Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

[Bang Chan POV]

It would be today.

The cold sweat at the nape of Bang Chan's neck was a constant reminder. Today would be the day he and the boys met their new private security guard. And honestly? To say things were tense would be a gross understatement. Every minute that had passed since last night had been a torment. The hours of darkness were filled with racing thoughts and the weight of a cruel insomnia that had haunted him since the last incident. Their previous security guard had almost leaked VERY personal information—documents and photos that could have ruined their careers and lives. The situation had been brought under control in time, yes, but not before planting a seed of panic in him and, obviously, in the other members. The bitter taste of the near-disaster still lingered in his mouth.

But anyway, it was time to start the day and face the situation head-on. He was the leader of Stray Kids, the hyung everyone expected to be the rock, and he couldn't show weakness, especially in front of his boys. The mask of composure was already firmly in place.

Upon entering the living room, the comforting aroma of fresh coffee and sizzling bacon already filled the air, a momentary relief for his frayed nerves. The first person Chan spotted was Felix, radiant as always. He was already awake, moving with agility, and had laid out a breakfast table that was nothing short of a feast: various breads, perfectly scrambled eggs, crispy bacon strips, and a colorful selection of Korean appetizers like kimchi and japchae. Felix was indeed the sunshine their fans called him; this was one of the ways he showed love to everyone in the group, and it always warmed Chan's heart. Equally comforting was the fact that both were Australian, sharing the same pang of homesickness that sometimes felt like a hollow ache in his chest.

“Felix?” Chan called, his voice a little hoarser than usual, as he approached his bandmate.

The blond turned, a genuine and contagious smile already breaking across his freckled face. “Hi! Good morning! You're up already? It’s not even 7 AM yet!”

“I set my alarm super loud today,” Chan joked, forcing a slight smile, but in truth, he was blatantly lying. There was no alarm for someone who hadn't slept.

The truth was, Bang Chan had been suffering more from severe insomnia since the near-leak incident. The nights dragged on, long and silent, filled with suffocating anxiety. The only person he'd confided in was Minho, who, with his usual perceptiveness, advised him to see the company’s psychologist. However, he was, unfortunately, the type of person who preferred to keep everything bottled up, carrying the burden alone, even if it slowly killed him inside sometimes. He didn't like discussing it with the boys; he'd only opened up to Lee Know because his friend had caught Chan venting alone in a moment of despair in the back hallway of the company building.

“Chan? Hey? BANG CHAN!!”

The shout, loud and firm, jolted him back to reality. Chan blinked, a blush rising to his neck as he realized with embarrassment that he had zoned out—again, for the third time this week alone. Because of it, he hadn't noticed Felix was no longer in front of him, having returned to finish setting the table. Instead, standing there now was a worried and slightly sulky Changbin, arms crossed over his chest.

"What? Sorry, I didn't hear what you said, Bin.”

“Of course you didn’t hear,” Changbin replied, a faint playful chuckle, but with a trace of concern in his eyes. “You looked like you were off in la-la land, just standing in the middle of the kitchen.”

Bang Chan hated hearing that. Don't get me wrong, he was very used to his members' jokes and teasing after years; it was even comforting, a sign of the group's healthy dynamic. What he didn't like hearing was confirmation that, once again, he had appeared weak in front of them. And the last thing Chan wanted right now was to spark their concern, especially with the tense atmosphere still lingering due to the impending situation. This reminded him, with a knot in his stomach, that he needed to tell them they were meeting the new security guard today.

Little by little, the other members began to emerge. After a few minutes, I.N, Hyunjin, Minho, Seungmin, and Han all appeared, one by one, in the kitchen, sleep still clearly visible on their crumpled faces, some lazy yawns escaping. The table, once an oasis of calm, began to fill with low conversations and the clinking of cutlery. Suddenly, Hyunjin, finishing chewing a piece of bread, caught Chan off guard with the question everyone had been avoiding. "What time are we meeting the new guy?"

The question silenced everyone at the table. Damn it. Bang Chan had wanted to make a more "friendly" and reassuring reminder to avoid the looks of discouragement that now invaded his members' faces. The morning's energy drained away. He glanced at the clock on the wall, feeling everyone's eyes on him, before replying, "It's currently fifteen minutes to eight. The JYP Entertainment team is bringing him to meet us at 11 AM this morning." He barely finished speaking before chaos erupted at the breakfast table.

“ALREADY?! BUT I SAID THE LOUIS VUITTON ONE WOULD STILL DO!” Felix yelled, his usually soft voice tinged with disbelief and frustration.

“We don’t even have anything this week, why so early?” Seungmin asked, his disheartened tone echoing their exhaustion.

“Is it a man? Young? Are they old? Are they annoying?” Questions piled up, each more anxious than the last. And more and more questions began to surface, the murmur growing until Chan's head started to throb from the cacophony. Minho must have noticed the leader's rising distress, as he was the one who calmed everyone's nerves again, raising his voice with his natural authority. Chan would thank him later; it was good not to be the only older one bearing this burden. “I understand…” Minho began, his voice measured, “that you’re still apprehensive about the last situation we went through with the previous one. But, unfortunately, we can’t continue without security. I stalled JYP Entertainment as much as I could, but they’re right: high-profile artists like us can’t afford to be idle like this, vulnerable.”

The silence that followed was heavy, almost unbearable. Everyone clearly still had complaints, their expressions revealing frustration and resignation. However, gradually, they also realized Minho was right. A private security guard was necessary, a grim reality, especially since sasaengs were always circling like hungry hawks, ready for anything to invade their privacy. Jisung was the first to break the spell after a while, his voice hesitant but practical: “Alright, um… so let’s just get this over with. Luckily, this new guard won’t even be very close to us when we’re not in public places, right?” This seemed to cheer up the rest of them a bit, as the old guard only got the information he did because he also lived near their dorms. A physical distance was already a small relief.

Hours later, 10:45 AM.

The air in the dorms was thick with palpable anxiety. Everyone was ready, dressed in comfortable clothes, but their bodies felt stiff. Expectation was a knot in their stomachs. They just wanted to get this over with and go back to the safety and quiet of their rooms. The minutes dragged on like hours, the ticking of the wall clock sounding too loud.

11:00 AM.

Finally, the first footsteps could be heard. Rhythmic, firm, approaching the group’s meeting room. Their management team entered first, led by one of their managers, Ms. Kim, who barely gave them time to say good morning before dropping the bomb. "First of all, I need to inform and reassure you about this. There was a serious accident involving the wife of the security guard who was assigned to you. This made him resign from the job immediately, and we had to act differently..."

A flicker of hope sparked in the members' eyes. A smile began to form on some of their faces, thinking they had escaped once again, gained some precious time. But the hope quickly died the moment Ms. Kim finished her sentence, her voice now more serious. "...and with that, we had to quickly find a substitute. Please come in, Ms. Y/N, from the renowned security company, Security Express.”

They barely had time to process the shocking information — a rush substitute?—before the door opened again, revealing the new addition to the team. A strong woman, with broad shoulders and an upright posture, short, dark hair framing a serious face. Her eyes, an unusual and penetrating shade, swept the room with an almost intimidating calm. She wasn't Korean, but foreign—this was another new development, as all their private security guards until now had only been from South Korea. The new woman smiled formally, a small, almost imperceptible movement of her lips, and seemed barely impressed by the shocked expressions on their faces as she introduced herself. "Hello, it's a pleasure. My name is Y/N, and I am your newest security guard."

It felt as though time had stopped, frozen in that instant of collective surprise. The silence was so dense it could almost be cut with a knife, but only about two minutes had passed since her entrance. No one was breaking the stillness. And, once again, Bang Chan embarrassingly realized that, as the leader, he should be taking the lead, articulating something. But before he could even gather his thoughts and articulate anything last-minute, someone blurted out, their voice sharp with pure astonishment: "A WOMAN???" It came from Lee Know, who apparently hadn't realized he'd said it out loud, the sound reverberating through the room.

The day was just beginning. Could life have reserved any more surprises for them today, or had the biggest one just walked through the door?

Chapter Text

[Lee Know's POV]

It was only after the words had burst out of his mouth, so abruptly and unfiltered, that he realized how wrong his expression had come across. Now, Lee Know was probably being seen as a sexist, for God's sake, and that was absolutely not his intention! But how could he be blamed? Just five weeks ago, his career and the lives of the people he loved most in the world had nearly been ruined by a security lapse. And even though he was managing to hide how deeply it had shaken him, he still wasn't okay. For three days now, Han had been afraid to sleep in the same bed as him, paranoid that someone might manage to take pictures of them, violating what little privacy they had left.

He wanted to have the chance to kill that man with his bare hands. The rage simmered, mixed with persistent fear.

“Excuse me, what exactly would be the problem with me being a woman?” The new security guard, whose name, Y/N, he couldn't stop replaying in his head, asked. Her voice was calm, almost cold, and her face maintained an unperturbed, utterly professional expression. Lee Know was about to stammer out a response, feeling a blush creep up his face, when their manager intervened, a sigh of relief (and a clear sign he was about to make things worse) in her tone.

“I apologize, Y/N, I assure you they usually… aren't like this. They're just a little… tense.” She shot a disguised warning glance at the boys, especially at Minho.

“Wait, I know you…” A voice, breaking the tense silence, emerged from the midst of the meeting for the first time. “You… you were Jennie from BLACKPINK’s private guard at that tech event, right?” Minho turned his head in surprise, and a drop of relief, to see the voice belonged to Jeongin. The maknae’s face was surprised, as if he had just remembered that their new security guard wasn't so much a stranger to him after all, but a recognizable figure amidst the chaos.

That question must have caught Y/N by surprise too, as there was an almost imperceptible pause. But her expression quickly froze back into impeccable professionalism before she confirmed with a slight nod. “Yes, that’s correct. I handled Ms. Jennie Ruby Jane’s security at the X-X-X-X-X event. Actually, don’t worry. I can imagine how shocking this must be for you, because this will also be a new experience for me. You, Stray Kids, will be the first boy group I work with.” This information, delivered with impressive casualness, seemed to spark the curiosity of the rest of the group. Before Minho even realized it, questions were already starting to fly, a welcome relief from the initial tension.

“Which girl groups have you worked with?” Hyunjin asked, his large, curious eyes fixed on her.

When Y/N was about to respond, their manager interjected first, with a rather stern expression. “That information shouldn’t be important to you right now. It’s confidential data regarding other artists.”

“It’s alright, these are standard questions.” Y/N calmly intervened, her voice firm but devoid of hostility. Finally, their manager, seeing the security guard’s professional demeanor, reluctantly allowed her to continue with a nod. “I’ve worked for the girls of IVE, Le Sserafim, Red Velvet, and, of course, Blackpink.” She answered the last part looking directly at I.N, who blushed, clearly pleased his memory was confirmed. “But for all of them, I was only event security and lived remotely, unlike how I will be with you.”

All the boys lifted their heads even higher upon hearing the word ‘Unlike.’ What did she mean, she would be different with them? This last sentence hung in the air, laden with a new wave of confusion and apprehension. Observing the visible strangeness on their faces, Y/N continued normally, her voice unshaken, as if she wasn't about to drop one of the biggest bombs of their lives. “Besides private event security, I’ve also been assigned to a full-time, round-the-clock role. JYP Entertainment will be arranging my relocation, and I will be living with all of you in the same dorm. This was one of the company’s primary demands, from what I understand. Sasaengs are attempting to reach you again, and the threats have intensified.” As she finished, she handed the floor to their other manager, but after that, Minho barely heard another word, too shocked or in denial that they would have an unknown woman not just living near them like the previous one, BUT WITH ALL OF THEM, UNDER THE SAME ROOF. Could he curse? Fuck.

[Bang Chan's POV]

Bang Chan thought he had misheard. No way this new woman in front of them had just announced she was going to live with all of them in the same place. Wait, it's a prank, right? A nervous chuckle threatened to escape. Well, apparently it wasn't, as their manager, Mr. Park, took advantage of the stunned silence and continued the explanation, his voice grave and blunt.

“I can understand the discomfort this information must be causing all of you. We at JYP Entertainment didn’t want to intrude on your privacy, which is already so limited. However, I think it’s important for you to understand one thing, and I won’t mince words, as you’re all adults and need the truth: you’ve recently received explicit death threats through the show team’s emails…”

“WHAT?!” Chan finally exploded. Since the beginning of the meeting, he had been keeping quiet, his forced composure almost bursting through his veins, but this was impossible to ignore. His boys… death threats?

“Wait, did you just say, death threats??” Changbin also spoke up, his voice tinged with an unmistakable touch of fear and surprise. The shock was visible on all their faces, from Felix’s wide eyes to Minho’s tense jaw.

“Yes, that’s exactly what I said.” The manager continued, without bothering to calm them, his expression grim. “It started two weeks ago. The sound mixing engineer said that, at first, she thought it was a tasteless joke from some obsessive fan, but then the threats continued, becoming more graphic and terrifying. We don’t know how this person found her email address, which is exclusive for show-related matters, but she showed us everything. And the threats are clearly for all of you.” The silence that formed after these words was so loud you could hear your own heartbeat. Death threats? Aimed at them? WHY? WHO? The disbelief was a physical blow.

“I regret having to give you this information so abruptly, but I need you all to understand that we have no choice. Your safety is our absolute priority, more than any privacy at this moment. That’s why Y/N was chosen, and she will have to live with you. We thoroughly reviewed her professional record, and she was highly recommended by all her former clients. Some even hinted that she was the best security they ever had. Anyway… that’s it, we don’t have any more time now, as there are other commitments. Bang Chan, we have to leave. Please, as the leader, introduce Ms. Y/N to the entire living area. To the rest of you, thank you.” Their manager, Ms. Kim, the one who started the meeting, finished with a hint of veiled irritation in her voice, before hastily exiting with the rest of the staff, leaving them alone with their new guard.

Y/N, barely fazed by the new turn the meeting had taken — her expression still impeccable — smiled faintly, an almost imperceptible gesture, and finally had the opportunity to introduce herself without interruption. "Well, finally alone. My name is Y/N [Your Last Name], I am [Your Age] years old. As you can see, I am not Korean. I was born in [Your Country of Origin] in the city of [Your City of Origin]. I have 9 years of experience in private and public security, and I speak 7 languages, including Korean, so if you feel more comfortable communicating in your native language, there will be no problem. I am also a specialist in digital security. My hands have guarded secrets and highly confidential documents for many people and will continue to do so; I do not disclose information about any client. Although I will be living with you in the same house, don't worry, I know very well how to disappear, so you won't even feel my presence in your daily lives."

The boys continued listening, the tension slowly easing as she spoke. Apparently, she didn't seem to be a bad person; her professionalism and the seriousness in her voice were undeniable. The initial shock was already fading, and perhaps this forced cohabitation could be beneficial for both sides after all. She would just be doing her job. And, honestly, Bang Chan now agreed with the decision. He was just a little upset that this crucial information about the threats had been hidden from him by the team. He trembled just imagining something happening to the boys under his watch.

“Okay…” Chan began, his voice firmer now. "First, I'd like to apologize for our… strange reactions." He said this, casting a quick, meaningful glance at Lee Know, who averted his face, still a bit embarrassed. “We would never diminish your position for being a woman, much less for being a foreigner, especially since I am one too.” This part, said with a hint of light self-irony, managed to draw muffled laughs from the other members, and the atmosphere in the room visibly began to lighten. The ice had broken a little.

“Yeah! Like, how cool is this, we’re gonna have a female private guard! This is awesome!” Suddenly, Changbin exclaimed, with a genuine enthusiasm Minho hadn't expected.

“I have sisters, so I always like to see women occupying more space, especially in areas like this.” Felix said, his voice soft, and this made Chan nod in agreement, remembering his own sister too.

“9 years of experience is no small feat, congratulations,” Han added softly, with a look of respect.

“Well, I guess it’s time for us to head home now.” Chan commented, feeling a shiver. He realized it would take time to get used to the fact that 'us' now meant 9 people living in the same dorm. "Let's go."

The boys stood up, and Y/N also began to approach the door, moving with surprising lightness for someone of her build. Bang Chan mentally cursed himself, realizing that all this time, none of them had had the courtesy to invite her to sit down. Even though she didn't seem bothered by it, it left a mental note: when they got back, he would offer her a chair, and ensure she felt more comfortable. After all, they now had to begin living together for everyone’s sake. With a final head count, ensuring everyone was present, they finally left the meeting room, the new reality weighing heavily upon them.

Chapter Text

[Y/N's POV]

This was going to be much easier than she thought. Come on, she’d protected presidents of major multinational corporations with an endless list of enemies. She could easily handle taking care of eight grown men – even if they were a bit… strange? Y/N still couldn’t quite put her finger on it, but their reaction to the news that she would be living in the dorm was far more exaggerated than she’d imagined. Although she had been a security guard for idols before, she had to confess she didn't consistently follow the K-Pop universe. So no, she wasn't having any fangirl moments, but it was obvious they were hiding something… She wondered what it could be. Nothing, however, that could ever truly shock her; nine years in the profession had given her countless secrets to take to the grave. Some former clients had even made her swear blood oaths never to reveal them – not that she needed to, she was an eminently professional person. Y/N was just there to do her job, earn her money, and fulfill her other employment, the one that truly kept her interested.

“So, why did you decide to become a security guard?” The question came from I.N, the youngest, his voice genuinely curious. “Me, before I became an idol, I thought I’d be a priest, believe it or not?” He finished, laughing, a sound that, despite the situation, seemed light and easygoing.

This caught her by surprise for a few moments and almost made her laugh out loud. What a drastic change that would have been? Even if she didn't frequently follow K-Pop, her other boss had introduced her to the boys even before the JYP Entertainment staff did. While observing some of their performances for analysis – the role was solely to observe what kind of personas they could project on stage for future risk prevention – she remembered Jeongin in a part of the performance of a song called 'Chk Chk Boom'. And really, no… it would be too dull if this man became a priest. God, this time you know I’m right.

“Well, is it too early for us to know the basics about each other?” She began, her voice neutral but with a hint of challenge. “Don't be scared or feel sorry later, you asked, alright? Anyway, I decided to become a security guard after my parents were murdered when I was 7 years old. It all happened right in front of me. I got over it years ago, before anyone tries to comfort me. I come from a violent city where crime always reigned. My parents started a fight they couldn't win, and they ended up dead. I don't know why they spared me, but here I am. I was raised in the…” She mentally cursed herself, the word ‘underworld’ almost slipping out. Damn it. “…I was raised in a foster home.”

Just as she'd imagined, they fell silent again. Classic. This was what always happened with all her clients. The most hilarious reaction she'd ever gotten was from an American actress who fainted. Unfortunately, she couldn't even make a joke because the story was true. She witnessed the bullets tearing through her mother’s and father’s bodies as she ate her breakfast, a little bread roll with jam and a glass of milk. She just stood there, watching it all, the deafening sound of the gunshots, the smell of gunpowder, the blood… The murderers were masked, of course, and they just looked at her, the paralyzed child in the kitchen, before running off. She never understood why they didn't kill her. Was it because she was a very small, unarmed child? Ah, she really did go to a foster home, but she couldn't adapt and ran away. She was found, and that led her to a series of events that made her become who she is today. Well, at least it helped shape her.

“Hmm, I don’t like your faces. Am I going to be treated differently because I have a sad story?” Y/N said, an eyebrow arched, testing them.

“NO!” They all said in unison, the sound making them chuckle lightly.

“Sorry, it’s just… it kind of caught us by surprise. These topics aren’t very common for us to talk about, you know?” Bang Chan clarified, his face looking genuinely embarrassed.

“Yeah, that’s it… it’s just… a lot of information at once,” the others mumbled, a chorus of agreement.

Y/N was about to reply when she felt her phone vibrate in her tactical pants pocket. This caught the boys’ attention too. She pulled it out to see who was calling. “Damn it, sorry, I need to take this, urgent call. It’s my grandma.” She invented the most plausible excuse for the moment. They nodded, a little curious, and watched her move away to a more secluded corner of the room. Once she confirmed they were far enough not to hear, Y/N answered the call, her voice low and tense. "I've told you a thousand times not to call me on this number, Harley! It's for clients only!"

“Oh, hi to you too, Y/N! Is the new job already making you nervous? Come on, just leave it to me then, I haven’t been doing anything since the last blackout… Can’t we go out and have some fun today? Come ooon, I’ll even call Catalina.” The voice on the other end was annoyingly cheerful, a mix of mockery and childishness.

Y/N couldn’t believe what she was hearing. "You must have lost your mind because of that damn drug you injected yourself with on the last mission, listen here, Harley, you know I care about you…" Dammit, I grew up with this brat and I love her despite everything! "So I’m asking you one last time, apologize to the Boss. You KNOW you’re wrong and you’re still being childish. He won’t give you any work while this goes on, it’s your punishment, so don't drag me into this mess too.” Y/N could still hear a few muffled 'go to hell's from her lovely "sister" before she slammed the phone shut and returned to the boys, taking a deep breath.

Having younger sisters? Definitely not recommended. Especially ones with a talent for chaos.

"Sorry again, especially for making you wait. We can continue now." She said as she approached the members again, her expression once more professional and controlled, as if the call had never happened. As they walked through the JYPE building's hallways, Y/N took the opportunity to observe everything around her, her eyes registering every detail. She normally memorized everything about a given place within 2 days; that was the time recommended by the Boss for all of them, without exception. The boys began talking among themselves, an animated chatter about the dorm and their afternoon plans. For a minute, they forgot she was even there. What? Not a complaint. As she said, she was excellent at going unnoticed, and she didn't care if she was included in her clients' conversations or not. She had her privacy and boundaries, and they had theirs. Everyone happy! YAY!

The boys and Y/N were finally arriving at the dorm, well, that's what Y/N expected, and it must have been because it was the only thing left on the tour. She guessed right. Bang Chan turned to everyone, a soft smile of relief on his face, and looking directly at her, they entered the living space. Once again, Y/N found herself constantly scanning, taking in everything she saw, like a quick assessment. The house was large (it had to be, right, you idiot, eight people and now nine) and appeared very comfortable, with a modern and welcoming decor. This made her recall the shared rooms with her sisters in the foster home, full of laughter and whispered secrets in the dark. A lot had changed since then, but not the love Y/N would always have for them and vice-versa, despite everything that always happened, the fights, and the risks they faced together. A commotion beside her brought her back to the present.

“Y/N, LOOK! THESE PAINTINGS HERE ARE HYUNJIN’S, HE DID ALL OF THEM!” Felix, the blond one, shouted excitedly, pointing to a wall covered in vibrant canvases.

Y/N had already seen the paintings, of course; her trained eyes had noted the art as soon as they entered, but she hadn’t imagined the tall, handsome man had done them. That was quite a talent. As a child, before her parents were killed, she would doodle some things, but nothing on this level of complexity and emotion. “Wow, Hyunjin, congratulations, these artworks are beautiful, you have so much talent! Have you ever thought about exhibiting your work? It would be great, your pieces deserve to be seen.” This statement caught the artist off guard, and Y/N mentally smiled. She liked making men flustered or nervous; it was very amusing to observe their reactions.

“I… uh… thank you. Well, yes and sometimes no. There are times I like to keep them just for myself, you know? It’s very personal. But thank you very much for the encouragement.” He finally replied, his cheeks slightly flushed, his eyes sparkling with a mix of surprise and pleasure.

“Y/N.” She turned upon hearing her name called. It was Lee Know, standing beside Bang Chan, his posture slightly rigid. Poor guy, was he going to formally apologize for his reaction in the meeting? She wanted to say he didn’t have to; that was not even close to the worst reactions and expressions she’d received in her life, trust her. Then he continued, his voice a little softer: “Wouldn’t you like to sit down? Your feet must be tired from all that walking.” HA! How sweet, a generous act disguised as a formal apology. Another classic in her professional life. She walked to the nearest padded chair in the center of the room and sat down, letting out an almost inaudible sigh of relief (her feet, in the high heels she wore for professional posture, were very grateful at that moment).

“Thank you very much, Lee Know.” This earned a contained nod from him, a small, almost imperceptible smile.

The perfect-faced young man with short hair, whom Y/N recalled was named Seungmin, reappeared in their view, holding a tablet. "I think the staff came in here while we were in the meeting because they've already set up a room here, obviously hers. They even brought her luggage." He announced to everyone in the room, gesturing to a more secluded door.

Y/N rose from the chair, feeling the temporary relief for her feet drain away. She took the cue to go put away her things. “I’ll leave you all alone now, so you can adjust. Once again, thank you, and I assure you again that my presence will barely be noticed in your daily lives. Think of me as a guardian ghost.” And with that, she headed for the indicated door, disappearing from their sight.

[Felix's POV]

He already liked her. Perhaps it was because Felix, in truth, liked most people, seeing the good in almost everyone. The revelation that she would be their security instead of the man who was expected had caught him by surprise, yes, but seeing it now… he thought it might be better. All their previous security guards had been men; maybe a woman would be different, and in the best way possible. The way she handled Minho's initial rudeness, and then her own story, made her seem genuinely strong and trustworthy.

However, he couldn't blame the boys' lingering apprehension about it. Well, it's… now hiding their relationship would be more complicated, as they wouldn't have complete privacy alone, not even in their dorms. The worst part was that he'd wanted, since earlier, to give Hyunjin a kiss, a quick, secret kiss in the hallway, but unfortunately, that would have to wait a little longer now, with a new, ultra-attentive guard nearby.

“I think it could work,” he said, thoughtfully, looking at the door through which Y/N had just left.

“What?” Minho asked, his voice still a bit sharp, but the tension visibly lessened.

Felix was silent for a few seconds before replying, turning to the group. “Living with Y/N while we’re all still in this big relationship.” This made all of them thoughtful as well. A calculating silence hung over the group.

“Yeah, like, we still have privacy in our rooms, she has hers and we have ours, she won’t enter our rooms, right…?” Han questioned, looking at them, seeking confirmation.

“She guaranteed she respected her clients’ privacy, so it won’t be a problem and, surprisingly… I… I trust her.” Felix looked for the owner of the voice and was surprised to see it belonged to Bang Chan. Normally, he was always the most suspicious and worried when things went out of a certain control, a true guard dog for the group. Seeing him trust Y/N was already a big step.

“Guys, can we finally focus on the fact that we’re receiving death threats?” Seungmin cut straight to the point, his voice serious and somewhat irritated, souring the mood once again. He was the most pragmatic and least prone to daydreaming.

Felix stepped away, shrugging. “No, I wouldn’t like to talk about that, thank you.” He felt a shiver just thinking about the seriousness of the situation.

Seungmin nevertheless pressed. “We have to talk about it! They hid this information even from Chan, and then suddenly we have a security guard who needs to live with us??? Do you really not wonder why we have to have a guard at our necks even in our own home? Something is happening, and it’s not normal!”

Felix didn't like the tone of extra fear and concern he was trying to plant. Yes, it was scary to think they had new sasaengs running around, but the way he was talking, it was as if they were suddenly being chased by a serial killer. It wasn't the first time they'd received death threats; it was, unfortunately, part of the job. However, on one thing Seungmin was right… why was JYP Entertainment so concerned to this level this time? Apparently, Y/N was a very renowned security guard; he remembered them saying in the meeting that she was highly praised by former clients. But if she was just a 'common' security guard, how could she save them in extreme risk situations that justified this 24/7 surveillance?

Felix snapped out of his reverie at Lee Know’s voice, firm and practical. "It's still almost 3 PM, please, let's all change and try to relax. Remember that this is STILL OUR house, okay?" The emphasis on "our" was clear: they wouldn't let the security's presence erase the home they had built.

“Okay.” They all agreed in unison, resignation mixing with the need for a moment of peace.

[Y/N's POV]

Obviously, Y/N heard the entire conversation, hidden behind the kitchen counter. So their secret was that they were all in a polyamorous relationship? Wow, by far the least shocking thing she’d ever had to keep quiet about. She herself had been in a polyamorous relationship before… was that taboo for the outside world? Disappointing. She shook her head, a slight sneer on her lips. Humans and their small boxes.

Her phone rang again, an urgent vibration in her pocket. Checking who it was, she answered immediately, without hesitation.

“Sir.”

“Are you properly settled in?” The grave voice on the other end of the line questioned, without preamble.

“Yes, Boss. I’ve met my new clients as well. Thank you again for trusting me.”

The voice was silent for a moment. “Y/N, you will always be my greatest pupil. But I just want to confirm with you that the new transaction will be today. The team is ready.”

“Today? Helena said it would be in three days…” Y/N felt a pang of surprise. The original plan had changed.

“Yes, I know Helena said it would be in 3 days, but they changed the plans last minute. If you can’t make it today, let me know beforehand so I can send another pupil in your place.” He said, his voice maintaining an unquestionable tone of authority.

“No, don’t worry, Boss. I can definitely go today. I’ll be ready.” Before the call ended, she tried, a bold idea forming in her mind. “Can Harley come with us? She needs work, and a ‘field mission’ would do her good. An extra punishment, perhaps.”

Silence.

Silence.

A heavy, laden silence from the other end of the line.

“Y/N, don’t try to save your sister’s skin once again. This is between her and Me. Focus on your work, your safety, and your main mission.” And with that, the call ended, leaving Y/N with a sigh.

The Stray Kids boys could count on her audacity to pretend she knew nothing of their secret, as long as they didn’t come to suspect the other part of her, the one she guarded so well beneath layers of professionalism and indifference. The vigilante part that operated in the shadows.

Chapter Text

[Y/N's POV]

Great, first day on the job and she already had to figure out a way to escape unnoticed by her new… employers. It wouldn't be a first, but this would be the first time it had to happen right at the beginning of a long-term assignment. But the last thing Y/N wanted in this life was to disappoint the Boss, especially after everything he had done for her, from taking her off the streets to training her to be the best at what she did.

She could hear the boys' voices in the living room, a constant, lively murmur. They were very noisy, so she would probably have to adopt a more extroverted personality to blend in, which was a bit exhausting but necessary. She glanced at her wrist, it was 30 minutes before 6 PM. What kind of excuse could she invent that was believable and, at the same time, got her out of the situation? Before Y/N could begin to articulate anything, she heard a soft knock on the bedroom door.

“Y/N?”

It was Bang Chan. From what she knew, he was the leader and very protective of the boys. She found this very sweet and, consequently, it reminded her of her own sisters, whom she protected with the same ferocity.

“Hi! Almost good evening, right? Do you need anything? I wanted to give you and the boys more privacy.” Her voice sounded softer than usual, a reflection of the strange kindness he radiated.

“Uh… we wanted to invite you to dinner. You’re our new companion, right? So of course you’re welcome at the table with all of us. Well… the food hasn’t arrived yet, but it should be here soon.” He seemed a little awkward, but the offer was genuine.

Here we go again. Lying. At this point in her life, she could already be the female version of Pinocchio. Holy shit, what a bad joke. 3… 2… 1… Action!

With a slightly choked voice and a slight tremor in her lips, she began to speak, giving a mental nod of appreciation to her own performance as she saw him already showing concern and curiosity in his eyes. She didn't want to be doing this; she couldn't explain it, but lying to these boys felt so sad and wrong. Wait, what the hell kind of thought is that? That's all she needed, for God's sake. She couldn't get attached.

“That’s very sweet, thank you, Bang Chan, but… unfortunately, something happened with my grandmother. Remember that call I received earlier? It was a call from a nurse at the hospital where she’s admitted. She told me my grandmother was calling for me, she wants to see me now.” Oh my God, seriously? She was using the grandmother excuse again? How cliché, but it worked.

“Oh my God, Y/N, I’m so sorry! Uh… of course, I understand, we understand. You can go, and we’ll save some food for you later. I hope your grandmother gets better, please, if anything happens, call us, okay?” He said this with teary eyes, genuine distress in his expression, and it made her feel bad. DAMN IT, WHAT ARE THESE THOUGHTS? Some of the girls needed to slap her today during the transaction, to remind her of her purpose.

“Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I’ll clarify this with the others too.”

“Oh, Y/N?” She turned her head. “You can call me Chan.” He offered a small smile. Hmm? Oh, okay. An attempt to build a bond, she realized.

Chaos was already set in the living room; besides being noisy, they were quite messy. Who organized all this? Poor them, but everything seemed even fun. They were so intertwined that they didn't notice she was present in the room, and, well, the fluffy-cheeked member whose name she remembered was Han was sniffing VERY attached to Lee Know's neck, whispering something in his ear. Wow, she really would be forgotten here, wouldn't she? A sad end to Y/N's career, the ghost security guard. Oh, let her be, she could be dramatic sometimes. But she also found it cute; they seemed to genuinely love each other, a rare and palpable connection.

Bang Chan, apparently, also noticed the scene and cleared his throat loudly to get everyone’s attention.

This made Han and Lee Know turn their faces, and she could see the exact moment their souls left their bodies as they realized she was there, standing and looking at them. Y/N had never seen anyone move so fast (wait, yes she had, herself. Self-love always!). Both sat far apart from each other and looked away, their cheeks flushed. Oh man, this was going to be hilarious. Even Felix looked at her as if she were their Titanic iceberg. They were really afraid of this leaking to the press, so she would do her best to make sure that didn't happen (besides playing dumb, of course).

Changbin called her attention loudly, with a playful grin. “Y/N!!!! You show up just in time for dinner, pretty clever, huh?”

“Hey! What’s with that familiarity? You don’t know if she considers you anything more than a client.” Seungmin said, a protective tone in his voice.

“Oh damn, sorry, Y/N.” Changbin retorted, head bowed, the grin fading.

“Wait, why are you talking to him like that because of her?” Lee Know interjected, his voice laden with ill-disguised jealousy.

Oh, it seemed Lee Know wasn’t much of a fan of hers yet. Don’t worry, angry kitty, she’d give him space to passionately make out with his chubby-cheeked prince. If she told them everything she’d done in her life, would they still be calm here? HA, no way. Y/N didn’t want to be the cause of a possible conflict between them, because that would only lead to headaches. She looked at her wrist again. 6:15 PM. She needed to be at the location by 7:30 PM. Holy hell, she needed to wrap this up, grab her things, and leave.

“First, Changbin, don’t worry, I’m actually the employee here, and you can refer to me however you feel most comfortable, all of you. Even you two, Seungmin and Lee Know. But I’m sorry to say that I unfortunately won’t be able to join you at the table today. I have to visit my grandmother at the hospital now because she’s calling for me, and the nurse said it’s urgent.” Questions already started before Y/N finished, a chorus of concern.

I.N showed genuine concern as he asked. “Do you need help? Can we drive you?”

Hyunjin was next, his big eyes worried. “But what’s wrong with your grandmother? Is it serious? Is she okay?”

There were several more questions, one after another, before Bang Chan… Chan, interrupted everything, his voice loud and firm. “LET HER SPEAK! You’re overwhelming her, damn it. She already said it’s urgent!”

Damn it, this was getting out of hand. She needed to leave NOW. Holy hell, she didn’t even have a grandmother anymore. The old woman had died years ago. The Boss was probably about to call to organize the mission’s itinerary, and she was still here stalling. She hoped Helena was already gathering most of the things and calling Catalina and Dinah. She hated when it was just the four of them, but Harley needed to grow up. The Boss was right, Y/N was too lenient with her younger sister’s screw-ups. It had been like that since they were kids. The first time she met Harley, she was thrashing and breaking things off the table in their current house. She had always been this hurricane, but she didn’t know how far the Boss’s patience could go.

“Boys, when I return, I’ll explain everything to you. I really need to go now.” Damn, she wouldn't be able to grab her things. Thank God, Catalina always brought extra just in case something like this happened.

This finally made them understand and stop asking questions, though worried glances remained. The doorbell rang, and Y/N took the opportunity to answer. It was the delivery person with the food they ordered. She took the packages and handed them to Bang Chan behind her, whose face still held a worried expression, and for the first time, she couldn't bear to see the weight of her lies. A pang of guilt hit her. She closed the door and rushed out into the street.

[Hyunjin's POV]

Things changed too fast in this room. Y/N had gone to her room earlier, no one bothered her; after all, she must have been very tired from the whole trip. So they took the opportunity to play while waiting for the food they ordered to arrive, but things became so sticky all of a sudden that they barely noticed Chan had gotten up before everything. At that moment, Han took the opportunity to entangle himself with Minho, almost wrapping himself around his neck, a gesture of affection so natural it was almost a reflex. Although they were all boyfriends, they knew that the union of these two was something celestial; they seemed truly connected all the time, it was always a beautiful thing to see.

So beautiful that they had barely realized they weren't completely alone anymore, until they heard Chan's loud throat-clearing, who was accompanied by Y/N. She looked at Minho and Han with a contemplative gaze, oh holy shit. The two quickly pulled away as if they had suddenly turned into lava from an erupting volcano, obviously embarrassed, and this was only the first day. This was not going to work out.

Thank God, sensing the atmosphere that had formed, Changbin tried the funny approach and managed to divert her attention from Minsung. He made a joke about how she only showed up at mealtime, but this somehow ended up irritating Seungmin. He apparently didn't like the formality Bin used with Y/N. Damn, was this already jealousy? Changbin apologized to Y/N with his head down after the scolding, and this made her quickly clarify that they were allowed to treat her however they wanted. Hyunjin thought that was really cool. Earlier, when Felix said the drawings on the walls were his, he almost wanted to crawl into the nearest hole out of sheer embarrassment, but then Y/N praised them and even encouraged him to exhibit them someday, and that made him feel more comfortable around her, even if he couldn't explain why. Don't get me wrong, his boyfriends said these things every day too, but having someone 'outside' say it was a little different, a pleasant feeling of validation.

Hyunjin was pulled from his reverie when Y/N then said she wouldn't be able to have dinner with them, as she urgently needed to visit her grandmother in the hospital for a last-minute emergency, and this immediately worried him, as well as the others. I.N was the first of them to ask if she would need help, and he took the opportunity to ask if it was serious or something. Chaos ensued, and everyone then started asking several questions until Chan yelled, silencing everyone, saying they were suffocating her with so much curiosity, and Hyunjin felt embarrassed. It really wasn't the most polite thing in the world to ask about a personal matter in the life of someone you literally just met today.

Y/N reassured them, stating that she had to leave soon and that when she returned, she would explain things better to them. Hyunjin still wanted to give her another message of support, but he was interrupted by the sound of the doorbell, signaling, apparently, that their food had arrived. He saw Y/N quickly grabbing the packages and handing them to Bang Chan before closing the door forcefully and rushing out. He hoped nothing bad happened to her grandmother.

After that, Chan put the food on the table, and everyone started getting ready to eat. Hyunjin could see that his older hyung still had a worried expression on his face. He was like that, always worrying about everyone and wanting to solve even things that weren't his responsibility. This man would always deserve all the love he received in life, both from him and the boys, and from friends and family.

“Look, sorry, but I found it strange.” Minho suddenly said, surprising them.

“What?” Felix asked, with a confused look.

Minho then continued, his eyes narrowed in suspicion.

“This thing about her grandmother, remember she said she grew up in a foster home because her parents died? Why didn’t she go live with her grandmother then?”

The effect of the question was immediate. They all paused, assimilating and realizing that the point actually made sense. I mean… ideally, she would have gone to live with her grandmother instead of a foster home, right? Doubt hung in the air.

“That doesn’t mean anything, let’s try not to be so intrusive. Maybe her grandmother wasn’t able to take care of her or something, or they didn’t have a relationship back then for that to happen.” Felix countered, defending Y/N.

“But if they didn’t have a relationship before, why now?” This question came from Seungmin, and from what Hyunjin was noticing, he and Minho were the ones having the most difficulty accepting Y/N there, the distrust clearly visible.

“They might have met later and decided to form a bond, even if it’s late, that’s quite common. Are we suddenly going to start distrusting our security? You’re being paranoid, please forget about that man, JYP wouldn’t put us in danger.” Chan ended the discussion, his voice firm, but it was clear that Lee Know’s question had indeed sparked a nagging curiosity in everyone.

It probably wasn't a big deal, as Chan himself said, families drift apart and then decide to reconnect years later. It was probably the case with Y/N and her grandmother too, they shouldn't judge.

“Okay then, all set? Let’s start eating.” Han called everyone, breaking the tension, and they finally began to eat, although doubt still lingered in the air for some.

[Y/N's POV] (Continued)

7:10 PM

It was 7:10 PM, and she was still far from the meeting point. The scheduled time was 7:30 PM, but the boys' curious questions had made her lose a lot of time. Hell! It couldn't be like this next time; she never risked being late for a mission.

She heard her phone ring and could already imagine who it was before answering. The Boss's name flashed on the screen.

“Where are you?” The Boss's cold, cutting voice shot out as soon as she answered.

“Sorry, Boss, I had trouble leaving the boys’ house I’m guarding now, I—”

“Y/N. I told you that if this could happen, you should let me know so I could send someone else.” He interrupted her, impatiently.

Y/N swallowed hard before continuing, adrenaline starting to pump.

“Please accept my apologies, Boss. I’ll do my best to ensure this doesn’t happen again. I’m already getting closer to the location. Who’s already there?”

“Catalina, Helena, and Dinah have been waiting for you for minutes, as have the rest of the other teams for a while.”

Y/N couldn't help but notice the touch of reprimand in the way he said it. Although the Boss loved her like a daughter, he would never be an affectionate person in the way you see in movies. He wasn't like that only with her; her sisters also received punishments and complaints when they did something 'wrong' or failed to do what they were supposed to. Don't get her wrong, he was a good man, and she would always be grateful to him, but disappointing him was always the worst outcome.

“I’m arriving, Boss, I need to hang up. I can already see Helena from here.” She hung up and walked quickly to the meeting point, spotting her three sisters.

Catalina was the second oldest among them; unlike Y/N, who had short hair, she had long brown hair, but it was now tied in a tight braid, and she was dressed entirely in black with her weapons already hidden, for sure. Dinah and Helena were no different, both equally clad, the difference being that Dinah's blonde hair was pulled back in an impeccable bun, while Helena's, which was also short like hers, was gelled and slicked back, giving her an even more severe appearance.

“You’re late.” Catalina barely gave her room for a good evening. Her sister could be a bitch when she wanted to, but she was the most badass piece of work Mexico had ever produced, for sure.

But Y/N was already fed up.

“Dear sister, as much as I adore your sharp comments, I already understood the Boss’s blunt cut, I don’t need yours, thank you.”

Of course, Catalina was ready to retort, but she was cut off by Dinah, who stepped between the two.

“We don’t have time for this. Y/N, I see you’re not in your suit. Take this and put it on quickly, it’s already 7:35 PM. The interested party should be here any minute now.”

Y/N grabbed the clothes Dinah handed her – a flexible, dark tactical suit – and quickly got dressed. She didn't have to go anywhere else to do it; she and her sisters had changed in front of each other many times since they were little, without modesty. She looked around and also noticed that the Boss's other employees were present in strategic areas, hidden in the shadows of the alleys and abandoned buildings. Apparently, what was going to happen today was a commercial exchange of illegal items, and the "interested party" was a businessman whose business was growing rapidly, in a questionable way. It was admirable, she admitted, the audacity of that man.

Fully dressed and with her visible weapons and some hidden in discreet holsters, Y/N was ready, her expression serious and focused.

“It’s 7:50 PM, where’s the son of a bitch?” Catalina inquired, her voice low and impatient, looking at her watch.

“Call the Boss, something’s wrong.” Helena pointed out, her eyes scanning the area with suspicion.

Indeed, something seemed wrong. Y/N’s sixth sense was always very keen, and she knew she should have said she didn’t like the meeting location much – it was full of smelly trash bags, eww – but she kept it to herself. Would they really be stupid enough to trick them, and especially the Boss?

Catalina grabbed her phone and, impatiently, dialed the Boss's number. He answered immediately.

“Hi, how are things? Has anything happened yet? I’m seeing you all on the location tracker here.” The Boss’s voice sounded on speakerphone.

“They haven’t shown up yet, Boss. It’s almost 8 PM and nothing, no car, no motorcycle, no approach, nothing. Did something happen?” Catalina said, looking around, frustration evident.

The conversation continued until Y/N started to move away, observing the place and the street more closely, looking for anything out of place. The first thing she noticed was a cardboard box, hidden among smelly trash bags, and this caught her attention. Could it be abandoned kittens? Most people do that in areas like this. She approached, curiosity mixed with a bad feeling, and opened the box. Instead, she found a bomb, with a digital timer flashing: 30 seconds remaining.

She only had time to scream, her voice tearing through the night air, for her sisters to get away from any nearby trash before the box exploded in a cloud of smoke and debris, throwing her forcefully to the ground, the impact knocking the air from her lungs.

Trap. Oh, holy hell.

Chapter Text

[Felix's POV]

After dinner, everyone went to their rooms, except for Felix. Why didn't he go to his own? Instead, his feet guided him to the room he'd gotten to know so well in recent weeks: Hyunjin's. He couldn't explain it as well as Han and Minho's relationship, but from the first time he met Hyunjin, he just felt good. I guess there are some things we can't explain, only live.

Was he still worried about Y/N’s grandmother’s situation? Of course, but he knew everything would turn out fine (he hoped it would), so he decided to do what he’d been wanting to do since this morning.

He knocked on the door, and didn't need to do it more than once before it opened immediately, revealing the tall, strong brunette waiting for him with an inviting smile. Felix was ready to make a joke about how smug he looked, but he didn't have time, because Hyunjin took his hand and quickly kissed him in a rush, a hungry kiss that caught him by surprise. Wow, it seemed he had been dying for this moment too. Felix felt his body instantly ignite. His boyfriend was really good at this; he saw how Stay reacted every time he appeared on screen or approached them at the barricade, and Felix understood them. Hyunjin was a force of nature, and the best part? That man was HIS, well, not just his, but you get it.

“I’m a little impatient now, sorry, but I’m not going easy today.” Hyunjin said, his voice husky and laden with desire.

And he barely had time to process what the brunette said before he was thrown onto the bed with a soft thump. Damn it… not that Felix was weak, far from it, but this man was getting stronger and stronger. He and Han had become addicted to going to the gym and were almost reaching the level of obsession I.N, Changbin, and Chan had with muscle training. He loved it. Nothing was better than encouraging his boyfriends to train hard and have them shirtless around the house, and then it hit him that this was probably going to become difficult now that Y/N lived with them. Ugh, how frustrating.

Hyunjin quickly began to remove his clothes and immediately fell with his mouth on Felix's nipples, which were already sensitive. Lust really humiliates you. He couldn't do anything but moan, plus he was already getting hard, and it seemed Hyunjin noticed too, as he began to distribute kisses along Felix's body until… until he reached his…

“HOLY SHIT, OH DAMN, OH MY GOD, AH PLEASE.”

His desperation made his boyfriend give a small smirk before continuing to suck him, with a skill that made him arch his back. Oh damn, this was never going to get old. He wasn’t going to last much longer, who was he trying to fool? He never did.

“Hyunjin… Hyunjin, please… HYUNJIN.” Felix kept trying, his pleas mixing with his moans, but his partner was determined to make him suffer.

When Felix was close to coming, Hyunjin stopped, and this made the blonde almost cry out of desperation and frustration, but he didn't have time to complain before Hyunjin forcefully flipped him over and pressed him against the mattress, with himself on top. My god, this man really knew how to maneuver him for his own pleasure; it was so exciting. The Australian could feel the movement behind him, the shedding of clothes, and the drawer where they usually kept condoms opening and closing quickly. Oh hell, here we go again.

Felix managed to lift his head a little. “Hyunjin… wait, I want… I want to suck you too.” Damn, his head must have been spinning. Y/N would be back soon. He quickly glanced at the clock on the wall. Almost 8:30 PM. Before, they would stay up late enjoying that they currently had no new content to film.

The request caught his partner off guard. “Oh, you want to, do you? Wow, every time my mind blanks out how greedy you can get at times like these.” Hyunjin switched positions, and now he was lying at the blonde’s mercy, a teasing smile on his lips. “Come on then, suck me if you want it so bad.”

Felix didn't even let him finish speaking before he took his boyfriend's hard member into his mouth, both of them moaning instantly at the pleasurable sensation they were feeling. Felix had to confess that he used to be insecure about how he would be giving head. Han always bragged about how quickly he would make Minho delirious with lust, which sparked both curiosity and anxiety in him. But here he was, leaving no room for the man in bed to remain silent, sucking fiercely.

“Enough.” With a low growl, Hyunjin reversed their original positions again, grabbed a condom, put it on his cock, and quickly prepared Felix with his mouth before thrusting hard inside him, and the blonde could do nothing but moan, gripping the sheets.

“This is what you wanted, isn’t it? My God, you’re such a bitch, look at you, all wet, almost coming for me. The fans think you’re so cute, such a ray of sunshine. I wonder what they’d say if they saw how slutty you can be when you really want a dick.”

Holy hell, Hyunjin was getting so much better at vocalizing during sex. This was going to be his ruin, in a way, it already was.

SLAP!

What…?

With so much lust in the room, Felix couldn't concentrate much on the pain of the slap on his butt, but he was sure it would leave a red mark. He hoped it would.

“Answer me.” The taller man on top of him demanded, authoritatively, pushing deeper.

“My God, YES! YES! YES! I wanted it so badly, I wanted your dick so badly.” Felix didn't care about humiliating himself like this for his boyfriends; it amused him greatly internally. He sometimes remembered how it was in the beginning, how all of them were still shy with all the changes, but honestly? It was the best. They wouldn't always have time to look for someone new and make them sign a contract, so the solution they found was for all of them to start dating each other. In the beginning, it was strange, but then the brotherhood grew, and they couldn't stay away from each other anymore.

Would they let an outsider in? Well, for Felix at least, he would, but it would have to be someone very special, and they hadn't met anyone worthy yet.

Hyunjin continued thrusting hard, increasing the rhythm, until Felix felt his hands tightening on his hips. He was close to coming, for sure. This gave the blonde a diabolical idea, which would surely drive his boyfriend on top of him even more desperate. He tensed as much as he could, squeezing Hyunjin from within, and immediately smiled when he heard a strong growl from above him, followed by a deep moan.

“Damn it, that’s why I can never stop being addicted to you.”

“Oh my God… Felix…”

“I could stay screwing you here forever.”

He loved hearing Hyunjin delirious like that, it was always so good. Their adventures were always great; he still couldn't forget last week in the dance studio…

The room became filled with more moans, cries, and whimpers from both of them, the sounds of skin against skin, the bed creaking. Their orgasms clearly approached. Now it was Hyunjin's turn to check the time. 9:30 PM. When he was with Felix, the hours passed so quickly it almost hurt.

“Come on, my baby, come with me. I love you so much, Yongbok.” Hyunjin was saying, already delirious, and Felix couldn't hold back anymore.

It lasted only a few more seconds before both finally reached orgasm, and Hyunjin collapsed on his back, breathing heavily, and that made him smile. He also loved it when his boyfriends were defeated after sex. He disentangled himself and looked at the beautiful man beside him, who was already falling asleep. Felix had to muster all the strength in the world not to jump on him again; now time would be limited, and Y/N must be arriving soon.

“I love you too, Hwang Hyunjin.” With a soft kiss on his love's forehead, the blonde left the room, his body light and satisfied.

“Felix.”

OH DAMN! The voice beside him almost gave him a heart attack. What the hell was that? The shock lasted only seconds when he recognized Chan's voice.

“Oh my god, Chan, you scared me! Don’t do that anymore!” The exclamation drew laughs from the older man in front of him. Ha ha, funny.

“Sorry.” He said, still half laughing. “I thought Y/N was arriving and I went outside, but it wasn’t her.” Felix knew the human being in front of him very well. You might think that just because they met Y/N literally today, Bang Chan wouldn’t start worrying about her already. Oh, you’d be wrong, because it was already visible; it was part of his nature.

“She must be halfway here already, relax, my love. Do you want me to keep you company?”

His older boyfriend’s gaze changed before he teased him. “Oh, the same company you gave Hyunjin?”

Damn, he didn't know if he could handle it today too. Hyunjin was intense, but Bang Chan? You had to be fully prepared for that man. “Right now… I’m unable to… but another day, yes, but I can still watch something with you, want to?”

Chan laughed again before responding to the proposal, “Of course I do, silly.”

That was it, and also the certainty that Y/N was okay.

[Y/N's POV]

Y/N was definitely not okay.

Her whole body screamed in pain from the sudden fall of the explosion; she was still a bit dazed but managed to get up and yell for her sisters. The smoke was unbearable and hindered her vision.

Suddenly, she heard a shout. “Y/N? Y/N!” It was Helena.

She tried to run, but her body couldn't take it and she ended up collapsing on the ground. Apparently, she was more injured than she thought. “I’m here, Helena.”

She immediately felt her sister’s arms lifting her. Helena must have noticed her weakness, as she carried her in her arms. “Where are Dinah and Catalina?” If something had happened to her sisters, she didn’t know if she could bear it.

Helena fortunately didn't give her fears time to take over. “Your warning was crucial for us not to be hit as hard, thank you. The three of us suffered scratches, but not as serious as you, it seems.” Y/N knew it wasn't the moment, but she couldn't help but be annoyed at how sensitive and fragile she seemed now; she never liked to show weakness.

The smoke was starting to clear a little, and she could glimpse the silhouettes of her other two sisters. Catalina, usually the most dry among them, approached them running when she noticed Y/N’s state. “You’re badly hurt, sister. I’m going to kill that bastard.” At that moment, Helena transferred her to the other sister’s arms, and Y/N could hear Dinah’s static voice talking to someone on the phone and quickly realized it was the Boss.

“It was a fucking trap, there was no meeting. They placed bombs in hidden boxes camouflaged in the trash. Unfortunately, we couldn’t find anyone suspicious nearby, but we got hurt…” Dinah took advantage of this part and quickly glanced at Y/N’s state, who was now sitting and being cared for by her sisters. “Catalina, Helena, and I weren’t badly marked, but Y/N is; she, apparently, got the biggest bomb or the one with the most power.”

Y/N’s focus shifted from Dinah with Helena’s words in her ear. “I think you need to come with us tonight.” Huh? Hold on, it can’t be that bad.

But then she remembered the crucial point: now she had another responsibility, or rather, others in plural, eight men for whom she had invented a lie about visiting her grandmother in the hospital. How would she return in this state? She needed to get rid of as much blood from scratches and dirt as possible, and maybe she could invent that it had been a robbery, maybe.

But Catalina was quicker and, apparently, the only one who remembered her new life. “Helena, did you forget that our dear sister decided to play private nanny to eight grown men?”

Dinah approached. “The cars are arriving, Y/N. If you have to leave before the day ends, you need to go now, because it’s almost 9 PM.”

Helena got stressed and yelled that they couldn't let Y/N stay out of their house tonight, and the heated discussion began before Y/N herself put a stop to it. “Girls… GIRLS!” They finally stopped, a tense silence. “Catalina and Dinah are right, Helena, I admire your concern, and I’m already getting better, you know I’ve suffered worse. I need to go back to the boys’ dorm now that I’m their security. I don’t know if you can tell, but today was my first day, and no, I absolutely cannot just disappear from their sight like this now.”

They fell silent, and minutes passed until they heard the Boss’s workers’ car approaching. “Damn, Y/N, you look like trash.” Great, that’s all she needed, to hear mockery from her ex-boyfriend. End of her career, holy hell.

“You didn’t think I was trash when I used my cuntaralho on you.” She retorted, a sneer on her lips.

Her sisters tried, but couldn’t hold back their laughter, a muffled sound. Y/N felt Helena’s hands carrying her to the car once more, and in a few minutes everyone was positioned. She took one last look at the scene before the vehicle drove off.

“Hey Jonas, we have two stops today. You need to drop Y/N off at this address here.” Catalina said, showing the dorm address on her phone while the light was red.

Jonas was the only childhood friend of her and her sisters; despite not wanting to become what they became, he continued working for their boss in his own ways. “New address? I don’t recall ever approaching this street.”

“It’s my new job.” She clarified, her voice firm.

“What? The boss’s favorite kicked him out?? I don’t believe it.” Y/N had forgotten how unbearable and nosy these men working for the boss could be.

“I didn’t kick him out, you son of a bitch. He always gave us autonomy to do whatever interested us since we were little, you’ve only been here for 5 years, I’ve been here since I was 7 years old.” Y/N didn't always like being rude, but some people asked for it. It really annoyed her when people outside her security circle thought they had some intimacy with her, and at that moment, she realized she understood Lee Know's reaction more than she should. Speaking of them, she had to figure out a way for them to remain comfortable because Y/N didn't want new drama in her life. “What time is it?”

Catalina replied, “It’s almost 10:20 PM now. Do you already know what you’re going to invent for your new play-dolls? We’re almost there, only two more corners.”

Indeed, Y/N immediately recognized the streets she had rushed out of earlier after the food delivery guy arrived, and she took advantage of the moment before Hyunjin said what she realized he wanted to say. She found his concern sweet, but she was late then. “I don’t think I’ll need to, Helena, do you still have any lipstick on you?” The question caught her sister off guard, but she nodded, confirming.

“Lend it to me quickly, please.”

With the lipstick in hand, Y/N quickly applied it to her lips before smudging it with her finger. “What the hell are you doing?” Dinah narrowed her eyes, confused.

“We’re here, this is it, right? I followed the location.” Jonas said, looking out the closed car window.

Y/N wasted no time; she looked at her sisters and said goodbye before clarifying. “I’m going to say I met someone while I was out and got distracted.” She got out of the car, still a little sore, but she could perfectly hear her sisters’ teasing. It had been two years since Y/N no longer lived with them; it sometimes hurt her, but she was loving her autonomy. She watched the car drive away as she entered the path past the gate to the dorm.

Finally approaching the door, she reached into her pockets and inwardly cursed when she realized she’d lost her keys. Damn it. As she started to turn away, the door opened, revealing a very worried but also relieved Bang Chan seeing her.

She wasn’t expecting the strong hug she received. “Thank God, I was already wondering what could have happened! Did you get good news about your grandmother?” He asked, smiling, but Y/N was still focused on his embrace; she even shut down her body screaming in pain from the pressure of the hug.

This was the first hug Y/N had received in three years.

But the hug, apparently, was a complete surprise for him too, because Y/N felt him freeze before they quickly separated. “Sorry, Y/N, I… I didn’t even realize you might not like being hugged by strangers, or anyway, I should have controlled myself and asked permission, please forgive me.” She was about to calm him down, still a bit dazed by the action, before he surprised her again.

“Is that smudged lipstick on your mouth?”

Y/N didn’t like the dating excuse she’d thought of minutes ago as much anymore; she was ready once again to clarify things for him, but Bang Chan once again took the reins, his face flushing. “My God! Sorry again, Y/N, that’s none of my business. I always worry so much about people, even if I only know them superficially, that I forget some people have boundaries.”

She couldn’t stand to see this handsome man apologizing endlessly anymore. And she also urgently needed to bandage her arm and sleep, even if just for 30 minutes.

“Chan, first, my lipstick is smudged because I fell on the way and please don’t worry anymore, I’m fine now. Second, about my grandmother, if it’s not too much trouble, I’d like to talk more calmly tomorrow, and you can hug me… it’s okay, but I’m tired, can we?” Y/N felt him relax after realizing the atmosphere hadn’t become awkward, a relief flowing through her body.

Y/N moved further into the house until she came face to face with a blonde man asleep wrapped in a blanket on the sofa, Felix. He waited for her too? How cute, even grown men can be cute. Chan must have sensed her questions, as he answered.

“He kept me company watching a movie, and when I realized, he was already asleep. I was about to take him to his room when I realized you had arrived.”

At this point, she figured everyone else would already be asleep or getting ready for bed. She checked her watch to confirm. 11 PM. This day was passing so slowly; she couldn't even believe everything had happened all at once.

“No problem! It was very kind of you to wait for me, Chan, thank you from the bottom of my heart. I’m going to shower and sleep since tomorrow is my real first day as your security. Good night.”

“Good night, Y/N.”

She walked to her own room, locked the door, and finally let the expressions of pain flow through her. More injuries to keep her thousands of scars company. It lasted only 3 minutes until she got up, took a quick shower to wash off the blood and dirt, and collapsed into bed. She fell asleep in seconds, exhausted.

[Han's POV]

He could hear the movements in the living room and heard the moment Y/N returned to the dorm. Chan greeted her; it didn't surprise him that his older boyfriend had made that gesture. There wouldn't be a day in Bang Chan's life when he wouldn't worry about someone. Not only was he still awake, but the man in front of him was too.

Minho was silent with his eyes closed, but Han knew very well that he was paying attention to any conversation Y/N and Chan might be having in the living room.

“Don’t you trust her?” His question caught Lee Know by surprise; he opened his eyes.

His second oldest boyfriend thought for a bit before finally replying. “It’s not that. I don’t believe she’s here with intentions to harm us, don’t worry. It’s more about her being a completely new person… You know I have trust issues, Jisung, but I’ll try to treat her normally. I don’t want her to feel uncomfortable around me either, it’s enough that I looked like a sexist idiot earlier in the meeting.”

That last part made Han chuckle; he couldn't even console the dancer about it because the moment was genuinely ridiculous, but Y/N seemed to have already forgotten it.

“Anyway, we’ll have time to get to know each other better as we live together. Now, let’s go to sleep because this day has already been very special and long for my taste.” Han laughed again at his statement before they snuggled up to sleep, Minho’s body warming his.

Chapter Text

[Y/N's POV]

She woke up to the sound of a call. What the hell now? She checked the name and answered after seeing who it was. "What's wrong? Did you get into more trouble?"

"You bitch, I called to see if you were okay. I heard what happened and they told me you were the most affected. Still playing tough? I know you must be suffering, Y/N." She knew her relationship with her younger sister was tense, but Y/N didn't want it to stay that way forever.

"Sorry, Harley. Actually, I'm better. Besides, good thing you woke me up; I need to get up and put on my boss personality before the boys wake up."

Her sister laughed. "Did you turn into a housewife?"

Y/N rolled her eyes. "Go to sleep, Harley. Try to relax a bit."

She hung up the phone and checked the time: 4 AM. It was still too early to prepare breakfast, so she decided to explore the house further. Today would be her first day as this kind of private security. She could still hear Catalina's voice, even miles away, saying she was crazy after hearing that from Y/N’s mouth.

Fully dressed, she unlocked her bedroom door and began her adventure.

Y/N explored the kitchen first. It was Korean style. Y/N had only lived in South Korea for 10 years and, despite being a foreigner, always liked the architecture. Then came the game areas, the pool (wow, gigantic), the wine cellar, more rooms, and finally, the gym. Wow, it was even bigger than she imagined. As Y/N turned around, she noticed a faint light coming from what seemed to be a laptop someone had forgotten to turn off.

When she opened the device, she saw the welcome message. "Hello, Christopher."

The laptop belonged to Bang Chan. Yes, she already knew everyone's full names.

The atmosphere of the place changed, and Y/N’s body quickly sprang into action, realizing another person had entered the room. She rushed towards the intruder and executed a leg sweep, easily taking him down.

"HEY, Y/N, CALM DOWN, IT'S ME." My God, that voice was Lee Know's Prince Charming. Oh, for goodness sake.

She immediately got off him and helped him up. Damn. "Sorry, my body is trained to neutralize any strange movement it detects." She would need to calm down more, as she hadn’t even considered the possibility that it might be one of them. "I didn't mean to hurt you, Han."

This also reminded her that her body was still sore and that, after this grand act, it would probably hurt even more.

He smiled. "And I didn't mean to scare you either. I got up to get some water and noticed noises, so I came to check." He looked from her to the laptop on the table. "What were you doing with Chan's laptop?" he asked, confused.

Han rushed to turn off the electronic device and tucked it under his arm. Y/N immediately realized that laptop was more important to him and probably to the group. "Well, nothing, actually. I was about to turn it off when I sensed your presence."

They stood in silence, looking at each other until Y/N broke it. "Han, it's still too early, you should go back to sleep. Don't worry, no one will come in here." Later that day, she would also need to clarify the matter of the threats they were receiving.

"You should too. Your shift hasn't even started yet, we're not that inhumane."

Y/N sighed. "You can go, I've already lost sleep." She was about to say that Lee Know might show up looking for him, but she held back, of course. They didn't know she already knew about all their relationships.

"If you think that's best..." he said, and she watched him disappear back to his room.

Minutes passed until Y/N saw that it was 5 AM. Okay, she could start doing things now. Yes, she knew how to cook, and she also knew how to prepare Korean dishes. It would never taste the same as a real Korean preparing it, but no one who had eaten it had ever complained. She gathered the ingredients and began.

When everything was on the stove and almost ready, Y/N felt someone watching her. "Who's there?" No response. "If you don't say who it is, I'm coming over there and I'm going to hurt you. I'm serious."

It was then that Changbin finally emerged from behind the wall. "Oh, no, please, no, it's me," he said, approaching her and laughing. "My God, woman! Do you just go around threatening to hurt everyone like that?"

"Fortunately, yes. Besides, it's quite useful for security, don't you think?" she asked, and he was about to answer, but got distracted, noticing the food on the stove for the first time.

"Holy shit, Y/N, is all this for us?"

"Of course." Her answer made the man smile even more. Judging by the size of his muscles, he must eat a lot. Y/N also trained, of course; to maintain high adrenaline performance, you can't have a sedentary body.

Hyunjin and Seungmin were the next to wake up, also approaching, and for the first time, Seungmin seemed to have lowered his guard with her. What food does to people, right? "Y/N??? Did you really make all this? How wonderful!" Hyunjin asked, wide-eyed.

Seungmin agreed. "It smells so good; the other boys will wake up soon, unable to resist."

A few minutes after she spoke, indeed, all the other boys appeared, and now everyone was awake and in the kitchen. Y/N mentally noted that she hadn't eaten anything since the previous morning. She normally didn't feel hungry, but she knew it wouldn't be long before her body started complaining too. Hopefully, they would calm down soon so she could grab whatever snacks she had in her backpack.

Bang Chan seemed to have gone into a trance seeing all that breakfast in front of him, and Y/N suppressed a laugh. They could be quite silly, couldn't they? Maybe Catalina wasn't so wrong, she would be a babysitter. "I don't even know what to say, thank you, Y/N!"

