#suho aus

[marshmallow-phd]

Genre: Regency Gothic AU

Pairing: EXO x Reader

Summary: A stormy night brought you to the manor in the middle of the woods. Nine strange men occupied its halls. They won't let you leave. A dangerous secret haunts this estate. Learning it might either be your saving grace or it could lead to the last breath you ever take.

Part: 1 I 2 I 3 I 4 I 5

**

Lightning lit up the thin curtains covering the two small windows on either side of the carriage. Thunder rumbled and you felt it deep within your chest. Tugging your silk cloak closer, you closed your eyes and prayed that the driver would get you through the storm. There was no one to comfort you, to reassure you that a little rain and noisy sky wouldn't delay your journey.

Your father had insisted you take your sister or even a friend, but the two day’s journey didn’t  seem consequential enough to need a companion. Besides, what would they have done once you arrived? Your elderly aunt had only asked for you. From what you could decipher from her letter, she needed you to be a companion as she traveled to the southernmost coastal town. Apparently, it was now the ultimate fashion to travel to for the summer. Just the idea of rolling waves made your stomach churn. But what was worse was who else would be there–

The carriage jolted to the right. You spread out your arms, only barely catching yourself from falling to the floor. No sane person would have endured such dangerous weather. This storm had come from nowhere. Skies blue and cloudless as you had ever seen bid you farewell in the late morning. Most of the day's journey had been uneventful. Then the joyful light faded. Thunder shook the walls of the carriage. Rain pounded on the roof. When would you reach the inn? Bile rose up in your throat, burning the sensitive tissue as the carriage continued to rock violently. The horses neighed over the sounds of the storm. 

The carriage shifted hard to the left. And kept falling. You slammed into the door, nearly opening it with the force. You didn't know what was happening. The floor was now the wall and the wall the floor. A downward momentum made it impossible to stand. Screams ripped at your throat.

Then it stopped. 

The rain continued to pour and the thunder roared on but the carriage was still. Your legs wobbled as you slowly stood. With your palms, you pushed open the door. The thin wooden panel clapped against the outside of the carriage. Immediately you were pounded by the storm. Large drops pelted your face, obscuring your vision. It was dark. You could tell that much. And there were trees. In every direction. 

You climbed out of the carriage, calling for the driver. Your feet slipped in the mud, but you managed to keep your balance–for now. The mud was thick and sticky as you trudged to the front of the carriage.

 No. No, no, no. Both of the horses were gone. And so was the driver. Somehow, the carriage had fallen down a hill or ravine. With a storm this terrible, you needed to get to higher ground or risk possibly being carried away–or drowning. Clawing and digging your hands and feet into the soaked dirt, you climbed the hard incline back to the road. 

Once you could make out the road, you called for the driver again. No answer. He was nowhere to be found. You needed to find shelter. The storm gave no promise of letting up. You wouldn't survive the night in this forest, even if you went back into the carriage. The only choice was to find sanctuary. You stared in the direction you believed you came from. Nothing but trees and darkness. You turned to the other choice. All the same–wait. 

There was something... when lightning brightened up the sky. Your heart began banging in your ears. Spires, towers. Not trees. It was some distance away, but it was shelter nonetheless. 

With near tears in your eyes, you picked up your skirts–your fingers numb from the cold–and hurried towards the castle that could be your saving grace. 

*****

The manor was calm tonight. Odd, considering the amount of bodies roaming around these haunted halls. Only the beautiful storm outside and Chanyeol's sorrowful melody from the piano broke the silence. Jongin had draped himself over one of the arm chairs as he inspected the wine mixture within his goblet. The taste was… adequate. The cellar would need replenishing soon.

In the corner, a rather lax game of cards covered the small, round table. Minseok smirked at his winning hand. The faded wooden chips with bits of white painted around the edges were piling up in front of Yixing, who leaned back carelessly, sure of his next win. Little did either of them know that the youngest among them had a little... trick his sleeve. As the quickest, Sehun had perfected sleight of hand long ago. None had caught him yet.

A fire roared, coaling the usually gray and brown room in flickering orange. With how close he stood near the fireplace, Kyungsoo's silhouette was visible through his loose shirt. He leaned his palms on the mantel and let the warmth of the flames engulf him. Warmth was all they could feel after all these years. It could be an addiction so strong it was tempting to throw himself into the fire. 

Junmyeon joined him at the fireplace, leaning his shoulders against the brick. The bite of the edge hardly registered in his mind. Pain of that measure... it was only a ghost that had nearly crossed over. 

“Such strong thoughts for a night like this.”

Kyungsoo didn’t look from the fire, but raised a questioning eyebrow in response. 

Junmyeon shrugged a single shoulder. “I can’t read minds, but it's obvious you're turning something over more times than a praying rock.”

“It's the same thoughts,” Kyungsoo murmured in his strange, monotone voice. “Always the same thoughts.”

“One day you will have to let it go,” Junmyeon sighed. “This is our existence now. And forever will be.”

“Acceptance of the present doesn’t erase the past.”

“But it does make the present more enjoyable.” The red liquid sloshed against the rim of the goblet as Jongin draped an arm over Kyungsoo’s shoulders. He wore a mischievous smile. A clear indicator of his true intention. 

Junmyeon shook his head. “We’re not going out tonight. There’s nothing out and about in this storm.” Hunting in these conditions would wield no trophies. Tomorrow would be a better night. 

“Jun’s no fun tonight,” Jongdae teased as he and Baekhyun emerged from the hallway. 

“If you want to go out in this mess,” Junmyeon waved towards the front door. “Be my guest. Just don’t you dare get mud on the rug–”

Bang! Bang! Bang!

“Help! Please! Help!”

Nine pairs of eyes snapped to the echoing sound. None moved. 

Bang! Bang! 

BANG!

One of the double doors burst open and a figure fell to the floor, landing on its knees and palms. It looked up. A flash of lightning illuminated the face.

The face of a beautiful young girl. 

*****

Your knees vibrated when they hit the wooden floor. Water fell from your loose hair that clung to your cheeks. The chances of  the door opening when you pushed on the handle had been low–yet the barrier that kept you victim to the storm fell open and you crashed downward with it. 

Greeting you in this strange hall were several men, their jaws hanging open in a mirror of your own surprise. More men appeared from a side parlor, curious as to who dared intrude on their evening. One, two, three–you counted nine total. Nine men. This was not ideal–a bit terrifying, really–but you didn't have a choice. The storm raged outside.

"P-please," you stammered past chattering teeth "The st-storm overturn-overturned the carriage.” 

The men stayed silent as they exchanged unreadable glances. One raised a questionable brow. 

"Jongdae, go run a bath," ordered the man closest to you. One of the shorter residents nodded and disappeared into the darkness that led into the rest of the manor. 

That's what this place was. A grand old manor, not a castle. Isolated. When you'd first run through the rusted iron gate, you'd feared it abandoned. A long dormant instinct whispered that you might have been better off if it had been. 

The first man approached, each motion slow, deliberate, and hauntingly graceful. He crouched down in front of you and captured your frightened stare. The fear in you began to melt away. He was… beautiful. Obsidian fell over his forehead in gentle waves. His tunic was of a fashion your grandfather would have worn. There was something strange about this man–all of these men. Something... different. 

"Let's get you warmed up." He held his hand out and you were up on your feet before you even realized your fingers were resting on his. "Don't worry," he murmured. "You're safe here. My name is Junmyeon." 

You nodded, somehow believing him, but unsure if you should. Through your violent chattering, you managed to stammer out your name in response. 

Bang! 

You jumped at the sudden noise. One of the other men had somehow appeared behind you to shut the door you'd fallen through. 

"Thank you, Yixing," the man beside you said. The one named Yixing nodded and then shifted his eyes to you. “Come.” A hand pressed into the space between your shoulder blades and guided you down the hall, leaving a trail of mud in your wake.

The man led you down several halls until you reached an unoccupied bedroom. Red blankets draped the oversized bed. Matching curtains hung limply from the canopy. All of the wood was a dark sort, rich in color but not quite welcoming like other, brighter woods. 

Jongdae emerged from another door on the other side of the bedroom. Steam rolled out after him as if it were following him for its next set of orders. “Anything else?” he asked drily. 

“No, thank you.”

Jongdae strolled the from the room without a glance either of you and closed the door behind him. Your breath hitched in your throat. The two of you were… alone. It wasn’t appropriate. It was…

You looked to the man still with you, fear causing your heart to pound painful against your chest. You tugged your cloak closer to you, but it was soaked from the rain. Shivers violently raced down your arms and spine. The man didn’t seem to notice as he walked over to the dresser and opened the top drawer. He pulled out a long white cloth. 

“These should suffice for tonight.” He held up the cloth for you to see. A nightgown. An old one by the cut of it, though thankfully it hadn’t been devoured by moths or mice. “If you need anything else, don’t hesitate to ask.”

You nodded. “Thank you.” 

He visibly suppressed a laugh at your small voice and waved you into the adjoining bathroom. Taking the nightgown, you tried your best to avoid his gaze. You scurried inside and shut the door. 

*****

Junmyeon smirked at your mousy state. It was understandable why you were so frightened. The women of this period were warned of being alone with a man. And now you were alone with nine. 

Nine very dangerous men. 

The proper action for him to take was to leave your room now that you were safe inside the bathroom, but his feet didn’t move. Somehow, the storm had stranded you in their forest. What had happened to the driver, he wondered. Surely a gentlewoman such as yourself was not controlling the carriage. And yet, you were all alone. Circumstances were… ideal.

A small hiss echoed in the bathroom. It stretched out, along with the sound of sloshing water. Junmyeon frowned. 

Hm.

He stood there for a few minutes more, listening to you sigh as your skin grew used to the scalding water. The sound of soap scraping against skin reached his ears, followed by more sloshing water. Soon, you would be getting out of the tub. Time to leave. 

He emerged from the bedroom, careful to close the door as quietly as possible. Everyone had gathered out in the hallway since they were too curious about their visitor to go about their night. Junmyeon found Jongdae blending in with the cluster. He glared at him as he hissed, "The water was too hot." 

Jongdae merely shrugged. Why would he care about water possibly being too hot? It would never hurt him. 

On the opposite end of the group, Yixing cleared his throat. "What are we going to do with her?"

Junmyeon glanced at the door behind him. There was only one best option, for all their sakes. "Tomorrow morning, we will send her on her way." 

The eruption was instant. 

“Enough!”

In an instant, the hissing ceased. 

Baekhyun huffed and folded his arms against his chest, collapsing against the wall. Jongin scoffed. "Such a waste." 

“A waste that will keep this household from tearing itself apart,” Junmyeoun countered. It was an outcome none of them wanted. No one wanted to cause a fight, but resisting was difficult. The temptation was great. The quicker you left, the better off they would all be. 

"Do you really think it’ll end so well?" Minseok’s mocking comment hung in the air. Silent agreements rippled through the air. 

Junmyeon looked to Kyungsoo, whose answer was to look away. "No one touches her," he ordered. They all would try, he knew. But their strength would only get them so far. He stared down a few of them especially, so they knew he meant it.

Sehun pushed off the wall with a roll of his eyes. "Just get her out of here so I can get some peace." 

Junmyeon started to call after him but was interrupted by a soft thud from the room behind him. Confused, he opened the door to find you lying on the floor.

[sa2mping]

twins au… yeah… yeah… *nods*

[mint-yooxgi]

Kinktober Day 2 - Yandere!Alien!Junmyeon + Oral Fixation

Anonymous Said: Hi! For Kinktober, can I request Yandere Alien (something like Obsession era) Suho + Oral Fixation, please? Thank you 💙 A/n: Why, of course, Anon! I haven't written for Junmyeon in such a long time, omg. EXO will always have a special place on this blog. I hope you enjoy! Warnings/Genre/Rating: 18+ MDNI - Smut, Mature, Established Relationship, Yandere, Possession, Monster Features Word Count: 668 Kinktober 2024 Mini Masterlist

“I thought you said you could handle it, My Love.” His voice drawls out, an almost disappointed hum falling from his lips.

Your chest heaves, unable to form words as you attempt to catch your breath. You one hand comes up to rub over your face, fingers finally releasing their death grip on the sheets beneath you.

“You’re insatiable, you know that?” You manage to pant out, glancing down at him from between the gaps in your fingers.

“When it comes to you?” A smirk tugs at Junmyeon’s features, his eyes flashing that bright cerulean shade you’ve come to know so well. “Always.”

He gives you no time to respond, diving right back into you. His hands push your thighs apart eagerly, tongue delving between your folds. A shameless groan escapes him the moment that he tastes that sweet nectar that floods from between your legs once more. Happily, he gets lost in your taste for the nth time this night.

Desperately, his lips wrap around your clit, sucking on that sensitive little nub harshly. His tongue circles over your swollen bud, shaking his head back and forth and moaning all the while.

“Give me everything,” he growls against your cunt. “I want your everything.”

Immediately, you toss your head back onto the pillows, a loud cry of his name escaping your lips. The hand you had resting over your face flies to his hair, gripping his bright red locks firmly in your grip. Involuntarily, your hips jolt, grinding against his lips as he hums contently around your clit.

For hours, it’s been like this. Junmyeon was not lying when he said he could find an endless blissful haven between your legs, and never want to come up for air. He’s gotten you so worked up, so sensitive to his touch, that a single flick of his tongue has you teetering on the edge once more.

The only thing more intense than him desperately suckling and licking at your clit is when he-

A scream of his name tears from your throat, back arching off of the bed as your thighs close around his head. You can feel his tongue probing and prodding once more at your inner walls, elongating to flick at that sensitive spot deep inside of you. Even as you spasm around him, he does not halt any of his movements. Your squirming only makes him hold onto you tighter, a pleased, high pitch screech filling the air as he feels you dripping down his chin and onto his chest.

Gently, his tongue swirls inside of you, thrusting lightly to collect every last drop you offer him. The way your thighs continue to shake around his head only makes him smile, an immense satisfaction building within his chest and flooding his veins.

Only he can make you feel like this. Only he can please you, and that’s exactly how he intends to keep it.

Again, he retracts that swollen muscle from your cunt, humming contently as he languidly licks you clean.

All you can see within the darkness of the room with your hazy vision is his bright red hair, and the faint, hypnotizing blue glow of his eyes. You can just tell he’s bursting with pride, even as he places tender kisses to the skin on the inside of your thighs. The soft, high pitched screeching hum he emits is indication enough.

You attempt to catch your breath.

“I’m surprised,” Junmyeon hums, nuzzling your thigh gently with his nose. “You still haven’t passed out yet. Perhaps I need to increase my efforts-“

“No!” Your hooded eyes fling open, reaching out for him almost immediately.

He tilts his head, glancing up at you curiously. “Then, do you want me to stop?”

Your tongue darts out to wet your lips. “Fuck, no.”

“Very well, then, Beloved.” He answers, amusement shining within his gaze.

You watch as he slides his hands beneath your ass, lowering his head eagerly towards your cunt once more.

His eyes flash.

“Another.”

[littleravenette]

javier meeting kim suho in seoul but he lost his memories

javier: look i know you don't remember me now but i need you to go with me because you are clearly miserable here and i want you to be happy

kim suho: sure

javier: ...

kim suho: what?

javier: the lloyd- i mean kim suho i know wouldn't agree so... easily?

kim suho: it was either stay here and rot away or follow a handsome man who wants me to be happy, i think i'll take a gamble

[dragon-razor-writings]

Random thought:

Sung Jin woo designing himself as a Raid boss. And Suho having to play said raid, with the Monarchs giving minor input.

The suffering is immensely amusing to me.

[jongbross]

lotto. (mafia!kim junmyeon x f!reader)

pairing: mafia!kim junmyeon x f!reader

word count: i have no idea

genre: smut

warnings: description of sexual activities, thigh riding, swearing, mentions of crime, lust, junmyeon has such a soft spot for reader

a/n: i wrote this some time ago as a birthday gift to my friend with another idol but i think it suits junmyeon so muchhh 🥺 anyway, this is not part of kinktober but it's definitely a good way to kick it off! 🤗

the loud music wasn’t actually enough to overlap the sound of cheering, talking, and laughing coming from the whole place. hundreds of people were smiling, although you didn’t believe any of them were truly happy. you could see money, alcohol, drugs, and lust everywhere you looked, but never truly happiness.

well, fuck it. they were all grown up adults afterall, they knew what they were doing. it’s not like someone forced them into that warehouse, into that world. you knew way too well how inviting and exciting the whole thing was, so you couldn’t blame them - although your addiction wasn’t gambling, drinking or doing drugs; although you had actually found love within those walls.

a man screaming after winning what seemed like a lot of money caught your attention. the blonde man threw herself on any guy next to him, suddenly kissing him. it didn’t go unnoticed to you the ring shining on his left hand’s finger though.

“enjoying the show?”, a very well-known voice spoke behind you, making you instantly smile.

“just seeing by myself what hell must look like.”

“wow, hell…”, he said, holding your waist and placing himself beside you now. “that’s a new nickname.”

you laughed, eyes trying to find again the couple of dudes you just saw kissing, but couldn’t find them anywhere. well, that only meant one thing…

“why do you keep coming if you don’t like it here?”

you looked at him, seeing his perfect side profile as he admired what he had built mostly by himself. the loudness, the lust, the illegal actions taking place inside that warehouse didn’t bother him - if anything, he liked it.

“because i like you and i wanna be a supportive girlfriend”, you said like it was obvious.

“okay, two things: first, you were already supportive from the moment you didn’t leave me when you found out about this. secondly, you keep calling yourself my girlfriend, but, baby, i thought we were past that a long time ago.”

if god truly existed, you prayed she didn't let junmyeon see how you blushed at that.

“yeah, well…”, you tried to come up with a reply, but after a few seconds when your brain still didn’t process anything good to say, you just trailed off and let the conversation die.

junmyeon laughed beside you, pulling you close and caressing your body. from the moment he got involved in “bad things”, he accepted that he would never find someone who he could love. he accepted the fact that, to make his name big in those kind of business, he needed to let go of any normal shit people do - like going out on dates, maybe getting married, maybe having children. he was okay with that. he knew what he got himself into when he was around 15 years old.

but that was until he met you.

that was until he saw you fighting back one of his guards at the door of one of his clubs - well, it wasn’t actually a club but you didn’t know that, he found out later. the girl in a burgundy top, pointing a finger at a huge guard caught his attention that night, and he just couldn’t ever let you go after that.

junmyeon didn’t know exactly how you turned into friends, and then into a couple, and then into whatever you two were right now. he just knew how he fell in love with you and, to be honest, how couldn’t he? what was there not to love about you?

“i like when you get shy”, he said only for you to hear, chin resting on top of your shoulder.

“i don’t”, you replied, still looking straight ahead. junmyeon didn’t miss the tiny grin on your lips though.

he kissed your shoulder, lost in a moment with you but in a lifetime of thoughts inside his head - all the thoughts about you. he closed his eyes for a bit, turning down all of his senses and just focusing on your smell and the way his lips felt against your skin. he couldn’t feel any other thing, couldn’t see any other thing, he couldn’t listen to any other thing…

or that was what he thought.

“sir?”, someone called behind you, making you both turn around. you looked curious at one of junmyeon's many guys, dressed in a suit, while junmyeon himself couldn’t look more annoyed. actually, scratch that, he couldn’t look more pissed. “there is a-”

“is someone dying?”, junmyeon asked, cutting the guy off.

“n-no, sir.”

“then why are you interrupting me and my girl?”

the dude went silent. he looked from junmyeon to you and then back to junmyeon, completely lost.

“i’m… i’m sorry, sir. i-i just thought you would like to know that-”

“well, i wouldn’t. so turn around and go fix it yourselves whatever happened. i don’t wanna know, and don’t fucking interrupt me again.”

