can’t you be this obedient all the fucking time?”

His grip tightened, not with the frantic violence of someone losing control, but with the calm, methodical pressure of someone who knew exactly how far they could push before breaking someone completely. "Why can’t you behave, huh? Why?"

You faltered, absolutely not liking the way that sounded in your head. You crossed your arms, the fear you had for him completely fizzing out and dying in your chest. “Now, hold on just a second,” you seethed, all the stress of running away and getting caught chasing your filter away.

Seonghwa’s brow raised. It certainly made him curious, so he let you continue. “Seonghwa, you practically kidnapped me with the notion of letting me go afterwards, and when I try to get away from this hell, you drag me down with you. Did you honestly think that I'm a possession you can cling to?”

You were definitely digging your grave deeper and deeper the more you opened your mouth, but you couldn’t take it anymore. All the hurt, the anxiety, the waiting for when Seongha will finally snap was driving you to the wall. You didn’t know how to carry all of this burden alone.

You took a step forward in a burst of confidence, jutting your finger on his chest and prodding him with it like a child. “Enough is enough, Seonghwa,” you said, your voice low and firm. “We were through, we aren’t together anymore. I don’t belong to you, and I sure as hell don’t want to belong to you anymore.”

He clenched his fists, a flicker of hurt crossing his face. Seonghwa opened his mouth to argue like you knew he would, but you cut him off, your voice stronger than you’ve ever heard it before as you finally stood up to him and stood your ground. “I’ve had enough of you trying to cage me like an animal, you sick fuck. You don’t get to suffocate me with your obsession, you don’t get to decide how I fucking live, breath, and exist.”

Tears stung your eyes. They were a mixture of rage and betrayal. The weight of it all was finally breaking through. “You don’t get to guilt me for wanting to live my life, especially without you, why can’t you understand?”

For a moment, Seonghwa’s gaze softened, as if he was finally looking through you for the first time in a while in a different light. He tentatively raised a hand to hold onto you, and his intentions were pure this time as his hand hovered in the air,  but he flinched when you yanked your arm away sharply.

It was too late, you didn’t need that. There was guilt written all over his face, had he really gone too far this time?

“You were never really here for me,” you continued, shaking your head bitterly.

You were done. Done being scared of him, done of losing yourself because of him. Done loving him. “You want to keep a convoluted version of me that you formed in your head, that one that would just stay and follow your every whim, but that’s not who I am, Seonghwa.”

He stood frozen in his spot, his chest caving in as guilt made its way to his heart. He had never intended to fully hurt you, to make you feel that way you did, and for that, he was sorry to a certain extent. Seonghwa’s hand trembled, his palms slick with sweat as angry tears flew down your pretty face. He almost felt bad for you.

Almost.

“The thing I regret the most is you, Seonghwa,” you whispered firmly, but thick with emotion. “I regret ever meeting you and what happened after, but most of all, I regret not leaving you sooner.”

His eyes dropped, the weight of your words crushing his form. “Don’t say that,” he muttered, his voice shaky. His shoulders were slumped, a far cry from his angry and straight they were when you arrived. “I just,” he paused, closing his eyes to take a deep breath. “As fucked up as this is, I do love you, I still do.”

Your breath hitched at your words. “No, Seonghwa. You don’t know what love is, and even if you do, you love me a bit too much that you’re not allowing me to leave a little for myself because you want it all.”

“But, don’t say that you regret everything,” he said exasperatedly. “I loved you with all that I have, I will continue that until I cease to exist. Remember when we went on that trip where you told me you finally loved me, too? Or when we both would stay up all night to watch the stars while we talked about our future?”

He held your hands, almost desperately, as his words  just spilled out from him without thinking. “Those were real, that was us, and you might not believe me, but I swear on Ateez those were all true. You can’t deny them.”

It was true that you and Seonghwa had good moments where you wanted them to last forever, but they felt distant, like a fleeting dream that never happened. “I don’t regret our moments,” you pulled your hands away. “I regret that you twisted them into something dark.”

You wanted to deny what he said to make him feel a fraction of all the hardships he had brought upon you, but you couldn’t. Just like his actions, you could never take back your words. I did the right thing, you thought, your heart aching as you stared at the lone tear that fell from Seonghwa’s eye. 

He wasn’t the only one. You weren’t ready to let go either, but this was a start. It was a truth you weren’t going to admit to his face. You were in love with Park Seonghwa, and you couldn’t breathe because you always will be, but love wasn’t supposed to hurt like this. Love can never be designed.

Seonghwa stiffened, his mind reeling with all the things you’ve finally let out for him to hear. I regret everything. It echoed like a broken record in his head, and yet, a part of him couldn’t let go. He shook his head, trying to reel in his thoughts before they no longer became his, trying to pull in the beast that was threatening to break free from his mind.

But your words reverberated in his skull, the pressure building on it from the suffocating guilt that covered his head. He didn’t want to hurt you anymore, but it was too late.The realization was like a punch to his gut, and he had no one to blame but himself.

You watched him fight his demons, slight fear coming back into your chest, but you waited to see what he’s going to do. 

Seonghwa’s breathing became ragged and laboured as he tried to massage his temples into coherency. Why didn’t he just let you the first time? No, he was doing what he thought was right, because his all-consuming love needed you so much. His mind grew darker and before he could lash out, he walked away from you and turned around.

For a long moment, silence filled the room. You watched Seonghwa try and compose himself, his hands shaking repeatedly while his head shook back and forth. It was like Seonghwa was actively trying to cast out and fight the demons that tried to possess his soul before it could completely take over him.

But when he turned around, the look in his eyes told you that it was too late. Seonghwa knew it was too late, he had done too much, the only way to move was forward.

“I want to kill you,” he softly admitted. “To finally stop your ghost from haunting me. But I can’t live without you.”

The confession left a painful tightness in your throat, but you remained strong and steadfast. You weren’t even angry anymore, you were just tired of him walking over you. “You’ve gone mad,” you stated. “Scaring me isn’t the way to go about this.”

“It is better to be feared than loved, if I cannot have both,” he replied rhetorically, digging into the waist of his pants to pull out a pistol. He stood there, not lifting it yet, but the way he gripped the cold metal of the gun had you trembling in your spot.

You didn’t move - you couldn’t move. Seonghwa’s guilt mixed with his anger, twisting his mind into something else. He never lost control like this, but he had also never felt his heart break into a million pieces like this.

The gun shook in his hand, the barrel still aimed at the floor. It was wrong and he knew it, but you were his everything, and now, not only were you walking away from him, but you were completely disintegrating in his head into nothing but somebody that he used to know. 

“Seonghwa,” you whispered, barely audible from the demons that screamed in your own head. “Don’t make me leave like this, please, put the gun down.”

He didn’t move, didn’t say anything. It was worse than you thought, his mind was far more gone than you thought possible. You continued, swallowing your nerves down, more than ready to plead for your life. “Please, Seonghwa. I’m no one, just L/N Y/N, a 27-year old nobody,” your voice cracked.

Your legs finally gave out and you chose to sit on the floor. You looked up at him, putting your hands up like some sort of Hail Mary. “I was a nobody you stumbled upon in that restaurant, I was born in a dinky little town you had no idea existed. My parents are both teachers, and I have two sisters. Please Seonghwa, I haven’t done anything at all in this life, I haven’t lived, I’ve barely just begun, please, I haven’t finished anything at all.”

You sniffled, trying to keep your tears at bay. “D-Don’t kill me,” you pleaded. “I don’t want to die.”

Seonghwa contemplates. You practically watched the gears in Seonghwa’s head turn, his mind racing in a frantic spiral. You were surprised when he gave you the gun, grabbing your hand ro wrap it around the handle, kneeling down to your level on the floor, and pointed the barrel at himself, the tip pressing on his forehead.

“If you shoot me, what will you leave behind?” Seonghwa asked.

Your heart twisted violently at the odd question. It was more cruel than pointing the gun at you, because you knew that your answer would be dependent on whether you will live or not.

“A world without you,” you answered without hesitation.

You couldn't take Seonghwa's unnecessary obsession with you anymore. Seonghwa stared at you, his brows furrowing as he internalized the answer that you gave him.