I.N and Felix smiled broadly at her. The two were already her biggest fans, and the worst part was that she found them strangely comfortable, not that everyone wasn't, even Lee Know and Seungmin with their distrust, but I.N and Felix were very friendly. Everyone was at the table getting ready to eat, so it was time for her to leave.

"Where are you going?" Felix asked, confused.

Huh? "Oh, I'll eat a little further away. I don't want to invade your privacy too much."

"Oh, for goodness sake, Y/N, please, sit at the table. No one will mind. Like, seriously, you made all this for us! It's the least we can do." Changbin got up and led her to the empty chair, next to Bang Chan.

Y/N would be lying if she said that act didn't catch her by surprise. "Thank you."

Everyone started eating, and compliments poured from all sides of the table for the food she prepared, and conversations began in perfect harmony until Han accidentally let slip their "mini-encounter" from that morning.

Lee Know immediately shot him a death glare. Okay, for goodness sake, I'm not ready to deal with boyfriend jealousy. "I had gotten up because I'd lost sleep, started walking around the house, and before I knew it, Han found me in one of the rooms." Can she say the rest? Fuck it, she needs to say it, she never hid anything. "And I also accidentally knocked him down with a move; I thought he was an intruder."

Silence filled the room. Would she be burned at the stake?

"My God, you don't have to be like that! Y/N didn't mean to hurt me. I understood her reaction; she acted on impulse, thinking there was a threat to us." All eyes turned to Han as he spoke. "And that also proved that Y/N is really competent."

Felix agreed. "Exactly! Look, she would definitely know how to handle a possible invasion." What a kind man. Handle an invasion? Y/N had to hold back from letting slip that she could do much more than they imagined.

She took the opportunity to address the matter that brought her to them. "Well, now that we're gathered and relaxed, I need to clarify the issue of the threats with you." The atmosphere at the table became tense again, predictably. It must have been a very frightening subject for them. "First, investigations into this are already underway, and I will also be involved in that part. Second, I will have to accompany you to ALL PLACES you go, in public places, of course. I don't need anything hidden from me."

They exchanged quick glances, and Y/N perceived they might be thinking about their personal relationships. "I mean, for example, whoever likes weightlifting here, when you want to train, let me know, and I'll accompany you."

This caught Changbin's attention. "Gym? Even at the gym? Who would try to hurt us at a gym?" She wanted to say at that moment that if someone wants to hurt another person, they will do it at any opportunity, but she decided to moderate her tone.

"Changbin, you are targets everywhere. I know this can be annoying; you don't know me well, I understand, but it's for your safety, I need you to understand," she said, looking each of them in the eyes. "Today will be my first official day, so, just so you know, I will be fully focused, and if I perceive anything that represents a danger to all of you, I will act."

"Okay, all right then; it's your job, feel free," said Bang Chan, and everyone nodded.

Breakfast ended and they started to get up and get ready. Wait, are they leaving already? Good thing she was already ready. She was about to move away when she felt someone pull her. Her instinct screamed again, but she calmed down. "Y/N? Excuse me, can I talk to you?" Oh, you again, Chan.

"Of course you can. In fact, you should."

He chuckled softly before continuing. "It's... I wanted to know if the two of us, just the two of us, could talk more about the threats, please?"

She had already expected this request. He was the leader and the oldest; it was obvious he would want to know more. "Yes, we can. Now or later?" She had a hunch he would say later, but you always have to show you're helpful to the bosses, right?

"Oh, not now, later, because today we arranged to go to a friend's self-defense training center. We arranged it before you arrived, is there a problem?" Y/N mentally shrugged before answering. "Of course, no problem, Bang Chan." He gave her a playful look of disapproval. Oh, right. "Chan." He smiled before he left.

The conversation between them started naturally, and they teased each other as they finished getting ready. Y/N just watched. She saw I.N lightly punch Han's arm and automatically felt her own arm ache with memories of the explosion. Her body was recovering quickly, probably because it knew Y/N had been through much, MUCH worse beatings and always recovered, but she really wanted to call the boss and ask if anything was being investigated yet. He hadn't sent her a single message so far... Was he disappointed?

"Y/N!!!!!!" Her name being called snapped her out of her reverie. She looked for the owner of the voice and saw a smiling Hyunjin trying to free himself from the arms of an equally happy Changbin. "Oh, Y/N, aren't you seeing this? Help me here, look, an intruder!" She rolled her eyes at the scene, but even felt like laughing; they were funny.

Lee Know put an end to the fun and realized everyone was ready to leave. "Stop that, you two, we're going now, let's go."

Everyone left the dorm and stopped. She didn't understand until she saw Chan start counting all the heads. My God, she controlled herself not to laugh at the nostalgia that came to mind; her boss did the same thing with all his daughters.

"Okay, all nine of you here, let's go."

Nine. Still, it was funny. Tell everyone I'm Stray Kids' new vocalist.

Y/N was beginning to realize that these boys couldn't stand still; they always needed to be playing with each other. Felix tried to kiss I.N, who was always dodging, on the cheek. Hyunjin pinched Seungmin's arm and then hid behind Changbin (who took the blame).

Finally, they arrived at the training room. A tall Asian man was already there, training with another man. Were the boys going to take self-defense classes? It wasn't a bad idea; she had also been wanting to suggest it to them, to at least learn the basics of defense. Felix was a little ahead because he knew taekwondo, which was great.

The man sensed their presence. "Look who's here, Lost Children! I confess I thought you wouldn't make it, and you even brought a guest to watch. You're adorable, young lady."

Young lady? She was about to reply, but, apparently, Bang Chan had a mind-reading device, because he interrupted.

"Hey, man, what are you talking about? I said we'd come! And this is Y/N, our new private security. She'll need to stay close to us now." The man's eyes lit up. "Security, huh? So maybe I can teach you some basic extra protection too, or are you afraid to humiliate yourself in front of them, huh?" The man finished, laughing and teasing.

Y/N really wanted to say she could stab him to death right now, and he wouldn't even have time to react, but she controlled herself as much as possible. He wouldn't be the first or the last man to try to belittle her position because she was a woman. She could hear Chan saying there was no need, but her blood was already boiling. She wanted to fight, she missed it. "I accept. Can it be now?"

[Changbin's POV]

I guess no one expected Y/N to accept the challenge, but she did. My God, he confessed that, although apprehensive, he was also curious, and he realized that all the boys shared the same feeling.

Y/N turned to them, smiling as she spoke. "Boys, please, sit down. Don't wander off. I'll be right back." And with that, she walked off towards the padded mats.

Han quietly asked nearby: "Not that I doubt her, but what if she accidentally gets hurt?"

"She won't." Minho's words surprised everyone. Of all people, he was the last Changbin would expect to hear such a statement from.

They now watched the interaction unfolding in front of them. Y/N and the host were talking about something they couldn't hear, and they seemed to agree on something, because then they positioned themselves to start the fight. "What's his name?" Changbin remembered to ask.

Chan replied: "Ha-Yoon."

Ha-Yoon began to lunge at Y/N, who quickly dodged and delivered a swift kick to his shin, making him flinch, but he didn't take long to react to the attack, managing to lightly knock her down. However, Changbin had a feeling she expected it and let it happen, and he got confirmation when she immobilized him with a leg lock. He would be lying if he said he didn't find her dominance exciting.

"Ow!" The shout diverted everyone's attention, including Y/N's, to Felix, who was holding his bleeding finger. What was that? Then Changbin saw a sharp nail near where the blonde was.

"Sorry! Y/N, I'm fine, just focus on-" Felix tried, but Ha-Yoon was faster.

"Rule number 1, young lady, never turn your back on your-" Before the punch hit Y/N's face, she blocked Ha-Yoon's attack with her own hand and took him down with a strong blow, shocking everyone. It was with very professional precision, damn.

"THAT WAS A KNOCKOUT," Han cheered excitedly.

Y/N quickly approached them and went to Felix. "Are you okay?" This genuine concern made his blonde boyfriend smile, and Changbin heard him confirm. "Can I be honest with you guys?"

"Yes." Everyone immediately replied.

"Well, if you want to learn any self-defense, you can ask me. It'll be easier since I'm living with you. I'm quite skilled, but of course... if you want to do it here, that's fine by me."

"I'd prefer to do it with you, Y/N." I.N replied, and Felix quickly agreed, although they already had the impression that the two would do anything to please Y/N. The worst part was that this, strangely, didn't spark jealousy in Changbin, but of course, he couldn't speak for everyone.

Chan seemed a little torn. Apparently, he had almost promised that the classes would be here at his friend's center, but it was clear he didn't despise the idea of having classes with Y/N. "Okay, whoever wants to take self-defense classes here, raise your hand now..." None of them raised their hand. Wait, none? He and Chan couldn't hide their surprise with Lee Know, he also agreed to spend more time with her? Interesting.

The result left Y/N satisfied. "Great, the first class is tomorrow. Decide among yourselves who will be the first student and leave the rest to me. I..." She was interrupted by a call, and Changbin couldn't help but notice her expression change completely to a more serious one, mixed with a bit of relief. "Excuse me, guys, I need to take this." And they watched her walk away again.

I.N broke the silence. "Can we talk about how surprising it was that Minho and Seungmin also agreed to take classes with Y/N? They finally relaxed."

Seungmin rolled his eyes at the maknae's teasing. "You guys act like I said I hated her, for goodness sake. It was only at the beginning of the first day that I was more reserved, but now I'm getting used to it, and I think the same goes for Lee Know."

Minho agreed and spoke. "Yes, exactly. You know I have trust issues at first, but I won't lie, earlier, when she said she hit Han, I got angry, but it passed quickly. I realized it wasn't on purpose, and Han even made sure I understood that."

"Well..." they heard Chan say, "I'm going to say goodbye to Ha-Yoon and tell him that even if the visit wasn't as pleasant as I imagined, it was good to have come. Excuse me."

He walked away at the same moment Y/N approached them again. She had her usual poker face. Changbin and the boys knew that look very well; they were used to seeing it for years. "So, let's wait for Chan to leave." Wait, she calls him that already? The question, apparently, didn't just come from Changbin.

"I thought you called him Bang Chan," I.N questioned, and Changbin immediately noticed a slight touch of jealousy in the maknae's boyfriend of the oldest. Damn it, no, no, they definitely CANNOT show that kind of possessiveness near her.

Y/N clarified. "I called him Bang Chan, and he gave me permission to call him Chan. Does that bother you?" What?

"No... NO! It's... why would that bother us? We're just friends, nothing more." The embarrassing answer came from Han. Wow, it couldn't be more obvious about something suspicious, but, fortunately, Y/N didn't notice anything.

Chan replied: "What are you talking about?"

Y/N turned to them amicably. "I got the impression that the boys were jealous because I called you just Chan, so I clarified that you had given permission."

Everyone gave a nervous, somewhat forced laugh at her response. Oh, damn it…

"Oh, these guys are just playful, Y/N." Chan quickly interrupted the conversation and did his usual head count. "Okay, let's go." And they left the training center.

[Bang Chan's POV]

Y/N is very smart, but Bang Chan is even more suspicious. He feels that she suspects something about their relationship. This is starting to make him agitated. Would he have the courage to ask her directly?

He would talk to her about the threats when they got home, but he would try his best to get to know her better.

"I know very well what you're thinking, and honestly, it's also making me agitated." Chan had forgotten how Lee Know's mind could understand his. Being the oldest had its advantages. "If she already suspected, would her behavior change?"

Minho's question left Chan thoughtful, and he was surprised to answer that he didn't think she would be any different. "I still think it's just paranoia. It's only the second day, we're nervous. It's nothing, okay?"

"Nothing what? Is something bothering you two? You need to let me know if it's public." The voice startled the two hyungs, making them jump in their van seats. Y/N.

Bang Chan smiled, a little panicked inside. "Oh, it's just album stuff, Y/N, nothing you need to worry about!" He noticed her gaze sharpened a little more at the answer. Oh, he was going crazy. "I see. Well, it would be better if you guys discussed it at home, because we've been here for 3 minutes already and everyone's waiting for both of you," she said, and Chan and Minho looked forward and indeed saw all the members gathered on the sidewalk, waiting for them, confused.

Great, wonderful, how embarrassing.

Bang Chan must have been very embarrassed, because he got out so quickly that he didn't notice the audible warning about a stone on the sidewalk where the vehicle stopped. Everything happened so fast that he barely had time to think of an alternative reaction.

Please, tell me he didn't trip on that stone, lose his balance, and fall on Y/N, knocking her down too, please.

He wished someone had said that, but no one did, of course, because it really had happened. He lowered his face, freezing as he met Y/N's gaze. She seemed static. He thought they remained in that position for a few more seconds because Bang Chan felt arms lifting him and then lifting Y/N, and she looked at him, but he looked away.

The tension that formed was broken by Hyunjin's laughter, who didn't hide how amusing he found the scene. "Chan looked like one of those K-drama youngsters falling into the arms of love." And he continued to laugh.

The comment also caused laughter among the other boys, but Bang Chan still looked at Y/N, who returned his gaze until she murmured: "It's okay." But he felt that this week would be chaotic. Felt? No, he was sure.

Chapter Text

[I.N's POV]

He knew it had been wrong and risky to show his jealousy for Chan in front of Y/N, but he couldn't help it. Weeks, maybe more, had passed since he'd spent time alone with his oldest boyfriend. Yes, wow, throw him to the stake for missing him, and the worst was Han's embarrassing response afterward.

Jeongin didn't dislike Y/N; quite the opposite. It was already clear that he and Felix were the friendliest and were getting closer to her. Even Changbin, who had been more reserved, was starting to loosen up. They were heading back in the van, the atmosphere seemed good, but Jeongin felt a subtle tension in the air, something he couldn't quite explain.

He felt a light nudge and turned, finding Seungmin with eyes full of questions. "Are you okay?"

If Lee Know and Bang Chan had a silent communication for being the oldest, he and Seungmin also shared a connection as the youngest, although they weren't that close now that Seungmin was spending more time with Changbin.

"Of course I am."

Jeongin could see in Seungmin's expression that he didn't believe him.

"Everyone noticed what happened there. Maybe Y/N didn't, but we did. If you want to talk about anything, you know you can call us, right?"

"Seungmin, I swear I'm fine, it was just a slight slip-up, it won't happen again."

Jeongin felt a little bad for answering that way, but he wanted to cut the subject short. Y/N was in the front, sitting next to their driver. The trip flowed smoothly afterward, and lighter conversation topics began to emerge.

"Y/N, did you know Felix has been playing LOL for years and still hasn't gotten out of bronze level?"

Jeongin couldn't contain his laughter hearing this; that joke never got old. The whole van erupted in laughter at Felix's reaction, who turned red with embarrassment and tried to go after Han, only to be lightly pushed away by Minho.

"JISUNG, YOU SON OF A-"

Chan interrupted. "Watch your language!"

"What? My God, you're the same man who screams 'We don't give a fuck' at the top of his lungs on tour! And for God's sake, Y/N, listen to me, it's hard when I have time, okay??"

The blonde continued explaining, which drew even more laughter from everyone, until Y/N finally replied.

"I know many people who can bend the rules just to level up. If you still stay in bronze but play responsibly and confidently, that's what matters most, actually."

A resounding 'AH!' resonated inside the vehicle, surprised that Felix had even gotten a defense and support from her side. The conversation continued smoothly for a few minutes, and suddenly, Jeongin felt a longing for Chan again. Speaking of him, Jeongin took the opportunity to look at his oldest hyung, but he now seemed to be in a trance or reflecting on something deep. What could have happened?

The van arrived, and they were finally home. Y/N was the first to get out and gave a warning. "Boys, there are stones on the sidewalk here. Who put that in this place? Oh, Jesus! Anyway, be careful when getting out."

They got out one by one and gathered at the first entrance door, ready to go in if it weren't for Chan and Minho, who still remained in the car. He heard Hyunjin ask. "What are they waiting for? Han, what's wrong with Minho?"

"I don't know? I called him to get out, but he seemed kind of blank, so I thought it best to give him some space, but now I'm worried too. I'm going over there."

Y/N stepped forward. "No, let me check."

They watched her walk away until she got closer to the vehicle. Y/N said something to them, and it seemed like the two... were startled? Apparently, they were indeed in a trance about something. Y/N managed to get them both out, but then everything happened quickly.

Chan got out so hastily that he couldn't hear the loud pleas everyone gave him to pay attention to the stone ahead. And when they realized, he was already losing his balance. Y/N tried to hold him, but without success, and both tumbled onto the ground. They lay on the concrete for a few seconds until everyone ran to help them up.

Then Hyunjin's laughter broke the mood. "Chan looked like one of those K-drama youngsters falling into the arms of love." And he burst into laughter, drawing amusement from everyone. But Jeongin could see Y/N murmur a 'It's okay' to the leader, a subtle gesture that showed her concern.

Y/N spoke, adjusting her clothes with a professional air. "Well, good that you found it amusing; now let's go inside."

They entered the house, and I.N went straight to his room. His head was still a bit full from the jealousy crisis. It was not Y/N's fault at all; he liked her, but he just needed to rest now. Maybe later, he would go to his oldest boyfriend and try something.

[Y/N's POV]

She wished she understood why she kept getting into situations where her body ended up on the ground. She could hear all her still-recovering injuries screaming in discomfort from this fall on the concrete, but honestly, what could she do? Let the man, who if anyone found out it was her fault, had a scratch on his pretty face? Oh no, count me out.

Y/N wasn't stupid; she knew very well that Bang Chan and Lee Know were in that van, paranoid, thinking that she knew about their relationship. Wait, she does know. But frankly, what would she gain by leaking it? Would anyone gain by leaking that information? Oh yes, she remembered now; she was only in this position because their former security guard got some private information.

JYP obviously didn't say what that information was, but now it was pretty obvious. Everyone arrived at the dorm door and entered. She went directly to Bang Chan. OUCH! Chan, damn it, anyway. "Hey, shall we talk now?" Her question made him jump again in surprise. Scaredy-cat.

"Oh... yeah, right, Y/N, yes we will... just let me put some things away in my room."

He had absolutely nothing to put away in his room; it was obviously an excuse to buy time or gather courage to start the conversation between them, but Y/N didn't care. "Okay, fine, I'll wait for you on the balcony."

Someone tried to throw a pillow at her, but she quickly dodged, and the object flew far away. Hyunjin hissed indignantly. "What?? Oh no, that's not fair, such good reflexes!"

"She just knocked down a man bigger than her as if it were nothing. Are you surprised she has infinitely better reflexes than you?" Seungmin provoked, and Y/N saw Hyunjin now throwing a pillow at him, which he couldn't escape.

"Looks like hers are infinitely better than yours too!"

The vocalist didn't let it go. "Oh, you little shit, COME HERE, DON'T RUN!" and both disappeared down the corridors to the room, in a noisy chase.

Unfortunately, Y/N couldn't help but miss her sisters once again. They used to play like that too, of course, when they weren't being trained to be what they are today. Dinah was always the only one who came out unscathed from all the games, and Harley always got into the worst ones. Some things never change...

"Y/N? Hey, Y/N."

She was pulled from her memories by Lee Know's face in front of her. Huh?

"Hi Lee Know, do you need anything?"

"Chan is waiting for you in his room, and yes, he told me you said it would be on the balcony, but he thinks it's more comfortable in his room."

Oh. "Understood, thanks for letting me know, I'm going."
She walked to the band leader's door. Okay, she hoped this wouldn't be terribly tense, because she didn't think she could handle much drama. "Hey, Chan? Can I come in?" she asked, knocking on the door, and entered when she heard a confirmation.

He was sitting in a chair, had changed clothes, and was wearing something more comfortable. The first thing she noticed was how neat and organized his room was, and best of all: it wasn't visually cluttered. Nothing against it, but she couldn't stand rooms like that anymore since she had to grow up with a younger sister putting pictures of One Direction members on their bedroom walls.

"Let's start with the main question. You asked me more about the death threats, right?"

He nodded. "Right."

Y/N didn't sugarcoat anything; she never did. "What I found out is that you are actually being threatened by a 42-year-old man. He's not Korean, as his birth certificate I saw was dated in the United Kingdom. He's threatening you because, according to him, you all destroyed his marriage since his wife apparently left him to... live a romance with you. And since then, he's dedicated himself to this. He wants to find you and kill you, but obviously, I won't let him."

Because she had plans to kill him first, but that's a secret, of course.

Understandably, Chan was visibly shocked. "Wait, we're being threatened with death because the guy's wife dumped him??"

"I have no better words to describe it, so, yes."

"But that... My God, Y/N, we never give anyone hope! NO ONE! Believe me, I don't know this woman; in fact, none of us even know about this woman. We're on a mini-break now, but soon activities will resume, and then??"

He was almost hyperventilating with nervousness; it was visible how much he cared about his boyfriends. She slowly approached him. "Chan, I need you to calm down first, okay? I know this seems terrifying, but I guarantee everything will be fine. I—JYP will find this individual and take quick action. Is this the first time you've received threats?"

"No, unfortunately not. We've been through several, but it always feels like the first time; it's too scary..." He paused and looked at her. "We just do our job. Do we do fanservice? Of course, what K-POP artist doesn't do fanservice? It's almost a mandatory trademark." He finished, laughing, but a little awkwardly.

Yeah, I guess she'll have to do it. Y/N slowly approached and hugged him. This caught him off guard, but he returned the embrace (My God, if Catalina saw this now, she'd be mocked until Christmas).

"Chan, please don't be like this. You don't need to explain nervously like that to me. Confess, I don't know much about this idol life you live, but from what little I know about you, you're hardworking and always try to help everyone around you. That's what matters, okay?"

They hugged for a few minutes until she heard him reply. "You're a good person, Y/N."

You're a good person, Y/N.
You're a good person, Y/N…
You're a good person, Y/N……

(Flashback, years ago. Y/N, 8 years old.)

"For God's sake, Park Na-moo, this little girl won't be able to do this. You must have lost your mind, anyway. I thought you had given up on this plan!"

"Shut up, Jung-Jae!"

Y/N couldn't pay attention to the two men arguing behind her because she was only focused on what was in front of her, a man sweating and pleading for mercy. Pleading to whom? Her?

The fight continued behind her. "Shut up? Damn it, are you listening to me? You took 5 orphaned girls from different countries and you want to turn them into killing machines. If justice catches you, IT'S OVER, MAN!"

"Oh yeah? And who's going to report me? You? Would you dare to betray me, Jung-Jae?"

"Of course not, you son of a bitch! I'm just worried; give up on these cowardly girls, they don't even-"

"Y/N, Dinah, Catalina, Helena, and Harley. They have names; they're not cowardly girls, and that's enough! If you don't want to help, get out."

She felt the man who took her in kneel in front of her. "Hey, Y/N, when I brought you here, I never hid my intentions, did I?"

"No."

And he hadn't hidden them. From the first time Y/N set foot in that temporary house, in a place she still didn't quite know, her guardian told all of them what he wanted to do with Y/N and the other four.

She received a pat on the head with the answer. "Great, can you repeat it again?"

"You said you would make me a fighter, a spy, and..." She paused, but then mustered the courage to say aloud, "And an assassin."
"Ah, very good. Don't worry, Y/N, you won't be alone. You'll have your sisters now. I want you to treat them as such from now on, okay? I'll tell them the same when they come, but first, congratulations, your first day of training has arrived. Do you see that man?"

She nodded, of course she saw the strange man tied to the chair in front of her; he wouldn't stop begging to get out of there; his whimpering was starting to get annoying. "Yes, what about him?"

Y/N didn't realize that her guardian was now holding a gun, finishing cleaning it before handing it to her, smiling. "I want you to kill him."

The whole room gasped, some shocked and others curious. And it was at that moment that she realized she had an audience of 10 people in the room. Everyone was looking at her, but a soft cry from the wall caught her attention more. Oh, it was that 11-year-old boy the guardian also brought; he was from... ah yes, from Thailand, Jonas. He was more scared than she was.

"Why do I have to kill him?" Y/N questioned.

"Do you want strong reasons? If you kill this man, you'll be doing the world a favor. Don't pity him, Y/N. He abused his daughters, who were your age, by the way, and after his wife found out, he killed them all and then ran away like a cowardly piece of shit!" He yelled that last part, making the stranger tremble even more.

She could hear all the murmurs in the room: 'She's a child,' 'Has the boss gone crazy?', 'He's never done this before,' 'Does anyone know if he's recruited children before?'. But Y/N tuned them all out and picked up the gun.

"Oh my God!"
"Is she really going to shoot??"
"Na-moo, I think it's better not to-"

She couldn't help but look at the Thai boy, and she wasn't surprised to find him looking at her too. Y/N could see him slowly shaking his head from side to side, asking her not to do it. But she didn't listen and got closer and closer to the man, who, by the smell, she suspected was starting to urinate.

"Please, don't listen to him!"
"He's lying, I didn't do any of that!"
"You're a child, for God's sake!"
"NO-"

BANG!

The entire room screamed around her, but Y/N could only focus on the man in front of her, now dead and bleeding from the head. She wasn't disgusted; she had seen her parents killed in front of her and stood watching them for several minutes. Y/N turned back to the boy, but this time, he wasn't looking at her.

She felt the man kneel again, but now beside her. "Very good, Y/N. First task complete. I knew you wouldn't disappoint me, and from now on, I want you to call me Boss. You can go back to your room and, please, tell Helena to come here."

She prepared to leave, but was called again. "Y/N?" She turned to her Boss. "You're a good person."

(End of Flashback)

"Y/N? Hey, Y/N, are you there? I'm starting to get worried."

What... she returned to reality with Bang Chan's genuinely worried voice, holding her shoulders firmly, as if preventing her from falling. Damn it!

"Sorry, Chan, I… remembered my grandmother. She used to tell me the same thing, by the way. Sorry, but with so much going on, I forgot to mention she passed away." Lord, that old woman died before Y/N was even born; she just wanted to end this.

"Oh... okay, I apologize too. I didn't even think to ask." He said, downcast.

They heard a knock on the door before it opened, revealing a disheveled-haired I.N, and both tried to understand his silence until Y/N mentally slapped herself, realizing how CLOSE she had gotten to Bang Chan. The hug made her almost put her legs on him, and now the BOYFRIEND, who had already shown jealousy earlier, caught this.

The last time she felt like she was in a telenovela was when they visited Catalina's home country, Mexico, for work. Y/N was sure her sister would love to watch this chapter right now.

"Hi Jeongin, I came to clarify the threat issue for your leader and he ended up having a mini panic attack and that's why I hugged him, anyway, I'm going back to the living room, bye." She spoke, but I.N didn't respond, just kept looking at her. Oh, for crying out loud.

[Bang Chan's POV]

After Y/N left his room, Jeongin kept looking at him, still in silence, and he was starting to get worried. "Are you serious that you're jealous of our security?"

Finally, he said something. "Why are you getting so close to her?"

Bang Chan wanted to laugh. It was HE who was always showing, along with Felix, that he wanted to please her, and he was the one getting closer?

"I think there's a big distortion happening here. You said you liked her, I'm not understanding your position now? What? Do you want me to ask JYP to send her away?"

Something was really holding his Maknae back because he exploded quickly and lunged at him, pushing him onto the bed. "I DON'T WANT YOU TO SEND HER AWAY, HELL! I MISS YOU! SATISFIED?"

"What do you mean, Jeongin? We live together."

"We always share a room, but you're barely giving me any couple attention. Even Minho, who has Han available 24/7, you always called! And not me. How do you want me to feel? It's not Y/N's fault because I've been feeling this for weeks, but her presence pushed me to finally vomit all this out!"

Chan got up, and now he was the one who lunged at the younger and kissed him softly until things escalated too quickly, and the kiss became much more aggressive. "Wait..." Both separated. "First, I'm sorry. I didn't realize I was unintentionally excluding you. You know very well that would never be my intention. Do you want to sleep with me tonight? But just sleep. I apologize, but the conversation with Y/N kind of left me thoughtful, and I don't feel like having sex."

"Oh, you silly old man, when I said I missed you, I meant much more than sex. Of course, I accept." Jeongin smiled and took the opportunity to tickle him, and both fell onto the bed again, laughing.

"What did Y/N tell you?"

Bang Chan's mood changed instantly. "Hmm? Nothing much."

Obviously, his boyfriend didn't believe him. "Christopher, if you don't tell me, I'll call your sister and tell her you cried watching the My Little Pony movie."

"Ugh, I knew you guys were conspiring with her!" He even tried to deflect the question one more time, but the Maknae had grown up and wouldn't let anyone stall him anymore. "Y/N told me who the person threatening us this time is. He's a British man. He says we ruined his marriage, and that's it. I wanted to keep this to myself, but since you insisted, I'll have to tell the other boys as well."

"It's going to be okay. Tell me you're not blaming yourself for this, Chan."

Silence. "I'm not." Lie.

*Phone Ringing*

"Hello? Yes, this is Bang Chan speaking. Someone looking for Y/N?" I.N frowned, just as confused as he was. "Is the woman still downstairs? Still? Ah... well, I'll tell her then, thank you. Wait! What's the woman's name? Okay, understood, thanks for letting me know. Goodbye."

I.N was still confused but now a little curious. "What woman is looking for Y/N?"

"It's her sister, but I'm going to get up to tell her now, since her visitor is still downstairs. Come on."

The two left the room, and while the greatest chaos on earth was happening with Felix and Hyunjin playing LOL, Han eating sandwiches and fighting with Seungmin who stole a piece, Changbin mocking Felix once again about his game level, and Lee Know encouraging more rivalry and... wait, where's Y/N?

He must have asked the question verbally instead of mentally because he received an answer. "She's in the kitchen making sandwiches for Hyunjin."

I.N scoffed. "You don't know how to make a sandwich anymore?"

But Chan went into a deeper questioning. "Wait, that's not the point. Y/N is our security, not a maid. What are you thinking?"

"Calm down, Chan. I'm useful in many things. If I can do it, I'm doing it. If you want, I'll make one for you too." Her voice surprised everyone, and Bang Chan couldn't hide the blush that rose to his skin with the slight reprimand. He hoped no one noticed.

"Ah… of course, Y/N. You're free to do whatever you want, of course! But I think the sandwiches will have to be paused, because you have a visitor downstairs."

The strong expression of surprise that filled her face was quickly noticed by everyone, who were equally curious but held back, thank God. They didn't need another questionnaire episode like her grandmother's.

"What visitor?" Y/N questioned.

It was I.N who answered; Bang Chan had told him on the way to the living room. "It's a woman. She says she's... well, she says she's your sister. Her name is Harley."

Chapter Text

[Seungmin's POV]

Y/N had a sister?

Granted, it was none of his business, or anyone else's, but he couldn't help but notice that this new information took everyone by surprise. They knew barely anything basic about Y/N.

Everyone there was dying to ask her questions about it, but after Bang Chan's outburst because of the grandmother incident, they managed to control themselves. Besides, she told them her grandmother died… damn, imagine losing everyone in your family like that. Seungmin still couldn't wrap his head around how easily she talked about her parents being killed right in front of her.

Y/N handed Hyunjin his sandwich, and he took it, smiling. "Sorry, I had no idea my younger sister would show up here, but I'll be downstairs and will be back quickly. Thanks, I.N and Chan, for letting me know."

They watched her move calmly to the door, open it, and leave. Her figure disappeared down the hallway, leaving a trail of curiosity and some tension in the air.

He couldn't hold back. "We don't even know the basics about Y/N."

"Oh no, you're not going to start that again!" Felix dropped his video game controller, already irritated. "Y/N has helped us with everything so far; she's even going to teach us self-defense classes. Besides, wouldn't that be her privacy?" Felix's voice carried a note of protection, almost possessiveness.

"It doesn't change the fact that we know almost nothing about her. You're so fascinated by her that you're letting yourself be blinded by it. Were you missing a woman that much? Why didn't you choose someone from the shows then?" Seungmin knew he shouldn't have said that; it was a low blow, but who cared? Someone had to say it. "Stop looking at me like that. I like Y/N, but can't you see we should know more about our security?"

Felix lunged at him, and everyone tensed up. The blond man rarely exploded like that; it wasn't that he was entirely innocent, but a full-blown explosion was rare. "Oh yeah? Is that what you want? For me to pick a random woman at a show and take her to the hotel with a confidentiality agreement? Look at the crap you say, damn it!"

"ENOUGH."

Both recoiled from the attack at Chan's strong, immediate reprimand. Oh, how wonderful. "What exactly will you gain by fighting among yourselves? Look, okay, both of you are right." At that moment, Felix shot a strong, challenging glare at their leader. "Yes, both of you! Don't look at me like that, Seungmin is right… we don't know any basic things about Y/N, and that needs to change, but also, equally, Felix spoke the truth. So far, she's always helping us, and we also need to respect her privacy. I don't think she's someone to fear, or does anyone here think she is?"

Damn, no… "No." The answer was unanimous, a reluctant chorus of acceptance.

Han tried a calmer approach between them. "We don't need to disagree. I know very well that Seungmin didn't mean to imply anything about women. We're boyfriends; we just feel different because, like it or not… well, it's a woman living with us, and that does make a difference. Listen, when Y/N comes back, we'll ask to get to know her better; she'll understand." Han spoke with the calm of someone trying to appease an impending storm.

"Sorry, Felix… I really didn't mean that. Damn it, if you show up with a woman in front of me, I'll shave off your long blond hair and burn it in the fireplace." Seungmin's attempt at an apology, mixed with a comical threat, softened the atmosphere.

The Australian laughed, the sound slightly forced but genuine. "I know that very well."

Bang Chan spoke again. "Alright, now we can go back and witness the humiliation that will be Hyunjin beating Felix at the game."

"WHAT IS THIS PERSECUTION AGAINST ME?" Felix yelled, a mix of feigned indignation and humor.

"It's just reality; I'll beat you again." Hyunjin said, confidence overflowing in his voice. "It's not like you're not used to bending over for me." The double entendre in the phrase hung in the air, almost imperceptible to some, but clear to others.

"We all heard that very well last time, don't worry." Changbin teased, and everyone ended up laughing as Felix slowly shrank, blushing, but still having fun.

The atmosphere turned upside down, and the release began. Then, it was I.N's turn to join the conversation, with a mischievous smile. "Changbin says that as if he doesn't moan loudly too. By the way, are you still always the top?" I.N's tone was light, but laden with an intimacy that only time and shared experiences could create.

"If you want, I can show you today that I always am and never get tired." The rapper's answer made the Maknae's cheeks flush, and Seungmin couldn't help but find it amusing to watch, because Seungmin was the one who had been spending more time with Changbin these weeks, and he wasn't lying when he said he never got tired.

"Hmm, I don't think so, Jeongin is mine tonight." Chan said, and I.N's cheeks turned even redder, almost a vibrant crimson.

"I.N, you're going to turn into a tomato." Seungmin pointed out, making them all laugh again.

The mood was calm once more, but then Bang Chan spoke, with a seriousness that cut through the light air. "I need to tell you something, about the threats."

My God! Finally, they were talking more about this issue; it was what Seungmin had wanted from the beginning. "First, I want you to calm down! The man threatening us this time is a British man. According to him, we are responsible for ruining his marriage because his wife left him, claiming she was going to start a romance with all of us, so that's it…" Chan's voice was measured, trying to be as clear as possible in the face of the absurdity.

Minho cleared his throat, with an expression of resignation. "If we're threatened every time someone invents they're having a romance with us, we'll be threatened forever."

"Is he already here in Korea?" Hyunjin asked, and Seungmin realized how dangerous this could become if the answer was yes. A chill ran down his spine.

But Chan, apparently, was also caught off guard by the question. "I- I don't know that, sorry, I forgot to ask Y/N about it." The lapse in information, however small, seemed to weigh on him.

"How far would Y/N go to protect us?"

Everyone turned to Felix, who now had a thoughtful expression, the fun from before draining from his eyes. "Like, I don't know, we saw how well she fights, but what if the guy is more dangerous than we think? I wouldn't want to see Y/N get hurt." The concern in his voice was palpable.

"She won't get hurt, let's not let fear get into our heads, please. Look, shall we go back to playing? Y/N will be back soon." Chan ended the conversation, but the mild atmosphere that had settled minutes earlier didn't fully return. A layer of apprehension hung in the air.

[Y/N's POV]

She closed the dorm door with a force that echoed down the hallway. She couldn't believe her sister had the audacity to show up at her workplace. She'd told all her sisters not to do that unless it was an emergency. Damn, she was already imagining the boys thinking she was suspicious again; there was no way around it, she'd have to reveal more about her life to them, goddammit!

"Miss Y/N?"

She turned to the voice calling her name. It was the elderly man who managed the condominium's entrance gate, a gray-haired man with curious eyes. "Your sister, Miss Harley, is waiting for you there." He pointed to the empty room at the back of the building, and Y/N, indeed, saw her sister. The idiot was even waving at her, for crying out loud. Rage boiled within her.

"Thank you, sir! Have a great day at work." Her voice, despite the internal anger, maintained a professional tone.

Y/N approached her sister, who noticed the anger on her face and began to explain herself, words tumbling out in a rapid torrent. "WAIT! Please, Y/N. I swear it's urgent!" But she didn't listen and dragged her sister further against the wall, where the man couldn't see, to ensure privacy and discretion.

"What the hell do you think you're doing? Do you have any idea of the situation you've put me in now? Have you been doing drugs again or something?" Y/N's voice was a furious whisper, laden with disbelief.

"Drugs, my ass! You grumpy idiot, when did you become like Catalina? You used to be the nicest to me, and now you treat me like everyone else!" Harley retorted, her tone oscillating between offense and a hint of lament.

She was close to exploding. "I'm still very nice to you; if I weren't SO nice to you, Harley, I would have told the boss that it was you, during that operation in Germany, who shot me because you were high!" The old wound, a painful reminder of an accidental betrayal.

"It's really cowardly of you to bring that up now. I never meant to do that, Y/N, you know that. Please, don't say that to me anymore." Harley's voice became a murmur, almost a whisper of regret.

The worst part was that Y/N knew it was cowardly. It happened three years ago. The mission was only for Helena, Dinah, Catalina, and her, but somehow, Harley got the location and showed up high. She accidentally shot Y/N blindly, hitting her in the arm. It was then that Y/N almost killed her, reacting immediately after the shot, even though the pain burned. After that, her younger sister couldn't look her in the eye for days, but Y/N never snitched, not to her sisters, much less to the boss. The secret was a silent burden between them.

"And what do you have that's so important to tell me, Harley?" Y/N asked, her voice now controlled, but still with a hint of exhaustion.

Her sister grinned widely at the question, a smile that, for Y/N, was a sign of trouble. Damn, when she gets happy and smiley like that… she's done something she shouldn't have and wants her help, Y/N predicted correctly. "Well, I just killed a man because he touched my breasts without permission, but I don't know where to bury him, can you help me?" Harley's tone was casual, as if she were asking for a cup of sugar.

Y/N felt like she was going to lose the rest of her sanity. "You want me to leave my job now, to help you bury a corpse? Have you gone completely insane, goddammit?" Disbelief was palpable in her voice.

"Whoops, true! My God, I forgot about your boys, damn it. Meet me at dawn then? This dawn, I can hide him for now, but burying him is more fun with you, I love it!" Harley's enthusiasm was almost childish, and utterly disturbing.

Normal siblings had cute and lovely games with each other: playing with dolls, soccer, house, hide-and-seek, among others. But Y/N and her sisters' favorite game was burying dead bodies. Perhaps their family's surname should have been Addams.

"No." She replied and began to turn to leave, but Harley grabbed her arm with surprising strength.

"What? You love doing this! Are you really turning into a housewife because of these eight men?" Harley's sarcasm was acidic.

Housewife my ass. "Oh, you're so annoying! Fine, 3 AM, got it? By that time, the whole house will be asleep, and I'll meet you." Y/N's reluctance was obvious, but loyalty to her sister spoke louder.

"I LOVE YOU Y/N, I KNEW YOU WOULDN'T LEAVE ME!!"

Her sister jumped on her with all her might, and the man watching from afar caught the scene and then chuckled. Poor guy… he must be thinking they were arranging a salon appointment or something, little did he know that her younger sister's joy was because they were going to bury a dead man's body together.

"Go, girl, let go! Take care and see you later."

Y/N started approaching the dorm again and mentally prepared herself for the information she'd have to disclose to calm down eight grown men that she wasn't a threat.

She entered the living room, and everyone immediately looked at her, ugh. "Boys, first, I'd like to clarify something before the questions start. I never said I had no family; I said my parents had been killed. I didn't think there was a need to reveal my private life to you, but I don't want the atmosphere to worsen, so it's fine." Her voice was firm, but with a touch of vulnerability.

She heard Han hiss, quietly, with an almost childlike curiosity. "That woman… Harley, is she really your sister?"

"Yes, she's my younger sister. Besides her, I have three other sisters: Dinah, Catalina, and Helena."

"But… you said your parents-" Changbin began, visibly confused.

"Yes, Changbin, my parents were murdered, that's not a lie. These are my sisters, but not by blood. We grew up together in a…" What word would be best to describe it? Ah. "Boarding school." The word came out with a weight, evoking images they couldn't possibly comprehend.

"You said you can speak Korean; do you actually live here in South Korea?" Now it was I.N's turn to ask, his voice tinged with sincere curiosity.

"After leaving the boarding school, my sister and I separated." Oops, that's not a lie either. "We went to different places to specialize professionally, but after a year and a half, we all returned to Korea." She obviously didn't say that the specialization was about enduring hours of electric shock, managing to untie herself from a stone tied to her ankle while sinking in the open sea, among other things, but anyway.

She saw Felix's smile widen, radiating an almost angelic light. She wouldn't confess it aloud, but she liked to observe how he seemed to like everything she did. "Are your sisters security guards too?" Oh-

"No, they're not, it's… Helena is an elementary school teacher, Catalina is a veterinarian, Dinah is a DJ, and Harley is a journalist." Y/N recited the professions with a serious air, almost as if reading from a list.

Y/N wasn't making this up. When they were kids, one day in the room they shared, they started talking about what their professions would be if the boss hadn't adopted them. Today, it was quite difficult to imagine them all in these careers, but it used to be a plan. Did Helena remember wanting to be a teacher?

"You ended up with the riskiest and most adrenaline-filled career, that's cool!" Chan lightly reprimanded Hyunjin, thinking he was disrespecting the sisters' professions, poor guy.

After that, the interrogation began in earnest, as was predictable.

"Are you afraid of anything?" No. The answer came without hesitation.
"Do you play video games?" Yes. A slight smile played on her lips.
"Are you allergic to anything?" Yes, apples, ugh. A grimace of disgust appeared.
"Do you have a boyfriend?"

This last question surprised everyone, and even more so because it came from Lee Know. She admitted she was also shocked, wow. "No, I don't have a boyfriend or a girlfriend." A collective 'Oh' was audible from everyone in the room, an unexpected cuteness.

Another round of questions was asked, and they spent hours getting to know each other, and not just about her. She learned new things about them too. She didn't understand much about the recruitment to become a K-POP idol, but it seemed that Felix and Lee Know almost weren't part of the band. It was a bit crazy to try to imagine that reality, and she felt a little sad when Chan talked about 'leaving' his family to live this current dream. Life is made of choices, and another important one that would also help her work: Han confessed that he has anxiety, and it sometimes worsens in large crowds, giving airports as an example.

"Y/N," she turned her face to Lee Know. "You can call me Minho." Oops! Everyone looked at the dancer as if he had been abducted. Was it rare for him to give that permission?

"Of course, Minho." Incidentally, she also now knew about their cats, too cute. Y/N had always wanted pets, but the life she had chosen barely allowed her to take care of her own life, much less another living being. It was the sad reality. "Does anyone here want me to call them something different?"

"Look… I don't know if it makes much difference, but you can call me Binnie." She was starting to realize that Changbin was another one who was beginning to relax around her, the invisible barrier dissolving.

After that, it was Felix's turn to say she could call him 'Lix' if she wanted, and also I.N saying it could be 'Innie'. She found out that, at the beginning of the formation, Han and Hyunjin had disagreements, that Changbin's appearance was very different before—she had to point out that the big, muscular look suited him better. She also learned that there are divisions in the band called 'DanceRacha', '3Racha', and other variations as well.

I.N lightly nudged her. "Y/N, we're all going to watch a movie together tonight. You're invited if you want." The invitation was genuine, carrying a new friendship.

Until then, she noticed that they all didn't go to bed as late as she imagined. Did any of them have insomnia or other sleep problems? She could definitely watch, but she would have to make sure they were all in their rooms when she left to meet her sister.

"Alright, I can! But by the way, just a reminder, tomorrow we start self-defense classes, so it would be ideal for you to sleep early and rest well."

They all nodded, indicating they had heard and understood. Good. Y/N felt her phone vibrate with messages and picked it up to check.

MESSAGES:

Harley: Did you calm your little boys down?

Y/N: They're not my little boys. But yes, everything's under control, no thanks to you.

Harley: Stop being a bitch, I've already hidden the body here in a place where it will be difficult for anyone to look, I had an idea, why don't we throw him into the sea?

Y/N: If you keep having those stupid ideas, you'll be the one thrown into the sea.

Harley: *Middle finger emoji* See you at 3 AM, idiot.

"Y/N"

She looked up from her phone to find a somewhat embarrassed I.N, his eyes cast down, almost apologetic. "I… wanted to apologize to you, when you looked at me there in Chan's room, explaining yourself… I shouldn't have treated you that way, besides, I'm just his friend and bandmate… I don't know why that happened, I hope you understand."

Oh… how sweet. Boyfriend jealousy was super normal; he was even pretty chill. The last female girlfriend she had, in a fit of jealousy, almost sliced my abdomen. "Don't worry, I.N, you'll get used to me eventually." Y/N's voice was soft, reassuring.

"But I'm already used to you… that's not the point."

"Jeongin, you don't need to explain yourself to me every time; I'm just security." Her tone was almost professional again, maintaining a subtle distance.

He cleared his throat, hesitation evident. "Yes… but can't you become… I don't know, a friend?"

Oh… "But do all of them want me to be a friend of yours? Would there be a problem?" She saw him almost choke after she said that, the surprise on his face was priceless.

"N-No, I don't think the boys would have a problem with that, Y/N. In fact, I think they might also want us all to become friends." He stammered a bit, the idea exciting him.

"HEY! What are you two whispering about, huh?" Jeongin almost jumped off the couch at the surprise of Hyunjin's voice, but she barely flinched. Damn, she hadn't realized she was whispering.

"I.N and I are building a friendship; he told me it would be better and suggested that you all be my friends too. I think it's a good idea, if you want my opinion, too; it would also facilitate my work in protecting all of you because we would have a better synchronicity." Her voice was clear, almost like a business proposal, but with a touch of openness.

Felix spoke up, coming to her side with a wide smile. "Well, I kind of considered you my friend long before this; everyone agrees?" This was no surprise. Looking at the blond man next to her reminded her that he had also almost been out at the beginning because he couldn't speak Korean fluently.

A loud "Yes!" in unison was said. The sound filled the room, a chorus of acceptance.

"Wow, what a huge surprise! No one could have imagined that, Felix." Han pointed out, getting up to drink water. "I agree too; let's build a friendship for this to always work out. By the way, Y/N, can self-defense classes be in the afternoon or evening? Tomorrow we wanted to go to a park."

Park? An open place? Funny, they're only telling me this now?? For crying out loud. Her irritation was almost palpable, a communication breakdown that could have consequences.

Chan intercepted, understanding the gravity of the situation. "That park idea was discussed BEFORE we knew there was a crazy man threatening us with death; it's not happening." His voice was firm, unyielding.

"Wait, so that's why we have to stay locked up? It's not the first time we've been in this situation…" She continued listening to them argue until something clicked. Wait… WAIT. An epiphany struck her.

She suddenly stood up, grabbing everyone's attention, but Y/N was looking directly at Bang Chan, her eyes fixed on his. "You told them about the man?"

The leader flinched slightly at her tone of voice, his formerly imposing posture now slightly slumped. "Wasn't I supposed to? I thought you agreed after you told me. I told them after you went to meet your sister. Are you worried about their reactions?" He tried to justify himself, his voice a little choked.

"Hey Y/N, if you're worried about our reactions… you don't need to be. Han is right. This isn't the first time this has happened, and it won't be the last. We're worried, but we know you'll protect us." Unfortunately, she couldn't help but relax a little at Changbin's affirmation, the confidence in his words calming her.

She tried a different approach. "Okay, do you really want to go to that park tomorrow?" Everyone agreed, except Chan, but his reluctance lasted only seconds. Apparently, he also wanted to walk instead of just staying locked up. "Alright then, what time would that be?"

It was Seungmin who answered. "8:30 AM." This was the first time she had heard his voice audibly speak to her since she returned. This relationship between them would require more effort from her to get closer… but very slowly.

They continued to discuss what the plan would be for tomorrow and assured her that they all had camouflage strategies to ward off fans and nosey people, but her concern wasn't even that. It was that the British man, the last time Jonas sent her updates, was already on his way to Korea, and Y/N still hadn't messaged her friend asking about recent tracking.

After so much talking, Lee Know grabbed the TV remote, and they started choosing which movie they would watch. She looked at the clock to check the time and was startled when she saw it was almost 11 PM. When had the hours flown by so quickly? My God.

The chosen movie was Deadpool, and they took the opportunity to brag to her that they had a music video with Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman. Wow, really impressive. She had to confess that she didn't know much about their songs, but she had a suspicion that this would soon be demanded of them, even jokingly. So, she'd better start her "fan operation."

[Han's POV]

Things were good again, thank goodness. They spent the entire afternoon getting to know Y/N and vice versa, and the atmosphere had returned to normal, and even a friendship proposal with her had been offered, which was supported by all of them. Until he mentioned the park outing tomorrow and Chan disagreed. Oh, hell, were they going to stay locked up because of this British man as if it were a quarantine?

Thank God, after much discussion, Y/N gave the green light for the outing, and they would all be able to go. They were now going to watch the second Deadpool movie, but Han had to admit that he was already sleepy, but he would still accompany his boyfriends and their security guard and friend Y/N. Wow, he actually liked the sound of calling her a friend.

He heard I.N tell Y/N about the STAYs' theories that they might appear in the movie, which didn't happen, what a shame. But they did, in a way, participate in the movie, and things lasted until Han couldn't take it anymore and said he needed to sleep. Minho looked at him; his boyfriend didn't seem to want to sleep yet, but he didn't like sleeping separately from him, and Han now felt a little awkward, realizing the situation he had put him in.

He heard Minho sigh. "I think I want to lie down too; sorry I couldn't stay with you guys until the end of the movie." Minho's tone was soft, understanding.

Han looked at Y/N, afraid she might be suspecting something, but she was talking about anime with Felix and Hyunjin, who also didn't seem to have paid much attention to what he and Lee Know said. So, the two took advantage of this moment to go to their room with a sidelong glance from Bang Chan, who watched the scene with a discreet smile.

"Did you want to keep watching? Sorry, I didn't want to ruin your fun." Han asked, already inside the room, feeling the warmth of Minho's body close to his.

Minho turned to him, kissing him after they locked the door. "It's not like we haven't seen this movie before, Jisung." His kiss was a mix of affection and slight amusement.

"Just admit you can't stay away from me." He said, laughing. "It's been like this since the beginning." The teasing was inevitable.

"Weren't you sleepy? Come on, get ready for bed and stop being a wiseass."

His boyfriend's reply sent him into a fit of laughter. It was funny how Lee Know got all flustered when Han pointed out that since the first day they met, the dancer had quickly grown attached to him, and vice versa, of course, because even now he couldn't resist the older man. This reminded him of all the theories and fan art the fans made of them. Were they that obvious?

Oh, wait, Han just remembered he was thinking of asking him a question. "Lee Know…" His boyfriend's eyes landed on him once more, attention focused. "It's just curiosity, why did you ask if Y/N had a boyfriend?"

And it really was just curiosity. Han felt no jealousy or anything like that, but Minho couldn't really explain it either.

"I don't know, maybe to avoid confusion."

"Confusion about what?"

"Han, we have a man threatening us because he thinks we stole his wife. If she had a boyfriend who thought we were stealing her too? Better to be cautious." Minho's logic was impeccable, though a bit pessimistic.

Worse, he actually had a point there. In fact, this British man thing seemed almost like a joke, it was so absurd. What they had most was this parasocial relationship with fans; they couldn't control what they created in their heads, but the problem was when these illusions went from harmless to aggressive.

"You're right. I already know Chan's opinion, but I want to know yours. Do you still think it's a good idea to go to the park tomorrow?"

The question made Minho thoughtful, his brow furrowed in thought, until he replied. "Actually, on this matter, I understand both sides. Chan will always want to protect everyone, but you're also right not to always compromise your freedom because of this. We'll go, and everything will be fine." His tone was reassuring, a promise.

Okay then, he started taking off his clothes to change, but felt hands on his body, and couldn't help but smile. These tattoos helped him so much… "Wow, Lee Know, you're really addicted to me, aren't you?" The question made his boyfriend shy, and he pushed Han away, who burst into laughter once more.

"You're not so funny when you're moaning while I'm inside you, Jisung." Minho's voice was husky, teasing.

OH- Ah, so that's how it is?

"And you… Lee Know, you're not so grumpy either when I'm sucking you up to the clouds… AH WAIT, NO-"

The dancer fell on top of him, and they ended up kissing until they separated because, despite all the joking, Han wasn't lying when he said he was sleepy and wanted to sleep. "Let's sleep, now!"

The two continued to tease each other in bed until they couldn't resist any longer and ended up falling asleep, embraced, as always. The room fell silent, with only the soft sound of their breathing.

[Y/N's POV]

After Han and Lee Know went to sleep together, she and the rest of the boys continued talking and watching the movie until it was Changbin, I.N, and Seungmin's turn to go to bed. She was able to observe clearly, even with them trying to hide it, that I.N entered Bang Chan's room. It seemed they had resolved their jealousy crisis with that agreement, apparently.

So she asked. "And you, Chan? Aren't you sleepy?"

He looked at her and laughed somewhat awkwardly, a tired smile. "Sleepy? He and I have a somewhat troubled relationship. Some days I sleep at 4 AM; it varies greatly. For example, right now I'm not sleepy."

My God, does he have insomnia? The revelation caught her by surprise.

"Too bad, I'm sure Y/N prefers my company and Felix's with her." Hyunjin teased before getting up to turn off the TV, his playful tone hiding a hint of hope.

Chan looked at the two with narrowed eyes, a mischievous smile on his lips. "Oh yeah? Well, now we'll all go to bed and let Y/N rest alone."

This obviously made the two dancers upset, with expressions of disappointment. But she also took the leader's cue because she needed everyone to be in their rooms, whether separated or together, but they needed to be there. "Boys, I enjoy all of your company, but Chan is right, it's almost 12:40 AM; I think it's best we retire."

Thank God, the two seemed to understand and began to get ready for bed. Y/N's attention was drawn back to the oldest in the room. He wanted to talk about something in the movie with her, but Y/N wasn't stupid. He did it so she wouldn't notice that Felix entered Hyunjin's room instead of his own. It was funny, how long could she pretend she didn't already know everything?

"Chan, even if you're not sleepy, I think it's good for you to try too."

She heard him sigh, a sound of resignation, because despite everything, he was tired, and tomorrow… wait, today. Anyway, today would be a tiring day too.

"Yeah, you're right, good night Y/N!"

"Good night, Chan!"

After he entered his room, Y/N quickly grabbed her phone and messaged her sister. She wasn't late, but knowing Harley… anything was possible. Y/N still couldn't believe she would have to go out in the middle of the night to hide a body with her younger sister.

MESSAGES:

Y/N: are you ready yet?

Harley: Of course, I even thought your boys wouldn't let you come.

Y/N: They're not my boys. I'm going to change and meet you, it's still 1 AM, stop being a smartass.

Harley: Wow, sis, you really need to get laid, you know.

She didn't even bother to reply and started turning off everything in the house and walked to her room. Y/N was quick to get ready; in a few minutes, she was already set. As the hour approached, she took the opportunity to message Jonas asking for updates on the British man. The reply came immediately.

Jonas: He's already here in Korea, Y/N.

For crying out loud, well… Great, she'll have to carry more weapons now when she goes out with the boys. She thanked him for the new updates and started heading to the door to leave but quickly came back when she noticed someone had returned to the living room. She controlled her body's urge to spring into action and silently managed to see who it was. Oh no. Bang Chan.

Y/N couldn't leave with him in the living room, damn it! Here we go back to the old days again… Climbing out the window. She had done it many times; it wasn't difficult, but ugh, through the door would have been more practical, right? She opened the window on her floor and observed the height. If she fell, she might break her arm, nothing too bad, okay, let's go… However, she didn't have time for that, because a very familiar figure appeared outside the window.

She must be hallucinating.

"Sis!" Harley. "Open up, I came to help you, wait, are you going to climb down here?"

She opened the window and quickly pulled her sister inside, her face contorted in fury. "You bitch, you daughter of a whore! What are you doing here?"

"Ooh, nervous to see me with your boys?" Harley retorted, a mocking smile playing on her lips.

OH, COME ON!

"For the last time… they are NOT my boys, and just so you know, I told them you were a journalist." Y/N's exasperation was evident.

The idiot still smiled hearing it. "Oh, you said my alternate reality profession? How cute!"

Y/N was ready to tell her sister to go to hell until they heard a knock on the door. What? Who…

"Y/N? Can I talk to you, please?"

Bang Chan. This has to be a joke. Life was really pushing the leader towards her, what the hell?

Her sister controlled herself not to laugh, her eyes sparkling with amusement at the situation. "So, little sis, aren't you going to open the door for the big boy?"

Chapter Text

[Bang Chan's POV]

I entered my room, the echo of Y/N's "good night" still reverberating in my ears, but my head remained a whirlwind. I tried to hide the tremor in my hands when I said goodbye to her, the mask of tranquility heavy on my face. Fortunately, the sight of Jeongin, sleeping like an angel, his face soft and his breath calm, helped to soothe my nerves, but not enough. Sleep was a luxury my restless mind refused to allow. Paranoias coiled like snakes, tightening around my chest. I wanted to know more about Y/N, but the idea of demanding it felt like an absurd invasion.

It wouldn't be prudent of me to do so. I myself often pulled the rug out from under the other boys when they got too enthusiastic with their questions. But there was more. I lacked the courage to ask if the Brit was already in Korea. I knew I was being a coward, after all, I was the leader, but an internal fear paralyzed me, dreading that the answer would be "yes."

Jeongin's body pressed against mine, an instinctive movement of snuggling. He almost climbed on top of me, a familiar, comforting weight. It was a shame we were both exhausted, because otherwise, things could have become interesting. I hugged the Maknae, inhaling the sweet scent of his hair, and closed my eyes for a few minutes. But the anxiety was a whip, propelling me out of bed. I gently kissed Jeongin's forehead, feeling his warm skin, and left for the living room again.

Everyone must have been asleep by now. The idea bubbling in my mind made my stomach churn. I wanted to talk to Y/N. Yes, I was aware of the time, I knew she was probably in her well-deserved rest, but I felt like I would explode if I didn't talk to her. It was an urgent need, a knot in my throat that needed to be untied. And so, I did.

KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK.

The sound echoed in the silent hallway, too loud in the dead of night. Regret hit me like a punch. Damn it, just because you can't rest, doesn't mean other people can't either! Idiot! But anxiety was a monster, pressing me with invisible claws. "Y/N? Can I talk to you, please?" My voice came out a urgent whisper, almost a plea.

Silence. Obvious. She must have been asleep. Idiot!

"Forget it, it's... it's fine, you can sleep until tomorrow and-"

The door opened softly, revealing Y/N. She didn't seem to have woken from a deep sleep; her eyes were alert, but perhaps she was always like that, naturally beautiful, even in the middle of the night. Wait, what? What were these thoughts? Well, I wasn't blind, and neither were the other boys. She was, undeniably, beautiful. The faint hallway light highlighted the contours of her face, and for a moment, anxiety gave way to fleeting admiration.

"Chan. What exactly do you need to tell me?" Her tone, though low, carried an unmistakable reprimand. A shiver ran down my spine. Yeah, I guess if I'd been disturbed during my rest, I'd be the same. But I wouldn't give up. "Sorry to bother you, Y/N. It's... but I don't think I'll be able to rest until I talk to you."

Great. Now she must be thinking that every night the band leader would knock on her door, asking her to be some kind of sleep psychologist for him. But apparently, that wasn't what was happening. I saw her sigh, a slight rise and fall of her shoulders, and then, an inviting gesture for me to enter her room. "It's fine, come in before some of your boyf-"

I don't know who froze first, her or me, but it happened at the same time. Our eyes met in silent shock. The air became thick, laden with a tension I couldn't name. She quickly adjusted her stance, her voice faltering for a moment before recovering: "Before some of your friends see." But it had already happened. My heart felt like it was going to leap out of my mouth. I knew very well what she was about to say. There was a huge abyss between a word that started with "Frien-" and one that started with "Boyfri-".

"Come in, Chan." Her voice was firmer now, but I could feel the furrow between her brows, indicating an irritation she was trying to suppress.

I chose not to give in to the paranoias circling my head again. I already suspected she was suspicious, but now it was like a truck hitting me. My God... this would have to be another day. I didn't have the courage for this specific conversation right now. "Y/N, please be honest with me. Is the Brit already here in Korea?"

She didn't sugarcoat the answer, and I, in a way, preferred it that way. The raw, blunt truth. "Yes, he's here. He arrived this morning." The confirmation affected me more strongly than she imagined. Suddenly, my hands trembled, a wave of nervousness washing over me. Damn it. Y/N quickly approached, her body tense, still trying not to touch me directly, but showing a hint of sympathy, almost compassion in her eyes. "Chan, calm down. I know it's an internal nervousness to hear this, but hey..." Now, I felt her touch on my hand, a firm, unexpected squeeze. "I need you to listen to me and understand. I won't let that man do anything to you guys."

I remembered Felix's question earlier, the worry in his voice. "What if this man is very dangerous? What if you get hurt, Y/N? I don't want that either." My voice came out hoarser than I expected, genuine concern etched on my features.

She looked at me for a long time in silence, an eternity that left me anxious. I desperately wanted to see some emotion on her face, but I couldn't find anything. She was truly good at hiding, at building impenetrable walls. However, even so, I could perceive that she truly cared. That was gratifying, a small light amidst the darkness of my anxiety.

"I won't get hurt. You don't need to be thinking about those things." Her voice was calm, almost cold, but there was an unshakeable resolve in her words.

I sighed, the air heavy in my lungs. "You can't predict these things, Y/N. We're friends now, aren't we? Unfortunately, I won't lie and say I won't start caring about you." The words came out impulsively, almost confessing something I had barely processed.

After those words left my mouth, I heard a noise in the room, as if someone had been surprised and hit their head on something. Y/N heard it too, because I felt her freeze, her hand squeezing mine for a moment before letting go. Is someone in here? Suddenly, my mood shifted to an inexplicable bad temper, a resentment that arose out of nowhere. I couldn't explain where it came from, but it was there, boiling. I frowned, my expression hardening. "Y/N, did you bring someone here?" I couldn't help but notice that the question came out in a reproving, almost accusatory way, but again, I couldn't explain why I felt so much anger.

Y/N stood up abruptly, somewhat surprised by the question. Her eyes widened for a split second. "No, of course not. Why would I bring someone here? I already said I don't have a boyfriend or a girlfriend." The defensiveness in her voice was palpable.

Damn it. That's not what I came here for. Obviously there was no one in the room, I was just being paranoid. It was clear that I was starting to care about her, and gradually, I was realizing that this could become a problem. A complex problem, unlike anything I had faced before. "Right, sorry, Y/N. Actually... that's not why I came here. Another thing: are you sure tomorrow, I mean... today, is ideal for us to go to the park?" I tried to change the subject, embarrassment gnawing at me.

She stayed silent for a few seconds, her gaze fixed on me, as if assessing me, before agreeing. "Yes, I already told you I won't let anything happen to you guys. That's literally my job, Chan." Her voice was firm, leaving no room for discussion.

I trusted her, truly trusted her. In fact, everyone trusted her, even Seungmin, despite not having shown much openness yet. It was crazy to remember that it hadn't even been a week since Y/N had been with us. She was easily fitting in with the group, like a missing piece, a bond we didn't know we needed. "Do you really want to be our friend?" I asked, standing up and moving closer to her again, the question coming from a place of vulnerability that surprised me.

I could hear her sigh, an almost imperceptible sound, as if she were tired, but couldn't bring herself to kick me out of the room. "When I don't want something in my life, I easily erase it. If I agreed to form a friendship with all of you, it's because it's something sincere that I feel good about considering." Wow, she spoke with such certainty and confidence that it impressed me. A rock, unshakeable.

I desperately wanted to have the courage to ask... 'Do you know about our relationship?' 'Will you be like him?' But of course, I didn't ask. It wasn't fair to expose the boys like that while they were all asleep and without a chance to participate in such an important conversation. "Y/N, one last thing..." Our eyes met again, now eye to eye, inches apart, the air vibrating between us. "Could you care about us enough to protect us at all costs, even a secret that could cost our privacy and career?" My voice almost faltered with the seriousness of the question.

She didn't even flinch when she answered. Her gaze was intense, unwavering. "I already care about you. You're treating me well and comfortably. And Chan, honestly? If you knew how many secrets I'm carrying on my back throughout my life until now, you wouldn't ask me that question. Everyone who recommended me to JYP also revealed secrets to me, of every kind you can imagine, and they sleep soundly, because to this day I've never cared about letting anything out. I'm not like that. I just do my job." The weight of her words was palpable, a mountain of experience contained in a few sentences.