“yes, sir”, the guy immediately said, bowing to junmyeon before going back to wherever he came.

you looked at junmyeon, staring down at him and noticing so closely how his expression changed the moment he looked at you and you two locked eyes. he went soft, all of a sudden.

“that was hot”, you joked, smirking when you felt his arm wrapping around your hips and pulling you close.

“yeah?”, he raised an eyebrow at you, what you knew was one of his ways to try to be sexy. little did he know… “i can show you hotter if you let me.”

“such a gentleman-”

the way he grabbed your wrist and pulled you away with him made you shut up though.

(...)

you watched as junmyeon closed the door of his big ass office behind him, locking it and checking it twice just to be sure. he knew no one would be crazy enough to walk in without knocking, but he liked his privacy secured.

when he turned around to watch you - his girl - he smirked. you looked breath taken, as always. his feet worked on their own and started to walk towards you without a warning. they only stopped when you were at junmyeon's reach, watching every move he made, every expression. you watched as he rested his hands on your hips again, one of his favorite parts of your body. you watched as he pulled you close, close enough to feel your breathing against his face. you watched as he closed the gap between you two, kissing you with everything he got, like he always did.

and then, you stopped taking track of his every move and started to focus on what you were feeling. you felt his tongue slipping into your mouth, you felt his hands traveling up your body to hold your neck as he kissed you, and you felt, overall, that familiar sensation between your legs.

“come here��, he whispered, leading you to the chair behind his desk.

he sat down first, unbuttoning your jeans and taking them down. you groaned when he kissed your stomach, hands resting on your thighs as you finished the job of taking off those goddamn jeans. junmyeon's looked up at you, watching your face as his kisses became openmouthed, his tongue feeling warm against your skin.

“will you take it off for me, baby?”, he asked, one of his hands tugging on your panties.

you obeyed, taking it off and letting him pull you onto his lap. junmyeon placed you on his left thigh, flexing his muscles the moment your bare skin hit his trousers.

“you’re going to ride my thigh here in my office like the good girl you are, okay?”

“you can’t tell me what to do”, you smirked at him, but the smirk was quickly wiped off your face the moment he flexed his thigh again.

“i’m sorry, you were saying…?”

you cursed a “fucker” under your breathe as you started doing what he said. your movements were lighty at first, enjoying the feeling little by little. you could both feel each other to the extent you loved the most, grabbing at each other whenever something felt too good. his hands on your waist, your hands on his shoulders now.

you moaned out loud for the first time, and that’s how junmyeon knew you were on the right track. he held your waist a little bit harder, helping the way you moved your hips down onto his thigh. he could feel his trousers getting wetter with your every move, and no words in this world could explain how he loved that.

fuck, no words in this world could explain how he loved you.

when you moaned again, junmyeon couldn’t help but moan too. he took a moment to look at you, at your expression, at the way your body was moving on top of his before going in for a kiss. he took your lips on his own, savoring you and swallowing your noises, his trousers feeling so tight now all of a sudden - but he couldn’t care less, he just wanted to make you feel good, as good as you always made him feel.

“fuck, myeon”, you groaned when he broke the kiss. your fingers were tightly tangled on his shirt, holding for dear life as if he could disappear if you let him go.

your hips started to move faster, harder, that familiar sensation building up inside you. you lost your goddamn mind when junmyeon decided to lick at your jaw, whispering sweet nothings to you in between the kisses, the sucks he’d leave on you; he poured his heart into those words though, promising himself at that very moment that he would do anything he could to always remember you how much you meant for him.

another loud moan echoed through the office, and he knew what that meant.

“come on, baby”, he whispered to you.

he didn’t have to say it twice. you finished with a call of his name, coming all over his thigh, his hands guiding your hips to help you ride through your high. junmyeon happily sighed when, at the peak of your intimacy - the moment right after the sex -, you let yourself collapse on top of him. you rested your forehead on his shoulder, trying to catch your breath as his hands traveled down to your thighs, caressing them.

seconds went by, minutes went by. nothing could touch the two of you, nothing could make him leave you, and nothing could make you walk away from him.

junmyeon smiled at the thought of always having you like that, of always being with you. but, at the same time that thought warmed his heart, it also made it ache. what if you ever got tired of him? what if you decided you no longer loved him? what if you realized he’s no good for you because of what he does for a living?

what if he had to go away someday and you didn’t wait for him?

“marry me”, he said, realizing that the words had truly left his mouth only after they did.

“what?”, you groaned.

“marry me. be with me forever. i want you forever.”

you smiled, looking up at him and holding his face in both your hands. you had the great junmyeon, the guy who built his own gang and his own way into the crime, wrapped around your finger.

“i’m with you. i always will be, a ring won’t change that”, you said, kissing his lips. “i promise i’m yours. isn’t that enough?”

junmyeon immediately nodded. anything you decided to give him was enough.

“it is for now. i love you."

“i love you too.”

[eomayas]

testy • kjm

pairing: mob!junmyeon x wife!reader

genre: smut 18+ MINORS DNI!!!!!

synopsis: reader pushes junmyeons buttons one too many times on vacation

warnings: pwp, p in v, swearing, doggy, choking, teasing, dirty talk, spanking, mentions of junmyeon being in the mob but it’s not that essential

a/n: i read a mafia fic the other day and now i’m a bit obsessed with my favorite men being mafia bosses or wtv so here is a mini.. self indulging story that nobody asked for but i wrote anyway. enjoy!!! this is unedited as always

junmyeon stands on the bottom deck of the yacht, phone pressed against his ear. the sun shines brightly on him, his shirt unbuttoned to get some color on his chest. his gold chain glitters in the light, and you’d be on your knees right now, if he ever decided to get off the phone.

you roll your eyes from up above and sigh. you tie your bathing suit coverup around your waist and slip your feet into your pink jimmy choos that match your pink bikini.

walking down the spiral stairs on the yacht, you get down to the deck where your husband stands on the phone. he turns around when he sees you and gives you a soft smile. you stare at him with your hands on your hips, unimpressed with his greeting, or lackthereof.

junmyeon opens his arm for you to walk into, and when you dont, he frowns, but continues talking on the phone. you sigh loudly, jutting your hip out to the side. your husband furrows his brows at you, keeping his eyes trained on you as he keeps on talking.

“jun,” you say, your voice full of irritation. he holds up his index finger to you, and you scoff, turning on the balls of your feet to go back to whence you came.

you huff all the way up the stairs, stomping your feet into the steps. untying your coverup, you ball it up and toss it onto one of the chaises and retake your seat, kicking off your shoes and rolling onto your stomach to tan your back.

a few moments later, you hear junmyeons footsteps and you roll your eyes. “baby,” he calls. you don’t respond and don’t look up when he stands behind you and blocks the sun. “you hear me talking to you, don’t you?” junmyeon says.

“didn’t know if you were talking to me, or one of your bitches on the phone,” you say, looking at him over your shoulder. by bitches, you mean one of his many men that look to him for orders and answers.

junmyeon chuckles and moves your legs so he can sit, placing them in his lap. “alright, i’m sorry,” he says.

“we’re supposed to be on vacation, myeonie! and you want to give orders when we’re in the middle of the ocean—i’ve barely even seen you!” you complain sitting up and turning around to face him. the smile he gives you is one that is mocking, and you frown at him. “don’t look at me like that, junmyeon.”

“you have my full attention, baby,” he says, motioning for you to come sit in his lap. you stay sitting on your knees on the chaise, your arms crossed over your chest.

“do i? because if you get another call, i’ll throw your fucking phone in the ocean,” you snap. junmyeon licks the corner of his mouth, looking down at his feet before placing his eyes on you.

“you know i don’t like when you talk to me like that.”

“and you know i dont like to be ignored… consider us even,” you say. his face falls flat and he shakes his head, a small smirk on his face.

“careful,” he warns, narrowing his eyes at you. you poke your tongue in your cheek and weigh your responses. you could give up, and have him be sweet to you, or you could test him and push him to his limits.

“or what?” you challenge, raising an eyebrow. junmyeons face hardens and you two stare at each other, waiting for the other to make the first move. you want to smirk, or worse, laugh, because it’s really a joke to you.

but it’s not for your husband, and you know it. which is why you push his buttons as often as you can, like now, even though you are annoyed at him and there is a better reason behind your attitude than simply just being bored.

junmyeon opens his mouth to respond, but is cut off by the sound of his phone ringing. he blinks once, a guilty look taking over his features when your face falls and your lips sag down. “don’t answer,” you say, reaching forward for his pants, but he’s quicker and stands up.

“it’ll be quick, baby,” he says, sliding the phone out of his pocket and pressing answer. junmyeon turns his back to you and walks over to the railing that overlooks the bottom deck. for a moment, you fantasize about ripping the phone out of his hands and chucking it into the water below.

instead, you gather your belongings: book, hat, sandals, sunglasses, water, and phone, and stomp down the stairs once again and put them away in the bedroom. you aggressively put away everything, putting too much force in opening and closing doors and drawers. you change out of your bathing suit and put on a loose dress and a pair of flat sandals.

angrily, you brush through your hair and pull it back into a low bun, frowning at your reflection. all you want is to spend some time with your husband, away from your house and his work and that general part of his life, and he can’t even give you twenty minutes of himself. and the trip was his idea!

huffing, you apply some lip gloss on your lips and grab your phone before heading into the kitchen/dining area. boat staff work diligently, and you want to tell them to stop, that your husband doesn’t deserve to be waited on, but you don’t. “hi, mrs. kim. dinner is almost ready,” your chef says. you give them a kind smile and thank them, opening the fridge to grab some of the cut up fruit.

you eat at the island, making light conversation with the staff. they relax around you in a way most people don’t with your husband, but you get it. junmyeon isn’t a scary guy, but he’s powerful and carries himself in a way that makes people dodge eye contact with him. if only they knew.

“hello, mr. kim,” the arrival of your husband makes the staffs chattering stop, and you hold off from rolling your eyes.

he greets everybody by name, shaking their hands and thanking them for helping you two out on your little trip. you don’t acknowledge him, not even when he puts his hands on your shoulders and hugs your from behind. “hi,” he says, kissing your cheek.

you grab his left wrist and look at his watch, scoffing when you see the time. “15 minutes is quick to you?” you ask, looking over your shoulder at him. junmyeon licks the corner of his mouth and bows his head.

“i’m sorry,” he says, kissing your cheek. “but it’s business.” junmyeon mumbles. you snort and swivel around on the stool, quirking an eyebrow. “important business.” he says, like that makes it any better, or you any less annoyed.

“and what am i?” you ask, pushing your knee between his legs. junmyeon chuckles nervously and push your knee upward, his hands quickly jutting out to stop you. the look he gives you makes your stomach coil, but you pretend is has no effect.

“i need to talk to you,” he says, his voice low.

“then talk,” you retort, crossing your arms over your chest. junmyeon rubs his bottom lip and steps away from you, starting to walk the direction of your bedroom. you watch him, knowing that you should actually be following him rather than gawking.

“y/n,” his voice is full of authority and it even makes the staff glance at you before averting their eyes. you stare across the room at your husband, and he curls one of his fingers in a ‘come hither’ motion. his eyes dare you to stay seated, waiting for you to push him past his limits.

you stand up silently and walk over to him, not meeting his eye as you pass by him. junmyeon holds you by the hip, walking you to your bedroom. “lose the attitude,” he mutters in your ear, pushing you into the room and closing the door behind you both. “get on the bed.” he says, his voice calm. but you know better than to assume that he’s just simply telling you to do something.

you sit at the foot and he walks over to you, your eyes trailing over his frame as he stops in front of you. theres love in his eyes, and you think he’s going to kiss you until he roughly grabs your jaw in his hand, yanking your head up to look at him. “so you can listen,” he sneers, his eyes narrowing at you. you glare up at him, shifting on the bed to press your thighs together. and maybe it was your plan all along, to have him play rough with you after being testy with him all day. “are you done acting like a brat? hmm?” he loosens his hold on your jaw so you can answer him, but doesn’t let go.

“jun- yes or no?” he interrupts. you only glare up at him and he shakes his head at you. “is that a no?” he gives you an out, but you don’t take it. you continue to glare up at him stupidly and he scoffs. “turn around.”

you get on your hands and knees on the bed, your mind swimming in anticipation. you can hear him behind you moving around, but you can’t feel or see him.

junmyeon sidles up behind you and pushes your dress up so you ass is on display. you take in a breath as he rubs a hand over your flesh lovingly, like you’re delicate.

but rather than a kiss, or a squeeze, a harsh slap that contradicts his gentle action is delivered to your rear. you grunt and lurch forward, biting your bottom lip. another slap, and then another, and another.

by the time you count seven in your head, you’re resting on your forearms, ass burning as you raise it in the air. you know you can tap out and anytime, that he’ll stop if you show any signs or disliking it. but you like when he’s rough with you, even if that means pain for a little while. “myeonie,” you whimper, face buried in the bedsheets.

“what? is it too much?” his demeanor changes at the prospect and he crawls onto the bed next to you, lifting you up so he can properly look at you. there’s love and concern in his eyes, and it makes your heart melt.

you shake your head, sitting up and grimacing when your heels press into the skin on your ass. “no… jun, i want you,” you say, reaching for him. and your soft, loving husband disappears and is replaced with the man from moments before.

“you think you deserve it?”

“i-ive been good!” you say, crawling over to him and wrapping your arms around him. he hums and kisses your neck once, twice, before pushing you down into the bed. “please?” you ask, pushing your underwear down and kicking them off.

“turn around,” he instructs, palming himself through his shorts. you do as he says, positioning yourself comfortably on your hands and knees and putting an arch in your back. junmyeon steps out of his shorts and boxers and strokes himself a few times before coming up behind you and gripping your ass.

you wince but press your hips back towards him, urging him to fill you up. “myeonie, please baby,” you plead. he presses the tip against your folds, dragging your arousal up the slit. you squeak out a moan, waiting for him to breach your hole. but he teases you like that for awhile, dragging his shaft in between your lips and dragging it across your clit, making you mewl out his name. “junmyeon, fuck, please just fuck me!” you beg, so frustrated with him that you could cry.

“baby wants to be fucked, but does my baby really deserve it?” he asks rhetorically, his hand sliding to your shoulder, resting on your collarbone.

“you’re so fucking an-“ you’re breathless when he slams into you and grips your neck tightly, yanking your head upwards. your vision blurs and your hands grip the sheets tightly, so tight that you feel like you might rip them.

“all that fucking mouth,” he grunts, slamming into you. you can’t think straight, can barely see straight or breathe, and it turns you on all the more. “all that fucking attitude—can’t say shit to me now, huh?” his hand comes down hard on your ass and you yelp, his hold on your neck loosening. he fucks into you relentlessly, the only sounds being heard are you cries and skin on skin.

your arms shake beneath your weight and you collapse onto the bed, face smooshing into the sheets once more. junmyeon let’s go of your beck to grab your arms and hold them behind your back. your back stays arched and he continues pounding into you, the feeling of his balls slapping against your ass rhythmically making your toes curl. “myeonie, myeonie, myeonie!” you chant, clenching around him.

“shit, y/n, i’m almost there,” he groans, letting go of your arms to hold onto your hips. they fall limply at your sides and you don’t make a move to prop yourself up. “you’re so good to me, baby.” his thrusts slow down and become more pointed, pulling all the way out before slamming right back in and knocking the air out of your lungs.

“j-junmy, i’m c-close,” you manage, pressing back to meet his thrusts. he chuckles as your attempt and stills your hips by holding you tighter. “fuck, baby, ri- fuck!” you can’t hold back your release, gushing all over his dick, your cum running down your legs.

junmyeon follows after you, your release triggering his own. he cums inside of you, filling you up. whatever cum drips out of you gets pushed back in and you writhe at the feeling of being full.

your husband pulls out of you to clean the both of you up, and your body chagrins without his support. junmyeon comes back with a towel and cleans you off, your sensitive body twitching at his touch. “honey, are you okay?” he asks sweetly, pushing your hair out of the way and kissing the back of your neck. when you make a noncommittal sound, he rubs your sore behind. “do you still love me?” he asks, kissing your shoulder.

at that, you open your eyes and lift your head. “always,” you reply, craning your neck for a kiss. you sigh when he places his lips on yours and kisses you sweetly, a 180 from the way he previously handled you.

“i’m sorry,” he mumbles against your mouth, supporting your jaw in his hand. “no more phone calls.” he adds and you smile against his lips. you wouldn’t mind if he took one more, as long as he winded up between your legs again.

[silentnewtbark]

The Greatest ... Surprise

'I'm screwed.'

His assignment was due in an hour and he couldn't find it. 

As he searches through the seventh stack of papers when he finds a notebook with a cover illustration of a blue haired young man in a heroic pose. The title reads "Knight of Blood and Iron." 

Wait a second … Suho opens it and begins reading. The pages are filled with dramatic and over-the-top fantasy scenarios where the blue haired protagonist is depicted as a legendary knight, complete with elaborate battles and heroic deeds.

As Suho reads, he realizes that he’d actually seen this online before, and it dawns on him that the main character's name is Javier. He stared at the pages in total shock … it can't be. He can't help but chuckle a little at the prospect of it actually being about THAT Javier.

Just then, Lloyd walks in. He freezes when he sees Suho with the notebook and eyes go wide.

Lloyd bursts “The fuck you doing with my stuff! T-thats not for people to look at!.” he swats the notebook away. He looked just a little scared but mostly shocked, just like suho.

 “You know, I’ve read something almost exactly like this online before. I didn’t realize it was your work.” Suho said as he stared at Lloyd. 

Lloyd’s embarrassment intensifies, he crouches and tries to bury his face in his hands. His eyes are wide and every inch of his skin from his face, ears and even hands are so beat red they are almost purple. 

Suho was incredulous “YOU … wrote a FANFICTION …. of your BODYGUARD?????”

Lloyd struggles to find words but nothing comes to him. 

‘I’m FUCKED.’

[justwritedreams]

Thinking of you | Junmyeon

Mafia!Junmyeon x Reader

Word count: 2826 Genre: fluff, angst. Author: maari  Warnings: Post-breakup, mention of alcohol Note:  I'm not used to writing with him, Sammy used to do that soooo my first story with Junmyeon that I post here 🙈 i got really carried away with this one Request:  you could do a oneshot of junmyeon, where he is the mafia boss and in a club he meets his ex girlfriend, who broke up with him because she found out what he works for. they are suffering apart and want to be together! angst and fluffy ⫷ Exo Masterlist

Y/N looked at the dark landscape outside the car completely thoughtful. It had been like this in the last few weeks, she had relived the scene of her breakup countless times and tears always accompanied her.

Was it torture? Possibly.

But it still hurt her so much to remember that she no longer had his arms wrapped around her waist, or the way he always buried his face in her neck to smell the sweet perfume he loved for her to wear.

She swallowed the urge to cry once again, she had chosen to break up because it was the best thing to do in the situation she had found herself in.

She loved him so much, she didn't even know how it was possible to love someone that much, but she couldn't be with him. As much as she wanted to.

That night in particular she had promised her best friend that she would do everything she could to have a little fun and forget about the crack that had lodged itself in her heart since then, well either it was that or her friend would have dragged her by force to “live a little ”, in her friend’s words she should stop being so miserable.

Of course, not even her friends or family knew why she broke up with him, or else things would get worse.

But going to the club reminded her of all the nights she went out with him, especially the night they met. So even though she was fighting not to think about him, the memories came.

She took a deep breath as she got out of her friend's car, smiling lightly at her to assure her she was okay, or at least pretend like she was.

As soon as she entered the club, she felt an icy wind and a chill down her spine, she hugged her body and swallowed hard as she tried to shake off the clouds of memories that invaded her head.

She had barely arrived and she already knew it was a bad idea to go there.

She and her friend went to a high table that was empty, they talked a little while observing the place, Y/N's anxious eyes looked for a single person and her reason said that it would be better if he wasn't there.