"Go ahead and shoot, dove," Seonghwa said. "It's the only way you'll ever be free of me."

You stood frozen in your spot, the gun feeling cold in your hands. You've dreamt of this for so long, about completely ridding yourself of Seonghwa so you could get back the freedom he had stolen from you a long time ago. He looked vulnerable and open, while you were given a chance to make that dream come true.

And yet, you couldn't do it.

And Seonghwa knew you couldn't do it. He smirked. You screamed, a pitiful attempt at it, as he dismantled you and grabbed the gun back, only this time, it was pointing at you, instead. "You could have pulled the trigger and painted the walls with my brain," he taunted, cocking the safety lever. "Let's play a game of Russian Roulette."

"What's that going to accomplish?"

"If you give me a minute, I could change your mind," he shrugged. "But if you give me a bullet, I could change your life."

Seonghwa points a gun at your face, point blank, the nozzle pressing down your forehead. "What say you, Y/N?"

He was crazy. You closed your eyes, resigning to your fate. Seonghwa pulls the trigger, and then nothing. You couldn’t believe it, but still, you heaved a sigh of relief. You should have known that the gun was empty.

When you opened your eyes again, Seonghwa was livid. You release a cry that you've been holding. He grabbed your head, furious. "The love I'm willing to give you terrifies you, but death doesn't?”

This was it. It was this moment that will forever haunt you, because this was the moment that you knew something in Seonghwa had snapped.

Your breath got caught in your throat, the reality of the situation sinking in on you. His eyes gleamed with insanity, his pupils dilated with something wild and manic, and the feverish look in them twisted with madness that made your blood run cold. There was nothing human about it. Seonghwa was beyond saving.

“You’re scaring me, Seonghwa, please, let go,” you trembled in his grip, but he didn’t even notice. He was so lost.

“You think love is supposed to be sweet, gentle, or some other bullshit that’s supposed to feel good?” Seonghwa gnarled with unsettling fervor, nails digging into your skin. He shook his head violently. “No, it’s supposed to be consuming, something that takes everything. Just like what you’ve taken from me.”

“I didn’t take anything from you,” you thrashed around from his grip when his other hand held your hips to settle you, not caring if he scratched you at this point with the other. “S-Seonghwa, stop it!”

At the height of your desperation, you collapsed onto the floor with him, it was how hard he was gripping your waist as he tried to run away. His hands slam onto the ground when he ended up underneath him, but what truly horrified you was when he threw his head back and started laughing out loud. It was no longer the laugh of a regular person, the sound of it was shrill, hollow, and maddened. “Let me explain something to you,” he gritted his teeth, leaning down. “Love can be nurtured and rebuilt. It’s a pathetic attempt to construct something out of nothing, and I will dismantle and reshape yours until you look at me with the same love you used to look at me with before you—”

Your hand flew to his face before you could think, slapping his cheek with such force the crack of it was so loud against the room. You were horrified, you didn’t mean to hurt him, but the idea of what he was saying just sickened you because love can’t be molded from blood and pain. Seonghwa’s eyes darted towards yours, and for a split second, he looked betrayed.

That is, until his face contorted into something grotesque, and he grabbed your hands. You paled, because he started banging his head on your fists violently as he screamed, a horrible primal sound that came from within his guts.

“No, no, no!” Seonghwa bellowed like a madman. “I just want you to love me—”

“Seonghwa, stop it, stop!” You screamed, trying to pry your hands back from him because you were genuinely scared now, not even caring that your hands were hurting really bad from the hardness of his head.

“Stop!”

He paused, eyes bulged with fury. He lets go of your hands and you let them fall to your sides as you watch him get off of you to drop on his knees and bang his fists on your wooden floor. “I can’t take this anymore,” his breath came in jagged rasps. “I”m not crazy, fuck. Fucking hell, Y/N. I just want you.”

He broke down. You sat down, completely scooting away from him, watching as his tears fell down. His sobs, you were terrified of how guttural and broken they sounded. It was the image of a man who had lost his mind so long ago. “How can you do this to me?” Seonghwa growled through his tears. “This is the second time you left me, how can you fucking do this to me?”

His forehead was pressed against the unforgiving surface of the floor. His sobs were quiet at first, and it did hurt to hear. You clearly weren’t the only one suffering whether it was wrong or right. Soon enough, his cries became louder, more devastatingly raw, and more desperate.

Against your better judgment, you not only felt fear for yourself, but for Seonghwa as well. A split second of thought passes through you, had you made him like this? You knew that wasn’t the case, but as you stared at the tremors that shook his entire frame, you couldn’t help but think that you had some sort of part in this.

This wasn’t Seonghwa, what had become of the man you used to love?

Your heart pounded in your chest when his gaze met yours. You didn’t even have time to scream as he charged towards you to grip your shoulders. “Love me,” Seonghwa grinned, teeth bared, eyes widened with insanity. “That should fix this, love me once more, pretty dove. Be mine again.”

“You don’t know what you want,” you back up, terror seeping in your bones. 

“No, you don’t understand,” he grabbed your shoulders tighter and a yelp slipped your lips. He tightened his hold, his eyes widening a bit more that he resembled a mental asylum patient. ”Love me.”

Tears fall down your eyes in sheer horror. Seonghwa bites his lips, groaning in pleasure at your scared display. You flinched when the back of his shaking hands tried to caress your cheeks. 

It was a mistake. His eyes squint dangerously, yet his lips still remained in that disturbed smile, frozen in his face perpetually. “Seonghwa, please, you’re scaring me—-“

“I love you so much, dove,” he cooed mockingly. His fists bunched up your hair in a tight bun and pulled on your head. “Why is it so fucking difficult for you to love me back?”

Pitiful screams erupt from your mouth as Seonghwa rattled your head around, as if doing so would make you change your mind. Your hands tried to pry his hands, the pain on your scalp blooming bigger. “Seonghwa, s-stop, please! Please!”

To your utter surprise, amidst your dizziness, he does stop. Your eyes were nearly rolling behind your head and if he didn’t stop, you might have thrown up. His tear-streaked, bloodshot eyes emphasized the current state of his mind as he cradles your face in between his hands almost lovingly,

Almost. It felt infantilizing. It made you sick.

“Are you going to love me now?” Seonghwa asked one more time, his eyes flicking between tenderness and madness. “Do you fucking love me now?”

A strained whimper escapes your throat, a choked out cry accompanying it. It was a sick symphony; a travesty made worse when Seonghwa leaned in until his lips were touching the shell of your ear.

"Tell me you love me," he ordered, his voice deceptively soft.  "I might do something you and I will both regret if you don't."

You swallowed, quivering with intense dread. Your knees threatened to buckle under all the weight of what Seonghwa was demanding of you at this very moment. "I-I love you, please..."

You held your breath when Seonghwa put his fingers on either side of your mouth, stretching them sideways to give the illusion that you were actually smiling. It was something straight out of a horror film, your tears wouldn't stop falling as he literally forced a smile out of you.

"That wasn't so hard, wasn't it? You did it," he praised, stroking your hair gently like he wasn't doing anything wrong. To be fair, in his mind, he wasn't doing anything wrong.

You jumped when he suddenly grabbed your chin and squeezed your cheeks together. It was slightly painful, and it elicited a pained groan from you. "But, I don’t believe you."

He pushed your face away with such a force, your head snapped to the side. It was when your legs lost their strength and you crumpled to the ground in one heap of a mess. And you knew deep in your heart, Seonghwa’s show of cruelty wasn’t what was truly crushing you.

The most painful thing about all of this was that despite all of this insanity, despite all the chaos and madness, was that you weren’t lying - you still loved Seonghwa. You still loved him with every fiber of your being.

True imprisonment wasn’t him forcing you into a room and locking you in and not letting you go until he was satisfied, it was all these feelings trapped in your heart even if it threatened to tear you apart. Seonghwa was not a good person, he was a monster, yet the love still lingered, clinging to you like a disease.

This pain in your heart, it was the proof that you still loved him. And that is the worst of it, you knew better than this.

Finally, something in Seonghwa’s chest began to lift as he stared at your pitiful form. When he closed his eyes, for what felt like an eternity, images of your smile filled his head. For a moment, he was filled with the love he felt for you for the first time, that pureness before it got tainted with something dark.