Oh. I cleared my throat, feeling a lump in my throat. "That's very good to hear. Our previous security guard also said something similar, but he never inspired as much confidence as you do now." I now realized how close I was to her; I could even see the finest details of her face: the subtle freckle near her nose, the almost imperceptible glint in her dark eyes. But somehow, she wasn't affected at all, not a hint of embarrassment or nervousness. And that was good. It was nice to be in the company of people who didn't treat them like a piece of meat, a commodity to be idolized. "Ah, well... sorry to bother you again. I needed to clear my head..." I decided to look at the clock, damn, it was almost two-thirty in the morning. I started to move away, feeling a slight relief from having unburdened myself. "Thank you, Y/N. I'm sure I'll enjoy our friendship."

I was about to leave when I felt her hand on my arm, a light touch that made me stop. "I... I'm also sure I'll enjoy our friendship, Chan. Actually, it's been a long time since I made new friends. You can call me anytime, because that's what friends are for, right?" Bang Chan swallowed hard, an unexpected warmth spreading through the arm where she touched him. Before responding, our gazes got lost in each other again, a silence laden with something that seemed more than friendship. It wasn't romantic, it couldn't be romantic, but it was inevitable for him not to notice that life was bringing a greater synergy between the two of them, a silent understanding that defied logic. We stayed like that, static, until a loud noise from somewhere made us jump, abruptly separating us. "Y/N, I think it's better if we go to sleep, right?"

"Agreed. Especially since we'll wake up early and have an appointment at a park at 8:30 AM today." She walked to the door, opening it for me, her movement smooth and unhurried.

I looked at her one last time, and vice versa. Our eyes met for a final moment, a silent goodbye. "Good night, Y/N."

"Good night, Chan."

When I returned to my room, thank God, I.N was still sleeping soundly, his chest rising and falling in a calm rhythm. I replayed everything in my head: the conversation with Y/N, the worries, the strange connection that seemed to be emerging. I thought about everything I had been through with him and the other boys, my friends, my boyfriends. I had always sacrificed many things for the good of those close to me. Some saw it as an evident weakness, a kindness that could be exploited. However, I wasn't foolish either. I could see the falsity and malice in people's intentions. When we were with the old security guard, I never felt very comfortable around him and even reported it to the company, but I guess they didn't find anything suspicious and pretended it was just another one of my productivity attacks. And it wasn't paranoia, but anyway, it passed. But this was different with Y/N. I felt safe with her, a sense of protection that enveloped me. Maybe a female figure nearby could really balance the entire environment, bring a new dynamic.

For the first time in a long time, I was able to turn off my mind and rest completely. I snuggled closer to Jeongin, who quickly hugged me with his leg, a sweet and familiar movement. This will never get old.

[Y/N's POV]

After I heard Bang Chan's bedroom door click shut and the lock engage, I went to the window and opened it, revealing the unbearable company that still awaited me, my sister's slender silhouette. I didn't want to think or talk about the exchange of glances I'd had with the leader just now; he had seven boyfriends and was obviously gay. Damn it, maybe my sister was right, I needed to get laid. And speaking of the devil...

The smiling figure in front of me wasted no time. Harley, with her devilish grin and disheveled bun, almost glowing in the moonlight. "Ohhh, how cute, you're not going to get hurt, are you, Y/N?" She started laughing, a high-pitched laugh that deeply annoyed me. "Sister, wow, are these the men you're looking after? If they're all as soft as this one, you'll easily be able to trick them every time." Damn it, I wasn't in the mood for this.

"Actually, Harley, I think I'm getting sleepy. Bury this body yourself." My voice sounded harsher than I intended, but the fatigue was overwhelming.

My sister, obviously, wasn't happy with the statement. "What? Why are you so uptight? Oh, for goodness sake, listen, it's cute, okay?" My face must have shown confusion, because Harley finished, rolling her eyes. "Ugh, even if the worries are stupid about you getting hurt, they're cute. Satisfied?"

I sighed, a heavy sound of resignation. Despite loving the person in front of me with fierce intensity, she was quite exhausting, even when she didn't mean to be. "Alright, Harley. We're still on time. Let's go down and bury this damn corpse, and you'll go straight home and not come back here, understood?"

"Understood." Her voice, though obedient, carried a mocking tone that didn't escape me.

After that, we began to descend slowly through the window, a graceful and rehearsed movement that only we, sisters, could master. Harley went first, extending a hand to help me down until we were finally on the ground, the damp grass beneath our feet. There was no one around, but I suspected not everyone in the neighborhood was asleep. Korea was a country that livened up in the early hours, so we couldn't relax. "Where did you hide the body?" I asked, my voice low and urgent.

My sister smiled, a mischievous glint in her eyes, and pointed to a large pile of rocks and wood at the end of the second street. "There, nice and close so you won't have to walk much. You might not show it, but I know you well, Y/N. You're still in pain from the explosion."

And I was, a dull ache in my side that I insisted on ignoring. But I never liked to show weakness, so I was letting myself forget. No, I wanted to know more about the information regarding this trap. Unfortunately, it was clear they didn't want to tell me. What were they thinking? That I had become a delicate flower just because I got more hurt in the explosion? That made no sense, not even to the boss. "No small talk, hurry up, get that off the corpse." My voice cut through the air, impatient.

Everything happened quite quickly. My idiotic sister actually considered throwing the body in the lake, but fortunately, I managed to stop her with a furious glare. We had to stop and hide when a group of drunk teenagers started approaching, their laughter echoing in the night, but we quickly managed to outmaneuver them, slipping through the shadows. In the end, we both concluded that it would be better to throw him into a secluded well. And Harley proved she still had remnants of intelligence, even with so many drugs in her system, when she said she had the car and we quickly reached the abandoned lot.

"Wouldn't it be better to cut him into pieces to fit and hide better?" My sister questioned, her gaze calculating.

"There's no need, and it's been a long time since I dismembered a body. I wouldn't be confident enough to do it." My voice was cold, indifferent.

Harley's eyes widened, genuine surprise on her face. "Has it been that long? Are you trying to disassociate from your killer side? You won't succeed, Y/N."

Unbearable. "I'm not. I know very well that I am and always will be a killer, don't worry, I don't want to change that. Just throw this damn body into this well." My patience was exhausted. After that, we pushed the inert body into the well, a dull thud, and threw dirt and wood until it overflowed. Finally, done. One less burden.

"Y/N." I turned to my sister, who was also sweating despite the mild night air, her eyes fixed on mine. "Despite everything... You know that teasing is my love language, right? I miss you, that house isn't the same without you." Her voice was soft now, almost a whisper, and for the first time that night, I noticed the vulnerability in her gaze.

Unfortunately, I couldn't help how much those words disarmed me. Y/N would always be attached to her sisters, to an unbreakable bond that kept them united, despite everything. "Harley, I love you, but you're quite exhausting sometimes. I've always protected you from everything and everyone. Maybe I should have set boundaries for you." My voice choked with emotion, which I tried so hard to hide.

"You talk as if you were my mother." Her tone was a mix of provocation and affection.

"I was your mother, Harley. You're the youngest. Dinah, Catalina, and Helena didn't have patience, well, Helena a little, but it didn't compare to me. When we started training at 8 years old, you were only 5. You slept with me in the same bed and I braided your hair for school, I still remember your favorite hairstyle." The memories flooded me, a wave of nostalgia and longing clutching my chest.

My sister was silent for a moment, her eyes fixed on me, before answering. "I've always been trouble, haven't I? For everyone, and now it's worse." She paused, letting out forced, bitter laughs. "I'm trouble personified, I only get into messes, I love doing drugs, I love drinking, and I love killing people for inconveniences, I'm everything the boss warned us not to become, damn... I don't even know why he picked me, to be honest. Looking at you four... you're a real team, I never felt like I fit in there." The pain in her words was palpable, an old wound that never healed.

"Harley, none of us ever excluded you from-" My sister interrupted me abruptly, her bitter smile fading. "You're his favorite, knew that?"

I knew very well who she was referring to. All my life, I'd grown up hearing it from all sides: assertions that I was the boss's favorite. Some said that even though he never allowed them to call him father, he loved me so much he'd make an exception. I never understood it, never felt like I had favoritism. He made me do all the same things as my other sisters. What made me different?

"That's not true." My voice was cold, but inside, a twinge of discomfort hit me.

"Oh please, Y/N, enough with the modesty. It's quite obvious, even if you don't want to see it. When Dinah broke her leg on the Bangladesh assignment? He just gave her weeks to recover. But you, when you broke your leg on the mission in China, he almost shut down a hospital and bought an island just for you to rest in isolation. Before, that bothered me, I confess, but today? I've accepted it, and I believe the girls have too." My sister sighed, tired, her shoulders slumping.

Unfortunately, I had nothing to say about that. It was something that displeased me, thinking that my sisters felt less loved and in an unfair competition with me did not make me feel good, and honestly, I was not in the mood to talk about it with my youngest sister. "We are tired, I'm going back to the dorm because in the morning I'm going out with the boys. If I can get 30 minutes of sleep, that'll be a lot. Good night, Harley."

"We already know and found out whose idea the trap was, Y/N." Her sentence made me freeze. My confused face was visible, as my sister continued, a strange glint in her eyes. "Yes, the explosion. I know because after so much humiliation and failed attempts at a true approach, I apologized to the boss, but Helena told me. And you know why no one told you?" Silence. The air around me grew heavy, the revelation hanging between us. "Because your daddy, oops, boss, who forbade putting you in danger, still thinks you're not the favorite?" The irony in her voice was a whip.

I really wasn't in the mood for this. "Goodbye, sister." And with that, Y/N turned and started walking away from the spot, her steps hurried, until she realized that the sight of her sister, who continued watching her in silence, became more curved, a silhouette fading into the darkness. However, she couldn't help but feel nervous about this new revelation that she was being kept out of the loop, even if it was "protection" from her boss. A silent anger began to bubble within her, and she knew she needed to talk to the sister who understood her best.

MESSAGES:

Y/N: I need to talk to you.

Helena: Is something wrong?

Y/N: I don't know, is something wrong? Apparently, you agree that I should be a protected diamond.

(Typing... Typing... Typing...) The wait was agonizing. I could feel Helena's frustration on the other end of the screen.

Helena: You shouldn't be venting your complaints to me, Y/N. I tried to convince him you wouldn't want to be left in the dark, but he didn't listen to me.

I hung up the phone, the screen darkening in my hands, and walked through the streets, which were still quite lively due to clubs and young people gathering on the sidewalks, their laughter and conversations echoing in the night. At least it was something to distract me. I really wanted to get laid... I looked around and saw an attractive man looking at me, his eyes fixed on mine, an inviting smile. He clearly was flirting with me. I think I'll...

Notification Sound. An annoying beep broke the spell.

MESSAGES:

Harley: I think you'd better not do that, he looks like a tough guy who'll leave strong hickeys on your neck and your new boys will find it strange.

What the hell? What the fuck... I turned in the previous direction and saw my sister again, already in the car, a mischievous smile on her lips. She blew me a kiss, and I could read an 'I love you' from her mouth before she started the car and drove away, the tires screeching on the asphalt. Sisterly relationships... who can understand them, right? But maybe my sister had been my salvation. I turned to the handsome stranger once more and shook my head in a subtle "no," giving him the answer and the opening to find someone else. And that's what he did, the smile fading, but without rancor.

After a few minutes and dodging a reckless motorcyclist, I managed to get back to the dorm. It was almost 5:30 AM. I would get at least 20 minutes of sleep. I climbed the window again, a movement that was already almost automatic, and finally entered my room. I didn't even have time to take off my shoes before sleep knocked me out, my body giving in to accumulated exhaustion.

[Felix’s POV]

I woke up to my 7 AM alarm clock ringing, the sharp sound cutting through the quiet of the room. A groggy complaint came from my boyfriend beside me. "Ugh, Yongbok. This sucks, I wanted to keep sleeping." I wanted to laugh at that moment. Hyunjin was getting lazier in the mornings since the mini-break. He would certainly suffer when the pace picked up again. I got up, my body still heavy with sleep, and hurried to the bathroom to brush my teeth and change clothes. "What's all this excitement about?" Hyunjin's voice, still hoarse with sleep, reached me.

Huh? Did he forget about the park today? "Hyunjin, we're going out today, did you forget?" The brunette almost fell out of bed after that, still somewhat sleepy, but apparently finally remembering today's commitment, which was very soon, by the way.

"My God, that's right! Oh, damn it, I'll have to go back to my room." He groaned, covering his face with his hands.

I couldn't control my laughter when I heard that. My boyfriend was really sleepy. "Hyunjin, this is your room." Hyunjin looked around, his eyes still blurry with sleep, until he realized that it was, in fact, his room. "Don't tell anyone about this embarrassment, Lee Felix!" He turned to me, his voice muffled by embarrassment.

With a quick kiss on his mouth, which was still warm and slightly swollen from sleep, I said goodbye and left the room. Having extra clothes in Hyunjin's room was a very useful strategy, it always worked and it would work even better now that Y/N was living with us. Speaking of her... She was already up, moving swiftly around the kitchen, and finishing setting the breakfast table, which was already laid with a variety of breads, fruits, and coffees. Was there anything she wasn't good at?

Her voice caught me off guard, even though I was blatantly watching her. "Felix, I can see you from here. If you want to start eating, you can." A discreet smile played on her lips.

Ah. Heat rose to my face. "Sorry, I didn't mean to be inconvenient. Good morning, Y/N. Did you sleep well?" I asked, already approaching her, my body almost reacting in a hug, but I pulled back. Calm down, right? We just started a friendship, I wouldn't want to ruin it before its time.

My heart almost stopped when I noticed her smiling at me, a soft smile that lit up her face. I couldn't explain all these reactions, this strange feeling in my chest. Maybe Seungmin was right, I was missing a female presence, but not in the way my boyfriend meant. The affection I was developing for Y/N wasn't like that at all. I was just happy to have a new friend, right?

"Yes, I slept well. I went to bed early after going to my room, like an angel dreaming of little sheep jumping on clouds." Ah, I had a slight suspicion that she was being sarcastic, but it passed when she asked, her eyes curious. "What about you two?"

I almost choked, but managed to recover. "Us two?" She looked at me with confusion, until she clarified, a contained giggle. "You and Hyunjin, yesterday you two, along with Chan, were the last ones to go to bed." AH! AHHHH! A wave of relief washed over me.

For a moment I thought she had asked how the two of us slept together. I could have sworn my heart almost stopped. "Oh yes, we went to our rooms and slept well. I mean, I slept well, I don't know about Hyunjin, but I think he did too." Y/N looked at me for a long time, her eyes scrutinizing, and I swear I could see a small hint of a smile at the corner of her mouth, almost imperceptible.

"That's good, Felix. Glad to hear it, because this is going to be productive, apparently, isn't it?" I was about to answer her, but Changbin appeared, his voice hoarse with sleep, and answered for me. "Oh, it will be, I miss walking, good morning Felix and Y/N!"

I had to confess that I also missed walking. It was different to walk with the intention of recording content for the band for the fans and to really just visit and enjoy life. Well, at least a more restrained enjoyment, of course. They were idols, they couldn't appear anywhere they wanted without a defined strategy. However, there were places that had confidentiality clauses, and that helped them a lot most of the time. "Hey, Yongbok, aren't you going to sit down?" I hadn't realized I was thinking aloud until I heard Lee Know call me. He, Han, and Hyunjin were now also at the table to eat. I took the opportunity to sit down as well, the chair scraping against the floor.

"Where are the other three?" Y/N questioned, looking down the hallway, subtle concern in her tone. "I'll call them," she said, already moving away. But we all shouted a resounding "NO" in unison, a chorus of desperate voices. Damn it, now she was looking at all of us with narrowed eyes, her brow furrowed in confusion. But quickly some kind of realization must have crossed her mind, because she came back closer to them, a small smile. "Alright then, they should be here soon anyway."

"Hey, Y/N, are you going to stay with us all day today?" Han asked, already eating some of the breakfast Y/N had prepared. I'd be lying if I said I didn't like it when she cooked. They could obviously cook for themselves, some even better than others, but having a different flavor was nice, a break from the usual routine. "Yes, but don't worry, I'll be close but not glued. So your privacy will be respected." Her voice was calm, reassuring.

"It wouldn't be a problem for you to be closer. We're all getting used to you, you know?" They were all caught off guard by Seungmin's still sleepy voice approaching now. However, he was equally ready, his hair slightly messy, but his clothes neatly aligned. Only Jeongin and Chan were left now. "Yes, I know, Seungmin. You guys are my bosses. If you want me to stay away, I will, if you want me closer, I will too."

"Then you stay close. We don't want you far away either." It didn't take minutes for me to feel Jeongin's absence until he appeared, his eyes sparkling. "Y/N, you're our friend! You have to stay close." Then they were all caught off guard once again when he hugged Y/N tightly and lifted her off the ground, spinning her a little. She, apparently, was also surprised, her arms raised in a reflex. Damn. I thought I was getting closer to her, but apparently, among everyone there, I.N was clearly ahead. And I don't know if anyone else noticed, but Y/N spent a few seconds observing the Maknae's biceps in action. "Wow, Innie! Good morning, looks like you slept well."

Innie? He even got her to call him by one of his nicknames? And the youngest boyfriend seemed to have loved hearing that, as he smiled again with clear happiness, a childlike glow in his eyes. I couldn't hide my sullen face, but again, I didn't know where it was coming from, but I was shocked that I wasn't the only one like that. Hyunjin also was showing a bit of disappointment, his lips slightly downturned, watching everything in front of him. However, we were drawn back to the hallway by Chan's voice.

The leader must have been there longer than we realized, because his eyebrows were furrowed in a frown. He had obviously also witnessed the display of affection between Jeongin and Y/N. "Everyone's ready. I'm not hungry. There must be something to eat there." His voice was cold, cutting.

"Leaving on an empty stomach isn't a good idea, I don't recommend it." Y/N reprimanded him, her voice firmer, almost maternal, but even so the elder refused. "I already said I'm not hungry, let's go."

Y/N crossed her arms, her eyes fixed on Bang Chan, an intensity in her gaze that made me hold my breath. "If it's always going to be like this, I'd rather we didn't form a friendship. I don't want to cause ill feelings between members of one of the most famous bands in the world, thank you." Damn. The bomb had dropped.

None of us knew what to do now. Y/N and Chan were clearly starting a cold war, a palpable tension in the air. Although I was slightly annoyed by the display of affection between her and I.N, the leader seemed to have taken it to another level, an almost childish jealousy that surprised me. "There's no ill feeling here, Y/N." Chan's voice was controlled, but his eyes burned.

Lee Know was the first to pour water on the spark before it turned into a fire. "Weren't we leaving? I think we have more important things to do than this, don't you?" And that made both people in conflict back down, their bodies relaxing minimally. Okay... this day was going to be really busy.

They all grabbed their accessories — hats, sunglasses, discreet masks — and left the dorm for the car. Wait, where's the driver? I thought someone would drive them. Y/N apparently could read minds too, because she answered, as if guessing my thoughts. "I'll be driving you." Oh, wow. Female drivers were the best anyway. One by one, we got into the car, the smell of new leather filling the air. I noticed Y/N and Chan exchanging glances in the rearview mirror once again, a quick flash of understanding and then both turned their faces away again, the tension still present, but contained.

[Changbin’s POV]

The atmosphere was still a bit tense since they had left the dorm. No one was expecting that. Suddenly, the situation between Y/N and Chan cooled down, and that shocked everyone because they had been getting closer too. Clearly, the cause of this was the display of affection that she and I.N had shown a few minutes ago. I confess that I was also taken by surprise. I.N was indeed becoming her friend to the point of even hugging her, and that surprised me because most of them hadn't even gotten very close to touching her, but Bang Chan, evidently, must not have liked it very much.

The streets were already at their busiest, the sound of cars and the hustle of people filling the air. Most were already heading to their appointments and other schedules for the day. "Today I really want to get ice cream, what about you guys?" A conversational attempt was made by Han, his voice lively, which worked. Thank God.

Felix responded excitedly to the suggestion, his eyes sparkling. "YES! LET'S GET ICE CREAM!" And the blonde man's enthusiasm made everyone excited once again, and the conversation finally flowed, loosening up. I heard Seungmin ask if they were almost there and Y/N answered him, her voice calm and confident. "According to the location, we're almost there."

I.N also offered ideas, his eyes curious. "Can we take pictures? HEY HYUNJIN, I love when you take my pictures, you're always good." The dancer was happy with the compliment and confirmed to the youngest that he could indeed be responsible for the photos. The topics continuously changed after that, moving from series to movies and even car brands. In some parts, Y/N also joined the conversation, giving tips and opinions and some suggestions to them, her voice calm and informed.

Y/N finally announced. "We've arrived. Put on your disguises and don't separate from anyone, especially not from me, understood?" She turned to look at everyone, her eyes serious, and they replied loudly. "Understood." They started getting out of the car and looked both ways, but, thank God, no one suspected anything and they started their walk, heading first to the ice cream stand that Han had suggested.

Changbin and Chan were the only ones who ordered different flavors, since the rest opted for chocolate with strawberry, and the two of them ordered banana split, the familiar sweetness comforting me. Y/N also was sitting near them, but said she didn't want to eat, and now I was able to see how she was at home was very different from how she was on the street. At that moment, she was not at all relaxed and seemed to want to kill anyone who got too close to them, her eyes scanning the environment with an almost wild vigilance. "Hey Y/N, are you sure you don't want to have ice cream? They're delicious." Hyunjin tried, offering a bit of his ice cream, but she refused once again, smiling faintly.

"You really like to eat, don't you?" Her question made them laugh, not ironically, a wave of good humor spreading. I must have been the one who laughed the most because yes, they REALLY like to eat, especially me, who lives in bulking most of the time. "You saw how I was, right? I maintain this now by eating, it's not a small thing and it shouldn't be."

She surprised them once again. "To maintain such a beautiful body, extra care is needed, congratulations." Oh. I had to try very hard not to show embarrassment in front of her, because damn... I really liked that compliment from her. And I could now perceive that she also had a defined body, from what I could observe, the muscles outlined under her clothes. Now I'm wishing I could train with her one day at the condo gym. "Thank you, Y/N. It's really difficult, but I like it."

After that, Hyunjin and I.N also quickly mentioned that they also trained, and the obvious competition to try to please her had officially begun, a murmur of voices excitedly praising their own efforts. "Chan also trains a lot!" Y/N shifted her gaze from Hyunjin and looked once again at the eldest in the room, who also returned her gaze, a brief eye contact. "Yes, I can tell too." And by some divine miracle, Chan gave a faint smile at that, almost imperceptible, but it softened the tension. Now they immediately relaxed and the atmosphere flowed smoothly after that, the initial awkwardness dissipating into the air.

"Hyunjin and I.N, where are you two going to take pictures?" Y/N asked the two beside her, her voice filled with genuine curiosity. They replied that it could be anywhere that gave a good angle. "Angle doesn't matter much for you two, so handsome, ugh." Minho said, a playful eye roll, and everyone at the table laughed because it was true. Not that they all didn't have self-esteem, but Jeongin and Hyunjin were a case apart, their beauty almost a burden. Speaking of the dancer, I missed him... their relationship was like a wheel, a cycle of closeness and distance. I was loving Seungmin's company in recent weeks, obviously, but I'd like to be close to him again, to feel the familiarity of his presence. But for now, he's been fixated on Felix for weeks.

"Y/N, do you usually go out like this with your sisters?" As soon as I thought of Seungmin, we heard his voice, the question asked casually, but once again drawing everyone's attention. It must be because any information about Y/N's life was very intriguing to them, a mystery to be unraveled.

For a moment, we thought the question was too much for her, but she answered, her voice tinged with a slight melancholy. "Not anymore. Actually, our activities weren't exactly like this." Activities? The word hung in the air, loaded with implicit meaning.

Now it was Chan's turn to get interested in the topic, his body leaning slightly forward. "So what were your activities? You didn't have time to have ice cream together? What kind of crazy boarding school did you live in?" After that, Y/N remained silent for a few seconds as if for an instant she had lost herself in old memories, her eyes distant, but still answered, her voice low and laden with a somber seriousness. "We learned to survive." Her answer was short and simple, clearly ending the subject, a wall erected between us and her past.

I.N acts before the weather gets colder again. "Well, let's take pictures, can we find a more secluded place, ugh, I want to take off these disguises and breathe better." It's not a bad idea, all these things on our faces are really annoying, but since we're in a public and very open place, we can't risk it, besides, everyone promised to obey Y/N. "I can look, but don't take off your disguises now." they hear her say and start walking after paying for the ice cream, apparently no one discovered them but this statement doesn't last long because Changbin manages to spot a cell phone clearly pointed at them.

Y/N also noticed immediately, in fact, I think she had already noticed before because she was already on maximum alert mode, and the woman was now pretending to be on a call with her phone to her ear facing them as she walked, what an old strategy. "Keep walking and go into this restaurant here and go to the back, don't question, just go." Y/N gently pushes them towards the door of the place and everyone, despite being confused, enters.

But I was wrong, Y/N wasn't going towards the lady with the cell phone camera towards them, she runs after a tall, bearded guy on the street ahead, who when he perceives her approaching also runs and they all stare perplexed seeing both disappear among the people, who apparently don't care about the strange movement. "What's that? Why did she leave like that? Let's-" Felix begins but is quickly reprimanded by Chan. "She said not to leave here, I don't know what's happening, but she'll be back soon." But their minds were already racing, who was this man? Wait-

Changbin can't help the apprehension in his voice when he asks. "Is it him?" Some look at him with confusion but the realization finally crosses their minds. "Calm down, if we panic it's worse, let's go to the corner of the restaurant because we're still huddled at the door and that's starting to draw attention too." They hadn't realized it until Lee Know spoke and immediately sat on the couch in the establishment.

After that, they remain silent, everyone's heads obviously must be going through several different images and scenarios and of course, concern for Y/N, even though she has assured them several times that she knows how to protect herself and also protect them, the seed of nervousness still remains. All this lasts more or less 1 hour and during this time several waiters approach them asking if they want anything but they all just asked for water and kept looking at the door, until Y/N finally returns and the first thing Changbin and the others notice is that her face has a scratch, already cleaned but the mark is still very visible, a knife scratch.

[Lee Know’s POV]

When Y/N finally returned, it felt like oxygen became available to breathe again, a collective relief. But the mood died down again when we saw a clearly knife scratch on her right cheek, a red mark that stood out against her pale skin. Damn it. I.N wasted no time and was the first to go hug her, a quick and uninhibited movement. In fact, Jeongin had been touching her the most since morning. I still didn't know what to make of their rapid closeness; it was even strange. At the fighting center, the Maknae had been overtly jealous of Chan and her, but now he was in charge of the intimacy with her. But this was not the time.

Felix and Hyunjin also moved closer to her, each holding a hand and gently pulling her to the couch we were on, their eyes fixed on the wound. The other people in the restaurant were curious, their glances sliding in our direction for a moment, but they quickly went back to their lives. "Y/N, who was that man?" I heard Han ask, equally worried, his brow furrowed. "Chan, look at this! He hurt her." Changbin called the leader's attention, but it wasn't necessary, because he was already staring fixedly at the injury, a deep furrow between his eyebrows. Y/N once again engaged in a battle of stares with the elder, a silent tension, almost a power struggle.

Y/N sighed, apparently somewhat overwhelmed by all the attention on her, a slight shift of her eyes. "Calm down, there's no need for all this. That man is no longer someone, and this injury is something I've suffered a lot as a security guard." Despite her slight annoyance with all the attention, she didn't push I.N, Hyunjin, and Felix away from her, allowing their touch and concern. "Can the outing continue? Now that-" Seungmin asked, his voice hesitant, but he was immediately interrupted by her, her voice firm and decisive. "No. We'll just take Jeongin and Hyunjin's photos and then go back. This was a great reminder to speed up your self-defense classes."

"I don't want to take pictures anymore, Y/N. You got hurt, pictures aren't that important." Hyunjin refused the suggestion, still holding her hand tightly, his thumb acariciando her skin. I.N also agreed, nodding vehemently.

"If it's okay with everyone, then fine. I'll go get the car." She was preparing to leave when Chan offered to accompany her, his voice calm, but laden with unsaid intention. The tension rose once again, thick in the air, almost palpable. Although she and my boyfriend had relaxed a bit more during ice cream, I couldn't tell if a spark might reignite, a latent conflict. But Y/N accepted the idea, a brief nod. "Alright, let's go."

Now, all the others and I watched as both of them walked out the front door, their silhouettes moving away. But then Seungmin suddenly spoke, his voice filled with frustration. "You're getting too close to her, don't you think?" That's it. If the tension was rising, now it hit its peak. However, I.N wasn't intimidated, his gaze challenging. "She's my friend now, friends are close to each other, aren't they?" Yeah... they are, but the thing is there's boyfriend jealousy, something Y/N doesn't know exists yet. "I don't understand you, Jeongin. You days ago you were jealous of her calling Chan by that nickname and now you're like this, you made him like this." Seungmin retorted, his voice gaining volume.

My God, this conversation was going nowhere. I needed to put a stop to it. "What's going to happen is she'll find out about our relationship if you keep bickering like this over anything. And besides, don't think I didn't notice your expressions earlier." I pointed at Felix and Hyunjin who now lowered their heads, embarrassed, their faces flushed. "Everyone needs to control themselves, we still have a strong relationship. You can definitely build a bond with Y/N, but in no way can you let that ruin OUR bond, understood?" My voice was firm, authoritative, and everyone nodded, agreeing, silence filling the space.

However, Jeongin still didn't give up, a stubborn glint in his eyes. "But you know what? Seungmin, you think you're hiding it, but you're not. You also want to build a stronger bond with her, do you think that even though you don't talk to her directly, we don't notice your glances at her?" The accusation hung in the air.

Seungmin was ready to retort, his mouth already opening for a sharp answer, but by a divine intervention at that moment, Chan appeared at the door, waving for them to approach. And they did, a scramble towards the exit. Y/N was already waiting at the wheel, her expression neutral, and one by one, we got into the vehicle again, the scent of tension still lingering in the air. Han immediately took my hand, and I held it tight, a silent squeeze of support. With a final count from Bang Chan, Y/N started the car. Today they would still have self-defense classes, and they hadn't even decided who would go first. My God, and it hasn't even been a proper week. Lord protect us.

[Y/N’S POV]

It was impossible to understand Bang Chan. We had an apparently sincere conversation earlier, and now he was treating me like this, with a coldness that hurt me. Yes, I knew we shouldn't have let Jeongin hug me in such a cliché way earlier because besides the leader, I also noticed that both Hyunjin and Felix hadn't liked the display of affection, their eyes fixed on me with a mixture of surprise and disappointment. In fact, it was difficult to understand all these men. One minute they asked for my friendship and then they acted as if they didn't want that closeness. This was very annoying. They were boyfriends and probably gay, so why all this complexity, these strange looks?

After we left, the situation wasn't much different. Despite Han and Jeongin's constant attempts to lighten the mood, their laughter and loud conversations trying to dissipate the tension, I even complimented Changbin's physique, because I wasn't blind either, and everything was going well. However, I didn't like the man who had stopped in the street, talking on his phone while staring fixedly at the boys, his eyes scanning each of them. I knew immediately that he was reporting something about them to someone, and that's exactly what it was. Of course, I had also seen the woman blatantly pretending to be on the phone while recording them; however, she wasn't a threat but just a fangirl, but that strange man was not. His posture, the way he moved, everything screamed danger.

After I left the boys at the restaurant, I ran after him, my steps quick and silent, but the bastard noticed me before and made my job difficult. I had to run after him through several streets, my breath burning in my lungs, and bump into countless people along the way, dodging obstacles. But in the end, I managed to catch him, cornering him in a narrow alley. However, the jerk wasn't unarmed, and before I felt it, he cut my right cheek, a sharp burning sensation, blood welling up. After that, I had no choice but to pull the paralyzing injection Helena had made from my pockets, a thin, shiny syringe. And what was inside was potent indeed, because he passed out quickly, his body falling inert to the ground.

I lifted him, the dead weight in my arms, and positioned him at an angle that people looking on would think we were two lovers exchanging affection, no one suspecting a thing. I continued walking, blending into the crowd, until I found an empty alley filled with trash in a nearby corner. There, I threw him down hard, a dull thud, and then delivered a forceful kick to the man's face, which woke him up disoriented, his eyes blurry. "What?" The idiot looked for around, confused, until he realized who was in front of him. "I-I didn't do anything, what do you want?" His voice came out a terrified whisper.

I laughed, a humorless, cold laugh. They always thought I was stupid. "Who were you reporting their activities to?" The man again pretended not to understand, his eyes darting away. Ugh. That's enough, this dragging it out is annoying. I took out my knife, the cold metal in my hand, and plunged it into his hand, a muffled scream as I quickly covered his mouth to prevent the cry of pain from echoing in the alley. "Spill it, damn it! Who were you talking to?" And I finally got the information I wanted, now that the idiot in front of me was crying and trembling, pain and fear etched on his face.

"There's... There's a man walking around in the more interior cities of Korea, showing pictures of these boys. He's offering rewards for information on their whereabouts. I... I needed money, so I accepted." His voice was a murmur, choked by sobs.

That bastard Brit. I'd have to kill him soon. "And where is this man now?" My voice was icy, devoid of any compassion. But the idiot couldn't answer. "I don't know... please don't do anything to me, that's what he's doing, and actually more people must be accepting so I won't be the only one..." He pleaded, his voice thin with desperation.

"What city did he approach you in?" I tried to extract more information.

"In Gangneung, I live there, and I was looking for a job when he approached me, and said he would pay me in dollars if I helped him find these boys, but he didn't tell me what it would be for, please let me go!" He now was crying in front of me, tears streaming down his face, stained with dust and fear. How moving, but not.

I stood up, my body tense, ready to finish this. "Ok, you can go, thank you." And that's what he did, stumbling out of the alley. But he didn't take three steps before I pulled out my silenced gun from my holster and fired two shots into his head, a muffled sound, almost a whisper, making him fall immediately, dead, his body inert on the dirty ground. I approached, looking at the corpse with blood leaking and pooling on the ground, a dark puddle forming. "Idiot, go get your dollars in hell now."

When I returned to where I had left them, it felt like I was coming back from war. Jeongin, Felix, and Hyunjin immediately rushed towards me and embraced me, their faces contorted in concern. Both Felix and Hyunjin held my hands, and Jeongin somewhat hugged me, a tight squeeze. They were genuinely worried about me, but I quickly controlled them, pulling away slightly, because despite everything, all that affection was suffocating me. I wasn't used to it, to the vulnerability it brought. It was when I said I would get the car that Bang Chan offered to accompany me, his voice restrained. We were both still awkward, a thin line of tension between us, but I accepted anyway, and soon after we left, with the boys' eyes fixed on our backs, observing each movement.

I couldn't take it, I didn't like this. "Bang Chan, are you going to treat me like this now?" The voice came out a whisper, the pain of abandonment showing through. For a moment, I thought he didn't hear, but he answered, his voice low. "No, it's just something personal and temporary, it will pass." I didn't like that answer, it seemed like a flimsy excuse. I stopped in front of him, my eyes fixed on his. "Is it because of the hug I.N gave me earlier?" Silence for a few seconds, and then a tired sigh from him. "Yes and no, I don't know, okay? Sorry, my head is confused right now. Can we please just get the car and go back?" So, fine, I couldn't force it anyway, it wasn't my style.

"Who was that man?" His question, still whispered.
I thought for a bit before responding, but decided to be honest. I liked being honest with him. "He was selling your whereabouts to the Brit. I found out that's what he's doing, luring men desperate for money to help hunt you down. It turns out the man I chased apparently didn't know you're famous, as he never referred to you as 'Stray Kids'." If my answer panicked him, he managed to hide it easily, because his voice was firm, almost unshakeable. "Let's get out of here quickly."

I couldn't help but take his hand, attracting his attention directly to me for the first time since we left the restaurant, his eyes meeting mine. "Bang Chan, I don't want to be like this with you." And I was telling the truth. He... he was her first hug in three years, though he didn't know it, and because he was the oldest and took care of the younger boys, it always reminded her of herself and her sisters, of the responsibility she carried. He also held my hand, returning the squeeze, our fingers intertwined. "I don't want to be like this with you either. I just need a little space to think, okay?" Right, okay.

After a few minutes, I'm at the wheel of the car and Chan calls all the boys to leave, his voice echoing. The atmosphere in the car is obviously not the best, a heavy silence filling the space. I needed to find a way to fix this, but I didn't want to hurt those who were already getting closer to her. I would have to find an alternative for the friendship to continue without stressing the other boyfriends. Ugh, what a life.

And just when I thought I couldn't have any more headaches, after they arrived at the condominium to return to the dorm, the car stopping smoothly, I receive a message from Jonas.

MESSAGES:

Jonas: I found the Brit's ex-wife, she's also here in Korea, after this band, but for the opposite reason: She has clear plans to kidnap them and form this crazy fantasy of hers, but she's not in Seoul yet.

Jonas: Too bad, Stray Kids has some cool songs, they don't deserve crazy people like that in their lives.

Y/N: You know their songs?

Jonas: You're the one living in a cave outside of K-POP culture, my dear. Besides, I'm gay and from Thailand, do me a favor.

Oh, for crying out loud. His irony annoyed me.

Y/N: Go find a dick now, thanks for the help, I love you, idiot.

Jonas: I love you too.

Life must really be playing tricks and punishing Y/N for all the things she'd done in her life, because now it was her turn not to see an obstacle on the ground and lose her balance, her foot twisting awkwardly. Three arms automatically tried to catch her, reaching out in a quick reflex, but without success. And her phone, in this endeavor, ended up falling from her hand in front of Hyunjin, who frowned at the message screen, his eyes narrowing as he read the name "Jonas". His expression caught Felix's attention, who frowned once again and asked loudly, his voice filled with curiosity mixed with jealousy.

"Who is Jonas?"

All of them, once again, looked at her fixedly, their gazes curious and waiting for an explanation, the eight pairs of eyes piercing her. In this way, it almost seemed like a boyfriend interrogation. Y/N was beginning to have the feeling that accepting this job might not have been such a peaceful idea after all.

Chapter Text

[Y/N’S POV]

Felix’s question at first caught me off guard, but then a rage surged within me. Hold on, this was getting out of control! Were they going to want to know my entire life story? I wasn't even obligated to tell my boss everything, so why would I tell them? I was starting to realize a somewhat possessive atmosphere was forming. Were they like this with all their bodyguards? Good grief.

“He’s someone close to me, that’s all,” I say, standing up and moving away towards the door. But someone’s hand stops me, holding me firmly. What the hell? I meet the gaze of the person responsible for the action: Lee Know. “Y/N, you need to be honest with us or this won’t work.”

What’s their deal? I was already having to deal with Bang Chan’s cold distance and Felix and Hyunjin’s shifting jealousy. And it’s funny them talking about honesty. “I say the same thing. Don’t you think you need to be honest with me too? Why don’t we go half-and-half? If I have to tell you all my close relationships, then don’t you think you should too?” None of them can come up with a response to that. I caught them off guard, and I’m starting to regret how I said it, but I was the one who needed to breathe right now! “If anyone still wants to learn self-defense, just find me in my room.” And with that, I walk straight to the resting place and close the door.

It was hard to understand this situation. None of my previous clients ever got this close to me, and some barely even noticed my presence. When I agreed to build a friendship with these eight, I thought it could be something cool. Also because I’ve never been a very affectionate person myself, and I shouldn’t be, anyway. I’m a spy and an assassin. Harley is right when she says we’ll never be able to stop being that. It was too funny. I had just killed a man in cold blood in an alley used for trash disposal, but what was stressing my mind right now was trying to assimilate what was going on in the minds of these men who were now under my protection.

MESSAGES:

Jonas: Y/N, the Brit found out I was monitoring him. Unfortunately, I lost his trace. I’ll try to get it back fast.

Goddammit, that’s all I needed right now. So much going on. Sometimes, I understood why Harley sought comfort in drugs.

I hear a timid knock on the door and for a second I think whether to let them in or not, but I say yes. After all, it would be hypocritical and idiotic of me to throw a tantrum with my bosses. Like it or not, they were still my contractors and I couldn't act like a teenager. Pull yourself together, Y/N. “Come in, it’s unlocked.” My voice comes out more tired than I expected, but screw it. After a few seconds, Han’s image surprises me. I confess I wasn't expecting it to be him. “Hi, um… can we talk for a bit?” His question comes out very timidly, but he gains confidence when I nod my head, giving permission.

It’s only when he sits beside me on the floor, next to the door, that I realize I had been on the floor all these minutes. “First of all, I’d like to apologize for our behavior a few minutes ago. It’s… Y/N, to be honest, we’re still not managing your move here well, and I’m not saying that negatively!” he quickly clarifies when I glance at him sideways. “It’s always been just us living here. Of course, friends would visit, but live here? You’re the first. And I think it’s already a bit obvious that some of us are trying to impress you, aren’t we?”

I can’t help but sigh. I knew it would be difficult, but not that it would be such a mountain of emotions. “The thing is, Jisung, I don’t want anyone to impress me. I’m fine the way I am, I just don’t want my bosses to always be so unstable with my company, you know?” I hear him hiss, lowering his head. “I understand, but I also hope you consider what I said about us not being used to it. Believe me, Y/N, we like you.” Ugh, it was impossible to maintain my composure with this man with cute cheeks saying that next to me. “Alright, Han. Let’s try one more time.” My answer makes him animated, truly animated, because he hugs me and then freezes, breaking away and looking at me wide-eyed. My Lord, it’s like I’m an assassin, oh wait… anyway.

I give a smile to lighten the mood and try to wipe that look of shock off his face. “You can hug me, there’s no problem with that, as long as it’s not for you.” I said this with a double meaning, thinking about how I also wouldn’t want Lee Know “up my ass,” but he understood the intention that he himself should feel at ease. “It’s no problem for me either. Oh, and I came to tell you that I think the boys were a bit embarrassed by what just happened, so I guess the self-defense classes won’t be able to happen today. Sorry, Y/N.”

I stand up and help him up too. “No problem, I think it was the best option anyway to avoid more tension. Anyway, thanks for the company, Han, I appreciate it. It’s still early, you can do something else if you want.” For a moment, I see him actually considering my suggestion, but then he dismisses it. “I don’t think so, Y/N, and I have a slight idea that the boys won’t want to either, but thank you, I’m leaving now.” With a final hug, we say goodbye.

[I.N POV]

(Three weeks later)

Jeongin felt like he was only now breathing normally again. Since that day they came back from the park, things had fallen apart. Not just him with Y/N, but also her with all of them, well… more precisely with me, Felix, Hyunjin, and Chan. It was obvious that this was the punishment she found for the four of us, and to be honest, it was torment. The relationship between me and the boys didn’t change, thankfully. But with Y/N, things were only now getting back to how they were starting to be. But something else also started to happen: she started going out more at night. At first, we thought it was cool because we had the freedom to do whatever we wanted, especially sexually, but now they were getting curious.

Another thing we started to “get used to” was the whole situation with the British man. Y/N didn't talk much to us about it, only with Bang Chan. After the park outing, we went to more places and always together, fortunately with no more surprises, but Y/N never fully relaxed, it was quite visible.

Right now, she wasn’t here because she was accompanying Changbin and Hyunjin at the gym. I was surprised Chan hadn’t gone, but then I found out he was locked in the studio again with Han. I’m pulled out of my reverie by a strong kiss on my cheek. I turn to the perpetrator and find Felix all smiles. Where did so much joy come from? I lean forward. “Why are you so happy?”

The reason must have been very interesting, as my boyfriend jumps on me, knocking me onto the nearby couch. This is because I'm not much of a physical toucher, but I can make an exception for my favorite hyung. "Oh, I forgot you were sleeping. Yesterday I did well in training with Y/N, she praised me too." He says, his smile widening even more. Y/N had been giving classes for a week now, he also had, but he couldn't say if the trust was increasing, but he didn't care, he liked the classes because... well... because it made him stay close to her. I gently push the blonde to the side and now we are side by side on the couch, and I need to gather some courage for the question I'm about to ask. "Felix, do you also feel a strange sensation with Y/N?" He frowns at the question. "I don't understand, what do you mean by 'strange', Jeongin?" Ugh, damn it, I didn't want to explain myself, I didn't even know exactly how to define it, I should have kept quiet. "Nothing, forget it."

I start to leave, but Felix grabs my arm with surprising strength. “Forget it, no way! You started, so finish!” I tried to break free from his grip but had no success; he was determined to get my explanation, the problem was that I didn’t have one either. “Damn it, I don’t know, Lee Felix! I DON’T KNOW! I just know it’s a strange feeling, okay? It’s been three weeks since she moved in with us, but sometimes I feel like it’s been three years, that’s how used to her I’ve become.” After that, he finally lets go of my arm, and looks thoughtful for a few minutes, until he speaks again. “Jeongin, whatever this is that we’re starting to think we feel, it needs to stop. You’re talking now… this could become dangerous.” What did he mean? We didn’t even know what it was, and he already wanted to back off?

I can’t help but sigh. “What are you afraid of, Felix?” The Australian looks at me as if I were going crazy, and maybe it was true. “She doesn’t know we’re all boyfriends, Jeongin, we don’t even have a possible idea of how she’d react.”

“React to what?” Bang Chan’s voice suddenly appearing makes us both jump in fright. Damn it, I control myself until I answer. “React to… ugh, Y/N’s reaction to finding out about us. Besides, I’m even impressed, we’ve managed to hide it so far.” My answer leaves Chan silent for minutes, and I can see the hurricane passing through his head. Felix looks at me and I shake my head, signaling that I can’t explain our leader’s silence, until he finally speaks. “Screw it, can I be honest? I think Y/N already knows.” Wait, WHAT? How could he drop that bombshell out of nowhere? “What are you talking about?? Knows what?” Felix’s voice trembles in despair, almost shouting. My God, but our oldest hyung doesn’t have time to answer because the door opens, revealing the cause of our discussion. Y/N enters with a sweaty Changbin and a breathless Hyunjin, the latter shirtless.

Felix tries to get Bang Chan’s attention once more, but his attention is entirely on Y/N, who returns his gaze for a few seconds that seem to last an eternity until she looks away. This was another thing that was eating me alive. When I went to talk to Y/N after that jealousy episode about Jonas, she assured me that she had already talked to Chan, but seeing it still… things didn’t seem different. The power struggle between them was something very insane, and neither of them liked to back down. But sometimes I can also see her looking at Chan with a hurt look. To be honest, I didn’t want things to still be like this between them.

“You guys won’t believe it, Y/N did a sumo deadlift with 130kg AS IF IT WERE NOTHING, she totally humiliated Changbin,” Hyunjin says, laughing and provoking the other boyfriend, who doesn’t let it slide. “If she humiliated me, imagine you who needed help with the open-pull machine when you decided to show off for her, with no success.” After Changbin’s reply, Hyunjin’s smile immediately disappears, but when he speaks again, his voice comes out playfully. “I don’t need to show off for Y/N to notice me, I’m sorry.”

All this happens while Y/N is sitting on the couch on the other side of the room, talking to someone on the phone, totally unfazed by her name being tossed around. And unfortunately, I can’t help but notice once again how beautiful she was. “Hey Y/N, do you also notice me most of the time?” What? Felix’s question now draws everyone’s attention to him. This was the same man who was saying that the two of them should back off concerning her. What the hell is going on? But Y/N answers, calmly. “It’s impossible not to notice you, Felix.” WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?

Felix’s smile lit up the room, a thousand times bigger than the one he wore minutes ago, and my look of astonishment, which certainly matched Changbin’s, Hyunjin’s, and Chan’s, was proof of the collective surprise. “I notice all of you, it’s my job.” Ah, how cold! Felix, who had been so happy, felt it too, because his face fell. “You only care about us because of work?” Damn it… everyone noticed the blonde’s sharp tone in that question, but Y/N wasn’t fazed. “Of course not, I didn’t mean to imply that, I’m sorry. Of course, I care about all of you beyond work.” This cheered up the youngest Australian in the room once again.

“Hey Y/N! Are we playing today?” Han’s smiling voice takes everyone by surprise; they hadn’t realized he had entered the room. Y/N turns, looking at him curiously. “What game would that be?” Jisung’s smile widens: “Truth or Dare, how about now?” OH, a somewhat shocked sound leaves all of them with the affirmation. This game always has the chance to become dangerous if the players don’t know how to control it… but Y/N still accepts. “Alright, let’s play.”

[Seungmin’s POV]

I hear all the commotion in the living room and can’t help but sigh in surprise at Han’s idea of them playing Truth or Dare. Of course, they had played it before, but this would be the first time it would be with another person, and especially when that person was Y/N. Speaking of her… in the last few days, I started talking to her more directly. Unfortunately, I.N wasn’t wrong when he pointed out that day at the restaurant that I was trying to get closer to her but always backed off and limited myself to just observing her. However, that was changing, obviously we weren’t at the same level as her relationship with Felix, I.N himself, and Hyunjin. Those three hugged her almost every opportunity they got. At first, it was annoying, but now he was kind of getting used to it.

A knock on the door was announced, and I already knew who it was, something quite obvious. “Come in, it’s open.” The door opens, revealing Han, who approaches me on the bed. “Seungmin, are we going to play truth or dare with the boys and Y/N in the living room?” Ugh, at the same time I wanted to refuse, I wanted to accept, but the desire to accept was heard louder. What could go wrong, right?

I nod positively, and he gets even happier. “Lucky for you, I’m bored.” But my affirmation doesn’t fool him much. “Uh-huh, let’s pretend you’re not equally curious about what this could turn into.” He talks as if he knows what could happen. Seungmin himself was still surprised they were still managing to keep Y/N in the dark about their relationship. “Are you up to something, Jisung?”

“You’re just too suspicious, Kim Seungmin. Come on, you’re the only one missing.” He replies, offering me his hand. Ah, whatever God wants. I take his hand and we both go to the living room, which was already properly arranged. Everyone was sitting in a circle, next to each other. Y/N was between Chan and I.N, totally calm with the whole situation. That was another thing that intrigued me: we could never read her expressions; she was really good at hiding, even more so than they usually were in public. “Great, Seungmin, you were the only one missing! Let’s start, I’m excited, I confess.” Hyunjin seemed almost childishly animated, so here we go, I sit next to Changbin and Felix.

Han takes the reins, after all, the idea came from him. “Alright, everyone here is already used to the rules, right? I already have the bottle, shall we start?” A unison “Yes” was said, and I look at Y/N one more time and almost have a heart attack when she quickly returns my gaze. Damn it, did she have an informational laser or something? Han spins the bottle, but it doesn’t work, and Lee Know, who was next to him, helps him and this time the bottle spins forcefully and, perhaps by fate’s joke, points directly at me. Shit. Now everyone looks at me with animated eyes, well, everyone but Bang Chan, he was still a bit restrained, but also showed a slight amusement, ugh. “Come on, Seungmin, truth or dare?” Felix pokes me, also waiting.

Let’s play then. “Dare.” My choice is surprising even to me, I have no idea where all that courage came from, but now there’s no turning back. Who would dare him? Y/N raises her hand. “Can I propose the dare?” My God, I was regretting it now, but I still confirm with my head and now everyone eagerly awaits her idea. “Relax, Seungmin, it won’t be anything big, I dare you to hold your breath for 15 seconds, can you do it?” Wow, she was really charitable, he had held his breath many times before, it would be easy. “Ahhh how boring Y/N! You’re still being so nice? Be hard on him!” Of course, that clown Hyunjin would give that idea, but thank God she didn’t agree. “Shut up, Hyunjin, I hope next time it’s you and you suffer with whatever the choice is,” I say irreproachably, but the dancer just laughs.

Lee Know sets the timer and I hold my breath. 5 seconds… 10 seconds… 15 seconds, done. “Okay, is it my turn to spin now?” Minho nods confirming, and I take the bottle and it spins once more, this time landing on Changbin. I smile, the rapper already appeals even before I speak. “Don’t get too excited, Seungmin.” But deep down his eyes convey amusement. “Changbin, Truth or Dare?” The excitement increases even more when he also chooses dare, even Chan who was calmer before now started to have a slight sparkle in his eyes. “I dare you to do 10 push-ups now.” Now it was I.N’s turn to complain, “How is that a dare for him? Changbin does push-ups like it’s nothing.” Well, that was true. “I have an idea to increase it, do it with Y/N sitting on him.” What?

All of us look at Lee Know as if he had been replaced by an alien. My shock wasn’t worse than Changbin’s own, who now seemed terribly regretful of having chosen the dare. “I… well… it’s fine by me, if it’s no problem for Y/N, of course.” Now it’s our turn to look at Y/N. Damn it, maybe she would have hated this change, but she surprises them once again. “I’m not light, just warning you, Changbin.” She stands up and looks at the rapper, who then realizes she was waiting for him to get into the push-up position, and I can hear the exact moment everyone holds their breath now as Y/N sits with surprising lightness on Changbin’s back. Ah, screw it.

It’s Chan who starts counting, I glance at the leader, but his attention is completely focused on our bodyguard sitting on top of our boyfriend. “… 5…6…7…8…9…10.” Y/N immediately stands up and sits once more next to Chan, and they look at each other again before Y/N looks away. Changbin also returns to his side, already sweaty, but catching his breath. “Wow, you really train a lot, don’t you?” Y/N confirms with a nod. “I train, any day we can train together.” Well, it seems everyone was getting her damn attention, right? Changbin takes the bottle and it starts another round, this time landing on I.N, who wavers a bit. Ah, when it’s someone else, the maknae loves it, but when it’s him, the story changes, it’s funny.

Changbin leans towards Jeongin. “Truth or Dare?” The words quickly leave his mouth. “Dare, bring it on.” Everyone was very brave, right? I had a brief suspicion that this was a result of the company of a new person here. Anyway. “Alright then, I dare you to eat a piece of cheese with sugar!” The dare makes everyone burst into laughter, I don’t think anyone was expecting that, well, everyone laughs except I.N who obviously tries to refuse. “What?? I’m not doing that.” But it’s no use, as Felix gets up to get the two ingredients and even I recoil a little watching him put the sugar on top of the cheese slice, good grief. “You can do it, Jeongin.” Y/N’s moral support must be worth a ton because now the youngest gains courage and takes the sugared cheese from Felix’s hands and puts it all in his mouth, ew! But dare accomplished. Will anyone choose truth sometime?

I.N showed a proud smile for having succeeded in his mission and hugged Y/N tightly. “Did you see? I did it!” Of course, he was once again seeking validation from her; it had been like that since the beginning, but they were all getting used to it. Well, maybe Chan was still having some difficulties, but he would overcome them. It’s obvious that this won’t become anything more, because Y/N never gives any opening for that kind of thing, but perhaps the leader doesn’t separate his jealousy very well. Now it was I.N’s turn to play, and the bottle innocently stopped in front of Chan. The maknae turns to the leader, “Chan, truth or dare?” Everyone waits for a few seconds until he responds. “Truth.” The choice doesn’t excite Jeongin, who tries to make the elder change his mind, but without success. “Alright then! Is it true that you’re jealous of Y/N?”

Oh, crap.

[Chan's POV]

My day already started with headaches today. So many things were stressing me out, and the best way I found to unwind recently was to work. I went to the studio and on the way, I found Han and Lee Know, my 3Racha bandmate who promptly said he’d accompany me when I told him where I was going, and I didn’t know how much I needed space with my boyfriend until that happened.

Now I was here, playing truth or dare with the boys and Y/N. Speaking of her… our relationship had been strange for weeks. I didn’t want to go there, and I could see she didn’t either, but the tension was inevitable, and he didn’t want to understand or vocalize those strange feelings surfacing in his mind. Conversations between the two of them now focused more on updates about the Brit, mainly because I had asked her not to tell the others about it anymore; I preferred to carry the weight of everything alone. Life was pure irony because now we were sitting next to each other, with I.N also by my side. There could be no better combination. Everything was going well, but when Changbin had to do push-ups with Y/N on top of him, I felt that familiar tightness inside me again, but once more, I didn’t want to give in to it. Instead, I just watched the scene without blinking until my boyfriend finished and Y/N calmly stood up and sat down next to me again.

I was jealous. That was obvious, but the issue I don't want to understand or verbalize is that I'm not sure who it's stemming from. Later, I started to relax more with the game after the laughs it was causing. I liked to see these people happy, but that only lasted until I chose truth instead of dare, and Jeongin, being stubborn, asked a question I was avoiding more than a drunk avoids a loan shark. "Is it true that you're jealous of Y/N?" The silence that followed that question was so loud it hurt, and I feel the exact moment Y/N completely freezes. I run my hand through my hair as I sigh. "I don't want to answer that question." However, the maknae was unfortunately in the mood to be stubborn; he kept looking at me. "Are you going to run away? Just answer the question."

“Jeongin, I think it’s better not to—” Seungmin doesn’t have time to finish before he’s interrupted. “So that’s it? No one’s going to talk about this super weird vibe between these two for weeks? Am I the only one brave enough?” The youngest was now almost exploding, and I was losing my patience.

Lee Know tries to calm him down. “Jeongin, every player has the right not to answer a question or refuse a dare. If Chan doesn’t want to answer, that’s fine.” I didn’t want to, because deep down I knew the answer, but I didn’t want to vocalize it even to myself. Jeongin finally gives up, but then gets up and goes to his room, locking himself in. Goddammit. The rest of the group is still silent, all perplexed by the shift in atmosphere, and now I was starting to feel guilty. Everyone was having fun; how did it turn out like this so quickly?

Han lowers his head, awkward and a bit embarrassed. “Sorry everyone, it was my idea, I thought… I thought it would be something cool, I’m sorry.” I didn’t like seeing him like that. Minho and I were ready to comfort him until Y/N spoke. “Don’t feel that way, Jisung, your idea was good, we can’t control other people’s emotions, can we?” In that last part, I could have sworn she glanced at me sideways, but maybe I was already hallucinating.

The sound of a phone ringing breaks the tension in the air, and everyone checks until they realize the sound was coming from Y/N’s device, whose eyes narrow as she sees the name of whoever was calling her. “Pardon me, I need to take this, I’m going out to the hallway, I’ll be right back, thank you!” Now we all watch her open the door and leave, slamming it shut.

“What happened between you and her?” Now it’s Changbin’s turn to pressure, despite Lee Know’s evident disapproving look. I sigh, once again feeling tired. “Nothing happened, I’m serious.”

“Then why are you two like this? Sorry, Chan, but… at this point, I.N is right, the tension between you two is very noticeable, and we kind of thought about what might have happened.” Han points out, lowering his head once more. “Yeah, like, at dinner the day before yesterday, you didn’t even look at each other properly, besides I still don’t know how you didn’t blackout sitting right next to her just now.” Hyunjin says, equally subdued. Ugh, the truth was: nothing had happened at all. What happened was that Y/N was respecting his space, ever since she asked him to do so when they went together to pick up the car on the day of the park. “I assure you all that I will make an effort so that this is no longer noticeable.” He starts to hear protests until the intercom rings, distracting all of them from the situation. Felix is the one who steps up to answer.

The blonde picks up the phone, already curious. "Hello?" After that, something truly exciting must have been said because his eyes light up and his smile reappears. "Seriously? My God! Of course, I'll tell her, she'll be so excited." We all stretch even further when we hear 'her' come out of his mouth; Felix was clearly referring to Y/N. "No, she went outside, wow, besides didn't you see her then to tell her? She went out to answer a call, oh, you didn't see her? Well, okay, when she comes back I'll tell her! Thank you, sir, have a good day."

When he returns to us, curiosity was already in the air, and a voice asks what happened, and I’m surprised when I realize it was mine. “What did the doorman say?” Felix approaches, bouncy and genuinely happy, and when he tells us what it was, we are truly surprised, well… that was something personal for Y/N. Seungmin and Hyunjin were wide-mouthed. “Wow, do you think she’ll like it? She’s quite young, isn’t she?” This made Lee Know and I raise our eyebrows. “What does that have to do with anything?”

“What would that be?” Y/N’s returning voice startles them slightly, but Felix wastes no time. “Y/N! We have a surprise for you, the doorman just told us, well… actually, thinking about it now, I don’t understand why she didn’t tell you directly, but anyway…” Hyunjin interrupts him. “Ugh, My God, just say it, Felix!” Normally, I would always reprimand whoever interrupted the blonde, but this time I had to stay neutral; this time there was no room for hesitation. Felix, though a little annoyed that his dramatic moment had been ruined, speaks very happily. “Y/N, your sister is pregnant! Congratulations, you’re going to be an aunt, isn’t that great?”

Apparently, it's not great, because Y/N’s entire body tenses, as if she were holding a bomb, and her voice is now a little hoarse. “What do you mean? I don’t think I understand.” Her reaction obviously surprised them; she was quite… cold. “The doorman called here saying your sister had sent word that she was pregnant and wanted to meet you today at the closed building of that old, bankrupt beverage company.” Lee Know replied to her, now a bit suspicious, and unfortunately, I was starting to feel that way too. I don’t usually measure anyone’s reactions by a ruler, but… shouldn’t people be a little happier after finding out their sister is expecting a baby?

Suddenly, her mood changed once more, and this time, it startled them even more. “Listen carefully to what I’m telling you: after I leave through this door, if anything comes for you, do not accept it. Are you hearing me correctly? Felix, are you sure it was the doorman’s voice that spoke to you?” Chan notices the moment the dancer freezes, but he confirms with a nod that yes, it was the doorman’s voice, but this doesn’t calm Y/N. She starts looking through the windows and closing the curtains one by one. What the hell was happening? All this because her sister was pregnant? I can’t hold back and ask directly. “What’s going on, Y/N? Why on earth did you get like this?” Besides, she needed to stop; this was starting to scare the boys, especially Han, I could already see his anxiety surfacing.

“I can’t talk now, just one question: do you trust me?” Damn it, the answer “yes” was said in unison; they already trusted her openly, but that didn’t help to lessen the apprehension that formed, and now it’s Hyunjin who addresses her. “Y/N, are you still going out?” His voice was laden with tension and fear, for her. “I am, and I’m going now. Please do what I asked, don’t invent anything different from that, okay?” Before she leaves, Changbin grabs her arm. “Wait, your sister said it would only be at 6 PM, why are you going now? It’s not even 5:30 yet.” Y/N gently pushes his hand away. “Changbin, if you behave, I’ll train with you as many times as you want, okay?” The proposal takes my boyfriend a bit by surprise, and he quickly forgets what’s happening; she really knew how to manipulate their minds in her favor.

She stopped, looking at Felix once more. “Which sister?” Insecure and with evident fear, we hear him reply. “Carolina.”

After several trips to her room and returning in a completely different, entirely black outfit, Y/N now stops in front of me, and I completely freeze when she touches my face. “I don’t need your paranoia now, I promise you that when I get back I’ll tell you everything, okay?” The way she was looking at me now… she could ask anything of him, and I would comply instantly. “Did you hear me, Bang Chan?” Reluctant, but equally convinced, I nod my head positively. And with a last farewell look and a tight hug for Felix and Hyunjin, who wasted no time, she leaves.

After a few minutes of her departure, only now does Bang Chan realize, his entire body spiraling into despair. Y/N had no sister named Carolina; the true names were Helena, Dinah, Catalina, and Harley.

“Y/N does not have a sister named Carolina.”

And yet she left. He doesn't realize he's starting to faint until he hears Lee Know's cry for help, holding him, and then chaos ensues.

[Y/N’S POV]

Someone wanted to die today. It was obvious, and I knew exactly who that someone was. But how did he get to where the boys live? When I heard the news coming from Felix’s excited mouth, I couldn’t help my body tensing up. It was for two very clear reasons: First, I didn’t have a sister named Carolina (as Felix previously mentioned), and apparently Felix was so excited about the "news" that he didn’t even realize it. The second is funnier, given the context of the pregnancy: My older sisters and I can’t get pregnant because we haven’t had uteruses since we were 18, and Harley the same years later.

(Flashback: Y/N, Helena, Catalina, and Dinah. 18 years old.)

The boss’s voice is loud and clear, resonating throughout the room so everyone can hear clearly. “Last choice I give you, are you all sure of this decision?” None of them show regret for their choice, so a resounding “yes” is heard and echoed in the room, satisfying the boss. “Very good, I confess I’m happy with your choice, girls, it will be more useful for everyone, don’t worry.”

Catalina and I were definitely the most excited; we were the ones who hated going on missions menstruating or with cramps the most. That uterus wouldn't be missed at all. “Who wants to be first?” The doctor’s voice interrogates, waiting patiently. Although Catalina was quick, I step forward. “I will.”

"Na-moo…" It was Jung-Jae’s voice. I had to confess it was quite strange hearing the boss’s name spoken like that. Jung-Jae had been his right-hand man for years. I remember well how he tried to convince the boss for several years that the idea of recruiting them was dangerous. But here they were, today, finally of legal age and already having done dirty work even for him. Who would have thought! “Na-moo, look what you do to these girls…” Ugh, that was Jung-Jae’s problem; he treated them like delicate garden flowers, it was irritating. Fortunately, Dinah is the one who responds. “We want this, we’re not being forced, no one here wants to be a mother in this hellish world anyway.” This makes them laugh, and the doctor calls my attention once more. “Miss Y/N, please come with me.” And she went.

(End of Flashback)

That’s why something was wrong. I was dressed appropriately and had several weapons hidden all over my body. I knew exactly where this company that the son of a bitch chose to meet was. I quickly hail a taxi that, thank God, stops for me. The journey there is only 40 minutes. I quickly get out of the car and throw whatever money I find from one of my pockets at the driver, which apparently was quite generous, because the driver almost thanked my next reincarnation with multiple “thank yous,” but I don’t have time for that.

I enter the place. It’s really abandoned; there’s not even a single homeless person here. The smell of mold and rusty metal hung in the air, and the faint light filtering through the broken windows barely illuminated the cavernous interior of the old beverage company. Not even a trace of life, not even a beggar, dared to take shelter there. I waste no time. “Son of a bitch, show yourself, you piece of garbage, are you looking to die today?” Silence, of course, they never speak. I spin my body in every direction, but nothing appears. Ah, but the person is here, yes… I can feel it, and I know they’re looking at me. “Do you like what you see? I’m pretty, aren’t I?” I approach a huge bucket of materials and kick it hard, but I find nothing. “Oh come on, are you going to keep this up forever? How boring, man. Oh wait, did you really think I believed it was one of my sisters? How idiotic.” After that, I hear footsteps behind me and quickly dodge the knife in his hands. Ugh, he wants to kill me; he’ll have to get in line.