As time went on, the music got slightly louder and the place got a little more crowded.

“Tae!” Y/N's friend called a boy with her hand, as soon as he turned and found her, he smiled widely.

"What are you doing here?" He asked as he approached her to hug her, he was accompanied by another boy. “This is Jinyoung, my friend.” he introduced and the boy extended his hand to shake both of them.

“This is Y/N, my best friend.”

Y/N smiled at the two of them and when she shook Jinyoung's hand her eyes stopped at his neck.

“Are you a soldier?” She asked, curious.

She recognized the ID necklace anywhere.

“Yes, army lieutenant.” He smiled, proudly.

"Really? My brother is a sergeant, but in the navy.” she explained and he smiled slightly at the answer.

“Y/N comes from a long line of soldiers.” Her best friend commented, smiling when she finally saw her talking.

“And you’re a soldier too?” Jinyoung asked, interested.

She laughed, shaking her head.

“No, I’m the only one who has a boring job.” She joked and got a laugh from the soldier.

Y/N had a lively conversation with Jinyoung, her best friend and Tae left them alone with the excuse of going dancing.

Jinyoung was pleasant to talk to and had a captivating smile, he didn't take his eyes off her and even though she was shy, she wasn't uncomfortable. Although her initial plan hadn't taken into account going out with a guy that night, she wasn't depriving herself of wanting to get to know him better.

But she had one small problem. The ex that wouldn't leave her sober mind.

That's why she decided to do what anyone in her position would do, drink until the image of her ex's eyes evaporated from her mind along with all the walls she had built around herself since the breakup.

She excused herself from Jinyoung, telling him that she would go to the bar and come back soon, he quickly patted her arm.

When she arrived, she looked at the drinks. She wasn't that big a fan of alcohol but she knew that the only way to forget about him was to do it.

“Double whiskey, please.” she asked the bartender who nodded before leaving to get her drink.

“Whiskey?” Y/N felt every hair on her body stand up and her legs trembled. “I always thought you preferred wine.”

She swallowed hard and the bartender returned, holding out the glass which Y/N quickly took, feeling her hands go cold.

Without any courage, she turned around and saw him standing next to her. She had to lock her jaw so a sigh wouldn't escape her lips.

He was still intoxicating.

His slightly wavy dark hair didn't fall entirely into his eyes, his face was hard and serious with his eyes fixed on her, he was wearing a white silk blouse with the first few buttons open that left a part of his chest exposed so that the necklace he wore sparkled. The necklace she had given him.

He wore a black vest and she couldn't resist continuing to analyze, her eyes went down to the black pants he wore and the expensive shoes.

It wasn't possible for a man to be as beautiful as him, it must be a crime.

Although he knew very well about crimes…

When her eyes returned to his face, he saw the slight smile that threatened to break.

“Not everything is what it seems.” She spoke quietly, unable to control how weak her voice sounded. “You know this better than me, Suho.”

She wasn't used to calling him by that name, he would always be Junmyeon to her.

Her Junmyeon.

But Suho was his battle name and since she discovered that, she used the name a few times just to speak to all the hurt she felt for having been betrayed.

Feeling the world around her spin in a spiral, she left without waiting for his response and returned to the table feeling watched.

Jinyoung greeted her with a smile and she did the same before downing the glass, drinking the whiskey in one gulp, making the poor boy next to her get a little scared.

The liquid ran down Y/N's throat but nothing was as strong and intense as Junmyeon's eyes staring at her from the other side of the club.

She didn't want to be the worst person in the world but she couldn't follow what Jinyoung said, she also didn't want to return Junmyeon's gaze but it was an impossible task.

Mainly because he divided the attention of his eyes between her and Jinyoung, as if he was reading what was happening between them.

During their relationship, he was never jealous because Y/N always assured him that her eyes were always on him, that no other boy would take her focus away from him.

But now they were no longer together and there was a slightly strong soldier beside her.

Yes, he had identified that he was a soldier before even noticing the identification necklace he wore.

People like him had training to recognize soldiers and police from miles away.

And when Y/N didn't look back, she lost the chance to see the fear in his eyes.

Y/N has always been a very correct woman, she was taught to be like that by her family, war heroes who had respect and principle.

And Junmyeon was the opposite of all that. He wasn't honorable and definitely not a hero, he was nothing that she really deserved it.

It was clear that after she had broken up with him, when she discovered the illicit work he did, he was afraid of losing her for good.

Not because his enemies could go after her, firstly, he would never let that happen, secondly, he had some of his  men protecting her in secret to prevent that.

But because he knew she could find someone better than him easily, she just snapped her fingers and a line of men would form.

Because, after everything that had been said between them, he imagined that she would look for someone with the same principles as hers.

Someone very different from him.

And well, a soldier was exactly what he imagined she would find.

He just didn't think it would be so difficult to see her around a man other than him.

But Junmyeon didn't even know what was going on in her head, even though she was looking at Jinyoung attentively, she wasn't listening to a word he was saying.

What was happening inside her was a real battle.

She knew it was wrong and dangerous, but seeing him there only concluded what her heart already knew, she was still crazy about him.

Even if his work or business, she still didn't know how to say it, went against everything she believed in, it was impossible for her feelings not to speak louder.

Jinyoung was a correct and honest man, from what little they talked she concluded that, she only had one problem: he was not Junmyeon.

Even though he was just as handsome, knowing that her ex was there watching her nullified any less friendly thoughts she might have had with Jinyoung.

Y/N felt her head spinning, there were many reasons, and the alcohol she had spilled wasn’t the only one. In fact, she had only made her situation worse because she had been drinking to forget her ex-boyfriend and here she was, remembering him more vividly.

“Y/N is everything okay?” Jinyoung asked, worried, seeing her face suddenly turn white.

She took a deep breath, nodding.

“Yeah, I just…” she looked at the bar where he was, Junmyeon didn’t even blink when he looked at her. Even from afar she felt how intense his eyes still were. “I need some air.” she confirmed, looking away from Jinyoung.

“Do you need me to…” he let the sentence die in the air and she smiled slightly

She brought her hand to his arm and gently stroked it.

“It’s okay, I just need 5 minutes alone.”

He nodded, placing his hand over hers, understanding what she was saying.

Y/N left feeling the air running out of her lungs as if she had run a marathon and when she finally found the exit of the club, she closed her eyes feeling the first tear run down her face.

She had promised herself that she would try to be strong, she even tried to convince herself that she didn't feel what she felt for Junmyeon - a failed attempt to forget him - but she didn't count on finding him there.

In fact, she didn't even imagine one day meeting him again. After the harsh words she used, she thought he would never talk to her again.

Y/N looked for a corner to sit down, hugging her legs to cry in silence.

It hurt her to be away from him, more than she had imagined. But it hurt even more to be so close and at the same time so far away from him.

She was so wrapped up in her own pain that she didn't notice when he crouched down beside her.

"Don't cry, please." he pleaded and she sobbed. “You know I can’t stand it.”

Y/N lifted her head with her face soaked, looking to the side and seeing him grimacing in pain.

She kept her eyes fixed on him as Junmyeon raised his hand to dry her face with his fingertips, making Y/N close her eyes at the gentle touch.

She had missed that. Much more than she should have.

"I can't."

"What?" He caressed her face for a longer time, making her open her eyes.

“I can’t look at you and forget everything I know.” she admitted, hurt.

Junmyeon gave in, fingers retracting to cease the caress.

Y/N sighed and stood up, pushing him away completely. Ready to get out of there, she just didn't expect him to step in front of her, stopping her from going.

“I'm still the same.”

She laughed in disbelief and tried to pass, but he held her arm without hurting her and brought her closer so she could look into his eyes.

“I’m still who I’ve always been with you.”

Y/N felt her breathing became labored for two reasons, he was too close that she could feel his breath against her face, and because his eyes didn't lie.

And that disconcerted her, broke all the arguments she could have and that she had rehearsed in her head.

“You have a side that I never imagined and that I don’t agree with!” She tried to speak a little more firmly, her rational side was being drowned out by her heart at that moment.

She was finally where she wanted, in his arms.

“This is just business, Y/N.”

"Business?" she asked, frowning. “A mafia is not a business, Junmyeon, it is a sect. One from which you will never be free because you’re the boss.”

"You’re right!" he agreed, seriously. “But look into my eyes.”

She looked away, shaking her head. That was why one of his hands released her arm and went to her chin, making her look at him.

“Look into my eyes and say you don’t see how much I love you.” he begged and she was silent. “If you say that you don't see how much I need you then that's fine, I'll let you go into the arms of a guy who has the same principles, who is your hero.”

Y/N felt her eyes water.

He was her hero long before she found out where his money came from.

"I cant do it." She spoke quietly, shrugging her shoulders.

"And why not?"

“Because I would be denying the whole truth, including that my love for you also exists.”

The corners of his lips threatened to lift into a sad yet happy smile, all he needed to hear was how much she still loved him, the rest they could take care of later.

He could find a way out as long as he was with her.

Without having anything to say, Junmyeon put his hand on the back of her head, making her goosebumps rise from head to toe, she knew what was coming and didn't stop it.

He brought his face closer to her, without taking his eyes off her because he wanted to make sure she wanted it so much as him and when he didn't see any sign to the contrary, he sealed their lips.

Y/N sighed, resting her hands on his chest as she closed her eyes at the feeling of his warm lips once again against hers.

Junmyeon's hand went down her arms to her waist, hugging her with a certain desperation as he moved his lips slowly, as if he was discovering her again.

Junmyeon tilted his head to the side as he opened his mouth to deepen the kiss, all Y/N could do was grab the vest he was wearing tightly as their tongues met, eager for the sensual dance they were in accustomed.

Y/N's entire body seemed to light up, she felt so warm and so alive, it was as if she had awakened from a deep, cold sleep.

Their kiss became more desperate, causing him to press her against any surface he could find in the dark, which ended up being the club wall itself.

Completely panting, they separate, he even takes her lips in one last kiss before touching their foreheads.

“I've been thinking about you every second.” he spoke quietly and Y/N kept her eyes closed, her legs still wobbly. “I can’t live without you, Y/N.”

She smiled sideways, put her hands on his shoulders and then opened her eyes, looked at his red and swollen lips before moving up to his eyes, Junmyeon looked at her with a sparkle in his eyes.

“I could be making the biggest mistake of my life.” She sighed, reaching up to caress his face when she saw him frown. “But if I had to choose you a thousand times, I would.”

He smiled restrainedly.

“It was always you, Junmyeon. Always."

“You’re my eternal love,” he said firmly. “And you always will be.”

She smiled before pulling his face for another kiss that wouldn't be the last that night.

Was it wrong? Maybe, but everything she believed in didn't make any difference when she was with him or thinking about him.

[aala-13jellychocolate]

Odious Love Part 10

This gif is not mine…….

Author: I hope you all will forgive my mistake and grammar too. I’m so sorry for the late update. It has been long there might change of writing style from previous chapter. I hope you enjoyed the new chapter.

Pairing: Junmyeon x Reader  

Genre: Angst, Fluff, Smut, CEO! AU

Prologue, Part 1(M),  Part 2,  Part 3 (M),  Part 4 (M), Part 5 (M), Part 6, Part 7 (M) Part 8 Part 9 (M)

Summary:  

Suho and you were sleeping together for the last 3 year. You were in love with him but he was not. He just wanted to depend upon someone emotionally. You were okay with it, you wanted to be with him in whichever way you can. You were not his girlfriend but he never treats you less. One day he got married to other women because of business. You thought everything was over between you two but he came back to you. He spends his wedding night with you leaving his wife all alone. 

Part 10

Life is unpredictable or it is predictable from the choices we make. You choose to stay with the person you love, even though you know you shouldn't. It was wrong to be greedy, yet you let your greed win, stealing moments. There wasn't any love to begin with, yet there was something you couldn't give a name to those feelings. Maybe it was only your imagination. 

You let your love evolve lust, stay as he wants, do what he wants, be what he needs or wants you to be. In all this, you lost yourself, lost so much that you became living humiliation. 

You have built life-like beggars for your parents. Give them so much struggle to let you out of your prison. They were the only ones fighting for you right now. No one else is here. No Junmyeon. No friends. No one else. Everything makes you hate yourself more. For being so weak and making your parents vulnerable. After everything, even after your mind has accepted the truth, your heart is not convinced. 

All this started six months ago. You have returned from your village. And Junmyeon was nowhere to be found, only for you. You remember him being angry as you weren't ready to shorten your trip. Next thing you know, he didn't even call or message you. It wasn't new. Usually, you are insecure and intimidated when he is not talking with you, but his post-marriage action gives you the security that he won't leave you soon or suddenly. You weren't aware you were assuming things on your own. 

After a few days, you get a letter from Suho, stating that he was leaving for Japan with Youra and his friends. It was odd, yet you didn't think much about it as it was about Suho's security. But that is where you went wrong. After a month or so, he came back from Japan just for two days. He was not happy to see, somewhat disgusted. You were irritated, plus Suho's bodyguard is acting like his assistant or, you should say, like a possessive/overprotective wife. Everyone needs to stay 3 feet away from Suho. 

He scolds you over missing one file. It was your mistake; you were so busy thinking about seeing him that you forgot the importance of work. It was the first time he was shouting at you in front of the whole staff. Still, you were okay with all the sharp words he was saying. You had made a tremendous mistake. But you don't comprehend when his words start coming as he is humiliating you. Or how you have lost your temper and slapped him in front of everyone. It wasn't supposed to happen, but it did happen. You immediately regret your action, but this was the thing he had taught you. Before you can rectify it, you have lost your job. It wasn't wrong. It is a huge mess you have created for yourself. 

While trying to find another job, you have attempted to reach him millions of times. Every message, every call, every letter went unanswered, or his guard answered him. 

Your struggle started with it. You couldn't keep up with anything. You were a mess inside out. Your heart hurt, and your mind was not working as you weren't getting any job. Not even a small cafe was ready to hire you. Then the miracle happen, or you thought it was a blessing. Mr. Kim called you back to work with him. You looked in the mirror for the last time before leaving your apartment, checking the formal ironed attire with ponytail hair and make-up that hides your dark circle. You were not willing to make any mistakes. It was not easy to start from the junior level again. Mr. Kim was generous and gave you a job within the company.  

Part of you wanted to leave and run back to your parents, but it was essential to work. It is not like you were broke, but you needed to save something for the future.  

Future. You have forgotten the meaning of that. For a moment, you were trying to save money, return home, and take a good rest to think further. And if you are going to work in the company, you can try to reach Suho and apologize. You left the apartment after taking a last look in the mirror.

As you enter the office building, you start remembering the old days. Blocking your mind to think about Suh... Junmyeon. Mark comes running toward, "So, you are back to work." You gloomily said, "Not exactly. I'm going to work downstairs in the Accounts department." Aera comes, and hugs you, "Wait for a few days, Junmyeon Sir will be here. We can talk to him." You were desperate to do it, yet you want to avoid it too. Not wanting to show others how vulnerable you have become, you smile, "You guys have seen what happened the last time. I'm glad his father allowed me to work in the company." They all said goodbyes after a few minutes of talking. You will miss them. Although you will be in the same company, you won't be able to meet them. You started to feel the difference between others and the CEO floor.

On the CEO floor, Junmyeon provided the freedom to be creative. There were no rules until your work gets completed on time or before time also, more holidays and more earnings, nothing like a junior or senior among you ten people, must work ass off but all was worth it. In your case, Junmyeon used to give special treatment. That time, if you weren't holding him back, he would make sure everyone refers to you as a 'boss.' To respect, you address others as Mr., Miss., or Mrs. No matter how senior a person is, you are not allowed to greet them as 'Sir.' or 'Madam.' He used to tell, you were equal to him. And all of his reasons were madness. 

Realizing you are self-torturing by remembering, you block your thoughts. You cannot break down in tears. Making yourself strong, you start walking toward your department. Jia asks you to wait and runs to reception. She comes back with two female and two male cops looking dreadful. One of the females asked, "Who is Ms. Y/n here?" You nod your head. Before you could think or ask anything, another female officer came behind and handcuffed you. A male officer said, "You are under arrest for stealing Mrs. Kim's jewelry and conspiracy fraud toward Kim Corporation." Stealing? Fraud? You tried to say it must be some mistake. You didn't talk with Mrs. Kim recently. While they were dragging you out, the look on everyone's face says they are blaming you for everything. 

You were locked inside the cell, alone, while some officers were searching your apartment. You couldn't think properly. However, it wasn't the first time Mrs. Kim accused someone of stealing her ornaments. Resting your mind, you ask the officer to let you talk with her. Again, they refuse your request. You had no choice besides waiting. 

Your subconscious gives a warning, and you ignore it, trusting once you talk with Mrs. Kim, she will let you go, or else Mr. Kim will. Even if not them, Suho will come. He does care for you. No matter what has happened, he won't let you be in a place like this. Repeating it, you sit in the corner of the cell. 

You jolt as a lady officer knocks a stick in your cell gate and asks you to come out as Mrs. Kim has arrived. You don't even know how much time has passed, although you breathe in relief while your subconscious is skeptical. 

Mrs. Kim sat like a queen while a few officers behaved like servants. You know wealth possesses influence. Kim's were sturdy. You have also heard that Mrs. Kim and Mr. Kim are abusing power. However, you never imagine getting a taste of abuse. Before you can utter anything, Mrs. Kim throws an evil smirk at you. You know this look. She is not going to listen to anything you say. That expression speaks for itself. She has purposely done it. She turns toward the senior officer and orders him loudly, "Did you find anything in her apartment?" One of the head sheriffs answers, "Ma'am, she has many expensive things, including some ornaments and your ring too." They handed over her ring, which you had collected from the jeweler on behalf of Mrs. Kim. You were supposed to give her. However, at first, she wasn't available, and then other things just happened, Suho went. Afterward came two necklace sets. Junmyeon purchased it in advance. He always keeps a spare; in case he forgets any occasion. You never had any intention with them, just that you had forgotten about them. Lastly came the pendant, your birthday gift. You have an explanation of everything, Mrs. Kim also knows, but she didn't want to hear any. It was clear to you. She just smiled and then handed over the officer one file. "Here is a document that shows she had the company's share in her name," This was something you weren't aware of. You still try to explain her things, plead to her. She only smiled at you and left. You kept shouting, but there was no one listening to you. Mrs. Kim had arranged things for you, all the humiliation and actions of cops. She had come to know about your relationship with Junmyeon. Plus, it is about slaps. A person like you had no right to offend Kim.

Your apologies didn't work with her. She wanted to show you your place like you are nothing. Your parents arrive, and that is when the nightmare begins. You know she had informed them. She wanted to increase her torment.   

Mrs. Kim became vigorous. Every moment, you were worried that your parents would find out about you being with Junmyeon even after his marriage. Mrs. Kim used your fear very well. Every day, Mrs. Kim comes to see you and tries to talk about Junmyeon in front of your parents but never says the main thing, keeping you at the edge and just plaguing you. The worst was to watch your parents begging her to let you go.

Last month, your confidence was crushed when Mrs. Kim called Junmyeon on your request and the way he answered. It clearly felt that he didn't care. After that call, she stopped coming, possibly because she got bored, but nothing has changed for you. You are counting the days in this abyss and losing all hope.  

It has been three months, and every day you wished Junmyeon would have a change of heart. Your mind knew it wouldn't happen while you hoped for it. He was the only person you know who could take you out of this prison. Your thought gets interrupted by an officer. You guessed she came to do something that was scheduled for you. Surprisingly, you lost the handcuff and asked to follow. You weren't scared like before. Part of you got used to all the insults and tortures. You just don't want your parents to watch whatever is happening. You follow the office and stop when you see Minsoek. It was surprising to see him, but you stayed hushed. Maybe Junmyeon sent him. Or....... 