“I’ll let you go,” he whispered brokenly. His eyes filled with a broken kind of longing, eyes searching your face to read your expression. “I love you, Y/N. God, I love you. But I’m letting you go. I can’t live like this, either. I have an organization waiting for me.”

He hesitated, his voice hoarse with resignation. “One last time. Before you go. One last night, together. No more pain, no more bitterness. Just us.”

You almost didn’t want to believe it, was Seonghwa really going to let you go? Surely, it couldn’t be this easy. You highly doubted what he said, just staring at him with suspicion. He sighed frustratedly, his hands combing his hair in a mess and letting them hang over his face. You frowned, the state of his hair was the state of his mind. He hated it getting messed up.

His words came out strained. For a second, you felt bad for him. He was giving up, Seonghwa never gave up, but this was it, your ticket to freedom. “I would never stop wanting you, and needing you, Y/N. You have to get away from me.”

“Okay,” you whispered, trying to summon the courage to feel what you had in your heart even if it was for tonight. “One last time.”

“Prove it,” he suddenly blurted out. His eyes locked with yours, and your chest almost exploded with the urgent need in them. “I want to believe you, dove, I really do. I can see it in your eyes. Come with me.”

Here come the excuses that fuel the illusions, but you’d rather feel something, than nothing at all. 

You should have felt repulsed, but here you were, grabbing the hand that he offered until he pulled you to the other room, one that you knew all too well. Seonghwa’s lips were on yours before you could think of anything else. 

A groan sounds from the back of his throat as he pins you to the wall, his kisses frantic and desperate as if he was trying to feed his own illusions. You opened your mouth to take his intruding tongue, the wet muscle exploring the crevices of your mouth like he’s never done it before.

You wanted to cry, how could you still give him all of you when he was a far cry from the person you used to know? You suddenly didn’t know who was truly insane here, the roots of his madness had slowly uprooted themselves in you and it was difficult to pluck them away at this point.

You hated this, even as his mouth was hot and bruising against yours, because despite the danger in his eyes and the way his hands shook with the need to possess you, your heart still ached to reach for him.

“H-Hwa,” you gasped when he pulled your head backwards by your head, exposing your beck to his desires.”

“Shhh,” he hushed you, burying his head on the crook of your neck, wasting no time planting his love bites to mark you, the one he knew that drove you crazy. Stars aligned your vision as he sucked the delicate skin of your neck, taking his time to graze his teeth on them and alternating between the two.

You’d really rather feel something, than nothing at all.

He grabbed your hand, firmly guiding it to his crotch, using his other hand to unzip his pants and lower them. He wraps your hand on his aching cock, gasping softly as you feel it hard and pulsing in your hand. “F-Fuck, baby,” he hissed. “Touch me, please, I-I need it.”

Your breathing grew faster as you closed your hand around it and began stroking it. His moans of pleasure hit your ear followed by the sensual calling of your name that slipped from his tongue and you couldn’t help but squeeze him. You cried out in surprise when both his hands quickly slipped under your shirt and grabbed your breasts, his fingers digging in deep.

“Seonghwa! H-Hwa,” you breathed out, not caring for the consequences. You forgot the fear, just focusing on his lips that still attacked your neck.

“Take your panties off, dove,” he panted, his ragged breaths against your ear turning the last coherent parts of your brain into mush. “Now, love dove, please.”

You didn’t let his cock go - you didn’t want to - turning your head a bit to whisper in his ear, “Yes, mommy,” in the most sensual voice you’ve ever mustered, surprising even yourself. You obeyed, your panties hitting the floor.

“Oh, fuck, my love, y-you can’t just do that,” he growled, shuddering against your skin.

“W-Why? I like the way you touch me,” you breathed out as his fingers adeptly plucked your nipples with his fingers, rolling them in between to stimulate pleasure out of you in the best way possible.

He chuckled, planting a soft kiss on your temple. “Let go.”

You pouted in dissatisfaction when his hands stopped fondling your breasts and pulling yours away from his cock, but your eyes widened when he lifted one of your legs up and held it up, pressing onto your body impossibly closer. “Look at me,” he grunted. “Look at me.”

You’ve never been fucked standing up before. You kept your eyes on him, almost exploding at how hooded and lidded they were as sweat trailed down from his temples to his lashes. “Hwa, o-oh my God, mmm,” you moaned out when he positioned his cock in between your pussy lips.

He gives you a lazy smile as he rubs the head on your clit, satisfaction rolling through him at the ecstasy written on your face. “You want it?” Seonghwa softly asked even though he was aching to plunge inside you immediately.

You found yourself questioning the reality of what was happening, doubting, but your body had other plans. You haven’t seen Seonghwa smile without any malice in a long, long time. You lifted your head, you had to lean it against Seonghwa’s own forehead since he was basically towering over you. You heard his gulp hard, watched him close his eyes. It was all he needed to know.

“Seonghwa,” you cried out when he started to enter you, his hand snaking on your behind to push you towards his intruding cock, completely filling you to the brim with his throbbing thickness. The both of you still had your tops on, but it didn’t stop his heat from migrating towards you. “S-So good.”

“Oh, fuck,” he growled under his breath, burying his head on your shoulders once more to savour the sensation of your pussy clenching around him as he began thrusting into you with a brutal pace of his hips. “Hold on tight, sweetie, I’m going to fuck you harder, yeah?”

“M-Mhhm—Hwa, mmm, Hwa!” Your cries were loud and grating against your throat, the pleasure overtaking all of your senses. You were pretty sure his men heard it from outside the house. You didn’t care, all you felt was Seonghwa’s hot breath against your ear as he nibbled on it.

You gasped when he pulled out momentarily to peel you off the wall. He turned you around before he pushed you again, growling as his cock entered you from behind this time. You couldn’t stop the blush forming on your cheeks as you faced the floor-length mirror you had in your room, Seonghwa’s dark eyes watching your tits sway back and forth from his thrusts.

“You should be ashamed of yourself,” he taunted, his hand groping one of your tits. “Aren’t you ashamed of yourself? Look at you, fucking yourself back on my cock.”

You cried as he hit a particular spot inside you as your hips buckled to meet his. He points at somewhere in particular. “Why don’t you be a sweetheart and give that gun back to me?”

You didn’t care anymore, you were drowning in pleasure, far too gone to think about what he was asking you. You scrambled, getting his pistol from the nightstand where he put it earlier and handed it to him. “S-Seonghwa—”

“I love you so fucking much, you don’t even understand,” he groaned amidst the slapping of skin on skin echoing through the walls of your bedroom. Your hips stilled momentarily when he pointed the gun on the back of your head. “Relax,” he chuckled. “It’s not loaded, remember?”

You licked your lips, actually ashamed at the arousal that coated your inner walls, subconsciously clenching on Seonghwa’s cock at the image you saw on the mirror in front of you. “Fuck me,” he mouthed, digging the gun into your hair.

“Fuck, Seonghwa,” you choked out, moving your hips once more to feel his thick length move inside you. This wasn’t supposed to be hot, it wasn’t supposed to be this much of a turn on for you, but it was.

“You wanna know something, baby?” Seonghwa leaned towards your ear, his grunts spurring your hips to move backwards and forward. “You’re just as sick as I am. You really should be ashamed of yourself for getting turned on about this.”

You moaned impossibly louder as you shoved your behind faster on him over and over again, his full length stretching you out with each thrust. This image will be ingrained in Seonghwa’s brain forever, and he wasn’t going to last another second longer. “G-Gonna come, baby—fuck.”

You gasped, clamping around his length as you felt his warmth fill up your insides. Seonghwa growled loudly, his breathing strained and laboured as he thrust in a couple more times before suddenly pulling out and kneeling down. “H-Hwa, what are you—”

Your eyes rolled at the back of your head at his tongue’s onslaught, your arousal mixed with his sticky cum dripping down from your hole all the way down his tongue as he lapped on it, some of the excess trailing down from your thighs all the way down to your feet. Your hands planted themselves on Seonghwa’s hair, unconsciously pulling on it as you continued to cream in his mouth.