I dodge the knife once more and manage to stab my utility knife into his shin, making him scream as he clutches his leg. “You bitch!” Bitch? How original, wow. “You’ll have to try harder than that. The idiot charges at me again, without success. Once more, I pierce him, this time in the back. “DAMN IT! I’M GOING TO KILL YOU!” He tries to grab my hair, but that’s why I keep it short, good try. I put down the utility knife and this time grab my gun, shooting him in the arm. He falls to the ground, screaming, but I made a slip-up. Unfortunately, I get too close too fast, and when I least expect it, he stabs me in the stomach. Damn it! “Got you, you whore, I’m going to kill you and then follow your footsteps to those boys and kill them too.” The pain in my head was unbearable, but when he’s about to stab me again, I immobilize him with my shock glove, leaving him surprised. That’s right, idiot. I have 30 weapons hidden on me. “Surprise, now the fun begins.”

Clutching my stomach and trying to stop the bleeding, I kick him hard and he falls easily, his body still with the intense lingering effects of the shock. That electric weapon wasn’t like the ones most people found in personal security stores; its power was equivalent to an elephant’s stomp. It was made by Dinah; my sister is very good. “Here’s the news: since it’s getting dark in here, I need to take you somewhere with more light, but ugh, you stabbed me, man! Maybe I’ll kill you now.” He still tried to grab my leg, and I shoot him again, in the foot this time. “You idiot! Your wife leaves you and you blame eight famous men?” He spits. “Those monsters, they stole her from me! They need to pay!” What the hell, stolen? Besides being a cuckold, he was annoying; even I would have left.

I return his spit, still stepping on his shot foot; this time he howls. “I don’t have time for this crap, tell me, who gave you their location?” Silence… Ugh, I grab my utility knife once more and I’m not nice. I deeply cut his left thigh. “I’m going to ask one more time! WHO GAVE YOU THEIR ADDRESS?” I start to smell a strong odor of urine, oh no, goddammit, he trembles violently, pain and fear distorting his face before he finally responds. “That man! It was the doorman. He found one of the guys I hired in the countryside, who explained the situation to him and…” I pierce the utility knife once more, hearing him scream. “And he called me… and gave me the address, and I likewise gave him the reward, that’s how I knew…” Ah, that’s life, isn’t it? That’s what the boss always said about not putting good-guy labels on people, that damn old man, I gave him a good job when Harley came to visit me! Besides, this is still dumb, not even to remember the name of a real sister. “Was that today, yesterday?” The Brit whines, almost crying now. “What…?” Oh, Lord, I grab his shot foot and break it forcefully, and this time the scream that comes out of his mouth isn’t human, a shame I don’t care.

I continue to ignore the blood seeping from my stomach for as long as I can, but I know I’ll soon start to suffer the consequences. I needed to get back or call someone soon, but until then, I still had strength and kept looking at the man in front of me.

Ugh, he’s becoming a mess. “When did this happen with the doorman?” My voice comes out weak, but he answers. “Yesterday… Today he just told me everyone would be home and the plan was all mine.” Hmm, interesting. “Do you know where your ex-wife is now?” His gaze now fills with genuine confusion. “M-my wife? No… I don’t know.” A shame, she could even help me locate her, because she’s also a threat to the boys. “Alright, can you wait a bit? It’ll be quick, don’t leave, huh? Oh, let’s prevent that, shall we.” I shoot him again, aiming for his other foot, now for sure. I start to move away, grabbing my phone and dialing the already memorized number.

“Y/N? Did something happen?” It had been weeks since I heard the boss’s voice. “Are you needing a new batch of organs for the market?” Silence fell on the call for a few seconds, until he responded. “Where are you? What body do you have?” Of course, he’d like to hear that. “I’ll send you the location, it’s a man I’ve already injured too much, but he’s still alive, but you and the men need to get here fast.” I turn once more to the idiot bleeding and crying on the floor. “I don’t think he’ll last that long.” I omit the information that I’m also bleeding, because I know he’ll worry more than he should. Unfortunately, Harley’s voice pops into my head… ‘Still think you’re not the favorite?’ But I quickly push it aside. “I’ll be there fast, can you stay there with him, Y/N?” I was about to say yes, but my body was already starting to weaken. “I need to go back, sorry, but my responsibility now is more with my boys.”

The boss falls into his usual silence once more before continuing. “Your boys? Are you already territorial with these men, Y/N? Ah, I remember very well that when you marked territory over something, in the end you became much more… peculiar.” The memories he invokes are not pleasant; I prefer to believe that I’ve calmed down now that I’ve grown up and I also mentally curse myself for having referred to the boys with a possessive pronoun, after all, they weren’t mine, they were theirs since they were in a relationship. “Boss, I’ve already sent the location, I’m going to put the body in a more hidden place, though I guarantee no one will find it here.” I hear a car horn and it’s a clear sign that they were indeed leaving, they “quote-unquote” of course, when we say the boss would come, we mean him digitally, he never appeared in public. “I’m hanging up, bye.” I put the phone in my pocket and made the terrible mistake of lowering my head, and almost faint on the floor, I was truly getting weak.

I approach the whimpering, bleeding body on the concrete once more. “Hey, is there anything else you need to tell me?” I give the idiot one last chance to die useful, but he wastes it. “Go to hell! You and those crappy boys!” The boys, I hope not, but I’ve been there for a long time. “You don’t need to say kind words to me.” BANG! The shot to the forehead finally ends his miserable life.

Unfortunately, I can’t bend down any further to carry his body because I’m getting dizzier and dizzier. I pick up my cell phone again and open my messages:

MESSAGES:

Y/N: Just killed the Brit, let’s focus everything on the ex-wife now, please tell Helena to meet me on the way to the boys’ condo fast.

Jonas: Killed? When?? Today? And lucky for you, Helena’s right here with me, send me your location.

Jonas: Y/N? Send me the location.

Jonas: Y/N?? Damn it.

Jonas: Helena practically flew out of here just now, I tracked you, hang in there whatever happened.

I can’t read anything else he’s typing; my vision is already blurring. I need to fix this wound before it turns into a hemorrhage. The son of a bitch pierced deeper than I thought. I walk slowly, but I can walk. There are people on the streets, but the way I cover my stomach doesn’t make them notice anything. An old lady thinks I’m drunk and offers me a glass of water, which I gently refuse, and my phone starts ringing more often, but I don’t answer; I need to find a safe place first.

When I’m already halfway there, I hear someone shout my name but I can’t see who it is because the person is far away. Unfortunately, I can’t gather any more strength to cover the wound, and the blood starts to seep out again, and this time the scream of the person in front of me is one of horror. I feel him running towards me, shouting my name multiple times and calling various names that, now, as I get closer, I realize who they are. Damn it, I told them to stay safe and they disobeyed! The first one to reach me is Bang Chan; he’s trembling and almost pale, followed by Lee Know. “Chan… you weren’t supposed to come out, none of you actually… I… ah…” I can’t speak anymore and everything suddenly goes dark. The last thing I hear is the leader pleading, calling my name.

Chapter Text

[Lee Know's P.O.V]

Well, things have definitely spiraled out of control. In the blink of an eye, a day that started with the aroma of coffee and the tranquility of a normal morning dissolved into a chaos that now echoed through the walls of our dorm. How, I wondered, could life change so drastically? From an innocent game of Truth or Dare, we had moved to what felt like the edge of a cliff. That dull thud of Chan falling to the floor still resonated in my mind, drowning out the murmuring panic that had taken hold of us. And those words… “Y/N doesn't have a sister named Carolina.” They sounded like a crack in the ice, a premonition that the truth, whatever it was, was more fragile and dangerous than we had imagined.

The worst part is, I can't lie. The information hit me with a wave of anxiety. Y/N's reaction, just a few minutes earlier, had been strange enough. She had retreated into a shell of nervousness, as if the revelation wasn't just an innocent lie, but an alarm for an impending war.

"Minho, he's waking up," Han's voice snapped me out of my trance. Now, calmer, she brought me back to the urgent reality. I held her cute face in my hands and gave her several kisses, moving down to her mouth, seeking a moment of peace amidst the storm. "Thank you for letting me know, he's-"

I didn't have time to finish the sentence. A strident commotion from Bang Chan's room, once again, shattered the little tranquility we had. Muffled shouts and Changbin's altered voice echoed. "No, you can't get up all at once like that! We just gave you medicine, lie down!" Han and I ran, panic returning with full force. The scene in the room was surreal: Chan, pale and with a feverish energy, was trying to break free from Hyunjin, I.N, and Changbin, who were struggling to keep him in bed. He saw me, and his eyes, fixed on mine, conveyed a mix of despair and conviction.

"LEE KNOW! SOMETHING IS WRONG! YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND, I… I CAN FEEL IT."

That phrase triggered a new wave of nervousness, a sense of fatalism hanging over us.

"Stop saying that! You're making me nervous too, thinking something might have happened to her!" Felix almost pleaded, his voice choked with emotion. His eyes, already red, were on the verge of tears. I needed to be the anchor, the one to keep control. Yes, I was worried about Y/N, but I knew that if we gave in to panic, the situation would only get worse. The priority was to calm Chan down and understand what he was "feeling."

"Chan, what do you mean by 'something is wrong'? What does that mean?"

It was ironic to think that, weeks ago, Chan and I were paranoid and afraid of Y/N finding out about our relationship. Now, the fear of her leaving us had transformed into a much deeper fear: the fear of losing her. The trust we had built was the only foundation keeping us on our feet. But still, no one dared to put all the cards on the table.

The leader recoils, as if a phantom pain were hitting him. "We need to go after her, seriously, please, you need to listen to me..."

The desperation in his voice was palpable. We stared at him, torn. Loyalty to Y/N and her rules clashed with the desperate intuition of our leader.

"We don't know if it's totally certain for the place she went, maybe it's just your impression-"

Chan interrupts him with surprising force, his voice tearing through the air. "IT'S NOT MY IMPRESSION!"

That's enough. I needed order.

"I'VE HAD ENOUGH! Chan, I understand your nervousness. In fact, everyone here is very nervous, but you're not helping. If you collapse, it will be WORSE."

I turn to Felix, staring at him quickly. "Are you really sure it was the downstairs doorman's voice you heard?"

My boyfriend tenses, but his answer is surprisingly firm. "Y/N asked me the same question and I'm going to give her the same answer I gave her, it was the man's voice, YES!"

Jeongin takes the cue, his voice small, but with a brilliant idea. "Let's go after the doorman, maybe she said something to him before she left."

I internally scold myself. Good idea. Why didn't I think of that before?

"I'm going down, keep an eye on him."

I was about to leave when I feel a hand grab mine. I'm surprised it's Seungmin. His palm was cold, but the grip was firm.

"Can I come with you?"

I can't help but look for Han's gaze, and when I find it, he's already looking at me, the pain of exclusion visible in his eyes. It was clear that he was the one who wanted to go, but in the end, I see him nod, a silent approval for Seungmin and me.

"Let's go then, it will be quick anyway."

I held his hand and, together, we walked to the door. The hallway outside was in an oppressive silence, a chilling contrast to the chaos we had left behind.

"Minho, do you think something happened to-"

The silence before he finishes the sentence. The question hangs in the air, heavy and full of fear.

"Minnie, don't think about that now."

The younger boy complies, and his audible and tense breathing is the only thing that accompanies me to the lobby.

When we arrive, the scene hits us with the force of a punch. The doorman's booth was empty. What? The man was always there, the heart of the building, the silent guardian of our lives. Now, the swivel chair was empty, cold, and a shiver ran up my spine. I feel the grip on my hand get stronger.

"Minho, where is the man?"

That was the million-dollar question right now, and I wish I were the millionaire, but unfortunately, I can't think of anything either.

"I don't know, he should be here. He's usually always here."

And it was the pure truth. I couldn't remember the last time we found him absent. Chan, for example, always liked him because, apparently, he didn't know the magnitude of celebrities we were. What could have made him disappear?

"Seungmin, come on. Let's go back."

"Minho, wait, why don't we search the drawers where the man was? Do you remember that time you asked him to keep an envelope and he put it in a drawer? It doesn't hurt to be careful."

To be honest, I didn't think it would change much. But I agreed with the idea. That silence in the lobby was scary, and any action was better than inertia.

"Alright, we'll look quickly and come back, okay?"

He nods and we enter the forbidden area. At first, we don't find anything suspicious. The silence of the search was interrupted only by the clinking sound of metal objects in the drawers, disappointing me once again.

"There's nothing, Seungmin."

However, I am quickly surprised by the younger boy's statement, his voice sounding like a stunned whisper.

"Wait, why does this paper here say 'make their security leave'?"

What? Seungmin's question makes me snatch the paper from his hands, thinking it must be something written wrong, but it wasn't. My hands, now trembling, couldn't understand the handwriting on that old piece of paper.

"What does this mean? Could it be-"

I don't have time to finish the question because of a familiar commotion approaching. Hyunjin, running, was shouting: "CHAN, WAIT! LEE KNOW, HOLD HIM THERE."

But I take too long to think and Bang Chan ends up getting past me and Seungmin. He was pale and with his hand holding his chest, a feverish energy pushing him forward. And he keeps running. I don't waste time and start following him.

"BANG CHAN!"

We run like two madmen on the condominium street and I can hear the rest of the boys equally coming after us. I was trying to catch up to Chan, but he was too fast. He was the only one who knew the way to Y/N.

"Bang Chan!" I say, out of breath. "If you don't stop now, I swear I'll-"

And he really stops, but for another reason. My heart, which was already racing, almost stops. Is that Y/N?

I watch Chan approach her, but… she's strange. She doesn't look like the strong and unwavering Y/N that the boys and I know. And suddenly, there's a reason for that. I'm in a state of shock for a few seconds when I notice a dark liquid running from her stomach. Although she is dressed in black, the light floor makes it obvious. Y/N is bleeding. And the scene gets worse when she faints in my boyfriend's arms, her body going limp like a rag doll.

Bang Chan's loud, desperate scream finally gives me the energy to run to both of them. I didn't even notice that the rest of the boys had also arrived until I heard Felix's endless crying, who sought comfort in the arms of I.N, who was completely petrified, watching Chan hold Y/N while trying to stop her bleeding with what he could. Hyunjin and Han are now also trying to help, but I knew that a hospital was really necessary now, and fast. The sight of the blood, the metallic smell in the air, was overwhelming.

Damn! She's still alive, she has to live.

"SOMEONE CALL AN AMBULANCE FAST."

Changbin, despite the shock, quickly grabs his phone and starts dialing the emergency number. But something surprising happens: his cell phone is thrown from a distance by an accurate dart. What the hell?

"Don't call the emergency! Hand over my sister to me now! I'll take care of her."

A blonde woman with short hair suddenly appears, her calm and cold voice cutting the tension. Wait a second, did she say sister? The stranger's claim has no effect and only makes Chan, Hyunjin, and Han hold Y/N tighter.

"How can we believe that? She said she had gone to meet a sister before she showed up like this!"

The woman is not fazed. "I don't have time, and neither do you. My name is Helena. If you care about my sister, let me take her. Hospitals don't take care of this as well as I do, and believe me: she would like that."

Helena? The sister who was a teacher? Are teachers from Korea now being trained to heal injuries like this? The confusion is visible and, even so, the boys are reluctant to believe Y/N's other possible sister.

[Hyunjin's P.O.V]

I never imagined that today would end like this. The scene was so absurd that it seemed unreal. All this happening just a few weeks before they were due back to the band's work. From Chan's outburst in the room to here now, with him and Han, the three of us holding an unconscious and bleeding Y/N, while a strange blonde woman claims to be another one of her sisters. Okay, sure, Y/N did mention the existence of a sister named Helena, but immediate trust would be difficult to obtain.

"Guys, sorry, but the lady is right! Look at Y/N's situation, she's losing a lot of blood, we have to hand her over!"

Changbin tries to negotiate, but without success, because I feel Chan holding her even tighter and then saying: "I'll hand her over if you prove some consistent proof of this kinship."

This proposal leaves the stranger perplexed and she seems to really control herself not to go after Chan for such insolence.

"I don't have to prove anything to you. You've only known my sister for weeks and you think you have her on a leash?"

The woman approaches and we moved away, still carrying Y/N, until Lee Know also intervenes.

"Enough! For God's sake, Y/N is losing blood and we're losing time. Boys, just hand her over to her sister."

Unfortunately, as much as the reluctance wanted to continue, my logical sense understood and I turned to Chan and Han. "They're right."

Han also understands and lets her go, but Bang Chan persists until the blonde woman goes for it, pulling Y/N from the leader's arms, shocking everyone with her precision and strength. Han can't help but say, with his mouth open.

"You're a very different kind of teacher."

The statement makes Y/N's sister frown, visibly confused and not understanding, but she quickly recovers and starts taking Y/N to a car, which they now notice has stopped a few steps in front of them. Despair begins to take over Chan again, who also follows the woman.

"Where are you going to take her if not to the hospital?"

The look the leader receives is icy, but the woman responds: "To a place that is more trustworthy than a hospital."

I feel Felix and Jeongin also running to catch up with them and, when we least expect it, we are all huddled together again, a human mass of anxiety. Felix is the first to ask, a little shy, but firm.

"Helena, can we go with you? Please... um... I think Y/N will also be uncomfortable if she doesn't see us."

I also take the cue. "The last thing she saw before she fainted was Chan and Lee Know and then she must have heard our voices. Felix is right, please."

Helena positions Y/N on the comfort of a makeshift bed in the car while listening to our requests. For a moment, the fear of her rejecting us hits my chest, but she surprises them, sighing as she agrees.

"Just get in the damn car."

She doesn't have to say it twice. At first, we thought not everyone would fit, but the car is very big and, incredibly, everyone fits. Unsurprisingly, Chan, I.N, Felix, and I go to the seats as close as possible to Y/N, while Seungmin sits next to Helena, Changbin on the side, and Minho and Han are in the last part of the vehicle. And with that, the car finally leaves.

They are caught by surprise once again when Helena gets up from the driver's seat and approaches Y/N's body. Things happen so quickly and professionally that they barely have time to think: She takes three IV bags and applies them to Y/N's vein and then easily manages to stop the bleeding and then applies an injection to her other arm.

"Is the car electric?"

I.N's question is a little silly, but genuinely curious. But, after all, of course, otherwise, we would have already had an accident. Chan now asks another question while watching all of Helena's work with his sister.

"What was in that injection you gave her?"

Helena responds, without beating around the bush. "Anesthesia."

Anesthesia? I couldn't think of any explanation for that at the moment, and my doubt was apparently visible because Helena clarified for all of them.

"I'm going to stitch her up. This is a deep knife wound. I'm going to sterilize and pass the needle."

Here? NOW? I was about to protest, but Han questions this, in a calmer way.

"Helena... not wanting to discredit you, but are you sure all this is better than the hospital?"

The stranger then sighs, still focused on cleaning Y/N's cut.

"Yes, I'm sure. I've done this several times on her and on my other sisters."

But I thought only Y/N's profession was dangerous...

"You're a peculiar teacher."

Seungmin's statement causes another slight confusion on the woman's face, who now decided to answer this, still with a questionable expression.

"Teacher?"

Huh? Now we weren't understanding anything, a discreet action in front of me catches my attention: Chan held Y/N's hand. And Helena also notices this, but, surprisingly, she doesn't tell him to take it off.

I.N continues what Seungmin started. "Y/N said you were an elementary school teacher."

He says, still completely attentive to Helena's action of removing available needles from a box that appeared at some point they barely notice. Y/N's sister was very fast, just like her, and now she showed a slightly surprised expression and then I can see the moment her eyes widened a little until she responded.

"Ah..." We all now look at her attentively. "Ah, very kind of my sister. I was a teacher, I resigned a few months ago."

Oh- wow.

"But she didn't know, because I didn't tell her. That's why she said that, that's it."

She finishes, simple and direct.

I look outside, but I can't recognize where we're going, and a slight mental nudge made me realize that maybe we should have asked Helena better where we were going, but now it was too late. Whatever it was, the best option would be to stay close to Y/N. I feel a head lightly lean on my shoulder and I turn to find Felix's evidently tired gaze. My boyfriend is a real ray of sunshine. In the last few weeks, we both started not wanting to distance ourselves from Y/N anymore. We even commented on it in the room. It's impressive that none of us feel jealous of that.

"Are you okay?" I ask him, even though I already know the answer.

He looks once again at Y/N's sister, who was now starting to stitch her skin, making all of us look away. Felix swallows hard before answering.

"More or less, and you?"

I just respond with a slight shake of my head. Things had happened so quickly that I didn't even have time to think straight, and I think none of them did, to be honest.

The car suddenly stops, signaling that we have arrived at the destination. We look at the sides outside, but we don't recognize anything about the environment or what street it would be. I hear Lee Know's voice ask: "Helena, what place is this?"

And we return our gaze to Y/N's sister, who was now wearing a mask that covered her nose, firmly. Why did she put that on? Chan, who is still holding Y/N's hand, is the one who asks, with a little distrust in his tone.

"Why did you put on that mask?"

Helena takes a while to respond and the tension arises again in the car, until we hear her voice.

"Just for safety, nothing will happen."

And we relax with that because we think she was referring to Y/N, but the realization comes later, too late. Wait, my eyes… my eyes are wanting to close. Is this sleep? I look to the side and find the boys in the same way. Why…? It's Seungmin who tries to warn, without success, for us to try to resist, that some substance was being released in the air inside the car. The boys and I try to put our hands over our noses to prevent it, but it was already too strong and the darkness takes over me for good.

[Y/N's P.O.V]

(Flashback: Y/N, 6 years old, with her mother, 1 year before everything happened)

The sound of my mother's laughter vibrates through the forest trees. We were playing hide-and-seek while my father was working away. He was always leaving and I never spent a whole day with him again, I missed him.

"Got you!"

My mother's voice announces and I feel her lifting me from the ground, the two of us laughing a lot.

"Oh mom, it's not fair, you're an adult, you'll always catch me."

I was being dramatic, because deep down I didn't like to lose, but my mother just had fun.

"Y/N, we can't always win. Come on, let's go because it's getting dark."

Actually, it wasn't. However, mom didn't like it when we spent too much time away from home, and I didn't understand why.

While we were walking to go back home, I can no longer resist holding back the question that had been tormenting me for days in my head.

"Mom, why is dad leaving so much? He never came to play with us outside again."

I feel my mother freeze for a moment until she regains her composure, but now she shows a little tension.

"Your father is trying to keep us both safe, Y/N."

She says, simple and direct, but this only piques my curiosity more.

"Safe from what? We've never had any problems with anything."

And I was telling the truth. Well, the last time we had problems was more because of me: a girl annoyed me at the last school I studied at and I ended up sticking the sharpened pencil in the palm of her hand. With that, mom, dad, and I had to move again. I don't regret it, the girl deserved it.

My mother remains silent for a few moments until I hear her say, in a low voice.

"Y/N, you have your father's eyes."

Huh? I think she thinks I didn't hear that, but I did and I didn't understand anything. Did dad wear contacts then? Because his eyes were green, while mine were dark, but I decided to let it go. We passed by a toy store and I run to the door, my eyes shining when I see what's inside. I feel mom also approaching.

"Do you want that doll, Y/N?"

What? Doll? Now I realize which doll she was referring to. It was on a shelf next to the real thing I was looking at. I shake my head.

"No mom, I wanted the gun."

My mother looks at me with wide eyes and returns to the store, now seeing a large toy gun on the shelf. When I think she's going to buy it, I feel her grab my hand tightly and drag me away.

"I want you away from these things, do you hear me Y/N? I want you FAR away."

Mom never yelled at me like that, not even when I almost pushed my old neighbor off the high rock.

"But it's a toy-"

She silences me. "I don't want to know! Besides, we should already be at home, let's go!"

After that day, we never passed by that street again.

(End of Flashback)

"Y/N, wake up. Come on, sister, wake up."

Huh?

"Dinah, did you apply the right IV bag?"

Wait, where was I? That voice belonged to Catalina. Why was I hearing my sisters' voices?

"Of course, I did, Catalina. It's the same one I used the last time you took the three shots in Italy."

My head is very heavy. I try to open my eyes, but I can't, ugh, what the hell is this.

"Helena, I heard whispers that Y/N got another body for organ extraction for the boss, could it have something to do with what happened?"

Harley. My God, all my sisters were here. That means one thing then: I was home. When I try to open my eyes again, this time I succeed and the first thing I see is Catalina's brown hair. She's got her back to me, so she doesn't notice that I woke up, but Harley does.

"Y/N! YOU WOKE UP!"

My youngest sister's hug shakes me so hard that my other sisters scold her forcefully. Despite the attempt to maintain the pose, Helena doesn't resist and also gives me a hug.

"Idiot! It's been a while since you got hurt like this, I was nervous, you know? And I still had to put up with those boys."

Wait, did she say 'those boys'? What the hell-

Dinah bends over me after Helena steps away to apply another injection. Ugh, I feel like I'm being pricked all the time.

"Wow, you even said they tried to refuse to hand over Y/N, didn't you? I have to congratulate them on their courage."

Damn, wait a second. I get up from what I now realize is a bed and sit up despite their protests.

"What boys are these you said, Helena?"

She looks at me, evidently annoyed that I stopped lying down.

"The boys you're doing private security for now."

I feel my whole body freeze at her answer. Damn, hold on… the memories are coming back now. I fainted in front of Bang Chan and Lee Know, did they come with me? All of them? But… the location of this house is secret. Helena must read my mind, because she also responds.

"They came. I stopped the car 1 hour away from the location here and applied that sleeping gas in the air and all of them are now passed out."

The voice that comes out of my mouth is one I've never heard myself speak to my sister, loud and angry.

"PASSED OUT? WHERE ARE THEY? WHERE DID YOU PUT THEM?"

My sisters were slightly shocked by my reaction, and so was I, where did that come from? It's Catalina who responds, in a measured way.

"They are all lying on the mattresses in the spare room, we are treating these new princes of yours well, don't worry."

Dinah walks towards me once again holding a syringe and I quickly dismiss her. "Enough, I'm already better, I need to get up and take the boys back."

Strong arms grab me and lay me down once more and I glare at Harley with an angry look, but she's not fazed. "You need to wait about 3 hours for all the IVs and antidotes to take effect, you'll have to wait here."

What? No way I'm waiting.

"The boys are going to wake up and-"

Helena snaps back at me, losing patience.

"They won't. The sleeping gas I applied is strong. They'll sleep longer than you think."

I was about to ask how long that would be, but she guesses, because she says before.

"Believe it or not, Y/N, you've only been here for 1 and a half hours. I stitched you up and took care of most things still in the car. The boys will probably only wake up in about 4 hours, approximately, enough time for you to thank me for rescuing you."

Oh, damn, I was so... different from acting because of the boys that I completely forgot about that detail. I hadn't asked who saved me. I clear my throat a little embarrassed.

"Sorry, all of you actually. Ugh, what a pain, you're so annoying!"

I say playfully, obviously, and this draws laughter in the room and then Harley and Dinah say they needed to go out for an appointment together. With one last hug to both, they leave through the door, leaving me only with Helena and Catalina.

"Y/N, by the way, did you tell these men I was a teacher?"

Well, I didn't bother to tell the girls about this because I didn't think I would have to have contact between them and the boys so soon, which I hoped had come true.

"Yes, to them you are a teacher, Catalina is a veterinarian, Harley is a journalist, and Dinah is a DJ."

Catalina lets out a genuine laugh, doubling over with her hands on her stomach, ugh.

"I can't believe you still remember these childhood professions of ours, by the way, Y/N, you never told us what yours would be."

She's right, I never told them, and the reason was because, unlike theirs, mine wasn't so different from what I am today.

"I thought I would be a sniper. My mother always freaked out when I mentioned it, so I started lying, saying I had changed my mind and that I would be a pastry chef."

My two sisters are silent, Helena lowering her head as if she's getting lost in personal memories, while Catalina looks at me.

"Do you still remember them?"

I already know who she's referring to.

"There's not a day that I don't remember my mother and father."

And I wasn't lying. Yes, I stood there watching their dead bodies, but all the psychologists that the then-responsible for orphaned children put me with said that it was probably the initial shock.

"Before they were killed, we had gone to the mall and even ate pizza together."

After long minutes of silence, Helena speaks.

"I can't remember mine very well anymore, our life in Russia was a mess anyway, but I remember the foster home I lived in with a man and a woman. They weren't bad, but they weren't nice either. I guess life did the best it could by making me meet the boss."

The boss... well remembered. Helena was the first to be recruited by him, while he was on a shady business trip in Moscow, so we can say that the initial idea came because of her existence.

Helena was caught by the boss while she was running from the police after stealing a chicken pot pie on the streets of Moscow when she bumped into him. The second was Dinah, who, as she was always a genius in creating substances, managed to impress him while showing off one of her synthetic drug projects, all at 7 years old, in India. Catalina was something unusual: she was also running from something and hid in the back of the boss's car and was only discovered when one of the other men shouted that she was there, in Mexico. The fourth was me. I wasn't running anymore, I had managed to go to another city after managing to lose the orphanage workers. It was when I took a knife and threw it at a man who was following me that I realized who he was. The boss looked at me directly in the eyes for the first time at that moment, this in [Your country or city], and Harley was the last. She was the youngest of the girls, so she only found out about it when the boss himself told her: he found her passed out thrown in the trash, in Sweden. And that's how the journey of what we are today began.

"Do you regret your choices?"

Helena's question catches Catalina and me by surprise and silence reigns for a few seconds until the sister answers.

"No, my life in Mexico was a mess anyway. I don't think I would even be able to stay alive if it weren't for the boss. I am a spy and an assassin and I always will be."

I stay silent, and they both understand that my silence was in agreement with the answer given by Catalina. We talked for hours, more conversations about jobs and missions. The girls tell me about their last one together: they helped obtain evidence for a wife who was being cheated on so she could get the billion-dollar compensation in court against her husband. I can't help but laugh listening to them detail the whole sequence of the day until the door opens again, revealing my best friend, our best friend.

"Can someone explain to me why the Stray Kids band are all lying on the bed in the spare room like drunk angels?"

Drunk angels, my God, he really was gay.

"Ah Jonas, you should congratulate the dignified Helena for that, it was her doing!"

Catalina says, making my other sister roll her eyes.

"They're fine, it was just for logistics, I already explained. In fact, they'll wake up in 1 hour, from what I remember from the sleeping gas instructions."

In 1 hour? We need to get back quickly. Luckily, my body was already much better, it wasn't 100% yet, but in this current way, I would be able to handle myself and manipulate the boys with some convincing explanation. Helena must read my mind, because she gets up to check my heartbeat and blood pressure, giving the ok for both.

"You know I hate having to release you, right? This is the second time you've left to come back with these boys, first the explosion and now this."

My head spins when I hear her say the last sentence. All this distracted me so much that I hadn't realized this, I was left out of this revenge.

"It must be, because after all, no one told me anything about the discoveries of this trap."

The relaxed mood that was there before starts to sour once again, but my sisters don't fall for my provocation.

"I already told you that it's no use coming at us, this is already resolved anyway, the idiot doesn't even exist anymore, and instead of getting mad at us, talk to the boss, Y/N."

Ugh, I knew she was right, damn. It was really unfair to demand this from my sisters now, especially Helena, since she just saved my life.

"Sorry, my favorite Russian doll."

I say, as I stand up and face the blonde in front of me, who can't keep her pose and hugs me. I hear a 'I love you' in a low voice leaving her mouth. Catalina, who, despite not being very affectionate, also hugs me, even if only for a few seconds, but that's her true love.

"Y/N, try not to get hurt again, okay?"

I nod my head positively, even knowing that this will be very difficult, and deep down she also knows. I turn to Jonas, who also hugs me.

"Are you going to help me put all of them in the car?"

He gets confused for a few seconds until he realizes.

"Ah, yes. Actually, Catalina and Helena should come too, especially Miss Helena, right?"

With a 'I hate you all' from my blonde sister, we go to the spare room.

When I enter, my jaw almost drops. I thought they had been put in different beds, but they were almost stacked on top of each other.

"What the hell is this, they're going to have body aches, damn it! If something happens to these boys, it's going to be my fault, do you hate me?"

None of them care about my drama, on the contrary.

"Oh, give me a break, Y/N. Helena was still being nice, you know? If it were me, I would have thrown them on any couch in the house."

Catalina pushes me lightly to get me out of the way, and this prompts me to approach the boys. They are really passed out. My eyes wander over them one by one until they focus on Bang Chan. I think this is the first time I've seen him totally relaxed.

"There won't be time, they're already going to wake up. I'll need to apply another sleeping gas injection to them to prevent this-"

Helena doesn't have time to finish the sentence before I interrupt her, anger taking over me once again.

"If you apply that crap to them, things are going to get bad between us."

My sister still tries to argue with me, but Catalina, surprisingly, agrees with me.

"We don't know what the organisms of these men are like, Helena. What if something really goes wrong? Y/N is responsible for them and they are famous, it could be a mess for her."

This makes Helena visually frustrated, but she decides to listen.

"Okay, then let's get these eight into the damn car. Jonas, you take them, understood?"

We all agree and now the girls and my friend start to grab the boys while I stay watching, obviously, because my strength is not fully recovered yet, ugh. I see the moment Catalina grabs Felix in any way and a complaint leaves my lips without me realizing.

"Don't grab him like that, he has back problems, you'll hurt him."

My sister looks at me without understanding me, probably asking why I care so much about them, but even so she listens to me, because now she holds him more carefully. Then I watch the rest. After Catalina carries Felix to the vehicle, she comes back two more times to get Seungmin and I.N, while Helena takes Han and then Hyunjin and Jonas is in charge of Bang Chan, Changbin, and Lee Know, emptying the room for good.

"Great, since you didn't let me prevent it with the injection, hope they only wake up when they're back at their house."

Helena tells me as I position myself correctly in the front seat. Jonas is already going to the driver's side before saying something unimportant to Catalina. I look at the blonde in front of me again.

"Thank you, you're always very good to me."

My sister laughs, moving away from my face.

"Good thing you know. Goodbye again, Y/N. Don't forget: you are STILL in recovery, understood?"

Ooh, how authoritative.

"Understood, commander lady, relax your white ass."

With one last wave to both, I say goodbye while Jonas starts the car.

Now, alone and without the surveillance of my sisters, I turn to my best friend.

"Listen, although the Brit is dead, I feel that the main threat now will be the ex-wife, we need to find her." I say without mincing words.

The look Jonas gives me is one of total disbelief.

"Y/N, you must be delirious again. Didn't you hear Helena say you should rest?"

He says as he accelerates the car even more, to arrive before the people behind us wake up.

"I don't have the luxury of that. I am the security for eight famous guys who have a crazy woman after them, Jonas."

He gives sincere laughs before answering me.

"Y/N, I'm sorry to have to ruin this for you, but these guys are ALWAYS going to have crazy women and men after them. My love, we're talking about the K-POP industry. The term you want to find is sasaengs. Most idols have them, and that's not something you alone will be able to solve."

I know very well what sasaengs are, I don't live in a fantasy world like that and maybe he doesn't remember, but I've already been security on some occasions for other idols.

"I know about that, and I know I won't be able to dismantle something that is already a structural part of this industry, but I am the main person responsible for these boys now, it's my duty to protect them, don't you think? Their activities will return in a few weeks, I need to be prepared!"

Jonas is silent for a few seconds, watching the road until he finally gives the green light as he sighs.

"Yes, I do, Y/N, but you also need to be aware that these people often find out even where idols live. Do you think the ex-wife is just a deluded crazy person or a sasaeng-level crazy person?"

We hear a soft noise behind us and we freeze. I turn my face back, but, apparently, it was just Han getting more comfortable with Lee Know. Even while sleeping and together, without knowing it, these two found each other, my God.

I look forward again. The question leaves me thoughtful. The answer can lean towards yes for both questions.

"For now, let's focus on trying to find her, are you still going to help me?"

Jonas looks at me sideways and I feel him mentally judging me for the question.

"Of course I am, and can you tell me more about everything that happened to you? Did you tell the girls?"

He was referring to the stabbing and no, I didn't tell my sisters directly how everything happened and they never asked me, something I was grateful for. The boys' problems were only mine to solve, even if it caused me physical damage.

"The Brit had already found the boys' location and he had help from the doorman of the building for that, a sign that now I'll have to convince them to move. Wish me luck."

We hear more grunts behind us, but we don't turn around this time. Maybe it was divine help, but the boys really didn't wake up until Jonas parked the car and we started to get out of the vehicle.

"Y/N, I can take two each, it will be faster. Where do you think is best to put them?"

He asks, already opening the back door and unbuckling the seat belts of the eight people who are still incredibly passed out in the seat. This sleeping gas could be Chan's main enemy for insomnia. I watch for a while until I answer.

"Let's put each of them in their personal room, I already know which ones are which."

The whole action lasted about 30 minutes, until everyone was lying in their respective rooms. On the way during this, I couldn't help but notice immediately that the booth where the old man used to stay was empty, the drawers were open. Were the boys the ones who messed with it? Being hurt and still vulnerable was something that stressed me out like hell, ugh.

"Thank you, Jonas. Please, still today, try to find the whereabouts of this woman, okay?"

I hug my friend and then give him a kiss on the forehead, until he says goodbye.

"Take care, Y/N. And good luck with these men when they wake up."

Ah, I don't even want to think about the questions yet.

However, there is one thing I think about. If I can't leave because I'm still weak and I need to be here when the boys wake up, otherwise they'll freak out, I can send someone to help me. And I already know exactly who will agree without making any complaints or too intrusive questions, and it won't be one of my sisters.

MESSAGES:

Y/N: If you're missing me, we can try to arrange something if you solve a matter for me, is it a deal?

Unknown number: Wow, are you still so obsessed with me that you have my phone number memorized? I thought you had sent me to hell after that day.

How conceited she still was. I was lucky with ex-partners, to say the least.

Y/N: I love that you pretend it wasn't you who tried to stab my abdomen out of jealousy, Kim Woo Young. I'm telling you, solve a matter for me and I'll arrange your reward.

The sound of something hitting the wall snaps me out of my concentration on the phone and I start to approach the hallway of the rooms when Seungmin appears, his face stunned and confused. He was clearly trying to come back to reality and I can't help but feel guilty. He tries to walk, but his body was still waking up and his balance falters and, even hurt, I run to hold him. If he woke up, that means the others were already waking up or starting to wake up.

"Seungmin, hey hey hey, look at me, let's wash your face with cold water, come with me."

We start walking, him holding onto me, but still stumbling a lot. As his balance is compromised, all the weight goes entirely to me and my stitches complain immediately, damn.

"Y/N... Y/N... You were bleeding in front of me... did you die and now I'm visiting you in heaven?"

Seungmin started to talk a lot of nonsense after that. What the hell kind of sleeping gas was this? And to think that crazy Helena wanted to apply it to them again by injection, just out of mercy.

"Minnie, I appreciate the consideration, but unfortunately that wouldn't be possible, because I'm certainly not going to heaven."

Obviously, he barely hears any word I say. Finally, we manage to get to the bathroom even with all the complications and, instead of just his face, I throw him entirely under the shower and change the temperature from lukewarm to exactly cold and then I start to move away, but his hand stops me.

"No, for God's sake, don't leave my side, I don't even know if you're really here yet, stay with me."

At that moment, I hear another noise, this time as if someone had fallen out of bed and, for the first time in years, I feel pressured, damn, I should have asked Jonas to stay here.

"Seungmin, I AM HERE, you're already under the cold water, so it won't take long for your senses to return, I need to check on the other boys."

He stays still, just watching me, silent. And that makes me desperate.

"Seungmin..."

I look for his hand, squeezing it hard.

"Squeeze my hand back if you listen to what I'm going to say now: It's me, Y/N, your security and I'm here. I need you to stay quiet so I can take care of your other boyfriends, okay?"

He remains quiet for a few seconds, but a gleam begins to appear in his eyes and I feel him squeeze my hand. Great, okay.

I start to move away from him and his gaze follows me to the door, without blinking. My concentration on him lasts until I feel hands grabbing me from behind and panic speaks louder than reason and I restrain the person with my arm around their throat until I realize who it is. Lee Know. And, very different from Seungmin, he is already a little more lucid and his eyes impale me mercilessly.

"You..."

I quickly remove my arm from his neck and take him to the couch.

"Yes, I know, I was bleeding in front of you, I know."

Despite being in a more favorable condition than the younger one in the bathroom, the older one was also, obviously, a little disoriented.

"Minho, I need you to get in some cold water, now. Let's get up."

His hand slaps mine.

"You're a hallucination! What is this? Why are we back in the dorm?"

Hallucination? I grab my phone from my pocket and type a quick message to my sister.

Y/N: Helena, what sleeping gas was that you released in the car? One of them even thinks I'm a hallucination, damn it!

Helena: It wasn't even the strongest. Just throw all of them in water with an almost freezing temperature and you're done.

Y/N: THAT'S WHAT I'M ALREADY DOING!

I look forward once more and Lee Know is still looking at me as if I had come out of some lost episode of Supernatural and he refuses to hold my hands again. Ugh, that's enough! I walk to the kitchen and fill a large glass with cold water and return to the dancer's field of vision again.

"Sorry, it's for your own good."

And I pour the water on his face for good, catching him off guard even though he was out of it. It's when I hear the shower being turned off. My God, everything is happening at once. I leave Lee Know sitting on the couch and run once more to the bathroom and freeze at the scene I find. The one who turned off the shower wasn't Seungmin, it was Bang Chan. He woke up, left the room for the bathroom without me even noticing, and apparently, he didn't notice me either because when his eyes turn I swear I can see his brain freeze, and we both stay like that, staring at each other until he gets up and starts walking towards me and my body for some reason I don't know, automatically makes me move away to try to get away, but it's no use, because the leader lunges at me with everything, knocking us both down in the middle of the living room.

[Chan's P.O.V]

The headache I feel is one I haven't felt in years. Not even the biggest stresses possible with the boys or staff made me feel this way. When I open my eyes, panic rises when the first thing I notice is that, somehow, I ended up returning to my room, but that can't be possible because I was with Y/N, her sister, and the boys inside the car until… until Seungmin warned that some substance was being released in the air and after that, the darkness embraced me.

Speaking of them, where was everyone? I try to sit up, but this only makes my head throb even more, damn what happened... There's no one else here with me. I try to speak, but my mouth is a little numb, I was disoriented, that was obvious. Fear starts to take over me when I realize that no one else is appearing, until I hear some movement in the hallway. There are things being said, but I can't identify any yet with the eternal spinning in my mind at the moment. Thank God, when I try to get up from the bed, my body reacts. But confidence soon abandons me when I realize that my balance is compromised. It took a few moments until I could have stability in walking again and I finally start to leave my room. With this effort, my vision blurred once again, and I can't identify who is in the living room.

What my ear can pick up is the sound of water falling and for a moment I question if it's raining, but the sound is closer. It's when I walk a few more steps that I see that it's the shower and there's someone under it, what? I take a few steps until the realization hits me who it is, even disoriented I could very well know my boyfriends.

"Seungmin?"

My voice is still very low, but that doesn't stop the younger boy from hearing me, because I see his face turn. I lean over him and try to start a conversation, but equally without success, because he was still recovering his senses.

"Are you… are you even listening to me?"

I see him shake his head very slowly, not bad. If he wasn't even listening to me, I would enter despair.

"Who put you here?" Nothing. "Come on, let's get you out of here, I think if I try, I can hold you."

I get up again and turn off the water, ready to get him out of there when I hear footsteps behind me. My whole brain paralyzes once again when my eyes reveal the vision of Y/N, standing, alive and apparently well. I can't control the instinct that starts to arise inside me, the last time I saw this woman she was being stitched up by her sister, a sister who obviously drugged us. Everything was still very confusing, but I know it's her for real there. I end up leaving Seungmin for a while in the place he is and start walking towards her. Believe it or not, my balance improved and I'm already more stable now, but my mind is still not thinking straight and that's what made me jump on her, making us both fall straight to the floor.

"Bang Chan! Calm down-"

Her voice tries to cross the barriers of my foggy mind, but it's no use and I try to find the injury I saw on her stomach abruptly, and at least it stresses her out for good, because she immobilizes me with her legs, staring at me with obvious anger for a second until she softens.

"Stop it, you're acting like an out-of-control child! I know the confusing situation you're going through right now, but this won't work either."

Oh, damn, I choose to listen to her and she lets go of me, getting away from me and only then do I realize who is in the living room, Lee Know. Who is apparently starting to become more lucid again, because I see his eyes blinking quickly and he soon runs to me, with Y/N coming behind once more, holding a large glass of water and I am astonished when she throws the liquid on me.

"You know what?" Minho and I stare at her. "Let's speed this up."

And with that, she turns around to the kitchen again, holding two full bottles of water. Wait, what? Lee Know attracts my attention once again, holding my face.

"Do you have any idea what happened?"

Huh? What exactly is he talking about, so many things happened.

"You'll have to be more specific, Minho."

My voice now starts to come out more stable, the cold water must be the cause of it. We hear the sound of water being poured in the nearby rooms. I try to get up, but my boyfriend holds me.

"Chan, seriously, all this got strange, why did Y/N's sister drug us? How does Y/N herself seem to be already fine? And another thing, her sister didn't look like a teacher."

He was clearly 100% recovered, and I could say I was already almost 90%.

"We'll ask all the questions later, we need to help the other boys now, go to-"

When I was about to ask Minho to go look for Seungmin, he himself appears at the bathroom door. The two of us look at him with caution and his silence worries us until he explodes.

"WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED?"

That was the million-dollar question at the moment. When Y/N appears holding Felix is the moment the three of us run to help, then it was the turn of the rest. The most agonizing was Han, and that almost made Lee Know have a heart attack, but apparently the forced sleeping gas found the required sleep charges of Jisung's body, putting everything together, according to Y/N's words. I check on everyone one by one, but everyone is apparently fine, and that includes her… Y/N seems very unwavering on the outside, but it's not possible, something must be going through her mind.

When Felix and I.N look at Y/N's figure watching them, they freeze. Damn, the two of them get up at the speed of light despite everything, going to her.

"Oh my God! You're okay! The last time I saw you, you were really bad."

The blonde hugs her and soon the hug becomes a three-person one when I.N also joins.

"Y/N, don't do that again, I thought… I thought you were really going to die, I don't want to lose a friend!"

Now the two of them were crying, great, emotional crises now are all we really need. I look for Y/N's gaze only to already find her equally looking at me. Believe me, I was immensely happy that she was alive, but all this that happened was an absurd sequence of things that we need to talk about. After Felix and I.N, it was the turn of Hyunjin, Han, and Changbin to hug her tightly, leaving only Seungmin, Lee Know, and me still quiet. Well, that doesn't last long and in the end Seungmin also gets up and equally puts his arms around her, but he is more measured than the others. This time, then, only Minho and I remain seated, watching and she understands the message.

"I feel like I owe all of you an explanation."

And now she has all our attention on her, fixedly. Lee Know interrupts her.

"You really do, you can start by saying first of all, why did your sister do that to us?"

He represses the urge to ask if... Helena... yes that was the name the blonde woman said, if she really was a teacher, but why would Y/N lie about what her sisters were? It doesn't make sense. This now makes the rest of the boys who got up to hug her come back to us, curiosity surpassing everything. Well, it's then that she surprises us.

"We don't have time for that."

She says, not bothering to sit down. Huh? I see Hyunjin frown in confusion at her and he was going to ask something, but he was interrupted.

"First, no, my sister is not a teacher, in fact, none of my sisters are what I said they were. Second, the stabbing I got was from the man who was chasing you. He... he ran away and I don't know where he went, but I'm already tracking him, there's still the ex-wife. Third, you'll have to move, I believe it's better."

It's so much information to process that my head almost explodes, this also adding that we were recovering. It's Changbin who asks the first question, also with a confused face.

"Why do we have to move? We're used to it here, the-"

This was the question that was also getting to me the most, why is so much happening at once? I still haven't gotten over the sight of Y/N bleeding like that, damn, but also knowing that she lied about what her sisters were left me without understanding. Why did she lie? She answers my boyfriend, still very calm.

"Because the Brit almost managed to come to you. The doorman of the building gave the location for money. To avoid more headaches, we're going to move. Please, understand."

What? Her revelation makes me a little sad. I had already talked to that man and in fact he sometimes complained about his financial life, but to the point of throwing them into danger for it? Seungmin notices my change in mood and his hand looks for mine, squeezing it as a form of consolation when he finds it.

"Continuing, my sisters are… special agents, this time I'm telling the truth. By the way, you'll return to band activities in a few weeks, I'll need to think about security measures."

Y/N finishes, evaluating everyone's reaction. I hear a small voice speak.

"Look, first of all, I need to say once again how happy I am that you're okay, but I can't lie Y/N, you lying to us made me a little down, we'll have to trust you, so there can't be any more things like this."

Exactly, this needs to change. Y/N sighs.

"I understand your disappointment, Han. Really, I'm sorry, it won't happen again and I also appreciate the concern."

This calms the rapper's mood a little, but mine suddenly doesn't settle easily, and I can't hold myself back.

"How can I know if you'll really be sincere with us? You could very well be lying now."

After the words leave my mouth is when I feel the deep taste of regret. My emotions were controlling me like puppets and my reason at a disadvantage.

"Hey Y/N? Now we'll have to move overnight? That's not how it works, we would have to notify the company and the rest of our staff, do you think it's that easy?"

While she looks at me as if I'm the most uninteresting human being now, the boys' eyes are almost popping out of their sockets. They were not expecting this and, unfortunately, neither was I.

"Bang Chan, at no time did I imply that it would be easy, however JYP made my order a priority because in case you forgot, I was hired in the first place to protect you from the threat of the Brit and any other that appeared and I am not in the mood to put up with your drama now."

Despite what I just said, I can't help but feel my heart tighten at hearing her call me Bang Chan instead of just Chan. He was holding her hand in the car and didn't want to let go of her to her sister, and now it was the two of us like this. What was the universe trying to do to me? I didn't even understand myself. Felix is already looking at us both with teary eyes. Oh, for God's sake, that's not what he wanted. The blonde gets up and goes to the middle of the room.

"It's not time for you two to fight now! I can't stand the power struggle between you both anymore! Stop!"

"Calm down, Chan has a point! Y/N, we trust you, but what can faithfully guarantee that you won't leave us? Betray us? If you've already lied-"

Lee Know didn't have time to finish the sentence, because Y/N exploded and what she said next was something that, deep down, I was already suspecting, but hearing her say it openly made my whole body freeze, just like everyone else's.

"Oh, sure, I'm the villain now! Listen here, enough! It's over now, we don't want secrets between us, right? Well, I'm also fed up with pretending that I don't know that the eight of you are in a loving relationship together, and I've known about it since day one, and even so I've never treated anyone differently or even implied that I would care about it, are we in the same conditions now? ARE WE?"

She finishes, the effort clearly being too much for her because she holds her stomach while she shrinks.

Only the sound of our breathing is audible in the room. Everyone was in shock. Of course, she knew, it was very obvious all their excitement thinking they were hiding it. Damn, Y/N is a highly trained security, it was really obvious. While we were recovering from that, Y/N was standing in the chair, her position quiet while her hand still covers her stomach. Suddenly, I.N is the first to speak after a while.

"Honestly? I'm happy that we don't have to hide anymore. Look at Y/N! If she knew from the beginning and didn't change it's a sign that she really cares about us."

After that, of course, Felix and Hyunjin also spoke in her favor, but how strange, she wasn't even speaking anymore. Jeongin starts to call her name, approaching, smiling.

"Y/N, don't give us the silent treatment, please! Well, the fact that you knew about our relationship caught us by surprise, but to be honest, I think we're dealing with it better than we thought."

Worse, we were. I was expecting the boys to scream in fear, but the opposite happened, they seemed relieved, in a way. Even so, Y/N still remained silent and my mind enters despair once again when I feel that same pain from earlier. By the way, what time is it? I look at the clock now, it was almost 11 at night. My body gets up before I even realize it, but not enough to prevent the screaming of everyone and especially Jeongin when we realize with enormous terror, that the reason why Y/N was quiet, was because she had fainted again and chaos takes over the environment once more.

Chapter Text

(Flashback: Y/N, 7 years old)

I finally managed to get away from all those vultures. Why couldn't they just leave me alone? Yeah, I was a kid, so what? I could definitely handle myself better than all those idiots. I walked through the busy city streets, feeling heavy stares on me. Ugh, they should mind their own business! I dodged cars and motorcycles, heading toward the bus station's boarding gate. Suddenly, my body went on high alert. I felt like someone was following me. Was it one of the social workers? I hated this. I got the idea to walk calmly down a less crowded street, and then I was certain. Someone was on my tail. I reached for the sharp knife I had stolen from the orphanage kitchen and prepared to lunge at the target with everything I had.

But I was surprised. He held the blade in the air with terrifying ease. He was a man with dark eyes that glowed strangely, almost as if the world around them was in slow motion. He was Asian, and I was even more surprised to notice three girls, seemingly my age, standing next to him. The first, a fair-skinned blonde; the second, with dark hair, had a natural tan; and the third, also with dark hair, was a brunette. All of them stared at me with equal curiosity.

I thought about running, but the man's voice stopped me. "You don't need to run. I guarantee my offer will be much better than running from whatever it is." His voice was calm, almost artificially smooth, and somehow it held my attention. I gestured, indicating I was listening, which made him smile again. "Very well, young lady. First of all, what is your name?" I hesitated for a moment. My mother had always told me not to give my name to strangers, but... my mother wasn't here anymore. "My name is Y/N." He nodded, still smiling, and then introduced me to the three equally mysterious girls. "Hello, Y/N. Allow me to introduce them: Helena, Dinah, and Catalina." They evaluated me from head to toe, which made me deeply uncomfortable. I had serious trust issues, and this whole thing felt extremely suspicious. "Why are you doing this? Just tell me what this offer is!" My voice came out loud and sharp, surprising the other men behind him. I swore I heard one of them whisper, "If that was one of us talking like that... we'd be hanged on the spot." I didn't care. I didn't even know who this guy was, but he didn't seem irritated by my insolence at all.

"You're brave, Y/N. That's very good, actually. I truly admire that because I don't want to raise future weak and fragile women." What's he talking about? What does he mean? I thought, This guy is crazy. "So, this is my offer: come with me and these three girls to South Korea. I want to turn you into special agents. If I were you, I'd accept. You don't have anything else to lose, do you?" The confidence in his voice was unnerving, as if he knew exactly that I, in fact, had nothing left. My only hope was my grandmother, but she had died before I was even born. "Special agents? That's too vague. Stop beating around the bush!" I was insolent again, and that seemed to amuse him. Was he enjoying my rebellion?

"Alright then." He turned his head from side to side, as if making sure no one else was listening. "I had the idea of turning you and these three into spies and assassins. Wouldn't that be the best option? You don't have parents anymore, and the law will always want to catch you and send you to strange families, isn't that right?" I froze completely. Did I hear that correctly? It couldn't be. "Look, I'm not in the mood for bad jokes right now. Go away." I started to turn to leave, but he surprised me again. "I feel like you're going to be my greatest pride, Y/N. Don't throw this opportunity away. It'll be your last chance before you have nothing at all." The certainty in his voice was irritating because he was probably right. What would my mother think of this? Oh, right, my mother was dead. "Or are you scared? Don't tell me it's that, because I'd be very disappointed, you know?" He continued, still completely confident, as if he already knew what my choice would be. I slowly turned back to face him. "I'm not scared." My voice was still firm, and I shifted my attention to the unknown girls behind the man. They hadn't stopped looking at me for a single second.

I really had nothing to lose. At least I wouldn't be alone. It seemed I would have the company of those three girls. "Alright," I said. The man's eyes lit up with satisfaction. "I accept. I'll go with you to South Korea."

[Changbin's P.O.V]

If the company knew everything that happened today, we would surely all be reprimanded until our next reincarnation. My body was still recovering from whatever drug Y/N's sister had infected the air with. Of course, when she put on that mask, it was suspicious, but in the heat of the moment, no one thought straight.

I woke up in my room with Y/N herself throwing freezing water on me, and she didn't even give me time to understand what was happening before Chan, Minho, and Seungmin showed up to help me. Now, here we were, in the middle of a commotion because Y/N had fainted again. You see... I was still a little in shock at how easily she said she knew we were in a relationship, but at the same time, I felt relieved because I couldn't stand pretending anymore. Still, I wanted to understand why she felt such a need to lie to us, and this story about her sister seemed very strange. Why all the mystery? I still trusted her, but a slight suspicion now existed.

I had trained with her recently, and she was always very helpful, assisting me all the time. Knowing that she had been aware of one of our biggest secrets all this time and that it hadn't changed anything also put me at ease. My mind was a mix of feelings.

Jeongin wouldn't stop crying while holding her. He was always the most sensitive when it came to her, which was no surprise. "Hey, I.N, honey, stop. You don't need to be so desperate. She'll wake up. Listen to her heartbeat and you'll have confirmation," I said, hoping to calm the maknae. It was the most obvious truth. Y/N wasn't bleeding, which meant her stitches hadn't opened — that was great. She had probably fainted from the exertion and the pressure of Chan and Lee Know's agitation. Speaking of them, the two were watching from a little farther away and saw the moment I.N took my suggestion and placed his head on her chest, calming down when he, obviously, heard her heart beating.

"Ah, I know something that will definitely help," Lee Know's words drew our attention. "Well, it really helped us, didn't it? So let's return the favor." My eyes widened when I saw him return with two bottles of water, obviously cold. He was going to do the same thing she had just done to us. "Wait, what if she gets really scared?" Han intervened. For a moment, Minho was conflicted, as he always was when Jisung questioned him, but this time he didn't back down. "She won't, and I'm sure Y/N has endured much worse than this." The dancer approached, receiving a death glare from the maknae, but he was unfazed. "Jeongin, I'm going to wake her up. It'll be better for you, right?" This prospect satisfied I.N, who moved away from Y/N. We backed up a bit as Lee Know poured the water on her, and it really worked, but I don't think anyone was expecting what happened next.

Before Lee Know could move away, Y/N immobilized him with both legs in an attack position, the scene making all the air leave our lungs: Y/N was now on the floor with my boyfriend VERY close to her. I don't know who short-circuited first, her or him, because they both separated quickly. "Damn, what was that!" Ah, she still seemed pretty mad. I looked at the boys, but they didn't know exactly what to say. "If you really want to be safe, listen to what I'm saying! We're moving, whether you like it or not. That's enough! That's it for today. I'm going to my room to sleep and I recommend you all do the same because it's already late, and later we'll start organizing this transition." Y/N's voice was firm, clearly preventing any chance of reconciliation at the moment. This was very bad; I didn't like being in this situation with her. "Y/N, it's not fair for you to be mad at me!" I saw Han trying to restrain I.N, but without success. He went up to her with those teary fox eyes. "I'm not mad at you, or any of you. I'm just tired. I got stabbed and I need space to recover." This statement soured the mood, especially for Felix, Hyunjin, and of course, Jeongin.

We all watched her enter the room and heard the sound of the lock. Great, what a beautiful end to the day. I couldn't help but sigh; I was tired as hell too. With all this happening and them about to return to work and the tour, emotions were on a rollercoaster. "Seriously, you two need to sort this shit out, no one can take it anymore." I was confused until I realized it was Hyunjin talking to Chan. "Do you realize you've been doing this for weeks? Chan, you can't be in a cold war with our security." This made the leader run his hands through his hair, his face a look of pure exhaustion.

If I was tired, I couldn't even imagine what was going through Chan's head. "I know. I promise... now I'm serious, I promise I'll sort out these issues with Y/N. I'm sorry, I should be the most responsible one here, and I'm causing all this mess." Our bodies tensed up at his fragile voice. Was he going to cry? Oh no, please. Fortunately, Felix, who was next to him, comforted him. "Chan," the blonde's voice was very caring, "you were the first boyfriend of all of us here. Even though we like Y/N, we love you. We've been through a lot together. It'll all be okay, alright?" This helped the leader's mood improve, and Felix took advantage of the moment to surprise Chan, kissing him hard on the mouth. "AHHHH, WHAT'S THAT? IN FRONT OF OUR SALAD?" Han's drama brought a little fun to the environment once again.

"Now, seriously, we need to sleep, at least try a little, don't we?" Seungmin said, and we all agreed. Yes, we should. Especially after everything that happened, our nerves must be shot because of the lack of rest. Suddenly, I felt a light poke on my arm and found Hyunjin's beautiful and slightly sleepy face. Poor thing, he looked like a wreck too. "Do you want to sleep with me tonight?" Hmm? Not that the request didn't satisfy me, but he had been sleeping mostly with Felix lately. So, I took the opportunity to clear things up. "Are you going to abandon your blonde?" My boyfriend laughed and pointed his head to where Chan and Felix were. The blonde was sitting on the leader's lap while Chan said something to Lee Know, who also had a half-asleep Han on his lap. Seungmin and I.N, already realizing which couples were going to be together tonight, said goodnight and went to bed. I thought they were going to I.N's room, but the opposite happened, and we heard the lock on Minnie's room turn.

"Finally missed me, wife? It's your lucky day because I'm very tired, you know." I said, passing my hands lightly over his thighs, making him shiver quickly. I heard Minho's reprimand. "HEY! Not now, you perverts! Let's go to sleep." Felix and Han almost let out a "thank God" at this. It seemed my blonde boyfriend's decision to sleep with Chan was a last-minute, thoughtless one, because he widened his eyes at Hyunjin, as if apologizing telepathically, and Hyunjin quickly murmured a 'no problem,' calming Felix. With a goodnight, we all went into our rooms. Well, I was the only one who actually went into mine. Minho and Chan went into their respective partners' rooms.

I barely locked the door when my boyfriend attacked me, almost knocking us over as he kissed me hard. He was trying to pretend that this whole situation didn't make him nervous by trying to pull me in for sex. I already knew this tactic because it wasn't the first time he had used it. "Hyunjin," I gently pushed him away, holding his face. We were both out of breath. "Honey, not now, okay? You're just scared and nervous. I am too, but everything will be fine, do you hear me?" The action made him embarrassed, and regret crossed his face. "I'm sorry, you're right, Changbin. I hate when I do this, seriously, I'm sorry." I watched Hyunjin move away and sit on the bed, his face showing an expression of defeat and a feeling of powerlessness mixed together.

"Do you think our relationship with Y/N will get cold again?" he said while starting to take off his clothes to shower. I was pensive for a few seconds. It was a good question because I also wanted to have the right answer. "I don't know, Hyunjin. Look, I think it's a change for everyone, and there's also the issue that she's always known about us. Sure, she shows confidence, unlike the old guy, but I still think it's strange at first." I said, sighing. Hyunjin nodded, understanding. "Yeah... I'm going to take a shower now." I grabbed his hand, startling him slightly. "Can I shower with you?" The question made him excited, and he smiled. "Of course you can, you're my boyfriend, Binnie!" His voice was very playful, but still, even in a firm relationship, consent needs to remain.

"I wish I could stay like this longer," Hyunjin's voice was filled with a slight emotion. We were under the water, which was warm, thank God. Taking a cold shower in the middle of the night would be a drag. But what was he trying to say? Here with me? Something with Y/N? My confused face must have been apparent because he clarified without me asking. "Resting with you guys. I feel like I couldn't do everything I wanted to. Okay, I know that because of who I am, I don't have as many freedoms as other regular Koreans, but... anyway, you know that, of course." Yes, I knew that well. Deep down, we would always have this feeling. It's not that we regretted the life we chose, of course not. I loved my life, I loved my career, I loved my boyfriends, and I loved my fans. This wasn't an issue for me or the others. It was just inevitable not to think about what it would be like if we were also seen as normal human beings. "What would you like to do? Tell me something." My voice was calm and welcoming, something Hyunjin was very much in need of.

"Ah..." He turned his head to the side as the water continued to fall, and unfortunately, I couldn't help but be mesmerized by his face. This man in front of me was constantly praised for his beauty. I confess that sometimes it made me jealous. Some of the compliments were, most of the time, flirty, and I'm not talking about the STAYs, because, obviously, the parasocial relationship exists and always has. After a few minutes, Hyunjin continued. "I wanted to do something crazy, like go out on the street without any security guards watching me, sit in the middle of an open, flowery place, and start painting. It would be such a cool scenario."

Well, without any security guards, it would be practically impossible, especially with dangers always lurking. This now made me remember that the crazy guy who was threatening us had an ex-wife who was probably also hunting us. I always tried to tell myself that this would, unfortunately, be a part of our lives, but deep down, I knew I would never get used to it because it wasn't normal. I was ready to comfort him, but he interrupted me, already knowing what I would say. "It's okay, Changbin. I know it's a dream, relax." Although he told me to relax, it was evident that it was something he himself couldn't do. However, I decided to let it go, and we went back to finishing the shower.

After a few minutes, we were already in our favorite comfortable clothes for sleeping. "Do you want to spoon tonight?" I had to muster the strength to control my urge to laugh at Hyunjin's syrupy voice. He already knew this part of our routine too. "Yes, and you want to be the inner spoon, right?" Of course, my boyfriend smiled. You see, he always asked me this question, I always gave the same answer, and in the end, we ended up in the most obvious way: Hyunjin with his back against my chest and my arms hugging him. Classic. "I can feel you wanting to laugh, Changbin, ugh. So what if I'm predictable?" Oh, my God, his voice now sounded like a little tantrum, and this time I couldn't hold back the laughter, which made him even more sullen. "I should have asked to sleep with Jeongin instead." Oh, no you shouldn't have. Okay, fine. I managed to stop laughing and pampered him one more time. "You shouldn't. If you behave this week, I can reward you. You miss it, don't you?" He knew very well what I was talking about because I felt his body shiver quickly.