For a while, everything was quiet. You peek at him as he examines you. Inspecting your dull face, few cuts and bruises, and dirty clothes. You had zero trust in anyone for now. You have the taste of money and power. Maybe he was there to plan a new misery for you.

"You are free to go. Your parents are waiting outside", He said. It was strange. Minsoek has nothing to do with you. Why did he come to free you? You looked at him confusingly.

He continues, "Don't try to contact Junmyeon anymore. He doesn't know we are letting you out. Don't try to complicate your life again. Forget everything and move on. Stay in the village." His voice was firm, yet he stammered a few times. You couldn't even reply or have the will to nod your head. You wanted to ask why. Why was he helping you? Part of you asked you to stay silent. You needed to get out of this place. You didn't want to anger any more people. He got up and left.   

You got your old clothes to change into, afterward a few signatures. You were free, as per the officers. You didn't believe it. Maybe you are free from here, and something could happen outside. The last few months have made you scared of everything. Particularly frightened for your parents.  

All this time, you hope Junmyeon comes or he sends someone to help you. Even after that call; even after Mrs. Kim's word; even after your prison time; even after your parents' misery; you only hope for Junmyeon. You might not believe Minsoek's words. You might not believe Mrs. Kim's words, but the situation was in front of you. And things were evident. 

You went out of the gates and saw your parents. Your mom was crying, and your father was thanking Minsoek and Yixing, which made you sore. You wanted to run far from them, far from the city. Thankfully, that happened. You and your parents took a cab home. 

You stayed silent while your parents tried talking, telling you about everything that happened in the last few months. You were tired without doing anything or tired from those six months. You are free yet not feeling restricted. There is a lot inside you. Questions, anger, sadness, loss, hurt. The pain was agonizing. All wounds appear as if they are never going to heal. You look out of the window. The city roads ended. So does your previous life, your hard work, your degree, your love, and everything you built for yourself, now onward mean nothing. These questions never get answers. Finally, it felt like everything changed. He is gone. You started crying. Letting go of everything, accepting your fate. Letting your pain take over completely. Letting your hope, love, and feeling, him buried deep inside your heart and moving forward. Forward to staying alive and happy and well but only for your parents. If you were alone, you would have rather died than stay alone without him however you are not. The cab was silent, only your crying noise was there. 

-Suho p.o.v-

I didn't want to, yet I'm here again. Mom called many times already. Y/N had messaged me. Numerous times, telling me to go and meet my parents. It has not been a day since Y/N went, and I must deal with my parents without her support. Taking a grip, I went inside. The good thing is my father was going to be there too. That means the conversation will be short. 

The door was opened by new staff. Mom again changed people. She can't trust people for long. Surprisingly, she trusted Y/N. 

I didn't have to wait. My mom was already in the drawing room. After a formal greeting, we sat to talk. "You have to go to Japan till the matter gets solved," Mom said. And I said no, and we argued until my dad didn't talk. He explained I must at least for the safety of Youra, Sehun, and Jongin. Others will handle their business themselves. It wasn't wrong. I agreed to everything. As things got calm, my mom called, "Y/N, bring my wine and set dinner table." I was shocked. Why is my princess going to set the table and bring wine? Before I could react, Y/N came. My mom noticed, "She is not your assistant. I got my own Y/N."  

"I can see. I thought...."  Before I could complete it, she added. "There are many Y/Ns in the world." I rolled my eyes, had dinner, and went home. 

I want Y/N to come back. I know I never gave her much time with her parents, but I will be in Japan when she is back. Plus, Dad said I cannot take her with me, as he needed her. He argued that she would be helpful to the company and him, especially when I'm not there. I was so proud of her. She was excellent with her work. As much as I don't like it, my dad was right. She will be a better help here. And I don't have to worry about her security. People are after me and my wife. This is the only time I'm okay with Youra being my wife. This way Y/n was safe.

A few days went by, and things were normal, or I tried to make it look normal. I didn't let Y/N know that I was leaving for Japan, or that things had become more intense. Last night, Youra almost got kidnapped. I didn't want to make her worry. 

I was managing everything about Japan. Plus, I had a small quarrel with Y/n. She wasn't ready to come back soon. I have stopped calling or messaging her for now. It was good though I didn't have to explain things. I didn't mean to hide anything from her. I didn't want her to worry about things here. 

In between this, Youra came and started staying in the penthouse with me. It wasn't that Y/n wouldn't understand why Youra was staying with me. She knows the need for protection. But it would hurt her, and I didn't want to see her hurt. 

When Y/n came back, I was so busy handling everything. Plus, Tao has increased security. They are irritating people. I know right now, I wasn't in a place to avoid them. So, I stayed quiet. 

I couldn't even have one proper look at her. I can't message her as my phone is connected to surveillance. 24/7 watch on my life. I don't have any issue if someone finds out about my relationship with Y/n, but she didn't want it. I have to respect it.  

As she started working with Dad, it became more challenging to reach her. I hated it, but I had no choice. I had to wait.  

The day came, I left for Japan; leaving a letter, hoping she understood. She will be upset and irritated. But I have already planned how to make it up. 

Japan was tiresome and annoying. Youra acts as a sweet, innocent, and dedicated wife. I can see she was faking, and she hates it. I was counting the days here. I needed a break from Youra already. Go back to Y/n.

After a few days, Tao came to visit and started asking questions about Y/n. I didn’t like the tone of his voice that using while asking about Y/n. Before I lost my temper about it, he showed me a video.

Y/n was having coffee with Choi Hee-sung. He was my business competitor. And the one who wouldn't miss any chance to flirt with her. I trust her, but my jealousy has no control. My jealousy is the reason for my anger. I needed an explanation of the meeting.

I got a chance. I was back for two days. Unlike Y/n, she made a mistake. I let out all my anger over the file. It was wrong of me. I knew it, but I couldn't control it. I was frustrated with everything. It was the first time since we had become close, the first time I was staying away from her like that.

I don't know when I start attacking like we are alone, in my bedroom. I had forgotten my professional behavior, saying a personal thing. I came to my senses when I felt her slap. It wasn't strong, but I know she was equally frustrated as me. I have oversaid things. I regret it. It was unexpected that Y/n gave an answer to insults or to any ill talks. What I was teaching finally came to life, but it was on me. As much as I was stunned, I was satisfied. However, we will have to sit and talk about this too. For that, I needed to come back and find time with her.

She was fired, not actually. The slap happened in front of staff, meaning my mom would also know about it. Before she used her method, it was safe for Y/n to stay away. I already talked with Dad. He said he would bring her back after a month or so. By the time Mom calms down, I will be back. My Dad wasn't ready to lose a good employee. According to him, I needed to get hit when I kissed her in front of everyone, but she reacted late. I went back to Japan, thinking everything would go back to the way it was. But I was wrong. After months of fighting, making everyone and everything safe, I'm here.

I'm here, in my cabin, with the letter in my hand and my given gift, the pendant. She left, resigning. With the resignation letter, she wrote a small letter. Stating she could not deal with this anymore, how she loves me, and how she hates Youra. Or I should say How and why Youra is right for her.

She returned my gift, and it implies a breakup. She indicated she ended things between us. I don't know what broke inside me. I needed my answers. Why after everything we have been through, she left? It didn't hurt my heart, but my ego did too. I don't know what was left. I did everything to show she was the only important person in my life.

I want to let her go if she wants, but the problem is I don't know how to live without her. All these months, I lived with the hope of being with her.

A single tear of frustration, pain, anger, and hurt; left my eyes while I kept reading the letter again and again, still not believing it.

---//---

Mr. Kim dashed home. He came to know that Y/n got arrested a few days ago. He knew who did it. He loved his wife. So much that he even let her affairs go on. Even after his son had to pay for it, he let it go.

He always saved her, no matter what. But it was too much. Suho will come back if he knows about Y/n. Suho wouldn't care about anything, not his or others' safety.

Mr. Kim knows about Suho and Y/n. He never interfered because Suho was happy. He is on the right track of his life. Y/n was positive for him. She made him calmer and more efficient. He was aware, even after his marriage fling continued. The good thing about Y/n is that it is crystal clear she wasn't after their money, nor did she have any dream of becoming Suho's wife. She was there for him and herself. Her feeling was pure. Maybe that was because she came from a village where feeling matters more than money. He wasn't much surprised by the slap incident. Suho was teaching her; she would have become bolder sooner or later.

He has seen the world. He knows who is good or who is pretending to be good. That was a reason he also let it go. If anyone else dared, he wouldn't have gone easy.

He stands in front of his wife and confronts her. Mrs. Kim sloppily answered; she was angry because Y/n slapped Suho. Later, she learned about her affair with Suho. How could she have let Y/n go?

Mr. Kim wasn't pleased. He knows his son. Suho will never look back to his mother if he finds out that Y/n is suffering because of her. He didn't want to lose his son over a girl. Plus, this might be a good opportunity to separate Y/n and Suho. Sooner or later, it was supposed to happen. They both had different lives and lifestyles.

Again, to save his wife and her relationship with Suho, he would do pathetic things. He will let Y/n suffer.

The first thing he did was to ask his wife not to go overboard with her punishment. He went to the office, closing every eyewitness's mouth with money or with the threat of losing their job. Y/n's topic went in the trash. For everyone, she resigned and left. 

He finds Y/n's old letter, which she wrote when Suho was getting married. She had written a resignation letter along with a handwritten letter for Suho.  

He coincidentally thought about everything found in Y/n's place. If his judgment was correct, the teardrop pendant could be a gift from Suho because out of everything, that wasn't very expensive. And he might have seen Y/n wearing it once or twice.  

Without wasting time, he keeps the letter and pendant in Suho's personal drawer on his table. And a resignation letter on his table.  

He didn't tell Suho about Y/n's resignation until he was back from Japan. He made sure everyone said the same thing in case Suho asked anyone.  

Thankfully, things went as he expected to go. 

---//---

Suho was in Japan. Things were going as planned by them. Everyone will be safe soon. Minsoek just talked with Suho. He couldn't stop thinking about Y/n whenever he thought about Suho or heard his name. She was clever in her work. Before leaving for the village, she made sure everything would follow as Suho needed. He thinks of her as a gold-digger, but he feels she isn't like that.  

Minsoek went to meet Mr. Kim. He sees two people beseeching to see Mr. Kim. He usually ignores this kind of thing, but he noticed the CEO floor employee looking at the couple helplessly and disturbed. The female came and started dragging him, "Mark. Think about our jobs. You and I both know there is no way to help Y/n." She said in a hushed voice.

"Her parents have been coming every day, since late three months," Mark started.  

"I know. We cannot do anything, not even comforting. I know you are feeling bad, we all are." They left Minseok in thought. He inquired a bit, and everyone said Y/n resigned. 

He didn't possess experience like Mr. Kim, but he found out.

If he can, Suho can too.

He took Yixing's help to find out more. Yixing went to see Y/n during the night, he had his connection. Even if he didn't like Y/n, he didn't like what she was going through. The worst was to see her parents.  

The case wasn't even going to court. In the name of proof, they only had a few jewelry items, and the company's share was merely one million. One million was nothing. Logically, if Y/n had to do a fraud; it should be above 50 million, at least. Who would risk everyone for one million?  

Minseok and Yixing didn't tell Suho anything, they confronted Mr. Kim.  After a long talk, Mr. Kim convinced them. Suho can't be angry with his mom for a girl. Mr. Kim wasn't aware; even after a warning, Mrs. Kim went overboard. Mr. Kim promises to handle his wife.

Minseok and Yixing helped Y/n. They didn't want her to be in prison. She was innocent and had already gone through a lot.  

They talked with her parents and helped them with everything. From place to stay, food, lawyers, etc; until Y/n was out, and went to the village.  

They see the cab going away. Yixing said, "We need to tell Suho. Mrs. Kim will try to hurt her."

"I know, she is not going to let anything go easily. But right now, we should keep things from Suho."

[mymoodwriting]

Request for Anon (Werewolf Baekhyun) 3.3k, A/B/O, fighting, verbal abuse, drinking, intoxication, tipsy behavior, kidnapping, drugs, restraints, pheromones, smut, non-con, dub-con, biting, blood, marking, intimidation, implied pregnancy, yandere (@starillusion13)

“You’re an omega, and you’re mine.”

     You wanted to slap Baekhyun, you tried, but he grabbed your hand. When you tried to pull away he held on tighter, and you threw a sharp glare his way. You two had been friends for as long as you could remember, basically growing up together, but as of late he had changed. He always seemed to have an attitude around you, especially when others were around. You chalked it up to the fact he finally presented, and turned out to be an alpha. You were happy for him, but you also understood that came with its own burden. So you let some things slide, but this was where you drew the line. You were out with friends, and as the night dragged on he started getting handsy with you. Throughout all those years you had never seen him as anything more than a friend, so you stopped him, which only pissed him off.

“What is wrong with you!”

“I am telling you the truth!”

“My birthday is still months away, and I haven’t presented yet! I’m not an omega, let alone yours.”

“You are! I can tell.”

“No, you can’t.”

“Yes, I can. I don’t know how to explain it, but I know. You’re an omega.”

“I am not! My family mostly consists of alphas and betas. There hasn’t been an omega in generations and it’s not gonna be me!”

“Y/n-”

“Shut up!” You pulled your arm free. “I have had enough of your attitude, and this stupid idea in your head finally puts it into perspective. I’m not some lowly omega that needs protection from an alpha! And I don’t belong to you either!”

“Listen to me, I-”

“No! I’m not tolerating your bullshit anymore.” You took a breath. “I’m sure being an alpha has its own things to figure out, so you do that, and let me know when you stop being a dick.”

     You walked off without a word, swearing you’d hit him if he tried anything, but he knew better this time. You never thought you’d fight with him, he was always a good friend to you, but this was something else. You wanted to be understanding, but you needed to do what was best for you as well. You didn’t hear from him for weeks, which really worried you, but you weren’t going to reach out to check on him. This was something he needed to figure out on his own. You weren’t sure when you’d hear from him, but a week leading up to your birthday you got a call from him. You were nervous to answer, but you owed him that much.

“Hello?”

“Hey… how’ve you been?”

“Fine for the most part, and you?”

“Me too. I’ve had a lot of time to think, and I owe you an apology.”

“Yeah, and?”

“I should do it in person. Are you free anytime soon?”

“I have some time tomorrow.”

“After your classes?”

“Yeah.”

“I’ll see you then.”

“Sure.” 

     All this time you felt like you had been holding your breath, that after all these years you had lost a close friend. Hearing his voice again was a relief, especially since it seemed he had gotten his senses back. Still, you’d have to wait and see if anything had really become of him. So the next day you kinda dreaded your last class, dreaded seeing him for fear things couldn’t go back to the way they were. You had to see him eventually though, so it was better to do it now and rip off the band aid. After class you found Baekhyun waiting for you. He offered you a quick smile but saw your expressionless face and dropped it. He followed you as you went off somewhere so you two could talk in private.

“Did your classes go well today?”

“Same old, same old. How have you been?”

“Good. I’ve done a lot of thinking lately… I can’t excuse my actions, only apologize for them.”

“Yeah.”

“I was a dick, I don’t even know what was going on in my own head. A lot changed for me, and I couldn’t keep myself in check. I’m really sorry you had to witness such a part of me, and I’ll do better to make sure you never do.”

“Is that it?”

“I mean, no amount of words can change what I did, but I’m hoping we can get over this hurdle together, or at least start over.”

“You were such an asshole.”

“I know…”

“And you’re done with that shit?”

“Yes. I never should have treated you that way. I don’t know what was going on with me.”

“Neither do I. Now if you ever pull that shit again, I will not forgive you.”

“I understand.”

“Good.” You took a breath. “Have you seriously been okay?”

“I’ve been doing my best, but there’s a lot going on with me.”

“How’s the family then? You being an alpha and all that. I mean, that’s most of your family anyway.”

“I’ve talked with them a lot. They’re happy I’m an alpha, but there are definitely things I need to be aware of.”

“No shit. Maybe if I’m an alpha too you can let me know.”

“Definitely.”

     Things couldn’t go back to how they used to be, but he was still your friend. Sometimes you could see him slipping back into that possessive behavior, but he composed himself well enough. He was doing better, which was the important thing. So when your birthday party rolled around you trust him to behave himself. Besides, it was your day of celebration, and you were going to enjoy yourself. So a night out at the club, endless drinks and a VIP room full of dancers, best birthday for sure.

“Alright, alright, that’s enough.”

     You were dancing around, clearly already gone for the night. Some of your friends had already gone home, so only a few were left hanging on. Although at this point it was safe to say someone had to end things before you all passed out. That someone was Baekhyun, having remained mostly sober to keep an eye on himself and everyone else. Now he was getting people in cars and sending them on their way. In the end it was just the two of you out on the streets.

“Taxi!” You danced off the curb. “Taxi!”

“No, no, come here.” Baekhyun grabbed you and pulled you back onto the sidewalk. “I’m taking you home, okay?”

“Nuh-uh, you can’t drive.”

“Yes, I can. I didn’t really drink.”

“Prove it.”

“I don’t think I can with you in this state. Come on now.”

     Baekhyun carefully led you over to his car, getting you into the passenger seat and getting your seat belt on. You leaned your head against the glass, Baekhyun getting into the car and driving off.

“Did you have fun?”

“The best…” You giggled. “And you?”

“It was a good night. Get some rest, I’ll wake you when we arrive, and please don’t throw up in my car.”

“No promises…”

     You shut your eyes and let the soft rumble of the car lull you to sleep. You figured you’d be out for a little bit and get some help going inside the house, but when you woke up you felt way more hungover than you thought. You got up, needing a second to realize you were in bed, and needing another to realize this wasn’t your room. The panic sobered you up real quick, but then you recognized the room as Baekhyun’s and calmed down. Although now that made you question why you were at his place. The hangover was starting to hit again, but you managed to get on your feet and go looking for Baekhyun.

“Ya! Baekhyun.” You mumbled. “Baekhyun… why am I here…”

     You managed to find the boy in the kitchen, sat down at the counter eating breakfast. Once he saw you stumbling around he got up and helped you take a seat.

“How’d you manage to get up?”

“Panic… why am I at your place? You said you were going to take me home.”

“I did take you home, to mine that is.”

“Baekhyun.”

“I was tired and my place was closer anyway. I’ll take you home now, after you have breakfast and recover from the hangover.”

“You better.”

     Baekhyun made you a quick breakfast. He was a pretty decent cook, and it was nice to try his food. It had been a while since you last spent time together like that.

“Here. A hangover cure.” Baekhyun handed you a glass. “You’ll feel better.”

“Already do, so thanks.”

     You chugged down the contents of the drink, knowing it was better to get it over with quickly. It didn’t taste bad thankfully, but still made you shiver.

“I’ll get my things and we can go.”

“Sure.”

     You got up, stretching for a moment and then heading back over to the bedroom to grab your belongings. When you returned Baekhyun was exactly where you had left him.

“Alright, we can-”

    You suddenly felt dizzy, grabbing your head and stumbling back a few steps. Baekhyun watched you for a moment and then got up, taking you into his arms so you wouldn’t fall.

“Baekhyun… what’s going on…”

“Just a little something to help.”

    He led you back down the hall towards the bedroom, although when your legs have out he had no problem picking you up and carrying. Your vision kept fading in and out, and you were feeling hot all over. Words were becoming difficult as well, but you still tried. Baekhyun just found you cute, laying you down on the bed. Then you realized he was tying your arms down.

“… what… what are you…”

“I know you still don’t believe me, and that’s fine, but I’m still worried about you. Since you’ve come of age you can present any day now, and I didn’t like the idea of me not being there for it. So I thought I should speed up the process, and this way I’ll be here to look after you.”

“Baekhyun…”

“It should only take a couple hours, so don’t worry.”

“Let… me… go…”

“Definitely can’t do that now. Someone else might want to claim you if they find you in such a state.”