The way his tongue rolled on your sensitive bud had your knees buckling, but Seonghwa made sure to keep you up, not even bothering to pause, and just like a hurricane, the force of your orgasm knocked the wind out of your lungs as the hot, searing flash of white blinded you for a couple of second.

It set you on fire, and he dove at your pussy with enthusiasm. Seonghwa took long, broad licks of your pussy, pausing every so often to push his whole tongue into you, wiggle it around, and then focus on your clit.

He repeated this pattern a dozen times, you had your hands in his hair, and as you approached orgasm, your grip got tighter and tighter. Seonghwa groaned at the sensation, and finally, you let loose with another loud moan, forcing his face into you even further as you reached your second climax. “Seonghwa…”

“Just like that, baby, come on my tongue, mmm,” Seonghwa coaxed you through the wild shaking of your body until you let out the deepest sigh accompanied with a small whine of overstimulation. His licks slowed down, his hands caressing your soft thighs, before finally stopping to stand back up.

“Get on the bed,” he held your arm and slightly pushed you towards it without even waiting for your response.

You blinked repeatedly at him. “W-What?”

“You heard me,” he deadpanned, unbuttoning his crisp, white shirt before tossing it randomly somewhere along with the gun. “On your back. I’m not done fucking you.”

You weren’t supposed to be turned on by that, but you were. You swallowed when you looked down and realized he was still fully hard even after coming inside you. You did as told, trying hard not to stutter in your steps as you laid on your bed, letting Seonghwa spread your legs to position himself in between them.

“Arms up,” he whispered. You did as told without hesitation, letting him also take your shirt off along with your bra until you were completely bare beneath him. He groaned at the sight of you, especially your glistening pussy, still half-full with his cum. “Stubborn as you are, you’re so fucking beautiful,” he murmured, leaning down to capture your lips.

“I want you inside me," you whispered to his mouth and his eyes closed in bliss as you guided his hard cock to your wet, slick pussy.

For a moment, you forgot how deranged he was. Seonghwa poured all the love, no matter how crazed it was, his affection, and his passion in the kiss. You quickly accommodated him, kissing him back just as passionately, immediately tasting yourself and him on your tongue. “Mhhm,” you whimpered as you felt his cock slowly slide into you.

He pulled away to whisper against your mouth. “Wrap your legs around me, love.”

You did as told, moaning in his mouth as he pushed himself more until he was, once again, all the way inside you as deeply as he could. You swallowed Seonghwa’s moans, his thrusts shallow. He would pull in just enough for the tip to remain before slowly thrusting back into you. 

He was as gentle as possible, but it wasn’t going to last long. You hoped it didn’t last.

“Fuck, Y/N, this pussy is mine,” Seonghwa growled, giving it to you exactly as you wanted - hard, fast, rough -  not caring if you were a screaming mess. He just kept pounding you down the mattress and it shook the bed with how forceful he was.

“Tell me you love me, even if it’s just for tonight,” he begged, eyes filled with unshed tears as he stared down at you. “Even if it’s a lie, tell me you love me.”

But that was the thing. It wasn’t going to be a lie. His eyes widened a bit when he realized that you weren’t going to be lying. 

“I love you, Hwa. I love you,” you sniffled with tears of your own. 

He smiled. He smiled. “I love you, too, my dear,” he whispered. “I really do.”

“Hwa, Hwa, H-Hwa, f-fuck,” you clenched at the sight of him on top of you, the usual prim and proper look on him long gone, replaced by someone primal who devoured you whole. 

“Louder, baby,” he groaned out loudly, his eyes dropping heavily with lust, his hips slamming onto your ass obscenely. “I want the entire neighbourhood to know who you belong to, f-fuck.”

His groans were just as loud as yours, it was honestly such a turn on. He smirked at your fucked out expression. “Look at you, baby,” he chuckled darkly, leaning down to press lightly on your neck. “Fuck, look at you going dumb around my cock, yes, squeeze me, love, squeeze my fucking cock.”

You didn’t want to be fucked anymore, you needed to be destroyed. “Fuck, yes, just like that, my love, feel my fucking cock deep in you,” he panted out, slamming into you even harder.

He was going deeper in you with all his might, sweat dripping down from his forehead to your chest. His arms rippled as he supported his own weight and you felt his back muscles moving as he continued with his assault on your poor pussy. 

“D-Don’t stop, Hwa, please, keep f-fucking,” you begged, stars lighting up your vision everytime you felt the tip of his cock hit the back of your pussy.

You could hear Seonghwa groan and curse earnestly, barely audible over the hard smacks of your hips against the solid wall of his thighs. You could barely keep yourself together as he used you like a toy. “My only purpose is to fuck you over and over again,” he gritted out, holding your head in his hands as your body went back and forth on his cock. “You ready to take my cum again?”

You nodded, eyes wide in anticipation. “Y-Yes, mommy, give me your cum, please.”

His hips stuttered, his mouth dropping down, roughly pounding into you. “You, fuck,” he moaned out, his voice roaring loudly in the air. “Y-You will never, ever be satisfied with someone else once I’m through with you.”

Seonghwa’s face twisted in concentration, his teeth gritting as his thrusts slowed down, and you gasped audibly when you felt another round of his seed warm the walls of your pussy. “Y/N, dove, a-ah, fuck,” he whimpered, his voice high pitched with all the pleasure he felt as he pulsated inside you.

You were delirious at this point, but when he gripped your legs tightly once more to hoist them up his shoulders, you sobered up really quick. You squealed pathetically, his reinsertion setting your nerves on fire. “H-Hwa, f-fuck–”

“That’s it, baby,” Seonghwa moaned, his eyes fluttering close, biting his bottom lip at the quivering sensation that ruled his body. Overstimulation threatened to snap his cock into two, but it wasn’t enough. He wanted all of you.

“Baby, fuck, ngh,” he whined, his deep voice absolutely nowhere to be found and, God, it absolutely did something to you. His eyes closed shut, his hips stuttering in the cadence of his never-ending thrusts. You didn’t have time to be surprised, Seonghwa was insane. Surely, it didn’t just stop there. 

Your lips crashed together once more in a hungry kiss, Seonghwa’s hips pistoning into you in and out, grunts of pain reaching your ears. “I’m g-gonna keep fucking you,” he gritted his teeth, pain blooming on his groin, pleasure just right behind it. “I’m not gonna stop…”

He completely engulfed you in his arms as your legs dropped down to his waist to tighten your grip on him, pulling him impossibly closer to you, grinding onto his body with a delicious friction.

If it was possible, the overstimulating pain made Seonghwa rougher, more intense, and more desperate than ever before. The bed squeaked beneath you but you could barely hear it over Seonghwa’s roars. “You’re mine, Y/N, you’re all mine, fuck,” he growled, his teeth sinking into your shoulder. “Mine.”

“Seonghwa, a-ah, S-Seonghwa, wanna c-come,” you whined at the pain, but it just made him bite deeper. It was all you needed to feel that familiar tickle in your groin, and your heat began to wrap around him even tighter at the sensation. “O-Oh, S-Seonghwa, come inside me—”

It was all he needed to come undone. You gasped audibly when he put his hands behind your head to forcibly make you look him in the eye. His eyes blazed with fury and determination amidst the pain of his cock driving in and out of you. The insanity was back, and he made sure you saw it. 

“I’ll breed you. Put my babies in you so you’d never leave me again,” he panted, hilting himself with one final thrust before yelling out on your shoulders, barely muffling the sound. 

You weren’t completely drowning in that much pleasure to agree. “H-Hwa, baby, t-this isn’t right,” you whimpered, mouth dropped open at the tingling sensation another orgasm wanted to bring. 

You felt his seed shoot inside you one final time and it was all you needed. “Come, baby, come on my cock, please, please, please, come on my fucking cock,” he gasped as the pleasure become to much for him. 

Your body began to seize against his hold. Seonghwa covered your lips with his with a kiss that spoke volumes. He let you moan onto his tongue as your cunt pulsed all around his cock, reaching a euphoria your mind couldn’t comprehend. You both stayed locked together, savouring the comedown, but not really ready to let go as of yet.

And when Seonghwa finally pulled out, he couldn’t help the growl that emitted from the back of his throat as his cum began spilling out of you in copious amounts. Even he was surprised at how much cum was spilling out of your used, puffy cunt. His cock was numb. 