"Binnie, please don't tease me now. I don't know if I can hold back. Let's go to sleep, it'll be better." Ah, interesting. Was he that sexually frustrated with me? But okay, I decided to listen to his plea. "Goodnight, honey, sleep well." I said, kissing his forehead, although, obviously, we wouldn't have a truly proper night's sleep, as it was already almost 4 in the morning. "What else?" Hmm? I thought he was already asleep, but Hyunjin turned his face to me once more, and for a few seconds, I didn't understand until the realization hit. Oh, lord, what a spoiled man. "I love you, Hyunjin." Now the dancer was satisfied, and when he turned, it didn't take even 5 minutes for him to fall asleep.

I still took a while. This thing about us moving... We would obviously stay in Korea, but of all the parts and revelations today brought, this one made me think the most. I trusted Y/N. Could I be a little foolish? Maybe. But I didn't feel any danger from her, even though she had lied. I also just wanted her and Chan to sort things out. It was funny to see this now because I swore that my oldest boyfriend would always be one of the first to get along well with her. I would really like to understand Chan's head, but he didn't give much space. However, I would try to make him vent and find out why he was always in this cold war with Y/N. After these thoughts, sleep started to take over, and I soon ended up sleeping, this time without sleeping gas.

[Han's P.O.V]

Sunlight streamed through the bedroom window, signaling that the day had already begun. I looked to the side and saw that Minho was still asleep, and the thought that crossed my mind was anything but innocent. I glanced at the clock, which showed it was almost 9 a.m. Okay. I started to move away slowly, carefully lifting his arm and leg off me. I turned, inching closer to his stomach and going down... down... and just as I was about to reach my target, he startled me. "GOOD MORNING, JISUNG!" His shout almost made me fall off the bed on my back. What the hell? I could have sworn he was sleeping! I sat up with my hand on my heart, trying to calm myself down, which sent him into a fit of laughter. "Han Jisung, did you really think I was asleep? Man, maybe I should accept that production company's offer and act in a K-drama."

The idiot said, still laughing as he sat up. Haha, very funny. But I wasn't going to let him get the upper hand. "Wow, Lee Know, what a shame, you know?" Now my boyfriend stopped smiling. "I was going to give you a blowjob, but what a pity, you're already awake. Maybe next time." I started to distance myself, a clear tactic that worked because I felt his arms quickly pull me back to bed. Our eyes met, his now very dark. "Jisung, you can joke about anything, except for that."

Aww, how fun it was to tease him. "You're all cocky with me, but when I use the same tactic, you can't handle it." Lee Know was now looking at me with blatant desire. I could feel the sexual tension in the air. Looks like we were going to be late. That was fine by me. "Minho..." Silence. He continued to stare at me for a few minutes until he finally exploded. "You promised me a blowjob." I was quickly put on my knees while he sat on the edge of the bed. Holy shit. "And you ARE going to give me a blowjob." His voice was completely authoritative now. Damn it... When Minho used that voice, I couldn't control myself. Unfortunately, that voice made me lose all my composure every time, and this was no different. My breathing started to falter as I began to lower his sweatpants. Shit, I'd done this countless times, but the nervousness was the same. I knew Lee Know always liked the blowjobs I gave, but self-sabotage was always lingering. He must have noticed because he softened his tone.

"Han, everything you do for me is wonderful. You don't need to have those self-sabotaging thoughts, okay?" Ah, well... okay then. I took courage from his affectionate statement to finally lower his underwear and surprised him by taking his cock into my mouth all at once. He groaned, putting his hands on my head. "Oh my God... ah... ah..." I brushed his cock up and down very slowly the way he liked it, drawing out more delicious sounds that echoed in the room. I started to hear footsteps near our room and figured the rest of the guys were already getting up. I would have gladly continued to make my boyfriend groan uncontrollably because it had never been an issue for us, but the realization hit me seconds later: Y/N now lived here too. It would be disrespectful to her. "Jisung, it's very clear that your thoughts are somewhere else and not here with my cock down your throat. Do you want me to explode and start forcing your head?"

Shit. I didn't know I had let my daydreams show so much. I thought of something I knew would distract him from my slip-up and started to squeeze his balls. And, of course, it worked. "OH SHIT! Damn it, don't think you're going to get away with this, AH." Minho's voice started to get breathless, and my head started to spin. I was going too fast now, moving my head up and down without stopping, and tears started to appear in my eyes, but I didn't stop, obviously. I would only stop when he came, which would take a while. "Han... Han... I'm going to..." Yes, I knew. My mouth now sucked as much as possible until the end, and my nose touched his pelvis as I squeezed his balls one more time. Finally, I saw Minho come. He held my head firmly while he released everything into my throat and stayed like that until I couldn't take it anymore and tapped his thigh, signaling. He let me go, and I finally breathed properly. Damn, I was all dirty and sweaty now. I needed a shower. "You look so beautiful like this." Hmm? Oh, every time Lee Know complimented me, I never knew how to react without getting embarrassed, and he knew that very well because a smile started to form on his lips again. "Han Jisung, you're beautiful!" Oh no, he got up, pulled me up with him, and dragged me to the bathroom. "Han Jisung, you're beautiful!" His voice was playful, not even sounding like the same guy who was almost tearing my head off with the pressure of his cock just minutes ago. "Say it for me." He looked at me as we entered the bathroom, and I stared at him, pretending not to understand. "Say what?" He gave me a look of slight reprimand, even though he knew I was playing. "Say it, Jisung." Ugh, can't I even pretend to be clueless now? Fine. "I'm beautiful." Done. Great. I made a pouty face after that, which caused another fit of laughter in Lee Know. "Han, you can be the 'ACE' of the generation, but with me? You'll always be my baby." He said, and we started kissing wildly, not caring about the time passing.

Should I have kept my mouth shut? Of course, I should have, but the adrenaline of always provoking the man in front of me always won. "Funny, from what I remember, I was first Chan's baby." The effect was immediate. I really loved danger. When Minho spoke again, his voice was four octaves lower. "Oh yeah?" His hands grabbed my waist tightly, pressing me against the wall. Shit. "Yeah... Did I say a lie?" Oh my God, he was going to destroy me. Minho stared at me for a few seconds until he attacked my neck, sucking hard until I couldn't control myself and let out a loud cry. I immediately covered my mouth. Holy hell, Y/N! Right, I knew she already knew... in fact, she always knew, but being cautious was also a good thing, wasn't it? However, Lee Know pulled my hand away, freeing my mouth once again. "I like it when you scream."

"But it would also be great if you did that at another time, not to be a killjoy, but we have more urgent matters to deal with now." The surprised voice made me slip nervously on the bathroom floor. My heart threatened to stop until I realized who it was. Seungmin. "Don't look at me like that, Lee Know. Chan himself told me to say that. By the way, you two are the only ones left out there. Oh, and pack your essential things." Now, looking at Minho, I realized he had a look on his face that, if he could, he would make Seungmin disappear from the bathroom right then and there. "Chan said the warning was a one-time thing, so I think you'd better listen and come out soon." With that, the youngest turned and closed the door. My God, we hadn't even noticed him entering.

My face turned to face the boyfriend in front of me again. "Don't think this is over." He kissed me once more, the promise in the air. "Next time, I'll be able to bury my cock in that ass of yours." Oh, shit, what kind of language was that... And it worked, because it made me breathless again. "You talk as if you don't do that almost every time. I'm always with you more, don't you think I should spend some time with the others too?"

SLAP!

What? Oh...

Did Lee Know just spank my ass? Holy shit, I'd be lying if I said that didn't turn me on. Ugh, but we needed to leave. Apparently, the only one who was still rational was me because I reminded him. "Minho, as much as I also really want to have sex with you right now, we need to leave. You know that." He sighed, defeated but understanding. "Fine, let's go before Chan comes here and drags us out by our hair." After that, we spent a few minutes getting ready until we were good to go. "Han." I looked at him. "I love you too much." Ugh, it was impossible not to fall in love with this man every day. I gave him my best smile as I looked at him up close. "I love you too, Minho." We kissed one last time before we opened the door and left.

[Felix's P.O.V]

(a few minutes and minutes earlier)

Daylight had broken and, surprisingly, I had slept quite well despite the late hour we went to bed and all the stress from before. I looked to the side and saw that Chan was still sleeping soundly. After Y/N woke up, I decided at the last minute that I wanted to sleep with the leader, just sleep of course. Neither of us had the energy for anything more. I stretched and got up, giving Chan a kiss on the forehead before leaving, which made him stir a little. He wouldn't be long to wake up either.

When I opened the door, I realized I was the first one up. I started walking towards the kitchen, but I stopped, startled to see a shadow sitting in a chair near the balcony window. Well, I was the first to wake up among the boys. "Good morning, Y/N." My voice was cautious. I still didn't know what was going on in her head, and it bothered me. I wanted to get closer to her. We had said we would be friends at the beginning, but I confessed I hadn't felt much of a change, and I wanted to change that. It was obvious she had already noticed me approaching, but her face turned, and she gave me a smile. That was something. "Good morning, Felix. Are you okay?" Me? She was the one who had been stabbed and, hours ago, had fainted from stress and tension, and she was asking me if I was okay? This woman was unbelievable.

I started to approach but hesitated, and she must have noticed, because her voice became inviting and caring at the same time. "If you want to come closer, you can. Relax, I don't bite yet."

Ah, okay. Well, then it's fine. I walked to the balcony, completely forgetting my goal was the kitchen to eat. "I'm okay," I said, sitting next to her. "And you? By the way, I'm sorry, Y/N. We... we didn't want to be this source of stress in your life. Trust me when I say we didn't even expect all these twists and turns." After I spoke, silence fell. I was starting to worry again when, finally, I heard her voice. "Felix..." Y/N let out a slightly embarrassed laugh, as if she were thinking of an inside joke. "Believe me, I've been through more stressful situations than this. In fact, you guys are one of the most peaceful experiences I've had in years." My whole body froze when I felt her grab my hand and close the distance between us. "Actually, I'm the one who needs to apologize. You guys... in a way, you're just scared by all of this. I should take it easier and learn to calm you down better." She didn't let go of my hand, but I didn't pull it away either. It didn't bother me; quite the opposite.

I swallowed hard, trying not to focus too much on the fact that we were holding hands. Was the feeling of making new friends always like this? I had forgotten. "You're right about us being scared; it's pretty obvious. And about Bang Chan..." Unfortunately, the mention of my oldest boyfriend's name was a bucket of cold water. She let go of my hand, and her voice came out more robotic. "Felix, I appreciate your kindness, but I'd rather you not try to sweeten my relationship with your boyfriend, please." Boyfriend. My God, I couldn't help but be shocked to hear her say that. It was still strange to know she knew and didn't seem to... care. It was, in a way, comforting but also terrifying, given how naturally she said it. "I..." My tone was a little shaky at first, but I managed to hide it. "I wasn't going to do that, Y/N. Don't worry, neither I nor anyone else wants to meddle directly. It's just that... I find it sad. I LOVE Chan and I also like you. I didn't want the atmosphere between you two to stay like this forever." I finally managed to say it. I wasn't lying; it was genuinely upsetting me. And despite saying I wouldn't meddle, it was obvious I would try to talk to my boyfriend, and I had a feeling I wouldn't be the only one.

I heard Y/N sigh, but thankfully, she didn't get angry. "I'll try one more time. Actually, I have to, right? He's kind of one of my bosses." She said, laughing at her own realization. I couldn't help but let out a little laugh too. Indeed.

"But does the friendship between you two continue?" I knew I should have kept my mouth shut, but I couldn't. "Y/N, I know you don't want anyone to meddle, but it's... just a question." I tried a more careful approach. You never know when she might feel pressured. However, she surprised me again by lifting her hands and smoothing my hair. We were very close now. I don't know if she had noticed or if she was ignoring it, but I could even see a small scratch on her cheek. I was internally startled, remembering it was from the day she ran after that man in the park. After a long silence, she let go of my hair and spoke, still looking me in the eyes.

"It does. Listen, Lix. I know you want to see us doing well, but this whole situation is coming more from Bang Chan. He, it seems, has thoughts he can't filter. Deep down, I understand him. Sometimes I get like that too." Lix. She called me Lix. However, her voice was now monotonous, and she shifted her gaze to the window. I mentally cursed myself for that. I didn't want Y/N to be like this. I needed to change the subject. "Y/N, where are we going to live now?" I wanted to have thought of something cooler and more interesting, but that was the first thing that came to my mind, out of curiosity as well, to be honest.

She sighed, running her hands through her own hair, which on the first day was very short, above her ear, and now was almost past them. What would she look like with long hair?

She finally spoke. "I'm already taking care of that. I've already sent an email explaining the situation to the company, and they understood, but they asked me to go there in person to clarify some measures that might be more useful. We will remain in Korea, that's obvious, we're just changing addresses, and that will be today, by the way." The idea of leaving Korea hadn't even crossed our minds. We were a K-pop group; it was obvious we wouldn't leave here. But what would it be? A house? An apartment? And everything happening today made me nervous again. It was a big change, literally. "Don't worry, Felix. It'll be so fast you won't even notice." Yeah... I hoped she was right.

I was about to ask about how we were supposed to go when her phone beeped, and a message appeared. She picked up the device, frowning for a few seconds until the name of whoever it was came to her mind. I couldn't help myself and asked. "Who is it?" Damn, my voice came out deeper than normal, which surprised her. Did she like my deep voice? I didn't have time to think about it because she quickly composed herself and answered. "Jonas." Oh no, not that man. I remembered that name, of course. We acted like cavemen that day when we first saw his name on her phone, and he had said he loved her. Despite the tension rising in my body, I managed to control my voice. "Ah, I see. I'll give you privacy then." I started to turn away, but she grabbed my hand. Her face now held a mask that didn't reveal exactly what she was feeling, which sometimes frustrated me. "It's not what you think." Her gaze was so severe that I almost wanted to look away, but I forced myself to hold it, and she continued. "Jonas is my best friend." So what? Had she never heard of movies and series with the "friends to lovers" trope? However, that thought quickly vanished when she finally said. "And he's gay."

The smile I broke into must have been genuine and wide because Y/N couldn't contain herself and burst out laughing. Wait, I made her laugh? Oh my God, okay, maybe I looked like an idiot now, but who cares? The guy wasn't even attracted to women, and we made that whole circus. "Oh, Jesus, Felix. Yeah, he's gay, just like you guys. Now, let's avoid more stress." She said, still laughing, and I was starting to have fun too when I realized something. Wait, she thinks we're gay? I didn't think straight and held her face with both hands, catching her by surprise, and I confess I wasn't expecting my own action either, but she didn't pull away. "Y/N, we're not ga-" I was about to say we weren't gay but bisexual when Jeongin's abrupt arrival interrupted me.

"Y/N!" The youngest's scream could be heard from across the street. Ugh, I tried to be the most affectionate with Y/N, but it was no use. Jeongin always won. Y/N didn't even have time to respond because my youngest boyfriend grabbed her by the arms and spun her in the air, again, just like that morning before they went out. And once again, she looked at the evident muscles in I.N's arm. Even though he had just woken up, it looked like he had just come from the gym. It wasn't fair. I didn't realize I was staring at them in silence until Y/N looked at me again and quickly let go, but she still pampered him. "Good morning, Jeongin! Do you always wake up this energetic?" I.N continued to smile like a fool when he answered. "Not always, but I was afraid you'd stay away from us and not recover well from the stab wound." Y/N shook her head again, laughing. I wanted to understand what kind of joke was going on in her head.

I.N finally noticed my existence next to them. I was being dramatic, of course. It was obvious he had seen me too, but it was strange to see my boyfriend so excited about another person instead of us. At the same time, I wished I had the same courage as him to lift her up like that. Was that the reason for Chan's crisis with her? That thought would stay in my mind now.

"Hello, sweetie, don't worry, I didn't forget about you." Jeongin, it seems, woke up with the intention of shocking everyone, because right after saying that, he held my face and kissed me on the mouth. Just like that. Totally like that. In front of Y/N, a Y/N who must have read my mind, because she reassured me. "It's okay, Lix. You're boyfriends and gay, nothing I haven't helped keep a secret before." Her voice was so caring it made me want to cry. She really wasn't anything like our old security guard, but there was still this thing about her thinking we were gay.

Now, in addition to me, it was Jeongin's turn to look at her with a confused face. "Ah..." He looked in my direction for a few seconds before returning his focus to Y/N. "Actually, even though we are all in a relationship together, we're also attracted to-" A phone sound was now responsible for the interruption. Damn it! Unfortunately, the sound came from Y/N's phone, who quickly clarified what was happening. "You two, wake up the other boys and please start packing your most essential things. The new apartment is already furnished, so other things can be taken or replaced later. The JYP secretary is calling me now, I have to go." Already? I looked at the clock. Wow, it was already 8 a.m. "Did you understand?" Her voice had now changed completely; it was deeper and more authoritative. Holy crap. "Yes," I.N and I quickly answered, which made her satisfied. And now, I noticed something I don't know how I hadn't noticed: unlike me and my boyfriend, Y/N was wearing tight, all-black clothing. Was she always ready for any situation? Well... it made sense. She's a private security guard, right? Oh, you idiot.

"Great then. DON'T leave here for anything, okay? I'll be back. No panic, no surprises!" It was clearly a warning because of our disobedience of going after her after she left to meet her 'sister.' However, I didn't regret it, and I don't think any of them did, because if we hadn't gone, we wouldn't have found her hurt. It was Jeongin who took on the good-boy stance, representing all of us. "Okay, we won't leave this time. I promise." The answer reassured her enough, and with a final look at the two of us, she opened the door and left.

My boyfriend turned to me, staring. "Does Y/N think we're gay?" His question had a tone of disbelief. Well, I couldn't blame her for anything. The first thing most people would think would be that. "I was surprised by it too. I had no idea she thought that. I tried to clarify that we were bisexual, but you arrived just in time." Jeongin sighed, putting his hands on his head. "And now the phone messed it up again." This was clearly becoming an issue for them, but it shouldn't matter that much, right? Why were we so desperate now to tell Y/N that we were also attracted to women? This... could become dangerous, but maybe not. Maybe we just wanted to make things clear between us. That's all it was, proper communication.

"Let's eat something and start organizing things," my voice was calm, despite the thousand thoughts swirling in my head. "Before Y/N comes back and realizes we haven't done anything." Now that made Jeongin hurry, predictable. "Felix, aren't you the 5-star Michelin chef? Why don't you cook for us?" My boyfriend's playful tone was evident. Haha, funny guy. "Only if you say one more time that I'm your favorite hyung." Ugh, that just made I.N want to laugh more, but he said it anyway, because it was the truth. "I'll say it easily, it's no secret to anyone."

I really wanted to kiss him, and that's exactly what I did. Now it was my turn to want to laugh because I caught Jeongin by surprise, but he quickly returned the kiss, and we soon forgot what we were supposed to do. He pushed me until my back hit the wall. Now things were getting heated because I felt his hands go down my stomach until they almost reached my dick. I couldn't contain the groan that escaped my throat and started to rub myself against I.N, who, when he saw my state, gave a villainous smile. Ah, damn it. I hated that he knew how attractive he was. I still remembered playing with him when we were younger, and now here we were, him pressing me against the wall while we kissed. But reality came back to hit us with Changbin's voice, in a tone of feigned disapproval, since he was smiling. "Hey, are you two already at it? My God, what stamina." This made I.N and I move away, but the youngest remained unfazed. "Be jealous, cry more, Binnie! But you were a light, though, because we have things to do."

[Y/N'S P.O.V]

After giving Felix and Jeongin their instructions, I quickly went down to the street, already outside the condominium. I couldn't help but look at the booth where the asshole doorman stayed. Ugh, and still no response from Wooyoung. If she was throwing a tantrum, she could go to hell. I didn't have the patience for that anymore. I wasn't lying; I was really going to the company to sort some things out, but I wasn't going alone. I had something to handle and hoped the boys wouldn't be too surprised.

After a few more steps, Jonas's figure finally took shape. He waved at me and quickly approached. "Y/N, are you sure about this? I don't want to get you into trouble." A beautiful concern, but unnecessary. "Relax, I told one of them you were gay. It won't be long before they all know too." I said calmly as we walked to his car, parked on the corner. The look of shock he gave me was hilarious. "You what? Oh, you crazy woman, are you losing your mind?" Despite the question, his tone was playful. He wasn't angry, especially since it wasn't an issue between us. He was gay, Helena, Catalina, and I were bisexual, and Dinah and Harley were lesbians. And those idiots always yelled each other's sexualities to anyone who wanted to hear, and to those who didn't.

"Seriously, remember that your well-being is my concern, Jonas. It wouldn't be a problem for you?" We got into the car, put the location on the device, and were soon leaving. He was pensive for a few seconds, and the fear that he wouldn't agree hit me. I didn't have another man more reliable than him, but, thank God, he agreed. "It's fine, the boss hasn't given me any elaborate work anyway, I don't have to worry." Ah, but there was a difference there. "Buddy, you're the boss's main hacker and con artist. To the boys, you won't be any of that. Don't forget you shouldn't show any illegal skills around them." I watched him take his right hand off the steering wheel and press it to his heart, feigning sadness.

"Wow, Y/N. You wound me. I won't be able to impress those men?" Oh, for God's sake, I sighed as I grabbed my cell phone, unable to avoid looking at the messages. Still nothing. Damn it. "No, you won't be able to, my dear, sorry." He gave me a knowing smirk. "Only you can, right?" Hmm? What was he talking about? Anyway, we didn't have time for those things. "We're almost there. Have you rehearsed what you're going to say in there?" He nodded, confirming, and after 10 minutes, we finally arrived.

We got out of the car and walked to the front door. The two security guards checked us, and we were given permission to enter. I went straight to the receptionist. "Good morning, I'm the private security guard for the band Stray Kids. I need to sort out some matters today with the other team." Fortunately, I managed to sound very friendly, and that made the young woman happy. Cute. But then she looked at Jonas, and her face took on a suspicious expression, and I quickly interjected. "Oh, this is Jonas. Don't worry, my love, he's with me." Now, the woman's face turned a little red. Clearly, I caught her by surprise by calling her "my love." Ah, but I loved women so much, except when they tried to stab my stomach, but whatever. The young woman nodded, giving permission, and we moved on.

"You're unbelievable. I can't believe you flirted with the receptionist. The poor thing turned red as a tomato, Y/N." My friend now couldn't hide the amusement he was feeling. And also, the other people watching us weren't hiding their curiosity either, specifically Jonas, because yes, I was tall, but he was even taller. Fortunately, we reached the desired room before a scene could form, and the team was already in their places.

"Hello, Y/N, good morning!" I remembered her. She was the same manager who was present at the first day's meeting, the one where Lee Know was a poor soul. "And this is..." Oh, right, I had forgotten to say who I would be bringing. I said with the most professional voice in the world. "This is Jonas. And, Jonas, these are just a few, but totally competent, members of the Stray Kids team." The atmosphere became even more pleasant when they realized I had complimented them. Of course, who didn't like to have their ego stroked once in a while? It was necessary. I moved on to the main point. "So, Jonas is the main person I trust for the position of the boys' private driver. Since we're moving, and thank you for agreeing with the situation, I guarantee everything will be fine, the ideal thing will be to have someone fixed and closer in this transportation role. Jonas won't live with us, but he will live a few streets away." Everyone on the team nodded, understanding. Great. "I'll hand the floor over to him so he can continue the presentation himself. Thank you." I gave him a quick look, but he was already prepared and well-rehearsed.

"Hello, it's a pleasure, my name is Jonas Sihawong-Bunrot, I'm 28 years old, I'm from Thailand, but I've lived in Korea since I was 11 and I'm already fluent in Korean." Okay, everything was going according to plan so far, no lies yet, because they were about to begin. "My main specialty is driving. I'm a taxi driver on the main streets of Seoul. That's how I met Miss Y/N, by the way. She was one of my passengers, and I also have recommendations, in case you want to check." He said as he opened the folder with papers from old employers, all fake, obviously, but it was enough. One of the directors stood up, smiling, and his voice was completely positive. "We trust Miss Y/N, given that so far her stay with the boys has been smooth, that's what matters. Can you start today, Jonas?" Smooth. Yeah... everything was going smoothly, yes. I couldn't help but look sideways at my friend at that moment, who quickly managed to disguise any inside joke that was going through his mind, and I saw him shake the director's hand. "Yes, sir! In fact, it's for the best, right? This way I can start having the opportunity to grow professionally and maybe become an important person like you." Ha! That's it. Jonas's words, predictably, made the director happy. Ah, beautiful flattery. He was so shameless.

Okay, now I'll go back to my focus. "Also, I would like to reveal to you that there is a woman after the boys. Yes, I know, there are always women after the boys, but this one is different. She is the ex-wife of the Brit I mentioned to you in the email, and that's why I will need any last-minute schedule the boys have to be strictly and QUICKLY communicated to me." My voice was firm. Great. Another woman, whose face I didn't know, asked. "Miss, but what happened to the Brit?" I killed him and his organs are probably already for sale on the black market, hahaha, obviously I didn't say that, I haven't gone crazy yet. "Unfortunately, he managed to escape, but I'm on his trail. He moved away and went back to England, probably knowing that I wasn't easy to break, but since he's now far away..." Yes, dead. "...The main threat has become the ex-wife, who is still here in Korea."

"Do you know where this woman is?" Ugh, I wish I did. Jonas looked at me once more before looking away. "No. My contact is trying to find her trail, but this woman is smarter than we thought. She's probably using disposable cell phones." Probably not, the bitch is using them, but it's okay, Jonas and I have overcome MUCH bigger tasks than this. The meeting continued for about 20 minutes, and at times my friend would jump into the conversation and was already fitting in easily. When I looked at the clock again, it was almost noon. "Well." I stood up, and Jonas did the same. "Thank you for your time. You are incredible. Happy to be part of this team." My words were the last flattery of the day before we both walked out the door. My friend looked at me once more. "You're so fake." Me? My God, what slander and absurdity. "Just so you know, I really think the manager is a badass." That made him laugh. And we were getting close to the receptionist when she waved at me. Hmm? Jonas poked me with his elbow.

"Oh, she's going to want your phone number." Oh, enough. I lightly pushed him to the side as we approached the young woman, and she quickly told me that a package had arrived in the time I was in the meeting, for the boys. This made me frown. Jonas also couldn't hide his curiosity as he questioned me with his eyes, becoming even more curious when I denied knowing what it was. The young woman came back with the box itself and handed it to me. "Thank you..." I stared at her for a few seconds, letting her blush until she understood. "Oh... my name is Chaewon." How cute. She was blushing a lot. She would be very pretty crying for me in bed. Oh, what are these thoughts? Oh, I know, almost 3 months without sex, that's what happens. "Nice to meet you, Chaewon." I winked at her as I took the box, and Jonas gave a quick wave too before we went back outside, heading to the car.

We had barely gotten in when Jonas got excited. "Come on, woman, open that box already!" Fortunately for his happiness, I was also equally curious, but in a more measured way. Did we have to be more careful? Yes, because it could very well be a grenade in here, but I took off the label anyway and started to open it. My jaw almost hit the floor when I saw what it was. "Is this a...?" My voice was completely incredulous, and Jonas couldn't help but let out one of the biggest laughs of his life when he also realized what it was. They were lingerie, sexy ones, eight pieces of lingerie to be exact, all with little cards for the boys. It was very obvious who had sent that garbage. "What deranged bitch sends eight pieces of sensual intimate clothing to a company?" My tone was angry, but Jonas didn't notice, oblivious to the fun in his mind.

"A bitch who thinks she's going to marry the Stray Kids. Oh no, Y/N, I'm sorry, but this was hilarious." He kept laughing while I put my hand on my head, still in disbelief. "Start this fucking car, Jonas. Remember, you're coming with me now straight to the condominium." Only now did he stop laughing. "Wait, now?? I have a date today with a hot guy I met yesterday at-" He started to explain, genuinely trying to negotiate with me. Ah, funny. "It's not happening. Another day you'll find a dick to sit on, not now." He huffed, but turned on the car, and we were soon leaving the JYP door.

[Chan's P.O.V]

When I woke up, Felix had already gotten up. I confess I was surprised when he asked to sleep with me, although I had been promising him that since the day he stayed with me while we waited for Y/N to return. Ah, Y/N... being like this with her was killing me. I had to tame these thoughts that were swirling in my head before someone really got hurt, emotionally. My phone beeped with a new message. For a moment, I thought about not looking, but I ended up picking up the device. It was my sister, saying she wanted help with some song compositions and arrangements, and that made me smile. I loved spending time like that with her.

Suddenly, my bedroom door opened, and I saw that it was Seungmin. He was already fully dressed. Huh, what were we doing today? Oh, right, we were moving. "Good morning, my love, did you sleep well?" I asked, approaching my boyfriend, who immediately melted with the affection. They were all my babies. "Good morning, Chan. Yes, I slept well. I thought I wouldn't sleep for long, but I managed to rest. Felix, Jeongin, Changbin, and Hyunjin are already awake and outside. Only Han and Lee Know are left." He updated me while giving me a light kiss on the mouth. Wait, someone was missing now. "Where's Y/N?"

"Y/N went to the company headquarters. Felix and Jeongin said she went to organize some things and asked them to tell us to organize our most essential things too. Apparently, the apartment we're going to is already furnished, so we'll take the secondary things from here later." It made sense. I gave him another kiss and started to pack my things and get changed. If it took 10 minutes, that was still too long; I'm a very fast man. Seungmin stayed with me the whole time, taking the opportunity to be the funny guy he was. "Wow, for an old man, you're still pretty agile, huh?" I was already used to these little jokes. I even got suspicious when he didn't make them, because then it was a sign that something was going on with him. I was about to answer when we heard a loud groan. It could only be from Han and Lee Know's room. Weren't we in a hurry? Oh, Lord.

When I left my room, I found the rest of the boys in the living room, all ready and with their emergency bags packed. Felix was styling Hyunjin's long hair, while Changbin and Jeongin were eating, as always, they're always bulking. "Hey, should they be doing that now?" The question came from Hyunjin. Well... no. From a logical standpoint, they shouldn't, but we never managed to control anything in that regard. "Let's give them a few more minutes, maybe it's a quick thing," I replied, heading to the kitchen to eat something. "What if they take a long time?" It was Jeongin's turn to ask. "Then we'll interrupt. It's almost 11 a.m. Has Y/N been gone for a while?"

"Yes," Felix answered while finishing my other boyfriend's braids. "But she shouldn't be long. She made it clear that today will be non-stop and we'll only rest when we get to the new place." It was something I didn't doubt. After that, the room was filled with a comfortable silence. Fortunately, I found a ready-made sandwich in the fridge and took the opportunity to eat it. The silence was only broken by more groans coming from the remaining two's room. We would have to interrupt. I didn't like doing that, but what could you do. "Can someone call them, please? I'm eating." Seungmin got up. "I'll go." We watched him enter the room, and it didn't take long for him to return, but still without Han and Lee Know. "Didn't work?" I looked at Minnie, waiting for an answer. Damn, if that was the case, I would have to go, but thankfully, it wasn't. "It worked, they were in the bathroom, they'll be out soon."

Jeongin finished eating and took his plate to the sink. "I'm jealous. I even tried to eat Felix right here in the living room, but it didn't work. Changbin came right on time and poured cold water on it, how annoying." If Felix could crawl into a hole and never come out, he would do it now. The blonde was now completely red. It was very cute when he got embarrassed. I had been responsible for that too. "Hey, those two were almost opening a portal on the side of the wall from all that rubbing against each other!" Changbin's defensive tone made everything even funnier, and we started laughing, except for Felix, who was still red when he spoke. "What an exaggeration... it wasn't even like that." And Jeongin retorted, laughing. "Oh, yes it was." More laughter echoed in the room. I loved this atmosphere.

Finally, Han and Lee Know appeared, my second oldest obviously wanting to make us disappear. Unfortunately, we couldn't wait. "Good morning. I hope the fun was worth it." My voice still had the remnants of amusement from before, and it was Han who answered first, avoiding the fact that we were hearing their groans. "We're fine. Where's Y/N?" Han looked everywhere, looking for her. "She left. Thank God, right? Imagine her having to hear Minho's groans of pleasure." Hyunjin's response made all of us burst into laughter once again. It didn't even seem like we were about to leave this place after 3 years. Lee Know stuck his tongue out at the other dancer, who returned the gesture.

"Chan, can I ask you something? It's something I've wanted to ask since yesterday. I hope you don't get upset." Han now sat next to me at the table, looking at me. Upset... it depends, but it shouldn't be a big deal. "What is it, Jisung?"

I watched him get a little nervous before he calmed down and asked. "When... when you were upset, back in your room, after you had woken up from fainting and were saying something had happened to Y/N..." At the mention of Y/N's name, I froze, and now I felt everyone's concentration on me with the question. Han continued. "You were out of control, putting your hand on your chest, and... it was true, Y/N had been stabbed and if it weren't for you, we wouldn't have stayed close to her. Have you ever realized that maybe your body... your body gave an emotional alert about Y/N's state?" I heard Felix sigh. Changbin and Hyunjin couldn't hide their wide eyes, while Lee Know, Seungmin, and Jeongin were silent, but also clearly pensive, and all waiting for my answer. "I..." Damn, of course I had noticed. It was one of the reasons I was freaking out. I had only felt this with the boys, never with someone from the outside. "I felt it, but I can't explain it. If you want an explanation... I don't have one. I can't even understand it to be honest, it just happened."

Hyunjin, now with his hair done, was the first to speak. "Is that what's bothering you? You're starting to really care about Y/N and it's bothering you?" Silence. No one else said anything, for now. I swallowed hard, my leg starting to shake. I tried to think of an excuse, but I couldn't. "Yes." A collective gasp was audible in the room now. "I care about Y/N a lot, and it's making me freak out, yes. I still don't see her in a romantic way, don't worry. But I feel a need to always want her close, to protect and care for her just like I do with you, but this shouldn't be happening, and to make it worse: I sometimes feel jealous of her, there, I said it."

My head felt like it had just released a 30kg weight at that moment. I hadn't realized how much this was truly driving me crazy until now. "Please don't get me wrong, I felt jealous when she sat on Changbin so he could do push-ups, when Jeongin spun her in his arms, and I feel it with Felix when she treats him like a little angel, I feel..." The words now didn't tire of coming out, happy to be released. "When she praises Changbin's muscles, the last time she praised Hyunjin's performance in personal defense class, I..." I couldn't control the tears now, and that made the boys panic, quickly approaching me in a loving circle, hugging me.

It was Seungmin who spoke first. "Bang Chan." He held my face and lifted it, while Lee Know wiped my face. "You don't need to be like this, it's not that big of a deal." What do you mean it's not that big of a deal? I had just confessed that I was feeling jealous of them with our security guard, for God's sake. If they were pretending not to be upset because of me, I would only feel worse. "You don't need to lie." Despite the mutiny, I managed to pull away from the table and them, and I turned, looking at them from a distance now. "You can tell me if you're angry, yell at me, YELL AT ME!" My voice was getting more out of control now, and the usual headache was starting to appear.

Hyunjin came closer again, walking until he was face to face with me. "No one is going to be upset with you, Chan, because we understand you! Satisfied? You're not the only one who sometimes feels this way about Y/N!" What? My head was starting to spin, but the brunette continued. "Seriously? Do you really think that when Jeongin spun Y/N in his arms before we went to the park, we weren't jealous? Felix and I immediately frowned, Minho can confirm." In fact, when I looked at Lee Know, he nodded, confirming. "You were keeping this to yourself all this time? I can't believe it, man." I looked at Hyunjin and the rest now incredulously. What was happening? These reactions didn't make sense.

My voice was shaky when I asked. "Are you serious?" A "We are" was said in unison. My God, my head was feeling so heavy. I definitely wasn't expecting this. I can't believe I kept this to myself, letting it ruin me from the inside, when I could have just vented to them. Sometimes my worst enemy is myself.

"Okay, but what does this mean exactly? Let's be honest, does anyone here feel anything romantic or sexual for Y/N? No judgments, go." Lee Know opened the floor. The silence remained until Jeongin spoke. "I think she's pretty, and maybe on another occasion I would be attracted to her." On another occasion? Not this one? I didn't feel true sincerity coming from him, and apparently neither did Lee Know. "Be serious, Jeongin, coming from you, that 'on another occasion' doesn't hold up." This made the maknae tense, and he ended up looking from side to side, looking for our reaction, and Minho continued, firm. "I said there would be no judgments."

"But as Lee Know said, what would this mean? What would it change? We're talking about ourselves, but it's obvious that Y/N doesn't feel anything like that about us. She always doesn't get very close to us in that way. I think this won't turn into a headache. We're jealous of her because she's a new figure, that's what makes the most sense now." Seungmin's statement made us thoughtful. Well, he had a point. Y/N had never shown anything like that. I think the closest was when she complimented Binnie's body, but after that, nothing at all.

At that moment, the front door opened, revealing Y/N and... who was this man? Damn, he was tall. The question went through everyone's head, obviously, because now the total focus became him, who was very close to Y/N. "Judgments of what exactly?" Her voice asked, curious. Oh no, no way. The focus now was who this guy next to her was, and that's what I asked. "Who is this man?" This time, I didn't care about the way my voice sounded. We had just come out of a conversation where the topic was jealousy of her, this wasn't helping at all. Great timing, life.

Y/N noticed my jealous tone, but she didn't pay attention to it, because she answered calmly. "This is Jonas, my friend. Jonas, these are the Stray Kids boys, boys, this is Jonas." You have to be kidding me. That guy who had texted that he loved her that we saw on the phone when she fell in the hallway outside? Holy shit. My expression of shock mixed with barely contained anger matched the rest of them, until Felix spoke. "CALM DOWN!" Everyone now looked at the blonde. "He's gay, Y/N told me!" Huh? When did she say that...?

"It's true, guys." The rest of us now watched as Felix went over to Y/N and this Jonas guy. "She told me herself this morning. It's okay." This made some of us relax, but we were still a little reserved. Okay, the guy might not be attracted to women, but what was he doing here? This had now become the main question, and it was Han who instigated. "Y/N, why did you bring him?"

"Well, thank you for the chance to speak now." The rebuke made us shrink a little. "Boys, Jonas is going to be your new private driver, meaning he'll take you all anywhere from now on." The silence that followed her saying that was louder than any of our songs. Was she serious? Just like that? These were TOO many changes. "Y/N, but... we had a driver before," Changbin began slowly. "He wasn't bad. Is everyone just disappearing now?" Our attention turned to her once again, who remained calm, almost as if she knew we would react this way. "You said it right, Binnie. You had one before, now you don't. This one," she pointed to the man. "Is your new driver. The senior staff has already accepted it. Now let's get a move on, we can go to the apartment. Did you get everything?" Good heavens, she spoke with such ease. Was she always this frank? I needed to get closer to her again. As if she felt my gaze on her, Y/N also turned her face in my direction and... wait, did she wink at me?

"Did you wake up today tolerating my presence more?" After a few seconds of waiting for someone to answer, I realized that her question was actually directed at me. Ah, everyone was looking at me now, and I remembered our conversation before she arrived. "I never just tolerated your presence. I've always liked it, I was just going through a complicated time in my head." My answer caught her by surprise, because her eyes widened for a moment and I swear I could hear a little laugh from this Jonas guy, next to her. "Okay, let's go down, the car is ready." Y/N moved away from the door and for the first time since she entered, we heard her friend's voice. Wow, he was very tall and now looking closely at him, I noticed he was also Asian. "If you want, I can get some more of your things, heavy ones for example, since Y/N is still recovering from the stabbing." His tone was quite friendly, but the mention of the stabbing caught me by surprise.

"How do you know she was stabbed?" Hyunjin asked, also attracting everyone's curiosity for the answer, although if they were friends, they must be pretty close. "I've been Y/N's friend since she was 8 years old, we're close friends, it wouldn't be a secret between us." Damn, there was no way there could be competition here, he had known her since she was a child. Did that mean he knew her sisters too? These sisters... this Harley girl had appeared here, but we hadn't seen her in person and we had met Helena, who did the beautiful gesture of drugging us. What would the others be like? I remembered the names: Dinah and Catalina.

"If you'd be so kind, the questionnaire about my personal life can be done among yourselves later, we have to leave now." The boys and I were startled by Y/N's voice. Wow, we were really questioning things about her life so freely... We needed to calm down a bit too. After a few minutes, we were all outside the dorm and watching as a huge car appeared in front of us. A car like this must cost a lot. By the way... it looked like her sister's car. "Boys, put your bags in the back. It's not a small space but it's not a big space either, that's why I said it would only be emergency things. Congratulations for listening so well." Her compliment fed our ego, making us feel like elementary school kids happy with the teacher's praise after finishing an activity. Oh, Lord. "It's also good because you'll get to know Jonas's driving style, to get used to it and build confidence."

In that, she was right. We soon started getting into the car. It was very comfortable inside too. I sat between Seungmin and Hyunjin, with Jeongin next to me. Han, Lee Know, Changbin and Felix sat together in the back. We were all close, and Y/N sat in the front next to the driver. "Hey, Y/N, is it very far?" Han asked. Good question, by the way. "It's a little bit, Jisung. You can sleep if you want to rest more. It's almost 2 p.m., we'll probably get there around 3:30." Ah, so it would take a while. Wow, she found a new place that was really far from the old one. "Is anyone still sleepy? If I sleep now, I won't be able to sleep well in the afternoon, and I'm also curious to get to know the new place properly." Felix's voice was really cheerful, being a ray of sunshine, as always.

Y/N clarified. "Don't worry, even if you fall asleep, I would wake you all up to see where we are. Whoever wants to sleep, sleeps, whoever doesn't want to, doesn't. Felix, my little cutie, if you fall asleep, I'll wake you up later." My little cutie? The affectionate expression came out so naturally that Y/N apparently didn't even realize what she had just done, but my boyfriend now looked like he was in the stars of happiness, something that made Seungmin look back and roll his eyes and I could hear a "at least pretend." This made Changbin and Han laugh, and Y/N looked at us, curious. "What are you laughing at?" Oh, God. The two of them were quick to say. "Nothing." But the amusement continued on their faces. After that, things started to get funny and fun, with them joking and talking freely. I was realizing that the news that Y/N's friend was gay had really relaxed them. This was a strange realization, should they be happy that a man close to our security guard had no chance of being attracted to her? The most obvious answer was no, but things were happening so crazily that common sense had already jumped ship.

"Do you want to know a fun fact from Y/N's childhood?" After her friend said that, Y/N almost killed him with her eyes, immediately denying any permission. "No, you don't want to know." But Jeongin went against her. "Oh, yes we do." The youngest's excitement was contagious, but Y/N shot him a deadly look quickly, and that made him retract, embarrassed. But Jonas didn't let it go. "Hey, man! Don't let her intimidate you. Besides, I have the right, she told you I was gay just like that, so I have the right to a uno reverse, don't I?" I couldn't help but notice how good this guy was. He entered conversations easily while quickly dodging cars and motorcycles without causing any tension in traffic. "YES! YES! YES!" Now all the boys were waiting, even Lee Know, even though he was feigning indifference, it was possible to see that his expression was that of a curious person.

"Okay! You won, relax, Y/N, it's one of the light ones." Jonas tried to reassure her, only to receive a middle finger, which made him laugh and I ended up laughing too. The trip was good, a moment of peace. "Okay, this happened when Y/N was 14, it was at the beach. We had gone to buy food." The memory must have come to Y/N's head, because she started to shrink. "It was her, Harley, and me, all calm. We had chosen our food and sat down to eat. It happened when it was time to pay. The store's instruction was that payment could be made by card or cash, but Y/N chose the card and went to pay, but it wouldn't go through. She tried several times and nothing. That's when I heard her screaming that the store was trying to steal her money. I went running there and she was telling me everything. That's when after I looked, I realized that the card she was trying to use was the toy one that Harley had. That's why it didn't work. She left there and we never went back to that store again."

The laughs that exploded inside the car were so loud that someone outside could hear. I put my hand on my chest trying to control myself but I couldn't. Han, Hyunjin, Changbin, and Felix had already given up a long time ago and were almost doubling over with laughter. Seungmin and Jeongin were more restrained but still found it very funny and Lee Know was the one who was still trying to hide it, but without success. All this while Y/N remained silent. Oh my God. "Oh, Y/N, don't be like that, you were a child, it was funny." Felix said, a little calmer now.

"I will only answer with the presence of my lawyer." Her bored voice combined with the choice of answer, brought the opposite effect and we ended up laughing once again. Looking at it this way, maybe the company of this Jonas guy wasn't going to be so negative after all. Things were so light that we didn't realize we had arrived at the address. "Great, now that the circus is over, let's focus on getting back to reality, thanks! Let's go." Y/N said, as she opened the door and got out, and we soon did the same. Jonas opened the trunk and we grabbed our things, and we observed the place. It was a well-kept and silent environment. There was nothing but other buildings nearby and only a few restaurants on the side. It was good, and our building was one of the tallest.

"What floor will we be on? Not too high, right?" Suddenly, Lee Know's voice sounded a little apprehensive. Damn, Minho and heights... But Y/N didn't take long to reassure my boyfriend. "I already knew about your issue before agreeing here, Minho. We'll be on the seventh floor, okay?" It wasn't too low but it wasn't too high either. Would we have neighbors? At the condominium, it was just us, so I took the opportunity to ask too. "Are we going to have neighbors here? Would that be a good thing?"

"Yes, you will, but I've already checked everyone and they're all positive. It would be a good thing considering we'll be the only young people living here. This building only has retired old people." Ah. "Everything will be fine, Chan." Chan. She went back to calling me Chan. I couldn't help but smile. She continued. "Boys, let's go. The lobby here is automatic, we'll have to do facial recognition for everyone, okay?" We all agreed and followed. Jonas closed the car and followed us. Wait, is he going to live with us too? My question was apparently very obvious, because he was the one who answered. "I'm not going to live with you. I'm going to live in an apartment two blocks from here. I'm just going up in case Y/N needs anything else." Oh... okay. I hope my face of relief isn't so obvious. When we got to the automatic lobby, the whole process of registering our faces and fingerprints lasted at most 8 minutes, and we passed through a silent hallway, but we could hear some voices from other floors.

I felt someone poke me. I turned and found Lee Know already close to my ear. "Do you think we'll get used to it? We were at the condominium for about 3 years, right?" Well, we were, but thinking negatively could be worse, so I reassured him. I was the only hyung he had. "We'll get used to it, yes, everything will be fine." I started to move my face closer to his when I quickly reprimanded myself because we had 'strange' company with us. The near slip also startled Lee Know a little, who provoked me again, quietly. "Are you missing me that much, huh? Maybe I can give up Jisung for a little while."

This made me blush, but I managed to push him slightly to the side so things wouldn't get more obvious. Fortunately, after taking the elevator, we reached our floor, and Y/N surprised us by putting keys in our respective hands. Damn, she really took care of EVERYTHING. Where did she find the time for all of this? And still recovering from a stab wound. "The door also has an automatic facial option to open, but I found that a little more dangerous. I still prefer the old-fashioned way with you. Is that okay?" I was realizing that it had been so long since I had been directly avoiding Y/N, that I had forgotten how beautiful she was. After a "yes" said by all of us, she opened the door and we entered the apartment, and my jaw almost hit the floor. The boys were also shocked. It was huge and the view even on the seventh floor, was very beautiful. Despite the buildings next to it, we could see a bit of the city too.

"Oh my God! This is beautiful." The excitement in Changbin's voice was visible. Felix and Hyunjin had already run off to explore the new house. Seungmin and Jeongin went to the balcony and were apparently shocked by the view. Han, Lee Know, and I were still speechless about everything. I turned to look for Y/N and saw her talking to her friend quickly before he nodded positively about something and left, leaving just us once again. "Y/N, with what money did you buy this? My God, I don't even know what to say. How many square meters is this?" Only now did Han start walking through the apartment, smiling from ear to ear at the furniture, which was very pretty indeed. "I paid with my own money." Wait, what?

The shock apparently didn't just come from me, the boys were all now also with a shocked expression. Did Y/N... have that much money? Because this place must have never been cheap. She must have noticed our surprise because she clarified calmly. "I've been working since I was a child, I managed to save up my own money. Besides, your company will pay me the price of this later, relax, I didn't rob any banks. The rooms are over there." She now pointed to a hallway full of paintings. They were paintings and Hyunjin almost fainted when he realized this. "You can choose yours, since you all sleep together more there won't be any confusion. Hyunjin, I remember your big paintings from the living room, I'll get them tomorrow, okay?" I saw my boyfriend nod, calm, while now getting addicted to analyzing all the works of art in the apartment, no surprise. Y/N's attention would now be fragmented between them, but I took the opportunity and grabbed her hand, surprising her. "Can I talk to you, please?" She looked at me, in silence, and for a moment I thought she would refuse and prefer to attend to the other boys, but she accepted. "We can."

Chapter Text

[Y/N’s P.O.V]

Before Jonas left, I advised him not to throw away the crazy woman's trashy lingeries yet. Instead, he's going to trace where they were bought and hack into the store's system to see if he can find anything else useful about her. As if we didn't have enough to deal with. Meanwhile, the guys were still all giddy, staring at the apartment — which was actually mine. I bought this place two years ago, my first step to moving out, but I'm keeping that a secret for now. It was enough of a shock when I told them I bought it with my own money. Yes, I had money, we had money. The organization is small and secretive for a reason. I was about to help with more of the moving when I felt someone grab me. Bang Chan. "Can I talk to you, please?" We really did need to talk, so I agreed, and he dragged me into the food storage area, closing the door behind us. The room was surprisingly full, which saved me some work, but none of that mattered when I heard his voice.

Chan’s voice was low but still audible. "I'm sorry." I wasn't expecting that. He continued, "I'm sorry, Y/N, for all the stress and discomfort I've been causing you. It hasn't been a very adult way to act. Looking back… I'm really ashamed. I shouldn't have dragged anyone into this feud, especially you, whose main job is just to protect us." Right... I tried to say it was okay, but he wasn't finished. "I need to tell you something. I've already told the guys, so I want to make sure you're in the loop." His tone was starting to unnerve me, a mix of desperation and relief. But what surprised me most was when he held my face with both hands, just like Felix had earlier, but even closer. "Y/N, I..." I watched him swallow hard. I was getting even more scared, and then he managed to shock me. "I'm jealous of you. This whole time I've been distant was because I was scared, because I was jealous of anything you did with the guys. And for God's sake, I know I shouldn't feel this way, but I can't help it. I care about you more than I should."

Well, I was surprised. I had noticed the tension in his voice when I came in with Jonas, but it never crossed my mind that it was jealousy. It didn't make sense. We weren't anything, and we never would be, right? He was gay. This only made me more confused. I really hadn't been expecting it. "Chan, I... I don't know what to say." And I really didn't. What was I supposed to say? None of my previous clients had ever shown jealousy towards me; some didn't even notice I was there. "I... I'm sorry about this. I didn't want to be the reason for all your trouble. But it's hard to understand now. Why exactly would you be jealous of me with them?" Despite my obvious shock, I managed to keep my voice neutral. He was still holding my face as he answered. "I don't know how to explain it either, Y/N. I don't want to put you or the guys in an uncomfortable position. They... they also have some similar issues with you, but I think it's better for you to figure that out with each of them on your own. Everyone has their own way." The excited shouting started in the living room, while the two of us were still here. And I don't think he realized it, but he started moving me towards the wall.

"Are you saying the guys are jealous of me too?" The question left my mouth the moment he backed me against the wall, confirming that he was completely unaware of what he was doing. "But that doesn't make sense, Chan. For God's sake, why are you all doing this to me?" I was starting to lose control of my voice. This man was so close to me, dangerously close. I knew I should push him away, but something held me back. Still oblivious to the rest of the guys outside, he continued.

"Y/N, you want to know something? I don't regret running out of the dorm the day you were stabbed. I could have listened to your complaining for weeks, but I was the only one feeling the pain in my chest while agony ran through my voice, begging the guys to let me leave and find you." He took advantage of my wide, surprised eyes to continue. "That's right, my body was in a state of deep agony. I had to run away from the guys' containment area just to get to you, and guess what? You were about to lose consciousness. Your sister showed up, yes, but I was the last person you saw before you passed out." Okay, that was a lot of information. My head was about to explode. First, I had to get some distance from him because he was really, really close.

I placed my hands on his shoulders, gently, and only then did he take his hands off my face. "Chan, you're too close to me." It was in that moment that he realized we were almost touching, and he quickly backed away as if he were on fire. I felt the apology on the tip of his tongue, so I cut him off. "Don't. You don't need to apologize. Look, I admit seeing you before I passed out was a bit of a shock. I didn't want you guys to see me in that state. My sister showed up because I had sent an emergency message to Jonas, who was with her and... anyway, I'm the one who should apologize again, for her drugging you all. Even though it was a security measure, it shouldn't have happened." He tried to interrupt me, but without success.

"I..." I let out an awkward laugh. "I also care about you guys. I may not show it much, but it's true. I care about all of you equally. I don't have favorites. You guys are one of the most different and peaceful experiences I've had. I didn't want to leave you worried like that, because I also care about you, Christopher."

At that moment, I heard someone yell my name. "Y/N? Where are you?" It was Jeongin, but he must have been quickly cut off because I heard the other guys' voices. "Shh, they're talking." Han replied, followed by Felix, who said, "I saw him drag her away, they'll be back." The way the blonde said it made it sound like we were doing something other than talking. That didn't go unnoticed by Chan, who turned a little red, trying, unsuccessfully, to hide the embarrassment on his handsome face. But when he spoke, his voice was back to normal. "Does... does this mean you're not mad at me? For being jealous of you? I have to admit I was expecting a colder reaction from you, not that I'm complaining." Chan moved closer to me again, his hand once more holding mine as he looked at me intently. Wow, he was so handsome...

"I'm not mad at you. To be honest, I don't think I could ever be mad at you." I squeezed his hand back. "I'm just confused. Jonas sometimes gets in a mood, but not jealous, so this is making me a little dizzy." My answer was vague, prompting him to ask, "I don't understand, Y/N. What does your friend have to do with this? What are you confused about?" Ugh, he was still asking? Okay, maybe it was equally confusing for them. I sighed and ran my free hand through my hair. "How can I not be confused? Unless there's another kind of jealousy and no one told me. But for example, if it's what you're suggesting, why would you eight gay boyfriends be jealous of me? A woman?" Chan's expression went from perplexity to surprise to, finally, amusement. What was going on? What was so funny about that?

Suddenly, the door flew open, revealing seven people tumbling in at once. In the middle of the mess, I heard Felix's voice, urgent: "AH Y/N, FOR GOODNESS SAKE! WE'RE NOT GAY, WE'RE BISEXUAL! OH MY GOD, I SAID IT WITHOUT ANYONE INTERRUPTING." I was a little shocked by the revelation that they'd been listening at the door, but the bisexuality thing hit me harder. Chan sighed, looking at me with embarrassment as we started helping the guys up. The sheepish smile on Hyunjin's face made me laugh. I couldn't help it. Now all eyes were on me, and I froze. Was it really that rare for me to laugh? I felt like Wednesday Addams. "Stop looking at her like that, you beasts, she's going to think we're idiots." Lee Know's voice was firm, but there was still a hint of embarrassment from being caught as well.

This made me frown. I didn't like when they referred to themselves like that. "I'll never think you're idiots, Minho." The second oldest looked at me in a strange way. Had I said something wrong? I hoped not; I didn't want to get more distant from them now. "Alright, back to the point. Did you guys like what you overheard?"

They became even more embarrassed, and I felt a little sorry for them. Poor things, they were just curious. It was funny; when any of my sisters listened in on my private conversations, I would quickly yell at them, but I couldn't with these guys. "Sorry, Y/N. To defend Minho's honor, he really tried to stop us, but one older guy can't hold back six younger ones." Han's defense was admirable, but before I could reply, Chan stepped in.

"Despite the very immature method." He said this while looking at his boyfriends one by one, until his gaze settled on me for a few seconds. This reminded me of just a few minutes ago, when he almost pinned me to the wall. "I was going to tell you guys anyway. Is it possible for no one to keep anything from anyone else here?" Oh, well... unfortunately, that would only be possible if I disappeared. Lies and manipulation are a part of my life, even though I don't like using those techniques on them... even though I know sometimes I'll have to. "Y/N? Hey, Y/N!" Fingers snapped in front of my eyes, startling me so much I almost hit the pasta shelf in the pantry. Changbin was now looking at me with wide, nervous eyes, just like the rest of them. Damn it.

A wave of frustration made me realize I had to be more affectionate now. I opened my arms, a clear and unusual gesture for me, waiting for them to get it. For almost three minutes, they just stared at me, frozen, as if I had gone crazy. I had expected Felix or Jeongin to be quicker to catch on, but it was Han who surprised me by pulling me into a tight hug, breaking the mental paralysis of the others. Seconds later, I felt other arms holding me too. The warmth and weight of their bodies, the feeling of being embraced by them, was something I wasn't used to anymore. Ever since that day, coming back from the mission that was a trap, and Chan coming to save me, I had lost the habit of hugging anyone. The irony of the situation hit me hard: I was unraveling, losing my tough exterior around these boys. "Okay, okay, that's enough. Let's go back to the living room now." My voice came out softer than I intended. With the group in a collective hug, we returned to where everyone else was.

"Y/N, seriously now! This apartment is so cool, this is going to be so much more fun than I imagined." The happiness back in Felix's voice was satisfying. I liked seeing him like that, but I would never admit it to anyone. I walked over to where he was, now near the kitchen, and ran my hands through his hair again. I loved his hair, but that was another thing I would never admit out loud. "I'm glad you like it, Lixie." Maybe this was the moment I was losing my mind, because I felt his gaze change. I suddenly pulled my hand away as if he were on fire. Felix looked at me with obvious confusion, but I didn't have time to explain before Hyunjin dragged me by the hand towards the art corridors. I cast a quick glance back at the blonde I had just been with; he was still looking at me until Seungmin noticed and said something to him, but my attention was now all on Hyunjin.

"Y/N, have you seen these paintings?" The excitement in his voice was cute. Well, yes, I had seen them because they were paintings I bought. I knew absolutely nothing about art but I liked them, so I bought them. I decorated this entire apartment by myself. "They're beautiful, aren't they?" My answer only made him more excited, and I couldn't help but notice his long hair. What would he look like with it cut short? Not that I was complaining. Actually, I didn't even have the right to complain. What the hell was this? Suddenly I felt someone behind me. I turned quickly and met Lee Know's cold gaze. He was already staring at me. Ah... even so, I stared back. We stayed like that until Jeongin appeared, almost jumping for joy, holding a PlayStation. Oh, right, I bought it to play with the girls, but they were terrible at it.

"Y/N, do you know how to play?" Innie's question was the perfect distraction for me to pretend I didn't see Lee Know nearly burning a hole in my head with his stare. And out of the corner of my eye, I saw Hyunjin, all animated, explaining every detail of the paintings to Changbin and Han, who were listening intently. I turned back to the youngest. "PlayStation? Of course I do." And I really did. Even though the girls were terrible players, every time my sisters came over, we always had a lot of fun. Sometimes Jonas would show up too. It was funny how we sometimes seemed like normal people. It was in those moments that I looked at these people in front of me and, deep down, I felt a wave of despair. They would hate me so much when they found out about the amount of blood I carry and will always carry on my hands.

My answer made Jeongin happy, making him smile from ear to ear. "Can we play? Not to brag, but I think I'd give you a strong beating." His confidence was charming. Fortunately, Lee Know had moved away and was now next to Chan on the couch, talking about something. Anyway.

Before I could even think, the words came out of my mouth. "Jeongin, I'm already used to beating up cute guys like you, so it wouldn't be a problem." Great, now everyone was looking at me with shocked expressions. This was it. I was a completely different person to them. I shouldn't have let that slip. Damn it. "Uh... forget I said that. I spoke without thinking. How about you guys start putting your stuff away in the rooms?" Thankfully, the awkward atmosphere that had been created a few seconds earlier dissipated. I was about to head to my room when I felt my phone vibrate. Someone had sent me a message. I checked who it was, even with Seungmin's voice saying something in the background.

MESSAGES:

Unknown Number: Alright, I accept your offer. What do I have to do?

Wow, finally. I couldn't help the smile that started to form on my face.

Y/N: Unfortunately, I got stabbed on a personal mission. I'm still recovering and right now I'm... in charge. I can't show up hurt again anytime soon. I'm not going to tell you the whole story, I just need you to kill someone for me, a middle-aged man, to be precise.

"Hey Y/N, can we pick our rooms freely?" It took me a moment to realize Han's voice was getting closer again, and I almost dropped my phone. That, of course, made him curious. "Wow, why are you so nervous about hiding your phone?" Why the hell did his voice get lower now? Or was I going crazy? The second option was probably more likely. He kept staring at me, genuinely expecting an explanation, and the worst part? I gave him one. We were nothing more than friends, and yet I felt the need to explain myself. This wasn't going to end well.

I said the first thing that came to my mind. "It's my sister Helena, she wants me to decide which bra looks best on her." Ugh, what the hell was that? But it worked, because Han's eyes went wide, clearly flustered. Poor guy.

"Oh... I would never have guessed that. Sorry, Y/N, you can take a few minutes to talk to your sister, we'll manage. You didn't even have to explain yourself! I... the question just slipped out, I'm sorry again."

The embarrassment returned, painting his cute cheeks. Oh my God, poor thing, this was starting to make it hard to lie without feeling bad about it, even though that had been happening for a few weeks now. I walked in front of him and, I don't know why I did it, I definitely shouldn't have, but I rested my forehead against his, calming him down. "Breathe, Jisung. It's okay. You're just a curious little boy, aren't you?" This made him nod his head. "Good boy. Now go back to the others and tell them I'll just be in my room for a minute and then I'll be back. Seungmin was calling for something, if it's not about your question about the rooms, which, by the way, the answer is yes, tell him I'll call him later, got it?" Han looked at me for a few seconds before confirming. "That's it, good boy." The last thing I saw was his eyes widening after I said that. I went into the room and locked the door.

When I picked up my phone again, Wooyoung had already sent me five new messages. What a frantic woman. Did I mention she tried to stab my stomach out of jealousy?

MESSAGES:

Y/N: Hi, I'm back. A small mishap happened where I am right now.

Unknown Number: Okay, just tell me who this man is that I have to kill, and more importantly, what will my payment be?

Y/N: 𝑑𝑖𝑔𝑖𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑑𝑜𝑐𝑢𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡

Y/N: It's all in there. You can choose the payment.

Unknown Number: Why do you want me to kill a man whose last job was being a doorman at a luxury condo?

Y/N: If I wanted unnecessary questions, I'd ask my own sisters, Wooyoung.

Unknown Number: Arrogant bitch, I'll do the kill. The payment I want is you in my bed again. When I send proof that the man is in hell, I want you here, understood?

I was actually going to sleep with my ex-girlfriend as payment for her killing someone for me. I didn't overthink the problem with that and, in the end, I accepted, immediately regretting it, but it was done. You see, all of my sisters, without exception, hate Wooyoung, but not just because she almost stabbed me. It's because she cheated on me. This happened when she was still working for the boss. We were both 19 and I was really starting to like her, until I found out through an anonymous message that she was cheating on me every day in bars. And now I was going to have a relapse with her. My life was becoming a mess.

"Y/N?" Chan's voice snapped me back to reality. "Can I come in?" Oh, he could, of course, but I thought he would be more reserved after admitting he gets jealous when I'm with his other boyfriends. Besides, I was having a little trouble accepting this. Nothing made sense, but then again... when did anything in my life ever make sense?

I walked to the door, unlocked it, and opened it to reveal the leader's face. I couldn't help but have a déjà vu from that day when I was about to go bury a body with Harley. "Hi, Chan! I was just about to come back out anyway. Do you need something?" My voice, although welcoming, was holding back an internal nervousness, and I had no idea what it was. But at least I managed to stay neutral. Damn it, all I needed was to be attracted to my bosses. This wasn't some teenage story. Ugh.

Chan sighed, as if searching for courage. "I wanted to know if you'll still be comfortable, even... even with this new jealousy revelation. Right, you already gave me the impression that everything was fine back in the pantry, but I'm always going to wonder if everyone around me is feeling okay. It's a mechanism of mine that I can't silence."

It's not that it's uncomfortable; it's just a surprise and a curious thing in my life. None of my previous bosses ever felt jealous of me, though none of them were as handsome as these guys. "If I quit right now, would you feel better?" I tried to lighten the mood, but my question seemed to backfire and have the opposite effect, because it just made Chan's eyes get teary. Oh, crap. I took his hand and sat him on the bed. "Hey, calm down, it was just a joke, you don't have to be like this." We were now eye to eye.

Chan couldn't help but feel embarrassed. Oh my God, what were all these men? Their performance persona was truly surprising in this industry, because all the idols I had ever worked with were like this too. I sort of understood. It was part of my job, right?

"Y/N, don't joke about that again. In the beginning, it was difficult, but now we're totally used to you. If you think about leaving, the consequences could be very sad, so please, don't joke about that anymore." He had now controlled the urge to cry from a few seconds ago, but his voice was still a little unsteady. Ah, what beautiful, unintentional emotional blackmail. It was unintentional because he was clearly just a bit anxious, but it was still emotional blackmail. Wow.

"Understood, Mr. Christopher." I placed my hand on my chest, faking a salute. "I, Soldier Y/N, promise never to joke about quitting again. Satisfied?" This time, the joke made the leader laugh, and that made me feel more at ease. It was easier to deal with them this way than when they were nervous or tense. The last time I dealt with them like that, well... I literally passed out. "Let's go back to the living room now." With him more relaxed, we both went back to the guys.

