Seokjin's brother-in-law, Josh, and his family decided to make the move to Seoul for college and to raise their baby. Seokjin and Alexi didn't even hesitate; they packed up and relocated from Incheon to Seoul. What did that mean for me? A cramped one-bedroom apartment in the heart of Seoul, just ten minutes away from all of them.

I can't deny it; I'm practically a permanent fifth wheel now. But they're my family, and I wouldn't have it any other way. Seokjin's been my best friend for as long as I can remember, and Alexi, well, she's something special, Nuna. I've never really been a kid person, you know, but there's just something about theirs that hits differently.  Living in such close quarters with Seokjin, Alexi, and their kids is both a blessing and a curse. Blessing because I get to witness firsthand the warmth of a real family, something I've always admired from afar. They have their routines, their inside jokes, and their moments of chaos and laughter that make me feel like I'm part of something genuine, something beautiful.

But it's also a curse because it serves as a constant reminder of what I don't have. Their love and camaraderie emphasize the void in my own life, a void that I often try to fill with casual encounters and the pursuit of fleeting pleasures.

Seokjin, with his unwavering loyalty and witty banter, is my anchor in this sea of complexity. We've weathered storms together, and I know he's got my back, no matter what. Alexi, on the other hand, is a beacon of kindness and grace, and I'm endlessly grateful for her acceptance, even if she knows I'm a bit of a mess.

Their kids, those little bundles of chaos and wonder, have this way of making me smile when I least expect it. Their laughter and innocence are a stark contrast to the dark corners of my world, a reminder that life has its moments of light, even for someone like me. 

The faint creak of the door creeping open behind me yanks my attention away from the monitors. I swivel around in my chair, and there he is, Seokjin, sauntering in with a bottle of beer clutched in each hand, his trademark lazy grin plastered across his face."What are you doing out here?" I ask as if I'm not currently holed up in the security building on his property. The room itself is pretty modest – monitors line one wall, a desk stands in the corner, and there are two chairs.

Seokjin shakes his head at me, the glimmer of amusement dancing in his eyes. He offers one of the bottles while taking a sip from his own. "I saw the light still on. We're supposed to be off the clock, Jeon," he says, quirking an eyebrow at me.

I can't help but roll my eyes, well aware that we've been down this road too many times lately. "We're never off the clock," I grumble back, taking a hefty gulp from my bottle.He smirks, giving me that look he reserves for moments like these. "Well, you would be if you had someone to keep you company," Seokjin retorts, his gaze pointed and knowing. "Shut the fuck up, asshole." Gulping down the rest of the beer, I turn in my seat to turn the monitor off now that the computer has shut down, but I don't miss the sigh from behind me, a sure sign that Seokjin hasn't finished with his lecture. Great.

"I'm serious, man," he pushes, squeezing my shoulder in some awkward, brotherly display of comfort, but I don't need it. I don't need this attempt at heavy talk either; it's damn annoying.

"And I'm telling Alexi on you for pushing me to open up. Again," I sass back at him, watching him roll his eyes this time because he knows I've got him there. As I said, Alexi is my favorite Nuna, and it's always amusing when I complain about Seokjin to her, and she always takes my side.

"Fuck off," he scoffs back, dropping down into the seat beside me, but he doesn't continue, and I grin, pleased that I got him to shut the fuck up.

Making the most of the silence, I opt to change the subject while I can. "So, what have we got going on next week?" Peeling the label off the bottle mindlessly, Seokjin groans beside me.

"You never fucking stop, do you?" he grunts, a statement, not a question, just as his phone pings, and he quickly pulls it from his jeans pocket.

I watch him read through whatever popped up on his screen, eyebrows furrowing the more his eyes scan from left to right, and I know whatever it is isn't good.

"Fuck," he hisses, swiping his hair back off his face in frustration, sagging back in his seat for a moment before he turns his attention to me.

With that one look in his eyes, I know without a shadow of a doubt that it's a job. A job he's going to want me to do because, as much as we have plenty of people working for the security firm, trust is still another level of shit that is hard to come by. Which means this is going to fall on my shoulders. A role I'm all too familiar with.

Sitting taller in my seat, I place the empty beer bottle down on the desk. "Whatever it is, just spit it out," I state, not wanting to beat around the bush. We deal in security; nine times out of ten, this shit is serious. With no margin for error or room for pause.

"How do you feel about an on-location job? It's high alert, and I only trust you with it," he replies without hesitation. I nod immediately.

A tingle prickles at the base of my spine, my body becoming more alert with every second that passes. "Get me all the details. I guess we're not off the clock after all."