He smirked, it was all worth it.

“So, this is it, I suppose,” you breathed out, laying down in bed tiredly, carefully lifting the blankets to cover yourself. Not that you needed to keep decency. “I hope you know that I do care for you, but I also want you to know that we both need time away to heal from each other.”

You looked at him, searching his face for any sign of manipulation or desperation, but all you saw was raw, unguarded emotion. The kind you hadn’t seen from him in months. He sighed, turning to his side and facing you. “Can I ask you something?” Seonghwa muttered.

You nodded your head, awaiting his question. “Have you ever wondered what we could have been if I was just Park Seonghwa? Not the mafia lord, not the criminal, not the murderer. Just Seonghwa.”

What he was asking of you hit you harder than you thought. It made sense that he’d ask, it was the main reason you left, after all. “Every single day,” you admitted. “I would imagine we’d be married by now, maybe we’d have had our first child, too.”

Seonghwa let out a laugh that sounded more self-deprecating than anything. It was soft, but full of pain - the pain of recognizing that the what-ifs would remain just that. “When you walked out on me,” he exhaled slowly. “I could’ve stopped you, I could’ve tried harder, maybe made more false promises. Believe it or not, I did give you space.”

“You did,” you stated, rather than asked, your voice cracking. You weren’t ready to talk about these, but this might be the last time you’d ever see Seonghwa.

“I did,” he confirmed. “Would you have come back to me if I didn’t chase you around?”

You swallowed the lump in your throat. You let the question linger in the air, because this was something you’d never asked yourself before. “I don’t know,” you answered. “And we’ll both never know. We can’t change what happened, and we can’t rewrite the past.”

Seonghwa met your gaze again, and this time, there was no anger and no regret, just the aching kind of understanding as his stare was fixed towards you. There was something in the intensity of his stare that made you catch your breath. He didn’t blink, nor did he look away. He just stared at you.

“In a perfect world, you’d want me, need me, as much I do,” he whispered, jutting his hand out to caress your cheek. “I knew you’d never want this, but I also know because you’d have come running back to me anyway because you love me. You’d have surrendered to me and if you did, I wouldn’t chase you like a fool. I would be letting you go.”

“I’m tired of thinking, Seonghwa. I really am. There’s not much I can think of but the reality where we’re in right now,” you said.

“And I really wish that you didn’t think. I wish that you knew for certain. But unfortunately, this world is not perfect. Tell me what you want, Y/N. Right here, right now.”

You opened your mouth, but the words didn’t come right away. The way his eyes reflected all the hope, albeit only a little, crushed you. “I want to be free,” you finally said, the words strange in your mouth. “We both need to stop living in a lie, Seonghwa. I’m not the same, and neither are you.”

It hurt for you to say these things out loud, but it needed to be done. He didn’t say anything for a while, and you could tell he was hurting, as well. This man was once your world, but not anymore. You can’t carry him and the weight of his pain on your shoulders anymore. “Will you set me free? Can you let me go once and for all?”

It takes Seonghwa several seconds to fully understand your request, but when he finally does, a nauseating sensation overwhelms him, a sickness settling in his stomach, twisting around his insides. He always believed there was nothing he wouldn’t do for you, that’s how much he loved you, yet you just managed to find something. “One more question,” he insisted softly.

“What?”

“I know you still love me. Might be more than I love you, might be less. Will you ever stop loving me?”

The question was simple, but the way it knocked all the air out of your lungs made you think otherwise. You wanted to lie, wanted to look Seonghwa in the eye and tell him the opposite of what you truly felt for him. In fact, it would be very easy to lie to his face because this was your freedom.

Seonghwa’s gaze was steady, like he already knew the answer, but needed to hear it from you. He held his breath, still waiting for you to say something, but you were too frozen to do so.

You avoided eye contact. “Does it matter?”

“Yes,” he answered a bit too quickly for your liking.

“No, I don’t think I will,” you admitted, finally at peace with the truth, because deep down, you knew that this was the last time you’d ever say it out loud. Even though you still loved Seonghwa dearly, you had to let go for good.

For the first time, the truth didn’t hurt you. 

Something resolute passes through his eyes before he finally breaks eye contact with you, repositioning himself on the bed to lay down on his back to stare at the ceiling. “I’m moving to New York next week. Permanently. We all are,” he said. “Operations there are far more beneficial for me since the crime rate will help a lot.”

As much as that statement felt like a punch to the gut for you, a small part of your brain was telling you that this was a good thing because the finality of you and Seonghwa not seeing each other again was coming into place. 

This was why you couldn’t be with Seonghwa no matter how much you loved each other. His ties to the mafia and illicit dealings was the least of your concern - it was the danger that will forever lurk with him. You were never ready for the emotional and psychological toll it will inflict you. You didn’t want Seonghwa to come home with a bullet between his eyes or have to visit him in jail. Never mind the constant target for retaliation should something go wrong with an enemy group.

“I see,” you replied, not knowing what else to say.

“Let’s have coffee one last time before I leave,” he pleaded. “Would you grant me that right even though you owe me nothing but ignorance?”

It was innocent enough, but it wasn’t that simple. You wanted to establish that line between the two of you as early as now, yet there was that longing that always reared its ugly head whenever you tried to push it down.

Why was it that when you were this close to pulling away, Seonghwa makes your heart flutter again? What is it about him that kept pulling you back?

The walk to the cafe was nerve-wracking for you, to say the least. The last time you were here, you didn’t know where you stood with Seonghwa. It hasn’t even been four months since then and yet, it felt like it was a lifetime ago.

You hesitated, your foot rooted to the ground directly outside the entrance. The closer you got to going in, the wider the hole in your gut got. You figured it was just the nerves, you were finally saying goodbye to your tormentor - as fucked as that sounded - after all the days you were trapped in confusion and pain.

You took a deep breath, choosing to leave your nerves behind and making your choice, something you haven’t made for yourself in a while.

You weren’t ready, not in the slightest, but there he was. Seonghwa sat in the same corner where you were the last time, and for once, he wasn’t purposefully late, or rather, he chose not to humiliate you this time and made you wait to no end. 

You couldn’t help but stare at him. He was staring out to the world in deep thought, his hands shoved deep in his  pockets. He wasn’t even doing anything, yet his quiet elegance still commanded respect. Seonghwa leaned casually against his chair, his dark, tailored coat hugging his body just right and his hair neatly combed up - far from the hot mess of a man who was on top of you the other week.

Your heart thudded in your chest. He looked like he was leaving for good.

And then, he was suddenly looking at you. “Hey,” he whispered, almost unsure. It was a type of voice you haven’t heard from him in so long. The last time you heard it was when he was asking you to marry him one cool, summer night a year and a half back.

“Hey,” you smiled tightly, putting your lips in a thin line as you tentatively approached the table. Truth be told, you wanted to walk away. Something was gnawing in your chest. But the part that loved him so, the part that wanted to let go, didn’t.

“I didn’t think you’d actually come,” Seonghwa gestured to your seat, even going as far as pulling your chair for you and pushing it back for you to sit on like a gentleman. He had a serene smile on his face when he went back to his. “But, I’m glad you’re here.”

He, once again, gestures his slender hands, but this time, at the table in front of you. He already took the liberty to order some food. It was one of the rarer things that you didn’t take offense to when it came to him; as warped as his mind was, he did cater to your needs very well, and that included the type of food you liked to eat and how you liked your coffee.

“Thank you,” you murmured, taking a small sip of your vanilla iced coffee, pleased to find that Seonghwa had already requested extra syrup. It was extra sweet this time, though, but you weren’t complaining. “When are you leaving?”

His sharp eyes calculated your every move, lingering on your lips a little too long before his own lips twitched ever so slightly. “In two hours,” he replied. “Most of our stuff is already in transit. I just have to be physically there. I really just wanted us to end on a decent note.”

You blinked, not totally processing his words at first. It hit you like stone when it did. You smiled back, though it didn’t quite reach your eyes. “It can’t get more decent than this,” you murmured. It was true, this was the first time that the strain between the two of you wasn’t crackling in the air.