[Lee Know’s P.O.V]

I shouldn't have been staring at Y/N like a crazy psychopath, I know I shouldn't have, but there was something curious about her. Well, in fact there really was something curious about her, since apparently some of my boyfriends get jealous of her. This was a bit... strange to understand. They've always been jealous of each other around other women and men, and now no one was freaking out about it. It was a clear sign that we had truly gotten used to her, to her way of being, to the way she fit so well into our chaotic routine. She had gone to her room, and for a moment, my thoughts about Y/N, which seemed to be consuming my mind, vanished. "Ah, crap." I was sitting next to Felix now on the huge apartment sofa, an oasis of comfort amidst the mess, when I frowned. Had something happened?

"What's wrong?" I asked, my voice breaking the momentary silence in the room.

My boyfriend seemed to have forgotten we were side-by-side, as he startled a little at my voice. "Oh, hi Minho, nothing serious, well, I mean... a little bit. I just received the confirmation email for the Louis Vuitton show."

"Huh? And that's supposed to be a problem?" I wasn't understanding, and my face must have shown it. "I don't get it. How is that a problem? You don't like the Louis Vuitton collections anymore?"

"It's not that." He sat up straight now, running his hands through his long blonde hair in a nervous gesture that I knew all too well. "I forgot to tell Y/N, she's supposed to come with me."

Ah, I had heard about this new Louis Vuitton show too. It would be in London. Did this mean Felix and Y/N would be alone together for an entire week in another country? That was bound to cause trouble, for sure. "Don't you have your own brand security?" I asked, remembering the faces of a few well-trained men who usually accompanied him.

"Yes, Lee Know, I do, but it would be more reliable now if it was Y/N, wouldn't it?" There was a hint of a ploy in my boyfriend's voice, a game he was starting to play, and it was directed at me.

That's when it hit me. Felix not only needed, but WANTED Y/N's company in London, and he was trying to convince me to support the idea. I didn't know what to think. He and Jeongin had been in a fierce competition since the beginning, a silent race to see who would get closer to our bodyguard. Hyunjin was in the game too, but he had started to withdraw for some reason, even though he was still very comfortable around her. I, on the other hand, seemed to be the only one who wasn't as attached, keeping a cautious distance.

"I don't know, it doesn't just depend on me and you," I said, my tone neutral. My answer obviously didn't please him. He clearly wanted me to agree with him since I'm the second oldest, to use that as leverage with Chan, who I was sure wouldn't like the idea. Out of jealousy... on both sides.

Jisung's soft voice returned. "What are you guys talking about?" He was with the rest of the group who had gone to tidy up the rooms. The division would likely remain the same. I saw the moment Changbin, with a familiarity that made me smile, pulled Hyunjin onto his lap. Hyunjin took the opportunity to grab Jeongin, who quickly pulled away. That boy was funny, a mix of reactions: there were times when he couldn't stand affectionate touches, but other times he'd practically beg for them.

"Felix has a show in two days, and he wants to take Y/N. The show itself is in London." I should have chosen my words more carefully, but it was too late now.

This, as was predictable, caused an immediate commotion. The atmosphere in the room shifted from calm to a battlefield. Seungmin sighed and was the first to step away from the group, as if he knew this would cause a minor argument. Lately, anything involving Y/N turned into a debate. "What do you mean 'take her'? She's not just your security, Felix. She's the security for all of us here, the ideal is for her to take care of everyone without distinction." I was surprised when I realized this wasn't Jeongin talking, but Changbin, who looked genuinely frustrated. The maknae wasn't very happy with this arrangement either.

"Binnie's right, that wouldn't make sense now. Wait, is she coming back with us for the remaining countries on the DominATE Tour?" We were almost at the end of the tour, but the previous shows were with the old security team, so there was a high chance she would go, yes.

"Of course she's coming with us, it wouldn't make sense for her not to." My statement calmed them down a bit. Were they really thinking she wouldn't? They're forgetting that she is OUR SECURITY.

We were about to continue this debate when we heard a door open. It was Y/N's room. She was coming back with Chan. I didn't know he had gone to talk to her, but that didn't matter now. They both must have sensed the tension in the air, especially Y/N, because she didn't waste any time and immediately asked. "What's going on?" Han took the opportunity to sit next to me, holding my hand. I felt a slight tremor in him. Was he scared? We couldn't let the tension rise again; we had just gotten out of one.

It was Seungmin who decided to reveal what was happening. "Basically, Felix needs to go to London for the Louis Vuitton show, he wants you to go with him, and that's obviously going to become a standoff, so I'm just leaving now." Oh, my god, drama was the last thing we needed. I wanted to shake him right then and there, but Y/N was faster. The shaking, at least, was verbal.

"Seungmin, you're not going anywhere. Come back now." Her voice cut through the air with an authority that surprised me.

I could feel Han's body shiver at the tone of her voice, and I had a feeling he wasn't the only one. I also had to confess that I was a little... stunned. Y/N became authoritative in a matter of seconds, a sudden shift in personality. I had a slight suspicion that she faked several different personalities, like a chameleon. Maybe I was just being crazy.

Just like everyone else, I watched to see what Seungmin would decide. "I just don't want to be in the middle of a mess again, Y/N." I kind of understood him too. In my humble opinion, this living arrangement was being very turbulent, but just in case, Y/N couldn't leave our side. I wouldn't want that either.

I heard a sigh, and the attention now turned to Chan. "There won't be any mess here. I think it's time we start acting like adults and not children, right?" The leader turned to Felix. "How many days would you guys be in London?"

"You guys?" Did he say it in plural? I didn't think I was mistaken. Hold on a second, my one and only hyung was acting miserable a few days ago, and we found out it was because of Y/N and jealousy. Now he was considering leaving her alone with our other boyfriend? There was something strange about this; it was a very radical change, and apparently I wasn't the only one to notice, because the other boys were also a little confused.

However, Felix recovered quickly. "It would only be four days. They know the tour is about to return and I should start rehearsals again soon. I just wanted Y/N to feel safer. You guys won't have any commitments in another country, will you? So I thought she would be more useful to me in this situation."

Crap, he had a point. Yes, the rest of us had other jobs besides the band itself, but as he said, they were all in Korea and not in another country. His defense was apparently very convincing because Hyunjin, despite a sigh, agreed. "Felix is right. And another thing: the show announcement is already out there. The new woman who is obsessed with us might want to take advantage of that, Y/N should go with him." This made the blonde boy smile a little to the side. Of course he was happy with the predictable release.

Jeongin, despite still wanting to argue something different, also gave up and ended up giving his positive vote too. "That's it, Hyunjin has already said everything that needed to be said."

"How lovely, you guys talking as if you own my comings and goings, I'm enchanted by this!" Her voice was loaded with biting irony.

We all froze at the same time at the reprimand in Y/N's voice. Damn, there was no way to deny it. We were acting as if it was only OUR dependency for her to accompany our boyfriend to another country. I heard Han curse softly next to me, now embarrassed, as were the others.

"It... it wasn't our intention, Y/N. Your opinion is also welcome, of course, what do you think?" Chan rushed to correct the situation, in a tone that apologized.

"Thank you." Y/N now sat in the middle of the room, and we all continued to look at her, with a mix of relief and shame. "I won't have a problem going." Felix's eyes almost jumped out of their sockets with happiness when she said that. "But, as you yourself said, Felix, your tour is close to returning, so no distractions." Ah, I missed my fans. "So that's it, if it's okay with everyone, that's what matters. Don't worry, I'll take care of your boyfriend."

I couldn't help the electric current that ran through my body when she said that. It was still so weird, this formality of hers. It's good, obviously, but at the same time it's so... normal? Like, this information could cause the biggest chaos in their career and she didn't seem to care. We knew very well that since the beginning fans have their favorite shippers, but a confirmation itself would not make everyone happy.

Chan cleared his throat. "We're not worried about that, we know you can take care of him and all of us here."

"But I won't lie and say that I'm not afraid that something will happen to you, especially you, Y/N. You're not invincible. We don't know what this crazed woman after us is capable of, she could be capable of killing! Something you don't do." Jeongin said, evidently worried, and we hadn't even returned to our activities yet.

For some reason we don't know, Jeongin's sentence made her laugh. What was so funny about getting hurt? It was a valid concern, and especially seeing as my boyfriend would be with her.

"I already told you, Innie, nothing's going to happen to Felix. Now can we please continue to get settled in the apartment?"

I felt Jisung lean in a little and whisper in my ear. "Can I talk to you for a second?"

I immediately agreed and, with a smile, we both walked away from the shouting that was now forming. Hyunjin and Changbin were fighting over who would be the first to play the Playstation, only to end up losing to Seungmin, who grabbed the controller and started trying to connect it to the TV. "HEY MINNIE, YOU BASTARD!" Binnie's indignant voice along with the sight of Y/N going back to talk to Chan were the last things I saw before Han dragged me to a more distant place, which looked a lot like a laundry room.

"What's wrong, Jisung? Did something happen?"

My boyfriend noticed the worry in my voice, so he immediately rushed to reassure me. He held my hands, his eyes fixed on mine. "Oh, it's nothing serious, sorry babe. But it's still something I'd like to tell you first." I saw the shine of pure excitement in his eyes, and my heart warmed instantly.

I held him by the shoulders and playfully shook him, making him even happier. "Well, then tell me, I'm getting curious!"

"I'm going to dye my hair blue! Not for the whole tour, but I want to. You know Chan, Changbin and I are already working on a new little thing, right? Well, it might make a little sense at the beginning."

The excitement in my boyfriend's voice made me excited too. For heaven's sake, Han looks amazing with blue hair. In fact, he looks good with any hair, but this choice to go back to blue surprised me. I wasn't expecting it. "I already know STAYs are going to love it."

"I KNOW! I'm doing it to please them too, it's going to be crazy when I appear in public. Do you think the other boys are also thinking of doing something different? Are you?"

Me? Huh... not for now, no. I don't know, maybe on their next comeback album I'll show up with dyed hair, but the DominATE era was almost over, so I'll say not for now, but who knows.

"Not yet, babe, but I'll make sure that the moment I want to do something crazy with my hair, you'll be the first to know too." I replied, giving him a tender kiss on the mouth, which made him melt immediately. He closed his eyes and sighed against my lips. What a little cutie.

"SEUNGMIN, YOU'RE CHEATING, Y/N IS THIS ALLOWED?"

"You're just being a sore loser, Changbin. Accept that I'm good at this game and move on."

The voices in the living room were loud and we couldn't help the laughter that escaped. The vibe was good when it was like this. "Do you want me to keep your decision to dye your hair blue a secret?" I asked him before we went back, awaiting his answer.

Jisung became a little thoughtful, but nodded. "For now, yes, but then I'll tell everyone, or rather: I'll just show them." I didn't doubt that he would do the second option; it would be so funny.

"OH MY GOD, Y/N, ARE YOU SERIOUSLY NOT SEEING THIS?? SEUNGMIN DOESN'T EVEN USUALLY PLAY THIS GAME MUCH."

I rolled my eyes at Changbin's drama one more time, and that made Han laugh again, which was wonderful, because I always loved making him laugh. I took his hand, our fingers intertwining. "Let's go back there." But I felt a slight resistance, and I looked back, looking for something wrong. His smile disappeared, and a softness took over his expression.

"I love you so much, Minho." His voice was a whisper, full of sincerity, and the sound hit me like a warm wave, filling me completely.

Ah, crap, I thought, feeling my chest swell with an overwhelming emotion. I love this man more than anything. I leaned forward, touching my forehead to his. "I love you too, Jisung." We just stood there like two fools for a few minutes, the only thing that mattered was the warmth between us. Love was a crazy thing.

[Seungmin’s P.O.V]

With my boyfriend causing one of the biggest dramas in the universe, we managed to relax once again after the conversation about Felix and Y/N's trip. Speaking of her... what kind of order was that that she gave me? I winced a little on the couch, the memory of her voice catching me by surprise. I swear my blood froze for a moment, but I quickly managed to hide it. It would have been too embarrassing for her to notice how much her authority affected me. Despite all my concentration on the game, I couldn't contain the need to look for her in the room, and, of course, I found her. She was nearby, and she was on her phone. She was on that phone of hers a lot, in a world of her own, indifferent to the chaos surrounding her.

Jeongin, who was watching the match as if it were an exciting football game, let out one of his childish taunts. "Wow, Changbin. We don't know if Seungmin is just really good or if you're really bad."

The laughter that followed only made the rapper beside me more frustrated, causing him to drop the controller. "Hey Yongbok, what exactly are you laughing about? You've been bronze in your favorite game for ages!"

This only made Hyunjin laugh even more, but predictably, Felix stopped laughing. A subtle smile still lingered on his face, though I could feel the edge of competitiveness in the air. "Don't take your poor skills against Seungmin out on me, Binnie."

I caught a glimpse of Lee Know and Han returning to their spots, and I only noticed they had left after they were already back. They were holding hands, a sweet gesture that made me discreetly raise an eyebrow. What had the two of them gone to do alone?

Changbin put on one last show for Y/N, who, even though she was giving them quick glances, never let go of her phone. This was starting to make me restless. What was she doing on that phone so much? She only put the device in her pocket when she felt Felix approach her from behind. The entire action was quick, almost instinctive, as if she were hiding something crucial. The certainty hit me dead-on: she's hiding something, and I'm going to find out what it is.

I got up from the floor, the adrenaline of my new mission replacing the boredom of the game. "Hey, Hyunjin, want to play now? I'm tired, it's your turn to humiliate Binnie." The dancer immediately accepted the offer, smiling while the rapper, below me, squirmed in resignation. It was so much fun to annoy all of them.

"Does anyone know where Chan is?" I asked, my voice sounding more urgent than I intended.

Jeongin, who looked like a child distracted with a snow globe, replied. "He went to tidy up his room, it's that one over there, next to that orange flower." Right. I nodded my thanks and quickly found the way to the door. I didn't waste any time and knocked.

"You can come in, it's open."

Apparently, my boyfriend wasn't expecting my presence, because his face displayed a slight confusion before he managed a faint smile. "Minnie." I received a quick kiss on the lips, a gesture that calmed me for a moment, before he continued. "Do you want to tell me something?"

"I think Y/N is hiding something from us," I said, abruptly.

The confusion returned in full force to his face. "What are you talking about? Hiding what?"

I sighed, my hands looking for something to clench. The anxiety was consuming me. "I don't know exactly, but you want me to be honest? I don't know if you notice this, or if I'm the one going crazy, but sometimes I get the feeling that Y/N's personality isn't the one she shows us. Another thing, she's on her phone all the time, and yes, I KNOW it could be something personal, but I don't feel like it is. It's not that I don't trust her... it's all so strange to explain, Chan."

The leader looked at me for a few moments, processing my words. Finally, he found the words. "Look, to be honest... there are some things about Y/N that make me a little hesitant too. It might not seem like it, but I still keep thinking about why her sister drugged us, or why she sometimes gets so absorbed in her phone." My eyes widened at that. So I'm not the only one. A momentary relief washed over me. "Yeah, I've noticed it too, but I don't know... I don't know how we can bring it up with her. Do you think we should just go up to her and say that some things about her don't add up?"

I thought for a few seconds before answering. The certainty I felt was total. "I think we should. Wasn't the point to have no more secrets between us? This relationship won't continue to be solid if these doubts remain."

KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK.

I was so focused on the conversation that the sound of someone knocking on the door startled me, making me give a slight jump. Chan, noticing my reaction, let out a laugh that echoed through the room. "Hahaha, wow, you saw that. Your instincts are that on edge, babe?" Ugh, I loved making fun of them, but when the roles are reversed, it's not the same thing.

I offered to open the door, since I was closer anyway. "I'll get it." And I should have asked who it was first, because the embarrassment I was about to face could have been prevented. As soon as I opened the door, the sight of Y/N left me a little flustered. Ah, crap. She was there, with a slight smile and a look that seemed to be reading us.

Chan also straightened up quickly, equally at a loss because he hadn't expected the person knocking on the door to be the very person we were just talking about. Y/N walked into the room, her eyes quickly observing everything around her, as she always did. Well, yes, we were memorizing some of her routines, even without realizing it. If she saw anything wrong with the two of us, she must have hidden it well, because she smiled, calmly.

"What are you guys talking about?"

𝘞𝘦'𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘸𝘦'𝘳𝘦 𝘢 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶. The phrase came to mind, but I couldn't say it.

Of course I didn't say that. Should I have? Obviously, but I couldn't. Something held me back, the same thing that held Chan back from opening his mouth. But apparently, Y/N had some kind of spy in our heads for everything, because she surprised us.

"Are you still suspicious of me? In what way? I told you you can ask me anything, I'll answer."

Somehow, that direct question made me desperate, and I ended up looking at Chan, who immediately noticed and took charge. "Please be serious, Y/N. Are you hiding anything else from us?" We looked at her, waiting anxiously.

Y/N got up and approached us, and now we were face-to-face. The tension in the air was palpable. We waited, until she finally said something. "I'll tell you whatever you want, but first." She now walked to the front of the door and held the doorknob. "Let's avoid this situation again." Chan and I didn't understand what she was referring to until she opened the door, revealing the rest of the boys who had been listening to everything from the other side. Oh, my God.

I groaned on the spot, and poor Chan ran his hands through his hair, trying to hide from the embarrassment. Now I understood the feeling too, and I had been part of it the first time. It was Hyunjin who spoke first, with his head down. "It... this time it was Changbin's idea." This made the rapper almost fall over in indignation, looking at our boyfriend with an expression similar to disappointment, which made Hyunjin quickly regret it. Damn, let's calm down.

"Boys, please, we don't need this anymore. I think we should take advantage of today to be truly honest with each other. If anyone has something to say, they can say it." Y/N's voice was reassuring, despite everything.

Jeongin puffed out his chest, looking between Felix and Y/N, and we already knew what he was going to say. "I'm not very happy with this news that these two," he pointed to our security and our boyfriend, "are going to spend four days together away from us. I know it's the most logical arrangement, but if I were to say that I'm not bothered, I'd be lying."

We knew well why he was more bothered. We had all started to create a kind of connection with Y/N, but in a measured way. However, these two, from the beginning, were on another level. As I recall, in the first few days, Felix and Jeongin were already advancing their relationship with her, because she never gives any opening for anything more in that regard. And this made me think... did they want her to? This thought gave me chills, because I remember once threatening Felix if he showed up with a woman, and now here we are... it's all very confusing.

Now it was Lee Know's turn. The coldness in his tone kind of shocked everyone — well, almost everyone, except Y/N, who just kept listening. "I also have the feeling that you are not this personality you show us. I can see you wavering sometimes." In the end, I could tell that Y/N's gaze shifted for a few moments, but the cold mask quickly returned.

Chan was getting ready to say something, but I was faster. "What do you talk about so much on that phone of yours?" The wording came out strange. It might sound like a possessive interrogation, but I swear it's not; it's just valid curiosity.

Y/N still didn't answer. Instead, she turned to the rest of us who hadn't said anything yet, and her eyes met Han's, who froze immediately. "And you, Jisung? Do you share the same thoughts as your boyfriends?" I expected my boyfriend to back down, but I think Minho's presence next to him gave him more courage.

"Sorry, Y/N, but sometimes I also think some things about you are strange. You always only give vague explanations about certain things." Basically the same question as everyone else.

Hyunjin sighed, apparently tired of the situation. "Well, I trust you a lot, Y/N, but if they're suspicious, I don't have much to say." Right after, Changbin and Felix agreed with his statement without needing to say anything.

And then we waited. All of us just kept looking at her, who still seemed bored, but I hoped she would speak and clarify everything once and for all. In the back of my mind, there was a small voice wanting to make me feel bad, probably regret. I knew these paranoias weren't just mine, but here we were, for better or worse, because of me.

[Y/N's P.O.V]

I don't know at what point I had become a fool, but I had. It was obvious, palpable. I was indeed seeing all the not-so-subtle looks that Seungmin was giving me while I was on my phone. The whole time, I was talking to Jonas. He had managed to find the store where the woman had bought the lingerie, but the employees had said it was forbidden to give out customer history, which made it difficult once again because my friend would have to hack the entire image system, and that was usually a time-consuming and very complex job.

They weren't wrong. I was indeed hiding several things from them, the worst of which was the truth about who I am. That's why when Seungmin went to Bang Chan's room, I already knew very well what they were going to talk about. Despite the friendly resumption of my relationship with the leader, I could feel that he still wanted more answers, something that should have already happened. But as I said, at some point I became an idiot. I needed a new mission to kill someone, to wake up again to what I truly am.

But it wasn't just Jonas I had spoken with. I had received another email from the team, showing their entire future schedule. The return of the tour would be crazy, and they mentioned something about a new album, something like that. I don't understand many things about the K-POP industry, but a new album is the same for all artists: promotions in every possible place, so we would be moving from one side to the other without stopping. And the worst part is: I still hadn't told my sisters and the boss any of this. Speaking of him... it had been three weeks since I had received any message from him, and that was something that scared me more than the lingerie.

The boys continued to throw tantrums over the Playstation after Seungmin stopped. It was at that moment that I took the opportunity and, after the youngest one entered the oldest's room, I approached the door and crouched, glued to the wall. The others didn't notice a thing. My main concern was Lee Know, but he was just eating Jisung up with his eyes, so that was great.

As was predictable, Seungmin had gone to complain about me to his boyfriend. The worst part was that he was absolutely right. But, no problem, I was going to handle this situation. I didn't want to manipulate them; I tried my best to just slightly deceive them, but apparently there was no other way. I would have to manipulate.

That's how I found myself in the leader's room with all the boys throwing their suspicions at me, while I just stood there listening to everything, letting them finish, without rushing. I already knew what to do anyway. The only one who didn't mention anything was Felix, he was behaving well so that I wouldn't get stressed out and would still go to the show with him. The one who got to me for a few seconds, until I recovered, was Lee Know. He wanted to know my true personality? Only if he wanted to never be able to look at me in his life again.

With everyone's attention still on me, I stood up and for the first time, I didn't meet their gazes, crossing my arms. "I really am hiding things from you." The eyes of Felix, Jeongin, Hyunjin, and Han widened, while Chan, Changbin, Lee Know, and Seungmin looked at me as if I had gone crazy. Not yet, but close. "You received a present at the company headquarters." Confusion was now stamped on their faces, good. "Do you want to know what it was?" Now, yes, I returned my gaze to them. "Eight pieces of lingerie with romantic notes, from your new admirer."

The looks of disgust and contempt on their faces almost made me laugh. I could see Jeongin wanting to say something, but I cut him off because now only I was speaking. "Seungmin, what I'm on the phone so much about lately is with my work assistants. Or do you really think I'm the only one who takes care of everything? I have a person I trust helping me find this woman, and another thing too: I'm not independent, I have my own superior boss, and sometimes I need to report to him." Well, those parts weren't exactly lies.

I walked again and stopped almost in front of Lee Know, his gaze quickly locking with mine. I had to confess that I liked it when he confronted me like that, head-on. "You want to know my true personality?" A tense silence. "First, what do you think this true personality of mine is like, Minho?" The use of his nickname made him drop his guard a bit, and I put on my best disappointed face, encouraging him to speak.

"You don't need to give me that disappointed look, Y/N." Ah, sorry boys, but I need to, yes. I tried not to manipulate you, but there's no other way. I watched him swallow hard when he realized I was still giving him the same expression. "My God, Y/N! I don't want you to be different with me, okay? I just think you don't open up to us like you should yet, you don't give your opinion and thoughts on almost anything. I just think sometimes you become a robot programmed for us."

I turned away, putting my hand on my head and running it through my hair, now all of them could see the tears in my eyes. The effect was immediate. Jeongin and Felix quickly rushed to hug me together. I felt the blonde's hands come very close to my ribs, squeezing. Did he know he was doing that? But anyway, never mind, it just added more intensity.

The speed of the maknae's voice resonated in the room. "You can't be doing this again. What else does Y/N need to do for you to stop with this nonsense? Get shot?" Chan's eyes almost popped out just imagining the scene, despair taking over him. Ah, very good, Innie, you're helping me without even realizing it.

I regained control of the situation. "You want to know the truth? You are the first clients I really feel comfortable creating a bond of friendship with. When you proposed this to me, I could have very well refused, but I accepted because you seemed like nice men." My God, now I was crying for real. The worst part was that this wasn't faking it either. They were truly people I could see beyond an obligation, even if I didn't show it much, it was all true. "What do you want me to do? Become more intimate with you? I don't want to be the cause of a crisis in your relationship. I can be the friend you want, but I don't want to be the person you don't need." I couldn't hold back the tears anymore. Either I was truly fragile, or I was the next generation's actress.

This ended up making Jisung and Hyunjin cry, with the first one saying in a trembling voice. "I'm so sorry, Y/N, we shouldn't always be interrogating you. Look at this! She's just afraid to get closer and be honest because she wants to preserve our relationship, that's something to be praised!" After that, he turned to Lee Know. "Why didn't you tell me anything about this? You could have told me when we left."

Okay, fine. When I said I didn't want to be the cause of drama between them, I was telling the truth. It's manipulation, not destruction, which is why I ended up defending Lee Know. "Jisung, don't go at him. Deep down I understand everyone's complaints. I'm just sad because I didn't want to always be the source of your lack of trust." I said this, without realizing that Jeongin's hands had found Felix's on my ribs, and now they were joined. The one who also noticed this was Chan.

I looked at the leader and saw his gaze moving up from his boyfriends' hands until it met mine. And when his voice came out, it was very low. "Who is this boss you answer to?" Crap, I knew he would catch that part and throw it back at me.

"The same boss who taught me everything I know today. If I'm the security guard I am, it's because of him. I've been with him for years."

Changbin raised his hand before asking. "Your adoptive sisters, were they also trained by this man? You said they were special agents."

"Yes, they were. I've been under his care with my sisters since we were seven years old, except for Harley, who is the youngest. After my parents were murdered, I asked him to help me, and he did." I didn't ask for anything, the boss had already offered to recruit me. But anyway, that version would be strange for them.

This gave Felix an idea, who was next to me. "Can we meet your sisters someday? Like, in person?"

The chances were tiny. The girls didn't like to meddle in my affairs, well, except for Harley. I think if I set it up well so she doesn't seem crazy, it could be a reality. But my other sisters... the situation would be more difficult. I think convincing Catalina would be the most painful part, she would certainly ask for something in return, I already knew her game. "Uh... my sisters are very busy, they barely have time to see me, but I'll talk to them, okay?" This ended up making the blonde boy more excited.

Chan's next question truly made me freeze. "Do you remember your parents?" I heard everyone sigh. This was the first time any of them had asked me about my parents directly, and of course the first one would be him. I tried to get closer to Chan, but the grip of Jeongin and Felix didn't allow me to, so I answered him from a distance.

"I always remember my parents. Everything might have happened years ago, but I still remember every detail of them perfectly." I was silent for a few moments, the memory of my mother returning. "My mother... she didn't want me to become this." They gave me a confused look, oh right, they didn't know. "This dangerous profession, but I always thought this was my destiny somehow. When I lied to you about my sisters' professions, those were the professions they wanted to have in life. I, on the other hand, always thought I would be a sniper, but saying that made my mother's hair stand on end." They watched me as I gave a nostalgic laugh, remembering my mother's nervousness.

I continued, and no one interrupted me. "So I decided to lie to her. I said I had changed my mind and that I would be a pastry chef. Well, I do know how to make some cool sweets, in case anyone wants some." This now ended up drawing laughter into the room. "I was very close to my mother, but with my father... before I turned 6, he was more present, but after... he stopped being so. Mom and he always kept secrets in the house, talking softly... almost as if they didn't want me to hear what they were talking about so much."

Seungmin spoke for the first time after a while, in a measured voice. "You... you think they were hiding something from you?"

I looked at him. "I don't think so, I'm sure they were hiding something from me, but unfortunately I couldn't get more information about anything. I searched for known contacts that I knew of them after their deaths, but they didn't tell anyone anything, or if they did, the acquaintances were loyal and didn't want to tell me. After that, the world went on, and I ended up meeting this man who is now my superior boss."

Han spoke again, now with his head bowed. "I'm so sorry for all this, Y/N. It must not have been easy at all. Thank you for sharing this with us."

"Thank you, you not interrupting me was already a hug. I sometimes wonder what my life would have been like if my parents were alive. Don't you also wonder what your lives would be like if you had never auditioned for JYP? I listened to your song, the one called Social Path, the lyrics are something I identified with a little." Although I gave up my youth for something totally bloodier than a band, but anyway.

Chan led one last time. "Alright, I think we can end this here, can't we? Does anyone have anything else they want to ask right now?"

After a collective "no," the tension finally began to leave the space a little, when I realized that Felix and Jeongin still hadn't let go of me. I gently asked them to, and apparently, they really hadn't noticed the way they were holding me until now, because both of them quickly turned the color of a tomato, and I immediately reassured them. "It's okay, I know you just wanted to comfort me, thank you." I now addressed only Felix. "Later, you and I will arrange more about the trip, okay?" With a positive nod from the blonde, we moved away and the feeling was strange. I was liking the contact of his skin on mine. Wait, what the hell kind of thought was that?

Thinking about it now, I hadn't manipulated them as strongly as I thought I would. I said more things that, in certain ways, were real. Do I feel a little bit of desire sometimes? I do, damn it, I'm not dead. I think they're handsome, but I'd rather get shot than be responsible for the separation of one of the most famous bands today. Count me out of this.

The boys started leaving one by one, and I watched them, and that was a mistake, because I thought Chan had already left, but he was still in the room. I hadn't noticed the leader at my side, and while I was following Changbin, he grabbed me by the arms and pulled me back inside and closed the door, locking it. I looked at him in shock. What the hell just happened? Why did he do that?

The reactions from outside were immediate, the voices of Han, Hyunjin, and Jeongin respectively were the first.

"Bang Chan! What the hell? Let her out of there, what's going on?" I'd like to know too.

"Chan, no one understands anything, just explain."

"Chan! You said everything was okay, so stop this nonsense and give me back my Y/N!"

However, the man in front of me didn't say anything, so I guess I would have to be the one to calm things down, and yes, I was going to completely ignore Jeongin's possessive pronoun on me, for the sake of my sanity. I invented the first excuse that came to mind. "Boys, I... I already knew this was going to happen, I told Chan that if he wanted to, he could talk to me privately." But apparently, that only made the situation worse.

"And you only told him that? That courtesy only applies to him?" I couldn't help but notice the touch of jealousy in Felix's voice, the thought of it putting my body on high alert for a few moments, which was a dumb move on my part, because Bang Chan obviously noticed and immediately frowned, and anger started to rise out of nowhere. Who did he think he was?

The whole situation must have been making me lose my sanity, because I quickly responded to Felix, this while still keeping my gaze fixed on the leader. "Lee Felix, take your jealousy somewhere else, I agreed to stay 4 days with you in London, isn't that enough? I'M ONLY ONE PERSON, DAMN IT! I just vented to you guys, and this is how it ends? Get out and leave me alone with Christopher, and if I feel anyone listening behind the door, I swear there will be punishment!"

It was Lee Know who said it, his voice firm for everyone to understand. "Let's go, for God's sake, enough of this circus. Let's remember that we are all adults here, the two of them agreed to talk alone. This apartment is very big and we haven't even seen all of it, take advantage and go explore." Some still tried to argue, but after a few minutes I finally heard footsteps walking away.

Only now did I go for Bang Chan, pushing him hard against the wall. "Don't you ever pull me like that again! Are you hearing me? We are nothing and even if we were, that wouldn't give you the right." His gaze matched mine, both angry. What the hell was he angry about? I answered everything like a good girl, I was genuinely sincere and I'm always treating everyone well, even with their obvious intrusion whenever they want into my personal life, this was not being fair.

"We are nothing? But you certainly want to be something to two of my boyfriends, don't you? Now that it's just you and me, don't you think you should be honest about how you like Felix and Jeongin's attention?"

The nervousness rose. My whole body went into alert mode once again. It was clear that his gaze at his two boyfriends' hands on my ribs wasn't going to be left out of the situation, but I knew very well that it wasn't just jealousy of them, he was jealous of me, but damn it, we were NOTHING, was he going to try and control this now? I was starting to lose it, because I made the foolish mistake of egging him on more.

"Why? Did you want to have your hand on my waist? Is that what you want, Bang Chan? Is it? DO YOU WANT TO PUT YOUR HAND ON MY RIBS? HOLD ME IN YOUR ARMS AND TWIRL ME AROUND? TRAVEL TO LONDON WITH ME TOO? I knew this little act of yours wouldn't last long, tell the truth! You hated knowing that I'm going to be with Felix in London, didn't you? But you know what? I'm not any of your lovers, I'm just here to do my job. I strangely accepted the jealousy situation because I thought it was more a matter of being a new person, but if you want to control me, I'm going to butt heads with you!"

He got closer to me, our noses almost touching. "Oh yeah? Then butt heads with me! Do it, Y/N! I can see in your eyes how much you like to compete for power with me. Our real relationship is this." He stopped for a few seconds, giving a forced laugh. "Yeah, you're right! I'll admit it! I'm pretending to be okay with this trip, I'm jealous of both of them, oh, Y/N, you want me to be honest? You're a grown woman, you must have noticed that Felix and Jeongin have been attracted to you since the beginning. All of us were obviously attracted to you, just some more and others less, some hide it more and others don't, but all of us are." He took advantage of the evident shock on my face to push me against the wall, the tables turning. "And I know you feel the same way."

He was lying, I didn't feel anything, I didn't... I DIDN'T FEEL ANYTHING. I couldn't feel anything. This was already starting to get dangerous. "I don't know what you're talking about. Whatever the intensity of your jealousy is, it's making you hallucinate, Bang Chan. You tell us to act like adults and in the end you become like this. You're more complicated than I imagined." Was my voice altered?

The leader, obviously, didn't believe a word I said. "You don't know what I'm talking about? You think I'm not noticing your almost breathless breathing and slightly trembling voice? You even had the same breathing in our conversation minutes after we arrived. I'm going to unfold you from beginning to end, Y/N." No, you're not.

"If you unfold me from beginning to end you'll only be disappointed, everyone ends up getting disappointed. You won't be the last, now let go of me." Still nothing. "Christopher, I'm still trying to be patient with you, let go of me, or I'm going to make you let go and it won't be comfortable."

However, he still remained the same. "I'll only let you go when you admit it. Admit that I don't have these thoughts in my head for no reason, and that what I feel is true." Confusion must have been all over my face, because he finished. "Admit that you are attracted to me and also to the boys, even if for now it's more for one than for the other, just admit it, and I'll let you go."

My eyes almost popped out. He couldn't be serious, he wants me to admit desire for him and his BOYFRIENDS? For God's sake. I tried to get away anyway, still in a measured way because I didn't want to hurt him. Ugh, I don't think I'll ever be able to hurt him that way. My attempt was a failure. Chan still held me pressed between him and the wall, waiting. My head started to get dizzy when my body realized how close he was, I think I'm going to pass out if we keep going like this, so I gave up. "I admit it, it's true."

His eyes gleamed with amusement. "Admit what? I don't understand." Son of a bitch. What kind of man was this? He understood, yes, but he was getting his satisfaction by provoking me. If I tell my sisters about this, they'll make fun of me until the next life.

But I had already given up anyway, I took his face and resisted as much as possible not to pull his hair. "I admit that I'm attracted to you, as well as to the other boys, are you satisfied?" His victorious smile appeared, and somehow I knew, that this admission has put me in a new place that I don't know if I'll be able to survive. It was official: I was an assassin and spy who was in the hands of eight men, even without being anything to them. I shouldn't have accepted this job.

Chapter Text

[𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧'𝐬 𝐏.𝐎.𝐕]

I knew very well that I shouldn't be doing what I was doing right now. It was completely against the rules of formality, but I had it in my head that I wasn't going back to that state of agony. The truth was, for days now, I had been trying to hide my irritation every time Jeongin or Felix touched Y/N. It was jealousy on both sides. I don't know if my other boyfriends were still in denial or just pretending, but it was obvious that these two were more than just attracted to Y/N, and now one of them was going to get to spend four days alone with her in another country.

But I'm not stupid either. I could see the way Y/N got when we were near her, and that realization was dangerously attractive. Still, I insisted she admit her attraction to us. I realize how strange this is, deep down. I made our private security confess that she feels desire for me and my seven boyfriends. This is completely messed up, but I don't regret it.

I tried to be understanding back in the living room in front of everyone, but it was so forced that I saw the confused expressions on their faces. They knew me too well; there was no point in pretending. But I knew that, after this little trick of mine, things would change.

Y/N's pleading gaze was still on me. "I've already done what you wanted, now let me go. Please, Chan, let me go." By that point, my arms were almost curving her forward, but even so, she didn't hurt me to get away. And I feel that if there's one thing this woman knows how to do, it's to hurt. That must be why her recommendations were so high. I finally let go a few minutes later.

The speed with which she broke free from my arms to get as far away from me as possible was impressive. And now, we were looking at each other once more, both in silence. The power struggle was about to begin again. That's what it was, our relationship was a power struggle. I was the eldest and always the protective shell for my boyfriends, and she was the magnet that was attracting all of us. I never imagined she would be so dangerous.

"I received your schedule. A lot of work to do, isn't there? I think that's what you should all be focusing on and let me do what I'm supposed to do. We'd all be happier." Her attempt to change the subject was valid. We really did have a lot to do, especially Changbin, Han, and I.

"Y/N, I'm sorry to say, but with or without a schedule, our mutual attraction isn't going away. If you think the guys will be the same once we leave this room, you are very wrong. Didn't you already hear the possessive pronoun Jeongin used on you?" I paused for a few seconds, a laugh escaping me. "It's funny to think about, because we used to and still get so jealous of each other around other people. Did you know Hyunjin didn't speak to Changbin for a week because he jokingly flirted with a model at a party? Seungmin once threatened to cut Felix's hair if he ever showed up with another woman. Jisung and Minho don't even talk to each other; those two were jealous of the very wind that passed between them. And you want to know something even funnier? Felix and Jeongin couldn't stand to see me interacting with any pretty woman for too long, and they did it too, but when it was me, it was a different matter. Now here we are: you."

The anger in her voice excited me, making me want to continue this fight. "What exactly do you want me to do, Chan?" She put both hands on her hips, her expression matching her voice. "My God, I've already admitted that I'm attracted to all of you, isn't that enough? Do you want me to do a presentation with posters in front of everyone, explaining every part of my attraction? Fucking hell!"

The tour was about to resume, rehearsals would start next week, and I was so ready to turn our lives into a roller coaster because of this woman in front of me. The guys might be more restrained, but I know they're in on this too, even Lee Know. He thinks he fools someone with that small distance he keeps from her, but the moment she almost cried and showed an expression of disappointment towards him, he started to panic, afraid that she would change in some way toward him. I was even forgetting for a moment in the midst of the chaos that I was working on a new album.

I held myself back just enough not to get too close to her. "You're right, Y/N. I'm a difficult person to understand, but you know what? You are too. I'm serious when I say I'm going to unravel you from beginning to end." With one last look at her, I walked to the door, turning the lock first, then the doorknob. "I think we've had our dose for today." I looked at her for what felt like an eternity. She had stayed far away from me, and I was mentally grateful for it. I think in the state I was in, getting so close to her again as we were against the wall... I don't know if I could have contained what might have surfaced in my mind. Y/N remained still, just looking at me, until she finally spoke.

"I want to see and bet, then." She began to walk until we were face to face, but still far from how close we had been minutes ago. "If you, Bang Chan, really have the guts to unravel me, if you succeed..." She took a few more steps and now we were almost touching noses. My gaze went straight to her mouth, before moving up to her eyes. "I'll congratulate you, but the hard part will be wanting to stay, after everything." I couldn't help but place my hands on her face one more time, and surprisingly, she let me. We remained like that, in silence, trying to calm ourselves for a few seconds, until she backed away, while looking at me with tired eyes, that must have matched mine.

Y/N went to the half-open door, giving me a quick look one last time, before leaving and closing the door again. Finally, my body collapsed onto the floor. I sat there for several minutes, just thinking. When I stop to reflect, I understand how crazy this situation is becoming, but none of us can go back now. Sensible people in this situation would probably call their companies, explain the problem, and likely get a new security guard. But not us, because I'm absolutely certain that none of the guys out there would want to get rid of Y/N now. Today, that's not even a possibility.

I heard a light knock on the door, startling me. I confess I was afraid to open it. When I said things would change, it was true, it was a fact, so apprehension suddenly hit me. Damn, I didn't want to be on bad terms with my boyfriends. I put my hands on my face, sighing nervously, until I gathered the courage. "You can come in, it's unlocked." The door opened, and I was genuinely surprised when I realized it was Changbin. Of course, my boyfriend's presence was good; it's just that deep down I thought Lee Know would show up first, because of the whole hyung-hyung dynamic. Changbin frowned when he saw me on the floor, with my legs almost touching my chest, but then his expression softened, understanding dawning on him. That gave me the courage to ask before he could say anything. "Are the guys planning to rip me to shreds?"

The question made Changbin laugh loudly, surprisingly. At least one of them still had their humor intact, which was good. I thought my boyfriend would lift me up, but on the contrary, he sat down on the floor with me. Now we were side by side. We remained in comfortable silence until he finally answered. "No, they're not planning to rip you to shreds, Chan. We were just a little... surprised by your sudden behavior. Things will calm down completely later. But seriously, just between us, that trip affected you, didn't it?" I looked at Changbin, and he must have noticed my tired eyes, because he immediately held my face and hugged me. I couldn't help but collapse into his arms. I was turning into a mess, a reckless mess. I was the leader, how could this be happening?

I returned the hug, holding him tightly. He had the body for it. "I'm afraid of what I might tell you right now, Binnie." My voice came out shaky, and I burrowed further into his embrace, trying to hide from something that couldn't be hidden. And my boyfriend was the best person in the world, because we stayed like that until I started to calm down again.

I felt Changbin run his hands over my back, massaging it lightly, before going back to stroking my head. "Bang Chan, I thought we were past this phase of trying to handle everything alone. You don't need to do that, and besides..." I heard him take a deep breath. "I already know what this is about, anyway. I just want you to talk to me. Maybe I'll talk to you too. Can we do that?" All that affection just made me want to cry more. I loved them so much, I was jealous of them too, I didn't want to lose anyone, I wanted them all just for myself.

So okay, it's now or never. "I had to hold myself back so hard not to kiss Y/N just now, I know how messed up that is." I buried myself even deeper in his arms, but Changbin remained quiet, just waiting for me to finish, with no rush. "You... you don't need to sugarcoat any reaction you have because of me, I'll understand, but I can't hide my attraction to her anymore either. This was the last barrier." Despite this, my boyfriend still remained still, and that was starting to make me nervous, and he must have noticed because he massaged my back again, as if saying it was okay. It was his next sentence that sent an electric shock through my body.

"Bang Chan, I think Felix is going to get ahead of everyone on this trip. He already got what he wanted. He's doing everything to be Y/N's good boy just so she doesn't back out of going with him, so I don't think you should carry this weight alone."

Only then did I lift my head, meeting his gaze. "You think Felix will kiss Y/N in London?" Just the thought of that was enough to almost drive me crazy, because there was a big chance it would happen. For a moment, an unhealthy thought crossed my mind. Luckily, I knew who I was and hadn't completely lost my sanity yet, because otherwise, I would have locked them all in here.

Changbin shook his head to the side, a little pensive, before answering. "Kiss her exactly, I don't know. But he'll definitely try. Now I don't think Y/N will let him, there's THAT issue." He paused for a few seconds, thinking. "Chan, I think we really are going crazy, because we haven't stopped to realize yet that we're in a solid, polyamorous, but solid relationship, and we're talking about one of our boyfriends trying to kiss someone outside the relationship."

That's what I meant when I summarized all this as a big, messed-up episode. We had to lay some things on the table, just the eight of us. "We need to clarify some things again. You must have noticed the possessive pronoun Jeongin used when he called Y/N when I locked the two of us in here." Because I had noticed it immediately. My youngest boyfriend had openly called our security "My Y/N" for everyone to hear. Had he even realized it himself? The jealousy in Felix's voice too. Those two were no longer a surprise. What worried me were the others. While Lixie and Innie were the most expressive, some still didn't want to show too much, but I already knew that, deep down, they were also restless about Y/N.

Changbin and I were so invested in the conversation that we were a little late in noticing that someone else was coming into the room, opening the door calmly and going to sit on the wall opposite us. And now we were both staring at Hyunjin. But our boyfriend had come in quietly and stayed that way for several minutes, which was starting to worry both of us. Had something happened outside? My God, I hoped not. I was still afraid to go back out there. It was already getting dark; a glance at the room's window confirmed it, but our concentration remained on Hyunjin. I felt Changbin start to move, preparing to approach my other boyfriend. But before that, Hyunjin finally spoke up:

"I don't think it's sensible to step into this storm right now, so close to returning to work. It's already obvious that we are all attracted to our security guard. I think what would be best now is to define what this will mean for our relationship and... we move forward, at least trying to get back to normal. We can't go back looking like we're in a crisis like this."

He was absolutely right. Our fans were very observant of everything. Anything out of line would quickly spark rumors among them, something we didn't need right now. My nervousness started to dissipate a little, my thoughts stabilizing and helping me to think straight. "Hyunjin." He looked at me, expressionless. "How do you feel knowing that Felix will, even if he can't help himself, kiss Y/N on this trip?"

Hyunjin was silent for a few minutes, once again, before answering. The response left Changbin and me shocked, because it wasn't exactly what we were expecting. "I'm jealous. I wish it were me instead."

Changbin moved forward, clearly trying to understand our boyfriend's neutrality, his face still a little surprised. "Is it in such an indifferent way?"

Before he could answer, the door opened once more. This time, Jeongin came in, his head down, looking directly at me. No one said anything while he practically collapsed on top of me, hugging me tightly. The situation got worse when I felt tears on my chest. Despair immediately invaded me. This wasn't what I wanted. I took I.N.'s face and lifted it, his teary eyes meeting my tired ones. "Don't cry. If you cry, I'll feel even worse about everything." His only response was to kiss me, as if he were trying to pretend just now about something he had recently realized.

We waited for Jeongin's breathing to stabilize. I gave a quick look at Changbin, and he shook his head, gesturing that he also didn't know what this was about, just like Hyunjin, another one who was just watching everything happen and waiting for our youngest boyfriend to calm down. I took the opportunity to hold him tighter. Despite everything, Jeongin was still my baby. He must be so scared. If I was, imagine him.

About 10 minutes must have passed like that, until he felt calmer, his voice a little shaky, but still audible. "Chan, I don't want to lose you."

My body quickly froze. Changbin put his hand to his head, worried, while Hyunjin just sighed. I didn't know what was going through his mind. They still hadn't found a good way to communicate about this whole issue, and it was killing us. We had to put a stop to this once and for all. That was it. I would end this mess. "Let's go to the living room, now. I need to say something. This time, for real."

[𝐅𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐱'𝐬 𝐏.𝐎.𝐕]

After Chan locked himself in the room with Y/N, I went directly to my own. I didn't want to talk to anyone at that moment. Why did I suddenly feel like the villain in all this? I hadn't manipulated anything; I genuinely was going to London and wanted someone I could trust to be there. Should I be labeled an opportunist just for wanting Y/N's presence?

Of course, no one had said so in words, but I felt it in the air. From the moment I first mentioned the idea to Lee Know, I felt that I wouldn't have much support right away, until Chan himself gave permission. But, deep down, I knew that was just for show, and I was right because look where we are now. This shouldn't be happening. I didn't just want to be alone with Y/N for the sake of it. It wasn't... Unfortunately, I could look in the mirror now and see the lie on my face. 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘩𝘦𝘳. 𝘠𝘖𝘜 𝘋𝘖.

I lay on my bed, staring at the ceiling, and then closed my eyes, just waiting. I stayed like that for about 30 minutes. That's it, let's just wait and everything will be fine. I remained that way until I felt my phone vibrate with a notification. When I picked it up, I saw it was a message.

MESSAGES:

Seungmin: Hey, I'm right here in front of your door, can I come in?

I couldn't help the laugh that escaped me, smiling as I replied. I thought they wouldn't want to see me for a while.

Felix: I didn't lock the door, you can come in.

It took less than ten seconds for the brunette to appear in the doorway, calmly closing the door and walking towards me. Suddenly, the fear that he would accuse me of a conspiracy to be alone with Y/N surged, making my mood crumble again, which my boyfriend noticed.

"Calm down, I didn't come here to argue with you. Besides, Y/N already left Chan's room, just so you know." He lay down next to me, also looking at the ceiling. "How are you?"

I couldn't help but focus on the first piece of information. "Y/N left?"

Seungmin sighed, as if he had already predicted my reaction. "No, she went to the back area of the apartment. This place is pretty big; when we want to be alone, there are plenty of options. After she left Chan's room, we all just stared at her, but no one had the courage to ask anything, but..." I turned my face to him quickly. Why did he stop?

"But what? Keep going, Seungmin."

"Her breathing was heavy. She was clearly nervous about something that happened in there, or something that almost happened, it's hard to say."

All the emotions hit me at once, along with unbidden images in my imagination. My blood boiled just thinking about it, which made my voice come out even rougher than normal when I asked, "What are you suggesting, Minnie? That Y/N and Chan kissed?" 𝘞𝘦𝘭𝘭, 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘥𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴? 𝘋𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘯, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧.

"No, I don't think they actually kissed, but I think it came close. That nervousness is the same nervousness I've felt many times after leaving Bang Chan's room. You have too." Just as I was about to speak, he cut me off, continuing. "You know, Felix, we're about to go back on tour. Whatever is happening here can't continue and interfere with work. I hope you agree too."

Of course, I agreed. It was obvious we shouldn't bring this issue into our work lives. We had hidden our relationship for years, and this wasn't going to be what destroyed it. "Don't worry, Seungmin. I agree too. These four days in London will fly by, and I'll be back before you even miss me."

"The moment you set foot outside of here, I'll already miss you."

Oh God, he couldn't say things like that and not expect my heart to melt. It was impossible. That just made me climb on top of him, resting my head on his chest. We stayed like that in a comfortable and peaceful position until we heard the door open again. At first, we didn't turn around because we thought it would be one of the guys, but when the person took too long to make themselves known, a question arose. That's what made me almost fly off the bed when I realized it was actually Y/N.

Seungmin, however, remained quiet and unshakeable. "Hi, Y/N. I was just on my way out; I just came to check on Felix."

Y/N was still near the doorway, her arms crossed as she looked at us. She quickly walked in and sat on the chair next to the room's table. "You don't have to leave like a fugitive and I'm the FBI police, Seungmin." Ah.

My boyfriend seemed a little conflicted now, so he looked at me, clearly asking for my opinion. Damn it. "Uh..." I looked at both of them, who were still waiting for my answer, both focused solely on me. What pressure. "Seungmin, you can stay. Y/N's right, you're not a fugitive."

Only then did Y/N get up and approach us, but her gaze was fixed only on me. 𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴— 𝘏𝘖𝘞 𝘞𝘏𝘈𝘛? 𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘴𝘢𝘬𝘦, the tour needs to start again. That's it. Free time? Where are the new brands for me to accept partnerships with? Work, give me work before I go crazy.

"Felix, what are your trips for the Louis Vuitton shows usually like?"

Oh. "I usually pack a lot of clothes, but not too many, since I always get some from the brand itself over there. Since it's only four days... I guess it'll be a medium amount. Why?"

Y/N tilted her head, evaluating the answer. "Just curious. What about the security? Who usually goes with you? Do they get into the party that happens afterward with you?"

The last question piqued Seungmin's curiosity. "Have you ever been to a party for one of those shows after they end?" His question was so cute and genuine that I couldn't help but smile, which also slightly disarmed Y/N.

"Yes, I have. I've been security for those kinds of performance events for some celebrities before you. I guess you've forgotten that, haven't you? You're not the first K-POP idol group I've provided security for."

Seungmin was about to answer, but I was faster. "Yes, but we're your first male K-POP group, and there's a difference. You didn't stay with any of them all the time like you do with us." And maybe they weren't as attracted to you as we are, but anyway.

"Yeah, you're right. You guys are a new experience for me in many ways."

I looked at her, assessing, searching for something behind that statement, but I found nothing. My fear is just that: her closing herself off again. But I wasn't going to let that happen. If I had to do the unthinkable to keep her from leaving, I would. "Y/N, do you know what you're going to pack? I already have an idea."

"Felix, I don't really need to worry about that. I'm just going to protect you. I won't be near any cameras to worry about my clothes. You will, though."

Oh, right... Dammit, how stupid. Of course she would be there in work clothes, thinking only about work.

"I'm afraid they'll give me an outfit that doesn't flatter me. Imagine if I look ugly?" The concern was genuine, but even so, Seungmin rolled his eyes, holding back a sarcastic comment that was contained by the look I gave him.

Y/N sighed, still looking at me. "There's nothing in this world that could make a person like you look ugly. You are genuinely one of the most beautiful people I've ever met."

Both Seungmin and I were shocked. It wasn't that common for her to give out compliments to them so freely. It happened more when they were having their self-defense classes with her. In fact, I was already missing those classes; it was cool to learn new things, even though I know taekwondo. So many things were happening, my God.

Seungmin recovered, getting up. "Well, I think the rest of this trip can be discussed more between the two of you."

But Y/N stopped him for a moment, holding his hand. The touch, it seemed, turned into an electric current, because my boyfriend looked at her for a few seconds with wide eyes before they returned to normal.

"Seungmin, when you want something from me, just look for me. We don't need this to happen again, do we?"

She was obviously referring to the fact that it was Seungmin who had gone to Chan's room to voice his suspicions about Y/N to the leader, which led to all this. Really... we don't need that to happen again. Although Y/N said some interesting things in there. Her parents... I was dying of curiosity to know more about her childhood, but I know it's still too early. Maybe little by little she'll let something slip here and there. It's okay, no rush.

Seungmin swallowed hard, but still bore her clear reprimand. "Understood, sorry, Y/N. It wasn't my intention." He lowered his eyes and fixed them on her hand on his, before looking back up. "I..." Seungmin started again, but stopped himself. Now I was getting curious. I got off the bed and slowly approached the two of them, but I was looking at my boyfriend, who diverted his gaze from Y/N and met mine. His irises matched mine. I knew what he was trying to say, but I also knew that any wrong move would destabilize him, so I stayed quiet, just like Y/N, waiting, while I put my arms around both of them. Now we were together and very close to each other, like a cocoon.

This gave Seungmin confidence. "I want to get closer to you, Y/N. I..." He stopped one more time, sighing, until he continued. "I just know I don't know how to do it right. In fact, I've never known how. That's what made me so jealous of Felix and Jeongin. They make it seem so easy, you know?" The desperation mounted when we realized he was about to cry. Oh, my love. This also sparked something in Y/N because she immediately wiped his eyes and then started stroking his head, and I could only watch, mesmerized. It was so nice when she showed affection for them.

She continued to stroke Minnie's head for a few more minutes, until he finally had no more tears in his eyes. "Seungmin, I'm not a monster. In fact, you're my boss, so you SHOULD come to me, and you're free to do so in a friendly way, too." Y/N's voice softened even more. "I'm sorry if I wasn't hospitable with you. Your company is really nice, Seungmin. I guarantee you that."

"Ah, what a pain." Seungmin said, wiping away the rest of the tears from his eyes, now looking a little embarrassed. "I don't want to seem like a fragile crybaby." Before Y/N and I could grab him, he pulled out of the hug. "I'll leave you two alone. I'm okay, seriously. You don't have to worry about me." Of course we would still worry about him. I still tried to step forward and stop him, but Y/N's hand on my arm stopped me. We both watched Seungmin walk away until he left the room, and then she let me go.

I looked at her, astonished. "Why did you stop me from going after him again?"

"Because the last thing Seungmin needs right now is someone treating him like he's made of porcelain. That would only make him feel worse. I know what I'm talking about, because with my own demons in my head, I don't like to be treated like that either." Oh, right...

The question came out before I could stop it. "Do you... do you still have a lot of those demons in your head?"

I was hoping she would tell me, but it didn't happen. Y/N closed herself off again. "I don't want to talk about that now, Felix. I think I overwhelmed myself enough talking about my parents." Still, she now stroked my face with the same affection she showed Seungmin, and continued. "But, I'll tell you later, just not right now, okay?"

I hadn't realized how close the two of us still were, but I was still very close to her even after the hug with Seungmin ended. Y/N didn't seem uncomfortable, and that felt good... But anyway, I couldn't give in to those thoughts right now. "So, Y/N. Is there anything else you need me to do?" She was about to answer me, but her phone vibrated, signaling a new notification. Something must have happened, because I could have sworn I almost saw her eyes widen with... despair? It was hard to tell. All I knew was that now I was curious.

"What happened, Y/N? Why did you get like that?"

But she quickly cut me off. "Nothing happened, I just got a personal notification from someone close to me, something I wasn't expecting." She was lying. I could see the lie coming from her, but even so, I stayed quiet and just acted like her good boy.

"I see. Alright then. I'll start packing my things here. If you want privacy to talk to that person, you can go." I knew very well that my voice now held a blatant bitterness, but I didn't care at that moment. She was lying to me, again. Why?

If she noticed the tone of my voice, she chose to ignore it. "Okay, thanks, Lixie. I'll be back later." Now she was calling me Lixie... I was about to play hard to get when she surprised me, giving me a kiss on the cheek. The shock was all over my face, but she was already pulling away, giving me one last look before closing the door, leaving me stunned. Oh, shit. I was completely screwed.

[𝐘/𝐍'𝐬 𝐏.𝐎.𝐕]

A few minutes ago, I was in a kind of emotional cycle with Seungmin and Felix. Now, my nerves were completely frayed. Luckily, it had nothing to do with the guys. Since this whole mess happened, there was no way I could get the rest of their things, so I asked Jonas to do it. What was happening now was even more stressful, especially at this moment.

Wooyoung managed to do what I had asked, and was already demanding her reward, which was nothing more than for me to sleep with her again. The thing was, there was no way I could do that right now. I was going to London with Felix the day after tomorrow. 𝘋𝘢𝘮𝘯, 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘥𝘯'𝘵 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘮𝘺 𝘴𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘺 𝘣𝘰𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘥 𝘭𝘰𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴, 𝘶𝘨𝘩.

That's it, it's not going to happen. I'll have to find another way to handle this. All I know is I have to choose, and it's obvious I'm going to choose to do my job and go to London. 𝘐𝘵'𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸. Huh? Whose voice is that in my head? Whatever. I walked through the living room to a more distant area, with obvious eyes on me, but I didn't pay attention to who they were.

I grabbed my phone, quickly responding to the possible source of another headache.

MESSAGES:

Y/N: There have been some unexpected things at my current job. I won't be able to meet you. Sorry, I can compensate you with money.

Unknown Number: You are unbelievable. By the way, you haven't even bothered to save my number. Anyway, you said this would be the payment. I don't want any other. You said it, and you have to follow through.

Damn, she was so unbearable. I was such a fool to have fallen for this woman. Besides destroying me, she still came at me like this? Ah, to hell with it! Despite my frustration, I still saved her contact.

I was so caught up in being angry at my ex-girlfriend that I didn't properly detect certain footsteps getting closer to where I was. It must just be one of the guys still exploring the apartment, whatever.

Y/N: I never actually promised I'd sleep with you, Wooyoung. I just offered it as an idea and agreed out of desperation. Your ego is ridiculous! I'm not going to ruin my reputation at my job just so you can get laid. You always got random hookups when you were in a real relationship with me, so why can't you now? Regardless of whether you want it or not, I'm going to pay you.

Wooyoung: What job is that?

I wanted to keep this a secret. I knew this woman well, and unfortunately, I wouldn't be able to keep it hidden for long, especially if there are cameras on Felix the day after tomorrow. If they take photos of me, she'll quickly see me and jump to conclusions, but even so, I wasn't going to give her an opening. Fine.

Now the sound of footsteps was closer, right beside me? I was about to check, but Wooyoung's new message stole my attention again. It was almost evening already. Damn, the days were passing too fast.

Wooyoung: You're throwing it in my face that I cheated on you, okay, I was wrong, do you want me to admit it? I was wrong to cheat on you, Y/N. But you always put me in second place. You'd rather go watch one of your sisters at the shooting range than spend a night with me. It was impossible to keep it going. Anyway, I still miss you, you don't have to believe it if you don't want to. You can pay me in money, I know you'll still end up back in my bed eventually.

Hold on. Was she really trying to blame her cheating, or rather, her acts of cheating, on me? I couldn't believe what I was reading. And no, she was wrong. I was over that bitch a long time ago. It cost me days of poorly done work, tears, and damaged mental health, but in the end, I survived. Just as I was ready to reply, I felt a breath near my neck. What the hell...

My hands immediately let go of my phone, the sound of the device hitting the floor echoing as my arms quickly went up toward the person, only to be contained with precision. Anger flared up until I saw who it was.

Han was staring at me, his eyes dark like a gloomy night. Our breathing was now heavy. He was still holding my arms. "I learned this time, didn't I, Y/N?"

Damn it. He was referring to that time in the dorm when he had gotten up in the middle of the night and I ended up throwing him on the floor. He really... improved a lot. I don't even remember seeing such defined muscles on him. Was he always like this? Wait a minute, what the hell was I thinking.

Despite the nervousness of the situation, I managed to keep my voice steady. "You learned, congratulations, Han! Now, please, you can let me go." Even so, he kept holding me. Had he heard me? Oh, Lord.

"Who is Wooyoung?"

The coldness in his voice surprised me. Had he been reading my messages? My whole body went cold. This was a bit of an invasion of privacy, but nothing about these guys was a surprise anymore. Still, it was fine, Han was one of the calmer ones. If it had been Jeongin, I would have been completely screwed.

I was shocked to realize that my voice was still coming out stable and completely calm. "No one. Someone I used to work with. No one important!" And she really wasn't.

But that didn't work. If I thought Han would be easier, I was very wrong. He now released my arms, only to push me against the wall. What was it with these men and pinning me against a wall? For goodness sake. When I looked at the man in front of me now, his face had a frustrated expression. Oh, no.

"Tell me the truth, Y/N! Who is Wooyoung?"

What was that tone? I was a little startled, but I managed to recover. It was better to tell the truth, or I'd lose my sanity over another one. "She..." I stopped, the nervousness in my body increasing, something I didn't know the reason for, but oh well, everything was already crazy anyway. "Wooyoung is my ex-girlfriend." The revelation made Han's eyes widen. I had clearly shocked him. What was he expecting exactly? Hard to say, all I knew was that it wasn't hard to know that he was still pressing me against the wall, but he wasn't as close as Chan had been.

"Were you ever going to tell us about her?"

Huh? Why would I have to sit down with all of them and talk about my ex-girlfriend? They already knew I was bisexual; I had told them that during the first round of curiosity.

"I don't understand, Jisung. Why exactly would I have to say I dated a woman? I thought it was obvious when I revealed I was bisexual to all of you." My question was a good, direct one, because he didn't know how to answer, but he was still there with me against the wall. The only thing left was for Lee Know to walk in right now.

Obviously, Han didn't have an exact answer to my question. Instead, we just looked at each other until he finally said why he was there. "I wanted to call you because Chan is in the living room, and he wanted to talk to everyone."

Oh, the fear that gives me... I hoped there would be no more childishness today. "Great, let's go then. You found me and you gave me the message." Still nothing. Okay, my patience was starting to be tested again.

It was then that I realized how much life was enjoying this whole mess in my new life, because as soon as I thought of Lee Know walking in, he magically appeared, entering the room and stopping immediately when he noticed my proximity to his boyfriend. Holy fucking shit.

I pushed Han away from me so fast that he almost fell, losing his balance. The rapper stared at me for a few seconds without understanding my reaction until he realized we weren't alone anymore. His eyes now widened with nervousness and apparent despair at the sight of Lee Know standing there, and I was also starting to get nervous because Minho hadn't said anything yet.

I tried, at least. "Hey, Minho, Han was just giving me the heads-up-"

But he cut me off, expressionless. "Y/N and Jisung, that doesn't matter now. Let's just go." Lee Know opened up space, his arms pointing clearly, emphasizing the order. He didn't need to ask twice. I quickly left and walked as fast as possible away from the two of them, especially Han. When we returned to the living room, everyone was together, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of déjà vu. Last time this happened, I ended up fainting.

If anyone noticed the tension in Han's, Lee Know's, and my respective shoulders, thank God, no one said a word about it, but just a quick glance at Changbin and I already felt the curiosity coming from him, so imagine the others. I looked at each of their expressions, and they seemed calm enough, but I already knew that any spark could be a trigger for something.

Chan started, without meeting my gaze. "Well, without further ado, my goal in calling you here is this: we have an attraction happening here." I tensed up immediately. It was true, I knew it, but hearing it said out loud... I didn't feel good. It felt like I was ruining something. "I'm not blaming anyone, in case my words are misinterpreted. I'm just stating facts: everyone here, without exception, is attracted to her." And then he pointed at me, with everyone's eyes on me like lasers. Ah, great.

The leader continued, no one interrupting him. "The tour is going to start again, and as Hyunjin told me a few minutes ago, we can't go back to work with this kind of tension. So I've decided to propose that any spark that could turn into a big fire should be calmed for now, just for now." The guys looked at him, not understanding, but I had. He was saying that if any of us felt the desire to kiss one another, we should hold back until the end of the tour.

On one hand, he wasn't wrong. To be honest, Bang Chan was acting like a true leader in this moment: he wasn't punishing anyone; he was just putting the most important things on the table — obviously, their work. It was the right thing to do.

That's why I supported him. "You're right, that's the most correct and safest alternative." My gaze met Han's for a few seconds, before he looked away and didn't look back at me. "I'll continue to be your friend. That's it. We each just need to know the height of our resistance."

Only now did the rest of them seem to actually understand what their boyfriend was proposing. Some of their reactions were more guarded than others, but miraculously, no one objected. Common sense had finally appeared and put a stop to the drama. Next week, they would practically be back to their activities.

