Chapter 5


Seungcheol sat in his office, trying to focus on the report in front of him but failing to concentrate. His mind kept wandering back to Jeonghan, the memory of the thief's face and the strange effect it had on him still occupying his thoughts.

He tried to push down the feelings of attraction and fascination, reminding himself that Jeonghan was just a skilled thief, nothing more. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't shake the image of Jeonghan's face from his mind.

Seungcheol cursed under his breath, frustrated by his own inability to keep Jeonghan out of his head. He had always been good at controlling his emotions and staying focused, but Jeonghan seemed to have a strange hold over him.

He leaned back in his chair and ran a hand through his hair, sighing in irritation. He knew he had to get Jeonghan out of his head somehow, otherwise he would be distracted and unable to lead Seventeen effectively.

Just then, there was a knock on the door and Vernon entered. "Hey, boss," he said. "Can I talk to you for a sec?"

Seungcheol was grateful for the interruption, glad to have something to distract him from his thoughts of Jeonghan. "Yeah, sure," he said, gesturing for Hansol to come in.

Vernon leaned against the desk, looking a bit nervous. "I wanted to talk to you about something," he said, his tone serious. "It's about Jeonghan."

Seungcheol's heart skipped a beat at the mention of Jeonghan's name. "What about him?" he asked, trying to keep his voice steady.

He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck, looking hesitant. "I don't know if this is a good idea," he said. "But I've been hearing some rumors around headquarters."

Seungcheol raised an eyebrow, sensing his reluctance. "What kind of rumors?" he asked, although he had a feeling he already knew.

Vernon shifted uneasily, studying Seungcheol's face. "Some of the members have been talking," he said. "About you and Jeonghan."

Seungcheol felt a pang of irritation and unease at the mention of the rumors. "What exactly are they saying?" he asked, trying to keep his voice neutral.

He shifted uneasily again, clearly uncomfortable with the topic. "Well, they've been talking about your...reaction to Jeonghan," he said, his voice tentative. "And how you let him go so easily after he took the diamond. They're saying there's something going on between you two."

Seungcheol let out a sigh, feeling frustrated and exposed. He had been hoping to keep his encounter with Jeonghan private, but it seemed like rumors were already spreading throughout headquarters.

He ran a hand through his hair, agitated. "There's nothing going on," he said firmly, trying to convince himself as much as Vernon. "Jeonghan is just a thief that we're dealing with. Nothing more."

Vernon didn't look entirely convinced, but he nodded in understanding. "Okay, boss," he said, still looking uncertain. "I just wanted to let you know what people have been saying. I don't believe the rumors, personally."

Seungcheol appreciated his loyalty and discretion, but he was still frustrated by the rumors and the fact that people were talking about him and Jeonghan. He knew he needed to put an end to the speculation before it got out of control.

He leaned back in his chair and let out a deep sigh. "Thanks for letting me know," he said, his voice a bit weary. "I'll see what I can do to squash those rumors."

Vernon nodded again and gave Seungcheol a small smile. "Sure thing, boss," he said. "Let me know if you need any help."

As he left the office, Seungcheol was left alone with his thoughts once again. He knew he had to address the rumors somehow, but he also knew that it wouldn't be easy to convince people there was nothing going on between him and Jeonghan.

A few moments after Vernon left, there was a knock on the door again and Joshua entered the office, looking serious.

Seungcheol looked up as Joshua entered, already guessing that something was up. "Hey, Josh," he said, gesturing for him to come in. "What's going on?"

Joshua closed the door behind him and walked over to Seungcheol's desk, the expression on his face grave. "We have a bit of a problem, Cheol," he said, his voice serious.

Seungcheol raised his eyebrows in surprise at Joshua's informal address, knowing that it meant the situation was serious. "What kind of problem?" he asked, sitting up straighter in his chair.

Joshua took a deep breath, seemingly bracing himself for what he was about to say. "I’ve just received some intel," he began. "And it's not good."

Seungcheol felt a sense of apprehension settle over him. "Go on," he said, the muscles in his jaw tensing.

"Jeonghan isn't easy to deal. He will try to steal the diamond from us." Joshua stated.

Seungcheol felt a surge of irritation and frustration at this news. "Of course," he muttered, running a hand through his hair. "Of course he would try to steal it back. He's too stubborn to give up so easily."

Joshua nodded in agreement, his expression grim. "It seems like he's not going to give up without a fight," he said. "And I've been hearing rumors that he's already planning his next move."

Seungcheol's irritation grew as he heard this news. "Damn it," he muttered, clenching his fists. "I knew he was up to something. We can't let him get his hands on that diamond again."