You took another sip of your coffee, just so you weren’t sitting so awkwardly and so stiffly. The aftereffects of the months of unresolved tension were making you dizzy, an almost surreal sensation clouding your vision. Huh, you thought, you underestimated how stressed you actually were.

“You okay?” Seonghwa asked, brows furrowed together, his lips strung in a deep frown. There was an imperceptible shift in his expression, but the haze was too much for you to calculate what it really meant.

“Yeah,” you said,  taking a deep breath and hoping that the dizziness would pass. “I’m just a little tired.”

You booked a little vacation on the seaside for tomorrow, something you didn’t tell Seonghwa. You had no need to. You were looking forward to that as you were seated, thanking your lucky stars that you actually booked it at the last minute. You needed to unwind after all of this.

“Are you sure you’re okay? You’re pale, love,” Seonghwa raised his hand to touch you, something you rejected with a wave of your hand, and something he surprisingly respected.

He sounded a little more insistent now, but he still held that calmness he was known for in the criminal world, but in the end, all he could do was sigh in resignation. “If you insist,” he said, even though he looked like he wanted to say more.

The air felt cold, heavier, and now thicker with all the unspoken things between the two of you that would remain just that - unspoken. Seonghwa resembled a man who had carried the weight of regret for far too long, but even he knew that it was too late.

“I won’t keep you too long,” he said, his words slow as if he was dragging them out. They were raw, nonetheless. “I just wanted to say goodbye properly. The right way.”

He paused to smile thinly. “I just…had to see you before we went. I’m not going to ask for your forgiveness, Y/N, and I suppose that’s the only real thing I will always be sorry for because I can’t control the way my heart yearned for you, no matter how wrong it got.”

“It’s okay,” you almost scoffed. “I don’t know if I can forgive you, anyway.”

“Touché,” he chuckled.

You swallowed hard, a little disappointed, but to be honest, you were fine with that. You can respect honesty and self-awareness. “But, you think this would be enough, Seonghwa? I don’t mean that in a bad way.”

The room began to tilt as you swayed only a bit, nothing too noticeable, but it was enough nausea to concern you. His lips curled as he stared at you, but the hesitation in which he ran his hand through his hair in frustration distracted you.

“I don’t know, little dove, I don’t expect it to be enough. I guess I just needed you to know that I never meant to hurt you like I did, and maybe that’s not enough, but it’s all I have left,” he stared at you. “ I wish things had been different. I really did. But now, I have to go.” 

You set the coffee down, your hands clammy and your mouth went dry, the dizziness getting too detrimental for you to concentrate. Seonghwa’s eyes narrowed as he watched you carefully. Too carefully.

“Good luck, Seonghwa,” you said, quiet and sincere. You got up and stepped back from the table, from him. You had to go, you were starting to feel really unwell. “I’m sorry I can’t support you with the path you’re taking. I wish you happiness you couldn’t have with me, I really do.” 

“Sweetheart, wait…”

He stood up as well, his eyes searching yours like he was waiting for something more, but there was something else underneath it, something you couldn’t quite put your finger on. Before he could say something, you turned around towards the door and began to briskly walk away.

Walking away from Seonghwa felt wrong, but what was worse was the growing unease you felt - the same one you did before you even entered the cafe. Your legs were unsteady, you couldn’t even take a step away from the entrance. Black spots began to dance from your vision, it was getting more difficult to stay upright.

You gave in, your body feeling lighter as you felt yourself begin to tumble down the floor, but before you could, steady hands guided you upwards until your head pressed onto a firm chest. You didn’t have to look up to know who it was. 

“S-Seonghwa,” you slurred, leaning further into him against your will just so you couldn’t fall. “W-What’s going on…”

You felt him dig his fingers firmly on your shoulders, not enough to hurt, but enough for him to hold you to your place. He pushes you gently against the wall, tilting your lolling head to his face. 

Your blood ran cold. The look in his face told you everything you needed to know. His thumb forcibly opened your lips and the realization hit you so hard it left you reeling - the coffee. You weren’t supposed to feel like this, it wasn’t the anxiety. He smirked, almost smug.

“You were always so wary of me,” he chuckled darkly, leaning in to give you a small peck on the side of your lips before licking the small trail of saliva that pooled outside of your mouth. “I’m surprised it took you this long, I thought you’d see it coming, at least.”

“You…spiked m-my,” you managed to choke out, your breath coming in short gasps.

He didn’t seem alarmed. In fact, there was a calmness to him, as though he had expected this reaction, as though this was all part of his plan. You tried to push him away even though you could barely stand. “Seonghwa, I-I don’t f-feel well,” you admitted.

His smirk fell, genuine concern bleeding onto it as he cursed under his breath. “I’m sorry, love, you were probably just sensitive to it,” he frowned. You hated that you knew what he meant. “Let’s get you to the car—”

“N-No, let go,” your body swayed, until your legs had finally given out on you, your eyes fluttering close.

“Hey, hey, stay with me,” his voice was sharp, laced with panic. You felt yourself being lifted bridal-style. You could hear him calling your name over and over. “Come on, baby, don’t give out on me now,” he urged, the desperation in his voice betraying his calm facade.

“Please, I can’t do this alone,” he continued, his voice quieter now, almost fragile. “This is the only way. I’ll take care of you, yeah? I want to do right by you. I need you to believe me…”

He was scared. He actually hadn’t meant to go this far. 

Everything went black. The last thing you remembered was the sudden pressure of his desperate hands gripping you as if he was afraid that if he let you go that you'd suddenly disappear. His eyes shone with plea, full of panic, as his lips trembled with unspoken words.

When you came to, a dull headache throbbed in the back of your eyes. A sense of disorientation weighed heavily in your chest. The first thing you noticed was that you were sitting upright, your head leaning against a hard, bony surface. A shoulder.

You groaned, trying to remember how you got here, and everything came to you all at once; walking somewhere, the coffee, the nausea, Seonghwa—

Seonghwa.

You groaned, immediately sitting straight and trying to rub your eyes and your head to remove the bleary sleepiness remaining in you, but that wasn’t what caught you off-guard. In fact, fainting in Seonghwa’s arms seemed to be the least of your problems for today.

You froze, your heart leaping to your throat when you saw the cold metal of the handcuff around your wrist. Your hand instinctively tried to pull it away, even going as far as to prying it away with your other hand, but all that did was hurt you, your skin automatically reddening at the friction all the pulling was causing you.

Things just got worse from here then on. You figured that you’d try to pull the source of where your handcuffs were connected to, but to your horror, you realized that the other end was connected to Seonghwa’s own wrist, effectively tying you two together.

He stared at you panicking, his face drawn with exhaustion, but he was watching you closely as everything started to dawn on you. Something cloudy seizes his chest as you look up at him, tears reddening your eyes. His gaze softens, but relief shines through it, nonetheless.

“You’re awake,” he tenderly notes, like he was afraid that you’d get startled and lash out. He leans forward, his hand gingerly holding onto your face to wipe your unfallen tears with his thumb. “Are you okay? Is there anything that hurts? Listen, I know this looks bad, and I get it, but please, give me the chance to explain everything.”

You were stunned speechless, not being able to render opening your mouth to even refute his excuses. Everything was overwhelming, and truth be told, your head still wasn’t fully there. You couldn’t even lean away from Seonghwa’s touch even though you wanted nothing but to spit on his face.

It was one thing to be infuriated with Seonghwa, but more so, you were mad at yourself. How could you be so naïve? How could you be so blatantly stupid as to even meet up with him in the first place and let your guard down? 

Your breathing became ragged despite Seonghwa’s gentle attempts to calm you down. You had basically signed your life to him the moment you agreed to meet up with him in the cafe, because this was his plan all along, and you went along with it like a puppet in his sick version of a show.

Trusting Seonghwa was the equivalent of jumping off of a cliff willingly. You had a first-hand taste of how manipulative, how insane, he actually was, and you still went. You couldn’t even afford to feel bad for yourself since you knew that the fault wasn’t fully his own.

You pulled on your wrist, even though it was pointless, but his hand reached across the small space, gently touching your arm. “I never meant for things to go this far,” he explained, his voice strained. “But I need you to understand—”

“Understand what, Seonghwa? You lied to me,” you gritted your teeth, your heart thudding painfully against your chest as you tried to keep more of your tears at bay. “You lied to me, you sick son of a bitch! You said you were going to let me go! I thought the mafia had honour—”

“I know, dove, I know, but honour be damned if I can’t be with you,” he exasperatedly explained, but you weren’t having it.