Chan stood up, sighing loudly, showing his due weariness to everyone. "It's settled then. It's... almost nine-thirty at night. I'm not going to sleep, but I'm going to my room. I'd like to be alone tonight, please." His voice was so tired, I couldn't help but feel bad. I wished I could stay close to him. "Good night, everyone." Everyone responded with a good night as well. After that, he walked to the new room, and with one last look in my direction, with us both maintaining eye contact until the end, he completely walked away.

After him, it was Lee Know's turn to start walking away to his new room. I saw him shoot a quick look at Han, who also noticed and lowered his head, clearly hurt, and that was enough for me. I couldn't let those two be like this; it was so strange. The rest didn't notice. I needed to talk to Lee Know, but I didn't want to draw their attention. I needed something to catch their attention.

Ah. "Guys." Everyone looked at me now. "Tomorrow is my last day before the trip. I want to propose a challenge. Whoever wins a hard game of League of Legends 10 times in a row gets a future day with me. Sound good?"

Hyunjin and Felix almost fell trying to get close to the controller, while Changbin was the quickest and smartest, getting up and getting there first, which made the two dancers curse. Seungmin and Jeongin went to choose the games. The only one who didn't move much was Han. He was now completely silent. I needed to move fast. "Alright! Keep going, I'll be right back!" None of them actually noticed me leaving. Great.

On the way, I was preparing myself. In truth, I didn't even know exactly what I was going to say to Lee Know. What should I say? 𝘔𝘪𝘯𝘩𝘰! 𝘚𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘺 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘢𝘸 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘣𝘰𝘺𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘰 𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘦. Ugh, nothing made sense in my head. I took a quick look back, checking if anyone was really coming after me, and indeed no one was, thank God. Damn, wait, which room did Lee Know choose? I didn't see. Crap, this sucks. I'd have to look for him one by one. I hoped this wouldn't make me lose too much time, especially since the others were distracted in the living room, but I couldn't count on that forever. I started opening the doors one by one. Nothing... nothing... nothing... nothing... nothing... Oh, damn it! Nothing... until after a few frustrated sighs, I found it, because when I pressed the doorknob, it didn't open and it wasn't Chan's room, so yes, I found Lee Know's room.

I took one last bit of courage before knocking on the door. "Hey, Minho, it's me. Can you please open the door?"

Nothing.

"Lee Know, please, I know you're listening. I need to talk to you! Open up, please, seriously." Now my voice held a bit of my desperation, and unfortunately, it wasn't fake. I was truly desperate.

Finally, after a few more minutes of waiting, I heard the lock turn, revealing the cautious but still very handsome face of the second oldest. I stared at him until he turned sideways, motioning for me to come in. Oh, right, I came to talk to him. I barely had time to enter before I started explaining. It was as if I had been caught doing something forbidden by my parents. Ugh.

"I don't know what you must be thinking after you saw me with Han there, but don't take it out on him; it was nothing. I swear I'm telling the truth, please."

He remained still, only moving to close the door, but he didn't lock it. The only expression he gave me was a cold one, but I knew he heard me perfectly well. I waited like a child waiting for candy, hostage to his understanding.

"We're finally having a conversation alone, just you and me, like I've wanted for a long time, Y/N."

Huh? Okay... right. The sudden change in focus threw me off. I expected him to give me a huge lecture about what he saw, but it was different. "Right, we're having a conversation, Lee Know." He still kept his distance from me, which I was grateful for. I'd been very close to a lot of people today.

"The truth is, I can't stand you messing everything up anymore, Y/N. It's hard, you know?" He looked to the side, lowering his head. "At the same time that I want you close to us, I'm afraid of the power you can have over us. Follow my logic: You came in just to be our security, and suddenly we're all gravitating directly into your magnetic field. Our old security guard was fired after he almost found out we had a relationship, and then you show up now who not only knows but accepts it and also has our attraction. It's really scary!"

I tried to say something comforting, but he stopped me from continuing. "We've had a small attraction to other women before, obviously. I also can't lie and say you're the first in years, but you, Y/N." The way he looked at me almost broke me. "You're different in a way I can't explain. Everyone thinks I'm a cold and boring person because of my reserved personality. I just don't constantly feel that from my boyfriends, and I didn't feel it from them alone, but now I don't feel it from you either. And as for Jisung, I can't lie to make you feel good. It's fucking weird knowing he has a sexual attraction to someone other than the guys and me, but it's not a surprise. I just think my head will take a while to process it." Now he was finished, the emotional outpouring leaving me a little surprised, but grateful, in a way.

I started to approach him slowly, but still firmly. "I... I don't know exactly what to say. I'm sorry? I don't know." I sighed, trying to calm down. "To be honest, I can't stand this anymore either, Lee Know. This has never happened to me. I'm serious, so... I don't know how to react well." I paused to let out an embarrassed laugh, while he was still paying attention to me. "Do you really think I was expecting all of your attraction? I didn't get into this job thinking that. In fact, it was the last thing I thought about. I don't know how to react either! I'm sorry, Minho. Not just with you. Every time I leave a conversation like this with Chan too, I feel bad, but I think... I think his new proposal might help."

Lee Know nodded, confirming that he understood. "Has no one ever loved you before?" That question hit me hard.

"I don't think so... that's a good question. I've had boyfriends and girlfriends before, but looking back now... I don't know if they ever really loved me, although, to be honest, I don't know if I'm a human being who deserves love." That last part made him frown, looking bothered.

"What do you mean? Everyone deserves to be loved, Y/N. Why exactly wouldn't you deserve it?"

"Because in a way, everyone abandons me, that's it! That's the truth. I'm even terrified that my sisters will wake up and realize that I'm not good enough or interesting enough to be their sister anymore, that my boss won't find me valuable enough to stay his employee. My last girlfriend, for example, cheated on me every possible night and day, and I really fell in love with her. I was so stupid. That's why, when I see Han and you together, I'm afraid of ruining it, because I know I'll never have someone look at me the way you look at each other."

In a way, my confession ended up awakening something inside Lee Know, because only then did he fully approach me. Now we were eye to eye. "That's not how it works. I'm sure one day you'll find someone. You're a good person, Y/N. You have to believe that." His voice was so comforting it almost made me cry. Almost. I needed all my self-control to hold back.

"Seriously, whoever calls you a cold person has no idea what they're talking about. You're also a very good person, Minho. Honestly, I'm so sorry that I'm messing with your heads like this, that I've made you uncomfortable with certain secrets of mine, I even dragged you into a knife-fight mess." Just saying it, my hand immediately went up to the stitches. Helena really did a great job; it hadn't opened up again and was healing well.

My whole body went into shock when I felt Lee Know's hand cover mine, also on top of the wound. "You got that stab wound protecting us from a guy who wanted us dead. If there's one thing we'll never be resentful of you for, Y/N, it's that." After he said that, I heard a sound and was immediately on alert, but after a few seconds, I realized it was rain, and heavy rain at that, because the noise started getting louder. The sky was tense. Lee Know took advantage of my momentary distraction to continue. "You chose this apartment a little lower than normal because of me, because of the height issue. You have all these paintings that make Hyunjin float in the clouds. At first, I thought it was too much, but now I see how well you entertain Felix and Jeongin. You help Changbin with his workouts and with extra bodybuilding tips, and the rest of them always have something positive to say about you too. That's why I say: You deserve someone who loves you too."

Damn it. Unfortunately, I was no longer able to hold back the tears. They started to fall like a balm, and I was immediately embarrassed. My emotions were all out of control because of them. I had never cried on my jobs before, not even when I was being tortured or in other situations, and now they came out just from hearing one of these famous idols say that I deserved love. Ugh. This man was really trying to shock me, because just as I was about to wipe the tears from my face, he did it himself. My eyes must have shown my shock, while I remained impressively still, waiting for him to finish, and this made him laugh.

"What's wrong? Would it be more acceptable if it were Felix or Jeongin?"

"No, I mean yes! Oh no, I mean... OH MY GOD, you get it, Lee Know. It's just that I'm still stunned when I see someone show me affection. Not even my sisters are that attached to affection." Especially Catalina, what a cold woman.

He removed his hands, my face now a little drier, but we were still close. "Relax, Y/N. Anyway, do you want to keep talking?" I was about to say yes calmly, but then the reminder hit me like a sledgehammer.

"Crap, so that we wouldn't have special guests listening behind the door, I told the guys that if they won ten games of League of Legends first, they'd get a whole day with me. They must be finishing up by now. I have to go, but if you want, I can call Han. He... he got a little hurt. I think he's afraid that you're mad at him, or something."

I could have sworn I saw a look of disappointment cross Lee Know's face for a few seconds before it returned to normal at the mention of Han. "It's okay, Y/N. We'll talk again later. We'll have time, after all. Call Jisung, please." I made the big mistake of looking at him again, meeting his gaze already fixed on mine. We stayed like that until I heard a loud thunder clap, genuinely startling me, and before I knew it, I ran into Minho's arms. He quickly hugged me, our faces now very... very... close.

I swallowed hard. "I don't usually get scared of thunder; this one... this one just caught me off guard. I'm sorry." Wow, Lee Know was really handsome up close like this. I can't blame Han, he must be a blessing. These thoughts are going to kill me.

When he spoke, his voice came out a little lower and more altered. "I understand. It looks like the thunder will be a regular thing tonight." I heard him and could only respond with a nod, because he was still holding me. We were so close. Oh, my God... why was I being put in these situations? Just because I haven't had sex in months, ugh. Then, everything completely broke down when I heard him again. "You're very beautiful, Y/N. Has anyone ever told you that? I think it must be impossible not to be drawn to you."

What?

The rain continued to fall, the difference being that our faces were now also getting closer, and I could feel his breath on my mouth. No, no. NO! I tried to get some sense into my mind, I tried to think that I had just heard their leader say we should hold back, and I had agreed with him! I thought of everything this could mean, but nothing worked. In fact, everything completely collapsed when I heard Minho's sweet voice. "Y/N... Please, take this agony away from me. You can take Jisung's away later, please." This is a bad ideia, right?

It was in this trap, with thunder, lightning, and rain, that I could no longer resist, putting an end to the whole containment network that separated me from these guys. No good sense could reach me the moment I held Lee Know's face with both hands and kissed him, on the mouth. The sound of his mouth colliding with mine will surely haunt me forever, in a positive way.

I am definitely screwed.

Chapter Text

[𝐇𝐚𝐧'𝐬 𝐏.𝐎.𝐕]

I could be doing a thousand useful things right now. For example, going to the studio to work on something new. Granted, it’s a bit farther now than when we lived in the dorms, but I still knew how to get there on my own. Instead, I’m here, watching the rest of the guys lose their minds trying to win a few rounds of League of Legends.

I wasn't dumb. I might come across as a prince to the public, but I'm very observant. I knew Y/N had gone after Lee Know, but honestly, I couldn't imagine what she might have said to him. The guys kept playing, and no one paid attention to my growing nervousness, which was great on one hand. I kept thinking about how I should have already addressed this issue of our mutual attraction for Y/N with Minho, but something always held me back. I just needed something crazy to happen to unlock it.

Hyunjin screamed in joy after beating Changbin, who lowered his head, already accepting defeat. "Oh, stop it, Hyunjin! You'll see, I might have lost now, but my revenge is coming!" Oh, goodness, they were really two idiots. They didn't even notice that Jeongin and Felix took the opportunity to jump in front of the controller, pulling their attention back. Changbin's desperation made me laugh; being a spectator was proving to be entertaining.

Until Seungmin heard my laugh, turning his head in my direction. "Han, aren't you going to play?" Ah.

Of course, now all the attention turned to me. They were bound to notice eventually that I wasn't reacting as excitedly as they were.

I adjusted in my chair, trying to appear as calm as possible. "Nah, I wanted to leave the game for the ones I'm sure are going to lose." I chose to throw more fuel on the fire, because that way, they wouldn't ask me worried questions if I said anything else, and my strategy worked.

Felix was the first to speak, shocked. "I'm not going to lose! Just you watch, Jisung. I'll still reach platinum, I promise you."

Seungmin took the opportunity to tease our blond boyfriend more, ah, this story was always funny. "Sure, sure, how long have you been playing again? Ah…" The furious expression Felix gave in response made everyone clutch their stomachs from laughing so hard. Ah, seriously, poor guy.

Soon, they returned to the competition, already forgetting that I had no desire to play. My eyes sought the clock and, wow, it was almost eleven o'clock at night. Blink and it would be midnight. Time passes so fast, and we hardly notice it. By the way, how long had Y/N been gone? She was taking too long. Had something happened? Besides, it started to rain heavily. Looks like it's going to be a storm in Korea tonight.

Suddenly, a feeling of unease began to sprout inside me. Something was pulling me in the direction of the rooms, as if it wanted me to get up. This thought sent a shiver down my spine. "Guys, I'm going to the bathroom, I'll be right back." They heard me, nodded their heads, and quickly returned their focus to the game. I did what this feeling was asking of me: I got up, and no one noticed that I didn't go toward the bathroom, but toward the rooms. As I started to get closer, I even thought about checking on Chan, but he had said he wanted to be alone, so I would respect that decision.

My whole body went on high alert as I approached Lee Know's room. This feeling paralyzed me for a moment. Why was I like this? It didn't make sense. Had Y/N already left his room? Had the conversation been so bad that she didn't even have the courage to tell me the outcome? My feet moved without me even noticing, and little by little I approached the door, my hand raising for the doorknob like a scene from Sleeping Beauty about to touch the sharp needle, the feeling in my body only increasing.

I don't think anything, or anyone, could have prepared me for the scene I saw when the door opened. The shock on my face must have been evident, but Y/N and Lee Know were slow to notice my presence, too busy kissing. The shock, suddenly, gave way to jealousy; rage began to overwhelm me. So for me it was reprimands, and for them a free pass?

It was only with the next thunderclap that Y/N's eyes opened, the panic on her face doing nothing to help my jealousy. She shoved Lee Know away forcefully, just like she had pushed me away a few minutes earlier. How funny, now the scene had reversed, except for the fact that Minho had actually kissed her, and I hadn't. Lee Know was Y/N's first kiss. And now he was looking at me, his expression startled at first, but then it became neutral. He was good at this.

I didn't recognize the monotonous tone of my voice, but it came out. "You two are a couple of fucking hypocrites, aren't you?"

Y/N pleaded, her hands reaching out to me. I hadn't even entered the room. "Jisung, calm down, please, come in first before—"

"Before WHAT? Huh, Y/N? Before the rest of the guys find out you just agreed to Chan's flimsy containment measure just to come to Lee Know's room and kiss him?"

I was starting to lose it. If I stayed like this, someone would hear and would quickly realize that something had happened. This is what made Lee Know approach me forcefully, dragging me into the middle of the room and locking the door. "Acting childish won't help anything."

Childish? He was accusing me of being childish? I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Apparently, I was the only one with a lucid mind left in this room. "Oh, so I'm childish, am I? You two are so crazy you didn't even lock the door. What a beautiful thing it would be if Chan were the one walking in now instead of me! Have you thought about that, Lee Know?"

I pointed at Y/N. "And you? How would this night have ended if Bang Chan had walked through that door and seen the scene I just saw?"

Even so and despite the circumstances, Y/N quickly recovered, taking control once more, the way I hated. "You're just jealous, Jisung. This wasn't planned. Besides, it almost happened with you a few minutes ago!"

"You're right! It ALMOST happened, I didn't kiss you, I managed to hold myself back! Something you didn't." My voice was starting to get agitated again. If I kept this up, someone would certainly get here. "You know what? I think it's better we don't have this conversation now, we'll just say things we'll regret later."

Lee Know then spoke up. "If your problem is being tied with me, Jisung, ask for permission to kiss her too, that way you satisfy your thirst for jealousy over me and her."

The proposal was so shocking and succinct that even Y/N was speechless again. I, on the other hand, became instantly nervous. I definitely was not expecting this. Why was he saying this so naturally? A small voice in my head was already pushing me toward the guilt of betraying the unspoken agreement of our relationship with the guys.

Even so, I managed to get a little sense into my head before the situation became more dramatic. "No, fuck, no! That's not the point. I don't want Y/N to kiss me just because you asked! I don't even know if she really wants to kiss me."

Lee Know now looked at me with that face a person makes when they can't believe another person could be so dumb, and then Y/N's voice finalized. "Of course I want to kiss you, Jisung."

That response petrified my entire body, and I only returned to normal when I heard Jeongin's voice yelling for Y/N. This made her also snap out of whatever crazy trance she was in from everything happening in this room, because she quickly went to the door and opened it, giving a last look at them before returning to the guys, as if nothing had happened. "Like you said, Jisung, we'd better have this conversation later." And then she left, leaving me alone with my boyfriend, one I couldn't properly face.

"You need to look at me, Jisung."

No, I don't want to. In fact, my head is kind of spinning right now. It was too much to process. I don't know if the sight of her lips and his together will quickly leave my mind.

My voice was now totally monotonous. "If I hadn't seen the scene personally, would you have told me this happened? Honestly, please, Lee Know."

My boyfriend was now looking at me with an angry expression. Wait a minute, he still thought he could be angry like this? Oh my God.

"Don't let this erase all your brain cells and all the things I've ever done for you. I've never hidden anything from you, Jisung, this time would be no different. Of course I would have told you."

I wanted to be angrier at him right now, but I couldn't, because he was right. Minho had never hidden big things from me, and deep down, I knew he would have told me about this kiss, even if I freaked out, since that would have happened regardless.

But still, I didn't give up on fanning the flames. "And if it were the other way around? If I had kissed her, what would you have done? Would you have reacted more calmly than me?" The thunder was still rumbling outside, but the bigger storm was still inside this room.

"Actually, when I went to look for you two earlier, I thought for a few seconds in my head that you were kissing. I stood in the middle of the hallway for a few moments just thinking about it, and when I found you, you two were very close, but not kissing." He paused, analyzing my reaction, continuing when he realized I was waiting. "My cold reaction after I found you was because I imagined one thing and it didn't happen, as strange as that is to see in this situation."

His words echoed in my head, each syllable a small hammer blow to my wounded pride. He had thought we had kissed. He had predicted the betrayal before it even existed. And what did he do? Stood in the hallway? Calculating? Analyzing?

The anger I felt began to drain away, replaced by a strange and uncomfortable feeling of... understanding? No, that wasn't quite it. It was more like I was falling from a very tall building and, in the middle of the fall, I saw that Minho was falling right beside me. We were still going to crash on the ground, but at least I wasn't alone.

"So you're just as messed up as I am," the sentence came out of my mouth before I could swallow it. It sounded more like an accusation than the obvious observation that it was.

Minho didn't deny it. He just maintained that fixed, challenging stare, but now I could see what was behind the neutral facade. He wasn't mad at me. It was anger at himself. The same anger I felt at myself for almost ruining everything, and for freaking out when it was him who ruined it.

"You think I like this, Jisung?" His voice came out softer, almost buried by the noise of another thunderclap. "You think it's easy to see the person you love obsessed with someone else? And worse, to know that this other person is our security, the person who is here to keep us alive, and not to turn our lives upside down?"

I swallowed hard. When he put it that way, it sounded like the script of a cheap Korean drama. And we were the idiot main characters.

"I stopped," I said, defending myself from an accusation he hadn't even made. "I pushed her away. Because of you. Because of us. Because we agreed we wouldn't screw things up." My voice faltered at the end, betraying the frustration that was still boiling in my veins.

"And I didn't stop." His admission was quick and dry, like a gunshot. He wasn't apologizing. He was just putting the fact on the table, raw and indigestible. "She came here to talk about what happened between you two. She was confused, nervous, and so was I. The tension just exploded. It wasn't planned. It was a moment of stupidity."

I turned my back, leaning my forehead against the cold door. The woodwork was solid, real. Something tangible amidst the whirlwind of feelings that was devouring me from within.

"So now what?" I asked, my voice muffled against the door. "What do we do? Because I'm not going to pretend I didn't see it. And I'm also not going to be able to pretend I don't want the same thing you wanted."

The silence that followed was more eloquent than any response. I heard the sound of his footsteps approaching, until I felt his presence at my back.

"Did you hear what I said before?" His voice was calm now, without the coldness from before. "If the problem is jealousy... then the solution is obvious."

I turned to face him, my heart beating hard against my ribs. "Ask for permission to kiss her? Seriously, Minho? That's the most insane thing I've ever heard. And I've heard Felix try to sing in Portuguese after three cans of energy drink."

A faint, almost-smile appeared on his lips, so fast I almost missed it. "What's insane is us destroying ourselves from the inside because of this. What's insane is Y/N freaking out and running away because she doesn't know how to choose between us. We're not enemies, Jisung. We are us. We always have been."

He had a point. A sick, twisted, and completely off-the-wall point, but it was a point. We had already shared everything in life: a room, food, clothes, secrets, dreams. Why should this be any different?

"And the others?" I asked, my voice weaker, my resistance beginning to crumble. "Chan... Hyunjin... everyone. What are we going to tell them?"

"Nothing," Minho replied, simply. "For now, nothing. This is between the three of us. Until we figure out what... this is."

He didn't move, but the space between us seemed to shrink. The anger was gone, leaving behind only a deep weariness and a completely different electrical tension.

The door then creaked open, cutting the tension like a knife.

Jeongin's head appeared in the gap, his eyes wide and innocent. "Hyungs? Everything okay? Y/N came back all weird, and you guys disappeared... Felix almost lost his ranked game because of worry."

Minho and I exchanged a glance for a fraction of a second. In that look, there was a tacit agreement, a temporary armistice.

"Everything's fine, Innie," Minho said, his voice assuming a terrifying normality with unsettling ease. "Han was just helping me with... something. We'll be right back."

Jeongin seemed to accept the explanation, nodding before disappearing.

I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. The outside world had invaded our bubble of drama, reminding us that life and League of Legends went on.

Minho walked past me to leave the room but stopped at my height.

"Think about what I said," he whispered, his voice a warm brush against my ear before he joined Jeongin in the hallway.

And I stood there, leaning against the door, with the taste of a stolen kiss and jealousy still bitter in my mouth, but now mixed with something new and dangerously tempting.

The storm inside me was far from over. In fact, it had barely begun.

[𝐘/𝐍'𝐬 𝐏.𝐎.𝐕]

The hallway seemed to stretch for miles. Each step I took toward the living room echoed louder than the thunder outside, keeping pace with the frantic beat of my heart. I could still taste Minho on my lips, feel the heat of his body against mine, the sharp guilt cutting through my throat.

Idiot. Stupid. Imbecile.

The voice in my head screamed every possible insult. I had broken the only rule that mattered. I had crossed the line I myself had drawn, and worse, I had been caught. By Han. The look of shock and betrayal on his face was burned into my retina.

When I entered the room, the atmosphere was one of pure gamer chaos. Shouts of "GG!" and "Get him, get him!" filled the air, but even so, I felt the weight of a few glances. Felix gave me a quick look, his wide eyes full of concern. Hyunjin, always perceptive, frowned for a split second before being distracted by something on the screen.

I forced a smile that didn't reach my eyes. "Sorry, guys, I just need a minute in the bathroom. I'll be right back."

My legs carried me to the bathroom before anyone could question me. I locked the door and leaned my back against it, letting out a shiver of anxiety. Breathe. You're trained for this. You're a professional.

But I didn't feel professional. I felt like a scared girl who had made a colossal mess.

I approached the sink and turned on the faucet, cold water gushing out. I plunged my hands in and splashed my face, the coolness a sudden shock against my warm skin. Drops ran down my neck, mixing with tears of frustration that I refused to let fall.

𝘎𝘦𝘵 𝘪𝘵 𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳. 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘢 𝘯𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘭 𝘨𝘪𝘳𝘭 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘮𝘴. 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘢 𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘱𝘰𝘯. 𝘈 𝘴𝘱𝘺. 𝘈𝘯 𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘯. 𝘙𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦. 𝘙𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶'𝘳𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘰𝘧.

The person in the mirror stared back at me, eyes frightened and vulnerable. I hadn't seen that girl in a long time. The girl who knew what a mother's lap felt like.

The need for control, for order, rose up like an instinct. I needed to report in. I needed a mission. Something that would remind me of my reality, that would pull me away from this emotional nightmare I had created before that trip with Felix. Four days alone with him in London… The departure was in two days. I would need to be in absolute control, and right now I was drowning.

I picked up my phone, my fingers trembling slightly as I typed.

MESSAGES:

Y/N: I need an assignment. Something urgent to occupy me completely before my departure. Recovery, elimination, anything on Korean soil. I need to be in London the day after tomorrow.

Boss: Your departure for London is the day after tomorrow. Do you think this is wise? Protocol requires rest before an extended cover.

Y/N: Protocol doesn't know my mind. I need to reorient myself.

Boss: There's a high-value device to be recovered from a safe in Jeju. The window of opportunity is 24 hours. If you think you can handle this and be on the plane to London on time, the details will be sent at 1 am. Do not fail. And do not let your... feelings... compromise either objective.

Y/N: They never do. Awaiting details.

Each message was a nail in the coffin of the person I had built here. The operation was taking over, drowning the Y/N who had momentarily faltered. A mission in Jeju with a hour deadline. And then… London. And Felix. Four days.

That's when the doorknob turned.

I almost dropped the phone in the sink, my heart leaping into my throat. I hid it behind my back in a quick motion, my instincts screaming danger.

The door opened and Changbin’s head appeared, his wide eyes full of genuine concern. "Y/N? I... oh, I'm sorry. I should have knocked. It's just that you were kind of... gone. And you looked tense. Are you okay?"

He looked like a scared puppy, blaming himself for finding me in my hiding spot. His sweetness was a direct hit to what was left of my heart.

Forcing all the softness I could muster, I smiled. "It's okay, Binnie. I should have locked the door properly. It's... just some personal thoughts bothering me today."

He came all the way into the bathroom, closing the door softly so we couldn't be overheard. "Thoughts like that are the worst," he said, his voice a soothing whisper. "They just pop up out of nowhere and buzz around in your head, right? Like that mosquito that flies near your ear at night."

The analogy was so Changbin that I almost laughed. Almost. "That's exactly it."

He leaned on the counter beside me, looking at our reflection in the mirror. "My mom... when I got nervous like that, before an important test or a performance, she'd always make me chamomile tea. She said it was magic for calming the zombies in your mind." He gave a low, melancholic chuckle. "It worked, you know?"

Something inside me trembled. A thread of memory so old and precious it hurt.

"My mom...," the word left my mouth before I could stop it, laden with a nostalgia I never allowed myself to feel. "She didn't make tea. She sang. She had such a soft voice. When I had nightmares or was scared of thunder, like today, she'd come and sing until I fell back asleep. She smelled of jasmine and... safety."

I stopped, my eyes meeting his in the mirror. The vulnerability in my own voice scared me. I didn't talk about my mom to anyone. To my sisters, sometimes, as a fact, a date in a file. Never as a feeling.

Changbin was silent for a moment, his gaze soft and understanding. "She seemed really nice."

"She was," I whispered, the word coming out as a sigh, carrying the weight of a love that had never died, only been buried under layers of training and violence. "Sometimes, I'd give anything to hear her sing just one more time."

We were silent for a minute, just looking at each other in the reflection, two human beings lost in their own melancholic thoughts, united by a fragile moment of understanding.

Then, Changbin turned and placed a gentle hand on my shoulder. "Come on. Felix is about to lose another ranked game and he gets so dramatic... we need you out there to keep the peace."

He was giving me an out. An excuse to put the mask back on and return to the world. The world where, in less hours, I would have to become someone else in Jeju, and then prepare to be whoever I needed to be for Felix in London.

I took one last breath, pushing away the girl who missed her mom and bringing the operation back up.

"Let's go," I agreed, my voice calm again. "We can't let Lix suffer alone."

And I followed Changbin out of the bathroom, leaving behind in the mirror the reflection of a girl who, for a brief moment, had allowed herself to feel homesick, while the weight of two impossible missions began to press down on my shoulders.

We had barely taken two steps down the hallway toward the uproar in the living room when a figure with dark, long, silky hair came toward us like a hurricane.

"Y/N! Y/N! I WON! I WON!"

Before I could even blink, Hyunjin practically leaped on me, his long hair falling over my shoulders, wrapping me in a hug so tight it spun me half a turn, his arms intertwined behind my back. He smelled of expensive shampoo and victory.

My heart leaped in my chest, but not out of surprise from the hug. I knew exactly what he was talking about. I myself had invented that idiotic competition a few hours ago, dangling the bait of a "day with me" as a prize to distract them from the fact that I needed to have a very private, forbidden conversation with Lee Know. The irony of it all hit me like a punch to the gut.

Forcing the most natural laugh I could muster, I returned the hug. "Don't tell me it was you, Jin! After all of Lix's talk about reaching platinum?" I said, my voice sounding incredibly normal for the turmoil inside me.

Changbin looked at us with a wry smile, leaning against the wall like an amused spectator, clearly happy not to be in the eye of the storm.

"IT WAS ME!" he shouted, releasing me just enough to hold my shoulders and look into my eyes, his face illuminated by a stunning, triumphant smile. "I defeated all of them! Twenty-four hours are mine! As soon as you get back from London, you're mine!"

"THAT'S NOT FAIR!" A voice shouted from the living room, followed by the sound of a controller being gently thrown onto the couch. Felix, with his bleached blond hair and a dramatically wounded expression, appeared in the doorway. "He cheated! I swear, Y/N, he made some moves that aren't humanly possible! He sold his soul for a day with you, it's not possible!"

Seungmin appeared behind him, with his classic serious and neutral expression, arms crossed. "Translation: Felix is mad because he lost badly. Again." He didn't seem bothered at all by having lost; his amusement came exclusively from the suffering of others.

Hyunjin let out a victorious laugh, pulling me closer to him, as if I were a trophy. "Cry more! Mourn your loss!" He ran a hand through his long, straight hair in a gesture of pure provocation. "Twenty-four hours. She's mine... as soon as she gets back."

That's when my eyes met Han's at the kitchen door.

He wasn't laughing. He wasn't being dramatic. He was just standing there, leaning against the doorframe, watching. His gaze was heavy, indescribable, passing from me to Hyunjin's arm around my shoulders.

And it wasn't just jealousy. It was something deeper, more visceral. It was the instinct of an animal smelling a storm that threatened to destroy its den. There were eight of them. They were a closed system, a complete and self-sufficient universe that had been revolving in perfect balance for years. No one from the outside had ever truly managed to get in, much less threaten to destabilize everything. Until her.

It was the pure fear of seeing the person who was about to undo years of balance being embraced as a prize by one of his own boyfriends, as if he also didn't feel the danger crawling.

The lightness that had begun to form inside me evaporated instantly, replaced by a knot of guilt and anxiety. The kiss. The confusion. The threat I represented. Everything came back in a whirlwind.

Lee Know emerged from behind Han, placing a hand on his shoulder and murmuring something only he could hear. Han shrugged, as if shaking off the thought, and forced a small, crooked smile before turning and going back into the kitchen, disappearing from sight.

Minho then looked at us. His eyes passed over me for a fraction of a second, a quick, intense, and loaded look, before they fixed on Hyunjin, taking on a look of exaggerated boredom.

"Congratulations, Hyunjin. You won the prize of spending an entire day with the person who already spends every day with us. Truly an epic achievement." His voice was beautiful, sarcastic, perfect for needling his boyfriend.

Hyunjin let out a growl but didn't let go of his prize (me). "Jealousy is a disease, Lee Know. Take care."

"I'm not jealous, I feel sorry for you. What are you going to do? Take her to the studio and make her watch you compose for twelve hours straight?"

"Maybe!" Hyunjin retorted, his chin raised in defiance. "And it's going to be amazing! Better than losing like you guys!"

While the sibling-like argument continued, with Felix and Seungmin chiming in, I allowed myself to be pulled into the middle of the room in Hyunjin's embrace. The energy was high, chaotic, and familiar. It was my normal. My disguise.

But deep down, while laughing at one of Seungmin's jokes and feeling Hyunjin vibrate with excitement beside me, a part of my mind was already far away, calculating escape routes to Jeju, reviewing infiltration techniques, and wondering how the hell I was going to be able to look into Han's or Minho's eyes again, much less spend an entire day with Hyunjin, after all this.

Their day had ended in League of Legends and game drama. Mine was just beginning, and it promised to be much more deadly than any ranked match.

The warmth of Hyunjin's hug, the others' animated shouts, the smell of cold pizza and spent energy… All of this formed a bubble of normalcy that I desperately tried to inhabit. But it was a fragile bubble. And it burst the exact moment my phone vibrated in my jeans pocket with a specific, somber pattern: two short buzzes, a pause, and one long one.

The boss. The mission details.

The blood seemed to run cold in my veins. Reality, hard and unforgiving, was knocking on the door. The fantasy of belonging that I had allowed myself for a few minutes collapsed. I was not one of them. I was the person who would be sent into the dark, to do things that none of them could even imagine.

My expression must have changed, because Hyunjin loosened his hug and looked at me, worried. “Y/N? Are you okay? You suddenly went pale.”

“It’s… it’s just fatigue,” I lied, forcing another smile that felt like it was cracking at the corners. “Besides, you guys are so loud, you know?” I tried to joke, pulling away from him gently. I needed to read that message. I needed air.

It was then that a presence at the entrance of the room made silence gradually set in. It wasn't an awkward or heavy silence like the one between me, Han, and Minho. It was a silence of respect, of attention.

Bang Chan was standing in the doorway arch, his shoulders almost filling its entire width. He didn't look angry, just… exhausted. Profoundly exhausted. His dark eyes, normally so bright and full of ideas, were dull, and they passed over each of us as if counting us, making sure we were all there, intact. Until they landed on me.

And there, in that look, was a storm as strong as the one raging outside. Difficulty. Desire. Anger at himself. The memory of what had almost happened in his room hours earlier passed between us like an electric shock. The way our bodies fit together during the struggle, the ragged breathing, the split second his eyes dropped to my lips and mine to his… and the abrupt pull-away that followed. Neither of us knew what we felt. We just… fought. For control, for power, for not giving in first.

He knew about their relationship. I knew. It was the unwritten rule, the balance I was threatening to unravel just by existing.

“Guys,” his voice came out hoarser than normal, tired. “It’s turning into the middle of the night. The storm isn't going to let up anytime soon. I think we should start wrapping things up and try to get some sleep.”

His gaze fixed on me again, but this time it was the look of a leader, not of a confused man.

“Y/N, especially you. You need to rest. Tomorrow… well, tomorrow's another day.” The choice of words was deliberate. You need to rest. He didn't know about Jeju, but his leader's intuition sensed something big was about to happen. Or maybe it was just his concern overflowing in a way he could allow.

The phone in my pocket vibrated again, insistent. The mission details. Timelines, coordinates, the name of the target. I needed to escape that place instantly to read.

“Yes, captain,” I replied, keeping my voice as neutral as possible, a soldier accepting an order. “I'm just going to get some water and then I'm going to my room.”

I waved to everyone, carefully avoiding looking at Han, Minho, or Chan, and headed for the kitchen. Not to get water, but to have a pretext to be alone for thirty precious seconds to read the message from hell that my boss had sent me.

As I walked, I felt the weight of Chan's gaze on the back of my neck. It was an almost physical sensation. Two predators in the same territory, a territory that belonged to him and his, a territory that I was infiltrating and threatening to invade completely. And in the middle of a storm, we were both drowning in feelings we couldn't name and in secrets that could destroy everything.

After that, I walked straight to my room door, which closed behind me with a final click. The sound of the storm and the remaining commotion was immediately muffled. Here, it was just me. And the mission.

I leaned my forehead against the cold wood of the door, closing my eyes for a second. The image of a hurt Han, a confused Minho, an euphoric Hyunjin, and the weight of Chan's gaze on me flashed through my mind. I was hurting them. I was the storm that was destroying their peace.

But I had no choice.

My phone vibrated again in my pocket, an urgent, somber reminder. The boss's message. The final details.

I opened my eyes and looked at the screen, lit up in the dark room. The attached files were open. Complex blueprints of a resort in Jeju. Meticulous timelines for a man, Dr. Kim Min-jae, who didn't know he was living his last hours. Access codes that would be my key to entering and doing what was necessary.

Persuasion Level 4.

It was all so clear, so clean, so free from the emotional mess that was boiling on the other side of my door.

My breathing, which had been ragged and anxious, calmed down. My fingers stopped trembling. This was my language, this was my reality. The operation took complete control, drowning the last bit of Y/N who still cared.

The Jeju mission had begun.

[𝐇𝐲𝐮𝐧𝐣𝐢𝐧'𝐬 𝐏.𝐎.𝐕]

The excitement was still coursing through my veins like pure sugar, making my fingers tingle and a silly grin stay plastered on my face. I had won. Me. Out of all eight of us, I was the one who would get an entire day with her. Just the two of us. As soon as she got back from that London trip with Felix.

"For real, congrats, Jinnie," Jeongin said, yawning and stretching on the couch. "Now can you please stop looking like a kitten that found a ball of yarn? Your happiness is making me jealous."

"Jealousy is an ugly feeling, Innie," I sang, dropping onto the couch beside him and wrapping him in a tight hug. He groaned, feigning annoyance, but didn't pull away. "Besides, you had your chance. You lost. Deal with it."

That's when I noticed Chan standing in the living room doorway, watching us with a look I couldn't quite decipher. He didn't look mad, just thoughtful. Deeply thoughtful. He must have heard everything.

"What's going on here?" he asked, his voice a little softer than usual but still carrying that natural leader's authority. His eyes scanned the room, briefly landing on Han and Minho, who were too quiet by the window, before returning to me. "Looks like I missed the party."

"Hyunjin won today's challenge!" Jeongin explained, his sleepiness apparently gone in favor of gossip. "He gets to spend an entire day alone with Y/N when she gets back from London!"

Chan's reaction was almost imperceptible. Almost. I saw the way his eyes narrowed for a split second, how his shoulders tensed just a little. It was too fast for anyone else to notice, but I did. I always notice things with him.

"Oh yeah?" he said, his voice carefully neutral. "Congrats, Jinnie. You deserved it." He forced a small smile, but his eyes didn't match. "But now, seriously, guys. It's the middle of the night. Storm or no storm, we have to try to get some sleep. Promotions and rehearsals start up again in full force next week. We need to get back to our routine."

"Aw, hyung, just one more game!" Felix pleaded, making that abandoned puppy face that always worked on Chan.

"No, Lix. Schedules. Remember? The discipline we worked so hard on?" Chan crossed his arms, taking on the leader stance that allowed no argument. It was a side of him that, I admit, gave me a slight shiver.

"Fine," I said, getting up and stretching dramatically. "I'll go to bed very happy tonight anyway."

Felix rolled his eyes so hard I thought they were going to fall out the back of his head. "That's enough, for goodness sake. You're unbearable now."

Chan then seemed to notice the unusual quiet on the other side of the room. His gaze turned to Han and Lee Know, who were standing by the window, watching the rain without really seeing it. "You two okay?" he asked, his voice softening with genuine concern. "I swear I heard raised voices coming from Minho's room earlier. You weren't fighting, were you?"

Han looked like he'd seen a ghost. He opened his mouth, but no sound came out. It was Minho who reacted, with a calmness that was almost unsettling.

"Fighting? No," he said, leaning against the wall with an air of boredom. "Han came to show me a new song and we were arguing about the harmony. He wanted a sharper tone, I disagreed. So we raised our voices a bit. No big deal."

The explanation was so smooth, so perfectly Minho, that even I almost believed it. Chan seemed to accept it, nodding. "Alright then. Just don't let a musical discussion turn into a war, for heaven's sake. We have enough of that with League of Legends."

As everyone moved around, starting to disperse toward their rooms, I felt a hand close around my wrist. It was Felix, his fingers firm and his expression serious.

"Come with me," he whispered, pulling me toward his room before I could object.

"What's this, Yongbok-ah?" I asked, letting myself be dragged along, a playful smile on my lips. "Jealous already? It's not fair, you'll have four whole days with her in London. My day is only after that."

He closed the bedroom door behind us and turned to face me, his eyes serious. "It's not jealousy. It's strategy."

"Strategy?" I repeated, my amusement giving way to curiosity.

"Yeah. We're the two closest to her now. I'm going to London, you won the day. The others are getting complicated. Chan is confused, Han and Minho are acting weird. We should form an alliance. Help each other out."

The proposal was so unexpected, so calculating coming from our golden sun, that it left me speechless for a second. An alliance? Against our own boyfriends?

The idea was tempting. Having Felix as an ally would be a huge advantage. But something inside me hesitated. It didn't feel right.

"Lix," I began, my smile gone. "That wouldn't be fair to the others. They're our boyfriends. We can't make a secret alliance against them. It wouldn't be right."

Felix's expression fell for a second, a clear frustration passing through his eyes. But then he sighed, and a resignation took over. "Fine. Forget it. But if you change your mind, the offer stands."

He opened the door, signaling the conversation was over. I left the room, my head spinning with his proposal, with my victory, and with the strangeness that had hung in the air all night.

The hallway was dark and silent, and each step I took echoed like a secret. Felix's proposal... an alliance. The two of us against them. The idea was perversely tempting, like forbidden candy. Imagining having Y/N all to ourselves, even for a short time, made something primal inside me writhe with desire. But then came the guilt. They were my family. My loves. How could I betray that?

I ran a hand over my face, feeling the exhaustion finally catch up to me. The image of a hurt and quiet Han, and a Minho closed up like an oyster, haunted me. Something serious had happened between them, and I was so blind with my own excitement that I almost didn't notice. Almost.

I walked to my room in a mixture of euphoria and confusion. Felix's proposal echoed in my mind. An alliance. It was tempting, but wrong. I shook my head, trying to get rid of the idea.

As I got ready for bed, every movement was mechanical. I put moisturizer on my face, brushed my long hair, all while that silly grin stubbornly refused to leave my lips. An entire day. With her. The image of Y/N, of our future day, was like a warm movie in my head, momentarily obscuring the night's strangeness, the tension between Han and Minho, and even Felix's crazy proposal.

The happiness of victory was still a warm echo inside me, pulling me into a deep sleep almost as soon as my head hit the pillow.

But a few hours later, thirst dragged me out of bed. The digital clock in the hallway glowed a hostile red 04:17. The house was silent, wrapped in that kind of deep quiet that only exists in the heart of the night. Even the storm had calmed to a whisper.

I walked toward the kitchen, rubbing my eyes, my brain still wrapped in the cotton of sleep. That's when a sound made me stop. It wasn't a loud noise. It was a soft, metallic click, followed by a rustling of fabric. Coming from the living room.

My heart gave a stupid leap. Did someone also not get to sleep? The idea was sweet for half a second.

And then I saw her: Y/N

And it wasn't the Y/N I knew.

She had her back to me, dressed completely in black, from her boots to the hood that covered her hair. Her posture was different, rigid, alert, deadly. In her hand, a short, thick knife was disappearing into a sheath strapped to her thigh. Another weapon, a small, black, metallic thing I couldn't even name, was tucked into her waistband, at her back, under her jacket.

The blood seemed to freeze in my veins. Sleep fled my body as if I'd been electrocuted.

"Y/N?" my voice came out as a creak, a hoarse, disbelieving whisper.

She turned so fast she was just a blur. Her wide eyes stared at me from under the hood. There was panic in them for a fraction of a second, a raw, visceral panic, before it was quickly erased by a coldness I had never seen on her. On anyone.

We were paralyzed, me in the hallway, her in the middle of the room, lit only by the weak moonlight now filtering through the window. Two worlds colliding in the most absolute silence.

"What are you doing?" I asked again, but this time my voice wasn't a scared whisper. It was lower, deeper, filled with a mistrust and a repression I didn't know I possessed. My feet carried me closer to her, without my even commanding them.

She didn't answer. She just stared at me, her expression now an impenetrable mask.

"Y/N," I insisted, my gaze dropping to the knife that was now completely hidden, but whose image was burned into my retina. "What are you going to do?" My brain, still slow, tried to process. All the darkness. The weapons. The time.

And then, the most terrifying thought of all hit me.

"My God," the word came out as a breath. "You're not trying to hurt yourself again, are you? And the stabbing? Is it because of us?" The memory of her bleeding, pale and vulnerable after that maniac's attack, flashed in my mind, sharp and painful. "Talk to me! Please!"

I reached out to her, instinctively, wanting to grab her arm, to pull her away from that darkness.

That's when her expression changed radically. The coldness in her eyes dissolved, replaced by a sweet urgency. She didn't flinch. Instead, she placed her hands over mine, and her touch was freezing.

"Jinnie," she said, and her voice was a soft, almost syrupy whisper, but with an underlying tension that made me shiver. "Shhh, love. It's nothing like that. It's just a boring thing from my other job. Something super urgent I have to handle right now, or it'll become a huge problem later and mess up our day."

She squeezed my hands, her eyes wide and pleading. It was an expression so different from the lethal posture of seconds ago that it made me dizzy.

"But weapons? At four in the morning?" I asked, my voice still shaky, but without the strength it had before. Her sweetness was a spell I didn't know how to break.

"It's just safety protocol, Jinnie. Annoying and bureaucratic, I know," she lied so smoothly I almost believed her. A small, tired smile appeared on her lips. "I promise it's just this. I'll take care of it really fast and be right back. All so nothing messes up your schedules tomorrow. And our day later, remember?"

She winked at me. She winked. In the middle of that scene of terror, she used the day I had won as bait.

Part of me knew it was manipulation. I could feel the lie behind that sweet smile. But another part, the part that was a little in love with her, clung to that explanation like a lifeline. I needed to believe there was no real danger. That she was okay.

"You promise you'll come back safe?" I heard myself ask, my voice sounding small and naive.

"I swear on my heart," she said, letting go of my hands and taking another step toward the door. The smile was still there, but it no longer reached her eyes. They were already fixed on the exit, on the mission. "Now go to sleep, Hyunjin. Please. For me?"

And before I could formulate another question, another protest, she slipped through the front door like a shadow, leaving behind only the scent of her shampoo and an empty promise.

I stood there, in the middle of the dark room, for what felt like an eternity. The smell of her shampoo still lingered in the air, a sweet and deceptive ghost. My hands were trembling slightly.

She had lied to me. I knew she had lied. Every instinct in me screamed that the "bureaucratic protocol" story was a fake. None of that was normal. None of that was safe.

But then, my passion spoke louder than my suspicion. She had looked at me with those pleading eyes, called me "love," and promised she'd come back. And I, like a lovesick idiot, wanted to believe her.

Instead of alerting someone, instead of running after her, I did what she asked. I went back to my room, burrowed under the covers, and squeezed my eyes shut, as if I could block out the image of her dressed in black, burdened with weapons and secrets.

But the unease inside me was no longer fear of what she was. It was fear for her. And the terrible, overwhelming sensation that, even in love, I had no idea who the person I was falling for was. And worse: I didn't know if I wanted to find out.

I spent the rest of the night awake, staring at the ceiling, listening to the sound of my own fast heartbeat, waiting, praying, to hear the sound of the front door softly opening and her silent footsteps in the hallway.

She didn't come back before dawn.

Chapter Text

[𝐘/𝐍'𝐬 𝐏.𝐎.𝐕]

The adrenaline was no longer a pulse; it was a cold electrical current moving under my skin. I ran silently through the misty streets of Seoul, the sound of my combat boots muffled by the wet asphalt. Every step was an exact metric toward my objective: move, drain, don't be seen. The Y/N who wore hoodies and laughed at bad jokes with the boys had been stored in a distant compartment of my mind, like an encrypted file that would only be accessed once the operation was complete. Now, I was only The Operation.

The discreet white Kia K5 was waiting for me, parked two blocks from the complex. I slid into the driver's seat, the motion fluid and automatic. My fingers, cold and fast, started the engine, and the dashboard screen lit up, projecting a tactical map of Jeju Island and the route to Gimpo Airport. The 24-hour window was ticking. I had the exact time to go, resolve, and return before the group even thought of waking up.

The flight was a blur. In the window seat, my mind didn't see the clouds. It saw the image of Hyunjin's face, pale, shocked. The lie, sweet and cruel. "It's just a boring thing from my other job." I had used the promise of a day together as bait, and he, the sweet, naive, and passionate Hyunjin, had accepted. The pain I felt from that realization was sharper than any blade I'd ever wielded.

I landed in Jeju under the rising sun. Instead of warming me, the light reminded me of the urgency. There was no time for scenery. I moved from the plane to a rental car with the same fluidity as before. The Y/N who admired the beauty of an island was lost under the priority of the mission. I arrived at a small, discreet hideout that was already prepared. I took the necessary equipment: a high-tech suppressed sniper rifle, a compact handgun with a suppressor, a set of throwing knives, and the tracking device.

I studied the blueprints of the luxury resort, the security routes, the access points. My target: Dr. Kim Min-jae, a rogue scientist who was selling a high-value device to an arms cartel. My objective wasn't physical elimination; it was complete neutralization: him dead and the device in our hands. Level 4 Persuasion.

The resort complex was a maze of glass and concrete. I observed it for an hour, camouflaged among the tourists, mapping the security routes. Dr. Kim was predictable. At 10 a.m., he would be in the eighth-floor conference room, showing the device to the potential buyer. This was my chance.

Access to the eighth floor was restricted. I entered through the basement, blending in with the maintenance team. My neoprene gloves and the tools I carried gave me the perfect disguise. I avoided the cameras and security guards with the same ease as I breathe, climbing a ventilation duct to the fifth floor. From there, I walked down the corridors to the emergency stairs and ran up.

I reached the eighth floor and crept to the ventilation duct that ran above the conference room. I heard the voices of Dr. Kim and the buyer.

"...the most valuable device. It can control any digital security system within a hundred-kilometer radius."

The buyer's voice was pure greed. The urgency of the mission became personal. I took the tracking device from my pocket and activated it. The information appeared on my phone screen. The device was a small chip, hidden in a secret compartment in Dr. Kim's watch.

Suddenly, the voices stopped. The doors opened, and I heard footsteps approaching. Shit. The meeting had ended early. I had seconds to act. I removed the duct cover, peeking out. Dr. Kim and the buyer were leaving.

I couldn't move in the duct anymore. My only option was to get into the conference room and wait.

The door closed. I slid out of the duct, moving behind a large painting on the wall. My heart was pounding. I had to be fast. The buyer was tall and muscular. He and Dr. Kim moved away. My opportunity was gone.

No. It wasn't over.

The hallway was made of glass. The view was beautiful but gave me an advantage. I crept to a balcony, moving to the edge. They were two floors away. I took the suppressed sniper rifle from my bag. I couldn't shoot them. The shot would draw attention. But I could shoot the wall behind them. A fragment of concrete flew, hitting Dr. Kim in the back. He fell to the ground, stunned. The buyer looked back, confused.

I jumped from the balcony to the one on the floor below, holding onto the edge and moving to a better position. I shot again, this time at the buyer's knee. He let out a scream of pain, the sound muffled by the silenced shot, and then I shot him in the head. I went down a floor, sliding to the ground. I grabbed the handgun, took off the suppressor, and moved toward the hallway door. I prepared to enter the fight.

I entered the hallway, the handgun raised. The buyer was on the floor, Dr. Kim was staggering upright. I faced him. He was pale.

"The device, doctor," I said, my voice icy. "Give me the watch, and you can die."

He looked at me, his eyes full of fear. He didn't hesitate. He took the watch from his wrist and threw it to me. I caught it in the air. I opened the compartment, took the small chip, and put it in my pocket.

"Goodbye, doctor," I said.

I fired. Dr. Kim's body fell silently to the floor. My mission was complete. I knelt, picked up the bullets on the ground, and ran to the emergency stairs. The adrenaline was pushing me. My eyes scanned the surroundings, looking for any sign of trackers.

I jumped out the eighth-floor window and landed on a car, rolling over the hood to move. The alarms went off. I didn't pay attention. I ran toward another building, jumping the fence and climbing the glass wall.

Suddenly, my phone rang. The screen lit up with Jonas's name. A voice call.

I answered, running. "Jonas, I can't talk right now. I'm on... an engagement."

"Y/N, I need a minute. I know you're in Jeju, but I have urgent news. I've confirmed the stalker's tracking. She has already been to the old condominium. I'm here now."

I stopped. I turned back. The sight of the building I was in, the car I jumped on, the fence I climbed. The old condominium. The place where it all began for them. The adrenaline consumed me. Someone had returned to a location they had abandoned precisely because it was a danger. The stalker wasn't just coming after the boys; she was retracing her steps.

"What? What are you talking about?" I asked, my voice trembling.

"I came here to get the rest of their stuff. The door to your old room was ajar, and the security camera at the entrance, which was off, was turned on recently. She was here again, Y/N. She's back."

I hung up the call and kept running. The job was done. Now, it was time to go home and face the storm I had created, and now, perhaps, an even bigger storm was approaching. The stalker was back, and I needed to return to protect my world.

I lunged forward, my legs working as if they wanted to fly. I jumped over walls, slid past dumpsters, and cut through narrow alleys. I had to get to the airport. With every step, the guilt of leaving Hyunjin mixed with the panic of what Jonas had just told me. The stalker was returning. She was no longer a distant threat. She was an unpredictable force moving along known paths.

My phone vibrated. It wasn't Jonas. It was Chan.

The screen lit up with a simple message. "Where are you? I was worried."

My body stopped for a second. The message was a punch to the gut. I couldn't answer. My hands were stained with blood. My disguise was still intact, but with cracks.

I shoved the phone into my pocket and started running again, even faster. I had to go. I had to get back home, to them. The job was done.

I ran for a few more minutes until the sound of the city began to fade. I took out my phone and called Jonas again.

"Jonas, it's Y/N." My voice was breathless. "I need you to grab everything that's left of the boys' stuff at the old condominium and take it to your place so you can be there too."

"I know," his voice was calm and reassuring. "I'll track everything I can and keep you updated. Go home, Y/N."

"Thanks, Jonas," I said, and hung up the call. "You're the best friend in the world."

The Gimpo airport was a labyrinth of light and sound, a stark contrast to the dark night in Jeju. The clock on my phone read 9:30 a.m. I had thirty minutes until my flight back to Seoul. I sat on one of the hard seats at the boarding gate, the heavy backpack on my back. My head was pounding with the weight of the mission and Jonas's new information.

As the pilot's voice came over the loudspeaker, announcing the flights, my phone vibrated again. I looked at the screen. It was another message from Chan.

"Are you okay? Hyunjin said you left in the middle of the night. We were worried."

My body froze. The urgency of returning to the apartment to protect the boys, which now seemed to have turned into a personal race against the stalker, mixed with overwhelming guilt. He was worried. They were. Hyunjin hadn't forgotten.

I took a deep breath and, ignoring the reason that screamed for me to stay silent, I opened the voice call.

The sound of the call connecting seemed to echo in my head.

Chan's voice came from the other side of the line, calm, but with a clear note of concern. "Y/N? Where are you? Hyunjin said you left before dawn. We were worried about you. Did something happen?"

I closed my eyes. It was a simple question, but the answer was an abyss of secrets. I had to lie. "I'm fine, Chan. Sorry for not letting you know. It was... something from my other job." The words sounded empty, even to me. "I had to leave to take care of something, but I'm already on my way back."

"Your other job? But... you were so strange yesterday," he said, his voice now lower, with his concern growing. "Are you safe?"

I couldn't answer that question with the truth. "I am. Don't worry. I'm already at Jeju airport, waiting for my flight to Seoul. When I get there, I'll explain everything in person. I promise."

There was a pause, and I could hear the relief in his voice, even if he was still suspicious. "Alright, Y/N. We'll wait for you. And Y/N... please, be careful."

"I will," I replied, and hung up the call before he could ask me any more questions.

My phone screen went dark. The promise to return and "explain everything" seemed like a ticking time bomb. I knew he wouldn't be satisfied with half-truths.

I guided myself through the airport, the heavy backpack pushing me forward. The flight was announced on the loudspeaker, and I followed the flow of passengers. There was no time to think about Chan, or my double life, or the stalker. The only thing that mattered now was getting back to Seoul.

[𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧'𝐬 𝐏.𝐎.𝐕]

The calm of the morning was broken by the sound of urgent knocking on my door. I was sitting on my bed, trying to process the events of last night. It was early, and the house was silent. I stood up, the worry in my chest mixing with my anxiety.

I opened the door, and Hyunjin was there. His face was pale, and he looked like he had been running. "Chan!" he whispered, his voice trembling. "Y/N! She left!"

My heart stopped. "What are you talking about, Hyunjin? Is she okay? What happened?"

"I don't know," he whispered, the panic in his eyes hitting me head-on. "I went to get a glass of water, and I saw her leave with her backpack. I called out to her, but she didn't hear me. I... I don't know what to do. I need help."

Fear consumed me. "Calm down, Hyunjin," I said, my voice firmer than my mind. "Let's stay calm. Let's see if Lee Know knows anything."

We left my room and went straight to his. The urgency of the situation was palpable, and I knew we had to find out what had happened.

The door to Lee Know's room was ajar. Hyunjin and I exchanged a look of urgency and went in without knocking. Lee Know was sitting on the bed, playing something on his phone. He looked up, his expression one of genuine surprise.

"What's wrong? Did something happen?" he asked, putting his phone away and standing up.

Hyunjin's panic was palpable. "Y/N! She left!"

"What?" Lee Know frowned. "What do you mean, she left? Where to?"

"We don't know," I replied, my voice calmer than Hyunjin's, but the worry was the same. "She left in the middle of the night and said it was a mission for her other job. Did you know anything?"

Lee Know's expression suddenly changed from confusion to caution. His eyes moved between us. "No. I didn't know anything." His answer came quickly, maybe too quickly.

I looked at Hyunjin, who didn't seem to notice the change. My intuition started to get stronger. "Then why were you and Han acting so weird yesterday? We noticed the tension between you two."

Lee Know tried to play it off, shrugging. "I don't know what you're talking about. We were just... tired."

But Hyunjin didn't accept the answer. "No, that's not normal. You two didn't exchange a word. What happened?"

Lee Know continued to evade, looking at the floor, shifting his feet. "It's a personal thing. It has nothing to do with Y/N."

"You're lying," I said, without beating around the bush. "What happened between you two?"

I felt the frustration grow. Lee Know wouldn't talk. But I knew that Han, under pressure, would eventually give in.

"Hyunjin, go get Han," I requested. "He might know something."

Hyunjin nodded and left the room. Lee Know looked at me, his eyes a mix of resignation and panic. I stared back at him. I knew he was hiding something, and I wouldn't stop until I found out what it was.

It didn't take long for Hyunjin to come back with Han. Han looked pale, with the expression of someone who had been caught red-handed. He avoided the eyes of both Lee Know and me.

"Han, we need you to tell us the truth," I began, my voice firm. "What happened last night between you and Lee Know? What does it have to do with Y/N leaving?"

Han swallowed hard. He looked at Lee Know, silently asking for help with his eyes. Lee Know stared back at him, a silent look of plea. Han took a deep breath.

"It has nothing to do with Y/N," Han said, his voice coming out stronger than Lee Know's. "It's a thing between us. We had a fight, but it's nothing serious. We're going to work it out. It's just a misunderstanding."

Hyunjin's relief was palpable. His concern for Y/N was so great that any other threat seemed small. Han's lie worked, and the tension in the room finally started to ease.

"Why didn't you say anything?" Hyunjin asked, his voice soft. "We were worried. It's not normal for you two to act like that."

Han and Lee Know looked at each other. Han took a step forward, to address everyone. "Guys, I'm sorry. It was a silly thing. But we didn't want to worry you. We're already talking about it, and we'll fix it. We promise."

I nodded. "Okay, Han," I said. "What matters is that we're okay, and Y/N will be too."

Hyunjin then turned to Lee Know, his worry returning. "Are you sure she didn't tell you anything, Lee Know? She didn't give you any hints about where she was going?"

Lee Know shook his head. "No, she didn't say anything. It wouldn't make sense for her to hide something like that from us, especially with the trip with Felix."

The mention of the trip reminded us of the whole situation, and the urgency to know the truth took over me. We still didn't know anything.

"Are you really okay?" I asked Han and Lee Know, my voice soft, that of a concerned boyfriend. "You don't have to lie to us. If you need help, we're here."

Han and Lee Know looked at each other, their eyes full of gratitude. Han nodded, and Lee Know smiled. "We'll be okay, Chan."

The four of them left the room and we went to the kitchen, where the smell of coffee was waiting for us.

The living room was already full. All the other members were awake, sitting on the sofas, with worried and anxious expressions. The air was heavy with the same tension that Hyunjin and I had felt. I realized that the news of Y/N's departure had already reached them.

"Y/N left?" Changbin asked, his voice was hoarse, as if he had just woken up.

"In the middle of the night," Hyunjin replied, his voice a little shaky. "She said it was a mission for her other job. She didn't say anything else."

Silence took over the room. We all looked at each other, our eyes full of fear and uncertainty. Y/N had risked herself on a dangerous mission, and she had left us without saying anything.

"But we have the trip to London today!" Felix exclaimed, with a note of panic in his voice. "I have to meet her in the morning to go to the airport!"

The air in the room grew heavy. The truth of the situation hit us. Y/N had risked herself on a dangerous mission, and she had left us without saying anything.

The nervousness consumed me. I took out my phone and, without thinking twice, sent a text message.

"Where are you? I was worried."

The minutes that followed were torture. We all sat in silence, the sound of our own fear echoing in the room. We couldn't calm down. Our hearts were beating fast.

Suddenly, my phone rang. The screen lit up with Y/N's name. It was a voice call.

I answered, my voice trembling. "Y/N?"

Her voice came from the other side of the line, calm, but with a clear note of concern. "I'm fine, Chan. Sorry I didn't let you know. It was... something for my other job. I had to go to deal with something, but I'm on my way back."

I let out a sigh of relief. Everyone else looked at me, their eyes begging for a confirmation. I nodded, and the tension in the air finally started to ease.

"Your other job? But... you were so strange yesterday," I said, my voice now lower, with increasing worry. "Are you safe?"

Her voice came from the other side of the line. "I am. Don't worry. I'm already at Jeju airport, waiting for the flight to Seoul. When I get there, I'll explain everything to you in person. I promise."

There was a pause, and I could hear the relief in her voice, even though she was still suspicious. "Okay, Y/N. We'll wait for you. And Y/N... please be careful."

"I will be," she replied, and hung up before I could ask any more questions.

My phone screen went dark. The relief of having heard her voice was palpable, but the mystery continued. We all looked at each other, our faces full of questions we couldn't ask.

"Why did she leave in the middle of the night?" Seungmin asked, breaking the silence. "Why didn't she tell us anything?"

"She must have had her reasons," Hyunjin said. "I trust her."

"I trust her too," I replied. "But this is getting complicated. These things keep happening. And now, there's also that stalker coming back. She's going to come back and she's going to have to deal with it. But we'll be here to help her. And we'll have to be more careful. We're not going to let anything bad happen to her."

Time passed slowly. I couldn't do anything. Around two in the afternoon, the sound of the front door opening startled us. My heart stopped. We all stood up, in unison, and ran towards her.

The world stopped. And then, in a fraction of a second, it started to move again in slow motion. We all ran towards her. Hyunjin was the first to arrive, hugging her tightly, his shoulders trembling. Felix and Han joined in, tears of relief streaming down their faces. We wrapped her in a collective hug, a hug that said more than a thousand words. It was our way of saying that we loved her, that we missed her.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, her voice soft, and she hugged us back tightly. "I'm sorry for leaving like that."

We pulled away a little to make sure she was okay. I looked at her face, looking for any sign of injury, any sign that something had gone wrong. She was pale, but whole. The relief of seeing that she wasn't hurt was a weight that lifted from my chest. I remembered the last time I saw her, lying on the floor, bleeding, and a shiver ran down my spine.

"Don't worry," I said, my voice still hoarse. "We just want to know what happened."

She sighed, and looked at us, one by one. "It was a mission for my other job," she began, her voice was more serious now. "My other boss needed someone, and I was the only person available. I had to go."

We nodded. We knew about her other job, but we didn't know the extent of the danger.

She turned to Felix, her voice was soft. "Our trip to London is still on. We'll go tonight, as planned. I'm already ready."

Felix nodded, his eyes full of tears of relief. "I know," he whispered. "I know."

She turned to Hyunjin, her voice was softer. "I'm sorry, Hyunjin. I didn't mean to scare you. I just... had to go. I didn't want you to see me."

He nodded, his eyes still full of tears. "It's okay," he whispered. "What matters is that you're here now."

At that moment, I saw her eyes move to Lee Know and Han. It was a quick glance, but I noticed the tension between them. Something happened between them. But I didn't ask anything. I just wanted to make sure she was okay.

We hugged her again, and we didn't want to let go. We wanted to make sure she wouldn't leave us again.

"Please don't do that again," Seungmin whispered, his voice was hoarse, and his concern was ours. "We were really worried."

She pulled away a little and looked at us, one by one. "I can't promise that," she said, her voice was firm. "It's part of my job. There are times when I'm going to have to leave like that."

The air in the room grew heavy again. We couldn't understand. Why would she do this to us? Why would she risk her life like that?

"But why do you have to do this?" I asked, my voice was full of frustration. "Can't you quit this job? We can help you. We can protect you."

She looked at us, her eyes full of a deep sadness. "No," she replied. "I can't. This job is very important to me. And my other boss... he's very important."

We couldn't understand. We could only look at her. And we knew she was telling the truth. We knew she wouldn't give up. And the fear of losing her again was the only thing that mattered.

Y/N asked to go to her room. "I need some time to rest," she said, her voice still firm, but with a weariness we could feel. We nodded, knowing she needed some time to herself.

"Okay," I said. "We'll be here."

Felix turned to her, his voice was full of relief. "I'm going to finish organizing my things for the trip. We still have time."

The rest of the group dispersed, going back to their own rooms, trying to distract themselves with something. I went back to my room, but I couldn't stop thinking about her. I couldn't stop thinking about what she had been through.

The hours dragged on, and I couldn't do anything. Around two in the afternoon, I couldn't take it anymore. I got up and went to her room door. I knocked twice. "Y/N?" I whispered. "It's me. Can I come in?"