“Why… why…”

“I told you. You’re mine, and I’m not letting anyone else have you. Just try to relax.”

“Baekhyun!”

    You tugged on the ropes, but you barely had any strength left. Your head was spinning and you could barely make out Baekhyun sitting at the edge of the bed, watching you. It hurt, not just your body, but your heart. You had been worried about Baekhyun, and you desperately wanted things to go back to normal that you let him back into your life without being cautious, without letting others know what he had been saying lately. It was getting harder and harder to think, and you could feel your body shutting down to deal with the changes being forced on you. If you could fight it you would, but you didn't even know what was happening. So in the end the darkness swallowed you, and your feelings of fear with it.

🖤

     When you opened your eyes you felt so out of it, barely managing to stay conscious. Your body was shaking, and you felt very hot. You soon found out you were still tied up, and once again tried to free yourself, but it was useless.

“Baekhyun…”

     You didn’t feel so good, you felt sick, and in the moment you didn’t want to be alone. It wasn’t long before you made out Baekhyun in your field of vision. He was sitting by the edge of the bed, his palm against your head.

“You have a fever.” You whined which made him chuckle. “It’s normal to be sick when you present.”

“Huh?”

“I told you that you’re an omega, and it’s all the more obvious now.”

“No… no what… what did you… do…”

“Just helped you awaken your true nature.”

“I’m not… an omega…”

“You can’t deny that now.”

“… home… I wanna…”

“I can’t take you home like this, besides what would your family think? There hasn’t been an omega in generations.” You whimpered. “It’s okay, I’m going to take care of you. I’m sure they’ll be relieved to know that.”

“No… no… I’m not…”

“The fever will pass on its own, but I’m not sure about the other things. They say omegas are pretty delicate, which is why it’s so important to claim one.”

“… go… away…”

“But you called for your alpha earlier.”

“… you’re not…”

“I am. I’ll go get you something for the fever.”

      Once he was gone you began tossing about, wanting to get free. You focused your energy on the rope, trying to untie it, but Baekhyun soon came back and stopped you.

“Is it bothering you?”

“Um…”

“I suppose you don’t need that right now.”

     Baekhyun untied you and helped you sit up, trying to give you some medicine. You refused though, not wanting to take anything from him anymore. He pet your head softly, finding your rebellious acts cute.

“This will make the fever go down and help things settle.”

“I’m not… an omega…”

“You know that’s not true. You can feel it, can’t you?”

“No… you did something…”

“You know there’s no way to change what you are. You can hide it or suppress it, but you can’t change it.”

     You knew all that was true, but you didn’t want to believe him. It wasn’t just about his betrayal, or what he had done, but what this all meant for you. Baekhyun seemed to know what you were thinking, pulling you into his arms despite your protests. He held the back of your head, rocking you softly to the sides, trying to sooth you.

“Sh, sh, it’s okay. I’m here, I’m not gonna look at you differently or anything like that. You’re still y/n to me.”

“It’s not… I can’t…”

“We don’t choose these things.”

    You didn’t know how you were gonna face your family. You weren’t sure you wanted to. This all felt more like a nightmare and you desperately wanted to wake up. If that was the case you felt you would have already woken up, but all this felt way too real. You don’t know when you started crying, but the tears weren’t going to stop easily. So you sobbed into Baekhyun’s chest, letting all your thoughts overwhelm you. That is until something else caught your attention. As you were coming down from the tears you began to notice something. 

    Baekhyun smelled very different. You carefully moved your head up into the crook of his neck, taking in a breath. You never really paid attention to the scents of your friends. You could tell them apart but you never really took them in to know them better. Although you could tell that Baekhyun’s had changed, again. When he had become an alpha you noticed the change, but this was something else entirely. He smelled sweeter, and you couldn’t help yourself, wanting to take in more. Of course Baekhyun noticed, a soft chuckle escaping his lips.

“What is it?”

“You… you smell…”

“Nice?”

“Hm…”

“They say the scent of an alpha is sweeter to an omega, and vice versa. I certainly know that’s the case.”

“… why…”

“Cause alphas and omegas get along better. We’ve always gotten along so well, even before all this. I guess we were meant to be.”

“That’s not fair…”

“I’d call it destiny.” Baekhyun took a moment. “You’re still burning up.”

“I’m fine.”

“You should still take something to make it easier… or I could help.”

“Help?”

“I told you it’s important for an omega to get claimed. I have no problem doing that now.”

     Baekhyun pulled you back a bit, pressing a kiss to your cheek. From there his lips trailed down your neck. Despite the heat and uncomfortableness, his mouth was a sweet relief against your skin. You didn’t want him to stop, and he had no intention of doing so. He knew you were already so high off his scent alone, and in this state you were all the more sensitive. Of course you weren’t the only one being affected. Baekhyun had been holding himself together, but now that he had you so close he couldn’t help himself either. Without asking permission he began to tear up your clothes.

     At that point it was hard to keep anything straight in your head. One minute Baekhyun was kissing down your chest, the next thing you knew you were lying beneath him with less clothing. Your vision was a bit hazy but you could see Baekhyun clearly. He had always been a friend in your mind, but now you thought of something else, of something more. Everything about him was different in your eyes. Your mind taking in the little things and feeling your heart flutter. The feeling only grew more and more as your body was accepting all his attention. 

    Even if you went out clubbing with friends you had never gone home with someone, or showed interest in hookups, so this would be your first. Baekhyun would be the one to take it all, and you knew at that moment you would never give it to anyone else. Your mind was so lost in his everything you didn’t realize the fangs, not until you felt a sharp pain in the crook of your neck. Your eyes went wide and you screamed, the smell of blood hitting your nose soon after. When Baekhyun pulled away you could see his bloody mouth.

“Couldn’t help myself…”

“Baekhyun…”

“No one else can have you.”

     There was a sharpness to his tone, almost like a warning. His one and only time saying this to you, and if you ever forgot it, there would be consequences. You couldn’t comprehend on the surface, but deep down you got the message. He wasn’t done here though, far from it. Baekhyun took off his own shirt, getting rid of the rest of your clothing and his in the process. You made a move to cover yourself, feeling exposed, but he stopped you, holding your hands above your head.

“Don’t hide from me. You’re perfect just like this, and I’ll make you even better.”

🖤

     If anyone asked you to recount that night, your first, the day you were mated, you probably couldn’t tell them anything about it. There was just a mix of heat and blood and pleasure. Your body would never forget, and neither would your soul, even if your mind was completely blank. Baekhyun wouldn’t say anything either, loving to have this secret to himself and to a degree you. All you did know was waking up in his arms, feeling safe, feeling loved. Your future was still uncertain, but you were alright there and then.

“Awake?”

“Hm…”

“How are you feeling?”

“Tired…”

“Well the fever’s down, so I think the worst of it is over.”

“I guess…”

“Sh, take it easy.”

“I feel tingly…”

“That might be the bite.”

“Bite… yeah… you bit me…”

“You still need to bite me back.”

“Hm…”

“Better now before you find out you’re pregnant.”

“What!”

“What? You don’t remember how much we did it? If I didn’t put a baby in you we’re gonna have to try again.”

“Baekhyun, I can’t-”

     You jumped up and away from Baekhyun, but he grabbed your arm and pulled you back down. He pet your head softly, immediately soothing your worries.

“It’s much easier for an omega to get pregnant, especially when they just presented. It’s only natural for you, for us.”

“Us… you really planned this all out, didn’t you?”

“Can you blame me? I’ve always looked after you, I wasn’t gonna let anyone else do that.”

“There were better ways…”

“You wouldn’t listen.”

“You were a prick.”

“Perhaps…”

“No you were.”

“Sh, sh, you should go back to sleep. We can talk more later, and finish things up properly too.”

“Sure.”

“Don’t worry. I got you, and I won’t let anything bad happen to you.”

“Thanks… I suppose…”

“It’s always been you and me. I wouldn’t want it any other way.”

(II)

[marshmallow-phd]

A Manor of Shadow and Blood

Genre: Regency Gothic AU

Pairing: EXO x Reader

Summary: A stormy night brought you to the manor in the middle of the woods. Nine strange men occupied its halls. They won’t let you leave. A dangerous secret haunts this estate. Learning it might either be your saving grace or it could lead to the last breath you ever take.

Part: 1 I 2 I 3 I 4 I 5

**

The grand hall was lit as bright as midday. Every surface was polished to perfection, reflecting the candlelight at a greater force. Brilliant brass and gold surrounded you as you made your way through the dancing couples, their movements in perfect sync. Wrapped in each other's arms, they spin around without a care for your wandering presence. 

While all who surrounded you were decorated in blacks and whites, your own dress was the color of freshly spilled blood. The heavy skirts that hug from your waist made it difficult to navigate the ballroom. Their fullness was of an older fashion, one that maybe your grandmother would have worn in her youth. The dropped shoulders left you exposed, your skin chilled despite the amount of bodies in here. 

You kept navigating the dance floor, on the look out for something, though you didn’t know what. Then you felt the familiar burn of eyes boring into your back, which sent a shiver down your spine. You whirled around to find the source, the dress brushing at your feet with the sudden motion. Through the crowd, you spotted Baekhyun leaning against the wall. With a single finger, he beckoned you over. And you obeyed. 

Breaking through the sea of dancers, you took in his elegant suit, the hems lined with gold thread that shimmered against black velvet. 

"You shouldn't dance alone," he purred. Arms crossed over his chest, he smirked at you with a grin even the devil wouldn't wear.

"I have no partner," you retorted. He held out a lazy hard. Hardly the romantic gesture. "No, thank you." 

"How about me?" asked a sweet voice in your ear. 

You turned your head to find Junmyeon at your back. He laid a soft hand on your hip to keep you from escaping out of propriety. When you didn’t shove him away, the hand slyly moved to your stomach, pulling your bare shoulder blades into his chest. With the fingers of his left hand, he tilted your chin towards him. 

"Am I a suitable partner?" 

No answer passed your lips. You could think of nothing to say. The thought of him twirling you around the dance floor was not… unpleasant. 

Junmyeon neither needed nor cared for a reply. He dipped his head to your shoulder and pressed a kiss to the skin. A small gasp passed your lips. And then he pressed another. More and more as he climbed up the curve of your neck. Heat rose from every inch of you as you sighed into the affectionate touches. You relaxed into his touch, welcoming each new contact of his lips. 

"It's rude not to share, Junmyeon.”

Your attention snapped back to Baekhyun, who you had forgotten was there. He pushed himself off the wall and stepped closer to you so he stood in front of the minor. 

No, not a mirror. There was no reflection. 

Except… there was. The mirror reflected the floor, the ceiling, the candlelight. You. 

But not Baekhyun. Not Junmyeon. And not the dancers still spinning behind you. 

Fingers snaked through your hair and pulled your head back, your vulnerable neck exposed. From the gallery above, Kyungsoo watched as elongated fangs flashed behind Junmyeon’s lips and plunged into your neck. 

*****

You woke with a start, the blanket flying off of you as you sat up in a fury. Sweet drenched every pore of your skin. Your day old dress clung to your skin in a way that felt suffocating. Each breath was a struggle for your lungs. 

Vampires. The nightmarish tale that had kept you up as a child until you were convinced they weren't real turned out to be true. But how could they be real? 

Creatures of the night. Blood drinkers. Horror stories meant to keep children from wandering about after dark. 

Curling your legs to your chest and encasing them in your arms, you tried to think of a way out. To escape. With what strength you possessed, you slid off the bed and walked over to the window. The sun, so bright and full of life, was just beginning its descent towards the horizon. Night–their domain–was hours away. If the legends were true, then they would all be asleep at this moment. Any risk that was to be taken had to be taken now. 

After changing into a sturdier dress, you retrieved your still mud-covered boots and, keeping them in one hand, you carefully pushed away the pathetic barrier and snuck out of the room. 

Each step was taken with unmatched caution. You tested every board with your foot before fully committing. Any squeak of a floor or stumble down a stair could alert them to your escape. But by the grace of a miracle, you made it to the front door. Fingers trembling, you pulled on the boots and tied up the laces before opening the door only wide enough for you to slink through. 

The next breath taken outside was like the first breath of life. But there was no time to take it in. 

Gathering your skirts in your grip, you took off into the trees. The dirt was dry and sturdy under your feet. Branches and leaves crunched with the weight of your boots. A lady’s delicacy was out of the question as you ran without abandon. You didn't know what direction you were running. But vampires needed blood to survive and they weren’t drinking yours. And Jongdae had brought those buns from a bakery, not their own kitchen. You doubted any of them knew how to cook. That meant a village or town had to be nearby. Junmyeon had lied about the isolation of the manor. If you just kept going, you could find freedom. 

However, your stamina was running out. This was never your preferred activity. Your lungs and throat burned in an unfamiliar way. The sun still shined above. A short respite could be spared. 

You leaned against a tree trunk for support. In your boots your feet pulsed. Only now did you realize that you had run away without food or water. Not knowing where the kitchen was located, you didn't have time to waste on it. You could survive, you told yourself. Just a little farther. The town couldn’t be too far. Unless you were headed in the wrong direction. 

A rustling rippled through the silent forest. You snapped to attention, trying to find the source. 

“The wind,” you gasped between ragged breaths. “It had to be the wind.” 

A low, rumbling growl said it wasn't wind. 

In the distance, large silhouettes emerged. Wolves. Nearly a dozen of them. 

You ran as fast as your crying legs could take you. With their superior nature built for the hunt, the wolves caught up to you within seconds. Their growls and howls grew louder and more threatening behind you. Running from the manor had been easy. Running from the wolves was to be your end. 

Powerful paws slammed into your back. You were thrown to the ground, rolling across the ground as a scream ripped at your throat. The momentum stopped you on your stomach. Hair covered your face, but you could still see your death through the strands. 

Wolves of gray and black gathered in a half moon circle. They had their prey in perfect position. The middle wolf pounced. All you had time to do was throw up your arms to protect your face. Claws raked across your forearm. Another scream echoed through the merciless trees. The wolf landed on the other side of you with pride. Now you were surrounded. A second wolf leapt. 

A blur appeared in front of you and collided with the wolf midair. The two bodies tumbled across the forest floor. A human and the wolf. 

Not a human. 

Chanyeol. The wolf trapped within his grasp, Chanyeol tightened his grip–

Crack. 

The wolf fell limply to the ground, its tongue hanging from its jaw. 

The others appeared seconds later. Not understanding what they were up against, the wolves let you go to attack the newest threat. 

"Are you alright?" Junmyeon knelt down in front of you. His hands were outstretched as if you were the wild animal on the verge of attack. Behind him, snarls and whimpers told of the fight–and who was winning. Despite not answering him, he caught sight of your bleeding arm. "We need to get back to the manor." 

He didn't ask permission before picking you up into his arms and sprinting through the forest. Everything blurred past you, your loose hair whipping at your face. He burst through the manor doors and didn't stop until he was able to set you down in the largest chair. Once you were safe, he fell to his knees, only his palms keeping him upright. The others soon stumbled in behind him, heaving and collapsing onto the floor. Only then did you notice the smoke floating up from each of their backs. Patches of burnt, red skin sizzled on their knuckles and faces. Anything that had been exposed to the sun. 

"Baekhyun," Junmyeon gasped. 

"I already have it." Kyungsoo came into the parlor with bottles stacked in his arms. He quickly passed them around, waiting until the others were quenching their thirst before pulling the cork out of his own bottle and chugging the contents. 

With his bottle empty, Junmyeon tossed it to the side and wiped his mouth with his sleeve. Red smears stained the ivory fabric. You shrank back in the chair as he turned towards you. 

"What hell were you thinking!" He growled. "I warned you about the wolves!" 

"Junmyeon, she's shaken up enough," Jongdae defended. Before your eyes, his burnt skin healed to be like new.

"She could have been killed!" 

Your head was pounding. He was… concerned about your life? The legends said that the sun was a vampire's deadliest enemy. It was why they thrived in the darkness. But they had all risked a final death to come after you. 

"Did you hear me scream?" you whispered. You could barely feel your own lips moving. All heads tuned to you. 

Yixing was the one to answer. "Yes. We all heard you." 

"Why were you out there?" Sehun asked aggressively.

You sucked in a sharp breath. There was no escaping the truth now. You stared at Jongdae. "I figured it out.” 

Baekhyun laughed. "At least we don't have to walk around delicately anymore." 

"When exactly did you do so?" Minseok mocked.

"Then you should remember what I said to you before was true. Harm would not come to you within these walls." Junmyeon crouched down next to the chair. His eyes... there was something behind the darkness that tugged at your still wildly beating heart. "I know you were running away. And if you're desperate to get away enough to get yourself killed, then the choice can be yours. We can send you on your way with every provision. Or," he cleared his throat, "you stay here. With us." 

A choice? He was giving you a choice?

Your gaze drifted over the faces that stared back at you. Even Kyungsoo refused to look away while he waited. There was almost a plea in his expression, a subtle beg. But was it to stay? Or for you to run as far away as possible? 

Junmeyon took your attention away when he picked up your wounded arm with delicate fingers. His pleading was much more clear. 

To leave would be the better choice. The more sane choice. But what would happen afterwards? You could claim being lost in the woods. With evidence of the carriage and the missing driver, what else could they believe? After a few days on bed rest, you would be back by your aunt's side, following her every whim. Including indulging her on a "perfectly adequate" suitor because you had no other option, no other path. That suitor who would then become your future. But you didn't want it. You refused to give in to it. 

Already within these few days, you were… changed in a way. They might not be human, but these men would forever be burned into your memory. Who could move you with music the way Chanyeol had? What silent strength could match the aura of Junmyeon? You had been promised that none of them would harm you. The chance for something extraordinary was right in front of you. The kind of chance you had only read about. It just had to be taken.

"I think… I think I want to stay."

*****

The moon became an ever changing friend. You hardly saw the sun anymore. Like the men you had given yourself over to, you lived under the stars. It was oddly beautiful. This time was often forgotten about by you and many others. The night was only a background to your time within your dreams. But now it was your entire world. 

Every evening, you awoke to the dying orange light of the day. Breakfast always waited for you outside the door. It was the rule that no one broke; none could enter your room without explicit permission from you. Those walls remained your safe haven when things grew too overwhelming. 

Despite your decision to stay, discovering that other creatures walked the earth required a step away once in a while. Especially now, with you aware of their true nature, the men were refusing to hold back. 

Dropping from the roof, running around with spectacular speed, and lifting objects that ten men couldn't hold. It was remarkable. Except for the diet and inability to walk in the sun, the… condition seemed more like a blessing.

"You're rather thoughtful this evening,” Jongdae commented. He walked beside you like he did every twilight. 

After you finished your breakfast, you met Jongae at the front doors to go on a walk around the manor grounds. Often others would join you as well. Junmyeon was the most frequent, though Yixing, Changed, and Jongin made many appearances over the past week and a half. Boundaries were constantly tested, but one word from you and they retreated.

"I guess you could say I am thoughtful tonight," you finally sighed. You hadn’t realized that you were being so obviously quiet. Funny, since you would have thought Jongdae would enjoy the silence. You typically had many questions or comments of your own to make. 

"Should I go steal a penny from Sehun?" 

You laughed. "I'd like to think my thoughts are worth more than a single penny.”

"They must be if you've become so skilled in deflecting from them." He crossed over to block your path. Gaze narrowed, he studied your carefully guarded expression. "What are you thinking about so hard? Regretting your decision to stay already?" 

"No," you insisted. "Not at all."

He raised an eyebrow that simply asked, "Then what?" 

"Do you always stay here?" you countered. "At the manor, I mean." 

"We travel," Jongdae answered with a nod. "Not too often. It’s a bit difficult, you see."

"But we like traveling north.” Minseok dropped from who-knew-where, landing with barely bent knees and hands folded behind his back. "In the winter, the night lasts longer. Junmyeon has a small hunting lodge up there. 

A hunting lodge? "Then why do you stay here?" 