“What the hell does that even mean? You kidnapped me! I’ve lost count, Seonghwa,” you seethed, pulling on the handcuffs again, but to no avail. That was when you looked around and realized you didn’t know where you were. “Where even are we?”

Seonghwa’s eyes softened and he leaned back in his seat, letting out a slow breath as he tried to gather his thoughts, the handcuffs connected to him slightly pulling on your wrists. “I’m sorry. I don’t expect you to forgive me right away, and I’m not trying to make excuses. But I couldn’t just let you go. I couldn’t let you walk away and forget everything we had. I’m sorry, Y/N. I really am.”

“Seonghwa,” you trailed off, not liking where this was going, your lips quivering as you spoke. “You said you were going to let me go.”

“I know what I said,” he said. His voice dropped lower, a touch of vulnerability seeping in. “I can’t let you throw it all away, love. The other week, you said you still loved me, and that you were never going to stop loving me. Tell me, how am I supposed to just leave and forget all about that?”

He sighed, long and heavy, looking you straight in the eye. “How am I supposed to leave my heart, knowing that it still beats for the both of us?”

Your mind raced, thoughts tangled in a whirlwind. This wasn’t happening. This couldn’t be happening. You’d made your choice. You’d walked away from, finally accepted that you just weren’t meant to be, and that you needed to let go to move on.

He shifted, his gaze never leaving yours, and for the first time, you saw a glimmer of something in him—hope.

“We can start over, leave everything once and for all,” he said, his voice almost pleading. “No more games. No more lies. We could just be together with a new life.”

You stopped breathing for a second. “W-What do you mean?”

Seonghwa paused, looking genuinely confused for a second. He was taken aback, it hit him that you actually didn’t know where you were. The silence was what prompted you to actually look at your surroundings. You blinked, finally realizing the real reason why you were sitting down when you woke up.

There is a smooth, unnatural hum of an engine beneath you, vibration so low that you wouldn’t even have noticed it.The plush leather seats you were on and in front of you, the overhead area where carry-on luggages usually went to if they were too big to put on the floor, and the stale smell of uncirculated air around the small space.

You were on a plane. Specifically, Seonghwa’s private jet.

“S-Seonghwa,” you yelped, true fear and panic settling in your chest at the prospect of  being trapped here with him.

“You were asleep for half the flight. We’ll be landing in New York in six more hours,” he said quietly. 

You repeatedly shook your head in denial, hoping to wake up from this nightmare. Seonghwa just watched you, his expression a mixture of hurt and concern. “I know you’re scared,” he whispered. “I know I hurt you, but I promise I’ll never hurt you again. “

You looked at him, his eyes full of conviction, full of hope. He was sincere. But that only made it harder.

“I don’t know if I can do this,” you whispered, your voice breaking as you pulled away slightly, the weight of the handcuff pulling you back.

His face shifted, pain flashing across his features, but he didn’t let go. “Please,” he said, his voice trembling. “Don’t make me lose you again.”

Your hands tugged at the cuffs again, the metal biting into your wrist, but all that did was make him wrap his big hands around yours. “I’m not asking for a second chance,” he said quietly, his voice hoarse. “I’m asking for a real chance. A chance to prove that we can make this work. That we can make us work. I’ll take care of you. I’ll protect you. And we’ll get through this together.”

You didn’t want to break down in front of him. You  didn’t want to show him this vulnerability, this weakness. But you couldn’t stop.

Through your blurry eyes, you saw him with his gaze soft but filled with something else. Pity. It also had helplessness and guilt, as if seeing you break down before him was a painful reminder of how far he had pushed you.

With that, you hunched over your seat and buried your face in your hands as the tears streamed down your face in hot torrents. The sobs came in uncontrollable waves, violent and loud, your chest heaving as if you might suffocate.

You felt Seonghwa’s hand rub your back soothingly, but you didn’t care to push him anymore. It was over. All the fighting you did for your freedom was for absolutely nothing. The weight of that truth pressed down on your chest, suffocating. 

You didn’t even try to stop Seonghwa from pulling you from your chair to make you sit on his lap as he hugged you tight, burying your face on the crook of his shoulder as your tears came hard, relentless, spilling down your cheeks as your chest heaved with sobs you couldn’t contain anymore. Your hands trembled as you clutched at his clothes, trying to steady yourself.

“You don’t have to do this alone,” he said softly as he hushed you with comfort that you didn’t want. “I’ll take care of you. We’ll start over, fall in love with each other all over again. You won’t be a part of the organization if you don’t want it, just please, stay with me.”

Your hysterical cries didn’t stop and all Seonghwa did was comfort you with words - words that he actually meant - but what you didn’t see was the pride and satisfaction written on his face as he stared at your crying form. In his own quiet way, he savored every single moment of it.

And he smiled because he knew - and you knew - that you had nowhere else to go. He won.

You belonged to him now.

𝙽𝚎𝚝s - @keopihaus @dove-net @othersideoutlawsnetwork @hiraya-m @illusionnet @pirateeznet

Dividers by: @cafekitsune and @bernardsbendystraws

[othersideoutlawsnetwork]

🗝₊˚⊹— Somewhere on The Other Side, an outlaw has found a key. This one opens AUD: Saving the Doberman. The steel key has the name Rem engraved on it.

AUD: Saving the Doberman

》 Pairing: CEO!Yeosang x secretary!reader

》 Genre/Trope: angst with fluff at the end/coworkers to lovers

》 Wordcount: 2,240 words

》 Rating: pg-13

》Type: series

Nets: @mirohs-aurora-society @othersideoutlawsnetwork @illusionnet

A/N: ngl, i had fun writing this one lol xD

"There's only one thing missing in my life. That's you." - Lucky Daye

“In this scenario, you are the secretary of CEO Kang Yeosang. You don’t have to tread carefully this time. He usually acts cold, non-chalant, and dismissive of everything you and the rest of his employees do. He can’t keep you at bay however and he’s conflicted. What will you do?” - Maddox

---------------------------------------------------

“I can’t believe you’re the CFO!”

“Sucks to be you.”

Hongjoong and Seonghwa watched the playful banter going on back and forth between you two with amused grins on their faces. You stuck your tongue out at MITO while the tattooed man laughed loudly. You were busy making copies of this document Yeosang handed to you wordlessly. In fact, he hasn’t said one word to you since you entered his domain of the simulation! According to Matz, he, along with the Chois, are the quietest members of the pirate kings. The virus must’ve noticed this and used it to its advantage in order to corrupt him. You’re a social butterfly so this’ll be sort of difficult for you. 

“I think you have enough copies, love.”

You looked down and saw that MITO was right. You had more than enough copies for Yeosang. You quickly stopped the copier and stacked up the copies neatly before carrying the stack of papers in your hands and walking briskly back to Yeosang’s office. You knocked on his door once or twice before hearing his honey-like baritone voice telling you to come in. 

“Hello! Here are the copies of the document, Mr. Kang!”

Another thing that made it difficult for you? You absolutely had no idea what he looked like! Whenever you entered his office, the back of his chair was always facing you. As much as you were curious about what he looked like, you decided to remain respectful. According to MITO, a lot of the employees have tried to see what he looked like. For what purpose? You weren’t entirely sure. However, you were sure about one thing. 

The employees that attempted to see his face? They were fired. The really bad ones?

They were blacklisted from every single job market. 

You didn’t want to be the next person. 

“Ms. Jung, could you take a couple of calls for me? I’m finalizing the meetings for the investors interested in my company.”

You didn’t bother hiding the swooning expression on your face since you were looking at his chair. He really had such a beautiful voice and you tried not to shudder at the thought of it being laced with anger or hatred. 

“Of course, Mr. Kang! Is there anything else you need me to do in the meantime before or after the calls?”

“No. You may go.”

You had whiplash at the way his voice turned cold instantly. Nonetheless, you nodded and turned around to leave his office. On the way back to your own office, you held a hand close to your chest, no doubt feeling the rapid beating of your heart. You felt silly for swooning over someone’s voice, but you made do with what you had. Sitting down at your desk, you picked up the company phone and dialled up the people Yeosang told you to call. 