Joshua nodded in agreement. "That's why I came to tell you right away," he said. "We need to come up with a plan to stop him before he can attempt another heist."

Seungcheol sighed and leaned back in his chair, his mind already starting to work on a plan. "You're right," he said. "We can't underestimate Jeonghan. He's proven himself to be a formidable opponent so far."

Joshua nodded. "But we have the advantage of being able to anticipate his moves," he said. "We know that he's after the diamond, so we can set a trap and be ready for him when he comes."

Seungcheol nodded, feeling a sense of determination wash over him. "You're right," he said, setting his jaw firmly. "We need to set a trap for Jeonghan and catch him off guard. We can't let him outsmart us again."

Joshua gave Seungcheol a nod and left the office, leaving him alone with his thoughts again. Seungcheol leaned back in his chair and let out a weary sigh, his mind already racing with plans and strategies.

Seungcheol got up from his chair and walked over to the safe in the corner of his office. He quickly unlocked it and retrieved the diamond, holding it up to the light. The sparkling gemstone looked innocent enough, but Seungcheol knew it was a valuable target for Jeonghan.

He felt a mixture of anger and grudging admiration as he looked at the diamond. Despite everything, he couldn't deny that Jeonghan was an impressive thief, able to outwit even the most experienced and cunning gang leaders.

Seungcheol studied the diamond closely, his frown deepening. Something about it was bothering him, but he couldn't put his finger on what it was. He turned the diamond over in his hand, examining it from every angle.

Seungcheol's suspicion increased as he studied the diamond, an uneasy feeling settling in his gut. "Something is off," he muttered to himself, his mind racing. "But what is it?"

He racked his brain, trying to figure out what about the diamond was giving him a sense of unease. It was too clean, too perfect, as if someone had polished it within an inch of its life.

Seungcheol got out a device and began to scan the diamond, his heart pounding as he waited for the results. He knew that Jeonghan was a master thief and it was entirely possible that the diamond was a fake.

The device beeped as it finished scanning the diamond, and Seungcheol scanned the results quickly. His heart sank as he saw the truth. The diamond was fake.

He swore under his breath, feeling a mixture of anger and disbelief. Jeonghan had outplayed him again, swapping out the real diamond with a perfect replica.

Seungcheol called his members into his office, his anger and frustration evident on his face. The members quickly filed in, all of them looking concerned and confused at the sudden summon.

"I have some bad news," Seungcheol said, his voice low and dangerous. "The diamond we have is fake. Jeonghan swapped it out for a replica."

The room was silent for a moment as the members absorbed this information. Then a chorus of curses and exclamations filled the room. Everyone looked shocked and angry, realizing they'd been tricked by Jeonghan.

Seungcheol was seething with anger, his hands clenched into fists. "We need to find Jeonghan now," he said, his voice cold and determined. "We have to get the real diamond back before it's too late."

Joshua shook his head, looking just as puzzled as Seungcheol. "I have no idea," he said. "We have security measures in place specifically to prevent anyone from getting in unnoticed. It seems that Jeonghan is more skilled than we thought."

Seungcheol ran a hand through his hair, his mind racing. He had no idea how Jeonghan had managed to infiltrate headquarters without being noticed, but the fact that he had done so was both impressive and infuriating.

"We need to tighten up our security," he said, his jaw set in determination. "We can't let Jeonghan just waltz in and out of headquarters whenever he pleases. We need to find and eliminate any weaknesses in our defenses."

The members nodded in agreement, all of them looking determined and ready to take action. "We'll double up on security patrols and run extra training drills," Wonwoo said, sounding eager to make up for their mistake.

Seungcheol turned to his team, his mind focused on the task at hand. "We need to track Jeonghan down and get the real diamond back as soon as possible," he said, his voice firm. "Everyone get to work, find any possible leads or clues that can lead us to Jeonghan."

The members nodded, their faces serious and determined. They quickly began to discuss and strategize, each of them bringing up possible locations Jeonghan could be hiding in.

On the other hand, Jeonghan entered his secret hideout, a satisfied smile on his face. He had managed to swap the real diamond with a replica right under Scoups nose, fooling the gang leader and his team.

As he settled into his chair, he felt a sense of accomplishment and pride in his skills. He had once again proven that he was the best thief in the business, able to outsmart even the most formidable opponents.

He chuckled to himself as he pulled out the real diamond from inside his jacket, admiring its sparkling facets. "Another successful job," he said to himself, a smirk on his face. "And yet another victory for me."

Jeonghan knew that the gang leader and his team were probably on the warpath, frantically searching for him and the diamond. But he also knew that they wouldn't be able to catch him, not when he was one step ahead of them at every turn.

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