Minsoek shrugged. "This manor is bigger." 

"Having nine of us in one household can be a bit volatile,” Jongdae added. He stepped aside to continue the stroll. "We need the room to separate so we don't level a building." 

Your foot caught on an invisible lump in the grass. "You could destroy a building while fighting?" 

Minseok snickered as he caught your stumble and helped steady your stance. His hand lingered at your waist until your sharpened glare made him remove it. "We haven’t crumbled a wall in a few years."

You scoffed at the casual tone. "What sort of fight caused that?" 

"I can't remember." Minseok leaned forward slightly to look at Jongdae for help. But he didn't seem to recall either. 

"Who knows what started it between Chanyeol and Kyungsoo.”

Your mouth dropped open in shock. Kyungsoo and Chanyeol had fought over something to the point of destroying a wall to crumble? It didn't feel plausible. Neither seemed like the hot-headed sort. You wanted to know the igniting incident so desperately. 

Both Jongdae and Minseok suddenly whipped their heads towards the front of the manor. 

"What is it?" you asked when neither offered an explanation. 

"Junmyeon's calling for us." Jongdae scooped you up into his arms without warning. At your confused expression, he explained, "We're not leaving you alone out here." Remember your last adventure in the woods lingered in the silence.

The short lived wind whipped at your hair that you still wore loose to cover your neck. As soon as he stopped running, you wiggled out of his arms to be back on your feet. Everyone else was already gathered just outside the door. Several eyed you and Jongdae with suspicious and annoyed glares. You took a step away from him for some separation. 

Clearing his throat, Junmyeon called everyone to attention. "We have to go hunting–real hunting. Now, normally, we all go together, but now that we have our guest," he nodded towards you, "some will have to stay behind with her until the first party… comes back." 

"If you all need to go,” you couldn't quite speak the word feed, "then I'll be alright. For a few hours, at least." You weren't sure how long this excursion would take.

Junmyeon's features softened. "No. We'll go in groups. Chanyeol, Kyungsoo, Minseok and I will go first. We shouldn't be gone long." He reached out and patted the top of your head before disappearing into the trees. Kyungsoo gave no goodbye as he followed suit. The last two playfully shoved each other while taking off. 

"Come." Yixing took hold of your hand and started pulling you inside. "I want to show you something."

"But–" You had wanted to ask Jongdae a question, but the traitor was already gone, off somewhere to do something he would never tell you about. So, you let Yixing take you into the manor and up the main staircase at the end of the hallway. At least he let you stay on your own feet instead of insisting on going at his speed. 

Going down an unfamiliar hallway, you were reminded how big this place was and how much you still had to explore. The men occupied most of your time, vying for your attention and pulling you this way and that so you didn’t have much time on your own. It was odd and overwhelming at times. 

During your seasons in town, you were hardly a well-sought after prize. There were prettier girls with grander dowries. You had accepted that fact. Now you were the center of a courting dance to which you knew none of the steps and possessed endless partners. 

Yixing paused in front of a door that looked identical to all the others. He kept his fingers tight around yours as he slowly turned the knob with his free hand. The door swung open. 

The gasp inhaled through your parted lips wasn't enough to convey your awe. 

Maps of all the places you'd heard of and dozens more you hadn't covered the walls like homemade wallpaper. Slipping out of Yixing's grip, you walked further into the study, spinning slowly around to take it all in. The maps were varying degrees of tan, some as light as his skin, others as dark as animal leather. 

Instead of bookshelves, doorless cabinets waist high lined three of the walls. Their squared shelves were stuffed full of parchment and ink and quills. A lone sketcher's desk sat in the middle, an unfinished drawing laying against the tilted surface. 

"What is this place?"

"It's my personal study," Yixing answered as he laid a hand on the edge of the desk. "Kyungsoo gave it to me after I had accidentally taken over one of the parlors." 

Your awe increased ten-fold. Your initial assumption was that he was a collector, not the original artist. "You drew all of these?" 

He nodded almost... shyly. "I did. I was a cartographer. Before." 

"Before?" You understood what he meant, but you didn't know how to ask for the story. 

Turning his eyes to the parchment, he pinched it between his fingers. "I didn't just love traveling. I loved capturing it on paper. I wanted to make these places into art, but not like every other painting. I wanted them to be perfect. Exact replicas as if you were staying at them from God’s point of view. And I wanted to be the best. I couldn't be, though. I wasn’t good enough." 

You moved closer to him, entranced in the story. "What happened?"

A rueful smile tightened at his lips. "I was given a chance to become perfect. What I didn't know was that I traded everyone knowing my maps for the talent to make it happen." Sorrow rolled from him like the tide warning of an oncoming storm. 

Feeling the pull to comfort him, you reached out and covered his fidgeting hand with your own steady fingers.

"People will be able to know your work some day," you whispered. "I’m sure of it." 

Perhaps you had been a bit too forward, a bit too open. 

Yixing moved gracefully forward to eliminate most of the space between you. A smooth thumb that once must have been calloused when it was human caressed the edge of your jaw. His flickering eyes made intentions obvious. 

Clearing your throat, you stepped out of the touch. "Why isn't this one finished?" You pointed to the drawing on the desk. It was an aerial view of the manor, with the top half of the parchment containing the beginning edges of the garden hedges. Disappointed, Yixing sighed and went along with your distraction. 

"I'm still working out the maze. It is intricate. Much more than I was prepared for." 

"Goodness." You were thankful that you hadn't wandered in there yet, especially on your own.

"Yixing.” 

Both of you turned towards the door to find Sehun standing under the frame. 

"Yes, Sehun?" Yixing said through somewhat gritted teeth. The young vampire wasn't phased. 

"I need to speak with you." 

"Fine." None of you moved. 

Sehun looked at you with a pointed glare.

You received the hint loud and clear. "I'll leave you, then.” 

With more relief than you cared to admit, you scurried out of the room and down the hallway. 

Around the corner, you pressed your back against the wall and forced yourself to take deep breaths that filled your lungs to capacity. Panic had been the response at Yixing's closeness. You didn't mean for that to be the response. You didn't want to be closed off to any of them. But you couldn't help it. Maybe it was merely the closeness of the situation. 

Giving yourself a small amount of grace, you pushed off the wall and made your way downstairs. So used to your time being absorbed by the men that you weren't sure what to do with yourself. Two of the ones that remained behind were currently occupied. As for the three others, they could have been anywhere. 

You wandered around the main floor with a fleeting hope that one would come to find you. Then you saw them. A row of grand doors evenly spaced along the north wall called you forward.

The grand ballroom took your breath away. Not so dissimilar to the one in your dream, though this one’s lack of warmth and light left you heartbroken. Memories of dancing figures and lively music haunted these walls. In the corner, you could imagine a small orchestra strumming their instruments in delight. 

You walked to the center where dozens of pairs used to twirl and bow and embrace each other in time with the melody. Ghostly laughter echoed in your ears. What had once been  bright and golden and full of life was dull, dark, and covered in cobwebs that swayed in the breeze of unknown origin. 

Glancing around, you confirmed that you were truly alone before closing your eyes, lifting your arms, and began a soft hum. 

You danced with an invisible partner in the fashion that your grandfather had taught you as a small child. It was more intimate than the choreographed dances currently popularized. You had always imagined your first ball like this, instead of the disappointment you really experienced. You had pictured a boy you didn’t know catching your eye. As the music was struck up, he laid a hand on your waist.

Just like now. 

Hm. Your imagination was running wild, even pretending the weight of a palm was there on your lower back. And now in your lifted left hand. 

No. That wasn’t your imagination. 

Your eyes snapped open. 

Jongin had taken the place of your imagined partner. He smiled down at you with a feline smirk as his hands tightened around you, refusing to let you slip away. There was no choice in leaving this musicless dance. You had stopped humming but he continued to whirl you around the marble floor. He controlled the dance, in charge of every step. He led with an expertise he shouldn’t have possessed–if he were a man of this age. 

In one final move, he slipped his arm fully around your waist, pulling you so close that no room remained between you. Without breaking the spin, he lifted you from the floor as if you were no more than a kitten and whirled you around like the heroine from your favorite novel.

When the spin came to a close, he set you back on your feet, but didn’t let go. Your lungs heaved from the exercise–and from the way your bodies pressed together. Each rise of your chest brought you even closer to Jongin. He kept your gaze like a stablehand trying to calm a wild horse. His right hand slipped from your fingers, softly tracing the delicate inside of your arm. The touch left behind a fire you couldn’t explain. A cold, simmering fire.

He cupped your jaw as his eyes drifted down to your lips. This was a different reaction to Yixing’s wandering gaze. Not panic, but something similar. 

Jongin held you in place as he leaned down, his lips pressing gently into the corner of yours. The thin breath in your lungs hitched. He lifted his lips only to find a new patch of skin. The delicate skin covering your pulse. Every muscle in your body froze. He kissed the skin softly. Surely, he could feel the race of your blood. 

“Whenever you need a partner,” he said in a hush against your neck, “just whisper my name.”

And then, he was gone. 

You stared off at the empty path left behind Jongin. The sheer hubris.

His name lingered on your lips, wondering if he would really come back like he said. But you kept the whisper inside and left the ballroom just the same. 

[ff-rtp]

Soft spot

Helllooooo! This is going to be by far my biggest story . Please suport me !

Three women: an ambitious rookie cop, a rebellious ER doctor, and a quiet dance student, find themselves entangled in the dark, seductive world of Seoul’s Mafia.

On the other side: a brilliant Mafia boss, a cold-hearted enforcer, and a dangerously charming manipulator.

When their worlds collide, love and loyalty blur, and crossing the line may cost them everything.

Count :8.8k

Genre: Mafia AU | Angst | Romance | Drama

Pairings: Suho x Min | Chanyeol x Nari | Baekhyun x Sunny

Warning ⚠️: Violence and physical altercations, mentions of death/murder, weapons use (guns, knives, etc.), swearing, mild suggestive themes or sexual tension , mentions of blood/injury (e.g., medical descriptions or violence-related wounds), morally gray characters/actions.

Exo Ot12 !!!

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

The office was a whirlwind of chaos as the mafia prepared to make another bold move, eliminating Police Chief Kang Hyu-cheol, the trusted right hand of Chief Im Dong-hyun. The air was thick with frustration and fear, tension mounting with each passing second.

Inside Chief Dong-hyun’s office, the phone on his desk rang incessantly, its shrill tone cutting through the suffocating silence. But Dong-hyun didn’t move. He sat frozen, his hands trembling slightly as the devastating news sunk in.

That was when his daughter, Min, burst into the office. Hyu-cheol had been more than her father’s right hand—he had been like an uncle to her, a steady and familiar presence throughout her life. But there was no time for grief, no space for weakness. Min forced herself to push aside the growing ache in her chest. She had to be strong. For her father.

“Dad…” she said softly, her voice laced with sadness, trying to mask the cracks threatening to form.

Her father didn’t respond. The only sound in the room was the muffled sobs he tried—and failed—to contain. As the cries turned into heavy, unrelenting weeping, Min’s heart clenched. She had never seen her father cry, not once in her life. The sight left her unmoored, unsure of how to react.

Slowly, she approached him, crouching beside his chair and gently taking hold of his arm, forcing him to meet her gaze.

“Dad,” she repeated, firmer this time, her voice steady despite the storm raging inside her. “I promise you, we’re going to stop them. They won’t kill anyone else. Not on my watch.”

Her father’s tear-streaked face twisted with anguish. He knew better than anyone that this was a promise far beyond her control. And the thought of her being the mafia’s next target wrenched his heart painfully.

“You are not getting involved in this case,” he said, his voice hoarse but resolute as he fixed her with a desperate look. “Do you hear me?”

His words carried a weight that even his sobs couldn’t undermine. They were not a request—they were an order. An order born of fear, love, and the unbearable thought of losing the only family he had left.

Nestled in the secluded, impenetrable depths of Gwanmok Forest, the mansion stood like a phantom of power and wealth. It was a four-story architectural masterpiece, hidden from the world by twisted, unlit roads and signal-dead zones. Its modern façade exuded luxury—glass, steel, and stone fused seamlessly under the faint glow of the evening sky. Outside, an elegant cascading waterfall dominated the courtyard, flanked by well-manicured gardens. Gigantic gates guarded the property, reinforced with cutting-edge security.

Inside, the mansion was a labyrinth of purpose. The underground basements housed an expansive training facility and an arsenal of weapons and vehicles. The ground floor featured a state-of-the-art casino, a lavish bar, and a sprawling living room. Offices filled the first floor, equipped with high-tech surveillance and hacking equipment. The third floor was reserved for the minions and staff quarters, while the fourth was strictly for the core eight members—the Mafia’s elite. This uppermost level hosted their bedrooms and an ultra-private meeting room where only they gathered to decide the fate of their empire.

The core members sat around a sleek glass table in the dimly lit meeting room. Suho leaned back in his chair, his piercing gaze scanning the room. A glass of whiskey rested in his hand, the amber liquid catching the light from the digital screens that lined the walls.

“So, I’m assuming you’ve heard already,” Suho began, his voice calm yet cold. “Someone killed Hyu-cheol. But now the police are sniffing around.”

Sehun slouched in his chair, twirling a blade between his fingers. His irritation was palpable. “We’ve got too many businesses running right now to deal with this. The last thing we need is the cops breathing down our necks.”

“What’s the plan, then?” Xiumin asked, his tone steady as he folded his arms. Ever the reliable one, he was always ready for action but measured in his approach.

Suho’s expression remained unreadable as he replied, “They’ll probably send someone after us. We need to stay vigilant.”

Baekhyun smirked, leaning forward with his usual mischievous air. “And who’s going to come for us now that Hyu-cheol is out of the picture?”

D.O., seated at the far end, didn’t lift his eyes from his laptop as he tapped away. “From my sources, Hyu-cheol’s superior is Im Dong-hyun. Chief of Police in the Violent Crimes Division. He’s been in his position for over 12 years but has never touched a case involving the Mafia. Until now.”

Suho swirled the whiskey in his glass, his sharp eyes narrowing. “What else do we know about him?”

D.O. connected his laptop to the large screen at the front of the room. “Plenty,” he replied, his tone even. As the screen flickered to life, a profile of Dong-hyun appeared. “He’s 52. Solved dozens of high-profile cases, with a success rate of 97%. Widowed. Has diabetes, mild form. But here’s the interesting part—he has a daughter. An only child. His weakness.”

The room went silent for a moment, the implication sinking in.

“Should I give you more details about her?” D.O. asked, his voice cutting through the silence.

Suho gave a curt nod.

D.O. clicked through the files. “She’s 25. A junior officer in the Violent Crimes Division. However, she’s been kept on low-risk cases—probably her father’s doing. She’s green but ambitious.”

The screen shifted to live surveillance footage, showing Min with two women walking inside of a café.

“Is this live?” Chen asked, raising an eyebrow as he leaned forward.

“Yes,” D.O. confirmed.

“Who are those two with her?” Chanyeol asked, his deep voice breaking his usual silence.

D.O. pulled up their profiles. “Kim Nari, 24, a dancer at the Korean National Opera. And Han So-yeon, also known as Sunny, 25, a resident ER doctor.”

Baekhyun’s eyes sparkled with mischief as he leaned back in his chair. “A cop, a doctor, and a dancer. Sounds like the beginning of a bad joke.”

Kai, who had been silent until now, finally spoke. “What’s their relevance to us?”

“They’re not involved in anything… yet,” D.O. said. “But they’re close to her. If we want leverage against Im Dong-hyun, they might be the key.”

Kai’s jaw tightened as he glanced at the screen. “Leverage is one thing, but dragging innocent people into this?” His rebellious streak was always at odds with his sense of loyalty to their moral code.

“They’re not innocent if they’re in our way,” Sehun said coldly, his eyes fixed on the screen. “If they want to protect her, they’ll become collateral damage.”

Suho raised his hand, silencing the room. “We’re not making any moves yet. Dong-hyun hasn’t come for us directly. But keep watching. If he does, we’ll use whatever means necessary to protect our empire. Understood?”

A collective murmur of agreement echoed through the room.

As the meeting adjourned, the tension lingered in the air, each member retreating to their thoughts, knowing that the storm brewing outside was just the beginning.

“However…” Suho’s voice cut through the air, halting the members who were halfway out of their seats. He leaned back in his chair, his eyes narrowing with a faint smirk. “I’ll need you to keep an eye on them.”

Chanyeol let out an arrogant laugh, crossing his arms. “That’s newbie work. Why don’t we send lower ranked staff ? They got time to waste.”

Suho raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. His smirk deepened. “So, we have a volunteer?” he asked, looking straight at Chanyeol. The room chuckled lightly, Suho’s mockery evident.

Chanyeol rolled his eyes. “This is bullshit.”

“You think so?” Suho said with a teasing laugh. “Then maybe you’re not as elite as you claim to be.”

Baekhyun sighed dramatically, tossing his head back. “Enough of this. We’ve got the China export to handle. Don’t tell me you expect us to babysit on top of everything else.”

Suho’s tone turned sharp, commanding the room’s attention. “That’s why you’re here, Baekhyun. Because you’re elite. You’re not just muscles and charm, you can multitask.”

Baekhyun groaned but didn’t argue further.

“I’ll keep tabs on Dong-hyun and his daughter,” Suho continued, his gaze shifting across the table. “Chanyeol and Baekhyun, you’ll keep an eye on the other two—Nari and Sunny. D.O., keep digging into their backgrounds. Report everything to me.”

D.O. gave a subtle nod, already processing the assignment in his head.

Chen, leaning casually against the wall, spoke up. “Who do you think killed Hyu-cheol? Was it the China Mafia?”

“Probably,” Suho admitted, his voice laced with frustration. “But we don’t have proof yet.” His fingers tapped rhythmically against the table as he continued. “They’ve been waiting for an opening since they betrayed us years ago. They’ve grown fast, too fast. But let’s be clear: they’re still not on our level.”

The room grew quiet as Suho’s words sank in. Everyone understood the gravity of the situation. Betrayal wasn’t something Suho, or the EXO Mafia would forgive easily.

The café buzzed softly with the hum of casual chatter and the clinking of cups against saucers. Nari, Min, and Sunny had just stepped inside, their presence turning a few heads—not that they noticed. Min chose a cozy table near the back, away from prying ears.

“Thanks for coming,” Min said after they sat down, her tone heavy with unspoken tension. She rubbed her temples as if trying to massage away the weight of her thoughts.

“Is it true?” Nari asked carefully. “About the Chief of Police being murdered?”

Sunny leaned back in her chair, her expression serious for once. “Yeah,” she said, her tone low. “The ER was a mess when his body came in for the autopsy. You wouldn’t believe the chaos.”

Nari blinked, her curiosity piqued. “Wait, so you saw him?”

Sunny shook her head quickly. “No. I didn’t see him. It’s just… bad news spreads fast, you know?”

Min exhaled sharply, frustration evident in the way she clenched her fists. “I swear I’ll catch them one day,” she muttered, her voice filled with determination.

Sunny, ever the chaotic one, leaned forward with a playful grin. “And what if they catch you instead?” she teased. “Imagine being kidnapped by a mafia boss. How thrilling would that be?” Her laugh rang out, light and carefree.

Nari rolled her eyes, a small smile tugging at her lips. “Why am I not even surprised you’d find something like that exciting?”

The three of them laughed, the tension momentarily easing. Still, Min’s eyes kept darting to the security cameras positioned around the café.

“Min, are you okay?” Nari asked, noticing her distraction.

“Yeah…” Min said, forcing a smile. But the crease between her brows told a different story.

Sunny clapped her hands together suddenly, snapping them out of the moment. “Anyway! Are you guys coming with me this weekend to the casino? I got invited by this guy who came to the ER, someone cut off one of his fingers. Poor guy.”