WEEK  TWO 

You’ve noticed subtle changes in Yeosang even though you have yet to see his face. He was no longer sounding cold towards you and even allowed you to accompany him on either business meetings or business trips. Most of the time, it was business meetings. You weren’t complaining though. Despite walking a respectable distance behind him, you couldn’t deny that he looked good from the back. 

“Damn.”

You whispered to yourself as you took in what he wore today. He wore an all-black suit underneath an olive green leather trench coat. His wavy black hair (almost the same length as Seonghwa’s blonde hair) was styled up in the exact same way as Seonghwa. The cologne he wore smelled fresh and had hints of something woody. He walked with such grace and poise, almost akin to a royal prince. When you entered the meeting room, everyone stood up and bowed before sitting back down in their respective seats. You immediately went straight into one of the deep corners of the meeting room and sat down before taking out a notepad and paper. Being a bartender, you’re used to writing down orders at lightning speed so you figured this would be a breeze. Soon, the meeting started. 

THREE HOURS LATER 

After an endless stream of talk about investment strategies and future plans for the company, Yeosang ended the meeting and stuck around for idle chatter about anything else. You could tell he was gearing towards sprinting out of the room as soon as possible. His social battery looked drained. You just stood there and observed everyone. A woman soon approached you and your guard was immediately up. You weren’t expecting to talk to anyone other than MITO, Matz, and Yeosang. She had silver (bordering dark grey) hair, sharp eyes, and a pristine pantsuit on. 

“You’re Natasha, right?”

You nodded rapidly and the woman chuckled before looking back at Yeosang, who was still talking with some of the businessmen still lingering about. She then turned back to you and leaned in to whisper in your ear. 

“Cut the crap. He isn’t paying attention. Your name is Y/N, right?”

What the hell?

How did she know?

You wearily stared at her and felt the hairs on the back of your neck stand up as she revealed your real name in such a menacing voice. She saw how nervous you became before laughing softly and clasping your shoulder gently. You flinched under her touch and lightly shrugged off her hand before straightening your back and eying her bravely. 

She could step on you and you wouldn’t even know it. That’s how intimidating she was. 

“Relax. I’m not here to hurt you. In fact, I’m here to protect you. Just like how I’ve been protecting Yeosang ever since the virus entered the simulation.”

What…?

“You? Protecting Yeosang?”

“I know! Believe me. I know. But MITO hired me to make sure that innocent little bean over there doesn’t get hurt.”

“Innocent? Yeosang?”

The woman nodded and you found yourself becoming intrigued with the mystery that’s Yeosang. 

“Even though he’s one of the strongest men in Halateez, he’s actually a pacifist. The last time he grew violent, he almost hurt someone. Even though that person is ok, he still hasn’t lifted a finger against anyone. Sure, it does make him susceptible to a lot of teasing, but everyone knows that his kind and gentle soul is something to protect all the time. Hongjoong was surprised to see him join. But it seems like he fits in with the group and all considering he’s the messenger.”

“That… fits him well actually.”

“This is all I can tell you. The virus might be listening in so I’ll stop right there.”

You nodded in understanding, finally painting a picture in your mind and memorizing how Yeosang truly is. Mayhaps his non-chalant and dismissive personality is his subconscious’s way of protecting his soul from those who wish to taint it. 

That includes the virus. 

“Looks like you have to leave. If you need to reach out to me, my name is CL.”

The woman, now named CL, stuck out her hand for you to shake it. You took her hand in yours and shook it firmly, feeling the power radiate off her the more you stand in her presence. After letting go, you bid goodbye to her and followed Yeosang out of the meeting room. Since it was within the company building, you only had to take the elevator back down to the sixth floor. 

“Meet me in my office. I have something to discuss with you.”

You nodded upon hearing Yeosang’s request and soon watched him leave the elevator once it reached the sixth floor. You waited a few seconds before exiting as well. You quickly went back to your office to set your things down before looking up and jumping at the sight of MITO laying sideways in a sexy pose. 

“Hey. Come here often?”

“Boy, if you don’t -”

MITO laughed and got up before shoving his hands in his pockets and leaning against the wall of your office. You guessed he was here for an update so you laid it on him. You recalled all the changes Yeosang made subtly and your encounter with CL, Yeosang’s guardian in the simulation. MITO nodded and stood up straight before laying a hand on your shoulder. 

“You’re making good progress, but knowing what CL has relayed to you, you might want to hurry up.”

“I know but still! You and Matz know how Yeosang is! Don’t you think I’m trying hard to work quickly without messing anything up?”

“I know, love. I know. And I’m sorry. I completely forgot about Yeosang’s personality. I just…”

“It’s ok, MITO. Just don’t lose faith in me.”

“You’ve woken up two of the eight members. Specifically, the most important two. Trust me. My faith in you won’t waver.”

MITO wrapped his arms around you in a warm and reassuring hug. You hugged him back before letting him go and quickly exiting your office. After all, you didn’t want to leave Yeosang waiting. When you entered his office, you cleared your throat to announce your presence. Normally, Yeosang would immediately start talking. However, he did something different this time. 

He turned around in his chair and stood up before walking over towards you. 

‘Holy shit! He looks so fucking gorgeous! And he willingly showed his face to me!’

“Come sit with me, Natasha.”

You nodded dumbly as you walked towards the couch, your eyes still glued onto his face. You probably looked stupid for drooling over his statue-esque features and gushing over the birthmark near the side of his right eye. You sat down on the pristine couch and Yeosang sat next to you. 

Closely. 

His arm was draped over the top of the couch and secured its place behind you while his other hand was placed over his lap. He stared at you with adoration and admiration while you busied yourself with making sure your pencil skirt didn’t rise up as you sat down. You looked back up at him again and your breath caught in your throat when you realized just how close he is to you. 

“It seems that I’m a little dumb.”

“For what?”

“For not appreciating you enough.”

“Oh? And why is that?”

Yeosang sighed, absentmindedly taking your hand and rubbing your knuckles with his thumb.

“I’m a rich man. I buy anything and everything I see fit and think to myself that it’ll fill the void in my heart. I have money on my left, diamonds on my right, houses in every city I visit for business trips, and so much more. I’m full of power yet I feel empty at the same time. Nothing seems to work!”

His frustration made your heart squeeze painfully and you covered his hand with your unoccupied one. 

“Then, you came in. I don’t know what it is about you that made you stand out from the rest, but I know for a fact that you’re different. I asked if you wanted a pay raise and you declined it oh so politely. I bombarded you with difficult questions during your interview and you answered them gracefully and with ease. There’s something about you that I can’t pinpoint, but I know that you’re the one thing that’s missing in my despondent life.”

He pulled you closer to him and you felt his minty breath on your lips. 

“Tell me. What can I do to make you mine, pretty girl?”

You gulped nervously as he tenderly kissed your cheek and moved his arms so his hands could land on your waist. You made Yeosang look up at you by tapping his shoulder rapidly. He had a glazed look in his eyes yet he was ready to listen to you. With that same composed look you gave Matz, you stared at him dead in the eyes and said the words differently yet with the same conviction and determination.

“If you want me to be yours, you have to wake up.”

You pulled out a blue feather from the front pocket of your blazer and Yeosang tilted his head in confusion. Soon, the glazed look in his eyes was replaced with realization. Before he said anything though, the setting changed. You were back in the void and you watched how Matz and MITO appeared by Yeosang’s side so they could steady him while he clutched his head. 

His appearance changed and you thought he looked even more handsome than before.

His hair became shorter and was the same shade of red as Hongjoong’s. Although, it was more of a cherry red while Hongjoong’s was maroon. He wore a crisp white tee with a black tie hanging losely from his neck and the rest of his black suit had pinstripes. Like Seonghwa, he wore black leather gloves. When he looked over all you, a small and bashful grin was on his face as he bowed in front of you. 

“Thank you so much for saving me!”

Your heart melted at his politeness. 

“Glad to have you back, Yeo.”

Yeosang grinned at MITO before linking arms with him so the five of you can venture off into the next domain.