The silence on the other side was heavy. For a moment, I thought she wouldn't answer. But the door opened slowly. She was there, and her eyes were full of a deep weariness.

"You can," she whispered, and I went in.

She sat on the bed, and I sat on the edge, at a safe distance. But the air between us was charged. We still hadn't talked about the almost kiss, the tension was still there.

"Are you hiding anything else?" I asked, my voice was soft. "Tell me the truth. Just between us."

She shook her head, and her voice was firm. "No. I already told you the truth."

I nodded, but I didn't believe her. "Do you know why Han and Lee Know were acting so strange yesterday?" I asked. "They said they had a fight, but I feel like it has more to do with you."

I saw the tension in her body, and her look became more tense. I realized that she was involved, and I couldn't stop looking at her. My voice became lower, more intense. "What happened? Are you involved?"

I moved closer to her, my hand on her leg, and the air in the room became heavier. My heart was beating fast, and my voice became softer. "Do you want to talk about it? I'm here for you."

The door opened suddenly. Changbin was standing there, his expression was confused. "Hey, do you want something to eat? I made pasta."

Y/N used the interruption to pull away from me, her body relaxing. "Yes, please. I'm hungry."

She left the room, and Changbin looked at me, his eyes were those of someone who knew something. "Don't worry, Chan. You don't have to explain anything to me. I already understand."

I stood in the middle of the room. My voice became softer, more intense. "What do you understand, Changbin?" I asked. "Nothing is happening. I'm just trying to understand what might have motivated Han and Lee Know's fight. I don't trust their excuse."

Changbin came closer, his expression became more confused. "They said it was a thing between them. And that they would work it out themselves. And you accepted that."

"Yes, I accepted it," I replied, my voice full of frustration. "But I feel like there's something more. I feel like Y/N is involved somehow. I saw her, Changbin. She got tense when I asked about them. I know there's something."

Changbin looked at me, his eyes full of a deep thought. He seemed to be analyzing the situation, trying to understand my paranoia.

"Maybe you're right," he whispered. "Maybe she's hiding something."

At that moment, Han appeared at the door. He looked exhausted, but his look was that of a concerned boyfriend.

"Guys, we have to eat something real," he said, his voice was soft. "We haven't eaten anything but sandwiches all day. We need energy to handle this."

Changbin and I looked at each other, our faces full of a new concern. Han was right. We couldn't forget to take care of ourselves, even if the world was falling apart around us.

We sat down at the kitchen table, the plates of pasta steaming in front of us. Y/N was there, talking to Felix and I.N about the trip to London, but the tension was still in the air. The atmosphere was one of forced calm. We tried to act normal, but our eyes moved towards the door with every sound.

Seungmin broke the silence. He was sitting next to her, his voice was soft. "Y/N," he said. "Do you remember that our tour is coming back?"

She stopped talking, her look became surprised. "Of course I do," she replied, her voice was firm. "Why did you ask that?"

"Just to be sure," he said, with a smile. "We have to get back to rehearsal and recording the songs. We can't disappoint our fans."

She nodded, and their conversation flowed back to the trip. Little by little, we felt more comfortable, and we tried to enjoy the meal.

But I couldn't. I couldn't stop looking at her. And I realized that she was doing the same thing with Han and Lee Know. And they were doing the same thing with her. They were quick glances, but they were full of meaning. A quick look at her, a quick glance away, and a quick look at him. They were silent codes that I couldn't decipher.

Frustration consumed me. I couldn't take it anymore. We were in a dangerous place, and they were playing hide and seek. I hit my hand on the table, causing my fork to fall to the floor. Everyone looked at me, their eyes full of shock.

I stood up, my voice was firm and deep. "What's going on between you three?" I asked, looking at Y/N, Han and Lee Know. "I want the truth."

The silence in the room was heavy. Everyone's eyes were fixed on them. Y/N, Han and Lee Know seemed cornered, and for a moment, I thought they would finally give in.

It was Y/N who spoke first, her voice was calm, but with a firmness that irritated me. "It's nothing, Chan. Han and Lee Know just had a disagreement with me present. But it's a thing between the two of them."

"What do you mean by that?" Jeongin asked, his curiosity was evident in his voice.

I took a step forward. "They always give half answers! Why can't we have the whole truth all at once?" My frustration was at its limit. I couldn't take the excuses and secrets anymore.

Lee Know stood up, his voice was soft, trying to calm me down. "We're telling the truth we can, Chan. It's a very recent and unresolved thing. It's something between us."

"And what does Y/N have to do with it?" Felix asked, his voice was full of concern.

The voices began to overlap, the questions mixing. "What happened?" "Why did you fight?" "What was it about?" I saw Han's shoulders hunch, his hands clenching into fists. I knew he couldn't take it anymore.

"Enough!" he shouted, his voice was one of desperation. He looked at me, his eyes were full of tears, and he looked like he was about to collapse. "I can't take this anymore!"

His exhaustion hit me like a punch. I calmed down. My own fear and frustration were replaced by a feeling of empathy. He wasn't lying to hurt me, he was lying to protect himself.

I moved closer to him. My voice was soft, that of a boyfriend. "I'm sorry," I whispered. "I'm so sorry. I know you're tired."

We were in the middle of the room, and everyone's eyes were on us. I moved closer to Han and, on an impulse, gave him a kiss on the forehead. A kiss that was a sign of apology, a sign that i loved him. And we couldn't hide anything anymore.

I moved away from him, adjusting my voice so that it was normal. "I'm sorry, guys," I said, looking at the rest of the group. "I lost my temper. Please, keep eating."

They all went back to their seats, the atmosphere was still tense, but it was a relief. I sat down, looking at my plate, and I saw Y/N's eyes move in my direction. We looked at each other, and I realized.

Our game wasn't over. Our power struggle hadn't ended. Even with all the worry, with all the fear, the competition between us was still there. And we just had to wait to see who would be the next one to make the first move.

[𝐉𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧'𝐬 𝐏.𝐎.𝐕]

The meal ended in silence. The tension that had been momentarily dissipated by Chan's kiss on Han's forehead returned with full force. No one seemed to have an appetite for anything else. One by one, everyone got up and scattered throughout the house, trying to find a distraction from the weight in the air. Y/N went to her room, Felix went to pack, and the others got lost in their own thoughts.

I cleared my plate and walked away from the table, my head full of questions. Why were Han and Lee Know lying about their fight, and why was Y/N involved? I felt small and powerless, like a child who couldn't understand the adult world.

I knew who could give me a different perspective. Seungmin. He was the only one who could be as observant as me, but with a sense of calm that I didn't have. I found him in the living room, sitting on the couch, with his eyes closed and headphones on.

I sat down next to him. He looked at me, and I knew he was feeling the same thing. He took off his headphones and looked at me.

"What are you thinking?" I asked, my voice soft.

He sighed. "I don't know, Jeongin. I just... I can't understand. Why can't they tell us the truth? Why do we have to guess?"

I nodded. "I feel the same way. We're in the dark. We're worried about them. About Y/N. And they just... hide things."

"They aren't hiding to hurt us," he said, his voice calm. "They're hiding to protect us. They think we're too young. But we aren't. We've already grown up."

I felt relieved. It was good to know that I wasn't the only one who felt that way.

"What can we do?" I asked. "We can't just sit here, waiting for them to tell us the truth. We have to do something."

Seungmin looked at me. He had a plan. I knew he had a plan. His voice was that of a leader. "I also feel like it's not just a fight. I think it's because of that stalker. She's already caused so many problems. I don't know what they're doing, but I know it's nothing good. We can't leave them alone in this. If Y/N can't quit this job, and if she's involved in something dangerous, we have to be there to help her. We can't let her get hurt. We can't let our hyungs get hurt."

Jeongin's heart pounded faster. Seungmin was right. We had to do something. We couldn't just stand by, waiting. We had to help.

The air in the house was still heavy, even after everyone had gone to their rooms. Seungmin and I stayed in the living room, sitting on the floor, with our laptops open. I felt a mix of fear and adrenaline. We couldn't stay still, not now that we knew something deeper was going on.

"First, no touching her stuff," Seungmin said, as if he were reading my mind. "We don't know what happened between her and Lee Know or Han, but we can't invade her privacy. It's not right."

I nodded, relieved that I wasn't the only one to think that way. "So what do we do?"

"We start with what we have," he replied, his fingers flying over the keyboard. "We know her full name, the name of the security consulting company she works for, and we can try to find something about her online."

We spent the next hour navigating the internet. We started with simple searches, looking for news about her company. Nothing much, just articles about digital security and market analysis. It seemed too normal, which made me even more suspicious.

I started searching her name. In a deeper search, on an old forum, I found a post that mentioned a major security scandal at a luxury hotel a few years ago. The post wasn't about her, but it mentioned a "security consultant" from her company that was at the location. The description, though vague, seemed to fit Y/N. And the word "incident" seemed to be a euphemism.

"Seungmin, look at this," I whispered, pointing to the screen. He leaned in, and his eyes widened. "Incident? What does that mean?"

A local newspaper article, attached to the post, described the event as an "attempted attack and security breach" that resulted in injuries to some of those involved. There were no names, but the date coincided with a time when Y/N ​​said she once suffered hard bruise on her arm from a fall.

My heart started pounding faster. She wasn't a normal security consultant. She was in the field, in dangerous situations, and she was getting hurt.

"She doesn't just work with security," Seungmin mumbled, his eyes full of shock. "She's in the field. On missions."

We felt scared. The mystery we thought we were solving had become even bigger and more dangerous. We weren't just dealing with Y/N's secret... we were dealing with her entire life. And we didn't know what to do.

It was then that I remembered something. Y/N had always been very protective of her sisters, and our leader always told us not to meddle in her personal things. And we knew she talked to them frequently, but the calls were always short. Y/N always said her sisters were also in "security," but she never gave any more details.

"Wait," I said, my voice was lower now. "What about her sisters? She said they're also in security. And if... and if they're also on missions? What if they're with the same company? What if they're also in danger?"

Seungmin looked at me, his eyes full of a new fear. He was thinking the same thing as me. The chances of three sisters working for the same security company, and us discovering that it's more than just an office job... the chances were low. But we knew it couldn't be a coincidence.

"So it's not just Y/N," Seungmin said, his whisper was of panic. "It's her whole family. They're all in danger. And we... we don't know anything. We can't help them."

It was then that the living room door opened slowly.

It was Han.

His face was pale and tired, and his eyes, usually full of life, were lost. He looked at us, and I noticed the exhaustion on his face. He approached, hesitant, and sat on the floor, next to Seungmin.

"Can I... can I sleep with you tonight, Jeongin?" he asked, his voice a whisper. "I'm not feeling well."

I looked at Han, my heart tightened. I knew he was scared of something, and my confusion was replaced by compassion. I nodded, and he smiled, a small smile, but full of gratitude.

"Of course, hyung," I said, my voice soft. "Always."

He looked at the screen of my laptop and Seungmin's, his eyes moved in our direction. "What were you two talking about? It looks serious."

My heart stopped. I looked at Seungmin, and his face was white. We couldn't lie. We couldn't hide.

"We found something," Seungmin said, his voice tense. "We researched Y/N's other job."

Han stopped breathing. His body went tense, and his eyes were wide with shock. He looked at us, not understanding. He was scared.

"What... what do you know?" he whispered, his voice trembling.

I moved closer to him, my voice soft. "We found out that she doesn't just work in an office. She's in the field. On dangerous missions. And we know that she got hurt on one of them. And we're scared, Han. We're going on tour with her, and what if the danger comes with her?"

Han's face went pale, and he hunched over. He covered his face with his hands, and his body began to tremble. His panic was palpable, and he was sobbing, unable to speak. I looked at Seungmin, and he looked back at me. Han was broken.

I moved closer, and Seungmin did the same. We hugged him, and I could feel his body trembling against mine. He was scared.

"Han, please, calm down," I whispered. "I don't know what's going on with you, but whatever it is, we're here to help you. We're not going to leave you alone. Whatever is happening, you can tell us."

He cried for several minutes, his sobs were loud and painful. Seungmin and I hugged him and held him, waiting for him to calm down. And little by little, he stopped crying.

He pulled away, his face was red and swollen. He looked at us, his eyes full of shame. "I can't hold it in anymore," he whispered, his voice weak. "I'm falling apart because of... my feelings for Y/N."

Seungmin looked at us and gave a small nod, a quiet sign that it was okay to leave. I got up, and Han followed me. We walked down the hallway to his room, and I sat on the bed. He lay down, and I lay down next to him. I ran my hand through his hair, his hair was soft and his skin was warm. My heart calmed down a little. Han hunched over, and I could feel his body trembling against mine. I didn't pressure him. I just stayed there, stroking his hair, my heart aching, but I knew I had to be strong. I had to be there for him.

After a few minutes of silence, I felt that his breathing was calmer. His body was still tense, but he wasn't crying. I took the opportunity.

"You know, hyung," I began, my voice was soft. "I remember when Seungmin tried to make a TikTok video, but he kept falling. He looked like a puppy trying to walk on ice."

I heard him let out a weak laugh. The sound was like a balm to my heart.

"And Changbin," I continued, my voice was more animated. "Once, he was singing in the shower, and his voice sounded like a duck. I swear, I've never heard anything like it in my life."

Han moved a little, and I felt that he was smiling. He snuggled closer, and I continued. I talked about his favorite food, about our last trip, about our first tour. I talked about anything that could distract him, and he laughed.

I knew our problem hadn't been solved, but for a few minutes, the fear was gone.

Han calmed down, and I knew he was feeling better. Our fear was still there, but for a few minutes, we could only smile.

It was then that Han looked at me, his eyes full of sadness. "What I'm about to tell you," he whispered, his voice a whisper. "Is why I was so upset today. I... I almost kissed Y/N yesterday. We were in a kind of storage room in the apartment, pressed close against the wall, when it almost happened."

My body tensed. The air left my lungs. My mind felt blank. The mystery we were investigating had become even more dangerous and personal. My heart pounded. And I knew that our lives would never be the same.

Chapter Text

[𝐒𝐞𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐦𝐢𝐧’𝐬 𝐏.𝐎.𝐕]

The mood was strange once again, but this time I felt that the atmosphere would only improve if someone were truly sincere. It was obvious that Han, Lee Know, and Y/N were hiding something. First, it was very strange to see Han and Lee Know like that. The fact that Han had asked to sleep with one of us and not with Minho left me a little unsettled, but not to the point of distracting me from what I was doing. I was alone now. After Jeongin took Han to the room, no one else showed up, which was a positive thing.

My fingers kept searching for any possible traces of Y/N on the internet. Aside from the incident, which, as Jeongin remembered, coincided with the date from a week ago when she had commented on something similar, but apparently, not that similar after all. Unfortunately, even after several minutes, I couldn't find any more evidence, not of Y/N, nor of any of her sisters. I remember their names, they were… ah, yes: Helena, the one who drugged us; then came one named Catalina; the other was called Dinah; and finally, the one called Harley. This last one had already appeared at our old house, but we hadn't been able to meet her in person.

“If you're done researching my life on the internet, you can just ask me, Seungmin.”

My whole body tensed quickly. For a minute, I closed my eyes, wishing that Y/N's voice was just a nervous voice from my subconscious, but when I opened my eyes, I realized no, in fact, it was real.

I even tried to control my voice, but it failed completely. "Y/N," she remained looking at me, waiting. I had no excuse. "Damn it, I'm not going to pretend I'm crazy, I was really looking up stuff about you," I hadn't realized I was sitting until I stood up. "And I found out. You're not just a common bodyguard, you're one of those who do dangerous missions. Have you thought about what if someone kills you? And your sisters?"

However, Y/N seemed totally uninterested in this, almost as if she had already watched this scene in some movie. I thought she was going to invent something new, but she surprised me. "Congratulations to you," the claps she gave, with a blank look on her face, were going to haunt my sleep tonight. "You discovered a part of my life, Seungmin. Do you want me to call the rest of the guys so you can give them this splendid news?"

Her indifference was starting to irritate me. I was worried about her, we were worried about her, and she was acting like this? "Deep down," now I tried to put indifference in my tone. "I know you care a lot more about me discovering this."

"No," she walked to the balcony window, isolating herself. I knew the feeling. "I don't care, I'm serious. Deep down, I knew this incident information was on the internet. You were the one who found it, but it could have been any of the guys."

I controlled myself as much as possible not to follow her and approach. This was strange, we were attracted to her as if we were magnetic. The rest couldn't hide it anymore. In fact, I think it was just Changbin and me left in the division of the still somewhat intact, but we weren't immune. "Jeongin was looking with me, oh, and Han also found out. For now, it's just the three of us," I thought a little before continuing. "Han asked to sleep with Jeongin today, did you know?" Her silence made it clear. "Well, now you know, there's no..."

"Seungmin, stop beating around the bush. If you want to accuse me of being the reason for the fight between Han and Lee Know, you can accuse me," she still remained on the balcony, but now turned to face me. We stayed like that, staring at each other, until she let out a laugh. "You're a very tame little puppy," my wide eyes must not have been a deterrent for her. "Seungmin," I started to get tense once again when she started to approach me, but it wasn't a negative tension. She called me a tame little puppy? It was only when she was finally eye-to-eye with me that she finished: "I'm already having to deal with the big dogs, more precisely one, a wolf," Chan. "Are you done with your investigation?"

I couldn't contain the euphoria that arose in my body. I know I have a reputation for being the most playful one for a portion of the fans, but I didn't want that to be the view of the person who was supposed to be my bodyguard. "I'm not a tame little puppy, Y/N," her eyes widened, surprised by my retort. "Don't confuse my desire for a little peace with being tame. I can very well say all the things I've already imagined in your presence, or with you being the main cause of them."

I probably shouldn't have said that. They weren't lies and I wasn't bluffing, and deep down Y/N herself knew it, because her breathing became more tense. "And what imaginations would those be?" Wow, how good she was at feigning indifference after a clear lapse of emotion and reaction. I could take some lessons from her. I was about to list some of them when Felix materialized in the room.

"Hey Y/N, I heard your voice from my room, the car is already arriving, I think it's better..." My boyfriend's expression quickly cooled when he noticed how close we were, and, surprisingly, neither of us moved. I was still able to hear Y/N's breathing, now more tranquil. 𝘐𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘍𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘹'𝘴 "𝘣𝘶𝘴𝘵" 𝘰𝘯 𝘶𝘴 𝘵𝘸𝘰 𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘯'𝘵 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘻𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳. 𝘉𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦, 𝘪𝘵 𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦. "Am I interrupting something?" Despite my boyfriend's measured question, I knew deep down he was on the verge of freaking out.

"No," only then did I start to distance myself a little from in front of Y/N. "You're not interrupting anything important." In fact, the tension was so sudden between Y/N and me that it didn't give me a chance to realize that, in fact, she was all dressed up for this trip to London. She traveled back and forth to Jeju today and was already boarding another one. I could say she was strong, but then I remembered that soon it would be all of us again. This made me remember the new fear about what dangers she could bring to the tour, but deep down, I didn't think it would be that much either.

Y/N also straightened up, walking to Felix, with a closed and highly professional expression. Anyone looking from the outside wouldn't imagine that we were all in a kind of cold war over her presence. "Don't you think you should say a proper goodbye to your boyfriends?" I didn't understand the reason, but the question made Felix and me freeze. The atmosphere was so strange that these details were forgotten. Not that we forgot we had a polyamorous relationship, of course not, we've been in this story for years, but it's that the center of things lately has become her, the woman in front of us, whether she wanted it or not.

Felix cleared his throat, a little awkward suddenly. "Oh, of course, true!" The two of us were alone once again, watching him go towards the rooms. It would be difficult not to have an audience now. Just a few seconds after Felix left, Jeongin returned and he froze immediately when he noticed Y/N's presence, his expression becoming stoic right after. What was most surprising was that he went straight to the kitchen, without saying a word to Y/N. Despite trying to pretend otherwise, I could see that this affected her, after all, Jeongin had always been the most attached to her. Was this because of the search? But it didn't make much sense, I didn't feel him very distant before he left with Han. Wait, unless...

"I've been a high-level bodyguard since the beginning of my career," my thought was cast aside by her monotonous voice. Right, she was revealing life facts, that was interesting. "I've been through near-death moments in various situations, as have my sisters," she noticed my held breath and let out a contained laugh. "Yes, all of us are like this, all of us work together for the same man. What happens, Seungmin, is that none of my previous employers gave a damn about their bodyguard's personal life, after all, deep down, I was an employee like everyone else," she looked at me, but I remained silent, which she must have thought was good, because she continued: "This incident happened years ago, it shouldn't have happened. In fact, you, Jeongin, and Han are the first ones to care about this news." With the mention of his name, Han appeared once again, his eyes red. Damn, he was crying. Y/N also noticed because her whole body became tense, but still, she didn't go to him.

I tried to say something comforting, but the sound of approaching footsteps silenced me. Felix, Minho, Chan, Hyunjin, and Changbin were now returning to the living room. Now would definitely be the time to say goodbye and wish Felix and Y/N a good trip. I kept thinking if this wouldn't be better, looking at it this way, maybe four days away from her would be beneficial for us to breathe a little better, maybe. It was Chan who spoke first, his voice firm, as always. "Well, these two are going to London," he pointed to Felix and Y/N, an unnecessary movement since we all already knew that. "Four days away, they'll need to go to the airport now. Whoever wants to say anything... better hurry."

It was Hyunjin who spoke first, his voice a bit hoarse and tired. "Have a good trip, you two. When you arrive, let us know quickly, please." I think that was the most appropriate thing to say. In fact, it was obvious that we wanted to explode and say a few more things, but in the end, everyone controlled themselves. After that, some predictable and generic good wishes for the trip and small talk were said, and when we least expected it, they were already leaving.

Felix took the opportunity to hold Y/N's hand, the gesture quickly attracting all our eyes, but the blonde was completely oblivious. "We have to leave now, Y/N. Guys, I'll let you know about everything when I arrive and of course, keep up with everything there." He only let go of Y/N's hand to give a quick kiss on our lips. When it was my turn, the feeling was not to let these two escape. Yes, I know I had just said that maybe it would be good to have Y/N away; hypocrisy was at an all-time high and I was its biggest enthusiast at the moment.

After a few minutes, we watched the two figures disappear behind the door. The feeling was strange. The absence was soon noticed, but it wasn't uncommon; all of us had solo schedules, and especially Felix, since he was the most requested by big brands. I noticed a quick glance exchanged between Han and Lee Know, but I didn't push anything, they wouldn't talk anyway. Changbin was the first to speak after a while.

"Okay, I think we can go back to thinking about work again. Han and Chan, let's meet up again and discuss some things, I have some things to talk about." Yes, thinking about work was the safest alternative at the moment.

However, Lee Know had other plans.

"Wait," his voice, although audible, had a tone of nervousness; all of us were looking at him, waiting. "I need to tell you something important." I had a bad feeling all of a sudden, and it only got worse when I saw Minho shoot another quick glance at Han, who must have understood something because my boyfriend's eyes widened, subtly shaking his head at the older one. But I wasn't the only one, obviously, Chan was always analyzing our reactions all the time, this one wouldn't get past him either.

Our leader's voice was incredibly controlled, a little different from earlier, but the tension was still there. "Minho, whatever it is, say it now." I knew it was going to be bad, deep down I knew it would be, especially because Han started to bend over, as if he was already feeling an impending pain. But that didn't stop Minho, and it was worse than I imagined.

"I kissed Y/N, yesterday when she came to talk to me in my room, I kissed her on the mouth. Han saw it, and since then, we've been like this because of it." He finished speaking, still maintaining a friendly tone, as if he hadn't just dropped one of the biggest possible bombshells in the room. The reactions were immediate. Predictably, Han was the first to throw himself on the couch, putting his hand on his head and wanting to disappear. Changbin and Hyunjin were silent and frozen, so much so that I even started to question if they had heard correctly, but I soon got confirmation when Hyunjin closed his eyes and calmly walked to a kitchen chair. The nervousness was more apparent in Jeongin and Bang Chan, so much so that deep down, all of us were waiting for their reactions. And I didn't know what was worse: Jisung's melancholy reaction or I.N and Chan's passive-aggressive one. As for me, I was so nervous about the chaos that was about to happen that I didn't even know what to think. Y/N and Minho kissed... on the mouth... but Minho is our boyfriend, this should have been communicated earlier and especially remembering Chan's request.

The tension in the room increased when we heard a laugh suddenly emerge, from Bang Chan. Lee Know still couldn't look at any of us, but he was incredibly not in a nervous position now. "You know what?" Chan kept laughing, but his dark eyes showed that deep down, the laughs were not for fun, far from it. "I also almost kissed her in my room the other day, but I held myself back a lot so that wouldn't happen. Besides, I've been punishing myself so much for it, when it didn't even happen. Once again, me, trying to find everyone's well-being. Turns out it didn't help, right?" This would be one of those nights, without a doubt. All of us were still silent, no one daring to interrupt Chan now. "I don't know why I'm laughing, this isn't even funny, or is it? Can someone tell me if we should find it funny how a woman who just came in with the mission of being the substitute for our old bodyguard, became this?"

There was no humor in it, really, it was crazy to think about it now. What was so special about Y/N? Suddenly, exhaustion started to reach me. A quick glance at the clock showed that it was already 11 p.m. I thought about saying it would be better for us to go to sleep, but I held back. Sleeping should be the last thing everyone here wanted to do now. "Okay, now things have changed for good, right? We introduced another person into our consolidated relationship, and not just any person, our bodyguard. Do you have any idea what a scandal that would be?" I didn't say that to scare, not exactly, but it was good for everyone to lay their cards on the table now.

"It won't be a scandal because people will continue to not know anything," Hyunjin retorted, looking a few times at Lee Know before looking away to the floor again. "I also think it's wrong to crucify Minho for this. No one else can deny that we are completely involved with Y/N, or is someone going to tell me that if she resigned, everyone would celebrate happily?" Of course we wouldn't, just thinking about it made my body feel strange, there would be no way.

"Y/N doesn't just do common security for artists, she also does security on special missions; in some of them, she must get hurt," I sighed while at the same time the rest of the guys were shocked, well, except for Han. "A few hours ago, Seungmin and I tried to find information about her on the internet. We found information about a work incident from years ago, it involved her. The article gave the impression that most came out of the situation injured." After I.N finished speaking, everyone immediately looked in my direction, the internal pressure resurfacing.

Luckily for them, I didn't take long to feed their curiosity. "It's true, and another thing: Y/N really confirmed it, she is one of those special bodyguards. In fact, all of them are," the slight look of confusion on their faces made me quickly clarify. "Her sisters, it's practically confirmed that they all work for the same person. That's why the blonde sister, Helena, knew so well how to stitch another person's body and the precision with which she handled the rest of the situation before that."

Han, now calmer, pointed out. "Should we tell all this to Felix?" The 'No' in unison that followed was enough, they had just left on a professional trip, it wouldn't be prudent. It was a good thing that everyone agreed, Felix was one of the most attached to her so far, along with Jeongin... speaking of the Maknae, he was handling the whole situation so well, so obviously I wasn't trusting that posture too much; just because I was thinking about him now, Jeongin looked at me, however, he quickly looked away, he wasn't looking directly at anyone.

"Isn't anyone going to give me the silent treatment? Punish me?" We froze at Lee Know's monotonous questioning; we all stared at each other before focusing on Bang Chan.

"No, no one is going to punish you for anything, Lee Know. After all, as Hyunjin himself said, it wouldn't be fair; seeing everything that has happened so far. But one thing is for sure, no one says a word about this to Felix before he returns from this solo project, understood?" He didn't need to say it twice, we all nodded our heads, agreeing.

"Wait, this kiss between you two," Hyunjin stood up, looking at Lee Know. "Did it happen while all of us were here playing League of Legends?" Oh, hell, if this was Y/N's plan to kiss our boyfriend without interruption, things would get even more tense. All the guys, except for Chan, suddenly went on high alert. Since Chan wasn't with us during the games, he wasn't feeling the imminent tension this time.

However, Lee Know intervened in Y/N's favor, his eyes narrowing. "Damn, of course not! That makes it sound like she went to my room to kiss me, but that's not what happened," he shook his head slightly, exhaustion also reached him. "Han also almost kissed Y/N, I saw it and left without saying anything, that was when I went to call them when Chan asked because he wanted to tell us about that containment measure. Han took my silence as anger, and Y/N went to my room to try to undo any misunderstanding she thought she had caused; after that, things escalated and that's when we kissed." Clearly, Han didn't expect to be put back in the middle of the fire, since he became desperate again. However, Chan already noticed, calming him down.

"Jisung, stop acting like that. No one here is going to jump on you, I already said no one is going to suffer retaliation for anything; after all, it would be hypocrisy even on my part..." he was finishing speaking when we heard the door lock being opened. What? Did Felix and Y/N forget something? But the person who appeared on the other side of the door when it opened wasn't either of them. The guys and I were all shocked, when we realized that, in fact, it was a blonde woman with pink streaks and... she was bleeding. The woman was also visibly surprised to see us.

"Where's my sister? Where's Y/N?" Those were her last words before she passed out at the apartment entrance, and thus despair took over the room like a time bomb. Changbin and Jeongin were the first to reach her, being careful not to hurt her even more. When it was my turn to get closer, I saw it; she had a medium-sized tattoo with a name near her collarbone.

Harley.

[𝐘/𝐍'𝐬 𝐏.𝐎.𝐕]

Ever since I stepped out of the apartment, a strange feeling began to enter my body. I looked at the man beside me once more, which must have been the twentieth time. We weren't alone; as a precaution, Louis Vuitton had sent some last-minute agents to accompany us. It's just that I wasn't exactly worried about Felix. Yes, I would still keep an eye on him these four days without blinking, but I don't know... the tightness in my chest was something different. He clearly noticed, when we got in the car, it was the first thing Felix asked.

"Are you okay?" The concern was evident in his voice, and I must have been very soft emotionally, because it made me want to cry, what the hell was that. "Y/N," he held my face with both hands, forgetting we weren't alone. "You can tell me anything, you know, right?" Anything, no, definitely not anything.

I cleared my throat, a little awkward all of a sudden. "Just standard worries, it must be just nonsense, I'm fine. Let's continue the trip and everything will be okay." He clearly didn't swallow my answer, but he also didn't pressure me anymore. The car we were in spent about 30 minutes in traffic, at that moment I took the opportunity to read some emails from the company, however, there were only the standard ones, nothing urgent. Felix also took the opportunity to look at some personal things on his phone, so I continued to mess with mine, my hands clicking on Jonas's message.

𝐘/𝐍: Why haven't you told me anything else since then?

𝐘/𝐍: Jonas, if you're hiding something from me, I'm going to kill you.

𝐘/𝐍: Jonas!

He didn't reply, and that only increased my nervousness. Jonas never took more than a minute to reply to me normally. Something was wrong, I knew my intuition, I always trusted it. I hadn't realized my leg had started to tremble before a hand landed on top of it. Felix looked at me the same way, the concern starting to mirror mine, but for different reasons. "Felix, focus on your work. I'm fine." I didn't speak rudely, but objectively, and after that, he didn't try any more approaches with me in the car, although I could still feel his anguish radiating.

Wait, the tracking chip! I always forgot about this chip, and that Jonas also had one inside him just like my sisters and I. I opened the app on my phone and typed his code in the bar and waited, it turned out that something had to be wrong; Jonas's location was pointing to the guys' old apartment complex for about three hours without leaving. What the hell was this? There wasn't that much there for him to spend three consecutive hours inside. Holy crap. I tried calling him directly, but the call only went to voicemail, until the driver said we had arrived at the airport. Ah.

"We'll have to go through the airport, Y/N, I hope you don't mind unexpected crowds. Despite it being almost 1 a.m., you never know?" Felix's voice was now slightly animated, but I couldn't grasp anything at the moment with my heart pounding, trying to understand why my best friend's location was stopped without new updates at their old apartment complex. However, I managed to disguise it well and was soon getting out of the vehicle door, and I could already see some photographers ready. The news of the Louis Vuitton show had already been released on the internet and everyone knew that Felix was one of the ambassadors, classic.

The uncontrolled flashes started immediately when the blonde hair appeared outside too, in addition to all the fans' shouting. I quickly positioned myself near Felix and we started to walk fast, the brand's agents equally behind us. However, obviously, the crowd surrounded us quickly. I could distinguish some comments and shouts. "Felix, you're so handsome!" This compliment received a subtle thank you from him; "Felix, are you going to dye your hair?"; "Felix, is this your new bodyguard?" This comment attracted my attention, obviously, because the new bodyguard was me, but I obviously didn't answer, it wasn't the recommended posture. After what seemed like an agonizing eternity, we went through check-in and were soon heading to the plane. That's when my phone buzzed.

𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐝:
𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐞𝐲.
𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬: 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐗𝐗, 𝐧𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟕. 𝐒𝐞𝐨𝐮𝐥 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐲.
𝐂𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬: 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐗𝐗, 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭, 𝐧𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟏. 𝐒𝐞𝐨𝐮𝐥 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐲.

My whole body petrified, immediately attracting Felix's attention, who called my name a few times, but all my attention was focused on the new information I received. My sister was at the guys' old apartment complex and she was now at my apartment, at the apartment where the rest of the guys were, and I wasn't home. Of course Felix would also show concern about this, the plane was already ready for takeoff and part of the show's team too; before he even had the opportunity to ask anything, I put the phone in my pocket and resumed walking, quickly hiding any nervous signs that might be on my face. Once again, I felt Felix wanting to really know what was happening to me, but he also let it go, maybe because it wasn't just him and me there.

From the moment we got on the plane, the blonde's attention was totally attracted to everyone on the show's team, starting to discuss various technical details about the event. Despite him listening and agreeing with the things being said, I could feel Felix's eyes landing in my direction several times, we were now sitting a little further away from each other than we were in the car. It's just that my head was now a whirlwind, this shouldn't be happening, I looked at the phone once more and again no update from Jonas and Harley really was at this exact moment in my apartment, along with the guys.

"This bodyguard of yours, is she going to be with you the whole time?" The voice of a short-haired Korean woman with red hair resonated in the air. What a stupid question was that? Of course I was going to be with my client the whole time, even if I stayed further away, I would still be watching him. Even Felix was a little confused, but gentle and kind as he was, he just replied politely.

"Yes, she is, in fact it was one of the first requirements in her contract," he looked at me, softly clearing his throat. "And also, because I want her to be."

Ah. Wow, the way he said it, it sounded like he had organized everything just with my presence, anyway, it didn't matter now; at least the slow woman understood and they soon went back to talking about other important details. At no point was I pulled into any topic, which deep down I was grateful for, because the way I was tense, I would say things that could get me in trouble. I looked out the window and wow, I always forgot how beautiful it was to travel at night. A quick glance at my watch confirmed that it was exactly two in the morning, I was quiet in silence just observing the cities below at the moment my phone buzzed again, I slid through the notifications like crazy, until I saw that it was from the tracking app.

And yes, I knew I shouldn't be with the internet on while the plane was flying, but my professionalism was in a strong clash with my worry.

𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐝:
𝐉𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐬.
𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬: 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐗𝐗, 𝐧𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟕. 𝐒𝐞𝐨𝐮𝐥 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐲.
𝐂𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬: 𝟐𝟒-𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲 𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥, 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐗𝐗, 𝐧𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟑𝟒. 𝐒𝐞𝐨𝐮𝐥 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐲.

Okay, if I panicked, it would definitely be worse; I was still feeling Felix's curious glances at me, but I decided to ignore all that for now. For a moment I thought about calling my other sisters, however, before I actually did that, a message from an unknown number appeared.

𝐔𝐧𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐧𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫: Hello. I apologize for the inconvenient time of the message, it turns out that a man just checked into the emergency room here, he was bleeding a lot from what looked like stab wounds. We are contacting you because your phone number was the only thing he was able to say before passing out, the current situation is that he is already in the operating room, please do not ignore this message if you have knowledge of anything, and if this is a mistake, I apologize as well.

My God.

I wasn't able to form coherent thoughts properly.

I stood up abruptly and that ended up startling the people around me, who now looked at me confused, but I didn't have time or disposition for that. "I need to go to the bathroom, excuse me." I didn't leave room for intrusive questions and was soon running to the restroom, grabbing the phone again as soon as I locked the door.

𝐘/𝐍: Hello. I think I recognize the situation, could you just confirm this man's name for me first?

𝐔𝐧𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐧𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫: Thank you for responding! I can, his identity is with us. His name is Jonas Sihawong-Bunrot, he is a Thai citizen.

The world outside spun in my mind, suddenly, I felt a huge hole open at my feet, dragging me to an unprecedented hell. I tried to control my body and prevent it from starting to tremble, control yourself Y/N; but I couldn't, someone seriously attacked my best friend with a knife to the point of him needing to go to surgery and he was at the old apartment complex, just like my sister, but now she was in my apartment and I didn't know what her state was, damn it! In the midst of so much agony, I forgot to try her phone, although she didn't always answer, at least I could try. The situation passed through my mind like a bomb: the two were together at the apartment complex, but I asked Jonas to just go get the guys' things, so it meant that he called Harley or she appeared there because she thought I was still there. It turns out that something went very wrong and now my friend was on an operating table and my sister hadn't said anything to me and was with the guys.

𝐘/𝐍: I know this man, unfortunately, I am traveling now and cannot personally go to help him, but, I have three other close sisters and they should be available, he also knows them. Can I give you their numbers? It will be more useful and easy, please.

𝐔𝐧𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐧𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫: I understand, for security reasons. First, tell me how old this man is. Then, send me the alternative help contacts.

𝐘/𝐍: Jonas is 28 years old.

𝐘/𝐍: The names of my sisters are Helena, Catalina, and Dinah – their respective numbers are; XXXXXXX. XXXXXXX. XXXXXXX. Please, keep me informed of any updates anyway.

𝐔𝐧𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐧𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫: Noted, I will let you know of any new updates.

I lowered my phone with my chest hurting, it had been years since I felt this, a feeling like I was going to die and the air slowly leaving my body. I was having an anxiety attack, of course, when I least realized it, I started to lower myself to the floor; starting to tremble uncontrollably. Damn! Years of controlling these nervous reactions with various trainings, including even shocks, for everything to shatter in a single night while I was on a plane going to London. I don't know how long I was like this, the real world hitting my head again when I heard a timid knock on the door.

"Y/N? Please Y/N, talk to me. Something is happening to you, don't keep me in the dark, I beg you. If you're honest with me, maybe I can help you in some way, but only if you tell me, open the door."

Felix.

It must have been his worried and low tone or the fact that I was, really, going to rock bottom once again; because it was enough for me to get up and unlock the door. I was face to face with the blonde, his eyes widened when he noticed my state, his hands once again going to my face, the movement already becoming automatic. "Y/N?? Why were you crying??" Felix asked while at the same time his hands left my face, just to hug me tight, the necessary comfort. "Please, tell me what's happening," I felt him kiss my head. "Please, love."

Love. He called me love, did he realize?

I managed to stabilize my voice. "I will talk, but I wouldn't like to talk here now, can we wait until we get to the hotel?" I still held his embrace on me. "For now, just keep hugging me like this, at least until we have to leave."

He accepted my condition, giving me one last kiss on the head before we separated. "Okay, as long as you count on me, I can wait for a more comfortable place for you. Can we go back now? You can stay closer to me if you want." What a cute and kind man, it's hard to find that type in the world still.

"Okay," I replied, quickly wiping my face and drying any tears that remained. "Let's go back." He opened a satisfied smile. We were approaching the seats again when, with great reluctance, I picked up my phone again and put it on airplane mode. Right after we both returned, the team was organizing other things, which gave Felix more pretext to drag me to the seat next to him, but just a few seconds later, they were asking him more logistical things. Yeah, poor guy, if he wanted to talk to me it would only be in private.

After a few hours, we finally managed to land at London airport. It was already dawning, so it was obvious that several people would be constantly passing by. The teams were the first to get off, grabbing all the necessary bags they would need. I followed right after, and last, Felix got off. My whole body went into alert mode when I felt his hands hold mine – which I quickly undid. He looked at me in a confused way, until the realization hit him: we were no longer in our own space. If someone saw us like this, the consequences would be disastrous, for both sides.

"Stay by my side, don't walk fast without me being close to you, understood?" Despite the evident order, my voice was not at all authoritarian, which was a shame; I was still clearly destabilized by everything that had happened while we were flying, in fact, I couldn't wait to get to this hotel and clear up all the doubts and conclusions of what really happened. I didn't think about death, Jonas wasn't going to die, he knew very well that if he died, I would follow him just to drag him back.

Felix's voice took me out of the reverie, startling me slightly because of the deep voice. "Understood, ma'am. I won't disobey anything." Too funny. We didn't waste any more time and, just a few minutes later, we were going through the airport doors, and it was obvious that there were already fans.

"Felix! What outfit are you going to model?"
"Hey Felix, excited for Stray Kids' comeback?"
"Are you going to do something to your hair again?"
"Felix, can your back handle the rest of the tour?"
"Marry me, Felix!!"

Fortunately, the airport's own security guards also helped a little with the mess, although I alone was also managing to maintain order. Felix really listened to me and didn't leave my side at any moment, in some cases, I even had to squeeze him closer to me, an action that some in the crowd didn't like very much, because I clearly heard someone calling me a bitch, ugh how annoying. Yes, I'm a bitch for doing my job, believe it. Apparently, Felix also heard the comment because his face turned, clearly looking for the person responsible for the aggression. I gently pinched his arm and he then started to walk fast, understanding my order not to respond to anything that would become negative for him, after all, I had already endured worse comments.

After several marriage proposals, questions about Stray Kids' next comeback and uncontrolled flashes from the paparazzi's cameras, we managed to get to the car to leave for the hotel. The moment Felix got into the vehicle, he let out a sigh, which put me on alert for some reason.

"What happened?" Now that we were off the radar, my hands checked him all over, my eyes also looking for anything wrong. "Did someone do something you didn't like out there?" It was only after a few seconds that I realized my voice was slightly deadly.

But he denied anything, smiling all of a sudden to calm me down. "No, you managed to divert me from any annoying attitude that had a chance of happening; thank you, Y/N." Ah, wow, seeing him this close always, how can someone be so handsome... I was almost entering another reverie when the realization that I, really am attracted to him hit me hard, making me move away slightly from him, but I still maintained contact, so that he wouldn't be hurt by anything.

We fell into a comfortable silence after that, a silence that was even a bit too much. It was only when I looked to the side that I realized Felix had fallen asleep, he slept looking like an angel, a celestial thing. It should be forbidden for someone to be so handsome. I took this opportunity to grab my phone and take it off airplane mode. For a moment I was afraid, but then I clicked to remove the option and soon the notifications exploded all at once.

𝟐𝟎 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐇𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐚
𝟏𝟎 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐃𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐡
𝟕 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐂𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐚

𝐔𝐧𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐧𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫: Hello again! We managed to contact all three numbers you indicated, all three said they are coming to the hospital. Mr. Sihawong-Bunrot is still in surgery.

𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐝:
𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐞𝐲.
𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬: 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐗𝐗, 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭, 𝐧𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟏. 𝐒𝐞𝐨𝐮𝐥 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐲
𝐂𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬: 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐗𝐗, 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐇𝐨𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥, 𝐧𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟑𝟎. 𝐒𝐞𝐨𝐮𝐥 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐲.

𝟒 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐇𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐚

𝐔𝐧𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐧𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫: Your sisters are already here, just in case, I will explain the situation better to them. Mr. Sihawong-Bunrot's surgery is over and he is now resting, he is out of danger, but still requires high care, thank you.

𝐇𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐚: Jonas was stabbed and I know he was doing something for you, you'd better start practicing your explanation when you have the chance to talk to us.

𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐝:
𝐇𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐚.
𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬: 𝟐𝟒-𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲 𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥, 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐗𝐗, 𝐧𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟑𝟒. 𝐒𝐞𝐨𝐮𝐥 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐲
𝐂𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬: 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐗𝐗, 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐇𝐨𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥, 𝐧𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟑𝟎. 𝐒𝐞𝐨𝐮𝐥 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐲

𝐂𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐚: Harley's location appeared at a private hospital, Helena went running there, we want to know everything that happened. Did you know anything?

After so much information was thrown at me at once, I only managed to breathe normally after a few minutes. I didn't even know where to start first, now my sisters were completely involved, something I didn't want to happen, but if I continued hiding things from them from now on, they would kill me. I decided to reason first, okay; Jonas went to the apartment complex to get the rest of the guys' things at my request, however, I couldn't understand why my sister also appeared there, one of the two would have to explain it to me, unfortunately, only later, since both were in hospitals. Someone attacked the two of them, but that was so hard to believe, especially seeing my sister, Harley always had incredible reflexes since she was little and would know how to identify any movement near her before it happened and Jonas, despite not having had the same training as us, also took hand-to-hand combat classes.

But suddenly, something came to my mind, it wasn't possible, that woman... the woman who was after the guys, damn it! Obviously, Jonas had already told me that someone had also entered the apartment complex, rage consumed me completely now, if that bitch had really attacked my best friend and my younger sister, the consequences for her would be disastrous. You know what? I think I was still being too patient and good with this ridiculous person, now it was on, I would have to change my strategy. I hoped that Jonas would recover soon and tell me everything.

The car stopped, indicating that we had arrived. I looked at the window and wow, the hotel looked very luxurious and beautiful. Feeling that we had stopped, Felix woke up and suddenly he was embarrassed. "Wow, sorry Y/N, I ended up dozing off." He didn't even have to apologize for that, he was still a human being, dozing off was normal.

"Felix, you don't need to apologize for being a normal human being." His smile was once again very cute, but I didn't dwell on it too much or I would be risking it. I got out first this time, looking on both sides and when I saw that there were no large crowds or anything, I opened the door again and pulled Felix into my arms, quickly escorting him to the hotel's check-in, the teams behind carrying the bags. The check-in lady obviously recognized him and I could see the heart eyes she had while doing her job. Felix also noticed and of course, polite as always, he gave a good morning with a quick nod before we left, until the lady called us again.

"Wait! Please, I think there's a mistake. There are only 3 rooms reserved, the first for Mr. Lee and the other two for the couples who came with him." What?

Felix's despair was visible, but I was now more worried about understanding the current situation. "I don't understand, I thought it was advised from the beginning of his private bodyguard's presence as well," The lady now looked at me nervously, poor thing, I needed to make sure it wasn't her fault. "I just want to understand what happened, I'm not blaming you at all." It worked, this calmed the woman and she was soon more relaxed to answer me.

"Ma'am, I don't know what happened either, I assure you that when the reservations were made, your name was not mentioned. I have two theories of what may have happened: the person who made the reservations forgot about you or the person didn't care about splitting another room." With the mention of the second theory, I noticed that Felix's eyes widened subtly, already giving me all the answers I needed. Okay, this was something I would resolve with him later.

I sighed while running my hand through my hair, which, by the way, was already long, past my shoulders. "Understood, don't worry, I will resolve this situation today." I replied at the same time that I quickly looked away to the blonde beside me, who turned his head, avoiding my gaze, very well. We checked in anyway, the lady gave me the digital key and then we were going up to the room, the team, which I now knew were two couples, did theirs, but we didn't stay to see. Now we were both in silence in the elevator, until he started to explain himself, his deep voice invading my consciousness.

"Listen, I didn't manipulate anything for you to accompany me, please don't think that. The room I asked for always comes with two beds, I found out before making the reservation, so that's why I didn't remind you or mention to anyone to reserve a separate room for you, and another thing Y/N," He turned, pressing me a little against the elevator wall. "You said you would always stay with me on this trip, you weren't lying, were you?" Why the hell did his voice drop so low? Oh my God, ah... he can't get too close to me like this.

I managed to get away from his pressing, but my breathing was already a little altered. "No, I didn't forget about that, I will indeed stay close to you, but this..." When I looked at him again, Felix was looking at me with a look of abandonment and I couldn't express anything else after that. "Ugh, fine!" Right after I said that, the elevator stopped and opened the doors and then we walked to the room and entered after I swiped the key – Wow, they really knew how to be luxurious, the room was huge and very comfortable, totally clean and full of paintings that were clearly original and expensive, however, what most caught my attention was not that, but a big detail in the middle of the room, something that Felix also noticed, judging by his confused expression.

I closed my eyes, counting from 1 to 10 before speaking, still trying to maintain my composure. "Felix, you said this room was known for having two separate beds, didn't you?" He looked at me, still confused and nodded in confirmation. "That's great, so can you explain to me why..." I walked to the huge comfortable mattress. "There's only one bed available here?" I barely finished speaking and Felix was already almost stuttering.

"Y/N!" He ran to the bed, sitting next to me. "Please, believe me, I would never deceive you like this and I would also never try to manipulate a situation at this level, I swear I thought there would be two beds here," He now threw himself on his back on the mattress, while covering his eyes, embarrassed. "Damn, look okay, I confess, I wanted you to stay with me in the same room, but I didn't think it would be in the same bed, I wanted you with me but both sleeping in different beds, seriously, believe me."

Of course I believed him, I had already known manipulative people throughout my life, I had even dated one; I just knew and felt that he was telling the truth, so I also lay on my back on the bed and held his hand.

"Relax, I believe you," His look of hope was so comical that I had to hold back from laughing. "But, I will need to find another room at the last minute, but don't worry, I will still be close to you." His smile, which came so easily, also left when he heard my words, he got up and created a significant distance.

His deep voice resonated through the room, I never thought I would see him show anger like this. "What do you mean? At this point, why look for a room? You can very well sleep here, would sharing a bed with me be so bad?" Wait a minute, I didn't even imply that, what's this misunderstanding.

"Felix, at no point did I say that. I just think it would be more professional and comfortable for you to have this alternative..." He interrupted me before I could finish.

"Me? Uncomfortable with you?" His expression was incredulous. "You can't be serious Y/N, since the first time you entered our lives, I competed with Jeongin for your attention, it was always the two of us so close to you! And now you think you're going to make me uncomfortable sleeping in the same room with me?"

Ugh, he was very persuasive, we were still at a significant distance. "Felix, in fact it wouldn't be just in the same room, it would be in the same bed! What if someone comes in? Do you know how disastrous that would be?" I saw that he wanted to interrupt me but I was ready. "And no, I'm not saying you're a pervert, but people aren't going to think of another alternative if they saw this scene, can't you understand that I'm trying to protect you from a career incident?" He understood, he just wanted to be stubborn, apparently.

"And you think I wouldn't leave the door locked?" Wow, was he only going to focus on that? I couldn't help but laugh this time, oh this trip was going to be crazy, first day and we were already like this. "Y/N, let's share the bed, please." We stayed looking at each other for what seemed like an eternity, he wouldn't back down and I had already lost since the beginning, because I chose to go up with him, even when I should have gone after another alternative, anyway.

I sighed, already a little tired from the trip and even more with everything that had happened in my personal life. "Okay, we'll share the bed. It's only for four days anyway, we won't die and everything will be fine." After I agreed, Felix literally flew on top of me, knocking us both down on the bed, the exaggerated and very intimate reaction, something he only realized later, but even so he didn't let go of me immediately. "Lix, you need to let me go and get your things ready, we already have to organize your schedule today."

The idea didn't please him much at first, but he knew it was necessary, after all, this was still a work trip. "Yeah, I know, I'll go take a shower and try on some clothes," He got up, going to the huge bathroom next door, but before that, he turned to me again – his face no longer had a trace of playfulness and his voice matched. "Oh, and don't think I forgot about what you said, that when we were in a comfortable place, you would tell me what had happened to you." Before I could reply, he entered the bathroom, preventing any reprimand I might give.

I was also thinking about organizing my things when my phone started ringing, the ringtone signaling an emergency. For a second I was afraid to see who it was, but I put that aside and then realized it was Dinah. As soon as I answered, I didn't even have the opportunity to say anything before she interrupted me.

"Jonas woke up, but he doesn't want to tell us anything concrete since apparently, even in near death, he's more loyal to you," I could feel the slight tone of jealousy in this statement, of me, of course. "What happens, my sister, is that if you didn't want to tell us the fun things about this job of yours, you lost all your chances now; Helena was trying to get a transfer for Harley to a home hospital, but she has already returned and we are all three here just waiting for you to tell the truth, so I think you'd better start."

I felt all hope evaporate from my body, because really, this time there would be no way for me not to tell them what was happening, I sighed before moving away from the bathroom, so that Felix wouldn't hear anything yet. "It's not exactly about me, the guys have a crazy stalker, Jonas and I are trying to find her." I must have spent less than 6 minutes explaining everything, enough time for Felix not to have finished his shower and to have been able to hear all the reprimands, swear words, and insults from my sisters, ugh, I wanted this trip to London to be able to distract me in some way.

But it wouldn't be possible, because every hour I was reminded of reality, this time by a new message, I just didn't freak out because I knew it was out of pure concern.

𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧: Hi Y/N, have you arrived in London? Did everything go well?

𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧: And... and your sister? Has she gotten better?

[𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧'𝐬 𝐏.𝐎.𝐕]

The last few hours have been tense… if I have to resort to euphemism, you see, none of us, under any circumstances, were expecting to finish the discussion about Lee Know's kiss with Y/N and the mutual attraction of all of us with a chaotic rush to help her SISTER BLEEDING to the hospital. I wasn't even the one who recognized her first, I mean, recognized in a way, because it was Seungmin who saw the name "Harley" tattooed on the woman's skin, which was enough for all of us to realize that she was one of Y/N's famous and almost never mentioned sisters. She was logically looking for her sister, seeing that those were her last words before she fainted. No one wasted any time after that and we were all in the car while I tried to stay calm driving. Fortunately, no one even recognized us for random outbursts on the way, we only had the chance to take her to the hospital and left quickly, but since the hospital was private, I had already arranged a transfer.

Now we were all here, tired, all lying in the middle of the living room. Hyunjin was, in fact, almost merging with me, he was so close. By this time, Felix and Y/N must have already arrived in London, I should send a confirmation message of course, but the exhaustion hit me so hard that the energy was knocking me out. I looked to the left side and despite everything that happened, I was happy when I noticed that Han and Lee Know were close again, everyone knew that those two couldn't spend so much time in a tantrum with each other. Jeongin and Changbin had their hands almost touching while both were lying on the huge couch in the apartment and Seungmin was the only one who was standing, doing who knows what in the kitchen. Everyone was awake, just resting.

"Chan, have you sent them a message?" Changbin's question shook me, also attracting Hyunjin's attention, who lifted his head from my chest and also asked me, but with his eyes. I laid my head on the floor again, sighing.

"No, not yet, I'll send it now." I looked for my phone nearby and picked it up, opening personal messages and looking for Y/N's number, I went to her contact because it was the most recent. Funny, all this happened and it ended up taking the focus off the fact that I was angry with her, obviously I was, no one can judge me for that, one thing was to understand why it happened and that it would happen at some point, another was to try to be the only one of us to try a strategic distance and almost go crazy with it for nothing, but anyway, it was not the time.

𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧: Hi Y/N, have you arrived in London? Did everything go well?

𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧: And... and your sister? Has she gotten better?

She viewed it, but didn't immediately reply to the question about her sister, only confirming that they were already in London and that everything had gone well and that Felix was taking a shower. I passed the confirmation to the guys as well, leaving everyone more relaxed. Hyunjin took the opportunity to move up from my chest until we were side by side, with the obvious intention of observing my messages, of course.

𝐘/𝐍: My sister... she's getting better, thanks for your help! Unfortunately, I don't know what happened yet, and believe me, I'm telling the truth. I also want to find out what caused all this as soon as possible, if it's to lighten the mood a little, my younger sister will hate it when she realizes that she met you in person in this situation.

This message brought a contained laugh from Hyunjin, okay, I confess that on one hand, to not go insane, it was funny.

𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧: We're all lying here in the middle of the living room, well, almost all of us, Seungmin is still in the kitchen. We want courage to enter our body through magical base, maybe... by the way, Hyunjin is right here next to me, he's watching our conversation.

My boyfriend was now a little embarrassed, but didn't move away.

𝐘/𝐍: Hi Hyunjin! Anything new over there?

Yes, we found out that you and Lee Know kissed and you traveled without even thinking about telling us about it and now we were just going with the flow, but immensely confused about how to feel in the end, hahaha, everything's great! Obviously I didn't say that, it would be more chaos in a moment when there was already a lot of it. Since the question was for Hyunjin, I passed my phone to him.

𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧: Hey Y/N! It's me now, Hyunjin :) We're just being lazy here and kind of sadly saying goodbye to our rest, but also happy that we'll be meeting our fans again!

That was exactly the feeling, although deep down, I liked some vacation, I also missed the fans' excitement – especially seeing the diversity of STAY, going from country to country, it was something very emotionally and cool to observe, and the way they all, without exaggeration, showed us enormous affection. I felt someone slowly approaching me, I turned my head and now found Jeongin, his face was a little sleepy, he will always be my baby; his eyes also flew to my phone and I could see his eyes, even if sleepy, open briefly when he realized who Hyunjin was talking to. However, Jeongin's attention didn't focus on it for long and he was soon observing me once again, his voice coming out a little hoarse.

"Chan, can we talk? Alone in your room, please." He hadn't asked in a low voice, so the others' curiosity was also aroused, however, no one questioned the request. Hyunjin was still animatedly talking about whatever with Y/N, so with a quick warning, I got up and started following Jeongin towards my room, he wasn't tense, so the conversation wouldn't be that messed up. As soon as we arrived, he pushed me and locked the door, surprising me strongly. I continued to look at him, waiting for any explanation and reaction, but he took a few minutes to say anything.

"Jeongin," I started to approach him again, now with a little more caution. "Listen, whatever is going on in your head, I'm sure we'll understand each other in a calm way."

He interrupted me, still calm, but I could already see that his breathing was getting a little altered, none of these signs bothered me. "I thought you would be the one to kiss Y/N first, you know?" Ah, Jeongin now let out an embarrassed laugh. "No, of course you didn't know, but you were. I thought it would be you," He looked at me, expecting me to say something, however, I chose silence and let him finish. "I was almost always imagining the two of you kissing and honestly? I had to control myself not to freak out, from jealousy! Jealousy of both of you, I couldn't stand the idea of Y/N kissing what's mine and I also couldn't stand the idea of you kissing what I also want to be mine. But look how funny, it wasn't even me or you." Yeah, it was Lee Know, I confess that deep down, that fact also left me perplexed.

When I realized he wouldn't say anything else now, I spoke. "Well, honestly I don't know exactly what you want me to say," I liked that he pulled me here to complain about this more, without Lee Know being able to hear and feel bad, because obviously we wouldn't want our boyfriend to feel excluded in anything, no matter how much the shot has already been fired. "If I go with your perspective, yes, I also, deep down, was expecting it to be one of the three of us to kiss her first," With the mention of three he was confused for a few seconds, until he realized. Yeah, Felix. "However, it wasn't, and today we must find a way to put this in our minds in a comfortable way, at least, try to put it in a comfortable way. Is there anything else you want to tell me?"

Jeongin stared at me for minutes on end until he placed his hands on my chest and threw me roughly onto my bed. I looked at him, alert. "I don't want to talk anymore, I want to do." I didn't have time to think about anything beyond his lips on mine, the urgency of the kiss marking me. Even though I knew it all stemmed from his internal frustration, I let it continue. It was the most advisable way to distract ourselves; we both knew that, but now none of it mattered. I grabbed Jeongin's dark strands in my hand, pulling them hard, which drew a noticeable moan from him. We both froze; the guys would know what we were doing in here. However, that realization was nothing new; it was what always happened.

Still, I preferred to make sure and ask him everything. "Jeongin, are you sure you want to go through with this?" He narrowed his eyes at the question, as if considering my inquiry foolish. But I always like to get everything straight, even when we were going to have sex, since that was obviously what was going to happen here. It's been a while since we had sex, anyway. Did anyone else manage to after Y/N showed up?

"Bang Chan, you are literally feeling my hard cock at this very moment. What kind of question is that?" Ah, sometimes he was so frank it scared me. I was the oldest of all and he was the youngest; this dynamic would always startle me, not in a perverted way, but like, he could easily dominate anyone now. Anyone except me. In this game, I was still the dominant one. So much so that now I didn't even bother asking anything else; I just wrapped my arms around his back and reversed our positions, my expression already shifting to match the mood it should be, something that surprised and excited my boyfriend even more. I could feel it, literally.

His mouth sought mine once more, now desperate, while I tried to take off my shirt, realizing there was no way our mouths would unstuck. Jeongin huffed and soon he was helping me take off my clothes, while I helped take off his. After a few minutes, we were both naked, the urgency of hunger now like a hurricane. I don't know who lost control first. After so many kisses, some even sloppy, I felt his mouth tracing my body, and before I knew it, his lips were around my cock. The movement shocked me and, unfortunately, I couldn't avoid the loud moan that escaped my mouth, which left my boyfriend very satisfied.

"Jeongin," I was already breathless, but my boyfriend didn't care, his concern focused more on taking me entirely into his mouth. "Shit, if you keep doing this, I won't last long! It's been a while since I had sex," Even so, he didn't stop, and I was already feeling my orgasm building. "I'm serious, Jeongin. If you continue, I'm going to come right now." Finally, he decided to listen to me, and I heard the 'plop' his mouth made when releasing my member. Ah, fuck.

"Chan," He sits on my hips, already grinding on top, creating more friction as our skins meet, the heat in the room rising to high levels. "Say you're mine," Surprise invades my consciousness upon hearing these words combined with the slap he delivers to my face. The surprise giving way to something more dangerous. Ah, so that's how it was, huh? I was giving myself time to recover and gain more strength, but apparently, he wasn't that patient for that alternative.

Lucky for him, I obey that order, but not before teasing. "But don't you already know that?" I gave a sincere smile when I noticed his face getting sulky again. "I'm yours, Jeongin. No need to sulk, I can always say that to you." He started to smile, however, I didn't give him much peace, and now my adrenaline was back, and very lively. I positioned him in a lying down manner, my boyfriend didn't have time to think about anything before I started stretching him slowly with my fingers, widening him to make him comfortable for penetration. At that moment, I heard some noise outside and suddenly got tense, thinking if it could be something else, but desire won, and I remained still. I don't think Jeongin heard it anyway, too busy and begging. I couldn't stop smiling; it was too good to see him like that.

His whiny voice softened my heart. "Chan, please, I think it's enough now. Please, just put it in already." I decided to remove my fingers, also noticing he was more comfortable now, and then I started looking for lube and a condom somewhere in my things, to Jeongin's agony. "Ah, Chan! For God's sake, you're just stalling."

I knew I was indeed stalling. Thing is, it's been a while since I had sex, especially with Jeongin, so I want this to last as long as possible, also remembering that next week we'll be busy like crazy again. I managed to find lube and a condom in one of my bags and focused back on him. Jeongin then surprised me by snatching the condom from my hands, opening it, and putting it on my cock himself. Wow, he really wanted me, huh.

When everything was ready, he pulled me forward in a desperate act, which only made me laugh and upset him again. But I was also impatient, so I quickly took some lube and spread it around his entrance, and soon I was positioning myself, going in slowly and slowly… which immediately began to draw moans from him, some loud and very audible to anyone outside. "Fuck, it really has been a while since we did this. Do you know how long it's been, Chan?" He was starting to ramble a bit, and no, I didn't know exactly how many days had passed. What I know is that when I finished pushing all the way in, my boyfriend came immediately. I was left in a state of joy and perplexity at the scene. I thought I was quick due to desire, but apparently, Jeongin had been holding back a lot. I see him now trying to cover his face with his arms, embarrassed. Ah, it's not time to be ashamed of anything now.

The moment my thrusts started to become faster was when he lost control completely, moaning and screaming my name so that any of the guys in the living room could hear. Ah… I put my hand over his mouth, muffling it, because I now remembered this was a residential apartment and we had neighbors. Yes, they were all elderly, I know, but they were neighbors. The screams and moans, even so, were still perceptible through the muffling of my hand, and Jeongin soon started to tremble, which made me smile even more. "Do you like it when I do this?" I gave a deep thrust, staying at the spot for a few seconds before continuing the rhythm, receiving a quick, eager nod from my boyfriend. "And when I do this," Now I pinched his nipples, twisting them a little, which ended up releasing his moans again. "Do you like that too?" He didn't answer me, but I knew he did, especially since he kept responding to the stimuli.

Jeongin was almost crying now, from turn-on, of course. "My God! Ah, this is so good, I think I'll never get used to it, even after years," Now it was his turn to pull my hair, his eyes becoming possessive. "Bang Chan, you are only ours, right? Those outside people… they see you and desire you, but none of them have any idea that you already have owners. It's quite thrilling." Now I was absolutely sure he was delirious. No, he wasn't lying about the owners part, however, my mind wandered to a particular person now. I know it wasn't the time, but did he also mean to insinuate a new person in this equation? Y/N.

I mentally slapped myself. Fuck, damn it! This was no time to think about her. Fortunately, my conscience decided to be my friend, and I focused solely on Jeongin again. I decided to change positions, sitting up against the wall while he positioned himself on my lap. And quite efficiently, he began to ride me, and I couldn't resist the urge to grab his face. We stayed kissing like this in this position for several minutes, until I felt my orgasm coming. "Shit," I grabbed his back abruptly, which startled him slightly before he started moaning again as I sped up the pace, just trying to chase the finish line. "Jeongin, I'm going to come. Tell me if you want it inside or outside. Immediately." For a moment, my boyfriend just moaned, trying to process the request, until he finally answered, his voice breathy and hoarse from the screams.

"Don't take it out. Even with the condom, it's fine. You can come inside me." He didn't need to tell me twice. Suddenly, my rhythm became uncontrolled, and Jeongin had no choice but to hold onto me tightly as I continued with the brutal thrusts. After just a few seconds, I finally released inside him. We both moaned, very tired, and stayed like that for a while, until the door opened, startling us.

It was Hyunjin, holding my phone in his hand. Ah, I had even forgotten I had left it with him. "Now that you two are finished with your… conversation," He tossed the device towards me on the bed. "Don't worry, I think the elderly in this building are hard of hearing." Hyunjin winked at us before closing the door. Jeongin suddenly became embarrassed, and I ended up having a fit of laughter at the scene. Ah, this living situation was insane.