Nari’s eyes widened. “Wait, what? Are you sure it’s a good idea to go to a place like that with everything happening? The Mafia’s all over the city right now!”

Sunny waved her hand dismissively. “That’s why we’re taking Miss Police Officer over here.” She pointed dramatically at Min. “If anything happens, she can arrest them or something.”

Min’s lips quirked into a faint smile. “That might actually help me find some clues. Could be useful.”

Sunny grinned, victorious. “See? Even Min thinks it’s a good idea.”

Nari hesitated but finally sighed in resignation. “Fine. But if we end up in trouble, you’re the one explaining it to the authorities, Sunny.”

Sunny laughed, clapping her hands. “Deal. So it’s official, we’re going!”

As they continued talking, Min’s eyes lingered on the cameras once more, that nagging feeling of being watched refusing to leave her.

Next day , the ER was loud and chaotic, exactly like Sunny herself. The constant buzz of ringing phones, nurses barking orders, and patients crying out in pain seemed to mirror her personality. She fit perfectly there, like chaos personified in a white coat.

From kids with appendicitis to car crash victims, births to toddlers with high fevers, Sunny had seen it all in just one day. Yet, amidst the overwhelming energy of her job, her mind kept circling back to the conversation she’d had with Nari and Min the day before.

Mafia. The word held an allure she couldn’t quite resist. It wasn’t fear that gnawed at her, fear rarely fazed Sunny. No, it was curiosity, a deep itch she couldn’t ignore. And that curiosity was about to lead her somewhere she’d never ventured before.

The morgue.

The cold, sterile basement of the hospital wasn’t a place Sunny frequented. She’d avoided it thus far, preferring the chaos of the ER to the stillness of death. But now, her curiosity had gotten the best of her.

When she pushed open the heavy metal door, the temperature dropped immediately, sending a chill down her spine. The faint hum of the fluorescent lights echoed in the empty space.

“Of course, it’s freezing down here,” she muttered under her breath, rubbing her arms.

“Sunny?” came a voice from across the room.

She turned to see Jayhun, another resident doctor, standing by a desk piled with papers. He looked up, slightly surprised to see her there.

“Hello, Jay!” Sunny said brightly, masking her discomfort. She walked over to him, her usual confident stride intact. “Can I ask you a few questions?”

Jayhun nodded, setting down his pen. “Sure. What’s up?”

Sunny leaned slightly against the desk. “Were you here when they brought in Hyu-cheol? The police chief?”

Jayhun’s brows furrowed, his focus shifting to her fully. “Yeah,” he said slowly, almost cautiously. “Do you want to know about him?”

Sunny nodded eagerly, but Jayhun was already flipping through some documents. He handed her a report, his expression unreadable.

Sunny scanned the page, her eyes widening. “Wow… was he stabbed? I was expecting something a bit more, what’s the word, classy from the Mafia. Guns or something, you know?”

Jayhun stiffened, his gaze narrowing. “How do you know it was the Mafia?”

Sunny, always quick with her tongue, shrugged nonchalantly. “Who else? He was working on Mafia cases, wasn’t he? Seems logical.”

Jayhun’s tone turned sharp, almost defensive. “You don’t know that.”

Sensing the tension, Sunny decided not to push further. “Right, right. Just speculation,” she said lightly, setting the report back on his desk. “Thanks for this.”

Jayhun didn’t respond immediately, his eyes still on her as she turned and left.

By the time Sunny returned to her floor, the usual chaos had resumed. Nurses rushed by with clipboards, and a patient’s groan echoed faintly from a nearby room. She headed straight to her locker, where she pulled out her phone and dialed Min.

Min answered on the second ring. “Sunny? What’s up?”

Sunny didn’t waste time. “I just came from the morgue. Hyu-cheol was stabbed, Min. Not shot, not poisoned—stabbed. Doesn’t that seem… off?”

Min’s voice was calm but laced with tension. “I already know. I got the autopsy report earlier today.”

Sunny leaned against her locker, frowning. “Oh. Well, doesn’t that strike you as weird? I thought the was all about guns these days.”

“They are,” Min admitted. “That’s what’s bothering me. They haven’t used knives in years, and the location where Hyu-cheol’s body was found, it’s not one of their usual spots. Something doesn’t add up.”

Sunny could hear the frustration in her friend’s voice. “So… what now?”

“I keep digging,” Min said firmly. “And I keep my father from finding out how involved I am. He’s already trying to push me off this case.”

Sunny smirked. “Good luck with that. We both know you’re as stubborn as they come.”

Chanyeol wasn’t happy. In fact, he was downright pissed.

Sitting in the shadows of the opera’s vast auditorium, he leaned back in the creaky wooden chair, arms crossed tightly over his chest. The rehearsal was in full swing, with dancers moving fluidly across the stage. But his eyes were glued to one figure: Nari.

She stood out effortlessly, not just because of her beauty but because of the way she moved. Graceful yet powerful, she commanded attention without even trying. Chanyeol hated to admit it, but she was captivating.

Still, that didn’t make this assignment any less irritating.

He pulled out his phone and dialed Baekhyun.

“What?” Baekhyun’s voice came through, annoyed.

“This is pure bullshit,” Chanyeol hissed. “Is Suho testing us or what?”

Baekhyun chuckled dryly. “I agree. We’ve got a billion better things to worry about than babysitting some girls.”

“At least yours is a little interesting,” Chanyeol shot back. “I have to sit here watching Miss Little Swan do pirouettes.” His tone was dripping with disdain.

Baekhyun laughed outright, clearly enjoying Chanyeol’s misery. “Don’t tell me you’re jealous of her talent.”

Chanyeol growled into the phone. “Shut up. Have you found out anything about Sunny yet?”

Baekhyun sobered slightly. “Yeah. My guy inside, Jayhun, told me she went to the morgue asking questions about Hyu-cheol.”

Chanyeol’s jaw tightened. “She’s nosy. That could be a problem.”

“No kidding,” Baekhyun replied. “But if she keeps poking around, it might actually help us figure out who killed Hyu-cheol.”

Chanyeol sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “I swear, if this turns into more of a headache, I’m done.”

Baekhyun snorted. “Yeah, sure. Like Suho’s going to let you off the hook that easily.”

Chanyeol hung up, his eyes drifting back to the stage. Nari was in the middle of a complicated routine, her movements so precise they seemed almost effortless.

The rehearsal had finally wrapped up after what felt like an eternity to Chanyeol. The dancers filed out of the auditorium, their tired chatter echoing through the space. But, of course, Miss Little Swan had to stay behind.

From his hidden corner, Chanyeol watched as Nari moved across the stage, repeating the same spin over and over again. Her brows were furrowed in concentration, her movements sharp yet fluid. She seemed completely unaware of the emptiness around her, completely focused on getting every detail right.

“Perfectionist,” Chanyeol muttered under his breath, tapping his finger against the armrest of his chair.

Just then, movement near the stage caught his eye. Yoomi, one of the cleaning staff, appeared, struggling to carry a basket loaded with cleaning supplies and brooms that looked far too heavy for her.

Before Chanyeol could even consider stepping in—though, realistically, he had no intention of doing so—Nari noticed the older woman. She stopped mid-spin, her expression instantly softening. Without hesitation, she jogged over to Minji and took the basket from her hands.

“Oh, Minji! You should’ve called someone to help you,” Nari scolded gently, her voice warm and full of concern.

Minji smiled gratefully, brushing her hands off on her apron. “Ah, you’re too kind, Nari. Thank you, dear.”

Nari set the basket down and straightened up, brushing a strand of hair from her face. “It’s nothing. You shouldn’t be carrying something so heavy by yourself.”

As they spoke, their laughter filled the otherwise quiet auditorium. Chanyeol’s brows furrowed slightly.

“You were amazing today,” Minji said, her eyes lighting up. “I was watching from the back. You’re more and more perfect every day.”

Nari waved a hand dismissively, her cheeks flushing faintly. “You’re too kind, Yoomi. I’m far from perfect. There’s still so much I need to work on.”

“Nonsense,” Minji said firmly. “You shine brighter than anyone else on that stage.”

Nari tried to laugh off the compliment, changing the subject. “How’s your husband? He was sick last week, wasn’t he?”

Minji's face softened at the mention of her husband. “He’s much better, thanks to those medicines you sent us. I don’t know how to thank you, Nari.”

Nari reached out and hugged Yoomi, her genuine warmth practically radiating from her. “Please don’t mention it. I was happy to help. I’m just glad he’s feeling better.”

Chanyeol’s eyes narrowed as he watched the interaction. There was something almost unnerving about how kind she was. That kind of kindness could easily get her in trouble. People like her, soft-hearted, selfless, were easy targets.

He leaned back in his seat, crossing his arms. He used to be like that once, before life beat it out of him. Nari didn’t seem like someone who’d been through that kind of hardship. She had no idea how cruel the world could be.

Too naive, he thought grimly. She won’t survive like that.

Just as he was starting to get lost in his own thoughts, a ringtone broke the silence, snapping him back to reality.

Nari fished her phone out of her bag and answered it, her voice light and cheerful. “Sunny? Hey! How was your shift?”

Chanyeol sat up slightly, straining to catch snippets of the conversation.

“Yeah, I’m done here… No, I stayed a little longer. You know how it is,” Nari said, laughing softly.

Her tone shifted slightly, a mix of excitement and nervousness creeping in. “Wait, where did you say? The casino? At the periphery of Seoul?”

Chanyeol’s interest was piqued. A casino?

Nari paused, biting her lip. “I don’t know, Sunny. That sounds… well, a little sketchy.”

Chanyeol smirked faintly. At least she’s got some sense.

But then she sighed. “Fine, fine. I’ll go. But if anything weird happens, you’re buying me lunch for the rest of the month.”

She hung up, shaking her head with a small smile.

Chanyeol’s smirk faded. A casino on the outskirts of Seoul? That was dangerous territory—too dangerous for someone like her.

Pulling out his phone, he dialed Baekhyun.

“Now what?” Baekhyun answered, his tone exasperated.

“They’re going to a casino tonight,” Chanyeol said flatly, his jaw tightening.

“A casino?” Baekhyun echoed, a hint of amusement in his voice. “Well, that’s… unexpected.”

“Yeah, and it’s one of those casinos. The ones Suho told us to stay clear of unless absolutely necessary.”

Baekhyun let out a low whistle. “Guess you’ll be working overtime tonight, huh?”

Chanyeol ignored the jab. “Just keep an eye on Sunny from your end. I’ll handle this.”

“Good luck with that,” Baekhyun said with a chuckle. “Sounds like your Little Swan is going to be a handful.”

Chanyeol hung up without replying, his eyes narrowing as he watched Nari gather her things and leave the stage.

“Handful doesn’t even begin to cover it,” he muttered, rising from his seat and disappearing into the shadows.

The Paradise Casino exuded a level of luxury and exclusivity that instantly caught their attention. Warm, golden lighting cascaded through shimmering metallic curtains that hung like drapes over sections of the vast room. Tables with sleek, polished finishes were surrounded by plush, leather chairs. The patterned carpets in deep shades of black and gold gave the space an air of sophistication, while the soft hum of conversations, clinking glasses, and the occasional cheer from a winning hand filled the air. Private rooms were tucked away on an upper level, accessible only by a staircase with glowing railings, reserved for the wealthiest or most dangerous guests.

Sunny parked the Mini Cooper, and the three of them stepped out, adjusting their outfits to shield themselves from the cold. Nari tugged at her dress uncomfortably as they approached the entrance.

“This place looks… a little too fancy for us,” Nari muttered, glancing at the extravagant decor visible through the grand glass doors.

“It’s perfect,” Sunny said confidently, adjusting her blonde bangs and flashing a mischievous grin. “A little glamour never hurt anyone. Plus, it’s not like we’re here to gamble our life savings—just to look around.”

“You’ve never been to a casino before, though, right?” Nari asked, frowning.

“Nope, but how hard can it be?” Sunny replied nonchalantly. “Besides, if anything goes wrong, Min’s got her cop badge, right?”

Min laughed as they stepped inside. “Yeah, sure, that’ll help. Too bad I couldn’t smuggle my gun in here. Don’t worry, though—I’ve got my intimidating glare.” She winked at Nari, who groaned softly.

“This feels like a terrible idea,” Nari whispered under her breath, but neither of her friends seemed to hear her over the upbeat jazz music playing in the background.

They found a cozy booth near the center of the room and ordered a round of cocktails. Sunny pouted when her virgin mojito arrived. “This sucks—I can’t even have a real drink.”

“You don’t need alcohol to cause chaos,” Nari teased, finally relaxing enough to join in the banter. “You’re a walking hurricane.”

Sunny laughed, raising her glass. “Cheers to that!”

As they laughed and sipped their drinks, they were completely unaware of the three pairs of watchful eyes tracking their every move from a shadowed corner of the casino. Chanyeol, Baekhyun, and Sehun sat at a private booth, blending seamlessly into the opulent surroundings. All three were dressed in sharp, tailored suits that screamed power and authority, their weapons concealed but easily accessible.

“This is ridiculous,” Chanyeol muttered, his eyes narrowing as he observed the girls. “Why are we babysitting?”

“Maybe Suho wanted to see if you’d finally develop a soft spot for someone,” Baekhyun teased, smirking as he swirled his drink. “Look at you, playing bodyguard.”

Chanyeol scoffed, leaning back in his chair. “At least your target has some spice. I’m stuck watching a ballerina who thinks the world’s all sunshine and rainbows.”

“You sound jealous,” Baekhyun quipped. “I, for one, am enjoying this. Who knows? Maybe something interesting will happen.”

As if on cue, a tall blonde man approached the girls’ table. All three of the men stiffened slightly when they recognized him.

“Luhan,” Baekhyun said under his breath, rolling his eyes. “What are the odds?”

Sehun smirked. “This might actually get entertaining. Luhan’s probably got a pocketful of drugs ready to spike their drinks.”

“We’re not letting that happen,” Chanyeol said sharply. His voice was low but commanding, leaving no room for argument. He gestured to one of the casino’s staff—a man loyal to their mafia—and whispered instructions. Within minutes, the waitress carrying the girls’ drinks accidentally stumbled, spilling the contents before they could take a sip.

“Crisis averted,” Baekhyun said, watching the scene unfold. “Luhan must be fuming.”

Back at the girls’ table, Luhan had introduced himself as one of the casino’s owners, sliding smoothly into the seat beside Nari. His charming smile didn’t quite reach his eyes, and Min immediately felt her guard go up.

“Are you ladies having fun?” he asked, his voice dripping with charisma. “I hope the Paradise Casino is treating you well.”

“It’s nice,” Sunny said, shrugging. “But it could be more exciting.”

Luhan chuckled, leaning in slightly. “Well, let me know if there’s anything I can do to make your evening more… memorable.”

“Actually, we’re waiting for some friends to join us,” Min said quickly, her instincts telling her to lie. She met Luhan’s gaze with practiced calm, but she wasn’t sure if he believed her.

Luhan’s smile widened. “Of course. I hope you enjoy your time here.” With that, he stood and walked away, leaving a faint trace of expensive cologne in his wake.

“Creepy,” Nari whispered, shivering slightly.

Meanwhile, back at the corner booth, Sehun laughed quietly. “Luhan and his old tricks. Think he’ll try again?”

“Probably,” Baekhyun said, already losing interest. “He can’t help himself.”

Chanyeol’s expression darkened. “We need to keep them out of trouble. I’ll handle it if Luhan tries anything else.”

As Min decided to approach Luhan for more information, Sunny and Nari wandered over to the gaming tables. Sunny, with her usual confidence, tried her hand at a slot machine, while Nari stayed close by, clearly uncomfortable but putting on a brave face.

“Relax,” Sunny said, nudging her friend playfully. “It’s just for fun. Who knows? Maybe you’ll hit the jackpot.”

Nari forced a smile but couldn’t shake the feeling that they were being watched. Little did she know, Chanyeol’s sharp eyes were locked on her every move, his protective instincts kicking in despite himself.

Nari’s head felt heavy as the overwhelming glitz of the casino grew too much to bear. The loud chatter, the relentless lights, and the haze of cigarette smoke pressed down on her chest. She needed air. Spotting a side door near the back, she slipped away unnoticed by her friends.

The cool night air greeted her as she stepped outside into a dimly lit alley behind the casino. She exhaled deeply, trying to clear her mind, but her relief was short-lived.

“Lost, sweetheart?”

Nari froze. Two men emerged from the shadows, their grins wide and uninviting. Their suits were cheap, their demeanor cocky, and their intentions unmistakable.

“I was just leaving,” she said, her voice steadier than she felt.

But they didn’t move aside. One of them stepped closer, his eyes shamelessly trailing down her sparkling black dress. “Leaving? Not so fast. Stay a while. Let’s chat.”

Nari’s stomach churned as panic began to set in. She instinctively took a step back, but there was nowhere to go.

“Don’t be shy,” the other one chimed in. “We don’t bite.

When the first man reached out, his hand brushing against her lower back, Nari felt as though ice had suddenly gripped her spine. Before she could react, a deep, commanding voice echoed from the darkness.

“I’d remove that hand if I were you.”

The air turned frigid, as if winter had arrived in that alley alone. Nari shivered, her dress doing little to protect her from the sudden chill. She turned her head toward the source of the voice and froze.

He stepped into the faint light, his towering figure dominating the space. Nari was tall, but he was taller—a striking man with fiery red hair that seemed to glow even in the dimness. His dark suit was pristine, tailored perfectly to his lean but powerful frame.

The two men immediately paled, their bravado vanishing. One of them stammered, “W-We didn’t mean any harm—”

Chanyeol didn’t let him finish. His piercing gaze bore into them, his voice low and menacing. “Leave her alone. Now. Unless you want to leave here in pieces.”

The menace in his tone was undeniable. The men didn’t need a second warning. They scurried away like rats, throwing fearful glances over their shoulders as they disappeared into the night.

Nari was rooted in place, her heart pounding in her chest. She couldn’t take her eyes off him. Was he dangerous? Probably. But he had just saved her, and for some reason, that thought was oddly comforting.

“You okay?” his voice was softer now, breaking through her haze.

She nodded mutely, unable to find her voice.

Satisfied, he turned to leave, but just as he was about to disappear into the shadows, she finally managed to speak. “Thank you.”

He paused for a moment before glancing over his shoulder. His lips twitched upward, barely forming the shadow of a smile, but he said nothing as he walked away.

As she watched him disappear into the night, her thoughts raced. He was polished, expensive-looking, and dangerously handsome. But there was something about his cold aura that unsettled her. Who was he?

Chanyeol, meanwhile, felt equally distracted. He hadn’t planned to intervene, but seeing her there—vulnerable and out of place—something in him snapped. And then he remembered her from the opera. That kind smile she had given the cleaning lady. That softness. That light. It was a stark contrast to the world he lived in.

Something was wrong, and he knew it.

Nari returned to the casino, weaving through the crowd until she spotted Min and Sunny at a table. The two were playing some game she had only ever seen in movies, laughing and teasing each other like they didn’t have a care in the world.

Min immediately noticed her friend’s tense demeanor. “What happened?” she asked, her tone low and concerned.

“Nothing,” Nari lied, shaking her head. But she couldn’t hide the distracted way her eyes scanned the room, searching for a flash of red hair.

The atmosphere in the meeting room was thick with tension. Suho sat at the head of the table, his expression thunderous. Everyone else remained silent, knowing better than to speak when their leader was in this mood.

“I have information,” Suho began, his voice sharp and controlled, “that the Chinese mafia might be here in Korea.”

“‘Might’?” Baekhyun scoffed, leaning back in his chair. “Do you mean ‘definitely,’ or are we just guessing?”

Chanyeol cut in, his voice calm but firm. “It’s confirmed. We saw Luhan earlier tonight at the casino.”

A murmur spread through the group.

“That means they’re responsible for Hyucheol,” Xiumin said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

“It’s not just about him,” Baekhyun muttered, swearing under his breath. “If they’re here, they’re not just sending hitmen. They’re here for us.”

“There’s another problem,” Chanyeol added, his tone darkening. “We saw Luhan talking to someone. The police chief’s daughter.”

The room went silent. Suho’s expression didn’t change, but the way his eyes darkened made everyone uneasy. He stared down at the reports in front of him, deep in thought.

“D.O.?” Suho finally asked, breaking the silence.

D.O. pushed his laptop forward, his tone calm but precise. “I hacked into the airport arrivals data and CCTV footage. It’s confirmed—they’re here. But they arranged to avoid all customs and registration checks.”

He clicked a button, and a grainy video played on the screen. Four men were seen leaving a private jet.

“They didn’t even try to hide,” Chen muttered, recognizing their faces immediately.

“So, all of them are here,” Xiumin said, his voice grim. “They’re up to something big.”

“That’s why we need to stay vigilant,” Suho said sharply. His eyes swept across the room, landing on each member in turn. “No distractions.” He put heavy emphasis on the last word.

The tension in the room was palpable. Everyone knew the storm was coming—they just didn’t know when it would hit.

The meeting room fell into a tense silence after Suho’s final declaration. Everyone exchanged heavy glances. They all knew the reputation of the China mafia—their cruelty, their resources, and their mastery of manipulation. It wasn’t just another gang. It was an organization that thrived on fear and annihilation.

“For now,” Suho broke the silence, his voice sharp and authoritative, “we stick to our assignments and routines. Nothing changes. I’ll assign more guards to the house and our bases. Stay vigilant.”

His gaze shifted to Sehun and Kai. “You two will find them. Track their movements, figure out what they’re planning. Report directly to me. No screw-ups.”

Kai nodded curtly, already processing the task at hand. Sehun, however, smirked as he leaned back in his chair, arms crossed.

“And while we’re out there doing the real work,” Sehun drawled, looking straight at Chanyeol and Baekhyun, “you two can keep babysitting.”

Chanyeol narrowed his eyes, his irritation visible, but it was Baekhyun who immediately fired back, his tone dripping with sarcasm. “Aw, Sehun. Don’t be jealous that Suho doesn’t trust you with important tasks like babysitting. It requires tact, charm, and brains—three things you seriously lack.”

Sehun laughed mockingly, leaning forward. “Say that again after you’ve had your first successful mission in, what, a decade?”

Baekhyun opened his mouth to retort, but Suho slammed his palm on the table. “Enough!” His sharp tone sliced through the room, silencing them instantly. “This isn’t a game. Act like the professionals you’re supposed to be, or I’ll find people who can.”

The tension thickened as both Sehun and Baekhyun sat back in silence, their glares still burning.

Suho turned to D.O. with a slight nod, his voice measured but firm. “D.O., any progress on the police chief’s daughter?”

D.O. smirked faintly, sliding a folder across the table toward Suho. It was thicker than any of them expected. “A little,” he said, his tone smug.

Suho opened the folder, and his brows furrowed in surprise at the sheer volume of information. The others couldn’t help but glance curiously as Suho flipped through the pages—her academic records, family history, career achievements, and even candid photographs.

“Impressive,” Suho murmured, still scanning through the file. His tone was calm, but there was an edge of satisfaction.

When the meeting adjourned, the others filtered out of the room. Suho stayed behind, seated at the head of the table with the folder open in front of him. His eyes lingered on a photograph of Min at the police academy. There was something about her—a spark of determination in her eyes that caught his attention. “This girl…” he muttered to himself, tapping the edge of the photo absentmindedly.

The next day at the violent crimes office was as chaotic as usual—phones ringing, detectives arguing, and paperwork scattered across desks. Min entered her father’s office to find him pacing furiously, yelling into the phone.

“This is unacceptable! You’ve had this information for weeks, and you’re telling me now?!” Chief Im’s voice boomed, his face red with anger. When the call ended, he slammed the phone down, the sound echoing through the room.

“Wow,” Min said with a soft chuckle, closing the door behind her. “I haven’t seen you this mad in a while. What’s going on?”

Her father sighed heavily, running a hand through his graying hair. “This damn mafia… They’re causing problems again. Every lead is a dead end, and now this.”

“Well,” Min said brightly, leaning against his desk, “I might have some good news. But first, you have to promise to let me get involved.”

Her father shot her a sharp look. “Yoon-min, no. Absolutely not. This is dangerous work—too dangerous for you.”

“Dad, come on,” she said, exasperated. “You know I’ve been training for this my entire career. Trust me. I can handle it.”

Chief Im rubbed his temples, clearly torn. After a long pause, he sighed in defeat. “Fine. But listen to me—if anything happens, even the smallest thing, you’re out. Do you understand me?”

Min rolled her eyes but nodded. “Got it, Dad. Now, let me show you what I found.”

She placed a set of papers on his desk and began explaining. “I’ve been looking into the Guan-mok forest on the outskirts of Seoul. The satellite maps of the area have been tampered with—likely hacked. There’s no other explanation for the discrepancies I found. It looks like someone erased key details from the system, possibly to hide something. If my theory is correct, this forest is being used as a base or meeting point.”

Chief Im’s brows furrowed as he leaned over the papers, clearly impressed.

“But there’s a downside,” Min continued. “The forest is huge. There’s no signal out there, which means any search would be difficult and dangerous. And if they’re hiding something, there’s bound to be security—probably armed.”

Her father stared at her, a mix of disbelief and pride on his face. “How… How did you even find all of this?”

Min smirked and crossed her arms. “I have my ways. Maybe you should trust me more often.”

Chief Im sighed again, sitting heavily in his chair. “You’re just like your mother,” he muttered, shaking his head.

Min smiled softly. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“Be careful, Yoon-min,” he said, his tone serious. “This isn’t a game. These people don’t play fair, and they don’t give second chances.”

“I know,” she said firmly. “But I’m ready.”

As she left the office, Min couldn’t shake the feeling that her father was holding something back—something that made him more anxious than usual. She resolved to get to the bottom of it, no matter the risk.

It was late, and the fluorescent streetlights cast long shadows over the empty parking lot as Sunny finally clocked out from her grueling shift at the hospital. She stifled a yawn, her legs aching from the endless hours on her feet. Her stomach growled, reminding her she hadn’t eaten since lunch. Cooking was out of the question—she was far too tired—so she decided to stop at a small convenience store on her way home to grab something quick.

Sliding into her car, she sighed deeply, cranking the engine to life. The short drive to the store felt like a blur, her exhaustion making every second drag. When she arrived, she parked near the front of the shop, noting how deserted the parking lot looked. A chill ran down her spine, but she brushed it off, blaming her overworked nerves.

Baekhyun was leaning against a car near the edge of the lot, a cigarette between his fingers. The soft glow of the ember illuminated his sharp features in the dark, his gaze distant as he exhaled a cloud of smoke. Tonight had been another headache—Suho’s warnings about the Chinese mafia lingered in his mind, but Baekhyun wasn’t the type to stress outwardly. His moment of solitude didn’t last long, though.

A man emerged from the shadows. Baekhyun noticed him too late; the stranger lunged at him, catching him off guard. A punch landed squarely on Baekhyun’s jaw, splitting his lip and sending blood dripping down his chin. The taste of iron filled his mouth as pain radiated through his face, but Baekhyun quickly regained his composure.

“You really picked the wrong guy,” Baekhyun muttered, his voice low and dangerous.

The man didn’t have time to react before Baekhyun grabbed him by the collar, slamming him to the ground with a force that made the concrete echo. The stranger scrambled to his feet, realizing his mistake as he caught the cold, murderous glint in Baekhyun’s eyes. Without another word, he turned and ran, disappearing into the night like a coward.

Baekhyun wiped the blood from his face with the back of his hand, muttering a curse under his breath. He leaned against his car, trying to gather himself when he heard the faint sound of heels clicking on the pavement.

Sunny emerged from the store, a small bag of groceries in hand. She was heading to her car when her eyes landed on Baekhyun. Her jaw dropped at the sight of his bloodied face, and the bag slipped from her hands, its contents spilling across the asphalt.

“Wait here!” she called out, rushing to her car to grab the first aid kit she always kept in her trunk.

Baekhyun straightened, surprised by her sudden urgency. Before he could say anything, she was back, gloves on her hands and a determined look in her eyes.

“Let me help you,” Sunny said firmly, her usual playful tone replaced by the authoritative voice of a doctor.

“It’s just blood,” Baekhyun replied dismissively, turning his face away. “I’m not dying.”

“Stop being difficult,” she snapped, moving closer. Her hands were steady, and her focus was sharp. “Sit still, or this will hurt more than it already does.”

Baekhyun froze, caught off guard by her no-nonsense attitude. He allowed her to clean the blood off his face and examine the cut on his lip. As her fingers brushed against his skin, he found himself staring at her. Her concentration was unyielding, her brow slightly furrowed, and her lips pressed into a thin line.

“There,” she said softly after a moment, stepping back and handing him an ice pack. “It’s not too bad, but you should keep this on for a while to stop the swelling.”

Baekhyun smirked faintly. “You’re pretty bossy for someone I just met.”

Sunny rolled her eyes. “And you’re pretty stubborn for someone bleeding all over the place.”

She packed up her kit, but her concern lingered. “What happened? Did someone just randomly attack you? If you want, I can call my friend—she’s with the police. She could help you file a report.”

Baekhyun let out a dry laugh. “A report? For some idiot who doesn’t even know how to throw a punch?” He wiped at the dried blood on his jaw. “Trust me, he’s not worth the trouble.”

Sunny frowned at his harsh tone but didn’t press further. “Well, with the mafia out there, you really should be more careful,” she said, half-joking but still somewhat serious.

Her words struck a chord, but Baekhyun hid his reaction behind a cold expression. “You’re one to talk. It’s late. You should go home.”

Sunny hesitated for a moment but nodded, realizing she wasn’t going to get much more out of him. “Alright. Take care of yourself,” she said, offering a small wave as she got into her car.

Baekhyun watched her drive away, her taillights disappearing into the distance. He touched the bandage on his lip, a smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth. “The mafia’s out there,” he muttered to himself, shaking his head. Something about her amused him, though he couldn’t quite put his finger on it.

He flicked the spent cigarette to the ground, stepping on it before getting into his car. As he drove off, he couldn’t stop thinking about the strange girl who’d patched him up without a second thought. Maybe the night wasn’t so bad after all.

Baekhyun lay on his bed, eyes wide open, staring at the ceiling. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t shake off the memory of the interaction in the parking lot. The way Sunny’s hands moved so delicately, yet with determination, while treating his wound. Her serious tone, so unlike her usual playful nature, had stirred something deep inside him.

“Damn it,” he muttered, running a hand through his hair. The thought of her concerned face kept replaying in his mind, and it annoyed him that she had this kind of effect on him. He wasn’t supposed to care.

The next evening, Chanyeol found himself in the opera house, a place he never thought he’d willingly go to. The grandeur of the venue was almost suffocating, and he felt out of place in the first row among elegantly dressed patrons. But he didn’t care—his attention was solely on the stage.

The performance began, and as soon as Nari appeared, he felt the air in his lungs catch. Her costume was a deep red, adorned with intricate gold details that shimmered under the lights. A glittering tiara rested on her head, completing her regal appearance. Her long dark hair was perfectly swept back into a bun, emphasizing her graceful neck and delicate features.

She moved like she owned the stage—powerful and precise yet ethereal. Every leap and turn was executed with perfection, her slender frame defying gravity. Chanyeol couldn’t take his eyes off her. She looked fearless, unstoppable, and yet, in her quieter movements, there was a fragility that tugged at something in him.

When their eyes met during her solo, it was as if time froze. Her steps faltered ever so slightly, but she recovered quickly, resuming her choreography with an elegance that masked the momentary lapse. For Chanyeol, however, that brief connection lingered like an echo in his mind. Without thinking, he pulled out his phone and snapped a photo. He stared at the image for a second, frowning, unsure why he had even taken it.

When the show ended, the applause was thunderous, echoing through the grand hall. As the crowd began to disperse, Chanyeol stayed in his seat, watching the dancers congratulate one another. His sharp eyes scanned the room, noting how Nari stood off to the side, her smile radiant but solitary. No family. No friends.

As the room emptied, he approached the stage. She noticed him, her expression shifting into one of faint surprise before she stepped closer.

“Congratulations,” he said softly, his deep voice cutting through the quiet space.

Her smile widened, though he caught a glimmer of something else in her eyes. “Thank you. Did you enjoy the performance? Are you a fan of ballet?”

“I’m not,” he replied bluntly. “I was here by mistake.” His tone was cold, sharp, and he immediately regretted it when her smile wavered for a split second.

Nari tilted her head, studying him with quiet curiosity. “Then I suppose I should feel honored to have accidentally gained your attention.”

He didn’t respond, instead glancing around the now-empty theater. “No one’s here for you? You’re the lead, though.”

Her smile remained, but the sadness in her aura was unmistakable. “I don’t have anybody,” she said simply, her voice light, as if the statement was a fact she’d long accepted. Before he could respond, a voice called her name from backstage.

“Excuse me,” she said, stepping back. Then, as if compelled by something, he added, “You were amazing.”

She paused, meeting his gaze one last time, her smile softening. “Thank you.” And with that, she disappeared backstage, leaving Chanyeol standing there, his thoughts in disarray.

The atmosphere in Gwanmok Forest was tense, the dense canopy of trees blocking out most of the evening light. Min adjusted her flashlight, leading the team deeper into the woods.

“Are we ready?” she asked, her voice brisk and authoritative as she scanned the group of officers.

Her father, Chief Im Dong-hyun, shot her a stern look. “Min, don’t stray too far from me.”

“Yes, sir,” she replied, though her excitement was palpable. She had a hunch about this place, and she was determined to prove herself right.

As the team trudged through the underbrush, Min’s sharp eyes caught something—faint tire tracks embedded in the dirt. She grinned triumphantly. “We’re on the right track,” she whispered to herself.

But as they ventured deeper, the forest grew eerily quiet, and the fading light made the shadows seem alive. Suddenly, the distant rumble of an engine broke the silence. Min’s heart raced as she and her father ducked into the bushes, switching off their flashlights.

A sleek black SUV came into view, its headlights slicing through the darkness. Behind the wheel was a tall man with striking red hair. He exuded an aura of danger, his sharp eyes scanning the forest as if he sensed he was being watched.

“Recognize him?” Min whispered.

Her father shook his head. “No, but he’s not in any of our reports. We’ve got confirmation—there’s mafia activity here.”

Min’s pulse quickened, a mix of fear and exhilaration coursing through her veins. But her father placed a firm hand on her arm. “It’s getting dark. We should regroup and come back tomorrow.”

Min hesitated, her instincts urging her to push forward. “Just a little further,” she pleaded. Without waiting for his approval, she moved ahead.

Soon, the forest opened up, revealing a massive, ominous castle-like structure. Min’s breath hitched. “This is it,” she whispered, barely containing her excitement.

Before they could approach, the other officers joined them. But their victory was short-lived. Out of the shadows, armed figures emerged, encircling the group.

“Drop your weapons,” a deep voice commanded.

The red-haired man from the SUV stepped forward, a smug grin on his face. “Well, well, what do we have here? A little lost police party?”

Min clenched her fists, her mind racing as her father stepped protectively in front of her. The tension crackled in the air, the standoff on the verge of exploding.

[itstokkii]

i'm gonna smoke you up

[elysiangroundsforall]

In the Course of It ...

"You're my only Bambi, Bambi"

Synopsis: INB100 is holding auditions and Y/N applies and gets selected but the CEO falls in love with Y/N. Pairing: Byun Baekhyun x reader Warnings: None Type: Angst, Fluff Started: 09/07/2024 (July 9th) Ended: 11/12/24 (December 11th)

Preview

"But I'm only a trainee."

"It doesn't matter to me."

"EXO member and INB100 CEO Byun Baekhyun reportedly dating a trainee under his company"

Chapters

Prologue

Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10

Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20

Epilogue Message

[jongbross]

(hi ! 🥺 sorry for the bad english) you can do an exo!mafia au reaction, where they are mobsters and bump into their ex after they broke up because she found out he is mafia. they still love each other and want to be together, they are suffering apart? please💞 thanks, have a good day!

a/n: your english is just fine! my first language isn't english either, so don't worry. i hope you like it 🥺

xiumin: minseok is good at hiding his feelings, he did it all this time. he was a mess after you left, but you don't need to know that so he would probably try to play it cool, talking with you but never, ever showing what he's truly feeling. that's until you ask him "have you been okay?" - then his eyes will give in the truth. that's when he'll stutter to answer you, only confirming your suspicious. to someone who has been okay, minseok definitely agrees way too quickly to meet you someday so you two can talk...

suho: he's mature, that's for sure. no matter how shattered he was when you two broke up, he respected your decision and your space. still, junmyeon hurted a lot, so when he meets you again i think he will definitely try to come up at you and ask if you wanna talk to him, if it's okay for him to approach you (because deep down he's scared you'll reject him again). little did he know that you're suffering just like (or even more) than him.

lay: mobster or not, yixing is a softie. he will never admit it, but he cried after you left. when you two meet again, his eyes get glassy with tears the moment he lies his eyes on you, feeling like you were so close but so far away at the same time. the first move will have to come from you, so don't be afraid to approach him - he will love that. yixing doesn't think he deserves to be with the one he loves, especially after you left him for such a good reason, so he doesn't fight for you because of that. please bear with him, he misses you a lot but he just wants you to be happy with whatever you decide it's good for you.

baekhyun: the first thing he felt when you left him wasn't heartbreak, but anger; maybe at himself, at you, at life... but it was there. so, because of that, baekhyun is so petty once you two meet again. he's the one to come talk to you, but he's also the one who will sarcastically say "well, you're the one who left me...", only because deep down that's still a question for him. baekhyun wants to know that you suffered just as much as he did, because after all, the breakup was all on you, he never wanted that.

chen: another one who would be ANGRY. yes, he didn't tell you he was a mobster - that's not something you just tell people, you know? but he never put you in danger, he never brought work home, and you always claimed you loved him? how could you leave him so easily, then? so yeah, once you two meet up again, be ready to deal with the most stubborn version of jongdae you've ever met. he might be feeling like he can't live, can't breathe without you - but he he will never, ever admit that to you.

chanyeol: poor chanyeol couldn't focus on his work for weeks after you left him. he might be the only one from all of them to actually consider leaving the business just so he could be with you. when you two meet again, chanyeol will make it very clear how much you hurted him, how messed up you left him, but will also let you know that he absolutely understands you and why you don't agree with his line of work. he'd be the easiest to talk to and make up, though.

d.o: honestly? it's almost like he's heartless. kyungsoo loves you a lot, he always said he does, but the moment you questioned him about the mafia you planted a seed on his brain - "if they can't love me for who i am, then maybe they don't love me at all". of course, he felt bad and lost when you left, but he's also very logical and rational. so when you two meet again, you can cry all you want in front of him - it doesn't matter how much it hurts him -, the question will still be the same: can you accept him and his job? it all depends on your answer.

kai: oh, he's stubborn. he's very stubborn. his hyungs will tell him that it's okay if he's sad after you left him, but jongin will always deny it. he pretends like he doesn't care, but that crumbles the moment he meets you again - and it gets worse when you tell him you missed him. jongin is as needy as he's stubborn, so that's all he needs to hear to finally come through with his feelings and, then, ask you to come back because he's dying without you.

sehun: you have no idea how bad you've made sehun feel when you left him. sehun spent weeks thinking about how he can't have anything good in his life, but how he also can't leave his business now because he's way too far gone. when you two meet again, more than wanting to have you back, sehun puts effort into understanding if you're fine with his line of work, and making it clear that he loves you so much and wants to spend the rest of his life with you, and he will do everything in his power for this to happen.